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James Jeans is looking to beef up its green credentials by doing more than simply using organic cotton for the label’s second environmentally friendly capsule collection.
Seun Lim, creative director and co-founder of James Jeans, said efforts on the brand’s first eco-friendly collection introduced this fall centered on using organic denim and experimenting with organic dyes. For spring, Lim felt it was important to continue developing and expanding green processes. As a result, she began targeting one of the most chemical- and resource-intensive aspects of denim production.
“This season, we are trying to focus a bit more on the process of washes,” said Lim. “I wanted to step up and offer something different.”
Lim said she has been working with an organic-certified wash-and-dye facility in Los Angeles that specializes in alternative processes. Traditional chemical bleaches used to lighten denim have been replaced by an ozone bleaching system that many designers tout as a better oxidizer than bleach and requires considerably less water.
For the line’s colored denim, Lim used organic dyes derived from natural proteins such as cellulase, laccase and catalase. All denim pieces in the collection are finished with a natural latex coating developed from rubber trees. The finish is said to give the denim a flat and silky look rather than appearing waxy.
The collection will also use recycled hardware, such as rivets and buttons. In the case of metal buttons, Lim said distressing them with sandpaper and extended exposure to the sun is all that is needed to produce a variety of new and innovative looks.
The most novel aspect of the collection came about purely by chance and required a trip halfway around the world. According to Lim, friends in Australia called saying they had a surprise for her, but that she needed to come see it for herself. After hopping on a plane, Lim’s friends led her to a barn they owned. Inside was a 2,000-yard roll of denim that had been naturally aging for what Lim believes could have been 100 years.
“When I opened it I realized it was denim, but it had already faded,” said Lim. “The denim had flaws everywhere, it was almost like a homespun look. Obviously that looks very organic to me, so for me that was really cool.”
Since the denim has faded significantly, no washing was necessary. Lim is using the fabric to make a limited edition style within the eco collection and expects to offer about 1,280 pieces.
The label marked the launch of the eco collection Tuesday night with an event at the brand’s loft in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood hosted by actresses Emmanuelle Chiriqui from “Entourage” and Malin Ackerman from the movie “27 Dresses.” Donations will also be made to the Environmental Media Association and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The collection will begin selling at the end of February for the spring season. Retail prices will range from $145 to $246. Early season sales for the line have already topped $1 million, but management declined to provide target sales for the full season.
Lim is committed to continuing exploring ways to green up the denim process and she understands that the environmental movement is anything but a fad for her customers.
“I don’t want people to be focusing on eco and green just for the time being,” she said. “This has to be an ongoing process.”
@kering_official is spinning off its stake in puma in an effort to focus on its luxury brands, the brand operator announced yesterday. “We are proud to have supported the turnaround of Puma, which now has unrivaled capabilities to take full advantage of the specific dynamics of its global markets and is poised to achieve substantial growth,” said François-Henri Pinault, Kering’s chief executive officer and chairman. Artémis will become a “long-term strategic shareholder” of Puma with a 29 percent stake. #wwdnews #wwdfashion (📷: @jilliansollazzo)
The fashion world mourns for celebrated street style photographer, Nabile Quenum, who died at age 32 in Paris.
Quenum, creator of the fashion blog “J’ai Perdu Ma Veste,” was a fashion week fixture, and regularly shot for New York magazine’s The Cut, among other outlets, and brands such as Louis Vuitton, Moncler and Adidas. He was also actively involved in the #NoFreePhotos initiative, which kicked off in the fall. Read more about Quenum in @kbsmoke's story on WWD.com. #wwdnews
@verwanggang and @maisonladuree have teamed up on a dessert collab called Vera Wang Pour Ladurée. The collection, which launched this week, features a specialty macaroon, as well as a wedding cake inspired by one of the designer’s gowns. “I could not imagine a more delicate or sophisticated creation to grace any couple’s celebration,” said Wang. #wwdfashion
“I’m Russian and I love to use all these little tricks that I got from my grandma or my mom. We didn’t have a lot of money for creams or anything like that so we would use a garden as a beauty treatment regime. We’d put cucumber in the fridge and do a cucumber mask,” says model @irinashayk on one of her beauty hacks. WWD asked celebs what their go-to self-care rituals are. See what Naomie Harris, Freida Pinto and more said on WWD.com. #wwdeye #wwdbeauty (📷: @zefashioninsider)
Exclusive: @viktorandrolf are teaming up with @Zalando on a collection made from leftover clothing. The lineup, which lands at the retailer February 1, includes 17 pieces adorned with sliced up and repurposed overstock from the retailer’s private label collection. Pictured here is a look from the collection –– see more on WWD.com. #wwdfashion #wwdnews
@duewestnyc is the newest bar joining the collection of intimate neighborhood-focused spaces in the West Village. The cocktail menu, which includes bitters and syrups made in-house, offers a “Build Your Own Old-Fashioned” – like the one pictured here – where guests can choose from a list of spirits and unexpected sugars and bitters. #wwdeye
Spotted at last night’s National Board of Review gala in NYC: Angelina Jolie. Jolie – along with Meryl Streep, @lupitanyongo and more – continued the all-black dress code from Sunday’s Golden Globes. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)


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March 29, 2012
The company, which generates leads for insurance agents, was bought in a deal that closed Monday, Bankrate Senior Vice President Bruce Zanca confirmed to Columbus Business First. He would not disclose details of the transaction or otherwise comment.
Bankrate has added to its stable of lead gen web sites with great domain names by acquiring InsuranceAgents.com.
InsuranceAgents.com was founded in 2004 by tech entrepreneur Lev Barinskiy and by 2009 was posting annual revenue of $12 million, a torrid pace that put the company at No. 1 on Business First’s annual Fast 50 list of Central Ohio’s fastest-growing companies. It topped the list in both 2009 and 2010.
InsuranceAgents.com works by drawing insurance shoppers to its intuitively named website, where consumers can either find a local agent or get price quotes from multiple insurers to compare and contrast coverages, price and service. Barinskiy in 2010 said the site was processing more than 120,000 insurance quote requests per month, and passing them on to about 5,000 agents across the U.S.
The company had grown without having tapped any outside investors, Barinskiy said at the time. He did not respond to a request for comment about the Bankrate deal.

domain: news


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Video game developer Crystal Dynamics and hardware developer AMD have launched a new video for the new Tomb Raider which is specifically designed to show off the TressFX technology, and the way it affects the hair of main character, Lara Croft.
The sequence is based around the start of the game and shows Lara exploring the environment while her hair swings wildly around her head.
TressFX is a AMD technology that’s implemented in the new Tomb Raider for the first time and might appear in more PC-based titles during 2013.
The new Tomb Raider is a full series reboot that takes a young Lara Croft to a mysterious island, searching for companions after a shipwreck.
The character will get her first kill and evolve towards the fearless adventurer that players already know and love.


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Cemex, North America's largest cement producer, reported a 10% increase in quarterly sales on Thursday, boosted by robust demand in the United States and Mexico, despite supply chain interruptions and a spike in energy and transportation costs.
Companies' ability to ship and receive product components and supplies throughout the globe has been disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Cemex warned earlier this month that these difficulties, combined with inflation and foreign exchange effects, might cost the company $100 million in full-year earnings.
Cemex's biggest market, the United States, had net sales rise 10% to $1.12 billion in the third quarter, while sales in Mexico increased 20% to $868 million.
Cemex said its cement and ready-mix businesses in the United States saw a second wave of pricing hikes in the reported quarter, with prices up 2% from the previous three months.
"We are sure that our pricing approach will more than compensate for the unexpected increase in input costs," stated Chief Executive Fernando González.
Cemex lost $376 million in the third quarter, compared to a loss of $1.54 billion the year before.


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By Julie Jargon
Food companies are betting more portable packaging and trendier flavors will do something for soup that mom can’t: make it cool to twenty-somethings.
The efforts by Campbell Soup Co. and General Mills Inc. include selling soup in microwavable pouches, touting ingredients like quinoa and shiitake mushrooms, and offering low-calorie varieties for weight-conscious members of a generation known as “millennials.”
The efforts are aimed at heating up sales after years of decline. Unit sales of soup fell by almost 3.5% in 2012, according to SymphonyIRI Group. The market research firm doesn’t break down sales by age, but soup makers say Baby Boomers are the biggest soup eaters.
So soup makers see an opportunity to increase sales by targeting millennials, people born between 1982 and 2004. The challenge is that preferences vary widely across this group. Teens are accustomed to instant gratification and are more likely to want a microwavable soup, while 20-somethings have been influenced by the trend toward fresh foods and are more interested in cooking from scratch, according to Tina Wells, chief executive of Buzz Marketing Group, a firm that specializes in marketing to young people.
They’re also tricky to market to because the economic downturn left many of them unemployed and still living with their parents into their 20s. As unemployment hit teens and young adults harder than any other group during the economic downturn, Burger King, which had long targeted young customers, saw its sales plummet a couple of years ago. It has since experienced a rebound after broadening its menu and marketing to older consumers. Gum companies such as Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. and Mondelez International Inc. have had a hard time getting young people back into chewing gum, in part because of its price. Banks and credit-card companies also have struggled with reaching out to young customers, says Ms. Wells.
But soup has some good things going for it. Campbell Soup in August introduced a new line of soup aimed at what it called “time-crunched 20-somethings” called Campbell’s Go. The soups come in such varieties as coconut curry with shiitake mushrooms and quinoa with poblano chilies and are packaged in microwavable pouches with grips on either side that stay cool to avoid burns, so the soup can be squeezed into a bowl after heating.
More on this after the jump…


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LAKE SUCCESS, NY. — The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. has completed the divestitures of two more brands, continuing in its plan to strategically shed non-core businesses and become a smaller, more profitable company.
US Durum Products Ltd., Lancaster, Pa., a couscous manufacturer, has acquired the Casbah brand of Mediterranean-style mixes and side dishes from the Hain Celestial Group. Nature’s Touch Frozen Foods, Montreal, a processor of frozen fruits, has acquired the Europe’s Best brand of frozen fruits and vegetables. Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed.
"These two Canadian strategic brand divestitures represent another important step in the execution of our transformational strategic plan by further simplifying the portfolio and organization and improving our margins and cash flow,” said Mark L. Schiller, president and chief executive officer of Hain Celestial. “The transactions allow us to focus more resources against fewer, bigger opportunities, which will drive our long-term financial performance."
The two transactions are the latest in a string of strategic divestitures by Hain Celestial since Mr. Schiller joined the company over a year ago. In 2019, the company divested seven businesses with almost $750 million in sales, including Hain Pure Protein businesses consisting of Plainville, Empire Kosher and FreeBird brands, WestSoy, Tilda, Sunspire and Arrowhead Mills.


