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The fate of a proposed two-story CVS on Main Street in Bridgehampton might now rest in the hands of Southampton Town’s chief building inspector, prompting local civic leaders to consider hiring an attorney if the pharmacy chain succeeds in dancing around the zoning code.
The CVS Caremark corporation, following two years of negotiations, signed a 25-year lease last week with BNB Ventures IV, the owners of the vacant property at 2510 Montauk Highway, located just east of Starbucks. The contract calls for the construction of a building that would feature a 4,400-square-foot retail store on the ground floor and a 4,400-square-foot pharmacy on the second floor. The basement, also measuring 4,400 square feet, would serve as storage space.
In February, a building permit was issued to BNB Ventures for the shell of the building—an overall design that members of the Bridgehampton Citizens Advisory Committee support—and Paul Kanavos, the real estate developer behind BNB Ventures, said construction could begin “in the near future.”
Michael Benincasa, the town’s chief building inspector, confirmed last week that he had been working with CVS officials for weeks on an application for the combination pharmacy/retail store.
That is because CVS, if it were to occupy the entire building, would have needed to secure a special exemption permit from the Planning Board. But if the pharmacy chain divided its operation into two separate corporate entities, replete with separate entrances for the two businesses, officials could avoid having to secure the permit.
And since the building permit has already been approved, Mr. Benincasa—and not the Town Planning Board—now has the final say on whether CVS can open for business.
“It has to be two clearly separate entities,” Mr. Benincasa said, noting that he was under the impression that CVS already separates its pharmacy and retail operations for legal and insurance reasons. “Two separate entrances, two different tenant spaces, fire separations, that sort of thing,” he added.
Mr. Benincasa said CVS officials had already planned to “split” the store into two entities when they approached him. “They know the code,” he said, referring to representatives of the chain.
On Monday night, Southampton Town Councilwoman Christine Scalera told Bridgehampton CAC meeting attendees that she anticipates CVS will file its build-out application, the plan for the building’s interior, with the Planning Board in the near future. But she also stressed that the decision to allow CVS to split into two separate corporations, allowing it to occupy the entire building, will fall squarely on the shoulders of Mr. Benincasa.
At the same meeting, riled-up crowd members expressed their opposition to the project and CAC Co-Chair Nancy Walter-Yvertes vowed to hire an attorney to “do something artful and slow down the process.”
“They are very excited and very pleased to be at that spot,” Ms. Walter-Yvertes said, referring to CVS officials who had been working for some time to gain a foothold in the hamlet. “It is outrageous. Why should we welcome them with open arms? They want to sell trash, beach balls and lawn chairs, not treat people.”
Ms. Scalera was firm in that there has been nothing official filed with the town yet, noting that no one at the town level, beyond Mr. Benincasa, knew about the project before CAC members began to ask questions.
Over the past month, members of the community group have met with Southampton Town Planning and Development Administrator Kyle Collins, Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst and Ms. Scalera to discuss the rumors that CVS was close to signing a lease in the area. All told the CAC that they had no knowledge of such plans.
Then, on March 8, after calling a listed number for BNB Ventures, the CAC was contacted by the regional director of real estate for CVS, Dave Berman, offering to meet and discuss their plans.
“Why did it take six weeks to get a confirmation that CVS was a proposed tenant?” asked Nancy Walter-Yvertes, chair of the Bridgehampton CAC. “And why did it come from them and not Town Hall? The town is either stonewalling us, or CVS is working on its own in a vacuum.”
According to Ms. Walter-Yvertes and other CAC members in attendance at the meeting with Mr. Berman, he presented two mock-ups, complete with drawn-in shutter designs and the specific signage that will be placed in front of the store.
According to the design copies, a “non-prototypical CVS layout” is planned, with rear and front entrances, two floors and a 26-square-foot stand-alone CVS sign outside. The plans also indicate that the project is “self-developed,” or otherwise coming from the CVS corporation itself, not someone trying to open a franchise. Several years ago, CVS attempted and failed to branch out in neighboring Sag Harbor, an effort that spurred a broad rewriting of the village’s zoning and building codes.
Mr. Collins said last Thursday that he had not seen official plans for the property, but noted that it had been “flagged” by the Building Department’s computers after rumors began to spread that CVS was close to signing a lease. He said he did that to ensure that inspectors were reminded about the 5,000-square-foot limit on store sizes.
In 2011, designs for the building on file with the town called for the structure to house between three and six tenants. The top floor was originally pitched to house three “affordably priced apartments,” according to CAC members, and the first floor was to be two or three small shops or seasonal boutiques. In all, six different uses were permitted.
None of those uses, however, called for a single tenant to occupy the entire building,
When asked during Monday night’s meeting about Mr. Benincasa’s comments that different corporation names would technically satisfy the law and allow CVS to open, Ms. Scalera said she thought “common sense would prevail.”
“If you are violating the spirit and intent of the law, I think the building inspector would see through that,” she said. “Logically, I don’t think that’d fly, but it is in his purview. He might seek counsel, he might not.”
Someone in the crowd interrupted her, asking, “Does Benincasa know our concerns?” Ms. Scalera nodded in response and noted that Mr. Benincasa’s determination could always be appealed to the Town Zoning Board of Appeals.
Joining Ms. Scalera from the town on Monday was Janice Scherer, the principal planner for the town’s Long Range Planning Division. Ms. Scherer told the crowd, which was in favor of passing a town law that outlaws chain stores, that the 5,000-square-foot limit now in place in the village-business zoned area is designed to already do that.
“I can assure you that no one has known about CVS all this time,” Ms. Scherer added. “These companies are very quiet about things. Maybe someone somewhere knew [about it], but certainly not in the planning division.”
On Tuesday, Mr. Kanavos said he was unable to recall whether the lease with CVS was contingent on the firm securing the required permits to actually open in Bridgehampton. He did note, however, that such a clause is typical in most commercial development leases.
“At the end of the day, I live in the community, I understand the concerns of the community and I care tremendously about the East End,” Mr. Kanavos said. “I have been away and I truly didn’t realize the significance or scope of the CAC concerns, and I now plan on and look forward to meeting with them very soon. I would love to sit down, provide them with accurate, detailed information of the plans, and see if we can’t change their perspective.”
Mr. Kanavos went on to say that in his mind, the questions are more about the national chain than they are about the actual impact on the community, saying the pharmacy would “clearly fill a need,” and that the foot traffic would only help local merchants.
Staff writer Michael Wright contributed to this story.
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Nearly two-thirds of Japan’s companies have been negatively affected by the country’s massive earthquake and tsunami.
Disrupted production and supply chains are the key problems, which also sent corporate confidence in Japan to a record low in April.
According to a Reuters poll of 400 large Japanese firms, business confidence fell back into negative territory for the first time this year.
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The gloom was widespread, spreading through both manufacturing and services sectors.
Nearly 70% of the respondents say the single biggest problem for them is the lack of supply.
Manufacturers like auto firms have been forced to scale back output locally and globally.
Toyota (NYSE: TM), for example, is planning to stop production at five plants across Europe for several days in April and May due to a lack of supplies shipped from Japan.
Power shortages are also an issue for many firms.
Consumer technology giant, Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE) is considering a two-week summer shutdown of some company premises, as well as its own daylight savings time to conserve energy.
Bottom line: Nearly 60% of big Japanese companies have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami, with their production and supply chains disrupted.

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September 30th, 2014
Episode 21 of 967 episodes
Shares in eBay rise almost 8 percent on news that it will split off its PayPal business. Steven Bertoni, associate editor and technology specialist at Forbes magazine in New York, tells us why they are doing this now. Microsoft reveals the name of its next operating system - Windows 10. Our technology correspondent Richard Taylor was at the event in San Francisco. And as Netflix funds its first feature length film, media analyst Rich Greenfeld tells us they may have started a shake-up of the cinema industry.


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It looks like the lockdown and self-isolation are finally getting into people’s heads.
Earlier this month, people were so bored at their homes because of the quarantine that a lot of people did the Quarantine Pillow Challenge wherein people started creating outfits out of their pillows.
Now, people are done their pillows and are now creating outfits from shopping bags. Yes, you read that correctly! Some of the results were epic and here are some of the best ones:


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Fortune Asia 2018 – An Event on Block chain – Future Tech & Currency & Global CIO Forum to be held in Mumbai on December 5, 2018
Fortune Asia 2018 – An Event on Block chain
Tefla’s is organizing Fortune Asia 2018 – an Event on Block chain – Future Tech & Currency along with CIO Awards on December 05, 2018 at St. Regis, Mumbai which will help connect, educate, collaborate and involve masses about the latest trends in the Block chain space. On Nov 5, Reliance received India’s first payment using blockchain .The blockchain market is driven by the growing adoption of the technology by financial institutions and is disrupting the financial industry by modifying the business operations and developing new business models.
Aadil Singh, Director, Tefla’s expressed his happiness in organizing this event and stated, “Innovators are exploring ways to use Blockchain to disrupt and transform traditional business models across many industry such as financial services, healthcare, government and many others. Many industry leaders have already achieved significant business benefits, including greater transparency, enhanced security, improved traceability, increased efficiency and speed of transaction, and reduced costs”
“As per the latest news, the increasing investment by the venture capitalists in the Blockchain technology is a significant factor propelling the market growth which is expected to cross USD 16 billion marks by 2024.In 2017, approximately USD 1 billion was invested in Blockchain start-ups with more than 185 deals across the globe.The Blockchain industry has great opportunities in the coming future.”he added.
During Fortune Asia Expo participants will exhibit their developments and innovative platforms in the blockchain technology.
To name a few eminent speakers who will be making presentation during this event are Kumar Gaurav – Founder & CEO – Cashaa, Dr. Evan Singh Luthra, CEO & Founder – EL Group International Serial Entrepreneur, Angel Investor – Honorary Ph. D in Blockchain; Shahin Noble Pilli – Founder – CoinAdvice & Co Founder – Asia Blockchain Expo, Girish Bajaj, Global CEO/ Strategist – GB Blockchainer, Arvind Ravindranath, Nishith Desai Associates, Legal & Tax Counseling Worldwide, Sean H. Worthington, President, CloudCoin Consortium, Karthik Iyer - Blockchain Monk, Varun Sethi, Partner – Blockchain Lawyer, Sheetal Bhasin, Community Manager – YatraCoin. Dr. Ravi Chamria, CEO – Sofocle Technologies, Mohit Mamoria, CEO – Authorito Capital, Jaspreet Bindra, Co-Founder, Stealth Mode Startup Company, independent Advisor and Consultant on Digital Transformation and Blockchain, NS Nappinai, Advocate, Sarang Bhoyar, Blockchain Leader, Infosys, Sameer Sibal, Partner, Jerome Merchant, Vaibhav Domkundwar , CEO & Founder – Better Labs, Anand Mahajan, CEO – Sphinx Solutions Pvt Ltd, Naresh Jain, Co-Founder, Snapper Future Tech – Blockchain Technology & Innovation Company, Mithil Thakore, Co- Founder, Quillhash Technologies, Pramod Panda Former Principal Chief General Manager, RBI- Member, Board of Studies, Business Economics, Dr. Hari Krishna Maram, Director, Imperial College of Business Studies, Rahul Sanghi, Strategy and BD Lead, Koinex, Ayush Singh, Sr. Trader - Agricommodities, Meir Commodities, Ashley Turing, CEO, LiveTree, Shekhar Menon, Medialexicon, Ashish Anand – Blockchain Advisory Council, NLC.
The event will be a forum to explore opportunities and discuss various use-case of Block chain across different industry verticals. Furthermore, it will provide a platform for industry leaders and stakeholders to meet up and exchange ideas followed by the Award Ceremony.
Tefla’s has specialized in Conceptualizing, Planning, Promoting & Organizing Research based, Industry Specific Conferences & Exhibitions in association with Trade bodies & Industry Leaders. Tefla’s has been successful in bringing the industry community to common platforms, thus expanding the knowledge sphere for Industry and enhancing values through processed information & expert analysis. Tefla’s has to its credit a series of Events in various industries which are the annual events of the particular industry attracting wide and comprehensive participation.
For more information, please visit: www.fortuneasiaevent.com/ www.teflas.com


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Tron coming to Disney Channel as TV series
Disney has announced that they're developing a TV series based on the TRON movies that will debut in 2011 on Disney XD, the channel devoted to 6-14-year-old boys; boys whose parents were probably that age when the original TRON hit theaters. But alas, everything old is new again and with TRON: LEGACY hitting theaters in December, the studio thought this would be a perfect time to reconnect the franchise with kids who are already completely immersed in the online world.
The series will start with 10 "micro-episodes" that will preview the launch of the official series later than year. The series will be CG-animated and it's unclear exactly who the series will follow - if it will be the characters in LEGACY or a completely new set of characters in the TRON universe. (I'm gonna guess it'll be more of a spinoff than sequel as I'm sure Disney Pictures would like to save any stories with these characters for a potential LEGACY sequel.)
Whatever it is, Disney has a LOT staked on the TRON franchise and this new TV show it just one way of capitalizing on a marketing campaign that's already in place. I guess the question is whether little kids will be interested in TRON universe. I mean WE are because we're nerds and we're nostalgic for movies that we saw when we were kids. Someday our kids will grow up and be nostalgic for PERCY JACKSON...
CLICK IMAGE TO OPEN GALLERY & SEE MORE PICS...
|Extra Tidbit:||Enough screwing around, just create the TRON universe and let us all live inside of it already.|


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"Around the world, 72% of girls feel tremendous pressure to be beautiful, according to new research conducted by Dove®. And when girls feel bad about their looks, the majority will avoid everyday activities like giving their opinion or even going to school."
It makes me kind of want to scream. First of all I would bet that that percentage is higher and second of all, maybe the feel this way because of your marketing strategies!
“If we don't continue to invent products that improve consumers' lives, we'll have trouble growing our business,” says Kevin Hochman, a marketing director for Procter & Gamble Co.'s female beauty brands, told the Wall Street Journal. (from the Globe and Mail article)
It seems to me (and a lot of people) that while they are inventing products they are also inventing problems. And it seems like this company is taking 3 steps back for every step forward they take. I love the idea behind the Real Beauty campaign and wish we saw more diverse and non-airbrushed models out there. I love that as a company, Dove seems to be doing work to promote self estem. But with the other hand they remind you that parts of your body need to be felt bad about.
All and all, I think I'll stick with Toms of Maine.


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Amazon has removed hoverboards from sale just a fortnight before Christmas amidst reports of battery fires and explosions as well as concern for the safety of road and pavement users..
The self-balancing twin wheeled gadgets have been one of the must-have gifts of the season, shifting in their thousands, but the device has been dogged by safety concerns following a report by the Chartered trading Institute that 88 per cent of vehicles imported from outwith the EU failed basic safety checks.
It is believed that Amazon is now demanding documentary evidence that hoverboards put up for sale are compliant with electrical safety standards.
Celebrity endorsements from the likes of Justin Bieber and Lily Allen have helped fuel the craze, despite hoverboard’s being banned from roads and public footpaths.
However, just last week a 15 year old hoverboard user was killed after being hit by a bus whilst crossing a road in North London to purchase milk.


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No need to worry: Exxon plant on Scenic Highway is flaring
BATON ROUGE - If you notice a bright light in the Baton Rouge skyline, there's no need to worry. The ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Chemical Plant on Scene Highway began flaring Monday night.
In a press release, the company explained that "flares are primarily safety control devices intended to consume excess hydrocarbons during shutdown, start-up, and other non-routine activities".
ExxonMobil says there's no reason to worry and anyone concerned with the flaring should call (225) 977-8393.
Desktop NewsClick to open Continuous News in a sidebar that updates in real-time.
Fire destroys townhome off Perkins Road
Residents wasting no time setting up bonfires along the levee
Christmas is here: hundreds gather for lighting of Old City Hall in...
After broken water line leaves woman with mold and no bed, community...
Black Friday shopping returns to Gonzales outlet mall


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SAINT JOHN – In November of 2010, Sea Dogs fans started an online petition to get poutine sold at Harbour Station. Yahoo! Sports even had an article on it.
Almost three years later, the unthinkable has happened.
Just hearing this now folks... @harbourstation is serving poutine!!!!! Check it out at the #hattrick concession stand!
— Saint John Sea Dogs (@SeaDogsHockey) September 21, 2013
We can now die in peace.


