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The open source ownCloud file sync and sharing project is moving into the commercial space with the release of new Business and Enterprise editions this week. The Business and Enterprise Editions build on the ownCloud 3.0 release that debuted in February.
The new editions provide additional management capabilities and commercial support. What ownCloud is essentially doing is providing an open source alternative to Dropbox that is now more integrated with enterprise systems.
“Dropbox created a market for something we didn’t really know that we needed, but now that it’s out there, it’s hard to be without it,” Markus Rex, CEO of ownCloud told InternetNews.com. “We want to make sure that everyone has the same ability while still being able to maintain their own requirements and corporate needs.”
The ownCloud business edition is intended for use for up to 50 users while ownCloud Enterprise can handle up to 250 users and be rebranded by OEMs. Both editions will be delivering new management capabilities over the open source version in incremental stages. The initial commercial release includes new clients for end users. A new management interface is set to be released six weeks from now that will provide a full GUI for managing ownCloud deployments.
Security is key concern when it comes to storage. Rex noted that ownCloud now has full logging capabilities and a log analyzer. The upcoming management panel will expand the logging with additional visualization capabilities. Full integration with LDAP and ActiveDirectory is another key component of the commercial release.
“There is not a single conversation we have where security does not come up,” Rex said. “Since ownCloud sits in your own data center, it is protected at the same level as your data center as a whole.”
For those using the community edition of ownCloud, Rex emphasized that migration to the commercial release isn’t hard. He explained that fundamentally, the commercial release is an update to the community edition. As such, all an enterprise must do is install the update and then the commercial edition just runs.
The ownCloud community and commercial releases will remain linked together with updates to the commercial packages within two months of a new community release. The next major ownCloud release is set for the end of April. It will have full versioning capabilities for file sync and sharing.


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By Darlene Donloe
Food Forward has been helping to alleviate food insecurity in Southern California’s most vulnerable communities since 2009.
The organization fights hunger and prevents food waste by rescuing fresh surplus produce and connecting the abundance with people experiencing food insecurity and inspiring others to do the same.
Food Forward has recovered and distributed enough produce to provide nearly 250,000 people with their daily recommended servings of fruit and vegetables.
During COVID in 2020, more than 62 million pounds of produce was enough food to provide the U.S. Department of Agriculture-recommended serving of fresh fruits and vegetables to nearly 200,000 people each day. It was a 135% increase over 2019 volumes, 2.4 times as much as the organization recovered and distributed in 2019.
In 2019, pre-COVID, Food Forward distributed more than 26 million pounds of produce, enough food to provide the USDA-recommended serving of fresh fruits and vegetables to over 82,000 people each day.
With a budget of $6.7 million, costing eight cents in operational costs to recover and distribute one pound of fresh produce to communities 100% free of charge, Food Forward, which works with about 200 agencies, recovers produce across eight California counties that include Los Angeles and Ventura, along with six adjacent states and tribal lands.
It’s a three-prong, business-to-business model designed to have maximum effect.
“There are three different programs,” said Nkemdilim Nwosu, Food Forward’s director of communications. “Our partners get the food from us and get it into their communities. That way, we’re able to touch so many communities.”
The first is Backyard Harvest, started in 2009, which is driven by volunteers who actually pick up the fruit from private properties that have fallen from someone’s trees in their yard. It includes citrus, persimmons, avocados, pomegranates, guavas and more.
There is also a Farmer’s Market Recovery program launched in 2012, also volunteer driven which involves recovering the surplus fruits and vegetables after the market has closed. A single market can yield more than 2,000 pounds of seasonal produce.
In 2014, a Wholesale Recovery program began where tons of produce is acquired and put in a refrigerated warehouse. Food Forward’s staff rescues fresh fruits and vegetables from wholesale vendors by the truckload to prevent unnecessary waste.
“It goes to the warehouse for our relief partners,” said Nwosu, a UCLA graduate. “We reduce food waste. It’s produce that would have gone to waste. We are building healthy communities. It’s two-fold. It’s environmental.”
The problem with food insecurity is nationwide.
“One in five people is food insecure,” Nwosu said. “It’s not a joke. It needs to be addressed. The face of hunger changes. There isn’t one face of hunger. Everyone’s life circumstances can happen quickly. It’s many faces. It can be any one of us at any point in our lives.”
While one in five people is food insecure, Nwosu pointed out that at the same time, 35% of the food produced in the U.S. is unsold or uneaten each year, amounting to an annual loss of $408 billion to the economy.
Nwosu, who joined the organization in January 2022, did so because she “always wanted to do mission-related work.”
“I made it a priority to do good work in the community,” said Nwosu, who worked in nonprofits within the entertainment industry prior to joining Food Forward. “Food Forward was fighting food insecurity and it was mission-related. This isn’t an agency or organization problem.”
Nwosu said everyone “can get involved and do something to help.”
“It’s important that people take action,” she said. “Invest in long-term practices. Get involved. Take some form of action. Volunteer. Get more informed on what’s happening, and donate.”
Nwosu describes Food Forward as having the most passionate people when it comes to fighting food insecurity.
“We do it in a wise way,” said Nwosu, a Los Angeles native. We want to do it smart and help the planet. We have a community of mission-related individuals.”
Food Forward’s model is plant-based.
“We do healthy food,” Nwosu said. “We don’t deal with meat or dairy. The food we distribute is plant-based.”
While the pandemic emphasized food insecurity nationwide, Nwosu said way before COVID it was already an existing problem.
“The problem is access,” she said. “It’s all about access. It’s how the food system has been shaped. It’s about not having access to healthy produce. It’s about how many grocery stores a community has access to. Are the stores getting healthy produce?”
COVID revealed a whole new wave of people who had fallen victim to food insecurity.
“I was not surprised at who needed access to fresh food,” Nwosu said. “I’m aware that it exists. I grew up in South L.A. I’m surprised by how many partners we’re serving. Not surprised that there is a need.
Food Forward was launched by Rick Nahmias, the founder, and CEO.
Nahmias noticed that some of his neighbors who had trees with fruit had a lot of it drop to the ground and rotten. He mobilized some volunteers to recover the fruit and Food Forward was born.
Before founding Food Forward, Nahmias, who believes access to healthy, fresh and nutritious food is a human right, was an award-winning photographer and writer who focused on the faces and stories of marginalized communities.
His formal training as a cook, along with his exploration of California’s agricultural workforce in his body of work entitled “The Migrant Project: Contemporary California Farm Workers” gave him a deep appreciation of and involvement in both the gourmet cooking and food justice worlds.
“He is passionate and hands-on creative,” Nwosu said. “He’s always looked at the problem of food insecurity as hopeful. We all have to work together. We want to build healthy communities. It’s not something one organization can do. We all have a hand in this. We can all move that needle.”
Nwosu is optimistic when it comes to alleviating food insecurity.
“I’m hopeful because there are organizations that are committed,” she said. “I do understand there has to be a clear investment across the board. We need policies to shift and move the needle. I’m hopeful because people are passionate. There is a collective effort across the board and a government lens to it. We have multiple partners. One organization can’t do it. There is still a lot of work to do.”
“Making a Difference” is a regular feature profiling organizations that are serving their communities. To propose a “Making a Difference” profile, send an email to email@example.com.
Darlene Donloe is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers South Los Angeles. She can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.

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“Leading up to the Crossfit games I introduced CBD-collagen powder into my training supplementation and my muscles and joints have never felt better,” he says. Worth noting: CBD products won’t lead to failed drug testing at competitive sporting events like the Games.
Scientists are still in the early stages of studying CBD at a clinical level, but according to Laurie Brodsky, HBSc, ND, Dirty Lemon’s in-house naturopathic practitioner, CBD has been shown to suppress the inflammatory response, along with the neuropathic pain that athletes may experience. “Plus, it may improve sleep quality, and sleep is very important for recovery after exercise,” she says.
“Exercise causes tiny micro-tears in muscle fibers, which when repaired, allow the muscle to grow back stronger. But there’s an inflammatory response,” say Andrew Kerklaan Ph.D., creator of the Dr. Kerklaan Therapeutics line of cannabis-infused topicals.
1. Altrufuel Collagen Recovery
With purported benefits that include glowier skin, muscle growth, reduced inflammation, and tissue repair, collagen is already a superstar. But when combined with CBD, the benefits reach a new level. “This combo is the first of its kind,” Altrufuel founder Ian Berger says, who used the protein powder before competing in the 2018 CrossFit Games. “The benefits of collagen are many, and paired with CBD it is any active person’s dream recovery formula for reduced inflammation and increased relaxation.”
Health pros recommend consuming between 15 to 25 grams of protein the hour after running, and this powder provides 20 grams of grass-fed whey protein. It also contains BCAAs, which have been shown to help you feel less zonked post sweat-sesh.
Want to try this high form of post-workout self-care? Get your workout recovery on with the below 11 CBD-enhanced products.
Laferrara was introduced to CBD via friends in the fitness industry who tried it after cannabis was legalized in Colorado in 2014. Now, she’s a devoted user. (A CBDevotee?) “It basically manages and prevents my joint inflammation, that aching kind of feeling, that I’d get after a heavy lift day,” she says.
CBD is commonly regarded as safe to use. Even the doctors published in Frontiers in Neurology said: “High doses of up to 1,500 mg per day and chronic use have been repeatedly shown to be well tolerated by humans.” You shouldn’t need that much, though figuring out how much you do need can be tricky, as there is no “standard” dose.
Yes. In December, President Donald Trump signed a new Farm Bill, which, among other things, legalized the growth, distribution, and sale of industrialized hemp, allowing it to be “cultivated for any use”—including the production and extraction of CBD.
Can CBD really help fight post-workout inflammation?
Cannabidiol is having a moment. Though you may not recognize its scientific moniker, you’ve probably seen it referred to by its buzzy nickname: CBD.
While those seem like potentially huge breakthroughs, CBD is also said to help with smaller stuff, like helping you recover faster from workouts thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties. Before you dive into a pool of CBD oil, here’s everything you need to know.
Is there scientific proof?
“As a personal trainer and someone that works out every day and really pushes myself a lot, I noticed the biggest difference in inflammation and stress after a workout,” Tara Laferrara, a former sprinter and a NASM certified personal trainer, told MensHealth.com about her personal use of CBD.
CBD has a lot of purported benefits with a lot of anecdotal (and some scientific) evidence to back those claims. Everything from helping cancer patients fight nausea, to acting as a sleep aid for people with insomnia, to reducing seizures in children with a severe form of epilepsy known as Dravet Syndrome.