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Nickelodeon Creates Their Own ‘Smash’ Clone With ‘Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl’
by Sage Ashford
Considering Super Smash Bros is the most popular fighting game of all time, it’s a wonder more companies don’t try to create their own clones. But Nickelodeon has decided to get in on the act as they recently announced a new title developed by Ludosity and Fair Play Labs called Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl — a platform fighter with characters from across all their various cartoon properties.
The trailer shows characters like TMNT‘s Leonardo and Michelangelo, The Loud House‘s Lincoln Loud, Spongebob Squarepants‘ Spongebob, Patrick Star, and Sandy Cheeks. But it’s not only the major characters or television shows being featured as older properties like Aah! Real Monsters and Ren and Stimpy make appearances, with the latter offering Powdered Toast Man and the former lending Oblina to the roster.
According to the trailer, the fighting game will have twenty levels, with each themed after different areas from the properties. The game will allow for both single-player and multiplayer in online and local modes.
So far, there’s no word on whether Avatar: The Last Airbender will be included, but considering all the deep dives being made here, it seems like that’s only a matter of time.
Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is planned to release Fall 2021 for PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and the Nintendo Switch.


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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Although NASCAR encouraged teams to run in larger packs during the first day of testing at Daytona International Speedway, most avoided pack racing - and the real chance of crashing.
In an effort to avoid calling the new cars for the Sprint Cup Series "cars of tomorrow," NASCAR decided to call them "G6s" - the sixth generation remake of the flagship cars for the sport.
The new cars are designed to bring back manufacturer identity.
NASCAR already is at full speed with its new generation race car for the 2013 season. Teams already have tested the new cars, which are supposed to take the sport back to the days when manufacturers have distinctive brand identities.


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The District on Main has been a fixture in historic downtown Claremore since 2012. Owner Cari Bohannan has decided to tackle another new project, and is planning to open The District Baby on Monday, August 12, giving us Claremore’s only baby boutique.
The District Baby will carry all of the necessary baby essentials, with an upscale twist. Items in the store will include clothing, toys, rattles, teethers, shoes, blankets, bibs, and dishes. Clothing is available for both boys and girls, in sizes newborn to 4t. Adorable and exclusive brands include Milkbarn, Kickee Pants, Quincy Mae, and Magnetic Me, which are pajamas with magnetic closures. That’s every exhausted parent’s dream! The District Baby will also have RuffleButts and RuggedButts. Offerings from Little Unicorn are sleeping bags, sheets, swaddlers, and hooded towels. Copper Pearl, Aiden + Anais, and Jellycat will also be in stock.
The District Baby is located at 418 W. Will Rogers Blvd. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10a – 5:30p, Thursdays from 10a – 6p, and Saturdays from 10a – 5p. And if you recognize the manager, it’s Kayla Dossett, who was a longtime employee at The District on Main. We are so excited to welcome her back to Claremore!


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Topic: Sarah Kuper
After more than three years since AT&T got the iPhone, Verizon started carrying the Apple device on Thursday. For some, a Verizon iPhone is a dream come true. But some new iPhone owners admit that this was a purchase of last resort.
02/10/2011 02:12 pm


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Food labeling is a great idea. Who can argue with it? Trouble is, tracking exactly what is in every package of mass produced and globally-sourced food is a challenge. It just wasn’t practical. Now new technology is taking action and bringing that good idea to shoppers everywhere.
For those who would like to know whether their organic foods are truly organic, the use of NFC technology, and QR codes will help you to differentiate these products.
Food labels will become more important in the upcoming years. Soon, the food information itself will evolve as well. The future begins with smart packaging; which takes advantage of existing technology, allowing consumers to read information and other materials without scanning.
The technology is called near-field communication (NFC). It is included in most late-model cellphones, and has long been in use in other countries, on e-tickets as well as mobile payments. Another way for consumers to scan packaging is by using QR codes. The difference is that QR codes connect the user to other sites where the information is kept. This information is then downloaded to the smartphone for them to read.
On the contrary, this innovative NFC technology involves information already being available and transferrable to the smartphone. There is no need to place the phone on top of the item or product. When the phone gets near the object, the information is instantly transferred without any need for prompting. The consumer can then read the information without the need to scan the item, creating a more efficient process.
Smart Packaging NFC and QR Codes
The NFC Forum has partnered with the Active & Intelligent Packaging Industry Association and the Wireless Power Consortium, to bring novel information about products to consumers via the packaging NFC.
At the same time, QR codes are becoming more common. The latest news is that Arkansas farmers will now be utilizing QR codes on their meat products. Customers will be able to determine the origin of the meat, as well as the method of raising. In addition, food containing GMO ingredients are now required to have QR codes, to inform consumers about what they are eating.
This is a direct result of the need for consumers to understand the conditions of the animals and plants that are being used in processing food. Until recently, this was not common practice within the country.
In Europe, they employ the terroir, which is the system that claims an item can only be called such if it passes requirements regarding location. This results in regulations concerning the use of a name, like Champagne and Parmigiano-Reggiano, actually apply to where it is produced and not just what it is.
In the United States, there are only a few examples of food and beverage items which have manufacturing restrictions. Bourbon is restricted in terms of how it is made and the ingredients used. Historically, there are a lot of bourbon manufacturers in Kentucky, which has resulted in bourbon being associated with the state. However, recent studies have shown that Kentucky bourbon has a distinctive taste, which is not found in bourbon made outside of this location. A phenomenon that has been attributed to the quality of water used.
This is the kind of information which manufacturers and growers want to have on their goods, especially for food and beverage products. For those who would like to know whether their organic foods are truly organic, the use of NFC technology, and QR codes will help you to differentiate these products and make an informed purchasing decision.
Making that information available to the public through new technology, is a bold action that could have big implications for the food business of the future.


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Harley-Davidson York Open House Starts Thursday
Harley-Davidson York Vehicle Operations invites the public this week to celebrate the factory’s 40th year in the York community. The factory’s annual Open House is Thursday, September 19 through Saturday, September 21.
Harley says the event has something for everyone: Take a free tour, test ride a new model year ’14 motorcycle, listen to live music, watch a stunt show, buy merchandise from five area
dealers, eat food from various vendors, and see the first motorcycle made at the York factory!
Although children under 12 are not typically permitted on tours due to safety concerns, all children can tour the facility on Saturday. It is a rare opportunity for children to tour York Vehicle Operations. (Note: There is no production on Saturday, but there is still plenty to see!)
Free self-guided tours of the expanded and modernized factory where Harley-Davidson Softail®, Touring, CVO™ and Trike motorcycles are produced are available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. this week. Open House event hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The facility is located at 1425 Eden Road, York.


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United Airlines expects the week of November 23 will be its busiest since March as customers travel to visit friends and family for the Thanksgiving holiday. This year, United is anticipating approximately 50% of United customers flying for Thanksgiving are booking travel less than 30 days prior to departure compared to last year when around 40% of Thanksgiving travelers booked less than 30 days before departure. To help customers reconnect with loved ones this holiday season, United is adding more than 1,400 domestic flights during the week of Thanksgiving and is monitoring bookings in real-time to swap in larger aircraft when needed to accommodate last-minute demand.
“We know that for many customers, this holiday season may be their first time back on a plane since the start of the pandemic, and we’re committed to helping provide flexibility and a safer, clean, travel experience,” said Ankit Gupta, United’s vice president of Network Planning and Scheduling. “While this holiday travel season looks quite different than recent years, we’re continuing to follow the same playbook we have all year long – watching the data and adding more flights, adjusting schedules and leveraging larger aircraft to give customers more ways to reunite with family or reach their destinations.”
In December, the airline expects to see a similar travel pattern with customers booking holiday vacations closer to departure opting for warmer weather and ski destinations in the United States, the Caribbean and Mexico. Popular destinations include cities in Florida, Hawaii, Colorado, Montana, Costa Rica, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. United expects to fly 48% of its overall schedule in December compared to 2019, adding more than 140 daily flights and increasing capacity on more than 350 routes.
December Domestic Schedule Highlights
In December, United intends to fly 52% of its domestic schedule compared to December 2019, which is a 3-point increase compared to November 2020.
One of the biggest changes holiday travelers may notice this year are additional flights on peak travel days from United’s Chicago, Denver, Houston and Washington Dulles gateways. The airline is adding more departures to provide customers with more options to get to their destination this holiday season. With these changes, United expects to operate more than 200 additional departures on peak days during the holiday period. Highlights of United’s December schedule include:
- Additional service to popular warm-weather destinations in Florida and Hawaii, including: Fort Lauderdale, Fort Meyers, Tampa, Miami and Palm Beach in Florida and Honolulu, Maui, Kona and Lihue in Hawaii.
- In Hawaii, United will reintroduce service between Los Angeles and Hilo, Chicago and Maui, as well as between New York/Newark and Honolulu for the holiday period. United will also increase service on 13 Hawaii routes beginning December 17.
- United will also begin six new routes between Fort Myers, Florida and Columbus, Indianapolis, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh, between New York/LaGuardia and Palm Beach, and between Milwaukee and Tampa beginning December 17.
- United will increase service to popular ski destinations, including Aspen, Jackson Hole, Steamboat Springs and Vail, with over 580 weekly roundtrips beginning December 17.
December International Schedule Highlights
In December, United intends to fly 43% of its international schedule compared to December 2019, which is a 4-point increase compared to November 2020. The airline is seeing an increase in demand to beach destinations internationally as well, specifically to Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. December international schedule highlights include:
- Operating 40 additional daily international roundtrips compared to November.
- Launching 36 new and returning routes including eight new destinations in Latin America.
- Increasing service on 84 additional routes to 33 destinations in Latin America including Liberia, Cancun, Aruba, Nassau and Punta Cana.
- Growing service to India, with new nonstop service between Chicago and New Delhi starting December 10 and increasing service between San Francisco and New Delhi to daily.
- Increasing service between San Francisco and Taipei; Los Angeles and Sydney; and New York/Newark and Brussels, Belgium.


