text:
Rolls-Royce is busy developing its first-ever SUV, and our exclusive spy shots shed insight into what we can expect from the high-riding model. The off-roader is called Cullinan internally, a name shared with the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found.
Generously sent in by a reader, our photos show an engineering mule wearing a production body, which explains why it’s completely covered in swirly black-and-white camouflage. Looking through the stickers tells us the Rolls-Royce Cullinan bucks the crossover-coupe trend and adopts a more traditional-looking silhouette, though it stops short of venturing into boxy territory — it’s not a Chevrolet Suburban, after all. It’s a big car — it looks appreciably larger than a BMW X5 — and it’s equipped with a set of elegant-looking suicide doors.
Earlier spy shots confirm the Cullinan’s front end falls in line with Rolls-Royce’s design language by adopting styling cues such as a tall, upright chromed grille and thin horizontal headlights. It’s shaping up to be one of the more charismatic SUVs on the market, which is what you’d rightfully expect from one of the world’s best-known luxury brands.
The hardware under the sheet metal is equally interesting. The SUV rides on a brand-new aluminum-intensive platform brazenly called the Architecture of Luxury. It features all-wheel drive and an advanced, self-leveling air suspension capable of delivering Rolls-Royce’s signature magic carpet ride even on rough roads. Executives have previously promised the Cullinan will be a true Rolls-Royce, a car the world’s most discerning motorists can drive — or be driven in — on a daily basis.
While it’s too early to provide official technical details, we’re willing to bet Rolls-Royce will go big and equip its SUV with the same V12 engine found in the eighth-generation Phantom that made its debut recently. The 6.75-liter unit generates 563 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, and it channels its power to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. All of the electronic bells and whistles buyers expect to find in a high-end car will be accounted for, including night vision, adaptive cruise control, collision warning, and a lane departure warning system.
We expect to see the Rolls-Royce Cullinan in the metal next year. Sales will likely begin in time for the 2019 model year. When it arrives, the Cullinan — a name that might not be retained by the production model — will compete in the same high-end segment as the Bentley Bentayga and the upcoming Lamborghini Urus.
- Check out Spectre, Rolls-Royce’s first all-electric car
- You’ve never seen a Rolls-Royce drive quite like this
- The BMW Group has some stunners in its 2020 lineup, and we drove them all
- Aston Martin’s first SUV will share an engine with its sports car siblings
- Rolls-Royce sails into 2019 with the successful test of an autonomous ship


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The IoT (Internet of Things) technology has not just enhanced our business processes, it also introduced cyberthreats to more internet-connected devices and smart homes. Today’s malware is becoming more sophisticated and stealthier, able to evade detection, even from modern sophisticated IT security systems.
New cybersecurity techniques and advanced detection systems are needed to address these new security challenges. This is exactly where a small Israeli startup called Shield-IoT comes in.
This week, the IoT cyber security and analytics software solution provider has announced to the public that it has raised $ 7.4 million in a Series A funding round. The startup’s funding comes as the number of IoT-powered devices continues to explode. This latest funding round was led by Akamai Technologies, the US-based content delivery network, along with NextLeap Ventures and Bloc Ventures. Other participating investors in the round include Springtide Ventures, Janvest Capital Partners, Atlas Ventures, and DIVEdigital.
Akamai is no longer new to Shield-IoT’s technology. The US tech giant has been using Shield-IoT’s technology to improve security operational monitoring for customers of its IoT solutions.
Founded in 2017, and based in Kfar Saba, Israel, Shield-IoT provides real-time analytics and cyber security solutions for large-scale IoT and 5G networks. The startup offers the world’s first Coreset-AI security platform, which leverages over 15 years of research in the field of coresets and helps companies streamlines the implementation of large-scale IoT and 5G deployments.
According to Ramanath Mallikarjuna, Chief Strategist at Akamai Technologies, the company’s innovative approach to anomaly detection provides accurate analytics at a mass scale. Using Shield-IoT’s AI-driven security technology, service providers and IoT companies can now effectively monitor and secure their mass-scale B2B IoT and IoT deployments, while at the same time reducing their operational costs.
The company currently employs 15 people, but it plans to double that workforce by next year.

domain: news


text:
The global cloud computing market will grow from a $40.7 billion in 2011 to $241 billion in 2020, according to Forrester Research.
On the way to all of this growth are a few notable nuggets from the report.
- For starters, the infrastructure as a service market will peak at $5.9 billion in global revenue in 2014 and then commoditization, price pressure and falling margins kick in. In other words, early wins by Amazon Web Services and Rackspace won't add up in the long run.
- Software as a service will be adopted by companies of all sizes. In 2011, SaaS will be a $21.2 billion market and grow to $92.8 billion in 2016. AT that point SaaS comes closer to saturation.
- BusinessProcess as a service will be notable, but face modest revenue.
- Virtualization will recede to the background as new technologies take over.
Here's a look at the big cloud picture through 2020:


text:
How South Africans Use Twitter. This Will Surprise You
A recent study of South African use of Twitter reveals that it is growing in popularity and is used for much more than personal updates.
The study, commissioned by Twitter and conducted by Nielsen, shows that 53 percent of users in South Africa fall in the age range of 25 to 44; nearly a third (29 percent) are age 16 to 24 and the remaining 18 percent are over age 55.
Just more than half of the Twitter users in South Africa are women (56 percent), 87 percent of people use a mobile phone to access the Internet and of those, three in five use their mobile phone to access Twitter as a preference. Laptops are the second most popular device used to access Twitter at 68 percent and tablet users contribute 32 percent of the access.
…When looking at the range of features available and what is used most often, 52 percent of those surveyed said that they read Tweets on their timeline daily, 40 percent said they tweet themselves and 37 percent look at the trending topics.
…South Africans make use of Twitter for different reasons but mainly to keep up to date, connect and discover — 64 percent of users for keeping up to date with breaking news and 39 percent use it for the latest sports information. In terms of connecting with people, 55 percent engage with people they know and 53 percent of users connect with people they do not know, showing its power to create connections. It is also used as a way to discover and 58 percent of users conducted searches on the platform.
…In South Africa, women are more likely to Tweet about holidays and celebrities whereas men Tweet about news, sports and politics. However 63 percent of people Tweet about jokes or things that make them laugh. A good example of this is the recent ‘Twitter Town Hall’ #AskMmusi, where South Africans started to Tweet jokes and ended up causing #AskMmusi to trend worldwide.
…Another South African favorite is music content with 69 percent of South African users indicating it as their top interest. Film (67 percent), food (66 percent), TV shows (64 percent) and travel (60 percent) complete the top five South African interests.
Read more at BizCommunity.
Sign up for the Moguldom newsletter — business news you need to know about economic empowerment for the digital age, delivered to your inbox.


text:
I’ve just published a piece at the Press Gazette which explores a significant milestone for the BBC and anyone else involved in the world of fast moving, content-rich websites. For the very first time more people visited the BBC online via mobile phones than via desktop and laptop PCs. It happened on Sunday 14 July. And then again on Saturday 20 July.
As I note in the piece this is merely an extreme case (for now) of a trend that has been apparent for a while:
The direction of travel is clear: more and more people are accessing news-based websites from mobile devices (tablets as well as smartphones) and we have plenty of evidence that this is the case.
In an effort to identify the meaning of this milestone, I suggest that it matters in three ways*:
Tumblr is a blogging platform but it isn’t WordPress. If that feels like a distinction so minor that it’s not worth making, I do think the differences between the two platforms, however small, do matter.
Tumblr tends to be more visual, more instant; less of the analysis, more of the bite-sized. Of course all these rules are there to be broken but those truths about the platform most likely explain why lots of people (and by people I mean newspapers, magazines, broadcasters etc) are struggling to work out how to use it.
As a counterpoint, here are four traditional media outlets that are using it well:
Nine out of every ten visits to the Guardian website from tablet devices still come via an Apple iPad. This compares to 98 per cent two years ago and is despite the proliferation of Android-based alternatives since then (Google’s Nexus 7 and Amazon’s Kindle Fire are distant runners-up).
He also demonstrated how tablet usage was altering web consumption patterns across the weekday. Note the large green peak in the graph below which shows heavy tablet usage during the evening.
By cross-referencing the means of access (mobile network, WiFi, fixed network etc) the Guardian is able to make an educated guess that most of that tablet consumption is happening at home rather than on the move.
How? Well, according to Sullivan, 93 per cent is coming via WiFi which strongly suggests sofa/kitchen table/bed rather than train/bus/office.
Anthony intended to show this and four associated graphs during the session I ran at the conference but issues with the audio visual — familiar to any regular conference goer — meant he was restricted to describing what we couldn’t see.
Finally, it is worth revisiting the FT graph I posted last week which shows some really interesting weekend consumption patterns brought about by increased mobile device usage. Both trends are reflected on other news and current affairs websites.
There was a really smart piece of analysis by Jasper Jackson over on The Media Briefing yesterday where he looked at the impact of mobile device usage and how it affects “when consumers access your content”.
His findings, based on data from the FT and the Guardian, mirror the experience of the New Statesman and the Press Gazette – specifically how heavy usage of smartphones and tablets at weekends is filling the deep Saturday and Sunday troughs previously typical of news-based websites.
The FT graph also shows clearly the pre- and post-work ‘check-in’ via mobile devices during weekdays.
A key point here is that the bulk of this traffic is additive – the FT is seeing high levels of traffic to its website during times when there was previously very little, simply because people now have a way of accessing it.
Again that mirrors my own experience.
So what lessons can digital publishers draw from this data? For one answer Jackson quotes Tom Betts, FT’s head of data:
We are starting to see a number of changes to the way editorial teams publish. Obviously having someone working nine-to-five on mobile publishing doesn’t work.
And if you don’t have a weekend operation, perhaps now is the time to start. More over at The Media Briefing.


