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Mid-term breaks and hotel bookings crumble as restrictions bite | To travel
Jules Cuthbert gets used to canceling vacations. The 41-year-old mother-of-two, from Bristol, abandoned her plans for a mid-term trip in October to Merthyr Tydfil when the south Wales town went into custody on September 22. It was the fifth public holiday in the UK that she had to postpone since the start of the pandemic and it may not be the last. As coronavirus cases continue to rise, Cuthbert is unsure whether to pursue his Plan B halfway through – days in the South Downs. âI am now wondering if we should travel because we live in a very populated area with a large student population. I am a hospital pharmacist, so I am very aware of the potential risks of moving from an area with a high number of cases to an area with fewer.
Cuthbert’s experience is far from unusual. While many British holidaymakers managed to escape the countryside in July and August, recent measures to contain the spread of the virus have upended autumn and winter holiday plans and dashed any hope that the holidays mid-term can help tourism companies recover some of the losses suffered during the first confinement.
Local closures, the 6am rule and 10pm curfew for restaurants and bars had already resulted in thousands of vacation cancellations and seriously shaken travelers’ confidence. A consumer study conducted by VisitBritain between September 28 and October 2 showed that only 10% of people were planning an overnight trip this month, with the majority (51%) blaming government travel restrictions for not not feeling confident enough to travel, and 48% citing concerns. about catching Covid. With more of the country now under high (level 2) or very high (level 3) alert, tourism bosses say the situation can only get worse.
“It’s death by the thousands,” said Rob Paterson, managing director of Best Western, a group of 300 independent hotels across the UK. The most recent data shows that bookings for its hotels in the north of England and Scotland are down almost 70% from the same period last year. In London, there was a 65% drop year-over-year. The only part of the UK where bookings were strong was the South West where there was no local foreclosure, but now hotels in the area are also seeing a year-over-year decline in activity . The loss of mid-term bookings on top of the dire Christmas outlook will be the last straw for some of the hotels in the group, Paterson said. âAs soon as the new tier system was announced, we noticed a new booking behavior. We will see more cancellations. Many hotel owners will now close until March.
Fran Downtown, managing director of Tourism Southeast, said the ever-changing restrictions are a blow to accommodation providers, attractions and hotel businesses.
âThe nervousness has increased dramatically – we’ve seen a significant drop in attendance in the area over the past two weeks,â she said.
The attractions remain open, but the drop in visitor numbers, in addition to an already reduced capacity, has led many people to scale back their plans for events usually held midway through. In a recent survey by Welcome to Yorkshire, the region’s tourism board, a third of tourism businesses said they were canceling their activities for a semester. âBusiness owners need certainty to invest [in events and activities]. If we continue this stop-start in perpetuity, some companies will simply decide to shut down, âsaid CEO James Mason.
VisitBritain forecasts a 49% drop in national tourism spending in 2020, which equates to a loss of Â£ 44.9 billion to the economy. Thousands of people working in UK travel and tourism have already lost their jobs, with more to come. The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, which represents some of the UK’s most popular institutions, from the National Trust to the Tate, reports that almost all of its 70 members are currently in dismissal consultations with staff. A report published by Globaldata last week summed up the grim outlook. “The coming months are shaping up to be bleak for the UK tourism industry and with the national infection rate continuing to rise, there appear to be no signs of slowing down in the near future.”


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On August 17, a federal court in Ohio ordered CVS, Walgreens and Walmart, the three largest drugstore chains in the United States, to pay a total of $650.5 million in damages for their contribution to the opioid health crisis in the United States. It is the first time that large companies selling drugs in the country have been ordered to pay compensation for their role in the spread of opioids. In the past, smaller companies had been convicted, as well as several pharmaceutical companies that had negotiated damages or reached out-of-court settlements.
Opioids are painkillers that are highly addictive. They began to be synthesized in the early twentieth century, but their widespread use dates back to the 1990s. At that time, the American pharmaceutical company Purdue started selling oxycodone, marketed as OxyContin, and ran a very aggressive marketing campaign to convince doctors to prescribe it for their patients, claiming that it could be used to treat chronic pain become, without it coming to addiction problems.
In the United States, many physicians abused oxycodone prescriptions, and in many cases patients began taking them even beyond recommended times: both oxycodone and other opioids cause serious addiction problems and have overdose deaths in the hundreds of thousands caused by humans in the last 20 years.
– Also read: Vancouver tries to avoid fentanyl overdoses with fentanyl
Last November, an Ohio jury found CVS, Walgreens and Walmart responsible for continuing to sell large quantities of opioid drugs while ignoring obvious signs of consumer abuse. The jury reviewed the cases of hundreds of people living in Lake and Trumbull counties who had developed severe opioid addiction.
Now a judge has ruled on the compensation that the three companies must pay to the two counties: the payment must not be made immediately but over the next 15 years and also includes funding for projects to prevent opioid drug addiction.
The judge who delivered the ruling, Dan Aaron Polster, said that “even if the court had a magic wand and could permanently eliminate an existing or future oversale of opioids and prevent these drugs from being illegally sold in the future, there was nothing they could do to curbing the plague that would continue to plague Lake and Trumbull counties,” which is widespread opioid addiction.
CVS, Walgreens and Walmart have said they will appeal the verdict, denying all allegations, arguing that drug-selling companies cannot be held responsible for the spread of opioids in the United States. According to the three companies, along with manufacturers, the main culprits in the opioid crisis are the doctors who have prescribed excessive amounts to patients.
– Also read: The family that wanted to make money by curing the epidemic that caused it

