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The growth in video downloads could create an internet traffic jam that threatens the net's development, according to Google. Services such as YouTube, which is owned by the Californian giant, are proving tricky for internet providers to deal with and new developments could create even more problems, senior internet executives were told yesterday.
"The web infrastructure - and even Google's - doesn't scale," said Vincent Dureau, Google's head of TV technology. "It's not going to offer the quality of service that consumers expect."
Surfers around the world already use sites such as YouTube to watch videos online, but video filesharing services are increasing pressure on the internet's capacity. One of the unwitting culprits is BitTorrent, a technology already used by millions of people to obtain high-quality video over the net. Many people use it to download episodes of US TV series such as Lost, which have yet to be shown in the UK, or to see concert footage.
But BitTorrent has proved controversial with Hollywood because many people also use it to download movies illegally. Later this month the system's creators are expected to launch a legitimate movie download site in conjunction with some major studios.
BitTorrent hopes to draw in mainstream users with a new system which lets them legally pay for major releases such as Mission Impossible 3. It is not alone: another BitTorrent-based service, Zudeo, recently signed a deal with the BBC to distribute programmes outside the UK and the corporation is currently testing its own iPlayer download system.
Despite the relatively small number of users, research indicates that systems such as BitTorrent are responsible for more than 50% of all internet traffic. Some executives fear that without proper investment, video download services could clog up the internet and cause online gridlock.
"Most of the internet traffic is peer-to-peer, and most of that is video. Every year we have to invest substantially just to maintain the user experience. In fact it has actually decreased," Richard Alden, chief executive of Spanish cable company ONO, told the Cable Europe Congress in Amsterdam. "People don't like to talk about [the fact] that just to stand still, they have to invest."
Tensions are only likely to increase with the imminent arrival of Joost, a new London-based video venture from the dotcom entrepreneurs who invented internet telephony company Skype. Like BitTorrent, it also uses peer-to-peer systems. Internet users affected by such a scenario would most likely see their high-speed broadband connections slow to a crawl and top downloads speeds reduce.
A spokesman for the UK's Internet Service Providers Association, Ispa, said broadband providers were successfully dealing with a number of different services putting strain on the net. "There are a variety of things putting pressure on internet providers, and BitTorrent is just one of them," he said. "But there is concern about the amount of bandwidth that's used. It's one of the things that ISPs have to react to whenever something new turns up."
Not everyone believes the problem is straightforward.
Jonathan Arber, a technology analyst with Ovum, said internet capacity existed in abundance but the question was whether ISPs were prepared to invest their money to keep up with developments.
"It's not the case that the internet wasn't designed for video, because it wasn't really designed for anything," he said.
"The problem is that media companies are starting to use these peer-to-peer methods to distribute videos but the internet providers are the ones paying for it."
The concerns come just days after hackers attempted to overload some of the internet's crucial computers.
Three of the internet's 13 "root servers" were struck as the hackers tried to overwhelm them in a 12-hour onslaught. The attack ultimately failed, however, as the targeted computers struggled but remained operational.
BitTorrent is revolutionary because it makes downloading faster than any of the traditional methods; perfect for large files such as video.
Instead of allowing people to swap complete items, such as music tracks or entire TV series, it breaks each piece of information into tiny fragments.
The technology then finds a multiple number of sources which already have the files and downloads all the separate fragments to your computer simultaneously.
The results are then reassembled into the finished article so that you can watch the video on your machine.
The system works well because it plays on one of the fundamental tenets of the internet - that people are able to download files much faster than they can put files onto it.
It is this efficiency which has led BitTorrent's creator, Bram Cohen, 31 to say that it can become a thousand times faster than other downloading.


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Do you smell that?
That’s the smell of a cooking contest in late October.
From 2010 to 2015, the staff at the Fillmore County Journal along with staff from Harmony Foods, Preston Foods, and Rushford Foods, coordinated an annual cooking contest. There were nine categories.
1.Appetizers & Beverages
2.Soups, Salads & Vegetables
3.Main Dishes & Casseroles
4.Meat, Poultry & Seafood
5.Breads & Rolls
6.Pies, Pastries & Desserts
7.Bars, Cakes, Cookies & Candy
8.Dips, Sauces & Spreads
The staff at the newspaper and the grocery stores took on the role of food judges. The winners received a combined payout of $630 in gift cards. First place received $40, second place was $20, and third place was $10.
Each year, there were anywhere from 50 to 95 recipes submitted for this competition. And, after the cooking contest concluded each year, the Fillmore County Journal would publish a cookbook titled Tasty Temptations that would be inserted in the newspaper prior to Thanksgiving Day.
All Tasty Temptations cookbooks from 2010 to 2018 are available online at www.fillmorecountyjournal.com.
After taking a break from 2016 to 2018, the newspaper and grocery stores are ready to coordinate another cooking contest.
This time it will be hosted at the Preston Fall Expo and Craft Fair and Pumpkin Fest on Saturday, October 26, 2019, at Fillmore Central Schools in Preston, Minn. The cooking contest will start promptly at 11 a.m. and conclude no later than 1 p.m.
The payout will remain the same per category, totaling $630 in gift cards to winners.
But, on top of the gift cards, this year there will be a special drawing for a KitchenAid 4.5 Qt. Classic Plus Stand Mixer, valued at $259. This drawing will be conducted at the end of the event, and all participants of the cooking contest on October 26 will be eligible to win.
For individuals wishing to compete in this cooking contest, the entry deadline is 5 p.m. on Friday, October 18, 2019. Look for the registration form in this week’s Fillmore County Journal or you can also submit your entries online at fillmorecountyjournal.com/tasty-temptations/.
And, for Journal readers who have a scheduling conflict and will not be able to compete in the cooking contest, they can still submit a recipe to be published in the 2019 Tasty Temptations cookbook.
Sharing great recipes makes the world a better place, right?

domain: news


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(Pocket-lint) - Computex is an international computer expo held annually in Taipei, Taiwan and it's where many companies involved in the PC business make new announcements.
The physical event didn't happen in 2020 as with so many events, but the organisation behind the show is planning that the event will get back to normal in 2021. And it has now scheduled dates for the event from 31 May to 30 June 2021.
However, the event will make use of an online platform next time around - presumably acknowledging that not everyone will be able to attend the show because of travel restrictions. The organisers say "Computex 2021 will create a smart Online-Merge-Offline (OMO) exhibition platform, connecting the tech community through an innovative model that breaks barriers and limitations."
The Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) has announced that the list of companies involved this year will include Acer, AMD, Arm, Intel, Micron, NXP, Qualcomm and Supermicro.
It has also said that the show will use cutting-edge artificial intelligence to help provide the best viewing experience for the show. So even if people can't attend in the normal way, we should still be able to bring you all the coverage that matters.
In recent years, many of the announcements have been related to virtual reality, with several brands rolling out high-end or budget rigs capable of running VR. Last time out there was a focus on 5G, AI, and machine learning alongside laptop and desktop announcements.
The best announcements from Computex last time around
AMD revealed its new CPU and GPU hardware products, including the Radeon RX 5700, making it the first 7nm consumer video card, as well as a new 7nm Ryzen 3000 series, with different chip models across the 9, 7, and 5 families, all of which offer PCIe 4.0 and GDDR6 memory support. AMD's third-gen Ryzen chips also feature its Zen 2 architecture, double the floating point performance, and double the cache over its last CPUs.
But the star of the show is the first mainstream 12-core/24-thread processor: Ryzen 9 3900X. It costs $499 and goes against Intel's $1,189 12-core i9-9920X. It features a base/boost speed of 3.68GHz/4.6GHz and 70MB of total cache.
To learn more about AMD’s announcements, head here.
- Asus ZenBook 15 initial review: The ultra-compact productivity enhancer
- Asus ZenBook Pro Duo initial review: The dual-screen stunner
- Asus unveils an impressive new line-up for Computex 2019
- Asus announces new ZenBooks and VivoBooks with dual screen tech
Asus unveiled a bunch new devices, including laptops with two displays, special-edition products for the company’s 30th anniversary, and a portable display for gamers. The Zenbook Duo and Pro Duo series got the most attention, however. The Pro model has two 4K screens - one where you'd typically see a display and another above the keyboard. The ZenBook Duo is a cheaper 14-inch model with Full HD screens instead.
To learn more about the Zenbook Duo and Pro Duo, check out our hands-on.
- Dell redesigns the Alienware m15 and m17 "from the ground up"
- Dell announces stacks of XPS and Inspiron updates
Dell unveiled the latest versions of its XPS 13 2-in-1 laptop. The new models will include 10th-generation Intel Core processors, which will require the addition of two cooling fans. The 13-inch screens also comes with a new screen ratio of 16 by 10. Dell has also finally moved the camera on the laptop from the up-the-nose placement by the keyboard to the more typical location above the display.
Dell also revealed a number of gaming laptops at this year’s Computex, including Alienware’s m15 and m17 laptops, which are coming with new hardware, new features, and a much improved design. They're now powered by 9th-generation Intel Core i5 to i9 CPUs. Also on Dell’s Computex 2019 set list are three models from its G-series gaming laptops: Dell G3 15, Dell G7 15, and Dell G7 17.
HP had a flurry of announcements. But the stand-outs include a new Wood option for its Envy laptops, complete with wood veneers on the palm rests and touchpad. We also like the Elite x2 G4, which allows you to detach the screen to use it as a tablet. HP cloaked its body in leather. Finally, there's a new "HP VR Backpack G2" with an 8th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and an Nvidia RTX 2080 GPU.
For more on HP's announcements, see here.
Discover how we are driving innovation in computing for our data-centric world to expand human potential at #COMPUTEX. Join Gregory Bryant, SVP & General Manager of Intel's Client Computing Group and our guest speakers in building powerful PC platforms.https://t.co/2iLAGm7Weq— Intel @ #Computex 2019 (@intel) May 28, 2019
- Intel Project Athena explained: Ultrabook 2.0 standards for modern laptops?
- Intel's 'Honeycomb Glacier' concept is a dual-screen laptop
Intel showed off 11 new processors manufactured at the 10-nanometer scale and sad it'd start the 10th generation of its Core line of processors, codenamed Ice Lake, with a series of laptop chips that'll include better graphic processing and faster Wi-Fi connections. These chips will be 18 per cent faster than its prior generation. And the top-of-the-line will be a Core i7 chip with four cores and a top speed of 4.1 GHz.
Intel also introduced a desktop chip, called the Core i9-9900KS, with eight cores that can all run at a speed of 5 GHz simultaneously. Lastly, Intel shared details for the Project Athena platform it first announced this CES.
Intel also demonstrated a dual-screen concept laptop codenamed "Honeycomb Glacier". As well as a standard display, there's also a panel above the keyboard - it's aimed at creatives and gamers.
For more Intel announcements at Computex 2019, go here.
Nvidia was a bit underwhelming, having focused on its new Nvidia RTX Studio certification program that sets specific standards for laptops designed for creatives to ensure they can be put to task. The spec requirements for these machines stipulate they must pack a Nvidia RTX 206o or higher (or Nvidia RTX Quadro 5000), Intel Core i7 H-series CPU or higher, and at least 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 1080p or 4K display.
The company also showed off an upgraded line of chips for larger, more powerful laptops, called the Quadro RTX. It boasts Nvidia’s Turing design. Laptops with these new chips will arrive in the second half of this year. Nvidia also said some new laptops will include chips with its Turing design, under the brand name GeForce RTX. They'll be aimed at video gamers and will feature 4K resolution screens with high refresh rates.
You can learn more about the NVIDIA RTX Studio program here.
What do you get when you combine our #5G leadership and @Lenovo‘s PC expertise? A new era in computing. Learn more about the #Snapdragon 8cx 5G-powered #5GPC, just announced at #ComputexTaipei. pic.twitter.com/jgrTqh5CJB— Qualcomm (@Qualcomm) May 27, 2019
Qualcomm helped announce the first 8cx laptops. It first unveiled its performance-orientated Snapdragon 8cx platform for Windows laptop in December 2018. Now, at Computex 2019, we're learning Lenovo is revealing the first PC this week based on 8cx. Dubbed "Project Limitless", the new laptop is also the first PC to have a 5G modem rather than the 4G unit in previous ARM-based, Snapdragon laptops.
The benefit of having cellular on board is that the system can be always-connected even when away from Wi-Fi. We don't have a huge amount of information on the new device as yet, but we're expecting to hear full specs soon.
To learn more about Qualcomm’s announcements, go here.