text:
Despite the recent resignation of its director
, Square Enix is assuring Final Fantasy XV
fans that the game still has their full unprecedented support. In fact, a new collaborative effort with the online version of the franchise Final Fantasy XIV was recently revealed through the PlayStation Japan's official blog page. Featured in the new content is the queen of storms Garuda who will be crossing over to the Kingdom of Lucis along with other Final Fantasy XIV characters.
Also included in the upcoming updates are new costumes from FFXIV
for Noctis and company. Final Fantasy XV "*Adventurers in the other World"
is scheduled to go live on December 14, 2018. check out some of the screenshots along with the trailer for the collaboration below and stay tuned for more gaming news and updates.
*based on Google Translation
"FFXV X FFXIV Collaboration"
Source: PlayStation Blog Japan


text:
If Puff Daddy were to release a remix of his 1997 hit “It's All About The Benjamins” today, he might rename the song, “It's All About The Ad Revenue” — because ad space is worth more than paper money in 2021!
Practically every online company has announced record breaking ad revenue:
- Facebook revenue rose 56% to $29B in Q2 while profits rose 101% to $10.4B
- Reddit hit a quarterly milestone with $100M in ad revenue
- Spotify's podcast ad revenue jumped 627% in Q2
- Google advertising revenue rose 69% from last year
- Twitter ad revenue crossed $1B in Q2
- Univision ad revenue jumped 72%
- Discovery had a 12% gain in ad revenue in Q2
- Amazon ad revenue broke $7B in Q2
Meanwhile, Ebay is introducing new types of ads for sellers to promote their listings, Facebook is rebuilding its entire ad network to know less about you in response to Apple's recent privacy changes, and Apple has been quietly building their own digital advertising network. Apple will generate an estimated $3 billion in ad revenue in the September 2021 fiscal year, up from about $300 million in fiscal 2017, with estimates hitting $7B-$10B by 2024.
As platforms continue to build walled gardens around their user data, the advertising game is changing, but that doesn't mean it's going away. As more consumer spending happens online and our consumer attention graphs continue to shift towards digital, the online advertising industry is positioned to set even more record revenue highs in the coming years.
This could be great for investors, but it'll be a challenge for small businesses looking to compete in a space where all brands are looking. Either way, we should prepare ourselves for an evolution in digital advertising in the coming decade.
Where do you see the shift in online advertising happening? Which companies are best positioned to grow alongside ad revenue in the coming years?
Hit reply and let me know your thoughts about where online advertising is headed.
And now, it's my pleasure to present you with the 30th edition of the Shopifreaks newsletter…
1. Wix launches no-code app builder for $200/month
Last week Wix announced a new product for business owners called Branded App by Wix which allows them to develop native apps without writing code. Known for its easy drag-and-drop website builder, Wix is now expanding its codeless building approach to apps.
Users of Branded App by Wix will also have to pay a yearly fee of $99 to be on the iOS App Store and a one-time $25 fee for Google Play. For users that already have a Wix website, the app builder can automatically integrate features from their website, streamlining the app building process. Branded App by Wix is now available to all users.
That Wix… is there anything they don't do? This news following June's launch of their new food ordering app Dine by Wix. Some investors feel that Wix is spreading themselves too thin. Others think they're smart to offer a full suite of digital products in-house. What do you think?
In other Wix news, the company signed agreements with Wolt, PDQ, and Bit to provide complete payment and delivery solutions for online stores in Israel.
2. About 60% of Americans don't realize they're being tracked in-stores with facial recognition
Turns out that brick-and-mortar shoppers are being tracked almost as much as their online counterparts. (Okay, well not quite as much, but it's getting there…)
A recent study by Piplsay, a consumer research firm, found that 60% of Americans are unaware that several major US retailers like Lowe's, Albertons, and Macy's have been using facial recognition technology to scan and store their customers' faces, mostly for fraud and theft detection.
The study polled 31,184 consumers to get the following insights:
- 60% of Americans are unaware of the use of facial recognition technology in retail stores
- 69% believe stores using facial recognition technology should inform their customers of it
- 65% agree that stores should provide an opt-out option for customers who don't want their data stored
Should consumers be informed before they enter a store that they will be tracked? And should they have the option to opt-out? Hit reply and let me know your thoughts about current facial recognition practices.
3. Shenzhen is giving banned Amazon merchants a 2M yuan subsidy
At least 50,000 Chinese merchants have been banned from Amazon since May for engaging in the practice of obtaining fraudulent or incentivized reviews, costing the “made in China, sold on Amazon” industry more than 100B yuan (and counting).
Shenzhen, known as China's Silicon Valley, accounts for 35% of the entire sector across China, and has taken the largest hit by Amazon's actions. To fight back, Shenzhen is offering affected merchants a subsidy of 2 million yuan ($308,000) to be used for building their own independent online store (ie: not on a marketplace). To qualify, applicants must have started operation before 2019 and have monthly sales of over $300,000. They are also offering 2-3 million yuan in subsidies to select operators of overseas warehouses who have been affected.
I find it funny that there's been no public comment made from Chinese commerce leaders condemning the fraudulent review practices themselves. Attention has only been put on their losses and the hit to the local economy.
Li Xingqian, director of the Foreign Trade Department at the Ministry of Commerce, did say that China would help its companies comply with international standards and protect their “legitimate rights and interests”, but what that entails is still ambiguous.
For now, China will help banned merchants setup independent storefronts and relocate to platforms such as AliExpress and Ebay, who apparently take fraudulent review practices less seriously.
Did you know: According to a recent study by online security firm CHEQ, roughly 4% of all online reviews are fake, translating into global spending of $152B.
4. Amazon accused of evading tax by shifting £8.2B to Luxembourg
To avoid paying higher tax rates in the UK, a new analysis by Unite has found that Amazon reported up to £8.2B of its UK sales in Luxembourg in 2019. The report claims that Amazon declared £13.7B of UK sales, but reported just £5.5B in sales in filings for its UK-based firms.
The company declared £48.3B of revenue in Luxembourg in 2019, which would equate to selling about £78,000 worth of goods and services to every person in the country. Now that's some Prime usage right there!
Unite has demanded a public inquiry into Amazon's tax arrangements.
Emma Hardy, a Labour MP and Treasury Committee member, expressed concerns over the findings and backed Unite's call for an investigation saying, “I don't want a tax system that takes money from ordinary people to subsidise the growth of the world's biggest anti-union company.”
5. Shopify requires staff to show proof of vaccination “because science”
CEO Tobi Lütke tweeted the announcement this week, “Shopify will have the same internal policy for now. Any employee meetups will require proof of full vaccination. Because science.”
The vaccination policy was announced on the cusp of Quebec preparing to bar unvaccinated people from non-essential public places such as restaurants and gyms on Sep 1st.
At this point, the announcement shouldn't affect much internally at Shopify, since staff are allowed to work remotely on a permanent basis.
6. FedEx deploys AI Robotics for its e-commerce fulfillment
FedEx will be scaling up its trial of RPSi system from Berkshire Grey, which is an AI-enabled system that autonomously sorts thousands of packages a day. The trial of Robotic Product Sortation and Identification (RPSi) has been up and running at FedEx Ground's stations in Queens, New York. The system can handle a wide array of packages including polybags, tubes, and padded mailers, to replicate a process that has been traditionally performed manually by human workers.
FedEx believes that the new tech will introduce necessary efficiencies to accommodate the rapid growth in e-commerce, while also improving safety and productivity. The company expects to roll the RPSi system out next in Las Vegas, NV and Columbus, OH in the coming months.
Looks like we're headed towards a world of automated delivery!
7. WooCommerce launches payment services in Spain, Italy, France, and Germany
Businesses in Spain, Italy, France, and Germany will now be able to access WooCommerce's payment services solution from within their store dashboard.
The company also rolled out further support for multi-currency solutions, allowing customers to shop in any of the 135 currencies supported by WooCommerce — a plugin is no longer required like in the past.
WooCommerce CEO Paul Maiorana said, “By expanding our availability to even more markets and adding further functionality, we are continuing to establish WooCommerce Payments as the premier payments solution globally.”
They face some steep competition in that fintech market! However with an estimated 28% of all online stores using WooCommerce, they have an early lead on adoption by making WooCommerce Payments and easy and integrated method of accepting payments.
8. Indian Supreme Court decides that Amazon and Flipkart should face investigations
The court decided that Amazon and Walmart's Flipkart should face investigations into alleged anti-competitive behavior, saying that their trading practices should be looked into. India's Minister of Railways and Commerce, Piyush Goyal, welcomed the court's decision while speaking in the Indian parliament where he invoked the “Quit India” campaign – a movement launched in 1942 by Mahatma Gandhi demanding an end to British rule.
The parallel here being Goyal's call to end foreign (US) rule in e-commerce. Goyal told lawmakers the big e-commerce firms were supposed to operate a marketplace website that connects buyers and sellers, but it was found they “continuously used various legal tactics” that hurt small businesses.
9. Instagram tests new shopping features
The company is testing promoted products within its Shop tab, allowing users to click to view product details and look at more images of their select product. Brands will soon be able to promote their Shop tab pages via Sponsored ads. The new Shop tabs are being tested by select advertisers including Away, Boo Oh, and DEUX in the US.
Facebook is ramping up its e-commerce efforts quickly as of recent. This news following IG having recently adding a professional dashboard for retailers and brands, Facebook adding Shop advertising and discovery, and WhatsApp now letting shoppers buy direct from businesses.
10. Monkey see, monkey crypto
Weeks after Amazon posted a similar job offering, Walmart is looking to hire a senior director to drive its cryptocurrency product and investment strategy. Candidates should be experts in digital currencies and blockchain-related technology and should have 10+ years experience in product or program management.
Does this mean that Walmart will be accepting cryptocurrencies on their website and in their stores? Or will they be launching their own crypto currency? Perhaps they're more interested in the logistic side of blockchain technology? Time will tell what Amazon and Walmart have in store for crypto.
11. This week in seed rounds & acquisitions….
- Trust, a Los Angeles-based fintech company aimed at leveling the digital ad buying playing field for small businesses, raised $9M in seed funding from Lerer Hippeau, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Upfront Ventures, and Upper90.
- ByondXR, a digital showroom and virtual shopping startup, raised $7M in seed financing led by Firstime and OurCrowd.
- Omnibiz, a Nigerian B2B e-commerce platform, raised $3M in a round led by V&R Africa, Timon Capital, and Tangerine Insurance.
- Snipfeed, a link-in-bio monetization platform, raised $5.5M in a round led by CRV, Abstract Ventures, Crossbeam, id8, Michael Ovitz, Michael Bosstick, Diaspora Ventures, and others.
- SellerX, a Berlin-based Amazon merchant consolidator, raised €100 million in a Series B led by the Growth Fund of L Catterton.
- Wonder Brands, a Mexico-based Amazon and MercadoLibre merchant consolidator, raised $20M in a round co-led by ALLVP and Mountain Nazca.
- SubPlace, a Malaysian-based subscription online shopping startup, raised $2.36M by launching its equity crowdfunding campaign.
- Shopistry, a Canadian-based headless e-commerce startup, raised $2M in a seed round led by Jonathan Weiner, Amar Varma, Garage Capital, Mantella Venture Partners, and Raiven Capital.
- Gelato, a Norwegian-based product-on-demand company, raised $240M, in a round led by Insight Partners.
- Trendyol, the biggest e-commerce platform in Turkey, raised €1.3B, valuing the company at €14B, making it Turkey's first decacorn.
- Seismic, a sales enablement and marketing platform, raised $170M in a Series G round led by Permira, JMI Equity, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Jackson Square Ventures, and Ameriprise, valuing the company at $3B.
- Cart.com, brought in its third funding round this year, with a $98M Series B round, bringing its total funding up to $143M.
- Aforza, a software company that develops cloud and mobile apps for consumer goods, raised $22M in a Series A led by DN Capital.
- Upscribe, a subscription software for D2C e-commerce merchants, raised $4M in a round led by Uncork Capital.
- Fanatics, a sports e-commerce firm, raised $325M in a round led by MLB, SoftBank, and Jay-Z, raising its valuation to $18B.
What'd I miss?
Shopifreaks is a community effort and I appreciate your contributions to help keep the rest of our readers in the know with the latest happenings in e-commerce. Whenever you have news to share, you can e-mail [email protected] or hit reply to any of my newsletters.
? Thanks for being a Shopifreak!
If you found this newsletter valuable, please share it with your friends and help us grow.
See you next Monday!
Paul E. Drecksler
PS: Did you see that Amazon is now offering off-road delivery?


