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Jun 30, 2022
VIRALEZE™ relaunched by LloydsPharmacy in the UK (ASX Announcement)
- VIRALEZE™ has overnight been relaunched in the UK through LloydsPharmacy Online, with distribution to pharmacies to follow shortly
- LloydsPharmacy is one of the largest pharmacy chains in the UK with ~1,400 stores, and through its affiliated wholesale arm, AAH, also supplies over 14,000 independent UK pharmacies
Melbourne, Australia; 30 June 2022: Starpharma (ASX: SPL, OTCQX: SPHRY) today announced that VIRALEZE™ nasal spray has been relaunched by LloydsPharmacy in the UK. Product has already been delivered to LloydsPharmacy’s distribution centre.
LloydsPharmacy is one of the largest pharmacy groups in the UK, and its affiliated wholesale arm, AAH, is also one of the largest pharmaceutical wholesalers in the UK, supplying over 14,000 independent UK pharmacies.
In the UK, Starpharma will supply VIRALEZE™ exclusively to LloydsPharmacy/AAH under its existing sales and distribution agreement. LloydsPharmacy has approximately 1,400 UK pharmacies, based predominantly in community and health centre locations, including over 200 pharmacies in Sainsbury stores. The group employs more than 19,000 people and dispenses more than 150 million prescription items annually.
Dr Jackie Fairley, the CEO of Starpharma, said:
“We are delighted to relaunch Starpharma’s innovative nasal spray, VIRALEZE™, in the UK through LloydsPharmacy’s extensive online and retail network. VIRALEZE™ will be particularly useful in the winter cold and flu season given its broad-spectrum of activity against multiple cold and respiratory viruses. VIRALEZE™ is supported by multiple publications in peer-reviewed, international journals and was presented at leading, international antiviral conference, CROI, earlier this year.”
VIRALEZE™ is registered in more than 30 countries, including the UK, and Starpharma continues to pursue registration and commercialisation in multiple other countries.
The LloydsPharmacy group incorporates a number of market leading UK healthcare businesses across retail, digital, homecare and wholesale, including LloydsPharmacy, John Bell & Croyden and wholesaler, AAH Pharmaceuticals. LloydsPharmacy has around 1,400 pharmacies across the UK. These are based predominantly in community and health centre locations and include over 200 LloydsPharmacy in Sainsbury’s stores. The group employs over 19,000 employees and dispenses more than 150 million prescription items annually.
AAH is a leading distributor of pharmaceutical and healthcare products serving pharmacies, hospitals and doctors in the UK. AAH is the largest community pharmacy network and pharmaceutical wholesaler delivering over 15 million items per week to more than 14,000 pharmacies and other organisations.
VIRALEZE™ Nasal Spray
VIRALEZE™ is a nasal spray that physically traps and blocks cold/respiratory viruses in the nasal cavity. VIRALEZE™ is applied in the nose where it forms a physical moisture barrier between viruses and the nasal mucous membrane that traps and blocks virus.
VIRALEZE™ is registered as a medical device in more than 30 countries and is available in certain markets online. Product claims may differ by market. Starpharma markets VIRALEZE™ via commercial arrangements in countries in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
VIRALEZE™ was developed with the support of $1 million in funding by the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) Program, with support from UniQuest.
VIRALEZE™ is not approved for sale or supply in Australia.
Download full announcement here: VIRALEZE™ relaunched by LloydsPharmacy in the UK (PDF 193KB)


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Amazon union victory at New York warehouse upheld by labor board
Amazon staff arrive with paperwork to unionize on the NLRB workplace in Brooklyn, New York, October 25, 2021.
Brendan Mcdermid | Reuters
A federal labor company on Wednesday licensed an impartial union’s landmark victory at Amazon‘s Staten Island warehouse and threw out a litany of objections filed by the e-retailer.
In April, a majority of the roughly 8,300 staff at Amazon’s Staten Island warehouse, often called JFK8, voted to hitch the Amazon Labor Union, turning into the corporate’s first unionized facility within the U.S. Amazon sought to overturn the outcomes of the election, alleging the Nationwide Labor Relations Board workplace that oversaw the election interfered within the union drive. Amazon additionally claimed that the ALU intimidated staff to vote of their favor.
In a submitting Wednesday, Cornele Overstreet, a director of the NLRB’s Phoenix-based workplace, stated he agreed with a federal labor official’s prior ruling that each one of Amazon’s objections must be dismissed.
Below U.S. labor legislation, employers are obligated to start negotiating in good religion with a union after it wins an election and the outcomes are licensed. However the course of could be beset with delays, because the employer might search to keep away from signing a primary contract and each events hammer out the main points of an settlement. In accordance with an evaluation by Bloomberg Regulation, it takes on common 465 days for collective bargaining agreements to be signed between employers and their newly unionized staff.
Amazon can even contest the ruling to the NLRB’s board in Washington. Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, stated in a press release that the corporate intends to enchantment the outcomes.
“As we’ve said since the beginning, we don’t believe this election process was fair, legitimate, or representative of the majority of what our team wants,” Nantel stated.
Talking on the New York Occasions’ DealBook Summit late final yr, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy stated there have been “a lot of irregularities” within the union drive, and that the authorized course of is “far from over.”
“I think that it’s going to work its way through the NLRB,” Jassy stated. “It’s probably unlikely the NLRB is going to rule against itself, and that has a real chance to end up in federal court.”
ALU interim President Chris Smalls wrote in a tweet that the union “beat Amazon fair and square,” and known as upon Jassy to “come to the table” to signal a contract.
The ALU has struggled to copy its success after staff voted to hitch the union at JFK8. Employees at a close-by facility on Staten Island rejected unionization in Might, and the ALU misplaced an election at an Albany warehouse in October.
WATCH: How two mates shaped Amazon’s first U.S. union and what’s subsequent