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As shoppers gear up for another mad holiday scramble, smartphones and tablet computers are emerging as Santa's electronic helpers.
LOS ANGELES | As shoppers gear up for another mad holiday scramble, smartphones and tablet computers are emerging as Santa's electronic helpers.
And if the big guy up north isn't in touch with the times, shoppers are. Stuck in a humdrum economy and facing continued high rates of unemployment, consumers are increasingly finding that their mobile devices can come in handy. With a gadget in hand, shoppers can compare prices, research gift ideas, redeem electronic coupons and watch for special deals. Often, they do it right in the store aisle.
Retailers are catching on — just in time for the holiday season, the make-or-break time of year. Once content to simply sell these electronic devices, merchants and mall operators are now recognizing the increasingly important role phones and tablets are playing for shoppers and are eager to tap into this electronic path to consumers' wallets.
In addition to heavy promotions and the extension of store hours, many chains are rolling out shopping apps, mobile-optimized websites and spruced-up social media pages.
"Retailers are looking at phones and tablets as one more channel to get shoppers, to drive brand loyalty and drive sales," said Jackie Fernandez, a Los Angeles-based retail specialist for accounting firm Deloitte & Touche. "Consumers will be able to benefit from the discounts offered through them, especially around the holiday season."
About 1 in 4 smartphone owners plans to use a mobile device for holiday shopping, according to an annual holiday survey by Deloitte. Of those, 59 percent will use their phones to compare or check prices, 46 percent plan to use them to check product availability and 41 percent will get coupons through their handsets.
Social media, such as Facebook and Foursquare, also will be ≠popular with shoppers, with 44 percent of those surveyed reporting that they will use social networks to find discounts, check out friends' or family members' wish lists and browse products.
Shopping with mobile devices isn't for everyone, especially for folks who prefer to browse through a mall at a leisurely pace looking for gift ideas. Even some fans of online shopping like to stick to their home computers — the screens are bigger, and they don't have to squint to check out a dress or watch.
So whether you totally groove to technology or just recently bought a smartphone or signed up for Facebook, here are a few useful digital tricks for saving some bucks, and perhaps some time, during Christmas.
MOBILE SHOPPING GUIDES:
Some big retailers such as Target Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. offer their own mobile applications for shoppers to individually download to their smartphones or tablet computers.
With these apps, shoppers can often get up-to-the-minute information about sale items, instant bargains, what's located where and what's in stock.
Mobile apps, as well as websites geared for mobile devices, often tweak the online shopping experience to fit smaller screens with fewer items displayed per page and an easy search function. The Amazon.com app popularized one-click ordering for breezy checkouts without the need to fill in billing and address information over and over again (also upping the likelihood of impulse buying).
Perhaps the most useful apps collect product data from several retailers and sort it so consumers can compare prices side-by-side from local and online merchants to find the best deal. These apps, which include eBay's RedLaser, TheFind and SnapTell, can be downloaded for free and work by simply scanning a product's bar code.
That's a great help to price-conscious people such as Bill Grayson, a 50-year-old engineer who swears by a similar price-comparison app called ShopSavvy. After standing in line at Sears for hours to snag a big-screen TV during Black Friday last year, the San Jose, Calif., resident said he scanned the bar code using the app just to see if the price was better elsewhere. He said he ended up saving $1,400 by buying it online.
"It helps me spontaneously make a decision whether to buy the product in front of me or wait longer for a sale," Grayson said. "I'm definitely going to use it again this Christmas."
Apps can offer more features than a traditional website. Bluefly Inc., an online fashion retailer that deals in discounted designer goods, sends an alert to your phone when an out-of-stock item you're eyeing becomes available again. Likewise, eBay's auction app will send a notification when you've been outbid at an auction.
Mall giant Westfield recently added a new feature to its app that lets shoppers pinpoint which stores carry a specific item they're seeking. Type in "gold sandals" and the app will list the shops carrying gold sandals.
Retailers have increasingly turned to social media such as Facebook and Twitter to harness the power of their fans.
Wal-Mart last month launched 3,500 store-specific Facebook pages to alert shoppers to products, "Rollback Alley" deals and events at their local store. Before Black Friday this year, the discount chain will give Facebook fans a sneak peek at planned deals and also post maps clearly marking where to find some discounted items within their local Wal-Mart.
J.C. Penney operates a store within Facebook in which browsers can pick up a sweater or pair of shoes without ever leaving the social network. Shoppers can also sign up via Facebook to receive digital coupons on their phone or "check in" on the location-based network Foursquare to score similar deals. For the holiday season, the retailer is partnering with fashion bloggers who will post their favorite holiday gift ideas chosen from the chain's selection.
"The goal is to have digital initiatives that make shopping easier," said Liz Sweney, executive vice president and general merchandise manager at J.C. Penney. "They'll never replace actually going to stores, but it's all about making it easy and really engaging to find the perfect Christmas gift."
Coupons are a holiday favorite as shoppers look for bargains — and mobile sites and apps have plenty. They gather available coupons in one place, eliminating the need to prowl the Web looking for discounts.
Savvy shoppers such as Jackie Chiuchiarelli, who spends more money shopping on her iPad than in bricks-and-mortar stores, say that redeeming digital coupons found on apps such as MobiQpons, Yowza and Coupon Sherpa can save hundreds of dollars.
Other apps, such as Shopkick, reward people for loyalty. Participating retailers including Best Buy, Wet Seal and Crate & Barrel ping shoppers with digital coupons and loyalty points (redeemable for gift cards) for walking into their bricks-and-mortar stores.
ODDS AND ENDS:
Google Wallet, an app that essentially turns your phone into a credit card, is having a test run this holiday season at major retailers including American Eagle Outfitters, Guess and Toys R Us. Using Google Wallet, shoppers can pay by waving their phones over digital sensors already installed at participating stores.
Greg Ahearn, chief marketing officer for Toys R Us in the U.S., said that Google Wallet was available in about 200 stores around the country. "We are up and ready for tap-and-go pay," he said.
Macy's and J.C. Penney have launched campaigns incorporating the futuristic bar codes known as QR, or quick response. By scanning a Macy's QR code, shoppers can pull up videos of style stalwarts such as Martha Stewart and Tommy Hilfiger dispensing fashion tips. J.C. Penney has sprinkled QRs throughout its stores and on ads that prompt phones to open the retailer's mobile site.
Parking apps, while not linked to shopping, can help shoppers brave the cutthroat mall parking lots this holiday season. Parking in Motion, a Santa Monica, Calif.-based company, has an iPhone app that displays on a map nearby parking structures, their current occupancy level and their relative cost. Another app called Parker has a reservation function that helps drivers secure a spot in a lot up to two months in advance.
MORE TO COME:
With an estimated half of mobile phone users projected to own a smartphone by year's end, shoppers will get accustomed to having a phone that also functions as a catalog, store finder, review site and coupon book rolled into one, industry analysts say.
"It's now expected that retailers will have a mobile site designed to look good on phones. That's what shoppers are expecting, and that's what they have to deliver," said Jeffrey Gau, a senior analyst with EMarketer, a New York-based research group.
Gau said the mobile realm is still an area of experimentation for retailers, many of which will be rolling out initiatives in the coming weeks that they hope will capture the attention — and money — of consumers.
Wal-Mart, for example, is testing out ways to integrate social media into the next generation of shopping. Venky Harinarayan, the retailer's senior vice president of global e-commerce, said the company is considering stocking Wal-Mart with products that are generating a buzz on Twitter or suggesting gift ideas to shoppers based on their Facebook profiles.
"Over time, the difference between shopping online and offline will fade away," Harinarayan predicted. "At the end of the day, people just care about finding the right gift at the right price."