text:
The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, has urged government to move expeditiously and present amendments to the recently passed Excise Duty (Amendment) Act that introduces taxes on mobile money transactions and social media.
“This bill was passed into law so it should not be handled lightly. There is urgent need to harmonize the existing law as it was passed, along with current demands,” Kadaga said.
The Speaker said this during a plenary sitting on Thursday, 12 July 2018, following the Prime Minister’s commitment to introduce an amendment to the Excise Duty (Amendment) Act 2018.
Quoting Rule 118 of the Rules of Procedure, the Speaker said that an urgent bill may be introduced to the House with publication.
“Where the House determines that a bill is urgent, it may be introduced and copies distributed to Members and taken through all its stages in a day,” she added.
Kadaga also stated that, “alternatively, a private member may introduce an amendment bill for this purpose”. She however, noted that private members’ bills face challenges of certificates of financial implication, instead, she advised, the Prime Minister and Cabinet could move the amendments.
“We don’t have capacity to intervene in any amendment for now, apart from waiting,” said the Speaker.
Hon. Paul Mwiru (FDC, Jinja East Municipality) raised concern on the one per cent charge on mobile money deposits that was executed by telecom companies following the implementation of the new law, of which deduction had not been accounted for in the amended law.
“URA later clarified that they were not supposed to make that deduction, but the telecom companies had already collected this money from the public,” Hon. Mwiru said.
Kadaga asked MPs to wait for the bill before they can debate the matter, saying all matters raised in relation to it would be discussed in context of the bill upon being brought to Parliament.
The Excise Duty (Amendment) Act 2018 that took effect on July 1 2018, imposed a one percent tax on mobile money transactions, as well as a daily shs200 payment to access Over The Top (OTT) platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram among others.


text:
Yahoo Wants to Battle YouTube for Online Video Dominance
April 1, 2014 10:14 AM
Yahoo wants its own video streaming service and plans to pay out more than YouTube
The top site online for uploading and viewing video on the internet is YouTube by far, which is owned by search giant Google. Yahoo has attempted (and
) to encroach onto Google’s turf in the search world, but it’s not stopping the company from shifting resources to create a credible YouTube competitor.
Re/code indicates that Yahoo plans to launch the site within the coming months, and is even attempting to lure some of YouTube’s most infamous stars and networks (with cold, hard cash) to headline the new streaming site. Sources indicate that Yahoo plans to offer content makers improved ad revenue sharing or guaranteed ad rates for videos they post to the Yahoo site.
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer [Image Source: AP]
Yahoo is also preparing a new content management system for the endeavor that would be used for its own service, and plans to offer video makers extensive marketing on its home page and via other sources on a non-exclusive basis.
Yahoo could always jumpstart its video efforts by purchasing an existing service like Vimeo, but the company has already seen its previous efforts dashed. Last year, Yahoo tried to purchase French streaming video company DailyMotion, but
the $300 million deal went up in smoke
after French politicians balked at Americans getting their hands on a “French Internet success story.”
"And boy have we patented it!" -- Steve Jobs, Macworld 2007
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text:
The European Gaming & Betting Association (EGBA) announced that Betsson is the latest big bookmaker that is going to join the member body as a partner. Stockholm-listed European sports betting operator Betsson AB will fight alongside with EGBA in the try of a better representation and communication with the market regulators, in order both sides to remain happy. Furthermore, as an EGBA member Betsson will participate in group directives relating to industry responsible gambling, consumer protections, sports integrity.
Maarten Haijer, who is the Secretary General of EGBA, commented on the recent membership of Betsson Group: «We are very delighted that Betsson Group has joined the EGBA. Betsson has historically been an established company in the Nordic markets, who are now increasing their market share outside of the Nordics holding licenses in 10 countries in Europe, they are a truly European company. Their addition bolsters even further our ability to be the voice of industry when speaking to regulators and policy makers about the many regulatory challenges facing the industry.»
On the other hand, Ulrik Bengtsson, the CEO of Betsson Group said: «With the current wave of local regulation taking place across Europe, Betsson Group wants to expand its revenue from locally regulated markets. It is important that these markets’ licensing regimes are compliant with EU law and the increasing EU regulation applicable to online gambling. EGBA’s knowledge, expertise and support will assist Betsson in this arena. For an evidently cross border sector like ours, effective application and enforcement of EU law is crucial».


text:
Months after moving its headquarters from Herkimer in central New York to Clifton Park, Annese & Associates Inc. finished 2012 with 5 percent revenue growth, as total sales reached $67 million.
The 42-year-old firm, which designs and installs computer networks, recently announced plans to expand its New England territory.
CEO Raymond Apy estimates that 70 percent of the company’s business comes through public-sector contracts. Annese’s client roster has included the New York State Police and the State University of New York.
Half of the region’s 20 largest technology companies rely heavily on government contracts. The largest of which is Bechtel Marine Propulsion Corp., operator of Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory.
Bechtel has seen contract revenue grow by more than $200 million in the past five years, adding 400 jobs to bring payroll to 3,000.
Annese, which ranks third on The Business Review’s 2013 Technology Companies List, is among 11 companies that compete in the the IT, data management or software sectors. Another four of the companies on the list manufacture high-tech products.


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Their solidarity towards the strike of the workers at McDonald's fast food chain in Britain expressed labor-trade unions in Greece and Turkey.
The Trade union of workers in Catering, Hotels, Tourism of Athens issued a statement expressing its solidarity to their colleagues working to McDonald’s in the UK, who went on strike earlier this week, struggling for better salaries and abolition of the “zero hour contracts”.
"Every country has two faces. One face represents wealth and luxury, where a minority is exploiting the work of others. On the other hand, there is the face of the majority of the workers struggling to live with poverty wages. Even we, who daily serve food to thousands of people, we do not manage to serve food to our families.
The workers in catering, tourism and hotels of Athens, support your fair demands for better wages, working hours and union recognition.
The flight of every worker for life, working conditions and working rights, is a fight that concerns us all."
In Istanbul, members of the Communist Party of Turkey raided McDonald’s restaurants in the city addressing the workers and customers, ‘Did you hear? McDonald’s workers are on strike!’
The leaflets announced that McDonald's has over 1 million employees throughout the world and 85 thousand of them who work in Britain are on strike. It vocalized the demands of the workers for higher hourly pay, union rights and an end to slavish treatment of bosses.
‘Over 200 thousand fast food workers in Turkey work in precarious, unsecure conditions, long hours standing and with low wages. Average hourly pay starts from 7 liras [about 2 dolars] and daily overtime reaches 9 hours, without week-end holiday.’
The leaflet told that McDonald's workers under these conditions are expected to seem jocund and keep hardworking. They are monitored by cameras and a momentary rest is an excuse to get fired. Meanwhile the bosses record a turnover of 6 billlion dolars. ‘A “smiling service” in front of the kitchen and a cruel exploitation behind...’
CP of Turkey stated that fast food culture speeds up the reaping of bosses and for workers the only way out is to get organized. "In Britain, Germany, Turkey and elsewhere in the world’said the leaflet, ‘either in McDonald’s or in others, the same exploitation, the same class of bosses. The only way out is to get organized and to act collectively."
Regarding the historic strike of workers at McDonald's, we read in the article published at the New Worker (No 1934, 8 September 2017), official newspaper of the New Communist Party of Britain:
WORKERS at two branches of the McDonald’s fast food chain began strike action early on Monday – the first strike at McDonald’s in Britain since the chain first opened in Brit- ain in 1974. The workers are members of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU). They are demanding £10-per-hour minimum pay, union recogni- tion, an end to zero-hours con- tracts and an end to the bullying culture rife behind the scenes at McDonald’s.
Staff at the two branches, in Crayford, Kent and in Cam- bridge, were balloted for strike action and last month voted by 95.7 per cent in favour of the strike. Picket lines outside both branches found support from the general public and other trade unionists and progressives. Later on Monday they travelled to Westminster for a rally.
The workers are angry at the way managers use the zero-hours contracts to bully workers by cutting their hours so they can never be sure what their wages will be. This has led workers to lose their homes through not being able to pay rent. One young woman on the picket line described the bul- lying culture to reporters: “My mum passed away in January and the manager just thought I went on holiday. The way I was treated was really bad. I went into hospital because of the stress of it.”
ess of it.” Twenty-seven-year-old Lew- is Baker, who helped to organise the Crayford strike, said: “There is proper bullying going on here. The conditions have become really bad. There’s discrimination. Hours are cut if you’re not a manager’s favourite. “The fight for £10 an hour is great and it would help us all, but it won’t make working here any better.
“We’ve had bosses tell us this strike is a joke. But it’s not a joke,” he said gesturing to the crowd of supporters. “For everyone to come here and show them we have support is just incredible.”
In a statement before the strike, Ian Hodson, president of the BFAWU, said: “For far too long, workers in fast food restau- rants such as McDonald’s have had to deal with unexplainably poor working conditions, dras- tic cuts to employee hours, and even bullying in the workplace – viewed by many as a punishment for joining a union.
“Trade unions, such as mine – Baker’s, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) – have worked to support these brave workers in standing up and fighting back against McDonalds – a company which has let these workers down one too many times. “Yet, despite all the attempts to change McDonald’s approach and help them become a fairer employer, nothing has been done on their side. Nothing has changed. Empty promises have been made. Yet nothing has been delivered.”
On Monday he said: “This is the second-largest restaurant company in the world that makes $22 billion (£17 billion) reve- nues a year, and yet its workers are living in poverty. They have been the pioneers of zero-hours contracts.” This is the first strike at Mc- Donald’s in Britain but it is part of an international movement, the Fast Food Global workers’ movement. In the United States, McDonald’s has come under pressure as part of the ‘Fight for $15’ campaign.