domain: news


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Austin360 Readers’ Poll: How your favorite drink spot is doing
We could all use a drink right now.
All businesses have had to adjust during the coronavirus pandemic, and many have had to endure shutdowns. Watering holes, though — namely bars and taprooms — have had a particularly rough go of it among Texas establishments. Gathering indoors as a crowd is one of the riskiest behaviors around when it comes to spreading COVID-19. And for bars, such gatherings are usually the whole point.
After initial pandemic closures in the spring, drinking establishments briefly were allowed to reopen starting Memorial Day weekend. Gov. Greg Abbott shut them back down after a subsequent surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations. They remain closed, technically — but it’s becoming more common to see a bar or taproom offer food service as a way of legally reopening. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission has eased some rules in an effort to help such businesses be reclassified as restaurants, which are allowed to operate at reduced capacity.
Last month, we asked our online readers to tell us their favorite spot to grab a drink. From there, we picked out the places that received the most nominations. It’s a strange time, so we wanted to find out how these watering holes are doing and what customers can expect these days.
The Roosevelt Room: They’re one of Austin’s best-known cocktail bars, and their lights were dark for a long time.
The Roosevelt Room reopened on Sept. 17, six months to the date that the pandemic shut them down. That’s half a year with no revenue, general manager Matthew Ross points out, though he adds the bar has been successful enough in the past that it’s helped them ride things out. Still, Ross says that the bar had to enact furloughs during the shutdown. (They’ve now brought some folks back and hired new faces, too, he says.)
Ross says the Roosevelt Room wanted to go “above and beyond” once they could reopen. The managers were “underwhelmed by most places” when they scoped how other bars had resumed service. During the downtime, the bar focused on updates and renovations: a new windowed facade for the building that allows for more natural light and air; doors connecting the bar to its sister space, the Eleanor; a new bar prep area to speed up service; and a retooled stage that now can serve as seating in a more socially distanced floor plan.
With new rules OK’d by TABC, the Roosevelt Room (which touts its high-quality recipes) started selling pre-mixed cocktails to go — 11 drinks to start — but Ross hopes to expand that menu once they “shake the rust off.”
Customers coming in will find a little bit of the old and a little bit of the new. You’ll see a lot more plexiglass, for one. The Roosevelt Room already had a kitchen and a service system, and Ross says they’ve added a new snack menu. Now, any of their 80 cocktails come with a bite to eat to comply with TABC rules — “food sales up and liquor sales down, without a change for guests,” Ross says.
Something for fans to look forward to at some point: the bar is developing a cocktail catering truck called Road Haus, Ross says, hoping to launch sometime in October.
(307 W. Fifth St., Unit B; 4 p.m. to midnight Monday and Tuesday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 3 p.m. to midnight Sunday, with reservations online; therooseveltroomatx.com)
The Lucky Duck: East Austin bar the Lucky Duck is a prime example of the whiplash faced by drinking establishments this year, in what’s normally one of the going-out capitals of the country. The Lucky Duck first opened its doors on Jan. 19, then closed in March, then reopened May 22, then closed again in June and finally reopened again Sept. 2.
“We've opened and closed so many times, I have it committed to memory,” says co-owner Michael Bajec. He calls the pandemic “quite the experience” for a fledgling bar in what’s typically a hot East Sixth Street spot. Bajec hopes the worst is behind the bar, and the Lucky Duck has switched to a restaurant permit that allows them to welcome guests in a masked-and-distanced environment. Wayside serves its signature waffle dishes from a food truck on the patio.
Before the pandemic, the Lucky Duck hosted pig roasts and seafood boils, the kind of activities they’d hoped would be a draw for new customers. That’s out, now that large gatherings are verboten.
“We picked the worst year to open without really knowing it,” Bajec says.
The bar just started an open mic night on Wednesday, and they’re working on a TV wall so people can watch sports. Bajec thinks a lot of bars are trying to do the right thing and investing in customer safety, and he hopes people start to feel comfortable coming back.
“Contrary to popular belief, there are a lot of bar (and) restaurants doing the right thing,” he says.
(1300 E. Sixth St.; 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday-Friday, noon to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday; theluckyduckatx.com)
Whisler’s: The East Sixth Street bar is known for its Old Fashioned and other quality cocktails. It’s currently open, along with a menu of chicken, burgers and fries from Golden Tiger. The attached Mezcalería Tobalá bar is closed, however.
When Texas bars were first allowed to reopen, Whisler’s created a safety manual based on state health guidelines, says Matt Wenger, general manager of operations; now that the bar is open yet again with the food on site, he says “we have maintained the same standards.”
“We are doing well, while it is nothing like our normal business in the past,” Wenger says.
(1816 E. Sixth St.; 4 p.m. to midnight Monday-Thursday, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. to midnight Sunday; whislersatx.com)
St. Elmo Brewing Company: How has the South Austin brewery fared during the pandemic? That’s a big question, says general manager and co-founder Tim Bullock.
They’ve had to cut shifts and furlough employees. But all in all, things are going “pretty good,” Bullock says. After weathering the “awkward” back-and-forth with the state reopening booze establishments and then shutting them back down, St. Elmo’s beer garden has been back open as of late July.
Visitors will find a pop-up from the Spicy Boys chicken truck. There’s a new policy at the taproom bar — a Chex mix snack is required with every beer before you take it to sit outside — and there’s a host on weekends to assign tables and keep things spaced out.
There’s been some fun in weird times; the brewery recently collaborated with Zilker Brewing Company for Slush Buddies, a slushie-inspired pair of hard seltzers. St. Elmo recently started its Grassy Thursdays live bluegrass series up again, for the first time since March 12. “We are making sure that customers are seated at a table and enjoying the music,” Bullock says.
“I want to reinforce the importance of supporting local businesses,” he adds. “These bars and restaurants and breweries, for the most part, they’re filled with your neighbors. I live in the Crestview neighborhood, and I know another brewery owner who lives in that neighborhood with me. My neighbors down the street from me were letting me know when they were placing a beer to go order.”
Those are the small gestures that make the local economy, and especially Austin, a special place, Bullock says.
(440 E. St. Elmo Road; noon to 10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday, noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; stelmobrewing.com)
Austin Beerworks: “It’s been real difficult,” co-founder Michael Graham says. Austin Beerworks, like most breweries, has two businesses rolled into one: distributing their brews (like the popular Pearl-Snap and Flavor Country) to buyers around town and serving guests on the premises. When the pandemic hit, Graham says about half of their distribution accounts closed down — the bars, restaurants and hotels that suddenly found themselves unable to operate like normal. The loss of South by Southwest, the brewery’s “busiest chunk of the year,” also hurt, he says.
Austin Beerworks’ taproom was shut down completely for a while, but with TABC rules adjusted, their outdoor patio is now open in a limited capacity with food sales on site. “We are fortunate that we owned our own food truck,” Graham says. The brewery’s Can-tina serves tacos, burgers, queso and more. And, Graham points out, they sell merch at the brewery, so they were already close to the revenue calculus necessary to reopen by law. And of course, there’s beer to go.
He’s thankful to Austin Beerworks’ customers for rolling with the punches, and asks fans to come in with a “softened set of expectations.” The brewery has COVID-19 safety protocols prominently displayed on their homepage. The experience will not be the same as pre-pandemic times.
“We’re trying as hard as we can,” Graham says. “We understand there are laws and regulations that don’t make sense to everybody.”
(3001 Industrial Terrace; noon to 8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; austinbeerworks.com)
» RELATED:Best tacos in Austin
Friends & Allies Brewing: The way Ben Sabin tells it, he didn’t have much choice in keeping the taproom closed at his East Austin brewery. Its business relies on foot traffic from nearby tech offices and a gym. The brewery’s founder and owner says those are all either shut down or operating at very limited capacity.
“With all this stuff being closed, it’s been an overgrown ghost town. Nature’s taking it back,” Sabin says with a laugh.
Friends & Allies tried beer to go for a few weekends, even setting up a griddle to make food for people picking up. The brewery closed down and reopened multiple times, like so many others. It caused “confusion and chaos” and just wasn’t sustainable, Sabin says. They’ve had two rounds of layoffs; people have been understanding, he says, but it’s hard when your staff is like your family.
For now, Sabin says he’s focused on distribution, and Friends & Allies is “still in full production.” For a bit there, it was all canning, but now that restaurants and bars (with food) are starting to open back up, the brewery’s been able to produce draft beer again. Distribution is roughly half of the business in normal times, Sabin says, and the taproom was about 40%.
“The fact that every bar can pay to change their license (by selling food) makes no sense,” Sabin says. But he adds that he’ll consider pulling the switch on food at the brewery if foot traffic in the area picks up.
“Any transaction you do with a local business, all of it helps,” he says, adding that “we all really appreciate (it). I am not speaking for myself — I am speaking for every single one of my friends that runs a bar or restaurant in this town.”
(979 Springdale Road; taproom currently closed; friendsandallies.beer)
Whitestone Brewery: “There have been extreme ups and downs,” says Whitestone owner and operator Ryan Anglen. “We've gone from having too much beer in the tanks during the first shutdown and only being able to sell product through package and to-go, to now not being able to catch up to production with the increase in demand and our retail partners slowly opening back up.”
Anglen says his Cedar Park brewery is trying to stay prepared for “any future surprise shutdowns as much as we can.” The taproom and patio are back open at 50% capacity, and beers now come with a bag of chips or a koozie. There’s a food truck Wednesday through Sunday. Angler says CDC-recommended safety measures are in place.
“Although it seems to be moving in the right direction, breweries are still facing enormous challenges during this pandemic and many of us have been financially depleted in order to stay afloat during the shutdowns,” he says. “The support has been unbelievable from the craft beer community, but we really need to put more pressure on all of our politicians to help more of the small businesses. Instead of continuing to try to recruit new large companies to Texas, focus more on trying to keep your current small businesses alive.”
(601 E. Whitestone Blvd. Cedar Park; noon to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday; whitestonebrewery.com)
The Austin Winery If there’s one thing Cooper Anderson, head winemaker at the Austin Winery, wants drinkers to know right now, it’s the significance of drinking local.
“Now more than ever, you can prop up the community around you,” Anderson says. “We use Texas-grown grapes. So every dollar you spend makes its way back to Texas farmers.”
The South Austin winery, which previously sold the majority of its wine directly to customers out of its tasting room, was sent scrambling to find a way to keep bottles in customers’ hands after being forced to shut down the tasting room in March. A quick shift to pick-up and delivery mode (plus deals and special promotions) kept business steady -- although Anderson admits the experience has been a cruel kick to the vineyard.
However, Cooper says the winery was pleasantly surprised by the way things have played out for its wine club: “It’s always been this lifeblood for us. We thought our members would back out and cancel. But that didn’t happen.” Instead, Anderson says the membership has even grown. “People have been sort of forced to discover drinking at home and how fun that can be,” he says.
The Austin Winery, which partnered with vegan pizza truck Li’l Nonna’s earlier this summer, reopened its tasting room to reservations for parties of up to 10 people in mid-August but continues to offer flexible pick-up and delivery options.
(440 E. St. Elmo Road; 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; theaustinwinery.com)
Becker Vineyards: Back in March, Becker Vineyards was primed for transitioning into a closed tasting room model. The business already distributed many of its wines widely throughout Texas for retail and had an established wine club following.
The vineyard was quick to get into the virtual tasting game and has maintained a weekly virtual tasting schedule for almost 7 months now.
Known for its large-scale production and touting itself as the “largest purchaser of French and American Oak barrels in the state,” Becker reopened to a very limited capacity (parties under six) on Sept. 12. Its website says that the tasting room experience now includes food, too, to comply with TABC rules. Regularly scheduled tastings and tours and the winery’s annual grape stomp remain on hiatus, but the vineyard is offering curbside pick-ups and encouraging customers to order their wines online.
