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Cracker Barrel's (NASDAQ:CBRL) quick response to reverse its decision to pull back Duck Dynasty merchandise has simultaneously pleased customers and alienated shareholders. First, it offended customers by pulling out theme-based merchandise from its shelves after Phil Robertson made controversial public comments. However, after it regained customer approval by putting the products back on the shelf, it displeased shareholders who saw this as yet another instance of a muddle-headed management.
When the Tennessee-based Southern restaurant chain pulled a few Duck Dynasty products off their shelves, it argued that the merchandise might offend some guests. It made this move after the Duck Dynasty television show cast member, Phil Robertson made controversial remarks during a GQ interview. Phil Robertson, famous not only for his television show but also for his unique line of Duck Commander products, has a reality show on A&E that is based on his wonderful life in Louisiana and his duck hunting products. He is the family patriarch and the company's founder.
During the interview with GQ, Phil Robertson, aged 67, allegedly referred to gay people as offenders and compared their sexual practices to be similar to the perversity of bestiality. He also said that he was not aware of witnessing the mistreatment of African Americans during the era preceding the civil rights movement.
These ad hoc comments sparked a quick change in the fortunes of Duck Dynasty and it's merchandise. After the interview, The Walt Disney Company's (NYSE:DIS), A&E announced that Robertson was "indefinitely suspended" from the show. Meanwhile, Cracker Barrel management in an attempt to be politically correct, pulled products with the television show branding on it. They also slashed prices on the remaining products on the shelf, marking them half-off. They then defended their decision on their Facebook page.
Winning Back Customers
However, much to Cracker Barrel's surprise, this effort to pull Duck Dynasty merchandise off the shelf did not meet with public approval-- but actually earned its vehement disapproval. Duck Dynasty fans took umbrage at this attempt to punish Robertson for his comments. They not only threatened to boycott the chain, but also became vociferous on social media about their displeasure. Tweets and Facebook posts condemned the company's decision.
Capitulating to this public protest almost as fast as they had pulled the merchandise off the shelves, the restaurant and food chain store, with 625 outlets in 42 states, launched a massive effort to now put the merchandise back on the shelves. They then issued a public apology, reassuring their customer's that they had clearly heard them, respected their wishes, and reversed their initial decision.
Customers now cheered through social media. One patron, for example, thanked them for the apology and promised to return to the restaurant. Another patron complimented them for having the courage to admit their mistakes.
Alienating Major Shareholders
Meanwhile, shareholders perceived the company's management as fickle and untrustworthy. Sardar Biglari, a major shareholder with a twenty percent stake, was so displeased that he wrote a letter to Chairman James Bradford asking him to consider selling the company. Hampered by a Tennessee law that prohibited a bid, the shareholder called for an amendment to the law. Failing that happening, he suggested that Cracker Barrel conduct a share repurchase. In this case, Biglari indicated his willingness to sell his entire position rather than leave his money in the company's fickle care.
Loss of Confidence in Company Management
Cracker Barrel, like Phil Robertson himself, appears to have created a heap of trouble for itself. First they took a stand against Robertson, then they reneged. Their whimsical behavior, fluctuating between political correct behavior and customer pleasing, incurred the disdain of shareholders, who took this as one more sign that the company was not worth investing in.
What Should Shareholders Do
The managements' battle with the company's major shareholder has been going on for some time and it is not productive for the other Cracker Barrel shareholders.
Disclosure: I am long PBPB. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


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There's little doubt that Disney (DIS -1.11%) investors are excited about the potential for the company's upcoming streaming service, Disney+. The stock had been range-bound for nearly three years before anticipation for the soon-to-launch streaming service began to drive up the share price. Disney's management laid out a detailed scenario at the company's investor day on April 11, and its stock has risen more than 20% since that announcement, and more than 30% so far this year.
It isn't just investors that are excited. Analysts are increasingly bullish about the House of Mouse, with the latest prognostication calling for a huge earnings boost for Disney in the coming years.
Morgan Stanley analyst Benjamin Swinburne released a note to clients on Tuesday positing that Disney could double its earnings by 2024. He went on to note that Marvel content plays "perhaps the most critical role" in attracting the masses to Disney's upcoming streaming service.
While challenges remain, Disney's "brands and content position give it a strong chance of success." Swinburne expects Disney to attract more than 130 million streaming subscribers by 2024, with the majority of those coming from international markets.
Analysts' consensus estimates are calling for Disney to produce earnings per share (EPS) of $6.50 for fiscal 2019, and Swinburne believes the company can boost EPS to between $11 and $12 by 2024 on the back of the Marvel content coming to Disney's streaming service.
A heroic feat
At Comic-Con this week, Marvel announced an ambitious content slate bound for both movie theaters and Disney+. With several Avengers spinoffs in the works -- which will appear exclusively on Disney's streaming platform -- it will serve to attract the Marvel faithful to Disney+ to catch up on their favorite superheroes between theatrical releases.
Avengers: Endgame, the final chapter of the saga, just broke the all-time box office record, generating $2.79 billion in ticket sales and unseating James Cameron's interplanetary masterpiece Avatar from the top spot, a position it held for nearly a decade. This illustrates that Marvel and its trove of superhero content have moved beyond fanboys and girls and established themselves firmly in popular culture.
How we get there from here
Disney+ is set to debut on Nov. 11, 2019, at $6.99 per month or $69.99 per year, pricing it significantly below other popular streaming services. Market-leader Netflix offers three tiers beginning at $8.99 per month. For perspective, Amazon Prime Video is also $12.99 per month, $119 per year as part of its Prime customer loyalty program, or $8.99 per month for streaming video alone. Hulu, which is now controlled by Disney, costs $11.99 per month.
Management estimates that Disney+ subscribers will number between 60 million and 90 million by 2024, but Swinburne believes the company is underselling its potential and is predicting a customer base of more than 130 million subscribers by then. If his forecast turns out to be right, that would add nearly $11 billion to Disney's revenue in 2024. Using Disney's estimated content investment of about $2.5 billion and its current share count and that alone would add more than $6 per share to Disney's bottom line, getting us within throwing distance of Swinburne's estimate.
At this point, it's all fun with numbers, and no one knows for sure how many streaming subscribers Disney+ will ultimately command in the coming five years. That said, considering how well the Pixar, Marvel, and Stars Wars acquisitions have gone, it would be a fool's errand to bet against Disney CEO Bob Iger.

domain: news


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This Caribbean island really wants you to visit. And it’s spending a lot of money to entice you – nearly $500 million, in fact. That’s what the island has committed to building several developments, including hotels and recreational centers, by 2012. Some have already opened, including the Cunucu Arubiano, the island’s first luxury eco-resort, and the Archaeological Museum of Aruba. Also new to the island are Mr. Jazz, a Cuban jazz club; the Tradewinds Club, a hotel within a hotel at the Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino; and Morgan’s Island, a water park.
Several new resorts, restaurants and attractions will soon follow. Travelers will also have more ways to get to the island as AirTran Airways adds service from Atlanta and Orlando.
The Aruba Tourism Authority is billing the island as a budget-friendly, easy-to-get-to alternative to other Caribbean islands.


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6th September, 2013 by Andy Young
Exports of Scotch whisky grew in the first six months of 2013, according to new figures released by the Scotch Whisky Association.
The figures show that the value of Scotch exports increased by 11% to nearly £2 billion in the first six months of this year, up from £1.78bn for the first half of 2012.
In total 563 million bottles of Scotch whisky were exported between January and June this year, up 9%, which equates to almost 50 million bottles, on the same period in 2012.
Gavin Hewitt, Scotch Whisky Association chief executive, said: “Demand for Scotch whisky from mature and emerging markets around the world grew strongly in the first half of this year after a slow start in 2012.
“While these figures provide a snapshot of what is happening with exports, the industry is confident this expansion will continue. Significant new investment in the industry in Scotland by Scotch Whisky producers reflects the belief that growth will be sustainable.”
The US is still Scotch’s biggest market by value and it continued to grow through the first half of this year, increasing by 29% to £391m. It was followed by France which saw exports grow by 6% to £199m and Singapore which jumped by 19% to £174m.
Singapore is a distribution hub for much of Asia with a lot of the Scotch Whisky exported directly to that market shipped onto other countries in the region, including Taiwan, South Korea and China. The 20% decline to £25m in the value of direct exports to China was partly offset by the increase in shipments to Singapore and also reflects consolidation and more challenging current market conditions in China.
Other growth markets include Germany, up 28%, and Latvia, up 6%, which underlies the growth of the Russian market. Brazil recorded huge growth of 42% and Mexico is now the ninth biggest Scotch whisky market with exports increasing by 67% to £54m.
Hewitt added: “Scotch Whisky is widely recognised as a quality product and leads the way into new markets for other food and drink exports from the UK. It continues to be vital for the UK’s export-led recovery. Developments, such as new trade deals, help ensure success will continue.”


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Micromax is all set to launch the next canvas series flagship phone tomorrow, which is expected to bridge the gap between budget and high end smartphones. The new member in the Canvas series portfolio will retail exclusively on Snapdeal starting tomorrow and we have two Snapdeal Vouchers worth 1000 INR to Giveaway.
To win these vouchers, all you have to do is decipher the jumbled words in the image above and tweet your answer @Snapdeal, with #NowEveryoneCan. It is compulsory to include @Gadgetstouse. Two lucky participants will be offered Snapdeal vouchers worth 1000 INR each. The contest has been sponsored by Snapdeal.com. All Tweets before September 8th, 2014, 12:00 PM will be considered while selecting winners.
In case you have trouble decoding the puzzle, you can check the product page on Snapdeal for ample hint. Log in twitter and start tweeting! To get updates about more such contest and to view our video coverage of latest and greatest in tech, like our Facebook page and subscribe to our YouTube channel.


