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Design By Intent, a company that provides bath safety devices for aging in place, has introduced a newline of wall-hung furniture that can be swapped out as needs change.
The company says the The Innovato Wall Hung SwapAble Shower Furniture offers functionality and safety for aging in place bathrooms and is the most flexible and modular shower safety system in existence.
SwapAble provides dedicated installation of components that can be interchanged for people with disabilities and able-bodied users. In addition, the company claims the shower chair is the only one on the market that allows pre-planning for future aging in place needs by allowing for the mounted shower chair to be swapped out with other functional accessories such as grab bars, towel bars, shelves or shaving footrests.
“As homeowners plan to age in place, they can be in control by installing the mounting bracket with an accessory and then at any time they need it, clip on the swing down seat,” says Terri Gelman, CEO and owner of E&T Horizons, LLC, parent company of Design By Intent. “This is important because most people wait until an accident has already happened and they are coming back from rehab, surgery, or the hospital, and then realize they have to reconfigure their shower for their new normal.”
Aging in place and accessible design principles and products are becoming more important in the kitchen and bath industry as the U.S. population ages. As Design By Intent explains it, the industry has recognized the importance of planning for aging in place, and architects, interior designers, home builders, developers and remodelers appreciate the availability of more innovative products that allows them to create spaces that are more functional and good looking.
“Bathrooms are now a showpiece of homes and a top area for remodels as Baby Boomers age,” the company says. “Today’s homeowners want fashionable, elegant bathrooms, not designs that are medical or institutional.”
But experts say these types of considerations and products are not only for the elderly; even younger individuals undergoing recovery from surgeries or accidents can benefit as well. And trends in how we live, Design by Intent says, demand that today’s bathrooms be more flexible than ever. “The typical home bathroom needs to be safe for visits from older parents and relatives. And, as the popularity of multigenerational homes, with as many as three generations under one roof increases, bathrooms need to be safe for children, their parents and grandparents.”
The SwapAble line of products includes a shower seat, removable seat back and armrest, grab bars, and a variety of accessories that include soap holders, shower shelves, toilet paper holders, robe hooks, and towel bars, among others. replaceable shelf and towel bar
“The Innovato Evolution line of shower seating and functional accessories set a new standard in beauty and design on several fronts,” the company says. “First, it is designed with a contemporary curvilinear design that resembles a high-tech engineered product…. Second, the product line has been designed in a unique modular format so that components can be mixed and matched within the product line.”


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Web Extra! Slideshow
Click here to see a slideshow of photos from the new Marion Street Cheese Market.
Chairs in the new Marion Street Cheese Market are made from old seatbelts. It’s one of many green features-counters made of recycled glass, wood paneling from a sustainable forest-in the 4,200-square-foot food emporium that opened yesterday morning in the Opera Club building at Marion Street and South Boulevard, just south of the train tracks.
“It was a serious and substantial financial commitment,” said Eric Larson, 43, the Berwyn resident who in 2004 opened the wine and cheese shop by the same name at North Boulevard and Marion. “There’s a level of risk. But it’s also a project that we’re doing for the long term. We’re sinking our roots deep into Oak Park.”
In the expanded Marion Street Cheese Market, Larson and two partners have a 50-seat restaurant, café, bar, kitchenware specialty shop and upscale grocery store. The original staff of eight will balloon to 50. The old location will be kept as a meat market.
Lombard resident Michael Pivoney, 43, is chef and a partner in the restaurant. He worked to open five-star hotels across the country and most recently spent the past five years as executive chef at The Signature Room in downtown Chicago.
While developing the menu-for breakfast, lunch and dinner-Pivoney focused on locally grown products and, of course, cheese. The majority of ingredients will come from farms in the Midwest.
“Every ingredient we’re trying to get is close to our establishment,” he said. “We’re trying to respect the carbon footprint; we’re trying to respect the local producers. It’s going to make it a little tougher … but I think the big guys are doing fine by themselves.”
Breakfast offerings include crepes, pastries, quiche and pizza.
For lunch, Pivoney pointed to the Inside-Out Grilled Cheese sandwich as one of his favorites, with crispy gruyere, brie and pickled fresh vegetables.
Other items include paninis, soups, salads, thin crust pizzas, fondue and, yes, cheese plates.
“I want it to be a celebration of food,” he said. “We want people to share and have fun.”
The menu is small-plate, tapas style, meant for sharing. It will change with the seasons as different ingredients become available. It will take 10 days or so before the market starts serving its full menu.
Ingredients for the restaurant’s dishes will also be available in the grocer section, which accounts for about 60 percent of the new space.
About 300 different cheeses will be available over the course of a year, 90 at a given time, said Cheese Manager Lex Marshall. Their focus is on American, artisan cheese while also providing European cheeses.
The market offers a small selection of fruits and vegetables. It also has everything from spices, meats and more.
As for beverages, Marion Street Cheese Market serves coffee from Blue Max Café and tea from Todd & Holland, both in Forest Park. More than 72 different wines are available by the glass, and 60 beers are available by bottle (or packaged). The market has 180 different varieties of packaged wine for sale, ranging from $8 to $112 a bottle.
Five locally brewed beers are available on tap at their bar. The owners hope to eventually do meet-and-greet events with local brewers at the market. They’ll also highlight beer and cheese pairings.
They have a gift section which includes food-related games, cookbooks, wine accessories, picnic baskets and specialty cookware, including a cow-print KitchenAid stand mixer.
Mary Jo Schuler, 46, is a third partner in the venture. Larson invited the Oak Parker on board while she was a customer at the original store. Schuler served as project manager for the buildout. She selected River Forest’s Nevin Hedlund Architects to design the new space. The new space is owned, not leased.
“I think that our community has a strong appetite for the venue that we have built as well as the product that we will be delivering,” Schuler said. “I think it’s a very calculated risk.”
Larson believes the cheese market will have regional and national draw, that people visiting Chicago will feel inclined to pop over to Oak Park to check it out. But locals, the partners hope, will be their safety belt.
“It’s scary; it’s definitely going to be a risk,” said Larson. “We have a challenge ahead of us and we’re up to it.”

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For the next edition of Category Close-Up, Product Showcase, we’re taking a deep dive into the trends and news — as well as the innovative brands and products — that are currently shaping the fast paced chips category.
During yesterday’s Expert Analysis, our panel of industry authorities discussed the consumer behaviors, investment activity and retailer attitudes that are impacting the set. Now, we’re hearing from the brands. In this episode NOSH editor Carol Ortenberg and reporter Erin Cabrey will interview executives and brand leaders from both emerging and established chip companies to discuss company strategy, category evolution and new product information.
During the Product Showcase you’ll hear about the latest innovations and updates from brands including:
Beanfields The Good Crisp Real Food From the Ground Up Mozaics Snacklins Wilde Chips


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- Shares of Canada Goose, the maker of luxury outergear, have tumbled 17 percent over the last one week and there have been reports of a call in China to boycott the brand.
- China has demanded the release of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese technology firm Huawei, who was arrested in Canada on Dec. 1.
- Chinese consumers make up one-third of the world's luxury market and are seen as a key area of growth for North American and European luxury brands.
A $1,000 winter coat has become an unlikely lightning rod for the Chinese public's anger over last weekend's arrest of a senior technology executive in Canada.
Shares of Canada Goose Holdings, the maker of the luxury parkas, have dropped 17 percent over the last one week, and the Canadian newspaper Financial Post reports that there are calls on social media in China to boycott the brand.
It is the second time this week a major Western consumer brand has taken a hit related to China. Apple shares tumbled 2 percent on Monday and then recovered after a court in China granted an injunction to chipmaker Qualcomm that banned the sale of certain iPhones in China. Apple said the ban only applies to phones running on an older operating system.
Chinese consumers make up one-third of the world's luxury market, according to analyst estimates, and the country is a major growth market for North American and European brands. Canada Goose has been making efforts to expand in China, opening locations in Hong Kong and Beijing, where it will be competing with local knockoff brands.
But now a brewing trade conflict and the targeting of the Chinese technology executive threatens to cut into some of that growth at a time when China's economic slowdown means luxury spending there is now slowing. UBS research said luxury spending in China grew 12 percent in the third quarter compared with 17 percent in the second quarter, and it is estimated to rise 10 percent next year.
China has demanded the release of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese technology firm Huawei. She was arrested in Canada Dec. 1 on accusations of breaking U.S. sanctions on Iran and faces extradition to the U.S.
Canada Goose is perhaps a target because of its name. But shares of the coat maker are still up about 80 percent this year. Its popularity in China took off after Jack Ma, the billionaire founder of Chinese conglomerate Alibaba, was spotted wearing a Canada Goose coat at various high-profile events this year, including the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Canada Goose shares rose slightly in early trading on Tuesday as financial markets bet progress was being made in trade talks with China.
But then once The Washington Post reported that the White House was planning to condemn China over economic espionage, Canada Goose shares rolled over.
The parka maker is caught in the middle of the trade war between the two superpowers.


