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CLARK, WYOMING - Wyoming water is the second best in the world. That ranking is according to the judges with an international bottled water competition. As KULR 8's Penny Preston reports, the tasty aqua comes from the base of the Beartooths in Clark,
It's a quiet place is the home of bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and grizzly bears. Today, it is also home to Clark's newest industry: spring water bottling. Six people work in the back of what used to be an isolated home. They produce 7200 bottles of sparkling, or natural water daily. It comes from the peaks of the Beartooth Mountains above them.
"It's an interesting tasting water. There's something going on there without being overpowering or salty," says Emily Park, COO of American Summits Water.
One might think water is water is water. Not so according to Parker, the New York based bottler of Wyoming's Beartooth Springs water. Tasters at an international water competition ranked it second in the world.
"Waters from China, from Bosnia, from Australia, literally all over the world. Were delighted to receive the silver medal for our sparkling water."
Parker says the spring water was discovered online by a New York restauranteer, who "couldn't understand why all of our premium glass bottled water in this country was coming from thousands of miles overseas."
Philip Lajeunie found a small home bottled operation online. He came to check it out.
"The only words he used was 'breathtaking'. He was completely taken with it. He couldn't believe just how gorgeous this surrounding is."
So, a seven thousand gallon tank below the mountain spring continues to produce for the world, water from above a high basin desert in Northwest Wyoming.
Parker says the water is selling well in Washington, DC, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Chicago. She says it will debut soon in New York City.


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New York: Elon Musk praised Netflix for its new company culture guidelines that say it might not be the best place for employees who cannot work on content they disagree with or find harmful.
In response to a tweet about the new policy, Musk tweeted: “Good move by @netflix.”
Netflix recently updated its company culture guidelines for the first time since 2017 to include a new section titled “Artistic Expression.”
“Not everyone will like—or agree with—everything on our service,” the guidelines say, adding “we let viewers decide what’s appropriate for them, versus having Netflix censor specific artists or voices.”
“As employees we support the principle that Netflix offers a diversity of stories, even if we find some titles counter to our own personal values. Depending on your role, you may need to work on titles you perceive to be harmful. If you’d find it hard to support our content breadth, Netflix may not be the best place for you,” they continue.
Musk blamed the loss of subscribers on Netflix being “woke,” writing on Twitter: “The woke mind virus is making Netflix unwatchable.”
Netflix has hinted that employees offended by its shows are free to leave the company. The streaming giant on Thursday released its updated corporate culture memo – ‘Netflix Culture – Seeking Excellence’, in which it explained that employees could be expected to work on shows that go against their own personal values.
It added said it would support the artistic freedom of creators while bluntly telling employees that Netflix may not be the best place for them if they found it hard to support its diverse, sometimes provocative shows.
Netflix came under fire from some of its own employees in October for airing a comedy special from Dave Chappelle in which he made transphobic comments. The special was not removed from the streaming service despite protests.

domain: news


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Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has appointed Joseph Copeland its senior vice president of business development, strategy and restructuring.
The appointment combines the business development responsibilities of Rick Navarro and the strategic and restructuring initiatives previously led by Goodyear CFO Richard Kramer.
Goodyear has assigned Navarro to special strategic projects.
Copeland most recently served as director of finance for Goodyear´s Engineered Products and Chemical divisions. He has been with Goodyear since 2000.


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With Apple expected to further delay an update to its already outdated Apple TV, consumers should take a look at Nvidia's new Shield device to get a sense of the future of streaming media players.
Grandmothers are wearing Fitbit, Jawbone bracelets pack the shelves of big-box stores and Apple's smartwatch is expected to be one of the most coveted Christmas gifts this year.
For all those who hailed the iPhone as the "Jesus Phone" in 2007, the Apple Watch's arrival has hardly been the second coming.
At the Electronic Entertainment Expo players swooped like eagles through Paris, blasted asteroids, and fought in boxing rings as videogame makers dove into worlds of virtual reality.
Apple on Wednesday announced it is recalling Beats Pill XL wireless speakers because of danger batteries might get so hot they ignite in flames.
Hidden cameras, invisibility cloaks and mini-drones were among the gadgets on display Tuesday at an exhibition of Israeli surveillance technology, offering a rare peek into the secretive world of Israeli espionage.
Thanks to increasingly accessible and affordable home automation systems, your house will soon be able to do a lot of neat tricks.
A Silicon Valley recycling company on Monday was searching for a woman who dropped off a rare Apple computer subsequently snapped up by a collector for $200,000.
Sony has proclaimed a "new era" of PlayStation gaming complete with big-name games and the dawn of virtual reality on its powerful PlayStation 4 consoles.


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Buoyed by the launch of direct flights by Uganda Airlines from India, Kenya-based Safari Trails, a boutique DMC for East Africa has initiated promoting Uganda in the Indian market.
“There are hardly 14-15 gorilla families which are spread over in Rwanda, Uganda. These two countries are the only places in the world where one can see gorillas,” said Rajay Thethy, CEO, Safari Trails, during his recent visit to India.
His main purpose of the visit was to introduce and market Uganda in the Indian market as he said, “Uganda as a destination is not known in this market.” Safari Trails has segmented its business in three categories and each team handles MICE, Africa and Super Luxury. The company, in the Super Luxury category, handles destinations like Rwanda, Uganda, etc.
The company offers various packages, and among them is the Great Apes package, which allows participants to observe both gorillas and chimpanzees. “Chimpanzees are found in Queen Elizabeth National Park (Uganda). Besides chimpanzees, the park also has flamingos, tree climbing lines, salt pans, hence, making it a diverse product,” pointed out Thethy. Murchison Falls is another stunning experience which is also included in this package.
In Kenya, the company offers safaris using Land Cruisers, while in Uganda, they offer safaris through treks and by boat on the Nile river.
For Safari Trails, India has emerged as the largest source market. “From our total business, the Indian market contributes 55%,” revealed Thethy. The company is also witnessing a lot of demand for Kenya and Tanzania which also fall in the Super Luxury category. “Earlier, Indian travellers used to spend USD 5,000-10,000 for trips to Kenya and Tanzania. Now, the average spending by them has increased to USD 20,000-30,000,” says Thethy.
A significant portion of their business is attributed to wildlife photographers. “Wildlife photographers itself is a segment for us,” he said.
Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad have traditionally served as the company’s primary markets. However, they are currently focusing on Tier-II cities also, such as Nagpur, Raipur, Chandigarh, and Sambhaji Nagar (formerly Aurangabad). “I see substantial potential in these markets. With this in mind, we are organising roadshows later this year, specifically targeting Tier-II and III cities,” revealed Thethy.
Clarifying the misconception about Kenya’s weather, he explained that the climate there is pleasant, with the highest temperature ranging between 25-26 degrees Celsius. “Many people in India believe that Kenya is a tropical country with temperatures soaring to 42-43 degrees Celsius, but that’s not the case. Kenya is a year-round destination, and its people are warm and always smiling,” stated Thethy.
In terms of the demand from Indian travellers, he said that unlike the previous affinity towards luxurious rooms with chandeliers, they now seek more authentic African experiences. Thethy said, “They are looking for experiences and culture now.”
He firmly believes that the combination of enhanced air connectivity, visa issuance within 24-48 hours, the availability of Indian food, and the warm hospitality extended by the people of Kenya will contribute to making 2024 a favourable year for the company.


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BrewDog has claimed a ‘world’s first’ by opening a totally alcohol-free bar in central London, offering a whopping 15 taps of alcohol-free craft beer on draught, including a swathe of never-before-tasted booze-less brews. Punk? Hardly. But shrewd? Definitely.
One quick point to note: it’s actually not a world first. At least if we’re being pedantic. That title was claimed by Sainsbury’s in July last year when it opened its own alcohol-free pub, The Clean Vic, over a weekend on New Oxford Street. Before that, it was claimed by The Virgin Mary in Dublin, in May. There may even be others.
Still, BrewDog’s venture is undeniably more interesting than Sainsbury’s. And not just because BrewDog’s foray into alcohol-free comes wrapped in the usual bouquet of controversy that surrounds this brand (November saw it rapped by the ASA for a poster with the catchphrase ‘sober as a motherfu’, with BrewDog quipping the marketing budget ‘only stretched to 16 letters’. The watchdog, needless to say, wasn’t amused.)
Firstly, this isn’t a pop-up. Rather, this is a bona fide attempt to make an entirely alcohol-free bar stand on its own two feet, by a serious, big-money operator with the means to make a sizeable investment in growing it.
BrewDog is offering unlimited refills throughout January, which suggests it’s more interested in finding out how much alcohol-free booze people will actually drink on a night out, and guaging whether the concept is scalable than making any money – for the moment. Not to mention it’s a great playground to test out booze-free NPD – which is increasingly looking like a priority for the brewer.
No business has tested the category in the on-trade with such guts to date. Because while low & no is growing at immense pace, it is still small, and there are many questions to answer about consumption habits.
If BrewDog decides the appetite is there, rolling out further alcohol-free bars could be incredibly fruitful. And not just because BrewDog won’t have to pay any licensing fees and the drinks are duty-free. An alcohol-free bar could also play well in global markets where alcohol isn’t consumed so voraciously or those facing stringent regulations.
Most importantly, BrewDog would have critical first-mover advantage if it acts quick (even if it isn’t technically the world’s first).
A nationwide chain of alcohol-free craft beer pubs may still sound like a long stretch right now. Low & no is still a comparatively tiny segment of the overall alcohol category. And there are certainly areas of the country where it might not play so well.
But in the long term, all bets are off. To think five years ago that low & no would have reached its current scale would have been laughable. Today, the likes of Heineken 0.0% rank among the UK’s fastest-growing lagers, and a month doesn’t go by without a major brand announcing the launch of its own alcohol-free player – just last month saw brands as diverse as Thatchers, Gosnells and even Dalston’s Soda join the fray.
BrewDog could be on to something big here. Let’s not forget it was the first craft beer brand to truly crack the mults (Punk IPA is currently the UK’s third highest-selling ale). James Watt & co could well be the ones to take low & no to its next frontier.
William Reed – the publisher of The Grocer – has launched a new trade show exclusively for the low & no drinks category. For more information visit low2nobev.com.