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Scott Kirsner was part of the team that launched Boston.com in 1995, and has been writing a column for the Globe since 2000. His work has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, The New York Times, BusinessWeek, Boston Magazine, and Variety. Scott is the author of the books "Fans, Friends & Followers" and "Inventing the Movies," was the editor of "The Convergence Guide: Life Sciences in New England," and was a contributor to "The Good City: Writers Explore 21st Century Boston." He is a founder of the site Innovation Leader, which focuses on innovation initiatives inside big companies. Scott also helps organize several local events on entrepreneurship, including the Nantucket Conference and the Convergence Forum. His recent Boston Globe columns are here.
As we approach the biggest eating week of the year, I’ve noticed a growing number of entrepreneurs in Boston trying to figure out how to get onto your shopping list and into your fridge. And investors are trying to figure out how to get a piece of the next Annie’s Organic (acquired by General Mills for $820 million this fall) or Vitaminwater (acquired by Coca-Cola for $4.1 billion).
Read MoreMad acquisition skillzPluralsight picks up Smarterer, focused on skill tests, for $75 million
You never know which meeting is going to lead to something worthwhile...
Dave Balter, founder and CEO of the online skills testing site Smarterer, was at an edtech conference in Phoenix in April. Balter had about three dozen meetings scheduled over the course of the event, but other people at the conference kept telling him he should meet the CEO of Utah-based Pluralsight, which serves up online training in the tech and creative industries. Balter sent him a quick e-mail "and we squeezed in ten minutes before everyone went to the airport," he says. A few months later, Pluralsight CEO Aaron Skonnard flew to Boston "and we began active merger discussions," Balter says.
Read MoreBeta TestingFirst look: Test-riding a prototype electric bike wheel from GeoOrbital
Having just written about some Boston-area bike startups rethinking what the bike can be, I was excited to get a first look at a new electric wheel from GeoOrbital, a Cambridge startup. The company's premise is that millions of people don't ride their bikes very much, but they might if they could install an affordable accessory — like GeoOrbital's sub-$500 wheel — to give them extra range and keep sweat stains in check.
Read MoreOutsource your errandsStartup Alfred raises $2 million for urban butler service
Uber and Lyft made chauffeured cars accessible to non-Wall Streeters, and sites like Airbnb and Flipkey made it possible to find a sweet deal on a beachfront villa. Now Alfred, a startup born on the campus of Harvard Business School, wants to let you pay for just a fraction of a personal assistant, at $99 a month.
And today, the company is announcing its first funding round: $2 million, supplied by Boston-based Spark Capital and SV Angel of San Francisco.
Rhode Island-based CVS Health, operator of Minute Clinics and the country's second-biggest drugstore chain, is planning to open a technology development center in Boston this winter. Chief Digital Officer Brian Tilzer tells me that the CVS Health Digital Innovation Lab will fit about 100 people — some of whom will move from CVS HQ in Woonsocket, and some of whom will be new hires. "We may not hire all 100 next year, but we're going to hire a lot," Tilzer says. The lab's focus will be on "building customer-centric experiences in health care."
Read MoreInnovation EconomyBoston should host an Olympics for visionaries
There are some people who are pro-Olympics. Others simply say no to trying to bring the 2024 Summer Games to Boston. I am proposing we skip the skeet shooting and squat-lifting and instead do something entirely different: Let’s grab a gold medal for achieving something more important than putting on a Really Big Show.
Read MoreShared digs for healthcare revolutionariesBaystate Health opens shared space in Springfield for health care tech companies
It's graduation day for the latest class of entrepreneurs participating in the Techstars Boston accelerator program. They'll pitch an audience of investors and fellow founders at the House of Blues on Landsdowne Street, hoping to get the capital and connections necessary to make it big. Among the twelve startups are teams designing new bikes for city-dwellers, devices for wireless music streaming, and sites that aim to become the OpenTable of school field trips. This is the first Techstars session run by Semyon Dukach, an angel investor, entrepreneur, and one-time leader of the MIT Blackjack Team.
Read MoreOne less errandWashio's laundry ninjas infiltrate Boston
To the list of services that can be summoned with a few taps on your smartphone, you can now add laundry and dry cleaning. A California startup, Washio, launches in Boston this week. The company pays contractors with their own cars — they refer to them as "ninjas" — to zip around town picking up and dropping off sacks of clothing, and promises 24-hour turnaround. Washio will compete with local cleaners who already offer delivery services on price and convenience; founder Jordan Metzner says that customers can specify a half-hour window in which they'd like a pickup or dropoff to occur.
Read MoreTalent huntGSN Games' move from the suburbs to Boston all about hiring
One of the Bay State's biggest game-development studios is leaving the 'burbs for downtown Boston this Friday. GSN Games, which creates Web-based and mobile games like Bingo Bash and GSN Casino, had been based at the Meditech/Adobe building on Route 128 in Waltham, but is heading to 100 Summer St., a short walk from South Station. GSN Games, previously known as GSN Digital, is part of the Game Show Network, whose owners are DirecTV and Sony Pictures. Many of GSN's most popular games pay out cash prizes to players.
Read MoreInnovation EconomyPedal power plus: Startups aim to give a boost to bicycling
On a brisk fall morning last week, I was pedaling the streets of Cambridge in my own personal Tour de France. Ordinarily, I am a pokey cyclist, but now I was tearing down Brookline Street at 18 miles an hour, without huffing or feeling the burn. On the bike’s rear wheel, hidden inside a plastic case, were $800 worth of sensors, batteries, and a motor that augmented my leg muscles.


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Dairy Crest bore £36.3M of costs in the past year, which dragged pre-tax profits down significantly for the business, while revenue also fell.
Arla Foods and Egypt's largest dairy Juhayna Food Industries have agreed to form a joint venture to sell Arla products in the country.
Australian food and beverage firm Lion has opened what it claims is now the largest specialty cheese manufacturing facility in the Southern hemisphere.
The New Zealand Commerce Commission is to investigate Fonterra's impact on competition in the country's dairy sector.
Fonterra has completed construction of a new plant at is Clandeboye site - an investment that doubles its production of individual quick frozen (IQF) grated mozzarella.
Amid scrutiny over its water bottling operations in drought-hit California, Nestlé is spending $7m (€6.1m) to recycle wastewater at its Carnation Evaporated Milk plant in the Golden State.
Lithuanian dairy Rokiškio has licensed its trademark to a Russian dairy in an effort to "maintain recognition...until the political issues are solved."
Premium organic packaged food manufacturer WhiteWave Foods raised its guidance for 2015 following strong first quarter sales driven by innovative line extensions and recent product launches.
US dairy giant Dean Foods does not plan to "migrate away" from its regional fresh milk brands despite the launch of its national banner, DairyPure.
Murray Goulburn shareholders have voted in favour of listing the dairy cooperative on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).
Prospects seem positive for workers at Heinz’s baby food factory in Kendal, Cumbria, which has been sold to Kendal Nutricare for an undisclosed sum.
French dairy giant Lactalis has agreed to acquire an 80% stake in Turkish dairy Ak Gida for an undisclosed amount.
Fonterra hopes to put organic milk "in reach of more New Zealanders" with the nationwide launch of Anchor Organic.
Vietnamese dairy giant Vinamilk is in talks to acquire dairy operations in Europe, according to reports from the South East Asian country.
Dean Foods has brought its 31 regional fresh milk brands under a single banner in a bid to increase its US market share.
The maker of Forte Gelato hopes to expand its consumer base beyond health-conscious shoppers, recovering patients and athletes to reach the mainstream consumer by repackaging its high-protein, low-fat dessert into...
Up to 70 jobs could go at dairy co-operative First Milk as the business restructures after struggling with cash flow issues.
With European Union (EU) milk quotas abolished, Irish dairy cooperative Ornua expects revenue to rise to €3bn by 2020.
Fonterra has slashed its farm gate milk price (FGMP) forecast for the 2014/15 season for the fourth time since May 2014.
Islamic State (ISIS) attacks have disrupted Al Safi Danone Iraq deliveries, but have not deterred it from becoming Iraq's largest dairy manufacturer.
Arla Foods UK has launched a nutrient-enriched milk designed to ease the transition from breast milk and infant formula to fresh cow's milk.
Rachel’s is facing job losses as a result of the organic dairy producer losing a contract with Tesco amid the multiple’s drive to cull 30% of its stock keeping units...
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) plans to invest up to US$18m in a subsidiary of Al Safi Danone to reduce Iraq's reliance on dairy imports.
Australian dairy cooperative Murray Goulburn has acquired pizza cheese brand Caboolture for an undisclosed sum.
Chobani founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya has joined other business leaders on a trade mission to Cuba led by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo - the first governor-led state trade...