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Ice Sculpture Artist Nate Johnson will be creating a masterpiece on-demand at the Front Street Plaza (317 Front Street, at Next-Mex) in Lemont Downtown near the lights of Candy Cane Lane. Sculpting will start at 5:30pm.
Nate has been carving ice sculptures in Chicago and around the midwest for over 30 years. Ice sculptures, ice bars, luges, and ice curtains for weddings, special events, festivals, live demonstrations, corporate events, holiday parties, restaurants, television commercials, the Sochi Olympics, and more! Check out his incredible work!


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Women in Bitcoins welcome Nothando Mazibuko, aspiring South African Digital Entrepreneur, as our guest today!
Nothando Mazibuko is studying Bachelor of Business Science majoring in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. She is a Bitcoin Believer embracing our new digital economy from trading with bitcoins with her friends to learning more about her father’s engineering business plus assisting her mother in her new business venture.
“The future of Bitcoin is bright. It’s been labelled as a Ponzi scheme and proclaimed as dead many times before but still continues to grow today” says Mazibuko
Now is the time to get involved with the digital economy, have you bought your first bitcoin yet?
Please leave your comments below


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More than one in five small-business owners (22%) expect to add jobs over the next 12 months, while 8% expect to eliminate jobs, according to the new Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index poll.
This is the most optimistic owners have been in four years, Gallup says.
Small-business owners tend to be optimistic. Otherwise, how could they stand the uncertainty of the business world and the economy? Their role in the economy is significant: half the gross domestic product, two-thirds of the net new jobs over the past 15 years.
How did past expectations compare with what small businesses actually did about jobs?
At this time year ago, 23% said they expected to add new jobs and 11% expected to eliminate them over the next 12 months. In the past 12 months, 22% CUT jobs and 13% added them, the reverse of what owners expected they would do. Other years show similar over-optimism.
Photo by Juhan Sonin
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The San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce says the new U.S. Census Bureau data on Texas’ growing Hispanic population reflects a positive and powerful long-term economic trend.
Hispanics now make up 38 percent of the Texas population, up from 32 percent in 2000, according to the federal data. In contrast, Hispanics make up 63 percent of San Antonio’s population.
From the business perspective, Hispanics accounted for two-thirds of the state’s growth over the last decade.
“We are gaining ground through our sheer growth in numbers and becoming more successful through small business expansion and prosperity,” says Hispanic Chamber President and CEO Ramiro A. Cavazos. “Issues of importance to Hispanics are now even more important to America’s future.”
Cavazos referenced a recent study released by the U.S. Department of Commerce that showed the number of Hispanic-owned firms in the United States increased from 1.6 million businesses in 2002 to 2.3 million in 2007 for nearly a 44 percent growth rate. The U.S. Census Bureau’s 2007 Survey of Business Owners also found that employment at Hispanic-owned firms grew from 1.5 million to 1.9 million workers during that same five-year window, or 26 percent. Hispanic-owned firms outpaced non-minority-owned firms in employment growth.


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The pulse on purses
Web posted at: 12:01 a.m. EDT (0401 GMT)
From CNN Style Correspondent Elsa Klensch
MILAN, Italy (CNN) -- The structured, medium-sized handbag -- a clutch, tote or one tossed over the shoulder -- is the new direction for fall and winter.
Gucci's Tom Ford, Shizue and Diego Della Valle say the new look is classic, sophisticated and always structured.
The neutral-colored bags are crafted mostly in fine quality skins such as python, crocodile and calf.
Della Valle built his reputation with his sporty J.P. Tod loafers that articulate a casual but luxurious lifestyle. He is now creating bags with the same feel.
"My philosophy is to try to work for the best quality," Della Valle says.
This season, the designer creates three major looks, the shopping bag, the tote and a new bag he's calling the "press" bag.
"It's very minimalistic, but very, very rich inside," he says.
Shizue is a Japanese-born designer who says she loves creating sculptural handbags. She lives in Milan and has been designing her collection for three seasons.
Her bags have clean, easy lines and geometric details, especially circles.
She says when she designs, she thinks about the close relationships women have with their bags.
"Because it can really tell the person, the personality," she says. "It can really reveal a little bit of the person's life."
Shizue says her bags have to be very practical and light. She says they should be designed, but "not too strange."
"I don't like handbags sticking out from the body. I like when it fits the body."
At Gucci, Tom Ford believes in reinventing the classics with a contemporary twist.
"One of the things that we're showing on the runway is a reintroduction of our red and green stripe, which was one of our staple bags in the '60s and '70s," he says.
The designer says Gucci is also showing a lot of lace bags.
"Lace over satin, cut in what is one of our classic shapes, which is the hobo bag. Which is a soft bag, a zipper and a webbing strap."
Ford says that while he believes classic black and brown bags will always be in fashion, a touch of soft color is fresh.
"The bags are in black and brown as well as amazing shades of crocodile, pale blue, aqua, tourmaline, citrine, pale blush pink and fuchsia."
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Mexican Finance Minister José Antonio González Anaya said Mexico is open to signing a bilateral trade deal with the U.S. if Canada fails to reach a deal on the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement with its southern neighbor, the Financial Times reported.
González Anaya's comments come as Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland is set to resume NAFTA negotiations with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Sept. 11, earlier than expected. A previous round of talks between the two sides failed to resolve key sticking points, such as Canada's dairy pricing scheme and dispute resolution mechanisms under NAFTA.
The U.S. and Mexico recently reached a partial deal on the terms of a bilateral trade agreement, under which 75% of parts for vehicles assembled in either country must be sourced from North America, up from 62.5%, according to the FT. González Anaya said Mexican-assembled vehicles that do not meet the requirements would only be subject to light tariffs under a side agreement with the U.S.
Senior members of the U.S. Congress and large business lobby groups have said a trade deal would not get enough legislative support if Canada is excluded, according to the report.


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Nelson Wades into the Cybersecurity Breach
Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) says he plans to introduce legislation to implement the President's call for setting a 30-day deadline for companies to inform consumers of data breaches.
In a speech at the Federal Trade Commission Monday (Jan. 12), the President said the administration was calling for the creation of the Personal Data Notification & Protection Act, legislation that would "clarify and strengthen" notification obligations for hacks of customers' personal information, including requiring breach notification within 30 days.
Nelson, the ranking member on the Senate Commerce Committee, was quick to follow the President's lead. He was calling it the Data Security and Breach Notification Act of 2015, but it would provide for the data breach security and notification the President is looking for.
For the full story go to Multichannel.com.
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Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.