(464 Becker Farms Road, Stonewall; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday-Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. Sunday; beckervineyards.com)
Treaty Oak: Located about thirty minutes outside of Austin, Treaty Oak has settled into its role as a get-away-from-it-all destination.
Distillery greeter (and self-proclaimed “amazing granny”) Alice Barnes says she fielded numerous calls from people looking to put some distance between themselves and Austin city limits in recent months. Her advice was simple: “Come to the country.” Barnes is the mother of Treaty Oak owner and founder Daniel Barnes; she’s also the person for whom the onsite Alice’s Restaurant was named.
Since its initial March 18 shutdown, Treaty Oak hit the ground running with its quarantine accommodations. The distillery finalized to-go options within the week and began sharing out quick, at-home cocktail recipes. Later in the summer, it debuted a ready-to-drink bottled Old Fashioned. Treaty Oak also honed its food focus and placed a Valentina’s Tex-Mex BBQ veteran at the helm of its barbecue pit.
It also, like other distilleries, began producing and selling hand sanitizer and temporarily turned its premises into a public market, offering food and supplies to those impacted by the pandemic.
Barnes says it's been mostly smooth sailing since the distillery’s late August reopening to the public. “People have been very understanding,” she says. “Everybody is willing to adhere to our precautions. Plus, we’re all so upbeat. We have a really wonderful group out here.”
While visitors previously were encouraged to bring blankets or chairs to enjoy some real country-style relaxation, current procedures require that guests sit at a designated table to help monitor capacity.
But as Barnes will tell you, “The barbecue’s worth all of that.”
(16604 Fitzhugh Road, Dripping Springs; noon to 9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. Sunday; treatyoakdistilling.com)
Deep Eddy Vodka: “We want them back. Just as bad as they want to come back, you know, we want them here,” Deep Eddy event sales manager Braden Williams says.
After a false-start reopening in June, Williams says the Dripping Springs distillery is committed to reopening to the public again only when they know keeping the doors open is more permanently sustainable.
“My staff is getting taken care of, because Deep Eddy can afford to do that,” Williams says. Deep Eddy’s tasting room employees were kept on and paid for months before being offered employment at the company’s distilling plant, he adds. Some employees took that option, while others have since quit with plans of rejoining the team after the tasting room reopens.
Williams says that until then, the public’s disappointment over the Deep Eddy’s closed doors is measurable: “I have an office here near the tasting room, and I sit next to a window, and I keep a little tick sheet of every time someone pulls up, realizes we’re closed and drives away.”
For now, diehards who want to sip on a Deep Eddy cocktail while in the company of others have a new option: attend a Longhorns football game. The company recently opened the Deep Eddy End Zone, a bar inside the University of Texas’ Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium.
“It’s a point to come to Deep Eddy when you’re visiting from somewhere. It can be hard to tell people (no) to their face sometimes,” Williams says. “But just know that we’re working on it. We’re trying to get back open.”
(2250 E. U.S. 290, Dripping Springs; tasting room currently closed; deepeddyvodka.com)
Cosmic Coffee + Beer Garden: Want a latte? Want a draft? Want delicious trailer food? Can’t decide? That’s OK — that’s what this South Austin spot is for. The groovy open spaces of Cosmic closed down in March before reopening in mid-May at limited capacity.
“It was very challenging at first,” says co-owner Paul Oveisi. “There was often conflicting information and directives, so we were slow and cautious. We did, however, have the luxury of an expansive outdoor area, so it did make it easy to implement distancing.”
As fall rolls in, you can still stop by for a Mexican molé mocha or a Jolene cocktail — bonded bourbon with peach, ginger, Earl Grey and mint — under the trees in the beer garden. The LeRoy and Lewis, Pueblo Viejo and Tommy Want Wingy food trailers are open. And yes, there are drinks to go, too.
There’s been frustration, though. Cosmic didn’t open up as soon as quickly as some would have liked, Oveisi says. He adds that the owners didn’t feel comfortable allowing children back at Cosmic until recently. Children older than 2 have to wear masks except when seated, and kids 12 and younger must always be accompanied by a parent. (Adults have to wear masks too, natch.) It’s currently 21 and up after 5 p.m.
The live music that’s a big part of the atmosphere (“a main part of our culture,” Oveisi says) has been eliminated. No groups larger than 10 are allowed, and Cosmic is recommending customers use the Tabbed Out app for no-contact ordering.
There’s been some trouble getting people to adjust to Cosmic’s new safety protocols, Oveisi says.
“For those who don't work in hospitality, please appreciate how incredibly challenging this has been for our staff,” Oveisi says. “Although most of our customers have been incredibly grateful, some have not, and it has been as emotional and stressful for our crew than anything I've ever seen. We've all rallied around them and grown closer to them all, but it has been (excruciating) for them at times dealing with some very difficult situations. ... Please give all hospitality workers as much extra love as you can. They mean everything to our business.”
(121 Pickle Road; 8 a.m to 10 p.m. Sunday and Monday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 8 a.m. to midnight Thursday-Saturday; cosmiccoffeebeer.com)
Summer Moon Coffee: The moon milk is still flowing at Summer Moon. All of the business’s nearly 20 locations scattered throughout Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, Houston and San Marcos are open and serving the shop’s signature wood-fired coffee drinks. That includes Summer Moon’s original South First Street location, which opened nearly 20 years ago.
The local chain was quick to transition to a to-go model in March and upped its retail offerings with coffee pod packs, cold brew by the gallon and, yes, containers of moon milk for enjoyment at home. In April, Ascension Seton included Summer Moon on a list of local businesses that had either donated products directly to the hospital or were offering significant discounts to hospital staff during the pandemic. The coffee shop also later released a limited edition Kindle blend and donated 100% of its sales to local food banks.
In May, Summer Moon did away with the shop’s rewards program, they said to refocus the business by “showing our appreciation in more direct ways and charitable giving.”
Summer Moon locations currently are open with various hours and touting standard safety protocols. Plus, a moon latte is but a swipe away with the brand’s app.
(Various locations; check website for hours; summermooncoffee.com)
Caffé Medici: With locations now spread out across Austin since their original Clarksville coffee shop opened up in 2006, the taste of Medici Roasting’s beans makes for a familiar sip. In addition to the West Lynn Drive store, they have five other locations on Guadalupe Street, East Sixth Street, South Lamar Boulevard, Congress Avenue and Springdale Road. All are currently open except for the Congress location, which is a walk-up window. You can order drinks to go online. Medici Roasting also launched a coffee subscription service in May.
(Various locations; check website for hours; mediciroasting.com)
Mozart’s Coffee Roasters: While Mozart’s sprawling two-story outdoor patio, primed for social distancing long before it was a required business practice, might not look all that different than it did prior the pandemic to a recent visitor, the inside of the classic Austin coffee spot runs a little differently nowadays.
Early into the pandemic, Mozart’s installed prominent shelving units in a section of the shop normally occupied by tables and filled them with local goods, a variety of masks, produce and other essentials. Designed to offer a walk-through shopping experience, Mozart’s new take on a market provided one more spot for locals to get what they needed.
Mozart’s also has given a handful of promotions a try in recent months, including live in-house opera; wine and dine date nights; to-go charcuterie boxes; and partnerships with many local mask makers. Mozart’s also was one of many spots around town to feed first responders for free during the pandemic, and they partnered with local businesses including Terry Black’s BBQ for “First Responder Pack” giveaways.
While the shop’s signature bottomless coffee offerings are off the table, Mozart’s dessert and traditional drinks are available for pick-up or socially distanced enjoyment seven days a week.
Oh, and yes, the Christmas lights are already up.
(3825 Lake Austin Blvd.; 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday-Sunday; mozartscoffee.com)
Radio Coffee & Beer: In non-pandemic times, it’s pretty hard to find a parking spot at this hopping South Austin joint. The Veracruz All Natural and Dee Dee Northeastern Thai Street Food trailers are a draw, and their coffee and beer menus are heavy on local sources. (Da Boot Po’Boys also set up at the shop last month.)
According to the COVID-19 protocols on their website, Radio is playing it pretty safe these days. They’ve got limited outdoor seating right now. Folks can order inside with a mask on, and there is a plastic barrier across the bar. They’re also using an intercom system so folks can wait for drinks outside. Radio’s even posted a safety compact between it and its customers to its website.
(4202 Menchaca Road; 7 a.m. to midnight Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. to midnight Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday; radiocoffeeandbeer.com)
Try Hard Coffee Roasters: Try Hard is new here. But it’s settling in just fine.
The coffee shop opened in late June after local French eatery Blue Dahlia Bistro closed its original East 11th Street location in May.
Try Hard serves tacos, pastries and a variety of coffee creations, but it has also experimented with playful non-coffee options in recent months. Hibiscus-mint tea with coconut cream foam and a Tajin rim? Try Hard’s got you.
Although fairly new to the neighborhood, Try Hard's reached out to the local community. The coffee shop hosted an outdoor bake sale with local bakery Red Poppy and oat drink brand Oatly to benefit the Black Lives Matter movement in July and was “overwhelmed by the amount of love and positive energy from y’all,” according to an Instagram post. More recently, the shop hosted a voter registration drive.
Try Hard’s taco offerings are straightforward, but their “pillow” pastries are an interesting breakfast option, and walk-up windows make pick-up a breeze.
(1115 E 11th St.; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily; tryhardcoffee.com)
Jeffrey’s: Upscale Jeffrey’s is a mainstay of Austin’s fine dining scene. And according to our readers, the drinks are mighty fine, too. The West Austin restaurant has a formidable wine list and serves a variety of beer and cocktails, like the Touch of Evil (Mezcal Union, Cimarron Blanco tequila, Dolin dry vermouth and green chartreuse).
“We at Jeffrey's are extremely proud of our beverage program,” says general manager Chase Layton. “Some adjustments were made when the pandemic began, but our goal was to continue to provide as much normalcy as possible to guests who entered our establishment.”
Those adjustments, Layton says, include single-use menus and displaying the 60-page wine list on iPads. Chris Dalaku, the assistant beverage director for Jeffrey’s, says the pandemic hasn’t caused any sourcing or supply issues for the beverage menu. The menu has shifted to a list featuring more classic-style drinks, though, and the martini cart that usually makes tableside sips has been put away for now, he says.
Jeffrey’s also offers curbside pickup. Customers can order cocktail kits and wine by the bottle online.
“An increase in occupancy percentage doesn’t really change much for us as we still insist on maintaining 6 feet distances between tables,” Layton says. “Jeffrey’s has always been a very close and bustling location, but in the interest of guest and staff safety, we’ve pretty much been running with the same limited seating since reopening for dine-in in May.”
(1204 West Lynn Drive; 5 to 11 p.m. daily, with reservations available; jeffreysofaustin.com)
Truluck’s: This Houston-born national chain boasts two Austin locations and has become a fixture. Truluck’s locations across the country suspended operations in March and took the next two months to carve out a reopening plan that featured a host of safety measures including single-use menus, touchless payments, health screenings and new curbside options.
Truluck’s full and extensive bar menu, featuring a variety of top-shelf liquors and specialty cocktails, remains available for in-house consumption, but the bar’s half-off wine bottles through its curbside drinks services are a tempting incentive to opt for a to-go order.
The seafood spot also offers private dining options for guests looking to take social distancing a step further. Private rooms are available for reservation for parties up to 10 people.
(10225 Research Blvd., Suite 400, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 400 Colorado St., 4:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 4:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; trulucks.com)
IT’S HERE: 2020 AUSTIN360 DINING GUIDE
This year is unlike any other, so the 2020 Austin360 Dining Guide looks different than usual. We’re not doing rankings — we’re telling the stories of the restaurants and chefs that keep this city fed. Subscribers get early access to this year’s guide with their Sunday papers. Find the full guide at austin360.com/diningguide2020 on Monday. For more food and drink scene news now, get the full version of this story and Matthew Odam’s list of the best tacos at austin360.com.


