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The two most popular cryptocurrencies are Bitcoin and Ethereum. Newer players, on the other hand, are sprouting up with the promise of cheaper transactions, lower energy use, and faster transactions. These newcomers are known as altcoins, or alternative cryptocurrencies to Bitcoin.
Ethereum is likely the most valuable altcoin on the market, but there is debate over whether it truly qualifies as one because its market cap of $557 billion dwarfs that of any other cryptocurrency. We’ve left Ethereum out of the equation for the sake of this analysis, and instead concentrated on cryptocurrencies that haven’t been around as long.
The cryptocurrency market experienced a bull run in October, which spilled over into November, prompting many to declare that altcoin season has arrived. Smaller cryptocurrencies gained even more in percentage since they were underpriced in compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum. These altcoins are attracting investors because they have greater room for growth, resulting in more earnings.
Here are the top 15 cryptocurrencies in the market to keep an eye on, along with why they show promise and what could go wrong:
Solana took off in 2020, thanks to its own blockchain, the ability to integrate with tokens from other networks, and fast transaction speeds — at least in comparison to Ethereum, which was quickly becoming the go-to cryptocurrency for developers looking to create smart contracts such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and decentralised finance (DeFi) apps.
Solana is viewed as a good fit for high-throughput decentralised finance (DeFi) systems, as it consumes less processing power than Ethereum. As a result, it was dubbed a “Ethereum Killer” by the crypto community, despite the fact that Solana’s network meltdown took away some of the lustre and recent upgrades enhanced Ethereum’s own capacity.
Independent developers have built approximately 500 dApps on Solana as of this writing, the majority of which are linked to financial, such as lending and borrowing. DeFi services, NFT trade, play-to-earn (P2E) games like Star Atlas, and dating services are all examples of these uses. And they all require Solana tokens to transact, explaining its 100-fold increase in value this year, landing it among the world’s top ten most valuable cryptocurrencies.
Some financial institutions, such as Axis Bank and Yes Bank, use Ripple’s XRP, also known as OpenCoin, to move payments across borders faster and cheaper than existing methods, such as NEFT, RTGS, or the most widely used SWIFT. The blockchain network is known as XRP Ledger, the coin is known as XRP, and the firm that makes it all possible is known as Ripple.
The XRP Ledger claims to be more scalable than Ethereum, meaning it can execute more transactions per second for less money.
Ripple has invested in the NFT marketplace Mintable and announced a $250 million creators fund for innovation to allow artists sell their NFTs on the XRP Ledger, in addition to XRP. Ripple has stated that they are looking forward to developing CBDCs that are interoperable. However, because of its impact on fiat currencies, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has begun to scrutinise XRP, which has made deep inroads into the financial system. And it doesn’t appear that they’re any closer to making a final choice.
Another ‘Ethereum Killer,’ this initiative from a Swiss research foundation aims for interoperability, scalability, and security via ‘parachains.’ Transacting with DOT is so cheaper and faster compared with other cryptocurrencies. Polkadot’s maximum supply allocation is presently 1 billion DOT tokens.
Polkadot is a blockchain communication protocol that is presently used by 511 projects. Transactions and banking are common use cases, but there are also more unusual ones like file storage and identity verification. The Polkadot blockchain is anticipated to add more features shortly, and its valuations have reached all-time highs this week.
The Dogecoin payment system, which was launched in 2013, was conceived as a joke by its creators. It turns out that a Shiba Inu meme, attractive dogs, and cryptocurrency were all potent enough to catch the attention of tech millionaire Elon Musk in the end. He enjoyed it, so did his followers, and the rest is history.
Dogecoin had been used for tipping on internet forums and donations for many years before to that. When it was first developed, it was similar to Bitcoin and Litecoin, with a few key differences, such as no limit on the number of coins that can be mined, thereby making supply limitless over time. Its value has increased 45-fold so far this year, and investors will have to decide whether volatility will drive this coin up or down.
According to Terra, the startup behind the LUNA token, this blockchain aims to establish a more digital and efficient financial system. On top of the Terra network, LUNA permits smart contracts and the creation of DApps, including DeFi protocols like Anchor and Mirror. They’ve also worked with payment and e-commerce platforms in Korea, including as TMON and Yanolja, to increase adoption.
Terra creates’ stablecoins’ by using the day-to-day price stability of fiat currencies, similar to how Tether utilises the US Dollar as a peg to generate the USDT cryptocurrency. Terra provides a stablecoin currency basket that is tied to the USD/EUR/GBP/SDR/JPY/KRW/CNY/MNT currencies. When these currencies’ transaction volumes rise, they sell native LUNA to achieve price stability — liquidity to match the fiat currency in circulation — and then buy it back when transaction volumes fall.
UNI is an Ethereum-based ERC-20 token that has been traded since September 2020 and was given to users of Uniswap’s decentralised exchange (DEX). Uniswap eliminates exchange liquidity issues and allows users to trade DeFi tokens. UNI tokens have a current supply limit of one billion units.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reviewed Uniswap in September to see if DeFi trades should be regulated under the securities framework. If they can weather the storm, DeFi’s trajectory will likely propel UNI higher.
Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
In mid-2017, Bitcoin Cash split from Bitcoin, with all Bitcoin holders receiving matching Bitcoin Cash. As a result, it is an altcoin that has many of Bitcoin’s characteristics, including being open, decentralised, blockchain-based,’mined’ for use, and having a supply cap of 21 million coins.
When you look at their fundamental goals, you can see the contrast between the two. At the time, Bitcoin was viewed as more of an item that stored value, similar to gold, but Bitcoin Cash proponents intended it to be used for transactions, similar to cash. According to the Bitcoin Cash website, the global gold market is only about $10 trillion, whereas the global cash market is worth ten times that. Because of its use case as payments between people for products and services, as well as micro-transactions such as tipping content producers or rewarding app users, the company believes BCH is more ‘usable’ and has a ‘higher upside potential.’
BCH is also said to be “greener” than Bitcoin because it allows for faster transactions with reduced costs. A huge amount of BCH held in the Mt Gox case is scheduled to be released to owners soon, potentially leading to a supply glut.
LINK is an ERC-677 token that can be used to create ‘data-driven smart contracts’ on Ethereum, Solana, and Polygon. It is unique in that it may use a ‘oracle’ to interface with data from the outside world, such as price, weather, and order books.
It’s a typical term for DeFi securities that rely on market data. For example, Arbol uses Chainlink to generate weather risk products, while Theta Network uses it to detect ad fraud for online content using audience data.
Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC)
Take a Bitcoin, keep it in custody, ‘wrap’ it as an Ethereum-based token, and keep a peg to Bitcoin’s price, and you’ve got Wrapped Bitcoin! In a nutshell, WBTC is an Ethereum ERC-20 token linked to the value of Bitcoin, comparable to the Tether token linked to the value of the US dollar.
The major objective for this is to’shift’ liquidity from Bitcoin’s networks to the Ethereum blockchain, allowing users to participate in DeFi services that would otherwise be unavailable to Bitcoin users. Trading, staking, margin trading, lending and borrowing, gaming, DApps, and smart contracts are all available as DeFi services for WBTC.
WBTC has no upper limit, and transactions are completed 40 times faster than they are with BTC. BitGo and Kyber Network are among its backers, claiming to keep a 1:1 ratio of WBTC tokens to BTC reserves and to be the centralised custodian of BTC.
Litecoin is an altcoin that was forked from Bitcoin and is considered the first among Bitcoin alternatives. It shares many qualities with Bitcoin, therefore it benefits from the same advantages as its parent currency.
Litecoin was forked before Bitcoin Cash for the same reason: to be used as a currency for frequent transactions with cheap transaction costs, at least when compared to Bitcoin. Notably, LTC claims to be far faster than BTC at processing transactions, as well as being more secure and efficient for smaller commercial transactions.
However, because LTC has a supply limit of 84 million coins, it is a potentially valuable asset. Since its inception in 2011, Litecoin has grown in popularity to the point that it can now be purchased with a debit card or deposited into a bank account.
With a supply cap of 1.97 billion units, Filecoin has been operating on its own blockchain since mid-2020. It is designed to facilitate global use of unoccupied storage space by specialising in decentralised network storage utilising the Interplanetary File Storage (IPFS) protocol. Consider it a distributed alternative to Dropbox/Google/Microsoft/centralized AWS’s cloud storage services.
If you’ve ever watched the TV show Silicon Valley, you’ll recognise this as one of the goals that PiedPiper’s software attempts to achieve.
Users can pay in Filecoin for efficient, low-cost storage, and storage nodes will be paid in Filecoin as well. The network had 13.3 exabytes of storage capacity at last count, and a Terabyte cost $1.54 – not bad considering the commercial competition. It appears to be so excellent that even crooks are discovering methods to make millions.
Ethereum Classic (ETC)
In 2016, Ethereum Classic (ETC) split from Ethereum (ETH) because to ideological differences that grew stronger over time. The core functionality remains the same, however the supply cap has been increased to 210.7 million ETC. With few tweaks, an application or smart contract that uses ETH might be converted to ETC.
Despite advancements after the split and a dedicated community, only a few prominent developers elected to utilise ETC. That’s why, according to outside observers, the surge in value this summer was due solely to demand from Grayscale Trust and tweets that mistook ETC with ETH.
AAVE is Aave’s native token, previously known as ETHLend. It’s a DeFi lending protocol featuring financial services like interest on deposits, cryptocurrency lending and borrowing, and even zero-collateral fast loans.
AAVE has a current supply restriction of 16 million units, while some derivative exchanges may allow trading with up to 125x leverage. Aave’s ecosystem includes 30 firms that have developed DeFi products based on their protocol, as well as a constantly developing liquidity market.
Dash stands for ‘digital cash’ and was previously known as XCoin and Darkcoin in 2014. This cryptocurrency started as a fork of Litecoin, which was based on Bitcoin. Since then, Dash has developed substantially, but it remains primarily focused on being a decentralised global payments network that offers quick and low-cost transactions.
The private component, on the other hand, initially aided it but now hinders it. Even up to 2017, their PrivateSend service touted untraceable transactions as a key feature, comparing it favourably to Bitcoin. However, DashPay CEO Ryan Taylor has stated that Dash’s PrivateSend feature is merely a branded version of non-custodial CoinJoin, and that it is neither more nor less private than Bitcoin.
Dash appears to no longer want to be identified as a “privacy coin” after crypto exchanges such as ShapeShift and BitTrex delisted it. They launched DashDirect in July to let customers to shop at over one lakh store locations across the United States and encourage currency usage.
Aspen Coin (ASPD)
Aspen Coin can be compared to owning a share of a real estate corporation because it is the first of its type. The luxurious St.Regis Aspen Resort in the United States announced a Security Token Offering (STO) of this asset-backed security token in 2018.
Regulations required it to relocate from the Ethereum blockchain to the ‘Securitize platform,’ and it is currently traded using the Tezos currency. ASPD tokens appear to be held by exactly 26 persons, and the underlying asset has kept its value very consistent over time.


