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Jaipur Discom: Now pay electricity bills at your doorstep
Consumers will not have to go to E-Mitra or subdivision counter for bill payments. The payments can be deposited to the feeder in-charge immediately after receiving the bill.
Jaipur: Jaipur Discom has launched a new function for the spot billing system. Now people will be able to pay bills at their doorstep as soon as it gets generated by feeder in-charge after he or she takes reading from the meter. Now you don’t have to visit e-mitra or go to subdivision counter for electricity bill payments.
Feeder in-charge has been authorized to provide payment receipts to consumers after generating bills and receiving payments at their doorstep.
This system has been implemented for the first time in the state. Each feeder in-charge has been given the responsibility of collecting about a thousand consumer’s meter readings and collecting the bill payments on the spot.
Jaipur Discom has also linked the spot billing handset device machine and mobile phone with Google location to get rid of complaints in bill generation.
The new bill payment system has been launched in Jaipur rural circle (JPDC), Alwar, Dausa, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli, Tonk, Kota, Bara, Jhalawar, Bundi and 12 others circles of Jaipur Discom. It will probably be rolled out in Jaipur city circle (JCC) after the upcoming state assembly elections.
Under the new system, the feeder in-charge after taking readings of the meter and generating the bill in the spot billing system will be able to receive bill payments on the spot. The consumers will not have to go to E-Mitra or subdivision counter for bill payments. The payments can be paid to the feeder in-charge immediately after receiving the bill.
According to RG Gupta, CMD of Jaipur Discom, consumers in remote areas and towns do not receive bills on time and then they have to pay penalties for the late payments. Now an option will be available for the users to make bill payments at the time of bill reading by the feeder in-charge.
Feeder in-charge must be present within at least 5 meters of the electricity meter, only then he’ll be able to generate meter readings. He will have to reach at the users’ spot for the readings. Spot Billing device machine and mobile phone have been linked to Google GPS. This step has been taken to ensure less difficulty and no fault in bill generation and payments, added Gupta.


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Small Business Saturday
From Black Friday to Cyber Monday, the holiday shopping season is in full swing.
Right in the middle of Black Friday and Cyber Monday is Small Business Saturday. It’s a national push to get more customers out to community stores.
Marty had “Coffee With” Chris Pine. Ron Matz had “People Are Talking” about Small Business Saturday.
The Black Friday frenzy is over and Cyber Monday is just around the corner, but there’s another way for shoppers and businesses to cash in on the holiday rush this weekend.
There’s Black Friday, Cyber Monday and now there’s Small Business Saturday, and Baltimore is part of the celebration.
Don and Marty had “Coffee With” Danica Patrick. They talked about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in memory of her grandmother who died of the disease. For People Are Talking, Ron Matz was at Belvedere Square talking about Small Business Saturday.
The shopping season is on, and retailers are getting more aggressive than ever. Holiday sales kicked off before the turkey was on the table, and a whole new round of deals is about to drop.
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Apple has turned 40. It's been an eventful four decades for the firm, lurching from near demise in the 1980s to becoming the world's most profitable company thanks to a hit factory of devices since the turn of the millennium.
V3 has put together a list of what we consider the company's 10 most important devices and inventions in the past 40 years that have helped Apple become not just the biggest technology company, but the biggest company in the world.
10. Apple I
The machine that started it all, the Apple I, was designed and built by Steve Wozniak in 1976 after inspiration struck during a meeting of the Homebrew Computer Club.
Once Woz had worked out the design, Steve Jobs set about securing a deal to sell them through a business called The Byte Shop at $500 a pop, and then to consumers for $666, because they liked repeating digits. Nothing Satanic. That may sound cheap but it was about $2,700 in today’s money.
The specs were somewhat basic by today’s standards: a 1MHz CPU and 4KB of memory, expanding to a whopping 48KB using expansion cards.
Still, while you didn’t get a lot of computing power for your money by today’s standards, you did get a bargain - if you held on to it.
The Apple I regularly fetches six-figure sums at auction, underlining just how fundamental the device was to the history of Apple and the computing landscape.
Users are told that their non-existent 'iPhoneID' is expiring soon
Expansion of SDK intended to expand Amazon Alexa ecosystem
Locky returns from a prolonged rest with two new variants
AMD lambasted over Radeon RX Vega pricing that will add an extra £100 to RX Vega 56 and 64 graphics cards
Company accused of failing to tell anyone that the launch prices were only introductory offers


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At the end of last year, Nike made waves within the metaverse as the sportswear brand acquired RTFKT Studios, a leading brand that leverages cutting-edge innovation to deliver next-generation collectibles that merge culture and gaming. With this money move, it was obvious that the company was cooking up something special for 2022. Surprisingly, the Swoosh opened up this year by taking a different approach in order to gain a bigger market share of the metaverse by attacking their competition StockX. A few days after waging a legal war, RTFKT has released their new “MNLTH” series featuring Nike and RTFKT co-branding.
All we know about this NFT drop is what RTFKT has told us. As seen on their Instagram post above, the object presents a dark metallic finish with geometric patterns etched on each side with glowing Nike and RTFKT logo cutouts on the laterals. What is found inside however remains a mystery. This mystery is supported by RTFKT’s social media account, which commented on their own post saying:
“Like this post if you’re confused,”
The “MNLTH,” was airdropped to existing Clone X holders alongside PodX virtual spaces. The reason being is Clone X is another RTFKT project in collaboration with Takashi Murakami. Currently, Clone X is one of the highest traded NFT collections in the market amounting to a total transaction volume of 114,600 ETH (approximately $352 million USD). The “MNLTH,” is currently sold on OpenSea.
While we are still unsure of what we can expect in regard to this latest NFT collection, one thing is certain, this is only the beginning of the Nike and RTFKT partnership. It wouldn’t be too farfetched to guess that the “MNLTH,” has something to do with Nike’s forte, which is sneakers.
Take a look at a competing NFT collection from the brand with three stripes! Adidas NFTs: The Metaverse’s Latest Sportswear Addition.


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New Homes advertising sales manager Amanda Burton said that site traffic had tripled since it joined forces with The West Australian, with homebuyers logging on to browse homes from various WA builders and developers.
“This is a fantastic achievement for any local website and an incredible one for a site that has only just celebrated its first birthday,” Ms Burton said.
“The constant growth in consumer traffic and engagement is reflected in the number of new builders joining the site, and the success they are enjoying from their involvement.”
A big development has been the addition of an Articles section, featuring stories by New Homes magazine journalists, to the site each week.
This content is also shared with homebuyers via the newhomesguide.com.au eNews campaign and social media.
“This gives the website a fresh new lifestyle angle and consumers good reason to return to the site regularly,” Ms Burton said. “It also means the site is quickly building a valuable information base for consumers with articles on products, designs and events in the new homes sector.”
Builders and developers have also reported considerable success arising from their involvement in the site.
Scott Park, managing director of Redink Homes, said he was very pleased with the results the company had seen from listing its home designs and house-and- land packages on newhomesguide.com.au.
“The reason we were keen to be involved is because the site is simple and highly functional and — for whatever reason — a lot of sites like this fail in those two areas,” he said.
“It has been very good (for us), especially given it’s a relatively new site.”
The site’s development team recently completed an update to specifically benefit its builder and developer clients, giving them greater control over viewing performance statistics relating to everything from page views to brochure downloads, links to their website, and the performance of each individual home design.
“As a new site, with a short history, the current stats platform displays statistics since the site began,” New Homes Guide director Troy McGuinness said.
“The recent update will allow NHG clients to select the date, range and view statistics for any time frame they choose.”
Also in progress is the addition of contact details specific to the sales representative for each home.
Furthermore, there is plenty planned to help newhomesguide.com.au continue to grow in 2013, including expanding its reach outsidePerth.
The South West will be the first region outside the metropolitan area to be added to the site next year and will be the first step towards expanding the site to a national service available in all capital cities and key regions.
In addition, the whole user interface is being redesigned, with a planned launch in February next year.
This would help to improve the user experience and increase the rate of inquiry from homebuyers for each builder, Mr McGuiness said.
“Many of the design refinements will be based on the data NHG has accumulated about how users have been interacting with the site, and how those interactions can be improved to create a better user experience, and ultimately connect them more quickly to the home design of their dreams and the builder who will make it happen,” he said.


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The upcoming Nokia 2 was spotted on the smartphone benchmarking platform AnTuTu. The specifications report from AnTuTu just confirms what we already know. Nokia 2 is expected to be announced in India at a launch event scheduled for October 31st. Thanks to EvLeaks, we already have the press render of the Nokia 2. So, now here are the confirmed key hardware specs of the upcoming Nokia 2.
Nokia 2 Leaked Specifications at AnTuTu
- Snapdragon 212 SoC
- Adreno 304 GPU
- 720p HD display (expected to be 5-inches)
- 5.0MP front camera & 8.0MP back camera
- 1GB RAM
- 8GB Storage
The RAM and storage are less as compared to the demand of Android OS. Out of the installed 8GB of storage, only a small amount will be available for the user to install apps. However, we hope Nokia 8 to come with the option of installing apps to the SD card.
Nokia 2 is rumored to feature a larger 4000mAh battery. If that happens, it will be the biggest battery so far on a Nokia smartphone. And the large battery will offer days of standby and a long SoT.
Are you looking forward to it? The Nokia 2 isn’t for everyone. It is going to be a budget-oriented smartphone, just running the bare minimum that Android needs. Does it interest you? If so, do let us know your favorite leaked feature of the Nokia 2.