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Lab to fab: Printed electronics facility opens, uses new platform technology
Nanoident's new OFAB is fitted with a class 100 cleanroom using highly sophisticated air filtration. Here, materials with electrical properties are deposited onto a substrate in extremely thin (20 to 200 nm) layers.
Linz, Austria —"Faster, cheaper, better" may reach a new level in semiconductor manufacturing with the recent opening of a new high-volume printing plant. Opening what it calls "the world's first manufacturing facility for the delivery of printed semiconductor-based optoelectronics" near its headquarters here, Nanoident Technologies AG will use the operation—along with its new Semiconductor 2.0 platform technology—to deliver printed semiconductor-based products for its Nanoident Group of companies. The Nanoident Organic Fab (OFAB) GmbH, which supports high-volume production, reportedly uses an environmentally friendly process to produce printed electronic devices quickly at a fraction of the cost of a traditional, silicon-based semiconductor fab.
"Just as we can't imagine our lives today without electronic devices that rely on silicon-based semiconductors, in the near future the same will apply to printed electronics-based applications," said Craig Cruickshank, principal analyst at cintelliq , a U.K.-based firm providing information services and strategic consulting to the organic semiconductor industry. "Nanoident's OFAB opening is a significant step forward to making the vision of printed electronics a reality with the first of what will be a growing number of printed electronics facilities worldwide."
The new platform technology and OFAB production facility reportedly allow Nanoident to enable new, innovative offerings in a wide range of markets—including industrial, life sciences, and security—that were previously cost-prohibitive or prevented by the physical constraints of silicon. Printed electronics require no expensive masks, wasted material, or dangerous acids for etching; toxic materials are not used in the OFAB, making it a green production process.
Printed electronics are accomplished one ink at a time (semiconductor, conductor, insulator, resistor, and dielectric), each deposited using an industrial inkjet printer.
"The OFAB opening marks a major industry achievement by bringing a new class of printed electronics from the lab to the fab," said Klaus G. Schroeter, CEO of Nanoident. "Printed semiconductor-based optoelectronic devices created by the OFAB will usher in an era of new application types-traditionally not well suited for silicon-which will improve healthcare, enhance personal and homeland security, as well as drive new industrial applications. These applications are just the beginning, as we look forward to driving continued advancements for printed devices that will enhance peoples' lives."
OFAB has a class 100 cleanroom (&100 half-micrometer particles/cu ft). To produce printed electronics, nanomaterials are deposited onto a substrate using advanced printing methods. The process is extremely fast; it can be completed in hours or days, depending on the application. (Traditional chip manufacturing can take two to three months.) Prototypes and volume production can be run on the same equipment, which allows for highly customized devices. Production capacity can be scaled as needed by adding more equipment.
Nanoident says it is a leader in the development and manufacture of printed semiconductor-based optoelectronic sensors. Its core technology merges the latest breakthroughs in materials science and nanotechnology with modern printing techniques to create a new class of semiconductor devices. The Semiconductor 2.0 Platform is said to be the basis of the world's first commercial printed photonic sensors, enabling a new generation of applications in the industrial, biometric, and life science markets.
The high-speed, environmentally friendly manufacturing process uses liquid nanomaterials and additive production techniques. These liquids are used to print electronic circuits on a wide variety of surfaces, producing in hours products for prototype as well as high-volume applications. The printed semiconductor devices can be bendable, disposable, light, ultra-thin, and large-area. They have application-specific spectral and electronic properties and can contain light sources and light detectors as well as electronic circuits. These characteristics allow cost-effective, custom-designed devices for applications such as industrial, chemical, biological, biometric and X-ray sensors, printed OLED displays for smart packaging, and electronic signage.
The company also has subsidiaries in Menlo Park, CA, and Grenoble, France.
—Control Engineering Daily News Desk
Edited by Jeanine Katzel , senior editor
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(Harrisburg) -- With more rate caps due to come off next year, state regulators want to make sure their safeguards are maintaining a level playing field between the electric distribution companies as well as suppliers and customers. Robert Powelson who sits on the Public Utility Commission says the agency is trying to make shopping for utilities as easy as possible. "There's been a collapse in natural gas pricing and that is parlaying into cheap energy procurement," he says. "However, we do know down the road, we're going to see a shift and demand's going to come back. And as these rate caps come off now for customers, on their monthly bill, those customers are going to be able to shop and that's really the new paradigm." Powelson says the safeguards which prohibit deceptive marketing or unfair business practices among suppliers were originally enacted in July 2000. Since then, there have been changes in the electric industry, including new products like green energy. He says the PUC is looking at states such as Texas and New York to see how they handle competitiveness.
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Google has opened up the Shopping tab to include free listings alongside paid listings, just like the search page includes a mixture of paid and organic results.
The new Digital Services Tax is here. What does it mean for advertisers and agencies?
Online search trends have never been so weird and wonderful, and there have been a number of lockdown trends which have gained a lot of attention from the public and social influencers.
3 things you can do now that will pay dividends in the future. We must constantly plan to build resilience. How do we achieve this? Where do we start?
For every situation, there are a number of opportunities as well as threats. So it is important to take a step back and review your business and identify where the threats are and where the opportunities are.
Digital Clarity has won a Silver award for the United Kingdom. This Agency of the Year title elevates and promotes the best agencies through factual and objective data.
Digital Clarity has announced an online marketing partnership with Synergy SKY, a Norwegian based company that develops and markets software platforms.
The UK Search Awards have been celebrating the best in expertise, talent and achievements of the search industry for over half a decade and are regarded as the premiere celebration of SEO, PPC and content marketing in the UK.
The Luxury Property Show is being held on 31st October and 1st November 2019 at Olympia London and is the only event in Europe dedicated to luxury and high-value property.
Digital Clarity, a performance-led digital agency specialising in search marketing, are proud winners of the prestigious Gold award at yesterday’s coveted Digital Impact Awards.
We are thrilled to announce that we have made the shortlist for 'Best Use of Data' at the UK Search Awards for our work with The Clean Space.
We are delighted to announce that we have been shortlisted for The Digital Impact Awards 2018, for the work conducted through our partnership with The Clean Space.


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When the Prime Minister announced the launch of 5G in India, industries counted moments for a revolution in business operations and stellar customer experience. With a 20 Gbps network speed, ultra-low latency, 99.9999% reliability, and high bandwidth, 5G has the potential to reverse the business landscape and transform the corporate world. It will generate a cumulative economic impact of $1 trillion by 2035 and contribute an additional GDP of $150 billion between 2025-40.
However, on the flip, the 5G ecosystem will also invite a host of sophisticated cyber threats that may cripple company networks, big or small. 43% of all cyber breaches target SMBs, while over 80% of Indian executives believe cybercrime will be more refined for the corporate sector in 2023. Moreover, malware, ransomware, Botnets, DDoS attacks, MiTM, and phishing scams will be the talk of the town. They will leverage the multi-sliced source points and large attack surface of 5G networks to invade the corporate space. In other words, India’s data breach, which incurred INR 176 million in 2022, will grow manifold each year if companies do not bring an appropriate cybersecurity framework to the table.
4 Reasons Why Cybersecurity Needs To Be A Priority For Corporate Players
Identity theft, invasion of privacy, and crypto-jacking have adverse financial consequences, including hefty penalties, stock price crashes, lawsuits, and consumer grievances. 40% of consumers stop doing business with companies that suffer a cyberattack, and a whopping 95% believe that company trustworthiness is more important than brands. Thus, a robust risk management strategy will help corporate players accomplish the following benchmarks and win consumer confidence.
India experienced 12.67 lakh cyberattack events in 2022. Yet, 56% of CEOs in the country admit to being “unprepared” to handle a cyber invasion. 60% of Indian enterprises had vacant cybersecurity positions in 2022, while 42% reported that their cybersecurity team is understaffed. More worrisome is that many Indian executives do not feel the pressing need for robust corporate governance even when 2,244 attacks happen daily. That makes company networks more vulnerable to malicious invasions and undercooked risk responses.
Cybersecurity culture is a combined effort that works top-down. A well-formed risk assessment and mitigation planning should be an imperative agenda for every board meeting. C-level executives and all personnel should keep security standards abreast to read reports, identify threats, and respond to an unprecedented major attack. They should learn policies and security best practices to build the “three lines of defence” and a “chain of trust” across all levels.
Industries like BFSI, energy, and healthcare face heavy regulatory burdens regarding data protection, confidentiality, and network security. Company risk management should comply with the standards of HIPAA, SOC2, ISO 27001, GDPR, PCI-DSS, CCPA, and more to avoid penalties and financial loss. Organisations must embed deep cyber and risk management capabilities to develop an integrated infosec program and create mitigation controls.
They must deploy cutting-edge tools to gain real-time visibility across endpoints, IP addresses, IoT devices, SaaS applications, code repositories, IAM policies, and other cyber assets and monitor complex multi-cloud ecosystems in a single window. Moreover, their regulatory compliance must be scalable to evolve and encompass sophisticated threats over time. In the end, risk management frameworks customised to a specific business will help a company stay one step ahead of cybercriminals and gain a competitive advantage.
As mentioned earlier, cybersecurity is a game-changer regarding how customers will perceive a company. There is a direct relation between cyber risk incidents like financial loss, business disruptions, fines, etc., and brand reputation damage. The impact is even more profound if public safety is at stake for companies delivering products/services in smart cities, smart grids, automated public transport, healthcare, fintech, and more.
Thus, a business strategy must integrate with a sturdy cybersecurity strategy to foster a sound commercial ecosystem and leverage the massive economic opportunity. Companies must execute regular compliance audits, real-time risk monitoring across infrastructure and application landscape, and create a collaborative workflow between employees, auditors, and pen-testers. They must integrate market-leading cybersecurity tools into their commonly-used applications to ensure continuous and seamless security compliance.
Corporate companies are inclining more toward AI, IoT, robotics, and blockchain technologies to streamline processes, improve business performance, and increase revenues. They also utilise CSR to increase brand loyalty, secure investments and attract employees. In this context, a well-framed cybersecurity strategy is a good selling point for their products that satisfies stakeholders and supply chains and builds consumer trust.
Businesses that make data-driven security decisions and maintain transparency regarding their compliance status go miles ahead of their competitors. To stay on top of their risk posture, companies must deploy end-to-end security solutions that discover cyber assets, set up risk mitigation controls, monitor networks 24x7, and cover the entire security environment in one GRC platform. Their intuitive dashboards track infosec risks across vendors, people, processes, and assets and auto-remediate threats across multiple applications. Additionally, these tools offer top-notch support in external audit scheduling, identifying loopholes, running mock “impact analysis”, and managing daily insights with alerts and reminders.
With fifth-generation connectivity rolling out, India will likely witness a sharp rise in cybercrime events and security breaches. As the security expert Rahul Sasi stated, “Hacktivist groups have gone up recently, and the rapid digitalisation makes the country more vulnerable to cyber attacks.” Thus, India’s corporate space must gear up with a strong cybersecurity governance strategy that will comply with multiple regulatory frameworks, strengthen corporate governance, assure all stakeholders, and enhance customer experience. This way, organisations can gain a competitive edge and etch a positive brand image to their consumers.
Author: Aayush Ghosh Choudhury, CEO & Co-Founder, Scrut Automation


