text:
Emmi Roth USA and Fromagination, an artisan cheese shop in Madison, Wisconsin, partnered to sell nearly 400 bagged lunches as a part of their “Lunch-In to Help End Childhood Hunger” promotion, which raised money for Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry® campaign.
For the fundraiser, local residents and companies had the opportunity to pre-order bagged lunch for pick up or free delivery on September 24. Each bagged lunch included the customers’ choices of a ham or vegetarian sandwich featuring Roth® Grand Cru® and Roth® Fontiago cheese, chips – courtesy of Sysco of Baraboo – and a mini Cow Pie®. Volunteers from Emmi Roth USA helped prepare and deliver the sandwiches.
Three dollars from each lunch sold, totaling $1,200, were donated directly to the No Kid Hungry campaign, connecting kids in need with healthy food where they live, where they learn and where they play. Every dollar raised for the No Kid Hungry campaign helps connect a child in need with up to 10 nutritious meals.
As a national partner of the No Kid Hungry campaign, Emmi Roth USA is committed to helping ensure that every child gets the healthy food they need, not only in Wisconsin, but nationwide.
“We are beyond grateful to everyone who purchased a lunch and helped spread the word about our fundraiser,” said Linda Duwve, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Emmi Roth USA. “One in five children struggles with hunger, and we hope that the awareness we’ve raised, along with the funds, will encourage local businesses and residents to continue to support the No Kid Hungry campaign.”
Emmi Roth USA received awards for its Grand Cru® Reserve, Grand Cru Surchoix® and Montanella™ Raclette cheeses at the recent Global Cheese Awards, held September 11, at the Frome Agricultural & Cheese Show in Frome, England. Since January, Emmi Roth has been recognized with 17 award wins in domestic and international competitions.
Roth® Grand Cru Reserve took home a gold medal in the Single Specialty Cheese Hard category. Crafted in authentic copper vats and cured by Roth cellar masters for a complex and full-bodied flavor unlike any other, Grand Cru Reserve is aged six to eight months to develop earthy and nutty flavors. Last month, Grand Cru Reserve took home the prestigious title of Grand Champion at World Dairy Expo.
Roth Grand Cru Surchoix also secured a gold award in the Overseas Cheeses category, which consisted of cheeses from non-European countries. Made from a combination of the finest Wisconsin milk and classic Swiss traditions, Roth Grand Cru Surchoix cures for a minimum of nine months, providing a firm texture and complex flavors of caramel, fruit and mushroom.
Montanella Raclette, a classic washed rind cheese, was awarded silver in the Overseas Cheese category. Montanella Raclette is handcrafted in small batches and cellar cured to deliver a velvety, semi-soft body and a nutty, yeasty finish.
“We are honored to receive continued recognition for all of our cheeses on national and international stages,” said Linda Duwve, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Emmi Roth USA. “Our cheesemakers and cellar masters are committed to delivering exceptional products. Award wins like this demonstrate the hard work and dedication everyone puts into our cheeses.”
Since 2011, the Global Cheese Awards have brought together cheesemakers from across the world to compete for various titles of distinction. This year’s competition featured more than 1,200 entries from 15 different countries.
The United States Olympic Committee and Chobani just announced a long-term partnership through 2020. Through this extension, Chobani will serve as the official yogurt provider to Team USA for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
“Chobani has served as an important addition to our roster of partners, and we are thrilled the company will remain in the USOC sponsor family through 2020,” said USOC chief marketing officer Lisa Baird. “Through its ongoing commitment to creating healthy products and promoting healthy lifestyle choices, Chobani has been an integral partner in our mission to support the competitive aspirations of current and future Team USA athletes, many of whom include Chobani in their diets and training regimens.”
The USOC first announced its partnership with Chobani in 2012, representing a new category in its roster of industry-leading sponsors. In 2014, Chobani packaging featured winter sport icons with the tagline, “naturally powering Team USA.” Through the terms of the new agreement, Chobani will continue to carry the Team USA logo through the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Our partnership with Team USA couldn’t be a more natural fit, and we’re extremely proud to continue helping these athletes on their journeys for gold,” said Peter McGuinness, Chobani chief marketing and brand officer. “Like the athletes and teams we’re naturally powering, we strive to deliver our best each and every day.”
A wide range of Chobani products will continue to be made available to athletes living or training at the U.S. Olympic Training Centers in Colorado Springs, Colo., Chula Vista, Calif., and Lake Placid, N.Y. In addition, USOC dietitians and culinary teams will continue to work closely with Chobani to incorporate the high-protein food into pre-competition and training menus.
“Chobani is more than a part of my diet, it’s truly been part of my training,” said Zach Parise, U.S. Olympic ice hockey silver medalist. “What you’re eating really matters when it comes to fueling peak performance and going for gold, and it’s exciting to know Chobani will continue to fuel Team USA toward victory for years to come.”
“Chobani has been a core part of my diet, whether its summer or winter, and whether I’m training or competing for gold,” said Allison Jones, a U.S. Paralympic medalist in both alpine skiing and cycling. “It’s made a noticeable difference in my nutrition plan, and I’m excited Chobani has committed to being a Team USA sponsor for the long term.”
Products made available to athletes at the training centers will include:
Green County CheeseDays, the granddaddy of Midwestern food fests, celebrates its 100-year anniversary from September 19-21 in Monroe, Wisconsin. The festival celebrates the cheesemaking, dairy farming and Swiss traditions that continue to this day.
Herd to curd.
Cheesemaking first began in Green County in 1846 when Swiss immigrants purchased a few dozen dairy cows and herded them from Ohio to New Glarus, Wisconsin. By 1873, the locals were churning out wedges, blocks and wheels of American, Limburger and Swiss cheese. Today you’ll find more than 50 different varieties, with many available for sampling in the Cheese Tent at the festival.
Thank goodness for sauerkraut!
The idea for the festival dates back to 1914, when some aspiring entrepreneurs in downtown Monroe were looking for a way to attract visitors and boost business. After a visit to Sauerkraut Day in Forreston, Illinois – they came home inspired, with visions of cheese curds dancing in their heads. “If Forreston can have a festival based on sauerkraut, we can certainly do something better with cheese,” one of them likely said, and the first Cheese Day was planned in less than a month. Despite the lack of Twitter, Facebook and text messaging, nearly 4,000 people arrived by train, horse-drawn rig, and roadster. More than 13,000 cheese sandwiches were served, and the program included vaudeville entertainment and political speeches. According to the local newspaper, “merrymakers danced in the street to band music all afternoon.”
A celebration too good to end.
After some stops and starts (War! Great Depression! Ten-Year Hiatus!) the festival settled into the pattern of a three-day, every-other-year event in 1970. Today, more than 100,000 revelers descend on Monroe to polka and yodel, play alphorns, eat cheese by the truckload, and party – literally – ‘til the cows go home.
Cheesy is what the festival organizers strive for.
Right away you’ll sense the cheesy vibe: old time copper kettle cheesemaking demonstrations, cheese pairings, and cheese sampling galore. On the menu: gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, the best deep-fried cheese curds in the nation, cheesecake on a stick, and Limburger “sliders.” And in honor of the 100th anniversary – a “Procession of Cheesemakers” with a cheesemaker from each of the dozen factories proudly bearing their signature cheese to lend pomp and circumstance to the festival’s opening ceremony.
Send in the cows.
The best of the area’s bovines (Brown Swiss, Jersey, Guernsey, Holstein, Red and White Holstein, Ayrshire, and Milking Shorthorn) make the trip to the “big city” to play starring roles in the wildly popular Cow Milking Contest. For many, the highlight of the weekend is The Swiss Colony Cheese Days Paradewhich is led by a herd of Brown Swiss cows sporting clanging bells and floral wreaths. The parade carries on the tradition of herdsmen bringing the cattle down from the Alps at the end of the grazing season – following a summer nibbling pastures of tall grass and tasty herbs – ideal for crafting delicious Alpine cheeses.
Hundreds of ways to share the fun.
To mark this special anniversary, more than 100 accordion players will play the official Cheese Days Song (of course there is a song!) with the Monroe City Band. In keeping with the theme of 100, dairy farm tours will showcase two family farms where multiple generations have tilled the land and milked the cows for more than a century. Cheese Days also features three entertainment stages with everything from Swiss alphorns and yodeling to rock-n-roll party bands. Also on the schedule – arts and crafts, brewery and distillery tours, activities for kids and antique tractors. In fact, there are more fun things to do at Cheese Days than there are holes in a giant wheel of Swiss cheese!
Two Emmi Roth USA employees are among the 2014 class of American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professionals™. Krista Schoppenhauer and Kristin Sande are part of an elite group of 153 individuals from 32 different companies who passed the third annual ACS Certified Cheese Professional Exam, held July 29 in Sacramento, California.
Krista Schoppenhauer, Inside Sales Representative for Specialty Cheeses at Emmi Roth USA, has more than 10 years of experience in the cheese industry. Schoppenhauer, who developed a love of fine food at a young age, said she is “proud to have attained this milestone while working at Emmi Roth.”
With more than 20 years of experience in the cheese industry, Kristin Sande is the Inside Sales Manager for Specialty Cheeses at Emmi Roth USA. “I am fortunate to have a career that not only provides continued growth but also tastes delicious,” said Sande.
Sande and Schoppenhauer join Roger Olsen, Specialty Sales Trainer, who passed the ACS Certified Cheese Professional Exam in 2013. “The ever-expanding cheese community is a wonderful place to be, especially now,” said Olson, who has more than 20 years of professional experience in the food industry. “It is a joy sharing great cheese and education with people who are passionate about food.”
“We are exceptionally proud of Krista, Kristin and Roger,” said Jodie Wische, Vice President of Specialty Sales at Emmi Roth USA. “Becoming a Certified Cheese Professional is a prestigious achievement and true testament to their dedication and passion for the cheese industry.”
In support of cheesemongers and cheese professionals, Emmi Roth USA proudly sponsors the American Cheese Society CCP reception to honor and celebrate the efforts of exam takers. The exam is the only one of its kind, and it was established to encourage improved standards of comprehensive cheese knowledge and service. Aspiring cheese professionals need 4,000 hours of work experience and formal education just to be eligible to take the exam. Those who pass the test are awarded a lapel pin, jacket patch and certificate.
To learn more about the Certified Cheese Professional Exam, visit www.cheesesociety.org.
Karoun Dairies‘ 2014 product launch, Blue Isle Mediterranean Yogurt Spreads, wins first place in the “Labneh, Greek Style Yogurt and Other Strained Cultured Products” category at the annual 2014 American Cheese Society Awards, which took place from
July 29 – August 1 in Sacramento, California.
The 2014 ACS Judging & Competition saw 1,685 entries of cheeses and cultured dairy products from 248 companies in North America. Among them, Karoun Dairies received two awards to add to its growing collection.
“We’re honored by the ACS and their acknowledgement of the quality of the products we produce. We use hand-crafted traditional methods of blending, aging, and fermenting all of our probiotic rich yogurt spreads,” states Mr. Rostom Baghdassarian, COO for Karoun Dairies. “This year, we introduced Blue Isle Mediterranean Yogurt Spreads, as we’ve seen a major demand for healthier, Mediterranean-style spreads. Blue Isle is a fresh, tasty, and health conscious alternative to traditional cream cheeses.”
Karoun Dairies’ winning products at the American Cheese Society 2014 awards include:
Labneh, Greek Style Yogurt and Other Strained Cultured Products: first place - Blue Isle Original Mediterranean Yogurt Spread
Crème Fraiche and Sour Cream Products – Made From Cow’s Milk: second place – Canadian Style Sour Cream
Over 1,400 members strong, ACS is the leading organization supporting the understanding, appreciation, and promotion of farmstead, artisan and specialty cheeses produced in the Americas. ACS hosts North America’s foremost annual educational conference and world-renowned cheese judging and competition.
Blue Isle Yogurt Spreads are distributed by Karoun Dairies, Inc., a second-generation family business with multiple awards for excellence in the cheese and dairy industry. Accolades include World Cheese Awards, World Championship Cheese medals, U.S. Championships, American Cheese Society medals, and California State Fair awards to name a few. Karoun produces some of California’s finest specialty cheeses; using century-old and handmade methods. All 130+ SKUs are made from ultra-premium ingredients, including premium milk from cows that are free of artificial hormones, BGH/rBST, and are Real California Milk certified.
Jarlsberg® Cheese, a nationally recognized premium quality brand, is now in a mini snack size. Available in a 30 count UPC barcode for individual sale—in a display ready case for immediate placement in the refrigerated case—Jarlsberg Cheese Minis offer convenience stores, drugstores, retail, institutional and hospitality foodservice channels profit opportunity that taps directly into current consumer demand for all-natural and fresh, ready-to-eat formats of favorite brands.
Each 20g portion-sized Jarlsberg Cheese Mini is just 70 calories and a good source of calcium and protein. Dipped in wax and wrapped in cellophane to replicate the popular Jarlsberg wheel, it’s mild, mellow and nutty flavor makes it a delicious grab-and-go alternative choice to sugary snacks. Jarlsberg Cheese Minis are also available in a 50 count bulk case, with or without UPC, offering a wide range of foodservice channel applications.
For more information, contact Deborah Seife, General Manager – Marketing,firstname.lastname@example.org.
Emmi Roth USA received four awards at the 2014 American Cheese Society Competition in Sacramento, California, including a first place award for its GranQueso® Original in the Hispanic & Portuguese Style Ripened Cheese category.
GranQueso, a Roth® Original inspired by the cheeses of Spain, is cellar aged for six to eight months to create a distinctive bite and sweet finish with hints of citrus, spice and hazelnut. This award is the 11th consecutive award for this cheese in the category. Earlier this year, GranQueso was also awarded Best of Class in the Hard Hispanic Cheese category at the World Championship Cheese Contest.
Roth GranQueso Reserve took second place in the Hispanic & Portuguese Style Ripened Cheese category, continuing Emmi Roth USA’s tradition of success with this style of cheese. GranQueso Reserve, which is carefully cured for more than 15 months, bears a dense texture and sweet flavors of candied pineapple and browned butter. It was also awarded second place in the Hard Hispanic Cheese category at this year’s World Championship Cheese Contest.
Additional Emmi Roth USA award winners included Roth’s Private Reserve, which placed third in the Washed Rind Cow’s Milk Cheese category, and Roth Rofumo®, which received third place in the Smoked Cow’s Milk Cheese category.
“We are proud to be part of the growing and thriving American cheese industry,” said Linda Duwve, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Emmi Roth USA. “Our team is dedicated and passionate about crafting and curing outstanding, high-quality products and wins like these help showcase everyone’s hard work. Our congratulations go out to all of the award winners.”
This year, 248 companies entered 1,685 different products in the competition. A full list of award winners is available online.
Vermont Creamery products earned seven awards at the 2014 American Cheese Society Judging & Competition this week, including first place for Bijou and Feta. This is the second award for Bijou this summer, which also earned a gold sofi at the Fancy Food Show in June.
Vermont Creamery joined 16 other Vermont cheesemakers who together took home 34 awards for the Green Mountain State, including Best of Show for Farm’s For City Kids’ Tarentaise Reserve. The annual competition is considered one of the world’s most influential and prestigious in the artisanal and specialty cheese industry. Vermont Creamery’s Bijou and Feta both earned first place in their respective categories, with Bonne Bouche, Coupole, and Cultured Butter with Sea Salt & Maple taking second place awards. The Creamery’s Crème Fraîche and Unsalted Cultured Butter placed third. In addition, Torus, a cheese made by Vermont Creamery and aged in New York by Murray’s Cheese, earned second place.
Vermont Creamery was one of only five cheesemakers out of 248 to earn seven or more awards at this year’s competition. “Four awards for our geotricum rinded cheeses is tremendously exciting,” said Allison Hooper, Co-owner and Co-founder of Vermont Creamery. “These are very special cheeses that were once unique to European cheesemakers and are now gaining popularity and recognition in the United States.”
The American Cheese Society Competition is held annually during the organization’s conference. This year’s winners were chosen from 1685 entries representing 248 companies from the United States, Canada, and Columbia. Combining the European tradition of cheesemaking with Vermont’s terroir, Vermont Creamery’s line of fresh and aged goat cheeses, cultured butter, and crème fraîche have won over 100 national and international awards.
In its 30th year of business, Vermont Creamery supports a network of more than 15 family farms, promoting sustainable agriculture in the region. B Corp Certified in 2014, Vermont Creamery is the founder of Ayers Brook Goat Dairy, the country’s first demonstration goat dairy. For more information, visit www.vermontcreamery.com.


