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THE LATEST FROM THE GLOBAL CHEESE AWARDS
JUDGES ALL SET FOR GCA DELI AWARDS 2016
THE cheese committee of the Global Cheese Awards (GCAs), the trade show held two days before the Frome Agricultural & Cheese Show, is preparing to launch its GCA Deli Competition 2016.
This unique contest, which is now in its fourth year, sees five judges visit approximately 100 delis within a 25-mile radius of the West Woodlands Cheese Show site on an anonymous basis. The judging will start shortly and will run until the beginning of July.
“The delis aren’t nominated so we include small companies in our judging who wouldn’t have the time or staffing levels to nominate themselves,” says Jessica Kimber Holloway, vice chairperson of the cheese committee and technical and product manager at Bruton-based cheese company Godminster.
“We are looking for presentation, range of cheese on offer — and we’re only looking at the cheeses the delis sell — as well as customer service,” adds Jessica. “We don’t look at price, but the knowledge of those serving is vitally important. We may ask them if they know how to store the cheese or make up a cheese board. We judge them on what they know and how helpful they are during the mystery shop. A small deli may only have a small offering in terms of its cheese range, but if their service is second to none potentially they might score higher than a bigger company,” adds Jessica.
The deli competition is judged on a points system, with the top one or two scorers from each area being visited for a second time by the head judge to decide the top three.
“Our points system makes the competition between big and small delis fair,” says Jessica. “The delis involved all love being linked to such a well established cheese show.”
Previous winners have include South Petherton deli Provender, who clinched the title in 2014 and have twice been named as runners-up, and Bristol-based Arch House Deli.
“Provender won because of their range, but also because of their customer service. Anything they didn’t know they went on the internet to find out,” says Jessica. “Arch House won because they had good service, a good product offering and they do cheese tastings, so they are good at advertising and educating people. Turnbulls in Shaftesbrury, who were finalists last year along with Provender and Arch House, were good on knowledge and their cheese range.”
The winner of this year’s contest will be presented with a cup and certificate, they will be invited to be a judge at the Global Cheese Awards on Thursday 8 September 2016, given the chance to come and sell their products, while the winner and two runners-up will be invited to Thursday’s trade evening dinner and canapé reception where the presentation will be made.
Picture shows Provender Deli, 2014 winner and twice runner-up of the GCA Deli Awards


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Bed Bath & Beyond announced Friday it plans to reopen 600 stores across the United States and Canada beginning next month and recall as many as 11,000 workers furloughed by the novel coronavirus by June 13.
According to a news release, the home goods retailer estimates about half its shuttered stores could be reopened by June 13, with plans to roll out contactless, curbside pickup to an additional 600 locations.
“Our financial flexibility allows us to take this patient, market-by-market approach, while we invest in rebuilding our business and introducing new services for our loyal customers,” President and CEO Mark Tritton said in the release.
According to MarketWatch, the company had 1,500 stores across the United States and Canada as of February, employing about 55,000 workers.
The reopenings will affect 500 brick-and-mortar Bed Bath & Beyond locations as well as about 50 Christmas Tree Shops and 50 Cost Plus World Market locations.
"Our homes have become even more central to our lives during this crisis, yet we know that for many people that sense of home has been affected by the health and economic impacts of COVID-19,” Tritton said in the release.
“We’re doing what we can to bring home everywhere, creating comfort and providing essential support to communities suffering in the face of this pandemic,” he added.

domain: news


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Rockstar has released brand new gameplay footage of Grand Theft Auto 5 showing off a range of activities players can take part in in the upcoming blockbuster.
Check out the video above for a look at BASE jumping, mountain biking, jet skiing, BMXing and more.
To coincide with the new footage, Rockstar also released a range of new screens offering a glimpse at the airport and a Los Santos beach.
There's just over a week left to go until GTA 5 hits store shelves, releasing on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 17.
If you've ordered the game online, however, don't expect to receive it early.
According to Simply Games, no European retailer will be dispatching the game until the day before release on Monday, September 16.


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As the unveiling of HTC 10 is coming nearer, more and more details of this phone are surfacing online. We spotted the HTC 10 on GFXBench just last month and now today, it has been spotted on Geekbench 3.
The HTC 10 scored 2287 points in Single-Core test and 5275 points in Multi-Core test of Geekbench 3. In case you have forgotten, the HTC 10 is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 820 SoC which is coupled with 4 GB RAM and Adreno 530 GPU. So yes, these kind of benchmark scores are expected. But hey, do keep in mind that benchmark scores don’t guarantee equally powerful real-world performance.
According to the recent teasers shared by HTC, this latest flagship smartphone will have the “best BoomSound yet” and will feature ‘World First, World Class‘ cameras. HTC has also said that the HTC 10 is going to be the ‘fastest and smoothest Android‘ smartphone and that they are obsessed with providing “the best ever smartphone camera” to the users.
HTC 10 specifications:
- CPU: Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor
- RAM: 4 GB
- GPU: Adreno 530
- Operating System: Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
- Display: 5.1-inch Quad-HD (2560 x 1440 pixels) display
- Rear Camera: 12 MP auto-focus with flash
- Front Camera: 5 MP
- Internal Storage: 32 GB
- Connectivity: NFC, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- Battery: Unknown


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It’s pumpkin time! Pumpkin people that is. The Chatham Merchants Association is sponsoring Pumpkin People in the park – a display of scarecrows with pumpkin heads created by Chatham families and businesses. The larger than life creations are decked out in themed garb – favorites from 2010 included a Pumpkin Chef created by Gustare Oils and Vinegars and a Fancy Nancy Pumpkin by Where the Sidewalk Ends bookstore. Judging for the pumpkins will take place on the afternoon of October 22nd and will remain on display through Halloween.
Also on October 22nd, Chatham will host Oktoberfest at Kate Gould Park where there will be food vendors, music at the bandstand, bobbing for apples, doughnuts on a string, face painting, pumpkin bowling, and games for kids of all ages. There will also be cupcake and apple pie bakeoff competitions and a storefront window painting contest which will all be judged on Oktoberfest afternoon.
So don’t miss out on these fall festivities. And if that’s not reason enough to visit Chatham this month, consider that we just jumped into winter rates at the Captains House Inn. Plus, for all wine lovers out there – Joe’s at the Barleyneck Inn in Orleans is offering their annual wine sale where all bottles on their award winning list are discounted by 50%! Hope to see you soon.


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Zedge Hyper-Growth Accelerates To New Highs
Zedge (NYSEAMERICAN: ZDGE) caught our attention last quarter when it reported earnings. The company operates a mobile app that allows users to customize their smartphones including ringtones, wallpaper, icons, and many other features. The company has been around for quite a few years, but recently entered a new phase of growth. The combination of internal efforts and pandemic-inspired demand drove revenue growth to triple digits and it is still accelerating. Add to that the company’s inclusion in the Russell Microcap Index and another increase to guidance and we think this stock will see triple-digit gains before the end of the year.
Zedge Blows Past The Consensus And Raises Guidance
The core of Zedge’s hyper-growth story centers around its premium products. Many of Zedge offerings are free, the app itself is free, but within that are many up Sells. The upsells are good both for the company and for the platform users specifically artists and creators who use it as a tool to reach their Market. The company's net revenue topped $5.25 million for the quarter which is up 152% from last year and beat the consensus by 3800 basis points. The growth is notable not only for its size but also for its acceleration, the company's year-over-year growth was just over 100% in the previous quarter which is seasonally the strongest quarter.
Looking at the internal metrics, the company's revenue gains are at the very least sticky if not on track for further acceleration. The company reports monthly active users rose by 20% year-over-year and drove an even higher conversion rate to subscriptions and premium services. Zedge premium gross transactions rose 68% while active subscriptions rose 88.7% and subscription revenue rose 97.6%. Ad revenue, another important facet of Zedge business model, rose 188.3 % despite seasonally expected weakness in ad spending.
Moving down the report, the company was able to leverage the revenue gains to great effect. The operating margin came in at 37.7% vs (-6.1%) in the previous year, EBITDA rose to $2.3 million versus a loss in the prior year, and cash flow from operations surged more than 500%. On the bottom line, the company's GAAP EPS of $0.13 beat by a dime.
Turning to the guidance, the guidance is very good. The company’s strength led it to raise forward guidance for the third time this year and to a range above the previously stated. Execs are now expecting revenue growth in the range of 95% to 100% versus the 75% to 80% guided at the end of the last quarter. Based on what we're seeing, we will not be surprised to see this company raise its guidance again at the end of the next quarter. Zedge’s 34.5 million monthly active users is a drop in the bucket of the addressable market and this company is making moves to capture a greater market share.
"To continue our strong growth into the future, we recently made strategic product management hires to focus on driving user engagement, particularly in well-developed markets, across Zedge Premium, paid subscriptions, our freemium phone personalization product, and Shortz. To that end, we expect to iteratively roll out social and community features, Zedge Premium value-ads, and other upgrades that will help us continue to grow our core business while scaling newer initiatives."
The Technical Outlook: Zedge Surges To New High
Shares of Zedge spent some time in consolidation over the past few months but began moving higher 2 or 3 weeks ago. That move was accelerated by news the company would be included in the Russell Microcap Index and accelerated again by the Q3 results. Shares of the stock are up about 10% in pre-market trading following the report and breaking out to a new all-time high. Based on the results, the outlook, and strength in the indicators we think this rally has only just begun. Even at these new highs, the stock is only trading at 33 times this year's earnings expectation and offers quite a value for a hyper-growth stock of this quality.
Featured Article: Trading Options- What is a Strangle?7 Hotel Stocks Just Waiting For the Vaccine
Like any group of stocks related to travel and tourism, hotel stocks saw a steep drop in share prices in 2020. The leisure and hospitality sector that once had 15 million employees has lost 4 million jobs since February.
Many major cities will be feeling the ripple effects of the Covid-19 pandemic for years. However, there is ample evidence that shows the pandemic may be coming to an end. The number of new cases is dropping. The number of those getting vaccinated is rising. And even in the cities with the most restrictive mitigation measures, the slow process of reopening is beginning.
All of this can’t come fast enough for individuals who rely on the travel and tourism industry for their livelihood. Hotel chains had at least some revenue coming in the door. And when earnings season concludes, the more budget-friendly hotel chains may realize revenue that is 75% of its 2019 numbers. But that is not enough to bring the hotels to anywhere near full employment. Particularly with hotels that have bars and restaurants that have remained closed or open at limited capacity.
Many economists are optimistic that travel may begin to look more normal by the summer of this year. And the global economy may deliver 6.4% GDP growth this year. With that in mind, the hotel chains with the best fundamentals and the broadest footprint will be in the best position as the economy reopens.
View the "7 Hotel Stocks Just Waiting For the Vaccine"


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George Kayes, WSET Roanoke general sales manager, has been named general manager of the station, a Sinclair-owned ABC affiliate. From 2005 to 2006, he was local sales manager at WHAS Louisville before arriving at WSET.
"We are pleased to promote George to the general manager position," said Steve Marks, Sinclair co-COO. "In his previous position as general sales manager, he was successful in increasing market share and building local relationships."
From 2002 to 2005 Kayes was national sales manager and then local sales manager at Sinclair's WRLH Richmond.
"I am excited to take the next step in my career with Sinclair and WSET," he said. "WSET is a leader in Lynchburg and Central Virginia with exceptional talent at all levels. I look forward to continue working with the team and further the tradition of serving our viewers, our communities and our business partners."


