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LIMA — Positive vibes are all the way around at Lima’s newest downtown coffeehouse. Vibe Coffeehouse and Cafe held a “soft” opening on Monday.
It’s located toward the rear of the 311 Building at 311 E. Market St., Lima.
For owner and CEO Carlton McLellan, it’s been a long process to bring his dream to reality.
“We started about four years ago — 2017 to be exact, looking for a space here in downtown because we’re just excited about what was happening downtown and always wanted to own a coffee shop and do something here for my hometown community,” McLellan said.
The vacant warehouse showed promise, and McLellan was ready to transform the space.
“We happened upon this old warehouse space that we’re sitting in now. It was just a big, old, vacant, ugly, nasty — what you would expect from a warehouse but immediately saw just an open airy kind of space that we can put a stamp on and turn it into something that I call relaxed, urban industrial,” McLellan said.
The space had been used for smaller events such as a poetry slam. Now its full purpose has been realized as a coffeehouse.
“We specialize in African coffees. We specialize in roasting — we roast our own coffee… and also coming up with my ownwhat I call ‘craft coffees,’” McLellan said.
Vibe Coffehouse and Cafe also offers food menu items such as ham and turkey, salami and cheese, ham and cheese and beef and cheddar.
“I love a good deli sandwich, and I think many people do,” McLellan said.
McLellan says the business is about three things.
“Vibe Coffeehouse and Cafe is really to bring an enjoyable place to the community and bring great coffee to the community, but at the same time teach the community and talk to the community about the rest of the world through coffee as a global commodity,” Mclellan said.
Vibe Coffeehouse and Cafe will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. The business is closed on Sundays.
Vibe Coffeehouse and Cafe is now open at 311 E. Market St., Lima.
Vibe Coffeehouse and Cafe offers a spacious area for people to drink coffee and hang out with friends.
Vibe Coffeehouse and Cafe specializes in both hot and iced coffees.
Reach Sam Shriver, reporter, at 567-242-0409.


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- Revenue declines to just under EUR 1.1 billion, negative EBT of EUR -116.1 million
- Operating losses due to worldwide lockdown, recovery in second half-year, high one-time effects
- Germany’s first logistics service provider with scientifically recognized climate protection targets
At the virtual Annual Report Press Conference in Bremen, BLG LOGISTICS presented its business results for financial year 2020. “The coronavirus crisis impacted on our business to an unprecedented extent. Despite the clear loss, the BLG Group came through the crisis better than projected a year ago. One reason for this is that we have increasingly diversified our portfolio in recent years,” explained BLG LOGISTICS CEO Frank Dreeke. “Employee and customer numbers remained stable.”
Revenue declined in the 2020 financial year by -8.1% to just under EUR 1.1 billion (2019: around EUR 1.16 billion). Due to the global pandemic restrictions in the lockdown months of March to May, sales revenue in all divisions collapsed, leading to an operating loss of EUR 25 million. However, this loss was much smaller than had been forecast in early 2020. As the economy started to bounce back from the summer onward, especially in Asia, handling volumes and results steadily improved. However, this did not make up for the operating losses.
Additionally, earnings were negatively affected by one-time effects, partly due to the pandemic. In the CONTAINER Division, these exceptional factors amounted to EUR 60.2 million, while the cumulative figure for the other two divisions, AUTOMOBILE and CONTRACT, was EUR 30.7 million. Overall, the BLG Group posted negative earnings before tax (EBT) of EUR -116.1 million in 2020. The EBT margin was -10.9% (2019: EBT: EUR 37.5 million, EBT margin: 3.2%).
AUTOMOBILE Division hit by automotive crisis
Due to the pandemic, sales in the automotive industry in 2020 were around a quarter below the expected level. That had a direct effect on the volumes of all business areas in the AUTOMOBILE Division. At the largest company location, BLG AutoTerminal Bremerhaven, some 20% fewer vehicles (1.7 million) were handled, transported or technically processed than in the previous year. Across the total AUTOMOBILE network, BLG moved 4.8 million vehicles (2019: 6.3 million vehicles). Sales revenue generated by the AUTOMOBILE Division decreased by -13.6% to EUR 521.3 million (2019: EUR 603.7 million). Despite the coronavirus crisis, the Division was able to attract new customers, for example AIWAYS, a Chinese manufacturer of electric SUVs. The Division also gained new cross-border transport business within Europe. The rail business area achieved a positive result despite the challenging pandemic year.
CONTRACT Division with differing effects
Also in the CONTRACT Division, plant closures and significantly reduced volumes in the automotive industry had palpable effects on the industrial logistics and car parts logistics business areas. However, at the Bremen location, business with a major automotive customer was secured on a long-term basis. From 2022, important activities will be pooled in the new, sustainable 80,000-m2 logistics center “C3 Bremen”. Business was better in many areas of retail logistics. While closures of brick-and-mortar stores caused declines in textiles and furniture, locations with e-commerce services and also returns logistics fared very well. Overall, retail logistics closed the year positively and better than projected. BLG launched new business activities at other locations, e.g. in Schlüchtern (CI factory of Engelbert Strauss), Ludwigsfelde (gas turbine logistics for Siemens Energy) and Meerane (cable harness logistics for electric vehicles). Total revenue generated by the CONTRACT Division was down by -2% to EUR 552.6 million (2019: EUR 563.9 million).
CONTAINER Division with high one-time effects
CONTAINER Division is represented by half of the shares in EUROGATE. At EUR 263.5 million, sales revenue is -6.7% below the previous year (2019: EUR 282.3 million). This development was caused by declining average selling prices as a result of the fierce competition as well as the effects of the pandemic on freight handling.
Considerable one-time expenses due to recognition of impairment losses on non-current financial assets as well as exceptional provisions for the company’s restructuring program depressed earnings by EUR 60.2 million. The goal of the transformation process at EUROGATE is to reduce the total annual costs of the Group in Germany by EUR 84 million p.a. overall as quickly as possible, but no later than 2024. The EBT (50%) for the CONTAINER Division was EUR -67.2 million (2019: EUR 23.7 million), and the EBT margin was -25.5% (2019: 8.4%).
Clear Course: Future
In his statement, BLG CEO Frank Dreeke said: “BLG LOGISTICS systematically continued on its journey toward becoming climate-neutral by 2030. In fact, we are the first German logistics service provider with a scientifically recognized climate protection goal.” In fall 2020, the internationally renowned Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) recognized the company’s goal targeting an absolute reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
At an early stage in the coronavirus pandemic, BLG implemented extensive safety and hygiene concepts. They were effective, because there have been no coronavirus infections at the workplace. The number of employees remained stable, with 11,609 (2019: 11,720) in Germany and 20,000 jobs worldwide – including all affiliated companies. From November, the Board of Management achieved parity, with equal male-female representation. BLG LOGISTICS is now among the top German companies in terms of the proportion of women in Management and Supervisory Board positions.
In 2020, BLG LOGISTICS was a partner in three new research projects examining how artificial intelligence can be used in logistics. The total project volume is EUR 5.8 million. Further digitalization projects include sensor-based tracking of containers for efficient customs processing, chatbots for personnel recruitment and optical parts recognition.
Outlook for 2021
In his address, Frank Dreeke also reviewed the ongoing financial year: “There is still major uncertainty about the further impacts of the coronavirus pandemic – both on the global economy and on our customers. 2021 will not be an easy year, but we expect a significant recovery. The results from the first months of 2021 give us reason to be cautiously optimistic. BLG LOGISTICS was able to close the first quarter with a positive result.”
“Clear Course: Future” is the title of the BLG Annual Report 2020. For the first time, the report is available as an extensive online edition with extra images and videos at reporting.blg-logistics.com. (In German)

domain: news


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- Join Date
- Apr 2005
PSP goes Bronze, new official PSP AV cradle coming soon
Sony has had added a new color variant to its PSP collection, this time it is the turn of Matt Bronze to make an appearance.
The limited edition PSP will arrive on April 24 along with some new accessories. One of the 'major' new accessories is a PSP cradle that allows you to remotely control your PSP.
To quote: Another month, another color for the Japanese PSP. The latest addition to the multi racial portable family is "Matte Bronze," a limited edition color that will arrive on April 24 along with a couple of new accessories.
Unlike most of the PSP color variations, Sony Japan has decided to release the bronze system exclusively as a Value Pack bundle. In addition to the PSP-2000 hardware, the package will include a pouch, a strap, a cloth, a 32 megabyte Memory Stick, and a D Cable for hooking up the system to a television. This is the first time Sony has included a television cable with a PSP bundle.
Pricing for the bundle is set at 23,800 yen.
Coinciding with the bronze color variation, Sony will release a couple of new accessories for the portable. The company will release the PSP-S360 cradle at 4,800 yen. In addition to simplifying the charging process a bit, this device includes a small remote control, allowing you to remotely control your PSP.
Sony will also bundle the cradle with a D-cable in a 6,500 yen pack, making it even easier to use the PSP as a media device. Both accessories will arrive on 4/24.
More PlayStation 3 News...
03-07-2008 #2joshwaloveslotr Guest
im confused on the remote control bit... how much lazier can one get?


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Governor Abbott Attends Groundbreaking Ceremony For New Ashley Furniture Industries Distribution And Fulfillment Center
AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Ashley Furniture Industries Southwest Regional Distribution and Fulfillment Center in Mesquite, Texas. During the ceremony the Governor spoke about Texas' thriving economy and thanked Ashley Furniture Industries for their investment in the state and the city of Mesquite.
"The hundreds of jobs Ashley Furniture is bringing to the Lone Star State is the latest example of the economic diversification Texas enjoys,” said Governor Abbott. "I am proud to help break ground on such an impressive facility that will be an economic boost to the Mesquite community and the Texas economy. The strength and spirit of hardworking Texans has been on full display these past few weeks, and that is exactly what Ashley Furniture is investing in with their new facility in Texas."
Ashley Furniture is the number one selling furniture brand and the world’s largest manufacturer of furniture. This new $65 million, 850,000-square-foot center will employ more than 350 personnel.