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Welcome to another installment of the AEE report for 2023. It’s been 2 years since the last AVN / AEE convention. Chrissy Leblanc is a 6X Award-winning spicy cosplayer and live streamer. ePlay Key Club Ambassador. 1/2 of @MyPerfectHarem
Welcome, all. I found my 2020 AEE footage I thought was lost. So now I am working on the footage to bring to you. This is Sunny Lane. She is a member of the NightMoves, AVN, and XRCO Halls of Fame. I had known her since I worked at KSEX ( as the last live (more…)
(AMSTERDAM, Netherlands) New premium social media platform myonly.chat has officially launched, announcing powerhouse adult industry vet Andra Chirnogeanu as CEO. myonly.chat’s new CEO, Andra Chirnogeanu, previously headed up sales and marketing for the Bucharest Summit and spent six years marketing and branding Studio20’s over 30 studios and building brands for their top models. Chirnogeanu has (more…)
We will see you all at the Acadamy Awards of xXx AVN.
(Chatsworth, CA) Veteran director and performer Rodney Moore has hit a huge milestone—he’s celebrating his 25th year in the adult industry. “I shot my first scene December 22, 1991,” says Rodney Moore. “A couple responded to an ad I put in LA Xpress, and I shot them at a motel outside of Disneyland, of all places. (more…)


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Hyundai-Avancis Breaks Ground on 100MW CIGS Thin-Film Module Plant
News - Staff reports
Author: CompoundSemi News Staff
April 18, 2011... Hyundai-Avancis, a joint venture of Hyundai Heavy Industries and Saint-Gobain, held a ground-breaking ceremony for a 100MW CIGS (copper indium, gallium selenide) thin-film solar module plant. The ceremony, which was held in Ochang Foreign Investment Zone, Chungcheongbuk-do, was attended by Mr. Pierre-Andre de Chalendar, chairman and CEO of the Compagnie de Saint-Gobain, Mr. Min Keh-sik, chairman of Hyundai Heavy, and 250 government officials and business people.
Saint-Gobain, a construction markets leader, and Hyundai Heavy, a leading green energy provider, each invested KRW 110 billion won (about USD $100 million) . Hyundai-Avancis plans to complete the PV module plant by January 2012 and start production in the second half 2012. In addition to its first 20 MW facility in Torgau (Germany), the group is currently building a second Avancis plant on the same site, with a future annual output of 100 MW, to begin operations at the end of 2011.
The new Hyundai-Avancis plant may expand the company's annual production capacity to 400 MW by 2015, considering market conditions. Hyundai Heavy, Korea's biggest solar cell manufacturer, has a 600 MW solar cell and solar module factory at Eumseong, Chungcheongbuk-do. The new solar plant will also make Hyundai Heavy a manufacturer of a full range of solar power products such as polysilicon, ingot/wafer, solar cells, solar modules, and solar power systems.
See the Current Industry News Summary
See this article in its orginal context, with the other current news from the same week


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They Have a Lot on Their Plate
One restaurateur called it a ‘triple whammy.’ He was referring to a combination of forces — specifically soaring prices, supply-chain issues, and an ongoing workforce crisis — that are standing in the way of a full bounce back from two years of COVID. Despite these issues, restaurant owners are optimistic that 2022 will bring something approaching normal. Eventually.
By Mark Morris
When 2022 began, Bill Collins was anticipating a full year of uninterrupted business for his restaurant, the Center Square Grill. He did not foresee what he called a “major punch in the face” that shut down the restaurant for six weeks.
In January, one of the thermostats in the restaurant’s dining room failed, causing one sprinkler head to freeze. When the heat came back on, the ice in the line moved and activated the sprinklers. By the time Collins could shut off the sprinklers, the restaurant had taken on nearly 15,000 gallons of water.
“The basement was a nearly complete gut job,” Collins said. “In the dining room, we replaced floors, seating, and several walls.” It took exactly six weeks to go from the flood to opening the doors once again.
Locating a contractor can take six weeks, so how did Collins make the repairs to Center Square and re-open so quickly?
“I looked to my customer base and called the contractors who are regulars at the restaurant,” he said. “They had a vested interest in getting us back open.”
In some ways, the sprinkler incident is a metaphor for the struggle for area restaurants as they look to make a full comeback after the pandemic. Just when people are dining out again and restaurant owners are looking to make up for two years of lost business, they are getting hit with spikes in food costs, increased labor costs — when and if they can find staff, that is — and various supply challenges that affect food and kitchen operations.
“I looked to my customer base and called the contractors who are regulars at the restaurant. They had a vested interest in getting us back open.”
“It’s a triple whammy,” said Ralph Santaniello, co-owner of the Federal Restaurant Group. “In some ways, this has been more challenging than the pandemic.” He quickly admitted that while the pandemic was a crushing event that came out of the blue, governments, communities and vendors all came together to help everyone get through it.
In addition to the Federal in Agawam, Santaniello and partner Michael Presnal own Posto Italian in Longmeadow and Vinted Wine Bar in West Hartford. Following his parents, who were in the restaurant business, Santaniello said he has been in the industry his whole life and has never seen prices as crazy as they are today.
“We used to plan out the business to see where we would be in five years, then it went to five months, and now it feels like it’s five minutes,” Santaniello told BusinessWest.
Everyone we spoke with discussed the challenge of rising costs. Aurelien Telle, co-owner of Alta Restaurant in Lenox, said that even after forecasting for increased costs, they were 6% higher than anticipated in the first quarter alone.
Aurelien Telle, co-owner of Alta Restaurant, says price increases on food the past six months have been “insane.”
“That’s huge and we don’t know where it’s going from there,” said Telle. “In the last six months price increases on food have been insane.”
Adding to the craziness in food costs is unpredictability of what will be affected next.
Andrew Brow, chef and owner of Highbrow Wood Fired Kitchen in Northampton said all restaurants plan their menus with a balance of higher-cost items such as filet mignon and less expensive ones such as pasta. In the past, Brow bought braised short ribs at $5 per pound rather than New York strip steak which costs $10 to 12 a pound. Supplies are so mixed up now, that the short ribs cost as much as the New York strip which hasn’t increased in price.
“There’s no rhyme or reason to the price hikes,” Brow said. “One week mushrooms will triple in price, the next week it’s chicken and spinach.”
Food for Thought
Creating different dishes is one way restaurateurs are adjusting to the chaotic, soaring prices. When scallops escalated from $108 for an eight-pound case to $223, Collins created a new dish that included shrimp, which has held a more stable price. Instead of an entrée with six scallops, he offered in its place a shrimp and scallop entrée using three scallops and three shrimp.
“We used to plan out the business to see where we would be in five years, then it went to five months, and now it feels like it’s five minutes.”
“This way we can keep the dining price where it is and still offer delicious fun food that people expect when they come here,” Collins said.
Gas and electric bills are another area where prices are going up with no end in sight. Santaniello explained that restaurants, by design, are energy intensive with usage increasing in the summer.
“We have air conditioning running all day and night in the summer because when it’s 98 degrees and humid outside people expect to be comfortable when they go into a restaurant.”
It’s not surprising that take out containers spiked in price and were difficult to find at the height of the pandemic. Supply-chain issues also affected restaurants in less obvious ways. Santaniello said he needed a part for an oven door, something that would normally take a week to get, if the repair person didn’t already have one in their truck.
“We waited two months for the part,” Santaniello said. “So, we were down an oven for two months, and that’s difficult in a busy kitchen.”
Santaniello and Telle are experiencing busier than normal kitchens because as customers are returning to their respective restaurants, labor shortages have forced both men to cut back on the hours when they are open.
Andrew Brow says there has been “no rhyme or reason” to price hikes on food in recent months.
“Business has been great because of the pent-up demand of people wanting to go out to eat,” Santaniello said. “Our biggest issue is keeping up with that demand because we’re still looking for employees.”
Before the pandemic, the Federal operated six days a week. Now, in order to give his staff some time off, they are open only 4 days a week.
“The pandemic exacerbated a problem that our industry already had with finding enough workers,” Santaniello said. Advertising on job search sites such as Indeed and a restaurant specific site called Poach has brought limited results.
“We found our biggest success came from advertising on Facebook.”
For 13 years, Alta was open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner. These days, hours have been reduced to 6 nights a week and lunch hours were cut.
“We reduced our hours because we couldn’t hire more people,” said Telle. “I didn’t want my staff to have to work six double shifts, so I closed lunches to protect our staff.”
Telle is currently interviewing people with the hope of offering lunch hours again by late spring.
“We always get busier as the sun comes out,” he said adding that business also gets a big boost from all the tourists who visit Lenox in the summer.
Collins called it the best investment he’s ever made when he paid his staff their full salary during the six weeks Center Square was closed for repairs.
“It’s so tough to find qualified people that it made sense to us,” Collins said. “Most of my team has been with me for quite a while and it would have been tough to replace them if they had to leave and find other jobs.”
There are signs that open restaurant positions may be starting to get filled. Brow reported that Highbrow is fully staffed and he was able to hire a full staff for his new restaurant Jackalope in downtown Springfield.
“Even though wages are up much higher than pre-pandemic, the workforce is back,” Brow said.
As the weather gets warmer, all the restaurant owners look forward to expanding their outdoor dining. They all expressed gratitude to state and local officials for keeping this lifeline open even after diners were allowed back inside.
“I’m sure there are some people who are not comfortable coming back into a restaurant,” Collins said. “I think we’ll start seeing them once outdoor dining picks up.”
On May 1, Telle began accepting reservations for summer dining at Alta.
“People are making reservations into July and August,” he said. “And 85% of those are requests to sit outdoors.”
Collins added, “fresh air is not going out of style anytime soon.”
Summer also brings with it the opportunity to support local farms. Telle said working with local farms allows him to control some of the price increases, though he understands local prices will be higher this year than in the past.
Collins buys as much local produce as he can. In fact, his menu credits Szawlowski Farms in Hadley with supplying potatoes for their French fries.
“When tomato season kicks in we will buy them from Meadowbrook Farm in East Longmeadow,” Collins said. “Nothing tastes better than fresh local produce.”
The Bottom Line
Between outdoor dining and customers who are excited about eating out again, the restaurant owners all remain positive about this year and beyond.
Santaniello, describing himself as an optimist by nature, said, “I’m hoping by the fourth quarter of this year we will see some stability in pricing and as more people return to the workforce it will benefit our industry.”
Telle said he’s hopeful about hiring new staff and looks forward to a busy summer. “Right now, we’re following the same business patterns as a regular year.”
With Jackalope scheduled to open on May 11, Brow expressed gratitude despite all the uncertainty. “For those of us who made it through, it was worth the wait.”
For Collins the year started with closing for six weeks to fix major water damage. Despite that setback, Center Square is still on track to have its busiest year ever. He philosophized that a restaurant experience is more than just food.
“People need to go out and socialize. They need to feel that connection,” Collins said. “When they don’t, they get depressed and grumpy.”
He concluded, “that’s why we’re all back and we’re pumped to be here.”