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Suzano, the Brazilian pulp and paper company, has been receiving strong demand from pulp producers in China, who have reduced production to buy from third parties in the face of low prices for the commodity on the global market, the company’s president, Walter Schalka, said on the 23rd of August.
“The pulp market is now adjusting to supply, with companies in China reducing production and buying pulp,” said the executive.
“We’ve received a lot of demand. Stocks at the ports and at customers are adjusting,” he added, noting that the time for restocking will come soon and should help speed up the recovery in prices.
On the 18th of August, the company announced an increase of 20 dollars in the price of a ton of pulp sold to China as of September, which brought the value of the product to around 550 dollars, said the executive.


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Meta is leaning into Reels, its short-form video platform within Facebook and Instagram, as the future of its advertising business, according to company executives who presented at an advertising conference today (May 4).
“Video is the future of our platform,” Alvin Bowles, Meta’s vice president of global partnerships and engineering, said at the conference.
In 2022, 99.3 percent of Meta’s revenue, which totaled $114 billion, came from advertising, according to company financial documents. “It’s about giving people what they may not have realized they wanted,” Bowles said at the conference.
Meta presented at the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s NewFronts conference, in which companies introduce their new advertising options to media buyers. Other companies in attendance included TikTok, YouTube and NBCUniversal, which pitched advertisers, May 3.
Meta executives didn’t discuss any new advertising innovations in the social media apps’ feeds or within stories, suggesting that ad programming is already mature. The metaverse topic surfaced briefly, perhaps because executives don’t yet see it as a viable advertising mechanism. Instead, Meta executives spent most of the company’s time promoting Reels—even though making money through Reels can be difficult.
Advertising through Reels has some structural constraints, Susan Li, chief financial officer, said on a call with analysts on April 26 after reporting the company’s earnings. “People view a Reel for a longer time than a piece of Feed or Stories content, which results in fewer opportunities to serve ads in between posts,” she explained. Compared to the other in-app platforms that Instagram and Facebook offer, the time users spend on Reels isn’t generating as much revenue. If Reels is the future, as Bowles suggested, Meta will need to figure out how to make money off the platform and keep advertisers interested as competitors like TikTok and YouTube continue to innovate.
Are Reels effective?
The company’s platforms, which include Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, reach 3.8 billion people on a monthly basis, 3.02 billion of whom use one of Meta’s apps every day.
Reels are becoming more popular on Facebook and Instagram. Every day, users share more than 2 billion short-form videos, double the sharing statistics from six months ago, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on the earnings call. The ability for Meta to make money off of Reels is also increasing, he said.
As Reels grow, so do the advertising capabilities for the platforms. For each dollar advertisers put into one of Meta’s products, they receive $3.31 in returns, Zuckerberg said, citing a study Meta conducted with the University of California at Berkeley. From October to December 2022, Meta saw a 20 percent increase in conversions—when users take an action like purchasing a product or signing up for a newsletter after viewing an ad—compared to the same period in 2021, according to Nicola Mendelsohn, Meta’s head of global business group.
Meta’s new advertising products
Mendelsohn unveiled a series of new advertising products at the conference, highlighting the rollout of those using augmented reality (AR) on Instagram and Facebook Reels. In a test of the product, Sephora created an AR experience where users apply an in-camera filter in the app, and the technology selects a perfume for the user based on their “aura vibe.” Users can then visit Sephora to purchase the perfume.
Meta added the ability for advertisers to link multiple products in a single Reel where, previously, a Reel only supported one link. The company is also allowing users to pause ads and preview the linked page without having to leave the Reel. The mechanism is already available on Facebook, and Meta plans for it to roll out on Instagram.


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In early 2008, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that they considered meat and milk from cloned animals to be safe to eat despite years of controversy and a long list of unresolved ethical, health, and animal welfare concerns. The agency asked the livestock industry to continue a voluntary moratorium on putting meat and milk from cloned animals into the food supply, but did not ask for the same moratorium on products from the offspring of cloned animals. And, to add insult to injury, the agency will not require any of these foods to be labeled.
Currently, the appeal of cloned animals to the livestock industry largely lies in their role as breeders or milk producers. Already, cloned bulls’ sperm is shipped all over the country to sire offspring with particularly desirable traits, such as high milk production. These “half-clones” (offspring of cloned animals) are possibly reaching the marketplace, with no consumer awareness as to their ancestry. One semen broker who has sold the sperm of cloned bulls, said that these offspring are “going to be slaughtered [for food], and the FDA can’t do anything about it.” In 2001, the FDA asked farmers to voluntarily refrain from selling meat or milk from cloned animals or their offspring, but no one at the agency is tracking whether farmers are complying.