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The Singh Twins are Slaves of Fashion at the Walker
Liverpool’s Singh Twins are launching the Walker Art Gallery’s 2018 programme of exhibitions with a new show at the William Brown Street venue.
Slaves of Fashion features 20 new artworks by Amrit and Rabindra Singh, who have previously exhibited at the gallery including a major retrospective in 2005.
The internationally-renowned artists use traditional techniques used in Indian miniature painting to produce colourful and very detailed paintings which are packed with symbolism.
This new exhibition, three years in the making, explores how the history of Indian textiles is a global story of Empire, conflict, enslavement and luxury lifestyle which has contemporary relevance, focussing on the relationship between Britain and India.
The twins revealed they were inspired after a visit to a slavery museum in Nantes, France, where they were shown textiles produced in India for the French to exchange for slaves in Africa, featuring motifs that would appeal to the African traders.
Unusually, given their trademark way of working, most of the works in Slaves of Fashion will be mixed media, with traditional hand painted techniques combined with digitally created imagery.
Eleven of these feature symbolic portraits of historical figures which are displayed, life-size, as digital fabric artworks on lightboxes.
Detail from Indigo: The Colour of India
One, titled Indigo: The Colour of India, tells the story of the highly-prized colour known as ‘blue gold’ and used as a fabric dye for thousands of years, and features Queen Mumtaz (who inspired the building of the Taj Mahal) in modern blue jeans.
Others look at fabrics at the centre of political and economic conflict, including cotton, calico and muslin, along with chintz, which was a traditional Indian design appropriated by the British and which, centuries later, is now seen as quintesentially English.
Meanwhile works on paper include The King is Dead: Long Live the King which portrays American President Donald Trump enthroned on a catwalk, and Theresa May in a work titled Colossus of Woes.
Th Singh Twins say the social, political and economic subjects tackled in the intricate works also have a contemporary relevance.
The artworks are displayed alongside jewellery, ceramics, books, paintings, Indian textiles and embroidery from the National Museums Liverpool collection which also inspired the artists and some of which are referenced in the works.
A close up of part of the Singh Twins' artwork Chintz
Sandra Penketh, Director of Art Galleries at National Museums Liverpool, said: “The Singh Twins work locally, but have a well-deserved international reputation.
“We’re delighted to have the opportunity to show their latest work at the Walker Art Gallery. Their newest pictures are not only visually stunning but also intriguing and challenging at the same time.”
Slaves of Fashion is at the Walker Art Gallery until May 20.


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UPDATE: Tuesday – 7/29/2014, 5:00pm ET WASHINGTON – Sitting adjacent to the Anacostia River, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray signed into law a bill banning the widespread use of Styrofoam in the District. “Signing this second…
UPDATE: Tuesday – 7/29/2014, 5:00pm ET
WASHINGTON – Sitting adjacent to the Anacostia River, D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray signed into law a bill banning the widespread use of Styrofoam in the District.
“Signing this second bill removes obstacles and provides key incentives to help make the District healthier, greener, and more livable for all,” the mayor said in a statement.
The new law builds on a sustainability law passed in 2013 and aims to clean up the Anacostia.
The law requires restaurants, food trucks and other businesses that serve food to use decomposable or recyclable material instead of Styrofoam.
The bill also addresses public transit, beekeeping and tree replacement among other environmental issues.
EARLIER: Tuesday – 7/29/2014, 4:28am ET
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mayor Vincent Gray plans to sign a bill that would ban the use of plastic foam food containers in the District of Columbia.
The ban on Styrofoam and similar materials is part of a larger environmental cleanup bill approved by the D.C. Council.
Gray plans to sign the bill on Tuesday. The District would join cities including Seattle and San Francisco that have banned plastic foam for environmental reasons. The ban will take effect starting in 2016. Meat trays in grocery stores will be exempt.
Four years ago, the District imposed a 5-cent fee on plastic bags, which advocates credit for reducing the number of discarded bags that end up in the Anacostia River.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Global spending on online advertising will rise tenfold to $15 billion over the next five years, spurring widespread consolidation in the media industry.
This is the prediction of a new report from Forrester Research, which sees the highest growth coming from Europe. In this region, spending on online ads - mainly on the Web - will rise by more than 25 times, from $105 million this year to $2.8 billion in 2003.
This dwarfs the eightfold growth rate expected in the larger US market, which will take $10.5 billion in revenue in 2003, compared to $1.3 billion this year.
The European boom will stem from increased Internet usage - currently significantly lagging that in the US - greater competition from US entrants to the market, and maturing technologies.
Forrester expects slower growth in Asia-Pacific because of the ongoing economic crisis, but the region should reach revenue of $1.25 billion by 2003.
Outside the big three IT using regions, Latin America will also see dramatic growth despite its small Internet user base.
"The Internet has arrived as an accepted advertising medium," said Bill Bass, co-author of the report. "We see the arrival of large mainstream advertisers. The next challenge facing media companies will be developing the revenue opportunities presented by a growing international market."
Meeting this challenge will put pressure on media providers to consolidate to gain market weight and Forrester expects to see a wave of takeovers, as well as partnerships between publishers and portal sites or ecommerce sites.
Cotton seedling freezes to death as Chang'e-4 shuts down for the Moon's 14-day lunar night
Fortnite easily out-earns PUBG, Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018
Meteor showers as a service will be visible for about 100 kilometres in all directions
Saturn's rings only formed in the past 100 million years, suggests analysis of Cassini space probe data
New findings contradict conventional belief that Saturn's rings were formed along with the planet about 4.5 billion years ago


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Debunking Myths about E-cigarettes
The number of wildly inaccurate articles spreading misconceptions about e-cigarettes and vaping has increased over the years. In fact, the media frequently reports and highlights a small number of unusually bad cases with no explanation for context, such as a person’s history of prior health conditions.
In fact, vaping is widely known as a healthier alternative to smoking, which many people use to reduce their consumption and even successfully quit smoking altogether.
So, to eliminate some of the wild misconceptions, here are some major myths around e-cigarettes and why they shouldn’t be taken seriously.
1. E-cigarettes cause ‘popcorn lung’
The belief that e-cigarettes can cause bronchiolitis obliterans (often called ‘popcorn lung’) has been widely promoted in an effort to convince smokers to quit. However, there has never been real evidence nor confirmed cases relating e-cigarette as the cause for this lung condition.
This myth emerged from a 2016 Harvard study of a group of popcorn factory workers who were found to have this rare condition. It was believed that this was caused by some flavorings used in e-liquids that provide a buttery flavor containing the chemical called diacetyl. This chemical, when exposed to a high level, has been associated with causing bronchiolitis obliterans. However, this chemical has long been banned as an ingredient for e-cigarettes and e-liquids in major market countries. And though this may have been detected in some e-liquids in the past, the level of exposure is a hundred times lower for it to be considered as a major risk factor for this very rare kind of disease.
Furthermore, the authors of this well-meaning study did not explicitly link the use of e-cigarettes to popcorn lung, only the ‘possible’ connection as highlighted by health organizations. In fact, smoking in general has never been considered a major cause for popcorn lung, with e-cigarettes even less likely.
2. E-cigarettes are as harmful as smoking cigarettes
More and more, some people have become convinced that vaping with e-cigarettes is the same as smoking regular cigarettes. Without any doubt, e-cigarettes are a much healthier and less harmful option compared to smoking, it is nonetheless a healthier option than smoking. Namely, e-cigarettes eliminate the exposure to carbon monoxide, tar and all the other chemicals present in regular cigarette smoking.
In recent studies, it was proven that as e-cigarettes lessen the exposure to these toxins, it reduces adverse health consequences to the organs in the body. Thus, e-cigarettes are proven to be less harmful than smoking.
3. Second-hand e-cigarette vapor is dangerous
Many people confuse the vapor exhaled by a user as smoke, but it’s not. There is no combustion in the vaping process, rather, it’s the coil within the tank that heats the e-liquid and produces vapor. This is why e-cigarette users are called vapers and not smokers.
While cigarettes are proven to contain thousands of harmful toxic chemicals that can cause cancer, vapor from e-cigarettes has shown no real risk to bystanders. There has been no study that shows the risk of passive vaping to the health of people nearby. Nevertheless, people with asthma and other respiratory conditions may be sensitive to any possible irritants like e-cigarettes, but only as much as pollen, dust or sensitivity to cold air.
4. E-cigarettes can kill you
This is probably the scariest among all myths. According to certain reports, there are actually a number of deaths that are linked to vaping. However, what the media fails to report is that most of these cases are associated with toxic e-liquids purchased from the black market. These illegal e-liquids are harmful, made and sold cheaply and contain a number of bad chemicals and ingredients.
Government agencies and health organizations have been warning the public about the use of illegal vapes from unreliable suppliers. These may be cheaper, but they also come with a potential price and risk. So, always make sure that you are only buying from registered and approved suppliers to ensure that your vape juice is safe. Disposable Vapers offers a wide selection of top quality products at competitive prices.
Vape Pens: The Better Choice
In summary, smoking cigarettes and vaping are often compared, but aren’t the same at all. Serious research should always be completed before inaccurate statements are made, and customers should also be aware of the true and false claims in these cases.
However, it is always important to be aware and to scrutinise the quality of the products you buy, and that goes for e-cigarettes too. Be sure you buy the best quality vape pens for a great vaping experience and continued peace of mind.