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Narrow your search
The company says it is "actively seeking" qualified women and minorities to add to its board.
Apple keeps saying it's got a strong product pipeline for 2014. Skeptics worry the innovators behind the iPhone, iPad have lost their mojo.
In a survey of more than 200 medical students, 80 percent say computer games have educational value and 77 percent would participate in a multiplayer online health care simulator.
Newspaper publishers have no excuse for reacting slowly to the Web. Benefits of digital delivery were evident 28 years ago.
Oracle has the chance to demonstrate support for open source at its shareholders meeting. Will it?
update At least one person is missing, and some harbors and boats are damaged, after Tsunami waves from Japan quake hit California. SF area, however, avoids harm.
Oracle's shareholders rejected a resolution that the company more actively consider open source. But what's surprising is how many voted for it.
Anonymous plans "peaceful" protest and encourages people to use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth if BART shuts down cell service again.
CitizeNews will become a portal aggregating "the very best work of the very best video journalists in the world."
In the wake of a tanker truck crash that caused a freeway collapse in the San Francisco Bay Area, Web sites are providing invaluable traffic information to commuters.


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Edison Research Teaming With Triton Digital For 2014 Infinite Dial
December 4, 2013
Edison Researchís long-running study of consumer media usage, "The Infinite Dial," will have a new partner when it returns in March 2014. The 16th edition of The Infinite Dial will be produced in partnership with Triton Digital.
The Infinite Dial's historical trending data will continue to be part of the 2014 survey, as well as new data related to the latest developments in mobile consumption and a first look at iTunes Radio. The study will also continue its coverage of podcasting, social media, and other consumer behaviors related to audio and video consumption. Previous Infinite Dial studies, produced in partnership with Arbitron, will continue to be available to the public at no charge.
"Weíre hard at work making the 2014 version of ĎThe Edison/Triton Infinite Dialí the best ever," says Edison Research President Larry Rosin. "Edison has always sought to provide thought leadership and Triton Digital is the recognized leader in digital audio measurement with its Webcast Metrics platform. Our two companies have come together to continue the tradition of The Infinite Dial and the tracking of consumer media trends in the digital economy."
"We have always admired Edisonís work on behalf of the industry," says Triton COO Mike Agovino. "The decision to partner with Edison on The Infinite Dial was an easy one. The media world has converged and this partnership insures that the Infinite Dial study will continue to be a great resource to track the evolution of audio, video and other sources of entertainment and information."
As in previous years, The Infinite Dial will be made available in both a free online webinar and as a downloadable report complete with well over a decadeís worth of trended data on media usage. The exact date of the studyís premiere will be announced in early 2014.


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‘Smart brevity’ newsmonger Axios is planning to diversify its revenue beyond supplying information: by selling its bullet-pointed in-depth short-form style as a service.
Publishers are pursuing new revenue streams, whether that was through events, pre-pandemic, through advisory or consultancy services, or through product or content licensing.
What’s new about AxiosHQ, the new communications platform first reported in the WSJ, is that it’s a subscription software product – the publisher’s first – that allows its customers to update employees using Axios’ signature style.
Part of bigger plans: Subscribers also have the option to access a specialist team of editors (separate from the company’s news operation) to give writing tips, and tools to check grammar and word-choice based on a database of Axios content.
Already a significant business: with $1m already booked and the aim of doubling that figure by year end, co-founder Roy Schwartz tells the journal that 20 clients, each paying at least $10,000 (more depending on the size of the organisation), have signed up.
Axios: Famous as much for its steady stream of scoops as for its user-focused writing style, the company is a real outlier among American publications for thinking about the efficient transfer of information as its key selling point. It's currently sustained by advertising on its extremely popular newsletters, with more than $60m made in 2020.
Sourced from the Wall Street Journal


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The UK government is making arrangements to repatriate thousands of holidaymakers trapped in Spain following the collapse of holiday giant Thomas Cook early on Monday morning.
The Thomas Cook crisis has affected some 600,000 tourists stranded around the world as their return flights were cancelled when the operator ceased trading early Monday morning.
Governments around Europe have launched major repatriation operations, with the UK making alternative arrangements for more than 150,000 British tourists at various destinations.
While Thomas Cook stopped operating flights to Malaga and the Costa del Sol two years ago, British holidaymakers due to travel home from 11 Spanish airports are affected.
These are Alicante, Almeria, Gerona and Reus on the mainland, Ibiza, Menorca and Palma in the Balearics and Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Tenerife in the Canaries.
It is thought that more than 25,000 holidaymakers are affected in the Canary Islands alone, according to a hoteliers spokesperson in Las Palmas.
The only airport to be affected in Andalucía is Almeria where some 12 flights to Birmingham, London and Manchester were cancelled on Monday.
Thomas Cook only flew holidaymakers to Almeria in spring and summer but numerous flights had been scheduled between now and the end of September. The company also operated links between Almeria and Bristol.
It is thought that around 1,800 British customers were on holiday in Almeria when Thomas Cook ceased trading on Monday morning, mainly in resorts in Roquetas del Mar and Mojácar, among other destinations.
Costa del Sol
The collapse of Thomas Cook is thought to have caught between 500 and 1,000 of the customers on holiday on the Costa del Sol. None of them has been left without a flight home, however, as the operator stopped using Malaga Airport two years ago and its holidaymakers travelled with different airlines.
According to the Costa del Sol hoteliers' association Thomas Cook sent customers to 12 hotels in the province of Malaga, the biggest part of them to hotels of the MS group in Torremolinos.


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Journey to Amman Part 2: Impressions of Jordan's Tech Startups
When I visited Oasis500 on my recent trip to Jordan, I had the opportunity to meet with 14 startups incubated there, for around 15-20 minutes each, gaining a quick glimpse into their ideas, passions and challenges. Overall, the issues that they are facing offered an image of the ecosystem on the whole and how it needs to evolve. The startup founders themselves, however, were optimistic on the whole, and working hard to surmount any obstacles. Here's a snapshot of the 14 that I spoke to:
Masmoo3, an Arabic audio books company, led by CEO Ala Suleiman, who was inspired to start the company due to his reliance on English audio books and the realization that there was no way for him to listen to his favorite Arabic titles.
Curlstone Studios, a global animation studio founded in 2009 that focuses on creating “high-quality digital content” and envisions creating a new genre of anime. They are definitely on the right track with the recent release of Nashmi Man, a Jordanian superhero targeted at adults aged 18 to 25.
Doseyeh.com, a social academic network attempting to disrupt the “doseyeh” market in Jordan, revolving around the class notes and summaries that university professors sell at local bookshops and stationary stores. Led by Hamzeh Khamees, Doseyeh.com is one of many ed-tech startups that are targeting an industry in dire need of reform in the Middle East.
Gatexpress, a high-security online platform that aims to combine e-commerce with money transfers, attempting to tap into the “300 billion dollar” regional wire-transfer market. Founder and CEO Hani Saleh, less than a month into Oasis500, is taking a very lean development approach, avoiding the temptation to go back to the comfort of his previous life, and has his eyes set on the likes of Western Union.
Shawweet.com, a football social network, aims to leverage the large regional fan base of the most popular sport in the world, to create a social network where fans can interact and compete. CEO and Co-Founder Husam El-Kayyali says that although they are currently busy with the action preceding the upcoming Euro 2012, Shawweet has big plans online and on the pitch.
iTabeeb.com, an online medical reservation system, aims to solve a problem for both doctors and patients. Founder Khaled Salah says there is a huge failure in the Arab World, where patients wait for hours at doctor’s clinics while other doctors struggle to find patients. He insists it is not a problem of quality but due to a failure communication.
First Bazaar, an online retail store that makes the traditional Middle Eastern Bazaar experience accessible to users from all over the world. Founder Linda Hallaq got the idea after organizing several successful bazaars across Jordan that featured over 1000 designers and over 200,000 visitors, including Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan. The online platform will enable her vendors to reach a global market, and early results are very promising.
Koala, a cloud-based solution provider for business. According to Mustafa Bashaireh, one of the co-founders, Koala will focus on sales-force automation for the pharmaceuticals industry, offering solutions at a third of the current market price. The team has been working on the idea for over a year now and expects to launch very soon.
Little Thinking Minds, in business for the past 8 years, is the “Baby Einstein” of the Middle East, focused on creating educational material for children and toddlers. Rama Kayyali Jardaneh, Creative Director and Co-Founder, says that her team joined Oasis500 after deciding to take Little Thinking Minds up a level, from producing one video a year to three or four. Seeing what they have done already with the limited resources at their disposal, I think we can expect even more after Oasis500.
Galleryalsharq.com, a portal and hub for oriental media services currently focused on oriental stock photos. While working for 13 years as a creative director, CEO Riham Mahafzah had difficulty finding high quality, unique oriental digital content. Having bypassed the upfront costs of hiring photographers via smart arrangements that ensured a win-win situation, Riham plans to expand to other media soon.
Aleef Express, an online pet store and mobile pet service company focused on Jordan, with goals to expand to the Gulf very soon. All of the entrepreneurs I met were deeply passionate about their company, but CEO Sufian Horani seemed to stand out. Having found Amman’s version of the “dog whisperer,” Sufian and his team are set on changing the experience of all pet owners in Jordan, starting with a successful photocompetition they held last month.
Roznamti.com, an online social calendar that syncs everything in your life from Facebook events to the timings of Turkish soap operas and Game of Thrones. CEO Watheq Saffarini and his team are working hard to make sure nobody in Amman has to miss a Real Madrid – Barcelona match due to family commitments, ever again.
Zaytouneh.com, the first Arabic portal dedicated to video recipes. Gone are the days of reading food recipes from a cook book. With a background in video production and inspired by her own difficulties in the kitchen, CEO Fida Taher, and her team are getting into every kitchen in Amman, and soon across the Arab world and the U.S.
I3zif.com, an online music center that teaches users how to play various musical instruments via Arabic video lessons. Founder Bisher Abu Taleb's passion for music and the difficulties his friends faced with learning music at traditional music centers inspired the idea. In addition to the Arab world, i3zef hopes to appeal to a global audience by offering unique online lessons for oriental instruments, rarely found outside the Arab world.