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Jan 16, 2020, 8:51 am83 ptsLOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–MedMen Enterprises Inc. (“MedMen” or the “Company”) (CSE: MMEN) (OTCQX: MMNFF) plans to release its financial results for the second quarter fiscal 2020 ended December 28, 2019 after market close on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. Following the release of these…
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It seems that Microsoft is set to release the successor of their budget phablet Lumia 1320.
According to a photo uploaded on Twitter by @staguevue, the phone may pair up a 5.7-inch 720p (720x1280 pixels) display. The last edition, Lumia 1320, also paired a similar 720p screen, but it had a 0.3-inch bigger screen size than the upcoming one.
The leaked image further hints that the Lumia 1330 is about to feature MSM8926, Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 based Quad-Core SoC in comparison with 1320's Dual-Core SoC. The Lumia 1330 will also retain the same 1GB RAM. Though there is no mention of device storage on the leaked image, we believe the Lumia 1330 won't upgrade it for being in the budget phablets category.
Regarding the camera, the image indicates that the device could ship with a 14.1mp rear camera with Carl Zeiss optics and a 5mp front camera. The last edition featured a 5mp rear camera along with a 0.3mp front camera.
Though there is no official update from Microsoft on LUMIA 1330's release date or price, we believe the Windows maker will not be in a hurry to release it on the upcoming International CES 2015 and may wait till March 2015 when the gala mobile event MWC will be held in Barcelona.


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Big wheel Casino broadens with real-time video games of Craps
Big wheel has revealed its newest update for Big Fish Casino on mobile as well as Facebook, bringing what it calls the initial synchronous Craps video game to a digital gambling enterprise. Craps was one of the most asked for the game by Big Fish Casino’s existing gamers, with the video game’s real-time functionality enabling players to play with others, beyond simply Facebook or real-world good friends.
” We’ve adapted one of the most social games in the online casino and brought its vigor into the mobile setting, preserving all the timeless casino-style odds that attract savvy shooters and also high rollers,” said Carey DiJulio, Vice President as well as General Manager of Big Fish Casino. In this digital video game of Craps, players can blow on their dice permanently luck. When they’re on a roll, the dice will get “hotter” aesthetically, for every person to see. If gamers can roll 16 times without “blacking out,” the dice will become swallowed up in blue flames.
Big Fish Games hooks partnership with Disney
Big wheel joker123 apk Casino currently supplies game settings for Slots, Blackjack, Texas Hold ’em Poker, as well as Roulette. The game has actually verified to be an extremely social experience, with more than 17 million good friend links being made within the game to date. Like various other video games, Craps in Big Fish Casino uses cross-platform play for customers throughout mobile devices and Facebook. The video game’s probabilities resemble those found in Las Vegas, and also social attributes permit users to the conversation or share digital beverages and gifts with other users all around the globe.
Seattle-based developer Big Fish Games has actually landed a partnership with Disney Pixar to create a brand-new mobile video game Toy Story Drop! Out in shops previously this week, Toy Story Drop! The game has been released in the Philippines in beta on Google Play and the App Store, and also will be complied with by a global rollout across all mobile systems later on this spring.


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Development of retail space begins at Drayton Mill
“We are very excited about this next phase of the project,” said Montgomery, whose great-great-grandfather, John H. Montgomery, helped organize the mill in 1902. “We have already received strong interest from several parties. Our goal is to complete the work on these spaces and then begin signing up tenants.”
The first phase of the project kicked off in late 2014. It included the construction of 289 luxury apartment units, a 60-foot lap pool, fitness center and other amenities in and around the mill’s vacant spinning and weaving plants.
That phase was spearheaded by Charlotte, N.C.-based TMS Development, which purchased the property from Pacolet Milliken Enterprises, and its contractor, Whiting-Turner.
Tenants began moving into the spinning building in November.
Tara Sherbert, managing partner with TMS Development, said the spaces will be leased as they become available. The apartments will be completed in April.
“As we continue to unfold our luxury apartments, we are extremely excited to commence the retail component of the project,” Sherbert said. “We are carefully considering the optimal mix of tenants that will help create a comprehensive live-work-play community for our residential tenants and an exciting destination for the surrounding communities.”
Crews have removed part of the warehouse facility’s roof and exposed a concrete walkway that will serve as an open-air thoroughfare connected to a new plaza area. It will be lined with industrial-chic spaces occupied by a range of tenants, Montgomery said.
Larger spaces in the warehouse complex will include mezzanines. Throughout the complex, wood facades will be replaced with glass, and extra windows will be added to allow natural light in.
A boardwalk will wrap around the warehouse near the mill pond.
The company store is in the process of being cleaned and opened up. Its original coffered tin ceiling, which was painted over, will be exposed and restored.
Montgomery said the National Park Service and state Historic Preservation Office have both approved the commercial development plan.
While no leases have been signed, Montgomery said he is in discussions with multiple companies, restaurants, retailers and a brewery.


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Smith used Google translate on the Italian site to understand what the sellers wrote in their descriptions, and paid £65 each for them.
Since then, parents have thanked her after successfully using the same method.
”So happy that lots of you are using www.amazon.it to buy Hatchimals,” Smith wrote on Sunday 20 November.
“They have loads in stock and are no way near the inflated price on eBay. They are the English version too.
“As you can see I managed to get six to give away in competitions... (mine worked out £65 each RRP £59.99).”
Smith’s Facebook post has been liked more than 1,000 times in one day and been shared 600 times.
“Yes thanks so much for the tip,” one mother wrote. “I’m a single mum and can’t afford ebay prices. You have helped make things less stressful and made my little girls Xmas wishes come true.”
Some parents were discussing how much they paid for postage, with one mum saying she paid £6 for three Hatchimals and another claiming she paid £50.
Others were discussing different ways they managed to get hold of the popular toy.
“Just ordered mine from Gogoshop for €79.90 and €25 delivery,” one mum wrote.
Another added: “I managed to track two down via Tesco direct. I rang two weeks ago and asked where and when was getting them, they told me Saturday at 10pm. I got there and they just came off the lorry and bagged two for £56.97 each.”
Parents looking to buy Hatchimals on the Italian Amazon site must look for sellers who ship to the UK, as not all of them do.
Hatchimals Stock Checker:
Argos - request text alerts for when they are back in stock at your local Argos.
The Entertainer - join their email mailing list for updates on Hatchimals.
John Lewis - sign up for email alerts.
Smyths - will be getting a delivery between 24 November and 1 December, which will be prioritised for customers who have pre-ordered.
The website Stock Informer also lists details of which stores have recently had deliveries.
Hatchimals are interactive toy pets that start their life in an egg that the child nurtures before it hatches, revealing which Hatchimal is inside.


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China Mobile on silent mode regarding Apple dealUpdated: 2013-12-18 16:07
China Mobile Ltd has yet to reach agreement with Apple Inc to introduce iPhone handsets on contract and will not release any news regarding an alliance with Apple, according to the company's chairman.
Xi Guohua, chairman of China Mobile, said customers need to have more patience to shop for iPhone devices running on China Mobile's wireless networks.
"China Mobile has yet to reach agreement with Apple, but good news deserves to be waited for, and we expect to release related cooperation information soon," Xi said.
Xi's remark dampened speculation that China Mobile, the country's biggest telecom carrier with a user base of 760 million, will announce a formal partnership with Apple on Dec 18.
Xi made the remarks during the China Mobile Global Partner Conference 2013 in Guangzhou.
China Mobile's Beijing branch opened online preorders for unnamed 4G star smartphone models last week.
Though the company did not specify the particular device, speculation on the web suggested that it was the iPhone 5S handset by demonstrating an image of a golden apple.
About 68,000 people made online reservations by Dec 18. However, no one knows when he or she will get a real iPhone 5S smartphone.
A China Mobile official, who requested anonymity, said the big picture of cooperation between China Mobile and Apple has been settled, but some detailed parts need further negotiation.
Bryan Wang, vice-president of Forrester, said in an email to China Daily that Apple has already sold more than 16.8 million iPhone handsets in China in the 12-month period ended on Sept 30. He noted that if China Mobile partners with Apple, iPhone sales will soar in China.
"Apple Inc could sell as many as 17 million new iPhones to China Mobile's users in the first year after the two companies tie the knot," Wang said.


