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2024 Targeting Predictions: Laying the Foundation for a Sustainable Future
December 18, 2023
Authored by Monica Pearson, VP of Marketing, Fyllo
After years of build-up, 2024 will mark a dramatic turning point within the digital marketing industry. Traditional targeting approaches will go out the window, and new rules and best practices will solidify.
While change can be hard, particularly when it comes to navigating shifts involving consumer data and privacy, there’s good reason for marketers to be excited about the transformation our industry will undergo in 2024: When we emerge on the other side, our industry will be better aligned with consumers and operating on a more-sustainable foundation for the future.
Here at Fyllo, we decided to get in on the fun and share our targeting trends that will reshape our worlds in 2024 and beyond.
The Evolving Privacy Landscape
Let’s start with the elephant in the room: While no shortage of ink has been spilled over the deprecation of third-party cookies in Google Chrome in 2024, the implications for marketing going forward can’t be overstated. This time next year, brands and agencies will be operating in a fundamentally different way than they do today, as will the many data and tech partners that support their efforts.
The companies that have been in preparation for this industry milestone in recent months and years will see the rubber hit the road, and it will be time to fine-tune their efforts to bridge the gap on audience addressability. For those less prepared, it may be a rocky road forward as former KPIs are upended and the cross-channel targeting and visibility of legacy cookie-based targeting programs dissolve.
During this critical year of transition, contextual targeting will emerge as an important stabilizing force for those brands and agencies that pivot their investments accordingly. Contextual advertising spending will accelerate, as companies race to maintain relevance with their most important audiences.
Emerging Data Privacy Regulations
Of course, it’s not just the move to a cookieless world that’s shaking up the digital landscape next year. Every year, regulatory pressures mount when it comes to the handling and protection of consumer data, and 2024 will be no exception. Right now, there are a dozen U.S. states with notable privacy laws in place, including California and Texas, and a growing number of others have active bills working their way through legislatures. Although there’s still no overarching federal legislation governing data privacy in the U.S., marketers are still operating in a restricted landscape, made all the more complex by regional variance.
As the digital landscape rewrites its playbook in the wake of third-party cookie deprecation, it’s going to do so in a privacy-first way. Tighter restrictions on consumer data collection and use are a matter of when, not if, and no one wants to rewrite their playbooks yet again when U.S. federal privacy legislation inevitably comes to fruition. In that sense, the pivots being made over the next year will be made with an eye toward future-proofing rather than mere reactivity and accommodation of existing restrictions.
Any marketers who have been hesitant to plunge head-first into the world of AI-driven solutions need to set aside reservations and keep pace. AI in marketing isn’t about replacing humans. It’s about helping us do more with what we have—particularly when it comes to targeting in a privacy-first world. ID-free targeting will become a more dominant focus as scale is lost within addressable media, and AI is helping already-strong spaces like contextual targeting become even stronger.
New Programmatic Ad Channels
Speaking of automation, despite concerns about loss of addressability due to changes with third-party cookies and privacy regulations, we’re still going to see new swaths of inventory becoming more addressable as industry buying models evolve toward programmatic. In 2024, in particular, we’ll see this journey continue within the connected TV space, where a significant portion of inventory is still being sold via upfronts and direct deals.
As 2023’s turbulent times for TV advertisers demonstrated, programmatic can and should play a larger role within the connected TV space, where bidding technology can improve the nimbleness with which brands and agencies can connect with their most valued audiences around the content they enjoy the most. Despite the traditional roots of the TV space, connected TV will continue to break away from legacy buying models, making its audiences more addressable as we move forward.
How Fyllo Can Help
At Fyllo, we’re here to be both a partner and a solution for marketers as we move into what will be a pivotal year for our industry. If you’re looking to future-proof your campaigns against forthcoming market changes, Fyllo offers a resilient contextual targeting solution that can withstand any disruptions.


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Nexen to exhibit new winter, all-season tyres at Autopromotec
Nexen Tire will present its latest patterns and the All Road Transform concept from its 170sqm booth at Autopromotec in Bologna, Italy (24-28 May 2017).
Nexen will also introduce its latest winter tyre, the Winguard Sport2, to become available in the 2017/2018 season in 25 dimensions. Twelve more will follow in 2018. The official product launch will take place on Thursday 25 May, 2017, between 11:00 and 14:00. Nexen’s new all-season pattern N´Blue 4 Season will also be displayed on its stand.

domain: news


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The Verizon 4G LTE Galaxy Nexus was also leaked in a few pictures and videos yesterday. Tie that in with the pictures coming out today and the new Visual Voicemail app specifically for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus I’d say this phone is coming soon — although your guess is still as good as mine.
Verizon has made a few changes to the data usage monitoring present in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and you can see that in the leaked images below as well. I know the Gnex being a Google experience device many weren’t happy to see that Verizon was still loading up some VZW bloatware applications, even though it was only a few. It is nice to see that those few items can be easily disabled right from the application manager and will disappear from your app tray. For those worried about bloatware it seems no root will be required to keep this beautiful Google device completely stock as Google intended.
Latest rumors are pointing to a December 11th release. We can only wait and hope right?
Well folks, it appears the Galaxy Nexus over on Verizon has leaked again today and we now have a few more pictures for everyone to enjoy. Thanks to one of our friendly Android Community readers we now have a few shots of the Verizon bloatware (only a few apps) and proof that they can easily be disabled right on the device just like any app in Ice Cream Sandwich. Below are the photos showing the Verizon Galaxy Nexus including data usage, and the bloatware actually disabled.


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Realme has made it official that it’s holding an occasion this month
the place it’ll unveil not one however 8 new merchandise. The occasion is scheduled to begin on May 25 in China and the announcement doesn’t reveal which new merchandise the corporate would introduce. The poster that the corporate has shared, nevertheless, reveals merchandise like actually wi-fi earbuds, an influence financial institution, and a telephone, all of that are already introduced. So, we are able to’t actually guess on what can be these new 8 merchandise, although there is no such thing as a hurt in anticipating just a few of them following some speculations and firm’s personal vocal stances.
Realme CEO Madhav Sheth goals to make the corporate a tech way of life model and following the identical quest, he has promised to enter into the TV section as properly. So, we assume the time has come when the corporate will lastly unveil a sensible TV. In reality, the itemizing of a Realme TV on the official assist web page corroborates what’s being speculated.
The assist web page listed Realme TV, Realme X3, and X3 SuperZoom however the listings have since been eliminated, although some sleuths had been fast sufficient to seize a screenshot as proof of their existence.
So, count on a brand new X3 collection with no less than three new telephones, a TV, and much more merchandise. A Realme Watch can also be within the hypothesis and not too long ago XDA Developers revealed virtually all the pieces about them. Also, new Realme Buds Wireless Pro could possibly be a brand new audio accent within the pipeline as properly. We can solely make guesses now and advise you to have endurance because the slated occasion isn’t too removed from us.
Realme in simply two years since its inception has grown fairly properly. The firm first began coping with smartphone manufacturing however of late, it has come to different segments of tech shoppers’ merchandise. Realme produces a variety of different merchandise as properly, through which headphones, health bands are a pair to exemplify. But Realme doesn’t need to cease right here because it plans to diversify its portfolio by bringing extra merchandise to the market.


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It is still early for security vendors to produce software using VMware's recently released application program interfaces (APIs). But a fledgling virtualization security market is emerging to address the risks associated with the technology.
The latest entrant to the security virtualization market is Redwood City, Calif.-based Altor Networks Inc., which launched last week with a virtual security analyzer that taps into virtual switch traffic—a layer of network traffic just above the hypervisor. The vendor also plans to release a virtual network firewall when the product is ready later this year.
While IT administrators have praised the performance and cost reduction benefits of setting up virtualized systems, there is still some confusion over the complexities being introduced, said Poornima Debolle, a senior director at Altor Networks. IT pros are realizing that traditional firewalls and IDS/IPSs were designed to defend static, perimeter-based physical networks, Debolle said.
"Virtual data centers are being deployed mixing a lot of server and traffic environments that historically were very separated from an administrative and network perspective," Debolle said. "A lot of servers are getting consolidated, but more than 50% are not wearing the security glasses. We call it the blind spot into this virtual network."
VMware and Citrix Systems have been trying to address security concerns from industry experts and IT security pros. At its VMworld conference last year, industry analysts and security pros saw the benefits of the technology but voiced their skepticism that it could be easily secured.
A number of security vendors are taking part in VMware's VMsafe program. Using VMware's APIs, Symantec, McAfee, the Internet Security Systems division of IBM, EMC's RSA security division, and Check Point Software Technologies, plan to develop software that is interoperable with virtual machines.
Scotts Valley, Calif.-based Catbird Networks, Inc. and Atlanta-based Reflex Security, Inc., are the niche players in the market selling appliances that monitor and control access to the virtual network. Cupertino, Calif.-based Blue Lane Technologies Inc. developed a software-based vulnerability shield called VirtualShield, which taps into the VMware platform. The vendors are also taking part in VMsafe.
"The group of companies that emerged started off by porting traditional IPS, which ran on stand alone applications," said Phil Hochmuth, a senior analyst at Boston-based Yankee Group Inc. "These products replicated what ever they did in physical networks onto virtual networks."
The current security software available to address virtualized environments is a good start, but enterprises should focus on the products developed by many of the VMsafe partners, Hochmuth said. Those products won't be available until late summer at the earliest.
Analysts expect the market for virtualization software to change drastically over the next year. Microsoft is jumping into the mix, with the release of Hyper-V release candidate, a hypervisor-based virtualization software available with various versions of Windows Server 2008. Many security vendors see Microsoft's entry driving adoption of enterprise use of virtualization and the need for increased security.
Charles King, principal analyst for Hayward, Calif.-based Pund-IT Research, said in a report to customers that Microsoft has an opportunity to define the market. Still, VMware dominates and the x86 virtualization market is relatively small with only about 10% of servers being virtualized, King said.
"Hyper-V should provide Microsoft the means to introduce and define the benefits of virtualization to a much wider audience than established players have yet reached," King said. "If Hyper-V's features prove to be as robust and beneficial as Microsoft claims, the company could become a significant virtualization player for years to come."


