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Reddit, a website with a retro-’90s look and space-alien mascot that tracks everything from online news to celebrity Q&As, is trying to attract even more followers, and advertising, by allowing members of its passionate community to post their own news more quickly and easily.
Reddit, majority owned by Conde Nast parent Advanced Publications, last month unveiled a new feature that lets users of the nine-year-old site post live updates, allowing them to report in real time.
The live updates allow selected users, dubbed “reporters” by Reddit, to instantly stream unlimited posts during the course of an event such as the conflict in the Ukraine, an earthquake in Los Angeles, or a game played in real time, without having to refresh the page.
The capability is still in testing mode. So far only users selected on a case-by-case basis can create a live thread. The feature has attracted attention. For example, live threads linked to “Twitch plays Pokemon,” in which users of the Twitch website played an old Nintendo game, garnered 2 million page views in 30 days.
“Reddit members are doing amazing things with very minimal tools and were hitting some barriers,” said Erik Martin, general manager.
Martin, who said the site is not yet profitable and declined to give specific revenue figures, added: “We want to give people a more powerful way to make updates.”
Reddit’s move toward enabling users to fluidly update is the latest move in a battle between social media sites including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to use news to engage users, and attract more ad dollars.
Before, Reddit users could not update in real time. The new feature is similar to how people instantly send tweets but keeps the updates together through one thread or “subreddit.”
Reddit, which also gets revenue through e-commerce, has ramped up efforts of late to attract more advertisers. Next week, it plans to unveil city and country targeting capabilities that allow advertisers to address users by geographic market.
One recent ad, specific to Reddit, featured the actors Jeff Goldblum and Bill Murray, stars of the movie “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” as individual threads.
Some 62 percent of Reddit users get their news through the platform while about half of all Facebook and Twitter users do the same, according to a recent report on the State of the News Media from the Pew Research Center.
“Reddit is all about the community, that is the value they brought to the site as they created it,” said Kelly McBride, a senior faculty member at the Poynter Institute, who has been following Reddit since it was founded.
“News has always been really important to Reddit,” she said.
Reddit has more than 114 million unique visitors worldwide and has doubled its traffic in 12 months, said Martin. Facebook has more than 1 billion users and Twitter has more than 240 million.
For a trial that centers on smartphones and the technology they use, it’s more than a little ironic. The entire case might not even be taking place if the market wasn’t so big and important, but the constant need for connectivity of everyone is causing problems in the court, hence the new sign.
The problems have centered on the system that displays the court reporter’s real-time transcription onto monitors on the desks of Judge Lucy Koh, the presiding judge in the case, and the lawyers of Apple and Samsung. The system, it seems, is connected via Wi-Fi and that connection keeps failing.
“We have a problem,” Judge Koh told the courtroom on April 4, soon after the problem first appeared. Without the system, Koh said she couldn’t do her job, so if people didn’t shut off electronics, she might have to ban them from the courtroom.
In many other courts, electronic devices are routinely banned, but the Northern District of California and Judge Koh have embraced technology more than most. While reporters and spectators are limited to a pen and paper in courts across the country, the court here permits live coverage through laptops and even provides a free Wi-Fi network.
On Monday, the problems continued and Judge Koh again asked for all cellphones to be switched off.
But not everyone listened. A scan of the courtroom revealed at least one hotspot hadn’t been switched off: It was an SK Telecom roaming device from South Korea, likely used by a member of Samsung’s team.
The hotspot was switched off by the end of the day, but on Tuesday there were more problems.
“You. Ma’am. You in the front row,” Judge Koh said sternly during a break. She’d spotted an Apple staffer using her phone and made the culprit stand, give her name and verbally agree not to use the handset again in court.
As a result of all the problems, lawyers for Apple and Samsung jointly suggested using a scheduled two-day break in the case to hardwire the transcription computers to the court’s network.
The cable wasn’t installed.
“I believe there were some issues, We’re attempting to install it,” one of the attorneys told IDG News Service during the court lunch break.
So for now, the problems continue.
The clerk opened the day with an appeal to switch phones off, “not even airplane mode.”
That still didn’t help.
The transcription screens failed at 9:09 a.m., just minutes into the first session of the morning.
Companies want to reduce spending on IT operations and infrastructure and shift resources to revenue-producing areas, according to two new studies. But businesses leaders and IT executives are also registering higher levels of dissatisfaction with IT as more demands are placed on technology.
The reports, by the Hackett Group and McKinsey & Co., both agree that business executives want IT to do more to improve the bottom line while companies spend less on infrastructure in the process.
The bad news for people who work in IT operations is that large businesses expect to cut IT staff positions by about 2% this year, thanks to automation and outsourcing, according the Hackett’s survey of 160 businesses with revenues above $1 billion.
One path to improved automation will likely be through adoption of software-defined infrastructures, something Bank of America plans to do.
IT budgets will grow by 1.7% this year as IT pivots, increasingly, from a service-providing operation to a revenue-generating one, the Hackett Group said in its study.
IT managers are being told that “you’ve got to grow the business, not just run the business,” said Mark Peacock, an IT transformation practice leader and principal at Hackett.
McKinsey & Co., in its online survey of more than 800 executives — with 345 having a technology focus — also found that executives want less of their budgets to go to infrastructure so more resources can be shifted to analytics and innovation.
The McKinsey survey found that business executives are less likely to say now that IT performs effectively, compared to their views two years ago.
“The IT executives are even more negative,” wrote McKinsey, with only 13% of them saying their IT organizations “are completely or very effective at introducing new technologies faster or more effectively than competitors.” That percentage was down from 22% in 2012.
The negative results “likely reflect the overall rising expectations for corporate IT,” wrote McKinsey.
When asked how to fix IT shortcomings, respondents cited improved business accountability, more funds for priority projects and a higher the level of IT talent, the report said.
The Hackett Group survey didn’t report on dissatisfaction, but it did find that the top goal for IT organizations this year is “to strengthen partnership and goal alignment between IT and the business.”
Cisco Systems Inc will offer cloud computing services, pledging to spend $1 billion over the next two years to make a foray into a market currently dominated by the world’s biggest online retailer Amazon.com Inc, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Cisco said it will spend the amount to build data centers to help run the new service called Cisco Cloud Services, the Journal reported.
Cisco, which mainly deals in networking hardware, wants to take advantage of companies’ desire to rent computing services rather than buying and maintaining their own machines.
Enterprise hardware spending is dwindling across the globe as companies cope with shrinking budgets, slowing or uncertain economies and a fundamental migration to cloud computing, which reduces demand for equipment by outsourcing data management and computing needs.
“Everybody is realizing the cloud can be a vehicle for achieving better economics (and) lower cost,” the Journal quoted Rob Lloyd, Cisco’s president of development and sales as saying.
“It does not mean that we’re embarking on a strategy to go head-to-head with Amazon.”
Microsoft Corp last year said it was cutting prices for hosting and processing customers’ online data in an aggressive challenge to Amazon’s lead in the growing business of cloud computing.
Cisco could not be immediately reached for comment by Reuters outside regular U.S.business hours.
Apple Inc is having discussions with Comcast Corp to enter into a deal for a streaming-television service that would allow Appleset-top boxes to bypass congestion on the web, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The discussions are in early stages and there are a lot of hurdles to be crossed before a definitive agreement could be reached, the Journal said.
Apple, which wants its TV service’s traffic to be separated from public internet traffic over the “last mile” for faster transmission, is looking for special treatment from Comcast’s cables to bypass congestion, the report said.
Comcast and Apple declined to comment on the report.
Apple has been in talks for a faster TV set-top box with Time Warner Cable Inc, which recently agreed to be bought by Comcast.
Apple’s $99 TV box competes with similar streaming devices from Roku and Google Inc.
Netflix agreed last month to pay Comcast Corp for faster speeds, throwing open the possibility that more content companies will have to shell out for better service.
The Federal Communications Commission is in the process of drafting a new “net-neutrality” bill that would ensure that network operators disclose exactly how they manage Internet traffic and that they do not restrict consumers’ ability to surf the Web or use applications.
Procter & Gamble Co is bringing the dentist into the bathroom with the world’s first smartphone-connected toothbrush, a device that gives personalized advice to aid consumers in improving their brushing habits.
The toothbrush, to be offered under P&G’s Oral-B brand and which will be widely available from June, has a Bluetooth 4.0 link to a smartphone app that can be programmed with the help of a dentist, for example to pay more attention to any areas of the mouth being neglected, P&G said.
“The app provides real-time guidance,” Michael Cohen-Dumani, global associate director for Oral-B, told Reuters.
“Dentists always tell us: ‘People do a great job in the week before they come to visit us and in the week after they visit us. But nothing can hide the fact that when we look inside the mouth we can see all the areas they miss’.”
The toothbrush will be unveiled at the phone industry’s annual Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona next week, joining an expanding range of devices connected to smartphones that measure everything from sleep patterns and calorie intake to distance walked and exercise taken.
Professionals had helped develop the app as a tool to manage their patients’ behavior between visits, Cohen-Dumani said. The app displays brushing progress in real time, telling the user when to move to a different part of the mouth and warning if they are brushing too hard, he said.
“It will guide you in terms of how to brush, and you will be able to fully personalize the brushing routine for you,” Cohen-Dumani said.
In tests, the app had extended average brushing times from less than a minute for a manual toothbrush to 2 minutes and 16 seconds, he said.
The device will be at top end the Oral-B electric toothbrush range, with a recommended retail price of 199 pounds ($330) in Britain and 219 euros in Europe.
Online music streaming service Spotify is looking for a U.S. financial reporting specialist, further fueling rumors that the Swedish start-up is preparing for a share listing, which one banker said could value the firm at $8 billion.
Meeting U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) standards for filing financial disclosures are essential for any firm planning to go public and bankers and lawyers said they inferred from the job ad that the company is getting ready for an initial public share offer (IPO), possibly next year.
“It looks like they are preparing themselves for an IPO,” said one corporate finance lawyer, who is not advising the firm.
The job advertisement, posted on Spotify’s website and on LinkedIn, said the successful candidate would be required to “prepare the company for SEC filing standards. Set up all reports necessary to be SEC complaint.”
Spotify declined to comment on whether it has plans for an IPO.
“As Spotify grows and becomes a more mature company we are looking for people who can help us keep our financial reporting in order and up to global standards,” a spokesman said.
Spotify raised $250 million in a funding round in November, making it one of the world’s most richly capitalized start-ups.
One investment banker said that last year’s fundraising meant the company would probably focus on further expansion so that it could go to the market with a flotation next year, by when the company could be valued at as much as $7 billion to $8 billion.
He said it would be advisable to employ expertise in filing the company’s accounts to listing standards well in advance of any flotation.
“They would need such a person, and to make sure that person is settled in, in order for it to be possible to list the company in the United States next year.”
Mark Zuckerberg launched “Thefacebook” from his dorm room at Harvard University on Feb. 4, 2004. The site was conceived as a way to connect students, and let them build an online identity for themselves.
It has since expanded to cover a large swath of the planet, with more than 1.2 billion people — one-seventh of the world’s population — using its site on a monthly basis, according to the company’s own recent figures.