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Startups Awards winner secures £150,000 in second crowdfunding round
Righteous Ltd reaches target on Crowdcube in less than four weeks
Healthy salad dressing producer Righteous Ltd has reached its funding target of £150,000 on crowdfunding site Crowdcube.
The cash injection, which comes from 86 investors, marks the second successful crowdfunding pitch for the start-up, following a £75,000 Crowdcube campaign in 2012.
The company, which was named Home-based or Freelance Business of the Year at the Startups Awards 2012, secured the funding in fewer than four weeks, meaning that founder Gem Misa persuaded investors in less than half the designated pitching time.
The latest investment, which offered up a total of 15% of Righteous Ltd’s equity, is set to support the salad dressing producer as it expands both nationally into Sainsbury’s and internationally into the US.
The company, which currently stocks in Tesco, Waitrose and Booths hopes that the new funding and consequent growth will help the firm to increase turnover from £100,000 in 2012 to £700,000 by the end of 2013 and £1.1m the following year.

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The statistics are startling!
In July 2019, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)’s Animal Poison Control Center reported a 765% increase in calls received related to cannabis ingestion by pets, as compared to the same period the year before. The Pet Poison Helpline also reported a 400% spike in marijuana-related calls over the past six years. And veterinarians who are members of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) have likewise reported an increased number of pets coming into their clinics with signs of marijuana intoxication.
Likely fueling this whopping increase of calls is the legalization of marijuana in many states. Accordingly, the AVMA urges veterinarians to warn clients of the potential dangers associated with animal consumption of cannabis.
Our Total Veterinary Care® team wants you to be educated—not judged—and we want your pet companions to be safe.
As with any drug, don’t let your pet get into pot!
What can be a pleasurable high for humans can be scary and dangerous for animals—and worse. THC, the psychoactive substance in marijuana, is toxic to dogs. Especially dangerous is the concentrated form, such as that used in edible, baked products like cookies and brownies. Baked products can also have other things that are harmful to pets, such as chocolate and raisins, thus compounding the toxic effects of marijuana.
But it’s not only ingesting the pot that is dangerous. Smoking cannabis in close proximity to your pet can also be very harmful. If you choose to smoke, do so far away from your pets. And even if you don’t bring marijuana into your house, your pet could still be at risk. With increased legalization of pot use, your pet might easily encounter the drug. While on a walk, a dog might sniff out and eat a discarded joint. Eating pot or inhaling smoke might be risks during a visit to another home. Keeping your dog on a leash and preventing them from grazing while out on
walks or from getting into things at another home can prevent such exposures.
Signs and symptoms of cannabis ingestion can include the following:
- lack of coordination/dizziness
- dribbling urine
- low blood pressure
- low body temperature
- and, in rare cases, death
If you see any of these signs, please get your pet to Total Veterinary Care® right away!


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It is very possible to find a PS5 console at some Australian retailers, but only if you’re willing to pay a bonkers amount of money for it.
It’s been three or so months since the PS5 has been ushered into the world and it’s become more difficult than ever to find one of these damn consoles.
With demand being so high and the pandemic having an impact on production, it’s been exceedingly tough for Sony to keep stock levels up. Hell, right now the best chance of getting a PS5 is if a place like eBay is giving them away.
Having said all that, it turns out it is possible to get a PS5 in Australia without having to wait god knows how many months. The only catch is that you’re going to have to pay nearly double for the damn thing.
According to Kotaku Australia, CeX, a United Kingdom based retail chain that specialises in second-hand consumer electronics, is selling PS5 consoles at a rip-off price of $1,250.
That’s $501 more than what PS5 consoles are supposed to retail for, which is utterly ridiculous and clearly a scalping move akin to all those folks trying to flog PS5s on eBay.
There are still a number of PS5 consoles available on the CeX online store at the time of writing, all of which are selling for that bonkers $1,250 price tag.
Get the latest Gaming news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
So if you’re mega desperate to play Hitman 3 or whatever on the PS5 and you’re willing to pay any price for Sony’s new chonk of a console, then you might as well buy a ridiculously overpriced PS5 at the aforementioned Australian retailers.
If you’re willing to wait, then keep an eye on the PS5 and Xbox Series X real-time tracker and hope that the odds fall in your favour soon when more stock comes in.


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Call 267 279 9477 to make your appointment today—
Volkswagen , the German luxury car maker will unveil the much-awaited new generation 2016 VW Tiguan at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show on September 15. Italian auto website alVolate has released a rendering and few details of the upcoming crossover. Instead of the PQ35 Golf-sourced platform that underpins the current Tiguan, the next model will be based on Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform.
from Volkswagen News http://ift.tt/1Jpmy3v


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With the recently launched Galaxy S23 models, Samsung opted to ditch its in-house Exynos processors in favor of a custom-made Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 from Qualcomm. However, the global transition to Snapdragon may be short-lived if the leaker Ice Universe is to be believed, which reports that Samsung has approved the mass production of a new Exynos that goes by the name Exynos 2400. According to Ice Universe, this new processor will use an architecture with ten cores, specifically one Cortex-X4, two Cortex-A720 with high clock frequency, three additional Cortex-A720 lower clock frequency, and four Cortex-A520.
According to rumors, the new processor will begin mass production later this year, and that it will be used in one or more of the Galaxy S24 models that will be presented in early 2024. If Samsung plans to switch to the new Exynos processor globally or return to using Exynos as before in some markets and Snapdragon in others remains to be seen.


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Researchers are working to learn more about potential alternative nematode control options that can be used in California carrot production. A screening trial was conducted in 2021 at the University of California Cooperative Extension Research Farm in Shafter. Kern County Vegetable Crops Advisor, Jaspreet Sidhu noted that root-knot nematodes present a significant challenge for carrot growers. Nematodes can cause substantial damage to roots, resulting in lower marketable yields.
“So far, we do not have any resistant varieties of carrots with resistance to root-knot nematodes. The management has relied on preplant fumigation in California,” said Sidhu. “But with the increased environmental regulations by the Department of Pesticide Regulation there are some challenges in managing root-knot nematodes in carrots.”
The new regulations for fumigants will significantly limit nematode treatments, leaving growers with limited management options. Sidhu said that any alternative nematode control options will need to be effective, economically viable, and environmentally safe. Some materials evaluated as part of the trial showed promise. “There is good potential in reducing root-knot nematodes with some products such as Nimitz. Then there is a developmental product coming from another company, and Velum was also promising in our trials,” Sidhu explained.
Detailed results from the screening trial are available through the Kern County Vegetable Crops newsletter. The three products Sidhu highlighted show potential for being viable options, but further evaluation will be needed to better understand their efficacy. Researchers will continue generating data that can help to support registration of non-fumigant nematicides for carrots.
“Hopefully we will have some of the products registered for the carrot industry soon here in California. We might be closer to getting a couple of them registered in the next year or so,” said Sidhu. “We will also keep screening other additional products so that we have a few more products to rely on in case we see resistance, or we see other issues coming up with the other products.”


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The Czech economy decreased by 0.5% year-on-year in the first quarter. The decline is more profound than previously reported by the Czech Statistical Office in May, which reported a year-on-year decrease in the gross domestic product (GDP) of 0.4%. The economy stagnated quarter-on-quarter in the first three months of the year, as confirmed by the CSU on its website on Friday.
In the first quarter, household incomes and consumption decreased. “The total real monetary and non-monetary income of households per capita decreased by 1.2% compared to the previous quarter and by 9.6% year-on-year, which again was due to continuing price growth,” said Vladimir Kermiet, director of the national accounts department at the CSU.
Real household consumption per capita decreased by 2.6% quarter-on-quarter and 7.6% year-on-year.
The household savings rate decreased compared to the previous quarter but increased year-on-year. The investment rate in the household sector decreased quarter-on-quarter compared to the same period last year.
The non-financial corporate sector saw an increase in profit rates quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year but a decrease in the investment rate. The profit rate was 48.6%, 0.2 percentage points higher than in the previous quarter and an increase from 45.5% last year.
The investment rate decreased by 1.3 percentage points quarter-on-quarter to 27.2%, compared to 24.7% last year. Non-financial corporate wage costs increased by more than a tenth year-on-year.


