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In the past many years, residents of Orcas Island have used their home-grown “Exchange” as a place to recycle useable items that might have gone into a landfill without the Exchange. About two years ago, the Exchange burned completely, and since then islanders have either had to haul recyclables off island, throw them into the landfill bins, or hang onto them. None of those options was very satisfying.
A year ago, one of our long-time volunteer families moved to Orcas Island, and learned of the Exchange situation. Skagit HFH offered to bring our Store truck to Orcas on a test basis to pick up donations. This began last spring and the response was extremely positive. Islanders turned out to such an extent that the truck was full to the brim on more than one trip. They really appreciated the opportunity to put their recyclable items to good use.
The effort to reopen the Exchange on Orcas Island has continued, and it looks like it will finally be back in operation in late 2015. Until then, the SHFH Store will consider coming back to Orcas to serve islanders and recycle donations. There is no regular schedule, but we try to meet the needs of the islanders when it fits well with the operation of our Store. During these visits, we have found out that Orcas residents are generally unaware that Habitat for Humanity has a retail Store in Skagit County (they seem to be well aware of the Store in Whatcom County.) The presence of our Skagit Store truck helps create awareness of our own Store–a more convenient location when coming off the ferry.


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“What we’ve done with humanitarian relief enabled us to lean in immediately to COVID-19,” Ruiz said. UPS is distributing supplies to medical facilities and schools and helping to develop a system to deliver meals to students who previously relied on a school lunch program, he said.
The foundation also has experience helping to distribute vaccines in places like Uganda, through work with international organization Gavi.
In addition, the UPS Foundation has deployed the company’s executives to help with logistics for getting food to remote areas of the world via the U.N. World Food Programme.
It started with Katrina
UPS has been deploying skilled volunteers since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, which prompted the company to launch a program focused on helping humanitarian organizations improve their own logistics management.
“We want these organizations to be able to be more effective, so they can respond to two times or three times more people,” Ruiz said.
That could mean providing track-and trace technology or warehouse management systems, or training mechanics on how to maintain fleets of trucks. “Our goal is to help them become more effective and efficient,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz said up to 73% of the cost of relief efforts is in logistics.
“It’s one of the most challenging things that humanitarian organizations can do. You can secure the money to get the supplies, but can you get the supplies to the last mile to the people that need them?” Ruiz said. “That’s the critical role we provide in this space.”
The difficulty of managing a disaster was on display in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, when pallets of bottled water were abandoned on the tarmac of a former naval base, and when an Atlanta entrepreneur who won a FEMA contract for more than 30 million emergency meals failed to deliver.
Disaster response isn’t easy, Ruiz said, especially with the various Customs regulations that can keep goods from getting into a country, he said.
“Just getting things to the seaport or just getting things to a runway is not enough,” Arnold said. “Every disaster is an unplanned supply chain ... that normally takes months and months to build out and test.”
As a sales guy, Arnold may not seem the most obvious person to manage logistics during a disaster.
But, Arnold said, disaster response requires understanding how goods get moved, how money gets transferred and how information moves for tracking the goods. “You need to understand all these three flows. And, to be good at the sales job, you need to also understand those flows for customers,” he said.
Before he deployed on his first humanitarian relief mission in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake, “I thought it would be about how fast you can unload,” he said. He later learned you also have to “be effective talking to literally a general or maybe a governor of the province, as well as talking to a truck driver and a UPS pilot.” That’s where sales experience also helps, he said.
It’s important that volunteers don’t usurp authority, Arnold said, which can impede coordination and lead to gaps in service.
“You really have to start with a position of humility and figure out who are the governing authorities in charge,” Arnold said. “You need to approach these situations with humility and not like the savior.”
“You see people in disaster response, though, get that very wrong. They come in with a cape.”

domain: news


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Detergent manufacturer RP Adam (Arpal Group) has unveiled plans to increase annual production by 50% across the UK and the Middle East by 2020.
The company is to invest more than £2.75 million into its operations in Selkirk, UK, and in Dubai, UAE, in a two-year bid to reach production targets of 12 million litres of liquid and 650,000kgs of powder product to satisfy increased customer demand. Some 31 jobs will be created, mainly at the group headquarters in Selkirk and in Dubai.
It marks the final phase of Arpal Group’s five-year 20/20 investment programme, launched in 2015. So far, more than £1.5 million has already been injected in the global business as part of the 20/20 programme, creating 20 extra jobs.
In the UK, this next phase investment will focus on factory, equipment and warehouse expansion, in particular creating new filling lines for 10-litre laundry drums required to service the UK’s fast-growing care-home sector.
Investment in the Middle East will be centred on geographic expansion in new markets such as Oman and Saudi Arabia, as well as meeting increased demand from the luxury hotel sector in the region.
Martin Carroll, Arpal Group’s technical director believes the next phase investment makes a significant statement of intent for the company. “These are exciting times for Arpal Group both at home and abroad,” he says. “Our increased production and turnover targets reflect our aggressive ambition to take on the large global competition as well as the smaller ‘no frills’ suppliers by providing significant commercial and customer-service benefits in demanding sectors, where service matters most.”


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Walking the dirty sidewalks of downtown Dover, Todd Stonesifer realized one day he wasn’t happy with what he saw—empty storefronts and few people.
“We don’t have the culture I would like to have in the town where I’m raising my children,” says the Dover real estate agent. He wanted a livelier downtown, more shops, more restaurants, more happenings—and he wanted people to love the city as much as he did.
So he called some friends with downtown businesses, a group of 10 young entrepreneurs who shared his vision: energizing the heart of Delaware. Together they formed D3: Destination Downtown Dover.
“We decided to do something and have it happen quickly,” says Jenny Mabus, owner of Bayard Pharmacy on Loockerman Street.
They founded the group in April 2015, and had their first event that May. History, Heritage and Hops was a brewfest that brought thousands of people out to eat, drink and dance in the streets downtown. They followed it with OktDoverFest in October, keeping to the food, music and beer formula that was so successful in the spring.
The more people they get downtown, the more people will see how great it is and the more likely someone will go back to shop or want to open something new, Mabus says. D3 members are willing to give whatever help they can to other businesses that want to move downtown. It’s a successful spot, she says. Her own business continues to grow after two and a half years.
The group is always looking for new ways to build the downtown brand, partnering with economic development and tourism groups whenever possible. They hope to have at least four events in 2016.
And Stonesifer quit walking the dirty streets of downtown Dover. Instead, now he walks the clean streets. The group used money raised from the festivals to have the sidewalks power washed.


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I think this is a NO for me. All I can think of it tasting like it Big Red gum and that sorta nauseates me. Coca Cola is fine. Adding lime to it was cool. Cinnamon is amazing. Great for lots of things. Let's not muck the two up by mixing them together.
Coca-Cola is unleashing the holiday spirit by the six-pack this year with the launch of new, cinnamon-flavored Coke. Yes, spicy, cinnamon-y Coke sounds weird, but hey, we're not gonna knock it 'til we try it. The festive colafirst hit stores in the UK last year, so it's probably safe to assume that it's good enough for a stateside debut. We don't blame you if you're skeptical, though.
The company has yet to reveal additional details about the festive drink, but when reached by email on Tuesday, a spokesperson confirmed packages of the stuff will officially launch across the country on September 30 along with yet another holiday-themed soda,Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry. Both will stick around at least through December 31.
Read more HERE!
(Photo courtesy of Coca Cola)


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Coming in M.2 form-factor
PNY has unveiled its new consumer-oriented CS2030 series of NVMe SSDs, coming in capacities of up to 480GB and sequential performance of up to 2750MB/s.
Based on MLC NAND and U.2 PCIe interface
Super Talent has announced its newest Nova SSD lineup that will be available in capacities ranging from 120GB to 1920GB and PCIe 3.0 x4 U.2 interface.
Based on Phison controller and MLC NAND
Corsair has launched its new Neturon XTi SSD lineup that will be based on Phison controller, MLC NAND and available in capacities of up to 1920GB.
Based on Toshiba's 15nm MLC NAND
Toshiba has launched its new OCZ RD400 SSD series which will be the first consumer NVMe/M.2 SSD that will ship in capacities reaching 1TB but also the first SSD launched in the new Toshiba - OCZ brand.
Coming in 240GB and 480GB capacities
After graphics cards and quite popular Zbox mini-PCs, Zotac is now venturing into SSD business as well with the launch of the new Premium Edition SSD series.
Phison S10 controller paired up with 19nm MLC NAND
Kingston has announced several new solid state drives that will be a part of its HyperX lineup, as the Savage SSD series.
Based on Barefoot 3 controller
OCZ has officially announced its newest addition to the Vector SSD lineup, the Vector 180 SSD, as well as new OCZ Guru storage management software.
A version of Vertex 460 with Toshiba A19 MLC NAND
OCZ Storage Solutions, which is now a Toshiba Group Company, has now unveiled and announced availability of its new Vertex 460A SATA III SSD.
Enabling 128Gb MLC NAND flash devices
Barefoot 3 controller paired up with MLC NAND


text: After adding new brands to its lineup over the past year, California-based Vintage Point now has annual volume of around 350,000 cases. Vintage Point president David Biggar says the portfolio has been premiumizing lately, with a clear focus on wines priced at $15 a 750-ml. and above. Most recently, Vintage Point added Dave Phinney's Grenache-focused Department 66 (around $45) label; the winery is based in France's Roussillon region, where Phinney owns over 300 acres of vineyards. Also new to the portfolio is Cigar Box, which depleted around 50,000 cases last year. Originally sourced from Chile and Argentina, Cigar Box recently launched the Humidor California Cabernet Sauvignon ($15). Biggar expects Cigar Box to approach 60,000 cases this year. Another recent addition is Oregon sourced Julia's Dazzle ($20), a rose of Pinot Gris that depleted its 10,000-case produc tion run in 2017. For 2018, supply has risen to 12,000 cases, and Biggar intends to expand distribution into select East Coast markets. Vintage Point's role as the chain channel marketer for Mionetto Prosecco also continues to pay off, driven by chains like Albertsons and Vons. "Mionetto was underdeveloped in the West, but that's chang ing," Biggar says. Mionetto reached 680,000 cases in the U.S. last year on 12% growth, according to Impact Databank. Looking ahead, Vintage Point will continue to add small- and mid-sized wineries. 'We've identified some of these brands in their very early stages and provided a platform to compete," Biggar says.