Zuckerberg reflected on the 10-year milestone at an industry conference in Silicon Valley this week. Not surprisingly, at the start he never envisioned Facebook becoming so large or influential. After launching the initial version, “it was awesome to have this utility and community at our school,” he said at the Open Compute Project Summit.
He figured at the time that someone, someday would build such a site for the world. “It didn’t even occur to me that it could be us,” he said.
Since then, Facebook’s site and its business, now a public company, have changed dramatically. There are now more than a trillion status updates, text posts and other pieces of content stored within its walls — the company is trying to index them as part of its Graph Search search engine.
The company was slow to react to the important mobile market, and when it went public in 2012 investors were skeptical it would be able to monetize its service on smaller screens. But this week it reported that more than half its ad revenue now comes from mobile devices.
All the while, Facebook is making its ad business smarter, using targeting tools to show ads it deems most relevant.
The company is also experimenting with new ways to present content. Next week it will release Paper, an iPhone app that provides a new way to share photos and published articles.
It’s part of a larger effort Facebook hinted at this week to release a variety of standalone apps for different tasks.
The company is also trying to bring the Internet to more people in the world, an effort that’s part philanthropy and part business sense as Facebook aims to reach its next billion users. Asked this week why he launched the project, called Internet.org, Zuckerberg suggested he feels a weight of responsibility.
“There aren’t that many companies in the world that have the resources and the reach that Facebook has at this point,” he said.
Shares of the company, the maker of Norton anti-virus software, fell 3 percent after the bell.
“We are pleased with the quarter, but we’re not happy until we’re back into positive revenue growth,” Chief Executive Steve Bennett told Reuters on Wednesday.
Worldwide PC shipments were expected to fall about 10 percent in 2013 and by another 4 percent in 2014, research firm IDC said in December.
Symantec’s revenue fell to $1.71 billion in the third quarter from $1.79 billion a year earlier.
Bennett said the fall in revenue was also due to changes in the company’s organization.
Symantec has been reorganizing its sales force to create specialists for each product group instead of having everyone sell everything, leading to a temporary shortfall in revenue.
“They are trying to stimulate demand and drive better licenses from a new and improved sales force,” FBR Capital Markets analyst Dan Ives said in an email.
Symantec’s security products usually come bundled with PCs as the company has distribution partnerships with manufacturers.
The company’s consumer business sells products and services to individuals and home businesses globally through an e-commerce platform, internet-based resellers and retailers. Symantec also has partnerships with manufacturers to distribute internet security suites and online backup offerings.
Symantec reported a 4 percent decline in revenue from its protection business, which represented 42 percent of total revenue, and a 6 percent fall in revenue from its information management unit, which accounted for 39 percent of overall revenue.
Sales in the company’s information security business fell 3 percent.
Net income rose to $283 million, or 40 cents per share, in the third quarter, from $216 million, or 31 cents per share a year earlier.
Excluding items, the company earned 51 cents per share. Analysts, on average, had expected adjusted earnings of 43 cents per share on revenue of $1.65 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Symantec’s fourth-quarter forecast was in line with Wall Street expectations.
KnowMyApp.org, launched by CTIA late last week, allows mobile device owners to estimate an app’s data usage before it’s downloaded. This is the first tool allowing consumers to learn about an app’s data usage before downloading it, although there are tools available to measure an app’s data use after downloading, CTIA said.
CTIA has also aimed KnowMyApp.org at app developers, by giving them information about conserving data usage and minimizing impact to battery life, the trade group said.
Visitors to the website can search by app name, operating system or app categories. They can learn now the app was tested, how much data is used when an app is downloaded, at initialization, during active run time and during background time.
The website also includes information about how mobile device owners can conserve data.
KnowMyApp.org currently includes test results for the top 50 paid and free apps from the Apple and Google stores, and CTIA plans to add more apps each month. The trade group invites developers to submit apps to be tested.
The tool was developed through the CTIA’s Application Data Usage Working Group, with members including Apple, AT&T, Ericsson, HTC America, Microsoft, Sprint and Verizon Wireless. Intertek developed the mobile app data usage benchmark testing using the AT&T Application Resource Optimizer, an open-source diagnostic tool that captures, analyzes and reports network app data usage to help developers create more efficient apps.
Germany-based Bosch has created a new firm, Bosch Connected Devices and Solutions, “for the Internet of things and services.”
The Internet of Things will deliver its benefits gradually, one appliance upgrade at a time.
Sensor rich devices monitoring Web-enabled apps can put the worried homeowner at ease. ‘Did I remember to turn the stove off before leaving the house? Is the refrigerator door open?’ The Internet of Things will provide the answer.
The Internet of Things will automate many actions. For instance, a smart home can be tied into weather reporting and use the information to automatically close windows and shutters in advance of a storm.
The new Bosch firm will develop sensors and actuators. The latter can convert electric signals from sensors or control units into physical action, the company said.
A goal of the new firm is to supply “compact electronic products and software expertise” intended to make devices and objects “intelligent and Web-enabled.”
Bosch is also a tech company that makes MEMS, or microelectromechanical systems. MEMS can detect changes in an environment, such as motion. An accelerometer, used in smartphones to sense when the device has been rotated, is such a sensor.
Bosch says it is the world’s largest supplier of MEMS sensors in terms of revenue.
Bosch will be demonstrating some its ideas at next month’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
“The introduction of MEMS sensors in automotive electronics in the 1980s and 1990s marked the first wave of growth. The second major wave has been their widespread incorporation in smart phones, tablets, and games consoles since the beginning of the 21st century – and the Internet of Things and services now heralds the third wave. We’re convinced that it will far surpass the first two waves,” said Volkmar Denner, chairman of Robert Bosch GmbH, in a statement.
“Sensors, signal processing, batteries, and transmitters have become so small, energy efficient, and inexpensive – even as all-in-one units – that they can be used in their billions. And at the same time radio networks are now available almost everywhere,” he added.
GoToMeeting Essentials allows for one presenter and five attendees in a session and costs $19 per month, or $182 per year, for unlimited usage, Citrix plans to announce on Tuesday. Meetings can’t be recorded.
By contrast, the standard GoToMeeting product costs $49 per month, or $468 per year, for unlimited usage. Meetings can be recorded and can have 1 presenter and up to 25 participants.
Essentials is intended to attract customers that don’t need all the features and capacity of the standard version of the product, and that find its price too high.
On the other end of the spectrum, Citrix is adding an option for customers that need to accommodate more people in a meeting. The new GoToMeeting 100 allows for sessions of up to 100 participants with 1 presenter for $69 per month.
Beyond the core GoToMeeting, Citrix also has a version of the product customized for online events and another one designed for e-learning.
The version for events, GoToWebinar, accommodates meetings of up to 100, up to 500 and up to 1,000 people. It starts at $99 per month, or $948 per year, for the 100-participant option with one presenter.
Meanwhile, GoToTraining is for sessions of up to 25 participants or up to 200 participants, and starts at $149 per month, or $1,428 per year.
Prices go up on all GoToMeeting products if customers buy more than one presenter license. If customers need 40 or more presenter licenses, they need to open a GoToMeeting corporate account.
Citrix is also announcing that a GoToMeeting app for the Windows Phone OS will be launched on Dec. 15. It will allow people to launch and join a meeting from Windows Phone smartphones.
Meanwhile, the company is beta-testing a new element in GoToMeeting, called GoToMeet.me, which hosts a personalized meeting page. They can use this page to start up a session with colleagues in an ad-hoc manner without formal scheduling or invitations. Customers interested in it can try it out at GoToMeet.me
The company has also made it possible for GoToMeeting customers to try out pre-release features by selecting them from a new menu option called Labs.
Citrix also improved GoToMeeting’s Outlook plug-in and plans to introduce an integration with Google Calendar via a Chrome browser extension that will be released in about a month.
LG is investigating claims that its TVs send details about their owners’ viewing habits back to the manufacturer.
Blogger Jason Huntley detailed how his Smart TV was sending data about which channels were being watched. It appears that TVs uploaded information about the contents of devices attached to the TV, which is probably illegal. The UK Information Commissioner’s Office is investigating too.
When Huntley contacted the South Korean company he was told that by using the TV he had accepted LG’s terms and conditions so there. Huntley said details of what channels he had been watching had been sent even after a privacy setting had been changed.
He first come across the issue in October when he had begun researching how his Smart TV had been able to show his family tailored adverts on its user interface. When he looked at the TV’s menu system, he had noticed that an option called “collection of watching info” had been switched on by default.
After switching it off, he had been surprised to find evidence that unencrypted details about each channel change had still been transmitted to LG’s computer servers, but this time a flag in the data had been changed from “1″ to “0″ to indicate the user had opted out.
The Guardian has the papers, and it shows a US National Security Agency (NSA) memo that talks about how it can collect information about unsuspected UK citizens and keep hold of their data, meaning their phone communications and their email contacts. This can then be used to build up information about links between people.
“Sigint [signals intelligence] policy … and the UK Liaison Office here at NSAW [NSA Washington] worked together to come up with a new policy that expands the use of incidentally collected unminimized UK data in Sigint analysis,” says the memo
“The new policy expands the previous memo issued in 2004 that only allowed the unminimizing of incidentally collected UK phone numbers for use in analysis. Now SID analysts can unminimize all incidentally collected UK contact identifiers, including IP and email addresses, fax and cell phone numbers, for use in analysis.”
The agreement has its roots in the 1946 UK/USA Signals Intelligence Agreement, which should prevent allied intelligence agencies from monitoring each other’s citizens without permission. However, it includes a caveat, which is that this can happen, as long as it is done in secret and in the best interest of nation states.
Governments reserved the right to stop behaving so polititely earlier, and “when it is in the best interests of each nation,” reports the Guardian, which has reproduced part of the memo.
“Therefore,under certain circumstances, it may be advisable and allowable to target second party persons and second party communications systems unilaterally, when it is in the best interests of the US and necessary for US national security…,” it adds.
“There are circumstances when targeting of second party persons and communications systems, with the full knowledge and co-operation of one or more second parties, is allowed when it is in the best interests of both nations.”
The company also is hiring its first sales people to pitch the new SurveyMonkey Enterprise product directly to corporations and other large organizations. The product will also be available internationally.
Until now, consumers have signed up for the free or for-pay versions of SurveyMonkey by visiting the company’s website and creating an account.
“We think it could be long term a very good growth driver for the business,” said Chief Executive Dave Goldberg in an interview with Reuters last week.
SurveyMonkey, which allows people to create quick polls that can be posted on Web sites, is already used for business purposes by the majority of its users, Goldberg said.
But company employees have had to sign up for the service on their own, as consumers, which can create problems in corporate settings. Companies have been unable to consolidate data from surveys created by different employees and could not always retain the data when the employee who signed up for the service moves to a different job.
The new service, which corporate customers can offer to up to 25 employees for $65 a month, will also include new workplace collaboration tools. Among the first customers are insurance company Aetna, Hearst Corporation and the New York Giants.
Palo Alto, California-based SurveyMonkey generated $113 million in revenue in 2012 and was valued at $1.35 billion in a funding round in January.
Earlier this month, the 280-employee company launched a version of its service in Turkey, expanding its international reach.