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Remastered. Need for Speed’s Twitter account has been tweeting out cryptic messages that feature racing cars, cops in… hot pursuit (I had to), Big Joe’s Pizzeria, and the police code of 510 which is used for speeding or racing vehicles.
Furthermore, a page on Need for Speed’s official website has a countdown that will end on October 5, 2020, at 8am PT/11am ET/4pm BST alongside a message that states «5:10. How did he go so fast? Five ten. «Call Big Joe’s Pizzeria on 0800-510-510-510.» There’s got to be a way to fix this.»
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit was originally released in 2010 and has appeared on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, iOS, and Android.In our review of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, we said it «is pure over-the-top driving entertainment. The cars and environments are gorgeous, the crashes are spectacular, and the new Autolog feature breathes new life into the time-honored tradition of video game competition among friends. The single-player races can become somewhat repetitive and there are some presentation issues, but overall, Hot Pursuit is a blast.»


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Euronext wheat eases back towards 300 euros
Euronext wheat fell on Friday in light trade as cheaper Black Sea supplies continued to curb prices while participants adjusted positions before the expiry of December futures.
Benchmark March milling wheat (BL2H3) on the Paris-based Euronext was down 1.2% at 303.25 euros ($319.23) a tonne by 1535 GMT.
That brought it back towards Tuesday's low of 299.75 euros, a weakest second-month price (BL2c2) since Feb. 25, although dealers said 300 euros remained a strong support floor.
Front-month December futures (BL2Z2) on Euronext, which expire on Monday, were down 1.3% at 304.00 euros in small volumes.
Chicago wheat ZW1! edged down as weekly U.S. export figures near the low end of market expectations kept attention on ample supplies from the Black Sea region and Australia.
News that Egypt had bought 260,000 tonnes of Russian wheat via private talks on Thursday underscored competition from Black Sea supplies, despite disruption caused by the war in Ukraine.
"The price weakness seen since October has been driven by a better-than-expected production outcome from the Northern Hemisphere harvest, especially from Russia," Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank, said in a note.
However, Euronext remained underpinned by previous export sales for European Union wheat, including large French sales to China that are expected to drive a busy year-end port loading programme. (GRAIN/SHP/FR)
Cold weather in Europe was being monitored, although snow cover in northern regions and the absence of deep frosts were seen limiting risks of crop damage.
In France, 97% of soft wheat was in good or excellent condition in the week to Dec. 5, farm office FranceAgriMer said in its last weekly update before the winter dormancy period.
($1 = 0.9499 euros)


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June 6 (Bloomberg) -- Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s largest maker of televisions and flat-screen panels, was accused in a lawsuit filed by electronics retailer BrandsMart USA Inc. of conspiring to artificially inflate the prices of liquid- crystal displays.
The companies formed an “international cartel” to restrict production of LCD panels used in televisions, mobile phones and computer monitors from 1996 to 2006, according to the complaint by Interbond Corporation of America, which does business as BrandsMart USA.
“The conspiracy affected billions of dollars of commerce throughout the United States,” Interbond said in the complaint filed June 3 in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Fifteen companies, plus units of some of them, are named as defendants in the lawsuit by Hollywood, Florida-based Interbond.
At least 22 display-industry executives have been criminally charged in a U.S. probe into LCD price fixing. Eight companies have also been charged in the investigation which has netted more than $890 million in criminal fines, according to the Justice Department.
Adam Yates, a U.S. spokesman for Suwon, South Korea-based Samsung, didn’t immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.
The LCD manufacturers held what they called “crystal meetings” between high- and mid-level executives monthly and sometimes quarterly in which they would agree to price and supply controls, according to Interbond’s complaint. The Japanese companies initiated the meetings and then brought the South Korean and Taiwanese producers into the conspiracy when they entered the market, Interbond said.
Brandsmart operates 11 electronics warehouse-style discount stores in Florida and Georgia.
The case is Interbond Corporation of America v. AU Optronics Corp., 11-cv-61264, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida (Ft. Lauderdale).
--With assistance from Karen Gullo in San Francisco. Editors: Michael Hytha, Joe Schneider
To contact the reporter on this story: Susannah Nesmith in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at firstname.lastname@example.org.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Hytha at email@example.com


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The House Of Lords has confirmed plans to launch an inquiry into the television advertising market, including the contract rights renewal (CRR) system controlling advertising on ITV1.
Yesterday, the Lords' communications committee put out a call for evidence for the inquiry, which will "pay particular attention" to the CRR mechanism introduced in 2003 to protect advertisers from the loss of competition when Carlton and Granada merged to form ITV plc.
ITV chairman Archie Norman and chief executive Adam Crozier have called for an end to the CRR system, which Crozier has described as being "out of touch and damaging for the interests of creative Britain".
In May, the Competition Commission opted to retain the CRR after judging that ITV had "overstated the cost and distortions" imposed by the mechanism.
However, the competition body did say that ITV1 HD and the long-planned ITV1+1 channel should be factored into future CRR calculations, while the system should be removed completely at some point in the future.
The Lords committee will investigate the declining revenues that commercial broadcasters gain from the sale of advertising across their networks.
The members will also consider possible changes to current ad market regulation, including the CRR system, product placement rules and the scheduling and sale of advertising.
The committee wants to hear evidence on the current levels of regulation and what impact a relaxation of the rules could have on the commercial broadcasting sector.
"The advertising-funded broadcasting model has served public service broadcasting well. It is important that, as the media develop, the regulation of television advertising adapts to the times and that the right regulations are in force for the benefit of the industries as well as for the public," said the Earl of Onslow.
"In this inquiry we want to see how potential regulatory changes and the increasing competition from the internet and other media might affect commercial broadcasting. CRR has significant commercial implications for the sector and will form an important part of our discussions."
Speaking to The Guardian, an ITV spokeswoman said: "ITV warmly welcomes [the] announcement by the House of Lords select committee on communications that it is to carry out a new inquiry into the regulation of TV advertising in the UK.
"Since 2003, audiences have fragmented as viewer choice has increased and internet based platforms have grown exponentially.
"New channels, together with internet advertising, are strong and effective competitors to ITV and the CRR remedy is no longer required and is not in the public interest."
Interested parties must submit written evidence to the inquiry by September 24, with oral evidence to be heard in October. A written report is expected to follow in late 2010 or early 2011.


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11 Sep 2017.
Russia makes U-turn on cryptocurrencies while China bitcoin exchanges await clarification on closure report. Bitcoin fell sharply after Chinese.
Bitcoin (₿) is a cryptocurrency. It is a decentralized digital currency without a central bank or.
The percentage of bitcoin trading in the Chinese renminbi fell from over 90% in September.
Australian banks in general have been reported as closing down bank accounts.
"US govt clarifies virtual currency regulatory position".
cryptocurrencies for financial crime, money laundering and tax evasion.
duty to report suspicious transactions to financial intelligence units.
virtual currencies that can only be used in a closed virtual system, usually in online games.
China recently introduced a ban on cryptocurrency exchanges to stop all (domestic).
This report by the Law Library of Congress provides information on the.
and no regulatory proposals on cryptocurrencies are pending in the Danish.
The regulators clarified that virtual currencies are not considered legal tender in Poland. At the.
the local banks closed the accounts of several cryptocurrency exchanges.
Bitcoin Forks Could Play A Key Role In The Cryptocurrency’s 10 okt 2019. Bitcoin (BTC) forks zorgen voor belastbaar inkomen in Amerika. heb een private key van een BTC adres waar tijdens de fork van bitcoin cash. airdrop and you receive new cryptocurrency, you will have taxable income in. Bitcoin Github History Visualized For more than decade Microsoft viewed open source a an enemy to
8 Sep 2017.
China's Bitcoin exchanges said on Saturday they are still awaiting clarification from the authorities on a media report that they will be shut.


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With its beta set to release this week, here's a quick rundown of what you need to know about EA's next FPS title.
Ever wondered which titles are coming to the PS4 and Xbox One in 2015? Here they are.
Consiga dos boletos por el precio de uno con el código OBWW2018.
The superhero movie "Deadpool" has crushed box-office records despite the restricted rating (Rated R) given to the film.
This was the first time in their 52 years in the industry to reveal three cover girls.


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Findings from a study by Fender released on Tuesday have revealed that women account for 50% of all “beginner and aspirational players.” Fender worked with the consulting agency, Egg Strategy, to conduct a study of guitar players in the US and the UK, asking various questions of new guitar players.
The findings of the study suggest that the guitar market is more solid, but also much more diverse than many would have expected – it’s not just adolescent boys trying to copy Hendrix licks anymore.
According to the findings of a new study by Fender, half of all beginner and aspirational guitarists today identify as women.
According to Fender, the study was performed to understand the current generation of guitar players, including their needs, desires and overall lifestyle preferences. In fact, a similar study was conducted three years ago, which prompted Fender to wake up to female-led bands, spurring a millennial targeted marketing campaign that featuring Warpaint and Bully.
Fender CEO Andy Mooney told Rolling Stone magazine that the 50 percent figure was found both in the US and the UK, and quelled doubts that the spike in female guitar players might be a result of a ‘Taylor Swift factor’ maybe making the 50 percent number short-term and aberrational.”
“In fact, it’s not. Taylor has moved on, I think playing less guitar on stage than she has in the past. But young women are still driving 50 percent of new guitar sales. So the phenomenon seems like it’s got legs, and it’s happening worldwide.”
The findings also delved into players habits and reasons for learning to play. 72% said they picked up a guitar for the first time to gain a life skill or as a means of self-betterment, while 42% viewed guitar as part of their identity. Interestingly, 50% of UK players listed playing privately as their preferred environment, which was 18% more than in the US.
“As a brand, we are committed to creating tools—both physical and digital—that this generation of creators needs for self-expression, now and in the future,” said Moony.