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In the modern world, it could be argued that the most important element of any invention is its name. And if that’s the case, there may be no finer name this year than the devuvuzelator.
It’s a response to the vuvuzela, a long horn (usually made of plastic) which is particularly popular with soccer fans in South Africa. Of course, that’s attracted worldwide attention as the country is currently hosting the World Cup. Local traders are cashing in by selling versions in the colors and national flag markings of the teams competing in the tournament.
But while it may make for an exciting atmosphere inside the stadium, it’s not gone down too well with TV viewers. The unvarying pitch is particularly annoying, and I can confirm that when using my home cinema system, the effect is somewhat like having a swarm of bees in the room for 90 minutes.
The big problem for broadcasters is the noise made by the vuvuzela (.WAV): it’s a B flat and at 230Hz, a similar frequency to the human voice. That means that mixing the audio to specifically dip the vuvuzela sound risks quietening the announcer’s voice.
However, staff at the Centre for Digital Music at Queen Mary, University of London, have come up with a possible solution. They’ve developed a filter which simply strips out the lowest frequencies which correspond to the vuvuzela sound. This leaves the announcing intact but means the vuvuzela, while still audible, is much quieter and less distracting.
They’ve now released it as an audio processing plug-in for Windows and OS/X which audio-tech savvy users can run while watching games online. TV viewers will still have to hope broadcasters find their own solution: some which offer multiple audio channels are considering offering an alternative soundtrack which quietens the vuvuzela, but loses some of the other elements of crowd atmosphere.
And for those who love the vuvuzela — or at least enjoy other people’s disgruntled reaction — there’s already the inevitable iPhone app.
[Picture credit: Flickr user flowcomm.]


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Twitter exploded last night after NCAA National Championship coach, Rick Pitino, voiced his opinion of social media. While he did specify those social media users in sports, he made a bold statement claiming social media users are “underachievers” and that they don’t pay attention to what they should be.
To clarify, Pitino explained social media users could be reading something more beneficial than negative tweets about themselves or their program.
We have seen social media disasters in sports (Manti T’eo) and other industries (Justine Sacco). There are twitter rants by fans after a bad game and consumers after poor customer service.
Some coaches and companies try to avoid social media altogether banning players and employees from using social. Social media is not going away, coaches and employers should be educating and encouraging athletes and employees to use social media to benefit them and the company.
And how can these people make a stand when they aren’t even using social?
We all use social in the same way, to build our personal brand, promote our team’s brand, and just to make people smile. We’ve seen the power of social media, the good and the bad. We can no longer afford to avoid social, those in positions to educate and encourage positive social presence should do so because we’ve all seen a negative experience cost someone a draft spot, or a job.
How do you protect Brand Integrity?


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To contribute towards the development of semiconductor sector in India, Vedanta, one of India’s leading multinational groups, and Taiwan-based electronics manufacturing company Hon Hai Technology Group (Foxconn), has recently signed a MoU to form a joint venture (JV) company that will manufacture semiconductors in India.
This is the first joint venture in the electronics manufacturing space after Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the comprehensive program for the development of sustainable semiconductor and display ecosystem in India.
In December 2021, India had approved a comprehensive program for the development of sustainable semiconductor and display ecosystem in the country. Under the initiative, Rs76000 crore (>10 billion USD) approved for development of semiconductors and display manufacturing ecosystem in India.
According to the government, the program will usher in a new era in electronics manufacturing by providing a globally competitive incentive package to companies in semiconductors and display manufacturing as well as design. This shall pave the way for India’s technological leadership in these areas of strategic importance and economic self-reliance.
Vedanta and Foxconn collaboration
The collaboration between Vedanta and Foxconn follows the India Government’s recent policy announcement for Electronics Manufacturing & PLI scheme for incentivizing organizations to contribute towards development of this sector.
According to the MoU signed between the two companies, Vedanta will hold the majority of the equity in the JV, while Foxconn will be the minority shareholder. Vedanta chairman Anil Agarwal will be the chairman of the joint venture company.
“The targeted project plans to invest for manufacturing semiconductors. It will provide a significant boost to domestic manufacturing of electronics in India,” reads a statement issued by the Foxconn. The location of the plant is yet to be finalised. “Discussions are currently ongoing with a few State Governments to finalize the location of the plant,” it adds.
What is semicondutor
Government has described the semiconductors and displays as the foundation of modern electronics driving the next phase of digital transformation under Industry 4.0. Semiconductors and display manufacturing is very complex and technology-intensive sector involving huge capital investments, high risk, long gestation and payback periods, and rapid changes in technology, which require significant and sustained investments.
Here is the list of incentives approved by the government for the development of semiconductors and display manufacturing ecosystem in India:
Semiconductor Fabs and Display Fabs: The scheme for setting up of semiconductor fabs and display fabs in India shall extend fiscal support of up to 50% of project cost on pari-passu basis to applicants who are found eligible and have the technology as well as capacity to execute such highly capital intensive and resource incentive projects. Government will work closely with the state governments establish high-tech clusters with requisite infrastructure in terms of land, semiconductor grade water, high quality power, logistics and research ecosystem to approve applications for setting up at least two greenfield semiconductor Fabs and two Display Fabs in the country.
Semi-conductor Laboratory (SCL): Union Cabinet had also approved that Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology will take requisite steps for modernization and commercialization of Semi-conductor Laboratory (SCL). MeitY will explore the possibility for the Joint Venture of SCL with a commercial fab partner to modernize the brownfield fab facility.
Compound Semiconductors / Silicon Photonics / Sensors (including MEMS) Fabs and Semiconductor ATMP / OSAT Units: The scheme for setting up of Compound Semiconductors / Silicon Photonics / Sensors (including MEMS) Fabs and Semiconductor ATMP / OSAT facilities in India shall extend fiscal support of 30% of capital expenditure to approved units. At least 15 such units of Compound Semiconductors and Semiconductor Packaging are expected to be established with Government support under this scheme.
Semiconductor Design Companies: The Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme shall extend product design linked incentive of up to 50% of eligible expenditure and product deployment linked incentive of 6% – 4% on net sales for five years. Support will be provided to 100 domestic companies of semiconductor design for Integrated Circuits (ICs), Chipsets, System on Chips (SoCs), Systems & IP Cores and semiconductor linked design and facilitating the growth of not less than 20 such companies which can achieve turnover of more than Rs.1500 crore in the coming five years.
India Semiconductor Mission: In order to drive the long-term strategies for developing a sustainable semiconductors and display ecosystem, a specialized and independent “India Semiconductor Mission (ISM)” will be set up. The India Semiconductor Mission will be led by global experts in semiconductor and display industry. It will act as the nodal agency for efficient and smooth implementation of the schemes on Semiconductors and Display ecosystem.
Fiscal support for semiconductors and electronics
Incentive support to the tune of Rs55,392 crore (7.5 billion USD) was also approved under PLI for Larges Scale Electronics Manufacturing, PLI for IT Hardware, SPECS Scheme and Modified Electronics Manufacturing Clusters (EMC 2.0) Scheme.
Reacting to the JV between Vedanta and Foxconn, Amarpreet Singh, an experienced Electronics Manufacturing Industry professional, says in his Linked post that we are going to see many more similar news in the coming months. Singh further says that it will take some years before we actually witness the benefits of the new semiconductor policy by the government, but yes it is a good start.
In addition, PLI incentives to the quantum of Rs.98,000 crore (USD 13 billion) are approved for allied sectors comprising of ACC battery, auto components, telecom & networking products, solar PV modules and white goods. Overall, the Union government has committed support of Rs2,30,000 crore (USD 30 billion) to position India as global hub for electronics manufacturing with semiconductors as the foundational building block.
Development of semiconductor and display ecosystem will have a multiplier effect across different sectors of the economy with deeper integration to the global value chain. The program will promote higher domestic value addition in electronics manufacturing and will contribute significantly to achieving a USD 1 Trillion digital economy and a USD 5 Trillion GDP by 2025.
IIT Kanpur director, Abhay Karandikar had expressed hope that the program for development of semiconductors ecosystem in the country will help setup Semiconductor fabs and revitalize SCL. “This will certainly enable #India to become a global hub of electronics manufacturing. We look forward to an #AatmaNirbharBharat in #electronic manufacturing with innovative and #indigenous electronic products,” said Karandikar in a Facebook post on December 15, 2021.
Also, Read Here: IGear launches wireless keyboard and mouse combo KeyBee Pro to retro-style your desk


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With so many games getting announced at the PS5 event last week, you might have missed out on some of the games especially when all people can talk about are some of the more exciting titles like Horizon Forbidden West and Spider-Man Miles Morales.
One of the games that were also announced during the event is Kena: Bridge of Spirits. Developed by Ember Labs, the game will let you play as a bow-wielding girl with magical powers. The trailer and the world look pretty impressive so far and we can’t wait to get our hands on the game.
As with most of the games that were announced during the event, the release date has not been announced yet but we should be hearing more about those release date once the new PS5 arrive.
The new PS5 reveal has split fans with some loving the new design whole other poking fun at it. What do you think of the upcoming console?