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Biofuel upgrade – now available at SAS
The increased use of biofuel instead of fossil fuel is one of SAS’ three strategic sustainable focus areas, along with improving fuel efficiency and offering more sustainable products and services. Until recently, biofuel supplies have been limited, but this is starting to change and you can add a SAS biofuel upgrade as a travel extra when you book your flight or anytime afterwards when you manage your booking.
“We’ve created a model where you can buy biofuel to replace fossil fuel in 20-minute blocks for approximately €9,” says Lars Andersen Resare, Head of Environment & CSR at SAS. “So, if you’re on a one-hour flight, one 20-minute block will correspond to 33% of your average fuel consumption based on an average flight. If you want biofuel for the full flight, you can, in this example, buy three blocks.”
This is how it works:
1. As a SAS traveler you can add a biofuel upgrade as a travel extra when you book your flight or anytime afterwards when you manage your booking.
2. The amount of biofuel bought will be used to replace the equivalent amount of fossil fuel in SAS’ operations.
3. You're ready for take off!
The amount of biofuel a traveler buys won’t necessarily be used on the exact flight the traveler is on, Andersen Resare explains. But it will be used to replace the equivalent amount of fossil fuel in SAS’ operations.
“Biofuel is primarily delivered to our hubs at Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen,” says Andersen Resare. “So, if we have sold 1,000 tons of biofuel through the upgrade product, we will replace 1,000 tons of fossil fuel with biofuel. The biofuel delivered to SAS is certified according to the applicable regulations and is mixed with the fossil fuel in the fuel systems at the airports. This is the most efficient way to do it based on the logistics of our operations.”
SAS aims to be using biofuel equivalent to the total SAS domestic traffic (which is 17% of the total amount of fuel in 2018). “By 2030, biofuel will be a natural part of our operations,” says Andersen Resare. “But at this stage we need to find a way to involve customers and make it possible to share the costs of biofuel. At the moment, the supply of biofuel is low and costs three or four times more than fossil fuels. But we have already started using biofuel and want to give our travelers the option to voluntarily reduce the greenhouse gases further by buying a bio-fuel upgrade. The new product will act as a bridge towards a more large-scale use of the greener fuel in the coming years, when large-scale commercial production of biofuel in Scandinavia is started.
The supply of biofuel is still very limited. SAS expects to take delivery of 1,000–2,000 tons during 2019. This would cover between 500 and 1,000 one-hour flights. But with a Norwegian mandate (and a mandate suggested in Sweden) coming into force soon will increase biofuel use and energy suppliers are ramping up their deliveries to Scandinavia even more.
SAS will be promoting its new biofuel upgrade product extensively and will also further develop its customer offerings within this area. It is also developing a corporate sustainability program where corporate customers will be able to replace a percentage of their annual fossil fuel consumption with biofuel on a larger scale.
“Offering SAS travelers the opportunity to add biofuel will contribute directly to finding a solution for reducing carbon emissions enough according to the targets set by the Paris Agreement on climate change,” says Andersen Resare.
Published: November 18, 2019


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Though Yahoo may have wanted to buy Foursquare, the company has found another way to hook into the world of location-based social networking.
Yahoo announced Tuesday that it has bought Koprol, a social network for mobile users. Based in Jakarta, Indonesia, Koprol lets people make friends, share photos, and find popular nearby locations all on the go. The news comes a day after their 5-year-old partnership with an eye toward the rising interest in geo-location offerings, pledging to bring Nokia's Navteq mapping service to Yahoo, and Yahoo's e-mail and instant-messaging technology to Nokia's Ovi service.
Accessing Koprol from your mobile device, you can see what your friends are doing and where they're hanging out. You can find neighborhood restaurants, stores, and other businesses and then rate your favorites or not-so-favorites. You can also start discussions and then invite others to join in on the conversation. Based on all this feedback, Koprol can develop a pretty comprehensive database of local activities and resources. And that's what attracted Koprol's new owner.
Yahoo said it plans to use Koprol's community-based information to make its own home page and other sites and services more relevant to local and mobile users. Though Koprol is currently specific to Indonesia, Yahoo said it plans to expand the service to other parts of the world.
"Users are increasingly relying on mobile devices to communicate and access the Internet and they are looking for seamless integration between those devices and PCs. This is especially true in many emerging markets where we are introducing the Yahoo brand to many new-to-Net users," said Rose Tsou, senior vice president, Asia Region at Yahoo.
Yahoo said it will enhance Koprol's service, including a new application for the BlackBerry, and expects to unveil apps for other mobile devices down the road. On its end, the Koprol team said it will continue business as usual but will likely roll out new features faster than expected with Yahoo's support and backing. Beyond more mobile apps, a couple of the new developments in store include an Indonesian language version and accounts for business users.
Eyeing the latest trend of location-based social networks for mobile users, Yahoo's CEO Carol Bartz has been itching to buy a business to take advantage of that market. The company was, but that deal seems stuck in neutral at this point.
The price tag and other financial details of the Koprol purchase were not disclosed.
Below, Yahoo talks with Koprol's founders about the service:


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New regulations come in to force today which will demand more information from sellers on secondary ticket websites, to better protect fans from rip-off prices.
For the first time resellers will have to quote the unique ticket number (UTN) to a buyer, if the event organiser specifies one, helping to identify the ticket’s seat, standing area or location. Current guidance requiring the disclosure of any restrictions and the original price of tickets have also been clarified today in order to improve compliance from businesses, ensuring better deals for customers.
From today ticket resellers must identify the location to which the ticket provides access – such as the particular seat or standing area of the venue, disclose any restrictions that around who can use the ticket or how it must be used (e.g. alongside ID of the original buyer),disclose the original price of the ticket, reveal the details of connections they have with either the online facility on which they are selling, or the organiser of the event for which the ticket is being sold and supply the unique ticket number (UTN) to a buyer if the event organiser specifies one.
Andrew Griffiths, consumer minister, commented: “Fans have a right to know exactly what they’re signing up to on ticket resale websites, but all too often people are left feeling ripped off when the ticket doesn’t match expectations. We are already taking steps to crack down on touts using ‘bots’ to bulk buy tickets for resale and today’s new rules will also improve transparency in this market.”
Adam Webb, campaign manager at FanFair Alliance, added: “So-called secondary ticketing sites should now have complete clarity of their legal obligations. Combined with enforcement action, these welcome updates and additions to consumer law will result in greater protection for audiences and help development of a more transparent and fan-friendly ticket resale market.”
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is taking enforcement action against secondary ticketing websites suspected of breaking consumer law, whilst the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has acted to clamp down on misleading prices and charges on secondary ticketing websites.
New guidance was published last month to help prepare business for these changes, providing clarity to ensure they comply while also securing a better deal for consumers.


