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From Louis Vuitton’s much-hyped collaboration with Supreme to the Thrasher tees spotted on virtually every off-duty model, there’s no doubt that skateboard culture has infiltrated high fashion. One brand that’s long had a foot in both worlds is Vans, a 52-year-old company that’s been an inspiration to both skaters and designers such as Phoebe Philo since its early days of selling made-to-order shoes out of a storefront in Anaheim, Calif.
Earlier this month, the brand brought its House of Vans (HOV) pop-up store to Calgary for the first time. Vans has held pop-ups in two different Toronto locations in the past, and has four permanent HOV locations in the United States, the United Kingdom and Asia. Located in the Big Four Building on the city’s famous Calgary Stampede grounds, this iteration of HOV was fully immersive, with a focus on supporting Calgary’s creative community. Guests took skateboarding lessons (with some specifically designed for women and girls), viewed a curated selection of local art and attended concerts from local bands, as well as U.S.-based headliners Sheer Mag and DIIV, all with free admission. There was also a community market of local vendors offering clothing, food and beverages, home décor, artwork, vinyl records and even tattoos.
“The idea behind House of Vans is actually the physical space where we activate our brand. We have music, art, action sports, street culture – all under one roof,” explains Alex Auchu, marketing manager at Vans Canada. “What we’re all about is really fuelling the creative, whether it’s skate or whether it’s art. We’re inspired by it.”
With everything going on at the Big Four Building, one notable absence was any Vans product for sale. The brand doesn’t measure the success of HOV through sales, but rather considers it a long-term investment in forging a connection with its community. “If the skate industry is healthy, then our brand is healthy,” says Auchu.
Annie Guglia is a Montreal-based X Games professional athlete who travelled to Calgary to take part in the HOV events. As part of Vans’s Get On Board program, which offers dedicated workshops and lessons for women, the 27-year-old considers herself a role model for the next generation of skaters, especially girls. Over the weekend she spent as much time as possible at the skate park to demonstrate that women have a place in the sport. “A lot of girls are into the fashion of skateboarding, like the typical Thrasher hoodie, and they want to try to skate but they’re just too shy to actually learn it,” says Guglia. “And that’s what I like. I like to get them on boards so they can actually skateboard and enjoy it.”
That intersection of sport, street-inspired fashion and creative expression is what continues to give skating its cool factor decades after it was founded. “It’s a subculture,” says Auchu. “And I don’t think it will ever lose its cool because it’s such a creative thing to do.”
Caitlin Agnew traveled to Calgary as a guest of Vans. The company did not review or approve this story prior to publication.
Two hot collaborations are launching this week. On April 19, Uniqlo will release its second collection with London-based fashion brand JW Anderson. Inspired by Britain’s Brighton Beach, the unisex collection celebrates the location’s 1950s heyday. And on April 20, Lacoste will launch its partnership with Supreme, a collection inspired by archival Lacoste pieces from the 1980s and ’90s, available in Canada online through lacoste.com.
Holt Renfrew has partnered with #KnotOnMyPlanet, a charitable campaign in support of the Elephant Crisis Fund, and ethical Canadian brand Kotn to create an exclusive collection of T-shirts. Featuring an illustration by artist Melody Hansen, the T-shirts are available now with 100 per cent of profits to be donated to the Elephant Crisis Fund. For more information, visit holtrenfrew.com.
Fashion Revolution Week (FRW) is taking place around the world April 23 to 29. Held annually on the anniversary of the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Bangladesh, FRW aims to engage consumers online and at community events to challenge people and organizations to change the way clothes are sourced, produced and consumed. For more information visit fashionrevolution.org/canada.


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By Lauren Shores
Keeping up in the retail business is tricky. As social media erupts, the marketplace is changing and retailers need to stay on top of cutting-edge techniques to reach consumers.
“We’re proud of having one of the few brands that people tattoo on their skin,” joked Jack Tretton, CEO of Sony PlayStation.Tretton was among the participants at the 17th annual Global Retailing Conference April 11 and 12 put on by the University of Arizona’s Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing. It took place at Loews Ventana Canyon.
Sony PlayStation is best known for its namesake gaming system, but the systems also run content from Hulu and Netflix which has helped pioneer the streaming movement. PlayStation has more than 110 million online accounts and reaches 1 billion consumers worldwide, according to Tretton. But that success has come through significantly altering their retail strategies over the years.

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UM Motorcycles inaugurates new showroom in Mumbai
UM Motorcycles has inaugurated its first showroom in Mumbai. The new Western UM outlet is located at 7/8 Borkar compound, on western express highway, near Magathane in Borivali East. With the opening of this showroom, UM Motorcycles now has five dealerships across India.
Apart from selling motorcycles the dealership will be offering service as well. Western UM is spread over an area of around 2,900 sq. ft. In an official release, the company has stated that customers will receive best-in-class sales and after-sales experience.
Commenting on this occasion, Rajeev Mishra, director of UM International, said, "We are proud to inaugurate our fifth Indian dealership. This is our first showroom in Mumbai. This is an important milestone for us in our extensive dealership network rollout programme which is currently underway at UM Motorcycles, India. This new dealership in Borivali will allow us to meet the demands of our rapidly growing customers and will set a new benchmark for service and support making buying and owning an UM Motorcycle a truly enjoyable experience. The new UM Motorcycle dealership will provide the prospective customers of UM Motorcycles a venue to know our products up close and personal."
At the 2016 Auto Expo, UM Motorcycles had launched three Renegade motorcycles starting at Rs 1.49 lakh. The Sport S, Commando and Classic Sport are powered by a 279cc single cylinder water cooled engine which makes 25 PS and 21.8Nm of torque. On all motorcycles, the engine gets mated to a 6-speed transmission. Last month, we finally rode the Renegade Sport S.
Starts Rs 1,71,651
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Shares of Mindtree declined more than 1 percent intraday on November 8 after Pradip Kumar Menon, the chief financial officer (CFO) of the company, had resigned.
Menon tendered his resignation as he would be pursuing career opportunities outside the company, Mindtree said in a press release.
Menon will be relieved from the services of the company from the close of business hours on November 15, it added.
The share touched its 52-week high of Rs 996.50 and its 52-week low of Rs 652.50 on April 25 and July 22 respectively.
Currently, it is trading 29.37 percent below its 52-week high and 7.86 percent above its 52-week low.Get access to India’s fastest growing financial subscriptions service Moneycontrol Pro for as little as Rs 599 for first year. Use the code “GETPRO”. Moneycontrol Pro offers you all the information you need for wealth creation including actionable investment ideas, independent research and insights & analysis For more information, check out the Moneycontrol website or mobile app.
courtsey By – https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/buzzing-stocks/mindtree-share-price-dips-1-post-cfo-resignation_13161281.html


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Prishtina, 21 April 2011 the Minister of Economic Development, Besim Beqaj, highly appreciated the contribution of Mr. Erhard Busek, currently Chair of the Vienna Economic Forum, in supporting Kosovo and its entrepreneurship.
It was a great pleasure for me to have a meeting with a great friend of Kosovo, a friend who kept his doors open to Kosovo at difficult times. I worked in the stability pact with Mr. Busek when Kosovo became member. Now, Mr. Busek, with the Austrian Ambassador and IPAK representative in Vienna, came to review the possibility of a strong, more aggressive, economic involvement of Austria, and possibilities of cooperation in other areas, said Minister Beqaj.
As Chair of the Vienna Economic Forum, which is a regional activity, Mr. Busek strongly lobbies for investments in the South-Eastern Europe, which in reality means a stronger promotion of European economy in South-East Europe, said the Economic Development Minister.
We hope that very soon, a Vienna Economic Forum will be held in Prishtina, and that it will introduce businessmen from Austria and other countries of the region to see our possibilities and potentials, said Minister Beqaj and also said that he informed Mr. Busek on the priority projects of economic development, so that they can promote such priorities in their companies in Austria.
Mr. Busek said that Minister Beqaj, in the past year of Kosovos journey towards economic development has given a valuable contribution and that Kosovo should be proud with him.
I can say that the key condition for economic development is political stability which should prevail in Kosovo. We discussed with the minister on several projects, how they are going and we should do in the future to implement them. We will include Kosovo in the traditional Vienna Economic Forum meeting, but we want to have a Vienna Forum here in Kosovo, and introduce companies from Austria, and other Vienna Forum members, namely from Germany, Turkey, Switzerland, and see what are the possibilities that exist in Kosovo for investments, said Mr. Busek. Reiterating the support given to Kosovo, Mr. Busek said that he was very optimistic progress will be made in a secure pace.