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TymeBank nearly at 500,000 clients, ARC Investments says
The digital bank was launched in February and operates via kiosks at Pick n Pay and Boxer Stores
TymeBank is on track to have 500,000 clients within the next three weeks, according to parent company African Rainbow Capital Investments (ARC Investments).
The digital bank, which was launched in February and operates via kiosks at Pick n Pay and Boxer Stores, has signed up more than 400,000 clients to date, Patrice Motsepe’s ARC Investments said on Monday...
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Dell is one of the world's leading server vendors, but where is Dell in the world of converged, engineered systems for the cloud?
In a video interview, Jim Ganthier, VP and GM for engineered solutions and cloud at Dell, details how Dell tackles the converged marketplaces with products and solutions for cloud workloads.
Ganthier explained that there isn't a single perfect server platform for the cloud.
"The reason is that one size fits none, and every customer is on a different stop on their cloud journey," Ganthier said.
That said, Dell does have single SKU solutions for the cloud, with the Dell Cloud Platform system at the high-end, which is a co-designed platform with Microsoft.
On the OpenStack cloud side, Dell doesn't have a single SKU system, but rather has a set of reference architectures.
Watch the full video with Jim Ganthier below:


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Prepaid commerce solutions platform CashStar has announced that Sephora is seeing an 800 percent increase in the growth rate of its digital gifting revenue after adopting CashStar Commerce.
"As we began to rethink our prepaid commerce program and determine how to best market the concept of digital gifting to our clients, it became clear that an omnichannel strategy was essential," said Bridget Dolan, VP, Sephora Innovation Lab. "CashStar technology has enabled us to offer our clients the ability to instantly send digital gifts from any computer, tablet or smartphone. It's also allowed us to focus on our primary business objective—driving revenue growth through smarter and faster client experiences."
Sephora cites mobile as a key driver in unifying and implementing the brand's gifting program in all channels. By integrating the gifting option into the Sephora- to- Go app, the retailer has enabled shoppers to store gift cards on their phone.
CashStar also allows gift givers to personalize their e-gifts by uploading photos and videos. If a user selects a Beauty Studio Services eGift card, he or she will also receive a 45-minute in-store client makeover in addition to the value of the card.
Sephora has seen a 51 percent redemption rate within the first month of activating the eGift card service since implementing CashStar, and a 30 percent higher purchase value compared to plastic gift cards.
Earlier this month, Sephora unveiled its innovation lab and introduced a host of digital initiatives, including Pocket Contour, a mobile service that teaches users to apply makeup according to his or her specific facial shape.
-See this Sephora press release
Sephora's Flash could make shipping twice as fast
Sephora unveils innovation lab, launches new digital initiatives
Sephora launching its own social media website
Sephora: We want customers 'showrooming' in our stores
Sephora realizes 150 percent growth in mobile


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Sales of recreational cannabis for adults in New Jersey reached $116.5 million from July to September.
Revenue of $146 million was announced by the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission on Friday, up from $80 million reported previously. This increase is attributable to the first six months of legal adult-use cannabis sales in 13 dispensaries across the state, which took place between late April and early June.
On April 21, New Jersey officially began selling recreational marijuana to anybody over the age of 21. Gross sales have steadily increased. Up until May 26, 12 dispensaries in a state with 9.3 million people had sold $24 million in adult-use cannabis, or an average of $5 million each week.
The CRC reported that between April 21 and the conclusion of the fiscal year on June 30, sales of adult recreational marijuana produced almost $80 million.
New Jersey now has 20 dispensaries where adults can legally purchase marijuana, all of which are owned by eight massive national corporations that operate as multi-state operators (MSOs).
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Ascend Fort Lee, where clients may pick up their online adult cannabis orders at the flesh and mortar facility, opened just last month.
In addition, there are 10 dispensaries serving medical marijuana patients that are not owned by MSOs.
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The Secaucus, New Jersey-based Harmony Foundation Inc. is one such organisation. At the commission’s last meeting on December 2, the business was granted permission to commence adult pot sales, making it the first nonprofit medical dispensary to enter the New Jersey adult weed market.
In a statement released on Friday, a representative for Harmony said the company is awaiting the final permit for adult recreational cannabis sales, which may arrive any day now that the CRC has completed its site inspection. Harmony is ready to start selling to adults as soon as it does, according to the company’s spokeswoman.
The CRC has stated that the incorporation of Harmony heralds the beginning of the next phase of development for the sector. Many experts in the business have warned that the 20 dispensaries managed by MSOs in the Garden State are not enough to meet long-term demand without bringing in additional suppliers. As more and more small businesses begin to apply for and receive annual licences to operate dispensaries, they may be able to address this need.
New Jersey is “just seeing the beginning of what is possible for cannabis,” CRC Executive Director Jeff Brown said in a statement. We have already granted 36 New Jersey entrepreneurs annual licences to operate recreational cannabis companies, including 15 dispensaries.
Brown explained, “Just those firms will be a major increase of the market.” We anticipate an increase in business and lower prices as a result of new store openings and increased competition.
George Archos, founder and CEO of Verano, expressed satisfaction with the state of New Jersey. Neptune Township became the third location to sell legal marijuana on August 5 after Zen Leaf’s flagship store in Lawrence and Elizabeth.
Emailing NJ Advance Media late on a Friday night, Archos expressed their excitement about the state’s thriving cannabis sector. Given New Jersey’s huge and dense population, strong summer tourism season, and closeness to neighbouring states without existing legal adult use cannabis programmes, the remarkable revenue growth estimates the Cannabis Regulatory Commission revealed from the third quarter are not surprising.
The CRC reports that within the same three-month period, total sales proceeds of $177.7 million were generated through the sale of medicinal cannabis. That sum was also a rise when compared to sales of medical cannabis from April to July.
CRC Chairwoman Dianna Houenou stated in the same release that they are looking forward to seeing local, small company owners take part in this attractive sector. This is being paved through our priority application process and other innovative efforts, such as the New Jersey Business Action Center’s free Cannabis Training Academy, set to debut in early 2023.
There is a 6.625% sales tax on recreational marijuana in Garden State. The bulk of the cannabis tax collected from adults goes toward maintaining and expanding the CRC’s operations and staff.


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Microsoft transfers ownership of NZ business to Bermuda
Microsoft has transferred the ownership of its New Zealand business from Luxembourg to Bermuda, according to a June 2 Companies Office filing.
Tom Pullar-Strecker, who broke the story for Stuff, notes the change was notified on the same day Revenue Minister Judith Collins was travelling to Paris to mark the government's support for an OECD's (slow-moving) effort to clamp down on multinational revenue and profit-shifting.
Luxembourg has recently been under pressure from the EU over its role as a tax haven, opening opportunities for Bermuda, which charges no corporate tax.
Microsoft moved its NZ operation under the control of a subsidiary in Luxembourg in 2014.
At the time, in something of a Tui moment, the company said the switch had nothing to do with tax. Microsoft says the latest change is part of a corporate restructuring.
Pullar-Strecker quotes John Prebble, QC, a law professor and tax expert at Victoria University saying "All Microsoft NZ's income is taxed in New Zealand." These days, in the weightless cloud economy, it's common for online software and services billed to customers in New Zealand to be invoiced to a subsidiary in a lower tax country, reducing the amount of income booked locally.
Prof Prebble adds that it could influence how much tax Microsoft paid overseas on revenue streams such as royalty payments that the local subsidiary paid to its parent company.
Royalty payments often loom large on the financial result of the New Zealand subsidiaries of multinational tech and telco companies.
Bouncing around: a new sole shareholder for Microsoft NZ.
Ms Collins talked tough when first appointed revenue minister, but more recently has been toeing the let's-wait-for-the-OECD line. Meanwhile, Australia's unilateral crackdown on profit-shifting continues apace.
However, the IRD has been more assertive in enforcing the current rules.
Inland Revenue declined comment on Microsoft's corporate structure but did recently announce that it has initiated an audit of the company's transfer pricing (the prices that divisions of a large company charge each other for goods and services and has been used by multinationals to shift profits to low-tax jurisdictions from countries with higher tax rates).
You might expect Spark's Simon Moutter to have a ping at Microsoft on Twitter.
In this instance, he might be muted by the fact that in its new Bermudan corporate home, Microsoft NZ will rub shoulders with the 50% Spark-owned Southern Cross Cable Network.
Mr Moutter has previously groused about NBR mentioning the Bermuda incorporation, saying Spark pays full tax on its profits from the venture when they are returned to New Zealand as dividends.
But by the same token, could it not be said Apple, Microsoft, Google and co do pay tax on revenue earned in New Zealand, just often not here?
“The difference is that Southern Cross is a carrier-to-carrier cable,” Mr Moutter says.
The company operates a fibre optic cable between Australia, New Zealand and the US, wholesaling broadband capacity to telcos and ISPs.
“It’s a linking service,” he continues. “We don’t actually earn revenues by selling things to customers in America or the other countries. It earns its revenue by selling linking services to carriers in each country. So it is effectively counting the revenue where it’s earned. So that is the right construct."
He says Bermuda is a neutral location given there are investors from three countries (the minority investors are US company Verizon and Singapore's Singtel).
One NBR commenter noted:
Customers pay Southern Cross a large amount of money in advance for multiple years of bandwidth. However accounting rules mean that you can only record the income as it is earned over those years; any "unearned income" is recorded as a liability. Southern Cross therefore has large cash balances as assets, an offsetting large liability of unearned revenue and small retained earnings. In most jurisdictions this would mean that the cash was trapped as it would be hard to get out of the business.
Bermuda, however, allows you to distribute income as dividends even if your retained earnings are negative - provided that at some point they will become positive and that you can pay your debts.
Having Southern registered in Bermuda therefore allows you to turn unearned income into earned dividends; and bring the cash back into NZ as early profits.
And readers thought Bermuda was only good for yachting.