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Screens VNC adds iPad multitasking, 3D Touch support and much more
Screens VNC has received a big update to version 4.0, bringing along a slew of handy new features and improvements like iPad multitasking, a new "Curtain Mode" and much more.
Full story from the iMore Blog...
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A new visa module dedicated to the Russian travel trade has launched as a part of our free online travel educational programme, BritAgent. The new learning module is designed to support travel agents in Russia with understanding the visa application process to enable the trade to sell Britain more effectively to their clients.
VisitBritain and VisitEngland have today (30 March 2016) announced the appointment of a new Head of Business Visits & Events, Chris Foy.
New figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that more than 2.5 million visits were made in January 2016, a new January record, up 6% on the same month last year. Overseas visitors spent £1.28 billion while in the UK during January 2016, 3% less than the same month in 2015.
New figures out today show that a new January record has been set for the numbers of international visits to the UK, up 6% on the same month last year. The Office for National Statistics figures show that more than 2.5 million visits were made in January 2016 with visitors spending £1.28 billion.
VisitEngland’s latest Trip Tracker Survey today reveals that 6 million Brits (12% of the adult population) are planning an overnight holiday trip in the UK this Easter, with 5 million people (10%) planning on taking an overnight trip in England.This is likely to generate some £1.5bn in tourism spend for the UK economy, £1.2 billion of which will be spent in England.


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Google TV drops into your living room
Google TV is expanding to the UK, and is entering an increasingly crowded market. So with its first device costing £200 it will be difficult to see how it can compete with the vastly cheaper products like Roku which has support for Netflix and iPlayer.
Google TV will be initially available via the £200 Sony Internet Player (NSZ-GS7) set-top box in July 2012, with the NSZ-GP9 launching later in the year that will add a built-in blu-ray player for around £280.
YouView has a similar price point to Google TV, so it will be interesting to see how this battle plays out, YouView may have an advantage due to promotion from providers like BT and TalkTalk, but Google TV may appeal as its seen to be independent of any single provider.


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Event to showcase return of U.S. beef and pork to South Africa: PodcastEvent to showcase return of U.S. beef and pork to South Africa: Podcast
U.S. exporters to reacquaint buyers with U.S. pork and beef.
August 16, 2016
U.S. red meat exporters will meet and network with importers from South Africa this week during the U.S. Meat Export Federation’s (USMEF) first South Africa Seminar and Buyers Reception, scheduled for Aug. 18 in Johannesburg. Dan Halstrom, USMEF senior vice president for marketing said the showcase of U.S. beef and pork to South African customers comes at an opportune time, as earlier this year South Africa reopened to U.S. beef for the first time since 2003 and lifted some restrictions on U.S. pork.
The USMEF event, which is funded through support from the Pork Checkoff, the Beef Checkoff Program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Market Access Program, will offer an opportunity for U.S. exporters to build relationships with South African buyers and help reacquaint them with high-quality U.S. pork and beef.
The interest level among buyers in the region is very high, according to Halstrom, who noted that USMEF will also lead a tour of the Johannesburg area the day before the showcase to explore the city’s modern retail and traditional wholesale markets.
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The #PlayWithPringles challenge was launched in Germany, Italy and France this year and in just five months, has amassed an astounding one billion hashtag views and growing each day. The simple challenge encouraged TikTok users to get creative with the iconic Pringles tube through dance, forced perspective, comedy, music and more.
Millions of TikTok users engaged with #PlayWithPringles challenge, making it one of the most engaged brand campaigns on the platform. The campaign generated an incredible 278M+ videos from over 343K user generated entries with a 13% average engagement rate. Pringles also increased brand awareness with a new audience of digital natives. At a time when most people were socialising online, the challenge encouraged playful engagement with Pringles, and the campaign has become the catalyst for fun, creative self-expression and community engagement.
Pringles launched the challenge by working with well-known TikTok Creators in each market who kickstarted the campaign with their creative inspiration and gave the campaign maximum exposure. With the simplicity of the challenge being the key to its success, thousands of other creators quickly followed, bringing their unique and creative take on the challenge. Many ‘jumped’ into the can to change clothes, some passed it from one screen to another and others used clever editing and effects on the platform to create magic around the can. Whatever the creative approach, the Pringles can is front and centre in each video.
Speaking about the campaign, Miranda Prins, Pringles VP said, “We noticed fans were already using our can to create fun videos on TikTok and we wanted to build on this by launching the #PlayWithPringles challenge. It was easy to get involved, have fun and put an individual spin on things, making this campaign such a success. It has been amazing to see the response to our challenge and even better to see the creative ways people are using our product on TikTok. We’re always looking at the latest trends to engage with our consumers and our partnership with TikTok is an exciting evolution within our digital marketing strategy.”
Commenting on the campaign, Dave Hoctor, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Lead, TikTok said: “It was great to see Pringles identify an existing TikTok trend, and tap into this with a simple and fun hashtag challenge, inspiring creativity and sparking joy, which is what TikTok is all about. They built a compelling brand experience which connected with our community of creators across the world.”
The challenge was supported by a variety of promotions on the platform. These include One Day Max, where videos are shown in feeds for one day, TopView which displays a 5-60 second full-screen vertical video with sound-on when the app is opened and TopView Lite, which displays 3 second image or 3-5 second sound-off, full-screen vertical video when the app is opened. Used together, these solutions increased exposure for the organically booming challenge page – https://www.tiktok.com/tag/PlayWithPringles.
The campaign is an on-going initiative by the brand with the hope that people will continue to #PlayWithPringles.


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Baseball-Card Sales In a Slump From Strike
| NEW YORK
FOR years the mark of a dedicated fan, baseball cards are falling dramatically in popularity as a bitter strike has soured fans on the sport.
The Topps Company, the grand-daddy among sports-card manufacturers, expects demand for new baseball cards to be so low in 1995 that the company dismissed 200 of its 688 workers in its main Pennsylvania plant last month. Not since 1965 has Topps printed as few cards as this year, says spokesman Marty Appel.
Topps's five main rivals are also cutting back heavily in card production, and some industry observers expect sales to fall as much as 50 percent because of the baseball strike.
``The companies are going through the doldrums as far as baseball goes,'' says Jim Smith, the St. Paul Pioneer Press's deputy sports editor who frequently writes about card collecting. The cards ``just aren't going off the shelves very quickly.''
A few years ago, the picture was quite different. At $1 to $5 a pack for the latest generation of premium cards, top collectors sank thousands of dollars a year into the hobby.
At the height of the card-collecting mania in 1991-92, sports- and entertainment-card manufacturers made $1.5 billion in sales, according to investment bank Salomon Inc. in New York.
Diminishing enthusiasm even before the baseball strike brought the number down to about $1.1 billion in 1994, industry analysts say.
Few can predict how sales will shape out this year with the strike still unresolved. But many company executives are hoping that a settlement will inspire fans with late-inning buying enthusiasm.
``The pent-up desire for cards will sort of burst out,'' predicts Vince Nauss, director of marketing at Chicago-based Donruss.
Until real baseball arrives, every company is trying an array of marketing strategies. The Upper Deck Company in Carlsbad, Calif., has delayed the introduction of their main line of cards from December to May or June, according to Christopher Corman, manager of their baseball line. ``It's a major strategic change,'' he says. ``We think things will be settled by that time.''
Topps even went as far as to introduce special cards for the 1994 season that projected how well players might have done had the season not been interrupted by a strike.
And in an unprecedented promotion, all six baseball-card manufacturers have issued a joint set of cards showing 18 leading players. They are billing the collaborative effort a tribute to fans, but others call it a desperate attempt to drum up more business.
One wild card is the possibility of cards bearing the likeness of replacement players now trying out in spring training. Even if there's profit to be made there, many manufacturers are ambivalent.
``It won't work no matter what,'' says Mike Cramer, president of Pacific Trading Cards in Lynnwood, Wash. ``I don't believe in it.''
The only profits in the baseball-card market today come from sales of older collectibles, industry insiders say.
``The baseball strike has nothing to do whatsoever with Mickey Mantle's being a great baseball player,'' said Robert Rosen, sales manager for Kit Young Cards, a San Diego dealer specializing in older cards. ``We have not seen a slump in sales.''
Some prices of older cards have fallen because of less enthusiasm for baseball, which for market contrarians means opportunity.
``It's probably a great time right now to buy cards,'' says Smith of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. ``You can certainly get better deals.''