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Telstra pushes sale of Autohome through
25 Jun 2016
According to Bloomberg, Australia’s Telstra Corp. completed the sale of a 47-percent stake in China’s Autohome Inc. to the country’s second biggest insurer, Ping An Insurance Group Co., for $1.6 billion U.S..
However, it continues to face litigation over the deal. Autohome is one of China’s two listed auto site operators.
The Melbourne-based telco will make an accounting gain of A$1.8 billion ($1.4 billion U.S.) on the sale and said it would use most of the proceeds to return cash to shareholders, according to a company statement. It bought control of the website in 2008.
Autohome’s chief executive officer James Qin Zhi had sought to scuttle the sale of Telstra’s stake to Ping An by leading a management buyout offer. However, it is understood that Telstra believed Ping An was a good partner for Autohome, given its automotive insurance operations, and thought that with rivals ready to invest heavily in the business, it was a good time to withdraw.
The company said it was contesting “residual litigation” in the Cayman Islands relating to the deal.


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Stonegate Pub Partners is offering customers a buy one get one free deal on selected drinks throughout March, raising money for loneliness charity The Marmalade Trust.
Stonegate is donating 20p of each drink given away to The Marmalade Trust, a leading charity in the UK combating loneliness.
Running until Sunday 27 March, customers can claim the buy one get one free deal by downloading a voucher via the Great British Pubs website. The app also tells customers which pubs in any given area are taking part.
Nick Light, Managing Director of Stonegate Pub Partners, said: “We are delighted to be running our free drinks campaign again throughout March on an exciting and wide range of products, including from the low and no category.
“We are pleased to be supporting The Marmalade Trust in this promotion too.”
Light noted that as a result of the pandemic, a sense of community and coming together should be encouraged.
He said: “Over the past couple of years, loneliness has become more prevalent than ever. The turmoil of the past couple of years has shown the importance of community spirit and the central role that pubs play in their local area. Our pubs are not only social hubs for people to come together but they are often lifelines for those who live alone or in need of company.”
Gordon’s Gin & Tonic is included in the promotion, along with a number of beers including Corona Extra, Stella Artois, Budweiser, Guinness, Heineken, Kronenbourg 1664, Amstel, and Foster’s. A number of other beers are included in the promotion, plus a selection of ciders, soft drinks and alcohol-free options.
Following the acquisition of Ei Group in March 2020 for £1.27bn, Stonegate Group is the largest pub company in the UK.
Stonegate Group ran a similar buy one get one free campaign last year in support of mental health charity CALM. Read more on that here.


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One out of four Japanese businesses that left China would head for Vietnam, a trade official revealed on Friday.
As many as 25 percent of Japanese firms have relocated their operations to Vietnam after the China exit, Yasuzumi Hirotaka, head of the Ho Chi Minh City branch of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), said at a meeting in the southern city of Can Tho.
The regular event was held by the Can Tho branch of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) to review investment activities Vietnam’s Mekong Delta.
Japanese investors are attracted by the cheap labor costs and the much improved infrastructure in the Southeast Asian country, Hirotaka elaborated.
Many new bridges and roads have been built in Vietnam, cutting travel times between localities, so Japanese businesses want to expand investment to other areas rather than just Ho Chi Minh City, he added.
Still, businesses from the East Asian country are still concerned as investment information remains mostly unclear, while labor costs have also begun rising, the JETRO official noted.
The weak supporting industries of Vietnam is also an issue, as a business could only domestically source 33 percent of the necessary materials for production, while having to import the remaining proportion.
Vietnam thus needs more support in terms of taxes and other incentives to improve the supporting industries.
A representative of the South Korean trade organization also told the meeting that its member businesses do not know much about the agriculture sector in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta.
Mekong Delta provinces are therefore urged to supply more information and introduce their strengths to foreign businesses to be able to attract more investors, the South Korean trade organization advised.
Besides Can Tho, which is directly administered by the central government, the Mekong Delta also includes such provinces as Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Dong Thap, An Giang, Kien Giang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau.
These 13 localities took advantage of the Friday meeting to inform international investors that they are calling investment for 74 projects.
Japanese businesses will boost investment to the Mekong Delta, and seafood emerges as the industry with the biggest potential, according to the Japanese trade representative.
Vietnam’s Mekong Delta attracted $2.3 billion worth of foreign investment between 2011 and 2014, according to the VCCI Can Tho.
The area posted an average economic growth of 10 percent annually from 2001 to 2010, and 8.8 percent a year in the 2011-14 period.
There are now 29,000 businesses operating in the Mekong Delta, accounting for 7.7 percent of the total number of firms across Vietnam.
Considered Vietnam’s granary, the Mekong Delta supplies more than 90 percent of the country’s rice production, and 50 percent of the seafood outputs, among many other agriculture produce, according to the VCCI Can Tho.


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Obviously, people were just not ready for a tablet computer in 2001 when Microsoft released such a device. Nine years later and many advances in touch screens and wireless technology has made it the perfect time for Apple to release its long-awaited iPad tablet.
Despite countless tablets failing in the past, many believe this is yet another winning product for Apple. The company’s intentions were to create a third category of product between a laptop and a smartphone, and the result was a tablet computer. Seeing the failures that preceded the iPad in regards to tablet computers, Apple did what it needed to in order to make it a hit.
Everything the company has done up until now has been a hit, which is precisely why people will want the iPad as is incorporates everything into one device. The iPod, iTunes, multi-touch, thousands of applications, and even new features like the iBook can be found on this device.
The one thing that may hold people back from purchasing it is that it is not necessarily a must have right now. The tablet market is a bit of a niche and few were actually acting on it. But with Apple in on this niche now, numbers are sure to rise. Small niches can quickly grow as the iPod has shown. Apple announced it sold its 250 millionth iPod during the iPad launch.
So what can you expect to pay for this device? A 32GB iPad will cost $599 while a 64GB will cost $699. All of the models will be wi-fi enables and you will have the opportunity to pay an additional $130 for a 3G version. The wi-fi version will hit the market by the end of March while the 3G version will be on the shelves at the end of April


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May 27, 1921 — 100 years ago today — that was the day a little candy store in La Crosse first opened.
Today, the Sweet Shop is still there, on Caledonia Street, celebrating its 100-year anniversary.
Halloween to Valentine’s Day is the busy season. Now, however, things get a little hectic, as kids are starting to get out of school for summer — and out of a pandemic. While candy is the go-to, summer time always calls for an ice cream cone, as well from the store.
The Sweet Shop has been owned by the Espe family for nearly all of that time — 92 years, in fact.
The candy store’s oldest recipe is one that must have been created during the Great Depression: Anise Candy — otherwise known as black licorice.
WIZM wrote a feature on the Sweet Shop back in 2019, which can be read here.


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Retro Organics (BioGro No.4900)
Retro Organics has made its mark on the judges many a time. In March 2011 the Gore-based cheesemakers were awarded three medals at the Jersey World Conference Cheese Awards then just a few weeks later scooped another three medals at the National Cheese Awards.
Retro Organics are proud of their point of difference: “We do everything from milking our own cows (330) to making our own cheese – and it all happens on our 250 acre farm.” Co-founders Lois and Robin Greer say this is why their cheeses taste better, and because they milk Jersey cows the cheese is very creamy.
Their business has been organic from the start and is now fully certified-organic by BioGro. They started down the organic track about 12 years ago. They stopped using chemical fertilisers then got to a point when they thought “we’re operating organically so why don’t we get certified?”. And so they did. Soonafter Robin’s dream of processing their own organic milk was realised. This meant they needed to build a factory. Nearly nineteen years ago when the couple bought the farm, Robin told Lois and their children “one day we’ll process our own milk here”. And they haven’t looked back.
Robin says the seed for their business idea was planted long ago. When Robin and Lois were in their teens they both lost their fathers to cancer. Since that time they’ve always questioned the quality of the food chain - what goes into it and how it might affect people’s health. Robin is a visionary so the opportunity to process food without any sort of chemicals or toxins in it has been an exciting concept for him to develop with Lois. “The fact that we own a dairy farm and can process the cheese ‘on the farm’ is quite something” Lois enthuses.
“Sure there are other people who make organic cheese but most buy their milk in, where as we’re in complete control of the whole process. This is very rare in New Zealand”.
Plans for expansion were factored in from the start. Robin’s initial plan was to build a factory the size of a double garage big enough to fit two large cars. Fortunately they ended up with a bigger (40x80metre) factory which has the capacity to process all the milk from both of their dairy farms. So the business has a lot of capacity but the biggest challenge is securing big enough sales volumes. They are confident that this will happen with increased recognition and exposure of their brand.
Retro Organics uses a small quantity of their milk for cheese production with the majority still being supplied to Fonterra.
“We started off as dairy farmers who knew nothing about cheese so we had to develop markets from nothing” Lois explains. “That takes a lot of time, energy and resources”.
Although the recession hasn’t helped, their sales are steadily increasing.
In addition to building a factory the couple have also had to learn about cheese making. They went to a two-day course with well-known cheesemaker Dave Milner. It was very hands-on and after that Robin did a lot of reading, and spent 1 day a week in Lois’s kitchen making cheese and yoghurt. They gave it to friends to get some honest feedback. Robin did that for a year or so then when the factory was being built he went to cheese school in the Waikato for a couple of weeks.
“We’re self-taught and have discovered much along the way. One thing we’ve always done in life is a lot of homework and research – we’ve talked to a lot of people” Robin says.
Always ones to be thinking about the next goal, Retro Organics is currently working on the launch of a stronger blue cheese. Growing the market for organic yoghurt is on its agenda too. So with a bunch of medals to their name, a strong belief in organics and a passion for cheese, they will focus on supplying yoghurt locally, increasing their production and growing their sales throughout New Zealand before doing anything else.