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Here are the most important news, trends and analysis that investors need to start their trading day:
- Wall Street looks to avoid a four-session losing streak
- Supply chain woes, rising costs may make for rocky earnings
- September consumer prices remain high
- White House aims to help key West Coast ports stay open 24/7
- U.S. to reopen land borders in November for fully vaccinated
1. Wall Street looks to avoid a four-session losing streak
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U.S. stock futures were slightly higher Wednesday after Dow stock JPMorgan Chase reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings and revenue and key inflation data. Shares of JPMorgan rose modestly in the premarket as third-quarter results from the bank were supported by a $1.5 billion boost from better-than-expected loan losses.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq all dropped Tuesday for the third straight session. The modest losses indicated that investors were in a wait-and-see mode ahead of earnings season really kicking into high gear.
Shares of Delta Air Lines dipped in the premarket after the carrier on Wednesday reported that third-quarter earnings and revenue topped expectations. It was Delta's first quarterly profit without taking federal aid into account since the start of the pandemic. However, it was still below 2019 pre-Covid levels.
2. Supply chain woes, rising costs may make for rocky earnings
Supply chain issues, labor shortages and higher energy prices are making this a very difficult quarter to model. As of Tuesday, 22 companies that are early reporters beat estimates by 11%, according to Nick Raich, CEO of The Earnings Scout. While this is above the traditional beat of 3% to 5%, it's far below the average of prior quarters this year, including the roughly 18% beat for the second quarter. Third-quarter estimates, which had been rising steadily for months, have stopped in the last few weeks.
3. September consumer prices remain high
The 10-year Treasury yield rose to about 1.6% on Wednesday after the government reported that the consumer price index in September rose 5.4% from last year. Core CPI, which excludes the food and energy sectors, rose 4% from last year. Both were basically in-line with estimates and similar to the prior month's year over year increases. The Federal Reserve at 2 p.m. ET releases minutes from its policy meeting in September when central bankers indicated they expect to begin reducing monthly asset purchases "soon," but did not say when.
4. White House aims to help key West Coast ports stay open 24/7
President Joe Biden will unveil a plan Wednesday to try to ease West Coast port backlogs by expanding round-the-clock operations. The Port of Los Angeles is expected to announce a shift to 24/7 operations, following a similar transition by the Port of Long Beach in California last month. Central to this plan to ease supple chain disruptions are commitments by some of the nation's leading retailers and shippers, including FedEx, UPS, Walmart and Home Depot, to increase overnight and off-hours operations at the ports to get the goods to market. Together, the ports account for about 40% of the shipping containers entering the United States.
5. U.S. to reopen land borders in November for fully vaccinated
The U.S. said Wednesday it will reopen its land borders to nonessential travel next month, ending a 19-month freeze due to Covid as the nation moves to require all international visitors to be vaccinated. Vehicle, rail and ferry travel between the U.S. and Canada and Mexico has been largely restricted to essential travel since the earliest days of the pandemic. The latest move follows last month's announcement that the U.S. will end country-based travel bans for air travel and instead require Covid shots for foreign nationals seeking to enter by plane.


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Recently, California and Virginia enacted two groundbreaking privacy laws, the CCPA and the CDPA, that set new consumer privacy and online rights guidelines. It is critical for businesses that regularly handle customer data to have a comprehensive understanding of these pieces of legislation.
We invite you to join us on April 15 at 1 PM PST to hear Sidd Gavirneni, Co-founder and CEO of Zeguro, and Elena Elkina, Partner and Co-founder of Aleada Consulting, and Co-founder of Women in Security and Privacy, talk about
Recently, California's California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) went into effect to help safeguard consumer rights and place regulations on businesses for how they address customer data and online privacy. Understanding this new piece of legislation is critical for any business that operates or has customers in California.
In light of California’s Consumer Privacy Act going into effect, other states such as Virginia have followed suit. Virginia recently passed its own comprehensive privacy law called the CDPA (Customer Data Protection Act). The act has very similar provisions and penalties to the CCPA and primarily applies to companies and individuals conducting business within the Commonwealth of Virginia or those who manufacture or provide goods or services to Virginia residents.
This webinar will discuss both the CCPA and CDPA and what effects they'll have on businesses using consumer data.


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Publicis: approves dividend cut at AGM
(CercleFinance.com) - Publicis has announced that its combined general meeting, which was held behind closed doors, has approved the payment of a dividend of 1.
15 euro per share. In accordance with the proposal submitted by the Executive Board this is half the originally planned dividend.
The dividend's payment may be made, on the choice of shareholders, either in new shares or in cash. On an exceptional basis, it has been decided to postpone the cash payment of the dividend and the delivery of new shares until 28 September.
Thus, the dividend will be detached on 7 September and the option for its payment in shares will be exercised between 9 and 22 September. The issue price of shares distributed for the dividend has been set at 24.46 euros.
Copyright (c) 2020 CercleFinance.com. All rights reserved.


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COGS OF INDUSTRY
Volvo has piloted a new delivery service in Sweden, allowing retailers to use one-time digital keys to drop off purchases right inside the boot (or trunk for our US audience!) of parked Volvo cars. The benefit for consumers is compelling (no more chasing missed parcels) but the service does come with some security risks. Unperturbed, Volvo trialed the service – coined Roam Delivery – with an online grocery retailer and says talks are already in place with major players globally.
LETTER FROM AMERICA
The Internet went crazy for Pharrell Williams’ Buffalo hat that accompanied him to the Grammys in late January. And now, sandwich chain Arby’s has bid $44,100 on eBay for Pharrell’s Vivienne Westwood creation; all of which will be donated to From One Hand to Another, a charity Williams runs for disadvantaged children. It’s a great PR move for Arby’s, who say they’re happy to get ‘their’ hat back, having featured in Arby’s logo since 1964.
When sunscreen first came on the market the products had limited occasionality – for sunbathing on the beach or by a pool. But now, sunscreen is recommended for everyday use meaning many of the traditional ‘sunscreen’ design codes (large format bottles with cartoon beach scenes) don’t feel so relevant. This packaging for SolScents, however, tries to push against category norms by introducing pastel colours and a more cosmetic structure.
High-end FMCG fever has spread from London Fashion Week to Paris, where Karl Lagerfield and the Chanel team transformed the Grand Palais into a supermarket catwalk. In the shopping centre, all products were own-label Chanel and models walked down the aisles as if doing their weekly shop. We wonder where the worlds of fashion and grocery will collide next…
NAME THAT BRAND
And then, if you fancy the challenge, play the full game right here.


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Central & South Asia
People & Power
This month on Al Jazeera
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The internet bill: Is freedom of expression under threat in Turkey?
What will remain of Turkey's freedom of expression in light of the new internet bill?
Last updated: 08 Feb 2014 09:38 GMT
Obama pledges spy programme transparency
US president vows to reform Patriot Act to increase transparency and restore public trust in surveillance by NSA.
Last updated: 10 Aug 2013 01:06 GMT
Apple CEO rejects 'tax evasion' charges
Tim Cook tells US Senate hearing that Apple does not use 'tax gimmicks' to avoid paying more taxes.
Last updated: 21 May 2013 22:51 GMT
Apple to return $100bn to shareholders
Profits decline due to rivalry in smartphone and tablet markets, but company's cash reserves burgeon to nearly $145bn.
Last updated: 24 Apr 2013 07:21 GMT
China takes a bite out of Apple
State-owned media has attacked the core of the tech giant, worrying other foreign companies operating in the country.
Last updated: 12 Apr 2013 16:07 GMT
Apple apologises to Chinese consumers
US technology giant issues apology on website after state media campaign attacks firm's warranty and repair policies.
Last updated: 01 Apr 2013 19:57 GMT
Google Maps app back on iPhones
Apple Inc. has returned popular online mapping system to iPhones after its own version failed to please customers.
Last updated: 13 Dec 2012 08:35 GMT
Apple announces management shake-up
Two executives to leave and three executives to be given enhanced roles in the wake of recent software problems.
Last updated: 30 Oct 2012 07:08 GMT
Apple tenders apology over map app errors
CEO Tim Cook says company is "extremely sorry" and asks users to use alternate map apps in the interim.
Last updated: 29 Sep 2012 08:06 GMT
Apple doubles quarterly profits to $11.6bn
Results significantly beat Wall Street estimates after a jump in iPhone sales, particularly in the greater China region.
Last updated: 25 Apr 2012 12:06 GMT
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Gunning down the taxmen of Somalia
At least 25 tax collectors have been killed since 2012 in Mogadishu, a city awash in weapons and abject poverty.
Down and out in upscale Japan
Tokyo government claims its homeless population has hit a record low, but analysts - and the homeless - beg to differ.
3D printing and the future of disaster relief
3D printers can cheaply construct homes and could soon be deployed to help victims of catastrophe rebuild their lives.
Protecting Mongolia's parent-less children
Lack of child protection laws means abandoned and orphaned kids rely heavily on the care of strangers.
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Big rethink for counterterrorism
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Mostafiz Uddin, owner and creator of the Bangladesh denim brand, The Denim Expert, reached out to us @Denimology. During a feature about the plights of Bangladesh at the BBC, Mostafiz Uddin talks about the hardships not only for his own company, but for all of the industry affected by the pandemic.
Read on – this is the essence of this documentary:
“COVID-19 has been probably one of the most cruel tests of the time not only endangering lives and livelihoods, but also the “values’” that adhere to our commitment toward a better, safer, and sustainable world.
Particularly the “trust and partnership”, upon which the citadel of the global trade is founded, is blown up by this pandemic. Global apparel supply chain has been one of the worst affected sectors during the pandemic.
My factory, Denim Expert Limited, has suffered from huge order cancellation and holds in the wake of the pandemic which put me into the abyss of economic uncertainty and hardship. With perseverance, patience and working long with my team, we are alive so far and trying to survive.
Principles of sustainability is my mantra. No matter the severity of the pandemic, I have been and will always be leaning toward the sustainability and no hardship can ever stand between me and my workers, as long as I breathe. But we cannot win this battle alone unless our global partners are with us with full responsibility and partnership.
The stories of economic hardships and struggles in the third world countries often remains untold, so I appreciate BBC for coming forward to shed some lights on this subject, and I am glad to be a part of it.
The storm is not gone yet, when this documentary was broadcasted on BBC, it brought back to me those tumultuous days once again and I shuddered with the horror or reliving all those moments.
I hope my emotions will not offend anyone, but believe me I feel pity for those who breach and bruise relationships, and ignore people and their lives.
I think the way COVID is a threat to our civilization. Only the strength and spirit of humanity can win this battle.”