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Netflix Inc. has fired an additional 300 employees as streaming giants are trying to keep costs down in the face of uneven subscriber growth.
Unemployment is company-wide and most of the affected workers are based in the United States. The cut is twice as big as the one created by the streaming giant last month. This news was first reported on Variety.
“We continue to invest heavily in our business, but we’ve made these adjustments to increase costs as revenue growth slows,” a Netflix spokeswoman said in an email.
“I am very grateful for everything they have done for Netflix and are working hard to support them through this difficult transition.”
Netflix is reinventing its operations after overturning its subscription-based revenue model after 200,000 subscribers left in the first quarter of 2022. Difficulties beat the company’s stock price and demoralized workers.
Netflix dismissed contract employees and editorial staff from the Tudum site in April, in addition to the temporary dismissal in May. This is part of a reduction in marketing budget.
Netflix subscribers were worried partly because of the January price increase. In addition, competition with streaming content from Amazon.com Inc., Walt Disney Co., and Hulu is intensifying, all of which have recently recorded an increase in subscriptions.


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Venture capital firm Norwest Venture Partners has closed its 15th fund at $2 Bn, making Norwest Venture Partners XV its largest fund till date.
Announcing the close on Thursday (November 14), the Palo Alto-based VC said it will use the fund to target disruptive and market-leading companies from seed to late-stage across consumer, enterprise and healthcare sectors.
The launch of Norwest Venture Partners XV, which brings the firm’s total capital commitments over the years to more than $9.5 Bn. It comes at a time when Norwest is raking in great returns from its portfolio. In a record two years, 23 of the firm’s portfolio companies achieved notable liquidity events, Norwest said in a press statement.
The 15th Fund follows Norwest Venture Partners XIV which was a $1.5 Bn fund closed in February 2018. According to Norwest, it has since made nearly 50 new investments across a range of stages and industries, as well as hired and promoted several investment partners. It also said that 15% of all its investments are led by female founders.
Norwest’s Investments In India
Norwest manages more than $9.5 Bn in capital and has since inception invested in more than 600 companies. It has partnered with more than 150 active companies currently in venture and growth equity portfolio.
Norwest India is focused on early to mid-stage venture capital investments in India across a wide range of sectors such as consumer, internet, telecom, fintech and edtech. Its investments in India include Attune Technologies, RevX, Pepperfry, Swiggy, Yatra, Yes Bank, Thyrocare, Quikr among others.
In July, sales SaaS platform MindTickle raised $40 Mn Series C funding round led by Norwest Venture Partners.
Hyderabad-based healthtech startup Multiplier Solutions raised $1.5 Mn from Norwest Venture Partners. Apart from this, Norwest has also invested $1.5 Mn in Bengaluru-based ABI Health.
Norwest Venture Partners and Bertelsmann India were one of the early investors in Mumbai-based online furniture and home products marketplace Pepperfry and had pumped in $15 Mn (INR 105.6 Cr) in 2014.
Media reports in September this year also said that Norwest Venture Partners India will double its investments in the domestic market. “The investment firm is scouting for opportunities across sectors, including financial services, technology, internet, consumer, healthcare and logistics,” Livemint quoted Niren Shah, managing director and head, Norwest India.
Some of the companies that Norwest has invested in India including RBL Bank, Sadbhav Engineering, Thyrocare Technologies, and Snowman Logistics Ltd have gone public. Pepperfry is also looking to go public soon.
Moreover, at least four more—Five Star Finance, Veritas Finance, NSE and Ess Kay Finance—are expected to launch their IPOs within the next two years.


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|By PR Newswire||
|January 14, 2014 06:00 AM EST||
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jan. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Los Angeles-based ArcLight Cinemas and Santa Monica-based Macerich (NYSE: MAC), one of the nation's leading shopping center owners and operators, today announced a new 14-screen ArcLight Cinemas theater will open in mid-2015 at Santa Monica Place, the award-winning, open-air shopping and dining destination located next to Third Street Promenade and just two blocks from the beach.
The new theater will bring ArcLight's thoughtful, high-quality approach to movie-going to a community that is home to many entertainment companies but has lacked a state-of-the-art movie theater. The new ArcLight Cinemas will add a premium movie experience to the third level, view-oriented Dining Deck. The one-of-a-kind Santa Monica Place is home to Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Burberry Brit, Emporio Armani, CB2, Nike and dozens of other exciting specialty stores and an inspired collection of food and restaurant experiences.
"We created ArcLight so that movie-lovers could experience film the way the filmmakers intended," said Chris Forman, Chief Executive Officer, ArcLight Cinemas. "Santa Monica Place is an important shopping and lifestyle destination. It means a lot to our company, and to me, to partner with Macerich to bring the ArcLight experience to Santa Monica."
For more than a decade, ArcLight Cinemas has redefined the movie-going experience in the greater Los Angeles area. ArcLight Santa Monica will feature the signature amenities that movie-lovers enjoy and have come to expect from ArcLight, including all reserved seating, a commercial-free environment, unique programming, and black box auditoriums with extra-wide stadium seats and state-of-the-art sight and sound.
"ArcLight Cinemas will be an outstanding addition to this singular destination and make 'dinner and a movie' at our property a spectacular choice for locals and visitors," said Art Coppola, Chairman and CEO, Macerich. "The ArcLight concept is a true match for the extraordinary level of experience we have created at Santa Monica Place, a world-class luxury fashion and dining destination right in the heart of downtown Santa Monica."
ArcLight Santa Monica will include a full bar, cafe and concessions with favorite items such as ArcLight's famous caramel popcorn and chicken sausage baguettes. Guests 21-years and over can enjoy wine, beer and cocktails in the designated 21+ lounge and during select screenings. ArcLight's popular membership program allows hundreds of thousands of L.A. movie-goers to stay connected to all ArcLight has to offer, both in theater and on-line.
For ArcLight, today's Santa Monica Place announcement comes on the heels of the groundbreaking ceremony for the company's first Midwest location in Chicago, opening in 2015, and construction for ArcLight's first East Coast location in Bethesda, Maryland, opening in 2014.
About Santa Monica Place
Winner of the prestigious VIVA "Best of the Best" Award for excellence in design and development by the International Council of Shopping Centers, along with many other industry awards, Santa Monica Place is located just steps from the Pacific Ocean and adjacent to Third Street Promenade in the heart of Santa Monica. The three-level, open-air Santa Monica Place is home to Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, CB2, Nike, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co, Burberry Brit, kate spade new york, Jonathan Adler, AllSaints Spitalfields and dozens of other exciting specialty stores and food experiences. For more information visit www.santamonicaplace.com or interact with us via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
About ArcLight Cinemas
ArcLight Cinemas, created by Pacific Theatres, is a privately owned, Los Angeles-based company with 60 years of theatrical exhibition history throughout California, Hawaii and Washington. ArcLight Cinemas operates theaters in Hollywood, Pasadena, Sherman Oaks, El Segundo and La Jolla in California. ArcLight also owns and operates the historic Cinerama Dome and programs the TCL Chinese Theatre and IMAX in Hollywood. Pacific Theatres currently operates theaters in Los Angeles that include The Grove and The Americana at Brand in Glendale. To learn more about ArcLight Cinemas, a place where movie lovers belong, please visit www.arclightcinemas.com.
Macerich, an S&P 500 Company, is a fully integrated self-managed and self-administered real estate investment trust, which focuses on the acquisition, leasing, management, development and redevelopment of regional malls throughout the United States. Macerich currently owns approximately 57 million square feet of gross leasable area consisting primarily of interests in 55 regional shopping centers. Additional information about Macerich can be obtained from the Company's website at www.macerich.com.
Plutora provides enterprise release management and test environment SaaS solutions to clients in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Leading companies across a variety of industries, including financial services, telecommunications, retail, pharmaceutical and media, rely on Plutora's SaaS solutions to orchestrate releases and environments faster and with integrity. Products include Plutora Release Manager, Plutora Test Environment Manager and Plutora Deployment Manager.
Mar. 30, 2015 12:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,609
Hosted PaaS providers have given independent developers and startups huge advantages in efficiency and reduced time-to-market over their more process-bound counterparts in enterprises. Software frameworks are now available that allow enterprise IT departments to provide these same advantages for developers in their own organization. In his workshop session at DevOps Summit, Troy Topnik, ActiveState’s Technical Product Manager, will show how on-prem or cloud-hosted Private PaaS can enable organ...
Mar. 30, 2015 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,304
The world's leading Cloud event, Cloud Expo has launched Microservices Journal on the SYS-CON.com portal, featuring over 19,000 original articles, news stories, features, and blog entries. DevOps Journal is focused on this critical enterprise IT topic in the world of cloud computing. Microservices Journal offers top articles, news stories, and blog posts from the world's well-known experts and guarantees better exposure for its authors than any other publication. Follow new article posts on T...
Mar. 30, 2015 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,472
Mar. 30, 2015 11:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,512
SYS-CON Events announced today that SafeLogic has been named “Bag Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo® New York, which will take place June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. SafeLogic provides security products for applications in mobile and server/appliance environments. SafeLogic’s flagship product CryptoComply is a FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic engine designed to secure data on servers, workstations, appliances, mobile devices, and in the Cloud....
Mar. 30, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,469
SYS-CON Events announced today the IoT Bootcamp – Jumpstart Your IoT Strategy, being held June 9–10, 2015, in conjunction with 16th Cloud Expo and Internet of @ThingsExpo at the Javits Center in New York City. This is your chance to jumpstart your IoT strategy. Combined with real-world scenarios and use cases, the IoT Bootcamp is not just based on presentations but includes hands-on demos and walkthroughs. We will introduce you to a variety of Do-It-Yourself IoT platforms including Arduino, Ras...
Mar. 30, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,130
SYS-CON Events announced today that the DevOps Institute has been named “Association Sponsor” of SYS-CON's DevOps Summit, which will take place on June 9–11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. The DevOps Institute provides enterprise level training and certification. Working with thought leaders from the DevOps community, the IT Service Management field and the IT training market, the DevOps Institute is setting the standard in quality for DevOps education and training.
Mar. 30, 2015 10:30 AM EDT Reads: 1,175
Even though it’s now Microservices Journal, long-time fans of SOA World Magazine can take comfort in the fact that the URL – soa.sys-con.com – remains unchanged. And that’s no mistake, as microservices are really nothing more than a new and improved take on the Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) best practices we struggled to hammer out over the last decade. Skeptics, however, might say that this change is nothing more than an exercise in buzzword-hopping. SOA is passé, and now that people are ...
Mar. 30, 2015 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,312
Wearable technology was dominant at this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) , and MWC was no exception to this trend. New versions of favorites, such as the Samsung Gear (three new products were released: the Gear 2, the Gear 2 Neo and the Gear Fit), shared the limelight with new wearables like Pebble Time Steel (the new premium version of the company’s previously released smartwatch) and the LG Watch Urbane. The most dramatic difference at MWC was an emphasis on presenting we...
Mar. 30, 2015 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,447
SYS-CON Events announced today the DevOps Foundation Certification Course, being held June ?, 2015, in conjunction with DevOps Summit and 16th Cloud Expo at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. This sixteen (16) hour course provides an introduction to DevOps – the cultural and professional movement that stresses communication, collaboration, integration and automation in order to improve the flow of work between software developers and IT operations professionals. Improved workflows will res...
Mar. 30, 2015 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,690
Containers and microservices have become topics of intense interest throughout the cloud developer and enterprise IT communities. Accordingly, attendees at the upcoming 16th Cloud Expo at the Javits Center in New York June 9-11 will find fresh new content in a new track called PaaS | Containers & Microservices Containers are not being considered for the first time by the cloud community, but a current era of re-consideration has pushed them to the top of the cloud agenda. With the launch ...
Mar. 30, 2015 09:15 AM EDT Reads: 2,244
The WebRTC Summit 2014 New York, to be held June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York, NY, announces that its Call for Papers is open. Topics include all aspects of improving IT delivery by eliminating waste through automated business models leveraging cloud technologies. WebRTC Summit is co-located with 16th International Cloud Expo, @ThingsExpo, Big Data Expo, and DevOps Summit.
Mar. 30, 2015 09:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,629
SOA Software has changed its name to Akana. With roots in Web Services and SOA Governance, Akana has established itself as a leader in API Management and is expanding into cloud integration as an alternative to the traditional heavyweight enterprise service bus (ESB). The company recently announced that it achieved more than 90% year-over-year growth. As Akana, the company now addresses the evolution and diversification of SOA, unifying security, management, and DevOps across SOA, APIs, microser...
Mar. 30, 2015 08:30 AM EDT Reads: 2,072
The webinar, hosted by XebiaLabs, will feature 4 experts including Special Host Gene Kim, author of The Phoenix Project, along with IT thought leaders Gary Gruver, Randy Shoup and XebiaLabs' Andrew Phillips. The panel brings more than 30 years of collective experience surrounding microservices transformations at major companies including Google, eBay and Tripwire. "The story around microservices and containers is pretty compelling and the attraction of more flexibility is obviously alluring,"...
Mar. 30, 2015 08:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,313
SYS-CON Events announced today that Creative Business Solutions will exhibit at SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Creative Business Solutions is the top stocking authorized HP Renew Distributor in the U.S. Based out of Long Island, NY, Creative Business Solutions offers a one-stop shop for a diverse range of products including Proliant, Blade and Industry Standard Servers, Networking, Server Options and...
Mar. 30, 2015 07:30 AM EDT Reads: 3,853