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And actor Cillian Murphy’s character Thomas Shelby probably wouldn’t have been seen dead in such a bright environment.
But a squeaky clean avenue in Birmingham’s most famous shopping centre has become home to a new range of ales and spirits inspired by the drama.
It’s a classic case of if the cap fits... wear it!
As the Mail revealed in the run up to Christmas, Black Country family firm Sadler’s Brewery has developed a new range of spirits to complement its Peaky Blinder ales launched in 2014.
Now the full range of drinks has gone on sale at Selfridges.
All of the drinks have a recommended retail price of £25 (70cl).
Chris Sadler, fifth generation brewer of the Sadler family, said he was proud that its latest range of craft spirits will be exclusively available in Selfridges Birmingham.
He said: “Our mission is to create products that are one of a kind, with their own unique story and we believe we’ve well and truly done that with the launch of our Peaky Blinder spirits range.
“Back in those days it was about grafting and crafting, whether that was legitimate work or activities only the Peaky Blinders would be associated with. Either way, it’s that hardworking, uncompromising Black Country attitude we’ve looked to instil into this new range.
“We’re over the moon that Selfridges Birmingham has selected our new range for its renowned spirits department and can hardly wait to introduce it to customers.”
The gin, rum and whiskey brands have been blended to reflect how different ethnicities changed the flavour of drinks thanks to new ingredients, aromas and distilling methods.
The Peaky Blinder Spiced Dry Gin offers a nod to the cocktail culture of the 1920s and is crafted using a selection of nine exotic botanicals, resulting in an unusual flavour with hints of pepper and notes of ginger - the perfect complement to the region’s famous Indian cuisine.
Its exceptionally smooth Irish whiskey - said to the the notorious Brummie gang’s favourite tipple - is a blend of grain and single malt Irish whiskey. Finished in a sherry cask, the sweet, smooth flavour has an aroma of malts and cracked nuts.
The Peaky Blinder Black Spiced Rum is aged in former Pedro Ximinez sherry casks and has essences of orange, nutmeg, vanilla, and raisin.
All of the drinks have a recommended retail price of £25 (70cl) and the gift boxes are £30.
Sam Watts, general manager of Selfridges Birmingham, said: “It’s great news to welcome yet another local producer to the department store. We love sourcing the very best food and drink products and showcasing them to our discerning customers and know that this amazing Peaky Blinder range will really go down well.”


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Microsoft Research and PhD students at MIT Media Lab have created a series of wearable devices made out of gold-leaf tattoos. The smart tattoos turn the wearer's skin into a new interface, enabling it to be used as a touchpad to control a mobile device, a display, or with the help of an NFC chip, a wireless communications device. MIT calls the technology DuoSkin, which it describes in a new paper as a "fabrication process" using gold metal leaf to create functional wearables for the skin.
The wearable Galvanic Skin Response skin system, MAXREFDES73#, is a wearable system recently released by Maxim. It's a mobile system that uses the MAX32600 wellness measurement microcontroller to measure impedance as well as temperature, making it an excellent fitness tracking device
Researchers have developed a stretchable, battery-free health monitoring patch that can be laminated onto the skin and operated using wirelessly transmitted power.
A rash is a noticeable change in the texture or colour of your skin. There are numerous causes including allergies, medications, cosmetics and certain diseases, such as chickenpox and measles. While the usual concerns for gadget buyers focus on specifications, with the advent of fitness trackers, consumers can add considerations about their own skin sensitivity to the list. Fitbit made the news back in 2014 with the recall of its Force wearable fitness tracker (pictured on the right) after some users developed rashes on their wrists. The device had been on sale for just five months and was supposed to be the high-profile successor to the Fitbit Flex.
Earlier this week, researchers at MIT Media Lab, in collaboration with Microsoft, announced the development of DuoSkin, a temporary metallic tattoo that allows users to control their mobile devices. The “on-skin user interfaces” can be designed as fashionable, jewelery-like adornments, turning people into a glittery tribe of artfully tattooed techies. Swipe a finger across the metallic design on your forearm, and you can scroll through information. Or use your mobile device to read data stored on your skin. And why not? Skin is such an accessible platform. And we all have plenty of it.
Scientists have developed a new wearable sensor that can detect lactate levels in your sweat and help predict problematic conditions such as muscle fatigue, stress and dehydration when you exercise.
While the cosmetics industry is striving for solutions that would make connected packaging affordable, did a design student invent the first connected beauty accessories? Fashion student Lucie Davis, a BA Jewellery Design undergrad at London’s Central Saint Martins school, has come up with a way to do just that. Her ’Oyster Card Acrylic Nails’ project features a stylish manicure that also doubles as an Oyster card - the travel pass used to get around the UK capital.
On Thursday, Samsung Strategy and Innovation Center and Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences announced a collaboration to harness the power of IoT technology and nutrition science to provide new insights into healthy living. This collaboration aims to combine IoT, scientifically validated bio sensors, advanced multi-modal technology, and comprehensive nutritional approach to provide people with entirely new awareness into health and wellness. In addition, the collaboration aims to empower individuals to better manage their own health and wellbeing by providing relevant and contextual recommendations around nutrition, lifestyle, and fitness, to help individuals live healthier and better lives.
A collaboration between researchers at the University of British Columbia and Paul Scherrer Institut in Switzerland has developed a microneedle device for drug monitoring. The device is in a form of a patch that’s stuck onto the skin, painlessly pushing microneedles through to sample the interstitial fluid.
A new stem cell-attracting “regenerative bandage” can help wounds heal up to four times faster. The bandage, from a team at Northwestern Engineering, was designed with diabetics in mind, who often develop hard to heal, lower-limb ulcers or wounds. The bandage is made up of a polyethylene glycol that has been combined with a protein called SDF-1. This protein attracts stem cells to the site of the injury, which promote the creation of new blood vessels and speed healing. The bandage is liquid at room temperature, but will solidify to a gel consistency when exposed to body heat, and can also be cooled back to a liquid for easy removal from the skin.
Developed for use on medical implants, the innovative “Black Silicon” material kills bacteria with a bed of nails, reducing the chances of an infection. The Black Silicon is lined with microscopic nails that will tear apart and destroy the tiny bacteria cells, while leaving the larger animal cells intact. In tests on lab animals, the black silicon material was able to kill pathogenic bacteria while leaving monkey kidney cells undamaged. The black silicon was inspired by the team’s investigation of dragonfly wings, which keep themselves free of bacteria via a similar surface of tiny spikes.
Researchers have developed a non-invasive method of treating burns and preventing scarring by using short bursts of electrical fields. The technique was created by teams from Tel Aviv and Harvard University to help prevent the proliferation of collagen-producing cells that cause burn scarring. Called partial irreversible electroporation (pIRE), the process involves using high-voltage, non-thermal electric fields sent in microsecond pulses that partially destroy the collagen-producing cells in the wound. In tests during five sessions over a six-month time period, the technique showed a 58% decrease in scarring.
Researchers at Tuft’s University have created a new smart thread able to detect how a wound is healing and alert doctors to any complications. The thread-based diagnostic device is equipped with sensors able to measure specifics such as strain and temperature as well as glucose levels and pH. This array allows the thread to analyze tissue strength and detect the body chemistry that indicates how well the wound is healing. The smart thread was also able to send its collected data to a paired device via a wireless transmitter. Though the smart thread is still being tested, the team believes it could have significant applications in wound healing as well as personalized health monitors.
A new antimicrobial unisuit designed for rowers in the Olympic Games could give athletes an edge over local bacteria. Designed by a team from Philadelphia University, the seamless unisuit features a fiber blending technology with anti-microbial materials woven into it. Besides helping to fend off bugs and pollution, the suit also resists external moisture without reducing its wicking capabilities. According to Mark Sutherland, co-designer of the suit, “The seamless construction and other innovations in the unisuit take it to another level of technology in performance wear.”
An app developed by Shiseido Co. can determine whether you have a smile that lights up a room or are a regular poker face--and everything else in between. The cosmetics giant announced June 21 that it will test the app on about 5,000 flight attendants from Japan Airlines Co. from July through September to evaluate the degree and quality of one’s smile captured with a tablet device.
The smartphone application Spinali Design interacts with an RFID sensor and UV sensor embedded in the bikini or swimsuit. It collect all the necessary data to optimise your tan. A special function helps men to find their place in a brand for women: Valentine’s function! It sends the message to a boyfriend's smartphone so he knows when to apply the cream to his girlfriend's skin! The €149 price includes the RFID sensor, the Spinali Design UV sensor and the app.
Violet is said to be the first wearable that tracks daily vitamin D production, monitors sun exposure and alerts the user to potential skin damage The app determines the wearer’s skin type and measures its safe UV exposure level. It vibrates to alert the wearer when this safe level is about to be reached Funded by Indiegogo, the wearable is currently on offer at $65, which the company says represents a 50% discount