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The German aftermarket specialists at ABT Sportsline have recently presented their latest creation, an update package for the popular Volkswagen T5 Multivan.
According to ABT Sportsline, the Volkswagen T5 Multivan has been fitted with a new body kit, new suspension, new exhaust system with double pipes, a fresh set of 19-inch wheels and a power boost for all the engines. The Volkswagen T5 Multivan’s entry-level engine is now developing a total output of 110 horsepower, while the top of the line version is coming with 240 horsepower and 450 Nm of torque. The most powerful engine, the 2.0 liter TSI, is helping the vehicle to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 9.4 seconds, an impressive time for a model in this segment.
Future owners of the Volkswagen T5, which will order the ABT Sportsline’s upgrade, will make their vehicles stand out of the crowd thanks to the new front grille, new side sills, redesigned front bumper, rear spoiler and the fresh 19-inch alloy wheels, finished in gunmetal shade. The ride height in the T5 Multivan has been lowered by a few centimeters and the model has a more aggressive sound thanks to the new exhaust system. There is no official word on the price list just yet.


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Royal Building Products, a Westlake company, announced the launch of a new Zuri Premium Decking color — Hickory — and the addition of two new Zuri Premium Decking accessories: fascia boards and prefabricated corners.
“We are enthusiastic about expanding the Zuri decking line with a new on-trend color and new accessories, giving homeowners, builders and designers even more options creating a customized outdoor space”
Zuri Premium Decking combines the natural beauty and warmth of exotic hardwood with the unsurpassed durability and exceptionally low-maintenance requirements of PVC. Unlike competitor composite decking that does not look like wood, Zuri's PVC substrate is capped with a photo-realistic wood-grain print and a clear acrylic that resists stains, scratches, fading, and moisture. All Zuri products are backed by a 25-year Color Fastness Warranty against color shifting.
New Color: Hickory
Royal has expanded the available Zuri colors to include Hickory, a true mid-tone brown. The new shade will be the sixth color offering in the decking line, which already includes Chestnut, Walnut, Pecan, Brazilia and Weathered Gray.
New Accessories: Fascia and Corners
Decorative Zuri fascia boards are now available in 8” and 12” profiles. Zuri has also launched new prefabricated corners, which allow for easier installation and greater ability to customize a deck design. Corners are packaged and sold with two corners per box.
Zuri is available in Square Boards and in Grooved Boards, which offer a truly hidden fastener application with pre-threaded screws for fast installation. Zuri Grooved Boards are offered with a 3/32” spacing or a 3/16” gap.
For more information, visit: RoyalBuildingProducts.com.


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The Interactive Advertising Bureau and PwC US have released the IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report for the first half of 2010. Internet advertising revenues in the U.S. were at $12.1 billion during that period, setting a new half-year record that represents an 11.3 percent increase over the first half of 2009. This is also the highest second-quarter revenue on record, up 13.9 percent over the same period of 2009.
Display-related advertising - which includes banner ads, rich media, digital video and sponsorships - totaled more than $4.4 billion in the first six months of 2010, showing a significant increase of close to 16 percent over the same period in 2009. Digital video grew as well, this year achieving the highest half-year performance ever and up 31 percent over first half 2009. Search advertising remains the largest percentage of overall interactive spend at 47 percent, representing more than $5.7 billion for the first six months of 2010, up 11.6 percent from the same period in 2009.
This semi-recent commercial from Fisher Wallace Laboratories which calls attention to the company's medical device which is said to treat depression without the use of drugs. It's unlike any drug commercial you've ever seen. Because, well, it isn't selling a drug and, therefore, isn't burdened with all that disclaimer crap that usually fills up more that half of a DTC commercial.
Of course the name of the product, the Fisher Wallace Cranial Stimulator doesn't exactly instill much confidence the thing will actually work.
Digital agency Albion has created a new campaign to tout Air New Zealand's new interiors, seating set up and inflight meals. The campaign carries the tagline, "Forget everything you know about flying."
The campaign includes print but also some interesting page takeover units you can view here, here and here.
We're guessing the new seating and service arrangement isn't going to be cheap.
New York agency Breakfast created a "trackable experience" for Conan O'Brien's blimp. For the blimp's tour of the Eastern seaboard during the month of October, Breakfast made it possible for people to check in on Foursquare when they saw the blimp fly overhead. Doing so would garner the Foursquare user the Conan Blimpspotter Badge. You can track the blimp's location here.
It was only a matter of time before Blendtec's Will it Blend did their own version of Old Spice's I'm on a Horse. So, here it is. And, yes, it blends.
Sometimes commercials are so weird, they need no commentary. They just need to be experienced. Such as this commercial for Labrad which offers up a sexy woman (Ancilla Tilia) in a short, cleavage-bearing lab coat and a guy's head that, well, just watch. Weird


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EPA Recognizes ProVia for Innovations in Energy Efficient Door Manufacturing
March 8, 2013
ProVia announced it has been named a 2013 Energy Star Partner of the Year for its innovations in energy efficient door manufacturing. This U.S. Environmental Protection Agency award recognizes the company for its contributions in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and educating consumers about energy efficiency. ProVia’s accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on March 26, 2013.
ProVia's achievements in energy efficient door manufacturing include:
- increasing the number of Energy Star qualified door packages in 2012 by 7.4 percent
- adding insulating foam-filling technology to the WX9600 series vinyl sliding glass patio doors, improving thermal performance.
- printing a custom, color NFRC/Energy Star label for every product, to eliminate confusion for consumers.
- training salespeople at 89 percent of dealer locations, a 62 percent increase over 2011.
- offering a two-day Installer Certification Program to teach proper door installation and sealing.
- launching a children’s educational campaign to show young consumers how to save energy and be environmentally responsible.
“Our partnership with Energy Star allows us to provide high quality products that help consumers save energy and money,” says ProVia President Brian Miller. “We see growing demand for high-performing products that also help protect the environment.”


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Futuristic car designs a lure to enthusiasts
2 March 2012
Hervey Bay Regional Gallery’s latest exhibition has car enthusiasts all revved up.
Visitors are flocking to the gallery to see Industrial Desire: Detroit Concept Cars, an exhibition that explores the secret world of cutting edge car design.
In a groundbreaking exhibition of models, drawings and film footage, Detroit’s gothic beauty and iconic futuristic cars are brought to life for the first time in Australia.
The show is setting aflutter the hearts of dedicated car-o-philes and passionate designers alike. Featuring nine quarter-scale models of fantastic concept vehicles including futuristic SUVs, muscle cars and cutting edge eco-friendly city cars, Industrial Desire takes you deep into the exciting and hidden world of car design.
“With the automotive industry on the verge of a massive shift it is timely to look at the creativity and optimism of the next generation of car designers,” said exhibition curator Leon Fitzpatrick.
An Australian-born industrial designer who studied in Detroit, Fitzpatrick has handpicked the exhibition pieces from Detroit’s College for Creative Studies, an international centre of excellence in transportation design.
“What we need out there are cars that ignite a sense of wonder, rather than the rolling appliances they have become,” says Fitzpatrick. “These models show there’s no reason why cars can’t be exciting, aesthetically pleasing and thoughtful all at the same time.”
But for wannabe car creators, think again. You have a better chance at becoming a high-paid sports star, neurosurgeon or CEO than an automotive designer. With less than a few thousand car designers globally, it counts as one of the world’s most competitive and secretive careers.
Industrial Desire is a fascinating exhibition for people of all ages, merging craft and design in a new and innovative way.
The exhibition is presented by artisan in partnership with the College for Creative Studies, Detroit, and toured by Museum and Gallery Services Queensland.
Industrial Desire: Detroit Concept Cars is on view until 24 March at Hervey Bay Regional Gallery, 161 Old Maryborough Road, Pialba (in the same complex as Hervey Bay Library).
The gallery is open from 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday and entry is free. For enquiries, please telephone 4197 4210.


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New research claims that 5% of businesses in the North of England are only able to pay the interest on their debts, but not reduce the debt itself.
This equates to 22,000 ‘zombie businesses’ in the North – according to research by R3, the insolvency trade body.
R3 measured four ‘zombie indicators’ including just being able to pay the interest on debts, without reducing the debt itself and, in the event of a rise in interest rates, being unable to pay the debt at all.
Struggling to pay debts when they fall due and having to negotiate payment terms with suppliers are also cited as ‘zombie’ traits.
Robert Adamson (pictured above), chair of R3 in Yorkshire and partner at Mazars, says: “One in 20, of Northern businesses are only able to pay the interest on their debts but not reduce the debt itself. While this is lower than the national average of 8%, it is still a staggering number.
“The implication here is that these businesses have been ‘running on empty’ for quite some time now and with no reserves left in the tank, they may not be able to carry on for much longer.
“Essentially, a zombie business is one that is on the edge of insolvency but has been holding on, often for a prolonged period of time. An insolvent business is one that is unable to pay its debts when they fall due, or a business that has debts greater than the value of its assets.”
The research also shows that in the last three months, 20% of Northern businesses have seen a fall in their market share; 18% regularly used the maximum overdraft facility; and 7% have had to make redundancies.
However, there are some encouraging signs that businesses in the North are faring slightly better than those in other parts of the country. In the last three months, 50% of Northern businesses reported having invested in new equipment, compared with 36% nationally; 33% had seen an increase in sales against the national average of 29%; and 32% had experienced increased profits (26% nationally).
Throughout the UK, the retail sector featured most prominently across three out of the four zombie business indicators. It has the highest proportion of businesses that will be unable to pay their debts in the event of a rise in interest rates - 18%, which equates to 31,000 businesses.
However, the construction sector has the largest proportion of businesses that are only able to pay the interest on their debts - 16%, which equates to 37,000 businesses.
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A BRITISH passenger was recently jailed for refusing to turn off his cellphone during a flight. The judge suggested that airlines should now confiscate all passengers’ phones before take-off, switch them off and return them on landing. This prompted warnings from the airlines industry that some phones may have timers which could switch themselves on during the flight, and no one would notice the danger.
Curiosity aroused, we ran a simple test. Wrapping a cellphone in just one layer of cooking foil completely killed its reception. So if you confiscate phones and dump them in a sealed metal box, it would not matter if they decided to switch on during the flight.
By coincidence, the fashion industry is now promising jeans which cost £100 or more a pair because they have a shielded pocket for a cellphone, supposedly for health reasons. Following our experiment, we suggest ordinary jeans and a bit of cooking foil might be a lot cheaper.
CONTINUING our medical ethics theme (see 28 September), we have enjoyed reading the latest report from Britain’s Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority. This publication is more fun than its title suggests, one of the authority’s roles being to rule on how far drugs firms can go in “educating” doctors to prescribe their medicines.
The most recent issue recounts what must be the first case of a company’s defence resting on its generosity being less lavish than its promises. Abbott Laboratories had organised a educational seminar in south Wales, plus subsequent hospitality. So far so good – the rules say firms can provide food and accommodation as long as they don’t