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The latest UKHospitality (UKH) survey has revealed that hospitality businesses are predicting a “lengthy and painful” recovery post-lockdown, with trade levels expected to be “significantly suppressed” for many months.
The findings revealed low expectations across the sector, with responses from a range of different operators within the industry.
The survey asked respondents for their trading expectations in the three months post-lockdown, as well as in December, a “vital revenue-generating month” for the sector.
Respondents were also asked about the effect a one-metre social distancing rule would have on trade, versus a two-metre rule.
While most respondents predicted more trade with a one-metre distancing rule, trade was still expected to be at just over half the level compared to the year before, even with the one-metre rule in place.
Overall, respondents “overwhelmingly” expected a slow recovery in the second half of 2020, with a “worst-case scenario” in December, with trade at around a third of the previous year’s level if the two-metre rule remained in place.
The shorter-term outlook is “yet more downbeat”, according to UKH, with expectations for August trading between a 78% and 65% decline depending on the level of social distancing required in venues.
It comes as UKH is calling on the government to “urgently confirm” the 4 July reopening date, and for it to make “renewed commitments” on extended support for the sector, in order to prevent widespread business failure and further job losses.
UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls, said: “This bleak outlook from operators should sound the alarm with governments across the UK. First things first, we urgently need confirmation of the reopening date for hospitality without further delay.
“Businesses need time to prepare and the first step on the road to recovery is confirmation of when they can open their doors again. Those who rely on advance bookings, such as hotels, leisure parks and attractions need answers now.”
She added: “For most venues, operating with the two-metre social distancing rule is financially unviable, so if the current review on social distancing recommends it is safe to do so, we would urge the Government to adopt the internationally-recognised standard of one metre.
“Such a reduction would be a huge boost for the sector and prove critical to the survival of the vast majority of businesses.”


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To bolster its display advertising business, BuzzFeed is asking marketers what kinds of people they want to reach, then having its editorial team create content specifically designed to attract them.
Imagine an alcohol brand that wanted to reach female millennials who like to drink in the summer, love nail art and are interested in LGBTQA issues. With its new offering, internally called SponCon, BuzzFeed might take that request and ask its edit team to create five posts that align with the initiatives of the advertiser. The content itself, however, isn’t sponsored or branded. The articles don’t mention the advertisers, but the advertiser owns 100% of the share of voice with on-page display advertising. SponCon packages come with impression guarantees, which BuzzFeed ensures it meets with a mixture of organic traffic and social distribution.
While this is a new selling approach for BuzzFeed, the model is reminiscent of how display campaigns were often sold in the internet’s earlier days, when ad buyers often worked with publishers’ salespeople to purchase a share of voice against specific types of content. The twist now is that BuzzFeed is creating new content specifically to meet buyers’ demands.
Ironically, BuzzFeed says the offering has resonated most with agencies’ “programmatic” buying teams so far, despite the fact these campaigns are not actually transacted programmatically. With the slow demise of the cookie and growing privacy regulation, marketers are increasingly looking for new ways to find and target ads to specific audiences. Contextually targeted advertising is enjoying a comeback, as a result, and it’s this wave of interest that BuzzFeed is attempting to ride.
“BuzzFeed really has built its brands on creating content so when we decided to do display through programmatic, we did the basics. Now, we’re looking to translate native through programmatic and to use SponCon to bridge the worlds between the two,” said Michele DeVine, senior director of programmatic partnerships. “For the first time, programmatic buyers have direct access to the editorial team.”
While all of BuzzFeed’s sales teams can offer SponCon, DeVine’s programmatic sales team has sold around a half-dozen campaigns. To date, SponCon has been sold to both existing programmatic advertising partners and buyers interested in branded content campaigns, offering them a simpler and cheaper alternative to larger, high-touch media packages.
“It’s a little antithetical to the idea of programmatic,” said Miles Pretlove, digital strategist of programmatic media buying agency eEffective. “This is a more direct, custom buy.”
But because programmatic has grown to be a leading revenue source for both media companies and the agencies that purchase from them, Pretlove said it stands to reason that BuzzFeed might try to connect the dots. “It makes sense that in-house programmatic teams are more ingrained in the strategy-based content alignment conversations,” he said.
BuzzFeed first integrated programmatic into its advertising business in 2017 and since then has looked for ways to bring together its direct sales team and its programmatic sales team, including opening its programmatic inventory to its entire sales staff in 2018. It first began offering SponCon to select partners in the fall of 2018, but the service launched officially this summer.
The baseline product for SponCon is five posts revolving around the topics that the advertiser specifies, with six weeks of 100% share of voice ownership. Pricing for this product is tier-based, similar to its branded content pricing, with variations on number of posts or duration of ownership, according to DeVine.
“Branded content is a heavy lift. It takes a lot of time to create the product,” said DeVine. “This is a lighter touch to create.”
Media Briefing: The case for and against monthly and annual subscriptions in the battle for retention
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SponsoredWhy Best Buy Ads sees retail media as integral to its customer-centric purpose
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The programmatic open marketplace is faltering, but publishers see a bright spot in private programmatic deals
Publishers are coming to terms with their open programmatic marketplace RPMs being 20-55% lower than they were this time last year, but the hope is that programmatic guaranteed deals will make up the deficit.
Marketers weigh the cons of working with Google Ad Manager amid Justice Department’s new lawsuit
When is it time to back away?


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Disney has paid more than $15 billion to acquire Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm during the past decade. This summer has certainly validated the decision to shell out $7.4 billion, $4 billion, and $4 billion, respectively, for the three character-rich story weavers.
Right now, Pixar's Inside Out has topped $268 million domestically at the box office, making it the country's highest grossing animated feature in nearly two years. Marvel's going to get yet another chance to shine when Ant-Man opens at a multiplex near you over the weekend. However, it's hard to deny that the real excitement for Disney and its shareholders is the return of the Star Wars franchise as a theatrical property later this year when Star Wars: The Force Awakens arrives in December.
It's a foregone conclusion that the film is going to be huge a box office beast. The only real mystery is how Disney will cash in at its growing theme-park empire.
Disney shed some light on the Star Wars-ification of its gated attractions on Wednesday when it unveiled some of the attractions that will open early next year when Shanghai Disney opens to the public.Star Wars Launch Bay will be a key element of Tomorrowland, offering up a high-tech cinematic experience to go alongside props and memorabilia from the new movie that will be on display.
Closer to home, we're now possibly just weeks away from the family entertainment giant spilling the beans on the role that Star Wars will play in its partially gutted Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida. It was announced on Tuesday that George Lucas will be honored at next month's D23 EXPO, an annual powwow for Disney buffs. CEO Bob Iger will host the event on Aug. 14 that will culminate with tapping Lucas as an official member of the Disney Legends hall of fame.
It's been widely anticipated that Disney will use D23 to introduce its makeover plans for the Florida park that has dropped to dead last in attendance among the four Disney World parks at the massive resort. Now with the assurance that Lucas will be in attendance, it seems like an ideal time to do more than just drop a new trailer for the upcoming Star Wars film.
This doesn't mean that Star Wars isn't creeping into the theme parks already. I just got back from six weeks in Central Florida, taking several trips to Disney's parks along the way. Star Wars merchandise is everywhere, and often where you least expect it.
Star Wars products are naturally a big part of Disney's Hollywood Studios. It's where the Star Tours motion simulator ride attraction takes guests into a mission to transport a rebel spy, and that park also hosts Star Wars Weekends every year, where an entire section to the park is devoted to shopping. Yes -- you guessed it -- Disney calls it the Darth's Mall.
However, even Disney's three other Florida parks are actively pitching Star Wars merch. Let's start a photo tour at EPCOT. The Chevy-sponsored Test Track ride takes guests through a driving course, dropping them off at a gift shop. Does Star Wars fit into a shop selling model cars, road signs, and other vehicles accessories?
Source: Rick Munarriz.
Why, yes -- it does. You can snap up Yoda, R2D2, Boba Fett, and Darth Vader decals for your windows at the Test Track store. It only seems a little out of place.
The Star Wars merchandise feels much more out of place at Animal Kingdom, Disney World's "not a zoo" park where wildlife rule. There we turn to the Chester & Hester's Dinosaur Treasures shop in the park's DinoLand U.S.A. section.
Source: Rick Munarriz.
What do Stormtrooper pillows, Yoda backpacks, and R2D2 mouse ears have to do with prehistoric times? Nothing; but if it sells, you know it's going to get plenty of shelf space.
Then we head out to Magic Kingdom, Disney's most visited theme park on the planet. Is there any doubt that you will find plenty of Star Wars gear being sold there?
Source: Rick Munarriz.
Yes, you can assemble your own personalized lightsaber at the Magic Kingdom. To be fair, the store is called Star Traders, but the Tomorrowland theming had nothing to do with Star Wars until Disney shelled out big bucks for Lucasfilm. So, yes, big Star Wars news may be coming to Disney's theme parks, but the franchise itself is already there in a major way.
The article Disney Is All About Star Wars These Days originally appeared on Fool.com.
Rick Munarriz owns shares of Walt Disney, and he spent the first half of the summer in Celebration, Florida just a fireworks shot away from the parks. The Motley Fool recommends Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of Walt Disney. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2015 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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The ever expanding grocerant niche has attracted retailers from ever sector according to Tacoma, WA based Grocerant Guru® Steven Johnson of Foodservice Solutions®. That includes Pizza Inn who’s tag line is “America’s Hometown Pizza Place,” new prototype for a non-traditional licensing model called Pizza Inn Express, or PIE for short, that will give customers a fast, seamless experience when picking up their favorite hot pizza.
Scott Crane, CEO of Pizza Inn’s parent company, Rave Restaurant Group, stated “Convenience stores are a $575 billion industry with 70 percent of sales attributed to in-store purchases,” says. “This could be a game-changer for Pizza Inn as we tap into new markets and expansion opportunities for our flagship brand. We’re already seeing great interest from existing and potential franchisees who see this model as a new way to serve customers the same iconic, quality pizza they have come to expect, but in a faster setting.”
Pizza Inn is targeting expansion within convenience stores, airports entertainment venue options or could go into grocery stores according to Johnson. The licensing deal for Pizza Inn Express will allow customers to order and pay at a kiosk for grab-and-go or pick up their food at a designated spot. Pizza Inn Express was developed as a new strategy to edify the brand, to expand the brands reach as they refresh the current store base.
Pizza Inn has a strong presence in the southeastern part of the country where the convenience store segment has the nation’s highest grouping of independent operators. Pizza Inn expects to have its first prototypes operating within the next 90 days.
Bob Bafundo, president of Pizza Inn stated “The PIE kiosk is attractive to non-traditional operators because it allows them to move quickly, be more nimble, and react to changes in customer traffic and facilities, all at a minimal investment,” … “It’s a branded concept that’s attractive enough to be the permanent centerpiece in a travel center or airport, yet nimble enough to provide the same benefits traditional operators get from a food truck.”Is your brand stuck? Are you trapped doing what you have always done and doing it the same way? Interested in learning how www.FoodserviceSolutions.us can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization? Email us at: email@example.com or visit: www.FoodserviceSolutions.us for more information.