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It was good to be back! Money 20/20 Europe 2021 brought together key players from throughout payments for a series of presentations and debates on the key concerns and opportunities within the industry. From global leaders to dynamic startups, the event brought together over 1,500 people to share thoughts and ideas.
Gathering alongside other delegates in Amsterdam for one of the first in-person events since the onset of the pandemic, we were able to join the discussions on the key ideas at the event. There was excitement everywhere and not just about meeting in person. Discussions centered on a broad range of opportunities available in the payments industry at the moment, but a few overarching themes stood out.
A pan-European payment plan
The European Payments Initiative (EPI) aims to create a unique scheme that will facilitate a unified, pan-European payment solution for both domestic and cross-border transactions. The migration of domestic card schemes to EPI aims to provide a more seamless payments solution for consumers across the entire continent.
One of the primary focuses of discussion at Money 20/20 regarding this initiative was defining its next steps. End of 2021 / beginining of 2022 are seen as crucial for the future of EPI. Institutions such as BNP Paribas and Worldline voiced their support for the initiative. Currently, the cost of the initiative is being evaluated, as well as the other streams such as functional and technical. It is expected that large scale investments in the project will be made soon.
As the initiative progresses, a key aspect of the work is building trust and adoption for consumers and merchants. This was noted at the event by CEO of the EPI Interim Company, Martina Weimert, who stressed that this initiative will look to tackle the fragmentation issues currently found in the payments ecosystem. By creating a unified network, the EPI is bringing together the plethora of domestic schemes into one centralized ecosystem. This is advancing the movement towards ubiquitous digitized payments.
Cryptocurrencies were another key topic. With private initiatives like Facebook’s Diem in the works, the community debated how cryptocurrencies can be promoted and regulated by central banks.
This trend has been accelerated by the adoption of Bitcoin as legal tender in El Salvador. Banks are therefore keen to develop proof-of-concept Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC) to retain their position in the ecosystem. By utilizing closed-loop, blockchain-based ideas, CBDCs provide the potential to retain influence over digital finance.
With this consideration in mind, delegates discussed the requirement for international standards to be agreed on collaboratively. By private entities and central banks alike. Different stakeholders hold varying motivations, so it is important to safeguard financial inclusion for citizens who rely on them. Much of the conversation at the conference was conceptual economics as opposed to tangible payment solutions. However, debates like these will help to formulate long term strategic plans for the ecosystem.
New ways to pay
Echoing throughout the conference was the underlying theme of putting customers at the heart of any solution. The prevailing consensus was that payment innovations of the future will be driven by consumer demands. One such example of this was the discussion surrounding SoftPOS payments.
SoftPOS solutions that can enable users to accept payments using their own commercial off-the-shelf device give more people access to the growing world of digital payments. Merchants and vendors alike are aware of the benefits of adoption. It’s a cheaper option, which provides more business opportunities for merchants. Equally, vendors know customers are ready to accept it with the growing use of contactless payments. A recuring concern throughout discussions of SoftPOS was security however, if implemented correctly, this technology is ready to take off.
It was interesting to hear discussions regarding Visa and Mastercard offering free software development kits for SoftPOS, making such solutions more readily available. The creation of new payment acceptance methods highlights that stakeholders throughout the ecosystem can play a pivotal role in democratizing digital finance. This is especially true in nations which may lack traditional technology infrastructure.
The need for support
Money 20/20 Europe gave insights into the industry that truly highlighted what an exciting, dynamic time it is. The overarching themes discussed above served as the framework for even more discussions on how to enhance the ecosystem from various positions throughout the value chain.
As these come to fruition, many stakeholders need support in refining their role in the industry. Fime can offer support in defining, designing, delivering and testing quality payment solutions and user experiences. Learn more about how Fime can support your payments project.


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Researchers have created a graphene composite paste that can be 3D printed into complex, patterned structures.
This depth sensing camera can create a 3D model of you, or even a room.
Early reports suggested an engine explosion led to the crash of the experimental space plane, killing one pilot.
Which compelling films and TV shows should you try next if you liked Amazon's powerful story of Nazis in an alternate America?
A team of researchers has created living rose plants with electronic circuits threaded through their veins.
Without altering its genomic sequence, biologists have created hybrid flatworms with heads and bodies from two different species.
Details are scant, but there will be plenty of time to pore over details before its official unveiling in January.
Toyota showed a prototype of a new compact SUV, the C-HR, at the Frankfurt auto show in September, and now it comes to Los Angeles with a Scion badge.
The move addresses currency issues and will lower app costs for people in developing regions who use Android phones.
In this edition of Ask Maggie, CNET's Marguerite Reardon explains who benefits from T-Mobile's new data plans and who doesn't.


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A ship crossing the Suez Canal in the Red Sea, Photo: Suez Canal Authority
Rabie stressed that the navigation traffic in the Suez Canal is normal, adding that the SCA is closely following the ongoing tensions in the Red Sea and its consequences on the navigation traffic in the canal, according to an official statement by the SCA.
His statements came following the announcement of some shipping companies to temporarily divert their ships from the Bab Al-Mandeb strait, which leads to the Suez Canal, to the Cape of Good Hope route around Africa.
Rabie added that 77 ships loaded with 4 million tons crossed the Suez Canal route on Sunday, including ships of Maersk Saigon, CMA CGM Christophe Colomb, and MSC Fabienne, which belong to the shipping companies that previously announced the temporary diversion of their ships to the Cape of Good Hope route.
The SCA chairman stressed that the Suez Canal will remain the fastest and shortest route for the ships, noting that savings rates for ships crossing the Suez Canal between Asia and Europe range from nine days to two weeks, according to the ports of departure and arrival.
Early this week, major shipping companies, German Hapag-Lloyd, Danish Maersk, French CMA CGM, and Italian-Swiss MSC, announced they were suspending passage through Bab Al-Mandeb strait in the Red Sea in response to the Iran-backed Houthi rebels' attacks.
The Houthis, who control much of Yemen but are not recognized internationally, said Tuesday they were targeting Israeli ships near the strategic Bab Al-Mandeb strait to pressure Israel over its deadly war on the Gaza Strip.
MSC, one of the world's largest freight shipping lines, said one of its container vessels had been targeted in the Red Sea on Friday, and it was halting traffic through the strait until it was safe, while CMA CGM ordered on Saturday all its vessels to leave the area and stay there until further notice.
Forty percent of the world's international trade transits through the Bab Al-Mandeb strait, which runs between Yemen, on the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, and the African continent.
As a result of the Houthi attacks on Israeli shipping and vessels headed towards Israel through the Bab Al-Mandeb strait, Israel's National Security Council issued an “urgent instruction” on 12 December, directing Israeli ports to eliminate details regarding the arrivals and departures of ships from their online platforms, according to Globes newspaper.


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Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed on Thursday directed all the readymade garment factory owners to pay the wages and Eid allowances of their workers in time.
He came up with the directive during a special meeting on the upcoming Eid-ul- Fitr at the secretariat.
‘The owners must clear their wages by June 10 and bonus by June 14,’ he said adding that the owners can seek police protection to carry their money, if necessary.
During the meeting, representatives from Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry and eight other organisations were also present.
The minister also said this year the workers will be able to celebrate Eid properly.
As the RMG industry witnessed a 9.37 per cent growth this year, he expects that they can achieve the $30- billion export target.
Tofail also said American and European buyers' groups, Accord and Alliance, which is working to improve workplace safety in Bangladesh readymade garment sector, will leave Bangladesh in January next year.
BGMEA president Siddiqur Rahman assured the minister that the workers' wages will be cleared by June 10 and allowances by June 14.
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tap here to see other videos from our team.
This week Breast Cancer Action Montreal is presenting a talk by Stacy Malkan, one of the co-founders of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a U.S. coalition of women’s, health, environmental and consumer-rights organizations.
Her lecture is titled: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry and Hopeful Solutions for a Healthier Future.
Malkan, who was a self-confessed “teenage make-up diva”, will also talk to students at Westmount High School and with some 300 students and their parents at the Girls for the Cure Educational Forum.
Malkan recently spoke with the Washington Post:
Lead in lipsticks, phthalates in beauty products. Is it enough to make you sick? The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (and quite a few studies) says yes, and polices the products that aim to make us beautiful (think lotions, lipstick and shampoo), drawing attention to the toxic chemicals many contain. As a co-founder of the organization and author of the recently released book Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry, you could say that Stacy Malkan is the group’s Chief of Police. —Megan O’Connell
There has been a lot of talk in the news lately about the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics’ studies on lipstick and lead. What did the organization discover?
We looked at 33 red lipsticks in different price ranges that we bought in four U.S. cities. We found that 61% of them contained lead (the L’Oreal product had the highest amount). But 39% of them didn’t have detectable levels of lead, which shows it’s possible to make lead-free red lipstick.
The cosmetics industry has tried to paint this study as irrelevant, saying that the average person encounters more lead in the water they drink than they do in their lipstick. How do you respond to reasoning like this?
I think it’s outrageous to say that because there’s more lead in water it doesn’t matter if it’s in lipstick. What we know about lead is that no amount is safe for kids or pregnant women, so we need to be avoiding all exposures. The fact that lead is also in water and toys makes it even more important that it’s not also in lipstick. We want to say to L’Oreal, “Don’t you want to do everything you can to protect pregnant women from lead exposure?” I would think they would. It’s obviously possible to make lipstick without lead and that’s what they all should be doing. Their argument with these chemicals is always the same—it’s just a little bit. But the fact is that it’s just a little bit of multiple toxic chemicals in many products that we’re using every day….
Click here for the rest of the interview.
Malkan will speak on Thursday, April 16 at 7:30 at Temple Emanu-El, 4100 Sherbrooke St. W. (cross street Wood). Closest metro station is Atwater. The presentation will be in English with French translation.
Breast Cancer Action Montreal works to increase public awareness about environmental links to breast cancer. For more information go to www.bcam.qc.ca
Want some help choosing safer cosmetics, sunscreens and other beauty products? Check out the Enivronmental Working Group’s website devoted to that issue, Skin Deep.
— Monique Beaudin


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Store Twenty One in Royston closed today
- Credit: Archant
THE future of one of Royston’s biggest shops appears to be in doubt.
Store Twenty One, in the High Street, closed unexpectedly today, with no indications of when it might re-open.
A notice in the window of the shop, posted by the landlord of the building, Trevor Toys Limited, states that they have re-entered and secured the premises.
Stories about the future of Store Twenty One, which employs 1,000 people across the country, have been circulating since the turn of the year.
In accounts released in January, Anupam Jhunjhunwala, the firm’s chief executive, warned of the impact rising cotton prices were having on the business.
The Crow is awaiting a response from Store Twenty One and from Trevor Toys Limited. For more details see Thursday’s Crow.