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If you were looking forward to another round of fantasy-anime World War II shenanigans, I've got some bad news to you. According to a SEGA Singapore rep, Valkyria Chronicles III will not be coming to Europe or the United States. Boo!
According to the rep, Valkyria Chronicles II did not sell enough copies for the publisher to justify localizing another game. He added said that the PSP was not well liked in Western territories, citing that as another factor in the decision to keep VCIII locked in the East.
That's a shame, but if the series has really sold that poorly, it's hardly a shock. I guess fans of the series better bone up on their Japanese and get ready to import.read more


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“The Trans-Saharan Trade which broadened Kan’s fame and. ‘Dawned’ (not ‘done’) “He died Wednesday evening in Abuja at Agura Hotel junction within the city in a ghastly motor accident.” When death.
Private Holiday Rentals Sydney Camps Bay is in high demand for holiday rentals, too. You can expect to pay about ZAR1,500. Other sought-after schools within a 15-minute drive include Reddam School in Green Point, a private. probably didn’t cross the minds of many vacation-home renters. But as more travelers turn to the sharing economy to rent private rooms and
The roads will damage them for you and send you scampering for the office of the nearby roadside motor mechanic. he waited in his suite in a 5-star hotel. The World Bank thinks that if the.
Aztec Ruins Mexico Vacation The torch that had been lit on Tuesday at the Aztec ruins of Teotihuacan outside Mexico City was received by Peruvian President. The torch will next travel to Mt. Vinicunca, also known as Rainbow. in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize & Honduras Let us help you design a custom vacation package to suit your individual needs and
The Travelers’ choice romance hotel list was determined by the reviews and opinions posted on TripAdvisor. with a jacuzzi tub surrounded by lava rock and tropical plants; a Saharan oasis with palm.
This is particularly the case in developing countries, which will probably provide the motor of global economic growth in coming. efficiency standardisation and labelling scheme. In Sub-Saharan.
Another characteristic of mobile money in Latin America and the Caribbean, it adds, is that average customer activity rates are higher than in other regions like sub-Saharan Africa and. in its 2016.
In addition to the Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Sub-Saharan exhibitors, we also have a French pastry company that will be exhibiting, as well motor industry exhibitors, restaurants, and hotels," he.
At current rates of poverty reduction, more than 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa will still be poor in 2030. Many factors have contributed to the shifting geography of poverty. In Africa,
Data from the November 2011 census put the number of non-Maltese nationals hailing from sub-Saharan Africa at 2,676 – or just 0.6% of the total population and 13% of the 20,288 non-Maltese living on.
Uganda, one of the first nations in sub-Saharan Africa to experience the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS and to take action to control the epidemic, was managing to reverse the number of infections, Mr.
Holiday Inn Express Flat Rock Private Holiday Rentals Sydney Camps Bay is in high demand for holiday rentals, too. You can expect to pay about ZAR1,500. Other sought-after schools within a 15-minute drive include Reddam School in Green Point, a private. probably didn’t cross the minds of many vacation-home renters. But as more travelers turn to the sharing economy to
Francesca Perucci, chief statistician in the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said an estimated 736 million people still living in extreme poverty globally, including 413 million in sub.
In addition to the growth in core Islamic markets, analysts expect demand for Islamic finance to from North and Sub-Saharan African countries to pick. particularly for motor and medical cover. This.
The highest number of child brides have been seen in Brazil, Mexico and Thailand, however, they are also common in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. "Child marriage is an issue that transcends.
Timbuk2 Jones Laptop Backpack Nov 25, 2017 · TL;DRThe Jet tries to be both a backpack and your go-to carry-on, but some design choices make it come up short in both departments.Build Quality9.5Layout7.7Compartments8Style4.7Comfort6Extra Features5The GoodThree grab handles and backpack straps give you a variety of ways to carryClamshell design makes packing easyInterior mesh separator is great for packing clothesNice laptop.
HR leaders from Agoda, DKSH, Fonterra, FWD, Kasikornbank, Minor Food, Nissan Motor and more have already confirmed to. Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as parts of Europe (Spain, and.
This was followed by Europe at $72.69 million and Sub-Saharan Africa at $54.36 million. Marcello Baricordi, general manager UAE and global accounts lead at Visa Mena, said: “DSF 2015 has delivered.
Kano is among the oldest cities in Nigeria, a major center of Islamic scholarship and a key hub of trans-Saharan trade routes. Modern Kano is heavily congested with traffic, and the air pollution from.
Rockridge Young Life Camp Speaking clearly from the Scriptures, camp speakers introduce kids to the person of Christ, the nature of humanity, the work of Christ on the cross, the hope of the resurrection and the opportunity for reconciliation with God. Young Life owns 32 resort-quality camps world-wide. All of our camps are in use during the summer and
For example, manufacturing contributes six per cent of all jobs in sub-Saharan Africa, compared to over 15 per cent in Asia. To increase this share, investment is needed to ensure a secure supply of.
In the majority of countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the region with the highest child mortality rates, only about half the population wash their hands and even health clinics often lack hand-washing.
The legal challenge — which will be announced at a press conference tomorrow in Kingston, Jamaica according to a news release issued by the Canadian. highest HIV prevalence in the world, after.


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Porsche Ventures is the sports car manufacturer’s venture capital (VC) division. Its priorities are to help facilitate Porsche’s strategic objectives and to generate a financial return. Over the last few years, it’s invested in the likes of Rimac Automobili and Ridepanda in the U.S. Porsche Digital is the German car maker’s technology and digital unit.
Auto Futures has been talking to Stephan Baral, Managing Director at Porsche Digital Inc. and Head of Porsche Ventures USA.
Baral was born and raised in southern Germany close to Stuttgart, a city that remains the heart of the German automotive industry and is the home of Porsche. In his current role, he now operates from Palo Alto in California.
“I was always eager to do my part to shape the future of such an exciting space that faces more disruption than ever today. In order to push this industry forward, innovation, investment and partnerships are crucial to the story, and that is my focus at Porsche Digital. I am driven by the constant challenge and change that the broader mobility and automotive industry presents,” says Baral.
In 2016, Porsche decided, that outside of its core business, VC would be a great tool to support the changing automotive landscape.
“When thinking about the many directions the space is expanding into – electrification, autonomy, new mobility, and the rise of new ecosystems – this means that customer needs, expectations and requirements will be shifting as well, and we need to be ready to move accordingly. Today, our CVC operates across six locations worldwide with around 20 people working on scouting, investing and portfolio development and we have a venture portfolio of more than 20 active investments,” he explains.
It invests in companies developing technologies or creating business models that are adjacent to Porsche’s core business. It concentrates on four key areas: car and mobility, intelligent enterprise, sustainability, and a category that it calls ‘Beyond’, e.g. smart city and living.
“Porsche has built a legacy as a lifestyle brand and with our investments in the ‘Beyond’ category, we are identifying opportunities that align with our brand values to create future customer environments, build new digital experiences, and address the emerging interests of our community. Personally, I’m most excited about ‘micro-communities’ – platforms that create a trusted network of people with a common passion or interest,” explains Baral.
“Our VC arm invests in early-stage companies in their first phase of growth. We have a global approach and are not limited by geography, but rather we focus on teams that are passionate about their mission and want to build their dreams alongside us.”
Investing Success Stories
One of Porsche Ventures’ most successful investments was in 2018, when it invested into the Croatian start-up, Rimac Automobili.
“Our investment led to a close strategic partnership between Porsche and Rimac, which has culminated in the recently announced Joint Venture Bugatti-Rimac,” says Baral.
A more recent example is Cresta – an artificial intelligence (AI) company which specialises in messaging and voice communication to enhance customer support. Alongside the investment, Cresta’s software will be rolled out across Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA) and Porsche Financial Services (PFS), Inc.
“We invested in the Silicon Valley based team a couple month ago and Porsche Cars North America will soon implement the Cresta technology across several customer touchpoints. The omnichannel approach is key to a unified and seamless Porsche customer experience. Porsche is Cresta’s first automotive partner and as investors in the business, we aim to support the team as they look to grow in the automotive industry,” says Baral.
“We can add value by providing direct feedback on their product roadmap, helping the team develop a solution that not only addresses Porsche’s needs but that is built to be relevant for the automotive industry in general.”
In June, 2021, Porsche Ventures invested in the California-based, electric micro-mobility start-up, Ridepanda. The funding will enable the company to hire talent across the U.S. and help encourage the adoption of light electric vehicles in the U.S.
“Ridepanda is a one-stop-shop for e-rides offering a handpicked selection of e-bikes, e-mopeds and e-scooters, along with essential add-ons including financing, warranties and personalized customer services. The electric micro-mobility market is extremely fragmented with several grey market products of substandard quality. With Ridepanda end-users benefit from quality control and a one-stop-shop that addresses any need that may arise during the personal ownership journey, while manufacturers benefit by extending their reach,” says Baral.
Ridepanda‘s Co-Founders, Chinmay Malaviya and Charlie Depman, previously worked at leading micro-mobility sharing companies, Lime, Bird and Scoot.
“We believe in their ability to execute on their mission and vision. Additionally, the personal mobility market is transforming, and consumer preferences are evolving rapidly. Our investment into Ridepanda creates an exciting opportunity for mutual insights about what customers are coming to expect from mobility products and service providers and how to best meet this demand,” he adds.
“We get excited about technologies that help us create the best product…”
As well as financially supporting start-ups, Porsche Ventures can help them grow in many other ways.
“We have built a team with expertise in both the mobility and automotive industry, but that also has years of traditional venture capital experience under their belt. This unique combination is a great value add to the founders that we have the privilege to work with,” explains Baral.
He adds: “We know that there is sufficient capital circulating in the VC ecosystem, so we feel our unique ability to bridge between the start-up community and our broad reach across the Porsche brand, and more broadly, the VW group, is very beneficial to those companies operating in our space. We are all super passionate about what we are doing and are committed to being active partners in helping our companies penetrate the automotive industry in a meaningful way.”
Porsche Ventures is technology-agnostic, says Baral.
“We get excited about technologies that help us create the best product, deliver the best customer experience, and connect more deeply with our community. With this in mind, we don’t limit ourselves to any specific technology, but rather look at applications of a broad set of technical advancements such as artificial intelligence, predictive and contextual modelling, blockchain, and virtual and augmented reality.”
One area of mobility that Baral is particularly excited about is vertical mobility.
“Various studies show that vertical mobility could become a reality from 2025. We would like to be part of that. Porsche recognized urban air mobility as an attractive future scenario with great potential very early on. Even beyond urban air mobility I believe that vertical modes of transportation can lead to disruption across the supply chain, logistics and even the racing space,” he notes.