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Facebook will soon alert its users with a pop-up notification that asks them to make sure if they have read the article that are about to share and post further. Just like Twitter, the pop-up, which is currently under testing, will ask users if they're sure they want to share an article that they haven't opened. Facebook users can also choose to share it without reading if they want.
"Starting today, we're testing a way to promote more informed sharing of news articles. If you go to share a news article link you haven't opened, we'll show a prompt encouraging you to open it and read it, before sharing it with others," Facebook said in a tweet late on Monday.
The prompt alerts the user by saying â€śYouâ€™re about to share tis article without opening itâ€ť, followed by â€śSharing articles without reading them may mean missing key factsâ€ť. The test would be rolled out to 6% of Android users worldwide, reports The Verge, quoting a company spokesperson.
The move is to curb the dissemination of false information on its platform. The pop-up message will warn users that not opening the article can lead to "missing key facts".
Facebook plans to institute "demotions for content on Facebook and Instagram that our systems predict may be misinformation, including debunked claims about voting. "We are also limiting the distribution of Live videos that may relate to the election on Facebook," the company said last year.
Twitter, which began testing the format last June. From its initial tests, Twitter said people open articles 40% more often after seeing the prompt, and people opening articles before retweeting increased by 33%. It added that some people didnâ€™t end up retweeting after opening the article.
With IANS inputs


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In 1909, Proctor & Gamble purchased the U.S. rights to a German chemist’s patented process for hydrogenating vegetable oils, making them stable and affordable substitutes for animal fats such as butter and lard. Two years later, P&G introduced Crisco shortening — and the American table for the 20th century was set. Hydrogenated vegetable oils helped propel the national distribution of processed foods and, later, the rise of fast-food restaurants. But now they are departing as suddenly as they arrived, and the country will be the better for it.
The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that it is removing trans fats, whose source is partially hydrogenated oils, from the list of foods generally recognized as safe. The food industry has three years to stop using them. The move came in response to a cresting wave of evidence connecting trans fat consumption to heart disease.
Trans fats were on the way out even before the FDA acted. The agency has required the nutrition labels on packaged foods to list their trans fat content since 2006, and many companies eliminated them or cut the amount to levels that would allow their products to be sold as trans-fat free. Many restaurants, responding to public pressure, stopped using hydrogenated vegetable oils in their fryers, permitting them to advertise their products as heart-healthy. From 2003 to 2012, the average American’s consumption of trans fats declined by 78 percent.
With that steep a reduction, it’s reasonable to ask whether the FDA’s latest step is necessary. It’s remarkable how quickly the food industry and consumers have moved away from such a widely used ingredient — one that just a generation ago was thought to be more healthful than the alternatives. The shift was made possible partly by the fact that for most uses, good substitutes are available. People switched from margarine to butter on their toast, and restaurants began using coconut or palm oil in their fryers.
The shift also was hastened by a rapid accumulation of medical evidence. In 2002, the National Academy of Sciences found that trans fats had “no known benefit to human health.” In 2006, the New England Journal of Medicine reported that “consumption of trans fatty acids results in considerable potential harm but no apparent benefit.” Trans fats were found to lower levels of “good” cholesterol and raise levels of “bad” cholesterol, worsening the risk of coronary heart disease, the world’s No. 1 killer.
Even with the response from consumers and industry, trans fats remain in many foods, often in significant quantities — some brands of microwave popcorn, for example, contain 5 grams of trans fat per serving. Eliminating most of what trans fat remains in the American diet will prevent an estimated 20,000 heart attacks a year, and save 7,000 lives. The FDA’s action will cost the food industry an estimated $6.2 billion, an amount the Grocery Manufacturers Association says can be absorbed “without disruption of commerce,” while avoiding $140 million in medical costs over a 20-year period. A 23-to-1 cost-benefit ratio is compelling.
The story of trans fats encapsulates the evolution of the American diet. Trans fats rose with the emergence of national markets that demanded convenience, low prices and long shelf lives. They fell as awareness of linkages between diet and health drove a search for alternatives. Now the Crisco century is drawing to a close.


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On December 6, the international company Smile-Expo will conduct the second Blockchain
& Bitcoin Conference Philippines, a large-scale event about DLT and cryptocurrencies. The
conference will gather top industry experts who will talk about the relevant issues regarding the technology.
Why the Philippines?
Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference returns to Manila for the second time as the Philippines has a big potential for DLT development.
The country has an established Blockchain Association of the Philippines (BAP), which aims
at educating the population about the technology and connecting crypto businesses to
enhance further innovations.
More than that, Philippines’ Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA) has already given
licenses to 19 different crypto exchanges. One of the DLT-based companies is an advanced
crypto payment app – Coins.ph.
What is Waiting for Guests at the Conference?
The event will be visited by technology developers, entrepreneurs, investors and miners.
Among the participants, there will be representatives of the leading organizations and top
Professionals in the DLT sector will deliver presentations on the main issues regarding the
The event will be attended by Arvie de Vera, the Head of Fintech Business Group at
UnionBank of the Philippines. The financial organization is one of the largest banks in the country. It has already integrated DLT into different internal processes and plans to expand technological applications.
The speakers will also include James Florentino, CEO at MergeCommit – a company that
plans to become the first DLT-based organization in Southeast Asia by 2025.
Lito Villanueva, Chairman at FinTechAlliance.ph – a collaboration of digital finance
experts who plan to improve the country’s economy, will talk during the conference.
Luis Buenaventura, CTO of BloomSolutions, will emphasize topical DLT issues in his
presentation as well. His company allows its clients to transform remittance business in a
unique way. Its total volume processed since inception has exceeded $125,000,000 as of
March 2018, making it one of the most successful DLT remittance startups in the world.
The event will also be joined by the Business Owner at crypto wallet provider Tagcash –
The conference’s program will also feature the panel discussion where professionals will
talk about smart and legal contracts. One of the discussion’s participants will be Rafael
Padilla who has been one of the founders of BAP.
Exhibition Area and Pitch Sessions
Innovative developments will be presented in the exhibition area. Visitors will have a chance to discover new mining hardware, crypto payments solutions and DLT-based apps.
Startups will get a unique opportunity to find investments, as they will share ideas and
introduce their brands during the pitch sessions. The most interesting initiative will get the
capital for further development of the project.
Event’s guests will be able to find new business partners to cooperate in the future. They can use this opportunity during networking.
Results of the Previous Event in the Philippines
The first Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Philippines was attended by 300 visitors, and 12
top companies introduced their projects.
Professionals from major corporations delivered speeches. Business Group Lead at Microsoft Philippines, Herns Hermida, was among them.
The unique feature of the event was the focus on DLT applications apart from financial
sphere. Experts discussed technology’s integration into business, marketing and government.
The event will be coordinated by Smile-Expo, an organizer of 47 successful Blockchain &
Bitcoin Conferences in 25 countries.
More information about the event and registration are on the official website of the conference.