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In the city of Vorkuta, Republic of Komi, a beauty contest among workers of kindergartens has been carried out. According to the programme of the contest, the beauties had to present a wedding dress created by themselves of some unusual materials.
Governess Yulia Sycheva created her wedding dress of polyethylene, which tuned to be a very suitable material to show Yulia’s amenities. This was probably the main reason why Yulia won a victory. Other educational specialists presented models of refuse sacks, corks, and old soft-tip pans. Now, the beauty has to participate in the republican beauty contest Teacher 2003. Yulia hopes her dress will not tear at the seams so soon.
After it turned out that Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov included the Fonbet betting company in the list of backbone enterprises that can count on state support, everyone started talking about these bookmakers.


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Although toys are the marquee product at the American International Toy Fair, they are really just the focal point of a much larger panorama of marketing strategies, entertainment programs and emerging cultural trends that are on display at the annual event in New York City. Toy manufacturers are now closely associated with a variety of other industries, from production studios to marketing companies to ad agencies and retailers. As a result, Toy Fair has become a kind of bellwether of upcoming trends and a place where a wide cross-section of people come to shop not just for toys, but also for insights into what’s new and hot.
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As the Power Rangers live-action TV show morphs into yet another form for 1998, master toy licensee Bandai America is set to roll out a whole new line of Power Rangers toys and accessories at this year’s Toy Fair.
Power Rangers in Space, the newest incarnation of the live-action adventure program that was launched by Saban Entertainment in 1993, once again features a well-armed band of teen heroes, decked out in colorful Spandex outfits, fighting off the forces of evil. The twist this time around is that the young martial artists now find their battles with a host of nasty characters taking place in outer space.
As with previous Power Rangers relaunches-Power Rangers ZEO in 1996 and Power Rangers TURBO last year-the new space-themed program will be accompanied by the release of a wide selection of new toys and accessories that are ‘consistent with the new direction of the TV show. . . everything from light-up features to intergalactic gliders to all kinds of space vehicles and space weaponry,’ according to Brian Goldner, Bandai’s executive vice president of sales and marketing.
Items slated for unveiling at Toy Fair include a variety of new Power Ranger action figures, morphing Zord and Megazord fighting figures and space vehicles, and role-playing toys with such far out names as Quadroblasters, Spiral Sabers and Astro Blasters.
Such products, says Goldner, are the end result of a close working relationship Bandai has forged with the show’s producer, Saban Entertainment, and broadcaster, Fox Kids Network. By being involved with the program at the conceptual stage, he says, Bandai is able to create toys that have an immediate tie-in to the show’s continuing storyline.
Supporting Goldner’s comments, Susanne Lee, senior vice president of licensing and merchandising at Saban, says that such an approach feeds into the popularity of the on-air property. ‘It gives the child at home the chance to play out what they’re seeing on television. It’s the perfect way to do it,’ she says.
For example, she says, Bandai will be able to take advantage of the fact that Power Rangers in Space will feature several special multi-episode ‘events’ within the season around such recurring characters as Phantom Ranger or Silver Ranger.
‘As we begin the process of deciding where the Power Rangers will go,’ Goldner explains, ‘we begin envisioning what the toys might look like just as the production people begin to envision what the story may be.’
‘Every week when kids see the episodes and get excited about the Power Rangers finding a new space vehicle, for example, they’ll be equally thrilled to find that new space vehicle in the toy store,’ says Goldner, adding that eventually Bandai should be able to get the pace of new product introductions down to a weekly or monthly basis.
In addition to the new toys being unveiled at Toy Fair, the wraps will come off a virtual reality Power Rangers in Space ride. The eight-minute display, which can accommodate dozens of riders at a time, will be set up at select Wal-Mart locations in major markets across the U.S. later this year.


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If you’re on campus, you are a mere 2.3 miles from pigging out on award-winning barbecue at Henry’s Smokehouse, located at 240 Wade Hampton Blvd.
Henry’s has become a favorite destination for Greenville barbecue lovers since the privately owned business opened its doors in 1991.
The Wade Hampton Henry’s Smokehouse may look small and may seat just 28 people inside, but it is packed with customers, delicious food and its awards hanging on the walls inside.
According to general manager Tiger O’Rourke, Henry’s Smokehouse has been voted the Greenville News‘ “Best of the Upstate” for barbecue for almost 15 years.
O’Rourke said the special seasoning they use in preparing their meat and the way they cook it make it stand out from other barbecue restaurants. “Our cooking is like an old world style,” he said. Henry’s meat is cooked directly over a pit fire and does not use propane fires like many other places do.
Manager Bo Wilder said the restaurant serves an average of 400 people each day, with 600 pounds of meat sold on a daily basis. And those figures don’t include their two other locations in Simpsonville and on Woodruff Road in Greenville.
If you are looking to get full fast, Henry’s is the place to go. Wilder said one of their most popular menu items is the $6.75 chopped pork plate. This includes chopped pork with a choice of two sides. Among their more than 10 sides are Southern favorites like mac and cheese, baked beans and sweet potato casserole. Other favorites include barbecue pork sandwiches, smoked chicken and the rib plate, ranging in price from $6.75 to $14.85.
Henry’s Smokehouse also has a following here on campus. Senior history major Laura Jacques recently ate at Henry’s for the first time. Jacques said her experience was great, including the friendly customer service.
“The food was awesome,” Jacques said. “They give you hardy portions that [taste] good and [are] savory.”
BJU public relations director Mr. Randy Page has been eating at Henry’s since 1999, when he worked with an insurance agency on Wade Hampton. “Every Friday we would shut the office down at 11:30 and run down to Henry’s because it has limited seating,” Page said.
Page said he has eaten barbecue from across South Carolina because of his previous job working with a former governor. “Henry’s has always stood out as one of my favorites,” he said. “The meat is good, the service is good and I love the fries and sweet tea.”


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The reason most customers are now afraid of cash and credit cards is that the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to spread through everyday contact surfaces.
According to the latest statistics from credit card company Mastercard, contactless payments globally have increased by more than 40% in the first quarter of 2020. Contactless payments including touch to pay and pay by mobile.
It is not surprising that the fact is that Q1 / 2020 is the worst quarter of humanity when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, causing all social habits and order to be reversed.
Mastercard’s CEO, Ajay Banga, said the trend of airless payment has become more common when consumers want to find the fastest way to pay for purchases without having to exchange cash, touch the terminals or anything else to avoid the risk of Covid-19 infection.
Banga also said that this trend will likely continue after the epidemic ends.
Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) dismissed claims that the agency had warned people not to use cash during an epidemic. But despite these warnings, the psychological element of fear of getting infected through cash still exists in many people’s minds. Because of that, it has made a change in the shopping and payment habits of consumers.
According to management consulting firm Bain & Company, the rate of mobile payments in the US was always lower than about 10% before the outbreak of Covid-19. The reason for this is the American people’s habit of using cash and reward cards that make them reluctant to use their phones for payment. In China, by contrast, more than 80% of consumers have switched to mobile payments since last year.
Mastercard also highlighted the sharp increase in online payment transactions due to blockades in many cities around the world. Such online payment transactions have increased by 40% over the same period last year.
Meanwhile, direct transactions either via credit or domestic debit cards have dropped sharply. Banga said that the pace of consumer spending slows is currently in a stable phase in most markets. With the current situation, experts said, the level of spending reduction will soon hit the bottom before recovering after the epidemic is over.
Mastercard’s profit for the first quarter fell, but revenue of $ 4.01 billion and profit of $ 1.68 per share of Mastercard were still much better than Wall Street experts had predicted.


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Abacus Direct Inc. might have a new partner, but its merger is no longer strategic.
Online advertiser DoubleClick Inc. bought the Broomfield direct marketer last fall for $1.7 billion, but Internet privacy fears will keep it from using Abacus in the way it had planned.
Bad publicity, private lawsuits and an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission forced New York-based DoubleClick on Thursday to ditch its plans to amass a giant online database of people's names and Internet shopping habits.
That could cost the company because DoubleClick's chief motive for buying Abacus this fall was to tap into its giant database of consumer names, addresses and buying habits.
"It destroys their business model," said Barak Jolish of the law firm Hancock, Rothert & Bunshoft in San Francisco.
"They've always talked a good game about privacy, but the fear of government involvement caused them to take steps that will put a hit on their pocketbook."
Abacus is a 10-year-old direct marketer that uses its database to help catalog companies and retailers determine who will most likely buy their products.
A handful of DoubleClick employees had already descended upon Abacus' Interlocken headquarters to test how the two companies could link names and addresses with anonymous Web surfing behavior. Combined, these databases can deliver more targeted Web advertisements.
Those plans are now off until the online industry and the government can come up with a set of standards for using personal information gathered online, said Kevin O'Conner in a DoubleClick news release.
"I made a mistake by planning to merge names with anonymous user activity across Web sites in the absence of government and industry privacy standards," he said.
"Very lively debate" Abacus' President Chris Dice said he hopes the FTC and industry representatives will come up with rules within the next three to six months.
"We've clearly sparked a very lively debate, and we hope it will result in some guidance in terms of what's acceptable," Dice said. That attitude is an about-face for the online industry, which told federal regulators for two years that it would be able to police itself on the Internet.
The controversy came to a head this fall, when DoubleClick bought Abacus. Privacy advocates immediately protested the union, claiming it would create an unprecedented database of personal information without consumers' consent. Critics charged that the growing pool of personal data gathered on the Internet eventually could be used to prevent people from getting housing, education, insurance coverage or jobs.
"We could find ourselves living in an electronic nightmare 10 or 15 years from now where information about ourselves, our children are constantly being gathered and sold," said Jeff Chester of the Center for Media Education, an online advocacy group.
Critics then complained that DoubleClick's privacy practices contradicted its policy that promised Internet users information collected would remain anonymous. Consumers filed six lawsuits and the FTC launched an investigation.
Dice said DoubleClick's decision is a relief to Abacus, which before the debate was a fast-growing company that kept a low profile as its sales rose as much as 50 percent a year.
"They made the right move at the right time by backing off this emotional issue," Dice said. "Now we can focus on what we do well." For now, he said, life for Abacus' 250 employees will be business as usual while they continue to provide catalog companies information about who would be most receptive to their product offers.
Dice said DoubleClick and Abacus both have strong, fast-growing businesses that can continue to operate independently of each other.
Abacus also plans to move ahead with a new venture called Abacus Online, which was started after the DoubleClick merger.
Staffed primarily by Abacus veterans, the division will attempt to amass the world's largest database of opt-in e-mail addresses for targeted e-mail marketing campaigns. The addresses are only those who agreed to receive solicitations and offers from vendors, said Dice.
Dice said Abacus agreed to merge with DoubleClick because its clients demanded such services.
"We have no sinister purpose," Dice said.
"Most retailers and catalogers are interested in growing their online traffic. It's the wave of the future."
On Friday, the day following DoubleClick's announcement, its stock climbed $13.69 to $97.12 a share after a monthlong downward spiral. Down the road, regulators might back away from using DoubleClick as a test case for the privacy debate.
While DoubleClick's decision might take the two companies off the hot seat for the time being, some privacy advocates remain skeptical.
"This is a temporary cease-fire," Chester said. "They'll find a use for the data."