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Musician and owner of DB Records, Dbanj has bought one of his artistes, Cheekychizzy a 2012 Range Rover SUV.
Cheekychizzy who announced the news on Instagram was thankful to Dbanj for the gesture.
He said: “A grateful heart is the beginning of greatness. Thanks @iambangalee, LORD OF THE GAME.”
Check out how the car looks
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The Indian Auto Industry Overview
Since the invention of the internal combustion engine, there have been many incredible innovations made in the auto industry.
Manufacturers created new body styles and market segments, automatic transmissions and power steering were introduced, and safety features such as airbags made passengers much safer. Computers were even added into cars to optimize performance and provide GPS for navigation purposes.
In short, vehicles got cheaper, lighter, stronger, safer, cleaner, faster, and more luxurious.
But despite this, there is a strong case that the biggest innovations in the auto industry are yet to come.
Make in India campaign is forming the shape of the future Indian Automobile industry. Despite of its amazing development rate, India has constantly fallen behind China as far as assembling potential because of the unpredictability of the Indian market and the insufficiency of past governments. To resolve this issue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced ‘Make in India’ to enhance India’s status as a worldwide manufacturing centre point. This incorporated the presentation of new government approaches that will help expand India’s generation abilities and in this manner make new and various openings for job opportunities. The Government of India encourages foreign investment in the automobile sector and allows 100 per cent FDI under the automatic route. The government is planning to set up a committee to develop an institutional framework on large-scale adoption of electric vehicles in India as a viable clean energy mode, especially for shared mass transport, to help bring down pollution level in major cities.


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Car companies sweat over weak festive seasonPankaj Doval | TNN | Updated: Sep 12, 2012, 17:25 IST
NEW DELHI: Sluggish sales are worrying car companies who fear that the coming festive season with be low on spirits and require higher discounts and freebies for spurring purchases.
"There is not much excitement at the moment,"said Arvind Saxena, MD of Volkswagen Cars in India.
Car sales fell 19% in August, the first time since October last year, as the lockout at Maruti and an overall slowdown in demand depressed volumes. According to numbers released by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam), car sales fell 19% in August at 1.18 lakh units against 1.45 lakh units in the same month last year.
The gloom was widespread. Half of the 19 carmakers who report wholesale volumes to Siam reported a decline in August sales and these included Fiat, Honda, General Motors and Toyota, apart from luxury makers like BMW and Mercedes Benz.
"Now we are entering a desperate zone," said Sugato Sen, senior director at Siam. "If the negative trends continue in September as well, we will have to revise our (growth) targets downwards."
Some companies expect that discounts in the festive season may get even deeper as inventory levels go up. "This festive season will see lower levels of sales against previous years as negative sentiments continue to impact demand," said Sudhir Rao, MD of Skoda India. "Festive discounts across the industry will be significant as carmakers fight it out for the limited customer pool in the market. However, Skoda's strategy is not to indulge in major discounts, though there can be slight sweeteners."
The industry has already strated asking for a bailout from the Government. "Times are difficult and we need support. Car sales are under pressure, two-wheeler sales have gone down and medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicle volumes are down. The industry needs urgent help to come out of this situation," Siam's Sen said.
Sen said the industry requires a stimulus package similar to the one extended in fiscal 2008-09 when the global economies, including India, were in a turmoil following the collapse of Lehman Brothers in the US.
An immediate step, he suggested, could be lowering of excise duty on vehicles which had gone up in the Union Budget in March. The budget had upped the excise duty on small cars and two-wheelers by two per cent while the big cars and SUVs had seen the duty go up by 5%.
Sen also said that the central government should reverse its decision of clamping a ban on purchase of vehicles for its various wings as well as senior officers. "Central government purchases formed a crucial part of the overall sales of the car industry. The purchases were done for top officials, apart from various government departments and ministries, government hotels, PSUs, defence and para-military wings etc. These should be revived."
He said the overall sentiments are poor at the moment. "If such measures are not taken now, it may be difficult for the car companies to carry out operations. It is already difficult to generate demand as interest rates and petrol prices continue to be high at a time when the customer sentiment is very low."


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Wisconsin Auto Title Loans agrees to $2.75 million settlement
UPDATE: Checks have been issued under the Wisconsin Auto Title Loans Inc. settlement. If you were expecting a payment but did not receive one, please see this story for a possible explanation and tips on what to do if you have questions.
After a 10-year battle, state officials and the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee say they've reached a $2.75 million preliminary settlement with Wisconsin Auto Title Loans Inc.
If approved by a judge later this year, the deal will secure nearly $2million in restitution for tens of thousands of customers that the company allegedly tricked or forced into paying for an insurance-like "motor club" membership, which was marketed as optional. That's on top of already high-interest loans of more than 300%.
As part of the deal, Wisconsin Auto Title Loans will extinguish all finance charges and fees accrued on its approximately 36,000 accounts, the Wisconsin attorney general's office said in a news release Monday. State officials estimate this will amount to millions of dollars. Wisconsin Auto Title Loans also will release all existing liens on those borrowers' vehicles.
Wisconsin Auto Title Loans is based in Green Bay and operates 22 locations in Wisconsin. It gives short-term loans to vehicle owners by putting liens on their auto titles, typically for much less than the cars' blue-book values, $300 to $10,000.
Annual interest rates are upward of 300%. The loans generally had to be repaid in a month, but many borrowers were unable to repay the loans in full within a month, the complaint states. The loans are typically aimed at people who have very low income or a poor credit history.
In addition to loans, Wisconsin Auto Title Loans also signed up customers for an insurance-like "motor club" service, which reimburses the member for a small part of services in case of an emergency, for instance $15 in case of a flat tire, $50 toward wrecker service and $100 for legal fees in an accident.
In some cases, company employees claimed that the optional membership was a one-time fee or mandatory to obtain a loan. Most consumers didn't pay the club fee up front so the amount was added to their high-interest loan, officials said.
In one case, a consumer took out a $700 loan and seven months of club membership for $105. The interest on the loan was 360%, so for the first month, the customer paid $31.07 in interest alone, the complaint states.
"Although the product is supposed to be optional, consumers reported being unaware they purchased the product or being told that the product was a mandatory purchase along with their title loan," the attorney general's office said. "In most instances, the additional cost was rolled into the total amount of the loan and became subject to the high interest rate attached to the loan."
State law requires any finance charges to be disclosed up front. They weren't, meaning the interest rates referenced to customers were inaccurate, the state said.
"I'm particularly pleased with the outcome in this case because people are often suffering from financial difficulties already, and it is troubling to see those individuals being targeted by a deceptive scheme," Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said in a statement.
According to the news release, customers who purchased Wisconsin Auto Title Loans' Continental Car Club service membership between Jan. 1, 1999, and Dec. 31, 2010, will be eligible for a cash payment from a restitution fund if they paid as much, or more, than the cash they received from the company when they took out the loan.
Wisconsin Auto Title Loans customers who may be eligible for a refund will be notified with a letter on Sept. 27, the state said.
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Michael D. Goulee preliminarily approved the settlement Sept. 6.
A judge still needs to make a final decision on whether to approve the settlement at a hearing scheduled for Dec. 10. Consumers who do not want to be part of the settlement can either opt out or object before that.
By Sept. 27, state officials plan to set up a website called www.titleloansettlement.com that will detail the terms of the settlement. Starting Sept. 27, affected customers also may call (877) 435-4065 to get more information about the terms of the settlement.
Wisconsin Auto Title Loans denies it did anything wrong or that any customers were harmed or "suffered actual damages," according to the settlement.
"Nonetheless, the defendant has concluded that it is desirable and beneficial to the defendant that the action, including any claims for attorneys fees, be settled to avoid the substantial burden, expense, risk, inconvenience and distraction of continued litigation," the settlement states.
The case started in 2002 as a private class-action lawsuit initiated by the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, which alleged that Wisconsin Auto Title Loans engaged in false, misleading, deceptive and unconscionable conduct by selling mandatory "motor club" service contracts in connection with the auto title loans.
The state, including the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions and Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, later intervened to seek restitution for consumers, penalties and other relief under the state's consumer protection laws.
The "arms-length negotiations" between the company and the plaintiffs lasted for more than a decade, the settlement states.
As part of the settlement, Wisconsin Auto Title Loans would be prohibited from selling Continental Car Club memberships for two years after the day of the judgment, which would result in more than $3 million of lost revenue to the company, the AG's office said.
Wisconsin Auto Title Loans is owned by Community Loans of America.
For more consumer stories, visit the Public Investigator blog at jsonline.com/piblog.
Do you have an issue with government or a local business or a story idea for Public Investigator? Contact us:
- E-mail: email@example.com
- Phone: (414) 224-2318
- Address: Public Investigator
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
333 W. State St.
Milwaukee WI 53203
Public Investigator Blog
The Journal Sentinel consumer watchdog team takes tips, chases leads and solves problems.