text:
Telco companies are feeling the pressure to make technology investments while focusing on devising business models to monetize 5G, and other opportunities – and all of these things are driving the telco trends within the industry.
Once available, 5G will create significant revenue-generating opportunities in the fixed broadband and business-to-business arenas—including smart cities, the connected home, and Internet of Things (IoT).
The big challenge will be realigning business and revenue models to support a raft of new services without losing focus on streamlining processes to cope with the anticipated growth in workloads.
Let’s take a look at the top telco trends predicted to shape the sector:
1.) Accelerating cloud adoption
Telecommunication companies are leveraging the scale and agility of cloud to virtualize networks, rapidly introduce innovation, and embrace IoT opportunities. That includes investing in cloud platforms to deliver new digital services—including OTT content, SaaS applications, and cloud-based unified communication services.
Moving ahead, expect to see cloud become increasingly embedded in business processes as telecommunication companies strive to manage and automate their omnichannel interactions with customers and mine big data to tap into additional revenue opportunities.
2.) 5G gets real
Energy, agriculture, transport, healthcare, and manufacturers are all poised to seize on the potential offered by 5G and IoT technologies as they become mainstream. The advent of 5G will see telecommunication companies partnering with other providers to capture new market opportunities —smart city technologies, fleet management, predictive maintenance, data collection and analytics, blockchain — as well as becoming primary OTT providers in their own right.
5G will create a wide range of opportunities – everything from machine-to-machine services and autonomous vehicles to remote healthcare and innovative video delivery services. With their 5G expanded capabilities, telco’s will need to invest in technology to create go-to-market models that capture 5G-IoT business potential.
3.) Ecosystem value creation
To take advantage of IoT opportunities, telecommunication companies will need to do more than just make an API to their IoT platform available. They’ll need to seamlessly orchestrate an ecosystem of independent partners who together create value. Alongside enabling complex integration capabilities and the secure exchange of data, operators will also need the right decision and management systems to support a variety of revenue sharing models.
Finally, in addition to enabling virtual monetization schemas that support automated service delivery, telecommunication companies will also need to become adept at handling complex and extended customer value chains.
4.) Mind the margin – the new commercial imperative within telco trends
Revenue growth is no longer the only game in town, which explains why we’re witnessing the rise of business plans based on IMPU (individual margin per user) rather than ARPU (average revenue per user).
It’s a trend that’s set to continue as telecom operators initiate digital service portfolios, where direct costs and performance must be governed closely if profitability is to be maintained. To keep an eye on margin, telecommunication companies will increasingly leverage the data they already hold —using analytics and machine learning to gain insights into product, asset, and customer profitability.
5.) Privacy and digital identity move centre stage
Privacy and identity theft will continue to be a critical issue for providers in 2019. In an age where data security is directly linked with customer satisfaction, telco’s ability to offer greater visibility and control of personal data in exchange for personalized services and advertising will win.
With eSIM technologies set to take IoT and mobile connectivity to a new level, telco operators need to understand their digital customer management capabilities, which means blockchain is about to move centre stage.
6.) Blockchain – unlocking the potential
Blockchain will impact all core management systems and services, providing opportunities for efficiency gains and revenue growth through new value propositions. Telco operators should be seizing opportunities to implement blockchain for data and value exchange to reduce fraud, and unleash new revenue generating eSIM ‘identity-as-a-service’ type services.
Blockchain combined with eSIM provisioning will be the key to enabling new revenue streams, service efficiencies and superior customer experiences. Enabling interoperability between internal and external systems, while increasing transparency and effectiveness in operational processes.
7.) Get ready for more industry convergence
Today’s telecommunication companies are at the forefront of rapid innovations in the field of fintech, mobile payments, location-based data services, and more. As money ‘goes mobile’, expect to see more telecommunication companies grasp financial services sector and initiate new alliances that enable real-time payments for individuals and enterprises.
It’s a similar story where media services, health and smart automation are concerned, as telco’s leverage their diverse portfolio of assets—everything from connectivity and secure IT infrastructures to an online, retail, and call centre presence as well as impressive CRM, billing, and data analytics platforms—to seize on new potential markets.
8.) New digital rules of CX engagement
With convenience and speed topping the consumer agenda, telecom providers need to get ready for digital-first customer service and engagement. In 2019, self-service will surpass human support as growing numbers of customers look to take care of business themselves. Prepare for more live chat and co-browsing that supports customers during the buying process.
Providers will need to seamlessly blend their automated and assisted services, ensuring that information relating to an automated interaction is not lost should a human agent have to step in to help.
9.) Revolutionizing field service
In an era when the provision of services built around smart home offerings will require new approaches to the delivery of flexible and fast on-site customer support, telco operators are taking advantage of the gig economy and using ‘crowd service’ to create a vast service ecosystem that can respond to customer service requests faster — and at a much lower cost.
10.) Using AI in new, more creative ways
Until now, much of the buzz around AI has been about the use of chatbots and virtual assistants in customer service environments, but increasingly we’ll see telecommunication companies using machine learning to enable intelligent search and solution recommendations, automated ticket categorization, intelligent ‘call routing’, and the optimization of field service resources. Similarly, robotic process automation will be deployed to streamline complex case management and highly repetitive service process workflows.
We’re on the brink of a new era, where ‘Intelligent Connectivity’ — enabled the convergence of high-speed 5G networks, IoT and AI — will unleash highly contextualized and personalized experiences that will define the future of the industry.