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SHENZHEN, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese smartphone maker OPPO has carried out cooperation in the widespread commercial use of 5G with more than 30 operators around the world, said the company Friday.
OPPO on Friday unveiled its new 5G mobile Find X2 series online amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The new series of products have been improved in aspects including 5G experience, display, imaging and charging and will be available in 31 countries and regions across the globe, the company said in the press release.
The company will conduct in-depth cooperation with its 11 new operator partners, such as China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Orange and Vodafone, in fields of 5G technology and products and markets, said Shen Yiren, vice president of OPPO.
Meanwhile, the company's 5G products have entered more than 10 countries and regions worldwide.
Wu Qiang, vice president of OPPO, also said that the company will invest 50 billion yuan (7.22 billion U.S. dollars) in research and development over the next three years and continue to speed up the expansion of overseas markets this year, especially those in Germany, Romania, Portugal and Belgium.


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Simon Cowell has become the latest investor in the music TV streaming service Roxi, which aims to offer a Spotify-meets-MTV experience, as the British company embarks on expansion to the US.
Roxi, which had already attracted investors including Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams and the record labels Universal, Sony and Warner, has signed up the creator of the X Factor and Got Talent TV franchises as a curator of exclusive music video playlists for its users.
The London-based firm, which claims that more than 1 million fans have used its ad-supported free service or £6.99-a-month subscription tier since it launched in the UK and Ireland last year, has also signed a deal to become available on Samsung smart TVs.
Cowell, who in October struck a $125m (£103m) deal to securitise his Got Talent franchise globally, said: “I’m really happy to be part of bringing music video streaming to millions of TVs worldwide.”
He comes onboard as Roxi prepares to launch in North America next year, having received approaches from two unnamed companies seeking deals to make its streaming service available to their customers.
“We have had approaches from two major US-based media/tech companies, who see the opportunity to make Roxi available to their customers and subscribers, particularly in the USA,” said Rob Lewis, the chief executive and founder of Roxi. “The right partnership with a major player in the sector can allow Roxi to fast-forward its adoption, particularly in the US market, by several years.”
Lewis said Roxi, which offers 90m music videos, hundreds of music channels and 400,000 karaoke tracks, had appointed the corporate financial advisers Rockefeller to flesh out the right deals, with a new partner likely to take a stake in the business.
“The US is the world’s largest smart TV market and also the world’s largest music market by revenue,” he said. “The decision of how we partner with these partners and which partners – which is likely to involve equity participation as well – is critical to the rapid growth of the business.”
Roxi has UK distribution deals in place with Sky for Sky Q, Amazon for Fire TV and Google for Android TV.
Cowell joins a list of backers including the McClaren Formula One team founder, Ron Dennis, the Saracens rugby club boss, Nigel Wray, and Guy Hands, the founder of the private equity firm Terra Firma, a one-time, ill-fated owner of the music business EMI.


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Feb. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Yum! Brands, owner of the KFC and Pizza Hut dining chains, fell in late trading after saying profit this year will be less than it previously expected as a probe into its chicken suppliers hurt sales in China. Julie Hyman reports on Bloomberg Television's "Street Smart." (Source: Bloomberg)
Obama Says U.S. Policing Panel Has `Pragmatic' Ideas
March 2 -- President Barack Obama speaks about the recommendations of a panel on U.S. policing practices. The 11-member task force was created in the wake of the high-profile police killings of unarmed black citizens in the New York City borough of Staten Island and the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, Missouri. Obama speaks at the White House.
Telefonica Sees Significant Growth in Latin America
Will Samsung's New Phones Unseat Apple?
Why the Blurry Outlook for Getty Images?
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Nick Jeffery, CEO, Vodafone UK, has been named Person of the Year at the Mobile Industry Awards (MIA) 2020.
The awards, hosted by industry publication TechRadar Pro, recognises Nick’s leadership and Vodafone’s achievements in the UK over the past 12 months, from the launch of 5G to its role in securing the Shared Rural Network agreement.
Nick’s win follows a series of other MIA successes, with Vodafone UK also snagging the Best High Street Retailer award in light of its retail efforts and the Best Network for Loyalty & Retention award following its launch of VeryMe and the iPhone Annual Upgrade Promise.
Chief Technology Officer Scott Petty, Consumer Director Max Taylor, Business Director Anne Sheehan and Jon Shaw, Head of UK Consumer Sales Operations, all ranked highly (within the top 22) in the Mobile Industry Awards’ Power 50 list of influential people in the UK mobile industry.
Commenting on his award, Nick Jeffery said: “[This award] is a reflection on what Vodafone as a whole has achieved over the past year.
“We really have the most incredible leadership dedicated to making us a great success and we’ve been pulling together to achieve a very clear objective over the past four years.
“We’ve returned to our roots as an innovator and our success is based on being a company that really cares about customers and one that was prepared to go the extra mile with things like 5G and unlimited propositions.”
- Read Nick’s LinkedIn post about the award here.
In other awards news, Vodafone UK was also recognised at this year’s UK National Contact Centre Awards with two awards for the company as a whole in addition to three individual managers recognised for their professionalism.
- Follow @VodafoneUKNews on Twitter.


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Mohd Abbas is the owner of a company that was created to donate a portion of its profits to charity and children’s education. He is looking to raise $30,000 via Go Fund Me crowdfunding platform to expand this business.
Pleasanton, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/02/2015 -- Mohd Abbas is an entrepreneur, IT geek, and most importantly, a humanitarian. Throughout his life, he has been involved in charitable activities. In May 2015, Mohd started a business with the sole objective of donating fifteen percent of its profits to different charities, child welfare, and sponsoring college education for kids that are exceptionally talented. After a steady start, Mohd is now looking to take his business to the next level. By expanding his business, he wants to increase the profit pledge as the company grows. His ultimate goal is to build a company that will change lives and make a difference in large scale.
At present, Mohd's company has three products in its product line. He wishes to add three more products to his product line by the end of 2015. He also wants to invest in social media campaigns and other activities to raise awareness about his company. Mohd aspires to end the 2016 financial year with a profit of $250,000.
With the holiday season just round the corner, Mohd believes this is the right time for him to introduce new products to his business. He needs to raise the necessary funds by the end of October to be able to stock up and add new products just in time for the holiday rush. Mohd has just launched a Go Fund Me campaign to support his business expansion plan.
Inviting the prospective backers to contribute, Mohd says, "This means a lot to me, and I believe with my skillsets and your contributions we can built something really great and make a difference. Every dollar counts."
To find out more about this campaign, please visit http://bit.ly/1N2uHzd
About Mohd Abbas
Mohd Abbas is an entrepreneur, IT geek, and most importantly, a humanitarian. Throughout his life, he has been involved in charitable activities. He is also the owner of a business that operates with the sole objective of donating fifteen percent of its profits to different charities, child welfare, and sponsoring collage education for kids that are exceptionally talented.


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GameStop's (GME) shares were hit Wednesday as traders latched on to an updated rumor related to the Microsoft (MSFT) Xbox and whether the next version of the console might not allow for the playing of used titles, instead mandating new games and a constant connection to the Internet.
If true, the concern would be that the game seller could suffer because it does a sizable trade in used games, buying them from players and then reselling them in its stores, where they make up a not insignificant part of its revenue. In the well-known Wall Street tradition of panic first, ask questions later, GameStop lost 6% to $25.20 on almost three times the normal daily volume. At its worst, the stock had dropped 11.4% to $23.75 before mounting a partial recovery.
However, GameStop's position is that gamers don't have inordinate interest in an approach that would force them toward online play and away from products on the shelf and in the sales bin.
"We are excited about the potential of new consoles launching this year," GameStop CEO Paul Raines said in a statement. "As far as what features they may or may not have, we will have to wait until the details are officially released from the manufacturers. We do know through our survey of the PowerUp [rewards program] gamer community that a substantial majority of our customers are unlikely to purchase a next-generation console that prohibits the play of pre-owned games, limits portability or does not play new physical discs."
The sell-off started early and appeared to stem from a report on the Edge, stating that "Microsoft's next console will require an Internet connection in order to function, ruling out a second-hand game market for the platform." The article, subsequently noted by sites such as Forbes and Barron's, went on to say that physical games would be available for the new Xbox, but that sources with whom it had communicated believed these games would have activation codes required for access, giving them "no value beyond the initial user." In other words, the games would operate much the way non-game software often does now. Edge is part of Britain's Future PLC publishing group, the owner of a number of properties covering video games.
In response to an emailed request for comment, a Microsoft representative said: "We do not comment on rumors or speculation. We are always thinking about what is next for our platform, but we don't have anything further to share at this time."
The Xbox may go on sale as the holidays near late in 2013, reports have said. Meanwhile, Sony (SNE) is expected to provide details on its next PlayStation console this month. Nintendo (NTDOY), the other member of the big three hardware makers, put out its new system, the Wii U, last year.
At least one industry analyst is skeptical about the notion that a major shift is imminent, in which case game buyers and GameStop alike still have some time before they have to be overly concerned about a radical departure from the existing industry norm. The Barron's piece quoted an analyst from Piper Jaffray who predicted that while digital downloads will become a bigger part of game buying down the road, the practice "will not be a material percentage of game purchases during the next 3 plus years."
It isn't the first time speculation of this nature has emerged with regard to the next Xbox. In January 2012, Kotaku, a Gawker Media site, posted a similar report. That piece referenced an industry contact who said Microsoft probably would "incorporate some sort of anti-used game system" with the next version of the Xbox. The report was then discussed by CNET the following day. That time around, neither session was especially notable for GameStop's shares. The Kotaku report ran Jan. 25, 2012, and GameStop's stock rose 1%. The day of the CNET article, Jan. 26, the shares fell 1.2%, FactSet data show.
Source: GameStop Form 10-K.
The used market is important for Grapevine, Texas-based GameStop, making up around one-quarter of its sales in recent years, and it has acknowledged as much. The reason for its size is pretty simple: It's popular with game players, even if it's less so with publishers like Activision Blizzard (ATVI) and Electronic Arts (EA). In addition to leading to credit for trade-ins, used games give buyers an opportunity to play what can be very good, popular titles that are maybe a year or two old, for a price well below the original retail point. Used titles, GameStop says, have an average sale price of $18, whereas new games average $39 each.
For the fiscal year that ended in January 2012, used video game products accounted for $2.62 billion of GameStop's total of $9.55 billion in revenue, equating to 27.4% of the overall figure. Gross margins are also high -- 46.6% -- on the used side.
Microsoft's entertainment and devices division, of which the Xbox 360, Xbox Live and related products are part, had revenue of $9.59 billion in fiscal 2012.
GameStop, citing NPD Group data, said in its most recent 10-K that it believes more than 275 million game systems, covering handhelds and consoles, were owned in the U.S. at the end of 2011. In Europe it was another 173 million game platforms, based on IDG data through November of that year, the company says. As for the games themselves, domestic video game software units exceeded 2.2 billion, GameStop estimated at the time. Considering the number of consoles and games out there, it's hard to see the landscape for used titles changing markedly just yet or the demand deteriorating.
Shares of GameStop have traded between $15.32 and $28.35 in the past year. Before the most recent session, the last time they fell further in a single day was a 6.1% decline in March 2012.