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The Coronavirus has had a major impact on a lot of small businesses, The Daily Grind is just one of them. However, despite the challenges of COVID-19, some people have still been inspired to help out.
The Daily Grind in downtown Stillwater has had pay it forward gifts called in everyday for over 200 days. The Daily Grind has seen many changes in their business and in the community due to the Coronavirus.
The pay it forward act is ultimately an act of kindness that has gone on for over 200 days. Each day someone from the community has called in with a pay it forward gift to pay for people’s coffee.
“I think the pay it forward movement reinforces the sense of community and has been a very positive thing in a year of less than positive news. … It seemed natural that other customers, regulars and visitors alike, would want to build up some community spirit during these isolating times. What is amazing to me though, is that it has gone for more than 200 days and any time it even comes close to ending people contact [owners] Megan and Tim to keep it going. I think it speaks to how much we all need each other in good times and in bad times,” Manager of the Valley Bookseller Gretchen West said.
The Coronavirus took a big hit to The Daily Grind’s business like many other businesses. The Coronavirus also affected people and the community, it made the community feel more isolated and disconnected.
Owner Megan Palm explained, “It was pretty hard our business dropped about 60% if not more. It was really quiet, people were coming in crying, it was pretty depressing,” while talking about how The Daily grind was first affected.
The first pay it forward gift was given the Saturday before everything got shut down in March. Anita White called in to give $100 to pay for the first $100 in coffee. Since then, it has created a domino effect and many more people have also given.
“She just wanted to throw something down so that you know the people that got the coffee would have a little bit of a better day. And then it just spiraled after that,” Palm said.
The Daily Grind has been open for almost 28 years, owners Tim and Megan Palm have been the third owners. They have worked hard to make it a place where the focus is on the community.
Palm said she wanted a business that had regulars who frequented it. She explained that the coffee was great, but she really had a focus on the people and a place with a lot of energy.
The Valley Bookseller, which has been a bookstore in downtown Stillwater since 1990, is connected to The Daily Grind. With having the coffee shop in the bookstore it has been beneficial to both businesses.
“Coffee and books just go together!” West said. “Customers tend to visit one place and then the next so I think it has been a mutually beneficial relationship.”
“We had a lot of people that weren’t from around here. It was benefiting them, because they were already coming in to buy coffee, it just was purchased for them. So for us it was, it’s a great feel good, it helps me in the morning, and starts our day in a really positive way. The whole purpose of it is to help the community,” Palm said.


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Q-and-a: Hyundai CEO says expanded U.S. presence, including in Ann Arbor area, is strong possibility
Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com
That could also mean more jobs for the Korean automaker’s technical center in the Ann Arbor area, where 170 workers conduct the testing, calibration and some engineering for the latest Hyundai vehicles.
In an interview on the rooftop patio of the Palio restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor during the Rolling Sculpture Car Show on July 8, Krafcik, sipping a beer and intermittently chatting with old friends, spoke with AnnArbor.com. The former Scio Township resident said he:
--Supports President Barack Obama’s administration’s decision to consider requiring that carmakers achieve corporate average fuel economy of 56.2 miles-per-gallon by 2025.
--Believes Hyundai should continue focusing on quality instead of purely ramping up production.
--Thinks a U.S.-Korea free trade agreement, which is stalled in Washington, would have only a minimal impact on Hyundai’s U.S. business.
Krafcik’s comments come as Hyundai is deep into a sustained period of sales successes, bolstered by huge improvements in quality, fuel-efficient vehicles and comparatively low prices.
The company recently raised its goal for U.S. sales in 2011 to 624,000, a 16 percent increase from 2010. Hyundai has sold more cars in the U.S. in the first half of 2011 than it has at this stage at any point in its history.
Still, when Krafcik strolls down to Main Street to check out the vehicles at the car show, he walks right down the center of the street, totally unnoticed by the crowd.
But the vehicles Hyundai brought to the show — including the new Veloster, a 40-mpg hatchback that was tested and calibrated at the Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center in Superior Township — drew plenty of attention.
Here are excerpts from the conversation with Krafcik:
AnnArbor.com: How would you define the technical center’s contributions to Hyundai’s recent success?
John Krafcik: That technical center is just a godsend for us. At Hyundai, our big idea is that we want to design and engineer and build the cars in the markets that we sell them.
It’s a very smart thing to do because then you can respond more quickly to changes in the local market conditions.
AnnArbor.com: The tech center was particularly stable during the auto crisis when everybody else was shedding jobs. How do you see the presence here evolving over the next several years as Hyundai’s market share continues to grow?
Krafcik: There’s no question that we’re going to be growing our capability. That’s the trajectory we’re on.
We want to do more and more work here in engineering, product development, calibration, certification, development as well as manufacturing.
AnnArbor.com: Do you see that equaling more jobs?
Krafcik: It should, over time. And I can’t give you any commitments because it’s really not my part of the business, but I think there’s a great possibility. We’ve certainly got some incremental capacity there.
AnnArbor.com: I asked Bob Lutz a few weeks ago how quickly he believes battery costs will drop and how fast electric vehicles will become affordable. What’s your assessment?
Krafick: It’s a great question because there’s so much uncertainty around it. We have a great battery partnership with some of the best battery-makers on the planet - LG Chem, for example. And we’ve got third-generation lithium-polymer batteries already on the road in our Hyundai Sonata hybrid.
That said, (lithium batteries) are really expensive. And when you look at the cost of a battery pack in a vehicle like a Leaf or a Volt, you’re talking $10,000 or more. It’s very, very considerable. If you just look at the apparent cost of the chemicals in the materials structure, it’s hard to imagine that much cost being taken out. Some — but I don’t know what that cost curve is going to look like.
So our approach at Hyundai to optimize fuel efficiency has been different. We haven’t put a big marketing focus on those so-called ‘green’ technologies. Instead, we’ve focused on optimizing the internal combustion engine solution — the gasoline engine.
We’ve got four vehicles that get the 40-mpg standard. Three of them are conventional, internal-combustion engines — the new Accent, the new Elantra, the Veloster.
Look, if we want to reduce this country’s dependence on foreign oil, the best way to do it is, ironically, not a wholesale movement to alternative powertrains or hybrids. But rather, let’s just invest in the technologies we have right now — we all have these things — and make them standard on everything.
The prices go up a little, instead of a lot, and we make massive improvements in overall corporate fuel economy. We’re (averaging) 35.7 miles per gallon right now at Hyundai, so we’re already hitting the 2016 standard.
AnnArbor.com: And how do feel about President Obama’s administration’s consideration of the 56-mpg standard?
Krafcik: I think it’s a very, very good approach.
AnnArbor.com: Some of the domestic carmakers are talking about how much money this is going to add to each vehicle. Do you have an estimate as to how much it might add to the average Hyundai car?
Krafcik: Last year we committed to hit 50-mpg by 2025 just because we think it’s the right thing to do. Part of our corporate strategy is to be a leader in environmental responsibility and fuel efficiency, so we haven’t really thought about it in terms of incremental cost.
We have to do this whether or not the standard is there. We’re going to hit 50 by 2025. That’s our corporate commitment. So we haven’t really put a number on it.
AnnArbor.com: The recent Wall Street Journal piece on Hyundai was interesting. How does the Hyundai culture need to change for you to continue your success? There was some talk of it in that story.
Krafcik: Yeah, this tension that’s in the company right now is really interesting and very creative. The tension is: Do we continue to grow our production capacity in sales to meet the demand that’s there, globally, not just in the U.S., but in other markets? Or do we give up some of that growth to focus more on quality and ensuring that the craftsmanship is there and our brand image strengthens?
What’s fascinating is five years ago, we would have picked more production. But we have already made the decision: No, we’re not going to do that. We’re going to grow in a more evolutionary matter, we’re going to focus and ensure we deliver the quality our customers demand.
And we think over the long term, that’s going to be better for the company. Now who knows where we’ll end up in 20 years? But I am absolutely convinced that it’s better to take this slower trajectory now as opposed to growing too fast.
AnnArbor.com: Are you frustrated at the status of the U.S.-Korea trade agreement situation at this point?
Krafcik: We’ve all been very realistic about the timing. These things take a lot of time.
Honestly, from our point of view, it doesn’t matter that much. The cost benefits, the tariffs, are relatively low — and we have more and more U.S. production anyway.
We’re going to build about 400,000 cars in the U.S. this year and sell about 600,000. So when you look at it, it’s a pretty small base of cars, pretty small tariffs we’re talking about anyway.
AnnArbor.com: What do you think about Ann Arbor?
Krafcik: I love this town. For 14 years I lived in southwest Ann Arbor in the Uplands subdivision and (it’s great) being back here on a day like today and seeing Rolling Sculpture. I bought my Caterham (car) here in 2002.
It’s a great town. I live in southern California now. I live in Orange County. And there is nothing like this. The oldest thing where I live is 1980.
It’s fabulous to be back here and walk down Main Street and feel the Ann Arbor vibe.