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The social platform shopping revolution is underway
The intersection of two thriving sectors, e-commerce and fintech, has given rise to the social commerce experience. Galia Beer-Gabel, VP of Business Development and Operations at Team8, has identified consumers’ transition from Amazon, Walmart and eBay to Facebook, Tik-Tok, and Google
November and December are traditionally stellar months when it comes to global e-commerce. While we have long anticipated a massive transformation in the e-commerce industry, our projections around the evolution of consumer behavior, technological tools, and business models, have all materialized earlier than predicted. This rapid acceleration has largely been driven by Covid-19, which has prompted an unprecedented wave of online shopping. In just the first quarter of 2020, prior to the wide scale rollout of nation-wide lockdown policies, the U.S. e-commerce industry doubled, condensing a decade-long growth trajectory into a single quarter.
The fintech industry has also exceeded growth projections due to the pandemic-fueled shift in consumer behavior and the accompanying rise in online payments. Pre-pandemic innovation in payment processes, particularly around clearing and settlement, fraud prevention and improved user experience, accelerated significantly due to COVID. But now, e-commerce players support a full suite of financial services for their customers. For example, Shopify, a leading platform for online businesses, generates a significant portion of its revenue from financial products, including clearing and credit services.
Galia Beer-Gabel, VP of Business Development and Operations at Team8. Photo: Ron Kedmi
It was only natural that social media companies would join the party. Until recently, their activity in the realm of e-commerce was mostly limited to publishing sponsored ads by sellers. However, closer collaboration between e-commerce businesses and social media platforms holds much greater potential.
Introducing social commerce: the integration of online shopping into users’ daily social media experience. Social platforms have identified the incorporation of e-commerce tools into their offering as a way to enhance their value proposition to consumers. The platforms benefit greatly from acquiring valuable consumer data while keeping users engaged in their ecosystem. Sellers, on the other hand, are able to leverage the social media platforms’ ability to personalize user experience, which translates into higher conversion rates. Increased user demand by consumers has further incentivized social platforms to prioritize payment and shopping options.
Social commerce is also driving competition among the platforms. Instagram, Tik-Tok, and Pinterest are just a few of the players that have announced new e-commerce solutions, but they all have the same goal in mind: to attract new sellers. Whereas previously, social platforms focused on improving their value proposition for consumers, the sellers are now firmly in the driver’s seat. Platforms that accommodate sellers and adapt to their needs, particularly in terms of marketing, technology, payments, and logistics, are able to substantially differentiate their offering. In a world of diminishing consumer loyalty to the networks, the social media companies’ ability to provide a personalized experience, alongside a broader range of relevant tools, is essential to keeping shoppers on their platform.
We’ve seen this trend pick up serious momentum over the past year. Facebook, for example, introduced Facebook Shops, a collaboration with Shopify that enables the 1.7 million sellers on Shopify’s platform to sell directly on Facebook, eliminating the seller’s need to open a dedicated store on Facebook. TikTok, for its part, launched TikTok Shopping, a solution that allows Shopify sellers with a TikTok account to display their catalog directly on the app. TikTok went the extra mile when it announced that sellers could let the platform manage logistics and supply chain activity for them.
Google hasn’t been sitting idle either. It handles billions of daily searches for consumer goods from three billion Android devices globally. Moreover, Google has done an excellent job at leveraging its search engine to facilitate digital commerce. For example, it displays products from various shops directly on search results pages, creating a convenient shortcut for consumers. In parallel to announcing partnerships with GoDaddy, WooCommerce, Shopify, and Square, the industry giant has also eliminated the registration fee on Google Shopping to attract more sellers.
The e-commerce playground is clearly changing, and the market share of traditional players such as Amazon and Walmart is at stake. The inherent bond between fintech and e-commerce has motivated large players to enter the shopping arena and as social commerce grows in popularity, tech companies and social media platforms will continue to offer new e-commerce services, while new startups will emerge to seize new market opportunities. A shopping revolution is indeed underway.
Galia Beer-Gabel is VP of Business Development and Operations at Team8


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El Pollo Loco plans to enter the Dallas market following the California-based grilled chicken chain’s recent Houston entry.
Company and franchise restaurants will greet the Dallas area in the first half of 2016, according to company sources.
Co-developing the Dallas market is Chicken Time Holdings LP, an affiliate of The Henry Investment Group (HIG). The franchisee will open seven Dallas-area locations in the next four years. Cities and locations were not specified.
“There is tremendous opportunity in the Dallas market and we have identified numerous potential sites,” said Steve Sather, president and CEO of El Pollo Loco, commenting in a news release.
“We continue to accept inquiries from potential franchise partners to help us grow in other Texas markets and throughout the Southwest,” Sather said.
An HIG spokesman said he looks forward to serving North Texas customers.
“Our values closely align with those of El Pollo Loco’s, as the company
is focused on providing a great customer experience, high quality food
and a dedicated staff, and as a Dallas based company, we believe the
concept will resonate well with local residents,” said David Henry,
principal and CEO of The Henry Investment Group.
“We are excited to be part of a strong and growing brand that we believe in
and look forward to opening our first El Pollo Loco restaurant in 2016,” Henry said.
El Pollo Loco specializes in citrus-marinated and fire-grilled chicken entrees using fresh ingredients inspired by authentic Mexican recipes. More information is available at www.elpolloloco.com.
The company is seeking qualified, multi-unit operators in Northern California, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Texas. More information is available at https://elpolloloco.com/franchising/.


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Last Friday, Porsche said that the company will have electrified more than half of its entire model range — either with a fully battery-electric or a plug-in hybrid option — by 2025. The German automaker is planning to electrify each one of its models by 2030.
At the annual press conference of the carmaker that was held last Friday, Porche’s deputy chairman of the executive board, Lutz Meschke, stated: “One thing is clear: From 2030 onward, there probably won’t be any vehicle model from Porsche without an electric variant.”
The company clarified that it will not stop manufacturing internal combustion engine cars over the next decade, however, it has committed to investing more than €6 billion (£5.1 billion, $6.8 billion) into its electrification shift by 2022. The automaker stopped the production of diesel vehicles last year.
Oliver Blume, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, stated: “Since 2012, our workforce has more than doubled, and electromobility is another job engine.”
He added: “We are creating 1,500 new jobs for the Taycan alone.”
That stands in contrast to Volkswagen, the owner of Porsche. This week, it announced that it would need to slash thousands of jobs in Germany as making the electric vehicles requires fewer workers as compared to putting together an internal combustion engine car.
The Taycan is scheduled to launch at the end of the year. Reportedly, it will be the first fully-electric car from Porsche. Declarations of interest in pre-ordering the Taycan have already shot past the original production target of the car which is 20,000. Porsche did not officially disclose what the new, increased production figure will be.
This year, Porsche announced that its bestselling Macan SUV will also go electric. Last year, the model sold more than 86,000 across the globe. Last Friday, Porsche also confirmed that the fully electric Cross Turismo SUV will be out starting next year.


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Tag - Singapore
Apple Pay is being made available to more users in Singapore, courtesy of new partnerships forged with banks in the region. Following just a month after the mobile payment platform went live for American Express customers, the service has now expanded to work with cards using Visa and MasterCard for transactions, with five new banks joining the roster of financial institutions that will take credit and debit card payments via iPhones and the Apple Watch.
Following the earlier announcement that Apple, again working exclusively through American Express, had debuted Apple Pay in its sixth country with its arrival in Singapore on Tuesday, the website for Apple's US financial partners that offer credit or debit cards that work with the company's mobile wallet technology has added another 61 members, two weeks after it topped 1,153 US institutions. The update allows customers of the banks or credit unions listed below to begin adding their cards to the Wallet application on the iPhone 6 or later, as well as the Apple Watch and new iPhone SE.
Apple Pay has expanded into Singapore, bringing the mobile payment platform to its second market in Asia, but in a limited fashion. The expansion is being performed as part of a deal with American Express, which means that only owners of American Express credit cards will be able to use Apple Pay with contactless payment terminals in the country, in a similar fashion to how Apple Pay arrived in Canada and Australia.
Countries that celebrate the lunar new year (which begins on February 8 this year) will see specially-designed editions of Apple's Watch Sport and Beats Solo2 headphones as part of the company's annual observation of the major shopping holiday. Buyers in mainland China, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Malaysia will be able to get the limited-edition items, which are also tied in with the Global Fund's PRODUCT (Red) campaign, meaning some proceeds will go to fight AIDS, HIV, and malaria in Africa and other countries.
Apple's operations in Singapore will be powered by renewable energy, following a deal with Sunseap Group. At the same time as revealing it was going to be the first company to in Singapore to run exclusively on renewable energy, sourced from solar energy farms built on top of more than 800 buildings, Apple confirmed it will be opening its first Apple Store within the city-state, though the final opening date remains unknown.
Apple is expanding the number of countries Apple Pay will operate within, via a partnership with a credit card company. Advised as part of today's earnings call, Apple Pay will be usable in Australia and Canada for American Express customers before the end of this year, with American Express users in Spain, Singapore, and Hong Kong also expected to be able to use the payment service when it becomes available next year.
Following up on our previous story, the new Beats Pill+ Bluetooth speaker is now available for ordering. The device has changed little from before Apple bought the company, but gains a Lightning port for charging as well as an included cable. The $229 speaker can be paired with another to produce a stereo sound, and will soon have an accompanying app that allows a users and friends to control the music in a "house party" style. The unit still features a USB power-out port, a line-in audio port, and a battery boasting up to 12 hours of active use.
Netflix has revealed it is bringing its video streaming service to more countries in Asia in early 2016, following its launch in Japan last month. The service will be surfacing in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and South Korea in the future, though Netflix has not offered a specific date for each country, but they will get a curated selection of popular TV shows and movies in HD and Ultra HD when it does go live.
Apple has upgraded the iCloud.com Photos app with a couple of new features, users note. The first is a zoom slider for uploaded content. People can also more easily share photos via email, using a new pop-up window on the site. Access to Photos requires activating the iCloud Photo Library beta through iOS' Settings app, and will remove any images on a device that were synced via iTunes.
Apple's Volume Purchase Program is coming to 16 more locations in the near future, according to pages on the company's Business and Education sites. Most of the new regions are in Europe, including Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. Also joining in are Hong Kong, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.