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While Bitcoin Cash supporters keep bolstering adoption, development and community projects have continued to flourish. Over the last week, there’s been lots going on within the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) environment with companies implementing BCH support, new applications, and various announcements.
The Bitcoin Cash (BCH) ecosystem has seen a lot of action throughout the first two quarters of 2019. This week is not much different as there’s been an abundance of developments within the space. BCH markets are holding steady today and much like the rest of the cryptoconomy there’s been some consolidation. At the time of writing, bitcoin cash commands the fifth largest market valuation and each coin has been hovering between $405-420. BCH is the sixth most traded coin on Saturday, July 6. The decentralized digital asset has around $1.4 billion worth of global trade volume and a market cap of around $7.2 billion.
The First Exchange-Traded Product Tracking the Performance of Bitcoin Cash
This week the fintech firm Amun AG announced that it had listed the first Bitcoin Cash exchange-traded product (ETP) on the Switzerland-based principal stock exchange Six. According to the announcement, Amun’s BCH ETP is fully collateralized and the product is denominated in USD. On the Six trading exchange, the ETP’s ticker will be called ABCH and the BCH community seemed excited about the announcement. “This is huge,” one person commented on the Reddit forum r/btc. “Now there is a new option to invest in bitcoin cash (BCH) with an exchange-traded product in one of the most advanced markets in the world,” explained the Twitter account @Bitcoin on Friday.
Bitcoin Cash Can Now Be Used to Invest in Scottish Craft Beer Company Brewdog
On Thursday, Scottish craft beer brewery Brewdog revealed that the public can invest in the company using multiple denominations of crypto. Brewdog’s crowdfunding project, “Equity for Punks,” now accepts bitcoin core (BTC), bitcoin cash (BCH), omisego (OMG), qtum (QTUM), augur (REP), 0x (ZRX), bitcoin SV (BSV), ether (ETH), litecoin (LTC), and ripple (XRP). Essentially Equity for Punks allows investors to purchase a stake in the company and allows them to become shareholders. According to Brewdog, there were 114,000 investors before they opened up the crowdfunding to cryptocurrency users.
“You can now become a card-carrying Brewdog Equity Punk using cryptocurrency,” explained the company’s announcement. “This is the natural next step for us as a business. James and Martin started Brewdog to be an alternative to the status quo; to challenge perceptions and revolutionise their industry — The developers, miners, and users of cryptocurrency are exactly the same.”
Handlekrypto Launches in Sweden
The sister company of Keys4coins, a startup called Handlekrypto, has launched in Sweden. Now residents from Sweden can visit Handlekrypto.se to purchase BCH in seconds with SEK using a bank card or Swish. There is no registration required and visitors looking to purchase BCH can verify themselves instantly with a BankID.
— HandleKrypto (@HandleKrypto) June 30, 2019
At the moment Handlekrypto provides bitcoin cash (BCH), bitcoin core (BTC) and ethereum (ETH). The website also has a cryptocurrency conversion application that allows users to swap between hundreds of digital assets. The Handlekrypto service has a website for international visitors, the UK, Norway, and the latest in Sweden.
3,000 Transactions Per Second in BCH Benchmark Stress Test
Software developer and miner Jonathan Toomim published a video on July 2 which shows how he built a benchmark to measure the performance of the Bitcoin Cash reference client Bitcoin ABC. Toomim’s test generated 672,000 transactions and mined them into blocks in roughly a nine-minute time frame. The results equate to more than 3,000 BCH transactions per second on his desktop computer. Toomim is well known for his Xthinner project and the developer said he plans to work on Xthinner so it can “propagate blocks before performing full transaction validation (and after only doing data integrity/merkle root+PoW checks).” “Testing block propagation was the original motivation for building this test apparatus,” Toomim explained. The software engineer continued:
I also intend to set up a networked version of this test with four 40-core computers, using the Linux netem module to inject artificial latency and packet loss. Again, this is primarily and initially to be used as a testbed for optimizing block propagation.
Dementia Society of America Now Accepts Bitcoin Cash
On July 4 the Dementia Society of America revealed they now accept cryptocurrency donations. The organization is a nonprofit that provides individuals and families impacted by dementia with education, local resources, and life enrichment. “We recognize caregivers and innovators, and raise hope by supporting relevant research to discover cures, causes, and meaningful interventions,” explains the Dementia Society’s website.
Dementia Society of America Begins Accepting Five Cryptocurrencies https://t.co/VxCUdwZC2P
— Dementia Society (@DementiaOrg) July 4, 2019
Now the charitable organization accepts donations in bitcoin core (BTC), ethereum (ETH), litecoin (LTC), bitcoin cash (BCH) and Circle’s USD stablecoin (USDC). Founder and Volunteer President Kevin Jameson explained that he wants the “crypto community to know that we support innovative mediums of exchange.” Jameson stated:
More than 2,000 years ago, we traded salt and gold for our labors – as we were worth our weight in it – today, its bits and bytes, and since our Society’s origins just over 5 years ago, we’ve understood that there is always lasting value to human kindness, no matter the currency.
Bitcoin Cash Network Becomes the Second Most Valuable Chain
On July 2 the founder of Ryan Research, Peter Ryan, explained in a recent research analysis hosted on Coinspice.io that Bitcoin Cash recently became the second most valuable chain according to transaction volume or the total amount of value transacted through the blockchain. “While Bitcoin Cash might be fifth by market cap, its transaction volume is now 2nd,” explained Ryan’s analysis. “Around mid-May, that volume started to really take off and exceeded $2 billion per day — Other notable cryptocurrencies like ETH, LTC, and XRP are well below these new milestones.”
In fact over the last six months when comparing bitcoin core (BTC) and bitcoin cash (BCH) transaction volume there’s been a slight downturn, but in April both networks showed positive growth. After that, however, BCH began to outpace BTC in growth drastically, Ryan detailed. The researcher added:
Local US Government in Ohio Plans to Use SLP Token to Incentivize Positive Behavior
This week BCH supporters heard about the local government of Dublin, Ohio planning to use a Simple Ledger Protocol (SLP) token for a citywide reward system. On July 1, the CEO of the BCH implementation Bitcoin Verde revealed the news and explained the SLP token will be used throughout the city. Green told news.Bitcoin.com that the token’s goal is to provide three functions in Dublin: digital identity, electronic polling system, and a token of value.
For the past 6+ mo we have been working on a project for @DublinOhio
The project’s goal was to provide 3 functions for people of #DublinOhio
1. A digital identity
2. An electronic polling system
3. A token of value
You can read more about it here: https://t.co/Qndks63lLw
— Software Verde (@SoftwareVerde) July 1, 2019
“The Dublin token is intended to be a reward and barter system for Dublin’s citizens — to incentivize positive behavior,” explained the Bitcoin Verde founder, who also told the BCH community that the team “investigated other blockchain and token implementations, but ultimately decided Bitcoin Cash’s scaling solution to be superior than other alternatives, and viewed the thriving developer community to be an important pillar to the platform’s longevity.”
Twitch.tv Acceptance, Brave Browser, and Tipbitcoin.cash
There’s been so much happening within the Bitcoin Cash ecosystem and BCH supporters have been discussing the variety of developments fervently. The latest live streaming Bitcoin Cash tipping platform Tipbitcoin.cash has been seeing a lot of action on the Twitch.tv platform. Moreover, Twitch.tv re-added the ability to pay for services and items on the website using bitcoin cash (BCH) or bitcoin core (BTC) through Bitpay. In another exciting development, Brendan Eich, the CEO of the Brave browser, revealed on Twitter that BCH will soon be supported. “BCH and other funding choices coming to Brave [version] 0.68,” Eich declared. With BCH enthusiasts, developers and companies pushing for quality crypto services and mainstream adoption, the latest slew of announcements should augment their optimism.
What do you think about all the developments within the Bitcoin Cash ecosystem? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Disclaimer: This editorial is intended for informational purposes only. Readers should do their own due diligence before taking any actions related to the mentioned companies or any of their affiliates or services. Bitcoin.com or the author is not responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.
Image credits: Shutterstock, Ryan Research, Handlekrypto, and Pixabay.
Want to create your own secure cold storage paper wallet? Check our tools section. You can also enjoy the easiest way to buy Bitcoin online with us. Download your free Bitcoin wallet and head to our Purchase Bitcoin page where you can buy BCH and BTC securely.
The post Bitcoin Cash Scaling Benchmarks, Brewdog, and Rising Transaction Volume appeared first on Bitcoin News.
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FedEx sees growth slow
FedEx says the global economy isn't growing as strongly as expected and customers are reacting by choosing cheaper means of shipping packages.
The world's second-largest package delivery company is predicting a slower pace of growth this year for the US and abroad than most economists.
Chief financial officer Alan Graf said the current economic environment and higher fuel prices are driving more customers to "trade down" or choose slower methods of shipping to save money, just like they did during the recession.
The comments on a conference call with analysts overshadowed a strong third quarter driven by holiday sales. Online holiday sales helped drive FedEx's profit between December and February to more than double what it was a year earlier.
Higher prices from rate increases and surcharges that cover the rising cost also drove results. That was most notable in the ground segment that delivers packages by truck to consumers and businesses.
In its fiscal third quarter, FedEx earned $US521 million ($A500 million), or $US1.65 per share, compared with $US231 million, or 73 cents per share, a year earlier.
The company had record holiday package shipments. FedEx gains when more people shop online for the holidays. It also benefits when recipients return those ill-fitting sweaters or unwanted presents.
Excluding one-time items, FedEx earned $US1.55 per share compared with 81 cents per share a year ago. The results beat both analysts' and the company's own expectations.
Revenue rose nine per cent to $US10.56 billion.
Sales at FedEx's express segment, its largest, rose eight per cent to $US6.54 billion. That was mostly due to higher prices and heavier packages in the US.
FedEx's ground segment results were boosted by its home delivery services, which include directing packages between residential customers and major retailers. The segment's revenue growth of 14 per cent was the most at any of FedEx's businesses.
The company's freight segment reported a fourth straight profitable quarter. It ships bigger items like refrigerators and cars and was hardest hit during the recession. Its revenue rose 10 per cent in the latest quarter.
FedEx chairman and CEO Fred Smith declined to comment on rival UPS's planned $US6.77 billion purchase of Dutch parcel TNT Express. But he inferred his company won't make a competing bid.
"I'm extremely pleased with our operations (in Europe) and we feel confident in our plans to continue the expansion through organic growth," he said.
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Facebook Gaming on iOS might be hampered significantly thanks to Apple's App Store guidelines. Facebook took to Twitter to talk about why its Gaming app is severely limited on iOS compared to its Android release.
1/ Well, we have some good news. We’re launching the standalone Facebook Gaming app today on iOS! Download today 👉 https://t.co/MhNbh3nOwA
We know many creators and fans have been waiting a long time for it, so thanks for sitting tight.— Facebook Gaming (@FacebookGaming) August 7, 2020
"After months of submissions and repeated rejections by Apple, we've had to remove instant games entirely from the standalone app," says the Twitter thread. "Citing App Store guideline 4.7, Apple rejected the app claiming the primary purpose of the Facebook Gaming app is to play games. It's not. ~95% of app activity on Android is from watching livestreams. We shared this stat with Apple, but no luck."
Facebook is far from the only company suffering under Apple's strict App Store guidelines. Microsoft recently revealed that its xCloud service won't be coming to iOS at launch. Valve's Steam Link also faced similar problems, and game streaming platforms like Google's Stadia and Nvidia's GeForce Now still aren't available on iOS.