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Japan’s Tamiya launched its first ever Jeepney model kit at the Mini 4WD Asia Challenge 2019 held in Manila.
The famous Japanese toymaker immortalized the Philippine iconic transport vehicle in a Mini 4-wheel drive model kit.
The Tamiya Jeepney toy named “Dyipne” was seen by the public at the Asia Challenge held June 20-23 at Glorietta Makati.
Lils Hobby Center and the Brickyard first announced the new toy made by Tamiya in early June.
“Dyipne” was created to commemorate the Asia Challenge 2019 In Manila.
Dyipne sells for Php750 a unit at the Brickyard.
SEND cheers in the comments below for Tamiya and Brickyard for honoring the Philippine jeepney!
Like, Follow, Subscribe to GoodNewsPilipinas.com Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Good News Pilipinas! TV on YouTube, new story notifications and e-mail newsletters for updates on more Filipino Pride stories.


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While DC Comics is working through a gender controversy, Marvel Comics has taken a step forward in representing racial minorities in their super-hero comic books. On Tuesday it was announced in USA Today that Spider-Man would now be a half-black, half-Hispanic teen named Miles Morales (right).
The story is not being told in Marvel’s flagship Amazing Spider-Man (where Peter Parker is still swinging through New York City, white as ever), but instead in Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, which starts with a new issue #1 by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli (yes DC, a woman!) in September. The Ultimate Comics imprint is set in a younger alternate universe, apart from the bulk of Marvel’s comics. Since the licensability of Marvel’s big characters, which date back to the 1960s and ’70s (and some to 1939), is dutifully protected in Marvel’s main line of comics, the Ultimate Universe allows creators just a bit more leeway. This is easily the best example of that leeway, and could be a refreshing signal of things to come for that imprint.
The first appearance of Miles Morales as Spider-Man is in the just-released Ultimate Comics Fallout #4, which itself spun out of the recent “Death of Spider-Man” story.
Bendis told USA Today, “Even though there’s some amazing African-American and minority characters bouncing around in all the superhero universes, it’s still crazy lopsided.”
He’s right, but this helps. Of course there have been plenty of foolish reactions, from anonymous internet posters trying not to sound too racist to Glenn Beck‘s weird conspiracy theory. Fortunately, cooler heads prevail, and have been celebrating what was unthinkable even five years ago. Why unthinkable? Because comic books with black leads have historically been a tough sell. The Black Panther, comics’ first headlining black hero, has had intermittent series since his debut in 1966. Todd McFarlane’s Spawn is the only comic book series to star a black or African-American in the starring role to last so long (although Al Simmons was replaced with the white Jim Downing last year). Heidi MacDonald at The Beat explores this issue and more in this well-written piece.
All the news that’s fit to shove through internet tubes. Here’s the world of comic books and graphic novels in LA and beyond over the last week or so, with some commentary:
= Rebranded Eagle Rock comic store Comics vs. Toys gets profiled on how it came into existence. Answer: From the ashes of two neighboring Eagle Rock comic stores Another World Comics and Mini-Melt Too. In a time when stores are closing and people in less populated areas are lucky if they have a store within a 3-hour drive, it’s amazing to think that two stores existed side by side for a year. I shopped at this store for maybe a year when it was still the Meltdown Comics satellite shop Mini-Melt Too, after Another World Comics had already closed, and really appreciated co-owner Ace Aguilera going out of his way to get me the comics I liked, which can skew off the beaten path at times. It’s one of those small but great stores that LA is lucky to have in abundance. Read it: Eagle Rock Patch
= And speaking of stores closing, the LA Weekly looks at the slow death of the Borders in Westwood. The Borders company will give severance pay, but hasn’t told the store employees their last day. Apparently it will be when the store has been picked clean at severely discounted prices. Read it: LA Weekly
= Two 24-year-old Los Angeles men, Farhad Lame and Navid Vatankhahan, each have to pay $750, complete 10 days of community service (picking up trash), and remain on probation for 3 years for selling fraudulent passes to this past summer’s Comic-Con International: San Diego comic book and pop culture convention. They pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in San Diego Superior Court. They had sold a pair of 2-day passes to 2 women for $120 each on Craigslist. The passes ended up being photocopies of exhibitor badges, so naturally the women weren’t allowed in. Both men were arrested on the last day of Comic-Con. Read it: Sign On San Diego
= For you creative types, comics lettering and calligraphy innovators Comicraft, based right here in Los Angeles, had their annual New Year’s Day Sale, and “secretly” extended it through the holiday weekend. Maybe it’s still happening when you visit. See it: ComicBookFonts.com
= Comics Alliance wrapped up their Digital December, a month long look at the state of digital comics with excellent interviews with nearly every major player and articles by David Brothers and Laura Hudson: Read the rest of this entry


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German sportswear firm Adidas last month constructed a football field in the United States using 1.8 million plastic bottles and handed it over to a high school, earning accolades.
It was an iconic demonstration of the role manufacturers around the world can play in not only managing plastic waste but going a step further to putting it to a much better use.
By Adidas transforming discarded plastic into a sustainable playfield, it added value to the original plastic material – a concept called up-cycling within sustainability circles.
Modern society and businesses globally has discovered the cheap, flexible and multipurpose plastic which has become the ubiquitous material of today’s fast-moving economy. Globally just 14 percent of the plastic packaging makes its way to recycling plants, and only nine percent is actually recycled. Thirty-three percent is left in fragile ecosystems such as oceans, and 40 percent ends up in landfill.
While recycling creates a circular economy by reusing waste material along the same value chain for production, upcycled waste gets repurposed by being turned into entirely new products, often of higher value. Repurposed plastic can be used to create works of art, for instance, or in Adidas case, a turf soccer pitch and a traditional sailing boat (FlipFlopi) for environmentalists at Kenyan coast.
The question here is, in what instances should players in the sustainability field opt for one and not the other, especially where plastic is concerned?
Granted, both recycling and upcycling serve the same purpose – they seek to reduce plastic pollution on land and oceans and prolong the economic value of used material. Rapid urbanisation has come along with increased consumerism, pushing up the mountain of waste generated by households and individuals.
In the absence of proper waste disposal infrastructure, most plastic waste ends up in unplanned dumpsites while the rest is washed into rivers and eventually oceans.
Indeed certain situations demand recycling of plastic waste and upcycling for others.
In the absence of regulatory bans, plastic material is better off being recycled – reusing the waste material along the same value chain over and over and leading to a closed circulation loop. With a sealed loop, it means less or no plastic goes to waste or gets diverted to other uses outside its original purpose, removing the need for entirely new production.
In Kenya, several manufacturers, including Unilever, Coca Cola, Peptang, Kevian and Bidco Africa have turned to recycling their packaging materials by partnering with local recyclers and collectors.
While they’re far off from achieving a circular economy within their Kenyan operations, mostly because of poor infrastructure for plastic waste collection and transportation, they’re edging closer to the sustainability path. More importantly, partnerships are proving to be the silver bullet on this sustainability journey, giving businesses the ammunition to fight pollution while managing costs through recycling.
Besides environment-clean up, both recycling and upcycling could help create local jobs downstream, improving lives in the process.
But this responsibility shouldn’t be borne by manufacturers alone even though they’re the biggest producers of solid waste. Retailers and players in other sectors should join the bandwagon too given that we share the same environment regardless of our contribution to it.
Equally, some supermarkets have installed plastic drop-off points as part of its take-back scheme to encourage responsible behaviour among consumers.
A circular economy generally turns products that are at the end of their service life into resources for the next round of new products. It could be waste water, paper, old clothes or e-waste, not just plastics.
Adopting this circular path might enable organisations to transition away from the unsustainable linear production of take-make-dispose, towards models where goods are designed and produced for extended use, creating long-term value and resource use efficiency.
This endeavour will also help businesses to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goal on Sustainable Consumption and Production (SDG 12), specifically target 12.5 on substantially reducing waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. Moving to a circular economy also contributes to achieving SDG 14, Life on Water, through target 14.1 on preventing and reducing marine pollution of all kinds. Engagement in the circular economy will definitely lead to economic gains. According to the World Economic Forum, plastic packaging waste represents an $80–120 billion loss to the global economy every year and going the circular economy way will be able to save the dollars.