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Governor Murphy’s office has announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved New Jersey’s application for “disaster” status, opening the door for businesses across the state to apply for federal disaster loans of up to $2 million each. This status was determined by the level of inevitable losses businesses will suffer as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Known as Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), this assistance is available to both for-profits and nonprofits and is provided with low interest rates and long-term repayment options up to 30 years.
Small businesses that have been severely impacted as a result of the pandemic can apply and learn more here.
Categories: Advisory, Crisis Response & Recovery


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No one can deny that evolving technology has consistently introduced new growth and improvements to the world of mobile platforms. Case in point: augmented reality, virtual reality, and the Internet of Things (IoT) — all of which are expected to usher as sweeping changes in how mobile apps get developed, no matter which OS is involved. Besides that, the blending of such technologies is further scheduled to enable developers to create next-generation mobile apps that are capable of delivering more than previously imagined.
Moreover, while we are here let’s discuss how iOS is a leading name in the market? That’s because Apple has ensured it serves as the quintessence of innovation. So, today, let’s visit some of the most popular technology trends that are set to shape the future of iOS app development.
Research expects that in 2020, the world will have nearly 31 billion IoT devices, with the figure expected to further increase by almost 2.5 times to more 75 billion by the end of 2025. So, it makes sense that iOS has also thrown its hat in the ring that is the development of IoT-based apps. Apple has already launched HomeKit — an offering aimed at encouraging both IoT app development as well as home automation.
At this point, artificial intelligence is so prevalent that it barely counts as news. However, what Apple and iOS app developers are doing with it remains an interesting point of discussion. Interestingly both, App and developers, have already been experimenting the opportunities proffered by the union of Siri with artificial intelligence. Also as far as iOS apps go, if they get integrated with Siri, it is possible to ensure they are available in the shortcut app section with the Sirikit. Such an integration stands to help users quickly access an app’s features via Siri. Oh, and also watch out for WatchOS apps integrated with Siri, because trust us when we say this — they are coming!
AR and VR
With both AR and VR having established themselves as forces to be reckoned with, it isn’t surprising to see Apple strive to leverage them too. E.g., the ARKit 2, which, other than AR apps, it also empowers iOS app developers to build apps with the ability to allow users to share their experience with others.
It is of the utmost importance when it comes to mobile app development, and the popularity of its devices supports Apple’s focus. Apple has made App Transport Security (ATS) a mandate for all new apps to ensure their security. However, since the company is so dedicated to the protection, it brings in improved iterations of iOS every year that help users to rest further assured that their devices and data are impervious to attacks by hackers.
Swift 4 was released among much fanfare and continues to gain popularity among developers since it is easy to learn and makes it quite easy to develop simple apps. It is why, experts believe that the use of Swift for not just iOS, but also tvOS and macOS, will grow substantially over the next few years.
Seeing how mobile wallets are an integral part of the digital experience today, Apple Pay offers unparalleled security. It is gaining more and more popularity with every passing day. Moreover, since it allows users to eliminate the need to save their debit/credit card details and gets supported by iPhones, iPads, Apple Watch, and MacBooks, experts expect a substantial hike in the number of Apple Pay integrations in the future.
Such developments in the world of technology are a daily affair. It implies that businesses have to stay updated with the latest developments in the market. It is equally vital to hire a renowned custom ios app development company to make sure that your business iOS app incorporates all these trends and more to deliver the best experience to users!


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JWF Industries and JWF Defense Systems has been awarded new contracts from Flyer Defense, BAE SYSTEMS, JBT Aerotech, Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace, Saab, Inc, and commercial customers.Continue reading “JWF Industries Announces New Contracts”
JWF Industries was recently featured in Finishing & Coating online magazine.
Click the link to read the full article:
JWF Industries is proud to announce William C. Polacek, President & CEO, is featured in the May issue of Smart Business Magazine.Continue reading “JWF Industries CEO Recognized in Smart Business Magazine”
Press release written and distributed by PCT
Para-Coat Technologies, Inc. (Johnstown, Pa) a specialty, engineered coatings provider, who works with the Military, Medical, Aerospace, and Automotive Industries has acquired the assets of the R.D. Dragomir Company in Santa Ana,
California. Para-Coat Technologies began working with Richard and Melinda Dragomir at the onset of the company back in 2010.


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While they may not be digital natives, Boomers have shown a marked interest in the digital space. The 50-plus age group makes up the largest percentage of the active Internet audience, according to The Nielsen Co., with 32.1% of that group active online. They also have proven to be as responsive to email, search and social media marketing as those in younger age groups.?
“We find that Boomers are highly receptive to online marketing. They just take a different approach,” says David Weigelt, president of Immersion Active, an agency that specializes in reaching Boomers via digital media. “It is not just following what younger generations were doing six to 12 months earlier. They’re kind of defining it for themselves.”?
Boomer women, in particular, are proving especially valuable to e-marketers. A study by the communications firm Continuum Crew found that fully two-thirds of female Boomers said they “can’t live without” email, while 63% said the same about their Internet connections. This, compared to 57% of Boomer men who said the same for both questions. According to marketing services agency Vertis Communications, the percentage of Boomer women who consider themselves the “chief shopper” of the household has increased by 8% since 2006.?
“Men and women are online at about the same rate, but women make more of the purchases and account for more of the dollars spent, and dominate TV shopping and mail order purchases. They sign up for more promotional emails and scan more quick response codes,” says Janet Tonner, director of research and analytics at Vertis.?
Tonner adds that Boomers are also drawn much more to newspaper inserts than younger consumers, yet are less attracted to coupons and special offers (see chart).?
“In a lot of ways, to marketers they are prime targets, because it’s not all about the margins and getting the discount. It’s really about ‘Is this the product that I want?'” ?explains Tonner. ?
But as the recession has taken its toll on Boomers’ retirement savings, they increasingly are seeking answers to tough questions. More than one in four report becoming more pessimistic about retirement in the last five years, according to AARP’s research. While 60% describe themselves as optimistic about retirement, that is down by 10% versus 1998. Meanwhile, 44% of consumers said they felt they will not be able to afford the things they want to do once they retire, up 10% compared with 13 years ago.?
“Confidence started going down again recently, and Boomers lead the way,” says John Martin, president and CEO of the Southeastern Institute of Research, CEO of The Boomer Project, and co-author of Boomer Consumer: Ten New Rules for Marketing to America”s Largest, Wealthiest and Most Influential Group.?
Case Study: Merrill Lynch eases retirees
“For the first time, it shook the foundations of one of the core attributes of Boomers,” he says. “We are not seeing a return of their profound optimism.”?
In the face of uncertainty, Boomers are looking less for sugarcoated optimism — including marketing images of happy-go-lucky, silver-haired couples on the beach — and more for practical solutions, experts say. ?
For example, one of the most stressful challenges for Boomers is aging family members who need care. Home Instead Senior Care, a provider of home care and a client of Immersion Active, has made “We’re here to help” the central message of its marketing to the Boomer community. ?
“Boomers are faced with a number of personal issues and interests every day,” says Scott Dingfield, CMO of Home Instead. “Our message is designed to cut through all that and meet them right where they need help when it comes to senior care issues.”?
For a recent marketing campaign, Home Instead collaborated with health insurance company Humana on a Senior Emergency Kit that includes informational brochures and a checklist of ways for individuals to prepare for the health crisis for a parent or loved one. While the marketing focus at the moment may center around Boomers’ worries, others remain focused on the generation’s hopes and aspirations.?
One such campaign was in support of Natural Home & Garden magazine, whose campaign featured a mailer with a colorful sunflower on the envelope and the tagline: “Inspiration for Your Life. Every Day.” Inside, accompanying a letter from the magazine’s editor, was a citrus-scented bookmark and a recipe for lavender spray cleaner. ?
“Try to do it in a way that reaches into some of these powerful and nostalgic feelings that we all carry around,” Brent Green, CEO of marketing firm Brent Green & Associates, which created the campaign, advises fellow marketers to Boomers. ?
Despite the focus on digital and the active digital habits of Boomers, Green says print can still be highly effective for the segment, especially when it comes to big-ticket items like furniture and electronics. “Boomers are readers, and properly engaged they can be the single best target for direct mail today, period,” he says.?
Boomers remain an aspirational group, says Weigelt, even though many are under the gun at present.?
“Boomers’ aspirations really aren’t changing. They’re just scaling them back, trying to achieve those needs of connecting with family and friends differently,” he says. “With the intersection of the downturn and retirement, they aren’t changing their values as much as getting back to them.”