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When it was announced last year May that SyFy was cancelling The Expanse after three seasons, I wanted to cry. Not since a certain Firefly got swatted back in the day did I feel quite as strongly about a science-fiction TV series being given the chop. The Expanse is by far my most favourite series of sci-fi novels at the moment, and to see the critically-acclaimed TV series adaptation being cut short soon after it had truly found its voice and shown audiences just how incredible it could be straight-up broke my heart. Luckily, Jeff Bezos was there to pick up the pieces.
Being the huge mega geek that he is – and a huge fan of the show – the Amazon boss and world’s richest person personally stepped in to save the show and revive it over on Amazon Prime. And it was actually a very good thing that the show made the jump when it did as Bezos’ deep pockets will surely be needed soon. As anybody else who has read all the original novels will tell you, where the story left us in season 3 – with the ring gate network being opened by humanity, leading to that titular expanse into thousands of new worlds, this is where the narrative really starts to kick into full throttle. Some of the story’s biggest mysteries start to be unravelled and the scope increases exponentially and it all starts on a little world call Ilus.
As the official blurb from Amazon explains, “Season 4 of The Expanse begins a new chapter for the series with the crew of the Rocinante on a mission from the U.N. to explore new worlds beyond the Ring Gate. Humanity has been given access to thousands of Earth-like planets which has created a land rush and furthered tensions between the opposing nations of Earth, Mars and the Belt. Ilus, the first of these planets, is rich with natural resources but also marked by the ruins of a long dead alien civilization. While Earthers, Martians and Belters maneuver to colonize Ilus and its natural resources, these early explorers don’t understand this new world and are unaware of the larger dangers that await them.”
And we now get our first glimpse of how all of that plays with the first trailer for season 4 released during the show’s panel at Comic-Con,
Along with the trailer, Amazon has also released a bunch of images and a poster (via IGN) as well as a nearly 6-minute long clip showing us how the crew of the Rocinante touches down on Ilus. A landfall far more difficult for space-born belter Naomi than the rest of the crew.
As revealed in the panel, The Expanse season 4 will premiere on Amazon Prime on 13 December.
Last Updated: July 20, 2019
July 21, 2019 at 00:49
And something just got me more excited than Terminator


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UK faces fat pet epidemic as 68% of owners fail to feed animals appropriately, experts warn
Report suggests problem of pet obesity has shown marked increase in past five years alone
Britain is facing a pet obesity epidemic, the UK pet industry has warned, as new figures emerged that suggest almost half of all animals taken to the vet are considered overweight.
According to a report released today entitled Pet Obesity: Five Years On, the vast majority of vets believe that the issue has got markedly worse since 2009 and call for urgent action to be taken by owners.
More than two-thirds of pet owners fail to feed their animals correctly in accordance with vets’ guidelines, the researchers said, based on a survey of 1,000 owners carried out last month.
And while 93 per cent of pet-owners say they would be deeply concerned to discover that their animal was overweight, only 37 per cent are aware of the simple techniques which can be used to check this.
Zara Boland, a practising vet and canine nutritionist for Dogs Monthly, warned owners that “there is nothing ‘cuddly’ about an overweight pet”.
She said: “Overweight pets, like humans, can suffer from a myriad of health issues such as osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
New research showed 72% of cat owners fail to follow professional feeding guidelines (PFMA) “Obesity is a disease in itself. It causes discomfort and illness that can result in both emotional distress and financial pressure for owners, and it has also been proven to reduce actual life length.
“We must continue pushing the pet health message until overweight pets are no longer an increasing and widespread concern.”
The report released today, produced by the Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA), also found that 36 per cent of pet owners are using “human” food to treat pets, even when some can be toxic to animals (such as chocolate, onions and grapes).
The PFMA has released a number of tools - including this Cat-Size-O-Meter - to help owners track their pets' weight According to PFMA, more than three-quarters of UK vets are now running obesity clinics at their surgeries, and the organisation quoted previous research which suggests keeping a pet at a lean body weight can prolong its active life by up to two years.
PFMA has produced a series of practical tools and advice for pet owners to follow, which can be found on their website.
Michael Bellingham, the PFMA chief executive, said: “All the tools are in place for pet owners and pet care professionals to better pets’ lives together – now is the time to use them.”
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Washington, D.C, November 22, 2019 – The Retail & Hospitality Information Sharing Analysis Center (RH-ISAC) announced that two top retail and hospitality executives were unanimously elected to join the ISAC’s Board of Directors. In addition, two current board members, Dave Estlick, chief information security officer of Starbucks and Adam Hirsch, senior vice president, global information security for PVH Corp., were re-elected to two-year terms.
“We had a record number of nominees who threw their hat in the ring and a record number of ballots submitted – both of which show a vibrant, active membership community. Congratulations to the elected board members,” stated Suzie Squier, president of the RH-ISAC. “I look forward to working with our board to continue the RH-ISAC’s vision to working with cybersecurity teams to transform the way companies mature capability and collaborate to reduce the risk of cybercrime.”
New to the RH-ISAC Board of Directors are:
- Rich Agostino, Chief Information Security Officer, Target
- Christopher Zell, Vice President, Head of Information Security, The Wendy’s Company
Newly elected Vice Chair is:
- David Spooner, Senior Vice President & Chief Information Security Officer, Staples, Inc.
Newly elected Treasurer is:
- Ken Athanasiou, Chief Information Security Officer, VF Corporation
The board’s combined experience and expertise in cyber, technology and the retail and hospitality sectors provides guidance to the RH-ISAC as it continues to be the most trusted voice in cybersecurity intelligence and information sharing for consumer-facing organizations. As a membership organization, the RH-ISAC relies on its board of directors to contribute their strategic guidance in the planning and prioritization of objectives and activities that position RH-ISAC as the information sharing and analysis center of the retail and hospitality industries.
“Target has a longstanding commitment to intelligence sharing and collaboration within the retail industry, which started when we joined as a founding member of the RH-ISAC more than five years ago,” said Rich Agostino, chief information security officer at Target. “I believe strongly that cybersecurity should be collaborative and non-competitive and am honored to be joining the RH-ISAC Board of Directors to continue the momentum we’ve built within the retail community.”
The 2020 RH-ISAC Board of Directors:
- Colin Anderson, Global Chief Information Security Officer, Levi Strauss & Co. (Chair)
- David Spooner, Senior Vice President & Chief Information Security Officer, Staples, Inc. (Vice Chair)*
- Grant Sewell, Head of Cybersecurity & Privacy, The Safelite Group (Secretary)
- Ken Athanasiou, Chief Information Security Officer, VF Corporation (Treasurer)*
- Rich Agostino, Chief Information Security Officer, Target**
- Jim Cameli, Vice President & Global Chief Information Security Officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance (Past Chair)
- Andy Caspersen, Chief Information Security Officer, Gap Inc.
- Dave Estlick, Chief Information Security Officer, Starbucks
- Adam Hirsch, Senior Vice President, Global Information Security, PVH Corp.
- Lauren Dana Rosenblatt, Deputy Chief Information Security Officer, The Estée Lauder Company
- Christopher Zell, Vice President, Head of Information Security, The Wendy’s Company**
- Suzie Squier, President, Retail & Hospitality Information Sharing and Analysis Center
*Denotes Newly Elected Officer
**Denotes Newly Elected Director


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Chaos in the Great Outdoors
According to two separate sources, Far Cry 6 is going to be unveiled at Ubisoft’s upcoming conference that is scheduled for July. Far Cry has been one of Ubisoft’s biggest cash cows over the past few years especially after the smash hit that was Far Cry 3 in 2012. Since then the series has remained at a steady pace and has continued to pump out quality content. While some fans have complained that the more recent titles have not been able to capture the same level of immersion and high-end narrative that was present in FC3, each game has something worthwhile and unique to offer.
If these reports do turn out to be true then it can only be assumed that we will see Far Cry 6 launch on the PS5 and Xbox Series X. One of the biggest shortcomings of both the PS4 and Xbox One when they released was a severe lack of options. At first glance, it appears as though this will not be an issue for this generation of consoles.
There is no telling what Ubisoft will be able to do with the new tech that is available to them. Hopefully, this will only lead to a game with even more attention to detail than ever before. Surviving in the wilderness and crafting have played an enormous role in the Far Cry franchise since the very beginning, perhaps this aspect of the game can be expanded upon even further.
Both reports claim that the new setting for Far Cry 6 is going to be set in a more tropical location like the Caribbean or South America. Something that is a good sign of the series returning to its roots. Ubisoft pledged earlier this year that they would be putting much more effort into their single-player titles. Maybe Far Cry 6 will be the first step in that direction.