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New Apex Legends Legendary Skins Revealed in Huge Leak
A large leak of Apex Legends content has been revealed online, featuring many new Legendary skins.
The unreleased skins are for Caustic, Loba, Crypto, Valkyrie, and Ash. From the screenshots, they seem like they are finished, and could be coming out very soon. User YUSEIRKO published the leaked screenshots in the following Reddit post.
This is one of the larger data reveals we've seen be leaked for Apex Legends in a long time. Outside of new legendary skins, we've also discovered new weapons, heirlooms and even a new capture the flag game mode.
Here are the leaked skins from this Apex Legends data leak:
- Caustic: Jaeger
- Caustic: Unkown Name
- Crypto: Machine Language
- Loba: Boot Camp
- Valkyrie: Slingshot
- Ash: Synthetic Huntress
Many of the comments under this Reddit leak feature positive reactions to the new skins, and although there is no timeline when we can expect any of them to release, there are some that are popular early on, especially Loba's new Legendary skin.
We also got our first look at Valkyrie’s Heirloom item too from the massive leak. Of course, this is still just a leak, so we can’t assume all of this is 100% confirmed just yet until Respawn’s official announcement. Stay tuned for more updates and reveals from this leak, as well as any announcements from Respawn that confirm the new leaks.


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After more than a decade of uninterrupted growth, Netflix has been suffering a drop in subscriber numbers in 2022. The world's largest video streaming service ended the second quarter with 220.7 million paid memberships, down almost one million from the previous quarter, when a smaller loss of around 200,000 paying customers had occurred. For Q3, Netflix is projecting it will gain subscribers once more, compensating the one-million loss.
To an extent, Netflix became a victim of its own success during the pandemic, when its subscriber base grew much faster than it would have been expected to under normal circumstances. "The big COVID boost to streaming obscured the picture until recently," the company wrote in its Q1 letter to shareholders, saying it clouded its view of "growth headwinds" faced by the streaming leader. In Q2, Netflix added that it continued to improve its product, content and marketing and was also looking to better monetize its big audience, hinting at a password-sharing crackdown that is currently being rolled out. A cheaper, ad-supported membership scheduled to start in 2023 could also potentially lure new customers after recent price hikes.
As the following chart shows, Netflix's streaming business grew from 30.4 million subscribers at the end of Q4 2012 to a high of 221.8 million almost a decade later, as streaming became the new normal, upstaging linear TV in many respects. For the long term, Netflix is still bullish on its growth potential, citing hundreds of millions of broadband households across the globe that don't subscribe to the service yet. The company also estimates that more than 100 million households are currently sharing another one's account.


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ShipMonk's $290M round led by Summit Partners
Summit Partners’ Chelsea Jurman helps guide the firm into a sizable financing for a provider of direct-to-consumer fulfillment and technology solutions. Summit led ShipMonk’s $290 million growth equity round.
Based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., ShipMonk has developed inventory management software, automation technology and multi-channel order fulfillment solutions that are aimed at helping growing businesses scale more quickly. The company will use the capital for R&D, hiring, the development of B2B fulfillment capabilities and international expansion. Founded in 2014, it serves more than 1,000 e-commerce businesses and is on course to generate more than $140 million in revenue in 2020.
In conjunction with the financing, Chelsea joined ShipMonk’s board. She is a vice president on Summit’s growth products and services team and was involved earlier this year in the firm’s investment in Brooklinen, an accessible-luxury home essentials retailer co-founded by Vicki Fulop and her husband, Rich Fulop. Prior to Summit, Chelsea worked in the technology business unit of the global investment research division at Goldman Sachs.
Earlier this year, Summit closed its fifth growth stage fund at $1 billion. Founded in 1984, Summit is currently managing more than $21 billion. It has invested in more than 500 companies in technology, health care, consumer, financial and business services. Summit has offices in Boston, London and Menlo Park.


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Featuring Trend Micro IoT Security and VIVOTEK SNV and WDR Pro Technology, the 3.2-inch (diameter) FD9182-H is capable of capturing high-quality imagery in both high contrast and low light environments in retail, banking, restaurants, offices, and other public areas
VIVOTEK, a global IP surveillance solution provider, is proud to announce the launch of the FD9182-H recessed dome network camera with Trend Micro IoT Security.
“Our new FD9182-H is a H.265 recessed dome network camera equipped with a 5-Megapixel sensor, enabling resolution of 2560×1920 at 20 fps,” explained David Liu, President of VIVOTEK USA. “Featuring VIVOTEK SNV and WDR Pro technology, the FD9182-H is capable of capturing high-quality imagery in both high contrast and low light environments. The NDAA-compliant FD9182-H also utilizes Smart Stream III to optimize bandwidth efficiency.”
Compact in size at just 3.2-inches in diameter, the recess mounted design enables discreet and elegant ceiling installations, allowing the FD9182-H to blend into any indoor surveillance space such as retail, banking, restaurants, offices, and other public areas.
To stay up to date on the latest, trends, innovations, people news and company updates within the global security market please register to receive our newsletter here.
Rebecca Morpeth Spayne,
Editor, Security Portfolio
Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 922


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Bitcoin trading in Cuba experiences an upswing in activity as cryptocurrencies and mobile internet become household words.
For someone from outside, Cuba seems like an unlikely breeding ground for digital innovations, even more so for cryptocurrencies. The island country in the northern Caribbean has been financially detached from the world owing to US trade sanctions, and decades-old isolation has left the country with minimal scope for advancements.
However, the advent of mobile internet has opened new doors for the country and Cubans are now turning to cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin, for digital evolution.
Bitcoin trading in Cuba: A way to circumvent US embargo
According to a recent article published by the US news, the country is now leaning towards cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin trading for executing their everyday tasks such as making purchases online or sending funds across the border.
Like many Cubans, Jason Sanchez, 35, took to Bitcoin for purchasing spare parts online for his humble mobile repair shop in the capital city. Similarly, others are buying digital currencies that are decentralized and anonymous and using them to make purchases for everyday items or trading them.
For Cubans, cryptocurrencies are opening new doors as people like Sanchez can now buy parts from China through a simple Bitcoin transaction from his mobile, something that was a far-flung dream couple of years back. They offer a way to recuperate from the otherwise shattered economy where crowdfunding platforms and foreign investments shudder at the mere mention of Cuba.
Cryptocurrencies opening up the doors to digital Cuba
What’s more interesting is the fact that Cubans have their way to cryptocurrencies through adversities and economic challenges. The population, which has no access to credit or debit cards, have found their safe haven through a social media channel like CubaCripto, which enables its members to buy and sell their initial batch of cryptocurrencies.
Alex Sobrino, the founder of this innovative social media channel, provides an estimate of around one thousand Cubans relying on cryptocurrencies for their online transactions. Locals are gaining access to Bitcoin trading through their laptops are phones. They are engaging in cryptocurrency transactions for purchasing items as small as a top-up for cell phones or booking flights and hotels, says Sobrino.
While many proclaim that cryptocurrencies have become a necessity more than being a privilege, the Cuban government’s indecisiveness towards leaves them a dash of anxiety as they can never predict which way the decision goes.


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The New York Times reports:
Facing mounting government pressure and a public backlash over the epidemic of teenage vaping, Juul Labs announced on Tuesday that it would stop selling most of its flavored e-cigarette pods in retail stores and would discontinue its social media promotions.
The decision by the San Francisco-based company, which has more than 70 percent of the e-cigarette market share in the United States, was made as the Food and Drug Administration moved forward with a plan to ban sales of flavored e-cigarettes in convenience stores and gas stations.
The agency was expected to announce its formal plan, which also included stepping up the requirements for age verification of online sales of flavored e-cigarette products, later this week.
The company on Tuesday stopped accepting retail orders for its mango, fruit, creme and cucumber pods to the more than 90,000 convenience stores and other retail shops, CEO Kevin Burns said in a blog post on the company’s website.
Consumers will still be able to buy all of Juul’s flavors on its website and its four tobacco and menthol-flavored pods in retail stores, Burns said.
The company plans to resume sales to retailers that adopt the company’s new age restrictions and verification system. Juul is banning sales to anyone under 21, even in states where the legal age is lower. Additionally, Juul will more intensely police individual retailers by increasing its secret shopper visits from 500 to about 2,000 per month.