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E-Scooter is their solution for quick moves around town
Urban transport in city centers mostly focuses – besides on electric cars – on buses, bicycles and walking. However, there is yet another alternative most people do not really think of and yet it is clean, practical and best of all, fast. Furthermore, in its basic shape, most of us have driven it at least once, for fun. It is scooter and it is for a while now coming back in electric shape, also thanks to BMW, who is going to present its E-Scooter in Autumn this year.
BMW, which is going to include its new vehicle in their BMW Lifestyle collection, has teamed up with Micro (inventor of the Micro Scooter) and developed a vehicle in which, they say, managed to combine innovative technology and high-quality design. But if we go deeper in to the details: there is a lithium-ion battery, hiden in the footplate and then there is 150-watt motor, built in rear wheel. Together they can bring one 12 kilometers away with a top speed of 20 kilometers per hour.
BMW also likes to point out that this vehicle can also be folded and carried around, thanks to its weight of nine kilograms. The only thing missing thus is the price and we might not expect that soon. BMW has promissed to offer its City Scooter no sooner than in September this year when it is going to be available in matt black color.


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The challenging market conditions in the automotive hydraulics sector are forcing HOERBIGER to streamline its Automotive Komfortsysteme GmbH in Schongau, Germany.
The crisis in the automotive industry back in 2008/2009 led to a sharp drop in sales at HOERBIGER’s automotive hydraulics business, which mainly consists of hydraulic drives for convertible rooftops. The market has not recovered from this downturn. In addition, more and more hydraulic roof drives are being replaced by electric solutions.
Because of this increasing market pressure, HOERBIGER has decided to adapt its organizational structure: HOERBIGER is relocating support for series production and application development to the plant in Bolesławiec, Poland, and is cutting jobs in Schongau.
Overall, 38 employees in Schongau are affected by this measure: 13 employees are offered a new role or the transition to partial retirement or retirement, 25 jobs will be cut in Schongau. HOERBIGER is currently talking with employee representatives to find a mutually agreeable and fair solution.
HOERBIGER will further invest in developing new products in order to reduce dependency on the hydraulics rooftop business. As Krzysztof Spiehs, Head of the Automotive Division says: "We want to seize the opportunities the market has to offer. We are focusing on hydraulic chassis levelling solutions and door actuator applications. With these projects we want to lead our division into a stable and promising future."


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Indian auto-maker Mahindra
and Mahindra in a press release reacted to the law related to the ban of BS-III vehicles
by Supreme Court
of India ordered on Wednesday and said that even the Government had explained to the Supreme Court through the Solicitor General that, as in the past, vehicle manufacturers should be allowed to liquidate their BS III inventory.
But the Supreme Court has passed an order banning the sale of such BS III vehicle stock and thus overriding the law in place, on the basis of which the Company had planned its operations.
The statement said “This unexpected ruling has perplexed the industry
and will have a one-time material impact even on the Company.”
Also read: BS-III vehicles: Auto-industry to absorb losses over Rs 12,000 crore
Mahindra also said that it respects the order of the Supreme Court and shall fully abide by it.
Mahindra said: “The Company attempts to ensure sustainability in all its operations and products as feasible. The Company had made available BS IV models as required by the notifications of Government of India from time to time and has been ramping up its BSIV production for nationwide implementation from April 1, 2017.”
“Mahindra is working on various options to work within the framework provided by the Court order, even trying to liquidate as much of the Company’s and its dealers’ BS III inventory as possible by March 31, 2017 and will make every attempt to minimize the one time impact of this order on the Company’s financials.” The statement added.


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Anyone who thinks there’s nothing new under the sun in retirement insurance should have attended a session Thursday at the 2022 Retirement Industry Conference in Boston, hosted by the Secure Retirement Institute and the Society of Actuaries. Change, if it’s not already here, is coming, the presenters agreed, whether it’s welcome or not.
The session, titled “Harnessing the Power of Change,” looked at a wide variety of innovations impacting the retirement investing industry, from cutting-edge technology updates to even considerations on changing the term ‘retirement’ to ‘lifelong personal care’.
Term of “retirement” considered outdated
“For the generation now approaching retirement, the term doesn’t fit them,” said Allison Salka, senior vice president and director of research at LIMRA. “The notion of a retiree just sitting on the beach is not how he sees himself.”
New ways to work and save will quadruple the country’s retirement savings pool, said Justin Singer, director of the wealth and asset management consultancy Ernst & Young. Along with this will come consumer and investor demand for a better and more familiar experience in dealing with investment advisors, tracking performance and understanding new products.
“Product providers have really been in the driver’s seat of distribution, but now we’re seeing investment advisors playing a bigger role,” Singer said.
Companies adopting AI
And the advisor might not always be human, Singer noted, as more companies are embracing artificial intelligence and virtual reality as ways to give consumers more control when making their choices. investment for retirement and review the options.
But Singer noted a dichotomy in how technological advancements in the industry are viewed by different sectors. Recent surveys, including a live poll conducted during the presentation, showed that a majority of retirement investment executives believe tech companies will disrupt the industry. Fintechs invading the space, however, maintain that they want to be partners rather than true competitors.
“Look at the experience of tech companies when they announced they were getting into healthcare,” Singer said. “Faced with the complexities of compliance and regulation, they backed out.”
Instead, he said, technology companies can offer advanced platforms to facilitate the sales process and experience that current generations have become accustomed to when dealing with businesses. He used companies such as Travelocity and Kayak as examples. These companies do not offer travel or vacation packages, but provide an easy-to-use platform for consumers to book their trips.
Fintech: partner or competitor?
“We see fintech partnering with us for platforms,” said Bryan Hodgens, corporate vice president and director of distribution and retirement research for LIMRA LOMA. “They’re not going to compete on the product but on the platform and the process.”
Hodgens said fintechs can therefore be both partners and disruptors, but not necessarily in a bad way.
Continued technological disruption to the industry is inevitable, but big tech can be seen as an enabler rather than a competitor, Singer noted.
The consumer is really driving much of the change affecting the industry, as investors seek personalized results at speed, cost and scale, he said.
Experience is the new product
“Experience is the new product,” Singer said, referring to a chart displaying takeaways from several E&Y “innovation studio metrics.”
Under “experience” as a new product, E&Y found:
- Holistic counseling providers will prevail
- Platform ecosystems will disrupt and control the customer experience.
- Choice and personalization will lead to better engagement.
In the perhaps hotter and fuzzier categories of impeding change, Singer said companies that embrace diversity, equity and enhanced culture goals, show improved profits,
“Culture and strategic growth are closely linked,” he said. “Diverse and innovative cultures transform businesses.
Silks noted that there are currently five generations of people in the workforce, creating the need for what is often seen as a static industry to evolve.
“Product evolution will have to happen,” she said, and we see ourselves in the crow’s nest of a ship in anticipation of what’s to come in terms of consolidations, partnerships and technology.
Doug Bailey is a freelance journalist and writer who lives outside of Boston. He can be reached at [email protected].
© All content copyright 2022 by InsuranceNewsNet.com Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced without the express written consent of InsuranceNewsNet.com.


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On the heels of the blockbuster release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Jack Black is singing his praises for video game adaptations. So much so that he has praised The Last of Us on HBO Max.
In an interview with BBC yesterday, Black, who voices Bowser, that he's a fan of multimedia adaptations of video games so long as they're treated right. He praised HBO's The Last of Us for how faithful it is to the hit PlayStation game.
"The Last of Us was fantastic," he said. "And what's crazy is how loyal it is to the original source material. It's basically all from the game with just a couple of tweaks. It's going to win all the awards. They used the video game almost like a storyboard and I was like. 'Whoa, this looks just the same.'"
Black also commented on how, with video game adaptations of movies and TV shows gaining traction, studios will look to adapt more games for years to come. "It will be very interesting to see what happens to the entertainment industry over the next 20 to 30 years but I think we will be seeing more and more storytelling from the gaming universe," he said.
Red Dead Redemption next?
One video game adaptation the character actor wants to see on the big screen is Red Dead Redemption from Rockstar Games, because he believes "that [has] just as good or [an] even better story than The Last of Us."
Black's comments speak to how video game films and TV shows have been gaining popularity in the last few years, starting with Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog. Both of these were considered to have broken the "video game movie curse," a phenomenon in which past video game adaptations were critically panned, including the 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. film, The Prince of Persia, Assassin's Creed, and even Ratchet and Clank.
The popularity of video game adaptations now is such that Netflix series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners and Arcane: League of Legends were nominated for Best Adaptation at The Game Awards 2022, with the latter show taking that honor home on top of being the first streaming series to win an Emmy for Best Outstanding Animated Program. Today, more games are being adapted to screens big and small, including God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, Death Stranding, and Borderlands.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is in theaters now. For more on Illumination's first video game outing, read our review.
Cristina Alexander is a freelance writer at IGN.