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via Campus Technology “Acceptance of digital texts is way up, especially among users of iPads and other tablets. In fact, according to research released this week, time spent reading texts in digital formats now just about equals the time spent on paper-based texts.
According to the report, released by market research firm Gartner, a full 94 percent of iPad users and users of other tablet devices either prefer reading digital texts (52 percent) or find them as readable as printed texts (42 percent).
Contrasted with that were laptop users, a large portion of whom–47 percent–said they find reading texts on screen more difficult than reading paper. (The next-largest group among laptop users, 33 percent, said the experience was about equal to reading printed texts.)
The report, “Survey Analysis: Consumer Digital Reading Preferences Reveal the Exaggerated Death of Paper,” surveyed more than 1,500 end users in the United States, the UK, Japan, India, Italy, and China in the fourth quarter of 2010. It found that the amount of time spent reading digital texts now nearly equals time spent reading printed materials.” [Continue Reading at Campus Technology]


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The 'Saving Mr. Banks' actor welcomes a baby girl with his fashion designer wife, three years after welcoming their first daughter Marlowe.
Congratulations are in order for "Saving Mr. Banks" actor Jason Schwartzman and his fashion designer wife Brady Cunningham. A source confirms to Us Weekly that Brady has given birth to a baby girl, their second child together.
The couple is already parents to a 3-year-old daughter. "Marlowe is super excited about becoming a big sister," a source said when it was announced last December that they were expecting a second a child. "They are thrilled to be adding to the family."
Jason Schwartzman, 33, and Brady Cunningham got married in July 2009. "I read a book that said you're supposed to do that -- it's called The Baby Whisperer," he once said. "You're supposed to take the baby around and be like, 'This is the bathroom. And this is the living room.' "


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Girard Sharp lawyers investigate potential violations of state and federal law on behalf of plaintiffs, often in parallel with investigations and enforcement actions conducted by federal regulators and state attorneys general. These cases are currently under investigation by Girard Sharp lawyers.
Girard Sharp is investigating potential violations of federal and state law by UBS following a confirmed SEC investigation into the sales, marketing, and management of the UBS “Yield Enhancement Strategy” (“YES”).
Girard Sharp is investigating Frontier Airlines following reports that the company unlawfully denied refunds to customers whose flights were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Girard Sharp is investigating allegations that Rolling Loud is wrongfully withholding ticket refunds for music festivals cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Girard Sharp is investigating recent reports that TikTok may have violated the privacy rights of minors who use the app, infringing the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA).
Girard Sharp is investigating claims that people have received telemarketing robocalls about H&R Block products, such as the “Emerald Advance Line of Credit,” without their consent. These calls and similar text messages may violate federal law.
Our public protection attorneys are investigating reports that Seagate and Western Digital are misstating the performance speeds of certain hard drives.
Girard Sharp is investigating reports that companies providing in-home health care services may have illegally agreed not to solicit or hire each other’s workers in order to suppress wages. If you are a home health care worker, such an agreement may entitle you to compensatory damages.
Girard Sharp is investigating reports that some universities and private schools have refused to refund room and board or fees for services unavailable to their students during coronavirus-related shutdowns.
Girard Sharp is investigating reports that passengers and crewmembers on Carnival cruise ships were exposed to COVID-19 because the company may have taken inadequate steps to protect against infection despite knowing of infected people on its vessels.
Girard Sharp is investigating reports that nursing home residents have been exposed to COVID-19 because administrators at the homes may have taken inadequate steps to protect against infection.
Girard Sharp is investigating reports that insurance companies are refusing to provide coverage for insured losses that businesses have sustained due to interruptions caused by COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders.
Girard Sharp is investigating reports that British Airways unlawfully hid the refund button on its website, forcing customers who had to cancel flights because of the COVID-19 pandemic to settle for vouchers instead of refunds.
Girard Sharp is investigating potential violations of state and federal law by Luckin Coffee Inc (NASDAQ: LK) following reports of fabricated sales deals.
Girard Sharp is investigating potential violations of state and federal law by Tivity Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: TVTY) in connection with its March 2019 acquisition of Nutrisystem, Inc.
The investigation centers on potential misrepresentations and omissions by Tivity Health regarding operational challenges the company reportedly faced after the Nutrisystem acquisition—a transaction valued at approximately $1.3 billion.
Girard Sharp is investigating a potential class action following reports that the screens on Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 models are prone to developing cracks.
If you have a Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 model that developed cracks on the screen, you may have a claim for relief. Protect your rights by speaking with a Girard Sharp consumer protection attorney—call us toll-free at 866-981-4800 or submit your information below:
Our consumer finance lawyers are investigating California mortgage lenders for their administration of mortgage escrow accounts and if they have avoided paying interest on them, which is in violation of state law.
Our consumer protection lawyers are investigating potential violations of federal law by Samsung regarding the company’s advertising about its so-called “QLED” and “8K” television sets. According to recent reports, Samsung’s televisions are alleged to be neither true QLED nor true 8K, and its marketing claims suggesting otherwise are misleading and deceptive.
Girard Sharp is investigating potential violations of state and federal law by Conagra in connection with its October 2018 acquisition of Pinnacle Foods. The investigation centers on potential misrepresentations and omissions by Conagra concerning the strength of several of Pinnacle’s brands. The transaction was valued at approximately $10.9 billion.
Girard Sharp is investigating potential violations of state and federal law by WeWork and its prime investor, Japan’s SoftBank, following the recent buyout of ousted CEO Adam Neumann, and the cancellation of WeWork’s IPO. According to reports, the failed IPO caused WeWork to sustain a significant drop in value.
Girard Sharp is investigating claims stemming from recent reports that JUUL has violated federal law by marketing tobacco products to minors and manipulating their nicotine products to maximize addiction.
Girard Sharp is investigating reports regarding a freezer malfunction at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The malfunction allegedly destroyed stored blood stem cells for 56 patients, some of whom are fighting cancer. If you or a member of your family has been affected by the reported freezer malfunction, you may have a claim for relief.
Girard Sharp is investigating reports that Maxar Technologies may have violated state and federal law by making false and misleading statements regarding the company’s business, operational and compliance policies.
Maxar is alleged to have improperly inflated the value of its intangible assets, among other accounting improprieties.
Girard Sharp is investigating reports that certain Allergan BIOCELL© breast implants may cause anaplastic large cell lymphoma (“BIA-ALCL”), a cancer of the immune system.
The FDA sought a worldwide recall of BIOCELL© implants in July 2019.
Girard Sharp is investigating allegations that DXC Technology Corporation may have violated federal law by making false and misleading statements and omissions about the purported success of its “strategic roadmap” after it merged with Computer Sciences Corporation. If you are a current or former shareholder of DXC Technology Corporation (NYSE Ticker: DXC), you may be entitled to compensation.
Girard Sharp is investigating claims of a global conspiracy among manufacturers to fix prices of and allocate market shares for a key hard disk drive (HDD) component. If you purchased a hard disk drive in the United States between May 2008 through April 2016, you may have a claim for relief.
Our investment fraud lawyers are investigating potential legal claims arising from recent reports that Care.com failed to conduct background checks on prospective caregivers, including some who reportedly had police records for crimes committed against people in their care.
Girard Sharp is investigating reports that consumers have received unsolicited text messages from retailers who use the Square Reader, a device—usually white—attached to smartphones or tablets that customers run their credit cards through during the checkout process.
Our investment fraud lawyers are investigating potential legal claims arising from recent reports that CannTrust Holdings may have operated a cannabis facility without proper licensure. On news of the licensing issues and government scrutiny, the trading price of CannTrust’s stock (NYSE Ticker: CTST) declined substantially.


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FT hires Indvik of Vogue Business
The Financial Times has hired Lauren Indvik as fashion editor.
Indvik will oversee the FT’s coverage of fashion and style. She will also curate the Business of Luxury Summit, an annual event that brings together some of the biggest names in global luxury and fashion.
Indvik succeeds and will work closely with Jo Ellison, the newly appointed editor of How to Spend It, and report to Alec Russell, editor of FT Weekend.
Indvik joins the FT from Condé Nast, where she served as chief editor for Vogue Business, a flagship B2B title she developed and co-launched in London earlier this year. She has held several senior editorial roles at Vogue International. Indvik is a former editor-in-chief of Fashionista and started her career at Mashable and TheStreet.com in New York.
FT Weekend editor Alec Russell said: “I am delighted that Lauren is joining us as fashion editor. She has a global perspective on the industry, a record of inspiring digital change and will bring sharp business acumen to the role. Our fashion and lifestyle coverage will flourish under her leadership.”


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The United States Polo Association’s (USPA) official brand, US Polo Assn, has expanded its global presence by opening its first Brazilian store.
Located at Morumbi Mall in São Paulo, the flagship store was opened in partnership with US Polo Assn’s Brazil licensee, Alpar do Brasil.
The 1,000ft² store incorporates a ‘classic contemporary’ store design concept, with coordinated colour collections and designs that aim to emphasise the relationship between the brand and the sport of polo.
The store will offer up-to-date men’s and women’s sportswear collections, with a focus on colourful polo shirts and US Polo Assn’s standard red, white and blue colours among others.
In addition, the store will showcase The Fall Winter 2022 Collection, divided into three capsules with a focus on key seasonal trends.
The brand will host an official opening ceremony for the store on 28 April.
USPA Global Licensing president and CEO Michael Prince said: “We have been eager to expand our global brick-and-mortar strategy in Brazil.
“We are thrilled to partner with Alpar do Brasil, an outstanding leader in the retail industry in this country.
“We look forward to building and developing our partnership in the coming years with more stores and a strong digital presence.”
Alpar do Brasil CEO Marcus Vinicius Conte said: “The country of Brazil is favourable to production, sales, technology, increase in jobs and productivity, both for the textile and clothing sectors.
“We know that the Brazilian market will love what this partnership has to offer, both in-store and online.”
US Polo Assn offers its products through around 1,200 retail stores, department stores, sporting goods channels, independent retailers and e-commerce outlets in 194 countries.
The brand has revealed plans to expand its footprint in Brazil, with more than 60 stores expected to open in the country in the next five years.
It will also launch an e-commerce website in Brazil this month.