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LEGO has been named the world’s most powerful brand according to Brand Finance’s yearly Global 500 rankings, unseating previous title-holder, Disney. The annual rankings are based on factors such as brand familiarity, loyalty, marketing investment, staff satisfaction, and corporate reputation.
Image courtesy of Bram Van Laere
LEGO has come a long way from wooden toys to plastic bricks and the licensing empire it is known for today. According to the report, LEGO’s brand strength is based on its appeal that spans generations, evidenced in the fact that LEGO bricks from 1958 are still compatible with their modern day iterations. That nostalgia and creative freedom, combined with a decade of solid marketing, financial gains and successful licensing product lines, helped take the company from near-bankruptcy in the early 2000s to its current number-one brand ranking.
Coffee giant Starbucks announced this week that it is adding Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, executive chairman of the LEGO Brand Group, to its board of directors. Knudstorp is generally credited with turning around LEGO during a difficult time for the global company over a decade ago.
It may be time to stock up on LEGO if you are in the UK. Due to the falling worth of the pound in the post-BREXIT world, LEGO has confirmed that all prices in the UK will increase 5% as of January 1st. While that is only a few extra coins on smaller sets, it represents an extra £20 on the Death Star, currently priced at £400.
The price hike was announced in a letter from LEGO’s UK and Ireland’s general manager and vice-president, Fiona Wright. The letter explains the increased prices are the “direct result of the continued devaluing of the UK pound,” and that prices may increase again in the “event of a further negative trend.”
For context, since the UK voted to leave the EU in June, the pound has decreased 16% against the U.S. dollar. Due to these fluctuations, many companies and manufacturers have been increasing prices across the UK, especially on imported goods.
Image created by TBB’s own Elspeth De Montes
LEGO is shaking up their box of bricks and appointing a new toymaker in chief.
Long credited as the man who saved LEGO in 2004, CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp will be replaced by Bali Padda, LEGO’s current chief operations officer, on January 1. Padda is British and will be the first non-Dane to lead the company. He has been with LEGO 14 years, starting in Enfield, Connecticut, and has in the past mentioned his desire for greater market expansion throughout the world, focusing on Asia.
Bali Padda will become the new CEO Jan. 1
Before you think that Knudstorp is off to take a well-deserved vacation, LEGO also announced the formation of a new parent-like LEGO Brand Group that he will head, as well as being named chairman of LEGO’s board of directors. The new group’s purpose is to increase brand cohesion and efficiency across all products, not just the interlocking bricks, and to pursue further partnership opportunities beyond its theme parks, Hollywood movies, television shows and video games. The new parent group will also serve as a way for the Kristiansen clan, Denmark’s richest family and private owners of LEGO, to become more personally active in all brand efforts.
Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, left, with Thomas Kirk Kristiansen, fourth generation owner of the LEGO Group.
Oddly enough, this reorganization leaves the new LEGO CEO with fewer responsibilities and more time to focus on plastic bricks and sets. It remains to be seen what kind of impact this move will have on the LEGO fan community, but 2017 is shaping up to be quite an interesting year.
Press releases after the break.
As much as some of us may have wished otherwise, The LEGO Group — and the toys it produces — needed to change if it was to survive the near-bankruptcy it experienced five years ago. Looking back today, from the throes of the most serious global economic crisis since the Great Depression, it’s hard to believe that LEGO is experiencing record profits. And yet it is.
Read Turning to Hollywood Tie-Ins, Lego Thinks Beyond the Brick in the New York Times to learn how the company charted a course to recovery. Oh, and look for the quote from me on page 4.
So, dear readers, how do you feel about the sacrifices that LEGO has made to survive in the modern world? Sound off in the comments.
Check out this 20-minute interview with LEGO CEO Jørgen Vig Knudstorp by MONACLE magazine editor Tyler Brûlé
Thanks to the magic of Google Video, you can watch it right here on The Brothers Brick:


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Microsoft to announce new hardware and unified Windows 10 Store tomorrow?
Mysterious phone-laptop hybrid may be under development
Along with a demonstration of Windows 10 features tomorrow, Microsoft may surprise us with new hardware and we believe it could be a high-end Lumia smartphone. The Information also reports that Redmond is working on a mysterious project, a smartphone/laptop hybrid, which could debut at a later stage. This hybrid device could target business customers with its large screen (more than 5 inches), slide-out landscape keyboard and a stand similar to the Surface Pro 3.
But of course, the main focus of the briefing tomorrow will be Windows 10 and the single code ecosystem with unified store connecting PC and mobile users and apps. With unified apps working across devices, Microsoft will try to lure more developers to make software as these future apps could technically work on a large number of devices (PCs, Phones, tablets, Xbox) without additional modifications in the code.
In addition, the report suggests that Microsoft may be presenting a brand new Office app for current Windows 8.1 and future Windows 10 users.
We also understand that the future mobile platform (for tablets and phones) could be called simply ‘Windows 10’ rather than Windows 10 Mobile or Windows Mobile 10 as suggested by earlier reports.
Tune in tomorrow (Jan 21) at 9AM Pacific Time (5.00PM London) for live video streaming of the press conference.
Source: The Information


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CRYSTAL LAKE, Ill. - Knaack LLC launched its Weather Guard® 2008 Tough Truck Driveaway promotion that will run through Nov. 30. For the third year in a row, the company will give away a 2008 Toyota Tundra to one grand prizewinner. The truck will be fitted with various Weather Guard storage equipment and accessories, including an aluminum saddle box, aluminum low-side boxes, and an ATR ladder rack with accessory side rails, all valued at $2,700.
Advertisements in automotive and contractor trade magazines
and Websites and the Weather Guard Website will promote the contest.
“This year marks the third Weather Guard Toyota Tundra truck
giveaway, and we anticipate record participation,” said William Zbylut II, vice
president of marketing, Knaack LLC. “We look forward to continuing our
partnership with Toyota with this exciting and successful promotion of Weather
The grand prize winner will be announced at the 2009 World
of Concrete Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nev., which
will be held Feb. 3 to 6, 2009.
To enter, visit www.weatherguard.com/toughtruck.


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This has been a strange year so far. To put it mildly. But let’s ignore the elephant in the room (ahem, pandemic) for now and take a look at content instead.
More specifically, how is content being consumed by UK consumers in 2020?
A recent online Meltwater Comms Collective event by PR Moment* delved into this topic. Here are the main take away points from some of the leaders in communications:
- The death of traditional demographics – use audience personas instead
- The average person leaves nine pieces of content (data) online each day
- TV is the top content touchpoint in the UK (77% of consumers, with newspapers at 31%)
- Facebook is the most common source for news in social media
- BUT consumers are cautious of news on social media
- Possible future trend: increase in analogue content consumption (e.g. radio)
- Trust in businesses, media, NGOs and the government all increased during the first months of this year
Now, let’s find out more about how this impacts content creation.
The end of demographics
Yes, traditional demographics are over.
In the past, people in a certain age or income bracket were all put together to represent a specific type of consumer. But today, that method is far too general.
Instead, audience personas go a little deeper. The reason for this is the use of data, which leads to the next point that the average person leaves nine pieces of content about themselves online each day. Like breadcrumbs of data about what they do and don’t like.
According to Perri Robinson, Enterprise Marketing Manager for Europe, Middle East, India and Africa at Meltwater, an audience persona is no longer just a “nice to have” tool for content creation. It’s essential to help with predicting behaviour, enhancing customer experiences and increasing efficiency.
Why? Because, as Perri said: “You can’t tell stories if you don’t know what listeners are interested in.”
The UK media market
When it comes to the UK media market and content touchpoints, TV is king. Followed by smartphone/tablet search and social media.
Facebook is the most commonly used social media channel and, as a result, is the most popular platform for consuming news in the social media world. However, people are most distrustful of news on social media.
What does this tell us? Basically, that consumers and social media users are more discerning than we give them credit for. Also, teenagers use Facebook less than people aged 65+, which helps to understand the audience behind the platform.
Here are some additional statistics on daily content consumption habits in the UK:
- 63% access social media
- 17% read a printed newspaper
- 31% read a newspaper online
- 48% access a news website
As you can see, online content consumption is leading the pack.
The importance of planning in PR
Planning as a discipline is not as integrated in public relations as in other professions, like marketing. But it is becoming more central to the industry as it aligns with modern content consumption habits.
Adam Mack, Strategic Communications Consultant at Plannability, said a good planner is always curious and asks ‘why’. A lot. That way, a problem can be understood, which is the first step towards finding a solution.
The use of data was also highlighted in relation to planning in PR. Especially the ability to interpret data into salient points. But there was a word of warning. We shouldn’t rely on data at the expense of listening to our instincts.
Some wise words from Adam: “Use data but trust your gut.”
Equally as important when planning is to consider broader cultural trends and being aware of possible future changes. As we’ve seen this year, the news cycle moves fast and there is always a counter reaction to what is happening in the world.
For example, Adam suggested a possible analogue re-awakening as people distract themselves by listening to the radio, reading books and cooking.
Who knows? Perhaps 2021 will be the year of analogue content.
Consumer trust in 2020
According to Louise Turner, Head of Edelman Intelligence UK & Ireland: “Trust is a projection into the future.”
And trust becomes even more powerful during a time of crisis or uncertainty – like the ongoing pandemic (had to mention it at some point). That’s why it makes sense that in the first months of this year (to May 2020), trust in businesses, media, NGOs and the government all increased.
In fact, there was a 24 per cent rise in trust in the government. But it was related to trust in the institution to take us forward into the future. Not necessarily agreeing with all decisions made by the government.
So, what is the least trusted institution? The media.
However, out of all types of media, traditional media and search engines are the most trusted. This provides some useful insight into how consumers view content from those channels.
What does this all mean for content creators?
In a nutshell, use data but trust your instincts. Pay attention to where consumers are placing their trust. And finally, read the room but be aware that there will always be changes in behaviour.
I’m intrigued by a possible increase in analogue content consumption. What about you?
*All statistics taken from the Meltwater Comms Collective: The Content Consumption Habits of UK Consumers webinar.
Want to know more about content creation? Get in touch at email@example.com