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It’s pretty surprising that KFC hasn’t branched out into the chicken and waffles game yet but here we are in 2018 and they are finally doing it!
The chain is finally testing the waters at restaurants in three cities this summer and if all goes well we can hope to see the dish on menu’s all across America!
The cities of Asheville and Charlotte in North Carolina and Greenville in South Carolina were picked to test KFC’s new dish, and we are insanely jealous to say the least.
Per The Charlotte Observer, the meal comes with two pieces of chicken — either bone-in dark meat or boneless chicken tenders — and a thick Belgian waffle about the size of your hand
Each waffle is made to order and topped with your choice crispy chicken that has been double breaded and open fried to create the signature extra crispy crunch you know and love!
The dish is served with a side of Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup, but the Observer recommends asking for hot sauce too!
KFC’s senior marketing director Mike Wesley said in a statement QUOTE, “We know that chicken and waffles have a cult following across the country, especially in the south, but not everyone has it available close by.
He went on to say QUOTE “We’re excited to hear what North Carolinian taste buds have to say.”
Depending on location the dish will be set at a price point ranging from $5 to $5.49 which is practically a STEAL
The test item will be served from June 18th through July 29th, which will give KFC enough time to gauge whether or not they want to expand its fried chicken and waffle dish elsewhere.
But now we want to kick it over to you guys. Would you be interested in trying KFC’s chicken and waffles? Let us know in the comments section below. When youre done with that click right over here to check out KFC’s new Vegetarian chicken!
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The Surface Pro 7. The Kindle Fire HD 10. The PlayStation 5. All major gadgets announced or detailed this week, each with a bevy of enhancements. But more important than any of those flagship products on its own is the fact that together they embraced something their predecessors did not: USB-C.
You know USB-C. If you own a premium Android smartphone, chances are you’re already using it. But its ubiquity otherwise has been slow in coming. WIRED and others first anointed USB-C as “the port of the future” in 2015, when Apple’s entry-level, 12-inch MacBook introduced it to the masses. That's well over four years ago, a long time in the tech world—so long, in fact, that said MacBook has since been discontinued.
Now, though, USB-C has claimed its rightful place. “USB-C has become the industry standard for about every personal computing and connectivity device,” says Patrick Moorhead, founder of Moor Insights & Strategy. That "about" includes some notable exceptions—the iPhone, mostly—but otherwise, including USB-C has finally become the default.
The reason for USB-C's ascent is simple: It’s just better. It can charge both ways, letting you use a laptop to power your smartphone, for instance. It can also charge fast, pumping 18 watts to your device to get you from empty to 80 percent full in only an hour. It can transfer data at blistering speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second—and eventually much faster, as Intel’s Thunderbolt protocol converges with USB4. It can power video to external displays. And it’s reversible, meaning it works whichever way you plug it in.
Even so, the road has been bumpy. Just because USB-C can do all these things doesn’t mean that it always does. Take charging. While the body that governs USB protocol, the USB Implementers Forum, sets a Power Delivery standard, manufacturers have come up with their own unique implementations as well. Qualcomm has Quick Charge, Samsung has Adaptive Fast Charging, and so on. The result, as nicely detailed by Android Authority earlier this year, is a landscape where you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get, especially once you reach for a third-party cable. Your phone will still charge, just not as fast as advertised if all of the involved components aren’t built for the same spec. And in extreme cases, some dodgy cables have been capable of frying devices altogether by drawing too much power for a specific task.
The situation has improved over time, but it’s still something of a tangle. To know exactly what you’re getting, you’re best off sticking with the USB-C cable that comes in the box. If you need a replacement, either get it straight from the same manufacturer, or something with clear labeling from a reputable brand like AmazonBasics or Monoprice.
It’s an issue that the USB-IF readily acknowledges. “There were definite growing pains and differences on OEM implementations during the initial USB-C industry ramp,” the group said in a statement to WIRED, “but we expect that as the adoption of USB Type-C products and USB Power Delivery continues to increase the market will guide [manufacturers] toward a common implementation.” Which feels like another way of saying that eventually enough people will complain loudly enough that the problem will fix itself. USB-IF can't force every manufacturer to get on the same page, but they could have made the text more legible from the start.


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Top 10 healthcare disruptors
Modern Healthcare has recently released its top 100 most influential people in healthcare for 2018. We take a look at the top 10 which have fully disrupted the healthcare sector.
Larry Merlo - President and CEO, CVS Health
With $184.8bn in net revenues for 2017, President and CEO of CVS Health, Larry Merlo has disrupted the business by bringing on board new technologies and partnerships to cater towards more consumer-driven patient, focused care.
As vertical integration continues to grow apace, companies are looking to source ways to maintain supply chain costs through increased acquisitions. The company’s acquisition of health provider Aetna will provide opportunities for significant negotiating power in the reducing costs for payers and patients, and enable the development of personalised solutions and improved patient outcomes.
Dr Stephen Klasko - President and CEO, Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health
Transforming health and education, Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health has become one of the fastest growing health institutions in the US. Dr Klasko is a formidable figure in the industry, publishing a number of influential texts, and has also developed the Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation, a medical simulation training centre.
Focusing on the need to overhaul healthcare education, both for consumers and for workers, Dr Klasko has previously stated: “Healthcare and higher education cannot rely on yesterday’s thinking in today’s world. Now, it’s time to start taking the steps necessary to truly transform healthcare in America.”
Dr Rod Hochman - President and CEO, Providence St. Joseph Health
With 51 clinics and 829 clinics, faith based, not-for-profit provider Providence St. Joseph Health supports a growing ageing population by blending traditional services, such as home health visits and supportive housing facilities with new innovative technologies to make patient care convenient, affordable and accessible to all.
Led by Dr Hochman, the organisation provides services across seven western states, and is transforming its outdated digital infrastructure, as well as investing in genomics and population health. Additionally, Providence St Joseph Health has contributed $100mn to provide exceptional mental health facilities, fully promoting its efforts in enhancing the health and wellbeing of its patients.
Dr Marc Harrison - President and CEO, Intermountain Healthcare
Working in a number of senior level roles at the infamous Cleveland Clinic across the US and Abu Dhabi, Dr Harrison joined Utah based Intermountain Healthcare in 2016. The non-for-profit health system houses a multitude of specialisms, delivered across over 185 clinics.
This year, the provider has partnered with Ascension, SSM Health, Trinity Health and the Veterans Affairs Department in the US by launching their own drug company to reduce the escalating cost of healthcare for US citizens, exploring digital tools such as telehealth along the way.
Dr David Feinberg - President and CEO, Geisinger Health
One of the largest healthcare organisation’s, serving over three million residents, Geisinger Heath supports 30,000 employees across its campuses and research centres. Its health plan also serves close to 600,000 citizens.
Working alongside 2,500 providers, it has embedded a world-class integrated delivery system across its operations, spanning 13 hospital campuses. Led by Dr Feinberg, Geisinger Health continues to embrace new digital tools, working alongside players such as Apple to deliver operational efficiency.
Known within the industry for establishing population health platform, Springboard Health, as well as patient-focused tools ProvenExperience and MyCode, Dr Feinberg has been a key figure in the organisation’s recent partnership with Merck to launch two innovative, web-based workflow solutions to further improve health outcomes.
- PepsiCo pushes further into health and wellness with its $3.3bn acquisition of SodaStream
- Anthem will partner with Walmart to deliver a new Medicaid programme
- European biopharma company BioNTech secures a $425mn influenza deal with Pfizer
Tim Cook – CEO, Apple
Alongside Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO, Tim Cook has become one of the most respected digital leaders of all time.
This year, Apple has been making significant waves within the healthcare industry. From launching its own healthcare clinics for employees, to launching a Health Records API for developers and researchers, the company has expanded its reach within consumer healthcare, developing and sharing tools for healthcare organisations to deliver improved, patient-led services.
Bruce Broussard - President and CEO, Humana
Leading health insurance company Humana, President and CEO, Bruce Broussard is facing increased competition from competitors such as Anthem and Walmart to deliver increasingly vital products and services.
Acquiring Kindred Healthcare for $4bn, the move follows on from CVS Health’s $69bn deal to acquire rival Aetna, where the business will look to deliver world-class homecare services to reduce the rising number of acute patient admissions. With this in mind, the company has also partnered with Walgreens to launch new retail clinics.
Joining Humana in 2011, Broussard has been responsible for the creation of an integrated care delivery model, focusing on improving the wellbeing of patients whilst lowering healthcare costs through digitisation.
3. Jeff Bezos - Chairman and CEO, Amazon
Known to be competitive and ruthless in driving success at Amazon, Bezos is a major disrupter.
The company’s strong reputation and determination to succeed has seen the business turn traditional e-commerce and retail models on its head, causing leading industry players, such as within the pharmaceutical sector, shares to tank as the company enters the industry.
Partnering with Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase this year, forming their own healthcare company, Amazon has attracted a number of renowned healthcare figures to its operations, yet remains secretive of all ongoing developments.
2. Mark Bertolini - Chairman and CEO, Aetna
Although the company is set to merge with retail pharmacy CVS Health, insurance provider, Aetna, has been at the forefront of digital innovation.
Serving 22.2mn members and led by Chairman and CEO, Mark Bertolini, the company has harnessed a vision for building consumer-focused healthcare tools, in order to fully empower patients as they utilise its services.
With experience as a paramedic and with past roles with rival company, Cigna, Bertolini has gained extensive knowledge of the business, enabling Aetna to generate over $60bn in revenue in 2017. The business has also grown its total Medicare membership by 8%.
1. Donald Trump - President of the United States
Since his inauguration, President Trump has remained a key figure. With the aim to dismantle Obamacare and repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) without success, he has recently introduced new healthcare plans to support those without coverage, at lower cost. However, many of these plans will not cover long-term, complex health conditions.
He has also looked to lower drug prices, which has yet to come into fruition, but created increased complexities for insurance companies. It remains to be seen how the President will further seek to transform the industry.
Top 10 healthcare innovations for 2019
We take a look at some of the top 10 healthcare innovations which are transforming the sector
The telehealth market is booming. Consumers are leading increasingly busy lifestyles, with up to 60% favouring digitally-led services. Providing clinical care at a distance, increasing accessibility and eradicating potential delays has given patients greater control, boosting patient satisfaction and overall engagement. Such is its exponential growth, The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the US has recently released its proposed Physician Fee Schedule and Qualified Payment Programme updates for 2019, where telehealth services has been heavily featured, in order to deliver ‘different access points’ for patients.
9. Mobile technology
Consumers have become accustomed to accessing their data through the use of various digital tools, where the use of mobile and tablet health apps has tripled from 13% in 2014 to 48% today. Catering to this growing market, British based start-up Babylon Health is making waves on a global scale. Partnering with the National Health Service (NHS) and private health provider, Bupa, it has also cemented its presence across the flourishing Chinese market, with a membership base exceeding 1.4mn citizens across Europe, Asia and Africa. By partnering with global juggernaut Tencent, Babylon’s artificial intelligence system has enabled both parties to interact directly with users, identify specific illnesses, deliver health status assessments, and triage necessary actions. The mobile app is available to over a billion users and linked to more than 38,000 medical facilities in China alone.
8. Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) applications, such as predictive analytics for patient monitoring has provided significant financial savings. Applications that target hospitals and medical institutions include patient monitoring and transcribing notes for electronic health records (EHRs). The European Union is set to invest $24bn into artificial intelligence (AI) by 2020 in a bid to catch up with Asia and the US, who have invested heavily in AI and cloud services. This year, Google revealed its plans to harness AI and machine learning across a multitude of consumer technologies, particularly in healthcare. “If AI can shape healthcare, it has to work through the regulations of healthcare. In fact, I see that as one of the biggest areas where the benefits will play out for the next 10-20 years,” Google CEO Sundar Pichai has previously stated.
Blockchain is estimated to reach over $5.61bn by the end of 2025, even though it remains dependent on the ability to record and store information conveniently, economically and securely amongst different applications and systems. Providing transparency and eliminating third-party intermediaries, processes are streamlined, reducing healthcare costs exponentially. Unlocking the ability for providers to deliver a value-based healthcare system and enhance patient engagement, blockchain could save the industry up to $100-$150bn per year by 2025 in data breach-related costs, IT costs, operations costs, support function costs and personnel costs, according to BIS Research. Partnering with pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Ethereum blockchain-based supply chain platform, Viant sought to accelerate the pace of blockchain-based supply chain systems. Accenture and supply chain giant DHL have also developed a blockchain-based serialisation prototype which tracks pharmaceuticals from the point of origin to the consumer.
6. Health wearables
With the rise of lifestyle diseases, such as diabetes, more consumers are turning to health wearables that monitor glucose, heart rate, physical activity and sleep to gain a greater understanding of their health conditions. Following on from the release of the first Bluetooth headset back in 2000, the growing interest in wearables has seen monitoring our health and data become standardised. This data can be analysed by sophisticated algorithms to drive long-term diagnosis and support. Partnering with Google, health wearables company Fitbit is exploring the development of consumer and enterprise health solutions. Its acquisition of HIPAA-compliant health platform, Twine Health has seen the business enhance its clinical services by bringing on board a coaching platform, empowering people to seek better health outcomes.
- Novartis Social Business: Blending profit with purpose
- How Microsoft is transforming Canada's healthcare
- The December edition of Healthcare Global is live!
5. Electronic health records tools
From 2018-2022, the electronic health records (EHR) market is expected to grow at a compound average rate of 6% per year Providers and organisations continue to house fragmented technologies which create barriers towards collaboration and data sharing opportunities. This is further exacerbated if a patient straddles both public and private healthcare. Technology giant Apple has integrated patients’ medical records into its Health App as part of its iOS 11.3 beta. The data is encrypted and protected with the user’s iPhone passcode. Partnering with hospital providers and clinics, patients are now able to view their medical records from multiple providers within one platform. Johns Hopkins Medicine, Cedars-Sinai, Penn Medicine, UC San Diego Health and even the Cleveland Clinic have implemented this technology.
4. Healthcare transportation
Non-emergency health transportation remains a key issue worldwide, preventing patients from getting to or from a doctor’s appointment. 25% of lower-income patients have missed or rescheduled appointments due to lack of transportation, costing US health systems up to $150bn each year. Transportation companies such as Lyft and Uber have therefore entered the market by partnering with state governments to reduce these costs and deliver personalised patient care.
3. 3D Printing
Healthcare providers are set to represent the second largest industry sector in 3D manufacturing. The Food & Drug Administration’s decision to release its first comprehensive framework advising manufacturers of 3D medical products highlights its growing impact where more than 100,000 knee replacement surgeries are completed each year using 3D-printed, patient-matched surgical guides, for example. Through this process, surfaces and structures can be optimised for strength, weight and material use. Consultation between surgeons and patients has also been bolstered, where patients can better understand the complexity of his or her specific needs.
As consumers get more involved in the management of their health, consumer genetics and research companies have grown in popularity and scale. People want to further understand their genetic makeup, leading personal genomics and biotech company 23andMe to become one of the largest consumer-based organisations worldwide. Interestingly, this year, the company has entered a four-year collaboration with GSK to develop new treatments, but using human genetics as the basis for discovery.
Not only looking to develop treatments by analysing human genetics, pharmaceutical companies are looking to even remove hereditary genes which pass diseases down generations. In 2017, human embryos were successfully ‘edited’ through gene editing tool, CRISPR (Clustered, Regularly Interspaced, Short Palindromic Repeats), eradicating hypertrophic cardiomyopathy within 42 embryos.
1. Vertical integrations
As healthcare providers aim to provide greater transparency, promote collaboration and lower escalating patient costs, 2018 has been the year for a significant number of vertical integrations. CVS Health’s $68mn takeover of health insurer Aetna is a case in point. By influencing more of the supply chain, it will gain significant negotiating power to reduce costs for payers and patients, develop personalised solutions and improve overall outcomes. It will also promote the eradication of delays in process by removing any third parties within traditional business models. Other notable integrations are Optum’s acquisition of the DaVita Medical Group, Humana and Kindred Healthcare and Cigna and Express Scripts.
Reports have indicated that not only has the number of healthcare deals more than doubled in the last five years, the size of deals has also grown as a result of repeat investor interest, highlighting that this trend is here to stay.