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As the bi-annual cycle of global fashion weeks churns into life once more for the Fall/Winter 2016 season with the start of New York Fashion Week today, debate surrounding the current format of the fashion week begins anew. The top four global fashion cities, New York, London, Milan and Paris, owe much of their ongoing reputations thanks to their successful fashion weeks. But it is the Big Apple, aka New York City, which has been highlighted as the holy grail of fashion week for both designers and the city itself, as it generates the highest income of all, singing to the tune of 513.5 million euros made per event - more than the US Open and the NYC Marathon.
NYFW is followed by the home of the Big Ben, London, whose bi-annual fashion week generates 322.1 million euros and Berlin Fashion Week, with a modest income of 73.3 million euros - which is more than its more famous fashion hub counterparts, namely Paris and Milan. However, hosting a fashion week is no mean feat, and in order to stay on top of the fashion wheel many cities in turn invest millions dollars, euros and pounds in capital, subsidies and licensees to support the fashion week structure. The question asked is what does a city really gain from hosting a fashion week? How beneficial financially is it for a city to hold a fashion event twice a year? FashionUnited takes a closer look.
New York City: the holy grail of Fashion Week
According to a report published by the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) last September, New York Fashion Week, the semi-annual event generates close to 900 million US dollars in revenue each year. But is this a higher amount than it’s British or French counterpart? In order to calculate the exact costs and income per city per fashion week, FashionUnited took the following into consideration: the number of visitors each fashion week brings to the city; the average income per visitor per fashion week; local hotel and food costs; sales taxes; applicable tourist fees, as well as corporate taxes.
Based on FashionUnited’s calculations, New York Fashion Week comes out on top in terms of income per City, local businesses as well as highest visitor Spend. The semi-annual event brings in approximately 150,000 unique visitors per season, FashionUnited calculated that local venues, which are rented out to host catwalk shows and presentations earn a total income of 180 million euros, which is estimated to be 35 percent of the total income. Of course, the city of New York benefits as well from venue rentals, with general sales tax, food tax and service tax in the city sitting at 8.5 percent. This means that City of New York earns 15.3 million euros in sales tax on venues - not to bad at all.
Dining out in New York can be pricey, and local restaurants benefit from the extra visitor numbers eating out during NYFW - with approximately 890.5 euros being spent on average per visitor bringing in a total income of 133.5 million euros, based on Numbeo, the global food price index. However, sales tax on food in New York is 8.5 percent; therefore the City of New York earns 11.35 million euros in sales tax on restaurants. Retail stores also enjoy a boost during fashion week, which brings in an additional total income of close to 108 million euros, with an estimate of 719 euros being spent per visitors.
Naturally, the City also benefits from sales tax, seeing a boost of 8.3 million euros. Hotels and accommodation in the area also benefit from the extra influx of external visitors during NYFW, who generate another 92.5 million euros thanks to the influx of outside visitors, with the city of NY seeing close to 14 million euros in income due to sales and tourist tax, which is 2 US dollars per room per night. Then the city additionally earns company tax on the profits of local businesses. The effective tax rate in New York is 23 percent and with a total of 41 million euros of profits being generated by NYFW, the City will earn another 9.5 million euros. So, from the total income generated of 513.7 million euros, local businesses financial gain from New York Fashion Week is 456.2 million euros and the City’s income is 57.5 million euros, with the average spend per visitor sitting at 2,226 euros.
Taking a closer look at the second most profitable fashion event, London Fashion Week, which attracts an average of 105,000 unique visitors per event, FashionUnited calculated that local venues benefit from a total income of 88.6 million euros per event, with the city of London taking a slice of the income in the form of sales tax of 17.5 percent, and therefore generating an income of 15.5 million euros. Local restaurants in London also profit from the influx of visitors brought on during LFW, with each visitor spending an average of 871.5 euros per fashion week on dining out, which totals an overall income of 91.5 million euros.
Sales taxes for food in London is the same for every item and service mention, therefore the City of London benefits from an income of 16 million euros. Retail stores also bring in an additional income of 75.5 million euros per event, with 719 euros spent per visitor, which in turns brings in 13.2 million euros for the City. Then hotels and accommodation, which cost visitors on average 634 euros per fashion week, bring in a total income of 66.5 million euros, with the City seeing an income of 11.6 million euros. London, unlike New York does not charge addition tourist tax, so the city does not receive additional income in that respect.
However London does earn additional company tax on the profits of local businesses, with the effective tax rate sitting at 23 percent which means from the approximately 26 million euros of profits raised in relation to LFW, the City will earn another 6 million euros. This brings the total income of London Fashion Week to 322.1 million euros, the local business income to 259.6 million euros and the City income to 56.3 million euros, with the average amount of spent per visitor coming to 2,225 euros. This means that it nearly as expensive for outside visitors to attend London Fashion Week as it is New York Fashion Week.
Based on FashionUnited’s calculations, Paris and Milan, which see a City income of 11.6 million euros and 11.2 millions euros respectively, they benefit much less financially, in comparison to New York and London. This is in part attributed to the difference in unique visitor numbers, as well as local expenses 0 although visitors attending Milan Fashion Week spend on average more than those attending Berlin and São Paulo Fashion Week, the Milan benefits less financially overall than these two, lesser known fashion weeks. This suggests that hosting an bi-annual fashion week may not always be as financially benefitting for every city as meets the eye.


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Executives Tony Bates and Tami Reller will be leaving the software giant, and Mark Penn, creator of the "Scroogled" ad campaign, will now be chief strategy officer.
Headed for the exit, according to Recode, are Tony Bates, who oversees business development, and Tami Reller, head of marketing for the software maker.
There's a serious disturbance in the Force on the set of "Downton Abbey," and this time, it's not just another one of Lady Edith's moods.
Experts believe controversial, political crowdfunding campaigns show no signs of slowing down.
For a monthly fee, Adobe hopes to bring us the less-paper office.
A college friend of Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht testifies against him during the trial's second week.
The Aurduboy Ö smart ring could be coming soon to a finger near you with scrolling Elvish graphics, email alerts and timekeeping capabilities.
The Next Glass app claims to have isolated the tastes of alcoholic beverages and will tell you how much you'll like them -- or not.
The company has notified customers of criminal "intrusion" of its network. Albertsons stores, among others previously owned by Supervalu, are also affected in a related breach.
The release of a handbook purportedly given to customer-retention agents reveals an intense series of steps to stop customers from leaving.


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AT&T is reportedly targeting a price between $16 and $17 for its new WarnerMedia streaming service, but will bulk it out with a vast amount of content and may in future offer a premium option that includes sports.
The information on this comes from a new report out of the Wall Street Journal which credits "people familiar with the matter" for the details.
This is a fairly narrow pricing widow considering it is not confirmed which likely means that if it is correct users can expect to pay either $16 or 17 for access to the upcoming service.
Considering this is a direct-to-consumer option representing the content from just one company, the price suggested is fairly high. However, AT&T has already made it clear that it is taking a 'more of everything' approach with this service and intends to make sure consumers see the value that's on offer with a higher-priced subscription.
On that note, the same unnamed sources said AT&T plans to bulk out the service with not only HBO, but also Cinemax.
For reference, HBO on its own already costs $14.99 per month and those who also subscribe to Cinemax as an add-on to their existing TV package are likely paying around $9.99 per month. Therefore, just those two subscriptions alone are probably costing subscribers around $25 today.
If the details are correct, AT&T will offer the same access to both services for almost $10 less. This is in addition to also providing access to the rest of the content AT&T picked up during its Time Warner acquisition.
All of this content would make the WarnerMedia streaming service a very simple proposition for consumers – you pay more compared to other services, but you get more and for significantly less than what you would pay if you were to pay for the same services separately.
One of the real issues AT&T is facing with this all-in pricing structure, however, is the existing HBO contracts.
A number of HBO subscribers do subscribe to the service through third-party distributors and it seems unlikely they will be able to offer the same product in the same way if AT&T does launch its direct-to-consumer solution with so much added value for just a few dollars more.
The same sources in this latest report state AT&T is planning to enter some complex talks with those partner distributors over this issue and is toying with the idea of either offering them a way to sell the new service and generate affiliate revenue through those sales, or offer HBO at a cheaper price to begin with – a price which would make it more comparable to its price based on the $16/17 package value.
Other than these points, the report reiterates the service is due to launch in the third quarter of this year. This will be a beta launch at first as the service is not expected to enter a fully consumer ready state until the end of the first quarter in 2020.
Likewise, AT&T and WarnerMedia are also expected to launch an ad-supported version of the service next year which would drive the cost down even further for those looking for a cheaper entry price.


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Disclaimer: This is a collation of third party sources about topics connected to veganism. Some of the links are not to the original sources; we are sharing them to help journalists or researchers with their research and because they may form a helpful starting point.
Families and children
- In 2022, The Vegan Society published a report called Vegan Food for Children: Parents show support for plant-based provisions. The report showcased new research that found that 69% of UK parents and guardians surveyed support schools increasing the number of nutritionally balanced vegan food options on offer. 46% said they would support schools offering meat alternatives and 42% said they’d welcome more cheese alternatives.
- In 2021, research by BBC Good Food found that 8% of children in the UK aged 5-16 were following a vegan diet and a further 15% said they would like to. Source
- Since January 2021, vegan pupils have registered over 1,200 schools to receive packs from Vegan-Inclusive Education. Source
- A 2021 study by Vegan-Inclusive Education, which included 252 vegan pupils, found that 54% said they had experienced no vegan school meal option, 72% reported being teased for their ethical beliefs and 85% felt discriminated against because of their beliefs. Source
- A 2021 study by Quorn found that 60% of parents in the UK believe diets will need to change in the future to protect the environment. Source
- In 2021, the BDA’s Maternal & Fertility Nutrition Specialist Group developed a campaign working towards a commitment from market leaders that all staple alternative products sold in the UK are fortified with iodine equivalent to the amounts available in cows’ milk. Source
- YouGov research in 2020 found that the majority (67%) of people surveyed would be supportive of their child going vegan, just 8% would not let them and 25% did not know. 16% said they would allow their children to live vegan aged 10 years or younger, whilst 26% said they would allow this from age 16 or older. Source
- In 2020, a survey of 5,342 parents and guardians across the UK found the third most prevalent parenting trend to be plant-based diets (43%). Plus, the climate crisis was the second most prevalent concern (73%). Source
- In 2020, Leeds City Council announced that 182 schools would serve vegan and ‘meat-free' meals twice a week, in an effort to halve the region's carbon footprint. The scheme follows a survey which found 95% (84 out of 88) children would “not object” to having one meat-free day a week. Source
- Research from 2019 by Linda McCartney Foods found that 70% of British children want to see more vegan and veggie meals on their school menu. The main motivations include being ‘kinder to animals’ (44%), fear for the environment (31%) and being healthier (29%). Source
- In 2019, a YouGov survey found that 29% of 11-18 year old meat-eaters want to reduce their meat consumption but they are not finding this easy to do. 27% said there aren't enough plant-based options in canteens and 17% believe there is a lot of advertising for fast food with meat in. Source
- In 2019, The Vegan Society launched the Play Fair with Plant Milk campaign, which centers on the inclusion of fortified plant milk in nutritional public health initiatives for children. In February 2021, the Scottish Government agreed to include vegan alternatives on a government-funded nursery and early learning milk scheme. Source
- In 2018, The Vegan Society launched the Catering for Everyone campaign, which helps to get more and better vegan options in schools and universities as well as other institutions.
- In 2018, a VoucherCodesPro study of 2,177 parents of children aged 0-12 in the UK found 8% said they are raising their children with vegan diets. Source