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This article has been reposted and formatted from Pacific Business News
Behind the seams with Coradorables
By Megan Fernandes – Reporter, Pacific Business News | Nov. 22, 2019
“Your network is your net worth.”
This has been local businesswoman Cora Spearman-Chang’s motto throughout her career as an entrepreneur. She likens her story to that of Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz,” finding lifelong mentors along her own yellow-brick road.
Spearman-Chang’s brand of locally made and manufactured family clothing, Coradorables, now distributes internationally to stores in Osaka, Japan. The brand also just finished its limited engagement pop-up shop in Saks Fifth Avenue in Waikiki this week.
Originally from Ohio, Spearman-Chang spent time in Japan studying business. She graduated from high school in Meiko Gakuen in Fukuoka on Kyushu island and went on to double major in communications and Japanese language, history and culture at Antioch College in Ohio and graduate with a bachelors degree in international business from Waseda University in Japan.
The time she spent immersed in the Japanese culture ignited her passion for business.
“Japan is where I got into fashion; they are always ahead of the curve,” Spearman-Chang told PBN. “It’s a second home for me.”
After living in several other areas on the Mainland, such as Chicago and Washington, D.C, in 1999 she took a leap of faith and moved to Makiki with no job and no game plan. Hawaii later became the place where she would meet her husband, Chris Chang, have two children, be inspired to be a business owner and beat cancer. She has kept her ties to Japan strong, and has represented her brand at the Tokyo International Gift Show since 2013.
“I felt called here, that this was where I was supposed to be,” she said.
The success that Coradaorables has seen so far did not happen overnight and it was not without a persistent fight to defy the odds.
Before Coradorables, Spearman-Chang’s first business was The Place, a boutique specializing in products for children, pets, men and women. Spearman-Chang and her husband signed a five-year lease at Ward Warehouse on a 2,500-square-foot space that they built out and finished off with a runway down the middle of the store. Before the store opened, however, Spearman-Chang fell ill.
“That store was our dream, it was perfect,” she recalled.
In 2005, Spearman-Chang found a small, pea-sized bump inside her jaw that CT and MRI scans later showed was a lump the size of a papaya, wrapped intricately along her jaw line. She underwent a tumor resection, a 22-hour surgery, at The Queen’s Medical Center.
“We pushed the store opening back a year because of the tumor, but we were still paying on the lease through all of this,” Spearman-Chang said.
The Place opened in February 2007, selling labels like Tokidoki, Jedidiah, Maribelle chocolates and Riedel, and launched brands like Lululemon in Hawaii.
By 2009, the tumor regrew, this time more aggressively, and Spearman-Chang was forced to seek treatment on the Mainland. She went to The John’s Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for a second 19-hour resection surgery, and stayed in the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge as she underwent six weeks of radiation treatment.
“They had to be just as aggressive as the cancer,” Spearman-Chang said. “Between the cost of multiple surgeries and flights back and forth to Baltimore, we went through medical bankruptcy. We had nothing and had to close the store, break the lease and donate everything.”
While in Hope Lodge battling cancer, Spearman-Chang said her optimistic nature did not falter, often telling friends and family that when she was better, she would become a kids clothing designer and once again own her own business.
“Cancer hits you on a physical, spiritual, mental and financial level,” she said. “When I was fighting for my life, none of the material things — that I worked so hard to get — mattered. I kept my faith that I would get through it.”
A second chance
Following a year of recovery, Spearman-Chang focused on using her second chance to build another business from the ground up.
The meaning behind the name of her new business venture came from the nickname “Coradorable” given to her by her mother. However, Spearman-Chang’s two daughters — 9-year-old Izzabelle and 6-year-old Zoe — are the brand’s true inspiration.
“When I wasn’t feeling very adorable with my [scars] and how I looked, I still knew I could create beautiful things,” Spearman-Chang said.
Spearman-Chang and her husband had no money at the time. She combined investments from angel investors, advice from her bankers at First Hawaiian Bank and extensive networking skills to build the foundation of what would become Coradorables.
According to Spearman-Chang, her longtime bankers at First Hawaiian Bank helped her through everything from opening The Place and bankruptcy, to finding resources and funding to build her new business venture.
“They helped me focus on my projections, know my numbers and to eventually scale and export,” she said.
Jeffrey Ventura, senior vice president and area manager at First Hawaiian Bank, told PBN that Coradorables and other small business owners share similar struggles.
“Many business owners that are starting up a business do not have the necessary startup capital, personal resources, or collateral, so they have a difficult time obtaining financing to get the business up and running,” Ventura said. “They may have a strong business plan and a great product, however, convincing a bank to lend them money based on projected income is not easy.”
Ventura said that in Spearman-Chang’s case, the connections she cultivated within the retail industry were vital.
“When she received the opportunity to get her clothing out there and begin to generate some revenues, we had confidence that with her determination and resiliency, she could be successful,” Ventura said. “It’s very rewarding to see someone like Cora, who has had to deal with so many challenges in her life, finally get the chance to succeed in something that she’s so passionate about.”
Curating a brand identity
The brand started strictly as kids’ alohawear and evolved from there to fill a need.
“When we had The Place, everyone asked for kid’s alohawear and we didn’t have that yet,” Chris Chang said. “There was a gap for kidswear and menswear at that time, so we evolved from a kid’s brand to a family brand.”
That need that the couple saw in Hawaii and abroad allowed them to carve a niche for Coradorables by selling “heirloom quality kids’ clothes.”
“People wanted high-end alohawear, not just the swap meet kids stuff,” she said. “That’s all I wanted to do, was create beautiful things, even if nobody bought it. It started by wanting to create that for Izzabelle, but it turns out there was a demand for it.”
The Coradorables womenswear collection quickly became a best seller both in Hawaii and in Japan, after the company entered the Asian market in 2019 — an arduous journey that began in 2017.
A series of network connections built through an audition for “Shark Tank,” and pitches to big-name companies such as the Walt Disney Co., Oriental Land Co., Walmart and others, led her to where she is today.
“We started talking to Walmart but pivoted away from that,” Spearman-Chang recalled. “We were really into the heirloom quality and we realized that attention to detail and quality was not going to happen [with them]. It would take me away from who I was and the brand I was creating.”
Determined to scale the brand, Spearman was torn between making money and maintaining her brand identity.
“Entrepreneurs are tested with making the decision between what makes the most money and what is best for the brand — I chose to hone and build my brand,” she said.
Chang added that they “chose to build a slow momentum rather than a quick cash grab.” When the Walmart deal fell apart, the couple said it was a blessing in disguise.
“Sometimes things fall apart so other things can fall together,” Spearman-Chang said. “It will work out, just not in the way you thought it would. If I had gone into Walmart, I wouldn’t have had this pop-up at Saks. It reminded me to stay on brand.”
Alohawear usually always comes with a story behind it. The Coradorables’ brand identity is important to the couple, so they often incorporate different themes and storylines into their collections.
“A lot of people in both the Hawaii and Japan markets are drawn to our tribal collection patterns that shows interconnectedness weaves different cultures and how we are actually stronger and better together,” she said. “I see the textile prints, whether I make it or whether I am just drawn to it, and I know the story I want to tell.”
Jean Santos, a Coradorables board member and founder of Business Consulting Resources, uses her more-than 35 years of experience to advise Spearman-Chang.
“[The board members of Coradorables] are all advisors and sounding boards to her,” Santos said.”I am always looking at how the company can be profitable in all that it does, at the same time fulfilling the mission and vision that Cora has for the business. Without profitability, nothing will happen, no matter how wonderful the vision and mission is.”
Behind the seams
One of the biggest aspects of the Coradorables brand identity is that the company is woman-owned business certified and everything is sourced and manufactured here in Hawaii.
“We are nuts-to-bolts made in Hawaii,” Spearman-Chang said. “I buy my buttons, elastic, textiles, everything here. My factory is here in Kalihi, where everything is cut and sewn before being exported.”
Very little manufacturing still happens in Hawaii. Distributors, similar to Coradorables, tend to follow the business model of having most or all of the clothing made in other countries and supplies bought from overseas in bulk to save money.
Coradorables does the opposite, and the owners say this business model works well for their business, resulting in more pros than cons.
“A mistake could happen anywhere, but if it happened in Indonesia or China, I wouldn’t be able to correct it in a timely manner,” Spearman-Chang said. “We live close by, so I can go over there, have a conversation and figure out how to fix it in a matter of days. If that had happened overseas after I already got it from customs, you’re paying a lot more in shipping in the long run for a mistake.”
Coradorables has 10 employees and subcontracts the skilled workforce that produces the product.
Fabrics are designed by local design houses Trendtex Fabrics and Trans-Pacific Textiles Ltd. in Hawaii and other supplies are bought locally at Hawaii Sewing Supplies.
“Manufacturing locally is an investment, but it’s also the core of my brand,” Spearman-Chang said.
If Spearman-Chang buys a fabric designed from scratch, it’s committing to 3,000 yards, which can be a huge blow to the company if it doesn’t sell.
“I don’t have a lot of resources right now, so I try to source things in a limited way,” she explained. “Lines that do great in one market but not the other, and then there’s the tribal line, which speaks well with both markets. When it sells out, it’s gone. That way I don’t have overstock or a large overhead. I’m trying to keep things as small and tight and concise as possible.”
Manufacturing and buying supplies locally also employs Hawaii residents and contributes to the Islands’ economy.
“I say eat local, grind global,” she said.
“You can eat and shop locally, but you can also work and scale on a global level.” Manufacturing locally does have its challenges, too, with an aging skilled workforce and recruitment difficulties.
“A lot of my sewers and factory managers are getting older and ready to retire soon,” Spearman-Chang said. “A lot of people want to be the designer, but there are not enough people wanting to be skilled craftspeople that handle pattern making, factory management and operations, cutting and sewing. But, they are necessary skills in order to produce locally.”
Because of Spearman-Chang’s own past financial hardships, she created the option for people to break the cost of their purchase up into payments of four or eight installments.
“I call it affordable luxury,” she said. “I wanted it to be high-end but still accessible.”
Scaling the brand
Looking ahead, the brand will be in multiple high-end Japanese Hankyu department stores like Hankyu, Hankyu Osaka, Hankyu Hakata, Mitsukoshi and Takashimaya.
Spearman-Chang has had meetings with other key department stores and distributors in Japan, like Sanrio and Oriental Land Company. While further details are not yet available, she expects the upcoming collaborations to do well in the market.
Coradorables is also looking to scale more into Japan and beyond.
“Being in top Japanese department stores is huge,” she said. “There is also a lot of interest for our brand in the United Kingdom, Australia and Paris, France. We hope to spread our aloha all over the world, sharing our stories, being inspired by the stories of others and enjoying the journey.”
As the Coradorables brand expands, Spearman-Chang said that it’s important to her that she remembers how far she’s come.
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned as a business owner is to not get caught up in the financials and execution of how to make something happen,” she said. “It’s not about making money for me, it’s about making genuine relationships along the journey.”
The bigger picture
Keith Ogata, a volunteer at the SCORE Association that provides free webinars, resources, and local mentors to small business owners, has acted as a mentor and business analyst for decades. According to Ogata, there is little price leverage in Hawaii when it comes to manufacturing locally, due to the tight skilled-labor market and the high cost of rent, real estate, electricity and other necessities.
“The small decisions are the big decisions,” Ogata said. “I’ve worked closely with Cora and other businesses on things like positioning products and how and where to sell products. I say that prioritizing ideas is running 20% of the football field and execution is running the other 80%.”
One advantage Hawaii does have is its branded reputation.
“Buyers and consumers are looking for authenticity,” Ogata said. “Made in Hawaii typically isn’t the lowest-cost option. People will often pay more to buy a quality, authentic brand made in Hawaii, but if it’s too expensive, it becomes harder to convince consumers that it is worth it.”
“SCORE is a great resource for businesses like Coradorables because entrepreneurs can bounce creative and business ideas off us,” Ogata added. “Entrepreneurs cast multiple fishing lines into the water and I use my experience to help them make their business model better and analyze what makes the most sense for their business.”
Daniel R. Lam, an attorney at Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel, has also advised the couple as the company grew.
“With many early-stage companies, there is often not a lot of cash flow to pay for professional counsel,” Lam said. “She’s overcome extreme personal and medical obstacles and obstacles with her company, but that hasn’t stopped her from pushing through to this point now where it seems that her business is really starting to see some success.”
Ogata said that honing in on the why before the how helps business owners like Spearman-Chang prioritize and execute business ideas with a successful outcome.
“It’s very difficult for small businesses to succeed in an environment that allows a lot of wiggle room to fail, and little wiggle room to succeed,” he said. “There is more expectation for businesses to be more innovative and provide higher quality of service with little to no capital, and sometimes no where else to turn. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our community.”