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American Express CFO Survey: Economic outlook high, M&A activity to ramp up
Optimism about economic expansion is on the rise among senior finance executives in the United States and around the rest of the globe, according to the annual American Express/CFO Research Global Business & Spending Monitor. In fact, the level of optimism was the highest in the four years that the survey has been conducted, with three in four (75%) executives expecting modest to strong economic expansion over the next twelve months — up from 71% in 2010. The U.S. figure was even higher at 79%, although most predict modest growth.
According to the report, which surveyed 665 senior finance executives from the U.S., Europe, Canada, Latin America, Asia and Australia, the economic outlook was brightest in Argentina, where 89% of finance executives expect growth in the coming year, followed by India (87%), Mexico (84%), Germany (83%) and Singapore (81%).
The survey also indicates that mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity is likely to ramp up significantly going forward. With many companies sitting on large cash stockpiles, global finance executives report they will deploy more capital toward mergers and acquisitions as well as revenue drivers such as marketing, sales and customer service.
"Finance executives are finally moving away from budget cuts and opening up the company coffers to drive growth," said Janey Whiteside, senior VP, Global Client Group, American Express Corporate Payment Solutions.
Deal-making tops the list when it comes to plans for capital deployment, with 69% of the executives focused on aggressive M&A activity over the next twelve months. Respondents say their companies will use cash somewhat or very aggressively in the next twelve months for each of the following:
•68% will use cash to expand operating activities and headcount.
•65% plan to increase capital spending.
•63% aim to pay down debt.
As a result of lessons learned during the downturn, companies will be more cautious when investing their savings. Seventy-nine percent of the surveyed executives said they will conduct more rigorous due diligence of M&A opportunities; 71% will require a detailed business case to increase spending on headcount and operating activities..
“In areas ranging from M&A to headcount to service, companies are looking closely at the justification for spending, laying the foundation for more sustainable expansion," Whiteside said.
In other findings, 54% of the executives ( 64% in the United States) plan to invest more over the next twelve months on expanding market access through business development activities such as sales and marketing.
Job growth will be strongest in sales — 48% plan to increase their sales headcount. Thirty-seven percent expect headcount to increase in operations, 34% in IT, 33% in marketing and R&D respectively, and 32% in customer service.
Target donates $50K to tornado relief in Minnesota
Minneapolis — Target announced its donation of funds and product to support tornado relief efforts in Minnesota.
The funds, which totaled $50,000, will help the efforts of the American Red Cross and Salvation Army.
“We take seriously our responsibility as a retailer, employer and community member to aid in times of need,” Target chairman, president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel said. “Before and after a crisis, communities can count on Target.”
New CMO named at 7thOnline
Jerry Inman has joined 7thOnline to help the provider of retail merchandise assortment planning, forecasting and optimization solutions grow its visibility within the retailer and supplier communities.
Prior to joining 7thOnline, Inman served as global VP marketing for iMANY, a contract performance company, where he was responsible for rebranding the company and increasing market share and brand awareness. Before that, he was VP marketing for Lectra, a provider of fashion technology solutions. Inman has also held marketing management positions at leading enterprise software organizations including Information Builders and CA Technologies.
“I am excited to be back in retail with such a well-positioned market leader,” Inman said. “As 7thOnline is on a rapid growth path, I am looking forward to bringing this powerful technology to new markets to fulfill global demand. I look forward to working with our customers which represent some of the fastest growing brands in the world.”