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Beximco Pharmaceuticals has commenced the export of their third product Methocarbamol (500mg and 700mg) to the US market. A subsidiary of Beximco Group, it is the largest private business group in Bangladesh. The foundation of this Group was laid by two brothers – ASF Rahman and Salman F Rahman.
Beximco Pharmaceuticals is the largest exporter of pharmaceuticals in Bangladesh. It manufactures and sells generic pharmaceutical formulation products, active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and intravenous (IV) fluids.
The subsidiary also has contract manufacturing agreements with global pharmaceutical firms. At present, it has a global footprint in over 50 countries. Moreover, the company has been recognized by some of the leading global regulatory authorities, including the US FDA, Health Canada, AGES (EU), TGA (Australia), GCC (Gulf) and TFDA (Taiwan).
On April 21, 2018, the company delivered its first consignment of Methocarbamol to the world’s largest pharma market. The first product exported from the company was Carvedilol in August 2016, while the other one was Sotalol in November 2017. The decision to launch the third product was taken after the success of these two products.
The latest product that Beximco Pharmaceuticals has decided to export, Methocarbamol, is generic equivalent to muscle relaxant drug Robaxin from Auxilium Pharmaceuticals. The US market for Methocarbamol is currently valued at $23.37 million, according to IQVIA market data.
Nazmul Hassan MP, Managing Director at Beximco Pharma, expressed his thoughts on the occasion. He stated, “The export of our third product to the US further builds our presence in the world’s largest pharmaceutical market. We continue to focus on growing our portfolio in the US, which we believe will be a major export market for Beximco Pharma in the coming years.”
“We remain focused on our strategic goal to bring high quality, differentiated products to both developed and key emerging markets to create value for our customers and shareholders,” he added.
In June 2015, Beximco Pharma received its manufacturing site approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Following that, the company remains the only Bangladeshi pharmaceutical company to export medicine to the US market thus improving the stance of the company in international markets.


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The latest technology in Sleep Apnea treatment is the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (or CPAP) device. It is estimated that only 2,000 new CPAP devices were installed in 2011. This compares to the estimated more than 18.0 million people that the Sleep Apnea Foundation estimates suffer from Sleep Apnea.
The biggest obstacle to treatment is simply that patients do not use the CPAP device regularly. The goal of Sanomedics is to provide patients with access to in-home licensed care practitioners who
specialize in treating respiratory patients. These practitioners will customize the device to fit comfortably on the patient.
SIMH is an early stage medical technology incubator for disruptive and game changing ideas – a place where physicians, entrepreneurs, companies and investors work together to drive innovative technologies through concept, development, and ultimately commercialization.
We rapidly transform accepted concepts into promising new products by providing an incomparable combination of leadership, an experienced, multi-disciplinary team, state-of-the-art engineering and manufacturing relationships supported by an extensive physician network. SIMH is comprised of veteran medical device entrepreneurs and physicians with real world experience—and success—in developing best in class medical device products.
-from the website
None of the products currently available in Argentina utilize our unique and proprietary chemical compounds, which contain antimicrobial agents and compounds to fight the invertebrate iridescent virus, and its interaction with the Nosema fungus, components to contrast the side effects of neonicotinoids used in pesticides. In addition, the current accepted practice advocated by associations of entomologists and apiarists and cooperatives of beekeepers is to avoid the use of antibiotics in treating bees and CCD-related problems. The BeesFree proprietary chemical compound does not contain antibiotics and also yields a high concentration of isoleucine, an amino acid commonly used by Argentine beekeepers to nourish their bees colonies.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Feb. 16, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BeesFree, Inc. (OTCBB:BEES.OB - News) today announced that the Company has filed a Technology Patent with Argentinean authorities regarding its innovative technology which aims to mitigate the effects of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) and potentially serve as a cure to CCD.
More and more frequently, Honeybees have been mysteriously disappearing across the planet and vanishing from their hives. Known as Colony Collapse Disorder or CCD, this phenomenon has created a crisis within in the beekeeping community, a critical industry responsible for a majority of the world's fruit and vegetable production. In fact, commercial honeybee operations pollinate crops that make up one out of every three bites of food on our nation's tables.
BeesFree CEO Mario Sforza stated, "Now that we have formally filed the patent application in Argentina, we are able to ramp up our aggressive marketing and sales programs. The market in the Argentina bee community is quite large and our discussions with local beekeepers have been quite promising. We look forward to introducing our solutions across all of South America beginning with Argentina."
This patent pending technology is designed to work and be effective on a global scale as honeybees' physiology and behavioral patterns are quite similar across different environmental and climatic conditions. BeesFree has previously filed a global patent surrounding this technology, but as Argentina is not a member of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the Company filed for PCT extension with the local Patent Office on February 14, 2012. BeesFree is represented by Laura Berti & CIA, an international law firm located in Buenos Aires that specializes in Intellectual Property Right (IPR) issues.
BeesFree is a unique conglomerate of researchers, beekeepers, businessmen and financiers who leveraged early recognition of a global honeybee problem known as Colony Collapse Disorder into the first known, commercially viable cure for the condition. BeesFree's patent pending formula and delivery system are presently the only products available to combat the phenomenon in a global market whose size measures between $2 and $3 billion. The company's Headquarters are in the US and its corporate laboratories in Rome, Italy. The Company has developed a global marketing strategy currently focused on South America, South Africa, China, India and where its initial product launch will be met with a less restrictive regulatory regime.
About BeesFree, Inc. (OTCBB:BEES.OB - News)
BeesFree is a technology company with global reach, which develops and commercializes innovative solutions for the beekeepers communities on a worldwide scale. For more information, please visit www.beesfree.biz.
The writer notes: "The e-book race between Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Apple, Sony, and Google just got a whole lot messier. Amazon, Apple, Sony, Google, and Barnes & Noble are now neck-deep in the game.... but what's the game, what's the score, and who's taking the lead?..."
The writer notes re: STEM: "Market capitalization currently stands at 144.81M, accompanied by an EPS of -0.18. StemCells Inc. is trading at a price of $1.14 per stock, decreasing by 2.56% since it opened this morning at a price of $1.20. StemCells has shown a pretty steady trend with a few fluctuations int he month of November..."


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The current level of inflation has impacted the home-buying plans of 92% of millennials, and nearly half (47%) say high interest rates are a significant barrier to homeownership, according to a new report from Clever.
Clever’s latest report asked millennials who are planning to purchase a home in the next year about their plans, anxieties, and compromises they’re willing to make.
The report found that 3 in 4 millennials (76%) think market conditions will worsen before they buy a home, with more than 1 in 4 (28%) delaying their search. In addition, two-thirds of millennials (75%) think the housing market is in a bubble that could burst in 2023, ushering in an era of greater affordability.
- A majority of millennials (51%) have been reduced to tears during the home-search process.
- Buyer competition is no longer seen as a barrier to homeownership, indicating a changing market. Just 28% of millennials say it’s an obstacle, compared to 59% in 2022.
- 82% of millennials who own a home have regrets about their purchase. The most common regret among millennial homeowners is that their interest rate is too high (22%).
- Almost two-thirds of millennials (62%) plan to put down less than 20% on a home. Only 34% of millennials did the same in 2022, when they faced stiff competition with other buyers.
- More than half of millennials (54%) have less than $10,000 in savings — a percentage that has tripled since 2022, when only 18% of millennials had that little. About 1 in 5 millennials (20%) have $0 in savings.
- The percentage of millennials who would buy a home sight unseen dropped slightly from 90% in 2022 to 86% in 2023.
- About 65% of millennials would buy a fixer-upper — a sharp decrease from the 82% who said the same in 2022. About 1 in 6 millennial homeowners (16%) who bought a fixer-upper regret it.
- Nearly 1 in 4 millennials (23%) plan to buy a home that costs more than the national median of $455,000, but to afford such expensive homes, 1 in 3 (38%) anticipate having to max out their budget.
- For their dream home, 1 in 7 millennials (14%) would offer $100,000 or more over asking price, a slight decrease from the 1 in 6 respondents (17%) who said the same in 2022.
- Debt remains a looming barrier to homeownership among millennials, with nearly half (46%) owing $10,000 or more.
“Millennial home buyers can’t catch a break. After weathering two economic recessions that delayed their ability to buy a home, they entered one of the most expensive markets in U.S. history,” said Jaime Dunaway-Seale, a content writer at Clever and author of the report. “Fierce demand driven by historically low interest rates and limited inventory caused home prices to soar, and many millennials were priced out of the market or outbid by wealthier buyers.”
Added Dunaway-Seale, “To tame a hot market, the Federal Reserve began raising interest rates in March 2022, but millennials—the perpetual victims of poor timing—found little relief. The central bank’s move successfully dulled the home-buying frenzy of the pandemic market but triggered a host of new headaches.”
For the full report, click here.