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- Business Wire•46 minutes ago
GE Additive is establishing a “Customer Experience Center” in Munich, Germany – the first of several GE Additive centers planned worldwide to accelerate the use of additive manufacturing.
- Accesswire•1 hour ago
General Electric and Schlumberger Shares Lose Traction on the NYSE After Headlining in Earnings News
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 24, 2017 / Large oilfield service companies continue to compete against one another and Schlumberger may be seeing a threat against its industry leading position soon ...
- Reuters•2 hours ago
General Electric is beefing up its additive manufacturing business with an investment of more than 100 million euros ($109 million) in Germany and continues to be alert for acquisition opportunities, the head of the business said. The maker of jet engines, power plants and other industrial equipment, General Electric last year bought a majority in Swedish 3D printer maker Arcam and privately held German 3D printing firm Concept Laser at a total cost of about $1.3 billion.
GE : Summary for General Electric Company - Yahoo Finance
General Electric Company (GE)
NYSE - NYSE Delayed Price. Currency in USD
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|Day's Range||29.45 - 30.38|
|52 Week Range||28.19 - 33.00|
Trade prices are not sourced from all markets
|PE Ratio (TTM)||33.09|
|Dividend & Yield||0.96 (3.24%)|
|1y Target Est||N/A|

domain: news


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Of course, not all the attention has been positive. Jeremy Schneider, food and culture reporter for NJ.com and The Star-Ledger, complained in a column that “if you go for real nostalgia, maybe don’t make the toy a bland partnership. and lifeless with a hypebeast fashion company”. — and a scary one to boot,” suggesting the channel could have used a Ninja Turtle comic book or toy that “would have turned millennium nostalgia up to 11.”
Kotaku.com, which covers gaming, ran a widely quoted story titled “McDonald’s Workers Beg People to Stop Ordering Adult Happy Meals” which cites Reddit threads in which workers discuss logistical challenges in responding. on demand.
Nation’s Restaurant News noted that the workers’ complaints highlight labor shortages in the industry, noting that “organizing efforts are increasing in the industry in part because employees feel understaffed. as they run buzzing promotions through more channels, like delivery and curbside.
McDonald’s said in a statement, “We had a feeling the Cactus Plant Flea Market Box would be great…and prior to launch, we prepared the team with training and resources in anticipation of increased restaurant traffic. . After only a few days, the excitement we are seeing from the fans is just amazing. Our catering team members are the best in the business and we appreciate all they do to serve customers during this limited time promotion.
But the negative press was offset by a high volume of positive and neutral media coverage, including from unexpected places, like Food&Wine, which covered the collaboration.
“You had a ton of impressions, a lot of media stories,” Restaurant Business magazine editor Jonathan Maze said in an interview. “From what I can see, not everything has been positive. But you still have a lot of people talking about it…and when you have a brand like McDonald’s that can get people talking about something, that’s probably a real positive.
He added: “You take existing products and add a toy and put it in a box and put a higher load on it than you otherwise would, so I would say that’s a success.”


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A mobile photo printer linked with a smartphone allows you to capture your memories in just a few minutes. Remember the Polaroid? You take a photo and get a photo right away. Mobile photo printers for iPhone and Android can instantly print photos too. This device is simply necessary at holidays: your guests will be… Continue reading Save your memories with the best mobile photo printers!
Samsung has introduced its new line of MFPs during the IFA 2014 in Berlin, Germany—a trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances. The Korean devices are powered in fact by tablet PCs, providing their work. And the OS Google Android is installed on them. All the gadgets feature a 10-inch touchscreen, which allows to… Continue reading Samsung Smart MultiXpress: First MFPs powered by Android
It’s been or almost a year that Epson offers the PrintJinni application for iOS devices, which allows users of these smartphones to print photographs and other information via their handheld assistants. Finally, the company offered a similar application that allows direct printing from mobile devices to owners of Android smartphones and tablets. It’s called Epson… Continue reading Epson’s App for Direct Printing from Android Devices


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Nintendo will release a Tomodachi Collection: New Life-branded 3DS XL bundle alongside the game’s launch in Japan on April 18, it has announced.
The limited quantity bundle will include a download version of the game installed onto a 4 gigabyte SD card. It will cost 22,800 yen.
Additionally, Nintendo announced a separate new 3DS color: “Mint × White.” It will also launch on April 18 for 18,900 yen.
Watch the full Nintendo Direct video below.


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May 11, 2010 BY Aaron Hope
Jordan Brand released a sprawling Championship Pack in early 2009 to celebrate MJ’s six chips. This spread gave new meaning to the Six Rings hybrid, but other than the AJ1 Phat Low, Air Jordan Legacy models were conspicuously absent. These, then, are like MJ switching hands in mid air — a correction that gives us a look at the shoe that started a dynasty, adorned in the colors of the vanquished. The Air Jordan VI (6) ‘Lakers’ will finally release this Saturday after quite a long buildup, but if you know what you’re doing, you can get yours a bit earlier than all of your friends. For NY-area Jordanheads, head over to West NYC, otherwise, you can get yours now on eBay.
Color: Black/Varsity Purple-Varsity Maize


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8 October 2020, Thursday – Backbase, a digital-first banking platform, today announced that it has built a new cross-business platform for Banco Caja Social. The new platform, built from Backbase’s industry leading software, has improved the user experience and online access for the bank’s customers. This marks a new milestone in the digitization of Banco Caja Social, an institution that has been working for over a century on financial inclusion and serving low- and middle-income communities and small businesses in Colombia.
On the new platform, Banco Caja Social customers can now easily navigate the bank’s new online services, which have new visually enhanced interfaces and increased functionality. In particular, payments and transfers can be made instantaneously online. Further, digital onboarding is faster and more convenient as it allows customers to set up personalized products such as savings accounts and investment funds online, eliminating the need to visit a bank branch. From the business operations perspective, the platform has streamlined how teams operate, creating more business efficiency. For example, the shorter development process will allow marketing and products teams to roll out new campaigns and services to customers in less time.
The results speak for itself, with a 52% increase in customers using the web platform and app, which has an average of 399,000 monthly users, and more than 70% increase in overall online monetary transactions from 2019 to 2020.
Elsa Patricia Manrique, Vice President of Strategy and Development at Banco Caja Social, commented:
“Banco Caja Social has a long legacy of providing critical banking services to small businesses and those most in need, offering the best possible experience – making the move to a world leading digital platform a natural progression for us. Our clients can now do more transactions and processes online and we’re seeing really positive results in terms of engagement and customer satisfaction. We expect this increase in online users to continue its upwards trajectory.”
Ethan Clark, Backbase’s newly-appointed Regional Vice President for LATAM, said:
“Latin America is witnessing a boom in fintech services driven by the ubiquity of smartphones, rising Internet penetration and a growing middle class. With the new digital banking platform, Banco Caja Social is primed to better serve the region’s unbanked and underbanked populations, capture new market shares and support sustainable growth in a digital-first world.”
Jouk Pleiter, Backbase CEO, added:
“We’re excited to be partnering with Banco Caja Social, a bank which holds such an important position in social banking in Colombia. It is one of the first banks in the country to adopt our platform so it’s fantastic to see the additional value it has provided for Banco Caja Social’s customers already. The success of this project will support our ongoing expansion into Latin America, a region which is currently seeing a quiet revolution in demand for easier and more constant access to banking services as the economies continue to mature.”
Backbase’s Digital-First Banking Platform powers seamless customer experiences, unifying data and functionality from core banking systems and innovative fintech partners. We believe it is vital that banks evolve and maintain superior digital experiences in order to retain privileged control of the customer relationship, drive efficiency, stave off new competition and continue to grow.
More than 100 large financials around the world have benefitted from Backbase’s omni-channel, Digital-First Banking Platform, including ABN AMRO, AIB, Barclays, Banamex, Bank United, BNP Paribas, Central1, Citi bank, Citizens bank, CheBanca!, HDFC, Hiscox, IDFC First, KeyBank, Lloyds Banking Group, Metrobank, Navy Federal Credit Union, PostFinance, RBC, Societe Generale and Westpac.
Industry analysts continue to recognize Backbase’s front runner position. Backase is named a leader in the Celent 2020 Modern Digital Banking Platforms report and awarded Backbase four XCelent eXemplar awards for Technology, Functionality, Customer and Service. Celent also named Backbase a leader in Onboarding & Origination Solutions in the 2020 Retail Banking Customer Acquisition Platforms report, awarding Backbase with two XCelent eXemplar awards for Technology and Functionality. Backbase was named a Leader in the Forrester Wave (TM): Digital Banking Engagement Platforms, Q3 2019. The 2019 Ovum Decision Matrix also lists Backbase as the Ultimate Digital Banking Platform Market Leader.