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VW plans to triple its product range in the fast-growing crossover segment and refresh models more quickly, company sources said
BlackBerry is selling its research and development department in Germany to Volkswagen Infotainment, a subsidiary of the automaker that makes interactive technology built into vehicle dashboards
Germany has a lot riding on Russia with Volkswagen, Siemens, and HeidelbergCement among the largest foreign investors there. An economic hit on Germany will reverberate throughout the EU.
Unifor’s leadership says it will press ahead with its efforts to organize Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc.’s plants in Ontario
Volkswagen AG, Europe’s largest automaker, will maintain a high level of spending on developing new vehicles and upgrading factories over the coming five years to underpin its bid to become the world’s largest automaker
Toyota Motor Corp kept its lead over rivals General Motors Co and Volkswagen AG this year, January-September global sales figures showed, as the Japanese carmaker closes in on a record annual profit
Both Audi and Mercedes-Benz have been teasing Super Bowl ad campaigns on the Internet in the lead-up to the game aimed at a younger demographic than is typically known to buy their cars
Auto sales rose more than 15% in March, preliminary data showed, as rising consumer confidence and cheap financing quickened the pace of a sluggish recovery more than two years in the making
Europe needs auto industry consolidation to reverse poor operating conditions and uncertainty in a market burdened by overcapacity and little or no sales growth potential this year, the chief executive of Fiat SpA said
BMW’s sales surge ended the streak of 11 years for Lexus as the top-selling luxury brand in the U.S. market.
The tally of retail closures continues to grow in Canada with a new report from real estate company CBRE pegging the total to 1,114 stores in a little over three years
Even though Sonya and Marty make almost $8,000 a month and have no debt, buying their first home is still a struggle — Family Finance has a plan
Formerly known as Bionym, Nymi wants to simplify the password-entering process through its electrocardiography bracelet
Overall, median compensation for the top quarter of MBA-wielding female bankers on Wall Street is US$50,000 lower than it is for men, a new report by Bloomberg finds
Terence Corcoran: The reality is that nobody is paying attention to the CRTC’s rambling attempt to redefine itself in a new television era that hardly needs a regulator


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PG Mediabrands Australia CEO Danny Bass (left in photo) has named Fiona Johnston as CEO of UM Australia. Johnston will take over the leadership of UM in a continuation of an international career with senior management positions in executive consulting, media and creative agencies working with world class marketers and brands.
“Choosing a new leader for UM at such an important period in the media industry’s evolution is one of the most important appointments I have considered,” said Bass. “Fiona is a very rare executive in terms of her experience and achievements. Also, having worked alongside her previously, I am fully aware of Fiona’s expertise and commercial savvy. I am delighted she has agreed to lead UM Australia.”
Johnston is currently founder, executive consultant and coach in the Australian based business Wild and Safe, working with clients such as The Coca-Cola Company, eBay, the AFL and other media focused businesses. Her primary focus has been working with C-suite executives on career and company transition, leadership and corporate development initiatives.
Prior to her current consulting business Johnston was chief marketing and business development officer for MediaCom/GroupM Australia. She was a key architect and driver of the agency’s growth and annual business planning and was specifically tasked with business development from new and existing clients.
Prior to this Johnston was managing partner with Publicis Mojo/Triangle where she was hired to lead the integrated business operations with a focus on agency culture, working efficiency and creativity. She also led the creativity agency Lowe Hunt & Draft, being attract ted from London as general manager to drive agency innovation, business development and account management, subsequently growing the business year on year.
Prior to moving to Australia Johnston was a company board director and senior client ambassador for PepsiCo EMEA international creative agency Havas/Euro RSCG. She helped lead and reorganise PepsiCo’s international marketing development for the UK, USA and EMEA and at that time was the youngest and only female on a board of six. Her remit also included oversight of 200 employees and a stint running one of the UK’s largest music festivals, T in the Park.
On her appointment to CEO at UM, Johnston said; “I am incredibly excited to lead the team at UM. I look forward to supporting some of the best in class talent and working with a great portfolio of clients and supporting media owners. It is an interesting time for our industry where our only constant is change, so navigating change with intelligence and speed is both a great challenge and opportunity.
Johnston will be winding down her consultancy work and is set to join UM on October 9.
The previous CEO of UM Australia Ross Raeburn took over as CEO of Mediabrands’ mobile marketing business Ansible earlier this month. Currently and until Johnston starts at UM in October, Danny Bass is overseeing UM Australia working closely with the agency’s national management team.
Australian owned and operated email and SMS marketing software company, Vision6, announced the launch of its first-ever national brand campaign and new brand platform “Simply Reliable”. Founded in 2001, Vision6 was one of the first email marketing software providers in Australia and has since been relied upon by thousands of Aussie businesses and organisations for […]
Out-of-Home media company JCDecaux New Zealand has appointed business growth specialist Adam McGregor in preparation for its bid to win upcoming local government street furniture tenders across the country. With contracts for the provision of street furniture including bus shelters across New Zealand up for renewal from late 2022, they collectively represent the biggest advertising […]
Fetch TV has announced that ABC iview will soon be available as a dedicated Virtual Playlist Channel on the Fetch platform. Virtual Playlist Channels (VPCs) were developed by Fetch to promote content discovery, and to provide a clear bridge between the traditional world of linear TV and the growing availability of on demand content via […]
Jackie Gillies, businesswoman, psychic medium and cast member of The Real Housewives of Melbourne is bringing her sassy, inspirational and adventurous spirit to her new podcast Shine It Up, With Jackie Gillies, which launches today via Acast. Hosted and distributed by the creator-first podcast company Acast, the show will offer listeners inspiration and motivation to […]
Crowdsourcing platforms DesignCrowd and BrandCrowd are promoting vaccination efforts in a unique way, launching a logo redesign contest among their networks of designers. The initiative saw iconic Australian brands such as Hungry Jack’s, Jetstar, JB Hi-Fi, and Bunnings undergo a redesign. “We thought it would be fun to see some other iconic Australian brands back […]
Jillian Davison has been named editor-in-chief of the recently relaunched Harper’s BAZAAR Australia. She will oversee all content, development and creative direction across the iconic magazine’s digital and brand platforms. Davison (pictured) succeeds Eugenie Kelly, who recently stepped down to pursue other opportunities. The announcement was made by Maureen Jordan, publisher of Harper’s BAZAAR Australia […]
Freedom Foods and 72andSunny Sydney have launched the first advertising campaign for Australia’s Own range of plant-based beverages. The campaign introduces a new visual world and identity for the brand and captures the healthy, positive feeling you get when spending time in nature and when consuming Australia’s Own certified-organic, plant-based beverages. As well as featuring […]


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TORRANCE, CA: Toyota Motor Sales says it is using all available channels including social media to communicate its recall of about 2.3 million vehicles owing to accelerator pedals that get stuck.
This is the second recall for the automaker in the last three months. In November, it made a similar recall of 4.2 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles over accelerator pedals that could become stuck under floor mats. The new recall includes several models, including the Corolla, Matrix and Camry.
Brian Lyons, Toyota's environmental, safety and quality communications manager, said it first communicated the recall via a news release on Thursday, January 21. Almost immediately after the release, “We saw a great deal of activity on Facebook and Twitter,” he noted.
The communications team—with the help of social media supervisor Scott Deyager—have provided updates on both Toyota's Twitter and Facebook accounts. A message also directs interested parties to its newsroom site, http://pressroom.toyota.com/pr/tms/default.aspx. “We feel that is the quickest way for people to get information,” Lyons said.
Since the announcement of the recall, the Toyota online newsroom has logged roughly 150,000 unique visits per day. It features information on the recall and accelerator pads, as well as a section called “Our Point of View,” which aims to clarify inaccurate reports related to the recall. “For the first time, we also decided to come up with a customer-friendly version of FAQs for the newsroom,” said Lyons.
Lyons has also been fielding media calls, roughly 60 on Thursday and another 50 on Friday. He said he typically handles 90% of the media calls “because safety issues are very precise, even down to a single word. There are only a couple of people who know enough about car safety and the regulatory issues to be able to handle this issue. That's why we keep it very narrow in scope [in terms of who handles the communications].”
(Update: The Wall Street Journal reported January 29, that New York-based Robinson Lerer & Montgomery is also advising Toyota during the crisis.)
Most observers have applauded Toyota's handling of the recall, including Jeff Bartlett, Consumer Reports' online deputy editor. But he says the recall could do some damage to a brand “that previously had a sterling reputation”.
Toyota recently topped the magazine's 2010 Car Brand Perception Survey, in which car owners ranked the automaker tops in terms of quality and fourth in terms of safety. “But Toyota has been in the media a lot with tremendously large recalls. Many consumers are being personally touched by them because they have to bring their vehicles into the dealership to be fixed, sometimes more than once,” Bartlett told PRWeek. “But Toyota can and should be able to weather this.”


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https://data-profits.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/puzzle-2-featured-image.jpg 900 1440 Stuart D https://data-profits.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Logo-v1-300x69.png Stuart D2011-09-21 18:19:422023-08-07 13:36:47Data Profits' Unified Forecasting Solution Helps Pamida Reduce Inventory Levels While Increasing Sales
iKIS forecasting solution provides top results in less than 90…
https://data-profits.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/money-featured-image.jpg 900 1440 Stuart D https://data-profits.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Logo-v1-300x69.png Stuart D2011-02-01 14:34:462023-08-07 13:35:58Data Profits Helps Pamida Stores
ATLANTA, GA (February 1, 2011) -- Today Data Profits (www.data-profits.com) announced that its patent-pending, business intelligence software, iKIS, enabled Pamida, a Midwest retailer, a net decrease in inventory while experiencing a positive sales trend. Data Profits' iKIS software made it possible for Pamida to lower its inventory investment dollars so that the 185-store retailer could reallocate a portion of the capital saved toward meeting customer demand. ROI was realized in the first 30 days.
https://data-profits.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/christmas-gift-featured-image.jpg 900 1440 Stuart D https://data-profits.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Logo-v1-300x69.png Stuart D2011-01-11 17:58:142023-08-17 13:51:29Stuart Dunkin interviewed on NPR
Stuart Dunkin, CEO and founder of Data Profits, was recently interviewed on NPR's Morning Edition, discussing the impact Smartphone devices have on the holiday sales season.


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Consumers are increasingly gravitating toward online marketplace formats for greater convenience, value and variety, according to a survey of 9,000 consumers around the world.
The survey, called "The 2022 State of Online Marketplace Adoption," was released Thursday by Mirakl, an SaaS platform for engineering online marketplaces, but conducted independently by the Schlesinger Group research firm.
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Ports 1961 Pre-Fall 2022
Consumers from Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Singapore, Spain, the U.K. and the U.S. - 1,000 in each country - were contacted in October 2021 and asked about their shopping habits and preferences.
Among the key findings:
Two-thirds of consumers prefer e-commerce sites with online marketplaces; 70 percent said online marketplaces are the most convenient way to shop.
On average, consumers conducted 42 percent of their online shopping through marketplaces in 2021.
"Power shoppers," defined as high-value customers who make purchases online at least once per week, are more inclined to utilize online marketplaces.
On average, U.S. respondents said 43 percent of their online shopping happens on marketplaces; 40 percent said their activity has increased in the past 12 months; 54 percent said their activity has remained consistent, despite the reopening of brick-and-mortar stores.