domain: news


text:
Jimmy the plumber shows us how to install a radiator under a window in this informative video.
Our brand new smart thermostats for our Trade Direct Heated Towel Rails are now available!
Our January Sale 2017 is on now, with everything on our website discounted! Use code happy5 at checkout!
Is the London Boiler Cashback Scheme too complicated? How do people know if they qualify?
External condenstate drainage pipes are prone to freezing in winter which can cause a boiler breakdown, but it can be prevented.
New data released from the Gas Safe Register shows up to 2.7 million renters could be at risk from faulty gas appliances.
We're discounting 5% off everything on our entire site! Sale runs Monday 21st Nov - Friday 25th Nov 2016
The winner of our Intagram photo competiton and a £500 radiator voucher has been chosen!
Infrared heating offers some excellent benefits when comared with conventional convection heating.
New survey shows there's still work to be done on educating the public about their heating systems.
See our fantastic new range of Coneva Designer Radiators, in white, anthracite and silver!


text:
Back in the late 1970s when the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) established a trade show for the hunting and firearms industry, no one could have predicted that the exposition would become a major stage for the unveiling of law enforcement products. But that's what the Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show has become.
Each year the SHOT Show keeps getting bigger and better. Last year's show at the Orange County (Fla.) Convention Center set records for attendance. So organizers are very hopeful that when SHOT Show 2010 opens at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas later this month it will be another blockbuster. The NSSF says it expects some 50,000 people to attend the show.
And it's a good bet that a sizable portion of those 50,000 people will be law enforcement officers. Badged officers are welcome at the show, which is otherwise restricted to manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of shooting and hunting products. That's why the law enforcement section of what was once a hunting show is now one of the most prominent showcases for police product debuts. And it's why the following law enforcement product manufacturers are planning to debut or spotlight new products in their booths at SHOT.
The big news from 5.11 Tactical is the debut of the compact PC3.300 Light for Life, an 8.75-inch, 10-ounce model of the company's full-size duty light. The PC3.300 has a peak output of 200 lumens and a standard output of 70 lumens. Runtime at standard brightness is 45 minutes. Like the full-size UC3.400 Light for Life, the new compact flashlight is powered by FlashPoint Power Technology, recharges in 90 seconds, and is rated for 50,000 charge cycles. Both lights feature Cree LEDs. The UC3.400 Light for Life sells for $169.99 and the PC3.300 Light for Life sells for $159.99.
5.11 will also be showing its new eyewear and blades.
Produced in collaboration with Wiley X, the eyewear is manufactured to exceed ANSI Z87.1 safety standards and ANSI Z80.3 optical standards. It also features Wiley X's anti-reflective optical filter.
5.11's new knives were designed by Mike Vellekamp of Blade-Tech and Fox Knives, winner of Blade magazine's "Most Innovative American Design of the Year" award for 2009. The new line includes both folders and fixed-blade knives.
Just about every law enforcement officer knows that ATK (Alliant Techsystems) is the parent company of Federal Cartridge and CCI/Speer. But the company makes a lot more than ammunition. In fact, it makes everything from rocket engines to sports apparel. At SHOT Show 2010, ATK's Eagle division plans to introduce new soft shell jackets.
The jackets use Schoeller WB-400 fabric, which offers 98 percent wind protection. Also, ATK's Weaver division will unveil a new line of AR-15/M4 accessories, including foregrips, quad rails, and trigger guards.
FN recently announced that it is producing a new line of handguns, the FNX. The polymer-framed pistol will first be available in 9mm and .40 S&W. A .45 ACP version is expected by the end of the year. FN says the new pistols have a low-bore axis for flat shooting and less recoil for improved control. Checkered grip panels ensure a secure grip regardless of weather conditions, and the pistol comes with four backstrap inserts for customizing it to fit any hand. The FNX has a four-inch hammer-forged barrel, a stainless steel slide with front and rear cocking serrations, a decocker, and a manual safety.
For 2010, Kahr has announced a revision of the PM9, its very popular compact pistol. Designed for concealed carry, the PM9 is a polymer-framed DAO compact with a lock breech, a Browning-type recoil lug, a passive striker block, and no magazine disconnect. It also features drift-adjustable white bar-dot combat sights. This year, the PM9 has been revised to add two new safety features: a loaded chamber indicator and an external safety. The two new models with the new features are designated as the PM9193 and the PM9193N.
Last spring Original S.W.A.T. introduced the WinX2 boot collection. The WinX2 is an 8-inch duty boot that's now available in a variety of configurations, including a basic model and a waterproof version. For 2010, Original S.W.A.T. is introducing a side-zip model of the WinX2.
All of the WinX2 models feature slip- and oil-resistant outsoles with arch ladder tread for extra grip on rope rappels, riveted steel shanks, rust-proof lacing hardware, padded ankle collars, rear heel kick-plates, and moisture-wicking linings. The waterproof model has a breathable waterproof membrane. The new side-zip model features a YKK zipper with a Velcro secure tab, for easy on and off. All WinX2 models are retail priced at less than $100.


text:
A new device is able to trap carbon dioxide more efficiently than what is currently in the market. The device uses electricity, making it possible to use renewable energies to run the device. The device is being hailed as a future gadget that will be helpful in the fight against climate change.
Engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a device that can trap carbon dioxide from smokestacks. The device, when adjusted properly, is also able to remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. This technology is much more efficient energy-wise and cost-wise compared to devices currently available in the market.
Removing carbon dioxide
The device was first published on Energy and Environmental Science, which described it as working using the same principals as a battery. The device absorbs carbon dioxide from air passing through its electrodes. The making of the device is very flexible and can be adjusted according to different. The device can be adjusted for both large scale and small scale carbon dioxide elimination.
The device has been hailed by experts who see it as a vital component that will be very useful in the fight against climate change in the future. The device will be able to reduce one of the greenhouse gases, thus reducing its impact on the environment.
The device also has multiple uses, unlike the current devices. The device can also be used to scrub carbon dioxide from factories and power plants. It can also be used to remove greenhouse gas directly from the atmosphere. This is much harder to do with the technology in the market because the concentration of the gas in the atmosphere is very low.
Uses one gigajoule of energy per ton of CO2 captured
The device also uses electricity. This gives it an edge in fighting climate change because, unlike other devices, it can use renewable energy to remove carbon dioxide. The device also uses approximately one gigajoule of energy per ton of carbon dioxide captured. This is 10 times lower than other devices currently used for the same purpose.
This technology will have a lot of applications in the future, especially in the race to combat the adverse effects of climate change. Its creators are optimistic that technology will become adopted by multiple companies and countries that are working on reducing greenhouse gases.
Featured image by Pixabay


text: MatchMine Raises $10m for Media Recommendation Engine MatchMine, a Massachusetts company building a cross-platform media recommendation engine, announced this morning that they have received a $10 million investment from The Kraft Group. The company released an early product called MyMovieMatch in July, but in the bizarre DEMO dance of 'now you see us now you don't,' the product has gone back under wraps before it launches next week. Hopefully there will be more disclosed than there has been so far. You can sign up for a beta account now on the company's site. See RIA expert Ryan Stewart's review of the original product for background from this summer.