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New Zealand martech startup eVouch has raised NZ$500,000 (A$450,000) in a pre-Seed round.
The increase was supported by leading NZ VC GD1, along with Phase One and Uniservices among several others. The capital will support growing international demand and provide more support to developers.
Founder Eugene Yao initially launched eVouch as a way to help local restaurants do business through word of mouth from diners sharing on social media.
“A few months earlier I had taken a picture of my brunch and posted it on my Instagram. A few minutes later a friend walked into the cafe – they had decided to go out after seeing my photo,” he said.
“That was a ‘light bulb’ moment. I sold something even though I’m just a software developer! The power of word of mouth is well known, but with social media we have the power to scale that word of mouth. I wanted to build on eVouch to combine the trust inherent in word of mouth with the scale of social media – which has great synergy with e-commerce.”
But then came the pandemic, which shut down the hospitality industry in an instant. A small benefit of the lockdowns was that they gave Yao time to think “out of the box” about the next steps. He broadened the idea and built a brand new app in just 8 weeks, as part of the Shopify 2021 App Challenge. eVouch quickly gained more than 500 customers, the majority of them in the US.
eVouch helps companies turn their clients into brand advocates by encouraging them to share their experience with their personal networks in exchange for rewards.
Yao said some customers reported 36x the marketing ROI for their spend.
“Marketing is changing, it’s all about community now, and what better way to build a community than through word of mouth from your shoppers?” he said.
“At eVouch, we are building a way for all businesses to access the most authentic form of marketing, at scale. that is more powerful than any ad you could ever pay for. It doesn’t matter if you’re a small café or a multinational e-commerce chain – we exist to make marketing simple, authentic and automated.”
He said youLike referral programs where someone is asked to target only a handful of people in their network, companies may be able to take advantage of everybody in a customer’s social network.
“The app enables companies to create and upload high-quality creatives and verify that the creatives have been placed, and send the customer a voucher for their efforts. It’s easy, and it’s frictionless,” he said.
““eVouch allows customers of Shopify websites to post an Instagram story about the brand; and be instantly rewarded for their marketing efforts, just like influencers. On a large scale, this democratizes marketing down to the consumer level, while giving brands access to the power of word of mouth.”
GD1 co-managing partner Vignesh Kumar said: marketers understand Intuit’s Scott Cook saying that “a brand is no longer what we tell consumers it is, it’s what consumers tell each other it is.”
“Sellers feel the pain of not being able to hit the market in the same way due to changes in iOS; and they are looking for new ways to reach their audiences,” he said.
“What Eugene and the eVouch team have built enables businesses to leverage the power of social support at scale, expanding the traditional 1:1 marketing model; to that of 1:1 for many. It is smart; and it’s a concept that we expect to catch on as the future of social share marketing.”


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Full Size Cars Introduced as Gulf Crisis Underlines Oil Dependence
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ The timing seems a bit off. Just as the Persian Gulf crisis is again underlining America’s dependence on foreign oil, U.S. automakers are introducing a road load of full-size cars.
Then there’s the recession, seemingly custom-designed to wreck this year’s sales. Mid-December figures released Wednesday showed car and light truck sales by major U.S. manufacturers fell 19 percent from mid-December a year ago.
Yearly sales figures are due Friday, and they’re expected to drop by 4 percent to 14.2 million. Many analysts and auto industry executives are forecasting another 5-percent decline this year to 13.5 million vehicles.
″It’s unfortunate that the industry’s product cycle led to the introduction of full-size cars just as the recession and the Persian Gulf crisis hit,″ said Ronald Glantz, a Dean Witter Reynolds auto analyst in San Francisco.
″But the fact of the matter is, there’s no point in delaying full-size cars once you have them ready for production,″ Glantz said Thursday.
Among the new full-size cars at Thursday’s preview of the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, which opens Saturday and ends Jan. 13, were Ford’s Crown Victoria and Mercury’s Grand Marquis. Each of those has gas mileage improved by 1.5 miles per gallon, from 17 in the city and 24 on the highway last year, which should help sales, Glantz noted.
Still, in the current atmosphere, there is something a bit jarring about a car like Buick’s massive Roadmaster.
The luxury V-8 Roadmaster, a re-introduction of a name made famous in the ’30s, ‘40s and ’50s on Buick’s ″porthole″-dotted sedan, comes out this winter as an eight-passenger wagon, followed by a six-passenger sedan in the spring, priced in the mid-$20,000 range, between the Le Sabre and Park Avenue.
Just how big is it? The Park Avenue can haul a trailer weighing up to 3,000 pounds. The Roadmaster sedan, with a 5.7-liter engine, pulls 5,000 pounds.
″With the rising gas prices and the situation in the Persian Gulf, it’s hard to say what will happen,″ said Bob Coletta, Buick’s assistant general sales and service manager.
He said Buick increased its market share from 5.5 percent to 5.8 percent in 1990. The carmaker says its realistic goal is 8 percent by the middle of the decade because it is carefully listening to what its buyers want - ″premium American motor cars″ and ″muscular grace.″
At 16 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the road, the Roadmaster compares favorably with minivans that can carry as many passengers, Coletta noted.
″They’re definitely large cars, but they’re still fuel-efficient cars,″ Coletta said.
Chevrolet General Manager J.C. Perkins showed off other vehicles including a new $20,000 Caprice LTZ loaded with police car-style suspension, tires and gauges, priced with the adventurous young buyer - or police themselves - in mind.
The real sales star was the low-priced, high-mileage Geo - now the fourth biggest selling import line behind Toyota, Honda and Nissan. Geo’s three cars and one sport-utility vehicle accounted for about a quarter of Chevrolet’s total sales of more than 1.3 million last year, he said.
″That’s no small accomplishment in today’s marketplace,″ Perkins said.
He said nothing’s certain these days, given the uncertain U.S. economy and the possibility of war in the Middle East in the next two weeks.
″The reason sales of full-size cars are poor is not so much the situation in the Persian Gulf as the fact that you don’t stop off to buy a car on the way to the unemployment office,″ Glantz said.


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Why it matters: From the Valley to D.C., Big Tech players like Facebook, Google and Amazon are under more scrutiny than ever as new technology develops and privacy and antitrust concerns grow in lockstep with companies’ ambitions.
The findings from a new civil rights audit commissioned and released by Facebook show that the tech giant repeatedly failed to address issues of hatred, bigotry and manipulation on its platform.
Why it matters: The report comes as Facebook confronts a growing advertiser boycott and criticism for prioritizing freedom of speech over limiting misinformation and protecting users targeted by hate speech.
The CEOs of tech's four leading giants will defend their industry's growing concentration of power from critics on both right and left who view them as monopolists when they testify, most likely virtually, before Congress on July 27.
Why it matters: The joint appearance by Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Apple's Tim Cook, Amazon's Jeff Bezos and Google's Sundar Pichai will mark a historic collision between the leaders of an industry that has changed the world and political leaders who believe those changes have harmed democracy and individual rights.
Facebook is in the midst of the largest ad boycott in its history, with nearly 1,000 brands having stopped paid advertising in July because they feel Facebook hasn't done enough to remove hate speech from its namesake app and Instagram.
Axios Re:Cap spoke with the boycott's four main organizers, who met on Tuesday with CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other top Facebook executives, to learn why they organized the boycott, what they took from the meeting, and what comes next.
Civil rights leaders blasted Facebook's top executives shortly after speaking with them on Tuesday, saying that the tech giant's leaders "failed to meet the moment" and were "more interested in having a dialogue than producing outcomes."
Why it matters: The likely fallout from the meeting is that the growing boycott of Facebook's advertising platform, which has reached nearly 1000 companies in less than a month, will extend longer than previously anticipated, deepening Facebook's public relations nightmare.
Amazon Web Services announced last week it is forming a business division focused on helping government and commercial space entities become more agile and flexible by making use of the cloud.
The big picture: The new division — called the Aerospace and Satellite Solutions business segment — further solidifies Amazon's push into the space sector.
There has been a big uptick in traffic to conservative social media networks like Parler, thedonald.win and Gab over the past few months, according to data from SimilarWeb.
Why it matters: Conservatives are looking to build their own social media platforms, where they can escape from what they feel is baseless censorship of their viewpoints from mainstream social media networks.
Loon, the balloon-based telecom subsidiary from Google parent Alphabet, is working with Telkom Kenya to provide internet service over a 50,000-square-kilometer region in western and central Kenya, a region that has been hard to cover using traditional approaches given its terrain and low population density.
The big picture: The project marks the first large-scale, non-emergency deployment of Loon's service anywhere, as well as the first use of Loon's technology in Africa. It will also serve as an early test of the Loon service's commercial viability.
As tensions between the U.S. and China escalate, more U.S. media companies like The Information, Politico and The Wire China are looking to invest in coverage of the country and its technology and business boom.
Why it matters: "It's coverage you have to have if you're a serious tech or business news operation," says Bill Bishop, author of the Sinocism newsletter.
Big Tech companies are scrambling to figure out what China's imposition of a new national security law in Hong Kong means for their businesses there.
The big picture: Tech companies, like other multinationals, had long seen bases in Hong Kong as a way to operate close to China without being subject to many of that country's most stringent laws. Now they likely must choose between accepting onerous data-sharing and censorship requirements, or leaving Hong Kong.
Verishop, the luxury e-commerce site created by former Snapchat Chief Business Officer Imran Khan, expects to sell $50 million of gross merchandise volume in 2020, sources tell Axios. It's also launching a social-shopping experience that will include influencers and a personalized feed of content.
Why it matters: Social media apps like Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat have made efforts over the past few years to offer users a better shopping experience. Verishop is doing the opposite by launching a trusted marketplace first and a social media experience around it second.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News' Laura Ingraham on Monday that the Trump administration is "looking at" a ban on Chinese social media app TikTok.
Why it matters: Lawmakers have long expressed fears that the Chinese government could use TikTok to harvest reams of data from Americans — and actions against the app have recently accelerated worldwide, highlighted by India's ban.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg, facing an ad boycott by more than 500 brands, will hold virtual meetings on Tuesday with civil rights groups who have been key organizers of the #StopHateforProfit campaign.
The state of play: Sandberg will say in a post later that she, Zuckerberg and other execs "are meeting with the organizers of the Stop Hate for Profit campaign followed by a meeting with other civil rights leaders ... including Vanita Gupta from the Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights [and] Sherrilyn Ifill from the NAACP Legal Defense Fund."
James M. Miles has been appointed interim CEO of the Open Technology Fund (OTF) by Michael Pack, the new CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), sources tell Axios, with an official announcement expected later Tuesday.
Why it matters: The appointment comes after Pack, who took over last month, removed leaders at OTF and other USAGM-affiliated organizations. OTF helps provide tools for dissidents and journalists around the world to securely communicate.
TikTok said Monday night that it would pull its social video platform out of the Google and Apple app stores in Hong Kong amid a restrictive new law that went into effect last week.
Why it matters: TikTok's move comes as many large tech companies say they are still evaluating how to respond to the Hong Kong law.