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Grey Oak Investments LLC doubled the size of its portfolio by purchasing the book of business from another Springfield investment firm.
Robert DeVore, owner and investment representative of Grey Oak, said the acquisition of the book of business of Smouse Financial Services Inc. from Ron Smouse closed July 14. DeVore declined to disclose the financial terms of the purchase or the size of Grey Oak's investment portfolio.
"We will increase the size of the book of business Grey Oak manages by 115%," DeVore said via email. "Smouse Financial has been around since 1978 and has a great track record in the southwest Missouri region."
Grey Oak provides retirement, education, stocks and trust investment management services, among other investments, according to its website. Smouse Financial’s portfolio includes mutual funds, stocks and bonds, according to past reporting.
Smouse said he will continue to offer tax services independently.
“I’ve been doing that for 42 years,” he said, noting he envisions continuing to provide tax services for another 10-15 years. “I’m getting ready to semiretire, and the security side is more strenuous.”
Smouse said he also would work with DeVore to transition Smouse Financial’s investment book of business to Grey Oak.
DeVore started Grey Oak in 2015 through the purchase of businessperson Tony Bergkeotter's Royal Alliance financial book of business, according to a news release. Smouse Financial also offered services through Jersey City, New Jersey-based investment company Royal Alliance.
Stockton-based black walnut processor Hammons Products Co. is is world’s largest facility of its type.
Marc Thornsberry, a Senior Engineer at CJW, says he joined the company after working in the public sphere. He says CJW had a ton of experience working with the community, and putting their customer's and clients.
Sandra Smart, a technology and commercialization specialist, shares helpful advice and cautionary tips about the importance of tracking cash flow for new or established businesses. Smart works with tech entrepreneurs and hosts training workshops through the Missouri SBDC at Missouri State University's efactory.
Michael Smith and Chris Sawyer, COO and CEO of Next Level Solutions respectively, discuss how they keep their remote teams and offices in and out of country on the same page. Next Level Solutions was ranked #1 in the Springfield Business Journal's 2021 Dynamic Dozen.
John Oke-Thomas, architect and co-founder of minorities in business, responds to the accusation that minority businesses are only successful because of the priority they have received in lending. He says that if a business uses a loan well, it shows their worth.
Sandra Smart, a technology and commercialization specialist, shares tips for entrepreneurs who are ready to seek funding. Some of her tips apply broadly; some target technology industry businesses. Smart works with tech entrepreneurs and startups, and hosts training workshops through the Missouri SBDC at Missouri State University's efactory.
Hollie Elliott discusses common misconceptions about locating your business in a small town. She says that there are a lot of benefits that people may not consider.
Drawing on his own experience dynamically evolving his company and business model, Jim Meinsen discusses when and how you might need to draw on new technology. Jim and Debbie Meinsen are co-owners of TCI Graphics in Springfield.
John Oke-Thomas, longtime Springfield architect, discusses his philosophy on architecture. He says that future historians will be focused on the sustainability of our contemporary architecture.
Erin Hedlun, director of marketing and communications at Evangel University, says compassion is an important job skill. Hedlun says it is a component of what makes a leader.
Rachel Barks, owner of Artistree Pottery, talks about the concepting that went behind the aesthetic of the business.


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The stock market has been rising all year, battling through another wave of the pandemic to carve out a new all-time high in the past month. The next few months may be messier, with labor shortages and supply chain issues causing serious problems for companies big and small.
For long-term investors more concerned about the next few years than the next few months, five of our Motley Fool contributors have honed in on five stocks capable of delivering solid returns. Here's what you need to know about Digital Realty Trust (DLR -0.76%), SSR Mining (SSRM 0.13%), Intel (INTC -1.41%), Intuitive Surgical (ISRG -0.82%), and GXO Logistics (GXO 0.91%).
A different kind of tech stock
Matt Frankel, CFP (Digital Realty Trust): Real estate investment trust (REIT) Digital Realty Trust didn't have a great September, with shares falling by more than 10% despite a lack of company-specific news. But I think this could be a great time to add shares of this long-term winner, which has delivered five times the total return of the S&P 500 since its 2004 IPO.
Digital Realty is a data center operator, and if you're not familiar with the appellation, think of data centers as the physical "homes" of the internet. All of the data flowing around the cloud has to live somewhere, and that's where these purpose-built facilities come in.
The need for secure and reliable places to house servers and networking equipment is likely to grow rapidly in the future. For example, the artificial intelligence (AI) market is expected to grow to about six times its current size by 2025, and autonomous vehicles, augmented reality, and other high-data devices are expected to grow at similar rates. And the gradual rollout of 5G technology in the United States and abroad will facilitate increasingly larger volumes of data flowing around the globe.
In the meantime, Digital Realty pays a 3.2% dividend yield, and the company has increased the payout at a 10% annualized rate since its IPO. There are few stocks in the market that offer this combination of income, growth, and reliability.
Add some luster to your portfolio
Sean Williams (SSR Mining): With the market suddenly turbulent, the pandemic ongoing, and higher inflation rearing its head, I think October is the perfect month to consider an industry that's home to a large number of deeply discounted value stocks. That's why gold stock SSR Mining is my clear-cut top buy this month.
The SSR Mining buy thesis boils down to macroeconomic and company-specific factors. On a macro level, the tailwinds for physical gold are about as strong as they've ever been. Historically low bond yields are making sure that safe, inflation-topping income is hard to come by. Meanwhile, rapidly rising inflation threatens to eat away at the purchasing power of the dollar. This all points to investors seeking the safety of physical gold as a store of value. A higher spot price for gold will lift SSR's sales, cash flow, and profitability.
As for the company, SSR Mining completed a merger of equals last year with Turkey's Alacer Gold. This brought SSR's three producing assets under the same umbrella as the low-cost Copler mine in Turkey and effectively doubled output. Production should range between 700,000 gold equivalent ounces (GEO) and 800,000 GEO over the next five years, with the company calling for $450 million in annual free cash flow in 2021 and 2022.
I've been a long-term shareholder of SSR Mining, and what's really stood out for me is the prudent management of the balance sheet. Whereas most gold stocks are chipping away at net-debt positions, SSR is sitting on a net-cash position of over $500 million. This allowed the company to initiate a quarterly dividend (1.4% yield) and a $150 million share buyback program this year.
And there's insane value, too. SSR Mining can be purchased for under nine times Wall Street's earnings consensus for 2021 and 2022, and less than five times projected cash flow per share. In more than a decade of following mining stocks, I've come to the conclusion that a multiple of 10 times cash flow represents fair value. This shows how inexpensive SSR Mining is, relative to its forecasted cash flow.
Betting big on manufacturing
Tim Green (Intel): Very few semiconductor companies manufacture their own chips anymore. Instead of constantly shoveling billions of dollars into state-of-the-art microchip fabrication plants (fabs) and pricey equipment, chip companies rely on foundries like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to make their designs a reality.
Making chips for other companies has become a massively profitable business, particularly for TSMC. TSMC controls more than half of the foundry market, and tech giants like Apple, Qualcomm, and NVIDIA depend on it for their products.
Although Intel uses third-party foundries for some of its chips, the U.S.-based chip giant isn't giving up on manufacturing. Intel is instead doubling down on manufacturing. The company is pouring $20 billion into new fabs in Arizona and as much as $95 billion over the decade into fabs in Europe. Intel will also be looking to make acquisitions to accelerate its manufacturing push.
All this spending will support Intel's own products as well as its fledgling foundry business. Intel is aiming to offer an alternative to TSMC, with the added benefit of manufacturing capacity outside of Taiwan. With relations between the U.S. and China tense, so much of the semiconductor industry depending on TSMC seems like a fragile situation.
Intel's manufacturing ambitions will take years to bear fruit, and profits will come under pressure as the company plays catch up. It will look like the wrong strategy until it doesn't. Intel spent years coasting as TSMC gained a manufacturing edge and as Advanced Micro Devices rose from the dead. That era at Intel is over.
A no-brainer healthcare stock to buy
Keith Speights (Intuitive Surgical): I view Intuitive Surgical as a no-brainer healthcare stock to buy in October. There are two attributes that Intuitive possesses that make it such a great pick -- its strong moat and its excellent growth prospects.
Intuitive Surgical pioneered the field of robotic surgical systems more than two decades ago. It now has more than 6,300 systems installed worldwide. Well over 8.5 million procedures have been performed with its robotic technology.
Other companies have entered the market in recent years. None of them, though, can come close to Intuitive Surgical's track record. And rivals will have a difficult time dislodging Intuitive from existing customers after they've invested in implementing the company's robotic systems and training their staff.
I'm most excited about Intuitive Surgical's growth prospects. The company estimates that around 6 million procedures are performed annually for which its current systems could be used without gaining any additional regulatory clearances. That's five times the number of procedures performed with Intuitive's systems last year.
But Intuitive is investing heavily in innovation to expand the types of surgeries where robotic assistance could be helpful. It believes that new products and clearances could expand the addressable market to close to 20 million procedures annually.
Over the short term, Intuitive Surgical's share price could be volatile if COVID-19 causes elective surgeries to be delayed. However, the company is poised to be a big winner over the long term. Intuitive Surgical ranks as one of a handful of stocks that I'll never sell because its prospects are so attractive.
The solution to supply chain stagnation
Jeremy Bowman (GXO Logistics): Companies from Nike to Sherwin-Williams are complaining that their businesses are being impacted by global supply chain challenges, including delays at ports, factory shutdowns because of COVID-19, higher prices, and labor shortages.
GXO Logistics can't solve all of these problems, but it can do a lot to alleviate the supply chain woes that many companies are experiencing around the world. GXO, which split from XPO Logistics in August, is the world's biggest pure-play contract logistics company. The company has nearly 1,000 warehouses, and it helps its customers expedite shipping, process returns, and increase efficiency through automation.
With the boom in e-commerce and the squeeze in the global supply chain, companies are likely to be looking for the kind of solutions that GXO can provide, placing them closer to their customers and offering faster delivery speeds.
GXO has yet to report earnings as a stand-alone company, but the company is targeting 10% revenue growth and 17% adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) growth in 2022, and that guidance came before the recent port delays and other supply chain challenges, which should favor the company over the long term.
Meanwhile, GXO is also likely to make acquisitions to consolidate its leadership in a highly fragmented industry, following in the footsteps of its former parent company XPO Logistics. The opportunity in front of GXO was already appealing, leading up to the spin-off, and with the world's biggest companies desperate for supply chain solutions, GXO is ready to answer the call.