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The Cent team aims to offer a familiar social media experience while making the most of Web3.
Cent has created a new function that allows users to transfer cryptocurrency via chat. It was announced yesterday that the feature enables payments without downloading a crypto wallet such as MetaMask. You just log-in with an email, password and phone number, Cent CEO Max Brody explained.
Cent investor, Jake Brukhman of CoinFund, summarized the startup’s mission, he said that Cent’s plan in the long-term isn’t focused on tipping as much as the idea that people should be able to earn money online from their creativity, their art and their content.
Cent provides an in-built custodial wallet, comparable to the payments feature in Facebook messenger. It has the ability to also sync up with MetaMask.
The team’s goal is to offer a familiar social media experience and still utilizing the best parts of Web3, said Steven McKie an investor in Cent.
Cent uses “seed” content they like, speculating on its popularity.
For example, a reader publicly tips $1 worth of ether to a blogger for a specific post. A quarter of the crypto goes to the content creator, while the rest is divided among early readers who also “seeded” the post.
The first set of contributors that give larger amounts get a proportional fraction of the tip. This attracts users to share and promote content because the more tips it attracts the more they also earn.


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Apocalypse Pods To Beat The End Of The World
As people across the globe tremble in anticipation of next week’s supposed Mayan-predicted apocalypse, one Chinese villager says he has just what humanity needs – tsunami-proof survival pods.
Former farmer and furniture maker Liu Qiyuan, 45, calls the spheres Noah’s Arks, designed to withstand towering tsunamis and devastating earthquakes.
The pods use a glass fibre casing over a steel frame. They cost 300,000 yuan (£30,000) each, and are equipped with oxygen tanks, food and water supplies.


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Of course it is understandable with all the exciting new technologies like smartphones and tablets, which probably add a bit more value than bigger and more robust devices like computers.
Highly likely that we will never get to the point where personal computers are actually gone from our everyday life. While not being physically on our table, the hardware pieces are part of other devices like TVs, home automation systems or if you will – smart mirrors which display you morning news while brushing your teeth. Majority of the work tasks can be already now solved using smartphones, while leaving the computing part to the enormous server parks, which common people will never see during their lifetime.
Mobile World Live has stated, that comparing to the last year same time in the second quarter, there has been shipped almost double number of mobile devices from 156.5 million units to 229.6 million in Q2 2013 (read more). Understandably, where there is a demand, there is a offer – so actually that tells us that people all around the world are willing to buy more and more smartphones. Of course at some regions, developing countries, it is just a new wave of growing trend, while in Europe, USA and China people probably are exchanging their old devices or choosing new smartphones and tablets over a new laptops or desktop computers.
Does this growing number of mobile devices also mean more SMSs being sent all over the world? I certainly hope so, since the SMS has proven to be one of the best ways of communication with a personal touch, over a distance, next to the phone calls.


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As the midterm elections heat up and come to a close, how are you planning to reach your desired target audience?
With the 2018 congressional elections generating more attention than the earlier midterms, there is a great opportunity for advertisers to use digital advertising to influence voters.
2018 is set to be a record year for political ad spending. Borrell Associates forecasted 2018 political ad spend to reach $8.8 billion, which is 6.3% up compared to the previous “Year 2” cycle in 2014.
In such a competitive political climate, where hundreds of political races are taking place, political advertisers and marketers must rethink their digital advertising strategy to ensure that they are running brand-safe and effective campaigns to reach the right voters.
The rise of OTT advertising is a new method for political advertising, as this was just emerging during the 2016 elections. With nearly 200M OTT viewers in 2018, as per eMarketer, advertising on connected TV is the new way of TV advertising.
According to Telaria’s recently released political ad data, there is a 200% growth in political ad spending in 2018, as compared to the same period in 2016. The company also saw a shift away from display advertising and toward connected TV advertising.
Digital advertising is the second largest type of advertising spend comprising 20.1% and $1.77 billion dollars. Second only to, and gaining on, broadcast TV.
Changing consumer habits are playing an essential role in the growth of political ad spend on OTT advertising. The type of viewers who are adopting streaming habits to watch tv content include both the young and affluent — a combination that has great appeal to advertisers. Younger demographics are the ones that may not be watching traditional or linear TV at all, making OTT advertising one of the most effective ways to reach them.
“The biggest problem the candidates have this year, and last year and the year before is reaching 18-34s. If you look at any of the recent reports from eMarketer or Nielsen, that demographic is viewing less and less content on the television screen, and more through over-the-air and connected devices. The politicians understand these are the voters not only of today but also tomorrow.”
Aman Sareen, Co-Founder and CEO, ZypMedia
Focus on close elections where digital advertising will make the most impact.
Forecasters are predicting 2018 to be a record year for political ad spending, with hundreds of congressional and state races likely to push advertising totals into the billions of dollars. With a rapidly changing political climate, these are some of the states that we anticipate to have more advertising dollars to be spent on cutting through the competition:
There is a huge opportunity for political advertisers as TV is going through an OTT revolution.
The pace of digital disruption that is transforming the TV industry is increasing day by day.
OTT advertising is a great fit for political because it has the appeal of traditional TV advertising with the added benefits of audience targeting and digital measurement.
Savvy political advertisers are following the mounting OTT audience growth to reach their voters. Today, OTT delivers the best of attributes of TV with the capability to precisely target consumers down to the local level, and a growing ability to target using demographic and psychographic factors.
Content on connected TV devices takes up the full screen, making it unlikely for an ad to not be fully viewable. OTT viewers are not channel-surfers —they’ve initiated the show themselves — and they represent a highly engaged audience.
OTT is the key to successfully selling digital advertising for the 2018 political season
At ZypMedia, we anticipate that OTT is going to be a significant platform for investing your political advertising budgets into throughout the rest of October, right up to the November 6th midterm election. It will also see political traction beyond the election, supporting followup political campaigns after the vote.
OTT helps you and your clients reach the right voters with a more personalized message down at the local level. The close touch provided via local digital ads is a substantial opportunity for advertisers and media companies to use local targeting to increase awareness and interaction between the community.
For political advertisers looking to access cutting-edge marketing technology, ZypMedia promises the full package. We help large media companies with local outlets, like television and radio stations, plan and execute massive political advertising campaigns.
The U.S. Midterm Election Is Only a Month Away - Are You Taking Advantage of This Ad Selling Opportunity?
You have only the next few weeks to capture this heightened political advertising demand. The time to start working on those deals is now.
SpotX has ranked ZypMedia as one of the top 5 DSPs to help it reach 18x year-over-year growth in advertiser dollars spent on OTT in 2017. We help professionals like you sell more over-the-top advertising every day.
You have questions about selling OTT advertising to politicians. We have answers. Get in touch with our team today to capture the Q4 political ad spend budget.


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We’re just weeks away from running wild in Steelport with Deep Silver’s Saints Row IV, which returns players to the chaos-filled city just in time to fend off an impending alien invasion.
Today, the company released a new developer diary, one that goes behind-the-scenes with the development crew at Volition. You can view it below.
Senior Producer Jim Boone, Creative Director Steve Jaros and Lighting Lead Chris Claflin discuss their vision behind the creation of the sequel, while also paying tribute to the fans.
It is slightly NSFW due to cursing and use of a sexual toy as a weapon, but if you’re a fan, you’ll definitely want to check it out.
Saints Row IV releases on August 20th for Xbox 360, PC and PlayStation 3.