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United Supermarkets’ Parent Changes Name
August 21, 2013
As part of a strategic branding initiative, Lubbock, Texas-based United Supermarkets’ parent company has changed its name to The United Family, according to Progressive Grocer. According to the company, the new name was selected to better reflect the company’s multiple store brands and family history. The company’s brand portfolio includes four retail brands: United Supermarkets, Market Street, Amigos and United Express, along with its subsidiary operations, R.C. Taylor Distributing, Praters and Llano Logistics. Now in its 97th year of operation, the family-owned grocery chain has stores in 30 markets across north and west Texas.


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When Samantha Fagan returned to her hometown of Troy, NY, in 2012, it sparked a chain of events that rapidly led to the opening of Culinary Square, the gourmet kitchenware store she co-owns with her mother, Carolyn Fagan.
“I grew up in Troy and when I moved back home, I saw how amazing the city was becoming. It was really going in a direction that was exciting. After being back for a few years, I realized that I wanted to become a part of what made Troy so great — small, local businesses,” said Samantha Fagan.
While settling in, Fagan observed that the explosion of small, local businesses in her hometown was thanks in part to the boom of younger residents settling in. During the last few years, she explained, Troy has emerged as a popular destination among 18- to 34-year olds seeking to live in a place that combines a city vibe with a small town feel. As the population began shifting, Troy became a popular food and drink destination. Monument Square, the downtown area Culinary Square calls home, has been welcoming new restaurants and bars. These culinary experiences piqued Fagan’s interest when she realized people would want to explore this new foodie culture in their own homes.
“I saw a need for a kitchen goods store in Troy and thought it would pair well with the foodie culture that was developing here. That way, people don’t have to drive to Albany for their culinary needs, which is about 20 minutes away,” she said.
Once she shared her vision with Carolyn, the two set out to leverage the area’s affinity for food and drink to open a store that would also serve as a community meeting place — one where locals can browse, shop and share their passion for all things food.
The mother-daughter duo, both former librarians, tapped into their research skills and love of cooking to figure out what would help make their venture successful. While they started out with the basics, they also wanted to complement the basic housewares mix with items that were different than what their customers could find at the big box stores, allowing Culinary Square to stand out.
“As former librarians, we are used to doing research and we really looked at what was scoring high in online reviews and other resources,” said Carolyn Fagan.
While the duo counts its product research and mix as one of the reasons the store has grown successful since its opening in 2015, it is the connection within the community that has really been its crowning achievement, starting with those in the local culinary world.
“Samantha has done a great job of cultivating relationships with the professionals working in the nearby restaurants and bars,” explained Carolyn. “Thanks to those relationships, we do a lot of business with them.”
Added Samantha, “Troy is a small community, and building those relationships within the community helps bring it closer. I like feeling like you can help someone out. And then they will recommend us in return. If a customer sees a certain wine glass being used in the restaurant, the waiters will let them know they were purchased at our store. We’ve had many people come in based on those recommendations.”
One of the programs that helped put Culinary Square on the map of the professional food community in the area is its knife sharpening service, which is offered free to professionals. This service has been well received by the many chefs that are working in the area, said Carolyn. It not only provides them with a go-to resource for keeping their culinary tools sharp, but it also helps remind them that the store is there and ready to provide them with whatever their other cooking equipment needs may be.
To read the full story, check out the January/February issue of GOURMET INSIDER magazine.


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Despite now owning 25% of Ubisoft’s stock, Vivendi has been pretty staunch that they have no intentions of taking over the company. Ubisoft has been treating their denials like declarations of war and has battened down the hatches to protect themselves. Now, according to two sources talking to Reuters, Vivendi is preparing to make it very clear they want to buy Ubisoft and they want to do it this year. The two sources explain that thanks to a downturn in Vivendi’s stock and increasing concerns from investors, they intend to speed up their plans and find a way to get to the magical 30% of Ubisoft. At 30% French law requires Vivendi to make an offer on the remaining stock. This is exactly how Vivendi took over the mobile game company Gameloft just last year.
This doesn’t mean that Ubisoft will be Vivendi owned by the end of the year, but it does mean they are under direct and urgent threat. Vivendi would still need to offer competitive prices on Ubisoft’s stock, which continues to grow thanks to the anticipated takeover. And according to those same sources Vivendi would have a ceiling price before looking elsewhere. Vivendi will be looking to move into video games again one way or another. China is an obvious target if Ubisoft falls through.
Vivendi needs something positive to go their way thanks to a 2016 filled with scandals, court dates, and bad press. A buyout over a major video game publisher would certainly keep them branded as a major entertainment company.


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A typical 360-degree camera captures multiple angles but all shot from the same central location on a camera body mounted somewhere, or on someone (like on a referee). The Free Viewpoint Video system instead arranges cameras from several locations around the stadium instead of from a single spot. Those high-resolution cameras are then connected to a network, with software that allows the game to be captured from all those different viewpoints simultaneously.
After the game is recorded from all those viewpoints, the software then creates a 3D spatial data map of the game, using all the data from the different angles to re-create the game in virtual reality. The result, Canon says, is a video that can be viewed from different angles, including on the field itself.
“The Free Viewpoint Video System offers a completely new, totally immersive visual experience that enables viewers to operate a virtual camera in 3-D space to move freely around the stadium and even experience the simulated physical sensation of being among players on the field during a game,” Canon’s press release reads.
With the announcement, Canon shared a video of a soccer game from 2016 that shows both an overhead, audience view, then even the point-of-view of the goalie. The company did not offer details on when such a camera system might come into play, only that the system is currently under development. The program has potential applications for viewing games with virtual reality headsets and mobile devices.
Along with giving fans the ability to view the game from the field, Canon says the system could also be used for training athletes, offering a literal new perspective as teams watch films to prepare for their next opponent. Canon says the images are processed “afterwards,” which suggests the camera system (or at least the first version) won’t offer an instant replay for challenged calls by the referees or live games.
The camera system is similar to the Intel system that allowed for the Be The Player POV shots during the 2017 Super Bowl.
Canon will be displaying the camera system next month at the Inter BEE 2017 in Chiba, Japan from November 15 to November 17.
- Kokomo is a new social VR platform from Canon
- Reuters to produce VR news content with Samsung Gear 360 cameras
- GoPro shows off VR solutions with new Omni rig and online portal