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Last week, the SCWA Convention & EXPO brought together car wash operators, suppliers, and vendors from all over the country. The show's 2591 registered attendees were treated to the latest in car wash membership and vehicle analytics from EverWash and omniX Labs.
"The show was not only well attended, but it was also very collaborative in terms of vendors and distributors just wanting to work together," said EverWash VP of Sales Mike Stern. "There's a lot of innovation out there, and a lot of growth."
In the EverWash Booth, operators were able to learn how members can improve their businesses and increase profits, while also discovering how our industry-leading member CRM and marketing plan helps them multiply those members through referrals, gift-giving, and promotions.
Meanwhile, video imaging and analytics were demonstrated on the omniX side of the booth so operators could see how video can assess different customer journey points and help improve operations and profitability.
One of the biggest hits at the SCWA was EverWash Socks! The swag sensation of the show, operators, vendors, and wash partners flocked to EverWash's booth to pick up their own pair. The socks featured EverWash's redesigned branding and logo, also revealed at the show. When you lay your eyes on the new logo's smiling car surrounded by bubbles for the first time, you will instantly feel warm and comforted. When you put the socks on, your feet will feel the same way!
For those who could not attend SCWA, schedule a demonstration of EverWash or omniX by clicking here. Whether you're looking for an all-encompassing membership solution, or vehicle intelligence to help improve your current operation, the EverWash and omniX family have something for everyone in car washing.
The 2024 SCWA Convention & EXPO will be held between February 28 and March 1, 2024 at the Fort Worth Convention Center. We look forward to seeing you there!


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2019 Kawasaki Versys 650 launched in India at Rs 6.69 lakh
India Kawasaki Motors (IKM) has responded to the recent launches of two competitors by launching the updated 2019 Kawasaki Versys 650 in India. The 2019 Versys 650 adventure tourer has been priced at Rs 6.69 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi. The changes are purely cosmetic, however, with this new Versys 650. It receives a new colour option, Metallic Moondust Grey/Metallic Flat Spark Black. Mechanically, it remains the same as the outgoing model. The timing of the 2019 Kawasaki Versys 650 launch makes it the third adventure tourer to be launched in recent days, following the 2018 Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT ABS and the SWM Superdual T a day earlier.
The Versys 650 comes powered by the same 649cc liquid-cooled parallel twin engine as earlier, producing 69PS and 64Nm. Know more about Kawasaki's 650cc platform here. The V-Strom 650 XT is priced at Rs 7.46 lakh, ex-showroom, but that also includes a more off-road capable setup with 19-inch front, 17-inch rear wire-spoked rims with tubeless tyres, while the Versys continues to sport 17-inch front and rear alloy wheels.
Speaking about this new model, Yutaka Yamashita, MD of IKM said, "Versys 650 offers good performance, has versatility and fun-factor. For riders it is actually a real treat to ride in any condition. It also happens to be the most affordable adventure bike in 650cc. Keeping festive season in mind, we have worked rigorously to ensure that customers get the delivery of their brand new Versys 650 on their preferred auspicious day."
Also see: Suzuki V-Strom 650 XT vs Kawasaki Versys 650 Video
Starts Rs 6,79,000
Starts Rs 8,84,804
- Honda Drive to Discover 10: A new discovery with the City, WR-V, Amaze and Jazz
- Electric vehicles - Why they don't have a gearbox and how it's possible to go as fast backwards, as forward
- Government confident of local manufacturing of lithium-ion EV batteries by 2022
- 2021 Triumph Trident 660 first ride review
- Maharashtra lockdown: How to maintain your vehicle while you stay at home


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Australian based hyper-luxury speaker system manufacturer Kyron Audio has appointed Literally Brilliant as primary strategic marketing consultant to coincide with a new global growth phase in their corporate strategy.
The appointment follows a move by Kyron Audio to relocate Head Office to Adelaide. Manufacturing will also relocate to Adelaide with existing subcontract manufacturer arrangements remaining in place around Australia.
Kyron Audio also has established an Electronics R&D facility in beautiful Hervey Bay in Queensland.
“We have a global product,” says Lee Gray, Managing Director. “We can service international markets from anywhere.”
“Quality of lifestyle was important to us in deciding where to move our Head Office,” he said. “In addition to this, we were optimistic about South Australia’s commitment to Advanced Manufacturing and Adelaide also has a strong history of social and business innovation”.
The announcement was timed to coincide with “Mad March” – the time of the year when Adelaide leads the Australian creative agenda.
“Undoubtedly this is a great place to raise a family … and the food and wine is special in Adelaide,” Gray adds.
The appointment of strategic marketing consultant Literally Brilliant foreshadows a series of announcements in the near future about further product and service developments that will enable the optimistic yet challenging growth plan that the company has set for itself.
Kyron Audio will be the first client for Literally Brilliant in the “Hyper-Luxury” category.


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NIJISANJI EN's OBSYDIA wave will be having merchandise released to celebrate their 2nd anniversary.
NIJISANJI EN releases 3 new VTubers: Yu Q. Wilson, Vantacrow Bringer, and Vezalius Bandage.
NIJISANJI has announced new goods for their wave “Luxiem" celebrating their new outfits.
NIJISANJI has opened auditions for their English speaking Vtuber branch. Applications are open until April 17.
NIJISANJI has announced a collaboration with COCO’s Restaurant in Japan. The collab will feature NIJISANJI's Luxiem and ROF-MAO waves.


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A recent report suggests that some of the most popular iPhones will not be bumped up to iOS 13 when it rolls out later in 2019.
Related: Best iPhones
This news, sourced from an Apple developer by French publication iPhoneSoft, would mean a significant software shake-up for Apple fans, as 2018’s iOS 12 update maintained support for all the same devices as iOS 11.
iOS 13 Phones
Fortunately we can still expect iOS 13 to be rolled out to the following Apple devices:
- iPhone 6S & iPhone 6S Plus
- iPhone 7 & iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 8 & iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone X
- iPhone XS & iPhone XS Max
- And of course the yet-to-be announced iPhone 11
While Apple’s long-term software support is still enough to make turn Android users green with envy, some Apple customers will no doubt disappointed to hear that their phone may no longer keep up with the rest. In light of disappointing recent smartphone sales, perhaps Apple is hoping to encourage more of its user base to upgrade to recent devices.
Of course, none of this news has yet been officially confirmed by Tim Cook and co, and we’re expecting to hear a lot more about iOS 13 at WWDC at the start of June.
Related: Best iPad
The withdrawal of OS support for the iPhone SE could be a particularly bitter pill to swallow for user who prefer smartphones with a smaller form factor. The size of smartphone screens is increasing across the board, and nowadays it can even be difficult to find a device you can operate easily with one hand, which was a key selling point of this 2016 device.
But to take an optimistic view, it might be an encouraging sign that Apple has plans to release a successor device — the speculated iPhone SE 2.
Would your iPhone be excluded from the latest operating system update? Let us know on Twitter @TrustedReviews.


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Keighley town center will take a step back in time as it transforms for a unique event this weekend (March 27 & 27).
K-Town Shopper Weekend will offer visitors the chance to enjoy a retro shopping experience, as the streets are brought to life by local artists through an art walk, outdoor galleries, street artists and a “department store alternative”.
Keighley’s K-Town Shopper is organized by Keighley Creative in conjunction with Bradford Council as part of the council’s Spring Back 2022 campaign which aims to encourage people to rediscover their local high streets.
Familiar areas of Keighley town center including Church Green and Low Street will be reimagined as vibrant outdoor galleries and performance spaces showcasing the talents of local creatives. For one weekend only, Keighley will have its own alternative retro department store filled with independent local businesses.
The ‘Alternative Department Store’ will take over Keighley Creative in the former Beales/Sunwin House building on Hanover Street. The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday March 26 and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday March 27.
There will be community art, historical tours, stilt walkers, flash mobs, art workshops and cooking demonstrations.
Palomino Pizza Company will bring its vintage horse box with its wood-fired ovens to serve the best of Neapolitan-style pizza, Bingley’s Peacock Bar will serve Indian street food and Goose Eye Brewery, also based in Bingley, will bring his cracking craft beers at the event.
Redevelopment of former Hattersley site in Keighley town center approved
Keighley Jay’s Yorkshire Workshop star Kate Kitchin will team up with Keighley Pickard Hardware Ltd and The Lion’s Den Shed, which is based in Cliffe Castle, to host a ‘repair shop’ style event at the ‘department store alternative” on Saturday.
Have your picture taken with one of the Bradford Police Museum’s retro police motorcycles, Keighley photographer Charles Waller will host a nostalgic gallery of Keighley’s trading heritage from decades past and toy lab workshops family-friendly will see old toys transformed into new creations.
For the art trail, the streets of Keighley town center will be filled with works of art, including:
• A life-size paper doll station where visitors can dress up in iconic looks through the ages for the perfect Instagram shot.
• A portrait series gallery of the people behind beloved local businesses
• Large scale and bold fabric banners designed
• Nostalgic post boxes depicting iconic market stalls from Keighley’s past and present. Post and share memories of shopping in Keighley.
• Search for an iconic “lost dog” and take a digital journey through Keighley’s musical history along the way.
• An interactive projection featuring all your favorite childhood toys.
• Collages celebrating Keighley’s top shopping destinations in the early 2000s.
• The “Royal Arcadians tour” takes visitors to the shopping streets hidden under the Royal Arcade.
All events are free and most don’t require reservations, but organizers are asking people to register for free tickets to the Creative Workshops or the Royal Arcadians Tour.
Councilor Alex Ross-Shaw, executive member of Bradford Council for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “I am really delighted that we have been able to fund such a great event in Keighley. This weekend of exciting events and activities provides the perfect opportunity for the local community to come together and support local businesses at a free, family-friendly event.
The Arts Trail portion of the weekend is funded by the European Regional Development Fund program 2014 to 2020, Northern Powerhouse, HM Government, Bradford City and Bradford2025.