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Some big gains in the value of the start-up equity stakes held by its $100 billion Vision Fund and its successor, the now $30 billion Vision Fund II, drove Japanese investment group Softbank to a $46 billion (¥4.98tn) annual net profit for the year to the end of March. The sum almost doubled the previous record, the ¥2.5tn reported by Toyota during the 2017-18 fiscal year, for an annual profit recorded by a Japanese company.
Masayoshi Son, the Softbank founder and chief executive, cautioned that the stellar sum was the result of a combination of favourable circumstances, particularly IPOs for a number of the company’s the Vision Fund had invested in. He emphasised the back-patting should be limited in the context of other failed investments, with WeWork, Katerra, and Greensill name-checked. But was also keen to promise investors the huge profit would not prove to be a “one-off”.
Despite the overall success for the last fiscal year, whose beginning almost precisely mirrored the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, some of Softbank’s biggest investments, like WeWork and Uber, were badly impacted by lockdown restrictions. But a generally bullish market for technology companies meant that a falling valuation for some stakes was more than compensated for by big returns elsewhere.
One of the biggest contributors to the huge profit was South Korean e-commerce company Coupang, which went public in March. The Coupang IPO turned Softbank’s original $2.7 billion investment in the company into a stake worth $28 billion.
However, some of the valuations that drove the $46 billion net figure have fallen back since the end of March as a result of the general sell-off in U.S. technology stocks catalysed by growing concern over creeping inflation. That’s seen Coupang’s valuation drop from a high of $118 billion to $62 billion currently. The value of the group’s stake in Uber has also shed 15% over the past several weeks, as has its shareholding in KE Holdings, which owns the popular Chinese property platform Beike Zhaofang.
With market volatility is expected by many to remain a factor for the foreseeable future, Softbank will face a challenge in mitigating the same level of volatility in the value of its holdings. However, Son expects the market for public offerings to remain robust, which he hopes will mean several more start-ups the group invests in will move to IPO over the current financial year. That will allow stakes to be monetised.
The Softbank share price reached a 21-year high in mid-March but has since fallen back by around 17%.
This article is for information purposes only.
Please remember that financial investments may rise or fall and past performance does not guarantee future performance in respect of income or capital growth; you may not get back the amount you invested.
There is no obligation to purchase anything but, if you decide to do so, you are strongly advised to consult a professional adviser before making any investment decisions.


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Celebrating 30 years of supplying mobile and fixed crushing and screening equipment across Australia, Screenmasters has been the distributor of the Keestrack brand of products for the past two decades. Built around the ideology “performance in every detail”, Keestrack is a global mobile crushing and screening equipment manufacturer that has grown from a family business set up in 1988 to now having an annual turnover of 100 million Euros.
With the established Australian presence thanks to Screenmasters, the R6h HSI impact crusher is one example of Keestrack machinery being successfully deployed across the country, saving customers thousands in maintenance and operating costs each month, Screenmasters says.
Hi-Quality Group – One such company is construction and quarry business Hi-Quality Group. Supplying a diverse range of products and solutions across four states and 12 sites, and employing over 250 staff, Hi-Quality operates quarries, landfills and recycling centres, selling natural rock and recycled products. Over the past couple of years Hi Quality Group has purchased several new and used Keestrack scalping and flip flow screens for recycling. However, the R6h HSI impact crusher is providing significant benefits, with the one machine replacing the need for a separate jaw crusher, cone crusher and screen set-up – allowing Hi Quality Group to produce up to four products in one pass.
Having purchased its first R6 in 2016, Hi-Quality Group recently took ownership of two new Keestrack R6h impactors for its quarry operations in NSW and Victoria. The original R6 now has 10,000 hours on the clock and still processes recycled concrete on a daily basis. It was this reliability that gave Hi Quality the confidence to move away from traditional crushing processing
methods to just running one machine, says Screenmasters. “We have replaced three crushers and one screen with one Keestrack R6h impactor to produce 20mm Class 3 road base and aggregates at a rate of 220 tonnes per hour,” Hi Quality Group crushing production manager Paul Oostendorp says. “This has allowed us to significantly reduce our fuel, maintenance, wear,
parts and labour costs, allowing us to streamline our operation. “The newer machines, with the higher horsepower engine, have blown us away with their overall performance and durability. In my opinion the Keestrack R6h is a no brainer.”
Key features – The new R6h features a series of updates to the model, including a larger 765hp (570kW) Volvo engine, which has led to an increase in overall performance and the quality
of the final product shape and sizing. Users can produce 20mm Class 2 and 3 road base with just one machine. The R6 features a 16×5 double deck screen and a 3.1m independent double deck pre-screen with fines conveyor, as well as a 6.5-tonne rotor powered directly off the engine. The R6 has a 600mm maximum feed size and a pan feeder underneath the rotor to reduce wear on the main conveyor and help prevent any conveyor stoppages. The machine comes with sealed bearings on all tail and head drums (where possible), with no daily greasing and hydraulic hosing has been replaced with steel hydraulic pipes to offer easy access for service and maintenance.
“This is just one example of a Keestrack machine changing the crushing industry and saving Australian contractors and quarry owners thousands in maintenance and operating costs every month,” Screenmasters says. “The Keestrack R6h is currently the most productive impactor on the market today in many applications, including recycling, concrete crushing, quarry and aggregate production, and is a standout in processing notoriously difficult paddock and volcanic rock.”


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The Internet phone service providers try to win over consumers who now have a host of options when it comes to making calls.
On Thursday, both AT&T and Vonage said they were slashing prices on voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) plans beginning Friday. AT&T said its CallVantage service will cost $29.99 per month, down from $34.99 per month. The rate will apply to all existing customers and includes unlimited local and long-distance calling in the United States and Canada. AT&T also will offer a month of free service to new customers who are signing on until Jan. 31, 2005.
Vonage said it is lowering the price of its Premium Unlimited plan--which includes unlimited calls anywhere in the United States and Canada--by $5 to $24.99 per month. The company also said it is upgrading customers who were on its $24.99-per-month Unlimited Local plan to Premium Unlimited.
Locating local internet providers
"It's a very competitive market" for VoIP players, Schoolar said. "Cell phones are probably the biggest competition."
Internet telephone service provider 8x8, which sells a VoIP package that includes unlimited calling in the United States and Canada for $19.95, has no immediate plans to trim its pricing, said company CEO Bryan Martin. "We're still the low-price leader," he said. "Before we lower our price, someone's got to come in below us."
VoIP is technology that lets people talk over a broadband Internet connection, rather than a traditional telephone line. Net telephony packages also offer features found in traditional telephone services such as call waiting and forwarding. Because VoIP calls are placed over the Internet, they are generally less expensive than calls sent over the heavily taxed and regulated traditional phone network.
AT&T's price cut underscores its push to spark growth in its Net phone service, as VoIP becomes more central to its long-term plans. The phone giant in July said it would stop selling voice services to new customers due to changes in regulatory law, but added that it would aggressively market less-regulated VoIP services.
"Pricing the service for the holiday shopping season fits our expansion strategy and makes AT&T CallVantage Service even more affordable, which is great news for consumers as we give them more of what they want for less," Cathy Martine, AT&T senior vice president for Internet Telephony, said in a statement.
Recently, America Online confirmed that it is working on a Net telephony plan as well.
AT&T also on Thursday said it has begun shipping a "do it yourself" guide for multiple phone connections in homes, although technical help is available for a fee.


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Time Warner Cable Inc. is in talks about a potential sale to either Altice SA or Charter Communications Inc., people with knowledge of the matter said.
Stiv Wilson is not much of an exfoliator. Mr. Wilson, a 42-year-old environmental advocate, lives on a sailboat, wears flip-flops and doesn't care much for personal care products like fancy creams and moisturizers.
Walmart, the nation's largest grocery retailer, said on Friday that it would ask its meat, seafood, poultry, deli and egg suppliers to adopt animal welfare standards that include sufficient space and easy access to food and water.
SANTA BARBARA Government prosecutors are investigating the company at the center of the California oil spill for possible criminal sanctions, according to the district attorney of Santa Barbara - a city that helped spawn the modern environmental movement.
Microsoft offered $55 billion to acquire Salesforce earlier this year, but that wasn't enough to get Salesforce Founder and CEO Marc Benioff to agree to a deal, CNBC reported Friday.


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An Emmerdale soap star will officially open Poundland when it comes to Bracknell next week.
The discount store will open its doors to customers at The Peel Centre next Thursday, creating 30 new jobs.
Tom Lister, who plays Emmerdale’s Carl King, will make an appearance at the store’s fun day to mark the opening on Saturday, January 28.
He will kick off celebrations from 11am by signing autographs and having his picture taken with fans, as well as handing out £1 vouchers to shoppers.
Customers will also have the chance to win goodies by taking part in Poundland Lucky Numbers which involves £100 worth of Poundland vouchers being given away.
An in-store DJ and entertainer, who will be handing out balloons and sweets, will help draw the crowds.
David Coxon, Poundland’s trading director, said: “We are delighted to bring our unique proposition to Bracknell. Poundland offers exceptional value on top branded products to over four million customers every week.
“The £1 price hasn’t changed since we opened our first store 21 years ago. Our current customers love us and we are sure the Bracknell shoppers will too.”