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Over the past few years, we have seen an explosion of startup activity as the traditional barriers to entry have come down. The ability to raise money no longer determines one’s fate. With lowered costs to build and run websites, acquire and retain users, virtually anybody can pick up coding and start a tech company.read more
Everybody knows that most startups fail, but are still shocked when it happens to them. They’re often bitter first and then depressed before eventually having the strength to try again.
The reasons for the failure can be selected from a long list, but usually it boils down to these top three simple lessons.read more
Startup Empire, a new conference aimed at educating founders and employees of startups, will take place Sept. 23 in Halifax.
Milan Vrekic, the Executive Director of the Volta Labs and the organizer of the conference, said Startup Empire will feature a range of top-flight speakers from the tech and startup world who can advise young companies on the path to success.read more
The web has always been a network of knowledge. From its inception, one of its strongest points has been the ease that the world’s knowledge has become accessible to all—or, as Jimmy Wales of Wikipedia put it, “imagine a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge.”read more
FreshBooks has raised US $30 million round in its first institutional investment round.
The round, led by Oak Investment Partners with participation from Atlas Venture and Georgian Partners, will position the company for "increased growth as it helps freelancers and service-based businesses successfully build their businesses without having to learn accounting."read more
Earlier this month, the popular online portfolio platform 4ormat underwent a rebranding and relaunch.read more
WIND Mobile this week launched a new mobile app aimed at helping customers keep control over their wireless account.read more
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission this week announced that it will host a meeting with telecommunications and broadcasting distribution companies to discuss the practice of charging additional fees to customers who wish to receive paper bills.read more
In today's digital economy, Canadians live in an increasingly connected world where access to the Internet is essential to create jobs, realize economic opportunities, and link Canadians to online services as well as far-off family members and friends.read more


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The 2016 models keep on arriving at Harbin Automotive, and we’re doing all that we can to keep up. I mean, with all of the fall festivities also occupying our time, it’s understandable that even the exciting arrival of our cars almost gets short-shrift. That said, we’re excited to announce the debut of one of our all-time favorite models, back for the new model year: the 2016 Chevy Impala. Let’s take a quick look at all that it has to offer.
2016 Chevy Impala Release Date | Scottsboro AL
For decades, the Impala has been the benchmark of full-size performance in the Chevy lineup, and it’s never been more true than in 2016. The latest edition of the Impala boasts two awesome engine options: the standard 2.5L inline four-cylinder that uses stop/start technology to produce up to 30 highway mpg, and the muscular 3.6L V6 that employs direct injection and variable valve timing to produce 305 hp and 29 highway mpg. In either case, the Impala boasts premium electric rack-and-pinion steering and an available variable-effort feature to promote power and tighter steering.
The signature dual-cowl cockpit returns for the new model year, welcoming new additions such as heated and ventilated seats and chrome or woodgrain accents throughout the dashboard. It also uses Bose Active Noise Cancellation, where triple-sealed doors and acoustic-laminated glass inhibit unwanted noise in the cabin. Factor in the soft-touch materials and spacious interior cabin, and the 2016 Chevy Impala proves again to be one of the most welcoming models in its segment.
To make every journey enjoyable, the 2016 Chevy Impala now offers an available 4G LTE WiFi hotspot to seamlessly connect up to seven smart devices at once. Additionally, the updated Chevy MyLink interface boasts an 8-inch diagonal touchscreen as well as Apple CarPlay connectivity to easily stream music, access apps and social media, or use turn-by-turn navigation.
Read More: The 2016 Chevy Sonic
Chevy has truly got this safety thing down pat. The 2016 Chevy Impala starts with ten standard airbags, a high-strength steel safety cage and a standard rearview camera, then sweetens the deal with crash mitigation features that must be seen to be believed. They include forward collision alert, blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert and lane departure warning, meaning that the Impala has you covered from all directions.
The 2016 Chevy Impala is set to arrive at Harbin Automotive in the coming weeks, but we’re already taking orders and scheduling test drives at our Scottsboro-based dealership. To learn more, visit our dealership today!


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The parade will feature floats, musicians, and local groups with lighted
"We're inviting the community to create illuminated floats and cars and have contest money to incentivize everyone,"
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Belgium: Last month, AED Rent confirmed an initial investment in 80 PL380_s as it upgrades its rental stock. The company is the first European customer for QSC Audio_s new PowerLight 3 Class D amplifier which was shown for the first time at this year_s ProLight+Sound expo in Frankfurt, writes Anthony Lord.
AED specialises in providing dry-rental support uniquely to production and rental companies rather than end users. Managing director of AED Rent, Eddy van Nuffel, says that the new amplifier was earmarked for purchase as soon as it was announced, and they began beta testing back in March. _We conducted listening tests and the amplifier sounded extremely musical, with impressive Class D efficiency right across the frequency spectrum,_ van Nuffield reports.
The 8,000W PL380 combines a pair of 4,000-watt Class-D amplifier channels with QSC_s PowerLight power supply to serve up more than twice the audio horsepower of any previous 2U PowerLight amplifier.
Rental and production companies in Belgium have already been quick to take note of this sizeable investment as they strive to make their own inventories compatible with that of AED Rent.
Web » www.qscaudio.com


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As we like to remind people, the inbound marketing industry is constantlychanging. Trends shift and mutate quickly, and changes in certain areas can cause massive, unexpected ripples in the proverbial pond.
Google Penguin has made that big of a splash. This is a new initiative by Google to change the way their search rankings are calculated, and if you haven't heard of it yet, it's high time you do so. These are the sorts of trends you need to stay on top of if you're going to make it in inbound marketing.
What Is Google Penguin?
Google Penguin is a series of updates that Google made to their search algorithms aimed specifically at enhancing the quality of content found in Internet marketing. These are mostly intended to undercut companies attempting to utilize grey- or black-hat SEO techniques that trick Google's ranking system.
Some of the major types of questionable SEO techniques targeted include:
Spam blogs (AKA "splogs")
Content duplication (AKA "Spinning")
Google estimates that roughly 3% of searches in English are ultimately affected by these updates.
What Effect Is Google Penguin Having?
Google isn't pulling punches with Penguin. In one high-profile example, Overstock.com got hit hard. The short version is that Overstock had been trading college kids store discounts in exchange for inbound links and saw their search rankings crash overnight after Penguin noticed this. Once they ended the program, their rankings rebounded nearly as quickly.
This is causing a lot of worrying in the inbound marketing industry. Some who defend "black hat" techniques say it's putting them out of business, which it hopefully is. More commonly, people fear accidentally incurring the wrath of the Penguin without knowing how or why.
First of all, it's currently unknown exactly how many people are getting unfairly penalized by Penguin. There is little doubt that it is happening to some extent, but the reports have largely been like that one: totally anecdotal, without any real studies into how many such claims are accurate.


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In a ride-hail industry’s quarrel for marketplace share, Southeast Asia is still adult for grabs. So it comes as no warn that Grab, Southeast Asia’s homegrown player, has only lifted $750 million in a turn led by existent financier SoftBank Capital.
Now that Didi has acquired Uber’s resources in China, Uber has some-more time and resources to concentration on winning in other critical regions — and few are some-more critical than India and Southeast Asia. (Didi is also an financier in Grab.)
So for Grab, that claims it has 1.5 million rides requisitioned a day, lifting adequate income to deflect opposite a appearing general and well-resourced hazard that is Uber is no tiny thing.
The association wouldn’t mention that other investors participated in a largest turn to date though several sources contend Didi, that SoftBank has also invested in, did not put income in this time around.
In part, Didi wanted to equivocate ruffling Uber’s feathers so shortly after a association acquired a China assets, according to several sources. But a association does design to give Grab additional income in a future, those sources say.
The Chinese ride-hail association creatively invested $350 million in Grab in a vital turn in Aug 2015 shortly before Didi also corroborated Lyft and India’s Ola in a pierce that done central an general partnership that was meant to deflect opposite Uber.
Little has come from the general anti-Uber partnership that Didi had a large palm in forging — that is, aside from Lyft rising a cross-booking underline with Grab and Didi. But given Didi acquired Uber China in August, a long-term devise of formulating an general network of ride-hail players that common resources, information and best practices is in question.
At a time of Didi’s merger of Uber China, Lyft pronounced they were reevaluating their partnership with a company. As for Ola, given Didi done such a tiny investment in a company, a source tighten to Ola pronounced small altered in a company’s day-to-day affairs. It stays misleading what is to come of a companies’ general fondness with Didi, mostly since Didi is still operative to confederate Uber China into their business and app in a issue of a merger while continuing to navigate increasingly tying Chinese regulations.
Though Didi might have vanquished a competitor, Uber is still a hazard to Grab and Ola, and lifting income is critical to fending off a continued challenge. Though a anti-Uber fondness has started to fracture, Didi skeleton to continue to behind Grab, according to several sources. But, sources say, it will opt out of assisting Ola since India, like China, is a immeasurable and costly marketplace forcing both Uber and Ola to rivet in a appropriation war.
After China, India might be a many critical marketplace for Uber though there are also outrageous opportunities in Southeast Asia. In Southeast Asia alone, there are 620 million people, serious overload issues and stipulations on personal automobile ownership. In other words, it’s a marketplace fit for ride-hail.
With a new funding, Grab hopes to enhance a marketshare in Indonesia — where Grab is competing opposite Uber as good as a smaller association called GoJek — while also building a mobile wallet called GrabPay and stability to work on a appurtenance training capabilities in a company’s labs in Beijing, Seattle and Singapore.