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The top class of the World Rally Championshp (WRC) is set to undergo sweeping technical changes in the coming years, with hybrid powertrains ditched in 2025 before a new cost-controlled category is introduced in 2026 - with an electric class following “at the earliest opportunity”.
The decision by the FIA, world motorsport’s governing body, to scrap the electrified powertrain elements of the Rally1 cars for next season has been made to reduce cost and performance in an attempt to try and increase the number of competitors in the WRC’s top class.
Currently only Toyota, Hyundai and M-Sport Ford have built cars for the Rally1 division, which was introduced in 2022 to replace the long-running World Rally Car category. There have been concerns about high costs due to the hybrid units, resulting in a failure to attract interest from new manufacturers.
The third-party hybrid powertrain element of the current Rally1 cars produces around 130bhp. The 1.6-litre combustion engines used in the class currently produce 380bhp, but that's set to be trimmed to 330bhp.
Rally1 cars will be allowed to continue running without the hybrid system for the 2025 and 2026 seasons, but from 2026, the FIA plans to introduce revised Rally1 technical regulations for new cars that can run alongside existing ones.
The new category will use a common safety cell, with manufacturers able to add their own bodywork based on production machines including B-segment, C-segment, compact SUV and concept cars.
The FIA said "tight technical criteria", including a set centre of gravity, set aerodynamics, a top-speed restriction and a reference torque curve, will be used to equalise performance.
The cost per car will be capped at €400,000 (£342,000) and manufacturers will be required to make cars available for sale to customers.
Meanwhile, the FIA technical department is working on a set of electric rally car technical rules. The EVs will be based on the Rally1 safety cell, and performance parity with combustion-engined Rally1 cars is targeted.
The decision to reduce the cost of Rally1 cars is likely to find favour with existing teams. Speaking to Autocar recently, before the FIA decision was announced, Toyota WRC team boss Jari-Matti Latvala said: “The costs are too high and the cars are too expensive.
“With the Rally1 cars, we’ve lost the privateers we had with World Rally Cars, because the costs are too high. I think taking the hybrid out and focusing on e-fuels or hydrogen is the way to go to reduce costs.”
From next year, the FIA will also allow privateers in the production-based Rally2 class to add a ‘WRC kit’ to their cars, including a larger restrictor, a larger exhaust, an optional paddle-shift gearbox and a new rear wing. This is designed to reduce the gulf in performance to the Rally1 category.


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A comic post on the official Twitter page of the McDonald’s fast food restaurant chain led to the emergence of a new cryptocurrency. At the same time, its rate very quickly increased by more than 2800 times.
It all started with the fact that the founder of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk wrote the following a few days ago: “I’ll eat the Happy Meal on camera if McDonald’s starts accepting Dogecoin.” In response to this, McDonald’s stated the following: “Only if Tesla starts accepting Grimacecoin.”
After that, several Grimacecoin cryptocurrencies appeared on the Binance Smart Chain network at once. The rate of one of them soared from $0.0007 to $2 within a few hours, after which it dropped to $0.60. The value of another coin, Grimacecoin, created on the Ethereum network, rose by 56,000% to $0.004074. More than 1,200 people have bought the coin, and its market capitalization has reached $6 million.
The Grimace character from the McDonald’s universe has appeared in fast food marketing campaigns since the 70s. This character was conceived as an anti-hero who steals milkshakes from children. But back in 2012, McDonald’s creative director Roy Bergold, in an interview with QSR, called the idea a failure and the character too scary for kids.


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When Cummins Inc. recently announced it was selling several pieces of property it owned in downtown Columbus, the announcement presented challenges and opportunities for the city, for downtown Columbus, and for our community.
It will take time to figure out what all the answers are, but after the pandemic, one thing is clear: Cummins’ office workforce in downtown Columbus is no longer what it once was. Given the trend toward remote work, it made business sense for the region’s largest employer to choose to sell downtown property that was idle for years.
Likewise, it makes sense that the city, through the Columbus Redevelopment Commission, chooses to invest in one of the biggest of these properties, the former Sears store in what once was the Commons Mall. The commission has entered an agreement to buy the property for an estimated $4.2 million, The Republic’s Brad Davis reported recently.
As Davis reported, “The purchase includes the 91,380-square-foot building, YES Cinema and the parking lot across the street. YES Cinema will stay at its current location, Director of Redevelopment Heather Pope said.”
There are environmental assessments and other contingencies that must be worked on, and ultimately, the buck stops with Columbus City Council on whether to buy the property. But as a central location downtown that has promise to serve as a conference center or another public use, this might be an opportunity the city can’t afford to pass up.
With its proximity to The Commons and other downtown amenities, the city should look at this space with ambition and with a purposeful mission of downtown stewardship. City involvement could revitalize this property and draw more people downtown.
Perhaps a conference center would be the ideal use of the property and support nearby businesses that depend on foot traffic. Perhaps there are other potential uses that also would be beneficial.
“Just because of the proximity of this parcel, we felt like this was definitely one that we should have control of,” Pope said. “Do we know what that final use will be? No, but it’s something that I think that … we should definitely control the future use that goes there or participate in what goes there.”
We agree. This is a unique situation for the city and the community, because the cost of doing nothing also could be considerable.
As noted earlier, the transition for this property will take time. The same can be said for other downtown properties Cummins has listed to sell, including the landmark Irwin Office Building and Conference Center a few blocks away. Unlike that architectural landmark, the Sears building was a big box store of its day, beginning about 50 years ago, when the retail giant’s slogan was, “Sears, where America shops.”
At the same time, very few institutions have the financial wherewithal and the motivation to bring about beneficial reuses of a place like the Sears building. The city is a logical player in reactivating a property in a way that will benefit the community for years to come. And as a practical matter, we believe city ownership with redevelopment resources offers that downtown property its best opportunity for a new lease on life.


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Cirencester fashion store to close
By Sarah Wood | 26th August 2020
Phase Eight women's clothing store will close in Cirencester next week.
The Market Place branch is set to close its doors permanently on 5th September.
The fashion brand has 100 standalone stores around the world, including branches in Cheltenham and Gloucester Quays, as well as concessions at department stores.
Unlike many retailers in recent months, Phase Eight hasn't announced widespread store closures as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Photo credit: Google Maps 2018
Copyright 2020 Moose Partnership Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any content is strictly forbidden without prior permission.


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Last year, the EPA’s fueleconomy.gov site accidentally posted the miles per gallon figures for the Lamborghini Aventador Roadster – inadvertently confirming the existence of the car (which was obviously inevitable).
Now we haven’t heard much about the Aventador Roadster since then but new reports suggest that the drop top version of Lamborghini’s new supercar will feature a removable two-piece carbon fiber hardtop. The report comes from Italian magazine Quattroruote, which says the Aventador will be a targa-top type of open-air fun.
Click here for more news on the Lamborghini Aventador.
Refresher: The Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 is be powered by a 6.5L V12 engine making 690-hp and 509 lb-ft of torque. Mated to the company’s new ISR (Independent Shifting Rod) 7-speed transmission, 0 to 60 mph comes in 2.9 seconds with a top speed of 217 mph. The Aventador is an all-wheel-drive supercar courtesy of Lamborghini’s Haldex 4-wheel drive system. Prices start north of $375,000.
– By: Roman Bronfenbrenr


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If there is one superfood that has truly captured the minds and hearts of Americans, it’s the avocado. But for those who rely on their daily dose of the luscious green fruit, we have terrible news to break: We’re facing a very real avocado shortage, people!
According to an article by CNBC, due to a recent strike by Mexican avocado growers, the U.S. market supply of avocados is dwindling at an alarming rate. Even worse? Because there aren’t as many avocados to go around, the prices of the ones that are available have skyrocketed.
Remember when the only avocado-related worry you had was trying to figure out how an avocado could go from unripe to rotten and skip the ripe stage entirely? Turns out those were the good old days.
While California does a good job of meeting the increasing avocado demands of Americans, the growing season for California avocados already peaked in July and has been affected by the state’s ongoing drought. That means Mexico is usually the main supplier of avocados to the U.S. during this time of year.
But with a 60 percent decrease in Hass avocado shipments from Mexico over the past few weeks, CNBC reports that everywhere from Chipotle to your neighborhood Mexican restaurant might be sans guac for the time being. Oh, and let’s not forget the increase in prices at your local grocery store — if there are even any there to be found, that is.
But not all hope is lost: CNBC reports that the strike has been resolved and the market is simply catching up. So while there may be a few weeks during which things get worse in the avocado department before they get better, avocado toast is definitely on the horizon. Hallelujah!
What Do YOU Think?
Do you eat avocados? Would you pay more for an avocado due to a supply shortage? What’s your favorite way to eat avocados? Tell us in the comments!