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Business Researchers Examine Buying Behavior in the Face of Potential Disasters
New research looks at behavior leading consumers to stockpile in emergencies.
As concern over the spread of novel coronavirus deepens, retailers are struggling to keep pace with a seemingly overwhelming urge to stockpile.
In an op-ed yesterday in The Conversation, researchers Martin Dresner, a professor of logistics, business and public policy at the University of Maryland, Xiaodan Pan of Concordia University and Benny Mantin of the University of Luxembourg explain their research into the factors that drive consumers to empty store shelves and hoard goods in the face of risks, and how retailers should respond.
Both retailers and local governments face challenges caused by consumer stockpiling when emergencies such as the coronavirus outbreak hit.
Compared to more predictable environmental emergencies such as hurricanes, the diffusion process of the coronavirus outbreak is difficult to forecast. The widespread outbreak of the coronavirus may also lead to global shortages on a larger scale than the hurricane events, thus making it more difficult for retailers to shift inventory around their networks to accommodate regional demands.
Read the rest in The Conversation.
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Earlier this week, CVS Caremark, the nation's second-largest drugstore chain, announced that it would be taking cigarettes off of its shelves.
CVS said it would phase out tobacco products at all of its stores—more than 7,600 across the country—by October as part of the company's strategy to promote healthier lifestyles. The company told investors the move will cost it about $2 billion a year in lost sales, but it may also give CVS's reputation a boost as the company attempts to morph from largely a retail business into a health care provider.
We caught up with Sylvia Long-Tolbert, an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School with expertise in brand management and consumer research, to get her take on the announcement and what it means for CVS.
What impact do you expect this decision to have on the CVS brand, both in the near future and in the long term?
The CVS brand is sending a clear signal about its commitment to helping consumers live healthier and better lives. Further, this decision to include wellness as a defining brand attribute will likely appeal to non-consumer stakeholders such as hospitals, health insurers, and physicians, who have become attractive partners in the retail pharmacy value chain.
Do you think the net gain for the brand will offset or exceed the estimated $2 billion in lost sales from tobacco products?
Absolutely, the financial and non-financial benefits to the CVS brand will compensate for short-term losses. However, the impact will be painful and not limited to sales of cigarettes and tobacco products. CVS will incur additional revenue losses from sales of non-routine, convenience, and impulse purchases that fill up hand baskets of typical drugstore shoppers.
Although sales of tobacco products at drugstores such as CVS only account for less than 4 percent of all tobacco sales, CVS must clearly follow up this big strategic move with other marketing initiatives that help maintain or increase share of wallet among current CVS customers. Additionally, a demonstrable shift to brand values that reflect customer values could boost customer acquisition for CVS—attracting new customers or those switching from competitors. There is a real possibility that CVS will attract newcomers, especially as consumers continue shifting their shopping habits and developing preferences for brands that espouse their personal values.
The non-financial benefits of being aligned with a wider array of health partners can build substantial equity for the CVS brand. Creating deeper partnerships and a seamless integration around consumer health and wellness spending might further build credibility for the CVS brand as a "preferred health partner." In an era where consumers are highly distrusting of big business, taking proactive steps to resolve inherent contradictions in brand values (i.e., keeping consumers healthy while feeding addictive habits) and marketing strategies is likely to gain attention among the segment of consumers who intentionally choose brands that share their values and appear authentic and socially conscious.
Do you think other competing brands might follow suit? Is there a risk in being seen as simply following the herd?
It might be difficult for competitors to justify a fast-follower strategy in this situation. Walgreen's, the nation's No. 1 drugstore, certainly has no incentive to follow the No. 2 brand; other industry leaders might find it more difficult to forgo lost profits from tobacco sales without having conceived a promising marketing strategy to retain store traffic and average store sales. Thus, CVS may have given its brand a respite while the industry continues to adapt to the changing marketplace.
I applaud CVS for thinking like the No. 2 player in a dynamic and competitive industry. It has taken a bold and risky step to solidify its competitive standing and perhaps in the process lay a foundation for a strategy to become the market leader.


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The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) is targeting Dragon Media Inc, marking the company as the creator of pirate streaming devices. The company is best known for its Dragon Box – an Android set-top box that runs Kodi. Just weeks after the recent legal action against popular Kodi addons, the ACE has taken another step aimed at fighting illegal sources of content available on this home theater software.
What is The Dragon Box?
The Dragon Box is a relatively new, yet highly popular set-top box. This device comes with Android, which means that it comes with the Google Play Store as well. Users of this device are free to download applications and use them without any restriction. However, it’s important to note that the Dragon Box is being advertised differently. The majority of its users have decided to purchase the device to avoid paying Netflix and Hulu subscriptions. This is because the Dragon Box comes with a user manual on how to install and use Kodi and activate hugely popular third-party addons.
It is also interesting to note that the company behind the Dragon Box has over 250,000 customers all over the USA. Furthermore, it is supporting a network of more than 350 resellers – according to the company’s founders. This means that a lot of Kodi users are facing a danger of not being available to use this streaming device in the future.
Why is The Dragon Box Illegal?
On its own, Kodi is a neutral platform. It is designed to host your collection of media, that you already own. However, problems arise with its capability of running third-party addons. These often dive into illegal content, which leads to copyright infringement. We have previously talked about this in our article on how to use Kodi legally.
The Dragon Box is advertised as a device that comes preloaded with third-party Kodi addons. This means that they are purposely advocating actions like piracy and copyright infringement. However, it doesn’t mean that you’re breaking the law by purchasing this device. Unless you use those addons and stream illegal content, you’re not doing anything wrong. For more information, here’s our article on the legality of Kodi boxes.
ACE Vs. Dragon Box: In-Depth
According to ACE, devices such as the Dragon Box are typical pirate tools. These devices are purposely being advertised as tools for mass copyright infringement – and are therefore breaking numerous laws. Furthermore, the ACE has pointed some of the marketing phrases the Dragon Media is using, such as ‘Watch Your Favorites Anytime for Free’ and ‘Stop Paying for Netflix and Hulu.’
Furthermore, it is pointed out that the Dragon Box is currently offering several dozens of movies that are still in theaters. Since these are not released to the public via DVDs or official streaming channels, this is a clear indication of Dragon Media’s intents.
The ultimate goal of the ACE is to stop this operation, disable the service and impound all Dragon Box devices. It will be interesting to keep an eye on this legal action. After all, something similar can happen to numerous other resellers of Kodi boxes.
What are your thoughts about this? Are you an owner of a Kodi box, and how do you feel about using it? Let us know in the comments section below.


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The ceremonial opening of the Commemorative Session at the Belgrade Fair, at which the President of Serbia will address as the co-host of the Commemorative Gathering, is scheduled for 9:30 a.m., the Office for Media relations of the President of the Republic of Serbia announced.
After that, the plenary session will begin at 10 a.m., at which the heads of delegations will address.
A pair of rare diamond and emerald spectacles from an unknown Indian princely treasury will be sold at an auction in London later this month.
The lenses were placed in the Mughal-era frames around 1890, according to auction house Sotheby's.
The spectacles will be offered at auction for $2 million - $3.4 million each, the auction house said.
Sunday's election is undoubtedly crucial for Germany and for Europe as a whole. Not just because the Merkel era is coming to an end and, objectively, a sense of uncertainty concerning the next government has been created. Not just because of the parallel crisis that the two traditional parties in the country seem to be experiencing.


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BOSTON — Office Depot has suspended its PC Health Checks throughout its chain, pending a review, following a FOX25 Investigation with its sister station in Seattle.
Earlier this week, FOX25 Investigates had three brand new computers go through the PC Health Check at Office Max, which is the same company as Office Depot. In two locations technicians said our laptops showed signs of poor performance and recommended a fix between $149-$199. One location found no problems with the computer.
Our sister station, KIRO-TV, also had six brand new computers go through the free scan at Office Depot stores in Washington and Oregon. In four stores, they were told the computers had symptoms of malware and needed repairs. Tests on two computers revealed no issues.
Former Office Depot employee turned whistleblower Shane Barnett said the company pushed each employee to meet sales goals for tech services and each tech’s goals are posted in the break room.
“The program itself is mandatory. It's not an option to not run the program. You have to run it on every machine that comes in the building,” he told KIRO-TV.
As a result, Office Depot has suspended its PC Health Checks. They released the following statement:
“Office Depot in no way condones any of the conduct that has been alleged in the reports. We have commenced a full review of the assertions and will take appropriate action. Office Depot is committed to providing the best possible service to our customers, and we are suspending the PC tune-up services throughout our retail chain pending our review.”
In addition, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington, sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission requesting the agency open an investigation into what she called “exploitative behavior.”
RELATED: FOX25 Investigates: Are office retailers charging for unnecessary computer fixes?
Cox Media Group


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Dogs might be humanity’s best friend, but that friendship isn’t without a few bumps.
You’d never call your newborn kid something you thought of in 5 minutes, or even worse, simply use the hospital’s suggestion. So why should you do the same thing when you’re coming up with cat names?
Pets are big business. This year alone, the industry trade group the American Pet Products Association predicts pet owners will spend more than $60 billion on their animals. While the largest chunk of that money goes to food and other supplies, a sizable share — nearly $16 billion — will be spent on veterinary care, according to association data.
Dog owners, for years, have sworn that the allegiance and devotion of their pets was driven by love. Now they've got science to back it up.
In 1986, the residents of Chernobyl were forced to flee their homes when the town’s nuclear power plant turned into a disaster zone. The area of Ukraine has been without a permanent human population ever since, but that doesn’t mean it’s empty.
When deciding on a website, choosing between a template and a custom design can be difficult. Let 3 Sided Media help!
Social media is one of the ways clients discover goods and services in the web-driven market today.
Our work for you begins where other website companies end. Once your website is completed, our team just getting started.