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Products meant to help babies sleep could have unintended consequences. A U-M pediatrician explains the details.
Sleep positioners and sleep wedges are marketed to offer a baby comfort and support — and, despite a lack of scientific evidence, lessen the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
But, says Lauren Helms, M.D., a general pediatrician at University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, parents of newborns shouldn't believe the hype behind these products, which are widely available at retailers and online.
And they shouldn't buy one, either.
That's because the devices can cause the fatalities they're supposedly designed to prevent.
Sleep positioners were responsible for 12 infant deaths during a 13-year span, according to a warning the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Food and Drug Administration issued in 2010.
Suffocation caused the deaths, all in babies between 1 and 4 months old. Fatalities usually occurred after a child rolled over in the positioner or became trapped between the positioner and the side of a crib or bassinet, the agencies warned.
They also noted "dozens" of reports of nonfatal instances where babies were found in potentially hazardous positions next to or within a sleep positioner.
Ultimately, less is more in a baby's sleep space.Lauren Helms, M.D.
A warning revisited
The products saw renewed scrutiny this month when the American Academy of Pediatrics released a policy statement on safe sleeping guidelines for babies. (See an infographic on the statement below.)
Among the recommendations: No sleep positioners or wedges.
This is why Helms continues to stress the importance of a setup she and countless other experts have long advocated: "A firm mattress, with a fitted sheet in a crib or bassinet free from toys, pillows, bumper pads or thick blankets."
A thin blanket, when used to properly swaddle, is OK, she notes.
The AAP report also advised that babies should sleep in the same bedroom as their parents for the first six to 12 months of life.
"In the newborn period, we encourage having the infant within arm's reach of parent or mom, to promote breastfeeding, but in an independent sleep space," Helms says.
With that in mind, "Flat-back sleeping is a skill that has to be practiced," Helms says, "and we shouldn't expect young infants to do it well all the time."
Ensuring safe sleep
Because the cushions of some sleep positioners could be used to help babies doze off while placed on their side or "cradled in a snuggle position," Helms says the devices not only raise suffocation risk but also can discourage independent sleep.
Nor do they always have clear usage guidelines.
In the case of one product, meant to be placed next to a parent in the adult's bed, Helms notes the instructions say the adjacent adult "should be able to easily awaken … which may be an unrealistic expectation for a sleep-deprived parent."
Sleep wedges, meanwhile, are sold with the notion that propping up a baby at a slight incline can prevent acid reflux and flat head syndrome (also known as plagiocephaly) — the latter a "cosmetic issue" that most often corrects itself over time as babies develop stronger neck and shoulder muscles, Helms says. Incorporating supervised tummy time during the day when a baby is awake and alert also can help.
Given the mortality data tied to sleep aids without any evidence-based benefit, Helms and other clinicians strongly urge against the use of any such prop.
"Ultimately, less is more in a baby's sleep space," says Helms. "Your pediatrician or family practice doctor can help navigate sleep questions and challenges as they arise."
Explore a variety of healthcare news & stories by visiting the Health Lab home page for more articles.
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Each week, we bring you the latest whisky news on WhiskyCast, but a lot can happen during the week. Now, you can keep up with whisky news as it happens here on WhiskyCast.com!
July 4, 2015 – Chef David Bouley is one of America’s leading chefs, and it’s almost impossible to get reservations at his namesake restaurant in New York City’s TriBeCa neighborhood. Before opening the original Bouley in 1987, the Sorbonne-trained Connecticut native worked at some of Manhattan’s legendary restaurants and has a wall full of awards for both his culinary and writing prowess.
For Suntory’s New York City launch of the Hibiki Japanese Harmony blended whisky at a dinner on June 30, 2015, Chef Bouley and his colleague, Chef Isao Yamada, prepared a dinner featuring smoked salmon, Colorado Lamb, and other courses using the Hibiki as both an ingredient and a complementing drink. However, what may have been the most memorable dish of the evening wasn’t found on the menu…Chef Bouley and his team prepared ice cream using the Hibiki and organic prunes – just because they had some whisky left to work with.
After dinner, New York Daily News reporter Jeannette Settembre and WhiskyCast’s Mark Gillespie had a chance to talk with Chef Bouley about whisky, food, and that ice cream. Here’s the interview:
Chef Bouley owns his namesake restaurant in Manhattan, along with Brushstroke, the Bouley Test Kitchen, and the Bouley Botanical event space.
July 3, 2015 – Shinji Fukuyo was named Suntory’s chief blender in 2009, and is only the fourth person to hold that title in the company’s history. His responsibilities include the Yamazaki and Hakushu single malts, along with the Hibiki range of blended Japanese whiskies and the entire Suntory Whisky portfolio.
His whiskies have won numerous awards over the years, and he is regarded as one of Japanese whisky’s leading innovators. His latest creation is the Hibiki Japanese Harmony blend, which is being released this month worldwide.
Earlier this year, we sat down for a conversation in New York City with the help of interpreter Hidemi Harada.
Links: Suntory Whisky
July 3, 2015 – The Law of Unintended Consequences – better known as the saying “it seemed like a good idea at the time” – has raised its ugly head again. France’s Glann ar Mor Distillery in Brittany will close next month, not for economic reasons, but because of what the distillery’s founders claim are political and regulatory reasons. A new “protected geographical indication” for Brittany whiskies is in the final stages of implementation by the French government, and the Donnay family believes the standards will make it impossible for them to continue to produce their whiskies in the region.
Jean and Martine Donnay founded Glann ar Mor 18 years ago, and joined with three other area distillers in 2009 to pursue the “Whisky de Bretagne” geographical indication as a way to promote their products and protect themselves from unfair competition. Jean Donnay said that process fell apart in early 2012 after Glann ar Mor and two other members of the group decided to drop out. “The drawbacks and disadvantages of the geographical indication were stronger than the advantages,” he explained in a telephone interview.
Listen to Mark Gillespie’s interview with Jean Donnay:
As with wine appellations, geographical indications for whiskies in France are controlled by the Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité (INAO). Donnay claims the agency decided last year to revisit the issue with the support of one of the three distillers who had initially backed out, and he claims the agency established requirements for the “Whisky Breton/Whisky de Bretagne” designation that favor large-scale distillers at the expense of artisan distillers like Glann ar Mor. “We found ourselves in a situation where we knew the geographical indication would happen, and it had become unacceptable,” he said. The proposed geographical indication has been submitted to European Union officials in Brussels for approval, and could take effect in early 2016 if approved.
Without signing on to accept the geographical indication and its requirements, Glann ar Mor would be unable to not only refer to its whiskies as “Breton Whisky”, but would have to remove all references to Brittany from its labels and packaging. Donnay was told by a regulator that would include a graphic showing a map of the Brittany region that appears on the back of Glann ar Mor and the Kornog peated whisky bottles, but that he still would be able to list the distillery’s address. “We must present our whisky labeling in a way that nobody can know where it comes from,” he said. In addition, Donnay would be forced to stop producing his single malt rye whisky and mothball his alembic still, since the requirements mandate the exclusive use of malted barley and pot stills.
The Donnays are still exploring options for the future, and are not ruling out the possibility of moving the distillery out of Brittany. They are also progressing with work on their Gartbreck Distillery on Islay, though Donnay declined to link the two projects for now and said more news on Gartbreck will be announced in coming weeks.
WhiskyCast has contacted the INAO for a response to Donnay’s claims, and this story will be updated as more information becomes available.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include the French terms for Breton Whisky. In addition, we are making available a PDF file (in French) of the INAO’s proposed standards for “Whisky de Bretagne” that have been submitted to the European Union for approval.
July 1, 2015 – David Beam, the last distiller at Jim Beam to carry the family name, passed away at his farm near Bardstown, Kentucky on Monday (June 29) at the age of 74. Born Daniel David Beam on January 23, 1941 at his family’s home on the distillery grounds in Clermont, he spent 38 years working at the Jim Beam Distillery before retiring in 1996. He and his wife Belle also owned the Old Kentucky Home Motel in Bardstown for 21 years, according to his obituary in the Nelson County Gazette.
As longtime Bourbon historian and writer Chuck Cowdery noted in his blog, David Beam and his brother Baker succeeded their father Carl as the head distillers at Beam, with Baker working the 12-hour day shift and David working the night shift to keep the distillery running 24 hours a day.
David Beam is survived by his brother, along with a daughter, three sons, and seven grandchildren. Our condolences go out to the entire Beam family.
Links: Jim Beam
July 1, 2015 – “I’ll be 72 in December, and when you get to be 71, you’ll understand…right now, I don’t know if I can make you understand. 50 doesn’t mean that big a deal to me…”
That’s how longtime Four Roses Distillery Master Distiller Jim Rutledge describes his decision to retire after 49 years in the whiskey business. He will step down on September 1 after more than 20 years as Master Distiller and be succeeded by current Operations Director Brent Elliott. Rutledge has agreed to remain as the distillery’s “Master Distiller Emeritus” and do promotional work for Four Roses, but is also keeping his future options open. “Like Elmer T. (Lee of Buffalo Trace)…and I’m not comparing myself to him, he was a legend, but they had things for him, put his name on bottles after he retired…look at Booker (Noe), he was around 20-25 years after he retired as the face of Jim Beam,” Rutledge said in a telephone interview. “I’m retiring, but I wouldn’t know how to put a fishing pole in my hand and go fishing every day.”
Rutledge said there were years when he took just four days of vacation time because of commitments to the distillery, and he wants to be able to spend time with his family while he’s healthy enough to enjoy it. “I’ve felt like I cheated my family over the years because I was too committed to what I was doing at the distillery, so this gives me the opportunities to do both…I may be able to work as much as I want, more than I want, but it certainly won’t be every day.”
In a news release, Four Roses CEO Satoko Yoshida praised Jim’s contributions to the distillery and the industry. “ “He will be missed as the ‘face of Four Roses Bourbon,’ but we now wish him much happiness and success in his retirement years. I am also excited to have the opportunity to work with Brent in his new capacity as Master Distiller,” she said. The move comes as Four Roses is preparing to launch a $55 million expansion that will double the distillery’s capacity and add new warehouses at its Coxs Creek maturation complex near Bardstown.
Overseeing that work will rest with Elliott, who gets nothing but praise from Jim Rutledge. “He’ll make up the Limited Edition Small Batch samples…I do the easy part, yes or no, approve or not approve.” Elliott has been responsible for selecting the barrels used in the regular Four Roses Bourbons, and Rutledge said “he has been very involved…whether it’s the distillate that goes into the barrel, the Bourbon that comes out of the barrel…all along, he’s been involved.”
Rutledge started his career at Seagram’s, which owned the Lawrenceburg, Kentucky distillery until the company’s breakup and its sale to Japan’s Kirin Brewing in 2003. He was instrumental in reviving the brand’s stature in the US market when it was reintroduced as a premium Bourbon under Kirin’s ownership. For decades, only export markets received the Four Roses Bourbons, while the Bronfman family insisted on marketing Four Roses in the US as a cheaply blended American Whiskey. Rutledge’s leadership in the industry resulted in his being named to the inaugural 2001 class of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame, and he also served as chairman of the Kentucky Distillers Association board.
The entire interview with Jim Rutledge will be part of this week’s WhiskyCast.
Editor’s note: This story was updated following an interview with Jim Rutledge.
Links: Four Roses
July 1, 2015 – Diageo Chief Financial Officer Deirdre Mahlan has been named as the drinks giant’s new North American president following the announcement last month that current president Larry Schwartz will retire later this year. Mahlan will relocate from the company’s London headquarters to New York once her successor is in place. She previously served as the North American unit’s CFO during a stint in New York lasting from 2002 through 2007, and moved through senior roles as the company’s head of tax and treasury issues and Deputy CFO before being promoted to her current role in 2010.
In a news release, Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes made the announcement as one in a series of organizational changes for the North American unit. “Deirdre has been an exceptional CFO and has the skills, together with experience of the market, to lead the next stage of growth in North America,” he said.
June 29, 2015 – A legal battle lasting more than two years over supplies of bulk whiskey for the former Michael Collins Irish Whiskey brand has ended with both sides declaring a draw. In a motion filed Friday in US District Court in New York, Sidney Frank Importing Company and Beam Suntory jointly dismissed the suit filed by Sidney Frank on March 1, 2013 seeking $100 million in damages. The move came three days after Sidney Frank agreed to be acquired by Mast-Jägermeister, the German-based producer of Jägermeister liqueur, for an undisclosed amount. The two companies had been closely aligned for 40 years, as the late Sidney Frank was responsible for introducing Jägermeister to the United States as its importer and distributor in 1974.
That lawsuit was filed after Beam started limiting bulk whiskey sales from Ireland’s Cooley Distillery following its deal with Cooley’s owners to acquire the company in late 2012. Under John Teeling’s leadership, Cooley generated income by selling whiskey in bulk to independent bottlers like Sidney Frank, which built the Michael Collins brand based on having a long-term supply of whiskey from Cooley. Beam executives decided after acquiring Cooley to stop the practice and use Cooley’s production to build up its Kilbeggan, Tyrconnell, and Connemara brands instead. In the original lawsuit, lawyers for Sidney Frank claimed Beam tried to undermine its relationships with distributors by telling them that “Michael Collins is going away.” The brand was named for the Irish revolutionary leader, and Sidney Frank was forced to withdraw it from the market after being unable to replace the whiskey supply from Cooley.
The case never reached the trial stage, with Beam fighting vigorously against the Sidney Frank claims to the point of seeking legal authority in Ireland to compel former Michael Collins brand manager Abaigeal Hendron to testify in the case as recently as last month. No reason was given in the filing for the joint motion to dismiss the case, and each party will be responsible for its own legal fees and costs. A Beam Suntory spokesman declined to give more specifics beyond a news release announcing the withdrawal of the lawsuit, and executives at Sidney Frank have not returned our requests for more information.
This story will be updated as necessary.
June 29, 2015 – Tomatin is releasing a new 36-year-old single malt from the distillery near Inverness, with just 800 bottles in the initial batch. The new expression will be available worldwide with a recommended retail price of £499.99 ($789 USD) when it hits retailers later this month.
The Tomatin 36 Year Old will replace the distillery’s 30-year-old expression, which was discontinued earlier this year. While the initial batch will have just 800 numbered bottles, the distillery has enough stock of older whisky available to make it available on an ongoing basis, according to sales director Stephen Bremner. The whisky is tatted from a combination of Oloroso Sherry and ex-Bourbon casks, and is bottled at 46% ABV with no chill-filtering or caramel coloring.
Tasting notes will be available at a later date.
June 29, 2015 – Scotch Whisky Association CEO David Frost and his predecessor, Sir Gavin Hewitt, both came to the association following service in the UK Diplomatic Service, so it comes as little surprise that Frost and the SWA’s directors would select another diplomat to head up the association’s new London office. Ambassador Sarah Dickson will join the association once she wraps up her service as the Queen’s Ambassador to Guatemala and Honduras.
As Director of Global Affairs, Dickson will be responsible for the association’s lobbying efforts on trade and taxation worldwide. Her speciality is European and Latin American affairs, and she served at the UK’s embassies in Spain, Argentina, and Serbia before being appointed to her current post.
In addition, Graeme Littlejohn has been named to head up the London office’s external affairs unit with responsibility for relationships with the UK Government and Parliament. Littlejohn was chief of staff for former MP and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander. Trade policy manager Helena Mumdzjana will move from the SWA’s Edinburgh headquarters to London, and the association is hiring additional trade and regulation analysts to staff the London office when it opens next month.
In a news release, Frost and his colleagues repeated their intention to keep the Association’s headquarters in Edinburgh. Plans are in the works to move from the longtime office in Atholl Crescent to new offices in Edinburgh’s Quartermile development later this summer.
Links: Scotch Whisky Association
June 28, 2015 – While the exact timetable hasn’t been set, Heaven Hill is planning the third phase in its expansion of the Bernheim Distillery in Louisville in the past seven years. The second phase completed in 2014 added four new fermenters and brought the distillery’s capacity to 300,000 barrels a year, which is equal to 19.8 million gallons based on 66 proof gallons per standard barrel. The next phase is expected to double that capacity, according to Denny Potter, who doubles as Bernheim’s manager as well as Heaven Hill’s co-master distiller. That phase is expected to include new mash tuns, an additional column still and “doubler” style pot still, and will require expanding the current distillery building into the facility’s parking lot.
Heaven Hill acquired the distillery in 1999 from Diageo following the 1996 fire that destroyed Heaven Hill’s original distillery in Bardstown. Spirit distilled at Bernheim is taken by tanker truck to the company’s Bardstown campus for filling into barrels and maturation in the warehouses Heaven Hill owns around the region, as well as blending, bottling and distribution once the whiskey is ready. The Bernheim expansion will require additional work at the Bardstown campus, according to Heaven Hill CEO Max Shapira. “Of course, that means you’d have to build additional warehouses for stock,” he said, noting that the family-owned company already has nearly 1.2 million barrels of whiskey aging in its warehouses and that may not be enough to meet future demand.
“It’s almost – not quite 25 percent of the world’s supply, and frankly, we don’t know if we’ve got enough. It’s a difficult thing…the category is exploding both domestically and around the world…and as I say, despite the growth we’ve had, if you go anywhere around the world…you could be in Buenos Aires, Sydney, Australia, London, England, or wherever…if you go to your hotel bar or restaurant or whatever and ask for a whiskey and water or whatever, 99 times out of 100 you’re likely to get Scotch. Great product, Scotch is…no question about it, but all we have to do to turn that 99 times out of 100 into 96 times out of 100…Scotch people will continue to do great, but we won’t have enough whiskey to satisfy that demand for a long time to come.”
Heaven Hill CEO Max Shapira
In fact, there are already signs that the industry may not be satisfying the global demand. US Customs Service data for March (the most recent month available) shows a decline of 5.5% in Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey exports from March of 2014, while exports of other American whiskies (mostly flavored and non-Bourbon craft whiskies) nearly doubled from 241,555 proof gallons to 428,479 (a 92.6% increase). The report released by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States shows Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey exports in March of this year totaled 3,225,230 proof gallons, compared to 3,271,432 in the same month during 2014. Exports of Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey to the UK, France, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, South Africa, South Korea, and Singapore all declined during the first quarter of 2015 compared to the previous year. Exports to Australia, New Zealand, and Spain showed gains during the quarter.
Last month, Heaven Hill was forced to change the usual distribution pattern for its Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon, which is distilled at Bernheim along with all of Heaven Hill’s other whiskies. Traditionally, each annual release came from whiskey distilled around 10 years earlier, including the release of the 2005 Vintage earlier this year. However, a combination of high demand and short supplies of the 2005 whiskey forced the company to release the 2006 Vintage in May – about seven months earlier than usual, and company officials admit that the move will have an impact on the long-term plans for the brand while not providing any specifics on future releases.
While the next Bernheim expansion will take up a significant portion of the facility’s parking lot, the distillery is landlocked to a certain extent. It’s located in a mixed neighborhood of residential and industrial use, and is bordered to the west by Brown-Forman’s Dixie Highway distillery and corporate headquarters, homes to the south, other industrial use on the north and maturation warehouses on the east side. That would appear to make future significant expansion of the distillery difficult, but Shapira said there are no plans at the time to build a new distillery on the Bardstown campus while admitting that “anything’s possible.”