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Retail jobs dominate area employment offerings
Experts encourage workers to pursue management opportunities
Rex Robinson | 4/30/2014, 10:12 p.m.
New fast-food restaurants, retail stores and strip mall developments are popping up all over Will County, a good sign that the economy is slowly rebuilding after five long recessionary years.
For residents, that’s good news. The more property and sales tax money municipalities can collect from a growing commercial development base to fund services, including fire, police and public works, the more elected officials can keep a lid on residential property tax increases.
But there’s a downside, too. Most of the employees who will work at these news businesses – new Potbelly restaurants in Joliet and New Lenox, a new TJ Maxx in Romeoville, a new Culver’s in Lockport – will earn somewhere around minimum wage. Only managers will likely make enough to support themselves and a family.
And these new businesses will be competing with existing businesses that are already struggling to find hourly workers to man their cash registers and load their shelves.
It may explain that while there are new businesses opening, unemployment in the Joliet area is still at about 8 percent, according to the March numbers.
Unemployed workers can make more receiving state benefits than if they took job at McDonald’s or Sears, according to Larry Hill, chairman of the Economics Department at Lewis University and an economics professor at Lewis for the past 46 years. New white- or blue-collar jobs that would provide enough to put food on the table and make the monthly mortgage payment are scarce.
“We have lost a significant amount of manufacturing jobs over the years and we have replaced those with service industry jobs,” Hill said. “Over the past few months we’ve been losing construction jobs and manufacturing jobs and a pretty good clip.”
There are some bright spots. Will County officials have done a good job of shifting from a predominately a manufacturing-based economy to one that’s transportation-based, Hill said. County and municipal officials should be acknowledged for bringing in warehouses and other transportation-based companies by using tax incentives, such as enterprise zones and special Tax Increment Financing districts, as lures.
“They’ve done a terrific job of aggressively bringing in many of the jobs we have now,” Hill said.
Transportation and warehouse industries are among the top categories for employment now in Will County. Manufacturing is starting to pick up in various communities within the county. Meaden Precision Machined Products, for example, is building a new plant of more than 60,000 square feet in Lockport’s Prime Business Park. The company will be moving from Burr Ridge and bringing about 80 employees to the new plant, according to Lockport City Administrator Ben Benson.
While the Obama administration and others groups are making a push for a substantial increase in the minimum wage, which would make jobs in the service industry more appealing, there’s no guarantee that will come to fruition.
But that’s not to say there’s no light at the end of the tunnel, according to Wayne Gawlik, a business professor at Joliet Junior College and a lifelong Joliet resident. It’s true that a family cannot survive when the head of the household is only making minimum wage, he said. But that doesn’t mean that workers have to remain in minimum wage positions, he said.
Gawlik said workers who take those entry-level positions with retailers can move up into management positions if they take the initiative and find out from their supervisors what they need to do to advance within the company.
JJC, Lewis University and the University of St. Francis all offer a variety of programs to assist workers who need further training for new positions.
“Success is where preparedness meets opportunity,” Gawlik said. “Continue your education so you don’t have to stay in that entry level job. There are lots of well paid positions in management. It’s not a matter of getting hired. It’s a matter of getting promoted.”
Sometimes companies offer in-house management training programs. If they don’t, there are various classes offered for retail management at JJC and other colleges and universities, according to Gawlik.
Rex Robinson can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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By Lauren Pollock
Activist investor Starboard Value LP said it has taken a significant stake in Yahoo Inc. and pushed the Internet pioneer to explore a possible combination with AOL Inc.
Starboard, which says it has a significant stake in the company, said a potential tie-up of Yahoo's core search and display businesses with AOL could improve Yahoo's competitive position and deliver cost synergies of up to $1 billion.
Sportswear (OTCBB: SMAK), the leading brand of custom designed
athletic apparel (primarily focused on volleyball), today announced the
appointment of Christopher Jenks as the Chairman of the Board, as well
as the resignation of Smack CEO Bill Sigler.
New role is added responsibility for vice president of newspaper operations, whose Scripps career has spanned 33 years Twitter post: Additional role for Steve Smith, VP of newspaper operations for @EWScrippsCo - now also the publisher for @ReddingNewsFeed in California.
Shares of Yahoo (YHOO) climbed more than 3% Friday after activist investor Starboard increased its ownership stake in the tech company and issued an open letter to Yahoo calling for a "strategic combination" with AOL (AOL) . Starboard, which has also been in a public dispute recently with Darden Restaurants (DRI) , claims that a deal between Yahoo and AOL would deliver cost synergies of up to $1 billion by reducing cost overlaps in their display advertising business.
Independent. Insightful. Trusted. Morningstar provides stock market analysis; equity, mutual fund, and ETF research, ratings, and picks; portfolio tools; and option, hedge fund, IRA, 401k, and 529 plan research. Our reliable data and analysis can help both experienced enthusiasts and newcomers.


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Albemarle Corp. reported another stellar quarter with record earnings coming largely from its catalysts segment.
The Baton Rouge specialty chemicals producer reported quarterly earnings of $116.1 million, or $1.28 per share, up 25 percent above third-quarter 2010 levels.
Net sales of $723 million for the quarter were up 24 percent compared to the same quarter in 2010. Net sales for the nine months ending Sept. 30 were $2.2 billion, compared to $1.8 billion for the same period in 2010.
“We’re pleased to announce record earnings for the third consecutive quarter,” said Luke Kissam, president and CEO of Albemarle, in a statement. “Catalysts’ record performance and the continued strength of the fine chemistry business more than offset the expected volume softness seen in polymer solutions this quarter versus the first half of the year. These earnings are a testament to our competitive cost position, execution of our pricing strategies and the innovation of our people.”
Albemarle reported its earnings at the close of business on Monday. Its stock closed at $48.61 a share Monday, up $2.08 or 4.5 percent.
Albemarle’s catalysts division, which includes exploring technology related to fuels or chemical reactions, saw some of the strongest growth in the third quarter with net sales of $299.5 million, a 39 percent increase over net sales in the third quarter of 2010, due mainly to favorable pricing and strong sales as well as favorable effects of foreign currency exchanges, the company reported.
The polymer solutions segment delivered net sales of $243.9 million in the third quarter, a 5 percent increase over net sales in third-quarter 2010.
Net sales for the fine chemistry division in the third quarter were $179.5 million, a 30 percent increase over net sales a year ago.
Earnings for the nine months ending Sept. 30 were $336.8 million, or $3.66 per share, compared to $238.7 million, or $2.59 per share, for the same period in 2010. Net sales for the first nine months of 2011 were $2.2 billion, compared to $1.8 billion for the same period in 2010.


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So you and 100K other people don't like the mail changes. Well you know what? 300 million other yahoo mail users are fine with the changes. Hit the road pundit, you're highly outnumbered.
Pundit...do you really think your yahoo problems will get answered here on this endless posting black hole of a message board? you have a better chance by posting on yahoo answers.
Yahoo only has to sell half its stake at an Alibaba IPO. Billions still to be made after the IPO! Then Yahoo goes on to make some big purchases to beef up its core business.
Remember, with the Yahoo partnership there are incentives for Alibaba to IPO by end of 2015. So an IPO may not happen in 2014 at all.
From a December 2012 article...
"Today, in the latest loosely-sourced report, a newsletter quoted a Chinese-language site on a leaked memo that allegedly said the preparations would begin in the second half of 2013 for a public offering in late 2013 or early 2014.
Maybe not so fast, according to sources close to the situation, who note that incentives in a recent stock buyback with major shareholder Yahoo could drive a public offering to the end of 2015.
The timeframe is not a deadline, of course, but Alibaba benefits more if it does its IPO by then. Sources said the IPO will depend entirely on market timing and there is not a current plan to do so soon."
All I know is that I've got Sunpower panels on my house and my electricity bill for the ENTIRE first year was $69!! It costs me $69 to fill up my car one time! Oil can't cut their prices enough to hurt the value in solar (not to mention solar is getting cheaper). Oil is in trouble with solar and electric.
Actually, lots of teens left Facebook for Tumblr....which is one of the reasons Yahoo bought it!
Look at the one year chart. You have to ride out the dips because it always comes back stronger! They are growing, that is the key.


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4.5-inch XOLO Q700S with quad-core processor, 1GB RAM officially launched in India for Rs. 9,999
XOLO has officially launched a new mid-range Android smartphone in India today. Dubbed as XOLO Q700S, the smartphone was recently spotted on eBay India for sale. The smartphone is the successor of last year launched XOLO Q700i, which is the successor of already available Q700. The XOLO Q700S comes in Silver and Gold colours and is priced at Rs. 9,999.
Specifications-wise, XOLO Q700S comes with a 4.5-inch qHD IPS display, 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582M processor, 1GB RAM and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The smartphone is 8.9mm thick and has a metallic finish for premium look and feel.
Other specifications include dual-SIM slots (GSM+GSM), 8MP rear camera with LED flash, 0.3MP front facing camera, 4GB internal storage with up to 32GB expandable using microSD card and 1,800 mAh battery. Connectivity series include 3G support, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 and GPS.


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One of the OG tenants at the revamped Ferry Building two decades ago, Golden Gate Meat Co., is, like some other longtime tenants in recent years, giving up its spot in the complex.
The company, which is primarily a wholesale business based in Richmond and Santa Rosa, has declined to comment on the closure of its only retail store. But the Chronicle has confirmed with Ferry Building reps that Golden Gate Meat Co.'s butcher shop is closing at the end of next week, August 20.
Ferry Building General Manager Jane Connors tells the Chronicle in a statement, "We had hoped to keep Golden Gate Meat in the marketplace, but we respect the owners’ decision to embark on the next chapter of their lives."
Founded in 1977 by the Offenbach family, Golden Gate Meat Co. was among the original tenants when the Ferry Building reopened in 2003 as a food-focused retail mall and restaurant hub.
Another original tenant, Cowgirl Creamery, shut down its Ferry Building location in March 2021, and just last week announced the closure of their flagship store in Point Reyes Station as well. (Cowgirl Creamery's founders, Sue Conley and Peggy Smith, sold the business in 2016 to Swiss dairy conglomerate Emmi, which has since merged it with Humboldt County-based Cypress Grove.)
Chris Offenbach, who has been leading Golden Gate Meat Co. since 2004, had previously told the Chronicle that business was significantly down during the pandemic, and that the shop's lease was expiring in 2022.
Among the original Ferry Building tenants from 2003, only a few remain, including The Slanted Door restaurant (slated to reopen this fall), Gott's Roadside (originally named Taylor's Automatic Refresher), Far West Fungi, Hog Island Oyster Co., and Acme Bread.
It seems probable that the Ferry Building management will seek to lure another butcher into the space being vacated by Golden Gate Meat Co. — Conners bragged to Bon Appetit in 2015 that the marketplace had "We want the butcher and the baker—we even have a candlestick maker. We're looking at the experience as holistically as possible... We want to make sure the building has the raw food ingredients shoppers need."