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- SPX Flow has set up two beehives at its corporate headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, as part of ongoing sustainability efforts at the facility, according to a press release.
- Facility manager Jennifer Honaker expects the beehive pollination project to produce honey next year, with the company noting that surplus honey will be sold on-site at the cafeteria's marketplace and used in worker meals.
- The project follows a number of on-site sustainability initiatives, including a food compost program and LED lighting upgrades, intended to benefit employees and attract environmentally-focused office tenants.
The project comes as facility-focused bee pollination projects receive more attention across the country, in part due to the U.S. General Services Administration’s Pollinator Protection Initiative. The data-driven pilot, which kicked off in spring 2022, introduced beehives to 11 locations across the U.S. The initiative found that many regions, while interested in hosting honeybees, ran into logistical hurdles.
SPX Flow says that by introducing the beehives it is actively contributing to green operations commitments, providing benefits to employees and attracting business partners by taking action to enhance the well-being of bees and promote ecological balance.
Honaker, who has been with the company since December 2014, says implementing these initiatives will help to attract commercial tenants to the building. She also noted that the company has vendors and customers who have expressed an intent to ensure sustainability across their supply chains.
“We are a multi-tenant building. As we’ve had floors and spaces come on the market, it is a question that we get a lot from people: ‘What sort of green initiatives do you have? What does your recycling program look like?’” Honaker said in an interview.
To that end, the organization has introduced numerous processes and upgrades at its headquarters, such as LED lighting, biodegradable utensils and food composting. While replacing lighting with LED fixtures is an expensive upfront investment, the return on investment accrues over time, generating energy cost savings, Honaker said.
These sustainability initiatives are also intended to benefit employees and, in fact, the ideas have usually come from workers at the headquarters. The beehive initiative originated with a contract Compass Group employee, who works at SPX Flow’s cafeteria.
“She came to us and said that her husband was a beekeeper, or apiarist, and was really interested in maybe setting up some hives at our building,” Honaker said. “We discussed it as a facilities team, and we were like, ‘Why not?’ Why wouldn’t we do it? We don’t have anything to lose.”
Honaker, who has been part of SPX Flow’s facilities management team since December 2014, said the facilities’ composting initiative began in 2017, when employees from Europe were surprised that there was no on-site composting. While there was no clear partner to enable it at that time, SPX Flow revisited the idea in 2019 and has since performed food composting through its partnership with Compass.
“It was really easy to set up and implement. More than anything, it was just a change of process,” Honaker said, noting that it costs only about $67 a week to compost, and that the material goes back to local farmers in exchange for fresh eggs and produce at the cafeteria.
“It’s not something that I would have thought would have been such a cool thing that people were really interested in. But people think that it’s a really great thing that we do, and it wasn’t really all that hard to implement.”
She added that going forward, the facility will continue to scout for new sustainability-focused projects. One potential future project, Honaker said, could involve introducing wildflowers or alternative landscaping techniques, which could help pollinators in the ecosystem and provide additional benefits to the property.
“We have flower beds, we have landscaping, and sometimes it may just be planting different flowers that help the environment, that help pollinators, that help erosion control and that require less water for your irrigation,” Honaker said.


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A post at Audiogalaxy's blog suggested Dropbox acquired the technology rather than the Audioglaxy brand. Adding Audiogalaxy's underlying technology to the popular Dropbox service could actually end up being a big deal. Here are five reasons to keep an eye out for a Dropbox music service:
1. Dropbox is a large, high-revenue business with over 100 million users and revenue reported at $240 million in 2011. It has the ability to invest in a licensed, scan-and-match music locker if it so chooses. A licensed music locker - Audiogalaxy had been unlicensed thus far - would return some value to rights holders.
2. Dropbox creates excellent products that are (a) easy to use and (b) can be accessed on multiple devices. Both are traits needed in a successful digital music service. It stands to reason a Dropbox music service would share the same product characteristics as the Dropbox file hosting service that has become so popular.
3. The acquisition creates immediate synergies. Audiogalaxy - or whatever the technology will become - gets access to Dropbox's large customer base. Better yet, many of these customers are already storing music files.
4. Dropbox specializes in the cloud. The company is basically filled with engineers tasked with helping people store items in the cloud and access them remotely. Some people might dismiss the Dropbox model by saying it's a service rather than a company. Maybe so, but Dropbox has the advantage of focusing on one thing -- the cloud -- rather than multiple products or services at once.
5. The deal makes Dropbox's fight against the big cloud competitors more interesting. Dropbox certainly has a lot of competition in the cloud storage space. Apple, Google and Amazon both have licensed, scan-and-match music lockers to go along with their cloud storage services. Microsoft also offers a cloud storage service, SkyDrive. Music could be one way for a smaller competitor to play against the giants.


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Motosumo announces new Strava integration
Motosumo, the revolutionary group fitness app, has just released a long-awaited Strava integration. Motosumo users now can send their group fitness workouts straight to Strava. Great news for anyone who loves sharing and visualizing fitness data, comparing stats, and competing with friends and family.
The new integration is the solution to a simple problem. “Everyone at Motosumo is a fan of Strava,” says Jens Juel Jensen, product owner and co-founder of Motosumo. “And most of our customers use it, too. So, we wanted to make sure our group fitness data was being counted on both apps. And, at the same time, find a way to bring those two communities together.”
Motosumo was designed for group fitness activities, from indoor cycling classes to workouts that use heart rate monitors, like HIIT. As such, both brands are founded on a shared set of values. “Strava has been a big inspiration for us as a brand and a platform,” says Jens. “Right now, we’re making a name for ourselves in the world of group fitness. Not just for our ability to track performance data, but as tool for building communities around fitness. So, this collaboration is a dream come true.”
Thanks to the integration, Motosumo users can now join the world’s biggest fitness community and have access to instant performance data across a huge range of activities.
Here’s how to connect your accounts:
Based in Copenhagen, Motosumo makes group fitness fun and inclusive with an app packed full of gamification features and advanced tech.
Using the sensors in smartphones, Motosumo provides analytics only found in expensive, high-end fitness equipment, which makes it a cheap and powerful instructor tool for any gym.
Fitness solutions needn’t be super serious and elite. We want group fitness to be about community. An enjoyable, welcoming space for users to compete, compare, and cooperate.
Discover more at www.motosumo.com


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LeEco, largest content provider in China becomes the biggest shareholder of Coolpad Group
LeEco (www.leeco.com) previously known as LeTV, has become the controlling shareholder of the Coolpad Group. Chinese Internet conglomerate has purchased 11 percent more shares of telecommunications equipment company Coolpad from Data Dreamland, the former largest shareholder of Coolpad, for $135 million. After the transaction, LeEco holds a total 28.9 percent of Coolpad's shares and thus becomes the largest shareholder of what is claimed to be "China's top four domestic mobile brand."
LeEco.com is the largest content provider in China with the valuation over 13B $ and rapidly growing its global ecosystem presence in India, Russia and soon in the USA. LeEco together with Coolpad, forecasts to sell 60 million units of smartphones in 2016 and 100 million units in 2017, making the combined company No. 4 smartphone vendor in China and No. 6 globally, thus becoming one of the biggest smartphone companies in the world.
The integration is expected to align Coolpad's products with LeEco's ecosystem model - platform, content, terminal and application. This linkup would also allow the LeEco's ecosystem model to integrate with Coolpad's near- hundreds of millions intelligent terminals within a very short time, helping the company boost its sales in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa.
LeEco, as Coolpad's largest shareholder, will not only benefit from added product research, patents, marketing and after-sales capabilities, but also allow the companies to strengthen its respective brands and change the mapping of global smartphone industry.