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GAC Motors GS5 spied
Compact crossover spied, set for official unveil at Paris motor show
The new GAC Motors GS5 has been spotted ahead of its debut at the Paris motor show on October 2.
Photos of the compact SUV have surfaced on the Russian website car.ru, showing an undisguised example in production form.
These images come after GAC released design sketches of the new model, showing design features such as wraparound taillights and a ‘floating’ roof.
These features are carried across to the production car, albeit with more conventional proportions.
Inside, the GS5 features a large touchscreen, wireless inductive charging and a partially digital instrument display.
The GAC GS5 is rumoured to be powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with either 113kW or 126kW, mated to a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.
While additional specifications are yet to be released, it is likely the GS5 will be a front-wheel-drive only proposition.
GAC Motors has grown from producing 17,000 cars in 2011 to 500,000 in 2017, with the goal of producing one million cars a year by 2020.
It has also topped the J.D. Power Asia Pacific's China Initial Quality Study SM (IQS) for the past five years, and last year established its North American research and design centre in Silicon Valley.
GAC motors will be the only Chinese manufacturer to showcase their products at the Paris Motor Show this year.
The GS5 will likely be one of the first models launched in the United States, if GAC is able to follow through with its promise to start selling cars in America as soon as next year. This should be made possible thanks to a partnership with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
MORE: Chinese car coverage


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LAST UPDATED : Aug 05, 2020, 05:42 AM IST
- 24-inch LED TV that takes less space and offers maximum entertainment
LED televisions have been dominating the electronics market for quite some time now. Leading brands release a huge number of models every year including different modern features. TV these days not only creates the best audio and visual experience but also lets you access important assignments and files from smartphones and PCs.
- OnePlus U and Y series Android TVs launched, price starts at Rs 12,999
OnePlus has launched three news TV models in India. There is the Y series with two models measuring 32-inch and 43-inch priced at Rs 12,999 and Rs 22,999, respectively while the top-end U1 model with 55-inch 4K panel being priced at Rs 49,999. The OnePlus TVs will be available on Amazon India along with OnePlus e-store as well as retail stores starting July 5.
- Nokia along with Flipkart to launch Android TV Box
After smart-TVs, Nokia is set to launch Android TV box in partnership with Walmart-owned e-tailer Flipkart. As per sources, the upcoming media streaming device will be powered by Android 9.0 operating system and will offer an output of 1080p Full HD resolution. The device is expected to come with a voice-controlled remote with Google Assistant support.


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Can orchestrated symbolism of smashing Chinese TVs create a mass movement when no domestic alternatives are available to our extremely price-sensitive consumers? writes Brig Deepak Sethi (retd) for South Asia Monitor
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarion call for Aatamnirbhar Bharat, or a self-reliant India, and his ardent followers propagating its underlying message to boycott Chinese goods, was to channelize public anger and deflect the uproar on his gaffe during the all-party meet. However, is a boycott feasible in the contemporary closely intermeshed globalized economy? Knee-jerk pronouncements can create confusion since international partners, policy makers and industry could be wondering whether this heralds a radical policy change or is mere rhetoric.
No country in the world is entirely self-reliant. There are Chinese components, sub-assemblies and ingredients in innumerable products exported even by advanced nations. China is our largest source of such intermediates also in numerous products in our automobile, electronics, pharmaceutical and consumer goods sectors. Finding new vendors and reconfiguring supply chains is costly and takes time, which our industry, already battered by lockdowns, cannot afford. They would also lose their export markets due to the delays.
Chinese exports to India are barely 3% of its global exports, and hence a boycott would hurt us much more than China. Nevertheless, how will we execute the boycott? Higher tariffs to dissuade importers would inevitably attract increased retaliatory tariffs on imports from India. Besides, our exporters would also lose the large Chinese market. Can orchestrated symbolism of smashing Chinese TVs create a mass movement when no domestic alternatives are available to our extremely price-sensitive consumers? Some people might stop buying Chinese idols or decorative lighting, but their value is minuscule.
Several foreign firms that started manufacturing in India also use Chinese components. If we impede those imports, would they not move production elsewhere? Would this not discourage other foreign firms that are contemplating using India as their production base? Moreover, if China pulls out its large investments in many Indian firms, would it not hurt our economy.
Trade is not a zero-sum game
With strategic planning, incentives, an enabling environment, hard-working skilled workforce, and hidden subsidies, China became the ‘factory of the world’. It now has a sizeable presence in national economies worldwide and, as even Trump has realized, it is difficult to get it out or tame it.
Trade is not a zero-sum game as during the 18th and 19th centuries. Globalization helps achieve greater productivity and lowers consumer costs, since nations produce only those items where they have a competitive advantage and import the rest.
Nonetheless, the PM’s call for self-reliance is welcome but it has come too late, only as a reaction to Chinese aggression. Elected with a massive mandate in 2014, Modi should have embarked on an ambitious mission to make India a preferred manufacturing hub for the world by leveraging our natural resources, good industrial base, scientific talent and skilled English-speaking workforce.
More importantly, India’s tremendous geographical advantage of shorter and more secure sea lanes to North America and Europe makes us an ideal manufacturing hub for global majors. With our skilled engineers and specialists in many fields, we could also produce sophisticated products higher in the value chain. Regrettably, we chose not to pose a serious economic challenge to China, lulled perhaps by Modi’s dream of a 21st century Sino-Indian partnership and his bonhomie with Xi Jinping.
Nevertheless, even now we must identify sectors where we can achieve competitive advantage through scale economies, economies of scope, knowledge capital and systemic efficiencies. Building on our competitive advantage in software, firms like Infosys and TCS have already graduated from just programming for global IT majors to designing complete systems. They even acquired firms higher in the value chain from which previously they received programming contracts.
Boycott will delay economic recovery
The pharmaceutical industry also does value addition through drug formulations rather than dealing in basic drug ingredients. Likewise, there are several sectors where we can provide value-added goods and services in collaboration with global majors and eventually even compete with them. Ironically, the government has ignored vital sectors like armaments where we should be self-reliant, but instead it resorts to expensive imports.
There is no dearth of talent and enterprise in our country. However, lack of politico-bureaucratic vision, favouritism, crony capitalism, maze of archaic laws and red tape had frustrated entrepreneurs and hence there was flight of capital and talent abroad. Shrill economic nationalism sounds good for politics but makes no economic sense since consumers end up paying more.
Prolonged lockdowns have exacerbated the recession in the Indian economy. Production losses would inevitably lead to shortages and increased prices of goods and services. Boycotting of Chinese goods will further delay economic recovery and increase layoffs in affected sectors, adding to the burgeoning unemployment. These factors and higher budget deficits to finance incentive packages are bound to increase inflation, which might peak ahead of the critical parliamentary polls. Hopefully, PM Modi had deliberated upon all these factors before making his pronouncement.
(The writer is retired brigadier of the Indian Army and now professor of International Business Strategy and Management in the USA. The views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.org)


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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) - European Union officials temporarily suspended an order requiring Microsoft to offer a version of Windows without media player software, intervening just before the rule was set to take effect, according to media reports published Sunday.
The postponement buys the European Commission time to consider the software giant's request for lightening up on EU-imposed changes to the way the company does business. In March, the Commission ruled that Microsoft was leveraging its popular Windows operating system illegally to disadvantage its rivals unfairly.
Shares of Microsoft
It could take as long as five years for a Luxembourg court to reach a decision on Microsoft's appeal of the landmark European antitrust decision.
Earlier this month, Microsoft appealed to the Court of First Instance to overturn European regulators' record fine of more than $600 million and sanctions ordered against it. See full story.
The latest move had already been anticipated to follow Microsoft's appeal filing.
The Computer and Communications Industry Association, which represents key Microsoft opponents including Oracle, Nokia and Sun Microsystems, last week opposed the stay request.
The trade group has filed an application to intervene in Microsoft's appeal to the European court of justice.


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Facebook is opening Horizon World, its virtual reality world of avatars, to anyone 18 and older in the US and Canada.
Courtesy of Meta
The vice president of Meta’s social media virtual reality software Horizon, Vivek Sharma, is leaving the company, a spokesperson said Friday.
Sharma has been with Facebook’s parent company Meta for the past six years, holding senior positions in the marketplace and games, and more recently in the nascent metaverse business unit.
As vice president of Horizon, Sharma, who is based in the Seattle area, oversees various VR projects such as the social media service Horizon Worlds, which is similar to the online game Second Life that has been upgraded to virtual reality. Other Horizon products include the VR-based workplace collaboration app Horizon Workrooms and the Horizon Venues app for live events, which was moved to the main Worlds app this summer.
“Thanks to his leadership, the Horizon product group has built a strong team with an ambitious vision and is just getting started,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. “Meta continues to be a source of great leadership development, and we’re excited to see what Vivek accomplishes in his next chapter.”
The spokesperson added that the Horizon team will now report directly to Vishal Shah, Meta’s vice president of Metaverse.
Meta is betting that the metaverse, a collection of digital worlds that people can access through VR and related augmented reality technologies, represents the next frontier of computing.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on a recent episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast that his company will debut a new VR headset in October, which is the month Meta usually holds its Connect VR conference.
I’m watching: What is the metaverse and why are billions of dollars being spent on it?