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JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa’s Dis-Chem Pharmacies has raised 4.4 billion rand ($310 million) in a share placement ahead of its listing on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange, valuing the chain at almost 16 billion rand, the firm said on Tuesday.
Founded by chief executive Ivan Saltzman and his wife Lynette, Dis-Chem has tapped an uncertain equity market as it looks to take on larger rival Clicks Group and retailers Shoprite and Pick n Pay, which also have pharmaceutical retail operations.
Dis-Chem, which will trade on the bourse from Nov. 18, said it had received 18.50 per share – the middle of the range of its offer – for a 27.5 percent stake in the business.
($1 = 14.1805 rand)
(Reporting by TJ Strydom, editing by Louise Heavens)


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Employers, staff and workplace experts have touted the benefits of the hybrid office, but some businesses insist it’s not right for every company — especially because it can be more costly than anticipated.
Marilyn Gaskell, the Maryland-based founder of TruePeopleSearch, a public-records search platform, knows firsthand that the “just go hybrid” notion can be more financially difficult than it seems.
When her small business shifted to remote work, it gave up its office building and footed the bill for employee wi-fi. That resulted in a drop in overall expenses for the company.
“However, when we shifted to hybrid, we had to find a new office space and continue to support employees who were working remotely,” Gaskell recalled, adding that the best space they could find was $1,200 a month more expensive than the previous office.
At the same time, the company supported wi-fi bills and office gear for six remote employees. That totaled an extra $3,450 per month.
As a result, the company will continue to pay for wi-fi bills, but Gaskell says the company can no longer pay for workers’ in-home office equipment.
Jaume Alavedra Mas, Spanish-based co-founder of Onsite.fun, an online event management service, agrees that a hybrid workplace can be expensive for small businesses — especially when it comes to setup costs.
The ‘hidden costs’ add up
“I think for many companies, the real costs of hybrid are hidden. In theory, it sounds like a good idea to have a physical presence near a talent pool or customer base, but in reality, it’s not always the most cost-effective,” he said.
There are a few reasons why hybrid can cost more. For example, some companies’ costs to keep their offices up and running are the same now as before the pandemic — not every business can relocate to a cheaper, smaller space on a whim. Many may be tied to multi-year leases or can’t sell their existing space.
Many organizations, large and small, also have to redesign spaces to accommodate hybrid work —another expenditure. This may include costs related to additional safety measures, as Google said earlier this year. Such measures can include everything from workspace capacity software, testing and increased cleaning, as well as capital improvements, such as better ventilation systems.
At the same time, many hybrid businesses have the added costs of supporting those who work from home. That involves, in some cases, covering everything from internet connectivity to cloud services and IT security.
In addition, some companies add coworking space rentals to employee perks — yet another cost they have to absorb.
Solomon Thimothy, Chicago-based CEO and co-founder of Clickx, which provides market and growth support for digital agencies, said the “hidden costs” of hybrid working are the additional resources and tools needed to provide efficiency and security.
“Companies are still bearing these unforeseen expenses to manifest resiliency for business continuity,” he said.
Carter Seuthe, an Austin, Texas-based content executive at financial-services company Credit Summit, said that “the main cause of rising costs in a hybrid workspace is employers that aren’t willing to let go of the way things were.
“To cut costs, you need to downsize drastically. You may want to forego the office building for a co-op workspace,” he explained. Things won’t be the same, Seuthe noted, but it can slash expenses and still let workers have a hybrid arrangement.
Michael Bahr, a Wisconsin-based architect with Plunkett Raysich Architects, says that while office square footage per person eventually may increase to address spacing requirements amid the health crisis, offices could still reduce overall square footage if some employees are either completely or partly assigned as remote workers.
“I suspect that many companies will maintain the same square footage, and for those that lease space they may actually see a [temporary] reduction in costs because of landlord incentives to maintain occupancy rates,” he said.
Andre Kazimierski, the CEO of Improovy, a painting service based in Chicago, says one reason many companies are opting for a hybrid workplace is because they think staff will only accept hybrid or remote options.
“Don’t adopt a workplace model just because it seems popular,” Kazimierski said.


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Scots holidaymakers returning on flights from Tunisia this week said they were glad to be home but felt for resort staff following the terrorist attack on Sousse beach.
Many of the passengers arriving at Glasgow Airport had opted to end their break early and take the specially-chartered holiday company flights home.
Sandra Clason (53), said she and her partner James Erskine heard the gunfire from the attack, adding the hotel they were in was “too close for comfort”.
Ms Clason, from Bo’ness, told how they had been coming out of their hotel room when they heard the shots.
She said: “It was surreal, you hear it and you know it’s gunfire but it was like fireworks. You could hear it getting closer, then nothing.
“I was quite frightened, I thought it was the end. We were just told to stay in the hotel, to stay close.
She added: “It’s very sad for the Tunisians because that will be the end of their economy basically.”
A spokeswoman at Thomas Cook Travel in Linlithgow said: “We are advising holidaymakers not to travel to Tunisia at the moment.
“For those booked to travel, dependant upon their dates, we are offering a full refund and for those booked to travel up to October 31 we are allowing them to change their holiday destination free of charge.
“So far here in this shop, we’ve only had one local customer who we’ve managed to re-book.”


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Passion for nutrition brings new downtown storefront, and other business news
CHILLICOTHE - Although Sarah McEntee had a good job that she enjoyed, she left it all behind to turn her passion into a business.
For eight years, McEntee worked at a hospital on the diabetic and psychiatric units. While there, she realized that nutrition and mental health go hand in hand. By changing what an individual puts into their bodies, they can also change the way they view themselves, according to McEntee.
"It's all about nutrition," she said. "When people feel good inside they're able to love themselves."
Two years ago, McEntee left her job at the hospital to pursue her passion for the field full time. She created Circleville Nutrition, located on West Main Street in the city. The club provided all-natural, healthy options for people on the go or postworkout.
McEntee was hopeful that with education on healthy eating, people in the community would realize that fad diets and restrictions don't work.
"I just fell in love with [nutrition] and wanted to positively impact the community," she said. "So many people rely heavily on medication but there are preventable healthcare options."
Through her work at the nutrition club and while working as a health coach, McEntee began interacting with clients not only from Circleville but neighboring communities. She says that the patrons from Chillicothe always spoke highly of the city and inspired her to branch out.
Last August, McEntee began looking at multiple locations for a second store. While there are several cafes downtown, she realized there was a need for a nutrition club. She believes that the alternative option fits well into a town with an abundance of gyms and students who excel in athletics. And in October, First Capital Nutrition opened at 13 W. 2nd St. in the former Rost Coffee.
Customers can find a variety of products like energy drinks, hot teas, shakes and more at First Capital Nutrition. Nutritional values depend on specific options but McEntee says that the full meal replacement shakes have around 24 grams of protein, nine grams of sugar and are only 250 calories. Other options may have zero grams of sugar and only one carbohydrate. Flavors range from blue raspberry and peach to cake batter and oreo cheesecake.
With the store, McEntee's main objective is to make an impact on the local community. Employees at the club also work to educate patrons on what the best choices for them are. McEntee also hopes to reach out to local school districts to teach student athletes about fueling their bodies and making healthy eating choices.
On Nov. 22, for the downtown open house, First Capital Nutrition plans to launch their Christmas and hot drinks menu. And in December, the club will begin taking online and call ahead orders. McEntee also plans to announce the upcoming customer appreciation day, where patrons can receive 50% off purchases, soon.
To stay up to date on information about First Capital Nutrition, follow their Facebook page of the same name. The store is open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. In the future, McEntee may plan to expand the hours of operation.
"Everyone is so friendly here, it's been amazing," she said. "It's a community where people all help each other and we all want to grow and thrive together."
In other business news
Texas Roadhouse had its grand opening at 3 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 18 at its new store located at 1470 A. N. Bridge St. location. The lot, which was previously owned by Kmart, has been vacant for nearly a year and a half. Chillicothe residents have known about the potential opening of Texas Roadhouse since January but the chain restaurant never confirmed it until building permits were filed in June. Since then, the space has been under construction and hiring was underway.
A spot in the former Sears at the Chillicothe Mall will house Mr. Gatti's Pizza, which has been under construction since June. The chain has announced on Facebook that it expects to open Monday, Dec. 9. The local location will feature all of the popular choices the chain is known for including a full pizza, pasta, salad, soup and dessert buffet along with a large dining room, three large party rooms and a large game room that will offer over 50 games and a prize counter.
SugarCreek Packing in Washington Courthouse is looking to hire production associates. Prospective employees will receive free transportation to and from Chillicothe, will receive health benefits and a sign on bonus of $250 after 90 days and will receive temporary housing for six months. After one year of service, employees may receive two weeks of vacation time. First and second shift employees are also eligible for free daycare. Wages start at $12.05. For more information, contact Cesar Martinez at 937-239-8975.
Captain D's has begun the hiring process for its Western Avenue location, near Casa Del Taco. The Chillicothe branch is the first of the chain in the area, with another site in Circleville. No grand opening has been announced but the company website says the new location is opening soon.
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Fox: ‘Star Wars’ No. 1 Blu-ray Catalog Title22 Sep, 2011 By: Chris Tribbey
In its first week the Star Wars: The Complete Saga Blu-ray Disc collection sold 1 million units worldwide — 515,000 of those in North America — generating $84 million ($38 million in North America), 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment announced Sept. 22.
The numbers make the title the No. 1 pre-order and No. 1 catalog Blu-ray title in the history of the format in terms of revenue, according to Fox.
“Star Wars is a franchise with universal stories that resonates as much today as it did 30 years ago,” said Mary Daily, EVP of marketing, and Vincent Marcais, SVP of international marketing for 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.
Fox launched a 13-month marketing campaign prior to the Sept. 16 launch, marketing the title at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show, San Diego Comic-Con International and on eBay.
“Once again our fan’s enthusiasm to celebrate Stars Wars continues to amaze us,” said Kayleen Walters, senior director of marketing for Lucasfilm. “Our goal was to deliver a premium product that they could enjoy with their family and friends and we are thrilled that they are enjoying it as much as we hoped they would.”