text:
Jan 14, 2013 Often sold for scrap, many storm-swamped cars are cleaned up and resold with clean records that make no mention of flood damage
Jan 11, 2013 Space is becoming a popular theme for advertisers.
Jan 10, 2013 New York weighs options for storm defenses in the wake of deadly Sandy. Among them are expensive waterway barriers to protect against storm surges.
Jan 4, 2013 A new study from New York University says the groups of consumers who feel the most deprived are also those most swayed by their emotions.
Jan 3, 2013 A $60 billion Sandy relief package passed the Senate in December, but House leadership reneged on its pledge to pass the bill before the end of the session.
Dec 26, 2012 Hurricane Sandy, the threat of the fiscal cliff, and the election may have all contributed to a disappointing holiday shopping season.
Dec 24, 2012 Losses from hurricanes, tornadoes, drought and other severe weather events totaled more than any other year besides 2005, the year of Hurricane Katrina.
Dec 21, 2012 In June 2012, Marketplace Money shared the story of the Gulis, a couple whose home and business were destroyed in the Colorado wildfires. We check in on them six months later and find out how they're rebuilding their lives after losing nearly everything.
Dec 17, 2012 Sandy's enduring problems for commuters and small businesses are on display in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Dec 31, 2012 On Monday, Congress takes up a $60 billion recovery package for areas affected by Superstorm Sandy. When the lights went out and the floodwaters moved in, people needed food and sandbags, sure -- but they also needed information and connectivity.


text:
Worried about making payments via Facebook? The social network’s latest alliance may ease your mind a bit.
Facebook joined the Visa Digital Enablement Program, and the social network will use the Visa Token Service to accelerate the availability of secure payment-enabled services across its digital properties.
In a press release announcing the addition of Facebook, Visa described the Visa Token Service as a security technology that replaces “sensitive payment card account information”—16-digit account numbers, expiration dates and security codes—with a token, or a “unique digital identifier” that can be used to process payments without revealing account details.
The financial company added in the release, “By joining VDEP, Facebook is able to offer its payments solutions to businesses, payments processors and financial institutions that utilize the Visa Token Service in a convenient and scalable manner and without a complex set of contractual agreements or technology integrations, ultimately helping to accelerate the availability of payments and commerce-related services for people using Facebook around the world.”
And Visa executive vice president of innovation and strategic partnerships Jim McCarthy said, “Being able to offer people a safe, simple and consistent purchasing experience, regardless of where they are and what device they are using, is increasingly critical and is what VDEP is designed to do for a global technology company like Facebook. Simplifying the relationship between a global technology company and the financial institution clients already utilizing our token services is what VDEP is designed to do—it’s an essential part of ensuring that these in-demand experiences can be delivered to people as quickly as possible.”


text:
PETALING JAYA: A landmark supermarket in Petaling Jaya is closing down, as it ceases operations in other parts of the Klang Valley.
Cold Storage, a premium-brand supermarket owned by Giant hypermarket owners GCH Retail (M) Sdn Bhd, will be shutting down its branch in Section 14 where it has been operating for decades.
Cold Storage currently has seven stores nationwide, and it is understood that several other outlets in the Klang Valley have been replaced.
The Edge reported that the outlet in Section 14 has started a closing-down sale on Saturday, but “shelves were already practically empty by 5pm on the same day”.
This year alone, GCH has closed 13 stores comprising Giant and Cold Storage outlets.


text:
Electronic Arts wrapped up its EA Play presentation at E3 2019 with a showcase of what’s next for The Sims 4. The stream announced a new expansion, Island Living, that releases this summer, as well as a handful of new cosmetic and other packs coming throughout the summer and into the fall. You can see a trailer for the expansion above or watch the entire Sims 4 portion of the presentation below.
The big announcement was Island Living, which launches on June 21 to PC and then to PS4 and Xbox One on July 16. The expansion focuses on the island of Sulani, where you can relax on the beach, help clean up the ocean, play with dolphins, become a lifeguard, build sandcastles, and even build their own mer-person to swim around the island.
The presentation also announced a partnership with the It Gets Better Project to release a series of LGBTQ+ themed cosmetics and in-game items. The items range from It Gets Better and Pride clothing to a gender-neutral bathroom door. The items will roll out in The Sims 4 on PC, as well as FreePlay and Mobile first on June 18, and then expand to consoles in July.
Also new is the Moschino Stuff Pack, which will include items from the real-life capsule collection, as well as the ability to get a job as a fashion photographer. Finally, a Sims 4 Realm of Magic pack is coming later this year, with more details to come on that in the future.
“With Island Living, the development team wanted to give players the chance to escape with their Sims to a peaceful, unique paradise and truly connect with nature,” said senior producer Mike Duke, in an announcement. “This expansion will enable fans and their Sims to find their bliss, whether it is relaxing under a palm tree on the beach, befriending a mermaid along the coral reefs, or protecting the Sulani environment and ensuring that the island becomes more beautiful than ever.”
from GameSpot – Game News https://www.gamespot.com/articles/e3-2019-the-sims-4-island-living-expansion-reveale/1100-6467499/


text:
A Pecos man is getting a lot of buzz surrounding his beef jerky, and he’s just 20 years old.
Lane Zapien is the owner and founder of Rockin’ Horse Jerky Co.
“I’d never thought I’d be here doing any of this,” says Lane.
The company is located at 1108 South Eddy Street in Pecos.
Inside you can get some unique beef jerky that’s got a kick, but isn’t too spicy.
“It has really good flavor, spiciness, people love it,” says Lane. “They enjoy the nice crisp.”
Zapien started the company a year-and-a-half ago at the age of 19.
“One day I had a bunch of deer meat in the freezer, and figured I’d make some jerky.”
He got a dehydrator, made the jerky, and decided to sell it. After posting it on social media, within a few hours it was all bought up.
“In a couple of hours it was all gone,” says Lane’s mother, Crisha Molinar. “So he went full jerky mode.”
Fast forward to now and he’s selling beef jerky, hats, shirts and more inside his own store.
The company logo was a livestock brand he got when he was a child. Lane’s dad gave him the brand.
Rockin’ Horse offers a tasty twist on its jerky too. Lane says to try it with some fresh squeezed lime on it.
“I’m so proud,” says Crisha. “Every day I’m so proud of him, especially because he’s so young.”
Rockin’ Horse is open Monday through Saturday from 2-8 p.m. Lane hopes t get into a factory soon and get his beef jerky into grocery stores.
For more on Rockin’ Horse Beef Jerky Co., check out the video above.


text:
Almost a quarter of Ukrainian citizens have already taken advantage of the visa-free travel with the European Union, while 57.3% consider themselves Europeans, according to a recent poll.
As evidenced by the results of a phone survey conducted by the Active Group sociological company and announced at a press conference, answering a question "How important is the introduction of visa-free travel with EU for you?", a quarter of respondents said it was "very important", while almost 39% said "rather important." Some 8.2% claim they don't care about it and 18% of respondents said it was "rather unimportant," according to an UNIAN correspondent.
To a question "Did you take advantage of the opportunities that the visa-free travel provided?" almost a quarter of those polled said they used the opportunity to travel to the EU, 72% haven't used it, and 4% refused to answer.
To a question "Do you consider yourself a European?", 43.3% of respondents said "yes, definitely" another 14% said they "rather consider themselves to be a European," 13.5% said "probably not," 24.1% claimed "definitely not," and 4.2% of respondents found it difficult to answer.
The survey was conducted on June 7-9, 2020 via phone interviews of Ukrainian residents, except those in the occupied territories. The sample is representative of age, gender, and type of settlement. The sample frame is 1,236 respondents. The margin of error does not exceed 2.8%.


text:
|Bid||30.34 x 3500|
|Ask||30.38 x 100|
|Day's Range||30.34 - 30.38|
|52 Week Range||27.48 - 32.53|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||312.78|
|Expense Ratio (net)||0.39%|
On September 7, 2017, Ashland (ASH) announced that it would increase the prices of 1-4 Butanediol and other derivative products.
Ralph Lauren’s (RL) stock price soared 13% after the company reported better-than-anticipated top and bottom lines on Tuesday, August 8.
Ralph Lauren reported a 210-basis-point improvement in gross margin, which stood at 63.2% of sales in 1Q18.


text:
Everyone would like to have the perfect mantra for thriving in challenging times, and different companies have been devising various ways to cope with the slowdown. However, the challenge remains in keeping short term growth in line with long term growth. In conversation with exchange4media, Sameer Satpathy, Head of Marketing, Marico Ltd, speaks about the company’s strategy and the challenges that it seeks to overcome amid the slowdown.
Speaking on the challenges, Satpathy reiterated, “No doubt these are challenging times, but the challenge here for any marketer in terms of slowdown would be how to manage the short term in the way that it is in line with the long term growth.”
Explaining Marico’s strategy, he said, “Our strategy has always been to focus strongly on brands; investments in brands in terms of what is correct for the brands, which builds long term preference for the brand. So, we fundamentally keep doing that and I believe that it is more important not only during times of slowdown, but also when there is a boom.”
Satpathy further said that at Marico, besides focusing strongly on brands, it was also important to focus on the people. “It is the people at Marico at every level who create strong brands. If the team is strong, the brand is stronger. The environment is becoming more challenging, so to do the same things requires more effort, and sharper and incisive thinking. Thus, the slowdown challenges us as ‘individuals’, ‘marketers’ and as a ‘system’. So yes, I would say we are delivering good results,” he affirmed.
Marico’s focus on sustainable profitable growth through its consistent financial performance is reflected in its compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24 per cent in turnover and 27 per cent in profits over the past five years.
Satpathy said that the key brands under the Marico portfolio had been doing well and there was a decent amount of innovation taking place. He explained, “There are two aspects to the brands – there is the business aspect and the emotional aspect. We need to take care of both. Thus, brands should not only do well in terms of business, but also keep bringing in new innovations and break new grounds to give a new reason for consumers to re-look at the brand in a way to interact with the brand.” He cited the new innovation that they carried forward for Parachute Advanse, where they launched Hot Oil. In the same way, Marico also launched a ‘cooling oil’ under the Parachute brand in the Southern markets.
Marico has aligned its creative business with McCann Erickson, Rediffusion Y&R and BBH India. Madison Media handles the media business.
McCann Erickson handles Parachute Advanse and Saffola brands. Under Rediffusion Y&R, Marico has aligned its portfolio for Hair & Care, Revive and Sweekar, while BBH India creates communication for Parachute Therapie Hair Fall Solution, Parachute Advansed After Shower, Mediker, Nihar Naturals and Parachute Advansed Starz.
Some of the new campaigns that Marico recently come out with are for its brands Revive, Shanti Amla, Saffola and Parachute Cooling Oil (more seen in the Southern markets). Satpathy added, “We are in the FMCG space. So we need to communicate 12 months. We need to keep refreshing and coming out with new communication.”
On the way forward, Satpathy said, “We are already half way in 2009. Thus some of the plans in terms of new launches have already materialised. It is a matter of now getting the ship together and doing the right things. The environment also is challenging, so we need to have enough flexibility to respond to the challenges.”