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Google and parent company Alphabet have recently been facing slowed ad revenue growth thanks, in part, to a crypto bear market that’s being called “crypto winter.” During the company’s Q3 2022 earnings call, Google’s Chief Business Officer, Philipp Schindler, remarked on how the company has seen a reduction in ad spending in certain areas including financial services and “crypto subcategories.”
“In the third quarter, we did see a pullback in spend by some advertisers in certain areas in search,” explained Schindler. “For example in financial services, we saw a pullback in the insurance, loan, mortgage, and crypto subcategories.”
As noted by Google during its earnings call and by outlets like CNBC, the company has seen its ad revenue growth dip 6 percent, marking the weakest period for ad growth since 2013, with YouTube ad revenue also shrinking from the previous year. Aside from a noticeable reduction in spending from crypto companies, CEO Sundar Pichai has also pointed to the “challenging macro climate” as being among the things impacting Google’s ad revenue growth.
With this, it’ll be interesting to see moving forward how Google and Alphabet will tackle its ad revenue growth difficulties, and whether the crypto market and “crypto winter” will further impact ad revenue growth. Speaking of crypto winter, CNBC points out that Bitcoin and Ethereum have both lost nearly 60 percent of their value this year alone, with crypto exchange company Coinbase down by over 70 percent as well and having recently cut 18 percent of its workforce.
A few weeks ago, Google had also announced that it’s partnering with Coinbase to begin accepting crypto payments for its cloud services in 2023. After reading up on the recent Coinbase partnership, we recommend reading read through some of our other Google news as well, including Google’s (GOOGL) Q3 2022 earnings results missing EPS and revenue expectations, and Google (GOOGL) generating $54.48 billion in advertising revenue during Q3 2022.
Morgan Shaver posted a new article, Google says crypto bear market is partially to blame for ad revenue woes


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With All of the news regarding the Vapor Industry Lately, we at Great American Vapes, would like to assure our customers that we have taken pride in the safety and quality of the products offered at our stores, and we will continue to keep the highest standards.
Thank you for being our loyal customers. We look forward to being at your service into the future.
Great American Vapes would like to share the following information, and encourage everyone to do their own research.
Vaping nicotine has been established for almost a decade with no reported instances of illness. It was only recently that news of illness has surfaced and nearly all instances (if not all) have close ties to illegal THC liquids. The most likely cause is oil based thinning agents. The products we sell do not contain oil based agents.
Many patients report using products with liquids that contain cannabinoid products, such as THC, the active ingredient in marijuana that produces the high. State and federal health authorities are focusing on the role of contaminants or counterfeit substances as a likely cause.
The sudden onset of these mysterious illnesses and the patient's severe and distinctive symptoms have led investigators to focus on contaminants, rather than standard vaping products that have been in wise use for many years.
Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlied, a health advocate, Pfizer board member and CNBC contributor, said the current belief is the illnesses are linked to illegal vapes containing vitamin E oil - used as an emulsifying agent and dangerous when inhanled.
ON Friday, the FDA said many of the samples, tested by the states or by the agency as part of their investigation, contain THC. Most of those samples with THC also contained significant amounts of vitamin E.
An investigation revealed that cause...was linked to vaping illicit products containing THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana. While the investigation continues, officials urge consumers to steer clear of potentially counterfeit products.
Thursday, the New York State Department of Health said lab tests showed extremely high levels of vitamin E acetate in nearly all of the analyzed samples of products that contained cannabis.
Vitamin E acetate was not found in the nicotine products tested.


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Scouting report: Calories on way
Sometimes Girl Scout cookies sell themselves, such as when Mom takes the order form to work and leaves it on the breakroom table.
Other times, Girl Scouts get creative. Wednesday night, several members of Troop 30487 gathered in Summit Township to stuff sales packets and demonstrate how they attracted buyers to their booths in 2018, breaking out in a jingle about buying cookies that they wrote and performed to the tune of Maroon Five's "Sugar." Then they collapsed in giggles and continued munching on Samoas and Trefoils from the troop leader's freezer.
Speaking of sugar, you can expect that order form to appear somewhere near you starting Friday, the kickoff to the 2019 Girl Scout cookie sale. If you know a Girl Scout and are partial to online shopping, ask them to invite you to use their website. In the unlikely event that one of the 21,000 Girl Scouts in Girl Scout Western Pennsylvania council doesn't find you — or in the much-more-likely event that you decide you need more Girl Scout cookies than you ordered — booth sales will start Feb. 22. Go to www.gswpa.org to find booth locations and hours.
It's about more than sugar, though. And much more than money.
"I like being able to go on trips," said Maddy Dyne, 12, (favorite cookie, Samoas) who attended the meeting with her sister, Sadie Dyne, 9, (also Samoas) who said they sell the cookies to their aunt and grandma and many more. Stefanie Marshall, public relations and marketing associate for GSWPA, called Sadie a "cookie boss."
The troop, which has been together nearly eight years, actually got some special attention for a cookie-funded trip they took this past fall to Camp Skymeadow in Armstong County when they were able to work in a trip to the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium on Girl Scout Day. Their trip was featured on the GSWPA website.
In addition to trips and activities, the cookie sales also encourage shy girls to reach out to others more often.
"It's tough for a quiet girl to go up to a stranger and this gives them to the confidence to do that and say, 'Hey, they can do it. They can sell these things,'" said troop co-leader Leanne Keppler.
Her daughter, Elizabeth Keppler, 13, (favorite cookie, Tagalongs) said she actually likes the face-to-face interaction of booth sales.
"I like interacting with customers," she said. "I use my manners and I convince them to, but don't force them to buy cookies."
Norah Weiss, 12, (Tagalongs) said spreading cookies is like spreading joy. "I like seeing how people enjoy the cookies since we work so hard to bring them to them."
Troop co-leader Angela Plummer said the troop hasn't decided how to spend its money this year, but in addition to trips and activities, she said, the girls like to give to charities.
Emma Plummer (Trefoils), who was careful to mention she will turn 13 Jan. 20, said she liked getting money to donate to the A.N.N.A. Shelter and the Pittsburgh Children's Hospital. The troop donated to the hospital because a member who is in remission from leukemia was treated there.
They also donated enough to fill 10 baskets for Keppler's church food pantry at Thanksgiving.
Unlike in past years, there isn't a new cookie for 2019, as the 2018 S'mores cookie was so popular. But one thing is new: Any of the cookies — at $5 a box — will take a bigger bite out of your discretionary income.
If that made you wince, remember that it's for a good cause. Troop co-leader Angela Plummer said the Scouts learn how to handle good interactions, bad interactions, money management, teamwork, goal-setting and, of course, camaraderie.
"I like spending time with my friends on the trips," said Kayla Northrup, 13, munching on a Samoa, while one of those friends, Hannah Schott, 12, broke in, gesturing with a Trefoil, "And hanging out at cookie booths dressing up as cookies."
These girls have a plan, folks. Just give them your money before they start singing again.
Jennie Geisler can be reached at 870-1885 or by email. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ETNgeisler.
By the numbers
In 2018, the Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania (including 27 counties in western Pennsylvania) had a sweet year. Check out their stats:
2,634,273: boxes sold
16,635: number of Girl Scouts selling cookies
$1,925,703: raised for troops' treasuries
50,519: boxes sold for Operation: Sweet Appreciation, where buyers have the cookies they order sent to members of the U.S. military.
LISTEN: Another positive story from the Erie region


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In the Battle Royale PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) the developer has started an action for a good cause. To fight the consequences of the heavy bush fires in Australia, a special frying pan skin is now available in the ingame shop.
100% of the profit raised from the Australia Fire Relief – Pan skin will be donated to help communities across Australia with immediate bushfire relief and future support.
— PUBG (@PUBG) February 19, 2020
Frying pans against bush fires
Since the beginning of the severe bush fires in Australia, there have been repeated disaster reports from “Down Under”. The PUBG Corporation now announced to make a very special contribution to the reconstruction.
In cooperation with the popular illustrator Hector Janse “shitty_watercolour” van Rensburg they designed a special frying pan skin for the PUBG players.
For one month, the pan will be available for sale in PUBG’s in-game shop ($2.99 for PC / 300 G-Coins for consoles). According to PUBG Corporation, 100% of the resulting proceeds will then go to an aid organisation to support Australia.
The developers commented on the fundraising campaign as follows:
“Australia and our environment will take a long time to recover from this disaster, but we are grateful to be in a position to help with such an important cause.”
The PC version is already available and will remain on sale until March 19th. The console version will follow a week later on 27.02. and will be available until 26.03.
What do you think about the fundraiser? Tell us about it through the social media!


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Barcelona startup ecosystem gets 60% of the spanish investment
Barcelona’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is experiencing more growth than ever. Increasingly the investors are rooting for the Catalan city and its technological environment. Startups based here such as LetGo, Wallapop, UserZoom or TypeForm are leading the financing rounds. In the last year, tech sector generated more than 500 million USD in investment in Spain and 60 percent of the money invested went to Barcelona-based startups.
The numbers don’t lie. In 2015, companies and startups based in the European city got a number of funds of 324 million euro, including crowdfunding and biotechnological. Once again, Barcelona is the most relevant Spanish city in the technological landscape.
The data, published by WebCapitalRiesgo, StartupExplore, ACRI, novobrief and Mobile World Capital, shows the good status of the Barcelona’s entrepreneurial ecosystem where coexists tech companies and startups supported by public, private, local and international investors (capital major contributors). All of them are betting and so boosting the Barcelona tech ecosystem.
Startups with higher investment
Among the companies that are representing the explosive growth we find LetGo which leaded the financial round in 2015 with 92 million euro, in second place Wallapop with 40 million euro, UserZoom took the third place with 30 million euro, it follows Digital Origin (15 million euro), TypeForm with 13 million euro, Kantox (10 million euro) and finally others startups.
Barcelona is a digital hub where it has emerged one of the youngest and promising startup ecosystem with just 4.8 years of existence.
The startup sectors that got more investment in 2015 were Ecommerce, Pure software, Fintech and health, which have been the most attractive areas during the last year.
What’s about 2016
It is clear that 2015 has been a great year for the startup ecosystem in Barcelona but, what about 2016?
According to Venture Watch, one of the industries most promising for this year is Data, which could get the same capital as FinTech got last year. Internet of Things and Lifestyle will be also others sectors that will become more popular during the current year. They consider that in 2016 we will see a similar amount of investment than 2015 and it would be surprising if we see a bigger growth.
A truly fact is that Barcelona is becoming a reference entrepreneur ecosystem that it is constantly evolving. The number of startups, accelerator programs, venture capital entities and tech educational projects, choose the city to develop its activity. That generates a high demand of digital talent that is required by the companies and a huge amount of job offers are emerging.
According to the digital industry, the most demanded digital skills are web development, mobile development (iOS and android), big data, cloud computing, agile, software craftsmanship, user experience, digital business, entrepreneurship and creative technology. Barcelona Technology School is developing international talent through master and postgraduate programs based on those contents, what ensures a professional experience to the participants.
Another example of an institution that benefits this technological change is the Founders and Investor Sessions that forms part of 4 Years From Now, the mobile startups’ congress supported by Mobile World Capital and GSMA along with the Mobile World Congress. Founders and Investors allow entrepreneurs to be in contact with potential investors attracted in the startup’s sector, and with enough funds to invest in it. Entrepreneurs have the chance to meet them at the 3-minute sessions and show their projects.
The Barcelona’s entrepreneurial community is in the good way. The figures are better than ever and it shows the good situation that is being through. Without any doubt, is the perfect city for entrepreneurs to develop its business and one of the best places for the investors to grow.