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India is poised to propose a new cryptocurrency bill to parliament. Investors are trying to figure out what that means for India, South Asia’s largest economy. Following the news of the Indian government wanting to ban all private cryptocurrencies, we have seen a severe collapse in the Indian crypto market. On November 25, Bitcoin was down by more than 17%, Ethereum by more than 15%, Doge and Shiba by more than 20% each. Though this morning we are seeing a little pause of the fall, till the Parliament on 29th give us the clear rules of regulation this panic won’t give much support to push the market up.
The Cryptocurrency and Official Digital Currency Regulation Act 2021 is supposed to ban all private cryptocurrencies in India from 29 November.
This isn’t new, we have seen a discussion during Feb, budget session. A list of 26 bills was prepared for discussion for the winter session. But the main question is if the bill gets passed how will it impact us who have invested in Cryptocurrencies? Will it regulate cryptocurrencies in India or it will ban them altogether? However, the government said the bill would allow certain exceptions to promote the technology and core use of cryptocurrencies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said cryptocurrencies must not fall into the wrong hands and harm our young generation. The government and the RBI have recently indicated that they will implement strict regulatory controls on cryptocurrencies to avoid money laundering and terrorist financing instead of banning them altogether.
A different Prospect
It also goes on to say that the aim of the bill is to create and facilitate a framework of the official digital currency to be issued by the Reserve Bank of India. Why I’m saying this is because recently the news came where the Central bank, RBI is considering launching a digital Indian rupee in the second quarter of 2022.
Let me explain to you a little more,
The bill says it will prohibit all the private cryptocurrencies, right? Now define what a private cryptocurrency is? How do we distinguish it from the public ones? In legal terms, anything that is not issued by the government or sovereign can classify as a private cryptocurrency. But if we think practically aren’t all the cryptocurrencies are public? These are the questions many are asking.
Let’s try to understand the differences that experts are suggesting. According, to NASDAQ the public cryptocurrency is the one that operates an open blockchain with a ledger available for every user. The transactions are linkable through one network. For example, bitcoin, litecoin, Ethereum, etc.
On the other hand, a private cryptocurrency is where the ledger or the transaction information is blurred, and this is done in an order to provide privacy to the users. The transactions are difficult to trace as they’re routed through multiple networks. For example, Monero, Z cash, etc. Now it is hard to understand what exactly the government is meant by private cryptocurrency.
Also in a contrary way, any cryptocurrency that is not issued by the Govt is private.
Firstly, the Govt. has to clear the Chaos in the market has right now. The government needs to clear the terms of what it intends to do and the investors if they will be allowed a window to liquidate their holdings.
Why this is important?
Let’s understand the figure. More than 100 million people in India have invested in cryptocurrencies. More Indians have put their money in Crypto than the stock market in India. Even more than Americans, Indians have tried and tested the cryptocurrency market.
These investors can be misled by the ads recently the companies are showing. The ads show some quickest ways to earn money. But the ads failed to show that these offer no returns in case you lose your money. I’m sure we all have encountered such ads during the T20 world cup.
Apart from that the anonymous nature of these can increase drag trafficking, money laundering, etc. This isn’t happening only in India many countries all around the world banned cryptocurrencies. China also recently banned the decentralized currency. Also, India is not going to be the first country to think or launch its own digital currency, Singapore, Japan, Senegal, Sweden, etc has launched its own digital currency.
How much money have Indians invested in Cryptocurrency?
Nearly, $10 billion. We’re talking about massive volume here. Although, the exact figure may vary. The most amount the investment went into Bitcoin (in this summer 2021, the market cap crossed 1000 billion USD, more than a few mid or large-cap companies). The youths, millennials have grown their crypto portfolios and invested in this gigantic crypto coin. According to statistical data, more than 30% of young investors have invested in Crypto due to FOMO.
What the Experts have to say regarding the Cryptocurrency ban
Former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan said on Wednesday that the cryptocurrency ban may not work outside the scope of the regulation. In an interview with the television station, Rajan said that of the 6,000 odd cryptocurrencies, only one or two, or at least a handful, will survive. Because we don’t need thousands of cryptos for payments. Rajan compares the current craze of crypto with the 17th-century Netherland’s tulip craze.
Those who own crypto assets are at a disadvantage, as it doesn’t provide dividends of the investment. According to Raghuram, Cryptocurrencies currently have two sources of value, one is store value I:e; investment. Another one is for payment purposes.
Rajan added that cryptocurrencies in the United States are a $2.5 trillion issue that nobody wants to regulate. “In some cases, regulators do not fully understand the industry and its regulations. If most sectors manage to escape the grip of regulators, it will create more confusion among the public, Rajan said. He said the main issue for the RBI was whether this unregulated digital currency would be accepted as a medium of exchange, which could even affect the value of the rupee.
However, a strong central bank can maintain the value of fiat currency and ensure that it is not replaced by cryptocurrencies.
“What the government can highlight is obtaining information from crypto subjects. If they are too large, the government can investigate them further to ensure no outright fraud is taking place. This is a situation where you can send a warning to the public,” he said.
Shivam Thakral, CEO, BuyUcoin: Cryptocurrency accounts need to be flexible enough for young blockchain projects to thrive. “We also ask the government to immediately provide clarity on taxation and submission of crypto assets,” he said.
Satvik Vishwanat, Founder and CEO of Unocoin: The crypto industry will have to wait for the bill to enter parliament because it’s “not ripe at the moment to try to decide what’s really in front of us”.
WazirX founder Nishal Shetty has given a neutral statement. “Our esteemed Prime Minister talking about crypto and the need for regulation is a great thing for India. This means a lot to the crypto ecosystem. This further strengthens our belief that India will be one step ahead in this global phenomenon.”
Vijay Shekhar Sharma, the founder of Paytm said today that cryptocurrencies will remain here and are primarily based on cryptography. “I am very positive about crypto. It is mainly based on cryptography and in a few years it will become a major technology, such as the Internet, which (now) becomes a part of everyday life,” he said. “In five years it will be mass technology.”
Read more: The Data you need to know before you invest in OYO IPO
Also, we shouldn’t forget that crypto brokerage companies like Coinswitch, Coindcx will face a major problem for this. Either they need to switch their product if cryptocurrencies get banned or else we will see a spike again in unemployment. But we need to wait for further details for a clear comprehension about govt. plan. The bill needs to get passed by Parliament.
Update as of 3rd Dec 2021
- The Indian government does not want to ban cryptocurrencies, but rather regulates them as “assets”.
- It is reported that all Indian cryptocurrency exchanges are under the preview of the SEBI.
- Citizens will no longer have the right to store their cryptocurrencies in foreign exchange or in personal wallets, which means that you have to declare your cryptocurrency investments and store them on Indian exchanges.
According to Sitaraman, the bill is still awaiting cabinet approval before it can be submitted to members of parliament.


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ACTRESS Dame Judi Dench is urging people in Flintshire to recycle their Christmas cards this year and help plant trees.
Dame Judi is working alongside The Woodland Trust to spread the recyling message.
Flintshire residents who do recyle their cards withThe Trust will then be able to choose where in their area they would like trees to be planted.
Special recycling bins will be placed at WHSmith, TK Maxx and Marks & Spencer stores, throughout January.
After recycling your cards, log onto www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/cards and choose which region you would like the Woodland Trust to plant trees in.
Dame Judi said: “We all enjoy giving and receiving Christmas cards, but thanks to the Woodland Trust there is now the chance for a second giving and receiving opportunity this year.”
Across the UK since the Woodland Trust started its Christmas Card Recycling Scheme, a total of 659m cards have been recycled - 59m last year alone, which funded the planting of 14,000 trees.
In the 12 years of the project, 13,080 tonnes of cards have been collected, allowing the Trust to plant 155,000 trees.