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From November 5 to 10, 2021, the fourth edition of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) was held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai.
More than 100 Italian companies participated with their own stands, covering an area of about 12,000 square meters with three commercial pavilions dedicated to the sectors of environmental technologies, medical technologies and jewelery and one dedicated to the promotion of Italian cultural heritage entitled " Italian Landscape "in view of the Italy-China Year of Culture and Tourism in 2022.
The President of the Italian Government Mario Draghi spoke at a distance at the inaugural ceremony and underlined that the CIIE is "one of the largest commercial events in China and in the world. The Italian entrepreneurial sector is strongly present. The Shanghai Expo can play an important role in promoting a more inclusive and sustainable economic recovery, themes that have been at the center of the agenda of the Italian Presidency of the G20 and of the COP26 in Glasgow, in partnership with the United Kingdom ".
China is the second non-European destination for Italian export, which in the first 9 months of 2021 grew by 31.5% compared to the same period of 2020 (+ 21.7% on 2019).


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The Nigerian government is working to build the functional capacity of its digital currency, called eNaira. Launched as Africa’s first-ever CBDC in October last year, eNaira now boasts new features, aimed at integrating unbanked Nigerian citizens into the country’s existing financial system. The Nigerian government aims to get more than eight million people to adopt eNaira as a form of payment in the coming months. Details of eNaira-related developments were announced by Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria during a recent hackathon.
Nigerian authorities will soon allow eNaira users to create CBDC wallets by dialing a four-digit code on their mobile phones, whether or not they have bank accounts.
Additionally, the specially created eNaira Hackathon platform will be integrated with the CBDC to increase its functionality. The hackathon platform will connect people with eNaira developers and coders to ensure quick resolution of any issues or glitches.
“We have no choice but to live with the fact that we are now in a digital economy, in a digital space, where the user[s] of cash will dissipate almost to zero,” Emefiele said in a statement.
Since launch, eNaira has garnered over 840,000 downloads from over 270,000 active wallets. So far, around 200,000 transactions worth more than $9.5 million (about Rs. 75 crore) have been recorded through the eNaira digital currency.
Earlier in May, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reportedly started looking to allow people to use eNaira for everyday payments such as booking airline tickets and paying utility bills.
According to CBN official Bariboloka Koyor, the main difference between eNaira transactions and traditional online payment methods is the transaction processing speed.
The crypto market in Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa together recorded 1,200% growth, reaching a market valuation of $105.6 billion (about Rs. 775 crore) in one year, according to a Chainalysis report in September last year.
Research firm Triple-A estimated that over 13 million Nigerians owned cryptocurrencies in 2021. This represents 6.3% of the total population of Nigeria.


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A recycler of the popular, mercury-filled fluorescent bulbs has hit a milestone, but the group admits the rapid acceptance of LED lighting may hinder current reuse programs.
LightRecycle Washington said recently that it has recycled one million fluorescent tubes, compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs) and other mercury-containing lights since it began a statewide free collection program in January 2015. The group, run by the non-profit PCA Product Stewardship firm out of Canada, is the only entity licensed by the Washington Department of Ecology to collect the bulbs in the free program.
Peter Thermos, program manager at LightRecycle, says it’s been difficult to get people to understand that the bulbs are a household hazard unless disposed of correctly. CFLs each contain about 4 mg of mercury. According to a LightRecycle survey conducted last year, only about half the people in the state of Washington know the bulbs are toxic. Recycling programs are a safe way to handle CFLs, he says.
“When properly recycled, the CFLs and tubes are crushed so that the phosphorous powder is separated from the glass,” Thermos says. “About half of the mercury stays in the powder, while the other half turns into a gas and is sucked into big filters. The mercury is a commodity, it can be reused, and so is the glass, typically sent as fill for concrete.”
While long-lasting florescent tubes have been around for decades, smaller lamp-sized bulbs have only recently seen an increase in household use due to a government-sponsored phase-out of incandescent bulbs that began in 2007. Originally two-to-three times as expensive as incandescent bulbs, the lamp-sized CFLs have dropped in price and are now in many homes across the country.
Even though the CFLs are 100 percent recyclable, there’s not been a nationwide push to explain how to dispose of the bulbs. Only a handful of states have laws that require recycling of CFLs. Minnesota’s energy company Minnesota Power has a free program for CFLs (but not tubes) and Chicago takes the bulbs as part of its hazardous waste collection. Home Depot has had a free recycling program since 2008, and other hardware stores such as Lowe’s and Menards have followed suit – but the efforts are not widely publicized. There are recycling boxes-by-mail programs, but these typically have a shipping fee.
However, Thermos says it may not make sense for more states to try to increase awareness for the recycling programs. Though CFLs now dominate the store shelves, they may just as quickly be also phased out in favor of LED bulbs, which are just as energy efficient, but don’t contain toxic materials. Like the CFL roll-out eight years ago, LED bulbs are currently cost-prohibitive for the average consumer to buy in bulk, but companies looking to “go green” are gaining sustainability points by installing all-LED lighting.
There’s other signs that CFLs are already on their way out. The government-sponsored Energy Star program rolled out rules this year, to take effect in 2017, that favor LEDs over CFLs. Energy giant GE publicly announced in February that it will no longer manufacture CFLs, and, literally, professed its love for LED as the future of lighting. The company predicts that more than 50 percent of homes will have predominantly LED lighting in just four years, while CFLs will decline.
Thermos says LED’s rise could harm CFL recycling, as costs to collect the florescent bulbs are currently subsidized by the sales of the products. “LED lights came on faster than we expected,” he says. “If the LED takeover continues to increase, we could lose a lot of funding. There’s ways to deal with it, such as manufacturers paying more in subsidies, but it could get tricky. It will definitely be an adjustment for the industry.”


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There’s more to early-stage funding than VC money – TechCrunch
Good companies will always get funded. If that’s your company, it’s important to make sure you have the resources to keep it alive long enough to get funded. Murmurs of a looming downturn in venture capital are pressuring more companies to preemptively begin fundraising, whether or not they have gained sufficient traction to justify their stated valuations.
Apply to Y Combinator
To apply for the Y Combinator program, submit an application form. We accept companies twice a year in two batches. The program includes dinners every Tuesday, office hours with YC partners and access to the network of other YC founders. The program culminates in Demo Day, where startups pitch to a carefully selected audience of investors.
Tribeca Venture Partners Closes Its Second NY-Focused Fund – TechCrunch
Tribeca Venture Partners, a New York-based early-stage venture firm founded in 2011, is today announcing that it has closed its second fund with $107 million — significantly more than its $65 million debut fund. That’s good news for New York startups. In a conversation earlier this week with Brian Hirsch and Chip Meakem — Tribeca’s co-founders and its sole investors […]


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Yeezy Day 2022 is true throughout the nook and followers are passionate about potential shock new releases and restocks from Adidas and Kanye West. Let us inform you what time it begins in 2022 and what chances are you’ll anticipate.
Adidas and Kanye have been working collectively since 2013, after Ye’s relationship with Nike broke down.
Yeezy Day was started once more in 2019 and has flip into well-liked amongst followers who want to seize a pair of the coveted footwear since.
Sole Retriever notes that the day may be an efficient method for Adidas to dispose of earlier stock that has been lying spherical for some time. Although Yeezy Day was stopped in 2020, it obtained right here once more in 2021 with a great deal of restocks and new colorways.
Photo by Jeremy Moeller/Getty Images
What time does Yeezy Day begin?
Yeezy Day 2022 is about to kick off on Tuesday, August 2nd and may proceed until Wednesday, August third. As per Sole Retriever, it’s set to begin out at 9 AM EST/6 AM PST.
The web page moreover notes that Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 “Turtle Dove” and the Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 V2 “Vanta” are anticipated to be a part of the sneaker releases.
As per GQ, Yeezy Day is believed for rivalling Nike’s annual Air Max Day.
Where will Yeezy Day occur?
Kanye’s followers, who’re wanting forward to Yeezy Day 2022, must be conscious that it’s going to utterly occur on YEEZY SUPPLY and on Adidas’ Confirmed app.
The event will occur in US and Canada, and Europe, China, as well as to in Japan and Korea.
This 12 months’s Yeezy Day is the first one to happen in Japan and Korea.
Adidas rumoured to restock a lot of Yeezys
A Yeezy Insider on Instagram who goes by the take care of @YeezyInfluence shared a picture of what followers might anticipate on Yeezy Day 2022.
Here’s their report of sneakers and totally different footwear anticipated to be a part of Adidas’ Yeezy day launch.
Adidas Yeezy 450 (*17*)
Adidas Yeezy 350 ‘Turtle Dove’
Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 ‘Wave Runner’
Adidas Yeezy Foam Runner ‘Mx Carbon’
Adidas Yeezy Foam Runner ‘Sand’
Adidas Yeezy Knit Runner ‘Fade Azure’
Adidas Yeezy Foam Runner ‘Onyx’
Adidas Yeezy 700 V3 ‘Azael’
Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 ‘Analog’
Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 ‘Core Black/Red’
Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 V2 ‘Static’
Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 ‘Sesame’
Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 ‘Hyperspace’
Adidas Yeezy 500 ‘Supermoon Yellow’
Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 V2 ‘Tephra’
Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 V2 ‘Hospital Blue’
Please bear in mind that these are merely rumours at this degree; Adidas has not confirmed one thing about new releases on the time of writing.