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It’s been a rocky road for cinema in recent years. From the booming popularity of SVoD services like Netflix and Amazon Prime creating cut-throat competition, to the Covid-19 lockdowns forcing theatres to close for vast stretches, to the cost-of-living crisis that’s driving consumers to tighten their belts. The beloved and culturally significant cinema has, in many ways, been battling to stay relevant. When Cineworld filed for bankruptcy in August last year, the situation looked especially bleak. But although media chatter would have you believe otherwise, the cinema very much isn’t dead.
In more positive news, Cineworld is poised to emerge from bankruptcy protection, beckoning a new lease of life for the chain. Essentially, the entertainment landscape is evolving, and traditional forms of entertainment will need to adapt to continue to draw audiences. The cinema isn’t going anywhere and in fact, there’s plenty to feel optimistic about.
While foot traffic isn’t quite touching pre-pandemic levels, it’s heading in the right direction. For example, the latest Avatar ended up becoming the third highest-grossing film of all time. While not every release carries the same level of hype, these stats certainly don’t speak of a dying cinema. Audience levels are stabilizing, according to Futuresource Consulting’s recent research. For the right releases, the demand is there, but the question remains: how can cinemas continue to entice audiences?
For now, elevating the current offerings appears to be the strategy. In a bygone era, cinemas may have got away with bad food and poor seating, but not anymore. Watching a new release film at home is cheaper, easier, and increasingly, just as readily available as at the cinema. This means theatres are having to capitalise on luxuries: premium snacks, unmatched audio, the big screen, and the shared experience.
And for many, it’s working. For those that are visiting the cinema, 2022 saw an increase in the frequency rates. French audiences are among the biggest cinephiles, with the average attendee averaging 6.9 cinema visits per year. Plus, there’s a bumper slate of releases lined up for summer 2023. From June through August there’s set to be an impressive run of blockbuster films released to match all tastes. All these factors are conducive to a healthy cinematic landscape.
Yet there’s clear audience bias towards big releases. Futuresource Consulting’s recent survey shows that cinema is the preferred way for consumers to watch high-profile movies, with on average 35% indicating they’d plan to watch them this way. However, when it comes to medium and small movies, preference leans towards subscription services as the leading way to watch. It’s understandable. If consumers are paying top dollar to see a film, as in the current economic landscape, then they want some guarantee it’s good. But this leaves less room for smaller-budget flicks.
The idea circulating is that smaller films are struggling to gain traction with audiences. Some might argue this is part and parcel of show biz – bigger is better, as the old adage goes. But it still represents a rather lucrative hole in the cinema landscape and, interestingly, it’s not always been this way. Recent data from the UK FDA’s yearbook exemplifies this point – the top twenty films’ share in box office revenues sat at 64% in 2022, around 10% higher than the pre-pandemic 2019 figure. Once upon a time, mid-budget movies were at home in the cinema. Now, many suspect classics like The Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men, and LA Confidential would struggle to be made in the current landscape. Studios are piling their resources into the films they know will perform – big-budget hits like Top Gun Maverick, Avatar, and superhero blockbusters.
Cinema still has a solid place in the entertainment landscape, with SVoD services clearly recognising its value. Netflix gave the latest Glass Onion a cinematic window before streaming it on their service, and both Amazon Prime and Apple TV+ are rumoured to be investing. But the industry is not as diverse as it used to be and must now compete against more instantaneous and convenient forms of entertainment, like SVoD and even TikTok.
Despite these less than favourable circumstances, the cinema lives on. The landscape is evolving, this much is true, but we’re far from seeing the demise of the movie theatre. Gianluca Sergi, Professor of Film Industries at the University of Nottingham, said: “120 years and countless ‘deadly crises’ on, it continues to remain one of the most popular art forms for audiences from all backgrounds, and a multi-billion-dollar global industry.”
NAB 2023 is just around the corner and is set to spotlight the trends dominating the cinema industry, from both a production and consumption standpoint. Futuresource’s NAB post-show report will delve into the biggest trends and news stories from the event. Sign up to receive your free copy as soon as it goes live.
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It will open 35 stores in Mexico; the first will be in Escobedo, Nuevo León
MEXICO CITY.- The American chain Dollar General will begin its operations in the Mexican Republic in 2023, with the opening of 35 stores in the north part of the national territory to compete in the supermarket business with chains such as Walmart, Soriana or HEB, Forbes magazine reported.
Quoted by the business newspaper, the company’s CEO, Jeff Owen, their expansion into Mexico is an important milestone in their history, so they are excited to extend their value and convenience proposition to consumers.
The stores will operate in the country under the name of Mi Super Dollar General and seek to offer a renewed and unique retail option that responds to the daily needs of the dynamic Mexican market.
Each store will include financial services, bakery and tortillas, fresh produce, health and beauty, household cleaning supplies, pet care, housewares, stationery and other household essentials
“Mi Super Dollar General stores will offer customers a unique shopping experience tailored to the needs and desires of Mexican households,” shared Steve Deckard, Dollar General’s senior vice president of Emerging Markets, according to Forbes.
In this regard, he said that when developing the new store concept, his teams conducted extensive consumer, market and product variety research to discover how stores could bring value and convenience to communities.
Mi Super Dollar General plans to operate approximately 35 stores in communities in northern Mexico by the end of fiscal year 2023; the first is already under construction in Escobedo, Nuevo León, and is expected to open its doors early next year.


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The red Supreme box logo towel has been a big hit this season and was sold out in no time. Today the New York brand released their new Flag Towel. The all cotton terry towel comes with a large US flag x Supreme logo print, being 46.5″ x 14″ in size. At 18 USD the towel sold out already in the brand’s online store, but you might still be able to get some at one of their stores in New York and LA, or Japan.
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A marketing gimmick for McDonald’s Brazil saw the Golden Arches split apart with the two halves away from each other.
if you’re not happy with the reach your photos receive on Instagram, try this rumoured hack.
Dogecoin is a cryptocurrency that was created in 2013 as a joke by Jackson Palmer, an Adobe Product Manager. However, in the past three months, as other cryptocurrencies have started to crumble, it’s roughly doubled in value.
Burger King Russia sparked outrage with an appalling ad campaign posted on their official social media account. The promotion promised a reward of 3 million Rubles (CDN$62,715) and a lifetime supply of Whoppers for any Russian woman impregnated by a World Cup player.


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Who is the alternative analgesic pain consumer? “The majority of these people [in search of external pain relief] have chronic pain and are already taking prescriptions and using multiple methods of pain relief,” said Jenny McLaughlin, product manager for Walh Therapeutic Massagers. “Our research shows people are coming into the health-and-wellness area once a month.”
Excedrin relaunched in the United States in 2013 and is doing well. The brand generated $130 million between its Excedrin tablets and Excedrin Migraine tablets for the 52 weeks ended June 15 across total U.S. multi-outlets, according to IRI.
Perfecta Products last year added Zim’s Arnica Max to it’s lineup of external analgesic rubs, which includes Zim’s Max-Freeze, an $11.8 million brand grew 27.3% for the 52 weeks ended June 15 across total U.S. multi-outlets, according to IRI.
The entire external analgesic category is up 6.7%, reaching a base of $486.9 million across total U.S. multi-outlets for the 52 weeks ended June 15, according to IRI data. And Salonpas, with a 10.9% dollar share, is helping to drive that growth with positive sales gains of 28.7% to $52.9 million.
The lion’s share of the analgesics business may be in internal analgesics — sales of which totaled $3.6 billion, up 1.1% for the 52 weeks ended June 15 across total U.S. multi-outlets, according to IRI — but it’s alternative pain relievers that may represent the growth opportunity.
Despite creating a detailed plan to speed up the rate at which generic drug applications are reviewed, experts say a backlog has developed at the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Generic Drugs.
“It’s not enough to pull drowning victims out of the river. You have to walk upstream to find out who’s throwing them in.” Physician and educator David Kilgore invoked that piece of wisdom from Episcopal bishop V. Gene Robinson to describe the current state of medicine in the United States — and the steps needed to drag the nation’s outmoded, costly and inefficient healthcare system into the 21st century.


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Cell not powering the PlayStation 4?
It has been suggested that they recent rumours surrounding AMD's involvement in the development of Sony's new home console may indicate that Sony has abandoned their Cell processor architecture.
Sources have told Kotaku that the Sony's next home console will be powered by a new processor designed by AMD and it will not be based on the Cell technology that powers the PS3.
Last year Sony sold the Cell processor technology to IBM although at the time IBM stated that they would be providing the processors to power all of the next generation of home consoles.
If the rumours about Sony abandoning Cell are true then it may be the case that the PS4 will feature integrated architecture with the graphics and processor on one chip with AMD's Radeon architecture powering the graphics.