text:
Today’s post is for the dogs.
According to Bakers Complete, a Purina brand dog food; “Our latest TV advert now includes special sounds to deliver enjoyment for both dogs and their owners!”
Personally I enjoy it because there is a dog driving a van.
Created by DDB, UK, this minute-long commercial features barks and whistles which are sure to catch the attention of your canine companion. Why would they do such a thing? Well, according to The Telegraph, “Bakers, the dog food manufacturer which commisioned the advert, hope the sounds will provoke a reaction from dogs in living rooms across the country, fooling their owners into thinking they are interested in the products on the screen.”
Fooling their owners… an interesting tactic, to be sure. But will it actually impact sales? Will owners be “fooled” into buying this product? I could imagine some dogs going crazy and barking back at the TV when this spot comes on, perhaps creating the opposite of the desired effect. But only time will tell.


text:
Spanish Fork city officials unveiled a COVID-19 business relief program on Monday “designed to provide essential cleaning and protective supplies to businesses.”
Through the program, named the “SF-19 Business Relief Program,” the city and Spanish Fork Salem Area Chamber of Commerce will use federal CARES Act funding to purchase and distribute various cleaning supplies and protective equipment — disposable masks, hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray, nitrile gloves, vinyl gloves, forehead thermometers and cleaning wipes — to local businesses.
The program is open to any business “with a valid business license in Spanish Fork,” according to a Monday press release.
“As we thought about how to help our local businesses, this project came up,” Spanish Fork Community and Economic Development Director Dave Anderson said in the press release.
In July, Utah County officials launched a $15 million small business grant program administered by the Mountainland Association of Governments to provide grants of up to $20,000 for businesses with 100 or fewer full-time employees.
Though “several” Spanish Fork businesses participated in the county program, the application period for which ended on Aug. 10, Anderson said the city wanted to provide an additional relief opportunity for struggling businesses.
“We feel this idea can alleviate some of the financial burden even more of our businesses are facing by providing supplies to keep themselves and their customers safe,” the community and economic development director said.
Spanish Fork businesses can place an order by filling out an online form or by calling the Spanish Fork Salem Area Chamber of Commerce at (801) 804-4580 or emailing Spanish Fork Community Development Department Secretary Kim Brenneman at [email protected] Orders will be filled on a weekly basis and can be picked up at the chamber offices at 67 E. 100 North.
The business relief program order form asks businesses how many boxes of 50 masks, gallons of hand sanitizer, 32-ounce disinfectant spray bottles, forehead thermometers and other cleaning items they need for a two-week period.
The order form also notes that products “must be used to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and cannot be resold.”
Other Utah County cities have launched programs aimed at helping local small businesses that have been impacted by the pandemic.
On Sept. 1, Santaquin launched an economic stimulus program to support local businesses and families by giving all households four $10 coupons that can be used at participating businesses. The businesses can then return the coupons to the city for reimbursement.
More than 5.2 million coronavirus-related loans have been approved by the United States Small Business Administration since Aug. 8, which is when the most recent data is available. The average loan size has been $100,729, according to the SBA.
Connor Richards covers government, the environment and south Utah County for the Daily Herald. He can be reached at [email protected] and 801-344-2599.


text:
Upgraded filters provide ePM1 AND ePM10 60% efficiencies
Mike EdwardsProducts air bag Camil filters Hi-Flo upgrade
Camfil has announced an upgrade to its Hi-Flo brand of bag filters. The Hi-Flo bag filter is characterized by its energy saving properties combined with stable and reliable performance.
This upgrade has been designed to continue this tradition but also provide added customer benefits including being able to improve its carbon handprint by over 25,620 tonnes of CO2 emissions and provide a reduction in energy consumption.
The filter range also comes with an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD).
Print this page
Stories continue below


text:
Four officials from the U.S. International Trade Commission announced a range of recommendations aimed at protecting domestic makers of solar equipment from unfairly priced imports, especially from China.
Trade officials recommended Tuesday that the United States impose restrictions on solar-power equipment purchased from abroad, including tariffs, setting the stage for President Donald Trump to make a decision that would have significant ramifications for the U.S. solar industry, its workers and its customers.
Four officials from the U.S. International Trade Commission, an independent federal agency that governs trade, announced a range of recommendations Tuesday aimed at protecting domestic makers of solar equipment from unfairly priced imports, especially from China. Those included limiting the imports of certain solar components and imposing tariffs of 10 percent to 35 percent on certain products.
Those recommendations will be sent to the president by Nov. 13; he will have 60 days to accept or reject these ideas as he determines the ultimate course of action.
The decision comes as Trump is preparing to travel to China next week to meet with Chinese officials on a range of security and trade issues. Solar may be just one of many industries under discussion, including oil and gas, automobiles and finance.
Most Read Business Stories
- Restaurant workers go 'missing' again from Washington's job recovery
- Google team that keeps services online rocked by mental health crisis
- Blake Nordstrom inducted posthumously into Seattle's walk of fame
- Trump appointee blocks Biden federal worker vaccine mandate
- Seattle concrete strike continues after union calls mediation a 'failure'
Two companies, Georgia-based Suniva and Oregon-based SolarWorld, brought a solar case to the trade commission earlier this year, contending that a flood of subsidized imports from China — photovoltaic cells and modules that are ultimately made into solar panels — pushed them to the brink of extinction. Suniva has declared bankruptcy, while SolarWorld had to lay off three-quarters of its workforce.
Suniva called the International Trade Commission’s recommendations “disappointing” in a statement, saying they were not strict enough. It called on Trump to implement more stringent restrictions “necessary to save American manufacturing.”
The Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade group that has fought any tariffs or barriers to imports, said in a statement Tuesday that the commissioners had taken a thoughtful approach and did not recommend “anything close to what the petitioners asked for.” But it emphasized that proposed tariffs would be intensely harmful to the industry.
The case is unique because it relies on a rarely used section of federal trade law, known as Section 201 or a “global safeguard investigation,” which gives the president broad authority to impose tariffs or other restrictions to help protect a domestic industry.
The prospect of such restrictions has triggered a fierce backlash from industries and users of solar power, who argue that such measures would raise prices throughout the supply chain and ultimately cost more U.S. jobs than they would save. They argue that cheaper solar products from China have actually been a boon to their businesses and accelerated the adoption of solar energy in the United States, where it now powers millions of U.S. homes and businesses.
Workers who install solar-power projects, utilities who purchase the power and major commercial users of solar power, like retailers, could all be damaged by such restrictions, said Frank Maisano, a spokesman for the Energy Trade Action Coalition, which represents those groups.
“You can play with the numbers and tweak things, but the bottom line is it’s going to put those groups at risk,” Maisano said.
The case will also be a test of the president’s willingness to impose the kind of powerful trade barriers that he has frequently threatened. Trump repeatedly talked on the campaign trail about imposing sweeping tariffs on products from China, Mexico and elsewhere, a tough stance that spurred political support among Americans frustrated with the economy.
But since Trump came into office, powerful business lobbies have pushed back on that tough approach, arguing that tariffs benefit a narrow slice of industry at the expense of other companies and consumers of those products, who have to pay higher costs. Other proposed trade policies involving tariffs, including measures on imported steel and aluminum, appear to have stalled under such pressure.


text:
Reshoring of manufacturing is one of those topics that seems to come and go. What with all the media buzz about “made in America” and “making America great again” through strong manufacturing, fair trade and more jobs, it could be that the focus on reshoring has been lost. It certainly remains a topic of interest to manufacturers and politicians alike, within the larger context of tax reform, tariffs and the portent of a trade war.
Is reshoring of manufacturing back to America a reality, or is it business as usual for most global companies? A.T. Kearney’s fourth annual Reshoring Index offers some perspective: It shows record imports from traditional offshoring countries in 2017 – “a sharp reversal of the glimmers of hope” seen in 2016, according to the report. Imports of manufactured goods into the United States from the 14 largest low-cost trading partners in Asia rose by a staggering $55 billion, or 8%. It’s the largest one-year increase since the economic recovery of 2011, notes A.T. Kearney’s report.
After rising to a five-year high in 2016 in the wake of a U.S. presidential election year in which so much attention was paid to manufacturing job losses to China, the Reshoring Index has again dropped 27 basis points. The 2017 Reshoring Index shows that reshoring continues to be a drop in the bucket, and U.S. manufacturers are not exactly coming back in droves. Despite strong growth in U.S. gross output of manufactured goods, imports from the 14 traditional off-shoring countries grew much faster. So, relatively speaking, the proportion of reshoring has become even smaller.
Relative growth of imports from low-cost trading partners has now outpaced relative growth of U.S. manufacturing gross output in four of the past five years and eight of the past 10 years, showing a clear direction away from significant reshoring.
A.T. Kearney’s report cites several reasons for this trend, including the continued economic benefits of producing labor-intensive products overseas, particularly in the electronics industry that has an established “eco-system” of trained people, and supply chains that are “not easily transferred to the U.S.,” Patrick Van den Bossche, one of the authors of A.T. Kearney’s report, told PlasticsToday.
“There’s also the fact that significant offshore investments were made in China, for example, that are not easily abandoned,” said Van den Bossche. “There are restrictions about what you can repatriate, particularly in China. Back when companies started offshoring in China they most often were required to form a joint venture with a local company or engage in other ways with a Chinese partner to become established. That means that a company can’t just pull out, taking all of its assets, intellectual property, etc., with it. There have been some highly publicized lawsuits over this.”
There’s also the issue of the domestic shortage of skilled labor for manufacturing operations, which might be a deterrent to reshoring, said Van den Bossche. “The big challenge overall is the continued lack of skilled labor. Companies struggle to find trained people, so they put training in place, form co-ops, apprenticeships and mimic Germany’s vocational programs, trying to inject the labor pool with the necessary skills to pick up the jobs.
“If U.S. companies indeed start to come back in droves, and if on top of that the tax cuts result in further increased domestic demand this will only exacerbate the labor shortage, since there is no way on Earth that the current U.S. manufacturing labor pool could support that situation. Making products is not like it used to be. Even with the utilization of robotics, some serious technical skills are still required.”
The combination of an over-stimulated economy and a very low jobless rate probably will result in even more imports because domestic manufacturing can’t keep up with growing consumer demand, said the report.
Although tariffs and political posturing could impact and potentially change the direction of reshoring trends, there are many potential futures, said the A.T. Kearney report. Companies must weigh the risks and assess the longevity of tariffs on goods from low-cost countries to determine whether the United States is even the most logical location to move manufacturing capabilities, for example, if China is no longer economical.