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United States/China – Consumers faced with the opportunity to recycle are likely to increase their resource consumption compared to those who aren’t in the position to do so, states a new study entitled ‘Recycling gone bad’ conducted by the University of California and the Tsinghua University in Beijing.
Recently published in the ‘Journal of Consumer Psychology’, the report questions the desirability of making recycling more available, arguing that it makes consumers ‘more wasteful’. This is especially the case if it concerns a product for which they are not required to pay directly, such as items available at a public facility.
Researchers Jesse R. Catlin and Yitong Wang came to this conclusion by doing an experiment which called for a group of 44 people to evaluate a new pair of scissors by cutting some of the provided paper. When divided into two groups, one with a recycling bin and one with only a waste bin present, it soon became clear that the subjects in close proximity to the recycling bin consumed significantly more paper. A similar test in rest rooms produced exactly the same result: consumers used far more paper towels once a recycling bin had been introduced.
This type of behaviour, explains Mr Catlin, takes root in the belief that recycling serves as a way to ‘justify increased consumption’ as it actively reduces the ‘guilt associated with consuming and disposing of a product’. He refers to this notion as a sort of ‘get out of jail free card’, rendering more extreme consumption of material socially acceptable.
‘Our findings indicate that merely emphasising the positive aspects of recycling and enhancing the availability of recycling options may not be sufficient to save natural resources, or at least doing this does not always yield the maximum environmental benefit,’ the researchers state.
According to Mr Wang, consumers might act differently if they knew more about what it takes to keep a sustainable industry running. ‘Though consumers are well informed that recycling is beneficial to the environment, the environmental costs of recycling, such as the water, energy, etc. used in recycling facilities, are less salient,’ he says.
For more information, visit: www.universityofcalifornia.edu and to read the entire report, check: www.papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2056047


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The Scoop: Today, younger singles and those across the gender spectrum use makeup to express themselves and feel comfortable in their own skin. More than half of Generation Z members don’t identify as cisgender or straight, which is why We Are Fluide makeup caters to those individuals. The brand is designed for everyone with its fun pops of color, gloss, and glitter. We Are Fluide only uses models who are LGBTQ+ and offers products to make everyone look and feel great before a date.
Today, many people see gender as a dynamic, fluid spectrum. No longer is it socially acceptable to presume that someone is simply a man or a woman just because of how they look. In fact, it’s rude to make such a binary judgment.
Laura Kraber realized that as she was raising her teenagers in New York City. While she was working for a startup in the health and wellness industry, she watched the younger generation change the way people think about gender and sexuality.
“I was privileged to witness the gender fluidity movement toward breaking down the masculine and feminine and seeing it as more of a spectrum instead of the rigid boxes that don’t serve anyone,” Laura said. “I was so impressed with so many young people who are working toward a more open understanding of gender. They are putting their own lives on the line to live their truths and be true to themselves.”
She also realized that makeup was an important and popular part of that journey. That’s why Laura decided to launch We Are Fluide, a makeup brand for people of any gender who use gloss, glitter, and fun pops of color to express themselves.
Today, people use makeup as a tool for self-expression rather than something they put on to impress others.
These days, it’s members of Generation Z who have joined the ranks of singles getting ready for dates with makeup. However, most makeup brands market their products directly to traditional segments, including young cis women.
We Are Fluide caters to those across the gender spectrum and goes a step further by only using LGBTQ+ models in its advertisements.
Highlighting LGBTQ+ Models and Fashion
One study shows that less than half of Gen Z identifies as straight. Yet, there wasn’t an edgy, cool beauty brand that spoke to the needs of those young adults who wanted to use makeup and fashion to express themselves.
Laura had some experience in ecommerce and digital marketing, but she brought in a team of people who were part of this emerging majority. One of her first team members was Dev Seldon, an actor, model, influencer, and creative director who produced the company’s logo, the website’s look, and the out-of-the-box aesthetic of the brand.
Next, she met and teamed up with people in New York to find a style and product line that spoke to them.
“For us, we’re all about showcasing and celebrating all kinds of people with all types of gender expressions and identities,” she said. “Through the simple act of representing people across the spectrum of genders, we can create a sense of community.”
The objective of using only LGBTQ+ models is to show current and future customers that there are people who look and think as they do. If all people see are cisgender models, and they live in a town that’s not as welcoming to those who chose to live outside binary gender labels, their self-esteem may suffer.
Makeup is also different from more permanent methods of outwardly expressing to the world who you are. Surgery, tattoos, or other procedures are much more serious decisions than wearing gloss on your cheekbones for a date.
“It offers a lot of freedom and opportunities for people to feel the transformative act of self-expression,” Laura said.
Universal Product Line Provides Users More Access
We Are Fluide products have been available online since 2018 and ship throughout the United States and Canada. In 2020, the brand expanded into retail stores, including Urban Outfitters and Nordstrom. And the brand hopes to be in even more stores by the end of the year.
Its products work for all skin tones and all gender identities, Laura said.
Some of the most popular products are in its Universal line and includes a Universal crayon that works on your lips, eyelids, and cheeks. The Universal liner has glitter but is also safe for lips and can work to give cheekbones a little extra shine.
“That’s a big part of the philosophy; having fun, easy products that you can’t go wrong with. We’re versatile and multipurpose,” Laura said.
The products are also free of parabens and phthalates, which have the potential to disrupt hormones. We Are Fluide nail polish is also free from the seven common toxic ingredients often in polish. They even sell a glitter that is biodegradable and made from wood pulp.
These are high-quality products designed for singles and couples of all types, and the price point is accessible, too.
We Are Fluide offers a video series called Make Up The Rules on YouTube. People watch the episodes to get inspired through tutorials and see other confident people who look like them and are comfortable in their own skin. For those struggling to feel accepted, seeing smiles on the site can be just as fun as trying a new look.
“We’re trying to add some levity and joy with the idea that makeup can be for you and help you in your journey to help you look and feel your best,” Laura told us.
We Are Fluide: Helping All Singles Feel Beautiful
Laura said the team at Fluide recognizes that people often have baggage and that makeup is complicated in the same way that identity and self-expression are complicated.
“Whether you’re a trans teenager or non-binary or a cisgender, straight person, the way we move through the world in terms of our identity and self-esteem, it’s not easy for a lot of people,” she told us.
The team receives plenty of emails and messages on social media from customers and their parents, saying that the brand helps them feel seen. The positive feedback makes all the hard work of starting up a beauty brand in a highly competitive market worth it, Laura said.
In one testimonial video, for example, Zenobia talks about growing up feeling like they weren’t allowed to use makeup, but that changed when they started dressing in drag.
“As someone who is pretty consistently read as trans every day, it’s a fight,” Zenobia said. “For so many people, you are the first trans person that some of them see. It’s a lot of energy to carry, so finding ways to care for yourself has been really instrumental.”
Another customer named Keith said they used to hide who they were when younger, but they started using makeup to show how they were feeling. They liked how it was possible to change their look with makeup every day because we all feel different every day — and often every hour.
“I think self-expression is something that is important for everybody,” Keith said. “It isn’t trivial or superficial. I think it’s just a way of communicating.”