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Thursday, 27 April 2017
Last updated 3 hours ago
Aug 15 2013 | 2:50pm ET
Pershing Square Capital Management's antagonists in the battle over Herbalife boosted their holdings in the nutritional supplements company in the second quarter.
Both Carl Icahn and Soros Fund Management added to their Herbalife stakes, according to their 13-F filings. Soros bought a 4.9% stake in the company during the quarter—making Herbalife its third-largest stock holding—while Icahn increased his holdings by about 4% and now owns 16.5% of Herbalife, making him its largest shareholder.
Icahn and Soros weren't alone among hedge funds in buying Herbalife in the second quarter: Brookside Capital Management and D.E. Shaw & Co. also invested in the company, while Tiger Consumer Management cut its stake. Pershing Square has a $1 billion short bet against the company.
Soros is also taking on Pershing Square over J.C. Penney Co. The family office bought a 9.1% stake in the retailer, in which Pershing Square is the largest shareholder. But while Pershing Square chief William Ackman is agitating for change at the company, Soros is backing interim CEO Myron Ullman.
Soros also doubled its stake in Apple, while dumping its stake in US Airways. The firm also sold $183 million in gold exchange-traded funds, eliminating its position in one.
Soros wasn't alone in doing so. Paulson & Co., arguably the most prominent gold bull among hedge funds, dumped more than half of its investment in the SPDR Gold Trust, worth some $1.5 billion. Paulson said it sold the shares "due to a reduced need for hedging," and also sold buy options for Barrick Gold Corp. Third Point also sold SPDR Gold shares, and Greenlight Capital eliminated its Barrick stake.
Third Point, which is pushing Sony Corp. to boost profits at its entertainment unit, bought into another Hollywood powerhouse in the second quarter, taking a 1.8 million share stake in Walt Disney Co. The hedge fund also bought a $120 million stake in pharmaceutical company Elan Corp., which last month agreed to be acquired by Perrigo Co.
For its part, Pershing Square exited its investment in Mondelez International and reduced its stake in Procter & Gamble, General Growth Properties and Matson Inc.


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A burger joint has come under fire for being racist after naming one of its patties with a defamatory term given to Asians.
The 'Ching Chong burger' at Johnny's Burgers in Perth has caused controversy for it's racially insensitive name.
In a Facebook post the owner, Johnny Wong, said the burger had been on the menu for three years and is inspired by his Malaysian roots.
The Ching Chong burger (pictured) at Johnny's burger's in Perth has come under fire for it's racially insensitive name
The burger has apparently been on the menu (pictured) at the restaurant for three years
But local Lisa Chappell has stated an online petition to see the name removed, labelling it as offensive.
'Johnny's Burger joint serves up an extra side dish that is frowned upon by many. Racism!' she said.
'The offensively named Ching Chong Burger has sat proudly on Johnny's menu for many years, however enough is enough!'
'Help us stand up to racism and force Johnny's Burger Joint to remove this burger from their laminated menus.'
Ms Chappell visited the restaurant in April and was disgusted


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A ban on shechita in Poland could have far-reaching consequences for consumers in Britain, kosher meat producers have warned.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s attempts to introduce a law to protect religious slaughter were rejected in the country’s parliament last Friday.
The chairman of Britain’s Kosher Meat Traders Association warned that the issue was “the biggest worry we have ever had”.
Mr Tusk had submitted a draft of new regulations designed to allow kosher and halal meat production while reducing the suffering of animals.
Poland’s Chief Rabbi, Michael Schudrich, threatened to resign following the parliamentary vote. He said he would not continue to serve if the country limited the rights of Jews.
Kosher meat producers in Poland are considering appealing parliament’s decision at the Constitutional Court, a move supported by Agriculture Minister Stanislaw Kalemba.
The European Jewish Congress, the Polish Jewish community and the Conference of European Rabbis are lobbying the Polish government and selected MPs of EU member states in an effort to reverse the decision. They held a summit in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss the problem.
An outright ban on shechita in the country — mooted since last November — would have a knock-on effect in Britain. Many kosher producers in this country source meat from Poland.
Kosher Meat Traders Association chairman Jacky Lipowicz said: “I think we are going to have problems. Shechita UK has its work cut out. If there was a ban then there would be a shortfall in terms of what is needed here. It would not necessarily push the price up but it has been very worrying.”
Kosher Deli, one of Britain’s biggest kosher meat traders, is believed to source almost all of its meat from Poland. But managing director Albert Bendahan attempted to ease fears of a possible meat shortage.
He said: “There are plenty of places to get meat. I buy from France as well as from Poland. Nothing is certain yet. The consumers should not worry — we are always here to serve them.”
Board of Deputies vice-president Jonathan Arkush said: “The ignorance that prevailed in the parliamentary debate is lamentable. Jewish communities worldwide take pride that shechita conforms to the highest standards of animal welfare.”
He said the Board was seeking an urgent meeting with Poland’s ambassador to Britain in order to “express our concerns in person”.
Rabbi Schudrich and Piotr Kadlcik, president of Poland’s Union of Jewish Religious Communities, said that a ban would “infringe the basic rights of the country’s Jews and Muslims”.
Poland has been one of the largest exporters of kosher meat to Israel, France, Turkey and Egypt, with revenues estimated at half a billion euros a year.
Tomasz Kubik, owner of the Biernacki meat plant, one of Poland’s biggest kosher and halal producers, said: “We are planning to appeal with the Constitutional Court and, if that doesn’t help, we will have to look for new markets for our non-kosher meat.”


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Nov 10, 2017
Uber loses court appeal against drivers' rights
Taxi firm Uber has lost an appeal against a ruling that its drivers should be classed as workers rather than self-employed. Last year, a tribunal ruled drivers, James Farrar and Yaseen Aslam, were Uber staff and entitled to holiday pay, paid rest breaks and the minimum wage. Uber appealed, arguing its drivers were self employed and were under no obligation to use its booking app. Uber claimed 80% of its drivers would rather be classed as self employed.
Make a complaint about Uber by viewing their customer service contacts.


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Interactive video technology is boosting engagement & advertising ROI.
KERV Interactive, a recognized machine learning and AI technology company specializing in helping agencies and marketers futureproof the bridging of content and commerce, is partnering with Darn Tough Vermont to drive deeper reach and engagement through a series of social video ads. By utilizing KERV Interactive’s Social Embed product, Darn Tough was able to drive substantial lift to return on ad spend (ROAS), click-through rate (CTR), cost-per-click (CPC) and website purchases compared to non-interactive social videos.
Darn Tough Vermont – a manufacturer of premium, lifetime-guaranteed, all-weather outdoor and lifestyle socks – wanted to boost consumer interactions and the sales of specific products via social channels. KERV delivered solutions with its patented technology, which quickly identifies any object, product, or talent at their pixel edges, allowing for deeper interactive experiences. Additionally, the Social Embed product highlights key product information, significantly increasing the time users spend with creatives. This provided Darn Tough with a clear path to enhance their social channel’s commerce success.
The ongoing campaign using KERV Social Embed significantly outperformed the non-interactive videos. Darn Tough saw link out rates to popular products’ pages reach as high as 60 to 73 percent. The campaign has already increased click-through rates (CTR) by 106 percent and website purchases by 74 percent. Additionally, the videos empowered by KERV’s technology generated 127 percent higher return on ad spend (ROAS) and lowered the cost-per-click (CPC) by 59 percent.
“Our partnership with Darn Tough demonstrates the immense power of interactive video,” notes Marika Roque, COO of KERV. “Our technology is helping this brand increase ad ROI, boost revenue, and transform customer engagement.”
“KERV’s technology stood out to us by allowing users to educate themselves and shop our products all within one cohesive social UX,” notes Leyna Jackson, Paid Marketing Manager at Darn Tough. “We are so impressed with the testing results and we are currently at 13 weeks and counting where KERV’s interactive experience is outperforming the control group for ROAS, purchase value, and CPC.”