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VIDEO: The US strategy to create a new global legal and economic system: TPP, TTIP, TISA.
Imagine a world where corporations have their own justice system where they can sue any government if laws get in the way of their profits.
If you think this is hard to imagine, think again. Obama is pushing for 3 trade agreements that make this possible, covering 2/3rds of the worlds GDP
The United states first tried to get this through the World Trade Organization which voted against it because of legitimate criticism from several countries, so in an effort to completely overrule the WTO they started negotiating trade agreements with multinational corporations across the world. Not only was this kept from the public, it was also kept from politicians. The only people with access were the corporations.
There is an international court where lawyers represent companies, this is the highest court and overrules any other legal system in place, this practice is called an Investor-state dispute settlement. When Canada accepted NAFTA (another trade agreement with an investor protection clause) an American company sued the Canadian government for more than 250 million dollars when they decided to ban fracking. Another example of this is when Germany banned the use of nuclear energy, the energy companies sued Germany for 27.8 billion dollars in an ISDS court. This list goes on and on, and it is clear that once the trade agreements passed congress, all of the participating countries will lose their sovereignty to multinational corporations.
In order to make trade more cost-effective, these agreements are written to get rid of non-trade barriers. Non-trade barriers are laws and restrictions regarding health, safety and environmental protection. At the moment because of strict laws in the European Union products from the United states need to be tested twice, once in the United States to fit their standards, and once in the EU. This is costly, but it serves a purpose: In the EU 80 pesticides that are used in the US are banned because of strong health concerns, 90% of corn in the US is genetically modified while the European Union grows virtually none, and sanitation techniques like washing chicken with chloride is banned in the EU while it is common practice in the US. Under international law the United States can sue the European Union if they want to keep their laws and regulations through the use of Investor-state dispute settlement once the US-EU trade deal TTIP is signed.
The Trade in Services Agreement clearly states services, once privatized, can not be nationalized. When Iceland jailed its bankers for causing a major financial crisis and privatized their banks, their economy restored and Iceland is now one of the best economies in the European Union. Under TiSA this would be an illegal practice. Apply this to other services like water and you can start to imagine the disastrous consequences. Not allowing states to compete with lower prices will skyrocket the amount we pay for services, adding the fact that the pharmaceutical industry was part of the negotiations when writing these trade deals paints a future where no one is able to afford to pay for services and products that are a basic human right.
COLD WAR OF TRADE
Brazil, Russia, China and India are excluded from the negotiations and are not covered by the massive “free” trade zone. Not only does this result in the collapse of these economies, they will be pressured into underdevelopment which may cause unwanted side effects like refugees, war and an even grater income inequality considering these countries already have unstable environments.
There are countless more implications of these trade agreements like the extension of intellectual property and mandating internet service providers to monitor its users, but the main concerns are listed above. Trade agreements are the death of democracy and no one seems to be worried until it is too late – contact your representatives.
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With menu items like Kale Satan and War Pig (a vegan hot dog with sautéed kale, cashew cheese or lentil chili), it’s clear that the folks behind mobile food company Onion Maiden are fans of heavy metal and puns.
They’re also devoted to providing appealing options for those who don’t eat animal products. Onion Maiden — which has recently set up at Pittsburgh VegFest, the Polish Hill Arts Festival and the Strip’s Bayardstown Social Club — is all vegan, with a focus on Asian fusion.
“We make all of our own toppings, including kimchi and vegan mayo,” says Elyse Hoffman, who runs Onion Maiden with partners Diana “Dingo” Ngo and Brooks Criswell. The menu also includes baked goods and nachos: “We cater to nostalgia for vegans,” Hoffman says. “People are really excited to have nachos again.”
The idea for the pop-up restaurant was born in February, when Hoffman’s music-promoter husband was putting together a show and wanted to provide food for concert-goers. Ngo and Hoffman had already talked about collaborating on a food-service project, and gave it a shot. “The response was really positive, so we kept going.”
You can track Onion Maiden’s whereabouts on Facebook and Twitter, though Hoffman says a food truck will be in the company’s future. For now, the goal is to make food that vegans and non-vegans alike enjoy. “[We want] to make it approachable,” Hoffman says. “We’re trying to keep things fun.”
www.facebook.com/onionmaiden or @onionmaiden


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BUFFALO, NY — Verizon Wireless has expanded its local retail presence with the addition of three new stores in BJ's Wholesale Clubs in the Buffalo area. The new stores are located in the BJ's locations in Tonawanda, Williamsville and Hamburg. The "store-within-a-store" concept provides BJ's customers with easy access to the latest wireless phones, devices and accessories, plus a variety of service plans on the nation's most reliable wireless network.
Part of the company's new relationship with BJ's, the Buffalo-area stores are three of 14 Verizon Wireless kiosks opening in BJ's locations throughout Upstate New York. The new kiosks will create 15 new retail sales and management jobs locally. Nationwide, Verizon Wireless will open kiosks in 128 BJ's Clubs creating more than 600 new jobs. The new Buffalo-area Verizon Wireless stores in BJ's Wholesale Clubs are open Monday through Saturday from 9 am to 9 pm, and on Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm. Store hours may be extended for holiday shopping.
"Today's busy lifestyles require all of us to combine errands and shopping trips whenever possible," said Ken Dixon, president of Verizon Wireless' Upstate New York Region. "Our new BJ's locations are an important part of our effort to meet our customers where they shop. By placing Verizon Wireless employees in BJ's locations, customers get added convenience and assistance from the best wireless salespeople in the industry."
BJ's members will be able to take advantage of the same convenient services available at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, including account look-up and bill payments. Verizon Wireless will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the BJ's kiosks, including hiring, inventory, displays and any interior or exterior signage. BJ's members can expect the same high-quality products and services they would receive in a standalone Verizon Wireless Communications Store.
Demand for Verizon Wireless services continued during the third quarter as the company added 1.9 million net new customers, the largest customer growth in the industry. Verizon Wireless now serves 49.3 million customers nationwide.
Every year since its launch, Verizon Wireless has invested more than $4 billion annually to maintain and expand its nationwide network. In the Upstate New York area, Verizon Wireless has invested nearly $500 million in its wireless network in the past three years to stay ahead of the growing demand for the company's voice and data services, including two-way TXT Messaging, Picture Messaging, BroadbandAccess high-speed wireless broadband service with download speeds averaging 400 to 700 kilobits per second, and the new V CAST multimedia service which allows customers to view more than 300 crystal clear video clips daily from the hottest names in entertainment, news, sports and more in the palms of their hands.
Including the new BJ's locations, Verizon Wireless owns and operates 14 retail locations in the Buffalo area and 86 across Upstate New York.
For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, please visit www.verizonwireless.com or call 1-800-2 JOIN IN.
About Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 49.3 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.####


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Sorry, nature lovers. You're kidding yourselves if you think your national park dining experiences are corporation-free.
On Jan. 4, the Yosemite Valley Lodge's plan to install a Starbucks coffee kiosk in a new food court led to some online backlash, according to the Fresno Bee, in the form of a Change.org petition. Job postings for Yosemite Starbucks Store Managers and other positions on Indeed made people aware of the incoming coffee shop, which led to the petition, and the postings have since been taken down.
The word spread and one writer at Jezebel even posted an impassioned plea to keep Yosemite Starbucks-free.
Nearly 11,000 people have signed the "Stop Starbucks in Yosemite" petition attempting to halt the store's installation so far.
"Multinational corporations have no place in our National Parks," reads the petition. "The opening of a Starbucks in Yosemite Valley opens the door to further undue development. The Park will lose its essence, making it hardly distinguishable from a chaotic and bustling commercial city."
David Freireich, a spokesman for the company installing the Starbucks, Aramark, stressed that the company is just licensing the Starbucks products -- it is not an actual Starbucks store. The counter will also only occupy existing space, and no new structures will be built, nor will signage be visible from park grounds.
"We want to make sure the public understands exactly what is being done at Yosemite Valley Lodge," Freirich said. "The petition is not an accurate representation or reflection of what is being planned."
Regardless of the extent of the future Starbucks' prevalence and visibility, here's what protesters are missing: corporations are already deeply embedded in our national park experiences -- they're just a little harder to spot.
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The idea of a national park being, as the petition says, "indistinguishable" from a shopping mall is what's key here. With names like the "Gold Rush Dining Room," it's easy to think that the quaint eateries at national park lodges are different from your everyday food court or dining hall. But those cafes and dining rooms are actually run by corporations that dominate food distribution across the world, too.
"Many of our current concessioners are multi-national corporations," National Parks Service spokesman Jeffrey Olson said in an email to Mashable. "Concessioners fill a vital role in helping the National Park Service carry out its mission. Private companies are drawn to working with NPS in order to offer services to park visitors, which are not provided directly by the government. Concessioners specialize in these operations and are thus able to provide quality services at reasonable prices."
Take the Starbucks in Yosemite: it will be part of the new Basecamp Eatery, where national parks visitors will be able to grab a coffee or sandwich before heading to half dome, when it opens spring 2018. Yosemite Hospitality will run the food court -- but Yosemite Hospitality is actually a corporate subsidiary itself, of the food, facilities, and uniforms giant Aramark.
Aramark is a publicly traded Fortune 200 company that operates in 19 countries and collected $14.6 billion in revenue in 2017. It distributes its food through another ubiquitous food giant, Sysco, and also happens to run food services in national parks across the country including Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Glacier Bay, and more. National park dining and lodging is just one part of Aramark's food business (let alone its expansive business as a whole). They also provide food for schools, and prisons -- where in 2011 they were accused of serving maggots and literal garbage to inmates.
That's not to say Aramark is evil just because it's big. They've received plenty of accolades for their ethical business practices, complied with Michelle Obama's healthy eating initiatives, and say they are working to make their food as sustainably sourced as possible.
But you can't object to the presence of Starbucks without being opposed to the national parks hospitality system as a whole. Which isn't to say we shouldn't question, or protest the current national park food model. For example, why do companies like Aramark have these lucrative government contracts on federal land, instead of small, local businesses?
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But as is, major corporations like Aramark already have more than a foothold in our public and natural spaces. Another corporation called Xanterra runs food services at many of the national parks that Aramark doesn't, including Mount Rushmore, Crater Lake, Yellowstone, and more. The National Parks Service also listed Delaware North Company and Forever Resorts as additional multinational corporations that manage concessions in the park.
The National Park Foundation also runs a "Corporate Partnerships" program, in which corporate sponsors such as Budweiser and Coca-Cola fund park education, restoration, and other initiatives.
Yosemite's Starbucks is an optically egregious joinder between corporations and national parks. But in fact, it's just an expansion of the norm -- without the front of a hokey name.
And let's be real: before heading out on a long hike, if you've got a choice between a predictable cup of Starbucks, and the caffeine gamble from a pot in a dining hall that's been sitting on a burner for who-knows-how-long, which are you gonna choose?
Starbucks did not respond to Mashable's request for comment before the time of this article's publication.
UPDATE Jan. 9, 2:30 p.m. ET: Comments from Aramark were added.
UPDATE Jan. 10, 10:15 a.m. ET: Comments from the National Parks Service were added.
Editor's Note: This article was edited to reflect the fact that the National Park Foundation's corporate partnership program does not offer sponsorships for physical structures or transportation in the park.