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"A burst of flames" came from an iPad model's charging port, filling the store with smoke, a Vodafone spokesperson told the news site.
(Read more: Don't want an iPad? Here are some tablet alternatives )
Sparks continued to appear from the charging port and a fire brigade was called, no one was injured during the incident, the Australian news service said.
Vodafone confirmed the event to CNBC.
Read the full article here.
(Read more: Apple reveals new iPad Air, iPad Mini)


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Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley is fuming over the Ontario lottery system that has shut out all local applicants hoping to sell cannabis in a legal, private-sector store.
For the second time this year, no Sarnia-Lambton applicants were among the winners picked by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario’s lottery software program.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” says Bradley. “It should really be about where the market is. There should be some discipline to it.
“It just doesn’t seem like much thought went into this.”
Asked why it’s important Sarnia have a store, Bradley noted city council voted 7-2 in December to support a bricks-and-mortar cannabis outlet in the city.
“The product is legal across the country and most of the feedback we’ve been getting on that is positive,” the mayor said.
The federal government said it legalized marijuana 11 months ago to eliminate the illegal market, Bradley added.
“There’s evidence everywhere that this is not the case.”
Sarnia Police and Lambton OPP have made numerous arrests at illegal pot shops, some of which have been operating for years.
Politicians who supported legalization said they hoped the black market would disappear. The rationale is government-approved pot is safer and reduces crime.
But even the online store selling government-approved cannabis has drawbacks, Bradley said.
“I’m told by many people they don’t trust providing their personal information online. They don’t want the government or hackers to have their information,” he said.
“I hear all the time that they are worried the U.S. border control will get it.”
And the local cannabis shutout is another example of Toronto ignoring this area of the province, he added.
Five applicants in the City of London and one in Windsor were approved to get licences following the Aug. 20 lottery. Sarnia-Lambton and Chatham-Kent have zero approved applicants.
“Pardon the pun, but this has been rolled out badly,” Bradley said. “Where’s the business case? Sarnia is a major market and people in this area have a right to be treated fairly.”
In particular, he wonders why the process requires applicants to prove they have secured retail space before submitting their name. Applicants must also prove they can obtain $250,000 to operate a store.
Once selected in the lottery, applicants must re-apply for a licence.
The AGCO’s lottery software program selected three winning applicants located on the same street in the small city of Innisfil, said Bradley.
“No private retail company would locate three stores in a small market like that and leave our market without any,” he said. “This has got to change.”
The August lottery did select one applicant from Sarnia for the waiting list.
The AGCO’s website notes Patrick Small, at 142 Lochiel St., is the second of five on the wait list. He could potentially be selected to apply for a licence if two others originally chosen in the lottery are disqualified.
It’s not known if or when a third lottery will be held.
October 2018 – Ontario legalizes the sale of cannabis and makes it available online.
December 2018 – Sarnia city council votes 7-2 to allow private cannabis shops. Point Edward and St. Clair councils vote against pot shops, along with 77 of 414 municipalities in Ontario.
January 2019 – Ontario holds its first lottery for 25 licences. London gets three. Sarnia gets none.
August 2019 – Ontario holds its second lottery for 50 more licences, including eight for First Nations. London gets two more, Windsor gets one. Sarnia gets none.


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The Future is Bright – ‘Bringing Colour Back’
Arjen Evertse, General Manager Sales at Mimaki Europe discusses how due to COVID-19 customer demands have changed. These include increased interests in 3D printing and web-to-print and direct-to-shape industrial printing. Mimaki Europe returns to FESPA Global Print Expo 2021 with the JFX600-2513, a new LED-UV large-format flatbed inkjet printer.
The past 18 months have been challenging but the theme of FESPA’s Global Print Expo 2021 - Bringing Colour Back – seems fitting as we emerge from this unprecedented time. Bluer skies, greener pastures and golden opportunities are already evident in our industry and so I am confident we will all come through this with flying colours.
In fact, despite the financial and logistic fallout from the pandemic, the past year has been a year of growth for several markets. With the surge of people working and spending more time at home, interior décor and home textile printing saw significant growth. The textile market was already in the process of transitioning from conventional to digital printing for its many production and customisation benefits. However, the need for local, on-demand digital printing accelerated last year and with it, the requirement for Mimaki’s textile printing technologies. Printers like the recently launched TS100-1600, part of Mimaki’s entry level 100 Series, have helped open doors for printers looking to explore and take advantage of the versatility of digital printing. In fact, the difficulties in organising overseas imports became a cause for concern for many sectors and businesses are still facing the repercussions of significantly delayed shipments. Due to this, printers in all markets have moved production back to local areas and, as mentioned, this is where on-demand, digital production thrives.
The restrictions and regulations in place have also increased demand for protective and informative sign printing to advertise social distancing, while many of our textile customers also produced face masks and signage that could easily be removed and washed.
However, recent success can’t all be attributed to solutions offered in response to the pandemic. We also saw increasing interest in high quality, full colour 3D printing for prototyping, medical models, and other applications. With the launch of solutions like the Mimaki 3DUJ-2207 - a new high-quality desktop system making its live exhibition debut at FESPA - 3D printing is more accessible than ever. As a result, a wide range of businesses eagerly anticipate the opportunity to introduce colour 3D printing to their offering once this solution is commercially available.
Demand for web-to-print and direct-to-shape industrial printing is also increasingly high. Mimaki will bring four brand-new high-speed, high-quality direct-to-object UV LED inkjet printers to FESPA – the UJF-7151plus II and the new UJF-MkII e Series. These cutting-edge printers deliver significant quality and performance benefits, enabling users to explore new applications and increase productivity.
In fact, Mimaki’s FESPA booth won’t be short of new never-seen-at-a-show technologies. The JFX600-2513, our new LED-UV large-format flatbed inkjet printer, takes Mimaki customers into new realms of high-volume UV printing. This model is engineered for high speeds and high productivity and offers printers a broader range of applications thanks to a wider range of ink types and increased media flexibility.
Of course, although some sectors of the industry have been bucking the trends or growing despite the economic challenges in recent years, many companies are still cautious and smaller businesses that are looking to expand are opting for equipment with a lower initial investment. This is where Mimaki’s unique cross-platform development strategy comes in. This strategy allows us to adapt a specific core engine for different products, such as the 100 series, resulting in faster delivery of our products to the market at a lower cost.
Increasing efficiencies and automating production is also the key to success for many businesses who have survived and are now emerging from this challenging time. Over the past few years, automation is something Mimaki has had a clear focus on and many of our technologies support MDL (Mimaki Device Language) command, enabling them to be seamlessly integrated into a production workflow with other technologies and machineries.
So, just like many of our inspiring customers, Mimaki did not sit still during the last 18 months. FESPA will be our chance to showcase our extensive portfolio of exciting, cutting-edge technologies – many launched recently and therefore, never demonstrated at a tradeshow. It’s an extraordinary situation to be in, but here we all are, and we are so excited to return to a exhibition floor and engage with our customers, industry colleagues and friends again. With the rainbow of success and innovation this industry has seen in the face of a time overshadowed by a very grey cloud, we are confident that, whatever the colour of the future, it is bright.
To find out more, visit Mimaki at stand 1-F45 at FESPA Global Print Expo 2021. Register now to attend and use code FESM126 to save €30 on your entry.
Are analytics services worthwhile for wide format printing?
Nessan Cleary shares how press manufacturers are increasingly offering machine analytics services and shares if these are good value for money in the wide format sector.
Smart factories and customisation technology explored at Personalise Make Wear 2024
FESPA's Textile Ambassador, Debbie McKeegan speaks to industry specialists at Personalise Make Wear at Personalisation Experience and Sportswear Pro 2024 held in Amsterdam. Each day of the exhibitions Debbie hosted a fire-side chat with these specialists to discuss various industry topics. During this Fire-side chat with Antigro, Caldera, Print Logistics, Inkcups and Kornit Digital they discuss the role of digital technologies in personalisation, reshaping the supply chain, the future of manufacturing and more.
The pros and cons of Digital Signage and Printed Signage
Sonja Angerer discusses the pros and cons of both digital signage and printed signage. Current developments such as artificial intelligence and spatial computing are changing the situation once again. How will this shift affect printers?