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Atomic Heart Delayed To "This Winter"
Atomic Heart developer Mundfish has announced that it will no longer be able to meet its previously announced release date of late 2022 and pushed the game back to "this winter," most likely into next year.
Additionally, A Plague Tale: Requiem and Evil West publisher Focus Entertainment has announced a new partnership with Mundfish to help "make the upcoming game launch truly outstanding." Focus Entertainment has revealed in a new blog post (thanks, Gematsu) that the team at Mundifsh is using the extra time for "polishing" and promises a more specific release date will be announced "shortly."
"Focus Entertainment is thrilled to announce their partnership with video game development studio Mundfish to publish the upcoming Atomic Heart," reads Focus' statement. "Initially planned for 2022, the hectic and explosive Action-RPG is set to release this winter. Polishing and delivering a game of the highest quality is the priority of this talented team, with a specific launch date to be announced shortly."
Atomic Heart's previous release window was revealed back in February, although a specific month was never narrowed down as the date "#######ber 2022" was shown in the game's trailer. That date could still be accurate as the release window of "this winter" does include December of this year, although it's more likely that Atomic Heart will now launch in Early 2023 instead. This hasn't been confirmed though and Focus Entertainment has maintained it could still release this year.
If this is the first you're hearing of Atomic Heart, the game was announced quite a while ago but made a splash with a trailer released during E3 2021. It is a first-person shooter very reminiscient of games like System Shock and Bioshock, giving the players a choice of over-the-top weaponry as well as supernatural powers. Atomic Heart will launch on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X with a day one release on Xbox Game Pass.
Source: Read Full Article


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Apple Gets Free Product Placement in TV Shows, Movies
May 14, 2012 7:05 PM
comment(s) - last by
Apple's iPhone used in Mission:Impossible 4
Apple devices have made 891 appearances in TV shows in 2011, which is an increase from 613 appearances in 2009
Apple came, saw, and conquered many aspects of the tech world, but now, the Cupertino-based gadget maker is seeing its name in lights as it works to
Product placement in television and film has become a big deal for companies with devices to show off. The reason for this is that consumers are using DVRs and video streaming services more and more. DVRs allow users to bypass commercials, and video services like Netflix do not have commercials. Without television commercials, it's harder for companies like Apple to advertise their latest products.
That's where television shows and movies come in. Product placement within
the TV shows
and movies have become an increasingly important avenue in advertisement. It's not a new form of advertising by any means, but over time, tech giant Apple has made it a crucial part of its ad technique without paying a penny.
According to Nielsen, a global marketing and advertising research company, Apple devices have made 891 appearances in TV shows in 2011, which is an increase from 613 appearances in 2009. Also, Brandchannel, which tracks product appearances, reported that Apple products popped up in over 40 percent of movies that struck gold in the weekly box office in 2011. This is huge compared to most brands.
While most companies have to pay to have their products featured in a TV show or film, Apple has managed to do so for free by simply offering as many free iPhones, iPads, and Macs as needed.
"Apple won't pay to have their products featured, but they are more than willing to hand out an endless amount of computers, iPads and iPhones," said Gavin Polone, producer of HBO's
Curb Your Enthusiasm
. "It's kind of a graft situation."
Apple's product placement goes back to the 1990's when the PowerMac laptop made an appearance in
Now, the latest
movie is featuring about eight minutes of Apple products like iPhones, iPads and Macs. The approximate value of this screen time is $23 million.
Apple has the right idea with TV and movie product placement. According to Ace Metrix, an ad tracking firm, test audiences recently gave an iCloud commercial a 15 percent less favorable rating than previous commercials. With traditional commercials on the decline, free advertisement on TV and in movies seems to be the way to go.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
RE: Hope the Studio got their cut
5/15/2012 5:47:25 AM
Yeah, even when the show/movie blocks the Apple logo the devices still look sleek and clean. Much like Apple's design ethos with their devices of, "It shouldn't get in the way of the user experience," we also see this in something as seemingly simply as a photo shoot or an ad (whether in print, online, or video). These devices can work to amplify the appearance of a tech product as well as work to not distract the viewer from the intent of the ad. e.g., The advertiser wants you to see that a computer is being used to access their service with the focus being on their service, not on flashing neon or LED lights or garish lines that are par for the course on a host of non-mac systems. It will be interesting to see how Apple works to refine the MacBook Air design as we begin to see the ultra book knockoffs saturate the market.
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Despite the export restrictions imposed upon it by the United States, China’s Huawei has produced a 5G smartphone using an advanced silicon chip on a remarkable scale of miniaturisation.
Huawei’s Mate 60 Pro is powered by a new Kirin 9000s chip that was made in China by the partly state-owned Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), the analysis firm TechInsights informed the media.
Huawei’s latest smartphone processor is the first one to use SMIC’s most advanced 7 nanometre (nm) technology, a development which suggests that the Chinese government is making some headway in its attempts to build a domestic chip ecosystem.
Since 2019, the United States has restricted Huawei’s access to chipmaking tools essential for producing smartphones. Despite being a manufacturer of 5G network equipment, Huawei was previously only able to launch limited batches of actual 5G phones using stockpiled chips.
Huawei has also been banned from providing 5G network equipment in numerous countries, including those of the Five Eyes Security Alliance consisting of the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, over the national security concerns raised by its ties to the Chinese government. Huawei has filed a lawsuit in Portugal against the incidents of operators in the European country being barred from using its equipment in 5G mobile networks.
Dan Hutcheson, an analyst with TechInsights, told Reuters the latest development came as a “slap in the face” to Washington.SMIC was barred by Washington in late 2020 from obtaining the necessary machines from the Dutch firm ASML. However, TechInsights said in 2022 about the Chinese venture producing 7-nanometre chips by tweaking simpler machines that it could still purchase freely from ASML. However, research firms countered the claim by stating that only 50% or fewer of 7 nm chips produced this way would turn out to be usable, versus the industry norm of 90% or more, and it would limit shipments of the resulting smartphones.
China, meanwhile, will launch a new state-backed investment fund that aims to raise about USD 40 billion for its chip sector, as the country ramps up efforts to catch up with the US and other rivals.
Huawei started selling its Mate 60 Pro phone in the last week of August 2023.
“The specifications provided advertised its ability to make satellite calls, but offered no information on the power of the chipset inside. Buyers of the phone in China have been posting teardown videos and sharing speed tests on social media that suggest the Mate 60 Pro is capable of download speeds exceeding those of top-line 5G phones,” stated the TechInsights report.
Huawei, meanwhile, will launch its ‘Watch GT 4’ on September 14 in Barcelona, in the event dubbed as ‘Wearable Strategy and New Product Launch’. The Chinese tech giant, while making the announcement about the event on x (rebranded Twitter), teased a watch dial on its poster, hinting that the new product could be a smartwatch.


text:
APPLE ANNOUNCED the long-awaited Apple Music service at its Worldwide Developer Conference on Monday, with its sights set firmly on rival Spotify.
Apple said during the launch that one million devices will have access to Apple Music from the get-go, and a beta release of iOS 8.4 has since confirmed that it will be no more expensive than Spotify with a £9.99 monthly price tag (below).
Apple Music will arrive on iPhones and iPads via an update to iOS 8.4, and on Macs and Windows in the form of a new version of iTunes. Apple has also promised that the service will be coming to Android.
Taking Apple Music beyond its own platforms is uncharacteristic of Apple, and the firm is clearly looking to woo subscribers away from Spotify and stop new ones signing up.
The two services are fairly evenly matched on paper. Both have around 30 million songs in their libraries, both offer an offline mode.
However, Apple takes the lead with a family offering allowing up to six users for an extra fiver compared with Spotify's two, and the offer of three months free compared with Spotify's 30 days.
In terms of royalties, Apple has boasted that it will pay 71.5 percent revenue from its $9.99 per month music streaming service to music owners in the US. In comparison, Spotify estimates that it the average song generates between $0.006 and $0.0084 per stream in royalties.
Spotify said that it now has 20 million paying subscribers, double the 10 million figure it announced last year. Pointing out the head start it has over Apple Music, the firm also revealed that its total number of users is up 87 percent from 40 million last year to 75 million this year.
Apple has yet to talk about its royalties situation, and Spotify pointed out that the amount it pays to artists is growing.
"As we grow, the amount of royalties we pay out to artists, songwriters and rights holders continues to climb faster than ever. We have now paid more than $3bn in royalties, including more than $300m in the first three months of 2015 alone," said the post.
It added, clearly gunning after the sympathy vote: "We could have never achieved this growth without all of you: the music fans who listen, discover, share and celebrate music and artists every day. Thank you, 20 million."
Will Apple convince users to ditch Spotify in favour of its own Apple Music service? According to our very own Chris Merriman, it probably will. µ
We don't have enough faces or palms
You'll find it in the App Store under 'hipster'
Firm's OLED plant is working at 'less than 50 per cent capacity'


text:
Just when you thought another reward card couldn't fit in your wallet, here come some more.
Winn-Dixie this week unveils a new type of reward card that shaves a nickel per gallon off gas off purchases at most Shell and Circle K stations in the bay area for every $50 spent at the supermarket chain.
The grocer's Fuelperks card, good for up to 20 gallons per gas purchase, accumulate. So spending $100 at Winn-Dixie is worth 10 cents a gallon; $200 is worth 20 cents off and on and on.
"We just had a customer spend $500, which got her 50 cents a gallon just to start," said Mark Tunstill, a Winn-Dixie store manager in St. Petersburg.
By "to start," he meant shoppers save an additional 5 cents a gallon for buying any of the 20 two-for-one and bargain-priced specials promoted weekly in Winn-Dixie ads. Buying them all would save a customer $1 a gallon more at the pumps.
"We're hoping it drives up our gas volume 10 to 15 percent," said Kerry Katchuk, president of Risser Oil, local Shell distributor.
Shoppers must replace their old Winn-Dixie rewards card with a new one that keeps a running tally of every penny they spend at the store. Swipe it at the gas pump card slot at participating stations to confirm the accumulated total, which can pile up for a month.
What's behind this avalanche of store rewards and cash-back deals ranging from Brooks Brothers to Nordstrom to Target? In today's tenuous economy, retailers are more willing to buy customer loyalty for a return visit, permission to track their buying behavior and to distract from prices.
Even Ikea, the Swedish furniture and housewares giant that has avoided discounts, launches its first Ikea Family card Sept. 12 in Florida.
Benefits include 20 percent discounts on a list of 20 to 25 furniture products monthly, 10 to 15 percent off a similar number of housewares in the first-floor marketplace and special deals clustered in a new Family Zone department.
Members also get free coffee, tea, frozen yogurt and 30 extra minutes for their offspring in the kids play area every time they shop a store.
The chain unveiled its new catalog last week and sells online.
"But the discounts are only available in stores because our founder wants people to shop there," said Monica Valera, Ikea store manager in Tampa.
Liquidation sales explained : The math driving a liquidation sale is simple: manage discounts to move the best stuff first at the highest price and dump the dregs last at the lowest price. A recent dealnews.com study of the Borders bookstore liquidation shows how it works. The consumer advice site found 19 of 25 books it priced cost more the first week of the liquidation sale than before it started. Tracking an earlier wave of Borders liquidation sales in February they found prices didn't get to 80 or 90 percent off until the sixth week.
Coming attractions: The Container Store has struck a deal to open its first store in the Tampa Bay area.
A Fort Lauderdale developer filed to rezone 3.1 acres at the southwest corner of West Shore Boulevard and Spruce Street in Tampa for a Container Store that would open in 2013.
Meanwhile, Whole Foods Natural Market confirms its second bay area store will open in late 2012 at 3802 Northdale in Carrollwood. The chain plans to move into a rebuilt 36,000 square foot office building.