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MGA Entertainment is preparing for its latest helping of video game action, teaming with the games publisher Nighthawk Interactive to launch LOL Surprise Movie Night exclusively to the Nintendo Switch.
Scheduled to land on the gaming platform this October 26th, LOL Surprise Movie Night will challenge players to create their own Rising Star to perform on studio lots in the attempt to become ‘the next big thing in LOLville. Pre-orders are now open at major retailers worldwide, including Game and Smyths Toys.
Gameplay will see players learn lines, Strike a Pose, meet other Stars, and play through a variety of film set productions in the form of games and quests.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to partner with Nighthawk to create an exhilarating video game for our L.O.L. community. We believe our fans are already stars but now they get to experience the Hollywood life in a new and fun way,” said Isaac Larian, CEO and founder of MGA.
Joseph Sutton, president of Nighthawk Interactive, said: “We are absolutely delighted to continue our partnership with MGA to launch an all-new fun and engaging experience based on the Movie Magic toy line.
“We think fans of L.O.L. Surprise! will be delighted with the results, and we can’t wait for them to get their hands on the game.”


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N95 face masks are the most trusted face coverings during the pandemic. Their high-quality manufacturing ensures enhanced safety against many germs, especially the Coronavirus. Owing to the high demand for N95 face masks made in USA, people are finding it very difficult to buy them. Retail stores are running short of supply and many manufacturing companies are not offering them for public sale. They are prioritizing getting masks to healthcare workers mostly. However, in such a stressful condition some providers are directly offering masks to the general public.
If you are reading this, you must be finding some reliable retailers for getting N95 masks. Well, here is a quick list of some companies that can help you find N95 face masks for your company staff. Let’s dig into the details.
DemeTech, due to its high-quality products, has been featured in the New York Times article. It is a medical device company that sells both surgical masks and N95 face masks made in USA. It is one of the few companies which is offering N95 masks for direct public sale. Before the pandemic, DemeTech dealt in surgical sutures and hernia mesh and now they have one of the finest product lines of face coverings that’s worth your time and money.
United States Mask
United States Mask is one of the handful of companies running into walls for getting N95 masks to the people and areas who need them the most. It was in 2020 that John K. Bielamowicz and David Baillargeon founded the company in 2020. Their motto was to address the shortages of personal protective equipments. The efforts of the company came into notice when their story was covered in Dallas Morning News. It got them significant attention and the company is now known for its high-quality products, all made in USA.
ALG health is one of the most reputable names among the American companies dealing in personal protective equipments. The company started in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and launched a mask brand named “patriot mask.” Located in Northwest Ohio, ALG health makes several types of N95 masks that are fully compliant with the Berry Amendment. The company also offers a private label allowing the public to customize their mask orders. ALG health is not offering masks for the public on their website. However, you can acquire their N95 face masks from medicalsupplyall.com. Not only ALG health, medical supply all is offering N95 face masks made in USA from other popular brands as well. You can check their website and buy any N95 mask as per your choice.
During the initial month of 2020, when COVID-19 was increasingly spreading around the world, 3M appeared as the major U.S.-based company to make N95 masks and other personal protective equipment. The company claims to manufacture around 2 billion N95 respirators across the globe in 2020. Although the company majorly prioritizes healthcare workers and paramedical staff for getting the masks, it is also offering some for public distribution.
If you are finding it difficult to buy genuine N95 face masks made in USA, these companies can be your go-to manufacturers. You can check their websites individually or you can just switch to medicalsupplyall.com and get the mask from the brand of your choice.


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Chronic Twitch, Switch, Cyberpunk 2077 … Weekly JVCOM # 17
Every day, iGamesNews strives to summarize the big news of the day on JVCom Daily in 60 seconds. The editorial goes back to the source of the information, what to know and what the consequences are … JVCom Weekly compiles each daily column and picks up on everything that has happened on planet JV this week.
MONDAY – Cyberpunk 2077: Thanks to a mod, it is finally possible to play in the 3rd pers on!
Cyberpunk 2077, the most anticipated game of 2020, finally released on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series and Stadia almost a month ago. A hasty release, as evidenced by the many bugs in the game or the not very playable console versions. CD Projekt Red, the studio behind the title, has announced that two major updates are planned to fix the game: the first is expected to be out in January, the second a month later. However, players did not wait for the Polish studio’s initiatives to change their gaming experience.
Tuesday – PS5 and Xbox Series X: The hidden war that causes the shortage
The ninth generation of consoles, represented by the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox series, is still a victim of its success. This is evidenced by the manufacturers’ record sales or stock shortages being extended for each of the consoles. Breaks that couldn’t just be attributed to an increased enthusiasm for video games.
WEDNESDAY – Cyberpunk 2077: four times fewer players than at the time of publication
Cyberpunk 2077 has been in the headlines for a month for a number of reasons. The CD title Projekt Red broke sales records with 13 million units sold, became the best-selling PC game and the single-player game with the most players on Steam one day before Shadowlands. But not for long.
THURSDAY – Twitch crashes the PogChamp emote
Yesterday in the United States, supporters of Donald Trump stormed the Capitol, the building that served as the seat of the United States Congress. There was a closing ceremony regarding the 2020 American presidential election: Mike Pence (Vice President of Donald Trump) and Kamelia Harris (Vice President of Joe Biden) went to confirm the votes of the big voters to seal Joe Biden’s final victory. This event did not please the pro-Trump who chose to illegally go to the districts of Congress. An intervention that indirectly affected Twitch, the streaming service.
Friday – Switch: a new version of Nintendo?
For the past few months, Nintendo rumors have been in full swing. In addition to speculation about the anniversaries of the company’s various undeniable licenses (35 years of Zelda and Metroid, 25 years of Pokemon, 20 years of Golden Sun, etc.)The rumors of a new Switch model are numerous and lingering … and they will remain so thanks to a discovery made today.
> CHECK ALL DAILY REVIEWS FROM JVCOM
By Chat Mhg, Writing from igamesnews.com


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SiriusXM, a satellite radio company is planning to buy Pandora - a leading music streaming service. As per the market reports are concerned, the deal is likely to be finalised in $3.5 billion all-stock. After acquiring Pandora, SiriusXM will emerge as the largest audio entertainment company with more than $7 billion in combined revenue expected in the year 2018. This deal will bring together the SiriusXM's 36 million subscribers (North America) and Pandora's over 70 million active users. Nokia 5.1 Plus Price in India Officially Announced; To Go On Sale on October 1 via Flipkart.
This agreement between SiriusXM and Pandora includes a 'go-shop' provision wherein the company - Pandora 'may actively solicit, receive, evaluate and potentially enter negotiations with parties that offer alternative proposals following the execution date of the definitive agreement.'
The deal is expected to be closed by the first quarter of next year. Moreover, Pandora's stock increased by 8.3 percent to $9.85 per share in the pre-market trading. However, the Sirius share dipped 5 percent to $6.63 per share. Motorola One Power Smartphone Launched, Priced in India at Rs 15,999; Online Sale on October 5 via Flipkart.
Moreover, the Pandora shareholders are expected to receive 1.44 of newly issued SiriusXM share against each Pandora share. The implied Pandora price from this deal is $10.14 a share, or a 13.8 percent premium over a 30-day volume-weighted average price. Paytm Face Login Feature Under Testing; Likely To Be Rolled Out Soon.
Pandora recorded a soared earnings because of thick competition in the music streaming business. The company has been facing intense competition from Spotify, Amazon and Apple. Also, the satellite radio company also entered into partnership with Netflix earlier this year in July for creating a comedy channel. This comedy channel is scheduled to launch by January, which will feature new material from comedians promoted in Netflix original content.


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Engadget: Got yourself a Sony Dash, did you? If so, right about now would be a beautiful time to unplug it and plug it back in, as that'll trigger a minty fresh update to download and apply.
Sony's preorder routine is slightly different this time around.
With BMW, Sony Honda and Ram revealing EV plans, cars dominated CES 2023
According to a recent statement by Sony, it has sold out around 25 million PlayStation 5 consoles.
TechSpy is a community of awesome people posting and discussing the latest tech news. It’s part of BGFG, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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LISOF's first year students raise R50 000 at celebrity auction
|Issued by: LISOF|
[Johannesburg, 7 January 2009] -
On 25 November 2009, those attending LISOF's 16th annual student fashion show witnessed the creative efforts of LISOF's first year fashion design students being put to good use to benefit the Children's disAbilty Centre situated in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
The Keedo Cares Ragdoll project - launched at the LISOF show on the same night - will not only assist the Children's disAbility Centre, but also Equip Skills – an organisation that offers women in the Diepsloot area a safe place to learn and practice craft skills with one of their projects focusing on the manufacturing of ragdolls that are sold in Keedo stores countrywide. A number of high-profile celebrities from the world of fashion participated as celebrity auctioneers in the auction event and helped to raise R50 000 from the "adoption" of the ragdolls.
The main beneficiary of the LISOF students' collective efforts are the children and families of the Children's disAbility Centre in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. This centre caters for the needs of visually impaired and autistic learners from birth to 18 years old. Professor Lorna Jacklin at the Department of Paediatrics at the University of the Witwatersrand says: "When I refer families to the Unit for Visually Impaired & Autistic Children at the Johannesburg hospital they are usually in despair. When I see them for a follow up a few months later, they have renewed sparkle. They can only speak with gratitude for the support and hope they have been given at the CDC school".