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The purpose of warehouses used to be a lot simpler: a space for storing goods. Now, with the emergence of online shopping and e-commerce, warehouses have become complex headquarters for companies to ship their products directly to customers or retail stores. The management of warehouse operations, such as oversight of inventory and finances, are now often being processed in-house rather than through outside third-party logistics companies.
Along with adjustments to warehousing prompted from the rise of e-commerce comes advanced technology to efficiently handle product processing. Just as shipping products straight to customers’ doors by a click of a button has made shopping more convenient, technology has also made it more convenient for those goods to be shipped from warehouses.
Companies like Fetch Robotics, for example, make automated robots to utilize in warehouses for a more efficient workflow. The company’s robots operate alongside workers as well as other equipment, such as forklifts, according to Fetch Robotics. Many of these robots often move materials from one point to another to be processed and stored.
Jim Flynn, president of industrial property management group The Carson Companies, noted that an evolution in warehousing has been driven by e-commerce. “The warehousing industry has evolved from the days that you used to move a pallet of goods from point A to a store,” he said. “And now, mainly due to the proliferation of e-commerce, you’re moving goods individually from a warehouse to your house. So when you think about the dynamics between that and how labor intensive that is . . . the software, robotics and systems to deliver that are evolving as quickly as they can, just to make it more efficient.”
E-commerce companies have unique needs for how their warehouses are built, according to Flynn. “One of the challenges, not necessarily for our buildings which are relatively new and built within the last 15 years, but some of the older buildings, is that they don’t have the parking or truck storage necessary to support any e-commerce facility,” he said.
Many e-commerce warehouses need space for delivery trucks to pick-up and deliver products, according to Flynn. He also noted how e-commerce facilities tend to be more employee-oriented because they handle their warehouse operations in-house.
Flynn noted that there is little opportunity to develop new industrial spaces in the South Bay, which is built-out. Industrial real estate in the area has a vacancy rate of about 1%. As a result, he is seeing an increase in re-development of existing warehouses.
“What happens in larger facilities is that they get taller, and they build mezzanine structures within them,” Flynn said. “So there may be one or two or three stories within what looks like a single story building. And on each mezzanine section there will be people and machines picking and moving goods. We’ve built several of those facilities throughout the Los Angeles Basin for some of our customers.”
Lance Ryan, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Watson Land Company, also noticed more space being added in existing buildings. “What we’re seeing, specifically in the South Bay, is larger office build outs, meaning we have larger office footprints [within warehouse buildings]. There are more office jobs, there are larger IT rooms and there are larger break rooms,” he said. “So we’re finding from our analytical evidence that there are more jobs being created by these type of companies.”
Incorporating technology in warehousing brings up other considerations, such as whether a building is equipped with the proper electrical infrastructure and power requirements for material-handling equipment, according to Ryan.
“What I think we’re going to see is a better utilization of buildings,” he said. “What we’ve seen in the last five to 10 years has been both an increase in speed of adoption of technology by our users and also an increase in innovation.”
One of Watson Land Company’s properties that represents an increase in innovation is women’s fashion brand Cabi, according to Ryan. The company has their main corporate office in the same building as their warehouse in Carson. The offices for marketing, finance, IT, quality control and other services are located onsite.
“We wanted to be close to the operations here. If there’s an issue, we could walk down and see it for ourselves,” Arvid Pedersen, vice president of operations at Cabi, said. “We’ve been able to make significant improvements here in productivity and we get to keep that ourselves rather than a third party logistics company keeping that [profit].”
Cabi currently uses roller rails that act as a freight conveyor to transfer goods in tote bags for workers to grab and then process. Cabi looks forward to adding more advanced technology through an automated conveyor system for employees to manage freight, according to Pedersen.
Yet, Pedersen acknowledges that relying too much on technology is not an option. “I think some companies over-automate,” he said.
Some automated systems for material handling in warehouses tend to be fixed in the volumes of materials they are able to handle. What Pedersen noticed while touring different facilities was that, in some warehouses, not all high-tech equipment was being utilized when the volume of freight was lower.
Thus, Pedersen stressed that there is no one model to fit every warehouse. For Cabi, in terms of its freight volume, the current model with less-advanced technology was the most suitable. As the volume increases, Pedersen will consider using more advanced technology.
In terms of the South Bay’s warehousing industry, although land for new development is scarce and many buildings remain occupied, Ryan sees potential for growth.
“When you think of online sales, the real discussion point is about the last mile. And the last mile is right here in the South Bay. We’ve got a 40 million-person population well inside a one-day truck drive,” he said. “There’s just no doubt that we’re going to see an evolution in technology [in warehousing] and we’d expect that [the South Bay] would be right at the nexus of where it’s going to happen.”


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BMW Has Big Plans for China
“China is a global driver of growth in the automotive market,” said Friedrich Eichiner, CFO of the BMW Group. “China will play a major role in the global automotive business, in the development of future technologies.” Then he signed off on a major expansion project. Together with joint venture partner Brilliance, BMW will be able to produce 175,000 Made in China BMWs, up from 30,000 units currently.
BMW and its partner, the state parent of Brilliance, will invest $735 million to expand an existing plant in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang. Brilliance and BMW manufacture BMW 3-Series and 5-Series there.
Annual production at the current plant will increase to 75,000 units by the end of next year, from 30,000 units currently. Construction of a second plant is scheduled to start in 2010 with a planned annual production capacity of 100,000 units, Reuters reports. If the market is receptive, BMW is ready to go to 300,000 Chinese Bimmers. In October, 81 percent more BMWs were sold than in the previous year.
And while we are at it: The rumor that SAIC might intrude on Brilliance’s patch and make the 7-Series was bunk. As suspected, it was one of those Chinese rumors.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife  Tomoko . Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the  Offshore Super Series , an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
More by Bertel Schmitt


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Until now, it’s our fingers that have been the things that connect us with computers physically, whether we’re typing on our keyboards or swiping on our mobile devices. But there are a number of companies out there that are looking to replace your trusty digits with signals from your brain – and Facebook has just bought one of them.
CTRL-Labs*, a promising young start-up that has developed a wristband that can interpret signals from your brain, is the fledgling company that’s just been acquired by Facebook for somewhere between £0.4bn and £0.8bn (depending what reports you read).
So what’s the big deal?
Well, for a start, imagine the (slightly scary) potential of Facebook being able to interpret your thoughts and turn them into actions. For example, instead of going through the motions of sharing a photo, adding some words and tagging relevant people, you could just, well, think it.
Speaking about the acquisition, Facebook VR president Andrew Bosworth said he hoped CTRL-Labs and Facebook could “build this kind of technology, at scale and get it into consumer products faster”.
However, the deal has been met with some apprehension. At a time when many are calling for social media to play a much less significant role in our lives, is Facebook knowing what you’re thinking going to be one step too far?
While such technology would undoubtedly make doing stuff on the social platform easier and quicker, it begs the question where it’s all going to end.
What do you think? Should technology that can potentially lead to brain-computer interfaces being developed be reserved for helping amputees control prosthetic limbs or does it have a place in the world of social media?
Facebook will almost certainly say that it’s all about improving the user experience, but what about the future potential to see ads as you’re thinking about things. Now that’s a scary/brilliant thought depending on your viewpoint.