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Hikvision UK & Ireland is renowned for hosting a series of well-attended Roadshows twice yearly that brings the company’s technologies and solutions to cities close to security installers and systems integrators across the UK and Ireland.
In October, the Hikvision Roadshows will be “taken to the next level” with the introduction of ‘Hikvision Insight’ – a new series of events designed to educate installers and systems integrators on the latest advances from the security solutions manufacturer.
Visiting seven cities across the UK and Ireland, ‘Hikvision Insight’ 2017 will showcase the latest products and solutions from the company, among them the ultra-low light camera DarkfighterX which produces full colour images 24 hours a day, the all-in-one iVMS station Hikvision Blazer, Hikvision’s video wall technology, thermal technology, ultra HD 4K solutions and the latest in deep learning (including face capture and face comparison technology).
“We’re looking forward to taking Hikvision out on the road again and demonstrating our latest products and solutions,” said Andy Keeley, head of marketing for Hikvision UK and Ireland. “With plenty of new solutions on show including our Deep Learning technology, thermal, 4K and updates to our IP3.0 and Turbo 4.0 ranges, we’re looking forward to giving professional security installers and systems integrators an insight into the future of video surveillance.”
Besides the demonstration area, Hikvision will also be hosting a number of seminars which will educate systems integrators and security installers on the latest technologies on show and how these will benefit their end user customers.
Hikvision will be joined by authorised distributors ADI Global, DVS, Dynamic CCTV, EZCCTV, Mercury, Norbain and RWL as well as technology partners Pyronix, Seagate and Milestone Systems, all of whom will be demonstrating the value they bring to a Hikvision solution.
*To find out more about ‘Hikvision Insight’ and the dates and locations for each event visit www.hikvision.co.uk/insight


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As a car, the all-electric Nissan Leaf has received mostly great reviews. But as a positioning statement, Nissan has, in many marketers' eyes, missed the boat. After some missteps, Nissan may now be on the right path. An ad I pulled from Fast Company recently hits all the right marks.
The debate -- or more accurately criticism -- began last year with a now infamous ad showing a polar bear lugging himself from the Arctic to some guy's suburban driveway to hug him for buying a Leaf. The ad was gorgeous, no doubt, and the YouTube version has been viewed 1.3 million times, which isn't bad. But some green marketing leaders, such as Jacquie Ottman, found it a bit heavy-handed and way too focused on the hyper-green benefits vs. driving experience.
But even before getting to ads, some have pointed out that the name itself is a problem. A "Leaf" doesn't exactly speak to the same part of the male brain that car ads usally target -- the caveman lobe that asks, "How will this car make me sexy and powerful?".
As one ad agency exec with a specialty in green marketing told me, "What guy is going to the pub and saying, 'Hey, I test drove a Leaf'?" As she pointed out, the print ads have focused on images like seals and kelp -- it's basically the worst of green marketing, "like it's packaged in burlap."
Instead, experts suggest that the Leaf should be positioned in a much more exciting way, as the first electric car for the masses and a true innovation. This, Nissan could trumpet, is a new era of mobility.
So skip to the latest print ad, in which Nissan does something new. A fascinating, colorful graphic shows different cars on a spectrum of fuel efficiency. The axis is not, however, miles per gallon, but "miles traveled for one dollar." As the ad says in small print: "comparing miles per gallon is suddenly irrelevant."
The traditional MPG metric has always been really odd: who thinks that way? And the government has had a devil of a time plugging (forgive me) electric cars into their normal rating system. What the heck does miles per gallon mean if you use no gallons?
But showing how far I can go for each dollar I spend? Now that's dead on. This is brilliant marketing, in tight economic times or at any time. Nissan has declared a new metric for a completely new model of transportation. Bravo.
(This post first appeared at Harvard Business Online.)


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Meet Bob Miller
Bob Miller has a knack for turnarounds. In 1999, he took over Rite Aid as chairman and CEO, helping to stabilize the drug store chain at a time when Rite Aid was on the brink of bankruptcy, and many analysts were projecting Rite Aid would fold.
Miller joined Rite Aid soon after building Fred Meyer into a supermarket powerhouse. Kroger acquired the Midwest chain in a $8 billion deal in 1999.
Miller assumed the reigns of Albertson’s LLC in 2006 and has since resurrected that business as well. Miller actually started his retail career at Albertsons, spending 30 years working his way from store manager to EVP retail operations.
Miller has been credited with driving the deal between Supervalu and Cerberus.
Supervalu to focus on ‘right-sizing’ going forward
When Supervalu announced this past summer a review of strategic alternatives, its goals were to improve its business, better position the company for the future and create the best opportunity to deliver shareholder value. This effort has led to the sale of 877 stores to AB Acquistion.
Following the sale, Supervalu will consist of its wholesaler business, which serves 1,950 stores across the country; Save-A-Lot with approximately 1,300 stores across 35 states; and Supervalu’s regional retail food banners Cub, Farm Fresh, Shoppers, Shop ‘n Save and Hornbacher’s.
The new Supervalu will be a $17 billion business comprised mostly of its distribution business (47% of revenues), Save-A-Lot (25%) and 191 regional supermarkets (28%). According to DSN estimates, the chain will generate about $381 million in annual pharmacy sales.
"We had viewed Jewel [which was sold] and Save-A-Lot [which was not] as the most attractive banners. While not deleveraging, the transaction will remove some of the weakest banners, including Shaw’s/Star Market and Albertsons," stated Citi Research analyst Deborah Weinswig in a recent research note.
At the helm of the newly formed Supervalu is former OfficeMax chief Sam Duncan. Duncan, who has more than 40 years of retail experience, served as president and CEO of ShopKo Stores prior to joining OfficeMax. He succeeds Wayne Sales, who served as the company’s president and CEO since July 2012.
Introducing the new Albertsons
When Albertson’s LLC announced last month that its parent company, AB Acquisition, an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, signed an agreement to acquire 877 stores from Supervalu in a deal valued at some $3.3 billion — a move that will reunite all Albertsons stores under one operator — it recast the rankings of the industry’s leading pharmacy retailers.
Following the acquisition, Albertsons and its subsidiaries — which will include the Albertsons, Acme, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s and Star Markets, and related Osco and Sav-on in-store pharmacies — will consist of 1,069 stores and 12 distribution centers, and will employ roughly 110,000 associates.
According toDSNestimates, the New Albertsons will have $21.4 billion in total sales and about $1.8 billion in pharmacy sales.
While Albertson’s LLC has indicated that "it’s too soon to speculate about key initiatives or new developments" that will take place following the closing of the acquisition, what is known is that several industry observers are optimistic about the deal.
"We believe that similar to the last Albertsons’ transaction, that this also is a tremendous asset play for Cerberus," stated Citi Research analyst Deborah Weinswig.
In 2006, the Cerberus-led group acquired more than 650 Albertsons stores — a deal that has proven to be a win, thanks in part to store sales and real estate moves over the years.
"In 2006, we acquired a set of stores that lacked investment and were in tough shape, but … we have grown into a solid regional supermarket chain with growing sales. I believe we can be successful again," stated Albertson’s LLC CEO and retail veteran Bob Miller. In addition to leading the new Albertsons, Miller also will assume the role of nonexecutive chairman of Supervalu.


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After three decades of serving burgers, fries and shakes the McDonald's on Chiswick High Road will close its doors this week.
The fast food chain which is popular retreat for youngsters after school or for a quick bite, will cease trading on Sunday, May 25, more than 30 years after it welcomed its first wave of families through the doors in 1983.
The good news is all jobs have been saved and staff will be relocated to other branches nearby.
The company said the decision was made after "trading patterns" in the area changed.
A McDonald’s spokesperson said: “On the 25th May we will close our High Road, Chiswick restaurant which opened over 30 years ago.
"This is not a decision we have taken lightly but it has become apparent that trading patterns in the area have changed and therefore we have taken the difficult decision to cease trading at this site.
“We are pleased to say that all staff have been offered transfers to neighbouring restaurants and would like to thank all of our customers who have supported the restaurant over the years.”
The nearest stores are the drive thru McDonald's, High Street, Brentford, which was awarded a 'gold' status for its toilets earlier this year , and the McDonald's on the High Street in Acton.


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Western Union opts out of money transfers in Russia
US financial services multinational Western Union will stop money transfers within Russia from April 1. The company announced its decision in a letter sent to partner banks, business newspaper RBC reported on Monday. Western Union said it cannot compete with Russia’s domestic Faster Payment System (FPS) and card transfers from the largest Russian banks, adding that cross-border transactions will still be performed.
“The company is focusing on the development of the traditionally demanded service of international money transfers, and continues to develop a multi-channel platform that allows Western Union partners (banks) to launch transfers abroad for their clients quickly and in compliance with all regulatory requirements,” a company representative told RBC. He refused to disclose data on the volume of internal transfers within the country.
According to the letter, users won’t be able to transfer money within Russia via Western Union from March 31. And then, starting April 1, they won’t be able to receive a payment or get a refund. Those who made a transfer prior to March 31 which was not received by the addressee will be able to get a refund at Russian Post Offices. Also, from March 24, the limit of internal transfers will be reduced to 5,000 rubles (around $66). Domestic transfers currently range from $661 to $7,546 per day.
Western Union is one of the largest players in the cross-border money transfer market. The American company has a legal entity in Russia and is included in the register of the country’s payment system operators. According to data from the Russian central bank, during the first 11 months of 2021 individuals transferred $7.8 billion from Russia via various money transfer systems, including Western Union.
The market for domestic transfers in Russia is dominated by banks, in particular Sberbank. Data shows that in the first nine months of 2021, a total of 8.5 billion transfers worth 42.5 trillion rubles ($562 billion) were made in the country. Banks traditionally set zero commissions for card-to-card transfers within a credit institution, and the Russian FPS, which was launched in 2019, allows people to make such transfers between different banks by phone number without any commission (for amounts up to $1,323 per month). Meanwhile, Western Union takes fees for transfers to bank units and for international transactions. It does not charge commission for transferring to a card or bank account, though.
For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section