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Rare $3 gold coin worth $4 MILLION goes on auction... and it was discovered in an old book
A $3 cold coin is expected to fetch $4 million when it goes up for auction next month.
The 1870-S is one of just two ever made and is one of the rarest coins in US history.
It was discovered in a San Francisco bookshop in 1997 by a European tourist, who found it glued to the inside pages of a souvenir book.
The $4 million find: this is the book where a European tourist discovered the $3 coin that is expected to net million of dollars at auction
The collector sat on his unbelievable find for 15 years, before bringing it to auction at the Four Seasons Auction Gallery outside Atlanta, Georgia.
The coin was produced by the San Francisco mint on special order of the mint superintendent, originally meant to be placed in the cornerstone of a building in the city.
It was made from a special cast that had a unique 'S' hand-carved into it. The 'S' is what makes the coin so rare.
When the coin in the cornerstone was damaged and removed, a second copy was cast.
That duplicate is on display at the American Numismatic Association Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado. In 2007, it was valued at $4 million.
Amazing find: Only two of these special 1870-S gold coins were ever minted. They were made specially by the San Francisco Mint
Solid investment: The only other example of this coin ever made was recently valued at $4 million. This one is expected to match that price at auction next month
Appraisers aren't certain of the origin of the coin that is going on the auction block next month.
It could be the original that was taken from the cornerstone of the building. Or, it could be a third copy that was made and never reported.
Despite the unbelievable price tag, the $3 coin is not the most valuable in the US.
That honor belongs to the 1933 Double Eagle gold coin, one of which sold in 2002 for $7.5 million.
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Developer of Northgate Mall project changes course
The group seeking to redevelop the vacant Northgate Mall — a significant and influential piece of real estate in central Durham — has changed its mind on how it wants to use the 58-acre property.
What's happening: Northwood Investors, an investment firm that bought the mall from Club Boulevard for $34 million in 2018, told WRAL and neighbors at a community meeting last week it no longer wanted to include housing in its redevelopment plans.
- Instead, Northwood wants to focus more on life science use and office space, and much of the current mall space could remain standing.
- Northwood needs a rezoning permit to redevelop the mall, which has existed in some fashion since the 1960s.
Indoor malls have floundered in the past decade, as shopping habits have changed leading to the closure of many big-box retailers.
- Cary Towne Center was demolished earlier this year to make way for the new headquarters of Epic Games. And Raleigh's Crabtree Valley Mall is reportedly for sale and facing potential redevelopment.
Why it matters: The rezoning and plans for the mall have been contentious since 2018. Northwood faces pushback over potential gentrification impacts from the Walltown Community Association, a group that represents the historically Black working-class neighborhood adjacent to the mall property.
- Housing prices have increased dramatically in that neighborhood in recent years due to its proximity to Duke University and downtown Durham.
- Others have expressed concerns the city is missing an opportunity to make the property more walkable and less reliant on cars. The proposed plan features large amounts of surface parking space.
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March 8, 2022
SCREEN Americas announces the installation of its fourth continuous-feed inkjet press from the Truepress Jet520 series to Summit Direct Mail, Inc. of Dallas, Texas. The direct mail printer now has two presses from the Truepress Jet520ZZ series, one Truepress Jet520HD+ and one Truepress Jet520HD AD. The four presses reside in one of the company’s three facilities in the Dallas area and account for 80 percent of its total production.
Summit Direct Mail chose to designate its Truepress Jet520ZZ series to direct mail campaigns involving 8 ½" x 11" letters printed on 60-pound uncoated stock and the Truepress Jet520HD series for postcards and self-mailers printed on coated stock. Because neither series requires preprinted shells, Summit Direct Mail’s direct mail marketing customers can make last minute changes to their campaigns based on the stock that is available.
Such flexibility retains business for Summit Direct Mail whose customers are often disappointed when they discover that the paper that they planned on using is not available in the quantity that they need due to a tightened global supply chain. “My customers are having to make decisions based on what’s available to them paper-wise,” said Mike Robinson, director of new technology and business development at Summit Direct Mail. “Because SCREEN’s technology allows me to print on a wide variety of substrates, I can offer them alternative solutions that were previously off the table for their direct mail campaigns.” Summit Direct Mail has experienced an increase in the demand for direct mail since more people have migrated to a work-from-home model. Robinson attributes this to individuals having more time to review what’s in their mailboxes. “When folks had long commutes to and from an office, items in a mailbox had a greater tendency to pile up,” said Robinson. “This led to marketing materials either not being read in a timely fashion or getting tossed right away.” With SCREEN’s technology, Summit Direct Mail has been able to capitalize on this recent shift in people’s daily habits where they are more likely to spend time reviewing their mail on a daily basis over their lunch hours as opposed to setting it aside and going through it one day a week.
The company has also addressed the industry’s labor shortages with the Truepress Jet520 series. With 150 employees across two shifts, Summit Direct Mail only needs one employee per shift to operate a single SCREEN press. The company produces 1.5 to 2 million pieces of mail per day and is fully prepared to produce 5 million pieces per day when paper supplies are expected to return to previous levels.
Founded in 2003, Summit Direct Mail serves the financial, nonprofit, retail and healthcare industries along with government agencies.
Inkjet Web Press
SCREEN Graphic Solutions Co., Ltd., also referred to as SCREEN GA, announces its receipt of the 2024 Technology Award from the Japanese Society of Printing Science and Technology (JSPST).
Monitor digital inkjet print production in real time with JetInspection, a system designed for the Truepress JET series from SCREEN. JetInspection detects clogged nozzles and cleans only the printheads that need it. The system also verifies accurate print resolution and keeps a record of what’s been printed using OCR barcode/decode capabilities.


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About the game
PUBG Mobile is the iOS and Android version of the game that sparked the battle royale craze in the second half of the 2010s. It turned out to be more profitable than the original.
PUBG Mobile Articles
PUBG Mobile's Winter Festival brings new game modes and items
PUBG Corp. have revealed that a new update for PUBG Mobile will arrive on 11 December 2019, bringing two new game modes, new winter-themed items and more.
PUBG Mobile reaches another huge milestone
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds mobile version has hit 600 million downloads it's been officially confirmed by the developer PUBG. Corp.
PUBG Mobile 2020 World League prize pool revealed
Tencent have revealed PUBG Mobile Esports league system for the upcoming year. The total prize pool for PUBG Mobile league in 2020 will be over $5 million.
PUBG Mobile could introduce vehicle customisation
According to the latest leak, PUBG Mobile could soon introduce vehicle customisation feature, which would allow players to customise their vehicles' bumpers, spoilers, wheels and more.
Riot Shield could be heading to PUBG according to latest leak
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds could soon introduce a fresh batch of new weapons and items. One of these new additions is the Riot Shield, which was teased last year by PUBG creator Brendan Greene.
PUBG Mobile battling a cheater onslaught, Tencent ban thousands a day
Even though it's PUBG's little brother, PUBG Mobile still faces the same sorts of problems, with cheaters probably sitting at the top of the pile. Tencent have been banning thousands of cheaters a day, and the results can be felt already.
When is Erangel 2.0 map coming to PUBG Mobile?
According to the latest reports, the updated Erangel map could arrive to PUBG Mobile sometime in December 2019 along with glass windows and new items.
PUBG Mobile hands out 10-year bans to more than 5000 cheaters
PUBG Corp. are continuing their fight against cheaters in PUBG Mobile. The company have confirmed they have banned over 5000 cheaters for 10 years.
PUBG is first mobile battle royale to reach $1bn revenue
According to the latest report from Sensor Tower, PUBG Mobile is the first mobile battle royale to surpass $1 billion in revenue across iOS and Android.
PUBG Mobile becomes the highest-grossing mobile game around
PUBG Mobile, Tencent's mobile edition of Bluehole's original game, has been doing great on its own, but its launch in China was stalled and even required a new name - Game for Peace. Combining their profits, however, shows the real picture.


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TAG SavannahState of the Industry Report Road Show
Tino Mantella, President and CEO of the Technology Association of Georgia, will present the key findings of the 2013 State of the Industry: Technology in Georgia Report at Armstrong Atlantic State University's TechFest. The State of the Industry Report contains information on the current state of Georgia's technology industry as well as results from our Technology Decision-Makers Survey primary research study.
TechFest connects and informs local technology companies and Armstrong students by providing an opportunity for students to showcase their work and tech companies to discuss their businesses and dispense career advice.
Tino Mantella, CEO and President of the Technology Association of Georgia
Price: Regular (Mar 20, 2013 - Apr 19, 2013)
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Learn More: TAG SavannahState of the Industry Report Road Show


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Domain registrar Name.com suffered a data breach and is making sure its customers are resetting their passwords.
The Denver-based firm discovered a breach and possible intruder access to customer account information such as encrypted credentials, credit card numbers and customer email addresses.
“It appears that the security breach was motivated by an attempt to gain information on a single, large commercial account at Name.com,” the company email said.
Name.com told its customers it uses strong encryption to store payment card data and the encryption keys required to access that data did not suffer compromise. EPP codes required for domain transfers were not lost in the breach, as in the case with the keys, they ended up stored separately from the compromised data.
“We take the matter very seriously,” the email said. “We’ve already implemented additional security measures and will continue to work diligently to protect the safety and security of your personal information.”
Name.com said on its Twitter feed it was staggering the release of notifications to customers and information about password resets.
The company is taking some heat because it is asking its users to click on an email link in order to proceed with a password reset. This is the same tactic a phishing email would use. Name.com does remind its users if they use their passwords on other sites, to change those too.
Webhosting.info said Name.com is the 27th largest registrar by total domains with 498,035; Go Daddy is the leader with more than 25 million domains and 32 percent market share.
This is the second large password breach in the last two weeks. On April 28, daily deal site LivingSocial suffered an attack and hackers accessed user names, email addresses and encrypted passwords. The company suggested more than 50 million users should change their passwords. LivingSocial said hackers did not gain access to credit card data.