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Michelle Obama Wears $34.95 H&M Dress on 'Today' Show
She had her stylist add sleeves though.
For an appearance on the Today show Wednesday, Michelle Obama ditched her usual designer style for a $34.95 dress from H&M. (Obama discussed her daughters Malia and Sasha and the Egypt crisis with Matt Lauer during the appearance.)
A rep for the brand tells The Hollywood Reporter that she had her stylist add sleeves to the dress, which is also sold in melon pink in the store.
When asked by Lauer about being a style icon, she said, "I take it as a compliment. It's not something I focus on... Everybody's got to get dressed in the morning and put on something. I hope people find it nice, but it's not something I focus on."
She came under fire last month for wearing a dress by British designer Alexander McQueen (who died in February 2010) to a China State Dinner. The fashion industry has called on her to wear only American labels.


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China’s plan to improve the prospects of its unprofitable rare earth industry includes consolidating more than 100 scattered firms into two giant companies, Annie To, executive director of Hong Kong-listed China Rare Earth, told South China Morning Post.
She commented that two new firms would be created, one in the north led by Inner Mongolia Rare Earth High-Tech and a southern company led by either Yue Long Rare Earth & Chemical Industry or Jiangsu’s Yixing Xinwei Leeshing Rare Earth. Yixing Xinwei is 90 per cent owned by China Rare Earth.
Only 10 out of the more than 100 domestic rare earth product makers are making a profit. The top producers are impacted by unprofitable firms, many of which are subsidised by provincial governments and make inferior products. To said that according to some surveys, China’s production of rare earths now satisfied 80-90 per cent of total world demand, while others showed that Japan accounted for around 40 per cent of global sales. This can be explained by the fact that Japan imports rare earth products from China for further processing.
Rare earths have a wide range of applications in industries such as metallurgy, petroleum, glass and ceramics.


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Govt limits markup on Ukrainian-made pasta
On January 12, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine added premium wheat flour and pasta (vermicelli) exclusively of domestic production to the list of foodstuffs with a maximum 10% retail margin, follows from the text of the resolution on the government website.
According to the resolution, the current list of products with a limited maximum margin includes rye-wheat bread, long loaf, buckwheat, granulated sugar, premium wheat flour, pasteurized milk with a fat content of 2.5% (in film), sunflower oil, chicken eggs C1, poultry (chicken carcass), butter with a fat content of 72.5% and pasta of domestic production (vermicelli from wheat flour of the highest grade).
Thus, the markup on wheat flour of the highest grade imported to Ukraine and pasta made from wheat flour of the highest grade is not subject to state regulation.
For foods from the approved list, the maximum retail margin is set at no more than 10% of the wholesale selling price, taking into account advertising, marketing, logistics services, preparation, processing, packaging and other services related to the sale to the end consumer.
According to the generalized statistics on the website of the State Customs Service, Ukraine in 2021 increased the export of pasta in U.S. dollars by a third compared to 2020 – from $54.2 million to $72.3 million, while their imports grew by 17.9% – from $50.0 million to $58.9 million. Accordingly, the positive balance of pasta trade for Ukraine amounted to $13.3 million last year (an increase of 3.2 times compared with 2020).
As reported, the Cabinet of Ministers, by Resolution No. 1432 dated December 30, 2021, included long loaf and sunflower oil in the list of foods, the rise in price of which shall be declared in advance by business entities selling them, and also forbade setting a markup on rye-wheat bread and loaf of more than 10%.
Also, the government, by resolution No. 1 dated January 12, expanded this list with nine types of foods.


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Maize Flour Prices Yet To Drop Again After Uhuru's Directive
Out of the four supermarkets sampled, only two were selling the most staple food in the whole country at the new price
Kenyans will still have to wait a bit longer to enjoy the new maize flour prices of Ksh100 per 2kg packet, a day after President Uhuru Kenyatta's directive which lowered the price from Ksh205.
Viral Tea paid a visit to four supermarkets within the Thika Road area, including two at Garden City Mall, to ascertain whether or not the directive was actually enforced.
Out of the four supermarkets sampled, only two were selling the most staple food in the whole country at the new price, with one of them setting a limit of one 2kg packet per person in a bid to avert panic buying with 18 days to the August 9 general elections.
Maize flour being sold at a supermarket. /MARVIN CHEGE.VIRALTEAKE
However, that is merely for one brand. The rest still held on to the maximum prices, some charging Ksh193 and others Ksh230, Ksh231 and Ksh257.
During the visit, Viral Tea learnt that stock had run out among one of the popular maize flour brands, which could probably explain the reason behind the implementation of its directive to avoid the unga crisis in the supermarket.
However, the story was much different in another supermarket nearby where the prices of unga across all brands sold were unchanged. The same case went for another in Garden City, a premise once termed as the largest in the country by space before Two Rivers overtook it.
There was hope in another supermarket we visited in the mall as one of the brands heeded the President's directive.
But there was still the mad rush to purchase the product as we were unlucky to run into a section of Kenyans who had scooped up what was visibly the final remaining stocks of maize flour for the day. To be specific, by the time of conducting independent spot checks, that maize flour brand was going for Ksh98.
Retailers who spoke to Viral Tea revealed that the presidential directive could not have taken effect immediately as some of them had purchased stock with the old price, which is still in the shops by the time of publication.
"I bought unga at 210. They've not dropped yet, I think they will start from tomorrow," a Nairobi resident told Viral Tea.
An interesting observation in one of the supermarkets was an attendant standing guard, directing customers on the limit on the number of packets to load on their shopping carts for purchase. This is in a bid to avoid chaos in the supermarkets where customers barge through each other to get that precious packet...that is when the directive really comes into order.
Kenyans had also raised concerns that the panic buying could lead to a shortage of maize flour, igniting another, much worse crisis, but millers have since assured that there is enough maize flour to feed the whole country.
The President also announced the immediate suspension of the Import Declaration Fee (IDF) imposed on imported maize as well as the fuel development levy on transporting the product, which triggered the decrease in prices. He also asked the millers not to hoard maize flour as it would lead to serious consequences.
"And I say so because if one of them acts unethically by hoarding their products, the other benefits by politicizing this irresponsibility. But in the meantime, who suffers from this mischief? If the politician gets his votes out of it and the miller gets their profit, what does the common mwananchi (Citizen) get? And in the end, who carries the burden of this mischief? The common mwananchi, of course!
"If my appeal to the millers is to practice a reasoned level of social ethics, my appeal to the political class is to exercise civic responsibility. To politicize the pain of the vulnerable without offering solutions is to mock the lifestyle of the same voters the politicians are appealing to," he said in a televised address at State House, Nairobi on Wednesday, July 20.


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Apple would have likely pushed out the Golden Master build of iOS 11 to developers next week after its September 12 event. However, the iOS 11 GM build has made its way into the hands of 9to5Mac digging into which has revealed the new LTE Apple Watch that Apple will be unveiling next week.
The new LTE capable Apple Watch is shown briefly in the companion Watch app of iOS 11. The photo shows the smartwatch as having the same form factor and design as the Apple Watch Series 2 with but a few tweaks. The Digital Crown, for example, has a red finish that makes it stand out from the rest of the watch’s body.
The complications on the watch face for phone connectivity also hint at LTE connectivity along with a network signal meter.
The inclusion of LTE connectivity on the Apple Watch should make it more useful and less dependent on the iPhone, though the same design language is going to disappoint a lot of consumers. It will also be interesting to see how Apple manages to get away with the additional battery drain introduced by the addition of the LTE chip on the smartwatch.
Are you excited about the Apple Watch gaining LTE connectivity?[VIa 9to5Mac]


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1) The International Monetary Fund stated the global recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic could be worse than the global financial crisis of 2008-9. However, the world economic output should recover in 2021 because of the extraordinary fiscal actions already being taken by many countries and their central banks. But for a 2021 recovery, countries need to prioritize containment and strengthen health systems.
2) The U.S. is entering a recession, but the ultimate fear is a protracted malaise akin to a depression. Some prominent economy watchers are drawing comparisons to the Great Depression, although falling short of forecasting another one, based on the fact that the world has not seen a synchronized interruption in economic output in decades as was seen with the Great Depression. The U.S. will suffer a huge economic contraction as businesses close and Americans stay home, with some estimates that the economy will have the worst quarter since 1947.
3) Most U.S. small businesses have only days to stay afloat amid the coronavirus crisis. Only about half of the 30 million small businesses in America have a 15 day cash reserve needed to survive. The shelter in place orders have cut business revenues to near zero almost over night. Particularly hard hit is the service industries such as restaurants, landscaping, personal services and salons. These small businesses employ about 60 million people, or half of American’s work force. Many of the businesses were already operating on razor thin margins before the virus crisis. With so little cash reserves, they are forced to immediately reduce hours or layoff employees to survive.
4) Stock market closings for – 23 MAR 20:
Dow 18,591.93 down 582.05
Nasdaq 6,860.67 down 18.84
S&P 500 2,237.40 down 67.52
10 Year Yield: down at 0.76%
Oil: up at $24.24