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ISSAQUAH, Wash. (AP) -- Costco's fiscal third-quarter net income climbed 19 percent, bolstered by increased sales and more money from membership fees.
For the three months ended May 12, the wholesale club operator earned $459 million, or $1.04 per share. That's up from $386 million, or 88 cents per share, a year earlier.
Analysts, on average, had predicted earnings of $1.02 per share, according to FactSet.
Revenue for the company, based in Issaquah, Wash., rose 8 percent to $24.08 billion from $22.32 billion. Wall Street predicted $24.09 billion.
Revenue from membership fees, which account for much of Costco's profit, increased to $531 million from $475 million.
Revenue from stores open at least a year, a key gauge of a retailer's health, climbed 5 percent. This figure excludes results from stores recently opened or closed.
In the U.S., the metric increased 6 percent. It rose 4 percent overseas.
Excluding changes in gas prices and foreign exchange rates, revenue at stores open at least a year increased 7 percent. It also rose 7 percent in the U.S. and internationally.
Costco Wholesale Corp. currently runs 627 warehouses, including 449 in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, 85 in Canada, 33 in Mexico, 24 in the U.K., 15 in Japan, nine in Taiwan, nine in Korea and three in Australia.


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LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.K. biotech firm Skyepharma skye uk:skp said Tuesday that it has extended its agreement with First Horizon Pharmaceutical fhrx regarding cholesterol treatment Fenofibrate, which is currently under review by the Food & Drug Administration. The agreement would allow First Horizon to launch a novel fenofibrate product in the first half of 2005, subject to FDA approval for the product.
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Impossible Burger Debuts in Canadian Grocery Stores
Impossible Foods is making its plant-based burger available to home chefs in Canada in nearly 600 Sobeys Inc. banner stores beginning this week, including Sobeys, Foodland, Safeway, Thrifty Foods, IGA, IGA Extra, and the retailer’s online home delivery platform, Voilà by Sobeys.
Sobeys is the exclusive retailer of the Impossible Burger until February 2021, at which point the product will be available to purchase in all of Sobeys 1,500 family of stores across Canada.
“We are proud to be the first national retailer to bring Impossible Foods to Canada,” said Paul MacLeod, Vice President, Merchandising at Sobeys Inc. “We are always looking to find innovative products to keep...
Impossible Foods Debuts in Asian Grocery Stores
Impossible Foods is making its award-winning, plant-based meat available to home chefs in Asia in nearly 200 grocery stores across Hong Kong and Singapore, the first time Impossible Beef Made From Plants has been available for home chefs outside of the United States.
Starting this week, Impossible Beef will roll out at nearly 100 PARKnSHOP banner stores across Hong Kong, including PARKnSHOP, FUSION, TASTE, food le parc and GREAT FOOD HALL. It’s also available for delivery through parknshop.com.
In Singapore, Impossible Beef will start rolling out this week at nearly 100 NTUC FairPrice stores, including...
Soy Protein: An Introduction and Import Assessment
If you are like a growing number of shoppers across the globe, checking the ingredients label on the back of food items has become instinctual. One such ingredient, soybeans and further processed soybean powders (like flours, concentrates, and isolates), have garnered increased media attention partly associated with its use in a growing number of novel, plant-based products. Generally, goods containing soy are considered either “traditional soyfoods” which use whole soybeans in the creation of more obvious items like soy milks, tofu, and soy sauces or “formulated foods” which contain concentrated forms of soy protein in products including comminuted meats, protein bars, soups, cereals, frozen desserts, and meat analogues.
Like peas and lentils, the soybean (Glycine max) is a species of legume plant and has numerous invaluable production applications. Most widely grown in...
A Snapshot of Plant-Based Protein Growth Amid the Pandemic
Alternative protein markets, and those specifically utilized in the production of plant-based meat analogues, continue to boon as a result of COVID-19 economic implications. Primarily used to produce beef-like substitutes, products from companies like...
Top Plant-based Protein Producers Make Expansion, Distribution Efforts
A pair of companies leading the way for the plant-based protein industry, Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods both announced moves to boost their presence in the retail and foodservice landscape.
On Monday, Beyond Meat announced it will double the distribution of its Beyond Breakfast Sausage Patties. The company said the product will be available in additional Kroger, Super Target, Walmart, Publix and Harris Teeter stores by the end of the month.
“Following the initial release of our Beyond Breakfast Sausage Patties at retailers earlier this year, we heard an enthusiastic and overwhelmingly positive response from consumers who asked for increased availability,” said Chuck Muth, Chief Growth Officer, Beyond Meat...
Study Sheds Light on U.S. Consumer Preferences on Conventional and Alternative Protein Products
In the past six months, players within the plant-based protein industry have been dazzled by the performance of their alternative burgers, patties, nuggets, and sausages. As reported by the Good Food Institute (GFI) overall plant-based product sales increased to a peak of...
Impossible Foods Launches Plant-Based Sausage in Hong Kong
Impossible Foods is rolling out Impossible Sausage Made From Plants in Hong Kong, the first international market for the award-winning, plant-based patty.
Impossible Sausage is the company’s first all-new product since the 2016 debut of Impossible Burger. California-based Impossible Foods launched Impossible Sausage to much fanfare at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. Within six months, the patties have become available at more than 22,000 locations throughout the United States.
Starting today, Hong Kongers can buy Starbucks’ Maize Impossible Sandwich at...
Impossible Foods Debuts in Canada as International Expansion Accelerates
Canada’s most reputable chefs are launching Impossible Foods’ flagship product at their restaurants from coast to coast.
In response to overwhelming demand, the Impossible Burger will become available later this year in a wide variety of additional restaurants and grocery stores nationwide -- but patrons of the country’s top restaurants can get an exclusive sneak peek for the next two weeks.
Starting today, Canadians can try the plant-based Impossible Burger in world-class restaurants by...
Impossible Foods' Flagship Product Rolls Out at Sprouts Stores
Impossible Foods is rolling out its flagship product, Impossible Burger, starting this week at more than 350 Sprouts Farmers Market stores in 23 states.
Sprouts shoppers can find Impossible Burger in the frozen meat section of the store in convenient, versatile 12-ounce packages for the price of $9.99. The product is available for curbside pickup and delivery.
Impossible Burger is versatile in all ground meat recipes, including...
Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat Respond to Lightlife's 'Clean Break' Campaign
Lightlife, owned by Greenleaf Foods, announced earlier this week that it is making a 'clean break' from the competition. As the plant-based meat category is surging, with sales up 91% in the past year, there is rising concern among consumers about the ingredients in their food. This revelation inspired Lightlife to create a campaign to ensure consumers know exactly what they are eating.
“At Lightlife, we understand the factors that are driving the recent rise in plant-based protein sales,” said Dan Curtin, President of Lightlife Foods. “Because we care so much about leading the future of this important category and...
Impossible Foods Launches Impossible Burger Patties in Grocery Stores
Impossible Foods’ flagship product is now available in packages of two pre-formed, quarter-pound (4-oz) patties at nearly 2,000 grocery stores nationwide owned by Kroger.
Patty packs of the award-winning, plant-based Impossible Burger will begin rolling out this week at Kroger-affiliated stores, including Kroger, Ralphs, Fred Meyer, Mariano’s, Smith’s and more. Customers can find Impossible Burger patties in...
QDOBA Enhances Menu with New Signature Eats Entrees
QDOBA announced the introduction of its new Signature Eats menu that offers its guests unique chef-crafted flavor combinations, while also increasing convenience and flexibility. Now, in addition to the ability to create your own entreé through customizable options, QDOBA makes it easy to find your flavor through its set of Signature Eats recipes.
"Our new Signature Eats entrees are perfect for both first-time visitors and loyal fans," says Karin Silk, vice president of menu & off-premises at QDOBA. "The dishes feature curated combinations of our popular and freshly-prepared flavors. They are also...
Impossible Foods Debuts at Walmart
Impossible Foods’ flagship product will begin rolling out at Walmart.
The Impossible Burger has started hitting Walmart shelves and will soon be stocked in nearly 2,100 Walmart Supercenter and Walmart Neighborhood Market locations. Customers can find Impossible Burger in the fresh meat section of the store in convenient, versatile 12-ounce packages. Impossible Burger is also available through Walmart Grocery Pickup & Delivery.
With the addition of Walmart locations, Impossible Burger will be available in more than 8,000 brick-and-mortar grocery stores across all 50 states -- a more than 50X increase...
Impossible Foods’ Growth Accelerates as Restaurant Sales Rebound and Retail Orders Surge
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Impossible Foods has expanded its grocery store footprint by more than 30X, and the food tech startup is on track to increase retail availability 50X throughout 2020.
Impossible Burger was sold in only 150 grocery stores in March. Impossible Foods’ plant-based burger is now available in more than 5,000 grocery stores across 48 states, including the nation’s largest grocery chain, Kroger, as well as Albertsons, Fred Meyer, Gelson’s, Safeway, Vons, and Wegmans.
Last month, Ahold Delhaize-owned stores on the East Coast, including Giant, Giant Martin’s and Stop & Shop, began selling Impossible Burger. And Impossible Foods’ flagship product will...
Burger King Restaurants Launch the Impossible Croissan’wich
Burger King today announced it is lauurger nching the new Impossible Croissan’wich sandwich nationwide. After a successful test earlier this year in select U.S. markets, BK guests across the country can now get the same Croissan’wich sandwich they know and love with a delicious Impossible breakfast plant-based patty. This new menu item makes Burger King the first national restaurant to offer an Impossible breakfast plant-based patty on a breakfast sandwich. The all-new, limited-time-only Impossible Croissan’wich features a toasted flaky croissant, fluffy eggs, melted American cheese and a seasoned breakfast plant-based patty from Impossible Foods...
Impossible Foods Launches Direct-to-Consumer Sales and Accelerates Retail Expansion
Impossible Foods is launching an all-new e-commerce site today, allowing people in the lower 48 states to buy the award-winning, plant-based Impossible Burger and cook it at home.
The startup’s direct-to-consumer channel offers family-size quantities of the award-winning, plant-based Impossible Burger starting at $49.99 (plus tax). The orders come with compostable and recyclable packaging, free shipping and two-day home delivery.
Impossible Foods has increased its retail footprint nearly 20-fold since the start of 2020, and its flagship product is now available in over...
COVID-19 Impact on Alternative Protein Industry
The on-going COVID-19 pandemic is re-shaping everything from the global economies to product categories, pricing, and stock availability to consumer behavior.
The pandemic has also placed the spotlight on meat supply and food security globally. The spotlight on meat supply has been evident in both developed and emerging markets amidst disruptions to supply chains and panic buying and stockpiling, following announcements of lockdowns and social distancing measures...
Impossible Foods Accelerates Retail Expansion with Kroger
Impossible Foods is accelerating its retail expansion this week with the rollout of its flagship product at more than 1,700 grocery stores nationwide owned by The Kroger Co., America’s largest grocery retailer.
In addition to grocery shelves at Kroger-affiliated brick-and-mortar stores, Impossible Burger is also available starting today for online ordering through Kroger.com for Kroger Curbside Pickup and Delivery.
The rollout of Impossible Burger at Kroger represents a 18-fold increase in Impossible Foods’ retail footprint so far in 2020. The company’s award-winning, plant-based meat is now on shelves in about...
Impossible Foods Confirms Approximately $500 Million in New Funding
Impossible Foods confirmed today that it has secured approximately $500 million in its latest funding round, led by new investor Mirae Asset Global Investments, with participation from existing investors including Khosla Ventures, Horizons Ventures, and Temasek. The industry-leading food-tech startup has raised nearly $1.3 billion since its founding in 2011.
Impossible Foods will use the funds in part to invest in fundamental research and innovation; accelerate its manufacturing scaleup; expand its retail presence and its availability in key international markets; and accelerate commercialization of next-generation products including Impossible Sausage Made From Plants and Impossible Pork Made From Plants.
“With this latest round of fundraising, Impossible Foods has the resources to accelerate growth -- and continue to thrive in a volatile macroeconomic environment, including the current COVID-19 pandemic,” said Impossible Foods’ Chief Financial Officer David Lee.
The new funding closely follows the launch of the company’s latest next-generation products...
Impossible Foods Partners with The Halal Shack to Serve Halal Certified Cuisine
Impossible Foods has announced its latest national restaurant partner: The Halal Shack. With 8 locations in New York, California and Texas and 25 more locations in development nationally, The Halal Shack combines the best of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavors with a classic American spin for a delicious and unique dining experience. Impossible Burger meat will be available as a filling for any menu item, and can be added to Bowls, gyros, Wraps and Salads.
The Impossible Burger first became halal certified in 2018, and Halal Shack is the latest to benefit from this certification. The word “halal” derives from the Arabic word meaning lawful or permitted, as opposed to “haram” or prohibited. Halal meats are sourced and prepared in accordance with...
Impossible Burger Named the Preferred Plant Based Burger of Disney Parks and Cruises
Impossible Foods announces a new strategic alliance today with Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. As part of the alliance, the food tech startup’s flagship product – Impossible Burger – will be designated as the “Preferred Plant-Based Burger” of Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and Disney Cruise Line.
On February 28, Disney will debut Impossible Foods menu items at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, including:
White Castle to Complement Impossible Slider with Dairy-Free Cheese at Select Locations
White Castle will soon become one of the first fast-food hamburger chains in the U.S. to offer a dairy-free alternative to cheddar cheese. White Castle announced that it will launch the non-dairy product on March 1 in its New Jersey and New York City restaurants.
Customers will be able to order dairy free cheddar to top any slider, including the Impossible Slider, the plant-based slider that White Castle introduced in April 2018 as a test item and then launched as a permanent menu item five months later.
"Our Impossible Slider was an instant Craver favorite, but it's about to get a new dimension with...
NCBA Releases Consumer Research Showing Widespread Confusion About Contents of Plant-Based Fake Meat
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) today released survey results that show widespread consumer confusion regarding the ingredient composition and purported benefits of plant-based fake meat products.
In an online survey of more than 1,800 consumers, less than half of the respondents understood the labeling term “plant-based beef” was intended to describe an entirely vegetarian or vegan food product. One major source of confusion uncovered by NCBA’s research is that approximately one third of surveyed consumers believed that plant-based fake meat products contained at least some real beef in them. When asked to evaluate specific product labels and marketing materials from some of the leading plant-based fake beef products currently on the market, the results were astonishing...
Rabobank Talks Alternative Protein Surprises
Rabobank kicks off the first note of the decade by sharing some of the main highlights from their annual ‘We Didn’t See That Coming’ survey of food trends. At the end of every year, for the past five years, Rabobank has asked in confidence the simple but highly revealing question: “In the world of food, what surprised you the most over the last twelve months?”
The main surprise can be summed up as the ‘the rapid growth and consumer acceptance of alternative proteins.’ For ease of digestion Rabobank has broken it into four sections...
Burger King Adds the Impossible Whopper to the 2 for $6 Lineup
Burger King restaurants are jazzing up the popular 2 for $6 promotion, now with the Impossible Whopper sandwich. Available for a limited time only, guests can choose between the Impossible Whopper, Spicy Crispy Chicken, Crispy Chicken and Whopper sandwich.
“We are excited to offer our guests a plant-based product like the Impossible Whopper as part of our 2 for $6 promotion,” said Chris Finazzo, President, North America, Burger King Corporation. “This unbeatable deal gives friends and family a new reason to come in and try the Impossible Whopper and other BK favorites at an amazing value.”
Burger King restaurants rolled out the Impossible Whopper sandwich with a patty made from plants nationwide last year following...
Impossible Foods CEO Criticizes Meat Industry; Intends to Replace Animals for Food Production
Pat Brown, CEO of Impossible Foods, criticized the meat industry in a recent interview, calling it "the most destructive technology on Earth by far." Brown added that the company's ultimate goal is to completely replace animals as a form of food with plant-based products by the year 2035. Impossible Foods currently offers a plant-based beef burger, and a new sausage product will be offered at various Burger King locations across the United States for testing this month. The company also announced that it will introduce ground pork and sausage, but there is no word on availability at this time. With beef and pork alternatives becoming readily available to consumers, Brown stated that poultry options are on the way as well.
Brown claims that Impossible Foods is so important because of the impact the meat industry has on the environment. However, testifying on behalf of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association at a U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on climate change in May, Kansas cattle producer Debbie Lyons-Blythe delivered a clear message...
NPPC: Impossible Pork is Impossible; Violates Labelling Law
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) today called Impossible Foods’ naming convention for its plant-based products designed to mimic real pork a brazen violation of labelling law. Citing law that prohibits the use of words that redefine pork as it has been known by consumers for centuries, Dr. Dan Kovich, director of science and technology for the National Pork Producers Council, issued the following statement:
“What’s impossible is to make pork from plants. This is a brazen attempt to circumvent decades of food labelling law and centuries of precedence. Any adjective placed in front of the word pork can...
Burger King Tests the Impossible Croissan’wich
Burger King restaurants announces today it is testing the new Impossible Croissan’wich sandwich. Starting late January in select test markets across the U.S. market, BK guests can now get the same breakfast Croissan’wich sandwich they know and love with a plant-based patty. The all-new, limited-time-only Impossible Croissan’wich features a toasted croissant, egg, cheese and a seasoned plant-based sausage from Impossible Foods. This test makes Burger King the first restaurant to test Impossible Sausage made from plants on a breakfast sandwich.
Participating Burger King restaurants in Savannah, GA, Albuquerque, NM, Montgomery, AL, Lansing, MI and Springfield, IL will be testing the Impossible Croissan’wich. The Impossible Croissan’wich is made with...
Elevation Burger Debuts Impossible Burger and Dairy-Free Daiya Cheddar Style Slices Nationwide
FAT (Fresh. Authentic. Tasty.) Brands Inc., parent company of Elevation Burger, known for serving 100% organic, grass-fed, free-range beef burgers and fresh fries cooked in heart-healthy olive oil, is pleased to announce all domestic locations across America will now carry the plant-based Impossible™ Burger as well as dairy-free Daiya Cheddar Style Slices.
Elevation Burger’s nationwide launch of the Impossible Burger and dairy-free Daiya Cheddar Style Slices demonstrates the brand's commitment to serving customers of all dietary preferences. The Impossible™ Burger handles, cooks and tastes like ground beef — but is made entirely from plants — while each Daiya Cheddar Style Slice delivers the same incredible melt and slight sharpness as dairy-based cheese that pairs perfectly with...
Top Meat, Poultry, Egg and Seafood Price Action Broken Down in the Latest Market Briefing
Current Restaurant Restrictions and Capacity By State
Billions in Consumer Spending Are Shifting as COVID-19 Forces Widespread Retail Disruption
The NPD Group Reveals Consumers' Top Plant-Based Product Choices
Americans Flock to Chicken, the Nation’s #1 Quarantine Protein
URNER BARRY INDICES