text:
At a record breaking live stream with over 7,000 members, the Communication Workers’ Union leadership announced that talks with the management of BT Group (BT, EE and Openreach) had broken down, and that they now intend to initiate a national ballot for industrial action.
The pitiful submission by the Tories of a 1% increase for all NHS staff to the Pay Review Board is a huge kick in the teeth to all those frontline workers. The government’s hypocritical excuse for the award is that they cannot afford it. This jaw dropping assertion has left even media commentators agog at the Tories’ complete underestimation of the mood in the workplace and the wider public. As soon as the information was made public on March 6th, nurses’ social media posts began to hum with fury and rage, as well as understandable despair. Sunak had just delivered a budget which had committed to spend another £65bn in the next 4 months and then claimed there was no money left!
GMB’s industrial dispute at British Gas continues with engineers braving all weather in their fight to protect hard won terms and conditions. With massive public support, thousands of members have already taken 16 strike days against their bullying employer Centrica. The next round of industrial action began this morning with the launch of a four-day strike, and more are in the pipeline.
Amazon has decided to set up shop in Ireland. It plans to create a new ‘fulfilment centre’ at a 650,000sq ft unit in Baldonnell. The purported reasoning behind this is to avoid delays on the delivery of products and new taxes resulting from Brexit, which have added 40% to the cost of some products. The new warehouse would mean Amazon orders in Ireland would be picked and packed in Ireland, rather than in the UK.


text:
After old schools BMW 3-Series when the day of announcement it was 25 years ago. This 2014 BMW M3 was appeared on four different generations and evolved from a 2.3 liter inline-four cylinder engine with 200 HP to an impressive V8 hitting 420 HP. 2014 BMW M3 maybe not the best sport cars out there, but it have the most needed functions as sport cars such as extraordinary look, great performance, the best class handling, and a luxurious interior. The brand new 2014 BMW M3 concept was continuity from 2013 models which the sports car’s history will move on to its next chapter as BMW will be set to reveal the new generation M3.
After released the concept of 2012 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR at Los Angeles Auto Show in 2007, today Dodge was give the full review of this brand new sport cars. They say this 2012 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR bringing what would essentially be the last model presented before a whole new breed of Viper comes out in 2012. With 600 hp street-legal Viper engineered, this 2012 Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR dominate on the race track and also provide for an exciting trip back home. Like 2012 Lamborghini Sesto Elemento Supercar Limited Edition which become a brand new supercar from lamborghini.
From the best NASCAR cars Dodge Charger RT which driven by Kurt Busch the American NASCAR and NHRA driver has a lot more to offer then just being the leader in several races in the past few years. This Dodge Charger RT is third-generation race car driver is also head of the Kurt Busch Foundation. This Dodge Charger RT is currently raffling off a one off 2011 Charger R/T. Without any ordinary of Dodge Charger, This special edition is covered in a distinctive Redline Red color with door scoops inspired right from the 1970 Charger R/T.
On New York 2011 auto show, Dodge was revealed the new 2012 Dodge Avenger R/T. The 2012 Dodge Avenger R/T models will be distinguished by the rest of the Avenger type of Dodge cars. 2012 Dodge Avenger R/T will show its future sporty design with a sportier look that includes a unique body-color grille with the Dodge badge, menacing black headlamp background, the war paint motif R/T decal on the front quarter panel, a rear spoiler, the R/T badge, and a new set of 18 inch aluminum wheels. Like Dark Blue 2011 302 Ford Mustang Unveiled by SMS Supercars, this car show the latest sporty style to its fans.
Based on Disney Tron the Movie, Timur Bozca a young and enthusiastic designer has developed the Tron Car. For those people who fans of this awesome movies, this Tron Car will be the choosen one to give applause which has vehicle that seems suitable for any ride on both Earth or Grid. Aired last year will make you should know that it is full with dreaming of the wondrous vehicles as Tron Car. This concpet is inspired from combination of the elements found in the movie, such as a glossy black body with blue neon lines on either side of the car.
Related Auto Show & Car Showoff for 2014 dodge magnum concept at AutoCarShowOff.com
UVO infotainment system has presents the new 2012 Kia Sorento which will be available with its brand spanking new GDI direct injection 4 cylinder engine. With those new features 2012 kia sorento will be really dance with the big guns from the likes of ford. Another options of this new 2012 kia sorento is this [...]
Although Lamborghini was prepare to replace the Gallardo with the more powerful car rumored named Cabrera in 2013 SR Auto Group was not finish to presents you tons of tuning packages for the Lamborghini Gallardo. This 2011 Lamborghini Gallardo was very exciting to review with its pure black design like an Devastator. Of course SR [...]
From the exclusive blockbuster movies at hollywood and have appeared in a growing number of them that involve superheroes, from the Batman Dark Knight Rises a Lamborghini Aventador become a new Batmobile. The supercar hollywood movies has strated from Iron Man that trend when Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr., was seen riding the [...]
After tuning up various models of sports cars, today Hennessey showed up its tune to a 2011 Nissan GTR800 which touch the power till 800 HP. Hennessey did not have much time to make over the exterior of this 2011 Nissan GTR800, they went straight to work pumping up the standard 3.8L V6 producing up [...]
After last year of Peugeot RCZ Asphalt and this year with the new 2011 Peugeot RCZ Asphalt LE, and what the differents of both of it? This brand new car is only limited into 75 units for right hand drive at UK and the goal is 500 unit at end of this year. The price [...]
Xplore has coming with the latest family pieces, the Jeep Xplore Grand Cherokee from the Xplore FJ Cruiser at SEMA and Xplore Wrangler in Moab. Some people said this Jeep Xplore Grand Cherokee is a Trail Rated car. The official spesification of this Jeep Xplore Grand Cherokee is not yet published but the past Xplore [...]
After unveiled the first 2012 Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale at the 2010 Paris Auto Show, Maserati unveiled their new GranTurismo MC for American type at the 2011 New York Auto Show. This 2012 Maserati GranTurismo MC is not exactly the street legal machine found with the Stradale nameplate, though. The 2012 Maserati GranTurismo MC American [...]
From the last exotic tuning with the most aggressive and brutal Lamborghini “Erebos” Gallardo LP560 and Audi “Valkyrie” R8 V10 project, SR Auto Group get kick some mechines with tuning the new 2011 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 as Ballistic Project. The 2011 Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Ballistic Project built in a concept of going all out free [...]
2013 Chevrolet Malibu the first global version of the popular mid-size Chevy, has finally been revealed in 2011 New York Auto Show. 2013 Chevrolet Malibu was revealed one day before at 2011 Shanghai Auto Show. The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu concept will take all of modernism of car design include exterior and interior of the car. [...]
Aston Martin introducing their new super cars concept in this 2011 Aston Martin V12 Zagato. Without digesting the full breadth of the Aston Martin V12 Zagato, we presents the Race Specs of this brand new super cars concept. Aston Martin V12 Zagato was got its first debut in Nurburgring later of this week. Aston Martin [...]


text:
Omar Yunes is a Mexican businessman who owns 13 franchises of Sushi Itto, a Japanese restaurant chain. He owns almost 10% of all the total units of the brand, and he has been recognized as the Best Franchisee of the World, awarded at a competition held in Florence, Italy last December 5. He was given the prestigious award because of his significant contribution to the growth of the brand. Omar Yunes started franchising at the age of 21, and from a single location, he managed to expand his franchises and it has grown today into 13 locations, operating in three key Mexican cities – Mexico City, Puebla, and Vera Cruz. Omar Yunes have expressed his gratitude towards the judges at the event who ultimately chose him to receive the award, but he added that he is dedicating the award that he received to all of his employees who are the real reason why his business became successful.
The event was attended by representatives from 34 different nations, and each participant is evaluated by a board of judges who is taking into consideration a number of criteria. These criteria involves how the franchise affects the brand as a whole, the influence they have, the contribution of knowledge, the amount of savings that they have produced, how the employees are treated, and the kind of business model that they have within their franchise. The organizers of the even have said that Omar Yunes won the highest score out of all the participants who joined, because of how he changed the way franchisers and franchisees are interacting with each other. Sushi Itto’s chief executive officer, Benjamin Cancelmo, thanked Omar Yunes for doing everything that he can in order for the brand to be successful.
The award that has been won by Omar Yunes would also yield positive effects for the Mexican food industry. It would open up many opportunities to Mexican franchisers, as globally known food brands are now thinking about opening up their own locations in the country. It would also help out the local economy because of the tremendous amount of profit that will be generated by franchising internationally known brands.