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Bethesda is introducing a new summer event to Fallout 76 that’s all about collecting meat for one of the game’s few non-robot NPCs and helping him grill it up. It sounds like some lighthearted fun, even though the excitement to hang out with a Super Mutant and cook meat is tempered by a series of bugs introduced by the most recent patch. Bethesda’s latest Inside the Vault announcement goes into both of these issues, and gives some details on how players can earn cookout-themed cosmetics.
Patch 11 was one of the regular content rollouts that have started since Wild Appalachia, the first Fallout 76 content update. However, this new patch ended up causing issues, including power armor bugs and a lack of legendary drops. A hotfix is being released that prevents the lack of legendary drops, and a further fix will be instituted to ensure that the correct creatures are marked as legendary.
Bethesda is also addressing “reports from some players who stated that they’re missing Power Armor pieces following Patch 11, as well as issues like some events and daily quests that aren’t completing correctly, stability issues, and more.”
While Bethesda doesn’t have a solid ETA on these fixes, they’re not the only thing on the studio’s agenda. Fallout 76 will be updated to include “Meat Week”, a celebration based around the roaming supermutant vendor Grahm and his friendly cow. (Don’t worry, we’re not eating his cow friend.)
Meat Week will be made up of two events. Primal Cuts, the first step, will introduce Prime Beasts, which can be hunted down for their good, good meat. Primal Cuts will trigger on the map in three separate locations, with each Prime Beast ranging in level and difficulty, so the event can be accessible to new players (but appropriately challenging for those who are level 50 or higher and decked out in legendary gear). Primal Cuts will reward experience and caps, as well as prime meat.
A second event, Meat Cook, will begin every hour. Players will help Grahm cook the prime meat they’ve collected. This includes a variety of non-combat activities, like feeding Grahm’s pet Chally or extinguishing fires. If the party is a hit, attendees get barbeque-themed loot that scale with the level of success. Meat Cook can be completed as many times as a player wants until the end of the event. In short, this sounds like a great way for players to get rewards while also starting up a social hub on maps.


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5 Things We Can Expect in Gaming World in 2023
The gaming world has always been dynamic and ever-changing, with new technologies, products, and trends always emerging. And so it's no surprise that 2023 promises to be an exciting year for gamers everywhere. From advancements in virtual reality technology to the integration of blockchain into gaming, here are five things we can expect in the gaming world in 2023.
1. Virtual Reality Will Be More Mainstream
Virtual reality has slowly gained popularity over the years, but it's still not mainstream. However, that's all about to change. In 2023, we can expect VR to become a major player in the gaming industry. We'll be able to play games with more immersive and realistic graphics, and we'll even be able to control our characters using hand gestures or voice commands.
Based on some quality advice from FPS Champion, it's about time gamers start preparing for the VR gaming experience by getting their hands on the best gaming headsets, machines, and controllers. For instance, Facebook's Meta Quest 2 is a great piece of VR hardware already gaining traction in gaming.
2. Cloud Gaming Will Take Off
Cloud gaming is another technology that's been slowly gaining traction in recent years. However, it hasn't taken off yet due to latency issues and a lack of compatible devices. But that's all about to change with new cloud gaming services that promise to eliminate latency issues by running games on powerful servers.
Cloud gaming services such as Microsoft's xCloud will make it easier for gamers to access high-end games without investing in costly hardware. These services will also allow gamers to play on multiple devices simultaneously, so they can game wherever they are.
3. eSports Will Continue To Grow
eSports have been growing in popularity for years now, and there's no sign of that growth slowing down anytime soon. In fact, the global eSports market is expected to reach USD 1.44 billion by the end of 2022. As eSports continue to grow in popularity, we can expect to see even more big-name sponsors get involved, including non-endemic brands like Coca-Cola and Nike.
We're going to see even more traditional sports teams getting in on the action by launching their own eSports teams or sponsoring existing teams.
4. Mobile Games Will Become Even More Popular
Mobile games are already extremely popular, generating billions of dollars annually. But they're only going to become more popular in the next few years thanks to advances in mobile technology. 5G networks will enable mobile gamers to enjoy console-quality graphics and gameplay without worrying about lag or buffering issues.
And as mobile devices become more powerful, we can expect to see even more AAA games being released for mobile platforms like iOS and Android.
5. Augmented Reality Will Make Its Mark
Augmented reality (AR) has been steadily gaining ground in recent years thanks largely to Pokémon Go—one of the most popular mobile games of all time, with over 1 billion downloads worldwide. However, AR is still mostly associated with mobile gaming at this point. That's all about to change with the re-introduction of Google Glass 2 and other AR headsets in 2023.
This will open up a whole new world of possibilities for the gaming industry, from realistic sports simulations to horror games that take place in your own home. We can also expect to see more multiplayer AR games, giving gamers an even greater sense of immersion and interaction with their environment.
Stay Ahead of the Curve
The gaming world is constantly evolving—and the next five years will bring even more amazing changes than we've seen over the past decade. Staying ahead of the curve means being prepared for technological advances, as they'll undoubtedly influence the way we play games.


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Imports of goods and services to the UK fell 9.3 percent to GBP 56.21 billion in April 2019, the largest monthly decline on record, as purchases slumped for goods (-12.7 percent) while they increased for services (0.9 percent). Within goods commodities, imports went down primarily for machinery & transport equipment (-9.6 percent); miscellaneous manufactures (-7.4 percent), unspecified goods (-40.8 percent); chemicals (-30.3 percent); fuels (-4.4 percent) and beverages & tobacco (-15.7 percent). Among major trading partners, imports of goods from the EU tumbled 16.4 percent, primarily Germany (-12.3 percent), the Netherlands (-27.2 percent), France (-24.3 percent), Italy (-9.1 percent), Belgium (-8.4 percent) and Spain (-16.2 percent). Meantime, purchases from non-EU countries shrank 8.5 percent, mostly the US (-13.2 percent), China (-1.2 percent), Switzerland (-4.1 percent), Australia (-41 percent) and India (-4.1 percent). Imports in the United Kingdom averaged 25833.64 GBP Million from 1955 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 62009 GBP Million in March of 2019 and a record low of 1031 GBP Million in June of 1955.
Imports in the United Kingdom is expected to be 57800.00 GBP Million by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Imports in the United Kingdom to stand at 59200.00 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the United Kingdom Imports is projected to trend around 60500.00 GBP Million in 2020, according to our econometric models.


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We have already written about the rise in prices for consumer goods and services in Crimea after the start of large-scale Russian aggression in February 2022. The occupiers are currently forced to acknowledge the increase, but say it is allegedly “insignificant” and declares the “full food security for the peninsula”. At the same time, the most difficult situation is in the medical drug market, as Crimeans are well aware of the prospect of total cessation of production of relevant medical goods in Russia in the medium term, which is especially critical for chronic patients, such as diabetics.
At the same time, the Russia-controlled “administrations” identified the main forms of “fighting the crisis” as holding periodic “meetings” with entrepreneurs, selling socially significant products and setting up hotlines where Crimean residents could allegedly complain about rising consumer prices. At the same time, the announcement by the Russian government of administrative regulation of prices for consumer goods is perceived by Crimea’s inhabitants as a sign of a gradual transition to a card system of their distribution.


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Rotary begins Lindeman pick-up
IMAGINE walking around a deserted island resort being able to grab any leftover items of your choice.
That's what some Airlie Beach Rotarians were lucky enough to experience earlier this month, in the name of charity.
The new developer of the Lindeman Island resort, White Horse Australia, purchased the resort for $12 million last year and has donated everything left in the old Club Med complex - from linen, beds, coffee tables, watersport equipment and archery items - to Airlie Beach Rotary Club.
However, the club has to get it off the island and into the hands of those in need.
Club president John Ryan said they'd been over once, armed with a barge, and now had a sample of items sitting in a warehouse in Cannonvale.
Flood victims in Bundaberg are on the top of their list, along with a handful of other charities that need help.
However, getting everything off the island is a time-consuming process that requires a lot of manpower.
Earlier this month a group of people loaded a selection of items onto a truck, then unloaded them onto the barge, offloaded into another truck on the mainland and then unloaded again at the warehouse.
"We're hoping we will have the provisions for the trucks to be driven on the islands, so the trucks can go on the barge," Mr Ryan said.
"We're still planning the logistics of it.
"Now we've done that exploratory venture over there, we know we will need this, that, barges and personnel.
"Because of its uniqueness it's hard, it's not the sort of thing that happens every day."
The club is still seeking support from businesses and personnel that might be able to help in the cause.


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Factor giant Euro Car Parts has opened two new branches and a distribution hub.
The new branches include a regional 5,000 sq ft outlet in Scarborough and a 6,800 sq ft store in Bow, East London.
Meanwhile, the new 53,000 square foot Maidstone distribution hub stocks more than 50,000 parts and has created 74 new jobs in the local area. Complete with a specialist paint facility and a training room, the hub gives ECP even greater coverage in the region. The opening comes in the same week that the signs came down at the former Andrew Page hub in Markham Vale.
Martin Gray, CEO of Euro Car Parts, commented: “Our new branches and Maidstone hub are part of an ambitious 2018 expansion plan as we invest in our considerable branch network. By opening new outlets in strategic locations around the UK, we are giving customers a faster, better service with an unbeatable off-the-shelf range of parts.”