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The six winners of the 2016 Irish Food Writers’ Guild (IFWG) Food Awards have been revealed at an awards ceremony in Dublin.
Among the winners were Wild Irish Foragers for its full range of products, Silver Darlings for its pickled herrings, and Mossfield Organic Farm for its organic milk. The Irish Drink Award was scooped by White Gypsy Brewery for its Russian Imperial Stout – the first time a stout has won the award.
Joe Fitzmaurice, of Riot Rye Bakehouse & Bread School, earned a Special Contribution to Irish Food Award for encouraging the public to bake their own natural, organic bread.
The Environmental Award was bestowed on Rod and Julie Calder-Potts of Highbank Organic Orchards. On their farm, no chemicals are sprayed on the apples, while herbicides and other chemicals are strictly avoided.
The awards ceremony took place at the two-Michelin-star restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, where chef and co-owner Guillaume Lebrun incorporated the winning produce into the evening’s menu.
Aoife Carrigy, chairperson of IFWG, said of the winners, "All six have been selected for the high standard and impeccable quality of their produce, together with their dedication and commitment to Irish food.
"As a nation, our focus should be on the abundance of incredible produce throughout Ireland that is being made available to consumers by passionate producers who take a sustainable approach to food and food innovation," she added.
© 2016 - Checkout Magazine by Brian Dermody


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Though Gov. Brian Kemp gave the go-ahead for much of Georgia to reopen last week, ending his shelter-at-home order, many Athens retailers, restaurants and businesses remained closed.
Georgia Square Mall, which listed social distancing guidelines on its social media including a mask requirement and group limits, was largely empty Sunday.
One could almost count on one hand the number of open storefronts: a few clothing and shoe shops, an alterations business. All four anchor stores were closed. Macy’s and Sears, shut down their mall locations well before COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses across the globe to close their doors.
Downtown, government offices and most businesses remained shuttered as well. Though University of Georgia students are taking final exams online, campus and downtown were noticeably more populated with college students, some standing in packs to take the traditional graduation photo in cap and gown at the UGA Arch or enjoying the spring weather on UGA’s North Campus.
Reopening seemed a long way off in some parts of town, but there were hopeful signs as certain businesses began to open their doors to shoppers, and more people ventured out.
Heery’s Clothes Closet and Urban Outfitters, two clothing retailers downtown, both reopened their doors to customers over the weekend.
Cars lined up at the Varsity, which opened up for drive-thru service.
The Potter’s House thrift store off Jefferson Highway opened on Monday, and Goodwill announced its stores and career centers would open beginning Wednesday with limited hours.Cine, which under Kemp’s orders would have been allowed to reopen more than a week ago, remained closed with no plans yet announced for reopening. No local movie theaters have reopened.
Most downtown businesses face a long, dry summer even if they do reopen. Almost all University of Georgia summer school classes are planned to be virtual learning courses, keeping most faculty and students off campus.
The Clarke County Courthouse won’t return to normal operations soon, either.
On Monday, Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold Melton announced he is extending his statewide judicial emergency order through June 12.
Under the judicial emergency order first instituted in March, no civil or criminal jury trials are allowed, which limits the kind of close contact that spread the coronavirus through the courthouse in Dougherty County in early March. Other essential functions such as bond hearings have continued.
Melton’s order extending the emergency also asks courts to begin developing ways to conduct hearings and other judicial processes online or with social distancing.
Athens’ two farmers markets, the West Broad Farmers Market and the Athens Farmers Market, announced plans to reopen this Saturday. The West Broad Market will be a pre-ordered drive-thru at the Athens Housing Authority parking lot on Rocksprings Street, the Athens Farmers Market in-person but with social distancing at its Bishop Park location.
The North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church announced plans to hold its annual meeting Aug. 28 and 29 at the downtown Classic Center. The meeting, one of the Classic Center’s larger regular events, had originally been scheduled for two months earlier, for June 18-20.
UGA planners are also aiming for an August reopening. UGA President Jere Morehead last week announced plans for a gradual reopening of the campus over the summer, aiming for in-person classes to resume at some level when fall semester begins Aug. 20.


text: This week at the massive SEMA Show in Las Vegas, the Renewable Fuels Association and Kenny Hauk of Hauk Designs unveiled a one-of-a-kind project that highlights the many benefits of using ethanol in high-performance vehicles—a Flex Fuel Jeep Wrangler with more than 1,000 horsepower using a high-octane, low-carbon fuel. "Our goal was to build the most powerful JL Wrangler ever built that not only functions on road and off, but looks good while doing it," Hauk said. "We have found E85 to be an outstanding fuel option that gives us the power and performance we have been looking for in an economical package and a fuel that can be bought at the local fuel station." Fans can watch the Hauk team design and build the RFA flex-fuel Wrangler in a special "Hauk Machines" Amazon Prime video series now airing. Since August, a series of five-minute mini-episodes have been airing on RFA's Facebook page as a preview. SEMA's annual trade show regularly attracts more than 70,000 attendees and is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world, drawing the industry's brightest minds and hottest products to one place, the Las Vegas Convention Center. In addition to its trade show, the SEMA Show provides attendees with educational seminars, product demonstrations, special events, networking opportunities and more. The project is part of RFA's ongoing work to stimulate positive discussions about ethanol and engage with groups who have historically expressed reservations about the use of higher ethanol blends. The Wrangler was fitted with a 7.0L HEMI engine that netted another 10 percent in horsepower from using ethanol. At the same time, ethanol's introduction reduced emissions and the drastically lowered the price per gallon. "This project is all about educating different consumer groups in a fun and innovative way," said RFA Vice President for Industry Relations Robert White. "At RFA, we want to push the boundaries to show the potential of ethanol as a fuel for a wide variety of vehicles and demographics, especially when special interests tell us it can't be done. Ethanol is a high-powered fuel that is perfectly suited for on road and off-road applications. It also helps keep our air and water clean, something important to off-road enthusiasts and conservationists. Kenny Hauk is the perfect person to help us tell this story and educate consumers globally through social media, television and at future events." Plans are underway to get the one-of-a-kind Wrangler on the road for special events and shows around the country, to showcase the power and opportunities behind ethanol. Stay tuned!


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MICHAELS DATA BREACH EXPANDS TO 20 STATES
Michaels, the arts and crafts store, recently experienced a major data breach. The Michaels debit card breach is now believed to have affected stores in 20 states. Michaels customers were put at risk for identity theft when hackers switched PIN pads with skimmers.
Brian Riley, senior research director of bank cards at TowerGroup, says financial institutions, such as banks, discovered a common fraud link among complaints of unauthorized charges – Michaels. “The behavioral scoring in this was really high,” he says. “The pattern of transactions showed that all of these affected accounts had Michaels’ purchases in their history. Behavioral scoring is really where it’s at in card transactions,” as reported by Tracy Kitten at Bank Info Security.
Even advanced card technology, such as the Europay, MasterCard, Visa chip and PIN standard, which takes the skimmable magnetic-stripe out of the equation, would not have helped in the Michaels’ case, according to Riley. “With a tampered POS device, you can get around EMV,” says Riley. “A good, robust scoring system is the only way to really pick up on this. That’s why behavioral scoring is so important. That’s, quite often, how these things are discovered.”