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Capcom Co. this week released the Launch Trailer for Resident Evil Zero for Sony Corp.’s Playstation 4, Playstation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and the PC.
The trailer features Resident Evil Zero story and gameplay, in addition to Resident Evil Origins.
The digital download title is available now at the Playstation Network, Xbox Live, and Steam at $19.99.
Resident Evil Zero was released to Nintendo Co.’s GameCube in 2002. It includes S.T.A.R.S. member Rebecca Chambers and convict Billy Coen and introduced a partner zapping system to switch between both characters.
Resident Evil Zero director Koji Oda and additional staff returned to develop the new remastered version.
Resident Evil Zero is included in Resident Evil Origins, which includes Resident Evil Zero and the Resident Evil HD Remaster.
Capcom in 2015 released the Resident Evil HD Remaster.
It has sold more than 1 million units to date.
The Resident Evil franchise has sold 61 million units worldwide to date.


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“Sales of new U.S. single-family homes tumbled to their lowest level in eight months in March, dashing hopes for a quick turnaround for a sector that fell into a soft patch last summer.
“The Commerce Department said on Wednesday sales dropped 14.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 384,000 units. It was the second consecutive monthly decline and the biggest since July, which was also the last time sales were so slow.
“Sales were down 13.3 percent from a year ago, marking the largest year-on-year decline since April 2011.
“Economists, who had expected sales to increase, said the drop suggested some fundamental weakness in the market, although unusually cold weather had also dampened activity.”
Read full Reuters article here.


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Those reports of Google +s death are premature. It is still a very active social media presence despite the dooms day emanations from the disenfranchised social media FBers, Tweeps and others.
It should never have been promoted as an alternative or competitor with Facebook. It is common knowledge the first developer of technology, be it software or hardware dominates the space.
Yes Facebook is a giant in the social media niche, far surpassing G + and all others for that matter. The leadership at Google is not afraid to fail. Google is not to be judge for it's failures. It remains at the forefront of search, so much so that the EU is now considering an anti-trust action again Larry Paige's offspring. Some well known executives have left, but probably not from dissatisfaction with Google.
In most industries executives have short lives, take Hewlitt-Packard, IBM, Microsoft, Apple and many not IT industries. The head of Proctor and Gamble defected and went to work with the Veterans Administration. This hardly seems like a promotion leaving a very successful and stable consumer driven company that has been in existence for decades, constantly growing both in volume and in stock market capitalization.
Facebook has been in existence far longer than Google +.It is a bit like buying new software, the new one may be better but it is hard to transition to a new work flow.
I was never a user of Facebook before Google +. I still use both. Users of Faceook are faced with a conundrum..Do they build a new social media network ? Do they learn a new system ? Many are dissatisfied with Microsoft upgrades. Simple is good. Unless there is a marked advantage to using new software users hesitate to do so.
In terms of functionality Facebook responds much faster. Google lags considerably at times. Gmail is even worse. Connecting the two was a poor tactical decision, but it is far from destroying Google +. This is not a deprecation....and perhaps it will function better on the servers as a separate entity. I am not an expert on YouTube, but it does not depend upon Google or Google + for it's use. It became 'famous' on it's own strength. Google did stimulate it's use by connecting the log in to Google +
The 4th of July
Google hangouts was a fresh addition, but it too shot itself in the foot by being release too early. It seemed each week there was a new feature...toolbox, messaging, an inconsisten and poor response or even no response to hangout invites. The events tab was unusalbe,many events did not even disiplay until they were over. Hangout were a bit too intimate until one had developed friends. It was a forum for adults, not teenagers. Google presented new opportunities for professionals such as physicians to broadcast surgery for the operating room.
I will place my bets on Google
But then Again I usually lose my bets


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Just when you thought it might be over for Cryptocurrencies with inflated valuations coming back to earth with a bump - then values start to rise again… at least for a while.
Bitcoin hit a low of less than $10,000 late last night. However, then it saw strong gains in early morning trading bouncing back 20%.
Bitcoin was only leading the way as the buying applied to all the major alt-coins, following the sector-wide selloff over the last couple of days which caused heavy falls across the board.
The selloff was put down to several factors including regulatory tightening in Asia, resulting in lower trading levels or just a long-overdue market correction.
You could say that the latest ‘bounce’ means the panic has subsided but experience tells us that for the crypto rollercoaster panic is never far away.
After bouncing back strongly, Bitcoin prices have since started to slide – after sitting comfortably at $11,000 at one point, the crypto saw a 2% correction to $10,760 – (as at 7.30am GMT). The same could be said of Ethereum, which after initially picking up saw its valuation fall around 2.5% to 952.40.
However, not all cryptos saw a rise followed by a fall. Ripple saw a 16% rise and continued its upward trajectory in morning trading. Cardona also saw a rise of around 4% having seen its value fall 9.61% over the last seven days.
While some may think the crypto boom may be running out of steam, plenty do not. Coinbase, the white-hot cryptocurrency exchange, is bringing on more engineering talent to help it continue to capitalize on the crypto boom.
The company has announced that it’s bringing on the engineering team from Memo.Al, a two-year-old start-up that built a Slackbot for helping technical teams manage notes and instructions.
Crypto investing may be the ultimate white-knuckle ride for investors, but it seems there is no shortage of traders with the adrenalin to carry on.
Hussein Sayed, Chief Market Strategist at FXTM, warns that crypto trading in the current climate is a very treacherous business.
“Finding a fair value in cryptocurrencies is an impossible mission, as animal spirits will remain the key driver. Most people who were buying bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies most recently, are not using them for transactions, but holding them in the expectation of profiting from the endless rising price.
“Whether the animal spirits have already released their grip, remains to be seen and this cannot be ascertained from a two-day slump. “
He adds: “Brick and mortar stores have been very slow to accept cryptocurrencies as a method of payment. This is what worries me most. If we don’t see growth in their acceptance as payment method, then it is not serving its true purpose.


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The online retailer expands its Prime Now rapid-delivery service to include prepared meals and baked goods for certain neighborhoods in Manhattan, starting Thursday.
Microsoft confirms it is planning to open its first New York City flagship store -- just blocks from Apple's flagship shop known as the Cube.
Technically Incorrect: A photograph of seven women using a selfie stick to take pictures near the site of last week's East Village explosion causes quite a stir. And it's not the only smiling selfie from the scene.
Mark your calendars. Samsung's next product debut hits New York, not Berlin, and comes earlier than in past years. There likely will be a new Galaxy Note 5, as well as other possible devices.
This window, and the scientists who peered through it, witnessed work that changed the history of our planet. Now it can be yours for about $200,000.
There are a lot of excellent titles leaving Netflix in July, so find out what to watch before they disappear.
The new app is a way for Yahoo to amp up its mobile offerings, as it hopes to build up its messaging services for smartphone users.
CNET takes a tour through the newly opened Avenger's S.T.A.T.I.O.N. exhibit at the Discovery Times Square museum in New York City.
Until now, Google Shopping Express was available only in the San Francisco area -- but it has to keep pace with Amazon.
You can finally buy Pebble's latest smartwatch in stores.