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Late last week Epic Games opposed Apple Inc’s efforts to put on hold orders handed down in an antitrust trial as a potentially lengthy appeals process plays out.
US district Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in September struck down some of the iPhone maker’s App Store rules, including a prohibition on developers directing their users to other payment options beside Apple’s in-app payment system, in a partial win for Epic and other app makers.
Apple has until December the 9th to comply with the injunction, but earlier this month the company said it will appeal the ruling and asked Gonzalez Rogers to put her order on hold as the appeals process, which could take more than a year, unfolds.
Epic on Friday argued in a court filing that Apple has not met the legal standard for that pause, which requires Apple show that it will be irreparably harmed by even temporarily complying with the order if the injunction is later reversed on appeal.
Epic Games said that Apple’s positive comments about the ruling shortly after it landed, and its delay in asking for a pause, showed that it would not be harmed by enacting the orders.
“The public interest favours denying (Apple’s request); an injunction is the only path to effective relief,” Epic wrote. “History shows … that in the absence of an injunction, Apple will not make any changes.”
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A hearing on Apple’s request is set for November the 9th.
The team at Platform Executive hope you have enjoyed the ‘Epic Games opposes Apple’s effort to pause antitrust trial orders‘ article. Automatic translation from English to a growing list of languages via Google AI Cloud Translation. Initial reporting via our official content partners at Thomson Reuters. Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Franicsco. Editing by Himani Sarkar.
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How do Target's deals compare to Amazon's deals for its Prime members?
When it comes to the biggest retail brands, who wins battle of the deals?
The shoe is released globally on October 13, 2020.
Coney Barrett has been nominated to replace Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg who passed away in September.
This is how to literally celebrate the Lakers' championship win in style.
The holiday takes place annually on the second Monday in October.
During this federal holiday many organizations close, but luckily not most retailers.
Some businesses shut for federal holidays—is your bank one of them?
The Nobel Peace Prize is announced on October 9, in Oslo, Norway.
The hurricane passed through Cancun yesterday, causing sandstorms, floods and damage to buildings.
Water levels could rise to up to 11 feet on the Louisiana coast
The latest additions to the breakfast menu are part of a 50-year breakfast innovation story for the company.
The storm is currently moving over Cancun, Mexico
Spoiler: McDonald's did not make the top rankings.
The hurricane is expected to bring heavy rainfall, meaning potential risks of flash flooding and mudslides.
Why pay full price for your favorite hot drink?
The owner of the brand is also mayor of a South Carolina town.
It is part of an attraction based on the science fiction franchise "Mobile Suit Gundam"
Warnings are in place until this afternoon CDT.
The Echo Mountain Complex wildfire is 90 percent contained, according to emergency service officials.
The manufacturer has confirmed there have been four reports of adverse events related to this recall.


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This week, General Motors took the time to unveil not one, but two new models that comprise a significant portion of its vehicle rollout for 2015: the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro convertible and 2016 Chevrolet Cruze.
Of the two, however, eyes were most focused on the Cruze, which has evolved from a nameplate without heritage to the company's bread and butter, seven years and over 3 million sedans later.
All new-car reveals are a big deal to the companies that put them on, so is the Cruze any different? Let us explain:
How big a deal is this?
A pretty big one! Chevrolet sold over 250,000 Cruzes in the United States alone: roughly four times the sales of the entire Jaguar and Land Rover lineup. Let's also not forget that the Cruze was a massive improvement over the milquetoast and plagued Cobalt sedan, so the next version of it can't afford to fail.
The Cruze could once again succeed for offering exactly what the market demands, and not trying to change the game. A turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine will be standard, and a diesel engine will follow. Fuel economy could hit 40 mpg on the highway. There are two more inches of legroom in back. Look for leadership in the Cruze's infotainment systems, as its competitors still struggle to keep up.
Cruzing for volume
Chevrolet touts the current-generation Cruze, introduced in 2008, as its global sedan—unchanged the world over and designed to suit drivers in up to 115 markets around the globe. Prior to the Cruze, however, the Chevrolet nameplate was a no-name in most markets outside of North and South America.
Just how did Chevrolet go from an unknown player in markets like Asia and Europe to a volume leader, in just a few short years? Credit goes to General Motors' gradual phase-out of many of its popular but unprofitable regional brands, like Daewoo and Suzuki, assisted by clever marketing.
A family affair
The '16 Cruze will debut alongside brand-new Volt hatchback, with which it shares origins on G.M.'s Delta platform. Careful eyes won't mistake the two sedans, although it was curious that one of two show models in Detroit was painted blue—just like the second-generation Volt in marketing photos.
Both vehicles will debut in the same year as a new Malibu sedan and Spark hatchback, which are also seeking unique selling points in competitive segments like the Cruze will have to. We're curious to see if the new Cruze is as exciting to drive as the current one is.
A big push for G.M., in the Cruze and across its entire lineup, is widespread adoption of 4G LTE wireless services that turn vehicles into mobile hotspots. It's an amazing innovation in 2015, but can G.M. support its customers when 4G fades into obsolescence, as faster technology arrives?
According to Terry Inch, GM's executive director for connected car services, the company is betting on at least several years of leadership in 4G tech before the industry shifts to, say, 5G. When it does, he says, GM is taking steps to be able to replace the in-vehicle hardware. Similar transitions have occurred, Inch says, when OnStar increased its connection speed, and when GM switched wireless providers from Verizon to AT&T. Interoperability, he notes, is key.


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During the Health Food Manufacturers’ Association (HFMA) AGM on 15 June, a series of developments were announced including the transfer of HealthyDoesIt to the National Association of Health Stores (NAHS).
After two years in operation the HFMA says it feels now is ‘the right time to pass HealthyDoesIt to a new home’. The NAHS will be the recipient of the website and brand assets, enabling the retail industry to ‘take ownership of the initiative and drive it forward’.
Esther Mills-Roberts explains that HealthyDoesIt was designed and launched ‘quickly’ during lockdown one, ‘in a determined effort to increase the profile of natural health throughout the pandemic’. “This is the right time for a retail association to carry [it] forwards, building on what’s already been achieved and expanding it in terms of consumer engagement. We wish the NAHS all the very best with their new venture.”
“This is a natural progression … and the HFMA look forward to seeing it go from strength to strength from a strong foundation, in the hands of our goods friends,” adds Graham Keen, executive director, HFMA.
Len Glenville, co-chair of the NAHS, says he looks forward to ‘taking on and developing the HealthyDoesIt site in ways that maximize the benefits for independent retailers’. The site, he comments, ‘offers a fantastic opportunity to boost the visibility of independents through our own consumer-facing platform, and perfectly complements other exciting plans we have for the future.
Other news from the AGM:
- Dr Marilyn Glenville received the Maurice Hanssen Award of Honour for her 35-year contribution to the natural health industry. Steve Mann, chair of the HFMA, comments: “Marilyn’s work has touched millions of people in the UK and around the world, improving their health, happiness and empowering them to better manage their own health and wellbeing.” Upon receipt Glenville added: “Winning this award is such an honour … I am very proud to join the list of previous recipients. I would also like to thank the HFMA Council for their confidence in awarding me this honour which was an unexpected and very welcome surprise. I would like to thank everyone in the industry and those members of the HFMA for continuing to maintain such high standards … [it’s] so important when we consider the real benefits people gain from using good quality products.”
- Keen announced the creation of two new roles to ‘further support members and to enhance the services that the HFMA can offer’: Dr Katie Burren has been appointed as director of technical and regulatory affairs and Mills-Roberts has become director of communications. Keen comments: “The HFMA is in really good shape, with membership numbers at a record high, our team busier than ever and an appreciation of the work we do within the industry more apparent than ever. It was important to start planning for succession, and with this in mind, we are delighted to promote both Katie and Esther, who I know share my passion for this great industry, and who carry on the great work of the HFMA.”
- The HFMA unveiled new branding with an updated logo and tagline to ‘demonstrate the clear and precise approach the HFMA takes’ and to ‘emphasize the core pillars of the organization’, more succinctly describing what it does. The website has also been refreshed ‘to enable greater accessibility and ease’ to members and interested parties.
- Nutritionist and writer Rob Hobson was named Health Journalist of the Year 2022. “Rob has been a beacon of responsible, scientifically sound and qualified advice for consumers around natural health, including supplementation. His profile in the national press, as well as print and online channels, makes him a worthy recipient of this year’s award as he champions health and wellness within the general population,” says Mills-Roberts. “It’s a huge honour to be recognized for my work in the media,” adds Hobson. “As a nutritionist my work is varied but writing makes up a big part of what I do, and I feel it’s hugely important to ensure people are getting the right information about diet and health. I have worked closely alongside the HFMA this year helping to create a series of resources on key health topics, including menopause and veganism.”
L-R: Graham Keen, Rob Hobson, Dr Marilyn Glenville, Steve Mann
L-R Graham Keen, Esther Mills Roberts, Dr Katie Burren, Steve Mann


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Yael Cosset, chief digital officer and group vice president for Kroger, has been promoted to chief information officer and senior vice president.
Cosset will succeed Christopher Hjelm, who plans to retire Aug. 1, according to a news release.
Hjelm has been a driving force in the development of technologies designed to improve customer experience, including ClickList, which facilitates online grocery ordering and pickup; Scan, Bag, Go, which allows shoppers to skip the checkout line; and EDGE Shelf, which uses digital tags to help shoppers find products and show them personalized offers as they shop.
“Yael and Chris have worked collaboratively to support Kroger’s technology evolution,” CEO Rodney McMullen said in the release. “Consistent with Kroger’s history of thoughtful succession planning, Chris and Yael have a deliberate transition plan to ensure continuity while successfully delivering on our Restock Kroger technology initiatives to redefine the grocery customer experience.”
Cosset has been group vice president and chief digital officer since January 2017. He was previously the chief commercial officer and chief information officer for 84.51. He also held several leadership roles at dunnhumby.
“Yael is driving Kroger’s business forward in support of Restock Kroger,” McMullen said in the release. “He is a passionate advocate for applying technology, innovation and customer science to make a difference in the lives of our customers. Yael has the qualifications, skills and strategic mindset to ensure technology and digital are key accelerators of Kroger’s future success.”
Cosset spoke in November about Kroger’s use of technology in shaping the grocery shopping experience and how the company decides how fast to move forward with different services.


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China Vows to Maintain Rare Mineral Supply
The Chinese Commerce Ministry denied reports that it would further reduce export quotas.
"China will continue to supply rare earth to the world," the ministry said in a fax to Bloomberg News.
The country spurred international trade tension when it cut its export quota for the second half of this year by 72%.
The Chinese government said it was simply trying to restrict environmental damage and stimulate value-added industries.
"To protect exhaustible resources and ensure sustainable development, China will continue to implement restrictions on the mining, production and export of rare earth," the Commerce Ministry said.