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“In the malls, we were limited by mall traffic and development,” Peggy Cherng says. “By moving to the street, our growth opportunities expanded, and we had a better opportunity to penetrate a given market.”
Miller says Panda Express’s aggressive development strategy has resulted in a concept that’s easier than ever to find. From 1,000-square-foot mall counters to freestanding, fast-casual units with drive-thru lanes, Panda Express operates its own stores across a variety of venues, which has cemented its position as an industry heavyweight.
“Panda units are flexible and adaptable, and they have a tendency to be in convenient spaces on restaurant rows, where they continue to compete for the same A locations that many of the other big restaurant players desire,” Miller says.
What Starbucks has done for quick-service coffee—delivered a centuries-old product to the masses—Panda Express continues to accomplish with quick-service Asian food.
As American diners’ interest in high-quality ethnic foods rises, Panda Express stands to benefit from that swelling desire for global tastes, says June Jo Lee, vice president of strategic insights with The Hartman Group, a Bellevue, Washington–based consumer research and consulting firm.
“Consumers want variety and are looking for different tastes. What Panda does so well is that they’re familiar, yet different,” Lee says. “Panda Express is not the place you go for a far-out Asian experience, but it’s also not a hamburger or a chicken sandwich. They hit that balance of comforting and challenging
With its exhibition kitchens and vegetables on display, Panda Express also highlights freshness and quality, two characteristics Chinese food has sometimes struggled to secure in the U.S. marketplace. “There’s a health halo Panda Express has been able to create, and they’re brilliant at fresh fast food,” Lee says. “People see the brown rice and the broccoli and think of Panda Express as a little healthier than other options.”
In recent years, the chain has intensified those health-focused efforts, led by the launch of more than a dozen Wok Smart dishes containing less than 250 calories per serving. Panda Express is also exploring the idea of reducing sodium in its food.
“This is a key part to being able to offer our guests variety,” Ho says. She adds that Panda Express continues leveraging the culinary innovation of its full-service sibling, the six-unit Panda Inn chain, to drive menu development at Panda Express and reinforce the quick serve’s commitment to premium ingredients.
The ongoing efforts at self-advancement continue to drive positive results for the Cherngs and Panda Express. According to Sandelman reports, Panda Express reached an all-time high in total trial in 2012, which was also the company’s 12th consecutive year of positive same-store sales growth. Panda has accomplished these gains even with growing competition from a number of fast-casual Asian outlets, such as Tin Drum Asiacafé, ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, and Asian Box.
“For my buck, that’s a clear indication that they have a runway and plenty of room to reach more of the population, even in their core markets,” Miller says.
With Panda Express’s past success and bright potential, it’s no surprise that others have looked to leap onto the company’s fast-traveling bandwagon. To date, however, the Cherngs have resisted the thought of aggressive franchising, largely out of concern that the quality of their restaurants’ food, service, and environment would become too unwieldy. Only about 50 Panda Express units operate outside of the Panda Restaurant Group, which also oversees Hibachi-San, a quick-service eatery with Japanese grill favorites that now has more than two-dozen units across the country.
“By staying [company owned], we’re able to push our philosophy into every associate personally rather than relying on franchisees,” Peggy Cherng says, adding that, as a practical matter, Panda possesses reliable bank support that limits the need to grow on the backs of franchisees.
The Cherngs have also declined overtures to go public, content to maintain their leadership roles and carry out their vision.
“Our philosophy is to keep things private and to run our stores and business the best we can,” Andrew Cherng says.
The private ownership and unified purpose bodes well for Panda’s continued evolution and development, particularly as it chases its long-term goal to build a worldwide concept. While the brand remains best known on the U.S. coasts, the Cherngs see ample opportunity to grow in the nation’s center. After opening 108 new units in 2012, Panda Express is on pace to debut more than 100 units this calendar year. And though Panda’s international presence is slim—two units in Japan and four in Mexico—the Cherngs are excited about the potential to expand abroad.
“There’s great opportunity for us to grow and show who Panda is,” Peggy Cherng says. To modernize “who Panda is” in the U.S., the company last year began testing its new “Bright and Fresh” restaurant prototype. The eco-friendly, contemporary design uses bold color accents, natural bamboo products, and integrated landscaping. After test units showed a 9 percent jump in sales, Panda Express started rolling out the “Bright and Fresh” model system-wide earlier this year. By the end of 2013, 75 remodeled units and 85 new Panda Express stores will sport the look.
The company has also unveiled the 2020 Vision—a two-pronged visionary statement that asserts Panda’s ambitions to be a world leader in people development and to be beloved by guests—as well as its “Make Life Delicious” brand promise. While Peggy Cherng says the “Make Life Delicious” tagline is an internal mantra to motivate staff performance, it is just as much a calling for staff and guests to pursue a better life.
“We think of Panda Express as one part of a joyful life,” she says.
The classic American story, indeed.
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Take a look around you.
Whether you’re clinging to a railing on the subway, tittering at your desk, or sitting at a restaurant with your friends while waiting for your order to come sweeping in (maybe even especially then), you’d be hard-pressed to find someone without a nose to a mobile device, the glow of all of those electronic screens clustered together almost like a flurry of fireflies, or stars in the night sky.
But poetics aside, mobile usage has taken over, and no one’s surprised by its digital domination.
In 2008, analyst Mary Meeker of Silicon Valley firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, released a bold statement in the headlines of her annual technology trend review: “Mobile to overtake fixed Internet access by 2014.”
She wasn’t wrong.
According to Pew Research Center in association with the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, nearly two-thirds of Americans today are now smartphone owners, many of whom declare mobile devices are their main point of entry into the online world. On top of that, one in five millennials no longer use desktop or laptop computers period, relying solely on smartphones and tablets. And with Forbes stating that at 80 million, millennials represent a quarter of the population and $200 billion in annual buying power, where does that leave our industry?
Mobile marketing is no longer a luxury -- it’s a necessity to keep things cooking in the kitchen. So, without further ado, meet the Mobile Masters for the first two quarters of 2015. These brands have the top scores for mobile, backed up with the unstructured data pulled from DigitalCoCo’s Restaurant Social Media Index (RSMI). We’ve filtered mobile social transactions and took a look at how these mobile interactions impacted brand engagement.
How It Works
The RSMI is pulled from the largest culinary, restaurant and hospitality term database in the business, built on more than two decades of industry and domain expertise. More than 15K restaurant brands and 127M U.S. social consumers across 17 social media platforms are tracked. The Index also tracks more than 188K industry terms in over 430K locations. For more information on the RSMI, click here, or submit your information here to make sure your restaurant is included in the Index.
Top 3 Mobile Brands Q1: January to March
1. Panera | Mobile Score: 90.19
With almost 2,000 restaurants across the nation, it’s not all that shocking Panera Bread Co. is among the top in mobile. Consumers enjoy Panera’s commitment to flavorful and healthy food options. Back in an April 2014 press release, Panera executives unveiled technological upgrades they dubbed “Panera 2.0.” Along with an emphasis for kiosk ordering, operational modifications and plans for smaller restaurants, the company upped its mobile game.
Rapid Pick-Up gave customers the ability to place their orders online or through mobile up to five days in advance, and even at pre-determined times, without waiting in line. This was bolstered by its mobile app, MyPanera, which stores the customer’s purchase history and credit card information for future use. These efforts were not made in vain. In April this year, Panera’s stock rose by almost 11%. Now in its third national campaign, analysts predicted the company would increase store sales by another 3% toward the second quarter.
2. SONIC Drive-In | Mobile Score: 90.11
SONIC Drive-In and its more than 3,500 restaurants serves about 3 million customers per day, so whenever Sonic Corp. issues changes, literally millions of consumers are impacted. The company first dipped its toes into mobile waters back in 2011, when it partnered with OLO Online Ordering to test out a program that allowed customers to order via their mobile devices. The program launched as “Sonic On the Go.” Later in 2013, CARDFREE announced that SONIC selected it as a mobile commerce platform.
“We’re looking forward to launching an industry-changing and uniquely-integrated mobile solution that will enhance the way we engage with our customers,” Sonic Corp. CIO, Craig Miller, said.
And SONIC did. Its mobile app, My Sonic, allows consumers to manage their birthday freebies and print offers, as well as give guests the opportunity to receive news and exclusive offers via text. During the first quarter of 2015, Sonic Corp. announced double earnings per share and an 11.5% growth of same-store sales.
3. Firehouse Subs | Mobile Score: 89.25
Firehouse Subs is spreading like a wildfire, approaching 1,000 locations and aiming to hit 2,000 by 2020. Beyond its rapid growth, there are many other facets to the company that draw in consumers like a moth to a flame. Its Public Safety Foundation, which has donated more than $14 million to improving the life-saving capabilities of local heroes and organizations, as well as its spin-off blog called “HeroFuel,”* which shares a daily dose of feel-good news and positive stories and adds to its mobile traffic, has further solidified Firehouse Subs as a one-of-a-kind brand.
During the C-Level Roundtable Session at the 2014 CONNECT Mobile Innovation Summit, CEO Don Fox discussed a mobile app in the works. The Firehouse Rewards app is currently only available in a few metros, including Jacksonville, Fla.; Chicago, Ill.; and San Diego, Calif., and grants guests points for each purchase, which they can use to redeem tasty gifts. If Firehouse Subs has already landed in the Top 3 Mobile scores without an official app launch, could you imagine where this brand will go once it becomes available nationwide?
*Editor's Note: Firehouse Subs is a client of Foodable's sister company, DigitalCoCo.
Top 3 Mobile Brands Q2: April to June
1. Chipotle | Mobile Score: 91.56
Chipotle, Chipotle, Chipotle. You’d have to be living under a rock (buried layers-deep to the Earth’s core) to not know that this brand is the poster child of all things fast casual. Despite not making it into the Top 3 in the first quarter, Chipotle has received the highest mobile score of all the brands in the first half of 2015 at a sound 91.56. A few factors could have driven this mobile traffic. There’s no doubt that its latest decisions have garnered much discussion: from its OMG-no-GMOs, “Food With Integrity” campaign this quarter, along with its unexpected backlash and scientific debate on the credibility of this movement, Chipotle has been all over social media.
In spite of the criticism it has received, Chipotle is still a well-loved brand -- and not only for its food and Chipotle Ordering App, which further streamlines its already easy-to-fly-through restaurant wait times. This brand captivates its consumers with its “Cultivating Thought” series, which features witty, inspirational bits of literature on its bags and cups, as well as its free “Cultivate” festival, which combines music and the sustainable, healthy food movement with local flair.
2. Dunkin’ Donuts | Mobile Score: 90.35
Dunkin’ Donuts, self-proclaimed as America’s favorite every day, all-day stop for coffee and baked goods, has upped the ante. Toward the end of the second quarter and as of late, websites such as Business Insider and Food World News have deemed Dunkin’ Donuts as the new threat to Starbucks with its exploration into teas. Its Dunkin’ Mobile App aside, which allows consumers to redeem reward points and exclusive offers, major company milestones have surely bolstered its mobile score.
For example, in the beginning of June, CEO Nigel Travis announced that the chain is looking to add a delivery service, as well as develop a mobile ordering system. That same month, Dunkin’ Donuts launched another payment option -- Visa Checkout became integrated into its existing app. With a few clicks, guests can sip a cuppa’ Joe with one hand and pay with the other.
“Visa Checkout gives us yet another powerful way to save our guests valuable time in their busy day, and make it easier than ever to keep running on Dunkin’,” said Scott Hudler, vice president of global consumer engagement.
3. SONIC Drive-In | Mobile Score: 90.16
In the first half of 2015, SONIC is the only brand to carry through from one quarter to the next. Although it bumped down to third place in Q2, it has still increased its mobile score as a whole to 90.16. In other interesting news, SONIC is playing with a new platform: Snapchat’s recent update, the elimination of having to hold down photos to view them, has had the quick-service restaurant jumping in to incorporate the new function and secure fans. Sonic Corp. sent a series of snaps, celebrating the relief of the users’ fingers.
“The better user-viewing experience allows us to...get the benefit of full-screen impact,” said Sarah Beddow, VP of national marketing.
“It is a native behavior for users to take screenshots of snaps and post them to Twitter or other platforms. Now that action is frictionless, and that allows for us to lean into Snapchat as a tool to not only tell stories on Snapchat, but also across platforms.”
And there you have it, the Mobile Masters among thousands and thousands of restaurant brands. But hold the (smart)phone! We still have the rest of 2015 to go. Which brands will follow the footsteps of Panera, SONIC, Firehouse Subs, Chipotle and Dunkin’ Donuts? What innovative ways will they all manipulate the mobile experience?
Regardless of how the rankings unfold, one thing’s for sure: all brands must go mobile. Not only is mobile the way most in the U.S. access their information, this technology powerfully reaches customers in a location-based, real-time way. Mobile marketing is the key to success for all the doors they want to open.