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Serena Smith, FIS
Serena Smith isn't sure if her personality trait of "never taking no for an answer" is a skill to take pride in.
But the senior vice president, head of international payments and chief administrative officer at FIS is certain about one thing: "It does demonstrate my passion and perseverance when faced with obstacles that need overcoming."
That sort of drive has helped Smith earn a spot on PaymentsSource's 2017 Most Influential Women in Payments list.
"It is very scary early in your career to step out on that often narrow branch and be the sole voice that is pushing back and asking to move forward when the popular answer is to stop," said Smith, who has been in her current role at FIS for a year and part of the company's executive team for 14 years.
"I have found that over the years, this trait helped me to sharpen my skills in negotiation as well as boost my confidence in my capabilities, which have led to the roles that I have been fortunate to be a part of," Smith said.
Those roles include nearly four years as chief client officer, overseeing delivery of FIS financial services software products with the company's large Global Retail Payments division. She also spent five and a half years managing the company's electronic funds transfer platform, becoming a lead figure in the formation of the EFT Advisory Council. Since joining FIS in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in 2003, Smith has carried the title of a senior vice president.
Smith is a proponent of having things done faster because she knows FIS clients and consumers are pushing for payments and fund transfers to be quicker and more efficient. But it's not about being faster just for faster's sake.
"Faster as in yesterday — and with quality and polish," Smith said of services delivery and data gathering. "We have to continue to challenge the norm and push for new efficiencies and greater availability and ease of use of the data. Nothing frustrates me more than knowing we can get the information we need, but that it will take us days to get it."
Smith has a particular fondness for talking to millennial and Gen Z consumers, as well as keeping a close eye on how those younger generations interact with today's technology.
"I have learned these generations will not accept the boundaries of today’s technology," Smith said. "If an app doesn’t meet their needs, they will move on to the next."
The loyalty a Gen X individual will show toward a brand "will seem like a foreign concept to these younger generations," she added. "To stay relevant in today’s market, we have to create an experience that keeps the user engaged."
While she has focused her career on payments products and their delivery, Smith also makes time to pursue another passion — the health of the community she lives in.
"I spend my spare time volunteering and fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in their search for a cure," Smith said. "I believe that we are right at the tip of the spear, and a cure for cancer will be found soon."
Smith also struggles with the fact "that people in the U.S. go hungry every day." To that end, she supports the Meals on Wheels program. "Ensuring our kids and elderly have a hot meal is important to me," she said.


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Are you one of those people that forget to mail a birthday card for your Mom or Wife until the actual day of their birthday? If so, Bartsoft makes an app that is a good way to keep you out of the dog house. The eCardExpress app has over 19
If you are one of the millions that like to send e-cards and do the JibJab sendables, then the Egozoo app should be on your download list. This app has sentiment themed scenes and allows you to record your voice then select music and/or sounds to customize the card. Once
Macworld has discovered that the while the new iPhone 3GS is capable of much faster download speeds, it's upload speeds are comparatively not as fast as they were expected to be. The iPhone 3GS sports 7.2 Mbps HSDPA (downstream) which is quite a bit faster than the 3G's 3.6 Mbps HSDPA, but it was assumed that Apple would also be increasing upstream speeds by finally adding HSUPA, bringing upload speeds to either 1.4 or 1.9 Mbps.
According to Boy Genius Report, an unnamed source claims to have information from "pretty high up on AT&T's food chain" about rumors of a new iPhone announcement around June. The device will be faster and have a more seamless experience.
Things in Canada seem to be getting better for cell phone owners, and surprisingly fast. Not long after the announcement of the formation of a new Canadian wireless carrier as a result of a recent spectrum auction, Canadian carriers Bell and Telus have both announced plans to drastically transition their entire networks from.


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Mondelez: 4Q Earnings Snapshot
DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) _ Mondelez International Inc. (MDLZ) on Wednesday reported fourth-quarter earnings of $823 million.
The Deerfield, Illinois-based company said it had profit of 56 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 63 cents per share.
The results met Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of seven analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was also for earnings of 63 cents per share.
The maker of Oreo cookies, Cadbury chocolate and Trident gum posted revenue of $6.77 billion in the period, exceeding Street forecasts. Five analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $6.76 billion.
For the year, the company reported profit of $3.38 billion, or $2.28 per share. Revenue was reported as $25.94 billion.
Mondelez shares have risen slightly more than 9 percent since the beginning of the year, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 index has risen roughly 7 percent. In the final minutes of trading on Wednesday, shares hit $43.81, a drop of 1 percent in the last 12 months.
This story was generated by Automated Insights (https://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on MDLZ at https://www.zacks.com/ap/MDLZ
Top headlines by email, weekday mornings
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the San Diego Union-Tribune.


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web services - News, Features, and Slideshows
Amazon Web Services opened up a new data center in Oregon that will cost less to use than AWS's other West Coast facility, in California.
By Nancy Gohring | 10 November, 2011 05:24
Amazon Web Services has added the option to use applications to create codes for its Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) service, the company said on Wednesday.
By Mikael Ricknäs | 04 November, 2011 04:20
Despite explosive growth in smartphone usage, many businesses still have a website that isn't optimized to fit on a small mobile screen. If a potential customer can't navigate your store's site from a handset, there's a good chance they'll walk over to the shop of your competitor that has a mobile-ready site.
By Angela West | 03 November, 2011 10:44
Hacker collective Anonymous is at it again, and this time it is targeting websites that allow users to share child porn.
By Christina DesMarais | 23 October, 2011 00:57
Citrix Systems has acquired ShareFile for an undisclosed sum, in an effort to break into the cloud-based data sharing market, the company said on Thursday.
By Mikael Ricknäs | 13 October, 2011 22:22
You wouldn't let your kids walk the streets of Amsterdam's Red Light District, but giving them unrestricted access to the Web is practically the same thing. The problem is, how do you block out all that inappropriate Web content?
By Rick Broida | 28 July, 2010 07:48
Some people just don't like change. Less than a week after Digg released version 4 of its social news-sharing site, fans have rebelled, flooding Digg with links from a rival sharing site, staging a "Quit Digg Day," and prophesying a major drop-off in traffic if the site doesn't return to its roots. Has Digg dug its grave, or is this yet another kneejerk neophobic reaction?
By Brennon Slattery | 01 September, 2010 08:13
Now that the desktop revolution is largely over, most of the excitement lies in the counter-desktop revolution that is bringing all the flair developed by the desktop programmers back to the safe world of the server. Caspio is one of the most prominent players seeking to lure the desktop database builders away from Microsoft Access and back into the datacenter's fold. The company has been around since before the last bubble burst, and now it boasts a number of prominent companies as customers.
By Peter Wayner | 24 October, 2008 08:07
CEOs frequently face difficult decisions, but choosing a unified communications (UC) system that is simple to deploy, manage and use should not be one of them. This whitepaper details the benefits of a UC service for end-users, business decision makers and IT.
- SAP ties up with Apigee for API management
- Oracle buys TOA Technologies in strike against Salesforce.com
- Tor hints at possible U.S. government involvement in recent attack
- 25G driving Ethernet switch market to $25B
- Great privacy essay: Fourth Amendment Doctrine in the Era of Total Surveillance
- IBM buys access control and identity management firm CrossIdeas
- Congress okays upgrade of VA's 29-year-old software
- Hacker group targets video game companies to steal source code
- AMD's Kaveri processors coming to smaller, cheaper desktops
- EC stepping up antitrust inquiry into Google, Android
- Xbox One's high price in China draws complaints, but likely buyers too
- Vision-correcting display nixes your need for eyeglasses
- In a hyper-social world, some seek a little privacy
- Facebook app gives free Internet to mobile users in Zambia
- Sony profit leaps on PlayStation 4 strength


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Shah Rukh Khan's daughter Suhana sets temperature soaring in her first-ever Vogue photoshoot [Photos+Video]
India have not managed to win even once in their six outings in Birmingham. Here's a look at how the former India captains struggled at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground over the years.
Aug 1, 2018
Apple for the first time ever has recorded huge financial growth that too in double-digit in the quarter ending on June 30, 2018. The company CEO Tim Cook hints at exciting new products line coming at 2018 fall event. Read to know what to expect at this year's annual product launch event.
Aug 1, 2018
Here's how you can watch the first Test between England and India in Birmingham live on TV and online.
Jul 31, 2018
- India vs Australia: Twitter mocks Ravi Shastri for controversial b**ls statement on national television
- Nissan Kicks SUV: Interior, engine specifications and bookings details revealed
- Chhattisgarh landslide: How did BJP lose their seat of power after three straight terms?
- Who is Pu Zoramthanga? The Mizo National Front chief likely to become next CM of Mizoram
- There are good noise-cancelling headphones, then there is Sony's 1000XM3: Review
- 2.0 14-day box office collection (2 weeks): Rajinikanth's film continues to rule Chennai
- Xiaomi Redmi 6A price slashed in India: All you need to know
- Kashmiri militant Saqib Bilal, neutralised during Mujgund encounter, acted in Haider
- India vs Australia 2nd Test: Team news, probable playing XI and pitch conditions