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For the Mad Fox Brewing Company’s owner and chief executive officer, Bill Madden, surviving at all in an industry where most fail in the first year is cause for celebration. But the gastropub, since opening July 12, 2010, has enjoyed a successful year serving its house-brewed beers alongside a seasonal, locally sourced and chef-inspired menu to eager patrons all right in downtown Falls Church. On Saturday, the restaurant will celebrate with entertainment for guests and a plethora of specials.
Madden, a veteran brewer and graduate of the Master Brewers Program at the University of California in Davis, has been bringing his brews to Northern Virginia since his graduation from the program in 1995, developing a following through his work at such area establishments as Capitol City Brewing Company, Founders Restaurant and Brewing Company and, most recently, at Vintage 50 Restaurant and Brew Lounge.
At Vintage 50, under the tutelage of Anthony Cavallo, Madden learned the importance of working long hours and being a fixture of one’s establishment, a quality he has tried to emulate in his transition from brewer to business owner.
Madden’s path to restaurant and brewery ownership began in June 2008, when he and his business partner, Rick Garvin, went to market to get investors. Currently more than 40 investors are part owners in Mad Fox, including several from BURP, Brewers United for Real Potables.
Madden and Garvin had previously considered their current location, a main-floor spot off of West Broad Street in the Spectrum complex, which had another interested tenant with a similar concept. Finding a home was no easy task considering the demands the brewery would place upon the space, the chiefest being the weight of the hefty brewing equipment that the floors would need to support.
Madden didn’t expect he’d find a suitable space inside the beltway, but when the leasing agreement with the previous tenant failed at the Spectrum, the landlord contacted Madden in spring 2009 to see if they were still interested, and Mad Fox was able to situate itself in Falls Church City.
According to Madden, Falls Church – with its high median income and population density, and the family friendly atmosphere fostered by its school system – was the ideal demographic.
Madden planned for Mad Fox to be a brewery and pizza spot serving European-themed fare with an American twist, heavy on the pub food, all made with local, seasonal ingredients. While Madden manned the brews menu, he needed a chef to put a gourmet touch on the food offerings.
After a Craigslist search, the applicant pool was narrowed down to a handful of chefs who showcased their skills in a cookoff at Open Kitchen, as Mad Fox did not have use of a kitchen facility at the time.
Russel Cunningham – a Texas Culinary Academy-trained Cordon Bleu chef with an interest in using local and sustainable ingredients boasting cooking credits at such local restaurants as Dupont Grille and Agraria restaurant – stood out and was picked to be Mad Fox’s executive chef. He was tasked with perfecting the menu in two months before the opening, having use of the facility’s kitchen only after the June 24 OK from the health department.
“It was a very fast and furious effort to pull together the menu,” Madden said.
Madden had planned for a soft opening, meaning that no formal advertisement or announcement of the restaurant’s debut would be made, allowing customers to find Mad Fox and slowly trickle in as staff were trained and other final details were sorted out.
Thanks to reports in the News-Press and the power of social media, however, word about Mad Fox spread, and soon local Twitter and Facebook accounts were buzzing with excitement over the soon-to-come addition to the Falls Church restaurant scene.
“There was so much pent-up demand and excitement,” Madden said. He was aware that interest had been sparked before the opening, but said that nothing could have prepared him for the crowds that gathered on Mad Fox’s opening day.
“It was packed,” Madden said. Customers lined the bar and filled the restaurant’s tables, hoping to sample the local brews and culinary treats the restaurant’s menu promised.
“The next two weeks were like an out-of-control freight train,” Madden said. “I was like walking in a dream. To see so many people walking in to enjoy it, it was fantastic.”
Local critics soon took notice of Mad Fox, and the restaurant and its staff began earning numerous accolades from the press throughout the greater Washington, D.C. region, proving that this little city restaurant could hold its own amongst the metro area’s best restaurants and breweries.
In the past year, locals have made their menu favorites known. Madden says that the pizzas – served on a fairly sturdy thin crust made with dough that is baked fresh daily and topped with fresh ingredients – and the pork belly appetizer – a piece of 12-hour-roasted Virginia pork belly glazed with molasses and honey – are top sellers. The frickles, deep-fried pickle chips, are also popular amongst customers. In fact, Madden said the restaurant can usually go through a 55-gallon drum daily of the brined cucumbers used in the dish.
As for libations, an IPA craze is sweeping the nation, and here in Falls Church, the India Pale Ales on the Mad Fox menu – like the Orange Whip, a Citra hops-brewed beer with a slightly fruity flavor – are customer favorites.
Though Mad Fox has espoused the sometimes costly philosophy of locally sourcing fresh ingredients, the restaurant still offers prices in line with what casual diners might expect to pay. Beers come in at about $7 a glass, and entree items range in price from the $8 grilled cheese panini to the $22 steak frites.
“It ain’t easy,” Madden said. “Sometimes people don’t realize the quality of the ingredients because of the price.”
With the long hours that Madden spends at the restaurant, often in seven-day work weeks, he is no stranger to the food and beverages that Mad Fox serves. He said that, being a brewer, he’ll never tire of beer, but admits that one can only eat so much pizza.
As the community has come to Mad Fox, so too has Mad Fox gone to the community. The restaurant is a frequent presence at City festivals, and recently partnered with the annual Tinner Hill Blues Festival to provide beer, a first for the outdoor music festival.
It is that relationship with the City that Madden is, in particular, grateful for.
“Falls Church City folks have been extremely receptive,” Madden said. “If you support the community, they will support you. We really appreciate that.”
While Madden declined to discuss how much Mad Fox has earned in its freshman year, he did say that the City of Falls Church has “benefited handsomely from us” through meals and other taxes.
As for the future of Mad Fox, ideas of expansion – possibly making the beer available for purchase offsite or opening new locations – aren’t currently being considered, as Madden said the restaurant is still in the process of refining its products.
Madden keeps busy with the administrative tasks associated with running the restaurant, but is still involved in making beer. The restaurant employed a full-time brewer, Charlie Buettner, so Madden does less brewing, but enjoys the times when Buettner is away so that he can hop back into the hops and return to his brewing roots.
In looking back at Mad Fox’s maiden year, there is little Madden sees that he wishes he could change.
“I’d say give me an office,” Madden said, laughing while speaking to the News-Press from his current office – a laptop resting on a corner table in the dining room.
As part of Saturday’s celebration, the restaurant will be giving away commemorative glasses, tapping two oaked favorites and a work-in-progress black ale, and offering bar snack and menu specials. The Levi Stephens Band will be performing at 9 p.m.
For more information on Mad Fox or Saturday’s anniversary celebration, visit madfoxbrewing.com.


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Did you hear the story of the man who fell asleep at the wheel, and crashed into a sign warning against falling asleep at the wheel?
Read This Article
You can't drive around for more than five minutes in Southern California without seeing a 1950's-1960's era Volkswagen Microbus.
Meet the latest Volkswagen Beetle convertible.
Volkswagen and Audi had a July for the record books as both German automakers, both owned by the same parent company, set new high marks in the United States.


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Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, is doubling down on scaling startups and enabling founders by introducing a value creation programme.
The Sharjah Entrepreneurship centre (Sheraa) hosted a delegation of founders representing Italy’s leading startups at its headquarters in Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTI Park),
A new partnership between Sharjah Entrepreneurship centre (Sheraa) and Sharjah FDI Office (Invest in Sharjah) is poised to take Sharjah’s ecosystem offerings to the next level.
Startups will lead transformations in the logistics ecosystem as high market fragmentation, inefficiencies in frieght transportation and last-mile delivery has opened up investment opportunities in the sector, say industry experts.
The UAE has taken a leadership role in the Middle East region with the government sector leading the charge in technology adoption. Dubai has largely been responsible for changing the mindset when it comes to adopting new technologies.
Forensic Risk Alliance (FRA), a forensic accounting, business analysis and eDiscovery consultancy specialising in international and complex investigations, compliance and disputes,
Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, has announced a partnership with Clara, a LegalTech startup that offers automated legal services for startups.
Dubai CommerCity, part of the Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority (DIEZ) and the region’s first and leading e-commerce free zone,
Commercial Bank of Dubai, one of the leading banks in the UAE, announced the opening of its Digital Lab at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Innovation Hub, the region’s largest innovation ecosystem.


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Following on from David Mattin’s piece about Augmented Reality (AR) in the paper on Monday - where he predicted that the next generation of this technology is “set to change the way we live” - Pizza Hut Middle East have just launched their own AR app.
The app, which promotes the fast food restaurant’s Family Box, is a clever way of extending the company's social media reach (they are also very active on Facebook and YouTube) and means that they can claim to offer the “region’s first augmented reality application within the Quick Service Restaurant industry”.
As soon as the app, which uses Ogle technology, is downloaded (via iTunes) onto your smartphone or tablet, you simply hover it over one of their print advertisements to connect with the company’s Facebook page, link to their recent adverts, or be redirected towards their homepage. The company hopes that it will create "a dynamic snapshot of Pizza Hut’s latest meal deals and innovations including the ‘cone crust’ pizzas developed specifically for the Middle East region."
It’s pizza, like you’ve never seen it before. Hungry yet?


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Throughout the last couple months, news and commentary regarding the water crisis in Flint, Michigan has permeated the media. MLive literally has a “Flint Water Crisis” sidebar, celebrity tweets abound, and the topic has predictably wheedled its way into presidential … Continue reading
What we're talking about . . .
Pop-up retail is a fun and creative way to activate and promote underutilized storefronts. In December 2015, we had the opportunity to do a pop-up retail PlacePOP project with Allegan leaders to create vibrancy, boost foot-traffic, and encourage economic growth … Continue reading
Though many municipalities have bravely ventured into social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to communicate with residents, for the grand majority of local governments Snapchat remains uncharted territory. It’s understandable that local officials have hit roadblocks with social media; … Continue reading
Last week saw Lansing take up bills for a “Historic District Modernization Act”, as well as CityLab weigh in on historic districts’ role in driving up housing prices and limiting affordability. In this context, we can revisit the role of … Continue reading


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It hasn’t even been two months since Amazon CEO Andy Jassy took the reins from founder Jeff Bezos, but the company’s new chief executive is already facing a potential scandal. Two anonymous sources have accused Jassy of stepping in to overrule the company’s own HR department when it recommended that an executive be fired for discrimination — and Amazon didn’t initially deny it, reports Protocol. Amazon is now suggesting to The Verge that it’s not true, a day after we first published this post.
The story goes that in 2019, a Black female Amazon employee accused AWS Outposts general manager Joshua Burgin of discrimination, and HR issued a report recommending he be fired. But Jassy fielded a personal request from Burgin’s boss, Charlie Bell, and decided to let him stay. (At the time, Jassy was CEO of AWS, Bell was a star cloud executive who also reportedly served as a member of Amazon’s senior leadership team, and Burgin was Bell’s chief of staff. Bell recently moved to Microsoft.)
“We [...] took what we believe was the appropriate corrective action”
Protocol writes that when it presented Amazon with “a detailed account of the events,” the company didn’t dispute it: “In this instance, we conducted a thorough investigation and took what we believe was the appropriate corrective action,” the company wrote.
Amazon initially told The Verge it didn’t have anything to share beyond that non-denial statement, but on Thursday it came out with a partial denial after all: “The suggestion that Andy overruled a recommendation provided to him in this case is not correct,” a company spokesperson tells The Verge. “As with any disciplinary decision, as more data was presented and discussions continued, opinions on the appropriate course of action evolved. The final recommendation was the one ultimately pursued.”
Amazon declined to provide a copy of that final recommendation for us to verify, and wouldn’t tell us whether Jassy might have been involved in crafting that final recommendation himself.
Amazon’s partial denial arrived a day after we originally published this story under the headline “Amazon isn’t denying its CEO saved an exec from being fired for discrimination.”
In July, Amazon pledged to investigate allegations of discrimination and harassment inside its AWS unit after 550 Amazon workers signed a petition accusing the company of fostering an “underlying culture of systemic discrimination, harassment, bullying, and bias against women and under-represented groups.” Five specific female Amazon employees also sued the company for discrimination in May, three of whom still worked for Amazon at the time. It’s not clear whether the worker who accused Burgin — and by association, Jassy — is one of those five, but Protocol suggests she’s suing as well.
Update September 2nd, 3:44PM ET: Added Amazon’s denial, a day after Amazon declined to deny the story to both Protocol and The Verge.