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Product Management training and consulting firm Brainmates has appointed Jen Marshall as CEO.
Marshall was previously at Fairfax where she led product development across business publishing assets, including The Australian Financial Review. Prior to that she was category manager for news, information and consumables at Optus.
Marshall also has significant experience in newsroom leadership roles at Sky News, including director of digital news.
“The discipline of product management is reaching a tipping point in Australia, and we see an opportunity to support that growth.” said Adrienne Tan, founder and principal consultant.
“The marketplace in every industry is changing so fast that the traditional product management methods are struggling to accelerate with them. Brainmates has appointed Jen to scale our business to ensure we can meet our client needs, bringing them the best new methods,” said Nick Coster, founder and head of training.
Commenting on her appointment, Marshall said, “I’m thrilled to be joining Brainmates at such an exciting time for Product Management. I see great opportunity to leverage the knowledge and connections we have in the Brainmates network to keep clients educated and informed.
“This October, we’ll bring The Lean Product Playbook author Dan Olsen, to Australia for the Leading the Product conference. That will be a great opportunity for people to expose themselves to Silicon Valley thinking.”
Global independent creative agency AnalogFolk has added more creative content firepower to its Sydney team with the appointment of award-winning Naomi Martin as senior copywriter and social lead. Martin’s focus will be further building the agency’s creative and strategic capabilities across editorial, branded content, influencers, creation and production. Formerly head of content at IPG Mediabrand’s […]
SkyBus’ latest ‘The Easy Way to Getaway’ campaign via newly awarded creative agency Hardhat aims to give a warm welcome to returning New Zealand travellers, letting them know the airport transfer service is ready and waiting. The win has seen Hardhat lead the charge on SkyBus’ strategy and creative across New Zealand, ensuring confidence in […]
Longtail UX, an Australian founded tech company with 70+ clients across the Americas, EMEA and JAPAC, has today announced a $2.25m supplementary equity raise in partnership with Woolworths Group’s venture capital arm, W23 and Steven Lew-owned group, Global Retail Brands (GRB). The investment builds on the $3m funding round led by Investec through its Investec […]