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As artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly affects the performance of products consumers use every day, discussions about who owns the AI risk is likely to become more intricate.
For companies making these products, it’s important to know the risks involved, be they reputational, business-related or consumer risks.
“Sometimes we’re having to talk to our clients about the AI they use — where they could be sued, for example, by a third party who interacts with it…or it could end up being a first-party loss because they’re using it for themselves,” said Kelly MacDonald, Aon’s regional sales director and senior vice president, Commercial Risk Solutions.
AI could fall under a host of liabilities, programs or policies, but many risks associated with AI are only partly insurable, says MacDonald.
“It probably isn’t going to all be picked up under one specific placement, it will be a combination,” adds Katharine Hall, Aon’s senior vice president and cyber practice leader of commercial risk solutions. “How does your general liability placement work with your tech E&O, work with your cyber?”
Nick Kidd, director of business insurance at Mitch Insurance, added AI coverage could fall under anything from product liability placement to professional liability.
“I think it really does depend on the client, the situation of what they do, and how AI is configured into either a product that they’re selling or a professional service they’re offering,” he said.
So, is there anything insurance companies don’t want to cover when it comes to AI?
“[Underwriters] will look at the product, and if it’s an innocuous product that has very little likelihood of causing damage, the rate’s going to be low. If it has a high risk of causing damage, that rate will be high,” Kidd said. “If there’s AI attached to critical components, that will probably put it in the high-risk, high-premium category, and fewer insurers and less appetite.”
But when a product is too new to figure out coverage, insurance companies may draw from other sources as a model for providing coverage, or may decline outright.
“Sometimes it’s just too new, it’s too unknown,” MacDonald added. “You might get some very small supplement sometimes, where it’s a little throw-in of coverage that’s really quite limiting, and it’s not until some time elapses that they can sort of wrap their arms around it and go, ‘Okay, well, this isn’t as big of a deal as we thought it is.’”
Despite potential risk factors, a recent Ipsos survey found roughly 60% of people think AI products and services will make their lives easier, with 60% also expecting AI to profoundly change their daily lives in the coming years.
It’s safe to say AI will continue to change our world, and alongside it, insurance coverage.
“Artificial intelligence is not new, but the different types of areas it has been deployed in are definitely new and evolving, and so the risks will continue to evolve. The pressure is on us, but also on the insurance providers because some older products might not necessarily fit the evolving nature of artificial intelligence,” said Ruby Rai, cyber practice leader at Marsh Canada.
“Any time technology or exposures evolve, it pushes our industry as a whole to create solutions that might not already be there.”
This article is excerpted from one that appeared in the May edition of Canadian Underwriter. Feature image by iStock.com/XH4D


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Amazon pays all applicable taxes in every jurisdiction that it operates within. Amazon EU serves tens of millions of customers and sellers throughout Europe from multiple consumer websites in a number of languages dispatching products to all 27 countries in the EU. We have a single European Headquarters in Luxembourg with hundreds of employees to manage this complex operation.
More top news
Masked machete-wielding raiders stormed into a convenience store and threatened the assistant, before stealing cash, cigarettes and alcohol.
GPs have a public duty to tell authorities if a patient is driving against medical advice, new guidance from the GMC says.
The Government may be about to announce a new levy on council tax of up to 2% to replenish social care budgets.


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VISA released an official statement earlier this week, revealing their plans to keep supporting the development, as well as the adoption of cryptocurrency, as part of their business. Also, the payments processor announced that its crypto-enabled cards processed in the first half of 2021 more than $1 billion in crypto spending.
Facilitating crypto use
The company added that they are currently partnering with over 50 major companies in the industry, as well as many crypto card programs, in their attempt to allow users to convert and spend digital currencies at 70 million merchants across the world.
Considering the size of crypto spending they have reported so far for the current year, VISA believes that “it’s clear that the crypto community sees value in linking digital currencies to VISA’s global network.”
Finally, they have also been working with some of the major names in the cryptocurrency world, like exchange platform Crypto.com, in an attempt to develop a crypto settlement system for fiat transactions, as well as Coinbase, CoinZoom, and many others.
Considering this, we won’t be surprised if the crypto spending volume will be even bigger by the end of 2021!
VISA, a big fan of stablecoins?
In the same statement, the firm stated that the cryptocurrencies pegged to the value of fiat currencies or any other kinds of assets, also known as stable coins, are finally “starting to live up the promise of digital fiat.” And this is great news for many enthusiasts out there!
“Stablecoins are on track to become an important part of the broader digital transformation of financial services, and VISA is excited to help shape and support that development,” they added.
“We’ve been busy at VISA, connecting the crypto community to our ‘network-of-networks,’ a strategy designed to add value to all forms of money movement, whether on the VISA network or beyond.”


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One of the Algarve Resident’s stable mates in the Open Media Group, Essential Algarve, has this week published its special 20th anniversary edition. The 132-page magazine marks an important milestone for what is recognised as the Algarve’s leading lifestyle magazine.
“We had to overcome quite a few challenges with this edition,” said Bruce Hawker, founder of Essential Algarve and CEO of the Open Media Group. “The Covid-19 situation forced us to suspend publication of the magazine from April until now. For our very important hotel room distribution, we are supplying our magazines individually packaged in biodegradable bags, but the magazine is on sale as usual at newsstands.”
Since its launch, Essential Algarve has always focused on the best that the Algarve has to offer both to visitors and residents. The magazine is published bimonthly as a bilingual English/Portuguese edition.
Click here to read the full magazine.


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In commemoration of the National Trader’s Day, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Green and Digital Economy (MCINET) organized, this Monday, June 21, a meeting under the theme “Medical coverage: a real achievement. for the trader ”.
The celebration of this day, resulting from the recommendations of the Moroccan Trade Forum, organized in Marrakech in April 2019, is an opportunity to take stock of the progress made in the implementation of the generalization of medical coverage for the benefit of traders. . A large-scale project which responds to the High Royal Guidelines calling for the “generalization of social coverage for the benefit of all Moroccans”.
Speaking on this occasion, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Green and Digital Economy, Moulay Hafid Elalamy (MHE) affirmed that “the realization of this historic project took place in a particular context, marked by the pandemic of Covid-19, during which traders played an essential role in the social impetus of the national response, as a supply relay throughout the national market ”.
This professional category, he said, “fully deserves this social asset as vital as its socioeconomic role, and in accordance with royal guidelines, nearly 500,000 traders and their families will benefit from medical coverage.”
This large-scale social project, which has benefited from the fruitful collaboration of all the public institutions concerned and the representative bodies of traders, meets the expectations formulated by this professional category during the Moroccan Trade Forum.
In addition to accelerating medical coverage for traders, the trade recovery plan, implemented by MCINET, on the basis of the recommendations of the Moroccan Trade Forum and the new challenges imposed by the covid-19 pandemic, aims in particular support for the digitization of the sector.
“Moroccan Retail Tech Builder” is a new incubation project for startups in the field of commerce aimed at accelerating the digitization of the sector, by stimulating the development of innovative digital tools, with high added value, benefiting retailers and of consumers.
A partnership agreement between MCINET and the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University of Benguerir (UM6P), relating to the implementation of this project within UM6P, was signed last March.
On the occasion of this meeting, a framework partnership agreement for the revitalization and support of the domestic trade sector was signed between MCINET and the national coordination of professional bodies most representative of the sector. Its objective is to create a sustainable partnership framework between the two parties to support and rehabilitate the internal trade sector, particularly in the areas of digitization and training, to accelerate the implementation of social coverage for independent traders and to follow up on the requests and expectations of affiliates in the sector within a framework of permanent and continuous dialogue.
As a reminder, the trade sector is a pillar of the national economy: it employs more than 1.6 million people, or 15.2% of the active population of the Kingdom and contributes 9% to the national GDP.


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As a leading provider of e-commerce solutions for more than a decade, we're
always striving to meet demands for new functionality that satisfies the
current and future requirements of the hundreds of clients using our iASP
shopping cart and the hundreds of thousands of customers who in turn
purchase goods and services via desktop and mobile devices using our
To that end we are pleased to announce the release of new advanced
adjustment and shipping rules that now allow for practically any adjustment
imaginable at the checkout based on any combination of individual customer
attributes, product attributes or transaction attributes.
For example, a vendor can now offer 50% off shipping to customers named
Paul who purchase XXL Blue T-shirts on Tuesdays between 4:00pm and 5:00pm!
In the lead up to Christmas we're releasing more exciting new e-commerce
functions, so please watch this space!


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In its final results, the group said pro forma operating profit was up 22 per cent to £264.3m, while revenues were up 11 per cent to £2.4bn, reports the Telegraph.
Overall, the costs of the merger meant that the company made a loss of £213.3m before tax, compared to a loss of £46.5m in 2015.
The company’s boss said the combined group would now look to expand further into international markets and focus on using its technology presence to develop new products.
The company expects to save £100m on the back of the merger, upgraded from £65m.
“This is a very successful start for the Ladbrokes Coral Group,” said chief executive Jim Mullen. “Both Ladbrokes and Coral entered the merger in November with good momentum, and together delivered a strong full-year financial performance.
“Our plan is simple. We are focussed on building on the leading multi-channel experience developed by both brands, utilising a rigorous approach to data-driven marketing and ensuring that our product delivers a leading customer experience.
“We will look to leverage our existing experience in international markets to drive further growth and use our significantly increased scale in technology to develop new products and deploy across the enlarged group. We will deliver this with a firm commitment to responsible gambling and health and safety.”
Shares in the company have risen roughly 15pc in the past year, out-performing both William Hill and Paddy Power Betfair over that period.


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iClick Launches ReadyCredit Program
iClick, a USB and pen supplier from Seattle, announced the launch of its ReadyCredit program, which automatically extends $2,000 in credit to all promotional product distributors.
"iClick has always been committed to working solely through promotional product distributors and we feel that our ReadyCredit program exemplifies our trust in the distributor network," said Jeff Hall, iClick's President. "The credit markets are still tight and we hope that this program will help distributors fulfill orders that might otherwise strain their cash flow."
iClick says that no credit application is required and that the ReadyShip program is available to all promotional product distributors. According to Mr. Hall, "the distributor just needs to submit a purchase order and mark Net 30 on the order to receive the credit terms. Our goal was to keep it simple."
For more information on iClick's ReadyCredit program, click here.