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In a major development, the renowned Dubai Mall is set to introduce a new paid parking service, enhancing customer experience through a seamless, barrier-free system. The initiative is a result of a collaboration between Salik, a leading toll gate operator, and Emaar Malls.
Paid Parking at Dubai Mall
Announced on Friday, the partnership aims to implement Salik’s cutting-edge technology at Dubai Mall, transforming the parking management system. The anticipated launch is slated for the third quarter of 2024. The specific charges for Dubai Mall paid parking will be determined once Emaar Malls finalizes the project’s business rules.
The parking experience is set to become hassle-free, utilizing automatic fee collection through ticketless parking and vehicle plate recognition. Users can expect fees to be deducted from their Salik accounts, streamlining the payment process.
Ibrahim Sultan Al Haddad, CEO and board member of Salik Company PJSC, expressed enthusiasm, stating, “Salik is well-positioned to provide a seamless and convenient customer journey, eliminating the need for gates or barriers at Dubai Mall. This move is expected to minimize congestion and enhance traffic flow for customers.”
The innovative system is part of Salik’s broader vision, with plans to expand the offering to additional locations across the city. Established as a public joint stock company in June 2022, Salik currently operates eight toll gates strategically located across Dubai, including key points on Sheikh Zayed Road, the city’s primary arterial highway.
Stay tuned for more updates on this groundbreaking development that is set to redefine parking convenience at the iconic Dubai Mall.


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Job search across the generations
A lot is made of the supposedly superior skills of younger workers in the area of technology and in particular in the use of social media.
When it comes to job search, a recent survey by US based management consultants Millennial Branding looked at the online behaviours of three ‘generations’: Gen Y (aged 18-29 year olds), Gen X (30-47) and Baby Boomers (48-67).
The headline results can be downloaded from here.
In fact, all generations spend most of their time job searching online rather than offline, with Baby Boomers leading the use of online job boards. Social networks are also most popular with Baby Boomers who prefer LinkedIn over Facebook.
From → In the news


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GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews/05 September) — The Department of Agriculture has opened negotiations with Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines (PAL) for the setting of special or preferential airfreight rates for the country’s tuna exports to the Middle East.
Gil Herico, agriculture attache of the Philippine embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala is specifically seeking for reduced or lower airfreight rates than the current US$ 2.60 to US$ 3.60 per kilo being charged by foreign airlines to tuna shipments, which mainly come from this city.
Sec. Acala has initially reached out to chief executive officers and presidents Ramon Ang of PAL and Lance Gokongwei of Cebu Pacific regarding the move, he said.
He said his office is also assisting the talks with the two airlines, which maintain regular flights to Dubai and other key destinations in the Middle East.
“We’re trying to work out how (our tuna exporters) could get concessionary rates from Cebu Pacific and PAL to make our tuna exports, especially the fresh, chilled tuna, more competitive in the Middle East markets,” Herico said in an open forum at the ongoing 16th National Tuna Congress here.
Herico said the Emirates Airlines currently charge tuna shipments from Manila to Dubai at US$ 3.60 per kilo.
Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways impose airfreight rates of US$ 3.20 and US$ 2.60 per kilo for the same route, he said.
Herico said PAL and Cebu Pacific currently utilize Airbus A330 aircrafts for their Middle East flights that carry extra loads of 12 tonnes.
“We can easily fill up these flights with fresh, chilled tuna shipments because the current demand for it in the Middle East is quite big,” he said.
Citing their estimates, Herico said fresh, chilled tuna exports from the country currently accounts for 95 percent of the supplies in the markets.
He said the main markets for the fresh, chilled tuna are four to eight-star hotel chains and major specialty restaurants.
Among its popular patrons is Nobu, the world-renowned Japanese restaurant created by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa located at Dubai’s most expensive hotel Atlantis The Palm, he said.
Herico said most hotels and restaurants in the Middle East patronize the country’s fresh tuna, specifically those coming from this city, as most general managers and chefs there had worked in international hotel chains in Davao, Cebu and Manila.
He said Sec. Alcala, in a previous visit to Dubai, met a Swiss chef who confided that he had recommended the fresh, chilled tuna from this city to other chefs during a meeting of their association in the Middle East.
“You should be proud of your tuna. About 95 percent of the most expensive hotels all over the Middle East are actually patronizing the pride of GenSan — the fresh, chilled tuna,” he added. (MindaNews)


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Citibank partners with Grab to launch co-branded credit cards
Citigroup has teamed up with Singapore-based ride-hailing giant Grab to introduce an exclusive co-branded credit card across Southeast Asia as part of efforts to boost its customer base.
The Citi Grab credit card was first launched in the Philippines. It will be rolled out in Thailand in the second half.
Grab will offer its users benefits and rewards and extend its offering to Citi’s cardholders in the Philippines.
“Citi has been a long-term partner since 2016 and there is great synergy between both Citi and Grab. The Citi Grab credit card is a natural next step as we create more value for our digital first, always in GrabPay users.” said Huey Tyng Ooi, managing director of GrayPay Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.
“This will bring us one step further in realizing our vision of becoming the leasing everyday super app in (Southeast Asia),” she said.
The co-brand card partnership expands an ongoing collaboration that dates back to 2016, which allows Citi cardholders to use their earned points and miles to pay for rides on the Grab platform.


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Microsoft France claims Dolby two-year exclusivity deal for Xbox Series X but quickly backpedals
Still no guarantee that we'll be seeing Dolby Vision or Atmos gaming on the competition any time soonBy Cal Jeffrey 8 comments
Facepalm: A pitfall of large companies is that sometimes communication lines can get crossed, especially with overseas counterparts. Microsoft seemed to have had this problem yesterday when its French blog moderators posted "inaccurate information" about Xbox Series X|S having exclusive rights to Dolby Vision and Atmos.
Last month, Microsoft announced that Dolby Vision is coming to the Xbox Series X|S. On Monday, the French version of Xbox Wire claimed that Dolby Vision and Atmos would be exclusive to its next-gen console for two years. However, that does not appear to be true.
Microsoft deleted the post (archived here) on Tuesday before issuing a statement declaring it has no exclusivity agreement with Dolby.
"A blog post was mistakenly published by a local Xbox team that included inaccurate information regarding exclusivity of Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision on Xbox Series X|S," a spokesperson told The Verge. "There is no exclusivity agreement of either tech on Xbox. We are proud to partner with Dolby to offer Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision to gamers on Xbox and will have more to share about the general availability of Dolby Vision on Xbox Series X|S soon."
Of course, just because there is no agreement does not mean the PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch will support either feature. Neither Sony nor Nintendo has announced plans to add Dolby tech to their devices. However, it is still possible.
Sony's PS5 already has Atmos when playing Blu-ray DVDs. Nothing should be stopping it from expanding support to games. Additionally, while the Switch does not currently support Dolby Vision or Atmos, its rumored Switch upgrade could be a good fit for these features.
Microsoft's next-gen consoles already have Atmos support for gaming. Although Microsoft has not said when it is arriving, it announced Dolby Vision entered alpha testing two weeks ago. So regardless of the lack of the supposed two-year exclusivity agreement, it already has a good headstart on the competition.
Image credit: Stockcrafterpro