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Digital TV News: Freescale
IC Insights shows big changes in 2013 top 20 semi supplier ranking
Apr 1, 2014 – The top 20 worldwide semiconductor sales leaders for 2013 included nine suppliers headquartered in the U.S., three in Japan, three in Taiwan, three in Europe, and two in South Korea, a relatively broad representation of geographic regions, according to IC Insights.
News categories: IC Insights, Market Research, Semiconductor, Worldwide
Semiconductor sales recover in 2013
Dec 3, 2013 – Following a 2.5 percent decline in 2012, the global semiconductor market has regained its footing in 2013 with revenue set to expand by nearly 5 percent because of the strong performance of the memory sector.
News categories: IHS Inc, Dale Ford, Market Research, Semiconductor
Worldwide total semiconductor market to grow 3% in 2013
Sep 12, 2013 – According to ABI Research, the worldwide semiconductor market is expected to grow 3% from 2012 to 2013. There has been sequential market growth from 1Q13 to 2Q13 and the vast majority of the top 20 vendors are expecting 3Q13 to grow revenues again.
News categories: ABI Research, Peter Cooney, Market Research, Semiconductor
Rovi and Freescale unveil Android chipset certified for DivX Plus Streaming
Jul 11, 2013 – Rovi (NASDAQ: ROVI) has announced that Freescale is releasing an Android chipset certified for DivX Plus Streaming. The Freescale i.MX 6Quad applications processor is designed for use in a broad range of consumer electronics (CE) products.
News categories: Rovi Corp, Freescale, Media Player, Semiconductor, Streaming
Jungo Supports HD Video in its Automotive Connectivity Middleware
May 30, 2012 – Jungo has added playback and distribution of HD video support to its In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) middleware. The company's automotive connectivity middleware with HD video support will be on display at the Telematics Detroit 2012 conference.
News categories: Jungo, In-Car, Middleware
Global System-On-a-Chip Market to Reach US$48.8 Billion by 2017
Apr 12, 2012 – Global Industry Analysts (GIA) has announced the release of a report on the System-On-a-Chip (SoC) market. The market for SoCs is projected to reach US$48.8 billion by 2017.
News categories: Global Industry Analysts, Market Research, Semiconductor
Rovi Signs With Freescale for First DivX Plus Streaming Mobile Agreement
Feb 28, 2012 – Rovi Corporation (Nasdaq:ROVI) has announced its DivX Plus Streaming™ technology will be integrated into the latest Freescale i.MX 6 series ARM®-based processors for tablets and other smart mobile devices.
News categories: Rovi Corp, Freescale, Media Player, MWC21, Semiconductor, Smartphone, Tablet
ARM Forecast to Significantly Increase Lead in the Battle for the Digital Home
Jul 12, 2011 – Preliminary findings from Semicast's forthcoming report 'Opportunities for Embedded Processors in the Digital Home' show ARM (LSE: ARM; Nasdaq: ARMH) increased its position as the leading architecture for embedded processors in digital home applications in 2010.
News categories: Semicast, DVD, Gaming, Market Research, Portable, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Tablet
Samsung Closes in on Intel for Semiconductor Market Leadership in 2010
Apr 19, 2011 – Continuing its steady rise in the semiconductor industry, Samsung in 2010 came closer to challenging Intel's chip market leadership than any company had in more than a decade, new IHS iSuppli market research has revealed.
News categories: iSuppli, Market Research, Semiconductor
- Roku launches player line-up for Germany
- 5G Broadcast and DTT can share UHF band and broadcast infrastructure
- SVOD household penetration in Malaysia to reach 27% in 2025
- Accedo powers Arabic SVOD service from TenTime
- Wurl unveils performance marketing service for streamers
- Origin selects Kantar for UK media measurement
- Germany to overtake the UK by SVOD subscribers
- Roku launches OneView ad platform for Canada
- NEXTGEN TV launched on five local TV stations in St. Louis, MO
- Redbox signs distribution agreement with Vewd
- SpringServe first independent ad server to integrate with IRIS.TV
- Robust growth forecast for SVOD revenue in India
- Latest Vestel TVs certified for DTS:X immersive audio
- Wiztivi develops UI for Sagemcom Video Soundbox STB
- AlphaOTT partners with STI Telecom for OTT/IPTV headend services
- UEI providing voice-enabled remote for Astro's Ultra set-tops
- Ross Video withdraws from IBC 2021 exhibition
- Comcast brings XiOne streaming box to the U.S.
- Liberty Global to sell UPC Polska to iliad’s Play subsidiary
- Subscription fatigue in Australia? Not yet but on the way


text: This from Google re. the FTC reports… In its clearance opinion released today, the FTC explicitly rejected any current or potential competition concerns. Google and DoubleClick are complementary businesses and do not compete with each other. Google’s current business primarily involves the selling of text-based ads, while DoubleClick’s core business is delivering and reporting on display ads. DoubleClick does not buy ads, sell ads, or buy or sell advertising space. Rather, it provides technology to enable advertisers and publishers to deliver ads once they have agreed to terms, and to provide advertisers and publishers statistics relating to those ads. The FTC’s opinion also noted the robust competition in the online ad serving space, and Google’s acquisition of DoubleClick is just one of several recent transactions that underscore this strong competition. In recent months, several major transactions in the online advertising space were announced, including Yahoo’s acquisition of Right Media; AOL’s acquisition of ADTECH AG and TACODA; WPP Group’s acquisition of 24/7 Real Media; and Microsoft’s $6 billion acquisition of aQuantive and acquisition of AdECN Inc. Google cannot close the acquisition until the European Commission, which is still examining the transaction, grants clearance of the deal.


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Stealing and identity theft allegations can lead to serious consequences in the event of a conviction. A woman from Columbia was recently arrested after a Boone County Sheriff’s Deputy pulled her vehicle over for allegedly having no front license plate. She is now facing charges that include stealing a significant amount of electronic products from various Walmart stores throughout Missouri, along with suspicion of identity theft. Authorities allege that when she was pulled over she failed to give the deputy her own name but instead supplied her sister’s identifying information.
They further say that she confessed later that she had supplied inaccurate information knowing that she had outstanding warrants out for her arrest in several other Missouri jurisdictions. Those warrants all appear to be for felony stealing and stem from allegations that the woman stole electronic items, including video game consoles and games, a laptop computer and other such products from more than one Walmart store. It is believed that the woman worked with a partner in at least one of the alleged thefts.
Officials indicated that the purported partner had previously worked for Walmart, so had inside information on how to neutralize security tags and cut locking wire off of items. When police arrested the woman after the recent traffic stop, they reported that she had jewelry and other items in her possession but were not yet sure if the items had been stolen. They did arrest the woman due to her outstanding theft warrants and also for suspected identity theft. At last report, the woman was still in jail pending a $182,500 bond.
While the stealing and identity theft charges that this woman faces are quite serious in nature, it is not an automatic fact that she will be convicted of the charges. Government officials rightly have a high burden of proof to overcome when they present a criminal case in court. An accused person cannot be convicted if that standard of proof is not met.
Source: The Columbia Daily Tribune, “Traffic stop finds suspect in thefts,” Dec. 14, 2012


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By | Jan 23, 2019 at 2:23 pm
The second annual PodCon, a convention for podcasters and their fans, took place in Seattle over the weekend. The event still embodied the scrappy underdog on its second outing: It’s one of the smaller cons around, fascinating not for its size, but for the future it represents.
By | Jan 23, 2019 at 2:07 pm
Freelancer.com has collated data from its nearly 2 million job postings to reveal the fastest growing online jobs over the past year. Content and writing, blockchain and e-commerce-related jobs were among the fastest growing remote jobs of 2018.
By | Jan 23, 2019 at 11:49 am
Chinese phone manufacturer Xiaomi is the latest company to unveil a folding phone prototype. So is it set to be a game changer or a folding flop? We take a look at the details to find out whether we should be looking forward to the new phone.
By | Jan 22, 2019 at 7:18 am
Google has been slapped with a record €50 million fine by the French data protection watchdog, CNIL, for breaking the GDPR rules. Specifically, Google has been taken to task for failing to disclose how it used user data when selling personalized adverts.
By | Jan 22, 2019 at 7:10 am
It seems that Uber is planning on bringing a new type of vehicle to your town, and this one doesn't even have a driver. This weekend, it was revealed that the company is currently working on a concept for self-driving scooters, designed to get themselves home without you.
By | Jan 18, 2019 at 6:54 pm
Wasp's asset tracking technology comes with a core functionality that covers the basics that most companies care about: It's fast and understandable, it automates reporting and auditing needs, and it comes with strong role-based security settings. Is it right for you?
By | Jan 18, 2019 at 12:03 pm
Microsoft is stopping support of Windows 7 in 2020, marking the end of over a decade of life for the operating system, which inadvertently found itself to be something of a fan favorite over the years. We explain what it means, and what you need to do.
By | Jan 18, 2019 at 10:57 am
In 2019, securing your personal information online is more important than ever, and getting a password manager can make all the difference. Check out these password managers for Android users to lock it down.
By | Jan 18, 2019 at 10:24 am
The internet is already awash with rumors about OnePlus' upcoming replacement for the 6T. Will it be all-screen, have a pop-up camera, or offer 5G compatibility? We've taken a look at all the leaks to work out whether they're on the money or wide of the mark.
By | Jan 18, 2019 at 4:32 am
We review the best ecommerce website builders on the market, including Shopify, BigCommerce and Volusion. Based on our independent testing we rate them for sales features, website customization, ease of use and more, to find which one is the best across the board.
By | Jan 17, 2019 at 4:45 pm
U.S. senator Marco Rubio has a new bill calling on the Federal Trade Commission to draft data privacy regulations covering companies including Facebook and Alphabet’s Google. Here's what that means.
By | Jan 17, 2019 at 2:55 pm
Data breaches have become all too common in the world today, which makes this massive collection of more than 770 million email addresses and passwords all the more unsettling. Luckily, there are measures you can take to protect yourself.
By | Jan 17, 2019 at 10:09 am
After an iPad, but not sure which model should you buy – the 9.7-inch iPad, or the iPad Pro? We take a look at the benefits of the Pro over the standard 9.7-inch iPad, and help you decide which one you should go for.
By | Jan 17, 2019 at 8:48 am
Everything happens so much and so often these days, it can be hard to keep up. That's why we're bringing you all the stories you won't want to miss from the last week on the internet. This week we take a look at: Nike's new trainers, the Sims version of Alexa, and an egg.
By | Jan 16, 2019 at 12:29 pm
The Samsung S10 is only a month away, and yet we know very little about it, officially at least. Will it be foldable, 5G, outrageously pricey?The rumor mill is in full swing, and hype levels are through the roof. We round up what we know about the Samsung Galaxy S10 so far.


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Call it Fantasy Island.
A $245 million winning Powerball ticket was purchased at a supermarket on Staten Island, lottery officials said Sunday.
The name of the person who bought the ticket at the Stop & Shop on Hylan Blvd. in New Dorp was not known as of Sunday. Store employees told the Daily News that 50 to 100 people spend at least $5 on tickets and scratchoffs every day.
“I know a lot of people spend a lot of money and buy a lot of tickets," clerk Montana Herrera told The News. “And with the Mega and Powerball, I didn’t think anybody would win, but they did.”
“It’s exciting,” store manager Larry DiAntonio said. “Now it’s a waiting game to see who won. Hopefully, somebody in the community, somebody who’s a regular shopper in the store, or a worker. We don’t know.”
The winning numbers — 5, 43, 56, 62, 68 — reaped a top prize of $245.6 million. There was also a Powerball number of 24 and a Power Play of X2.
“I was thinking, ‘Damn, I should play,’ but then I thought, ‘Nah, because it’s not gonna happen here,’ ” Herrera said. “And then it happened.”
The winner should receive about $147 million before taxes, according to reports.
DiAntonio said that a lot of the customers are an “extension of his family” because he sees them almost every day.
“Maybe they’ll bring some of that money back,” DiAntonio joked.
Powerball is available in 44 states around the country. An Oregon resident won $150 million in June.