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More Power! New MTT Y2K
Los Angeles based Marine Turbine Technologies (MTT) has announced an upgrade to their 320bhp turbine powered MTT Y2K superbike.
It has been reported that the new 2013 MTT Y2K will be fitted with a Rolls-Royce C-20B gas turbine engine, capable of 420bhp.
MTT hope to release the new model in the USA and Europe by mid-2013 as a street legal bike.
The original Y2K was launched in 2000 and powered by a Rolls-Royce Allison Model 250 engine (commonly used in helicopters). Producing 320bhp at 52,000rpm the superbike is able to accelerate from 0-200mph in 5.4 seconds.
Both bikes run on diesel or A1 Jet fuel… if you have any spare.
See marineturbine.com for more information


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Earlier in February, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced tweaks to the electric vehicle rebate programs that make more vehicles eligible for the tax credit. The changes reclassify certain crossover vehicles as SUVs rather than sedans.
Here’s why the change was made and what it means for you.
The Inflation Reduction Act made various changes to the federal EV rebate programs, such as requiring that vehicles be assembled in North America and limiting the rebate to taxpayers below certain income thresholds.
One of the changes allowed only vehicles under certain manufacturer’s suggested retail price thresholds to be eligible:
- SUVs, pickup trucks and vans that have a maximum MSRP of $80,000.
- Other vehicles that have a maximum MSRP of $55,000.
But some crossover vehicles live in a gray area between the two categories. That’s because the Environmental Protection Agency has two separate programs that classify vehicles. One is Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE for short, which regulates average fuel economy for manufacturers. The other is Fuel Economy Labeling, which gives information about fuel economy to consumers.
The EV rebate guidelines previously referred to the CAFE standards, which don’t treat all crossovers as SUVs. This means that vehicles with an MSRP higher than $55,000 weren’t eligible for the rebate, even if some similar vehicles were eligible. Now, the Treasury Department will use the Fuel Economy Labeling standards instead.
Essentially, the changes allow more vehicles to be eligible for tax rebates. Some crossovers – like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Tesla Model Y and Cadillac Lyriq – are now eligible, because they fall under the $80,000 threshold if not the $55,000 threshold.
If you buy one of these cars right now in a trim under $80,000, you’re in luck. You’ll qualify for the rebate when you file your taxes next year. Even better, the changes are retroactive – so if you bought one in January of this year, you’ll also qualify.
If you’re not sure whether your vehicle qualifies for rebates – or if you’re considering a purchase and want to make sure – there are two websites you should visit.
These changes aren’t the only ones coming for the EV rebate program. In March, the federal government plans to announce guidelines about where EV manufacturers can source battery components and critical minerals – regulations that aim to shift more production to North America.
Manufacturers are racing to build plants throughout the U.S. to meet these requirements. But in the interim, these changes are likely to reduce the number of vehicles that qualify for the credit. So, if you’re considering an EV purchase, now may be the time to pounce. And thanks to the recent changes to crossover classification, you now have a few more options if you do.
AAA’s Recommendation: Whether you own an electric vehicle or a gas-powered car is up to you – and you should consider lots of factors in making that choice. No matter what type of vehicle you’re choosing, we recommend visiting a dealership, test driving one, and asking as many questions as possible to make an informed decision.


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(WXYZ) — Home Depot will be hiring 1,500 associates for stores in the metro Detroit area.
The company will be hosting hiring events at several stores in the Detroit area on Wednesday, March 6, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Candidates are encouraged to apply online prior to attending the event, but walk-ins are also welcome during select time.
From sales and cashiers to operations and online order fulfillment, opportunities include both permanent part-time and seasonal positions in the company's stores. College students, retirees and veterans are encouraged to apply.
All interested candidates must apply online at careers.homedepot.com. Select "Learn More," enter your desired location and click "Search Jobs."


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Pat’s Travel Center in La Porte, Texas, got its start in 1980, and has been expanding and changing ever since. “I don’t think we’ll ever stop remodeling,” said Sean Momin, vice president of operations for the location.
He added that Pat’s Travel Center wants to be sure to get the wow factor from its outward appearance but also have the amenities and food offerings to provide an amazing overall customer experience.
Momin joined the company in 2009, but his parents and uncle bought the location in 1980. At that time, it was called Port Auto Truck Stop, and the name stuck for years.
“In 1996, the business was doing well and was expanding due to the ports in Houston, and they realized they were missing the amenities drivers were looking for,” Momin said. “My parents would let drivers borrow their car to pick up food in town. Other employees would drop professional drivers off at hotels and pick them up in the morning to bring them back.”
At that point, his family thought it was a good time to remodel to include the amenities professional drivers needed, and added a restaurant, hotel and maintenance shop. It continued using the name Port Auto Truck Stop.
In 2015, it was time to expand again. “A lot of vendors didn’t pronounce the name correctly,” Momin said, adding that Pat’s became an abbreviation for Port Auto Truck Stop.
Most recently, the location embarked on a three-year remodel. “We didn’t want to shut down our business. We ended up doing the renovations over a three-year period and compartmentalized it,” Momin said.
The renovations started with the restrooms and restaurant. “Then it moved over to the c-store,” Momin said, adding that the c-store renovations wrapped up in August 2020.
Momin said he is most proud of the location’s food offerings. “Before it was quite generic. It wasn’t anything to be excited about,” he said.
Pat’s Travel Center focused on quality as well as speed and went with a hot-plate option. “You get a nice hot meal and can pick and choose what you want. We can make the meal for you, box it up, and hand it to you. You’re getting the restaurant experience but with the speed,” Momin said.
While Momin was proud of the food, Darren Schulte, vice president of membership for NATSO, said the location should also be proud of its staff.
“Sean’s greatest accomplishment as a leader is his people,” Schulte said, adding that the location’s reviews often compliment the employees. “His people are genuinely kind.”
Momin said he has learned that by properly training team members, communicating what they need to do and what is expected of them, they are more receptive. “We don’t leave anyone out in the dark,” he said, adding that he always tries to communicate any changes going on at the site. “My mentality at work is I work for them. I work for my team.”
Those at Pat’s also work to bring joy into team members’ days by celebrating staff’s accomplishments and birthdays. “We just had a staff member get her GED, and we celebrated that with cake and let her know she is appreciated,” Momin said.
To learn more about Pat’s Travel Center, check out NATSO’s podcast, The Truck Stops Here. During the episode, Pat’s Travel Center, the Friendliest Travel Center in Texas, Momin, Schulte and I sat down to discuss all of the changes the location has made.
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As the luxury retail industry in China goes up against a slowing economy and another year of the anti-graft campaign, Greater China’s department stores and shopping malls are continuing to feel the effects of a consumer base increasingly reliant on e-commerce, according to a new CBRE report. The developers and landlords that have made it this far are finding they need to shift their strategy to keep their stores open and tenants happy. Meanwhile, all across the mainland, new shopping malls are being built. And that supply keeps rising.
For example, commercial real estate giant Dalian Wanda recently announced it will continue to push forward with mall expansion this year, even in third- and fourth-tier cities where the developer is halting new construction of offices and residences. The company plans to have nine times as many malls as it does now in the next 10 years, with a likely focus on tourist destinations and theme parks.
However, across the mainland, most of shopping mall supply growth is targeted in suburban areas in first and second-tier cities and in Shanghai and Shenzhen’s urban sprawls, according to CBRE’s Asia Pacific Real Estate Market Outlook 2016. In fact, shopping mall supply will be 45.2 percent higher compared to 2015 in all of Asia, and a large chunk of that excess space is in China.
Developments in Shanghai and Shenzhen lead the growth. Approximately 27 million square feet and 17 million square feet of mall space respectively will be built there over the next two years, four times what it was in 2015. Beijing comes in fourth on the chart, with significantly less supply being built. Next year, new supply growth in China’s capital will be about half of what it is now.
But just because the supply exists doesn’t mean that landlords are going with the same floor plans they have used in the past—at least if they’re playing it smart. According to CBRE, in-store retail sales value growth in China is expected to drop as it faces competition from the thriving and growing mobile e-commerce sector, and oversupply of space may even prompt developers to delay construction time to avoid empty spaces or filling up with low-quality retailers.
Analysts are suggesting landlords and developers need to change their strategies to bring shoppers into the malls, and one way of doing this is finding alternatives for providing entertainment. Many developers are shifting a large portion of their brick-and-mortar supply to this aspect. In some cases, the tenants are proactive in creating an interactive element for the shopping center, as in the case of a Printemps Department Store in Shanghai, which had a five-story slide installed in its shop earlier this year.
Aside from entertainment, CBRE says affordable and niche luxury brands, as well as fast fashion, will do increasingly well in malls, and restaurants will be in such high supply that analysts warn landlords against overdoing it. Malls in Beijing already show signs of doing this, with long-established shopping centers like The Grand Summit now renting much of its space out to independent, local brands, as well as multi-brand shops with a large online presence, while the busy Taikoo Li increasingly fills up with fast-fashion and more niche international high-end brands.


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Earlier this month we told you about an emergency patch Adobe released for Flash. This was to fix a serious problem that could have let hackers take over your system.
Now, we're learning there's a new problem in a component of Adobe Analytics called AppMeasurement for Flash Library. Developers can add this component to their projects to track how many people are viewing videos. Unfortunately, if a certain feature of AppMeasurement is turned on, it opens up users to a serious threat.
Using the flaw, a hacker can steal a user's session cookie. The site will think the hacker is the user and the hacker can do anything they want with the site and user account. On a site that contains your credit card information or other sensitive information, that's a serious problem.
Unfortunately, you can't patch this flaw by updating the software directly. It has to be fixed by website developers.
Fortunately, Adobe has already released a fix and developers are rebuilding the affected Analytics sites. The security researcher who discovered the flaw, Randy Westergren Jr., says he expects most sites to have this patched by the beginning of May.
In the meantime, it's a good idea to only run the software when it's absolutely needed. Learn how to take control of your browser for better security.