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Got2Connect is excited to unveil new SMS and MMS messaging capabilities for our Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) platform. Got2Connect SMS gives users a secure, reliable, and convenient way to to engage with their customers via the rapidly-adopted and highly-preferred channel of text messaging. These new capabilities are embedded directly into the Got2Connect platform and business telephone numbers, giving businesses the ability to project a professional appearance, keep communications routed to the appropriate source, and protect users’ personal information.
With Got2Connect SMS, users can send text messages, images, videos, or documents to both individuals and groups. Inbound messages can be accessed anywhere, anytime through our UC, making it ideal for telecommuters and remote-based personnel.
Text messaging has been rapidly gaining momentum in recent years as a preferred method of business communications. According to noted market research group Vitiello Communications Group, nearly 70% of employees believe text is applicable for interoffice communication. Salesforce.com reports that 84% of businesses either use, or plan to use, texting in their sales and marketing efforts.
Texting has become a preferred communication method for people of all ages, and many customers are more likely to communicate via text than making a call. By adding SMS and MMS capabilities and a customer’s business telephone number, we’re giving our customers the ability to satisfy growing demand for a reliable, secure, and easy-to-use business texting solution. We continue to focus on adding the features our customers need to the Got2Connect platform, and will continue to develop even more compelling solutions that will empower the you to succeed.


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Does the upcoming New Year inspire new business aspirations? For some, this could include the possibility of opening up a new enterprise. There are a number of steps that need to be taken before starting your own business, but three tips to get you started include:
Is Swedish furniture maker Ikea's response to a defective product concern adequate or abysmal?
Intellectual property can refer to many different legal elements. Intellectual property can be ideas, or tangible objects. They can be patents, copyrights, and trademarks. The umbrella that is IP law is quite a bit wider than many people may realize. Another area of intellectual property law that doesn't always pop into your mind when you hear the phrase "intellectual property" is trade secrets.
Company mergers are central parts of the business landscape in California and across the country, with their combinations often spelling a win-win formula for two joined entities.
American Airlines and its largest regional affiliate, Envoy Air, recently agreed to settle a lawsuit that accused the airlines of denying accommodations to disabled workers. American and Envoy agreed to pay $9.8 million to resolve claims that they didn't allow disabled workers to return to their jobs or transfer into open positions when they had restrictions on tasks they could perform.
Sexual harassment is having a moment in the news right now – and it’s not a good one. While the victims are getting a chance to share their stories without shame, it shows a much larger issue within the workplace in the entertainment industry.


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You might associate SiriusXM with that service you never activated in your new car, but it's clearly working to grow beyond that, as its latest acquisition shows.
SiriusXM just purchased Automatic Labs Inc., a San Francisco-based company that focuses on connected-car hardware. The deal reportedly cost SiriusXM more than $100 million.
Automatic Labs sells connected car adapters. They plug into a car's OBDII (on-board diagnostics) port, and can provide services like vehicle tracking, diagnostic alerts and fuel monitoring. Insurance companies can use its products, for example, to help coach new drivers or monitor how well someone drives, adjusting rates as necessary.
"The acquisition of Automatic is a natural fit for SiriusXM as we continue to expand and improve our connected vehicle services," said Jim Meyer, CEO of SiriusXM, in a statement. "Automatic's innovative products have brought safety and intelligence data and analytics to the forefront of vehicle connectivity. We are excited to welcome the talented employees at Automatic to SiriusXM as we expand the possibilities of connected vehicle offerings and services for manufacturers, drivers, and enterprises."
SiriusXM doesn't just deliver satellite radio to cars -- it delivers data. Certain infotainment functions rely on SiriusXM's services, like weather updates and traffic maps. It makes sense that SiriusXM would want to greater capitalize on data-driven car hardware.
Automatic Labs won't just be lumped in under the SiriusXM umbrella, though. Automatic's brand, as well as its products, will continue to function as normal. But now, SiriusXM will be able to leverage its relationship to provide new offerings and -- as businesses are wont to do -- make more money.


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MASON CITY, IA — Online posting sites make buying a car a breeze, but according to a recent study many cars are actually being bought with recalls on them.
With one click, you could be on your way to the car of your dreams, but as many are finding out, these cars might not even be fit to be on the road and car dealers say it’s a matter of who you can trust.
“A number of our face-to-face sales actually originate online. But in our case of course, they’d be dealing with a reputable dealer. They’re looking at vehicles that have been inspected,” said Mike Hopkey, Sales Manager at Hosmer Toyota.
According to a recent study, more than $2 million cars sold online in 2012 had been before recalled; a trend that experts say is growing every day. And while maintenance issues are problematic, if you’re not careful you could also be putting your life and the lives of your family in danger.
That fear alone is something that Mike says would too much of a risk to take.
“The fear that i’s have are the unknowns. Mechanically because theirs not a repair shop behind it and probably more importantly safety because of recalls,” said Hopkey.
Car fires, brake failures and airbag deployments are just some of the issues recalled cars face and like many issues they can start small but become much bigger.
“Theres millions of cars that have safety recalls out there now that have not been completed. When an air bag light is on, worst case scenario is on when your driving that car, your air bag system isn’t working so you put yourself and your family at risk,” said Paul Kapustynski, Service Director at Hosmer Toyota.
Most reputable dealerships do their own research on cars before they go to the lot and they urge you to do the same.
“Call the dealer; have that vehicle identification number run. If it’s a Toyota call the Toyota store. If it’s a Honda, call the Honda dealer. Whatever brand it is call that store and they can run that vehicle identification number for you and determine if there are any outstanding recalls on it,” said Paul


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PARIS — Sofia Coppola’s “Marie-Antoinette,” which premieres at Cannes today, promises a right royal riot of sartorial excess. Just in time, Paris’ National Union of Museums has put out its own line of objects and accessories fit for a queen.
The collection, inspired by Antoinette’s passions and personal effects, is already on sale in museum shops at the Louvre, the Museum of the History of France, and — of course — Versailles. Some are reproductions of Antoinette’s childhood dresses, silk scarves and china covered in roses. There is also costume jewelry, such as Swarovski’s pearl and crystal version of Antoinette’s infamous diamond necklace. Prices range from $30 for a silk scarf to $250 for a necklace.
Meanwhile, a book based on the diary of the queen’s wardrobe, recorded by Antoinette’s wardrobe keeper, Madame d’Ossun, will be released Oct. 11, in collaboration with the National Archives. The book will feature images of hundreds of swatches from the queen’s dresses, as well as contributions from designers on the influence of Marie-Antoinette’s style today, according to curators Regis Lapasin and Ariane James-Sarazin, the writers of the book. It has not yet been given a title.
The book’s launch will coincide with the opening of a Marie Antoinette-themed exhibition, Oct. 11-18, at the National Archives’ Hotel de Soubise, where certain scenes of Coppola’s movie were shot. For the event, the library will bring out rare archive treasures, such as the diary of King Louis XVI, royal clothing and court documents from Antoinette’s trial. There also will be the final letter penned by the imprisoned queen to her sister, at 4:30 a.m. on Oct. 16, 1793, the day of her execution.


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Les Coe, of Youngstown, recently held a book signing for his children's book, ''Space Crew-zers,'' at The Daily Grind coffee shop in Girard.
Coe began writing about four years ago for his nine grandchildren.
Beginning as a short story, ''Space Crew-zers'' soon developed into a book series and is the first of a trilogy about a Dallas space station.
Les Coe, author of ‘‘Space Crew-zers,’’ recently held a book signing at The Daily Grind coffee shop in Girard. Pictured with Coe are his granddaughters, Addision Coe, 3, and McKenna Coe, 4.
The book is for the 9 to 15 age group, Coe said, and is about 13 young space adventurers who awaken to find themselves alone in the space station. The adventurers must follow clues to find out what happened to the adults and why they seemed to vanish in thin air.
During their search, problems arise when the space station begins to lose power.