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National Asset Management Inc. grew its holdings in Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) by 29.4% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 71,053 shares of the ride-sharing company’s stock after buying an additional 16,158 shares during the quarter. National Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Uber Technologies were worth $2,582,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the company. Valmark Advisers Inc. grew its holdings in Uber Technologies by 21.7% during the third quarter. Valmark Advisers Inc. now owns 8,659 shares of the ride-sharing company’s stock worth $316,000 after acquiring an additional 1,546 shares during the period. Zeke Capital Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Uber Technologies by 4.6% during the 3rd quarter. Zeke Capital Advisors LLC now owns 514,283 shares of the ride-sharing company’s stock worth $18,761,000 after purchasing an additional 22,760 shares during the period. LPL Financial LLC increased its holdings in shares of Uber Technologies by 12.4% in the 3rd quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 438,033 shares of the ride-sharing company’s stock valued at $15,979,000 after purchasing an additional 48,453 shares in the last quarter. Banco Santander S.A. lifted its stake in shares of Uber Technologies by 24.7% in the third quarter. Banco Santander S.A. now owns 36,423 shares of the ride-sharing company’s stock valued at $1,328,000 after purchasing an additional 7,220 shares during the period. Finally, State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System lifted its stake in shares of Uber Technologies by 0.4% in the third quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 1,786,033 shares of the ride-sharing company’s stock valued at $65,154,000 after purchasing an additional 6,680 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 67.75% of the company’s stock.
Shares of NYSE UBER traded up $0.34 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $49.55. 452,415 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 29,038,959. The firm has a market capitalization of $86.80 billion, a P/E ratio of -12.18 and a beta of 1.04. The company has a quick ratio of 1.64, a current ratio of 1.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $38.06 and a 200-day moving average price of $34.19. Uber Technologies, Inc. has a 1 year low of $13.71 and a 1 year high of $50.09.
Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, November 5th. The ride-sharing company reported ($0.62) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the Zacks’ consensus estimate of ($0.60) by ($0.02). Uber Technologies had a negative return on equity of 38.83% and a negative net margin of 50.99%. The firm had revenue of $3.13 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.19 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted ($0.68) EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 20.0% compared to the same quarter last year. Research analysts predict that Uber Technologies, Inc. will post -3.82 EPS for the current fiscal year.
In other news, insider Tony West sold 2,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $36.09, for a total transaction of $72,180.00. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 275,501 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,942,831.09. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Insiders have sold 6,000 shares of company stock worth $207,240 in the last quarter. Insiders own 8.66% of the company’s stock.
A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price target on shares of Uber Technologies from $38.00 to $54.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 5th. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on Uber Technologies from $45.00 to $50.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. BTIG Research upped their target price on Uber Technologies from $47.00 to $55.00 in a report on Friday, November 6th. Wedbush lifted their price target on Uber Technologies from $41.00 to $49.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, November 6th. Finally, Loop Capital decreased their price objective on shares of Uber Technologies from $43.00 to $40.00 in a research report on Monday, August 24th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirty-three have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Uber Technologies presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $44.50.
About Uber Technologies
Uber Technologies, Inc develops and operates proprietary technology applications primarily in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It connects consumers with independent providers of ride services for ridesharing services, as well as connect consumers with restaurants and food delivery service providers for meal preparation and delivery services.
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Philips shows its new clamshell phone for audiophiles. The 588 can play MP3 and the controls are placed on the outer shell of the clamshell. No details on the specs but it is expected to hit the Asian market.
Worth a read
Microsoft has confirmed that its Surface Book 2 lineup will start selling in a number of countries, including India. Both 13-inch and 15-inch models will be available for Indian customers but the exact price and availability will most likely be announced next month. The Surface Book 2 is powered Intel’s 8th Gen Core processors, discrete […]
Micromax has confirmed that they’ll be the first company to launch a phone in India running Android Oreo Go Edition. There’s no info on the exact hardware or how it will look but Micromax has confirmed that the Bharat Go will go on sale by the end of this month. Android Oreo (Go edition) announced […]
It’s always good to hear from the horse’s mouth. Samsung Mobile’s DJ Koh has confirmed that customers can expect the new Galaxy S flagship phone at MWC next month. Samsung’s choice of choosing one of the biggest telecom industry exhibition is unsurprising considering Samsung has revealed their important flagship phones in the past. Galaxy S9 […]
At CES, Xiaomi announced a partnership with Oculus to bring Mi VR Standalone. As the name suggests, it’s a standalone VR head-mounted display that does not require to be tethered to a smartphone and will sell exclusively in China. If you’re wondering, Mi VR Standalone is similar to Oculus Go and is powered by Qualcomm’s […]
Nvidia has teamed up with Acer, Asus and HP to create big format gaming displays, or as Nvidia likes to call it — BFGDs. These BFGDs will bring PC gaming to the large screen with its 65-inch display, 4K and HDR support along with 1000 nit peak brightness and DCI-P3 colour profile. However, the most […]