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Both companies owe their success to consumers' appetite for the latest, coolest electronic gizmo -- which, for the past few years, has meant Internet-connected smart devices. ARM's angle is its stranglehold on the low-powered chips that makes such things work, Apple's is its clever design and marketing that creates products customers yearn for.
Both firms have seen rapid growth. In the three years to September 2012, Apple's sales rose 53% per annum, and ARM's sales have grown 24% per annum over the past three years.
Both companies have a relatively high proportion of fixed costs, so margins have gone up alongside sales. Apple's gross margin rose from 39% in 2010 to 44% last year. ARM's operating margin doubled from 18% in 2009 to 36% in 2012.
As a result they've thrown off large amounts of cash while, as growth stocks, investors have no great expectations for dividends. That's created surplus cash, though Apple's $145 billion cash pile dwarfs ARM's 500 million pounds.
There are some parallels in the firms' management. Apple tragically lost its visionary leader Steve Jobs. His deputy, Tim Cook, was seen as a safe pair of hands but has since been criticized for a slow-down in produce innovation and a couple of marketing stumbles.
ARM's boss, Warren East, is stepping down in two months, thankfully not through ill-health. He's identified with creating ARM as it is today and his decision to pursue low-powered chips was transformational, if not "visionary." East is being replaced by his deputy.
There's one big difference. Apple has demonstrated the stock market's law of gravity. Its shares tumbled from $700 to $400 when the company's growth tailed off.
Smartphones and tablets are still powering fast growth at ARM, but logic suggests that when that generation of products reaches maturity, the company will face tougher competition in new product areas. Intel could be ARM's Samsung.
ARM's shareholders may enjoy lots more upside, despite its hefty rating of 54 times expected earnings. But the lesson from Apple is that share prices can overshoot when investors imagine super rates of growth can last forever.
With Apple trading at just 11 times projected earnings, investors have possibly overshot in the opposite direction. Astute investors who took profits early might be tempted to take a second bite.
The tech sector has more than its fair share of growth companies. But that's not the industry where The Motley Fool has found its top growth stock. Instead, that accolade goes to a company that has survived and prospered despite its business being transformed by digital technology. As a result it has grown steadily over many years. To discover the identity of the company, you can download a free in-depth report by clicking here -- it's free.


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5/10/2013 7:30:17 AM
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The red in redheads' hair is thought to put them at increased risk of the dangerous skin cancer melanoma, even if they don't spend a lot of time in the sun, according to a new study. Study co-author Dr. David Fisher and his research team first uncovered the apparent link between red hair pigment and melanoma last fall. That study used genetically altered mice that had been given a mutant gene that increased their risk of contracting the skin cancer.
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Free DLC too!
While Japanese and European gamers are already enjoying Ridge Racer on their Vita systems, North American gamers have been patiently waiting for the game to make its appearance. Well the wait is almost over. Namco Bandai has just announced that Ridge Racer will now be released on 13th March in North America and the company is even...
Earlier in the year, we distinctly remember writing something along the lines of: "Man, it's going to be weird seeing a PlayStation platform launch without a Ridge Racer game
" That was in about April, before Ridge Racer Vita had been announced. Pay careful attention to the dates here, because it's important. Then at E3 in May, Ridge Racer Vita suddenly appeared as a launch title — albeit in..
Following the revelation of Ridge Racer Vita's limited on-cartridge content, publisher Namco Bandai has confirmed that it intends to bolster the package's volume with a variety of DLC set to launch this coming winter
According to Famitsu, the deluge of DLC will begin on December 22nd with a free music pack. The content will allow you to race to Ridge Racer's classic tunes, with more music due over..
Even Sony suit Kaz Hirai must be shaking his head in disappointment right now
At a Japanese press event overnight, Namco Bandai released some more specific details about Ridge Racer Vita. And the news isn't particularly good. The company admitted that, while it's very pleased with the racer's visuals, the game features just five cars and three tracks[/em] out of the box. The tracks themselves are..
Namco Bandai couldn't resist keeping tradition, announcing a PlayStation Vita version of Ridge Racer would be ready in time for the system's launch at this year's E3
But despite the game's imminent release date (in Japan anyway) Namco Bandai hasn't really shared much official footage of the game. It's rectified that today with an official promo trailer. You'll see vehicles drifting around corners..
We wouldn't be surprised if Sony executive -- and life-long Ridge Racer fan -- Kaz Hirai didn't force Namco to release an entry in its arcade racing series for PlayStation Vita
The build-up to the game has certainly been unusual. Prior to E3 the game didn't even exist, and it seemed likely that series was about to miss out on its first PlayStation platform launch. Then a tech demonstration suddenly..
We remember purchasing our first PlayStation 2 many years ago
For some reason we did so without a memory card. We picked up a Sony branded stick the very next day. In this new age of hard-drives and on-board memory, those memory card worries have become something of a side concern. You get plenty of storage space on a new PS3 to save your games, download some videos and much more. It's not a..
Namco Bandai's pledged support behind Sony's February 22nd Western release for PlayStation Vita
The publisher's planning a trio of games in Europe and North America, including: Ridge Racer, Shinobido 2: Revenge Of Zen and the brilliantly named Touch My Katamari. As with all PlayStation Vita games, the titles will be available digitally or at retail. So thankfully you'll never have to go into a..
Up until today only one publisher had announced the price of their PlayStation Vita software; Square Enix attached a price to Army Corps Of Hell late last month
But the latest issue of Famitsu magazine has published the prices for a variety of PlayStation Vita's most-wanted, including Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Ridge Racer. Nathan Drake's latest adventure will run you ¥5,980 ($78) at retail, with..
Namco Bandai's released the first screenshot of Ridge Racer on PlayStation Vita
The game will be released in time for the system's launch, maintaining an age-old PlayStation tradition. The game promises a new visual style in addition to online multiplayer. The screenshot looks a bit rough, but we're looking forward to seeing the game in motion. [Thanks Andriasang]
A whopping 26 titles will make up PlayStation Vita's launch line-up when it releases December 17th in Japan
That's a lot of content. Titles include: Ridge Racer, Uncharted: Golden Abyss, Hot Shots Golf Next and (obviously) lots, lots more. Sony's announced that a number of the launch titles will be download only. That includes: Little Deviants, Minnato Issho, 3gokushi touchbattle, Project..


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Sonoma City Council strengthens regulations on pot cultivation, dispensaries
With a looming state deadline to enact local regulations on marijuana, Sonoma city officials strengthened their ban on pot dispensaries, delivery services and cultivation.
Council members Monday night unanimously approved a resolution that asserts the city’s existing prohibition on marijuana, this time specifically spelling it out in its regulations. The decision comes at the heels of the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act, which Gov. Jerry Brown signed in October.
The law calls for state licensing of pot growers, manufacturers and dispensaries. However, it also gives cities and counties control over marijuana cultivation permits, as long as they impose local regulations by the March 1 cutoff.
“It’s clarifying what is already in the books,” City Manager Carol Giovanatto said about the resolution council members approved Monday. “It’s not changing anything.”
Growing, delivering and dispensing cannabis always has been prohibited in town, she said. Sonoma doesn’t have a single dispensary, Giovanatto added.
While growing and selling medical marijuana are not listed as “banned,” she said the city has always considered any activity prohibited if it is not mentioned in the development code as a permitted use.
The League of California Cities urged municipalities like Sonoma with “permissive zoning regulations” to clearly state whether or not the city allows dispensaries and the growth of marijuana for personal and commercial use ahead of the state deadline, Giovanatto said. That ensures the municipalities maintain local control on marijuana cultivation.
“All we’re doing is protecting our local authority from the state,” Councilman David Cook said in a phone interview on Tuesday. “The laws are changing. I just want the city of Sonoma to have a voice in what’s going on within its borders.”
While he and the rest of the council members voted to strengthen the regulations, they weren’t ready to shut the door on the issue. They promised to bring back for future discussion marijuana delivery and dispensaries, which previous council members attempted to allow six years ago but failed after they couldn’t garner enough votes.
Last year, 18 dispensaries in Sonoma County sold nearly $31 million in marijuana-related products and paid $2.6 million in taxes, according to the state Board of Equalization, which collects retail sales data.
“This is a cottage industry for a lot of people,” Mayor Laurie Gallian said during Monday’s meeting. “I’m open to this conversation.”
You can reach Staff Writer Eloísa Ruano González at 521-5458 or firstname.lastname@example.org. On Twitter @eloisanews.


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US consumers remain wary of using mobile payment services from the likes of Google, Visa and Square due to concerns over what personal information their phones could tell retailers. According to a Nokia-funded survey carried out by the University of California, 74% of US internet users have no plans to start using their mobile device to make payments, with privacy continuing to be the main barrier to adoption. Some 96% of respondents claim that they are against any system that could use their mobile device to track them in-store, with 81% objecting to sharing personal information, such as their phone number or home address, with a retailer via a mobile payment. The report is just the latest indication that mobile payments may take longer than expected to enter the mainstream despite firms ranging from banks to mobile operators to credit card providers making a big push into the space.
Booking travel arrangements online has never been faster, cheaper, or more convenient for consumers. The rise of smartphones in particular has resulted in an uplift in last minute bookings, and with the younger generation driving the digital shift, travel operators need to deploy mobile-first experiences, or run the risk of being left behind.
New research by UN-based Better Than Cash Alliance show that Alipay and WeChat Pay enabled a total of $2.9 trillion in digital payments in China last year.
The Second Payment Services Directive (PSD2) is a payments regulation in Europe, which is set to drastically impact the infrastructure for banks, fintechs and businesses using payments data by opening up access to third party providers.
For e-commerce marketplaces, user experience has long been a prime focus. From aesthetic quality to ease of use, UX plays a major role in determining whether consumers stick with the platform long-term or abandon it in favor of a competitor.