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THE Zambian Kwacha will remain vulnerable to other foreign currencies if the country continues to be dependent on imported goods, says Zambia Union of Financial Institutions and Allied Workers (ZUFIAW) president Ackim Mweemba.
Mr Mweemba said without producing items locally and adding value to them for export it would be difficult to stabilize the Kwacha. nt, Mr Mweemba said there was need therefore for Government to grow other sectors such as agriculture, tourism, financial, manufacturing, construction, transport, energy and communication instead of relying on mining alone. He also said that for as long as Zambia’s trade with other countries remained lop sided, the economy would continue to face numerous challenges.
Mr Mweemba explained that when items were bought in dollars during importation it caused a strain on the reserves when demand for the dollar went up.
“Zambia is too dependent on foreign products to an extent where we even import fish from China, eggs and potatoes from South Africa and rice from Tanzania and India,
“Surely, are we saying that we do not have farmers in Zambia capable of producing these products locally?” he asked.
Meanwhile, Mr Mweemba said that investing in renewable energy such as wind turbines, natural gases and solar could be ideal in view the current power deficits. Mr Mweemba said such sources of energy could act as ideal alternatives to hydropower.
“Given that currently we have a 560 MW power deficit, a situation likely to only get worse as demand for electricity grows by 200MW annually there should be massive investment in the energy sector to provide a lasting solution to the power crisis,” he said. Mr Mweemba said Government needed to promote the consumption of local products to give local producers a market for their products.


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More images of Google Nexus 5 leaked online along with screenshots of Android 4.4 KitKat running on Nexus 7 2013
More and more images Google Nexus 5 and Android 4.4 KitKat are arriving on the web. It was just two days, when we saw the early prototype of Nexus 5 running older build of Android 4.4 KitKat for 7-minutes in FHD. Now, the upcoming Google Nexus 5 has been pictured once again, but this time in Russia. Along with few images of Nexus 5, the Android 4.4 was now found running on Nexus 7 2013, and few screenshots from the device has been leaked online, which reveals the Easter eggs, UI tweaks and more.
The new picture of Nexus 5 shows front, back and side of the device, where the back panel shows the characteristic Nexus logo, which we have seen in many previous leaked images. The images shows that the back of the device is matte rubberized plastic, which is highly prone to fingerprints and smudges.
Coming to Android 4.4, Google has revealed that the Android 4.4 update will bring fully supported set of API's to use third-party applications as their default SMS/MMS app officially. In the current version (4.3), it is not possible to allow third-party SMS/MMS apps to become the default messaging app, because of hidden API's that has to be changed or removed first. So, Google has now decided to make it all official and give proper API's to handle SMS related actions.
Last but not the least, some more screenshots of Android 4.4 KitKat running on Nexus 7 2013 has been surfaced online. These screenshots reveals how tablet version of Android 4.4 looks. The images are leaked by ZDNet, and according to them, the 4.4 build in this leak is latest and final (doubt), but still we can see the presence of KeyLimePie moniker.
As per these screenshots, the Android 4.4 will bring Tap & Pay feature, built-in printing support, revamped downloads section, new icons, redesigned QuickOffice app, additions in settings menu, changed clock app and cool-looking Android KitKat Easter egg (top), and more.


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Loretta O'Connell has been named president of Western Pacific Solar, a Santa Rosa company that designs and installs solar energy systems. Previously, she served as vice president of the company, which she co-founded in 2007 with Harry Adams. Before that, she served as vice president of human resources for McCann-Erickson advertising worldwide.
Glen Stanley has joined Bank of Marin as senior vice president and regional manager for Santa Rosa. He has more than 34 years of business banking experience, most recently as a senior vice president and small business market manager at Citibank in San Francisco.
Mike Owen has been named manager of Redwood Credit Union Auto Services, its auto sales center at 3219 Santa Rosa Ave. Previously, he served as Internet sales manager at Hansel Toyota.
Gary Lentz has joined Hudson Street Design of Marin as sales manager. Previously, he was principal at his own consulting firm and president of InfoStore, a Santa Rosa company that provides commercial records storage and management.
Kate Titus has been promoted to marketing coordinator for the Council on Aging. Previously, she served as marketing assistant for the Senior Games, which is sponsored by the organization.
Ed Wurz has joined the Council on Aging as donations officer. He has a background in sales and served as a sports commissioner at the Senior Games.


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Telewest announced on Tuesday that it is planning to offer a 2Mbps broadband service later this year.
A trial version of the product will be launched this week. Telewest is inviting existing users of its 1Mbps service to join this trial at no extra cost, but only 1,500 places are available.
Pricing details for the commercial service were not available at the time of writing. A Telewest spokeswoman explained that the company plans to analyse feedback from its triallists before setting a price.
According to Telewest, a 2Mbps connection will allow home Internet users to "experience a business-class Web connection, with blistering downloads for music, films and software, an ability to effortlessly share large files and potential for near-TV quality video pictures."
"Now it's time to shift up another gear, offering our customers the option of going even faster with the natural bandwidth benefits of a cable connection," said Gavin Patterson, managing director of Telewest Broadband, in a statement.
NTL also currently sells a 1Mbps cable broadband service, while Bulldog recently launched a consumer ADSL service that gives a 4Mbps connection at off-peak hours, but is only available in London.
BT Wholesale, though, currently only offers a 512kbps consumer broadband product and appears to be devoting its attention more towards launching slower products rather than faster ones, given its recent focus on Midband and a forthcoming 256Kbps broadband product.
Telewest users who are interested in joining the 2Mbps trial should click here for more information.


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ad:tech has been a key industry fixture in the UK for brands, agencies and publishers for nearly a decade.
Agencies, advertisers, media owners and investors will all benefit from consolidation in the ad technology industry, writes Ryan Jamboretz, international
The AOL Advertising.com group has hired Steve Filler as its new UK managing director.
Twitter is aggressively targeting UK marketers as it looks to roll out its Promoted Tweets ad platform to brands outside
LONDON - AOL is restructuring its former Platform-A sales team, among the first key changes at the operation since it
LONDON - Global Radio has made changes to the technology it uses for its online advertising, replacing its Atlas service
LONDON - Heart FM owner Global Radio has switched its ad server technology from Atlas to AOL's Adtech.
LONDON - Latest research shows that the French react more to online display ads than the rest of Europe, clicking
LONDON - Agencies need to prepare for the "death of the campaign" and embrace direct digital marketing, delegates of Ad:Tech
The growth of UK paid search, mobile marketing and web analytics are sure to be at the top of this


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Saweetie Debuts New Amber Rose-Like Haircut
View this post on Instagram
Saweetie took to Instagram to show off her new Amber Rose-like hair.
Posing poolside in a pink bikini, she showed off her brand new blonde short look.
Social media had a lot to say.
Some people think the new hair cut is due to her break up with Quavo.
One person wrote, Amber Rose looking at Saweetie new hair cut.
Saweetie went on a hall of fame run and then shaved her head. This like Jordan retiring in 93.
Someone else on social media reminded everyone that back in November Saweetie said she was starting her natural hair journey soon.


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As home to one of the booziest cities in the country, Nevada seems a natural fit for craft breweries.
But the state sits near the bottom in the U.S. for overall beer consumption and per capita number of craft breweries, with only 37 independent businesses in the state, according to the Brewers Association.
That modest showing is largely due to the state’s dominant industry – gambling – and casinos’ traditional use of alcohol, especially complementary beverages, as a way to lure in and keep gamblers, says David Pascual, head brewer at Las Vegas's oldest brewery, Big Dog's Brewing Company.
"Casinos are not going to comp a $200 keg to people playing on the floor," he states.
Anthony Gibson, head brewer at Tenaya Creek, agrees the craft brewing industry has lagged until recently. He’s been a brewer in town since 1999 – ancient history by craft brewing standards – and says the scene has been evolving, however, slowly.
"A lot of people feel the beer industry in Las Vegas is dominated by the big guys because of the casinos,” Gibson says. “They're giving away the cheapest products they can to the people gambling on the casino floors."
Wyndee Forrest, owner of CraftHaus Brewery with her husband Dave, says the city’s major resorts tend to do business only with global beer brands, making it tough for smaller, independent craft breweries to gain a foothold.
But change is slowly bubbling up thanks mostly to consumer demand.
"Now national and international travelers go to a bar or restaurant and ask what they have that's local or new,” Forrest says. “They're the ones being vocal and they're driving the market on the Strip."
CraftHaus beers are now available at the majority of Strip properties in response to demand from both tourists and locals for Nevada craft beers.
And Beerhaus at the Park, MGM's Strip-side entertainment district built around T-Mobile Arena, has proven to be a local beer champion. With one tap dedicated to each local brewery and a constant crush of foot traffic from T-Mobile's concerts and Golden Knights games, Beerhaus is moving more local craft beer than any other bar in Las Vegas.
The demand is certainly there, and the Strip is finally paying attention. Off-Strip properties known as more "locals' casinos" are also following suit: Station Casinos proudly carries local craft beer at all 10 of their properties throughout the Valley.
Another issue for Vegas's nascent craft beer scene: lack of visibility, which translates into a perception that Vegas doesn’t have any craft breweries, at least not ones that are any good.
Some “people think we have no good beer here because they don't see it," Pascual explains.
Richard Lovelady, head brewer and owner of Lovelady Brewing in the Las Vegas suburb of Henderson, echoes that sentiment. Lovelady was head brewer at the Las Vegas Gordon Biersch for 20 years before opening Lovelady in 2015 and recalls that for most of that time, there were only eight or nine breweries in the Valley.
"Because there was a set number of breweries for so many years, the reputation got out there that Vegas beers aren't any good,” Lovelady says.
The perception persists from some even after several local brewers earned Great American Beer Festival medals.
In fact, Big Dog's, Joseph James, PT's Brewing Company, Chicago Brewing Company, and Tenaya Creek have all won medals at the GABF in the last five years alone, and every local brewer is quick to point that out.
Pascual says antiquated liquor laws in Las Vegas have also played a role in stunting the craft brewing industry's growth.
Until this year, Nevada brewpubs and taprooms were limited to a production cap of 15,000 barrels annually. Nevada is also a strict three-tier state, which means breweries can't self-distribute to bars, restaurants and retail stores, but instead must go through a distributor.
This year, however, the Nevada Craft Brewers Association and partner breweries were able to get legislation passed through the state Senate that could increase the production limit while still maintaining the three-tier system (which has more powerful supporters than the breweries do).
And just a few years ago, Forrest was able to actually write the brewpub licensing for the city of Henderson. CraftHaus opened in 2014 but was four years in planning before that, during which time Forrest became a registered lobbyist for Henderson so she could get the laws governing microbreweries changed.
Prior to her efforts, a brewpub license cost $60,000, and brewpubs were also required to have gaming. The Forrests did not want gaming in their establishment, they say because they wanted a place for the community to socialize over quality craft beer, which doesn't necessarily happen when everyone is playing video poker. "You can't [have a ] community if there is nowhere to commune," Forrest says.
They also wanted a production brewery with a taproom but no kitchen – another thing that the laws then forbade. So, for months she lobbied. She wrote new brewpub licensing that allowed for non-gaming brewpubs to get licensed for just $10,000, and she was able to change the law to allow for production breweries to operate taprooms (without the food of brewpubs) and got the industrial area where CraftHaus is located re-zoned.
Forrest's efforts opened the door for Lovelady and Bad Beat Brewing to also open in Henderson, and then the city of Las Vegas followed suit and changed their microbrewery laws.
It is many of the brewers' hopes that Clark County and North Las Vegas will do the same, making the Las Vegas Valley a much friendlier place for independent breweries.
Right now, there are two more breweries on track to open in 2018, one in Downtown Las Vegas and another in Henderson. The brewers are excited about seeing more growth in the local brewing scene, viewing them with a "rising tide lifts all boats" mentality.
"We would all love to see more breweries here,” Gibson says. “It would be benefit to everybody and would help us all grow and get a stronger foothold -- not just in casinos but in local businesses as well.”