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Posted on January 11, 2013 AT 03:15am
Microsoft managed to sell over one million Xbox 360 units in December, according to the latest NPD Group report.
The console remains top of the sales chart for a 24th consecutive month, thanks to the 1.4 million sold–more than doubling the second ranking console’s sales.
“We expect 2013 will be another big year for Xbox 360 and we’re eager to continue to expand and grow the offerings available on the platform,” Microsoft said in a statement.
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Some consolidation is afoot in online media: Dice Holdings, the career website owner, has bought the online media business of Geeknet, which includes the high-profile tech websites Slashdot, SourceForge, and Freecode, paying $20 million in cash for the assets.
The deal is bringing Dice a set of sites that are profitable and generating good revenues: The company tells me that they are on track for a $20 million turnover this year on EBITDA of $5 million. Slashdot brings in 3.7 million uniques per month; Sourceforge has 40 million monthly unique visitors; and Freecode brings in 500,000 a month.
The purchase announced today was the result of a tender process started by Geeknet back in May when it announced it was seeking strategic alternatives for the media business. And indeed it looks like the deal will leave Geeknet to focus solely on ThinkGeek, its e-commerce site for hipster tech-types.
Dice Holdings has built a business around recruitment and job-finding sites focused on specific niches. They include the technology industry-focused Dice.com, eFinancialCareers, ClearanceJobs, Rigzone, AllHealthcareJobs, and Targeted Job Fairs, an events-focused business. Up to now, its purchases have been more in the area of building up this business — such as its 2010 purchase of Worldwideworker.
It looks like the acquisition of Slashdot and the rest is a play to push more traffic to these lucrative job sites — specifically for Dice.com although you can see where other sites might benefit, too.
“Dice has been talking about building content and user engagement to be top of mind and more integral to professionals doing work, and if you think about SourceForge and Slashdot, it’s about user engagement to help you do your job,” Michael Durney, SVP, finance and CFO of Dice Holdings, told me today in an interview. “We started to build on our own [content business] but here we have two sites that do it very well.
He tells me that the sites will very much appear just as they have done for users. “It’s not about cutting costs,” he said. “We don’t want to change the experience today. What will happen over time is that the Dice.com site will operate more seamlessly connected to these sites. But the sites themselves will keep their look and feel and will run on their own.”
That “absolutely” includes editorial independence, he said. “We think that’s really key. We don’t profess to add much from an editorial standpoint. We will give the user bases on our sites and those the ability to interact with each other. Our goal here is to make them part of the overall tech and engineering experience at the company.” He also hopes that Slashdot and SourceForge in particular, which each get millions of comments from their users, will also be useful to Dice for its own user-engagement attempts. “One of the things we expect to learn is how these sites engage with their user bases,” he said.
Dice.com is a significantly smaller operation in comparison to the combined force of Slashdot, SourceForge, and Freecode. It has a little more than 2 million uniques per month, Durney said. The other sites have 1 million or fewer uniques each.
More to come. Refresh for updates.
Dice Holdings, Inc. Acquires Online Media Business from Geeknet, Inc. Slashdot and SourceForge Significantly Increase Reach into Global Technology Community New York, NY and Fairfax, VA – September 18, 2012 – Dice Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DHX), a leading provider of specialized career websites, and Geeknet, Inc. (Nasdaq: GKNT) today announced that Dice Holdings has acquired Geeknet’s online media business, including Slashdot and SourceForge. “The acquisition of these premier technology sites fits squarely into our strategy of providing content and services that are important to tech professionals in their everyday work lives,” said Scot Melland, Chairman, President & CEO of Dice Holdings, Inc. “The SourceForge and Slashdot communities will enable our customers to reach millions of engaged tech professionals on a regular basis and significantly extends our company’s reach into the global tech community.” The sites include: Slashdot, a user-generated news, analysis, peer question and professional insight community. Tech professionals moderate the site which averages more than 5,300 comments daily and 3.7 million unique visitors each month. SourceForge, a destination for technology professionals and enthusiasts to develop, download, review and publish open source software, much of which they use in their own organizations. Approximately 80 percent of its roughly 40 million monthly unique visitors are outside the U.S. Freecode, one of the largest indexes of Linux, Unix and cross-platform software, as well as mobile applications generates nearly 500,000 unique visitors each month The acquisition builds on Dice.com’s rich history in providing the best content to help technology professionals succeed in their careers and reinforces the company’s commitment to deliver unique and valuable information to foster engagement in each of its communities. Ken Langone, Chairman of Geeknet, added, “We are very pleased to find a new home for our media business, providing a platform for the sites and our media teams to thrive. With this transaction completed, we will now focus our full attention on growing ThinkGeek.” Dice Holdings acquired the business for $20 million in cash. In 2011, the online media properties generated $20 million in Revenues. About Dice Holdings, Inc. Dice Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DHX) is a leading provider of specialized websites for professional communities, including technology and engineering, financial services, energy, healthcare, and security clearance. Our mission is to help our customers source and hire the most qualified professionals in select and highly skilled occupations, and to help those professionals find the best job opportunities in their respective fields and further their careers. For more than 20 years, we have built our company by providing our customers with quick and easy access to high-quality, unique professional communities and offering those communities access to highly relevant career opportunities and information. Today, we serve multiple markets primarily in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.


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The Postal Service’s new holiday television commercials will begin airing Friday, Nov. 9.
The commercials show a letter carrier delivering mail and packages to a home when she spots Santa Claus’s sleigh and reindeer on the snow-covered roof.
The carrier then encounters Santa and shows him an envelope that bears one of the new Sparkling Holidays stamps, as well as a mobile phone that displays an Informed Delivery message on the screen.
Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan narrates the ad, which is titled “Surprise Encounter.”
“The United States Postal Service makes more holiday deliveries to homes than anyone else in the country — with one notable exception,” Brennan says as Santa flies away and offers the carrier a friendly wave.
Traditional media channels will show 30-second and 15-second versions of the ad, while 45-second and 6-second versions will be shown online.
There is also a separate ad for the Hispanic market that will be shown in 30-second and 15-second formats.
The commercials are part of a holiday campaign that also includes mailers to employees and customers, radio spots, social media posts and more.


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The Trussell Trust is reopening the Bemerton Community Shop today.
The shop has undergone major refurbishment and Salisbury’s deputy mayor Jo Broom will officially re-open it at 9.30am.
Volunteers who run the shop and won a Shop Team of the Year Award in 2009, say they are looking forward to showing customers the new layout.
The shop has been expanded with a big mixed clothing area, children’s area, bric-a-brac section and cosy book nook. Additionally, extra space means that more furniture can be sold and disabled access has been improved.
The Trussell Trust’s, retail operations manager Chrissy McAuley said: “We’re so pleased to announce the re-opening of our Bemerton shop. Not only will we be raising vital income for Salisbury foodbank, but we are so happy to be investing back into a community that has supported us for many years. It’s a real pleasure to also be working alongside St Michaels Community Church. Please do come along and pay us a visit.”
The shop is next to the church on St Michaels Road in Bemerton Heath and is also appealing for stock to sell.


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Over 200 entrepreneurs from across Africa are set to receive the resources, networking opportunities and mentorship needed to start their own businesses. Microsoft 4Afrika has collaborated with AMPION to provide financial, technical, and mentorship support for the 2015 Venture Bus, fellowship and accelerator programs.
The program will start out with five buses of 40 entrepreneurs travelling across 16 countries in Africa. On the Venture Bus tour, entrepreneurs will receive on-board mentorship and visit local tech hubs over seven days, with the aim of helping them develop solutions and business ideas.
Following this, through the 6 – 9 months fellowship followed by an extensive incubation program, Microsoft’s support will include, amongst other offering:
– In-country and virtual mentorships through the MySkills4Afrika volunteer program (using Microsoft Cloud services, Skype for Business and Yammer to stay connected)
“Microsoft is keen on supporting an innovation ecosystem in Africa,” says Amrote Abdella, Director of Startup Engagement and Partnerships at Microsoft 4Afrika. “Entrepreneurs who tackle issues create the path for innovative solutions while building sustainable businesses on the continent. Through our collaboration with AMPION, we look forward to giving young talent the tools and resources needed to succeed – laying the foundation for the creation of globally competitive businesses.”
The first Venture Bus has just completed the West Africa tour which started in Cote d’Ivoire, passing through Togo, Ghana and Benin. Its final stop is at the annual DEMO Africa startup event in Nigeria, which Microsoft is sponsoring for the 4th consecutive year. Here, the best performing and most high potential startups from the bus will be pitching their business ideas developed during the seven day journey.
The Ampion Venture Bus Africa 5 tours will take specific focus tracks i.e. East Africa (e-health), West Africa (fin-tech), Southern Africa (hardware & agriculture) and Tunisia (female empowerment).
“The seven-day Venture Bus program is designed to be intense, competitive and challenging – an ideal environment for innovation to thrive,” says Fabian-Carlos Guhl, Founder and Managing Director of AMPION Africa. “The Fellowship Program is then designed to sharpen the entrepreneurs and business ideas with the highest potential.”
Guhl adds: “Microsoft’s 4Afrika Initiative shares our vision of inspiring entrepreneurs and cultivating innovation across the continent. We are excited to have them on board, as they understand the power of technology in empowering entrepreneurs to become pan-Africa change agents.”
According to Microsoft, interested applicants can apply here.


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FBN’s Charles Payne, retail analyst Hitha Prabhakar, Penn Financial Group founder Matt McCall, small business expert Susan Solovic, FNC contributor Joanne Nosuchinsky and FBN’s Tracy Byrnes on the winners and losers of the holiday shopping season.
Consumer Reports Senior Projects Editor Tod Marks offers tips for saving money at the grocery store.
Jarden Corporation CEO Jim Lillie weighs in on his consumer-product company.
Nuveen Asset Management chief equity strategist Bob Doll talks sentiment and the markets.
Thomson Reuters director of consumer research Jharonne Martis characterizes the state of growth in retail sector.
Retail analyst Hitha Prabhakar on the rising number of malls shutting down.
NPD Group chief industry analyst Marshal Cohen and Strategic Research Group managing director Burt Flickinger give their outlooks for summer retail.
Portfolio Wealth Advisors CIO Lee Munson and Greywolf Execution Partners chief technical analyst Mark Newton and AverageJoeOptions.com founder Todd Horwitz on the state of the markets and Keurig Green Mountain’s second-quarter results.
Intrepid Capital Management CEO Mark Travis, Granite Investment Advisors CIO Scott Schermerhorn and Tethys Partners Chief Market Strategist Bob Iaccino on the opportunities for investors.
Accent Asset Management CEO Scott Martin, Chapwood Fund’s Jared Levy and FBN’s Cheryl Casone on Harley-Davidson and the protests by Postal Service workers.
InvestorPlace.com’s Jeff Reeves on how to make money off Americans’ taste for organic food.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE:WMT) wants Americans, even those on a budget, to buy more organic food.The retailer that leads U.S. stores in grocery sales said on Thursda...
Stocks ended the first quarter with a big rally; the Standard & Poor's 500 Index actually closed -- barely -- at a new high. The fact is, however, that the market ov...
FBN’s Charles Payne on how to build a strong portfolio and the investing pitfalls to avoid.
National Retail Federation Senior Director Kathy Grannis on how parents can save on back-to-school shopping.
Savita Subramanian of Bank of America Merrill Lynch breaks down how volume and volatility impacts investing.
CreditCards.com senior industry analyst Matt Schulz on the credit cards with the highest interest rates.
FBN’s Nicole Petallides on the highlights from the day in the markets.
Wall Street Journal tech reporter Shira Ovide on Amazon’s card reader.
Digital Risk managing partner Jeff Taylor and JPMorgan Asset Management market strategist Anastasia Amoroso on where to invest in the markets today.