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Photo: Adobe Stock
A new poll from last weekend’s CPAC event in Dallas, Texas, revealed that respondents are leaning away from Big Tech censorship and instead jumping onto President Trump’s free speech platform, Truth Social.
The survey, conducted through McLaughlin & Associates, polled Truth Social as the second most popular social networking website, coming in a close runner-up to Facebook. The survey found that while 59 percent of people reported using Facebook the most among a list of various social media platforms, a whopping 48 percent said they used Truth Social.
To put this in perspective, Facebook was launched in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, while Truth Social was launched only six months ago in February 2022. The rapid gains Truth Social has made in such a short amount of time seem to indicate that the site is poised to continue to expand exponentially.
Interestingly, Truth Social’s ascension is contrasted with Facebook’s reported decline. In July, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, reported a net income decrease of 36 percent, year-over-year, per RSBN.
The rampant censorship policies of “Big Tech” platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have driven many people to look for alternative sites to share news and opinions without fear of being “canceled.”
Truth Social recently launched an app for users in the Google Play Store, where it is now available for pre-order for those who own Android devices. The platform has further recently rolled out beta testing on direct messaging, and according to Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) CEO Devin Nunes, the company is about “halfway” through the features they are looking to build this year.
Nunes also told RSBN that features would continue to roll out as Truth Social builds its platform.
President Donald Trump triumphantly shared the results of the CPAC social media poll without additional comment.


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Senators Intro 4G Disclosure Bill
Oct 12, 2011, 4:54 PM by Eric M. Zeman
Three U.S. senators, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, and Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken of Minnesota, today introduced a bill that would require U.S. wireless network operators to clearly define 4G services and speeds. The bill is similar to one proposed in June by representative Anna Eschoo of California in the House of Representatives. "When consumers purchase a 4G wireless plan, they have the right to know exactly what they're getting for their money," Klobuchar said today. "This legislation will help ensure that wireless companies are honest about their product's capabilities so consumers can get a fair deal." As proposed, the bill seeks to force network operators to disclose guaranteed minimum data speeds, 4G network reliability and 4G coverage maps, pricing options, the 4G technology being used by that operator, and mitigating circumstances (foliage, terrain, population density) that could have an impact on the 4G network performance. The bill would also force the Federal Communications Commission to evaluate the speed and pricing of the 4G services offered by the top ten U.S network operators and provide a side-by-side comparison to consumers. The CTIA Wireless Association issued a statement in response to the legislation. "As we have said before, this bill proposes to add an additional layer of regulation to a new and exciting set of services, while ignoring the fact that wireless is an inherently complex and dynamic environment in which network speeds can vary depending on a wide variety of factors. Congress should not impose new regulations. Instead, they should focus on the real issue, which is making sure that America's wireless carriers have sufficient spectrum to lead the world in the race to deploy 4G services."
Mar 10, 2021
Asus today announced the ROG Phone 5, its newest flagship gaming phone, following the ROG Phone 3. The ROG Phone 5 brings the ROG Phone series up to date for 2021 with a Snapdragon 888 chip, Android 11, and 65-watt fast charging for its huge 6,000 mAh battery.
Feb 9, 2022
Samsung today announced its lineup of flagship phones for 2022: the Galaxy S22 series. The top-end S22 Ultra sees the biggest changes as it essentially absorbs Samsung's Note series with an integrated S Pen stylus and a more Note-like shape and design, instead of the Contour Cut design of the other models.
Nov 15, 2022
Qualcomm has announced its newest top-end chip, intended to power most flagship-level Android phones in 2023. As expected, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is more powerful and power-efficient across the board (compared to Gen 1), but the most impressive improvements and new features involve AI.
Jan 17, 2024
Samsung has unveiled its lineup of flagship phones for 2024, the Galaxy S24 series. The phones sport multiple upgrades in both hardware and software compared to last year's models.
Jun 3, 2021
Google today announced the Pixel Buds A-Series, a new model of the company's true wireless earbuds that keeps most of the features of last year's Pixel Buds, but brings the price down from $179 to $99. The new A-series has a similar design for both the buds and charging case.
I applaud this!
although I'm still unsure if customers (the average ones atleast) will still understand anything about LTE, HSPA, speeds and such.


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Xiaomi has entered new markets, at least in India. The Chinese company has launched in the Asian state, among others, a pair of sports shoes and an automatic soap dispenser.
Mi Athleisure Shoes, light sports shoes made of synthetic material and with a soft sole, are aimed at sports and fitness enthusiasts. The shoes cost the equivalent of $ 20. The shoes are available in three colors: blue, gray and black.
The company also introduced an automatic soap dispenser, called the Mi Automatic Soap Dispenser. It detects when the hand is placed under it and releases soap. The device was thought to be “hands-free” in the context of the current pandemic. Xiaomi claims that the device, which costs only the equivalent of $ 14, releases the substance in a quarter of a second. The dispenser uses four AA batteries, which ensures the use of the device up to 375 times.
In addition to these two eye-catching products, Xiaomi also introduced a smartwatch, Mi Smart Band 5 fitness bracelet, a smart light bulb and a smart speaker in India.
The Chinese company has many strange products in its portfolio. In the past, Xiaomi has launched a toy robot called Mi Robot Builder, a cushion, pens and a smart flower pot.


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The beginning of winter is both predictable and exciting. Many of us flood social streams with our top restaurant picks from the previous year while taking a stab at what trends and movements will become prominent throughout the next 12 months. While some can be subjective, others are absolute, like an impending tidal wave you can see gathering momentum in the distance.
As we wave goodbye to peaked and slowly fading trends, such as double IPAs and charcoal (thank the lord for the latter), here are four things to watch this year.
Of all the trends poised and ready to hit the mainstream, cannabis-infused edibles and drinks are at the forefront. While the legalization of marijuana in October excluded edibles, that is expected to change next fall – and plenty of industry professionals have been recipe-testing and fine-tuning potential products to be ready. Edmonton’s Token Bitters currently offers a lineup of cocktail bitters that is popular with local bartenders, but its main focus these days is testing oils and capsule products for the impending cannabis-edibles market.
“We started our company with the idea of [eventually offering] drinkable cannabis products. We did a lot of market research and believe a lot in the idea,” says Token’s co-owner Cameron O’Neil. “There are still a lot of questions in regards to what will be allowed to be used in edibles and drinks, so it will be interesting to see what happens in the fall.”
His co-founder, Keenan Pascal, says they have been approached by all types of people, from chefs wanting to open a cannabis-infused bakery to doughnut companies and even dairy producers looking to work on a line of cannabis butter.
The two agree it will still be quite some time before restaurants and bars will able to serve cannabis-infused food and drink and when they are, they’ll likely be completely separate establishments from the standard. In other words, you’ll have to go to one bar to sip your gin martini and another for that Dark and Stormy spiked with a marijuana tincture.
The combination of the new microdistilleries popping up across the country and the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission relaxing its restrictions on bars and restaurants infusing liquors on-site (for example, by making naturally flavoured vodka or preparing batch- and barrel-aged cocktails in-house), there has truly never been a better time to be a barkeep in the Prairies.
Saskatoon’s newest distillery, Stumbletown Distilling, opened shortly before Christmas and uses a unique purple grain as a base to its spirits. It will also be the first distillery in the Prairies to release an amaro. Over in Calgary, Burwood Distillery recently debuted a limited edition haskap gin, another first for the region.
This year, expect to see all sorts of infused liquors and limited-edition spirits on bar shelves pouring their way onto the most inventive – and locally-minded – drink menus we’ve seen yet.
In the past, the Prairie provinces have been labelled as “meat and potatoes” and perhaps still are by many. This statement is not completely untrue – Alberta is the beef capital of the world, after all – and is proved in the fact that it has taken the vegan dining trend longer to become commonplace in the Prairies than most other centres with sizeable populations.
Edmonton saw somewhat of a plant-based boom with places such as Die Pie, The Moth Café and An Chay opening in the past year or so, but other cities such as Calgary and Winnipeg remain remarkably sparse with contemporary plant-based restaurants. Of course, we will see plenty of omnivorous chefs and bakers trying their hand at plant-based creations to appease an increased appetite. Thus, I would count on seeing the meat-to-vegan dish ratio shift in the favour of the latter on the average restaurant menu as the months go by.
If there’s one aspect of the plant-based world in particular that will flourish, I will happily bet my life savings on vegan cheese. For example, Flora Fromage is a relatively new producer in Calgary and has been garnering praise with its collection of dairy-free cheese that uses either fermented cashews or macadamia nuts as a base before injecting flavours such as truffle and black pepper.
Safer workplaces for restaurant staff
The topics of mental health, workplace harassment and work-life balance have never been as prominent as they were in the past year. The allegations and scandals involving restaurant moguls such as Mario Batali, Ken Friedman and Canadian winemaker Norman Hardie, have all driven tough conversations about workplace culture in the food industry.
Earlier this fall, I was a member of the festival jury at Devour! The Food Film Fest, in Wolfville, N.S., at which documentaries centring around female chefs and harassment in the workplace, such as The Heat: A Kitchen (R)evolution, were placed front and centre. It doesn’t seem to matter where you looked in 2018 – Twitter, Instagram or news outlets – we were reminded that the restaurant industry, which so many people dedicate their lives to, is far from perfect.
I’d like to think that in this new year, restaurateurs and management of all types of culinary industry businesses are fully cognizant of the atmosphere being created around them and the people who are tied to it.