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Bangladeshi Ambassador to Iran Khandakar Abdul Sattar announced on Saturday that members of
A delegation of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) will visit Iran soon to explore areas of business cooperation and investment, officials said.
The delegation will arrive in Tehran soon and the itinerary is likely to announced shortly, Bangladeshi Ambassador to Iran Khandakar Abdul Sattar announced in in Qazvin province of Iran on Saturday, according to a message received at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.
"Dhaka is interested in expanding ties with Tehran and expects bilateral relations to increase further in future," Abdul Sattar told reporters following an official meeting.
Iran wants to expand economic cooperation between the two countries as the current level of transactions is not satisfying, and both the countries have ability to increase it manifold, the officials said.
In March last, Vice-president Mohammad Shariat Madari and Bangladeshi Minister for Religious Affairs Motiur Rahman, in a meeting in Tehran, voiced their countries' enthusiasm to consolidate relations in all fields.
Shariat Madari said the current level of Iran-Bangladesh trade transactions is not satisfying, and stressed that long strides should be taken to expand mutual economic cooperation.
On many occasions Iran has announced its readiness to reinvigorate ties with friendly country, specially the Islamic ones.
Bangladesh with an approximate population of 160 million, with at least 90 percent Muslims, can be a very good market for high-quality Iranian products, Iran's leading daily the Iran Daily said in a report on Friday.


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SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- CNet Networks said Monday almost 20,000 customers have agreed to pay for access to its GameSpot Complete Web site focused on video and computer games.
A three-week trial period for access to the site ended over the weekend. Subscribers pay monthly ($4.95) or annually ($19.95) for features including unlimited access to news, trade show coverage, previews of games, and videos.
"It's a premium service that complements the GameSpot free service," said a spokeswoman for CNet
SBC, Yahoo launch Net access business
Washingtonpost.com consolidates tech news
One of the Net's original tech news services, Newsbytes, has been merged into the Washington Post's WPO new technology news site, TechNews.com. Newsbytes was purchased by the Post several years ago, and until Friday, continued to have an individual identity. The new site also incorporates the Post's own Washtech.com site, a source for local technology news. "TechNews.com contains nearly all the content that has been offered by washtech.com plus reporting from several Newsbytes reporters," a news release form the Post said. The company will continue to syndicated tech news under the Newsbytes name.
You can listen to Internet Daily, too. Click to hear today's segment: Amazon.com will pay commissions for sale of used items. Call your local CBS station for broadcast times of Internet Daily on the Radio in your city.
You can also receive Internet Daily by e-mail. Click here to start the sign-up process. If you have a problem, e-mail me.


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RIM BlackBerry PlayBook 4G leaks out: looks the same, but with BBM
The first photos of the upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook 4G have now leaked and... the tablet looks just like before. Except for having 4G connectivity and BBM Messenger pre-loaded, there seem to be absolutely no changes to the design and looks of the RIM 7-inch tablet.
The software on those units seems to be very buggy, probably because we’re looking at early prototypes. Now, we’ve heard rumors earlier about the new PlayBook getting its processor speeds bumped to 1.5GHz, up from 1GHz on the original one. That’s not confirmed yet. Also, we don’t know whether 4G here stands for LTE (hopefully!) or HSPA+.
So there you have it - a new PlayBook seems to be in the works, but the real question now is why would RIM even bother releasing it if it keeps the specs. Hopefully, the Canadians have something up their sleeve that’s not immediately visible here. Check out the screenshots below to see the leaked device for yourselves.


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Piada Italian Street Food
News from The Business Journals
Oct 31, 2013, 1:41 pm EDT
Piada Italian Street Food’s new investor sees national expansion potential for the chain.
The young Columbus-based fast-casual restaurant is one of…
Oct 30, 2013, 8:09 am EDT
Smucker's an Olympic hopeful, Panera's need for speed, Honda exiting the solar business, the Akron RubberDucks, haunted houses and more in Wednesday's…
Oct 18, 2013, 6:00 am EDT
Pizza Cucinova is poised to take Sbarro LLC beyond the food court.
The restaurant brand, which debuted Oct. 16 at 4044 Morse Crossing near Easton Town…
Oct 16, 2013, 1:57 pm EDT
The ovens are ablaze at Pizza Cucinova.
The offshoot of Melville, N.Y.-based Sbarro LLC opened its very first restaurant Wednesday at 4044 Morse Crossing…
Oct 10, 2013, 11:30 am EDT
Piada Italian Street Food, meet Venti-Tre – eventually.
The entry by Lexington, Ky.-based fast feeder Fazoli’s into the nascent fast-casual Italian…
Sep 27, 2013, 4:44 pm EDT
Catterton Partners may not be a household name, but chances are you’ve eaten at one of their restaurants.
Go to Piada Italian Street Food tonight and…
Sep 27, 2013, 8:00 am EDT
Piada Italian Street Food is getting the money to go where more mouths are.
The Columbus-based fast-casual Italian restaurant, already bolstered by industry…
Sep 17, 2013, 11:52 am EDT
Been holding off on that donation to your favorite charity? The Columbus Foundation is giving a big incentive to make it happen now, as it kicks off its…
Sep 13, 2013, 7:49 am EDT
Pure Romance controversy, Piada expansion, Cincinnati mall for sale, Twitter's IPO, Trader Joe's Obamacare decision, Blue Jackets training camp, women…
Sep 13, 2013, 6:00 am EDT
The booming fast-casual restaurant segment isn’t about making a better burrito or burger.
It’s about taking pie.
Fast-casual eateries, those spots…
Sep 12, 2013, 9:46 am EDT
Popular Italian restaurant Piada Italian Street Food is about to open four new locations in southwest Ohio and plans a big grand opening event to mark…
Sep 3, 2013, 6:57 am EDT
A popular Columbus restaurant chain that’s been opening locations around Dayton is tweaking its menu.
Piada Italian Street Food, which has a location…
Aug 30, 2013, 2:53 pm EDT
Chris Doody doesn’t want any visitor to Piada Italian Street Food to be intimidated or confused by the restaurant’s menu.
If you’ve been skittish…
Aug 30, 2013, 8:00 am EDT
If you’re a fan of Piada Italian Street Food, Friday may be a good day to take the morning off.
The Columbus-based fast casual Italian eatery is opening…
Aug 20, 2013, 2:03 pm EDT
Crawford Hoying Development has closed on its purchase of 2.5 acres next to the Shops at Worthington Place where it expects to begin construction of an…


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Bartenders are a mainstay at most upscale hotels, but some properties today have staff members who are specialists in just one type of alcohol.
The Four Points by Sheraton Los Angeles International Airport has a director of brewer relations who helps guests navigate the 100 choices on the beer menu at its beer-centric bar. The director also holds beer tastings with different themes.
The CasaMagna Marriott Puerto Vallarta Resort now has a tequila sommelier who leads tastings and discussions on the 126 selections and also takes guests to see the agave azul plants grown on site that are used to produce the property’s own tequila. Hotel Arts Barcelona has a new cava concierge program; several employees who are experts in cava lead guests staying on the club floor through a complimentary tasting of of three varieties daily. Read more…
The Wauwinet The Woody 25 at the Wauwinet on Nantucket.
Hotel restaurants have long poured private label wines. But with the rise of artisan distilling and craft brewing, bespoke selections are now the toast of hotel bars around the world.
In southern Brazil, Ponta dos Ganchos commissions three distinct blends of cachaca, aged two to eight years, from Adega Scherer distiller, available in caipirinhas as well as neat at the beach resort.
In the United States, the Brown Palace Hotel and Spa in Denver recently teamed with local Wynkoop Brewing Company to create a series of cask beers using ingredients specific to the hotel, including honey produced from rooftop beehives.
The Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston recently debuted its new Oak Long Bar Blend, a bourbon with notes of vanilla and port from small batch producer Angel’s Envy, at its Oak Long Bar + Kitchen.
Perhaps most impressively, 10 years ago, in anticipation of its 25th anniversary this year, the Wauwinet on Nantucket Island bought a proprietary barrel of single-malt whiskey from the island’s Triple Eight Distillery; it’s now available as the resort’s unique 10-year-old Woody 25. Guests can sample it at the Wauwinet bar or order a 750-milliliter bottle through room service for $250.


text: Montgomery, AL – The state Senate approved a 90 million dollar increase in the state tobacco tax Thursday. The bill would add 23 cents per pack to name brands cigarettes that participate in the national tobacco settlement. Taxes would increase to 63 cents a pack for brands that do not participate in the settlement. Those are mostly generic brands. The tobacco tax increases also must go back to the House to work out some differences. The House approved a smaller tax hike last month.