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LA CROSSE – Drive-thru food donation collections will help fill families’ Christmas food baskets.
This year Thrivent is partnering with The Salvation Army to fill over 500 food baskets for families in our area in need. With the help of the community, four donation sites are set up to collect nonperishable items of food.
Families sign up for a food basket through the Angel Giving Tree Program. Each individual/family that signs up gets a food basket to provide a Christmas meal as well as additional food for the week. Items needed include: peanut butter, jelly, peaches, pears, green beans, cake mixes, frostings, boxes of cereal, macaroni and cheese, and ramen noodles. Gift cards and monetary donations are also accepted to purchase items such as turkeys, chickens, milk, bread, and eggs.
“Thrivent is a fortune 300 financial services company and so much more, we are a community of people looking out for people, creating impact in all we’re a part of, and spreading generosity”, said Sarah Siefkes of Thrivent. “So naturally, we couldn’t be more proud to partner with the Salvation Army to provide full hearts and full plates for hundreds of La Crosse County families during the holiday season with our Fill the Food Basket drive thru food drives.”
Tuesday, November 17, 2020 2:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Thrivent – 505 Empire St, Holmen, WI
Friday, November 20, 2020 9:00am-11:30am
Onalaska City Hall – 415 Main Street, Onalaska, WI
Tuesday, November 24, 2020 9:00am-11:30am
Advanced Auto Parts – 2801 Losey Blvd S, La Crosse, WI
Friday, November 27, 2020 9:00am-11:30am
La Crosse City Hall – 400 La Crosse St, La Crosse, WI
For more information on The Salvation Army, visit www.SAlacrosse.org or call (608)782-6126.


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UK-based promoter AEG Presents has launched a division to manage and expand its festivals interests across Europe.
The company, which has primarily worked on promoting UK tours has appointed Jim King as CEO of the new office.
Previously the company’s executive vice-president of live music, King already oversees events such as British Summer Time (65,000) in London’s Hyde Park, headlined this year by Florence + The Machine, Robbie Williams, Stevie Wonder & Lionel Richie, Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion, plus All Points East (40,000) in London’s Victoria Park.
King says, “I really believe that AEG does something truly special when it comes to festivals. Music fans and the artistes are always at the heart of our thinking and this has meant we have been able to curate shows that resonate with them and keep both coming back.”
The company also owns French festival Rock en Seine (40,000), with this year’s headliners including The Cure, Major Lazer, Royal Blood, Jorja Smith and Foals.


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Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
DURANGO, Colo. (AP) — Durango's first recreational marijuana shop was shut down a few hours after it opened Friday because of a product-testing glitch.
The Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division shut down sales at Durango Organics and Wellness Center hours after they began Friday, The Durango Herald reported (http://bit.ly/1rsFKWy) .
Co-owner Jonny Radding told the newspaper there was a "miscommunication" about potency testing for the marijuana flowers. He said he expects to reopen next week.
Inspectors, he said, "were pretty nice about it and understood our predicament."
Durango Organics' medical marijuana operation remains open.
Marijuana shops are required to test the potency of their products. Tests measure the amount of THC, marijuana's active ingredient. Radding said he mistakenly thought potency testing wasn't required for marijuana transferred from the medical system. A Marijuana Enforcement Division spokeswoman could not immediately be reached for comment.
A few customers were able to buy pot Friday morning before the shop was closed.
Peter Berriman, the first customer, bought a package of Cheeba Chews, a popular edible product.
"There are so many great things in Colorado," Berriman said. "This is another great thing."
Ann Perkins-Parrott of Durango, 63, said she doesn't smoke marijuana. Rather, she saw purchasing marijuana as in line with her history of political activism, from protesting war to helping register African-American voters and backing abortion rights.
She called Friday's opening a "historic moment."
Animas Herbal Wellness Center also was licensed, but the store won't open for retail sales until mid-October, when construction on its building is expected to be finished.
Retail pot sales in Colorado were allowed to begin Jan. 1, but local permitting and licensing delays have meant some shops have had to wait months to open.
Information from: Durango Herald, http://www.durangoherald.com
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Tesla Motors announced today that it will be opening a regional sales and service center in London, the first of three European stores that the electric sports car maker plans to launch this year.
The London 'premier showcase' will open this spring at Cheval Place in Knightsbridge. It will be only its third showroom (following Los Angeles and Menlo Park, California) and will open before proposed stores in Manhattan, Miami, Seattle and Washington, DC.
"We expect that Tesla sales will eventually be split evenly between the US and Europe," said Tesla CEO, Chairman and Product Architect Elon Musk. He hopes to be selling right-hand-drive, 240V Roadsters to European customers as soon as June.
"Opening three Tesla stores in Europe this year is a critical part of our plan." Tesla is also scouting sites in Munich and Monaco.
London - electric centre of Europe?
Tesla says that Greater London is "a key customer market" for the company – not only for the Roadster sports car but also the recently unveiled Model S sedan, which Tesla expects to produce in 2011.
The Model S, which will be among the world's first mass-produced, highway-capable EVs, will carry five adults and two children up to 480 kilometers per charge, although its US production is dependent on Tesla securing a $350 million (£240 million) loan as part of the US stimulus package.
Although UK purchases of the Roadster and Model S cars won't qualify for the US federal tax credits (currenlty $7500, £5115), Londoners will be exempt from paying the congestion charge - a saving of up to £2000 annually.
Yesterday, London mayor Boris Johnson said that he wanted to build an infrastructure of 25,000 charging points for electric cars across the nation's capital, although he only volunteered to pay for one third of the project's estimated £60 million cost.
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Mark Harris is Senior Research Director at Gartner.


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UK bank first direct has teamed up with social payments startup PayKey to let customers send money to friends from within apps such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
Until now, making payments required first direct customers to launch their banking app or login to online banking and enter the transaction details.
Now, PayKey's technology means that they can make a secure P2P payment while still in any messaging app where the phone’s keyboard is used.
To make a payment, users tap an fdpay icon on their phone's keyboard and are authenticated via the app before making a payment tapping the UK banking industry’s Paym service which uses the recipient's phone number. Immediate payments up to £350 a day possible.
Joe Gordon, head, first direct, says: “We’re always listening to what customers say they want in order to give them the best service we can, and they told us it would be great if they were able to pay a contact within an already open conversation.
“People want to be able to manage their finances easily and securely, and fdpay is just another way for first direct to provide customers with a service they will find useful.”
Israeli outfit PayKey has scored deals with several major financial institutions, including ING, Standard Chartered and Mastercard.
However, in 2017 the firm found itself at the centre of a dispute between Westpac and Apple, with the latter demanding the Australian bank remove PayKey from iPhones.


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US policy in Africa under a Donald Trump presidency
US policy in Africa under a Donald Trump presidency – About the move of Ivanka’s shoe plants to Ethiopia.
(Global Times) — A representative from Huajian Group, based in Dongguan, South China’s Guangdong Province, told the Global Times on Monday that US President-elect Donald Trump’s tough stance against outsourcing in China might cause it to lose some business, particularly those linked to the brand owned by his daughter Ivanka Trump.
But experts said that Trump’s desire to force manufacturing jobs from China back to the US may not happen as US businesses want to make good use of China’s large markets.
A sales executive surnamed Zhang at Huajian’s division in Ganzhou, East China’s Jiangxi Province, said Huajian has been taking orders from Ivanka Trump to manufacture shoes for her named brand since 2010.
“It’s possible that the manufacturing jobs for Ivanka Trump shoes might return to the US, but if they need a manufacturer in China to make those shoes, I believe we are the top choice,” Zhang said.
Huajian is moving some of its plants to Ethiopia, Africa for lower labor costs, http://jiemian.com reported in November. But so far all of Huajian’s orders from Ivanka Trump have been manufactured in Huajian’s Ganzhou factory, Zhang said.
Zhang said that the shoe orders haven’t changed much since Donald Trump won the US presidential election. “I think the orders might rise in the future,” he noted.
Donald Trump said in a presidential debate in September that the US is used as a “piggy bank” to rebuild China, and measures have to be taken to stop US jobs from being “stolen” by China, Global Post reported on September 27.
Xie Shuiqing, an associate professor at the School of Economics and Management at the Chongqing Jiaotong University, predicted that Trump will adopt unorthodox measures to bring manufacturing plants back from China after he assumes office, but whether those measures are effective is yet to be seen.
“Although manufacturing costs in China have risen in recent years, they are still far below the level in the US. Besides, many overseas manufacturers set up plants in China not only for the sake of lower costs, but also for the country’s gigantic market,” Xie said.