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In the latest My Metaverse Minute, Episode 110, I dig deeper into Unilever’s latest press releases, which focus on governance and representation in the conglomerate brand collective’s Metaverse offerings, and why this is so groundbreaking.
00:08 — In today’s episode, I’d like to talk to you about Unilever. Now, Unilever is well known as a brand of multiple verticals, and it works in many different industries and sectors and has many well-known products.
00:48 — The company has released more information about its Metaverse offerings and the focus of the latest press releases is governance.
01:02 — Unilever has promised to cover data privacy, safety, equity, diversity, inclusion, and sustainability with an in-house Web 3.0 Collective.
01:46 — This is fantastic because typically when we look at governance, we tend to look at it from the perspective of the technology companies themselves. We look at it from the perspective of the platforms that provide a space for brands and not the brand.
02:04 — Either that or we look at physical governance in the real world and how that might translate into the Metaverse. However, Unilever, with so many different industries and sectors incorporated into its business model, has a lot to lose.
02:28 — So perhaps we should be looking more towards brands, large conglomerates, and brand collectives that really have a lot invested across many different spaces to provide governance in multiple ways and on multiple layers.
Want to compete in the Metaverse? Subscribe to the My Metaverse Minute Channel:


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By Rajiv Shah
Four-and-a-half years after India declared its “intention” to ban e-cigarettes, considering them as risk to public health, especially the non-smoking youths (click HERE), following the World Health Organization (WHO) in August 2014 seeking “stiff regulation” across the world, its “booming” $3 billion global market appears all set to dangerously invade India.
The Union ministry of health and family welfare, in October 2014 had called e-cigarettes, which use battery-powered cartridges to produce a nicotine-laced vapor, a “backdoor entry” to health risk, because has nicotine, pointing out that expert panels have already recommended regulation or a ban.
The ministry view came after e-cigarettes, imported and sold by small firms, began being sold by India’s largest cigarette maker, ITC. Meanwhile, over more than four years, they are available on online stores, including on Amazon India, Electronic Cigarette India and Vapour India.
In fact, four-and-a-half years on, all that the Government of India (GoI), instead of banning the product, has done is to issue a feeble advisory on August 28, 2018 to all states to consider banning e-cigarettes, which it said, should be done “in larger public health interest” and in order to “prevent the initiation of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) by non-smokers and youth with special attention to vulnerable groups”,
The advisory insisted, the states should do this to “ensure that any ENDS, including e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn devices, vape, e-sheesha, e-nicotine flavoured hookah, and the like devices that enable nicotine delivery are not sold (including online sale), manufactured, distributed, traded, imported and advertised in their jurisdiction.”
It added, this was necessary because “there are possibilities that children, adolescents & youth (and generally non-smokers) will initiate nicotine use through ENDS at a rate greater than expected if ENDS did not exist; and that, once addicted to nicotine through ENDS, such children, adolescents & youth are likely to switch to cigarette smoking.”
Following the advisory, while several states – including Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Mizoram and Maharashtra — have banned e-cigarettes under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and Food Safety & Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulation, 2011, GoI appears reluctant to take things forward.
In a clear indication that the GoI would not pursue a blanket ban to save non-smoking youths from a new health hazard, Vikas Sheel, joint secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare merely tweeted about the harms the e-cigarettes can cause on January 31, suggesting its effectiveness is still not “proven.”
He said, “Effectiveness of e-cigarettes as cessation aides as compared to other nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) tools is not proven. Such claims are marketing propaganda of the ENDS companies to use these gateway products for initiating youth on nicotine addiction.”
Meanwhile, industry campaign for introducing e-cigarettes, despite clear harm it may cause to the youth, has picked up. Among others, Dr KK Aggarwal, president of the Heart Care Foundation of India, and past national president, Indian Medical Association, has stated that the ENDS are “far less harmful than conventional cigarettes”.
He says, “Tobacco harm reduction means action taken to reduce the health risks associated with the use of tobacco or nicotine. It involves the use of non-combustible products such as vaping ones like e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products or smokeless tobacco. These products are collectively called Alternative Nicotine Delivery Systems (ANDS) and do not involve burning of tobacco leaf or smoke inhalation.”
The senior doctor quotes a UK parliamentary inquiry into e-cigarettes reported on August 17, 2018, which stated that “e-cigarettes present an opportunity to significantly accelerate already declining smoking rates, and thereby tackle one of the largest causes of death in the UK today. They are substantially less harmful—by around 95 percent—than conventional cigarettes.”
This contradicts the WHO view, which has expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of ANDS as effective tools for quitting, pointing out that, “with almost 8,000 different flavours added, including fruit and candy-like flavours, there is legitimate concern that instead of reducing the number of smokers, they will actually serve as a gateway to nicotine addiction, and ultimately, smoking, particularly for young people”.
However, says Dr Aggarwal, the organization he heads, the Heart Care Foundation of India “feels that, based on available evidence, using e-cigarettes is less harmful than smoking cigarettes though the health effects of its long-term use are not known.”
Even as GoI is failing to take any decision in the matter, new, dangerous signals have come from the US. Juul Labs Inc has reportedly revealed its plan to launch its e-cigarette products in India by late 2019. The report follows Uber India executive Rachit Ranjan joining as senior public policy strategist with Juul, and India-based Mastercard executive Rohan Mishra as head of its government relations.
The report says, Juul plans to hire at least three more executives, including an India general manager, LinkedIn job postings showed. It also plans “a new India subsidiary”, according to one posting.
Juul’s sleek vaping devices, which resemble a USB flash drive and offer flavours such as mango and creme, are a sensation in the US, especially among the teenagers. Juul devices, like most e-cigarettes, vaporize liquid containing nicotine, the addictive stimulant that gives smokers a rush.
Even as anti-tobacco activists say, Juul devices involve addictive chemicals and can be a gateway to cigarette smoking, especially for the young, the push to launch in India is said to be part of the company’s broader Asia strategy, as India has 106 million adult smokers, second only to China in the world, making it a “lucrative market”.
Juul sources have been quoted as saying that the company is exploring “potential markets”, and is already “engaged with health regulators, policymakers and other key stakeholders”. And, as part of its evaluation, it would consult with the Indian Journal of Clinical Practice (IJCP), a healthcare communications company, one of whose editors is Dr Aggarwal.


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[News Focus] Why Kim Jong-un spotlights mothers
‘Korea could go extinct without proper immigration policy’: minister
LG Display launches voluntary redundancy program in efficiency drive
S. Korea, US, Japan to discuss regional security issues: White House
[KH Explains] Banks, regulators trade blame for snowballing ELS losses
[Graphic News] Hyundai stands as No. 2 EV player in US marketBy Nam Kyung-don
Published : Nov. 21, 2023 - 08:00
South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group stands as the second-largest player in the US market for electric vehicles despite concerns surrounding Washington’s protectionism policy, data showed.
Hyundai Motor took up 4.8 percent of the US EV market in the January-September period, with its smaller sister Kia accounting for 2.7 percent, according to US magazine Automotive News.
Their combined market share came to 7.5 percent, taking up the second-largest slice of the US EV market following Tesla, which posted a 57.4 percent share.
Hyundai’s latest performance came amid the US Inflation Reduction Act, which provides tax credits of up to $7,500 to purchasers of electric vehicles that are assembled in North America. (Yonhap)
S. Korea eyes chip alliance with Netherlands
SK carries out complete reshuffle of top brass
Suneung without 'killer questions' still not easy, results show


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Tribal All Day Cafe spring bowl
Community is the heartbeat of Tribal All Day Café. Locals flock to the modern eatery for innovative takes on nutrient-rich foods. The sunlit restaurant debuted in the Bishop Arts District of Dallas in January.
For Chickasaw co-founder Hailey Nutt, it’s a dream come true — a café dedicated to nourishment and creating memorable moments.
“It’s all about connection and community from all walks of life,” said Nutt of her budding enterprise.
Tribal All Day Café creates a culinary experience around delicious foods made from quality ingredients. She and her partner Brenton Phillips source crisp vegetables, cage-free eggs and sustainable cheeses from local farm friends. “We are inspired by seasonality and conscience consumption,” Nutt said.
Before Tribal All Day Café took root, Nutt was hand-squeezing juice from a tiny manufacturing studio and selling Tribal Juice wholesale to grocery stores. She started her LLC on Legal Zoom in November 2014, when she was just 25. Today, Tribal Juice is sold to local grocery stores throughout the south, including Central Market, an upscale organic retailer with locations across Texas.
A certified nutritionist and raw food chef, Nutt enjoys playing her role in promoting healthy eating across Indian Country. The greatest hindrance to health “in the Native community and our entire nation,” she acknowledged, “is lack of education, lack of knowledge.”
Nutt is active in her Chickasaw community, and often found pouring Tribal Juice at pow wows and events. “I definitely feel honored and humble to be a modern-day Chickasaw,” Nutt told Chickasaw TV. “I’m taking my roots and my heritage and using it as fuel and motivation. I want to carry on the legacy of resilience.”
Tribal Juice is made strictly from raw, organic produce. “A lot of juice companies will add water for economical reasons to stretch it, but the focus for our company is very, very flavor-forward,” Nutt said. “Look how bright and vibrant these are with just those ingredients.”
The Tribal Juice lineup includes the kale-based “Chief”, a citrus-turmeric blend dubbed “Medicine Man”, the romaine lettuce-hydrating “Rain Dance”, the “Smudge” (with a kick of jalapeño, cilantro and sage), the beet-red “Beats”, among others.
But today, Tribal All Day Cafe is much more than juice. It’s a place to celebrate nourishment, community and Native pride.
Visit Tribal All Day Café at 263 N Bishop Ave, Dallas, Texas. (Chickasaws get a family discount!) Visit LiveTribal.com for information on the Tribal All Day Café, products and stockists. Follow @tribalalldaycafe on Instagram and @livetribal on Facebook.