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Electric scooter founder Lime exits dozens of markets, seeks 14% reduction in labor for profit
On January 10th, according to foreign media reports, electric scooter rental startup Lime will cut about 14% of its employees and withdraw from 12 markets in the United States and overseas.
Co-founder and CEO Brad Baosai said in a blog post on the company's website on Thursday that legal neutron holding company Lime will cease operating in 12 markets worldwide. Mr. Bao said that in the United States, it will withdraw from Atlanta, Phoenix, San Diego and San Antonio. The company said the decision will affect about 100 employees.
Foreign media said that the decision reflects the heavy pressure on the electric scooter industry in terms of fierce competition and profitability. In recent years, shared electric scooter companies including Lime have risen rapidly, but with more and more competitors joining, the industry is increasingly stimulating, and coupled with the unprofitable business model, the industry seems to be following China's bike sharing The footsteps of the industry.
Lime rivals Bird Rides and Lyft have also announced job cuts or closed operations in the past year.
But Bao Zhoujia still expressed confidence in the future, saying "We believe Lime will be the first next-generation mobile mobility company to achieve profitability."


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The Food and Drug Administration is cracking down on antibacterial hand soap.
The FDA on Friday announced a ban on 19 ingredients that are found in the “vast majority” of antibacterial hand soaps. Manufactures will have one year to either remove the ingredients or stop selling the products. The ban does not apply to hand sanitizers.
“The vast majority of antibacterial hand soaps contain at least one of these ingredients,” said Theresa Michele, who runs the nonprescription drug products division at the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
The agency said more studies need to be done to determine the health effects of the banned antibacterial ingredients, including triclosan and triclocarban.
“Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water,” said Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
“In fact, some data suggests that antibacterial ingredients may do more harm than good over the long-term," she added.
The FDA estimates that antibacterial products make up about 40 percent of the hand soaps on the market.
The Environmental Working Group hailed the ban a victory, saying it is about time the manufacturers stop "adding this sketchy, endocrine-disrupting germ killer to all kinds of soaps and even to toothpaste."
While questioning the effectiveness of antibacterial soaps, the FDA stressed the importance of people washing their hands.
“Washing hands with plain soap and water is one of the most important steps consumers can take to avoid getting sick and spreading diseases," Michele said.
- Updated at 12:39 p.m.