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Leading peer-to-peer bitcoin platform LocalBitcoins is launching a mobile app for Android users. IOS version will be released later.
The new app will allow you to buy, sell and transfer bitcoins commission-free in over 190 countries.
LocalBitcoins will offer over a hundredpayment methods including multiple fiat currencies and cryptocurrencies. The application has already been downloaded by over 10,000 in just a few hours of its existence in the Play Store.
LocalBitcoin recently announced its expansion to the altcoin world. The company announced that it will support DOGE, Polkadot, Tether, Cardano, Bitcoin Cash, USD Coin, and Chainlink.
Subscribe to ForkNews on Telegram to stay updated on news from the world of cryptocurrencies


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California Bans All New Gas-Powered Cars After 2035
California environmental board has voted to ban the sales of gas-powered cars after 2035, setting a possible standard for other states contemplating the mitigation of global warming.
“CA continues to lead the way,” wrote California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Twitter.
CA continues to lead the way:
“Experts said the new California rule, in both its stringency and reach, could stand alongside the Washington law as one of the world’s most important climate change policies.” https://t.co/l19OOcsLgF
A week of political news in your in-box.
We find the news you need to know, so you don't have to.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) August 24, 2022
He added in a statement: “It’s ambitious, it’s innovative, it’s the action we must take if we’re serious about leaving this planet better off for future generations, California will continue to lead the revolution towards our zero-emission transportation future.”
The state continues to pioneer efforts in emission reduction. In the early 1990s, it supported automakers to create hybrid and electric cars through a zero-emission vehicle program. Today, 14 other states have implemented the same plan.
To facilitate the use of electric cars, Newsom will delegate $10 billion to vehicle incentives, public outreach and charging infrastructure. His office also announced that beginning in 2026, 35% of new vehicles would be mandated to be zero-emission. By 2028, the goal is to have 51% of all new car sales be zero emission. By 2028, the goal is 68% and finally, in 2035, that number would reach the 100% threshold.
California’s new law is especially significant due to the size of the state’s economy and car market. Car companies, including Ford and GM, have voiced support for the plan and made public plans to manufacture zero-emission vehicles.
The ban had been a long time coming. Newsom first signed executive orders requiring commercial trucks and vans to be zero emissions in California after 2045. The other one stated that all passenger vehicles sold need to be zero-emission by 2035. Both of these were signed in 2020.
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Outdoor furniture maker moving HQ from California to Texas
A manufacturer of patio furniture plans to relocate its headquarters and manufacturing facilities from California to the Texas Hill Country.
OW Lee bought a 412,000 square foot building on 44 acres in Comfort and expects to move in early 2021 pending improvements to the structure, according to local officials.
“OW Lee to Comfort’s location will be a great addition to Kendall County and will bring a quality business into one of the largest buildings in the county,” said Amy Story, President and CEO of Boerne Kendall County Economic Development Corp. said in a statement.
The family business plans to invest $ 24 million, including the purchase of the property at 1206 Fifth Street and approximately $ 6 million in improvements.
On ExpressNews.com: The manufacturers burden Trump vs. Biden
It is unclear how many of the roughly 200 jobs OW Lee is expected to offer will be new or relocated.
Those in charge of the company are now realizing this, said Terri Lee Rogers, president and vice president of sales. Rogers estimates that around 8 to 10 percent will move to Comfort. The manufacturer will hire on site to fill the rest of the jobs.
Wages are job-dependent, with the average manufacturing position starting at around $ 15 an hour with benefits, added Rogers.
OW Lee is slated to receive a 7-year tax break averaging 40 percent of the property’s appreciation, Story said.
On ExpressNews.com: Navistar to manufacture electric vehicles in San Antonio
Local officials also nominate the company for the Texas Enterprise Zone program. Projects can receive government sales and use tax refunds through the program, which, according to the government’s website, “seeks to encourage private investment and job creation in economically deprived areas”.
OW Lee, based in Ontario, California, is moving to Texas because of its “convenient business incentives and guidelines, as well as its central location for shipping,” Rogers said in a statement.
“The San Antonio area has our need for quality metalworkers and welders, and we believe we can offer good wages and be a positive business member in this community,” added Rogers.
The company designs and manufactures garden furniture and fire pits.


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U.S. customers have reduce on spending this 12 months, and so they plan to proceed to take action by the vacations, a brand new CNBC-Morning Seek the advice of survey has discovered.
The overwhelming majority of adults (92%) have decreased their spending over the previous six months, based on a ballot fielded on behalf of CNBC by Morning Seek the advice of, an organization that conducts survey analysis to tell decision-making. The ballot surveyed 4,403 U.S. adults between Tuesday and Thursday.
Customers stay cautious of their spending and so they’re being extra discerning about the place and when to half with hard-earned money. Inflation has come down, however stays stubbornly excessive. Broader financial uncertainty and labor unrest, amid putting auto employees in Detroit and writers and actors in Hollywood, have put shopper corporations on watch.
The most typical classes for spending cuts over the previous six months had been clothes and attire (63%), eating places and bars (62%), and leisure outdoors the home (56%), a sample that held regular from our June survey. The subsequent largest classes for cuts had been groceries (54%), leisure journey and holidays (53%) and electronics (50%.)
Consumers alongside the Magnificent Mile buying district in Chicago, Illinois, US, on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2023.
Jamie Kelter Davis | Bloomberg | Getty Pictures
Looking forward to the all-important vacation buying season, a warning for retailers: Greater than three quarters of all U.S. adults surveyed (76%) plan to chop again on spending for non-essential gadgets and 62% count on to chop again on important gadgets “generally” or “extra usually” over the following six months, the survey discovered.
Simply how acutely customers reported feeling the impression of the present financial scenario diversified amongst socio-economic teams. And it wasn’t all the time these making the least that reported feeling most pinched.
Greater than half (55%) of households incomes $50,000 or much less (lower-income) mentioned they’re feeling the impression of the financial system on their private funds, whereas 61% of households $50,000 to $100,000 (middle-income) and 46% of households making a minimum of $100,000 (higher-income) reported the identical.
This marks a major enchancment in sentiment for greater revenue households from our prior survey. In June, greater than half of higher-income customers (55%) mentioned they had been feeling a unfavourable impression on their funds. Greater-income households are the truth is transferring towards feeling that the financial scenario is having a constructive impression (30% in September, up from 21% in June.)


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Tesco customers at almost 90 stores across the UK are are facing a big hit on prices, including the loss of its Aldi Price Match offer, as the retailer changes the majority of its former Metro estate to the Express format.
A major re-pricing exercise is understood to have involved up to 6,000 price changes across some of its Metro stores, which are currently undergoing the transition.
The Grocer revealed in May that Tesco was to scrap the Metro format, almost two years after launching a review of the stores, which first launched in 1994.
Analysts said that while Tesco had long operated with Express prices above those of superstores and Metros, the decision could backfire in areas with strong competition from discounters such as Aldi and Lidl.
While Tesco has recently rolled out its Clubcard Prices to its Express estate, they do not benefit from the company’s Aldi Price Match scheme, so will be lost by those shoppers whose Metro locations are turning to Express.
Tesco announced in the spring that 89 Metros would become Express stores, with a further 58 becoming superstores.
“The last time I studied the difference in prices between Express and larger stores it was in the range of 7%-8%,” said Bryan Roberts, founder of Shopfloor Insights.
“Tesco has previously flexed prices depending on the locations of stores. The great example is the difference between Tooley Street, which is in a very upmarket area, and Upton Park, which are similar only in name.
“I think it’s fair to say that people go to Express stores because of their convenience. It’s not for the great value for money.
“However, Tesco will need to be careful as some of their Express stores have been absolutely decimated when they have an Aldi move into a nearby area. Some stores have taken a real hit and if you are a Metro customer with an Aldi nearby you may be more likely to shop around if they are not careful.”
Retail Mind founder Ged Futter added: “As soon as the Metro rebrand was announced it was clear that Tesco would look to move to Express prices. It was inevitable. The winners in all of this rebrand are going to be Aldi.”
Quizzed by a shopper on social media about the price hikes, Tesco said: “Our Metro stores are being turned into either Express stores or superstores. [your] one is now an Express store where the costs are generally higher. We have introduced Clubcard Prices to them now but don’t have Aldi Price Match in them.”
Tesco declined to comment.