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Smartmile launches ‘one tree per parcel’ sustainable locker
Parcel locker company Smartmile is launching its most sustainable Automated Parcel Machine (APM) yet with a ‘one tree per parcel’ initiative in collaboration with long-term partner Eden Reforestation Projects.
The company is dedicating its APM at the newly opened CO2-neutral Lidl store in the Dutch town of Almere to reforestation as an expansion of its Smartmile Open Doors sustainable initiative.
For every parcel sent, received or returned through the locker at the Lidl Zero store, the company is donating funds for one tree to Eden Reforestation Projects. Smartmile expects the locker to offset 845kgs of CO2 every month, thus “transforming parcels into trees”.
Frank van Os, CCO of Smartmile, said: “We are very excited to be part of this initiative with Lidl. As a purpose-driven company, we are set to create a positive impact on society and the planet, and to work with partners who share that vision to make a bigger impact together.”
Under its Smartmile Open Doors Initiative, which launched last December, the company has managed to plant 2,475 trees so far. Smartmile currently has a network of 129 lockers in the Netherlands and Finland.
Eden Reforestation Projects is a nonprofit organization that works in developing countries to rebuild natural landscapes destroyed by deforestation. It employs thousands of local people to plant, grow and protect millions of trees each year. Since its foundation, it has planted more than 583 million trees, currently at the rate of about 20 million per month.


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Wednesday 26th April 2017 - 17:49
Soon : Summer Bank Holiday
76 of 400 Tesco 24-hour stores will reduce their opening hours and will be closed between midnight and 6am.
Tesco started to introduce non-stop opening hours in some of its stores back in 1996. Today, 400 stores are open around the clock but it looks like some of these locations are not profitable enough to justify such opening hours. Still, the decision of closing 76 stores (out of 400) between midnight and 6am is presented as a way to improve the customer experience.
In the press release, the company explains that "the move to reduce hours means more Tesco colleague time will be freed up to replenish products on the shelves overnight, which will mean better availability of products and better looking stores when they open their doors to customers each morning."
From 14 March to 11 April, Tesco's list of 24-hour stores will progressively be shortened by almost a quarter of the locations (the list is available here).
Tesco also took the decision to close its two Food-to-Go stores in London. Launched about a year ago, the two stores were dedicated to tourists and workers but eventually proved to be less successful than expected. Both store will be permanently closed on 4 March.
Photo: Tesco Plc.
Chain stores in this post


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The coronavirus outbreak shocked the whole world economy in early 2020. Claiming more than 1.2M lives and infecting more than 50M people globally as of this writing, this virus has devastated 188 countries worldwide. In its wake came plunging economies due to drops in stock market prices, brought about by increased unemployment, stoppage of tourism and travel, and freeze on trade, among others. The majority of affected countries fall into the brink of recession as a result.
As the world economy tries to remain afloat, eyes are focused on bitcoin’s performance and how it will fare in this season of uncertainty. Unsurprisingly, despite the significant setbacks that all investment pieces of machinery, including bitcoin, went through due to the pandemic, reports show that it has outperformed many economic assets in terms of bouncing back.
Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency created in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto, a pseudonym to a mysterious creator no one knew. It arose in response to the housing market crash that shook the whole world. It has shown resilience then, the same it is doing now, making it a safe haven for investors.
Despite the market crashes left and right, this cryptocurrency did not only manage to rebound, but it even reached a 17% leap, which is almost its 3-year high. Here is why:
Worldwide economic tension
Worldwide economic tensions affect bitcoin prices either positively or negatively. Some ongoing concerns that created an impact are the US-China trade tension and Brexit fears, but the one that has the most significant effect is the Covid 19 pandemic.
The uncertainty of the dollar’s short term future because of the ongoing tensions drive the Bitcoin market up. Bitcoin demand becomes higher as the Covid situation remains unstable, and this causes the prices up too.
A safer alternative investment for wealth preservation
As the US dollar continues to decline against other foreign currencies, a demand for an alternative investment arose. Investors are looking for a safer option for wealth accumulation and preservation. The fear of the continued drop in government-backed currencies’ value made Bitcoin a more viable option than stocks.
This year, the US dollar saw its lowest performance in the last two years. As the pandemic remains uncontrolled in the world’s largest economy, uncertainties continue to rise. More investors are putting money on Bitcoin during this time, which drives its value up.
Increasing mainstream support
In recent times, there appears to be a growing number of mainstream businesses starting to welcome bitcoin enabling people who have a bitcoin wallet to trade and purchase goods and services. It may be slow, but global adoption is growing at a steady rate. This growing support pumps up the price as more traders find it credible due to the solid backing of well-established businesses.
Due to the fear of the virus, online and contactless means of transacting businesses became more acceptable. As bitcoin uses online technology, it gained traction in this area, which gives it an edge over using physical currencies as a means of exchange.
Competitor investment switch
There is an assumption that Bitcoin prices rise because the market competition, such as stocks and altcoin investors, moves its way. The altcoin is an alternative cryptocurrency that is more regulated than Bitcoin.
During the height of the pandemic, from May to September, prices for this cryptocurrency surged. Recently, however, it shows a levelling down. Data reveals that in the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin is now the one taking the lead. The influx of traders to the bitcoin market made it possible to hit past the $15,000 mark amid the pandemic.
Lesser bitcoin trading
Cryptocurrency exchanges also affect the price of bitcoin. The Bitcoin market activity began to slow down, starting in February when the Covid pandemic began getting more serious. Data reveals that more bitcoin investors tend to hold on to their stock starting that period, leading to lesser stocks in circulation. Over 63% of bitcoin remained inactive the whole year.
As investors continue to hold on to their stock, there is now a limited bitcoin going around, which drives the price positively. With the rise in demand but a few supply, it is inevitable that the surge happens and continues to do so as there are no indicators in changing to a different direction as apparent at press time.
Miners’ activities pull the market
Bitcoin mining affects its price. Mining is considered the backbone of this investment tool. The miners are tasked to process transactions using bitcoin and get rewarded for doing so. As each block transaction is completed using computers, the miners get a corresponding amount of bitcoin.
Mining has evolved from a pure hobby for most Bitcoin holders to a million-dollar market. Many big companies invest in technology and people to do this for them, and they pay bitcoin for it. This activity affects the market when miners sell their rewards. If this is done in bulk, prices will go up. If the market is strong, selling this way will not affect the market as much. However, with the current status of the worldwide economy, this is not the case.
Historical performance during the price crash
Historically, Bitcoin performs better after a crash. In the first place, it was created during a global financial crisis in 2008. Bitcoin revealed many ups and downs in the past years since its inception, but, remarkably, its highest leap happened after its lowest crash.
This year, after the dismal performance early on due to the global health crises, Bitcoin shows promising possibilities of once again hitting its all-time high. It has proven resilient overtime during unsure circumstances.
Bitcoin trading is an alternative way of investing money. It is relatively new, being more than just a decade old, but it has proven resilient during times of uncertainties such as the global Covid 19 pandemic.
Despite the worldwide economic challenges, many indicators show that its current performance is worthy of consideration. It has repeatedly withstood the challenges and continues to do so, making it a healthy alternative for wealth growth and preservation.


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Celebs usually like their BlackBerry smartphones. Some have ventured to an iPhone or Android, but most who have had a BlackBerry stick with BlackBerry.
Russel Simmons, the founder of Def Jam Records, tweeted that he met up with “senior blackberry guys”. That senior guy in the photo is RIM’s US Managing Director, Richard Piasentin.
In what was quite possibly one of the best interviews, we had the honor of discussing with Richard why the all-touch BlackBerry 10 device would release first and how they’re bringing the revolution. Check out that interview here.
It’s great to see such a prominent celeb like Russel Simmons tweet “They are back!” to his 2.3 million followers, in reference to BlackBerry. What other celebs do you think will begin voicing their support for BB10?


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The big increase in inflation this year has sent more people to warehouse membership clubs where, for a fee, consumers can buy in bulk and sometimes save money. As demand for these memberships grows, one warehouse – Sam’s Club – is increasing its membership fee.
The retailer, owned by Walmart, is increasing the annual membership fee from $45 to $50 – still less than rival Costco’s $60 annual fee. Sam’s Club’s top-tier membership is also going up from $100 to $110.
The new fees take effect Oct. 17.
It’s the first fee increase for Sam’s Club in nine years and the first for the top-tier membership, known as “Sam’s Club Plus.” The retailer, along with its competitors, has benefited from inflation. Budget-conscious shoppers have increased their memberships, especially as gasoline prices hit a record high in June.
According to CNBC, Sam’s Club CEO Kath McLay disclosed the fee increase in a message to members, saying the company is mindful of the economic pressures that many families face. Because of that, McLay said the company will reimburse members the amount of this year’s fee increase in the form of “Sam’s Club Cash” that can be used in stores.
Membership income is growing
Sam’s Club operates about 600 stores in the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. The company does not report the number of members it has but has apparently seen the membership rolls grow this year. In its most recent quarterly earnings report, Sam’s Club said income from membership fees rose nearly 9% during the quarter that ended July 31.
In addition to food and gasoline, warehouse clubs like Sam’s Club, Costco, and B.J’s Warehouse sell home furnishings, apparel, and electronics. Faye, a Sam’s Club member from Warren Mich., uses the store as a place to purchase hearing aids.
“I came in on April 19, 2022, and he spent a long time preparing my hearing aids and be sure they worked well,” Faye wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “I left (the) same day and I could hear. I would recommend him to anyone.”
A 2021 study found that members of warehouse clubs do save money if they can afford to buy in bulk. The study found that more affluent consumers shop at these warehouses because they can afford to buy in bulk while lower-income consumers end up paying more for smaller quantities at other retailers.