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OTTAWA, July 27, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mitel® (Nasdaq:MITL) (TSX:MNW) a global leader in business communications, today announced that it will release its second quarter 2015 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, August 6, 2015.
The company will host an investor conference call and live webcast at 8:30 a.m. ET (5:30 a.m. PT) on the same day. To access the conference call, dial 888-734-0328. Callers outside the US and Canada should dial 678-894-3054. The conference ID is 85780419. A webcast will be accessible on Mitel's investor relations website at http://investor.mitel.com/.
A replay of the conference call will be available through 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday, August 10, 2015. To access the replay, all callers should please dial 404-537-3406 and enter pass code 85780419.
A global market leader in enterprise and mobile communications powering more than 2 billion business connections and 2 billion mobile subscribers every day, Mitel (Nasdaq:MITL) (TSX:MNW) helps businesses and mobile carriers connect, collaborate and provide innovative services to their customers. Our innovation and communications experts serve more than 60 million business users in more than 100 countries, and 130 mobile service providers including 15 of the top 20 mobile carriers in the world. That makes us unique, and the only company able to provide a bridge between enterprise and mobile customers. For more information, go to www.mitel.com and follow us on Twitter @Mitel.
Mitel is the registered trademark of Mitel Networks Corporation.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
CONTACT: Media - Americas Amy MacLeod 613-691-3317 email@example.com Media - EMEA/AP Duncan Miller +44 (0) 1291 612 646 firstname.lastname@example.org Investor Michael McCarthy 469-574-8134, email@example.com Industry Analyst Cynthia Navarro 469-574-8113 firstname.lastname@example.orgNEXT ARTICLE
Collaborations in biotechnology
Commercial and academic collaborations are used throughout the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector to enhance research and product development. Collaborations can take the form of research and evaluation agreements, licensing, partnerships etc. ...


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Work will begin this month on the first element of a major restructuring of the port of Foynes in Co Limerick.
It is part of a €50m investment in transforming the port into one of the biggest bulk harbours in Europe.
Shannon Foynes Port Company will spend €12m on transforming the existing East Jetty area, and reclaiming a 3.45 acre section of the port to create a bigger foreshore area of activity and enable improved bulk discharge times.
The expansion of the port will add an additional 35,000 square metres of additional berthage and create more open quay storage at the port.
It will enable the company to accommodate larger container cargo ships, enabling ships of 40,000 tonne capacity to berth at the new port.
In time it will create capacity for the world's largest cargo vessels of 80,000 tonne capacity to travel and unload at Foynes, making it one of the few ports in Europe capable of handling these massive ships.
These are the types of vessels which currently use the Panama Canal.
The expansion is part of the ambitious Masterplan Vision 2041, which is aimed at transforming the economic potential of the Shannon Estuary, which is the only natural deep water channel in Ireland.
The Shannon Foynes Port company already handles over €6 billion worth of trade a year through its six ports along the estuary.
Announcing the first phase of the plan in Foynes today, Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe said this significant investment programme seeks to double SFPC trade in the next three decades in line with its Masterplan Vision 2041.
This also anticipates that the number of people employed in port activities will increase by 25% over the life of the plan.


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Gold prices have stabilized over 1571 USD/troy per ounce on Monday after falling more than 3% last week, but rising U.S. dollar and fears of deflation raised by the global economic slowdown is expected to limit the gains.
And contributed to fears of inflation continue to rise in the gold of the atheist year in a row in 2011, but investors have become fearful of deflation after reports recently showed signs of a slowdown in global economic activity which is already affected by the debt crisis in Europe.
Traders said the market in the present and who witnessed the limited interest in buying in recent weeks that the global economic slowdown could push the jewelry-makers, investors and speculators to reduce their purchases.
By at 06:29 GMT, gold settled at 59. 1571 dollars an ounce after falling in early trading to around 1567 dollars, which is prompting speculators to take advantage of low prices for the precious metal rises to the highest levels of the session at 1576 dollars, gold has most of its gains this year to settle
And U.S. futures rose gold for August delivery / August 5.80 to $ 70. 1572 dollars an ounce.
Stepped up silver in online transactions 0.07% to 26.86 dollars per ounce, and platinum rose 0.55% to 24. 1435 dollars an ounce, while palladium rose 0.39% to 35. 606 dollars an ounce.


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A new year is almost upon us - but not before Pokémon GO gives us some end of year celebrations!
The Pokémon GO Winter Holiday event runs December 16-31 with a plethora of activities.
Visit the Pokémon GO website for in-depth details and read below for the highlights.
New game feature
A postcard book option will be available, giving trainers the ability to save memories from the locations you and your friends have visited.
GO Battle League - Holiday Cup
The Holiday Cup arrives during Season 10 of the GO Battle League.
This is one of our favorite things about the seasonal events - costumed Pokémon! We've come a long way from one decorated Pikachu. You may encounter up to six different Pokémon with holiday decorations.
Avatar items, stickers and bundles
A new festive outfit will be available for sale in the shop. Holiday themed stickers will appear from PokéStops and gifts as well as be available in the shop. Festive bundles will also be for sale in the shop.
Encounters, raids and field research
A handful of Pokémon will be available in various ways: regular encounters in the wild or in raids as well as rewards for completing field research.
The final Community Day event of the year will be held on December 18 and 19, featuring Pokémon from all of 2021's Community Day events. Additionally, Pokémon from the 2020 Community Day events will be hatching from eggs and showing up in raids.
Pokémon GO debuts
Say hello to Bergmite and Avalugg, making their appearances for the first time in the game.
Your first spin each day from December 23-31 will yield an egg incubator!
Winter Wonderland mini event
Log into the game on December 25 and 26 for ways to encounter the holiday Delibird and Galarian Mr. Mime.
All information and photos courtesy of Pokémon GO.


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The production value of Oregon blueberries in 2007 reached nearly $65 million. Last year, with flat prices, that value was down to $37 million, making it the state’s 19th ranked agricultural commodity. This year, it should bounce back up. With strong local, domestic, and export markets available- and perhaps some new international customers on the way- blueberries should continue to be one of Oregon ag’s better stories.
Blueberries remain the popular superfood in Asia and have been the export mainstays for Oregon agriculture in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China.The health benefits are notorious and the flavor profile fits the Asian palate well.
On the horizon are India and South Korea. Says Amanda Welker, interntional trade manager with the ODA, “If that market would open along with a free trade agreement, it would be a huge boon for Oregon’s blueberry industry.”
India and its enormous population remains intriguing for blueberry growers as well as many other agricultural producers.Indian consumers are just learning about the fruit and its health benefits. This is a very small niche market right now, but has room for exponential growth as the Indian market matures. The benefit for Oregon is the timing of our season. We can offer a fresh fruit in the middle of India’s hot and muggy summers when there is a lack of local fresh fruits in the market place.
The other Asian market that could greatly boost the fortunes of Oregon blueberry growers is South Korea. Both Korea and mainland China restrict imports of fresh blueberries, although processed berries are allowed. Korea is on the verge of opening its doors to fresh berries.
For the U.S., total fresh cultivated blueberry exports in 2009 reached 14,391 metric tons with a value of $64 million. Per capita consumption has increased in recent years not only in North America, but in Europe and Asia largely because of the blueberry health message- especially helpful in dealing with such issues as child obesity and the baby boom generation rapidly moving into retirement years. In the 1990s, a Tufts University study showed blueberries to have higher antioxidant activity than all other fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants neutralize the effects of free radicals- those unstable compound molecules that can attack human cells and damage DNA. Additional studies and reports in the last decade continue to reinforce the berry’s health value.
Prices have strengthened this year compared to 2009. The demand is high, but so should the supply. The transition to warmer weather is heating up the harvest of what could be a record setting crop of blueberries, allowing the industry to keep up with growing demand.
“Barring unforeseen circumstances, we should easily break the 50 million pound mark for production, which would be a new record for Oregon blueberries,” says Bryan Ostlund, administrator of the Oregon Blueberry Commission. “Fortunately, I think we have the markets to support that production.”
Disclaimer: Articles featured on Oregon Report are the creation, responsibility and opinion of the authoring individual or organization which is featured at the top of every article.


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Photo credit: Cindy Ord / Getty
Lil Baby is getting his very own line of Rap Snacks… Well, beverages. That’s right, Lil Baby’s “Oowee Lemonade” will come in five different flavors of Mango Pineapple, Blueberry, Fruit Punch, Strawberry Watermelon and Sweat Tea.
Fresh off the heels of a powerful Grammys performance, we’re excited to announce Rap Snacks first beverage line featuring rap star @lilbaby4PF. The new line will feature five lemonade flavors—with a percentage of the profits benefiting organizations chosen by Lil Baby. #RapSnacks pic.twitter.com/rq3C8F6jyB
— Official Rap Snacks (@RapSnacksNow) March 15, 2021
In a statement, the Grammy nominated artist expressed that a portion of the proceeds would go towards his BossUp foundation, an organization aimed at helping communities.
“It’s exciting to be a part of something that will lift people from my hometown and nationally through the BossUp Foundation. It’s life-changing. I’ve never been a part of anything like this before.”
There’s no official date for release yet, but the company took to Twitter to make the announcement. Check it out below and let us know which one you will try, if any.


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News is just in to MadonnaTribe that Madonna's new single Revolver will be officially released by Warner Music in Italy in the month of March 2010.
Madonna's singles are not officially distributed in the Italian market anymore and the Fimi single charts are now based on digital downloads only. Fans know that record shops may still carry copies that are imported from Germany or the UK, but this time Warner Music decided to distribute Revolver in Italy in its 12" vinyl single format.
Because the vinyl release will follow the CD maxi, Revolver will reach Italian stores on March 2nd 2010.
In other Warner Music related news the Sticky & Sweet Tour will be their last official Madonna release so far as the current agreement between Live Nation and Warners is limited to the Sticky & Sweet release. Only time will tell if it will be Warner Music to distribute the new Madonna products from her Live Nation contract in the future or someone else will step in to handle them.
The tour dvd will be released in Italy and other European countries in two formats: ACD+DVD combo in Digipak and for the first time ever a BluRay + CD in standard bluray box.