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Friday, June 22, 2007, 11:00 am PT (02:00 pm ET)
iTunes passes Amazon to become third largest U.S. music retailerApple Inc.'s iTunes Store recently cruised by online retailer Amazon.com to become third largest music retailer in the United States, according to a new study from market research firm NPD Group.
For the first quarter of 2007, the digital download service snagged nearly 10 percent (9.8 percent ) of overall retail music sales, placing it ahead of both Amazon.com and Target, which captured 6.7 percent and 6.6 percent, respectively.
Apple trails only industry leader Wal-Mart with 15.8 percent and runner-up Best Buy with 13.8 percent. By comparison, Best Buy's online music store, which is restricted to digital tracks like iTunes, garnered only a 1.1 percent market share.
NPD attributed Apple's gains to stellar iPod sales during the past holiday shopping season.
Upon last check in November of 2005, Apple ranked seventh on the list of leading U.S. music retailers, having then passed Tower Records, Sam Goody and Borders to crack the Top-10 for the first time.
According to NPD, digital music downloads during the first quarter of the year accounted for only 13.8 percent of all music purchases. The remaining 86.2 percent were sold in physical disc format.
On Topic: General
- Apple, Samsung dispute tentative juror verdict form in California patent trial
- NBC's 'Today' offers rare look inside Apple's iCloud data center in feature on environment
- Apple reaches settlement in Silicon Valley anti-poaching lawsuit [ux2]
- Google exec & social networking chief Vic Gundotra leaves company
- Tim Cook offering lunch date at Apple HQ for charity


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SSE which is one of the big six energy companies billed a customer £33,000 for just one day of usage in a glitch with faulty smart meters.
SSE has launched an investigation after a customer was informed that their daily budget went over by a staggering 3,000,000% per cent.
A customer took to twitter showing their bill of £33,183 which was their apparent usage of gas in just one day compared to the average household bill being around £830.
A spokesman for SSE said: “We’re aware of a number of SSE customers currently seeing inaccurate readings on their in-home display as a result of an issue with a routine software upgrade carried out over the weekend.
“Customers should rest assured that their billing is completely unaffected as the technical issue only affects the digital display in their home.
“We will be contacting any affected customers directly with more information and hope to get their in-home displays back to normal as soon as possible.”
The government wants these smart devices to be rolled out to all homes across the UK by 2020.


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Biometrics in the Payment Industry:
“Almost Every Bank, Retailer, Payment Company Is Looking at How to Incorporate Biometrics Into Their Future”
— Peter O’Neill — FindBiometrics
(Marketwired – November 06, 2015)
Investorideas.com, a global news source covering leading sectors including tech reports on the recent Money20/20 2015 Conference held at the Venetian in Las Vegas and the role biometrics will play in the future of the payment industry.
Money 20/20 is one of the largest events covering payments and financial services innovation and biometric technology was a key topic in many of the panel sessions, as well as being incorporated into many of the exhibiting technologies.
Bryan Yeager, an analyst at eMarketer Inc., in his presentation at Market Overview: Mobile Wallets & Payments referenced that, “The movie ‘Back to the Future 2’ featured biometrically authenticated payments in a scene where this guy asks Marty to thumb him $100 to save the clock tower. That shows they were looking at biometrics in payments back in 1985.”
The industry has come a long way and is now very much a part of reality as noted in the session, ‘Biometric Identity & its Applications in Financial Services & Payments’, moderated and introduced by Peter O’Neill, President, FindBiometrics.
Peter told an attentive audience, “Biometric technology is more popular than ever before. New advances in biometrics have allowed for massive proliferation. All the big players are now involved; Apple, Microsoft, Samsung, Google, MasterCard, USAA, Toyota, Visa, Facebook, Ford, General Motors, TD, Scotia, Royal, CIBC, Alibaba, Qualcomm, PayPal, Intel, and on and on and on.”
Commenting on the topic with Peter were some of the big names in the industry with speakers including Paul Burmester, CEO, Validsoft; Philippe Le Pape, VP Sales Director, Morpho (Safran); Bob Reany, Group Head & SVP, Identity Solutions, MasterCard; Rick Swenson, AVP Enterprise Fraud Prevention & Detection, USAA; and Conor White, President, Americas, Daon. They discussed how different biometric technologies including voice, face, fingerprint and iris recognition are enabling new applications in financial services and payments.
Investorideas.com also talked to one of the exhibiting companies at Money 20/20 focusing on biometric security for the payment sector. Gino Pereira, CEO of NXT-ID shared how his company is taking a unique approach to payment technology. Unlike an Apple Pay, his company’s Wocket® is separate from a phone. Since security concerns are a key inhibitor to mobile payment adoption, he feels he is on the right track.
They have also created dual authentication access with a combination of PIN and/or their voice recognition technology, VoiceMatch™.
Gino said, “All your information is stored in here – in this secure unit and as you select the items to pay, it programs one single card. In fact, it becomes a secure method by which you swipe and pay with the card of your choice. If you lose it, there is no identifying information on your card so nobody can take your credit card number. If you lose your Wocket®, all your information is stored securely so without the alpha numeric pin or voice biometrics to gain access, there is no way you can take over my Wocket. (www.wocketwallet.com).”
Video Clip: Gino Pereira, CEO of NXT-ID talks about Wocket
* Note there are some edits in this video due to background noises at Money 20/20 and part of the audio was re-recorded.
Peter O’Neill, President, FindBiometrics also noted in his introduction that since last year’s panel, the biometrics and finance market has evolved significantly. “The world’s most prominent mobile concerns have biometrically enabled M-payment platforms. Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Android Pay, PayPal and Alipay – major payment networks, have integrated biometrics into their offerings and banks have embraced biometrics for phone, mobile and ATM banking.”
Peter also said, “As data breaches continue to rise and as the password continues to prove totally ineffective and as the public yearns for a better, more convenient and secure way forward – almost every bank retailer and credit card company is looking at how to incorporate biometrics into their future.”
As the industry’s primetime conference and trade show, Money20/20 delivers the biggest scale, best audience and most engaging event. Money20/20 is the largest global event focused on payments and financial services innovation for connected commerce at the intersection of mobile, retail, marketing services, data and technology. With 10,000+ attendees, including more than 1,000+ CEOs, from 3,000+ companies and 75 countries, expected at our 2015 U.S. event, Money20/20 is critical to realizing the vision of disruptive ways in which consumers and businesses manage, spend and borrow money.
Visit the Money20/20 conference web site at: Money2020.com
InvestorIdeas.com is a global investor news source that follows the money in mining, energy, renewable energy, water stocks, food and beverage (including organic and LOHAS, wine), defense and security, biotech, technology and mobile. We have also recently expanded our global coverage to include Latin American stocks, sports and entertainment.
Visit the corporate web page at: InvestorIdeas.com
For more information: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/biometrics-payment-industry-almost-every-130000319.html
Disclaimer/ Disclosure: The Investors News Magazine is a third party publisher of news and research as well as creates original content as a news source. Original content created by Investors News Magazine is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investment involves risk and possible loss of investment. This site may be compensated by featured companies for news submissions and content marketing. Contact each company directly for press release questions. Disclosure is posted on each release if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and is published for the sole interest of our readers.


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The CEOs of Microsoft Corp. and Cisco Systems Inc. this morning announced what amounts to a pre-emptive cease-fire in what some observers expect will be a nasty battle for market share between Microsoft's and Cisco's unified communications products.
Microsoft's Steve Ballmer and Cisco's John Chambers spent 45 minutes assuring invited press and analysts at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in New York (and everyone else via webcast) that the two companies will continue to make Microsoft's and Cisco's unified communications -- as well as other products -- interoperable, no matter how rancorous the competition becomes.
"This [announcement] is driven by customers who want to know how Cisco and Microsoft are going to work together and where they're going to compete," Chambers said.
"Our customers love that we compete," Ballmer said. "'Isn't it great that we can get Voice over IP infrastructure from either Cisco or from Microsoft?' That's great. What they're saying is, 'If I choose to use some of your stuff ... and some of Cisco's, we expect it to work."
Customers -- according to Chambers and Ballmer -- began to ask about the competitive atmosphere during two years of on-again, off-again work to build compatibility between Microsoft's Network Access Protection (NAP) and Cisco's Network Admission Control (NAC).
The products did work together when they shipped, but the spat and technical differences between NAC and NAP have slowed sales of both.
"People love to say [that] it's black or it's white -- we're competitors or we're partners," Ballmer said. "But there's overlap. The question is how do we talk to each other -- not to change each other's plans, but to give customers what they want."
"That's not the message we're receiving from the customers in our base," countered Matt Briggs, partner and director of sales for Single Path, a Crestwood, Ill.-based Voice over IP (VoIP) and unified communications specialist that Cisco named its Midwestern regional partner of the year.
"People are starting to do some investigating; the message is starting to filter down to the SMB, where we operate, about Microsoft's VoIP," Briggs said. "What we hear is when people are upgrading Exchange and moving to [Office] 2007, they know there are some more robust communications and want to ask us what we know about it as UC [unified communications] specialists for Cisco."
Cooperation among value-added resellers (VARs) and integrators within both Microsoft's and Cisco's channels is already common, according to Briggs, whose company sells only Cisco and contracts with a VAR partner for joint Cisco-Microsoft unified communications and other product installations.
The competition between Microsoft's and Cisco's unified communications is going to get heavier, however, as the two corporate Bigfeet lumber into one another's territories, Briggs said. Cisco, for example, has gone beyond the wiring closet with the desktop-based Unified Personal Communicator, which combines voice, email, video and Web conferencing into an individual PC.
"And Microsoft, they're going to make it interesting, because they're an absolute powerhouse," Briggs said. "There's not a lot of overlap between us and our Microsoft specialists we partner with. But that will change as [Microsoft] gets the call control hammered out in Office Communications Server."
There has been some angst among customers, however, especially in big companies that might end up running similar products from different vendors to meet the needs of different business units, according to Zeus Kerravala, analyst at Yankee Group Research Inc. in Boston.
"Most people run both Cisco products and Microsoft products; Cisco UC has to run with Microsoft UC," Kerravala said. "They can't put their customers in that position. But there wasn't much of substance today. There will be some tension in that situation until they do something concrete."
Ballmer and Chambers spoke mostly in generalities; the greatest detail about what both described as a "partnership" came from a press release listing seven major technology areas in which each company pledged to make its products compatible with technology from the other.
The announcement also included broad descriptions of four "areas of collaboration" and a four-point "framework for cooperation."
"We didn't really expect to see anything more concrete right now," said Robert Arnold, an enterprise infrastructure analyst with Current Analysis Inc. in Sterling, Va. "They're not going to outwardly call themselves mortal enemies."
Even tempered by a cease-fire, however, that animosity will put channel companies in a touchy position, Arnold said. Customers with an IBM network and Microsoft email are unlikely to ditch IBM to install Cisco's UC equipment, he said. And Cisco shops are unlikely to choose Microsoft's UC over Cisco's.
At customers without a strong legacy, however, the choice will be up in the air, and each vendor will probably bring pressure on the VAR to push the deal their way, he said.
"Ultimately the VAR is going to have to choose the best solution for the customer," Arnold said. "If they don't, then the customer's not going to be happy, and the VAR won't be happy, and eventually Microsoft and Cisco won't be. It's got to be the right match."