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IOT devices will be crippled if they all need batteries to run, but by harvesting energy from the air we can place sensors anywhere and everywhere.
Interested in the future and want to experience even more?! eXplore More.
Semiconductor firm Wiliot has demonstrated the first ever sticker sized Bluetooth sensor tag that also incorporates an ARM processor powered by the air. Yes, you heard it right – powered from the air. And it’s not the first product to be powered from the air – we’ve already seen battery-less smartphone concepts that harvest energy from sound and air, batteryless wifi products, and other products emerge recently. There’s even an entirely new air based battery system from MIT that makes energy from the air, all of which means that our reliance on batteries, for some products at least could one day come to an end. In Wiliot’s case their tag scavenges energy from the ambient radio frequencies in the air using a technology called Backscatter Energy that I’ve discussed before.
“We believe that disposable electronics based on battery-free, low-cost systems are the foundation for future Internet of Things systems. We are on the edge of dramatically changing the way products are made, how they are distributed, where and when they are sold, and how they are used and recycled,” said Tal Tamir, Wiliot CEO, and co-founder, who should also be paying special note to companies making Bio-Batteries, that generate electricity from bacteria, to power IoT sensors and other things – this is by no means a one horse race! And when it’s combined with an intelligent nanobot spray we now have a pathway to make every dumb object smart.
How the tech works
“Re-cycling the radiation around us to power sticker size sensors can enable new ways for consumers to interact with products that were previously not feasible. Products can share when they are picked up, their temperature, or when they need to be replenished. Without batteries or other high-cost components, tags have unlimited power and lifespan, so can be embedded inside of products that were previously unconnected to the Internet of Things.”
But how does it work? Well surprisingly simply. The novel and truly impressive chip, that is the size of a postage stamp, features a Wiliot chip glued to a simple antenna printed on plastic or paper.
This tiny Bluetooth device can authenticate the proximity of a product by transmitting an encrypted serial number by using what Wiliot calls their “breakthrough in nanowatt computing.” It can then proceed to communicate with any device enabled by Bluetooth Low Energy.
Needless to say, the real-life applications for this minuscule yet powerful chip are near endless. From Bluetooth tags to track consumer goods to upgrading information on tags or packaging, to several at home Internet of Things uses, and even communicating with washing machines to ensure clothes “never turn pink,” it seems there is nothing this little device can’t do.
“Wiliot’s strategy for battery-free Bluetooth transponders, which sense and communicate without needing specific action by consumers, is very relevant to Avery Dennison’s intelligent label strategy,” explained Francisco Melo, VP & GM, Global RFID, Avery Dennison. “We believe in a future where every item will have a unique digital identity and a digital life, benefiting both consumers and brands, with relevant and contextual information. We see this as an extension to our world-leading RFID solutions, enabling consumers to connect with products through multiple smartphones and IoT devices from end to end.”
But perhaps the most important quality of this novel device is the severe reduction in production and therefore also sale costs. After all, in the end, it all comes down to economics and since Wiliot’s revolutionary device eliminates most of the components associated with traditional Bluetooth, the reduction in costs could be equally incredible.
Matthew Griffin, described as “The Adviser behind the Advisers” and a “Young Kurzweil,” is the founder and CEO of the World Futures Forum and the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures consultancy working between the dates of 2020 to 2070, and is an award winning futurist, and author of “Codex of the Future” series.
Regularly featured in the global media, including AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, RT, Viacom, and WIRED, Matthew’s ability to identify, track, and explain the impacts of hundreds of revolutionary emerging technologies on global culture, industry and society, is unparalleled. Recognised for the past six years as one of the world’s foremost futurists, innovation and strategy experts Matthew is an international speaker who helps governments, investors, multi-nationals and regulators around the world envision, build and lead an inclusive, sustainable future.
A rare talent Matthew’s recent work includes mentoring Lunar XPrize teams, re-envisioning global education and training with the G20, and helping the world’s largest organisations envision and ideate the future of their products and services, industries, and countries.
Matthew's clients include three Prime Ministers and several governments, including the G7, Accenture, Aon, Bain & Co, BCG, Credit Suisse, Dell EMC, Dentons, Deloitte, E&Y, GEMS, Huawei, JPMorgan Chase, KPMG, Lego, McKinsey, PWC, Qualcomm, SAP, Samsung, Sopra Steria, T-Mobile, and many more.
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Published on 06.02.2019
The annual report on the world's most valuable and strongest chemicals brands.
“BASF’s brand, which has a powerful track record over a number of years, could come under real pressure from the combined DowDupont merger, which brings two compelling brands under one umbrella. The modernising of chemical plants is now more crucial than ever as brands compete to update their production facility processes and also ensure that all work in research and development is underpinned by digital solutions.”
David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance


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Warminster cops are looking for wallet thieves
by Alex Lloyd Gross
July 31, 2022
Some people should not be left out of the house without proper supervision. Warminster Police say the men pictured above went to the Costco store on Veterans earlier this month, July 9, 2022. Most stores have an elaborate security system in place and this store is no exception. Records show that these two men were in the store and found a woman shopping.
They waited until the woman was distracted, then they went to her purse and pulled out her wallet. They fled the store in an unknown direction. If you know who they are, Warminster Police want to hear from you. Please email Detective Kutzer if you have any information on these men. His email address is [email protected]


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Months of anti-extradition protests, capped by the Covid-19 epidemic, have caused many in Hong Kong to reconsider whether they should continue to make the city their home. Christine Smith-Mann was born and raised in Hong Kong, but now plans to sell her flat in the city and split her time between Hong Kong and the UK. With the city facing its first recession in a decade, and many businesses struggling to survive, moving companies are thriving. Protests followed by the deadly coronavirus have given rise to a surge in enquiries and bookings for international relocation company SwiftRelo. “In the history of this company, this is the busiest we have ever been at this time of the year”, said company sales director Jon Boag.
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Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday informed that the daily wage of tea garden workers has been hiked by Rs 27.
With this, the new daily wage of tea workers in Brahmaputra valley would be Rs 232 and Rs 210 in Barak valley.
The chief minister shared that the decision was taken after a discussion with representatives of Indian Tea Association, NE Tea Association, Tea Association of India, Bharatiya Chah Parishad, Assam Tea Planters’ Association and Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha.
He also announced that the government subsidy will be increased for orthodox tea from Rs 7 to Rs 10 per kg.
“Besides, all garden workers will get ration cards and we urged the gardens to take fair price shop licenses,” he added.
Last year, the state government had hiked the daily wage of tea workers by Rs 38.


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Case filed against Singaporean company seeking compensation
A case was yesterday filed in the Colombo Commercial High Court against the Singaporean company that owns the X-press Pearl vessel and seven others including its local representative company seeking a compensation over USD 62 million for the damage caused by the burning of the goods sent by domestic workers and labourers working in the Middle East.
The case has been filed by the cargo service company which covenant to courier the goods to Sri Lanka from the Middle East, seeking compensation for damaged goods packed in six containers, including furniture, which were sent by Domestic workers working in Doha Qatar. The case was taken up before Colombo Commercial High Court Judge Pradeep Hettiarachchi and after considering the circumstances, the notices have been issued to seven respondents including the registered owner of Xpress Pearl Vessel in Singapore, the local representative in this country, the manager of the ship in London, to present their facts before the court on August 10 by the Colombo Commercial High Court Judge.
On the advice of the K.P Law Firm, Senior Attorney-at-Law Malika Gunasekara appeared on behalf of the prosecution.


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By: Devangi Joshi: ET Intelligence Group
Slow rate of modernisation along with shortage and rising cost of power are likely to hit the textile industry in India. ETIG takes a closer look at the industry's performance in FY09
The end of the Multi Fibre Arrangement (MFA) in 2004 was expected to usher in a golden era of growth and profitability for the domestic textile industry. Though its three years since the opening-up of the global textile trade, gains are still illusive for the shareholders of most of the listed textile companies. The sector has been a clear laggard in the last three years and the stocks have also reacted in a predictable fashion. The combined market-cap of the top-8 listed companies such as Raymond, Arvind, S Kumar Nationwide, Welspun and Vardhman Textile among others has fallen by 35% while those of the Sensex companies have increased by 50% since the beginning of January 2005.
The poor performance of the industry is attributed to the domestic companies' inability to compete effectively with other low-cost destinations such as China, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. India is the worlds third largest cotton producer and a hub of comparatively cheaper and skilled labour. The domestic textile manufacturers were expected to benefit from this and grab a sizeable portion of textile markets like the US and European Union (EU) where India's share in total imports ranged 2-4% between early 2002 and 2005.
Many companies used the opportunities thrown open by the expiry of MFA by drastically scaling up their exports. However, export-led top line growth came at a huge debt burden restricting profit growth. For the past three years, companies took advantage of fiscal support like cheap credit under technology upgradation funds (TUFs) to increase their production base and scale up exports. As a result, the total debt of 11 companies in our sample increased at a compounded growth of 37%, while gross block grew by 29% CAGR during the period.
The consequent rise in interest burden and depreciation allowances is now straining the balance sheets of companies, as reflected by the adjacent chart which shows aggregate financials of 11 companies in the sector.
Against this, the combined net sales and exports of these companies, showed a compounded growth of 21% and 19%, respectively. This also included effect of a compounded annual depreciation of 3.5% in the Indian rupee, without which, exports would have been more sluggish in volume terms. Besides a passive export growth, the declining profitability is also reflected in deteriorating interest cover ratio (ICR), which has more than halved in the last three financial years. ICR is a ratio of operating profit to interest payments and shows a company's ability to service debt. The higher the number the better it is.
In volume terms, India's share in total US imports of MFA fibers continued in the range of 5-6% between the calendar year 2006 and 2008, even as it emerged as the third biggest exporter to the US. On the other hand, it continued to miss out in export share of the EU market to Turkey and other European countries due to disadvantage of proximity.
The picture so far indicates that while Indian companies have equipped themselves to reap the supposed benefits of the free global trade, rising competition from low-cost suppliers from Asia along with structural and resource-related barriers have weighed heavy on the profitability of the sector.
Even as India is believed to have relatively cheap and skilled labour force, the export-oriented production is wage sensitive considering the level of skills and productivity required. Lower modernisation rate along with shortage and rising cost of power in major textile producing centers seem to be affecting the operations of medium to small-size companies. In FY2009, the industry is expected to suffer an additional blow of the slowdown in developed nations while Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are catching up with India in unit labour cost. Indian companies are also yet to show competitive strength in high value design and fashion segments in order to offset the loss of volumes to their Asian competitors.
Written by Devangi Joshi: ET Intelligence Group
Originally published in "The Economic Times" dated January 19, 2009: Mumbai


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PHOENIX -- Americans spend more than $58 billion on their pets every year, and a chunk of that is in the name of fashion.
Kay Parker of Petco stopped by "Good Morning Arizona" to show what pet fashion trends will be in style this fall.
Scarves, sparkle, knit, and shearling are just a few of the items said to be in style this season for our furry friends. The trends are similar to those rocking the New York runways at Fashion Week.
Contact Petco at Scottsdale Pavilions for more information on pet adoption.


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"The fashion collection will be showcased during a panel and event—free and open to the public—at MoCNA on Friday, August 16"
Listen to art on the radio with ArtBeat, hosted by Kathryn M Davis, every Friday morning from 11 to noon on KVSF, 101.5, the voice of Santa Fe.
On this week's podcast from the show that aired on August 16th, for Indian Market weekend ArtBeat delves into an issue that is more common than we might wish: the misappropriation of Native culture through stereotypical iconography. Paul Frank fashions, in partnership with the Institute of American Indian Arts Museum of Contemporary Native Arts, announces the debut of its collaboration with four indigenous designers.
The fashion collection will be showcased during a panel and event—free and open to the public—at MoCNA on Friday, August 16 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Appearing on the radio show are Adrienne Keene of Native Appropriations with Tracy Bunkoczy, Paul Frank’s VP of Design as they discuss brand collaboration, the background story and the creation of the collection, and the development of proactive Native partnerships in the fashion world. For more, see Beyond Buckskin as well as the museum site.