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When the new Miami Marlins (yes, they are being renamed) ballpark opens in 2012, it will have a corporate name associated to it. That’s because the club is very nearly on the verge of announcing a naming rights deal for the modern design on the location of the old Orange Bowl stadium.
According to Sun-Sentinel, P.J. Loyello, Marlins senior vice president of communications, said Tuesday that the deal was close at hand.
The Marlins deal will be for more than the name on the ballpark.
“From what I understand there’s several companies that stepped forward, and negotiations were always pretty open and clear about what the economic parameters of the deal would be, and people didn’t shy away. We’re talking multinational companies that are looking to get their name in Miami,” Loyello said, adding that the partnership is going to be “omnipresent from a marketing standpoint, a community standpoint and, obviously, a presence at the ballpark itself.
“We’re trying to get the best deal. We’re at the point that we’re finalizing it.
There will also likely be four in-stadium naming deals for each of the colored quadrants within the ballpark.
When you hear “omnipresent from a marketing standpoint” and throw in community, it sounds less like a financial institution such as Fidelity. “International” doesn’t scream Publix Super Markets. Knowing that it’s the Marlins, it could be wrapped around the tourism industry. Will fans be saying, “I’m headed to the Norwegian” or “It’s jammin’ tonight at the Carnival”, as in cruise lines? It’s a naming rights deal. Anything could be possible.
Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey, and is a contributor to Forbes SportsMoney blog.. He is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network (select his name in the dropdown provided).
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Preliminary plat could add another hotel, a restaurant and cafes, more retail space and more apartments.
A long list of new practices incorporating social distancing, hand-washing stations and elimination of entertainment and social gathering have been announced for the upcoming Market at the Square, Urbana, and Champaign Farmers Market.
How is the COVID-19 crisis affecting local sales?
From online sales to isolation rooms, local dealerships have found creative ways to keep sales flowing despite the coronavirus shutdowns.
What types of businesses are getting the most?
The Indianapolis-based company that has factories in Champaign and Arcola has partnered with a 'major, national supplier to produce non-medical barrier masks in compliance with local and national mandates,' spokeswoman Ashley Gibbons said.
It's providing vans and drivers at no charge, Director of Operations James Wang said, and Harvest Market is dropping its delivery fee that's usually added, spokesman Gerry Kettler said.
That includes uniforms of police officers, paramedics, firefighters, doctors, nurses, pretty much all first responders, said Manager Stephanie Buskirk, daughter of owner Kevin Buskirk.
The Art Mart owners opened up to staff writer Alexandria Kobryn about their soft spot for children's charities and how their lives and business model have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Niemann Foods currently owns the 62,074-square-foot shopping center, which used to house a County Market and now includes Salt & Light, Global Smoke & Vape, First Wok, Check ‘n Go and Charly’s Sunnycrest Salon.
All employees will have their temperature taken when they report to work, and anyone with a temperature of 100 degrees or higher will be asked to stay 青鹏棋牌.
Sales rep Michael Heldebrandt brings the beers people have ordered to them in a red BMW, which brewery and bar owner Chris Knight originally thought would be what grabbed attention. But that's 'not nearly as eye-catching as a large T-rex coming out of it,' he said.
Meet AVATRINA, a robotic nursing assistant under development at the University of Illinois that could potentially deliver some help when the next pandemic comes along.
Niemann Foods added the Plexiglass panels at the checkout lanes in its stores, including Harvest Market and the local County Markets, as did Schnucks.
As of midday Tuesday, an informal News-Gazette survey found just 16 of 49 grocery stores and pharmacies in the five-county area had more than a single roll or pack of the coronavirus pandemic's most-hoarded supply left on their shelves.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker's stay-at-青鹏棋牌 order doesn't specifically list mattress stores as essential businesses, but an associate at the store said it was in the clear because it sells household consumer goods, which were deemed essential. Health district Administrator Julie Pryde disagreed.
Customers appeared to heed the governor's call not to hoard food, as grocery stores and other essential services will remain open, though they were a bit more crowded on Friday afternoon.
The effort can protect employees and customers by avoiding handling cash, though those who push 'accept' buttons or sign their names with a stylus should wash their hands afterward.
Stores like Dollar General and Schnucks announced that their stores would be limited to the elderly and other at-risk customers during their first hour of operation, and at Harvest Market, County Market and ValuCheck for the first two hours.
The grocery chain will be removing the canopies and working with Wallis Oil, which operated the stations for the past few years, and environmental consultants to safely remove the fuel tanks.


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Sandvine just released its twice yearly report on internet traffic, and it's a doozy. While it's no surprise to see mobile growing and Snapchat kicking ass, it's a little bit mind-bending to learn that binge-watching streaming addicts gobble up over half the traffic on the internet in North America. That's a lot of Netflix.
To be specific, the top 15th percentile of internet users accounts for about 54 percent of total monthly network traffic. Sandvine, a sort of Canadian Cisco, labels these folks as "subscribers who exhibit 'cord cutting' behavior" or, simply, "cord cutters." Yes, with the scare quotes. Probably because it's hard to tell who's actually ditched cable versus who just likes to watch video online.
Sandvine admits in the report that while they were "unable to resolve if these subscribers have 'cut the cord,' their usage profile indicates that they are likely using streaming as a primary form of entertainment." And since that top 15th percentile consumes about 100 hours of streaming video a month, 11 times the amount that normal people do, it's hard to imagine when they'd also have time to watch cable.
That's a lot of Netflix—and YouTube and Hulu and everything else. But mostly Netflix, which accounts for over 34 percent of all downstream traffic in the United States. YouTube is a distant second at 13 percent. In total, real-time entertainment makes up nearly 64 percent of total network traffic. And that percentage will only go up as video streaming sites continue to grow.
The Sandvine report includes a few more interesting factoids, like that Snapchat is the most popular messaging app in North America and that Twitch.TV generates more traffic that HBO GO in the United States. Meanwhile, this year's impending World Cup is expected to account for almost half the traffic in Latin American countries. You can download the report for yourself, but honestly, the red in this graph says it all:


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Category Archives: Veteran Franchise
Here’s a link to the February 5, 2018 Union Leader article in the Business section: http://www.unionleader.com/article/20180205/NEWS02/180209626/1007/news02 Special thanks to Kimberly Houghton of the Union Leader for sharing our story of trying to put Veterans into the Parking Lot Striping business!
Franchise Dictionary Magazine, a new, online franchise resource, featured our Veteran-Only franchise initiative in their February 2018 issue. Special thanks to Jill Abrahamsen, editor of FranchiseDictionaryMagazine.com, for reaching out to us and creating such a nice article. We are starting … Continue reading
G-FORCE™ is pleased to announce a number of corporate sponsors and supporters for our Veteran-Only Franchise initiative. In conjunction with the official launch of our franchise offering to U.S. military Veterans beginning February 1, 2018, new G-FORCE™ Franchisees will enjoy … Continue reading
Megan Thatford of Minot Marketing Communications forwarded a link to me from a blog post by Frank Strong of Sword and the Script Media. Megan is an enthusiastic supporter of Veteran efforts in Boston like Massachusetts Fallen Heroes and a … Continue reading
G-FORCE™ is on a Mission…a Military Mission to put Veterans into business and into good paying jobs. We’ve designed our Parking Lot Striping Franchise around our Veterans. Everything about our brand is designed to maximize the number of Veterans we … Continue reading


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Chris Smith, the founder of Westfield who acquired the Chevron marque just over a year ago, has announced its return to the racing scene. With the first chassis frame almost complete and all the main components sourced and ready to go, the first Chevron B8 should be ready for its maiden outing at the V de V meeting at Estoril in November.
Your ultimate online solution for buying and selling new, certified and used cars. Autotrader.com is designed to give you control of the buying process to make finding a car easier than ever before. Find your Next Car on Autotrader.com.


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Egg prices soared by 60% in 2022
In 2022, egg prices rose to previously unheard-of heights. According to the consumer price index, a measure of inflation, customers paid an average price rise of 60% last year across all egg kinds, one of the highest percentage increases of any U.S. item or service.
The average price of a dozen large, Grade A eggs in December was $4.25, up 138% from $1.79 a year earlier, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The fundamental cause of those higher prices, according to the corporate narrative, is an unprecedented avian influenza outbreak that has killed tens of millions of egg-laying chickens.
Bitcoin Fell By 60% in 2022
The last year was an extremely tumultuous year for cryptocurrencies and probably the worst till now. The collapse of various firms in the cryptosphere started with the collapse of the Terra sisters, followed by the Three Arrows Capital, and the last was the collapse of FTX. The crypto market lost billions of dollars in frauds and scams that dominated the industry. There were other economic factors as well, like the rising inflation which led the FED to hike interest rates.
It was nearly impossible for only crypto tokens to thrive in such a situation, as a result, the price of bitcoin dropped by 60%. BTC token fell to as low as just over $15,000. Additionally, investors pulled out money from the market as they looked for better pastures to graze, dipping down the trading volume as well.
Also read: Crypto Prices Today: Bitcoin Crosses 23k Mark, Jumps By 1.67%, BNB Up By 5%
BTC vs Eggs
Interestingly, the price of bitcoin fell by 60% and the price of egg rose by 60% in the same year. The reason for both seem to be similar, the collapses in their surroundings, affecting both in contrasting manners.
Well, if you are looking for my suggestion on investment, I would say the current market situation makes egg a better investment than Bitcoin. Bitcoin is volatile and prone to ups and downs. However, the price of the egg in the next few months will only increase or at least stay the same, which guarantees better profits.
There were predictions by experts of the Bitcoin price reaching as high as 250,000 USD, however, it turned out to be a distant daydream for the Silicon Valley investor Tim Draper. Hence, we reach the conclusion, “Don’t count your Bitcoins, before your egg hatches.”
Also read: Shiba Inu Developer Hints At Finalizing Shibarium Beta Launch
The post BTC vs Egg: Bitcoin Falls, Eggs Surge, Both By 60% In 2022 appeared first on CoinGape.