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Reinventing Sports Broadcasting for OTT
Alan Young | Digital Studio | May 2018 | p. 57-59
The combined international fan base of 20 English Premier League football teams exceeds a whopping 210 million people. Audiences of this size mean sports content is a highly lucrative business. A report from Deloitte India believes there is massive potential in the Indian sports market in particular, and this popularity is driving up advertising rates by as much as 15 percent on both television and digital platforms. In fact, when India faced Pakistan in the final of the Champions Trophy cricket tournament last June, a 30-second ad broadcast by Star Sports was rumored to cost nearly 10 million rupees ($155,267), around 10 times the normal price according to Reuters.


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Refreshing or Revolting: 2013 Ford Mustang
Ford is out for Camaro blood with the 2013 Mustang. Refreshed (again), the 2013 Ford Mustang is the latest in a series of updates that began when this generation musclecar debuted for the 2005 model year. This time, dynamic and functional improvements happen in the same year. If it didn't already, does the new 2013 Ford Mustang have what it takes to regain the sales title from the Chevrolet Camaro?
Take a close look at the front of the new 2013 Mustang and you may see what will be far more apparent in person: the front grille has been tweaked to look more aggressive. A resculpted hood and standard HID headlights make an impression, as well.
From the side, the rocker panels are now body-colored for the 2013 Ford while there are new 17-, 18-, and 19-inch wheel styles. The taillights have noticeably changed, with the white strips replaced and smoked lenses on the new Mustang. Another easy way to distinguish a 2012 Mustang from a 2013 Mustang is the newer car's standard black trim between the new taillights.
The interior changes aren't easily found in these photos, but we can tell you two sound systems have been upgraded and Recaro seats are available on the V-6 and GT models. Oh, and the coolest design element on the 2013 Mustang? Definitely the pony projection lights on the side mirrors: when you hit the key's unlock button, a Mustang emblem shines on the ground.
With or without the pony projection light, do you think the 2013 Ford Mustang is an improvement over the design of the 2012 Mustang? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.
"There is no doubt that the car looks better both inside and out," said Bill, who questioned whether there would be enough product differentiation to justify the Azera's expected price premium over the midsize Sonata.


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Businesses oppose I-10 connector
Published 9:49 pm Saturday, February 21, 2009
Though some speculate an I-10 connector road would boost local economy, there are some local businesses that don’t agree.
The Pike County Commission approved in its last meeting to allow a group to do a feasibility study on the impacts of an I-10 connector toll road that would go from Montgomery to Panama City.
But many of U.S. 231’s businesses are concerned the road would alleviate out of town business.
“I would be completely against the connector,” said Malissa Allen of Sante Fe Cattle Co. “Twenty percent of our business is out of town business, and that goes up during the summer. It’s usually about 25 to 30 percent the summer.”
Allen said when Troy University students go home for summer break, Santa Fe depends on the traffic from U.S.231 to help the business.
Santa Fe isn’t the only restaurant that could suffer from the bypass.
“We need business from other towns in order to thrive,” said Martin Esquivel, manager of La Parota Grill. “(The connector road) would take our business away.”
Still, local restaurants aren’t the only businesses that think the bypass would harm their revenues.
“I’d much rather have business than bypass,” said Megan Titmas, guest services manager at the Hampton Inn. “It may gain revenue for the city when they are building it, but it is going to almost eliminate our out of town business.”
According to Titmas, Hampton Inn often has people stop in on their way to the beach because they need a break from driving.
“It would be a hard hit if we lost that business,” Titmas said.
Even drug stores such as Walgreens are concerned with the impact the connector road would have on its business.
“A connector would not be good. We wouldn’t get the passing through traffic, and that would definitely make an impact on our revenue,” said Walgreens Manager Donna Delmain.
While, most businesses agree they would be affected if an I-10 connector road was built, Director of the Center for International Business and Economic Development Judson Edwards said that may not be the case.
In the short term Pike County could lose some businesses, he said, but there are some benefits to it, too.
“All of the businesses that are dependent on traffic versus the local market would be hurt by a local bypass,” Edwards said. “But, it’s not any different that when the 231 bypass was created.”
“It shouldn’t hurt many of the restaurants because they are based on the existing market,” Edwards said.
Edwards said he thinks that gas stations and locations that depend on truck traffic, such as Kangaroo would be hit hard.
“At businesses like the Kangaroo you see a lot of out of town tags,” Edwards said. “And a lot of fast food restaurants do during peak traffic (season).”
On the plus side, Edwards said one of the problems with 231 right now is the bottleneck it creates in truck traffic.
“It would be beneficial for the traffic flow,” he said. “Trucks wouldn’t have to go through the stop and go at the red lights. We’d probably see a lot of smiling faces because they wouldn’t have to fight off 18-wheelers.”
Another positive effect would be the opportunity for more industrial growth.
“Industrial recruitment (is a big deal) anytime you have the potential to locate near an interstate highway,” Edwards said.
Anna Green contributed to the article.


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Steve Whillis, Business Unit Manager EMEA at Kiwiplan, has confirmed the appointment of Matt Todd to the position of Account Executive. Based from the company’s offices in Burntwood, Todd is no stranger to the corrugated industry, having gained knowledge and skills in the sheet plant, integrated and speciality sectors of the corrugated industry in the UK.
“Matt is a welcomed addition to the team here at Kiwiplan,” states Whillis. “As an experienced sales person from the corrugated industry, he brings a clear understanding of what is needed in a modern box plant environment and he will be working with existing Kiwiplan customers as well as creating new prospects.”
Todd can be reached on [email protected]
Matt Todd, the new Account Executive at Kiwiplan.


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A firmware breach that exposes over 100 different models of Lenovo computers to harmful malware was found by Israeli cybersecurity company ESET, the company announced on Tuesday.
The breach can be traced to the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), according to ESET. UEFI is a critical component of a computer that contains the code required to link the operating system and the computer hardware.
ESET warned that Lenovo’s computers are vulnerable to dangerous malware such as LoJax and ESPecter.
When these programs infect the UEFI, it is able to survive not only a reinstallation of the computer’s operating system but also the replacement of a physical hard drive.
Through the UEFI breach, hackers are able to gain full control over the infected device and potentially compromise other devices on its network.
What will Lenovo do?
Lenovo, whose laptops reportedly topped the Israeli market in 2021, was informed of the breach by ESET back in October 2021.
“UEFI threats can easily escape detection and are extremely dangerous,” Martin Smolar, the ESET malware analyst who discovered the Lenovo breach, said. “They are activated at an early stage of the operating process, meaning they can bypass most cybersecurity tools available.”
ESEP has advised all those who own a Lenovo laptop to update their firmware as per Lenovo’s instructions, which were released shortly following ESET reported its findings.
Lenovo has not yet responded to The Jerusalem Post’s request for comment on the matter.


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The co-op is to become the first chain of shops to stop using the Mosquito, the controversial anti-teenager device - on the grounds it may be having serious effects on people with autism.
The decision, which is likely to be studied closely by other retailers, follows a campaign by an autistic teenager who said the device at his local Co-op store in Longridge, near Preston, Lancashire, was causing him pain by emitting ultrasonic sounds.
'As a teenager I was always going to hear it,' said Paul Brookfield, 19. 'But as I had autism it was heightened. It was a high-pitched whizzing, whirring. I've heard of cases involving some people with autism who can't go anywhere near a store because it actually makes them sick.'
The Co-op's decision to abandon using the Mosquito device has been welcomed by the National Autistic Society (NAS). 'We are extremely concerned about the possible harmful effects of such devices for people with autism,' said a spokeswoman for the society.
'The NAS helpline has received calls from people who have been adversely affected by the Mosquito system and who are worried by the distress it may cause to people with the condition. Many people with autism have very sensitive hearing and may become alarmed and anxious if a high-pitched tone or buzz is suddenly used in their vicinity.'
There are now more than 3,500 of the devices in the United Kingdom, each emitting a high-decibel squeal which can normally be heard only by people under the age of 25. The Mosquito has been sold to shops, the police and local authorities. Marketed as the 'ultrasonic teenage deterrent', the £500 devices are designed to stop teenagers congregating in public areas.
A spokeswoman for the Co-op confirmed it was withdrawing the devices from its stores, although some teenagers may not be overly keen on its replacement. 'The Co-operative Group is removing all Mosquito devices and will replace these with its classical music system where appropriate,' she said. 'The device at Longridge has already been removed and a classical music system is being installed.'
Brookfield's campaign was supported by the civil rights group Liberty, which said it was preparing to launch legal action before the Co-op took the decision to stop using the device. 'Exposing the young to Mozart or Manilow is imminently more sensible than this blanket sonic weapon,' said Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti. 'How many more vulnerable people must endure this callous treatment before the government remembers that every child is supposed to matter?'
Earlier this year the children's commissioner, Al Aynsley-Green, appointed by the government to champion the rights of minors, said the Mosquito infringed the human rights of young people. Aynsley-Green launched the 'Buzz Off' campaign calling on businesses to stop using the devices and encouraged children to report instances when it was used against them.
The Mosquito device, a black box that emits a pulsing noise several times a second over a 15-metre radius, was invented by a former British Aerospace engineer, Howard Stapleton, after his daughter was intimidated by a gang of boys. It is marketed to stores on the grounds that unruly teenagers might discourage 'genuine shoppers' prepared to spend money.
Brookfield said he hoped that the Co-op's decision would now prompt other stores to follow its lead. 'As time goes on, more and more people will say this sort of thing is objectionable,' he said. 'Police stations and town centres will come under increasing pressure to stop using them.'