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Albany, CA, January 5, 2016 (Newswire.com) - Starting in January, beer enthusiasts of the San Francisco Bay Area will be able to order fresh draft beer from a list of local microbreweries on Hopsy’s ecommerce platform and get the convenience of home delivery - like a modern beer milkman.
“Hopsy’s mission is to create the first brewery-to-table online marketplace for local breweries to connect with local beer lovers who care about drinking fresh, quality beer and supporting their community,” said Sebastien Tron, who co-founded Hopsy with Andrew Perroy and Bodie Paden. "We created a fully cold supply chain from the brewery to the home to ensure our customers get access to the freshest beer possible and local breweries no longer have to worry about the degradation of their beer through distribution."
Over the past five years, the number of breweries in the nation has grown by 20% year over year, reaching an all time high of 4,000 breweries in September. Craft beer already accounts for 20% of the $100 billion beer market in the US (source: Brewers Association). However, only a fraction of these local micro breweries are distributed in retail, where shelf space is dominated by the big beer companies. The result is most of us don’t know about the amazing beers produced by our very own local breweries. And it is very challenging for those local breweries to compete and grow. “While the beer industry is consolidating like never before with the merger between big beer giants InBev and SABMiller, Hopsy is creating an alternative distribution system where customers have online access to local breweries they usually don’t find in traditional retail,” Tron says.
Beer are delivered in 32 fl. oz. growlers (the equivalent of two pints). Hopsy is currently offering twenty beers from ten Bay Area breweries, and will broaden its offering as the number of customers grows. The company is offering on-schedule delivery for now, but the goal is to quickly offer same-day and on-demand delivery of draft beer. With Hopsy, fresh draft beer from the brewery to the home has never been easier!
Hopsy founding team includes Sebastien Tron, Andrew Perroy and Bodie Paden and has extensive experience in online retail, alcoholic beverage and food delivery.
Tron, CEO, has an MBA from UC Berkeley-Haas and experience with Munchery, SpoonRocket and Nakedwines.com. Perroy, COO, previously managed business operations at Nakedwines.com, the Napa-based “kickstarter for winemakers”, sold to Majestic Wines for $100M in May 2015. Paden, CTO, was the lead developer at Nakedwines.com, and previous CTO at eWinery Solutions, the leading CMS for wineries.
Hopsy is the first local craft beer marketplace and beer delivery service connecting local breweries with beer lovers. Hopsy's technology enables brewers to have fresh draft beer delivered to local customers while providing beer lovers unprecedented access to local beer when they want and where they want. The company also has a mission to drive sustainability for local breweries by providing an alternative distribution system.


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MICHAEL FERRANTE says solo voyaging is on the rise
Demand is driving more deals for solo cruising and that means good news for single single and solos holidaymakers. Either through circumstance or a preference, many are choosing to go it alone when booking a cruise. And there are some attractive deals on offer, like Riviera Travel’s 10 solo-only sailings through Europe in 2020, ranging between five and eight days.
There is no single supplement for cabins on voyages departing between March 30, 2020, and November 13, 2020. Fares start from $1829 for a five-night cruise through Holland and include daily guided excursions, onboard meals and wi-fi. Riviera has a selection of solo-only cabins on every sailing, year round.
Riviera’s Australian sales manager, Thomas Morgan, says the company has responded to demand by offering its biggest ever choice of river cruises exclusive to solo travellers for next year.2020. “Interest in our Solo Travellers program has been going from strength to strength and we have been working hard to increase our offering yet further,” he says.
“The customers love our solo river cruises — it’sits designed with them in mind. Many are travelling for the first time on their own, so it gives them peace of mind.” Cruise and Maritime Voyages’ ship Vasco da Gama, which will be based in Fremantle from January, 2020, also caters for single guests with 40 spacious single cabins, which These solo cabins were fully booked during the ship’s maiden CMV voyage in April from Singapore to London Tilbury. Norwegian Cruise Line offers studio guests exclusive access to its studio lounge area where they can stretch out, mingle with neighbours, enjoy a drink or coffee or watch TV on a big screen. French flagged, small-ship cruise operator Ponant has just released a selection of itineraries that include no single supplement, like its new Antarctic Odyssey, with a polar expedition cruise from Montevideo, Uruguay, to Ushuaia, Argentina, departing November 19 this year (but early bookings are advised).
Cunard has single staterooms on all three of its ships, as well as organised events and activities for solo travellers, and most are Oceanview staterooms. and Holland America, also have limited solo-use cabins on some ships.
Bicton Travel sales and marketing manager Barry Downs says solo supplement charges were, until recently, expensive for most solo travellers if they didn’t want to share with a stranger, but that is changing.
“As more and more cruise lines offer deals with either no or low solo supplements, there is certainly more awareness and opportunity for solo travellers to find a great-value offer,” he says.


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Telecom ombudsman publishes Mid-Year Report
Ottawa (April 4, 2023) – Today, the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) released its 2022-23 Mid-Year Report. The report shows a 12% increase in the number of complaints received from Canadian telecom and TV customers between August 1, 2022 and January 31, 2023. Customers complained most often about their wireless (mobile) services, followed by internet, TV and local phone (landline).
Rogers becomes the most complained-about provider
For the first time since the CCTS opened its doors in 2007, Rogers became the most complained-about service provider, with a significant increase in complete loss of service issues. Out of the over 400 service providers that participate in the CCTS, Rogers accounts for 17.4% of all complaints accepted, followed by Bell at 14.9%. TELUS and Koodo both saw a significant increase in the number of complaints filed by their customers, accounting for 13% and 9% of all complaints respectively.
Non-disclosure of important information remains a problem
Customers most frequently raised problems with the non-disclosure of information by service providers, which often involves a “mismatch” between what the customer was expecting to receive and what they received. Customers also frequently raised problems with their quality of service and incorrect charges on their bill.
“Ensuring that customers receive and understand all of the information needed to make informed purchasing decisions about phone, internet and TV services remains a problem,” says CCTS Commissioner and CEO, Howard Maker. “Being fully informed is the best protection that a consumer can have to avoid confusion and frustration.”
“The CCTS has been helping Canadians resolve problems with their service providers for 15 years, free of charge,” continues Mr. Maker. “Our long track record of successfully resolving almost 9 out of 10 complaints, often within 30 days, shows our commitment to offering an outstanding service. We remain committed to providing an outstanding dispute resolution service, and we will continue to improve and enhance our service delivery to customers and providers who need our help.”
Customers who are unable to resolve a dispute with their service provider can file a complaint online at ccts-cprst.ca.
About the CCTS
The CCTS is Canada’s national and independent organization dedicated to resolving customer complaints about telecommunications and television services, fairly and free of charge. This year, the CCTS celebrates 15 years of helping Canadians. To date, we have handled over 150,000 complaints – most resolved within 30 days. Customers are encouraged to reach out to us for help if they are unable to resolve a dispute with their service provider. Let’s talk solutions!
Mathieu Pierre Dagonas, Director, Communications and Stakeholder Affairs


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NEW YORK (CBS.MW) - U.S. stocks worsened Thursday as an unexpected rise in weekly jobless claims and warnings in the tech sector dampened positive sentiment following Federal Reserve's first interest-rate hike in four years. See full story.
Economic Report: U.S. factory growth slower, but still at a strong level
WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- The U.S. manufacturing sector grew at a slower but still strong rate in June, the Institute for Supply Management reported Thursday. See full story.
Economic Report: Weekly U.S. initial jobless claims inch higher
WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- First-time claims for state unemployment benefits increased for the third straight week, rising 1,000 to 351,000 in the week ended June 26, the Labor Department reported Thursday. See full story.
J.P. Morgan Chase, Bank One complete merger
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) - J.P. Morgan Chase completed its $58 billion purchase of Bank One Thursday, creating the United States' second-largest bank with more than $1.1 trillion in assets. See full story.
Charles River Labs to buy Inveresk for $1.5 billion
NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Charles River Laboratories said Thursday it would buy Inveresk Research Group for $1.5 billion in stock and cash. See full story.
David Callaway: Waiting for the first big rate-hike blow-up
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) - All of Wall Street agrees you'd have to be a sucker to get caught on the wrong side of the most well flagged turn of an interest rate cycle in Federal Reserve history. See full story.
Rate hikes mark a signal to reassess personal finances
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Many credit cards, home-equity credit lines and auto loans are about to get more expensive -- but only slightly. See full story.