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Why CNET launched a new quarterly print edition
CNET, a 20-year-old company known for it's insight in the tech industry, launched a quarterly magazine. With previously web-only content provided on futuristic technologies why would they launch a magazine? CNET Co-Editor In Chief, Connie Guglielmo responded to that with "We’re platform agnostic. It’s all about the reader and how they want to consume content." Almost all of their magazine content is original as well, with no article copied word for word. The reasoning behind the launch of the magazine was because CNET was "Trying to put the 'you', the personal, back into technology." CNET has also said that they have no plans on stopping or slowing their web content.


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Free iPhone 4 Bumpers Begin Arriving
Image from cleggster83
In what is not a terribly big surprise considering that they started shipping at the beginning of the week, free iPhone 4 bumpers have begun arriving into the hands of customers. As with the first wave of shipping notices, the arrivals appear to be limited to the UK for the time being, although customers in other countries who have received shipping notices can expect theirs to quickly follow.
Recipients report that the bumpers come in the standard Apple packaging for the product. And while customers who ordered bumpers are beginning to see theirs arrive, those who opted for third-party cases through the free case program have still seen no sign of movement on their orders, with shipping estimates pushing out well beyond a month for many customers. Those customers should keep their eyes peeled, however, as orders for Apple bumpers similarly showed lengthy initial shipping estimates before suddenly beginning to ship earlier this week.


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Egan-Jones Ratings Co. cut its credit rating for the U.S. one level to AA-, citing the potential for the Federal Reserve’s third round of large-scale asset purchases to weaken the dollar and drive up inflation.
U.S. debt to gross-domestic-product has risen to 104 percent from 66 percent in 2006, Egan-Jones said today in a report. The firm lowered the U.S. to AA in April. Yields on 10- year Treasuries have fallen five basis points since the end of that month to 1.86 percent.
The Fed’s latest program will “stoke the stock market and commodity prices, but in our opinion will hurt the U.S. economy and, by extension, credit quality,” Egan-Jones said. “The increased cost of commodities will pressure profitability of businesses, and increase the costs of consumers, thereby reducing consumer purchasing power.”
The Fed yesterday announced its third round of large-scale asset purchases since 2008, saying it will buy $40 billion of mortgage debt a month. The central bank didn’t set any limit on the ultimate amount it would buy or the duration of the program. Policy makers also extended the prospect of near-zero interest rates until mid-2015 and said policy will stay accommodative “for a considerable time” even after the economy strengthens.


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By Greg Cima
Reduced demand for meat resulting from the closure of restaurants, hotels, and schools combined with shuttering of slaughter and meat processing plants following outbreaks of COVID-19 in employees have caused disruptions throughout the national food supply chain. Companies destroyed thousands of swine and poultry in April as one meat producer warned that millions more animals could be depopulated.
As animal agriculture producers struggled to find buyers for their animals, they had to choose between figuring out how to cover the costs of feeding and finding alternate housing for excess animals or killing those animals, regardless of whether they could sell the carcasses to renderers or would simply have to dispose of them.
By late April, meat-producing companies with infections and absences among workers responded by halting production at plants that usually process thousands of animals daily. On April 28, President Donald Trump signed an executive order, under the Defense Production Act, establishing those businesses as essential and directing the Department of Agriculture to ensure they stay open, under conditions consistent with federal human health protection guidelines.
By May 8, at least 30 slaughter and processing plants had closed at some point because of COVID-19 outbreaks, affecting 45,000 workers and reducing pork slaughter capacity 40% and beef slaughter capacity 25%, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. The union, which represents meatpackers and retail workers, reported at least 30 plant workers had died and more than 5,000 meatpacking workers and 1,500 food processing workers had been sickened by the COVID-19 virus.
“Simply put, we cannot have a secure food supply without the safety of these workers,” said Marc Perrone, union president, in an announcement.
An article published May 1 through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report backs those figures, finding 20 human deaths and 4,900 human infections occurred at 115 meat processing facilities in 19 states. About 3% of workers at those plants had confirmed infections.
The federal inspectors working in those plants also were at risk.
As of May 5, 197 field employees for the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service were absent due to a COVID-19 diagnosis. Another 120 were under self-quarantine for exposure to COVID-19, according to a USDA spokesperson.
At least three inspectors infected with COVID-19 have died: one each in Illinois, Mississippi, and New York, according to Tim Kauffman, spokesman for the American Federation of Government Employees.
The FSIS is letting field employees take excused absences from inspection duties on the basis of their work assignments, medical histories, and federal safety guidelines, the agency spokesperson said. The agency had enough masks and face coverings to supply inspection personnel for a few months.
Politico reported April 22 the agency then lacked sufficient personal protective equipment, and FSIS guidance confirmed that the agency had offered reimbursement to employees who bought their own face coverings.
The slaughter plant closures—as well as slowdowns among plants that remained open—caused backups on farms with nowhere to send animals.
Dr. Beth S. Thompson, Minnesota’s state veterinarian, said April 30 workers at a JBS plant in Worthington were approaching euthanasia of 3,000 hogs daily and working to increase to 13,000 daily. The plant usually slaughters 20,000 hogs daily but closed April 20, operating with a limited staff to euthanize hogs for farmers, who would be responsible for carcass disposal. The kill portion of the plant reopened on May 6, in response to President Trump’s executive order, to continue to offer pork producers a euthanasia option for hogs they’ve been unable to process as plants have ceased operations.
The plant implemented new safety precautions, including limiting contact between employees, providing face masks, and performing more disinfecting throughout the building, a UFCW local representative said in a letter to members.
As of May 3, 490 JBS workers at the Worthington plant had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.
The Smithfield pork plant in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, reopened partially on May 4 after closing on April 12. The plant saw an outbreak of COVID-19 that infected 853 of its 3,100 workers, according to local news reports.
A team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention visited April 16 and 17 and made recommendations to reduce crowding, especially in the break rooms, locker rooms, and cafeterias; increase the use of PPE, particularly face masks; provide more flexible sick leave policies; increase access to hand-washing and hand-sanitizing stations; and begin screening everyone entering the plant for COVID-19.
In a letter to governors, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said the USDA directed meat producers to submit plans for reopening closed plants. In another letter, 36 Senate Democrats expressed concerns about the risks of COVID-19 to the people who produce food and questioned how the administration planned to protect those people, including USDA inspectors.
On May 8, USDA officials announced 14 slaughter facilities committed to resume operations within a week, seven of them owned by Tyson.
Producers run out of options
Data published May 9 by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service indicated cattle slaughter that week was down 32% from a year earlier, and swine slaughter declined 24%.Click here to see more...
A USDA Economic Research Service report updated May 18 stated that outbreaks among workers disrupted production in each meat category. Pork production fell 11%, beef production fell 21%, broiler production fell 2%, and turkey production fell 8.3%, when looking at federally inspected production in April compared with a year earlier.
John H. Tyson, chair of the board of directors for Tyson Foods, warned that the food supply chain was breaking, and millions of chickens, pigs, and cattle could be depopulated rather than slaughtered. He delivered that message in full-page advertisements published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
“As pork, beef and chicken plants are being forced to close, even for short periods of time, millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain,” he wrote. “As a result, there will be limited supply of our products available in grocery stores until we are able to reopen our facilities that are currently closed.”
In early May, The Washington Post reported that Tyson said in an investor call that the company thought U.S. hog-processing capacity had declined by half.
The company announced in April indefinite closures of a pork plant in Waterloo, Iowa, because too many workers had been absent as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and a beef and pork plant in Logansport, Indiana. At the same time, the company announced that production had resumed at its Columbus Junction, Iowa, plant, which had been idle for two weeks. Other plants ran at reduced production because of low staffing or pending plans to add more worker protections.
The Associated Press reported 180 infections were linked to the Waterloo plant and hundreds of workers stayed home out of fear. The plant processed up to 19,500 hogs per day, about 4% of the U.S. pork-processing capacity.
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service officials announced in April the establishment of a National Incident Coordination Center to coordinate help for food animal producers unable to move their animals to market, including finding alternative slaughter sites or providing for depopulation.
“APHIS will be mobilizing and deploying assets of the National Veterinary Stockpile as needed and will also be securing the services of contractors that can supply additional equipment, personnel, and services,” the announcement stated.
APHIS spokesman Michael Stepien said ranches, farms, and other sites cannot hold animals indefinitely.
The American Association of Swine Veterinarians published a depopulation guide, based on the AVMA Guidelines for the Depopulation of Animals, in case producers run out of other options.
Dr. Abbey Canon, director of public health and communications for the AASV, said swine barns are designed to house certain numbers of animals in each production phase.
“The inability to move pigs through the market channel can create a backlog in the pig flow,” she said. “Additionally, pigs may outgrow their housing environment if required to stay on farm longer than usual, resulting in overcrowding for space, water, and food resources.”