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Tricking Amazon into publishing Alexa skills that blatantly violate its policies is shockingly easy, according to Clemson University study. In..
Google Assistant Sings a Reminder to Wear a Mask, Expanding Voice Assistant Hygiene Song Competition
“Voice assistant hygiene songs” is not a genre listed on Billboard, but a new ditty sung by Google Assistant is..
Amazon Quietly Patched an Alexa Hacking Vulnerability Discovered by Cybersecurity Researchers in June
Hackers could trick Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant into giving away personal information and accept commands from unauthorized users, according to..
First Alexa Next Stage Startup Class Graduates From Online-Only Alexa Fund and Techstars Accelerator
The Alexa Next Stage experiment in running a distanced, virtual accelerator appears to have been a rousing success for the..
Google Extends Lookout Accessibility App to All Android Devices, Adds Ability to Read Food Labels and Text
Google’s Lookout app can now identify packaged food and take snapshots of text to read aloud later to blind and..
Amazon will soon offer free podcast feeds to Amazon Music and Audible subscribers, bringing native support for podcasts to its..
Google Assistant will run a new Gboard keyboard interface, allowing users to dictate text into any app on their device,..
Speechmatics is adding its speech recognition technology to enterprise artificial intelligence firm Veritone’s aiWARE platform. Businesses can now apply Speechmatics’..
Amazon has begun shipping a new Smart Clock attachment for the Echo Flex, bringing a visual element to the modular..


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Fashion show fundraiser coming up in February
A vintage fashion show will be the highlight of a fundraiser for community causes Feb. 25.
“Every one (of the groups) are local community organizations that promote the well-being of people in the community,” said organizer Barbara Herman of the Tacoma Sunset Rotary.
Along with the show of fashions from the last 100 years, the event will offer desserts, coffee and tea for the $25 ticket.
The fundraiser will be 2:30-4 p.m. at the Day Island Yacht Club, 2120 91st Ave. W., University Place. Information/tickets: tacomasunsetrotary.org.


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Shop Direct names Guy Farmer new trading director
UK e-tail giant Shop Direct has appointed Guy Farmer as group trading director as of September. He’ll report to Sam Perkins, managing director, retail. His experience in the past almost-three decades has mainly been in beauty. Farmer currently works at Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) as VP and global retail own-brand director, which makes him responsible for all Boots branded products worldwide.
At Shop Direct, which owns the successful Very webstore, he’ll work with category directors and the director of the company’s global sourcing operation to oversee teams including buying, merchandising, design, sourcing, data intelligence, finance and trading.
It’s a key role and the company said that the “amalgamation of these previously separate functions into category teams represents a new approach to the end-to-end customer experience and supply chain.” It began last year with the appointment of fashion, home, electrical and developing category directors “and is generating strong results, including a successful peak period which saw group revenue up 3.7% year-on-year for the seven weeks up to and including 28 December 2018.”
Farmer has been at Boots for eight years and has been in charge of a 155-strong multifunctional team, while also setting up a global centre of excellence for the development of WBA’s own-brand business. Other roles he’s held there include global director for its cosmetics brands, trading director for healthcare & lifestyle, and trading director for beauty.
Prior to Boots, he spent 13 years at L’Oréal, moving from marketing director to MD and country manager for Portugal. And before that he spent six years in brand and category management positions at Procter & Gamble.
Meanwhile, Shop Direct also said its retail team has consolidated marketing activity under new CMO Carly O’Brien. She joined the business in early 2019 and has been interim CMO since April, now moving to take over the role permanently.
She has 18 years’ customer management and financial services experience, most recently as marketing director at Virgin Money Digital Bank. The company said “her appointment as CMO shows Shop Direct’s ambition to use its rich data in new ways to create an even better customer experience."
Sam Perkins added: “Guy’s and Carly’s expertise will allow us to make big steps forward in our mission to give customers the best products and online journey, whilst helping them spread the cost.
“Guy’s outstanding trading and product experience means he’s ideally placed to cement our category management approach and even further improve the speed and quality of our commercial and customer decisions. Carly is already an integral part of the team and will use her marketing expertise to bring us closer to our customers through data and enable them to connect with our retail brands in new ways.”
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Mark Alnutt of Greytar UK explores how housebuilders and build-to-rent developers can work together, in Estates Gazette
Increasing collaboration between housebuilders and the build-to-rent industry has paved the way for business partnerships with a number of benefits for all those involved.
Despite there being several differences between the traditional business models of build-to-rent developers and housebuilders, managing director of Greystar UK, Mark Alnutt, highlights a number of areas that make these two industries ideal partners.
Their pipeline and capacity to deliver make housebuilders an enticing collaborator for the private rental sector, while the two contrasting financial models each contribute to the different phases of the development cycle.
The full opinion piece features in a recent edition of Estates Gazette: https://www.egi.co.uk/


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Micro Focus Announces Support for Amazon EC2
Companies will be able to run applications on EC2 via Enterprise Cloud Services
As part of its Enterprise Cloud Services initiative, Micro Focus has announced that it will be helping companies run their enterprise applications on Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2).
Amazon EC2 is a Web-based computing platform that lets companies "obtain and configure capacity with minimal friction," Micro Focus said in a press release. Currently, it is available for U.S. and European customers.
Micro Focus' Enterprise Cloud Services program would let companies deploy critical applications in the cloud without interrupting productivity. "Enterprise Cloud Services uses an enterprise's existing encryption keys to secure mission-critical data while in motion (over the network) or while stored on persistent cloud storage," the company said.
According to Micro Focus, its support of Amazon EC2 will increases business' access to the cloud and its associated benefits (among them, a decrease in operational costs).
"We are 100 percent committed to being cloud-agnostic and supporting customers who want to take advantage of Amazon EC2 to cut substantial costs in the coming year," Mark Haynie, Micro Focus' CTO of Application Modernization, in a prepared statement. "We will be alongside every customer as they navigate the cloud with tighter IT budgets and an increased focus on fast results."
In addition, Micro Focus announced that Enterprise Cloud Services will be available to its ISV network as a "new sales channel." ISVs can run COBOL applications in the cloud and let users access them through a SaaS interface.
For more information, go to http://www.cloudservices.microfocus.com.


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A brazen thief walks out of a metro store with a diamond ring worth thousands of dollars, and it was all caught on tape.
The suspect didn't waste any time before pulling off the high dollar heist.
It happened at Kirk's Pawn Shop in Warr Acres. The place has been in business for years, but it took a matter of minutes for a man to walk out with an expensive piece of jewelry.
“We almost got robbed once, almost,” Tyler Potts said.
The next closest thing to that in the 20 plus years Kirk's Pawn Shop has been in business was a man who recently walked in and stole a ring.
“He's coming in right here,” said Potts as he watched the surveillance video. “He's got something in his hand. He's got a wrapper. He was eating a little cake or something.”
The suspect also left with something in his hand that was much more valuable and a whole lot sweeter than the Little Debbie he walked in with. You can hear the man talk as he walks up to the counter.
“I'm looking for your jewelry,” said the suspect. “I was going to buy a little jewelry from you.”
“He's completely cool about," said Potts. "He's real casual and not a worry in his mind.”
The suspect has his plan down pat. He tells the owner he's looking for something special, so the owner shows him one of his most unique pieces – a pear shaped diamond ring.
The man holds onto it.
“He's got the ring in his hand the whole time,” Potts said.
He then asks to see something else.
"He said, ‘I want to get me a chain to go with it,'” Potts said.
The owner goes to the back of the store to find one. The suspect looks familiar to Potts.
“I know he'd been in here before, but I'd say it has been a good six months since he'd been in here,” Potts said.
The video shows the man mosey over to speakers that are on display.
“He's looking at them like he's interested in them,” said Potts. “He's got the ring, and then he just gradually walks out the front door.”
The suspect slips the ring into his pocket and walks out the door.
The owner is still in the back, and Potts didn't know the man had the ring until he was gone.
Video shows him walk out of the store and motion to someone. He then gives a thumbs up as he walks away from the pawn shop.
“He sticks his thumb up like, ‘I got it,'” Potts said.
If you have any information, contact the Warr Acres Police Department.


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While business conditions for Toro Co. seem less dire than they did a year ago, the company’s fourth quarter produced a narrow net loss on sales that were down 15 percent.
“We’ve seen signs of gradual stabilization in our markets,” CEO Michael Hoffman told analysts on a conference call Tuesday. The Bloomington-based maker of turf maintenance equipment and irrigation systems reported a loss of $532,000, or 2 cents per share, for the quarter. But that was better than the 11-cent loss that analysts were expecting.
The company is hoping golf courses and landscaping companies start to make equipment purchases they’ve put off during the recession. Toro’s professional segment net sales for fiscal 2009 were $966 million, down 26 percent from 2008.
The pace of the economic recovery remains a question, Hoffman said, explaining the company’s outlook for 2010. Toro’s estimate for full-year earnings in 2010 was more sobering than Wall Street expected, coming in at $2 per share, instead of the $2.08 analysts had projected.
“In the big picture, we were very pleased with our residential business” in 2009, Hoffman said. The presence of Toro products at key retailers, such as Home Depot, and weather that brought in consumers helped in 2009, he said.
The residential segment sales total of $533 million for fiscal 2009, which includes lawn mowers and snowblowers, was down just 1.9 percent from 2008. Total earnings for that segment in 2009 were $46.4 million, up from $35.3 million.
To match the decline in demand, Toro trimmed expenses in 2009, including cutting about 15 percent of its work force. The company also consolidated some of its manufacturing operations.
Looking at current conditions, Hoffman mentioned the snow that was forecast to hit several cities in the Upper Midwest this week.
“That would be a good thing,” he said.
Toro’s stock closed Tuesday at $39.67 per share, down 27 cents, or less than 1 percent, for the day.
John Welbes can be reached at 651-228-2175.
Fourth Qtr. ended Oct. 31
(in thousands, except per share)
Revenue $288,564 $341,240
Net Inc. $(532) $13
Per Share $(0.02) $—
Revenue $1,523,447 $1,878,184
Net Inc. $62,837 $119,651
Per Share $1.73 $3.10