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As I reported just this morning, a hack into an AWS customer, Code Spaces, yesterday caused the company to have to shut its doors due to the breach. The attack was accompanied by an extortion attempt and resulted in the loss of most of the data the company had been storing for customers. Despite supposed redundancy, the data is unrecoverable.
Today, two more services are under attack. Websolr and Bonsai have stated that their AWS account has been compromised and the intruder has had access to their AWS EC2 account.
The Bonsai server status page details the 5 hour blight, from intrusion to data restoration attempts.
Websolr is providing updates through its Twitter account, with the most current update showing that the full service restoration is going to take a while.
Still no firm ETA on recovery from backup. This will be a long, slow process and anyone who can create a new index should reindex.— Websolr Status (@websolrstatus) June 19, 2014
As I mentioned earlier, Amazon itself is not being blamed since AWS puts responsibility for lost or stolen credentials on the customer. However, it seems a bit strange that two very similar occurrences have hit AWS customers in such a short time frame. One has to think that a hacker, or team of hackers, are targeting customers of AWS and they may have figured out Amazon's protection schemes. I could be wrong about that, but time will tell.
Perception of security, of course, is the biggest detractor of businesses deciding to go "all in" for the Cloud. Two successful hacks in two days is too much.


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Culver City-based Mangomint Inc. has raised $13 million in its most recent funding round, according to its chief funder.
OpenView Venture Partners, a Boston-based expansion-stage venture capital firm, announced an update to its portfolio last month with the addition of Mangomint, a cloud-based salon and spa booking service.
In a co-written blog post, OpenView vice president Sean Fanning and partner Sanjev Kalevar said Mangomint was incredibly well positioned to capitalize on the post-Covid revival of the beauty and wellness service industry.
“Three years later, the market for beauty and wellness services has made a resurgence with an estimated $450 billion in spend in 2022,” Kalevar and Fanning wrote. “While the industry itself is thriving, many business owners are still struggling with technology and how software can help them run better businesses. Owners are still asking themselves ‘How do I provide the absolute best experience to my clients? How do I attract and retain the best staff? How can I run my business without having to be on-site 24/7?’”
The firm believes Mangomint, founded in 2017 by Los Angeles-area executives Daniel Lang, Dan Poineau and Sandra Huber, provides that answer for salon and spa services. Though the company did not respond to a Dec. 27 email inquiry, Mangomint’s website boasts the service recently surpassed 200,000 appointments booked throughout the U.S. and Canada on a monthly basis, which translates to $25 million sales processed monthly.
Mangomint Chief Executive Daniel Lang said the company has set big goals for this year, and that onlookers should expect “us to accelerate the pace at which we deliver both small and big improvements.”
“As we begin this new phase of our company with a solid foundation and fresh capital to invest, we want to make this our new mission: to make salon and spa software invisible,” wrote Lang.


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Insights: UK retail prospects for 2019
A leading retail think tank has predicted that the UK retail sector will struggle to grow in 2019, regardless of what happens with Brexit.
Members of the KPMG/Ipsos Retail Think Tank also highlighted the main challenges that retailers will need to overcome during the year.
The think tank said major issues in the sector will include changing consumer behaviour, the over-supply of bricks-and-mortar stores, high levels of legacy debt, regulatory and compliance costs, macro-economic and geopolitical challenges, and a lack of talent at the top of retail businesses to help deliver change.
Paul Martin, UK head of retail at KPMG, said: “It is too easy to point the finger at Brexit as the singular cause of all the woes in the industry. There is in fact a much wider array of forces at play currently. These forces have been gathering momentum for a number of years and are by no means new.”
The think tank also said that many factors, including Brexit and the health of the wider economy, will be out of a retailers’ control in 2019, but that “controlling the controllable” will provide the best chance of survival in the next 12 months.
Members of the think tank agreed that maintaining brand identity and delivering a clear and focused proposition to customers will remain critical to retailers’ success in 2019. It also said that click and collect still offers a number of untapped opportunities and that retailers could do more to integrate the service into the customer experience when shoppers collect their goods in-store.
The think tank also said it could envisage there being a slight correction back in favour of physical stores in 2019 as shoppers seek out more tangible experiences and awareness grows around the true cost of home delivery.
Despite ongoing challenges that could intensify further, members were optimistic about the future of those retailers who focus on key areas such as delivering growth, suppressing cost and boosting efficiency, putting the customer first, taking their staff on the transformation journey and building their brand and reputation.
Martin added: “2019 is forecast to be a turbulent year for retailers in the UK. Certain developments and events will sit beyond their control. But it is controlling the controllable, acknowledging the challenges and addressing these whilst proactively embracing the opportunity, which can deliver success.”
Learn more on how to ensure success in 2019 by attending the Retail Bulletin Omnichannel Futures Conference on 6 February. Book now to secure your half price early bird tickets at £125 using the discount code RETAILER50
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It is not polite to steal from a person's home, but a burglar in Milwaukee showed some manners while stealing thousands of dollars worth of electronics and a car.
The thief was caught on a home security camera Thursday taking off his shoes before entering the home, and then locking up when he was finished, WTMJ reported.
A 'polite' burglar made off with thousands of dollars in electronics and a couple's car.https://t.co/5waaNUn77x— TODAY'S TMJ4 (@tmj4) October 13, 2019
The burglar took the couple's computer, other electronics and their car while the couple slept, the television station reported.
The man got into the three-story condominium by breaking into the couple's car, according to the homeowner, Alex, who did not want to give his last name.
"A guy was able to break into my car. Which allowed him to get the garage door opener. Which allowed him to get inside the house," Alex told WTMJ.
Once he got inside, "He took his shoes off here," Alex told the television station.
Without shoes, the burglar quietly went through the home, stealing items from their office and even stealing an iPad that was charging in a second-floor bathroom next to the couple's bedroom.
"He is literally 3 feet from the head of my bed where we are sleeping. It's unbelievable," Alex told WTMJ. "It was extremely scary. I feel fortunate we didn't wake up, because to me it looks like he did have a gun from the footage."
The man returned to the garage, packed up the loot into a car in the garage and drove away, the television station reported.
"Ultimately then he left out of the garage in my wife's car," Alex told WTMJ. "He was nice enough to shut the garage as he was leaving."
Milwaukee police officials said they are searching for the burglar.
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Samsung revealed that its flagship phones, Galaxy S9 and S9+ will be launched on February 25, ahead of Mobile World Congress (MWC) next month. The South Korean firm confirmed the same by officially posting the invitation for Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event where the duo will be presented.
As per the invitation, the number “9” alludes to Galaxy S9/S9+ and the text “The Camera. Reimagines.” could be presumed to refer to the upgraded camera performance. “If a picture is worth a thousand words, the latest member of the Galaxy family has a lot to say.” company writes alongside the invite.
Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ Features (Leaked)
Previous camera rumors of the new Galaxy S-series hinted that the phones will have “Super Speed Dual Pixel 12 MP” sensor on the rear. The sensor will have a slow-mo mode, OIS and variable f/1.5 to f/2.4 aperture lens. While on the front, it has an 8MP AF selfie camera.
Samsung once again will be offering bezel-less infinity 5.8-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED display with 18.5:9 aspect ratio. The phone will be powered by industry’s latest Snapdragon 845 chipset, and the global version, with an equivalent Exynos 9810 SoC.
The phone will run on Samsung’s latest Experience 9.0 based Android Oreo out of the box. The Galaxy S9 is said to have 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM while the Galaxy S9+ could employ 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. Chances are the Galaxy S9+ may also arrive with a 512GB storage option.
Other Galaxy S9 and S9+ features include AKG-tuned stereo speakers and earphones, wireless charging support, Knox security, IP68 water and dust resistance, and iris scanner.
Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ Price in India and Launch Date
The Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ expected to launch in India sometime in March 2018 after a global launch on 25 February. Samsung is likely to announce S9 and S9+ price at the same event.
Samsung S9 and S9+ Specifications
|Model||Galaxy S9||Galaxy S9+|
|Display||5.8-inch Quad HD+ 18.5:9 Super AMOLED display||6.3-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED display|
|Processor||Snapdragon 845/ Exynos 9810 SoC||Snapdragon 845/ Exynos 9810 SoC|
|Internal Storage||64GB, Expandable||64GB/128GB, expandable|
|Software||Experience 9.0 based Android Oreo||Experience 9.0 based Android Oreo|
|Primary Camera||Super Seed Dual Pixel 12 MP OIS (f1.5/F2.4)||Super Seed Dual Pixel 12 MP OIS (f1.5/F2.4)|
|Secondary Camera||8MP AF||8MP AF|
|Others||4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, AKG-tuned speakers and earphones, wireless charging support, Knox security, IP68 water and dust resistance, and iris scanner||4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, AKG-tuned speakers and earphones, wireless charging support, Knox security, IP68 water and dust resistance, and iris scanner|
|Price||To be announced||To be announced|