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February 17, 2015 by Colin Solan
Filed under Animation, Anime, Comic Books, Comic Strips, Gaming, Horror, Movies, Other, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Signing and Appearance Profiles, Video Games, Washington
Neil Gaiman (Sandman, Coraline, Trigger Warning) appears at the University of Washington on Friday April 17, 2015 at 7:00 PM!
Join the HUB CaPP and ASUW Arts & Entertainment in welcoming bestselling and award-winning author, Neil Gaiman, to UW. Having written Coraline, The Sandman, American Gods, The Graveyard Book, and more, Gaiman is acclaimed around the world for his vivid writing and graphic novels. Hear him speak, tremble beneath his gaze, and be ready for one of the best literary minds of the 21st century to be on campus. Find all the info on poster below!
The University of Washington
R.A. Salvatore signs at Barnes & Noble on Thursday February 19, 2015 at 6:00 PM!
Author of ‘The DemonWars’ Saga, the ‘Forgotten Realms’ series, Vector Prime, ‘Star Wars: The New Jedi Order’ series and many more. Twenty-two of his books are New York Times bestsellers. Reading of Vengeance of the Iron Dwarf, discussion and signing.
Two copies of the book will be given away as door prizes. Ticketing available the day of the event or call 360.236.1541 and leave a message.
Barnes and Noble
1530 Black Lake Blvd SW Olympia, WA 98502
Local comic book legend and raconteur Peter Bagge (Hate, Neat Stuff) appears at Arcane Comics on Friday, February 13th at 6:00 PM to discuss the seedy underbelly of the comic book industry.
5809 15th Avenue NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Scott McCloud appears at the University Bookstore on Thursday February 12, 2015 at 7:00 PM!
One of the foremost authorities in the world of comics, acclaimed author, artist, and speaker Scott McCloud has created his first full-length, original work since the 1990s. A breathtaking, funny, and unforgettable modern fable, his new graphic novel Sculptor tells the story of an artist who makes a deal with Death to trade his life for 200 days of being able to sculpt anything, only to meet the love of his life at the 11th hour. As the highly anticipated book finally arrives, we can’t wait to welcome McCloud for a discussion and signing of his spellbinding story about the price of art, the value of life, and the desperation of love.
Scott McCloud is the award-winning author of Understanding Comics, Making Comics, Zot!, and many other fiction and non-fiction comics spanning 30 years. An internationally-recognized authority on comics and visual communication, technology, and the power of storytelling, McCloud has lectured at Google, Pixar, Sony, and the Smithsonian Institution. His online thoughts, stories, and inventions can be found at scottmccloud.com. First Second’s The Sculptor is his most recent book.
University Book Store
4326 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105
Actor/comedian Brian Posehn appears at I Like Comics for a signing on Friday, February 6, 2015 from 3:00 – 5:00 pm! Mr. Posehn is known in the comics world for writing both The Last Christmas from Image and Deadpool (3rd series) from Marvel. He has also appeared as a recurring character on New Girl, The Sarah Silverman Program, Just Shoot Me, and Mission Hill. In addition to countless other TV appearances, he is a highly sought after stand-up comedian and voice actor.
This event is FREE however, if you’d like a chance to catch one of his amazing stand-up acts from at Helium from Feb 5th – Feb 7th, click the link for tickets.
I Like Comics
2101 E 4th Plain, Vancouver, Washington 98661
Writer Mark Rahner appears at Arcane Comics on Friday, January 23rd at 6:00 PM to sign and discuss his brand new Twilight Zone series-Shadow and Substance! There will also be an art contest for Twilight Zone inspired art, Mark will pick the winner and they will receive a $50 Gift Certificate for Arcane Comics! Entries must be submitted by 8pm Friday the 23rd. Art may be dropped off at the shop or posted into this event.
5809 15th Avenue NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Artist Stan Shaw appears at Destiny City Comics on Saturday, January 31, 2015 at 4:00 PM to sign SUNGLASSES AFTER DARK!
Destiny City Comics
218 St Helens Ave, Tacoma, WA 98402
ReedPOP And Emerald City Comicon Join Forces To Produce The ‘Premier Comic Book And Pop Culture Convention In The Pacific Northwest’
Emerald City Comicon Joins the ReedPOP Family as ReedPOP Continues Rapid Growth as #1 Producer of Comic Conventions Across the Globe
NORWALK, CT — January 13, 2015 – ReedPOP, the world’s largest producer of pop culture events, is adding another show to its portfolio with the Emerald City Comicon (ECCC). Today, the company announces that the ‘premiere comic book and pop culture convention in the Pacific Northwest’ has joined its family of leading experiential fan events. The partnership will take effect for the eagerly anticipated 2015 event taking place March 27-29 in downtown Seattle, Washington.
ECCC, known for being a fan-oriented and comics-focused show, was founded in 2003 by local comics retailer Jim Demonakos and opened to 2,500 fans its first year. Since then, attendance has grown steadily reaching a record 70,000 in 2014 and an expected 80,000 in 2015, with 3-Day already sold out! With new comic and celebrity guests each year, ECCC stands out in the industry as providing a unique experience with heart for fans of all ages. Additionally, ECCC has created a charity art book each year since 2009 – Monsters & Dames – that has raised over $75,000 for Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Demonakos had this to say about the partnership, “We are huge fans of what ReedPOP is doing across the globe in this pop culture space and the ECCC team is excited to have them help us elevate the fan experience at our event. We are also very much looking forward to bringing the ECCC brand of fan-focused events to help ReedPOP amplify their conventions even further.”
Since ReedPOP’s first event in 2006, the sold-out New York Comic Con, the group has sought to produce exceptional experiences for passionate audiences and grow the industries surrounding these passions, and this philosophy has led to burgeoning attendance, the support of major creators and publishers and partnerships with leading entertainment brands including Lucasfilm (Star Wars Celebration), UFC (UFC Fan Expo) and Penny Arcade (PAX).
In recent years, ReedPOP has turned its attention internationally, recognizing pop culture audiences emerging throughout the world, where it has produced once-in-a-lifetime experiences for these new fans and connected exhibitors to these hungry, unexplored markets. ReedPOP’s previous global events have been set in London, Germany and Singapore, and the company planted its biggest global flag to date last year in Australia, creating an Australian team to launch PAX Australia and partner with the Oz Comic-Con series of events. ReedPOP’s efforts in India were recently announced through a partnership with Comic Con India — with events in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. The company also added Paris Comic Con into its fold as announced at New York Comic Con.
“The addition of ECCC to the ReedPOP family is a huge win and we couldn’t be more excited to see how we can make each other better,” said Lance Fensterman, ReedPOP’s Global Senior Vice President. “The ECCC team is tremendous and have put together an amazing show. I know there are things we can introduce to the mix and look even more forward to what the ECCC team can bring to all our events around the globe.”
For more information on this year’s Emerald City Comicon please visit www.emeraldcitycomicon.com.
ReedPOP is a boutique group within Reed Exhibitions exclusively devoted to organising events, launching and acquiring new shows, and partnering with premium brands in the pop culture world. ReedPOP is dedicated to celebrations of popular culture throughout the globe that transcend ordinary events by providing unique access and dynamic personal experiences. The ReedPOP portfolio includes: New York Comic Con (NYCC), Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2), Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) Prime, East, South and Australia, Oz Comic-Con, Comic Con India, Paris Comic Con, Star Wars Celebration and UFC Fan Expo. The staff at ReedPOP is a fan-based group of professionals uniquely qualified to serve those with whom they share a common passion. ReedPOP is focused on bringing its expertise and knowledge to world communities in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, India and Australia. (www.reedpop.com)
Built on a fan-first mentality, Emerald City Comicon (ECCC) has established itself as one of North America’s largest and most respected shows of its kind. Since 2003, ECCC has continued to cement its reputation in both national and international circles in the industry as the show to be at to kick off the convention season.
Writer Arthur Wyatt appears at Zanadu Comics on Wednesday December 17, 2014 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM to sign Dredd: Uprise!
1923 3rd Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Simon Roy (Prophet, The Field) and Farel Dalrymple (Pop Gun War, Omega the Unknown) appear at Arcane Comics on Friday, December 19th from 6:00-10:00 PM!
5809 15th Avenue NW, Seattle, WA 98107


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Chukar Cherries of Prosser recently opened a Leavenworth store and tasting room at 939 Front St.
Chukar Cherries in Leavenworth will offer artisan chocolates, dried cherries, energy mixes, cherry sauces and gifts.
"Leavenworth's central location, and the fact that it's a major Washington destination, made it the perfect place to offer our authentic Pacific Northwest fruits and gifts," said Tommy Montgomery, Chukar Cherries vice president of sales and marketing.
Chukar Cherries operates stores in Prosser and Seattle's Pike Place Market.
For more information, go to www.chukar.com.


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MADISON COUNTY, AL (WAFF) - During a news conference on Friday morning, Madison County officials said the approval is secured for the Madison County interchange at Zierdt Road for access to Town Madison. Construction will begin in 2016 and will be complete in 2017.
The interchange will improve the interstate access for Madison and allow for the new developments at the proposed Madison shopping plaza, Town Madison, and Intergraph Campus sites. City officials said it will also provide an additional interstate access route for Redstone Arsenal commuters using Gate 7 on Zierdt Road and help with backups at Gate 9 on Research Park Boulevard.
Residents near the proposed Town Madison asked lots of questions when they first heard the news about this new shopping center near their homes.
The shopping center in the works will be 625,000 square feet. The development is planned to sit on the southwest corner of the intersection of Zierdt Road and I-565.
The Town Madison Cooperative District includes over 700 acres of land whose boundaries go from Wall Triana Boulevard to Zierdt Road and fronts along the south side of I-565. The site is expected to be home to over 800,000 square feet of new developments like retail stores and restaurants as well at 700,000 square feet of office space and hotel rooms.
City officials said the total investment for this project is estimated to be over $300 million and will create approximately 1,600 new jobs.
"The approval of this interchange and the economic activity that it will bring is a game changer for Madison County," said Madison County Commissioner Steve Haraway. "This interchange will transform the entire area and bring new revenues to our local schools and governments and new jobs for our community."
Officials said three school systems in Madison County will benefit from the new project. It is projected that the project will produce $1.8 million a year in new sales tax dollars that will be split between the City of Huntsville, City of Madison, and Madison County School Systems.
"This new interchange will help relieve traffic congestion at the Wall Triana Interchange as well as for Madison Boulevard," said Madison Mayor Troy Trulock. "Any time we can team with other governments to build new roads, bring new jobs and provide new amenities for our city is a win-win."
Copyright 2015 WAFF. All rights reserved.