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(Reuters) – British shares rose on Monday, led by gains in mining stocks as silver became the latest target of a retail investor trading frenzy, while fashion retailer ASOS gained on a deal to buy rival brands and JD Sports surged following its second acquisition in the United States.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index gained 0.9%, recovering from its worst session in three months, with miners and construction stocks gaining the most. The mid-cap index added 0.8%.
BHP Group, Rio Tinto and Anglo American were the top gainers in the FTSE 100 index.
Silver prices surged to an eight-year high, silver-mining stocks leapt and bullion dealers were scrambling as small-time investors piled in to the metal. [nL1N2K60M1]
“I still think there is difficult times ahead as far as the markets are concerned though it is a positive start to the month with the moves in mining stocks giving a lift,” said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA.
British manufacturers suffered a double hit last month as COVID-19 disruption to global shipping combined with new trade barriers with the European Union, a survey showed.
The FTSE 100 has recovered nearly 30% from its March 2020 lows and is 15% away from its highest point last year, led by stimulus support and re-opening optimism, but a recent surge in coronavirus infections and fresh lockdowns capped further gains.
Shares of ASOS gained 6.9% after the fashion retailer’s acquisition of Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and HIIT brands from the administrators of Philip Green’s collapsed Arcadia group for 265 million pounds ($364 million).
Britain’s biggest sportswear retailer JD Sports jumped 7.0% on a takeover deal to buy DTLR Villa, its second acquisition in the United States, as the retailer expands its business on the west coast.
Reporting by Shashank Nayar, Amal S and Shivani Kumaresan in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta, Uttaresh.V and Jane Merriman


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American automobile major, Ford's Indian arm has recalled the 16,444 units of its compact SUV EcoSport manufactured between November 2013 and April 2014. The company initiated recall over an issue with Rear Twist Beam (RTB) bolt.
"In some of the affected vehicles, there is a possibility that the Rear Twist Beam (RTB) bolt may not be tightened to specification, which may cause the pivot bolt to break," Ford India said in a statement.
The current state can potentially compromise vehicle handling and thereby increase the risk of an accident. However, no accidents related to the concern have been reported so far. "Ford is writing to 16,444 EcoSport customers for getting their vehicles inspected at a local Ford dealer. If needed, Ford dealership will carry out necessary rework free of cost," the company statement added.
Previously, Ford India had recalled also 1,66,021 units of its Figo and Fiesta Classic models in September 2013 to rectify faulty rear twist beam and the power steering hose. With Ford's latest recall, over 13.25 lakh vehicles have been recalled by various manufacturers in India so far, reports PTI.
The EcoSport SUV is one of the important offering from Ford India. The company recently updated the compact SUV with a price tag starting at Rs 6.79 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The new EcoSport facelift features 1.5-liter TDCi diesel engine, which is retuned to dish out 99bhp of power. The 1.5-liter Ti-VCT petrol and the 1.0-liter EcoBoost petrol engines continue as it is.


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For the first time ever, Jewelers of America will live stream the 2015 GEM Awards.
The awards take place Jan. 9 in New York and will be broadcast live on the JA website. The stream will start at 7 p.m. with red carpet coverage.
“GEM Awards is a high-energy evening unlike any other event in our industry,” said GEM Awards chair Norman Miller of Niche Media. “The live stream will allow anyone connected to the jewelry industry, connected to the nominees, and those who love jewelry to tune in and be part of the excitement!”
The live stream is sponsored by Synchrony Financial and is available at www.jewelers.org/gemawards/livestream.


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RentTrack Officially Launches Rent Reporting To Equifax
Santa Barbara, Calif., January 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ – RentTrack®, a pioneer in online rent payments and rent reporting, is proud to announce that it is now officially contributing rental tradelines to Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX). RentTrack is one of the first online rent payment companies to report to all three major credit bureaus.
Until recently, it was uncommon for renters to have the opportunity to build their credit history when paying on-time. For many, rent only showed up on their credit report if they were late or evicted. Rent reporting allows residents to build their credit history without relying on debt or other types of credit.
“We’re thrilled to be working with Equifax to help our residents build credit history without taking on debt,” said Matt Briggs, Founder & CEO of RentTrack. “Rent payments are quickly becoming the next big thing for credit reporting and scoring, and RentTrack is excited to be at the forefront of this movement with Equifax.”
“RentTrack provides an efficient new access point to the traditional credit reporting process for renters and property managers,” said Michael Gardner, Senior Vice President and Sales Leader at Equifax. “As there are over 100 million renters in the United States, we see rental data reporting as a way for many men and women to both build and maintain credit. In particular, we see an opportunity to support the millions of individuals and families who today have limited means to develop the history needed to gain access to many credit products.”
RentTrack also integrates directly with many of the top property management accounting software packages, making the collection of rent easier as well. For property managers, becoming a certified data furnisher and complying with the applicable regulations is a daunting process. RentTrack reduces the complexity, cost and compliance risk of reporting to all three credit bureaus, while enabling online rent collection and a streamlined, end-to-end accounting process.
With increasing connectivity between industry participants around rental data reporting, and as major scoring models begin to incorporate these rental tradelines, rent payments are rapidly becoming the most important “non-traditional data” on a consumer’s credit report.
RentTrack® gives residents a real reason to pay rent online and on-time. RentTrack’s online rent payment system can report rent payments directly to major credit bureaus to help residents build credit history. For the first time, consumers have a new avenue to build credit without incurring debt. RentTrack makes it easy to accept credit cards and e-checks online while maintaining an easy integration with the property manager’s accounting software. For more information, visit www.RentTrack.com.
Equifax is a global leader in consumer, commercial and workforce information solutions that provide businesses of all sizes and consumers with insight and information they can trust. Equifax organizes and assimilates data on more than 600 million consumers and 81 million businesses worldwide. The company’s significant investments in differentiated data, its expertise in advanced analytics to explore and develop new multi-source data solutions, and its leading-edge proprietary technology enable it to create and deliver unparalleled customized insights that enrich both the performance of businesses and the lives of consumers.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Equifax operates or has investments in 19 countries and is a member of Standard Poor’s (S&P) 500® Index. Its common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol EFX. In 2015, Forbes named Equifax one of the World’s 100 Most Innovative companies; Bloomberg BusinessWeek nominated it as one of its Top 50 companies; its CIO was named one of the top 100 by CIO magazine; the company ranked 16th in the Fintech 100 list; and it was recognized as a top 20 company to work for by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and was named a 2015 InformationWeek Elite 100 Winner. For more information, please visit www.equifax.com.


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The commercial real estate space is witnessing some emerging trends which are opportunities that businesses are adapting and using to their advantages.
By Kunal Jaiswal
The Indian economy has been witnessing some steady growth over the past few years. The recent slew of reforms introduced by the government have provided the much-needed transparency to the economy. Although there have been a few jerks that have slowed the growth rate, however, the long-term picture still looks positive.
Real estate as a sector has been under pressure largely due to the government bringing in sector-specific reforms to ensure more accountability and transparency into the sector which was otherwise largely unregulated and developer-driven. The investor outlook has been quite positive both for international and domestic players despite the sector witnessing huge reforms. Investors are preferring secure income streams and looking at Grade A options. While some sectors like residential, land remain under pressure, commercial leasing activity has been robust with Grade A spaces witnessing steady rise in rentals and valuations. With large scale changes happening everywhere, the business environment has also witnessed newer trends. The commercial real estate space is witnessing some emerging trends which are opportunities that businesses are adapting and using to their advantages.
Over the past few years, a large number of companies both domestic and international have leased significant space to build and operate co-working centers across multiple cities. They have propelled small, medium and large even in some cases large occupiers to take up space with them which is largely due to the fact that they provide quick and ready space solutions to run businesses. The growth has been so rapid that co-working operators are now looking to grow at a never before seen speed largely riding on pre-commitments from their existing clients. A large number of players within the co-working space has ensured competition which has resulted in better service quality and competitive per seat pricing, making the deal overall sweeter for the occupier. The momentum surely seems to be favoring the co-working operator and more space take up on the co-working front is expected in the coming few years.
ORC’s (Office retail Complexes):
Another emerging opportunity that has been quite successful is the growth in the development of Office Retail Complexes. The growth of ORC is a great example of the change in the mindset of developers. ORCs are planned to mix well with the office crowd and for retailers it’s a foreseeable business. Retail as an industry is an integral part of economy and retail developments act as epicenter for the community for their leisure & shopping needs. Owners of successful assets have managed to keep footfalls intact and are even growing in certain cases primarily due to their extensive efforts in getting the right mix of tenants for their assets basis their customer profile.
Retail as an asset category was under tremendous pressure and many developers did shy away and even shelved their plans to build malls primarily due to excessive vacancies in malls coupled with low rents. A good retail mix in an office complex provides a lot of ease to the office occupants and values to the assets.
The increasing occupancy levels in Grade A commercial developments are having a positive impact on rental trends,which has again ensured increased investor confidence in the commercial real estate asset category.
(The author is Senior Associate Director, Office Services, Colliers International India)


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Cafe V (2056 San Pablo Ave.), a trendy Vietnamese fusion restaurant, opened last summer in a space across the street from Local 123, the popular West Berkeley coffee shop. Yesterday was the first time I noticed the place, and, as it turns out, V just re-opened last week with new management and a new head chef (Yvonne Thi) who used to run Vietnamese restaurants in Concord and Pleasanton.
The menu is heavy on fusiony items like jalapeño popper egg rolls and pork belly banh mi, but the restaurant has now started serving traditional pho (the classic Vietnamese noodle soup) as well — both beef and chicken versions. Owner Hamei Hamedi said next week he’ll be launching a “Pho Twenty” happy hour special: From 4:20 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, a bowl of pho will only run you $4.20.
So there you go: One more indulgent activity you can partake in at 4:20.