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October 8/Telecommunications Weekly -- A new report from market research firm Mintel shows that after years of mediocre sales increases, the potato chip market grew 22% during the economic downturn*.
In addition, other salty snacks experienced recession-fueled sales jumps. The tortilla chip market increased by 18% since 2007, while smaller segments like popcorn and cheese snacks saw similar gains (17% and 20%, respectively). Now that economic recovery is starting to take hold, Mintel believes, sales increases should start to taper. Over the next five years, potato chip sales are expected to rise just above 3% annually, while tortilla chip sales should increase just above 4%.
"People bought more chips during the recession because they're a good value," explains Chris Haack, senior analyst at Mintel. "As the economy gets stronger, we expect annual sales increases to slow, but we don't expect markets to contract. New product innovations and the changed eating habits of many Americans will keep shoppers headed towards the snack aisle."
Mintel's Global New Product Database (GNPD) has already tracked over 350 new salty snack launches in the U.S. this year. According to Mintel, 50% of kids, teens and 18-24s say they eat salty snacks five times a week or more. Even adults say they eat salty snacks 4.8 times per week on average, nearly once a day.
"Salty snacks are clearly embedded in American's style of eating, and they're used by all ages as a way to curb off hunger between meals or after dinner," explains Haack. "But at the same time, there is growing interest in healthier snack options."
Mintel's survey shows that two in three (65%) adults say that they are interested in healthier snacks, such as grain or baked varieties, while another 57% say they are interested in healthier alternatives to salty snacks, like pita chips or crackers. Admittedly however, half of survey respondents confess they think lower fat/sodium snacks do not taste as good as the originals.
*Sales increases compare 2007 market data against Mintel's market estimate for full-year 2009
From the October 12, 2009, Prepared Foods E-dition


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But when Tide Coldwater launched in February, more than a million consumers pledged online to try it and tell their friends about it. Media coverage generated 343 million consumer impressions, five times the average Procter & Gamble Co. launch.
Credit a marketing campaign that sometimes looked more like issue advocacy, orchestrated by Julie Woffington, associate marketing director-North American Tide.
Ms. Woffington, 34, an eight-year veteran of P&G who helped launch Febreze and buoy the sagging Cheer brand, led the brand's partnership with the non-profit Alliance to Save Energy to promote the benefits of washing in cold water-with its specially formulated detergent. The launch came as energy prices were spiraling, helping make it topical. Tide drove the point even closer to home with inserts in utility bills.
"Should George W. Bush take Jimmy Carter's cardigan out of mothballs, he can wash it in Tide Coldwater," suggested one of the promos.
P&G didn't forget demo-laden TV ads from Publicis Groupe's Saatchi & Saatchi, New York. But surrounding them was an intricate plan, including the viral campaign from WhittmanHart Interactive, Chicago, which let people track their friends' responses.
Tide's third-quarter share is up more than 3 points to 43%, with Tide Coldwater at 3% in August, up roughly a half percent a month since launch, according to P&G's data from VNU's ACNielsen, even as Tide's price promotion spending has fallen. According to Information Resources Inc. data, P&G's overall laundry shares are near record highs in recent months of 60% in liquid and 75% in powder.
Better still, despite a premium price, Coldwater is appealing to lower-income and ethnic consumers with whom Tide has been weak, says Ms. Woffington.


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MAYOR BLOOMBERG AND COMMISSIONER FRIEDEN LAUNCH ONLINE DOG LICENSING THAT WILL CUT TIME TO GET OR RENEW DOG LICENSES IN HALF
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Health Commissioner Thomas R. Frieden today announced the launch of a new online dog licensing system that will make it easier not only for dog lovers to protect their pets, but also for them to comply with the law.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Health Commissioner Thomas R. Frieden today announced the launch of a new online dog licensing system that will make it easier not only for dog lovers to protect their pets, but also for them to comply with the law. The new application, available at www.nyc.gov, also cuts the wait time for new licenses and renewals more than in half to approximately 10 to 14 business days. This announcement builds on the commitment of enhanced customer service, government efficiency and accountability that the Mayor made a focus of his 2008 State of the City speech. The Mayor and Commissioner Frieden were joined at the Hillside Park Dog Run in Brooklyn by Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, Animal Care & Control of New York City ( AC&C ) Executive Director Charlene Pedrolie, and New York Council of Dog Owner Groups ( NYCDOG ) Vice President Matthew Parker.
"I've always believed in the power of technology to make government more open and accessible to the people it is supposed to serve," said Mayor Bloomberg. "That's the philosophy behind 311, which now allows for the online tracking of service requests, and we're trying to bring that same philosophy to all City agencies. Now, New Yorkers will be able to renew or obtain dog licenses quicker they have before."
Dog owners are legally required to license their pets and renew licenses annually, but only 20 percent of the city's estimated 500,000 dogs are currently licensed. The fee for a first-time dog license is $11.50; a renewal costs $8.50 for a spayed/neutered dog and $11.50 for one that has not been spayed or neutered. Online dog licensing is part of the City's continuing effort make it easier to access its services using technology. The current system of renewing and obtaining dog licenses by mail could take up to 30 days or more. By choosing to renew or obtain dog licenses online, owners will receive tags within 10 to14 business days after an order is placed online.
"Licensing your dog has never been so simple," said Commissioner Frieden. "A license can help keep your pet safe and healthy - and it's required by law. We urge all New Yorkers to tag their pet online today."
Today's announcement adds to the online tools currently available on www.nyc.gov to enhance customer service, government efficiency and accountability. Delivering on technological improvements proposed by the Mayor in this year's State of the City speech, the Department of Consumer Affairs launched its new Online License Renewal Service allowing businesses to renew their licenses online at any time during their renewal period. To date, more than half of DCA 's 60,000 licensees can take advantage of the online renewal process, including some of DCA's largest licensing categories: laundries, newsstands and tobacco retail dealers.
This year, the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunication s launched a new tool on www.nyc.gov allowing New Yorkers to track the progress of their 311 service request online, and the Office of Operations launched the new Citywide Performance Reporting system, an online accountability tool that includes information from 45 city agencies. Visitors to www.nyc.gov can also find NYC Business Express, which currently allows a number of business sectors to manage all of their permits, licenses and interactions with multiple City agencies on a central website. The can also access NYCServ, which allows more than a million New Yorkers to log on to the City's payment system to pay more than $1 billion in parking tickets, property taxes, or water bills.
"You and your dog are welcome in New York City parks, so come enjoy the outdoors," said Parks Commissioner Benepe. "Just remember to be safe, obey the rules, and respect the park and others."
"We applaud today's announcement of online dog licensing," said NYCDOG Vice President Matthew Parker. "We have worked in the past with the Health Department to make the process of licensing dogs less cumbersome for dog owners. We encourage all dog owners in the City to be responsible, which means license your dog, always pick up your dog's waste, and leash your dog where required."
Benefits of Licensing for Pets and their Owners:
Assists in medical follow-up for people potentially exposed to sick or infected dogs, especially in cases of possible exposure to rabies. Helps reunite dogs with their owners in cases of separation. Licensing is an important step for family emergency preparedness. Allows New Yorkers to use dog runs and off-leash areas in City parks. Promotes spaying and neutering by discounting license fees for owners of fixed pets. Reminds owners that their dogs must be vaccinated against rabies. Rabies vaccination provides protection for both people and their pets. "Being a good pet owner means licensing your dog as soon as you bring him home," said New York City Animal Care & Control Executive Director Charlene Pedrolie. "More and more New Yorkers are adding pets to their families, and thanks to this site, doing the right thing for your dogs are even easier."
The site, which will be hosted by the New York City Department of Health, and is accessible at www.nyc.gov, allows dog owners to order, renew, or replace a license with the Health Department, learn about the benefits of licensing, or make a donation to New York City Animal Care & Control.
Pet Health and Safety Tips
Pets are a life long commitment-dogs can live for up to fifteen years. Keeping your pet healthy is important to your families' health. There are a few simple steps all pet owners can take to make sure your pets are healthy and safe.
Make sure your pet is spayed or neutered. Spaying or neutering reduces the number of unwanted dogs or cats, reduces risk of cancers and helps prevent aggression - studies show unaltered animals are more likely to bite than altered ones. Keep your dog on a short leash. To keep people and pets safe, all dogs must be kept on a leash when in public, except in designated areas during off-hours in parks. Dogs need exercise and socialization too. Visit one of the city's nearly 50 dog runs to give your pet a break from the leash. More information can be obtained at www.nyc.gov or by calling 311. Pick up after your pet. According to New York City law, pet owners must pick up pet waste from sidewalks and other public spaces. Failure to clean up after your dog can result in a fine of $100. Get your dog a rabies shot. Like you, your dog needs vaccinations and a regular check-up to stay healthy. Visits to the vet can help you stay on top of any health issues and preventable diseases. How to Adopt a Pet
Also in attendance at the Hillside Park Dog Run were Ricky, Winter, Smokey and Pepper, four New York City pooches who are ready for adoption. AC&C always has many healthy, loving dogs, cats, puppies, kittens and rabbits available for adoption. New Yorkers can visit their website at www.nycacc.org to see the animals they have up for adoption. The Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals also offers a list of rescue groups from which you can adopt. View the list at www.animalalliancenyc.org.
It is important to be prepared before you adopt so that you can provide a good home for your new pet. Some tips:
Pick a pet that's right for you. Do you want a pet that needs a lot of attention or a little? A walker or a lounger? Care and feeding cost money. Make sure your budget allows for a pet. Pets need you to take care of them. Make sure you have the time to spare for a pet.
Stu Loeser/Dawn Walker ( 212 ) 788-2958
Jessica Scaperotti ( Department of Health and Mental Hygiene ) ( 212 ) 788-5290
This story was released on 2008-08-05. Please make sure to visit the official company or organization web site to learn more about the original release date. See our disclaimer for additional information.


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Despite the introduction of the iPhone 12 line not long ago, potential details about the Apple iPhone 13 have started to emerge. Keeping the current straight edge design and flat sides, the next generation of the device is expected to feature an updated display and camera. Additionally, one of the iPhone 13 variants is rumored to be port-free, relying on wireless connectivity and the MagSafe charging accessory.
A new render of the Apple iPhone 13 Pro highlights a 6.1-inch always-on display with …
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