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Facebook testing new Ads Manager interface
Advertisers have been getting sneak peeks at the changes Facebook is looking to bring to Ads Manager.
Facebook has a new spin on Ads Manager that it has started previewing to advertisers.
What’s changing? Last week, word started to get out that Facebook has a new version of Ads Manager in the works. Akvile DeFazio, who heads the agency AKvertise, said she got a look at the new interface Thursday. She compared the look to Reddit with the current navigation tabs at the top going away in favor of drop downs.
Wrapped up a call with our Facebook rep and got a peek at the upcoming new Ads Manager interface. Anyone have it yet? Bye=bye top tabs and hello Reddit style drop downs. #fbadschat
— Akvile DeFazio (@AkvileDeFazio) February 21, 2019
On Friday, Duane Brown, who heads performance agency Take Some Risk, posted screenshots of the new beta, which he said is only being tested internally at the moment, with no timing given on when it might open up.
Got my mole inside to preview the new Facebook Ads Manager. The smart @AkvileDeFazio was right about it being a mix of Reddit / Google Ads…ect. Still in beta internally. No ETA on us getting it but asked if I can beta. pic.twitter.com/zhi2ta1q19
— Duane Brown ?? (@duanebrown) February 22, 2019
You can see from the ad set-level view Brown posted that the right side editing panel is sticking around.
Why you should care. User interface updates always take getting used to — just ask any search marketer who’s worked through the transition from the AdWords to Google Ads interface over the past couple of years. From this initial preview, though, it looks like Facebook Ads Manager will feel much more intuitive to advertisers using other platforms. That should mean higher productivity for those setting up, managing and analyzing campaigns. (Facebook does not have an offline desktop editor like that of Google Ads and Bing Ads. That would be a nice addition.)
FWIW. No word on when advertisers might be able to get their hands on this. Facebook isn’t saying much publicly yet. Asked about the interface, Joe Osborne, a Facebook spokesperson told us, “We’re always testing out ways to improve our interface but have nothing new to announce at this time.”
Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily MarTech. Staff authors are listed here.


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World Recycle Week (April 18-24) is a global H&M initiative and is part of their goal to close the loop in fashion and recycle unwanted garments to create recycled textile fibers for new clothes. During this year’s World Recycle Week, H&M aims to collect 1,000 tons of garments by customers donating their unwanted clothing. To help raise awareness, M.I.A. has filmed an exclusive new music video for H&M, showcasing the environmental impact of clothes going to landfills around the world. We're loving the message, the video and H&M for making this happen!
Before you donate your clothes to H&M, stop by Artifact first to make some dough. Upcycle before you recycle!
Check out M.I.A.'s song "Rewear It", exclusively made for H&M's World Recycle Week.


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Top Grossing Country Act of 2014: Toby Keith.
Forbes Magazine recently made note of Country Music’s recent surge past mainstream pop as the nation’s top selling genre and went on to name the industries top grossing performers. Takamine signature model artist, Toby Keith earned the #1 spot pulling in an impressive 65 million between June 2013 and June 2014. Keith, the subject of last year’s Forbes Celeb 100 cover story has not only had his own share of crossover hits, but the Oklahoma native seems to have a knack for lucrative side projects such as his ‘I Love This Bar and Grill’ restaurants, his popular Wild Shot’ Mescal and of course his multi-million dollar endorsement deal with Ford. Toby was last year’s top earner as well and has earned 335 million over the last 6 years.


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Super Speed Screens
Sega Enterprises gets on the fast track with its officially licensed CART racing simulation.
Sega's Japanese parent is feeling the need ¿ the need for speed. As such, it's currently well into development on its first home-only CART licensed racing simulation, inspiringly titled Super Speed Racing. Due for a March arrival overseas, it's yet to be confirmed for stateside release, but that doesn't mean we can't divulge some details now...
According to Sega of America, the game will feature 27 real drivers from 17 CART teams. Furthermore, we can expect 19 real-world courses, and two-player support via a traditional split screen. Alas, no word yet on Sega's plans (if any) for including Internet play.
In lieu of further facts, Sega has released some very early screens from the game. Have a look, and we'll have more details as they're announced.


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The product has a rate of 3.19 per cent and is available up to 75 per cent loan to value (LTV). It has a maximum loan size of £1m.
Individual landlords, limited companies and portfolio landlords are eligible for the product, which has a reduced product fee of one per cent and £500 cashback on completion.
There is no cap on background portfolio size of the borrowers, although Foundation does impose a maximum of £3m on most cases.
The ICR for the product is 125 per cent for limited companies and basic-rate taxpayers, and 145 per cent for others.
Foundation Home Loans commercial director George Gee (pictured) said: “Five years ago there was a popularity shift from two to five-year fixed rates, and we anticipate that to continue for upcoming mortgage transactions in 2021.
“Remortgage activity has been subdued during the pandemic to date but we are seeing an increasing number of landlord borrowers seeking to utilise their existing property portfolio in order to release equity to fund future purchases.”
He said that the product would support landlord looking for a competitive pay rate and rental calculation for five years, with reduced upfront costs.
Paragon brings in four products aimed at portfolio landlords
BTL specialist Paragon has introduced four 75 per cent LTV products, which are available for both purchase and remortgage, with rates starting from 2.75 per cent.
The products are available for personal and limited company borrowing and include a pair of two-year fixed products and two five-year fixed products.
This includes a two-year fixed at 75 per cent LTV for single self-contained (SSC) units which has a rate of 2.75 per cent.
A two-year fixed at 75 per cent LTV for houses in multiple occupations (HMO) will have an initial rate of 2.85 per cent.
The lender has also brought in a five-year fixed for SSC and HMO properties, which has a rate of 3.1 per cent and 3.34 per cent respectively.
The two-year fixed products have a product fee of one per cent, whilst the five-year fixed products have a product fee of two per cent. All products have free valuations and £750 cashback.
Paragon Bank’s director of mortgage sales, Moray Hulme, said: “With the stamp duty holiday tapering down at the end of the month, landlords will be looking for competitive rates as they seek to add new property to their portfolio.
“We are confident these limited-edition rates will be popular with our portfolio landlord customers seeking to purchase new properties or remortgaging existing deals.”


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Does adding a new roof increase home values in San Francisco?
Installing a new roof on your San Francisco home may boost its value and curb appeal. The Remodeling Impact report found that new roofing has the highest percentage (107%) of cost recovered compared to other exterior projects, such as adding new garage doors, front doors and more.
Furthermore, the study found that nearly 40% of realtors suggested that home sellers should get new roofing before attempting to sell, and 33% said this project actually helped close a sale.
Chat with the top roofers in San Francisco to start your roofing project today.


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New Delhi: Reliance Jio has been surprising its customers lately. Now the Mukesh Ambani led Relaince Jio has planned something different for you.
The company has planned to launch taxi service which will be based on application and has ordered around 600 cars to begin the service. The service is likely to be called Reliance Jio Cabs.
However, launch of the taxi service will depend on the commercial launch of the Jio telecom service, which is currently slated for April.
The company is likely to compete in the taxi service segment with aggressive pricing and has roped in consulting firm E&Y to come up with pricing strategies that align with Reliance Industries Chairman Ambani’s plans.
Ambani on Tuesday at a press conference in Mumbai announced that Jio has crossed 100 million subscribers and commercial rollout of Jio’s telecom service will begin from 1 April.
The company has reportedly ordered cars for from makers such as Mahindra and Hyundai. The idea is to operate its own fleet of cars along with independent cab drivers who can attach their cars to the Reliance Jio Cabs network.
Jio is planning to launch the services in Bangalore and Chennai first and then move on to Delhi and Mumbai.
Reliance’ Jio Cabs will have an “Uber like” app and development is already underway. The company is still exploring the payment system for drivers. It is likely to use Jio Money, its own mobile wallet.


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A major UK chicken processor has blamed the rising costs of wheat and fuel for the likely closure of a processing plant near Sutton Benger, Wiltshire as it seeks to concentrate production at its other plants.
The restructuring plans of Faccenda Group would see a £3m investment in its Brackley plant, making it one of Europe’s biggest, and £2m in its sites in Telford and Dudley.
Managing director Ian Faccenda said the company needed to act now, to ensure it remained competitive in the future.
In a statement the company said the market for processing and supplying chicken was becoming increasingly challenging and that Faccenda must continue to cut costs if it was to remain competitive.
It said the company could meet the demand for chicken by using three sites rather than four by investing in new technology and equipment.
Mr Faccenda added: “We’re operating in a very competitive market, where the cost of wheat and fuels has increased considerably over th epast 12 months. We have to make changes for the long-term health of our business.
Closure of the Sutton Benger plant could lead to the potential loss of 450 jobs. He added: “While this has been a difficult decision for us to take, by restructuring now, we’re strengthening the business for the future.”
A 90-day consultation period follows the announcement.
Meanwhile, media reports suggest that a preferred bidder has emerged for Grampian Country Food Group – Vion. It is a Dutch rival with over 7300 employees and a turnover of €6.4b (£5b) from 45 production sites in its fresh meat division. Vion currently deals only in pork, beef and lamb.