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Harvey Craft listens to oldies as he works on classic cars, street rods and antiques he's collected during the years. He spends most of his free time in the shop behind his house, but he still doesn't think that's enough.
"I've got three more years until I retire," he said. "Then I can do this full time."
When Craft graduated from the eighth grade, his grandmother bought him a green 1952 Plymouth because he wanted to learn to work on cars.
"I've done it ever since," he said.
George Vassek has been under the hood since a young child, too, as his father was a mechanic.
"I've worked on cars since I was old enough to be in the garage with him," he said.
His father was into classics, and that's something Vassek has carried with him.
Vassek is president and Craft is vice president of Colorado Cruisers, a local club that brings car lovers together to attend shows all across the country. Most years, the club attends between eight and 10 exhibits a year.
Craft said these trips in their refurbished cars serve as vacations for those who make the trip. Club members have traveled across the Midwest, South and West going to shows and socializing with other car enthusiasts.
"It's always like a reunion after you haven't done it for a few years," Craft said. "You meet people at the shows, and you don't get to see them until the next year at that show."
Another classic car and motorcycle event hits closer to home. Delbert Knez organizes The O.P. Bar and Grill Annual Poker Run each July.
Participants drive to various locations on a 125-mile route (with the caravan spanning five miles of highway) and pick up a card to add to their poker hand. The three players with the best hands by the end of the day win cash prizes.
The rest of the proceeds benefit a local charity. Last year, Knez said, the poker run raised $10,000 for Moffat County Partners. They also donated money to a boy in Steamboat Springs with spinal muscular atrophy.
Knez said he enjoys being able to contribute to worthwhile causes, but he said the idea sprang from his long-time passion for cars. He thinks cars from yesteryear have a draw that modern cars can't touch.
"You could buy go get a brand new $50,000 pickup, and no one would look at it," he said. "I think it's because the old cars have such unique lines and curves, and if you get one, that's rare.
"You don't see one driving down the road like yours. It's something that's very unique to yourself."
Vassek agreed, saying new cars all look the same. He likes being able to just look at a classic and be able to tell what it is.
But he's not the only one. The local enthusiasts say this is a hobby that has swept the nation.
"I think it's a disease," Craft said. "America's crazy about all kinds of cars. It's an American obsession for sure."
He attributes this to the feeling that teenagers get when they turn 16 and earn a driver's license. They can escape from home and be free.
"That translates to the open road and doing your own thing," Craft said.
But this isn't a hobby the men keep to themselves.
Vassek built a 1930 Model A coupe for his wife, Karen, and Craft bought a 1963 Pontiac Bonneville convertible for his wife, Charlotte.
"(Because) it's just like the one we had when we got married," Craft said. "This car's in our wedding picture."
So it seems the time spent in the garage isn't just for the men doing it, and the men have no intentions of giving up their pastimes anytime soon.
Vassek said he has plans to continue enjoying his hobby until he no longer is able.
"Until I can't drive anymore or until I can't turn a wrench on a car," he said.
Michelle Perry can be reached at 824-7031 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Akai Professional have just released version 2.0 of their MPC software which can be used as a DAW or a plugin.
Akai Professional’s MPC software has just reached version 2.0. It brings regular DAW features to the table, as well as tight integration with MPC hardware.
The new software is understandably skewed toward beatmaking, featuring real-time time-stretch, pitch-shifting and Ableton link support.
As such, the software is compatible with a host of Akai hardware units and controllers such as the MPC X, Live and Touch.
It also, however, adds functionality that pushes it into standalone DAW territory, such as audio track recording, advanced signal routing capability, effects returns and multi-output capability.
As well as the new MPC 2.0 software, Akai are also releasing the Vault 2.0, which will feature over 10GB of samples and instruments from the world’s leading sample libraries.
Visit Akai Professional for more details.
- Presonus Unveils Upgrade to their DAW – Studio One 4.5 Presonus has launched the latest incarnation of their DAW. Studio One has reached version 4.5 and boasts more than 70 new improvements, working from a robust, customer-curated […]
- Reason 10 Set to Drop Next Month with New Synths and Samples Propellerhead have just announced the release of Reason 10 - the new version of their popular DAW.
To celebrate Reason 10, the popular DAW comes packed with two new synths, three new […]
- Old Blood Noise Endeavors Launches the Whitecap Tremolo Boutique pedal masters, Old Blood Noise Endeavors are back with the Whitecap tremolo. It does away with a linear approach, instead encouraging you to create new textures with parallel […]
- Gestrument Launches the Gestrument Pro App for iOS Gestrument Pro is an app for iOS from the minds of contemporary-classical composer, Jesper Nordin and iOS developer, Jonatan Liljedahl. It's an enhanced version of their original app from […]
- See TONTO – the World’s Biggest Polysynth – in Canada The National Music Centre in Calgary, Canada, will play host to TONTO. It's the largest polysynth on the planet and it will be on display at the centre this November.
Keen to […]
- Gibson Unveils New Alpine White BB King ‘Lucille’ Signature ES-355 In a collaboration with the King family trust, Gibson has announced a limited edition Alpine white 'Lucille' ES-335. In revealing the new guitar Gibson named the late B.B. King a 'legacy […]


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A coalition of state and national groups has filed a law suit against some of the biggest brand names in cleaning products in an effort to reveal the chemical ingredients in their products and potential health risks.
Ingredient disclosure requirements are virtually non-existent in the United States.
The exception is a long-forgotten New York state law which requires household and commercial cleaner companies selling their products in New York to file semi-annual reports with the state listing the chemicals contained in their products and describing any company research on these chemicals' health and environmental effects. But since the 1976 law was passed, companies have not filed a single report.
Last fall, environmental and public health advocates sent letters to more than a dozen companies asking them to comply with the law. The law suit has been filed against the companies that ignored or refused the request. They are Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG-W), Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL), Church and Dwight (NYSE: CHD), and Reckitt-Benckiser (RB.L).
The nonprofit public interest law firm Earthjustice filed the lawsuit last week on behalf of: Women's Voices for the Earth, Environmental Advocates of New York, New York Public Interest Research Group, Riverkeeper, Sierra Club, and American Lung Association in New York.
The first-of-its-kind case could have national implications. Independent studies into chemicals contained in cleaning products continue to find health effects ranging from asthma to hormone disruption.
"As the evidence showing the risks posed by chemicals in household cleaners continues to mount, people deserve to know whether the products they use to wash their dishes, launder their clothes, and clean their homes could be harmful," said Earthjustice attorney Keri Powell. "Sunlight is the best disinfectant, as they say. It's time to dust off this important law and take the first step in giving consumers the information they need to protect themselves and their families."
Several companies, including the California-based Sunshine Makers, Inc. (manufacturers of Simple Green products), complied with the request, filing reports with the state for the first time.
"This New York law can protect consumers by allowing a government agency such as the New York Department of Environmental Conservation to review confidential business information," Tom Neltner, co-Chair of Sierra Club's Toxics Committeem said.
Independent research has also documented troubling hormone-disrupting qualities of alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs)--commonly found in detergents, disinfectants, stain removers, and floor cleaners. Some breakdown products of these manmade chemicals can mimic the hormone estrogen and when released into the environment are toxic to aquatic wildlife. In laboratory studies, they cause breast cancer cells to proliferate, alter cells in the placenta, and cause reproductive abnormalities. This raises concerns about whether they may increase the risk of breast cancer, miscarriages, and reproductive damage in humans.
"It's outrageous that there are hidden ingredients in our cleaning products that may cause serious reproductive problems," says Tracy Lakatua, executive director of Women's Voices for the Earth. "In our 2007 report Household Hazards we identified hundreds of cleaning products containing ingredients linked to infertility, birth defects and asthma. Consumers deserve to know if these kinds of chemicals are in their products so they can make healthy choices for themselves and their families."


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Well, if anyone was going to send Christmas cards depicting their very own naked body – it was probably going to be Emily Ratajkowski.
Yup, the 25-year-old US model has now showed off a sneak peak of the card itself on her Instagram account.
And – unsurprisingly – her bod looks pretty amazing in a we'd-rather-not-see-that-when-we're-in-a-turkey-coma kinda way.
Emily told The Sun that she only had five of them made explaining: "The cards are far more than just a holiday greeting – they’re a gift in and of themselves."
We couldn't agree more, Miss Ratajkowski!
She added: “With everything going on in the world this year, my material gifts seemed to stop short at feeling special and full of love, so I decided to do the collages.”
Emily is currently spending Christmas in Venice.


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A Look Back at Our Evening with the Co-Founder of Casper
On July 31st, PowerToFly partnered with Casper to present a sold out, invite-only evening for women in digital and engineering. The event, which took place at Casper's beautiful NYC headquarters, kicked off with a keynote address by the company's co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Gabriel Flateman and included a panel discussion featuring two of Casper's women tech leaders.
Here is a brief look at the evening:
- Before the event officially kicked off, guests had a chance to network with the Casper team and their peers over some delicious food and drinks.
- PowerToFly CEO Milena Berry officially welcomed our attendees and introduced Gabriel Flateman, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Casper, who delivered a brief keynote address.
- The centerpiece of the evening was a panel discussion featuring three of Casper's leaders: Eleanor Morgan, SVP Experience; Hairong Crigler, SVP Marketing Analytics and Data Science; and Kyle Rush, VP Engineering.
- After answering some of Milena's questions about each of their career journeys and lives at Casper, we opened the floor to questions from our audience.
- The night concluded with more opportunity for our attendees to network with the Casper team, including our panelists.
Casper believes that better sleep makes for better living. Their competitive benefits include company equity, a comprehensive 401(k) program, health incentives, unlimited paid time off, catered lunches and a Gifted Bed Set.
Follow Casper on PowerToFly to learn more about their open roles.
PowerToFly's Milena Berry with Casper's Eleanor Morgan, Kyle Rush and Hairong Crigler.
SVP Marketing Analytics and Data Science Hairong Crigler
VP Engineering Kyle Rush
SVP Experience Eleanor Morgan
Our panel takes questions from our audience.
The Casper talent team closed out the evening.
Panelist Eleanor Morgan networks with attendees.


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Ford Motor Co. is recalling 238,364 Explorers, as the rear axle horizontal mounting bolt may fracture, causing the driveshaft to disconnect.
The recall affects certain 2020 to 2022 Explorer vehicles.
“A disconnected driveshaft can result in a loss of drive power or a vehicle rollaway if the parking brake is not applied,” the recall notice with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said. “Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.”
edged up 0.1% in premarket trading Monday.
Letters to notify owners of the recall are expected to be mailed on Nov. 6. Ford dealers will replace the rear axle bolts and inspect the rear axle cover, free of charge.
The automaker said it is aware of 396 reports of rear-axle bolt failures, in which less than 20 resulted in a roll-in-park or loss of motive power condition.
“Ford is not aware of any reports of accident or injury related to this condition,” the recall notice said.


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Surveys show you don’t need money to have a good time on Valentine’s Day.
A survey of 1,200 Americans over 18 by Debt.com asked how they intended to spend money this Valentine’s Day, as well as what they expected from their significant others. The majority — 67 percent — said it was at least somewhat important to mark the occasion. That includes 7 percent who said they were single, but planned to spoil themselves.
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