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Yahoo ranked third under Hotmail.
Based on data released by comScore (a website traffic monitoring agency world) in October 2012, which is a Gmail email service owned by internet giant Google, is expressed as the number one email service in the world.
Cover story this week will discuss the new smartphone Samsung Galaxy S4.
One thing that most attracted the attention of the successor to the Galaxy S3 is the availability of Octa-core processors (8-core), which is believed to provide exceptional performance.
Having nearly 3.8 million followers.
Won seven Tour de France titles are no longer part of the description of the cyclist Lance Armstrong’s Twitter account.
On Monday evening (10/22), a biography of Armstrong on Twitter are called seven Tour de [...]
The device is also reinforced with a battery that can last 9 hours.
Sandy Storm did make Android Google canceled the event due to be held in New York City, yesterday local time. However, that does not mean Google Nexus series canceled announced their [...]
To promote Windows Phone 8, Microsoft took the actress Jessica Alba and singer Gwen Stefani as their commercials. The two celebrities have been selected for the top stars, their status was also a homemaker.
Ads featuring Windows Phone 8 is a busy celebrity [...]
The observations made by Repair Labs under a microscope.
According to a report released by Repair Labs, the quality of the screen which is owned by iPad mini, it is still above iPad second generation.
It is based on the quality of each screen tablet [...]
Apple has recently released iOS 6 operating system update to the new version, the iOS 6.1.4.
Quoted from Ubergizmo, Friday (3/5), strangely this update is only intended for those users of the iPhone 5.
It is something that is not unusual for Apple to [...]
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag will be released on October 29, 2013, is known thanks to leak news video trailer will premiere on March 3, 2013 yesterday.
Ubisoft stated that the game can already be ordered, intended for users of the Xbox 360, PlayStation [...]
Screen sharing or screenshots into its own excitement for BlackBerry users. But how do I do this on the BlackBerry 10 platform?
Like on iOS and Android, BlackBerry 10 does not require an additional application for taking screenshots.
Quoted from CNET, [...]
Without compromising on quality and technology.
Lenovo finally decided to enter the smartphone market with the signing of five champion Indonesia in the launch event which took place on Tuesday night (16/10). Fifth smartphone is Lenovo Ideaphone A60 [...]
This week, modifier application to be like a cartoon face or an application iMadeFace in the 4th position popular iPhone apps in iTunes. IPhone users is being fond iMadeFace. So what’s so special?
On the iTunes page, iMadeFace claimed as the number [...]


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Over the holidays we heard some absolutely amazing news regarding Khalil Mack.
The Bears' linebacker had helped take care of every single present on layaway at his hometown Walmart.
Around 300 people's Christmas presents were paid for by Mack and the bill came out to roughly $80k.
However a couple of weeks later and some sad details have been revealed.
Treasure Coast Palm News revealed that employees at the Walmart misused about $20k of Mack's donation.
That money was used for employees to help themselves.
Absolutely sad anybody would do this....
Walmart employees at Fort Pierce, Florida misused $20,000 of Khalil Mack’s Christmas layaway donation. The store's management let employees purchase the $20,000 balance worth of items on layaway for themselves. (Via @TCPalm)
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) January 14, 2020


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Macau junket investor Iao Kun Group Holding Company Ltd. on Thursday announced the resignation of its chairman Lam Man Pou and chief executive officer Vong Hon Kun.
Earlier this month, the company noted it was no longer looking to expand its VIP gaming portfolio, instead focusing on investments outside the gaming sector.
The management changes come as the company completes its acquisition of Jia-Heng Industrial Ltd. a software technology development company focused on the Chinese agricultural industry.
Replacing Mr. Lam Man Pou, will be Mr. Fong Weng Nam, who will serve as IKGH’s new chairman of the board of directors.
Mr. Fong is a businessman that has been engaged in investment, real estate development and Macau’s gaming business for over 20 years. Mr. Fong currently is the member of Jinwan Committee of Zhuhai of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; Vice president of Hong Kong and Macao and Taiwan Cultural Exchange Association; Vice president of Macao Chong San Seak Kei Friendship Association and chief supervisor of Macao Henan Association.
Chief executive officer Vong Hon Kun is succeeded by Lam Chou In, who moves up from his position as chief operating officer to co-chief executive officer, and will be responsible for the Macau gaming business.
In addition, Wang Shun Yang has been appointed as co-CEO and as a director of the Board, and will be responsible for IKGH’s Chinese technology industry development.
Mr. Wang is the founder of LiNiu Network and has been developing its agricultural electronic trading platform since 2013. Prior to founding LiNiu Network, he acted as chief consultant and led the industrial design, planning, investment and integration of the “Yunnan Agricultural Science and Technology Park”, which was jointly organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Yunnan Province, to establish a systematic supply chain for the agricultural industry in the Park and the integration of industry and financial capital.
“We are pleased to complete the acquisition and are moving forward rapidly to launch our agriculturally focused e-commerce platform within the next few months,” said Wang. “At the same time, we want to thank Mr. Lam and Mr. Vong for their leadership of IKGH over the years and are gratified to have them remain with IKGH as a valuable resource as we embark on this new chapter.”


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Nationwide Marketing Group has teamed up with website partners Site on Time (SOT) and Retailer Web Services (RWS) to provide free access to centerpoint, a tool that connects retailers’ point-of-sale (POS) data with their websites to give shoppers real time line of sight into product inventory and pricing information.
Office furniture manufacturer Herman Miller has announced its latest project, the Pronta stacking chair.
As part of its new national growth strategy, Hertz Furniture, a leader in school furnishings (K-12), has acquired School Furnishings (K-University), headquartered in Hudson, New Hampshire.
The Bienenstock Furniture Library has announced a new scholarship and rebranding of its annual student interior design competition to reflect a $7,500 contribution from High Point-based Barbour Spangle Design.
Celebrity interior designer, best-selling author and television personality Nate Berkus has announced a new brand of home goods – including bed, bath and organizing items – developed in partnership with mDesign Home Décor. "Nate Home" in collaboration with mDesign will launch in 2023.
Online interior design service Havenly has announced it is expanding into in-person design services, building on its mission to become the destination for inclusive and accessible interior design and furnishings.
High-design home destination CB2 debuts its latest collection in partnership with Los Angeles-based design brand Lawson-Fenning. Drawing on the rich history of California design and the area's wealth of natural materials, founders Glenn Lawson and Grant Fenning designed versatile and timeless pieces that invite fluidity between indoor and outdoor living.


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HELENA, Mont. (September 19, 2013)—Steven Sann, a Montana man accused of adding tens of millions of dollars in unauthorized charges to phone bills nationwide, has been indicted for wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering.
The 35-count indictment was unsealed Wednesday during a settlement conference in a civil lawsuit previously filed by the Federal Trade Commission.
The FTC sued Sann, his wife, son and accountant over $70 million in unauthorized charges.
Federal prosecutors say he concealed his role in multiple companies that sold a voicemail and fax service called ConnectMe Voice.
He is accused of falsely reporting the companies received no customer complaints so that billing aggregators would continue to add the phone charges.
Sann's attorney did not immediately return a call Thursday.


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UK inflation holds steady at 2.7%
UK consumer prices inflation held steady at 2.7% in December, official figures have shown.
A rise in electricity and gas prices was offset somewhat by a fall in fuel costs and air transport, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
The CPI rate of inflation has been above the Bank of England's 2% target since November 2009.
Retail prices index (RPI) inflation, which includes housing costs, edged up to 3.1% last month from 3% in November.
The figures were broadly in line with analysts' expectations. It was the third month in a row that the CPI rate has come in at 2.7%.
Phil Gooding from the ONS told the BBC: "By far the largest upward effect comes from domestic gas and electricity. Here we saw the majority of the pre-announced price increases coming into the index for December."
Electricity prices were up 3.9% compared with December 2011, while gas prices were 5.2% higher. Prices of food and non-alcoholic drinks rose 3.8%.
However, motor fuel costs fell 0.2% while air transport dropped by 6.8%.
Sarah Hewin, head of research at Standard Chartered, told the BBC that she was optimistic that the rate of inflation would start to fall.
"The outlook I think is probably for inflation falling, rather than inflation rising," she said.
"Unfortunately the backdrop is that the economy is continuing to struggle. We've had some pretty poor data out recently and that in turn will dampen inflation pressures."
However, John Longworth, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said he expected inflation to rise in the near term, as further rises in utility and food prices kicked in.
"Higher inflation is clearly a concern for the UK economy as it increases the squeeze on both businesses and consumers, further exacerbating an already weak economic environment," he said.
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady called for "healthier pay rises".
"Unless inflation falls are matched by stronger pay growth, 2013 will be the fourth year in a row that people have suffered real wage cuts," she said.
A Treasury spokeswoman pointed out that inflation was nearly half of its 5.2% peak and that the government had taken action to help households with the cost of living, including a further increase in the tax-free personal allowance and cancelling the fuel duty increase that was planned for this month.


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Trupanion pet insurance company released a list of obesity-related claims it received since 2008, warning that obesity in pets is equally as dangerous as obesity in humans.
According to WebMD, up to 40% of dogs in the US are overweight, resulting in many severe health issues. The number one obesity-related disease reported by Trupanion was pancreatitis, which had a 255% increase in claims since 2008. This was followed by diabetes and arthritis, with a 112% increase and 209% increase in claims respectively.
To prevent obesity, the pet insurance company advised pet owners to feed their pet a healthy diet, monitor the amount of treats given throughout the day and give the pet an appropriate amount of daily exercise. A healthy dog should generally have a bone structure that can be easily felt but not seen, with a well-defined waist and tight abdomen.
New shelter data casts doubt on whether the pet population and pet ownership are truly growing.
While the pandemic caused unprecedented suffering worldwide in 2020, the disruptions to dogs, cats and other pets adoption numbers may normalize in 2021.