text:
The Africa fintech summit Lagos – organised by Dedalus Global was held on the 8th of November 2018. With hundreds of fintech enthusiasts from across the continent, the conference brought together fintech startups, investors, innovators disruptors, tech enthusiast, high-level attendees, from CEOs, influencers, regulators, entrepreneurs to discuss pressing topics in the fintech space and to share opinions on the future of Africa in this tech-driven age.
Africa Fintech Summit (AFTS) included a good mix of pitch sessions, panels, keynotes, and expositions.
CEO of Dedalus Global; Chairman, Africa Fintech Summit Leland Rice gave the opening speech explaining that AFTS is a global initiative with a mission to see fintech at the center of Africa’s economic growth, adding that Nigeria is one of the countries to watch on the global fintech map.
Several panel discussions were held at the event and one of them was about payment innovation and regulations. The panelist agreed that there’s an inherent tension between regulators and tech companies, CEO, Venture Garden Group Bunmi Akinyemiju who was among the panelist used SureRemit as an example according to him the blockchain startup raised seven million dollars in seven days from its ICO stressing that regulators must decide to be supportive of fintech startup in a regulative and proactive way instead of saying no.
Blockchain for Africa
Interestingly, the ‘blockchain for Africa’ panel made up of experienced speakers in the space was one of the most interactive sessions held at the event.
Let’s be clear-eyed for a minute though. No doubt, there is massive conservation ongoing around Africa’s fintech space concerning the blockchain technology. And we’re beginning to witness real blockchain project coming from Africa.
The first speaker Dr. Andrew S. Nevin, Advisory Partner for PwC Nigeria and Chef Economist for Binkabi talked about cryptocurrency and regulation highlighting that while cryptocurrency have a little bit of negative reputation, however, the rules of this new form of money are clear and transparent unlike centralized form of money which strips away wealth from the users through inflation.
Second speaker Eseoghene Mentie, QA Manager, Uport and ConsenSys gave an insightful view on what the blockchain technology does beyond cryptocurrency. She noted that the basic use case of cryptocurrency is to reward transaction processes, but the introduction of smart contract open doors to use the distributed ledger for so many use cases such as tracking, identity management and supply chain indicating that the blockchain is transparent and immutable.
John Kamara, Founder and CEO of Afrimart also among the panelist talked about the blockchain technology from an interesting angle, the trust protocol a form of blockchain that can have social impact, pointing that African startups should learn from the 2017 ICO craze and not be quick to tokenise rather they should first understand the interference difference between the customers and end users. Startups should identify the problem in the Africa ecosystem and think of a blockchain solution that can solve it. By solving the problem first then you can think of tokenising, in this case, you will be selling a real asset.
Still on the discussion on ‘blockchain for Africa’ another member of the panelist, CEO, RocRemit Akin Sawyerr, added the blockchain is totally revolutionising the financial system and allowing Africans to participate for the first time on global stage without having to go through intermediaries like banks.
To round off the session, an interesting question was raised by a participant; will blockchain eliminate banks or will banks take on this technology?
The panelist gave their views from a different perspective. Dr. Andrew noted that the banks should be afraid if they refused to take on this technology because there’s a high probability they will gradually go bankrupt.
Eseoghene however, argued that the bank won’t go away but rather there will be no centralize banking as it is as the bank will gradually become were people store their tokens, private keys, and other digital information.
John Kamara, on the other hand, said traditional institution will never go away so long there are regulations and Akin conclude by saying that a disruptive technology like the blockchain will find the unbanked and value can still be exchanged without the need of a bank.
Other hot trending discussions held at the AFTS include innovation for inclusion, the future of lending and investing in fintech. There was also an exhibition of Africa’s brightest early-stage fintech startup such as wallet.ng, Riby, Piggybank, Eversend, Binkabi, and Yellowcard.
The closing keynote was given by Lanre Osibona, Special Advisor on ICT to the President of Nigeria. Mr. Lanre in his remarks said the Nigerian government is willing to create an enabling environment for startups and ready to support innovation in the fintech ecosystem. He also said that the government is interested more in blockchain real use cases and not the ‘quick money crypto’.
Images courtesy of @Afrifintech


text:
RETAIL giant John Lewis has announced plans to open a department store costing more than £15 million at the planned Monks Cross retail park.
A planning application has been submitted for a 100,000sq ft store which is expected to create about 300 new jobs at the out-of-town park, which developers Oakgate (Monks Cross) Ltd say will create 1,600 jobs in total.
The “flexible format” department store, which will be slightly smaller than the chain’s major department stores, will sell clothes, home and electronics goods.
Tim Harrison, head of format development for John Lewis, said: “These new smaller department stores allow us to open in places we’ve wanted to trade in for years.
“Our local customers have been travelling to our regional stores at Sheffield and Newcastle, and the new shop in Monks Cross will plug the gap in that regional offer. We have long wanted to have a presence in York”.
Richard France, managing director of Oakgate, said the chain’s development was a boost to the economy of the city.
He said: “By agreeing terms for the Monks Cross development, John Lewis has given York a massive vote of confidence in what is a challenging time for retail. Its participation in our proposed scheme will enable a new community stadium and facilities to be built for the people of York, while bringing the best retail the UK has to offer to add to the already immensely diverse shopping experience the City provides. This high quality development will bring a range of high quality local jobs across an extremely wide spectrum. Something that should be welcomed by all.”
But critics have said the retail park will “slowly destroy” the city centre by diverting business out of town. Peter Brown, director of York Civic Trust, said: “I find it completely hypocritical because only a few weeks ago John Lewis were reported in the national press as saying out-of-town retail developments would damage the high streets. On the one hand they are suggesting the current legislation will damage the high streets and on the other they are doing exactly the same themselves.”
Oakgate has admitted that the city centre’s turnover on items such as electrical equipment, furniture and clothing will fall by £38.9 million in 2016. Such spending currently totals £422 million in the city centre and will rise to £581.1 million by 2016, Oakgate believes.
However, the news has been welcomed by the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce and City of York Council.
A spokesman for City of York Council said the announcement was a “huge boost” to York”.
Coun James Alexander, council leader, said: “This announcement follows discussions with the retailer by the council and those involved in the Community Stadium scheme and brings us another step closer to delivering a Community Stadium for York; benefiting local residents and professional and amateur sports clubs across the city.”
A spokeswoman for the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce said: “We definitely support the John Lewis development and think it’s great news for the community.”
The scheme is set to go before York’s planning committee in January.
In the pipeline
THE announcement of John Lewis’ plans to move to York comes after the owners of the Coppergate Centre revealed they hope to bring top-name stores to the city centre.
The Press reported last week how LaSalle Investment Management and its development manager, Centros, are looking at creating a £100 million to £150 million shopping scheme on the Castle Piccadilly site, possibly including an enlarged Fenwick store and other major national retailers.
Meanwhile, Dartstone Properties have called for City of York Council to give the go-ahead, in principle, for a new stadium for York City and York City Knights as part of a 34-acre sporting village next to the Outer Ring Road at Huntington.
Store plan vote of confidence
ONE of the biggest names on the High Street, John Lewis, has confirmed it hopes to come to York. If all goes according to plan, it will open a new store at Monks Cross, next to Marks & Spencer and beside the city’s new stadium.
The news is a huge vote of confidence in York’s economy, although some retailers worry about the impact a John Lewis store at Monks Cross would have on the city centre.
The retail giant says it will invest more than £15 million in its new store, and create about 300 new jobs.
Such investment is welcome: as is the fact that such a top name is keen to come here. Tim Harrison, a spokesman for the chain, said local customers had been travelling to Sheffield and Newcastle. If the Monks Cross store goes ahead, more shoppers would come to York.
Nevertheless, despite the benefits to this city, we recognise the concerns of city-centre retailers. They fear the growth of Monks Cross, with its free parking and easy access, puts them at a disadvantage, and that their livelihoods could be at risk.
We believe the city centre, with its historic buildings, medieval streets and boutique shops, will always be a draw, to locals and visitors.
But the concerns of traders are real. That is why the city council must continue to do everything in its power – including look at the thorny issue of city centre parking – to ensure shops in the centre are not at a disadvantage.
Developing city-centre shopping must also remain a priority, which is why plans for the Castle Piccadilly area are so important. As we reported last week, those plans are still very much alive. We look forward to progress there.