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A busy working mum from Fife is championing this year’s Small Business Saturday in the Kingdom.
Candle maker Jo MacFarlane from Anstruther is one of 12 small business heroes across the UK tasked with the job; Jo is the only one in Scotland.
And this hero has little doubt of how much Small Business Saturday has helped her business, which she started seven years ago at her kitchen table.
Jo (49) had worked as a British Airways long haul air stewardess for many years.
But when she and her husband, physiotherapist Stuart Barton, had their son Archie eleven years ago, Jo decided she wanted to spend more time at home.
As well as looking after their son, Jo wanted to find a new role to keep her mind and hands occupied.
Seven years ago, at the kitchen table in her home, she started making candles – and she hasn’t stopped since.
Jo now makes signature scents for top-class hotels, including the Fairmont in St Andrews, Balbirnie House in Markinch, Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club in Edinburgh, the Pullman London St Pancras and Novotel London Canary Wharf.
She also regularly runs workshops, teaching other people the art of candle making; in just a few hours, they leave having made their own quality scented candle.
While running her own business and looking after Archie leaves Jo little spare time, she jumped at the chance of becoming a Small Business Saturday hero.
Explaining why, she said: “Three years ago when I was still working at my own kitchen table, I applied to become part of the Small Business 100.
“That gave me a platform on social media and in the national and local press, which was fantastic.
“It also gave me the chance to set up a stand in 10 Downing Streeet, which was an amazing opportunity.
“So when they asked me this year if I’d like to be one of their heroes, I was more than happy to do so.
“Being part of the larger Small Business Saturday network has been incredible.
“It’s amazing what you can do as a small business to be part of a bigger picture.
“Sometimes when you’re working on your own, you can feel a bit lost and swamped – it’s hard at times.
“But the Small Business Saturday network helps to raise the profile of small makers like me and you feel part of something.”
Two years ago, Jo set up her own studio in Murray Studios in Anstruther which enabled her to expand the business and offer workshops.
She is also training other people who, like her, want to set up their own business from their kitchen table.
Jo recently won an award from Surfers Against Sewage for reducing her use of single use plastics.
And she offers a fill it up Friday where people can pop in with their empty candle containers for a top-up.
She said: “I have always been environmentally minded so I’m doing all I can to safeguard against using plastics in my products and reusing where possible.”
That includes using old teacups and the like as candle holders.
However, Jo’s mission right now is to raise as much awareness of Small Business Saturday as she can.
She is keen for as many small businesses as possible to take part and has already signed up several in her home town.
But Jo hopes many others across the Kingdom will join in on December 7 too.
She added: “It’s a great way for small business owners to showcase what they do, simply by offering a small promotion on the day.
“I want as many small businesses as possible to benefit from the movement as I have. It’s been incredible for my business.
“I hope businesses in Fife will take the opportunity to sign up and get involved.”
To find out more or register, visit www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com.
Movement founded by American Express
A grassroots, not-for-profit campaign, Small Business Saturday was originally founded by American Express in the United States in 2010.
American Express remains the principal supporter of the campaign in the UK, as part of its on-going commitment to encourage consumers to shop small. It also benefits from the backing of leading business organisations including the Federation of Small Businesses, Indeed and Dell and is supported by Amazon, printed.com, Square and Xero.
It takes place on the first Saturday in December each year but aims to have a lasting impact on small businesses.
On Small Business Saturday, customers across the UK are invited to support all types of small businesses – online, in offices and in stores. Many small businesses take part in the day by hosting events and offering discounts.
Small Business Saturday 2018 brought in record figures, with £812 million spent in small businesses across the UK on the day. The Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Mayor of London were among those publicly supporting the campaign, alongside more than 90 per cent of local councils.
Michelle Ovens, director of Small Business Saturday, said: “Each year the campaign has grown in support from government, business and communities alike.
“We can’t wait for December to come round and put small businesses in the spotlight.
“Small businesses are the heart of their communities with 5.6 million keeping their economies moving, providing jobs and unique services.
“But it’s not just a campaign for one day – it is a year-round celebration.
“We want to ensure the long-term success of our high street heroes and digital stars.”


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Trailer: Tangiers is described as a "dark and uneasy" stealth game. Well, its new trailer is exactly that. The Thief-inspired, somewhat recently Kickstarted PC stealth-em-up is nearing its beta development phase, and is expected to get a release date within a couple weeks.
Tangiers' New Trailer Is 'Dark And Uneasy'
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It's probably more "what are you playing now, tomorrow, Sunday, and next week". Which is really just more time to spend with video games.
Picture this. You're looking forward to your favourite release of the year, a new DOOM. And you've got a fancy $1000 monitor to play it on. There's just one small problem. One day, you wake up and discover a bug has somehow carked it in your screen. No problem: the monitor's well under warranty. So everything should be OK, right?


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SANTA CRUZ >> Nobody has to wonder how long Dell Williams Jewelers has been serving downtown Santa Cruz. It’s right there as you walk by, in big letters (and numbers) on the storefront: “Established 1927.”
That means — let’s do the math together — that one of the oldest businesses in Santa Cruz County is looking at a big anniversary: the big nine zero.
On Saturday, Dell Williams will host its own 90th birthday party with an open house to welcome both longtime and recent customers. Rumor has it that birthday cake will be involved. And then, the countdown to the company’s centennial celebration begins.
Dell Williams faces its 90th birthday in a best-of-both-worlds situation with both the energy of new ownership and the generational continuity of downtown’s oldest family-run business.
That new owner/operator is 38-year-old Emily Bernard Coonerty — wife of 3rd District County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty — who took the reigns of the company less than two months ago. But though the role of boss lady may be unfamiliar, the store is in her bones. She is, in fact, the fourth generation of the Williams family, the great-granddaughter of the business’s namesake.
“I grew up doing my homework back here,” she said in the small back office at Dell Williams with a nearly 100-year-old antique cast-iron jewelry scale that belonged to her great-grandparents sitting on a shelf behind her.
Emily’s mom, Cindy Williams Bernard — daughter of Stan Williams, the long-time face of the business, who died in 2013 — is now serving as her daughter’s lieutenant and closest advisor. The store has been part of the fabric of the daily lives of both mother and daughter.
Dell Williams first opened for business a mere two years before the stock-market crash that ushered in the Great Depression. Cindy said that her grandparents, Dell and Florence Williams, took the train from Santa Cruz to San Francisco one day to buy that then state-of-the-art scale, manufactured by the Henry Troemer Company, that still sits in the store today. “She used to tell me the story,” said Cindy, “of how exciting it was to buy this scale and hold it on her lap the ride home on the train.” With the scale, the Williamses helped Santa Cruzans get through the hard times by giving them fair prices for their gold and silver.
During World War II, Dell grew ill and the couple’s two sons both served in the armed forces, leaving Florence Williams to run the store. Dell died in 1948, and Stan and his brother Tom returned from the war to take over the business with Florence maintaining the accounting. Both Williams brothers were accomplished watch and jewelry repairmen, and Stan Williams for years serviced the clockwork at the Santa Cruz Town Clock.
The shop’s current location on Pacific Avenue — tucked nicely between coffee (the Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Co.) and candy (Marini’s) — is its third spot. The first two were down the street a block across the street from the Del Mar. Young Cindy worked there in the summers and during the holidays, wrapping gifts and cleaning the display cases.
The store moved to its current spot in 1960 and stayed there until the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, when the business had to move to temporary digs at the old Bank of America building, the present-day New Leaf market. Cindy said that the Dell Williams building weathered the quake fine, but “the (neighboring) Palomar was tilting, so we closed up and moved to the Bank of America building, because they had a safe there.”
Emily was just 10 years old when the quake hit. She was in ballet class a block from the store when it happened. “I was really traumatized by that earthquake,” she said. “Still to this day (when there’s a tremor), my heart jumps a bit.”
The business was shuttered for several weeks, but re-opened for the holidays that year. “We had the best Christmas we ever had,” remembered Cindy, “because people came downtown to support the businesses here. It was amazing. Nobody really expected it. We knew then we have to keep going.”
Today, Dell Williams has expanded to include with its offerings of fine jewelry a wide selection of high-end glass art, namely the work of Santa Cruz-based Annieglass (Annieglass creator and lead artist Ann Morhauser will be at the 90th birthday bash to engrave some of her works).
Like all retailers, the jewelry business has had to face the hard realities of the online age. Bridal registries, once a thriving side-line at Dell Williams, have now largely fled to the Internet. Still, Emily Coonerty is eager to bring a new vision to the store, with her mom by her side.
“I’m super optimistic, because I have to be,” she said. “But we have a track record here of surviving and thriving, and Santa Cruz has a track record for supporting us.”
Dell Williams 90th anniversary celebration
When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Where: Dell Williams Jewelers, 1320 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz


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Fortnite rose to an incredible degree of popularity thanks to its battle royale mode, which was originally launched back in September before being spun off into a standalone game. That might have led some to forget that the game was originally launched in early access in July 2017, with a game mode now known as Save The World.
But Epic Games hasn't forgotten that, and it's celebrating the one-year anniversary of the game with special quests and challenges for its players, which also give some unique rewards. The celebrations start on July 24 and last until August 7, and the three birthday challenges and respective rewards are:
Deal 1,000 damage to opponents to unlock the Fortnite Birthday! Emoticon
Dance at different birthday cakes to unlock the Happy Birthday! Spray
Play 14 matches to unlock 5,000 XP.
Completing the three challenges also unlocks an additional bonus, the Birthday Cake Back Bling.
Of course, since it's the Save The World mode that's turning one year old, there are naturally some special quests for it as well. Completing the Fortnite Birthday questline will grant players a new Hero, Birthday Brigade Ramirez.
During the birthday celebration, players will also be able to spend tickets on birthday llamas which can unlock Heroes and weapons from every event this year. A special birthday Battle Bus and more will also be available in the game during this period.