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The Full Ranking
Yesway began modestly, acquiring the 10-site Country Stores portfolio in western Iowa in December 2015. The retailer in 2016 boosted its presence to 31 locations across the state.
One year later, Yesway grew again through acquisitions that expanded its reach to four more states: Texas and Oklahoma through its purchase of the Wes-T-Go and Chillerz portfolios, Kansas with its pickup of the Pic Quik portfolio, and Missouri with a two-store buy.
2018 saw Yesway make its way to South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming and New Mexico with the acquisitions of the Fresh Start and Chisum's portfolios.
"Along the way, we completed 18 other c-store acquisitions, bringing our total number of stores and adjacent businesses to over 150," Trkla noted.
A Unique Approach
While the big merger-and-acquisition plays in the convenience channel grab headlines for their eye-popping numbers — think Marathon Petroleum Corp. and Andeavor's $23.3-billion deal or 7-Eleven Inc.'s $3-billion payout for the majority of Sunoco LP's retail assets — Yesway has been quietly placing its banner on c-stores in small towns across the United States.
According to Trkla, Yesway's strategy specifically calls for the targeting of stores in smaller suburban or rural communities, typically populations of 5,000 to 50,000 people.
This approach is rather unique in the industry, the chief executive acknowledged. Many potential acquirers are instead focused on large-footprint and high-volume stores, which are generally found in much more populated regions.
Yesway's acquisition criteria includes regions with positive recent and historic trends in:
- Gross domestic product;
- Population growth; and
- Total gas consumption.
With roots now planted in nine states, Yesway intends to concentrate on further growth within its existing geographical footprint.
"Our focus for 2019 and beyond will be on increasing our presence within our current geography, rather than expanding our footprint further," Trkla explained. "We still plan to grow as quickly as possible, but our growth will likely be doubling-down in a number of our existing markets before we explore any new states."
Download our full report, “Saying Yes to Growth,” by clicking below.


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Wandering the quiet digital halls of Habbo Hotel
The once-massive social game trundles on.
Instagram is working on new rules for banning accounts
It plans to make violations count the same for every user.
Instagram will soon let you appeal post takedowns
This new feature is set to roll out over the next few months.
Facebook’s ‘privacy-focused’ plan is another diversion
Creating more private echo chambers may not be such a good idea.
Facebook has a three-part plan for making AI more 'inclusive'
It's teaching machines to work the same for everyone, regardless of skin tone.
A closer look at the redesigned Facebook app
It's cleaner, faster and puts Groups front and center.
Instagram lets you buy what Kim Kardashian wears right from the app
Celebrities and influencers are getting access to the company’s shopping features.
Instagram will start hiding 'Like' counts for users in Canada
It wants people to place less emphasis on how many likes posts are getting.
Facebook’s Dating app wants to connect you with your secret crush
The service is also expanding to 14 new countries.


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Chick-fil-A has responded critically to a decision by Northeastern's student government to block the chain from setting up shop on campus. The students took issue with the chain's alleged support of organizations that are opposed to gay rights, but according to Boston.com, the company says they've got it wrong. "We are not anti-anybody," says Chick-fil-A, who called the decision "hasty." They also say that it was the student gov that "had [previously] overwhelmingly selected the Chick-fil-A brand" and quotes an article by a Bowling Green State University (who also voted against them) that differentiates between giving to organizations that "because of their religious beliefs... naturally don’t promote homosexuality" versus organizations that are "actively battling gay rights." Well, Northeastern? Now do you want some Chick-n-Strips?
· Chick-fil-A calls Northeastern cancellation 'hasty' [Boston.com]
· All Chick-fil-A coverage on Eater [-EB-]
[Photo: Curry Student Center/The Huntington News]


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Dean Foods Company has released a new chocolate milk to meet the increasing needs of the US population for calcium.
Arla’s move to acquire full ownership of Westbury Dairies – formerly operated with First Milk as a joint venture – has been welcomed by milk suppliers.
Amalgamated Dairies Limited (ADL) and Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Limited (Gay Lea Foods) have announced the launch of the Co-operative Dairy Alliance (CDA) to strengthen co-operation between two of Canada's...
Almarai Company, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has announced its annual consolidated financial results for the year ending December 31, 2015.
Approximately 40m US residents are lactose intolerant, but until recently, there was no non-dairy alternative to half-and-half on the market. Green Grass Foods, Inc. founder and CEO Madeline Haydon wanted...
Irish dairy cooperative Ornua has acquired the Shanghai-based dairy manufacturer, Ambrosia Dairy, which becomes its first manufacturing base in China.
Arla is using GPS technology to improve sales in China – and the company says it’s already reaping the rewards
First Milk has announced the appointment of Clive Sharpe as chairman. Sharpe, who has had a career in food manufacturing spanning 35 years, will take over February 1.
At an investor conference in New York, GEA announced an order intake for the fourth quarter of 2015 of at least $1.35m (€1.24m), narrowly beating the old record of Q2...
Almarai Company, in Saudi Arabia, has announced the purchase of farm land in California, US, for $31.8m (SAR 119.3m).
Lithuanian dairy processor Vilkyskiu Pienine has announced plans to build a whey processing facility in the western city of Taurage.
Chobani’s newest sweet and spicy line, including pineapple chipotle and mango sriracha, may be a sign of what’s next in the yogurt market, a Mintel analyst said.
A new range of 100% naturally-flavored milkshake drinks from Newcastle in the UK has been launched, with potential sales in India on the horizon.
Fonterra Co-operative Group Limited announced it exported record volumes for the month of December 2015.
Two Danone plants in Russia are closing as the company rearranges its capacities in both Siberia and the Volga region as part of its production optimization program.
Chobani has launched a multi-media campaign homing in on the ‘all-natural’ credentials of its Simply 100 Greek yogurt range and drawing shoppers’ attention to ‘artificial’ ingredients in rival products.
Newly-formed dairy firm Müller Milk & Ingredients can play a major role in revitalising the sector but must “integrate with pace” to realise its potential, its boss has claimed.
Dairy Crest has bought out its joint venture partner for £6M as it prepares to start selling a prebiotic widely used in infant formula.
Egypt’s Qalaa Holdings has sold a mothballed cheese company and the Sudanese division of its sweets producer in deals totalling almost US$10m, the group announced this month.
The Nigerian population is slated to be the world's third largest by 2050, according to the United Nations, and Ornua says it wants to take advantage of the market's powerful...
Abergavenny Fine Foods plans to build a new food production unit after a huge blaze forced the closure of its previous factory.
The clean and clear label trend is coming to the world of whey, as BiPro USA has removed artificial sweeteners from its products and will begin using natural sweeteners for...
Danone and Veolia have partnered to tackle climate change through areas such as water resources and management of plastic packaging.
Danone-Nutricia has invested €240m in a new production plant in the Netherlands on the back of double-digit sales growth of infant formula products such as Aptamil and Nutrilon.
One of France’s biggest dairy companies has unloaded its failing Chinese infant formula unit to Yashili in a deal worth US$159m


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Goodyear Chief to Quit; CEO to Take Over
AP Business Writer
Goodyear chairman Samir G. Gibara told shareholders Wednesday he is resigning as of June 30, culminating the company's leadership transition plan.
President and chief executive officer Robert J. Keegan, whom Gibara hired into Goodyear from Eastman Kodak Co. in 2000, will take over as chairman. The move was anticipated as part of the transition plan of the world's largest tire company.
Gibara, 64, who has been with the company for 37 years, was elected president and CEO on Jan. 1, 1996, and became chairman six months later.
Gibara acknowledged at the company's annual shareholders meeting that Goodyear has fallen on hard times.
"While we have enjoyed many successes, there is no question I am disappointed with the recent performance of the company, and I think you are disappointed as well," he said.
Akron-based Goodyear recently reported a record $1.1 billion annual loss.
Goodyear shares have rebounded recently, trading at $7.01, down 6 cents, on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday _ down from more than $20 a year ago, but up from $3.35 about two months ago.
"The turnaround is under way and Goodyear is in good hands," Gibara said.
Keegan, 55, said he is ready to take on the task as chairman.
"I relish the challenge. I don't underestimate the substantial hurdles that confront us," he said.
Keegan told shareholders a key strategy for Goodyear will be to reduce costs by $1 billion to $1.5 billion by the end of 2005, and that the company will also look to sell some of its noncore businesses.
Goodyear lost $163.3 million, or 93 cents per share, in this year's first quarter despite increased sales. The company is determined to reduce costs, possibly by cutting jobs.
The company has been especially concerned with a struggling North American tire segment.
The North American tire business recorded an operating loss of $61.5 million, versus a loss of $51.3 million in the 2002 first quarter.
The company makes tires, engineered rubber products and chemicals in more than 90 facilities in 28 countries. Goodyear employs about 92,000 people.
On the Net:


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Drug companies need to rethink their marketing strategies, says a Concordia professor in her new book.
Time and again, major pharmaceutical companies attract negative press, with magazines like Forbes calling the industry “pill pushers” and detailing how they “abandoned science for salesmanship.”
The result? A nosedive in the public’s perception of the trade and an approval rating of 34 percent. That puts Big Pharma only slightly above the airline, insurance, and tobacco industries.
Can this be turned around? One Concordia researcher has a prescription for change: a Chief Values Officer (CVO).
In her new book, Global Issues in Pharmaceutical Marketing (Routledge, 2016), Lea Prevel Katsanis, a professor in the Department of Marketing at the John Molson School of Business, provides a practical outlook on the current issues faced by the industry.
She cites reputation as one of its most serious problems, and recent surveys of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in the domain suggest they agree with this assessment.
“This is an industry that has done a huge amount of good—millions of individuals would not be alive today without the scientific advances made by pharmaceutical companies—but there has also been some harm along the way,” says Katsanis.
“That, coupled with ongoing criticism for high prices and large marketing budgets compared to research and development (R&D) expenditures has led to a major reputational problem.
“The industry’s poor image is a symptom of an even greater problem,” she says. “There’s a lack of understanding and acceptance of the fundamental differences in values between the industry and the general public.
“It’s not the marketing of prescription drugs that is the problem, but rather the execution of the industry’s marketing strategies that has resulted in a general lack of public trust.”
The Cost of Doing Business
A disregard for criticism about some of its marketing practices and a reluctance to change them have also contributed to the industry’s negative reputation, according to the myriad sources Katsanis consulted for Global Issues in Pharmaceutical Marketing.
This stance is somewhat reflected in the highly public settlements levied against the industry in the United States since 2004 for violations that include off-label promotion, physician, and pharmacist kickbacks and monopolistic practices.
So why do these companies continue to engage in this behavior? “Because they simply consider this the cost of doing business,” Katsanis says. “They believe that the benefit to repairing the industry’s reputation may not be worth the financial risk—as long as firms continue to earn profits and their stock price remains high, there is no compelling reason for the industry to take action.”
However, new research presented in her book suggests this attitude is ill-advised.
Expanding the C-Suite
In Global Issues in Pharmaceutical Marketing, Katsanis calls for companies to adjust their values to be more reflective of those they serve, communicate these new principles to their employees throughout the organization, implement them, and then monitor their progress.
To do that, she advises that they create a new position: the Chief Values Officer (CVO).
Using this new model, the CEO would first consult with the CVO, who should have a strong background in business and medical ethics, to provide values and a guide to ethical behavior for the entire organization. This is a responsibility, Katsanis says, that companies should take on immediately if they hope to improve the reputation of their own firms as well as the industry as a whole.
It then becomes the CVO’s task to uphold this ethical behavior and enforce those values.
“This change in individual company values must then be reflected at the broader industry level,” Katsanis says. “It’s not a panacea—it won’t be easy, and it won’t be quick, but it must be undertaken for the future health of the industry—and, by extension, of society.”


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Fitness Industry Growth Still Anticipated
From an article by Pamela Kufahl in Club Industry's Fitness Business.pro.
February 2, 2009
Despite the economy, rising unemployment and price cutting at many health club companies, several polls indicate that the fitness industry will fare better than other industries during this recession.
The fitness industry is still projected to grow this year by 4 percent, according to IBISWorld Inc., an industry and market research company. Anthony Gikas, a senior research analyst with Piper Jaffray, was quoted in the St. Paul (MN) Pioneer Press as saying that the health club industry is still expected to grow 5 percent to 10 percent a year — although he did say that slower growth might occur for the next year or two. Financial Week magazine predicted that despite the economy, the health club industry would increase by 2.2 percent in 2009 and listed it as one of the industries that would prosper this year. The magazine noted that with the obesity epidemic and the aging Baby Boomer population, plus rising health care costs, insurers and corporations would have reasons to promote preventive practices, such as health club memberships. Some of the top club operators also indicated that they expect growth this year. A survey of clubs who made Club Industry's Fitness Business Pro's Top 100 clubs list last year found that 10 of the 19 responders say that their membership will increase in 2009 compared to 2008. Twelve of the club operators also said that their revenue would increase in 2009, while two said it would decrease, and five indicated it would stay the same.
In early December, Money magazine surveyed its readers to see what they would not give up in the recession. One of the top items they would not give up was their gym membership. Forty-eight percent said they wouldn't give up their health club membership compared to 41 percent who wouldn't give up eating out, 35 percent who wouldn't give up their extra car and 30 percent who wouldn't give up premium cable. Items that those surveyed would give up included new gadgets (89 percent), sporting events (87 percent), big vacations (83 percent), expensive clothes (80 percent) and cultural events (78 percent).


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TransUnion Appoints Lee Naik as Regional President for Africa
TransUnion (NYSE: TRU), a leading global information solutions provider, announced today the appointment of Lee Naik as the regional president of TransUnion’s operations in Africa, effective January 2, 2017.
In his new role, Naik will apply his expertise in technology to further TransUnion’s ability to deliver innovative solutions to the market. He will be responsible for growing the company’s broad range of information solutions, which help businesses make more informed decisions and consumers manage their personal information and access the financial products and services that lead to a higher quality of life.
“I am very excited about Lee's appointment, coming to us with an extensive understanding of the African marketplace and a keen desire to help leverage TransUnion’s global data, analytics and technology capabilities to help African businesses and consumers increase their impact,” said David Neenan, president of International at TransUnion. “TransUnion has a great history in Africa, and Lee joins us at an exciting time as we continue to introduce new products and opportunities to this important market.”
Naik spent the last 18 years with Accenture, where he was most recently managing director for Accenture Digital in Sub-Saharan Africa. Prior to working with the Digital business, he held several roles in IT strategy and technology consulting, and is recognized as one of South Africa’s leading digital and technology transformation experts. Naik holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
TransUnion offers Commercial, Consumer, Insurance and Auto risk information solutions across a number of industries, as well as personal credit management solutions, in 8 countries in Africa: Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland and Zambia.
About TransUnion (NYSE:TRU)
Information is a powerful thing. At TransUnion, we realise that. We are dedicated to finding innovative ways information can be used to help individuals make better and smarter decisions. We help uncover unique stories, trends and insights behind each data point, using historical information as well as alternative data sources. This allows a variety of markets and businesses to better manage risk and consumers to better manage their credit, personal information and identity. Today, TransUnion has a global presence in more than 30 countries and a leading presence in several international markets across North America, Africa, Latin America and Asia. Through the power of information, TransUnion is working to build stronger economies and families and safer communities worldwide.
We call this Information for GoodSM. http://www.transunion.co.za


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Kmart has only just dropped its new Christmas range, but fans are already going wild over one particular buy.
Shoppers have been snapping up the store’s pack of festive wine glasses since they hit shelves last week.
Kmart’s 6 Novelty Stemless Glasses cost just $12 and feature three Christmas designs.
Thousands of Kmart fans have shared their excitement about the new glasses on Facebook in recent days.
“Need these immediately,” said one.
Added another: “Christmas wine glasses! Kmart, you’re a genius.”
Said a third: “Yes, yes, YES. Buying three boxes!”
But others warned that shoppers will need to get in quick to purchase the popular buy.
“These are going to sell out quickly, mark my words,” said one.
Editorial note: 7NEWS.com.au has not received any monetary benefit from this content.


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Including four new original tracks.
Photo Credit: Pentland Park – Official
Glasgow-based duo Pentland Park has just shared the drop of their ‘Conscious’ EP. The new record is already available to stream and purchase across all major digital outlets via Everything Will Be OK.
Signaling the pair’s biggest body of work to date, their ‘Conscious’ EP is comprised of four new original cuts that showcase Pentland Park’s unique palette of sounds, and four distinct remixes, courtesy of Lake People, Fort Romeau, Benjamin Fröhlich, and Brigade.
Listen to Pentland Park’s new ‘Conscious’ EP below, and grab your copy of the record here.


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The AEM Group has identified a window of opportunity to play a leading role in the development of the supply chain for the United Kingdom’s (UK) lithium-ion battery for electric vehicles (EV-LIB) industry.
With electric vehicle and battery makers increasingly keen to drive down costs and simplify supply chains by co-locating production, the future of the UK automotive industry hinges on its ability to scale up production capacity with a new generation of EV-LIB giga factories.
AEM is pursuing a strategy to become the UK’s supplier of choice for high purity alumina (HPA) coating for battery separators and a leading supplier to other European markets. The company plans to design and build a plant in the UK initially to produce 1,000 tpa of 5N HPA using UK-sourced kaolin as its feedstock. In March 2021, it was awarded a grant from the UK government’s Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) to support its feasibility studies for this project.
Launched in July 2020, the ATF builds on the significant R&D base supported through the Advanced Propulsion Centre since 2013, helping to form the last part of the bridge into industrialisation at scale. The programme can provide support for investment in the key technology areas of batteries, fuel cells, motors, drives and power electronics, working to develop their upstream supply chains as well as circling back to address the opportunities around recycling technologies to enable the UK to be globally competitive.
The new plant’s design will be a “next generation” derivative of the Cap Chat plant incorporating many process improvements to achieve lowest manufacturing costs. It will adopt a modular approach based on factory manufactured units, which will be delivered to site for final assembly, which will facilitate rapid expansion of capacity in the future and form the design template for the company’s plans to establish HPA manufacturing in other markets.
The design and related feasibility studies will be conducted in 2021 with the aim of building and commissioning the plant by early 2023.


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Meadowhall pledges to employ local people if expansion gets green light
Meadowhall bosses have pledged to ensure Sheffield benefits from its expansion plan if it gets the go-ahead.
They want to build a £300 million leisure hall at the shopping mall and have submitted plans for the development to Sheffield Council.
If planning permission is granted around 550 temporary jobs would be created during the construction phase and another 1,400 once the hall opens - adding to the 8,500 people already employed at the shopping centre.
Meadowhall would aim to recruit 25 per cent of the construction workforce from Sheffield and 30 per cent from the from the region postcodes.
Three per cent of the construction jobs would be made available for apprentices.
The vast majority of the leisure hall jobs would go to local people.
Darren Pearce, Meadowhall's centre director, said: “Our vision is to ensure that throughout the construction and operational phases of the leisure hall, local people have access to jobs, training opportunities, traineeships and apprenticeships, and employers can access a suitably qualified, skilled and experienced workforce.
"Local businesses will also have access to supply chain opportunities, and contractors and occupiers will be connected to appropriate local suppliers.
"We are committed to the community and will ensure significant benefits are delivered by the leisure hall.”