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2022 Suzuki Ertiga Hybrid makes ASEAN debut
Will the Indonesian launch of the Ertiga Hybrid mean the Philippines could be next?
Confirmed: Suzuki will bring hybrids to PH
Newly-appointed GM for Automobiles says Suzuki will launch hybrid powertrain
2022 Suzuki Ertiga 1.5L hybrid launched with 6-speed auto
Refreshed inside and out, say hello to the 2022 Suzuki Ertiga with Smart Hybrid Tech
2022 Suzuki XL6 revealed with 1.5L hybrid, 6-speed A/T
Expect the Ertiga and the XL7 to come with Suzuki's new mild-hybrid powertrains
2022 Suzuki Ertiga to get hybrid tech, 6-speed A/T
All-new Suzuki Ertiga to get a bevy of upgrades including design, powertrain, and amenities
Suzuki Auto Festival returns this December 18-19
Suzuki PH brings back Suzuki Auto Festival, scheduled this Dec. 18-19
Suzuki now 3rd best-selling auto brand in PH
The Suzuki Carry is actually the company's best-selling vehicle in PH
Suzuki Indonesia to build hybrid versions of Ertiga, XL7
Suzuki plans to reveal mild-hybrid Ertiga by 2022, XL7 by 2023
The best-selling Suzuki in 2021 (so far) is...
What is Suzuki PH's top-selling model of 2021 so far?
Get up to PHP 200K off with Suzuki's All Out, Blow Out promo
Take advantage of big discounts and special low downpayment schemes for the Ciaz, S-Presso, XL7, and Ertiga


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Late last year, Brand USA announced an expansive campaign to overcome negative stereotypes about US travel. What will be the focus of the initiative's first wave?
When we launch the campaign in May, it will be our nation's first collaborative global marketing effort to encourage foreign visitors to explore the endless travel possibilities in the US. It's an incredible opportunity and a huge undertaking because this is the first time it's been done.
The official unveiling occurs at one of the largest travel trade show events — International Pow Wow — on April 22 in front of more than 1,000 US travel organizations and 1,200 international and domestic travel buyers representing 70 countries. Together these buyers and sellers will be negotiating business that will generate an estimated $3.5 billion in future USA travel.
The marketing campaign will include TV, signage, digital, mobile, print, and social media. The first wave will begin in May in Canada, Japan, and the UK. Brazil and South Korea will be added in June. We'll announce even more markets in July.
Our marketing strategy will focus on connecting travelers with the limitless and inspiring experiences the US offers, from the great outdoors to culture, from simple indulgences to urban excitement. We're excited to show the world what we have to offer.
How will you partner with the Obama administration or build on the momentum of his call for a national tourism strategy that will boost the economy?
That's another unique aspect of Brand USA. It's the only collaborative effort that brings together the efforts of the administration, the travel industry and some of the world's largest brands — and the effort is well worth it.
Over the past 10 to 12 years, the US has not kept pace with growth in global travel. In fact, our share of long-haul travel dropped form 17% in 2000 to 12% in 2010. Had we kept pace, there would have been an additional 78 million visitors to the US spending more than $600 billion and creating 467,000 jobs annually.
We have an opportunity to change that. With global travel expected to double to $2.1 trillion by 2020, the travel industry and other leading businesses can build on that momentum by bringing the collective power of our marketing efforts to reach foreign tourists. We'll do so through our global marketing campaign, cooperative marketing and co-branding programs, as well as in-kind contributions.
As part of this effort, we are also building the largest network of local marketing representatives, brand ambassadors if you will, who will be on the ground internationally to comprehensively connect with the largest generators of in-bound US travel.
Talk about how key business partnerships with influential names such as Marriott and Disney will help expand your message.
The industry is clearly seeing the value in this effort and what we can accomplish by coming together. Leading travel partners Disney, Marriott, and Best Western each have committed $1 million to the effort, while several other travel and business leaders are also stepping up to provide support.
Through a coordinated strategic effort, we can reach more people and be exponentially more effective in significantly increasing the US share of the global travel market. That effort includes working and leveraging the collective marketing expertise of Brand USA, the industry, destination management organizations, convention and visitors bureaus, and the media.
We are also engaging leading businesses outside of the travel industry because virtually every sector of the US economy will benefit from increased international visitation, from hotels and restaurants, to transportation and retail and more.
You recently testified before the Senate. What other strategies are you using to engage policymakers?
We are in constant contact with the administration and members of Congress. We work closely with the Department of Commerce and Homeland Security. We are also fortunate to get the input of members of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Brand USA was launched with the strong support of both Republicans and Democrats. That says something about the importance of what we are doing and what we can accomplish as a country to support the economy and create hundreds of thousands of jobs through the power of travel.


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Pizza Hut, Papa John's use technology to edge out small pizzerias
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National pizza chains, including Papa John’s International Inc. and Pizza Hut Inc., are gobbling up more of the pizza market share because the companies can invest in online technology that makes pizza ordering more convenient for consumers.
Meanwhile, smaller chains or locally owned, independent pizza joints are losing out since they don’t have the money to spare for such luxuries, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal.
The technology used by the larger chains isn’t anything groundbreaking, but it allows people to order and pay for pizzas online without calling in a pick-up order.
Louisville-based Papa John’s and Dallas-based Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Louisville-based Yum! Brands Inc. (NYSE:YUM!), receive 40 percent or more of their sales from online traffic, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Citing market research firm NPD Group, The Wall Street Journal also reported that chain pizzerias increased their market share to 52 percent in 2013, while independent pizza shops' market share fell a couple percentage points to 29 percent.
The decline has been attributed to small-time pizza stores' lack of buying power and inability to offer online services, according to the story.
Caitlin Bowling covers these beats: Restaurants, retail, human resources, and women & minority affairs.
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Queenslanders will soon be able to rid of their Go cards and pay for public transport fares with a contactless token in their smartphone or bank cards, following an overhaul of the state's ticketing system.
The electronic Go card was developed by Cubic Transportation Systems under a $134 million contract in 2003, and uses contactless technology to tap on and off at the start and end of a journey on the TransLink public transport network.
But the Cubic contract is about to expire, and the Queensland Transport department wants to replace the system with something more modern.
The state first asked the market for examples of types of new technology it could deploy mid-last year.
Tender documents released this week reveal it has decided to offer Queensland public transport users the ability to pay for fares via the contactless chip in their smartphone or bank card.
It is preparing to appoint a new supplier for up to 15 years to deliver the 'next-generation ticketing solution'.
"We are aware that considerable technological advances have occurred since the development of our card-based system more than a decade ago," the department wrote.
"Our recent market testing indicates account-based AFC [automated fare collection] solutions are becoming increasingly the choice of some of the world’s major public transport operators."
The contactless tokens already available in traveller's smartphones and bank debit and credit cards would be linked back to a single Transport account.
The department has specificed EMV technology and near-field communications as well as contactless smart cards as technologies it would support.
The state plans to also issue contactless tokens for those who don't want to bring their own. It expects these will be available for purchase at rail and busway stations, online, through a mobile app, on board vehicles, at retail outlets and ticket windows.
Only long-life state-issued tokens will be contactless. Short-life tokens will likely be paper tickets. Accounts attached to the tokens can be either anonymous or registered, the department said.
The department will first replace the Go card ticketing system in South East Queensland and will later look at rolling out the replacement across other major regional cities and towns.
It expects to finalise a contact with the chosen supplier by March 2017.
The Go card currently funds more than 85 percent of all trips on the South East Queensland public transport network. There are 6 million cards currently in use, and the cards represent 89 percent of total transport revenue.
TransLink is expecting to take in $400 million from fares in FY14/15.


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Chris Welch, the editor of The Verge, didn’t like how his iPhone screen got too bright every time he watched an Instagram video. This makes it especially hard on the eyes to use the device when there isn’t much light.
Chris Welch thinks that more and more people are sharing HDR (high dynamic range) videos, which might be the cause. If the video is shown on a device that can handle it, the display will automatically adjust the contrast range and colors to make it look as real as possible.
Many people, though, agree that HDR video makes the screen of the device too bright.
There are a lot of companies that support HDR technology, and Apple’s iPhone is one of them. Most of them, though, don’t talk about the best way to watch HDR content.
Some people make HDR the default setting when they record videos. HDR videos will make the iPhone screen brighter when they are posted on HDR-enabled sites like Instagram or Reddit.
HDR helps when watching something on a big screen like a computer or TV. On smartphones, though, they can be distracting.
Welch suggests a few changes that would give users more power over HDR content. One of them has the option to turn off HDR playback in apps like Instagram or YouTube. HDR can make videos look better, but not everyone is comfortable with them.


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The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) announced Arxada is the newest member of the association’s Manufacturers and Services Council (MSC). Arxada’s wood protection business has led the market in the delivery of trusted and innovative technologies, according to the NLBMDA.
The MSC is composed of building material manufacturers and service providers serving the LBM industry. According to the NLBMDA, MSC members are established industry leaders who supply products and services to LBM dealers across the nation. Members share a commitment to promoting and enhancing the success of independent dealers.
Arxada is a supplier in the field of wood protection, making wood resistant to mold and moisture, insects, fungi, smoke development, and flame spread, according to the company. The company’s portfolio of brands includes Wolmanized, Dricon, Chemonite, FrameGuard, AntiBlu, and Permatek.