text:
COVINGTON, Ky. — The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce announced that it is launching a new quarterly program called “Ask the Expert: Small Business Series”.
The first event is scheduled for noon on February 10 and will be offered virtually. “Ask the Expert: The New Stimulus Bill and Small Business Owners” is free to all NKY Chamber members and will feature Adam Davey of VonLehman CPA & Advisory Firm, Patrick Hughes of DBL Law, and Jason Payne of Republic Bank providing insight on the new relief provisions to help small business navigate the new round of funding.
Topics covered are expected to include Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, tax implications, and deductions available with the latest relief package, grant availability, and many more.
Following this debut event, the quarterly Ask the Expert: Small Business Series events are scheduled for May 25, Aug. 24, and Nov. 9.
For more information or to register and submit a question for “Ask the Expert: The New Stimulus and Small Business Owners”, visit http://www.nkychamber.com/


text:
By Ludwig Burger and Patricia Weiss
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's BASF is benefiting as people under lockdown fix up their homes but its CEO said the chemical maker may be left out of the party after the pandemic as consumers turn their spending to entertainment.
Lockdowns are spreading as a third wave of COVID-19 infections hits Europe and the Americas, even as vaccination campaigns take hold.
CEO Martin Brudermueller told Reuters that BASF, whose chemicals and plastics go into items including cars, furniture and construction materials, has benefited from purchasing activity amid lockdowns.
"What's happening now is that consumers are purchasing quite a lot of things. They are redoing the house, buying furniture, a new kitchen, they get a paint job done, buy a home trainer. That creates a lot of demand for chemical products," he told Reuters.
But he said he believes that when lockdowns end, people will shift their spending to "leisure activities like travel, restaurant visits and culture events".
"We should anticipate that parts of the current demand has been brought forward and will get a little weaker in the second half. That is why we have a little question mark behind our outlook," Brudermueller told Reuters.
In January, BASF, the world's largest chemicals maker by sales, beat fourth-quarter earnings expectations.
But the group's profit growth outlook in February was slightly cautious. The maker of engineering plastics, coating additives, insulation foams and automotive catalytic converters forecast 2021 adjusted core earnings of 4.1-5.0 billion euros ($4.8-5.89 billion), up from 3.6 billion, but analysts had expected it to reach the upper end of that range.
BASF attributed its caution to uncertainty about virus mutations and the progress of global vaccination campaigns.
($1 = 0.8484 euros)
(Editing by Jason Neely)


text:
Sony Corporation laid out major management shifts in a recent press-release. CEO Kaz Hirai, widely credited with the company’s return to profitability, began his career at CBS/Sony Music, worked through the video game division, and in 2012 replaced Howard Stringer, Sony’s first non-Japanese CEO. In spite of a few successes such as the incredibly popular series of Spider-Man films, Stringer’s tenure as CEO was problematic and saw major losses for the company. Hirai’s tenure as CEO saw the company consolidating divisions and updating vital video game products; after a series of tough years, 2017 saw the company forecast and produce its highest profits in two decades.
This month Hirai stepped down as CEO, but was named “Director Chairman”—essentially, Chairman of the Board of Directors. The company’s CFO, Kenichiro Yoshida, was named CEO to replace Hirai. Hirai attended the American School in Japan and later attended school in Canada, and was viewed as more youthful and in touch with Western culture than his predecessors—ironic, as Stringer was British. Hirai’s preppy style and often-wry Tweets marked a major difference in style from his buttoned-down predecessors.
The appointment of the CFO Yoshida as the new CEO is viewed as an attempt to extend the company’s streak of profitable quarters by imposing financial rigor on an organization that has at times been…impulsive. Yoshida is credited with implementing corporate restructuring that contributed to the company’s turnaround.
It will be interesting to see how Sony progresses.
Watching the story of Gibson Brands’ woes unfold has become more reality television than reality.
At the same time that music magazine Paste heads an article, “Gibson Guitars is About to Go Belly Up”, Nashville media quote a credit officer at Moody’s as saying, “Gibson is running out of time—rapidly”, and we reported the departure of the company’s CFO—Gibson Brands CEO Henry Juszkiewicz issued an “all is well” statement regarding the half-billion dollars in notes rapidly reaching maturity.
Nothin’ to see here. Keep moving. Except, this just in.…according to a report in Bloomberg, bondholders who hold more than two-thirds of Gibson’s debt are pushing to take over, and oust Juszkiewicz.
Film at 11.


text:
World of opportunity
Even though the pound has dipped against the dollar and euro, there are bargains to be had further afield
When you’re thinking of buying abroad, there are so many things to consider — location, transport and, increasingly, whether a new global crisis will erupt on your doorstep. But the thing many people forget is timing. The currency markets are in one of their periodic states of flux, and delaying a foreign purchase by even a week could make a big difference to how much you’ll actually pay.
The bad news is that if you’re looking to buy in the eurozone or the US, you’ve probably missed your best chance to make a killing. For much of last year, a pound bought more than €1.40, with occasional highs in excess of €1.42. Since the new year, though, it has fallen sharply and is now worth


text:
New Features Give Salespeople Unique Visibility into Rules-Based Guided Selling and Provide Coaching Tips to Increase Sales Effectiveness
Los Angeles – March 16, 2015 — Velocify, the market leader in cloud-based intelligent sales automation software, today announced an upgrade of its Sales Activity Prioritization Engine – a key feature in its LeadManager solution.
Velocify’s prioritization engine gives a salesperson a single, real-time view into their highest priority leads and opportunities based on several key factors: where the prospect is at in the sales cycle, follow-up meetings scheduled, response to ongoing interaction with the salesperson, time elapsed since last action, and lead score. To provide more insight into each priority activity being recommended, Velocify is introducing Priority Info Bars, giving sales reps visibility into the reasons why a call or activity is being presented as a priority, and providing on-screen coaching tips to increase sales effectiveness with calls made throughout the day.
“When salespeople begin their day, their success is largely determined by the prospective customers they choose to contact and the activities they choose to perform,” said Nick Hedges, CEO and President at Velocify. “Automated Prioritization, combined with Velocify’s Guided Selling capability can drastically increase a sales reps productivity, taking the guesswork out of who to call next.”
In fact, recent research has found that companies that deploy a prioritization strategy based on a well-defined sales process and contact strategy, greatly improve productivity and sales results. Companies that consistently use automated activity prioritization technology averaged 178 percent higher conversion rates versus companies that leave reps to sort through leads and lists manually.
- Shows sales reps why different types of leads take priority (for example, brand new prospects, scheduled follow-ups, leads with upcoming renewal dates or leads from hot zip codes)
- Empowers sales leaders to offer automatic instructions for specific lead types (such as leave a specific voicemail with this contact attempt)
- Promotes trust in guided selling by enabling sales reps complete transparency into why a contact is in a certain position in their call queue
Priority Info Bars are now available to all sales organizations leveraging Velocify LeadManager. For more information, please visit /products/leadmanager/, or contact email@example.com.
Velocify is a market-leading provider of cloud-based intelligent sales software, designed for high-velocity sales environments. Velocify helps sales teams keep pace with the speed of opportunity and increase revenue by driving rapid lead response, increased selling discipline, improved productivity, and actionable selling insights. The company has helped more than 1,500 companies across a variety of industries improve customer acquisition practices and sales performance. Velocify was recently recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in North America by Deloitte and a Best Place to Work by the Los Angeles Business Journal.


text:
Mastercard has said that it will soon stop issuing cards with a magnetic stripe to it users and will gradually be replaced with chip cards which allows more secured transaction and enable convenient and quick contactless payments. The financial services firm said that merchants were increasingly relying on chip-and-pin technology to take payments, which is making the stripes obsolete. The firm said it wanted to give plenty of advance warning before the change to allow its remaining partners who still rely on the technology to phase in chip-card processing.
By 2029, no new Mastercard cards will include the stripe and the feature will be discontinued altogether by 2033.
It was gathered that starting from 2024, newly issued Mastercard credit and debit cards in Europe will not be required to have the magnetic stripe, although the requirement will not be dropped in the US until 2027 as that country has not embraced chip-and-pin as readily as the EU and other territories.
The magnetic stripe, which was largely credited to IBM, allowed banks to encode card information onto magnetic tape laminated to the back, paving the way towards much of the modern payment methods in use today.
Today’s chip cards are powered by microprocessors that are much more capable and secure than the older technology. Many also offer added conveniences such as tiny antennae that enable contactless transactions.


text:
Opening the August credit card statement is going to send the blood pressure of some Chase customers skyward. For the second time this year the bank has changed up the rules for how it calculates the minimum payment due for certain customers, increasing the rate from 2% of the outstanding balance to 5%. If you’re carrying a $5,000 balance that means your required minimum payment went from $100 in July to $250 this month.
That move, in turn, has raised some serious hackles. Over at
the call to action is to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission over this “unfair practice.”
Hmmm. Unfair? I’m not so sure. Unfriendly, absolutely. There is no question that tightening the payment screws at a time when unemployment is at a 25-year high and furloughs are the hot new employment trend isn’t exactly consumer-friendly. Yet there is indeed a residual benefit for cardholders. Increasing the minimum payment rate by 150% means Chase customers will pay off their debt a whole lot faster. That’s a boon for their personal balance sheet as well as saving a bundle in interest costs. While I don’t believe for one second that Chase’s motivation is to help its customers — this is all about Chase reducing its risk — I think Curtis Arnold over at CardRatings.com got it right by tagging the change a case of “
What's your take? The poll is open.