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TEXT OF STORY
MARK AUSTIN THOMAS: Is it a Hail Mary pass or a touchdown strike? Lisa Napoli reports on a bit of strategy Blockbuster is using to draw customers from its competitor Netflix.
LISA NAPOLI: Blockbuster wants to sign up two million people by the end of the year for its online borrowing service.
So they’ve got a proposition for Netflix customers: Come into the store with a Netflix envelope, and you’ll get a Blockbuster rental for free.
Scott Swasey of Netflix isn’t worried. He calls the move . . .
SCOTT SWASEY: The proverbial football play where you throw the ball downfield and hope for the best.
Swasey says catching up with Netflix will be tough. It has six million subscribers.
And, he says, stay tuned for January when the company will announce plans to move into the digital download space.
Both Blockbuster and Netflix are preparing for the time when the battle between the video store and online rentals will be obsolete.
In Los Angeles, I’m Lisa Napoli for Marketplace.
As a nonprofit news organization, our future depends on listeners like you who believe in the power of public service journalism.
Your investment in Marketplace helps us remain paywall-free and ensures everyone has access to trustworthy, unbiased news and information, regardless of their ability to pay.
Donate today — in any amount — to become a Marketplace Investor. Now more than ever, your commitment makes a difference.


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Intel’s first batch of SSD drives marketed as X25-M are scheduled to meet their maker in Q3 2010. This is the time when Intel plans to end of life of X25 M 50 nm drives in 80GB and 160GB capacities.
Both of these drives are MLC based and the 34nm version of these drives will keep living beyond Q3 2010. The plan to can 50nm drives is the natural thing to happen as Intel plans to introduce 2x nm drives in Q4 2010 that are most likely going to be much faster than the current 34nm and especially 50nm drives.
Postville, the 2x nanometer SLC drives will come in 160GB, 300GB and massive and impressive 600GB capacities and we can only hope that the pricing will also become more affordable.
Published in Cloud
X25 M 50nm drives to EOL in Q3 2010
by Fuad Abazovic on05 January 2010
As 2x nm approaches


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The impulse nature of nonfood and its often long buying cycle raise questions about the viability of nonfood products sold through the evolving consumer-direct home-shopping channel.
There is little doubt that buying merchandise direct through electronic media will eventually have an effect on supermarkets' future business, especially with chains and wholesalers like Byerly's, Shaw's Supermarkets, Quality Food Centers, Hannaford Bros., Randalls, Vons' Pavilion stores, Stop & Shop, Supervalu and Fleming experimenting with home shopping.
The Consumer Direct Cooperative, a study organized by Andersen Consulting in Chicago last year, which involved 18 brand marketers and retailers, projected that on-line retailing would capture an 8% to 12% share of major market grocery sales over the next seven to 10 years. That percentage is equivalent to $60 billion to $85 billion in annual volume, more than the current business of club stores and supercenters combined.
The question SN raised with industry executives is: what role will nonfood merchandise play in direct home shopping?
"We've done a lot of research on consumer direct shopping," said Fred Schneider, executive director for Smart Store at Andersen Consulting, Chicago. "To make it really work, you need a good mix of both food and nonfood items, just because of the margins."
Margins are on the minds of many retailers who have invested in consumer-direct home shopping as they struggle with what mix of products to offer. For one major retailer, creating a virtual store may allow it to favor high-margin or heavy-rotation items.
"If customers want products delivered to their houses professionally, those products are going to be items that we make 25% or 28% gross profit on," Schneider said. "For us to sit there and offer generic green beans, on which we're losing 2%, is the wrong way to go about it."
In its Distribution Trend Report last year, the School and Home Office Products Association, Dayton, Ohio, made reference to electronic commerce as providing future sales potential for its members.
"We're not talking about an extremely viable channel at this particular point in time," said Steve Jacober, association president. He estimated the Internet audience at 3 million to 6 million households and put traditional retail purchases at $100 million to $200 million.
"Now as consumer comfort with the Internet increases, there's one school of thought that believes their comfort with shopping via technology will increase, too. It's fairly safe to assume that consumer comfort in shopping for our product category and for our industry will increase as well. But it will never replace traditional retail," Jacober added.
Dave McConnell, vice president of communications at the General Merchandise Distributors Council, Colorado Springs, Colo., pointed out that nonfood seasonal and impulse items depend heavily on in-store display opportunities and that his association is very concerned about the negative effect of consumer-direct shopping because such items are not generally a planned purchase.
"We have very impulse-oriented products and we've got concerns," McConnell stated.
"A lot of choices consumers make within a food store are made when the consumer is right there -- especially for housewares, like spatulas and baking pans," added McConnell. Schneider also mentioned how consumer-direct shopping will affect the characteristics of impulse vs. necessity purchases.
"Those suppliers that have a product that is more impulse-oriented have a greater need to understand these new channels," Schneider said. "The dynamics of how their product is bought is so dependent on that tactile interface in-store."
The health and beauty category lends itself to home shopping more than many of the other general merchandise categories because the purchase frequency is far greater. Also, consumers tend to be more aware of brands, noted Michael Sleeper, president of Imperial Distributors, Auburn, Mass. Imperial has agreed to distribute mostly high-velocity HBC through Shop Link, Westwood, Mass. Shop Link is currently developing a CD-ROM-based home-shopping program that could be launched as early as June.
"Many general merchandise items are less branded and require more touching and feeling than shampoos, mouthwash, toothpaste and deodorants," said Sleeper. "You know branded goods. Scope is Scope. Johnson & Johnson is Johnson & Johnson. With kitchen tools or gadgets, you may or may not know the quality of the product without actually seeing it," he added.
Pharmacy needs have been addressed directly for many years, with prescriptions being filled and over-the-counter medications ordered over the phone and, in many cases for prescriptions, through mail order.
"Pharmacy makes sense," said Jacober. "Going to the pharmacy is easily supplanted by going on-line. But then when you look at the largest demographic section of the consumer population for pharmacy needs and see that it's older individuals who have less of a comfort level with this technology, it raises some questions," Jacober said.
The biggest obstacles to the emerging consumer home-direct market seem to be the speed of the technology and the consumer comfort level, especially on the security end.
"Once it gets moving," said Sleeper, "consumers will be conditioned to buy anything. If there are delay times because of the technology, then where's the progress of home shopping? If the technology is really strong and there's home-delivery service, I don't see any inhibitors."
Most industry executives see the advent and increase of consumer- direct shopping as both an adjunct to present business and a threat to established routines.
"Those that use it as an opportunity and address it in a proactive fashion will find consumer direct a viable way to reach consumers. Those who are the slowest to react will be the most threatened," said Schneider.
"Whether it's a threat or an adjunct depends on the method used," said Sleeper. For companies like Peapod, which are designed to use home shopping, Sleeper sees it as an adjunct.
"For those that are warehouse-driven, it becomes more of a threat. It depends on which method becomes more popular and whether the service creates more market share. Some will be bypassing supermarkets altogether and others will be using supermarkets. There definitely will be some shakeout," he said.
Phil Brandl, who was named president and chief operating officer of the National Housewares Manufacturers Association, Chicago, this year, doesn't see the home market as a direct threat.
"I think there's some repositioning that can be done. It can take some business away from certain retailers, but for housewares it really presents more of a growth opportunity. When you're talking about a home delivery-type opportunity, lower price point items can be an excellent add-on opportunity," he stated.
For years, some consumers have called their local supermarkets and pharmacies to get their orders delivered. More recently, some consumers have used the fax to send a list of preferred items. What the on-line experience adds to these methods of consumer- direct home shopping is an electronic or virtual interface. Consumers may be able to see actual shelf facings, compare prices, read descriptions and absorb advertising and competitive marketing messages while they are shopping, just as they do in-store.
Shoppers Express, Bethesda, Md., is a home and office grocery-delivery service now operating in 19 markets. According to Rich Olson, president and chief executive officer, it offers 26,000 Universal Product Codes on-line and has built its business by offering a large assortment of products.
"Sales of nonfood products are fairly similar to food products," he said, "except that the buying cycle is longer."
Olson mentioned that of the few nonfood items he stocks there is low consumption on-line. "You have to remember that with general merchandise, there are a lot of other outlets for these same items. On the other hand, people do buy a lot of stuff on-line that is overlooked in the supermarket, especially if the item has a one-time purchase frequency. It becomes an add-on item for us.
"There are a lot of people in this business who are offering a limited assortment of products, perhaps the top four products in any category. We think to grow the business, you have to offer as broad an assortment as possible," Olson said.
David Rochon, president of SuperMarkets Online, a division of Catalina Marketing, St. Petersburg, Fla., which offers discount coupons on-line, said the only difference between buying food and nonfood on-line is that the buying cycle is longer with nonfood. "Both are attractive to creating the kind of value we want to give to consumers," Rochon said. "I don't see one being any more important than the other.
"Everyone we've talked to wants value on-line and what that means is, give me things that are meaningful to me. And if it's a nonfood product and it's meaningful to a consumer, it has real value. And if it's a food product, it has real value, as well," Rochon said.
He noted that because on-line shopping is still in its infancy, it's still too early to tell whether there are specific products that won't sell.
"People need to understand that this new medium will change how people interact with each other," Rochon said. "The nonfood environment is very important to us. We are encouraging manufacturers, both food and nonfood, to participate with us en masse today to be better prepared for the next 12 to 18 months. They're better off being part of the process than sitting on the sidelines waiting for it to happen."