text:
Now, Kim Kardashian on your phone
Reality TV star Kim Kardashian will now be dishing out tips on beauty, fashion and love in her latest avatar as a phone application. Fans of the curvacious babe can download the application on iTunes.entertainment Updated: Jun 03, 2010 16:30 IST
While for most Hollywood celebrities, it's a case of the slimmer the better, Kardashian wanted the creators of her phone app avatar to make her famous derriere even more plump, reported Us magazine online.
The 29-year-old was involved with the design of her own iPhone application, and the animated image see her dressed in a figure hugging purple dress and towering heels.
"She asked them to revise her avatar three or four times because it didn't look right to her. She went with the biggest butt of all the options," said a source.
The application, which fans pay to download on iTunes, was released to promote her new self-titled perfume.
First Published: Jun 03, 2010 14:58 IST


text:
After trialling several comparative presses, SIEC decided to invest in a SCREEN Truepress Jet L350UV digital label press, and in doing so became the first company in France to invest in this press. Not only did the press allow them to increase their production speeds but also to continually deliver high-quality print to their customers in the bespoke self-adhesive and non-self-adhesive label markets.
Not only did it the Truepress Jet L350UV enable us to increase our production speeds but it also...
SCREEN Graphic Solutions Co., Ltd. has finalized development of a new blue ink intended for use in its high-end Truepress Jet L350UV+ digital label printing system. The ink will be released worldwide in June this year. Driven by a growing awareness of corporate and product brand image label producers face an increase in demand for...


text:
Nayax appoints Sagit Manor as Chief Financial Officer
Manor replaces Liron Grosman, who has held the position for four years
Cashless payment platform Nayax has announced its appointment of Sagit Manor as its new Chief Financial Officer. As the new CFO, Manor will be responsible for the company’s global finance activities as the supply chain and procurement operations. Manor will replace current CFO, Liron Grosman, who held the position for four years.“I am excited to be part of Nayax’s leadership team and have the opportunity to contribute to a growing and innovative company,” said Manor. “I aim to build on the solid foundation Liron and the Nayax finance team have established and work towards the expansion of Nayax around the globe.”
“Sagit's substantial expertise in leading financial operations will support Nayax as we become a larger organization with a growing employee base and extensive operations around the world,” commented Yair Nechmad, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Nayax. The company also thanked Liron for her contribution since 2017 praising her leadership and professionalism during their recent IPO.Nayax was founded in 2005 and provides merchant financial services to a variety of retailers. Today, the company has customers in 65 countries and supports more than 350,000 points of sale. In May, the company started trading on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, at the time completing the largest-ever IPO by a tech company on the TASE.


text:
Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends has a premiere date for its second season. Disney Junior has also released a new trailer teasing the series’ return. The animated pre-school series has already been picked up for a third season.
Starring Benjamin Valic, Jakari Fraser, Lily Sanfelippo, Sandra Saad, Tru Valentino, Armen Taylor, Nicolas Roye, Melanie Minichino, Dee Bradley Baker, Kelly Ohanian, JP Karliak, and Justin Shenkarow, the series follows Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and Gwen Stacy as they work with other Marvel superheroes like Hulk, Iron Man, and Ant-Man.
Disney Junior revealed more about the return of the animated series in a press release.
“Season two of the hit web-slinging preschool series “Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends,” from Disney Branded Television, premieres FRIDAY, AUG. 19, with a simulcast on Disney Channel and Disney Junior (8:30 a.m. EDT). An initial batch of episodes will also be rolled out on Disney+ and on-demand platforms this fall. In anticipation of the new season, which features a “Glow Webs Glow” storyline, a collection of 10 animated shorts introducing our trio of young Super Heroes – Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy and Miles Morales – to new friends and baddies launches MONDAY, JULY 18, on Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney Junior YouTube and Marvel HQ YouTube and will be available on Disney+ beginning Aug. 17.
The series, which was recently picked up for a third season, is the #1 most-watched new preschool series among Boys 2-5 and has amassed over 383 million views across Disney Junior and Marvel HQ YouTube channels since its August 2021 launch.
A new “Glow Webs Glow” digital single from the series’ songwriter/composer Patrick Stump (Fall Out Boy) was released today by Walt Disney Records. A link to the music video can be found here. Stump will also guest star as a concert announcer in an episode debuting later in the season. Joining him and the other previously announced guest voice cast for season two – which includes John Stamos (“Big Shot”) as Iron Man/Tony Stark and Sean Giambrone (“The Goldbergs”) as Ant-Man – is Bindi Irwin (“Crikey! It’s the Irwins”) as oceanographer Isla Coralton and Scott Porter (“Friday Night Lights”) as Gwen’s dad, George Stacy.
Extensions for the series include an assortment of children’s books from Disney Publishing Worldwide and the recently released “My First Comic” from Marvel Press; products including toys, apparel and home items, with new toy lines releasing soon from licensees including Hasbro, Jazwares, LEGO and more; and a digital soundtrack from Walt Disney Records. This summer, Disney Junior teamed up with Starlight Children’s Foundation to deliver packages filled with a variety of “Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends” products, including toys, activity packs and books from the popular series, to children’s hospitals across the country. Additionally, characters from “Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends” will appear live for the first time in the upcoming “Disney Junior Live On Tour: Costume Palooza,” launching Sept. 2 with stops at more than 80 North American cities throughout 2022.
Season two of “Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends” is executive produced by Harrison Wilcox (“Marvel’s Avengers: Black Panther’s Quest”) and directed by Chris Moreno (Disney Junior’s “Muppet Babies”), who also serves as co-executive producer along with Chris Gilligan (Disney Junior’s “T.O.T.S.”) and Bart Jennett (“Gigantosaurus”). Becca Topol (“Mira, Royal Detective”) is story editor/co-producer, and Steve Grover (“Hello Ninja”) is supervising producer. The series is produced by Disney Junior and Marvel Studios in association with Atomic Cartoons.”
Check out the preview for Marvel’s Spidey and his Amazing Friends below.
What do you think? Are you excited about the return of this Disney Junior animated series?


text:
Earlier today an announcement was posted on the Flock website stating that on April 26th, 2011 that the project and servers would be shutting down. There is no reason specified as to why the project is suddenly discontinuing. However, there is some speculation that it may be because of Zynga – makers of Farmville, Cityville and other browser Flash games – acquiring Flock Inc....
- Lunarsoft Frontpage 4.9.x January 19, 2018
- Report says Intel fixes leave PCs no more than 10% slower January 11, 2018
- Google tries hard to keep Amazon’s Alexa from winning CES January 11, 2018
- Ad firms hurting due to Apple’s Intelligent Tracking Prevention feature January 11, 2018
- Wi-Fi Protected Access 3 is coming later in 2018 January 11, 2018


text:
Kenosha keeps luring distribution business over border
A decade ago, Kenosha was a sleepy place compared with Milwaukee and Chicago. Now you can't throw a stone without hitting an 18-wheeler pulling out of a distribution center.
In October, Seattle-based Amazon.com opened the first of two fulfillment centers that ultimately will total 1.1 million square feet in Pleasant Prairie, a town of 20,173 in Kenosha County adjacent to I-94. Likewise lured by cheap land and plenty of it, several Illinois-based distributors have been packing up warehouse operations, and, in some cases, corporate headquarters, and moving here. After Uline, a family-owned distributor of packaging and shipping supplies, moved to Pleasant Prairie from Waukegan in 2010, the move snowballed into the development of multiple sites nearby.
Other companies with Chicago ties have followed suit, including Konecranes, a Finnish crane manufacturer that previously operated out of Gurnee; Emco Chemical Distributors, which moved its corporate headquarters from North Chicago; Kenall Manufacturing, a formerly Gurnee-based lighting manufacturer that is wrapping construction in early 2015 on a $30 million, 354,000-square-foot headquarters; and Taiwanese steel manufacturer Ta Chen International, which left its Midwest distribution center in Gurnee for a new 471,000-square-foot, $36 million facility in Pleasant Prairie last February.
Why Kenosha County?
“There's no question that (square footage) costs are lower in Wisconsin,” says Ryan Murray, chief operating officer at Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. That western Kenosha County is just off of I-94—and convenient to Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison and the Twin Cities—is also part of the draw.


text:
IT professionals specialising in big data are benefiting from growth in pay as employersRead More
How big data helps the hospitality sector
The hospitality sector is a highly competitive part of the economy, with hotels in particular always under pressure to deliver the highest-quality experiences at the lowest cost possible.
A key challenge for this industry is that in the age of constant connectivity, customers have higher expectations than ever before and will demand a personalised experience. If they do not get this, they will often not have to go far to find a competitor who will meet their needs.
Fortunately, there are steps hotels can take to deliver this service. Anil Kaul, chief executive of Absolutdata Analytics, wrote in a recent piece for Dataquest that big data analytics is a natural partner for the travel and hotel sector, due to the large amount of information that travellers generate.
"Hotel companies can use this data to personalise every experience they offer their guests, from suggesting local restaurants to finding an irresistible price point. They can also use this flood of data to fine-tune their own operations," he stated.
In the past, the hotel sector has not taken full advantage of this vast data source, as many companies did not know how to make the most of it. But as new developments such as mobile technology, powerful analytics solutions and more user-friendly dashboards become available, companies will be able to hugely expand their capabilities.
For example, Mr Kaul stated that on a person-to-person level, smartphone-enabled staff members can pull up instant information about their guests to alert them to needs or requests and help them respond accordingly.
On a wider level, big data can help hotels save money by cutting back on utilities when the location is not at full capacity. Local factors such as the weather or expected events can also be factored in, so room rates can be dynamically adjusted if a major conference is nearby, for example.
It can also help hotels determine which customers will offer the best lifetime value. For instance, Mr Kaul noted that while a guest on a special, once-in-a-lifetime holiday may spend a large amount in their visit, they are unlikely to offer repeat business. On the other hand, a frugal business traveller may seem like a less valuable customer, but if the hotel can make them happy, they could return on a regular basis for years to come.
By using big data analytics to study trends and identify what customers expect, hotels can better understand what they have to do to deliver a personal service and turn a one-time visitor into a repeat customer.
As well as improving the hotel's performance, a successful big data implementation will result in happier customers and an enhanced reputation for the hotel.
"Big data might still be in the adoption phase for the hotel industry, but it has a lot of benefits to offer," Mr Kaul said. "The data is there; it just needs to be put to work. Hotels that fully leverage it will gain a significant competitive edge."