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When Dara Khosrowshahi left Expedia to take over for Travis Kalanick as CEO of Uber, he assumed responsibility for resolving a series of potentially fatal business missteps, maintaining high growth, and preparing the company to go public. Uber was in the crosshairs of governments, competitors, employees, and customers, with many questioning its morals.
For most, this would have been career suicide. For Khosrowshahi, it has been an opportunity to demonstrate that moral courage and strategic tradeoffs can drive improved performance. In doing so, he broke past corporate norms and brought reform in three key areas.
Khosrowshahi’s approach to addressing government challenges is typified with his handling of London. In September 2017, shortly after Khosrowshahi assumed the helm, London canceled Uber’s operating license, citing inadequate working conditions and failures to report sexual assault. By June 2018, Khosrowshahi had provisionally convinced the courts that Uber was turning over a new leaf, winning a conditional license to continue operating for 18 months.
The director of licensing for London’s transportation agency seemed pleased with Uber’s new tack, saying during the hearing that the licensing process “certainly works better when an operator is asking permission rather than seeking forgiveness.”
Another instance of the new CEO’s change in tack is the company’s changed stance on UberPOP, essentially a low-cost ride-hailing option in Europe similar to UberX in the U.S. Over the last few years, European countries like Spain and Germany banned UberPOP, arguing that it illegally used non-professional drivers.
Now Uber has taken a more compliant position, dropping its appeal to restore UberPOP service in Germany and planning to initiate a new UberX service in Barcelona with licensed drivers. Uber’s director for Southwest Europe acknowledged the company’s previous mistakes in a blog post accompanying the latter announcement.
“We are changing the way we do business,” he wrote, “putting integrity at the core of every decision we make and working hard to earn the trust of the cities in which we operate.”
Even when it comes to flying cars, Khosrowshahi has declared Uber will “play by the rules.”
Uber has taken a similarly non-combative approach with its industry cohorts. In February 2018, Uber settled a lawsuit with Alphabet, Google’s parent company, over allegations that Uber had stolen autonomous vehicle technology developed by Waymo, another Alphabet subsidiary. Uber pledged not to use Waymo’s autonomous vehicle technology, gave Alphabet a 0.34% equity stake in Uber, and expressed regrets over how the situation was handled. Settling the suit was a great move, as it quelled bad press and distraction at a time when many other issues need to be addressed at the company.
Such de-escalation is also visible in Uber’s approach to competitors in foreign markets. The company strategically retreated from Southeast Asia and Russia in exchange for equity stakes in competitors Grab and Yandex, respectively. Uber continues to compete in Brazil and India, but this kind of a strategic decision-making demonstrates that Uber is no longer focused solely on growth and world domination. It may even be finally focused on profits.
Getting the house in order
Other changes may be less noticeable outside of Silicon Valley, but are nonetheless significant in creating a company that will endure. Uber suffered from Silicon Valley’s immoral “brogrammer” culture, where a blind eye was often turned to sexual harassment and racial discrimination, and arrogance and winning at all costs ruled. The inattention to creating an inclusive workplace resulted in only 36% of Uber’s worldwide employees being female as of March 2017. In addition, only 15% of its technical team were women.
Khosrowshahi was well aware of the challenges of diversity in technology from his time at Expedia. He started to fix the internal culture by soliciting feedback from Uber employees. Two dozen employee focus groups, 1,200 submitted ideas, and 22,000 votes later, he scripted a new set of cultural norms. Now, instead of encouraging stepping on toes, Uber has adopted mantras such as “We do the right thing. Period,” “We celebrate differences,” and “We value ideas over hierarchy.” Changing the language of cultural norms is a positive step toward changing Uber’s culture itself.
Along with cultural change, Khosrowshahi has also cleansed the executive ranks. The chief of human resources, chief product officer, and several others departed in the last year. Overall, of the 16 executives running Uber when Kalanick left, only seven remain at the company.
Khosrowshahi has had an auspicious start at Uber, but his reformation is incomplete. The goal of a level playing field for women and minorities in technology remains distant. Uber’s challenges with regulators are not fully resolved; earlier this month, New York City voted to freeze the distribution of new ride-hailing vehicle licenses for one year while it studies traffic congestion. And Uber must address the fast-moving competitive frontier in transportation, from autonomous vehicles to electric bikes and to autonomous flying machines.
We can take hope in Khosrowshahi’s own words. In February 2015, while he was still head of Expedia, Khosrowshahi wrote on LinkedIn, “Taking big risks combined with having a team you believe in and that believes just as much in you as a leader make for long-term wins even in a game of inches.”
Tim J. Smith is the founder and CEO of Wiglaf Pricing and an adjunct professor of Marketing at DePaul University, and the author of Pricing Done Right.


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Lipitor, one of the most frequently prescribed medications for lowering cholesterol and preventing heart disease, is now available in generic form. Access to atorvastatin – the generic name for the drug – is going to save residents thousands of dollars. Here’s how:
According to the American Heart Association, heart disease is the leading cause of death in Indiana. Particularly alarming are the obesity rates (more than 65 percent) and the number of active smokers (more than 23 percent), both higher than the national averages. The state has the 14th highest death rate from the disease in the country.
In the past, residents on high deductible health plans who were prescribed this medication had to spend about $80 a month for the drug. Now that the generic version is available, the cost will decrease to just a few dollars for a 30-day prescription. Even residents on a co-pay plan will realize the savings; atorvastatin is expected to fall in the $10-or-less co-pay category.
On an individual level alone, this is great news. But it’s also going to benefit those enrolled in a group health plan. Employees in group plans will not only personally save money, but they’ll save their company money by reducing the overall claims. A large company that may have been spending more than $100,000 each year on Lipitor may now be able to reduce those claims by as much as 90 percent. As a result, the group health plans will have more buying power.
Some residents may be hesitant to make the switch. Although most generic medications are usually the same, the formulations can have minor differences. Keep in mind that if you do choose to continue taking Lipitor over the generic version, you will pay a higher cost – most health plans will categorize Lipitor as a Tier 3 drug, which means the co-pay would be substantially higher. Some carriers may choose not to cover it because the generic alternative is available. In that case, a person would likely be required to provide a letter from their doctor explaining why they have to take the brand name in order to get it covered.
For local residents agreeable to the switch, the availability of the generic version of Lipitor should provide a substantial savings.
Are you or a loved one currently taking this medication? How does Lipitor going off-patent affect you?
Source: “Indianapolis Fact Sheet” American Heart Association (http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@global/documents/downloadable/ucm_307172.pdf). Accessed December 10, 2011


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Independent Motor Dealers Association chairman Umesh Samani appeared on Car Dealer Live on July 24.
Samani’s appearance was timely as dealers in England had to adhere to new guidance surrounding face coverings.
As well as discussing that, other topics covered with host James Batchelor included:
- The importance of social media – and why it wasn’t all just about sell, sell, sell
- Why he doesn’t buy from auctions
- The benefits of belonging to the IMDA
Previous show – John O’Hanlon, Waylands Automotive CEO
- Got a beef with your car manufacturer? Love your suppliers? Tell us why in our Car Dealer Power survey here.
- Get the latest news updates in our WhatsApp group. Broadcast only, headlines direct to your phone. Send us a message and ask to join here.
- There’s a fresh new design and exclusive content for Car Dealer! Download issue 149 for free here.


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Delaware resident Anthony Wedo, CEO of the country’s largest steak buffet chain, will be featured at 8 tonight on the CBS reality series “Undercover Boss.”
Wedo, of Greenville, was named to the position in December.
The 54-year-old went undercover as “Mike Davis,” in several of Hometown Buffet, Old Country Buffet and Ryan’s restaurants nationwide, where he worked a variety of jobs alongside servers, grill cooks, managers, and cashiers.
Wedo says he went undercover because he wanted to get behind the scenes to gain an unvarnished view of what is really going on in the restaurants. What he got was far more.
“I certainly learned about some of the challenges our employees face at work, but what really touched me were their personal stories,” Wedo says. “I now see exactly where the paycheck goes for our associates and what it means for them.”
Buffets, Inc., one of the nation’s largest steak-buffet restaurant companies, currently operates 343 restaurants in 35 states, comprised of 333 steak-buffet restaurants and 10 Tahoe Joe’s Famous Steakhouse restaurants.


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DES MOINES, Iowa — The owners of a Des Moines bail bond business are charged with multiple counts of fraud and prostitution.
David Ellis of Always Affordable Bail Bonds is charged with fraudulent sales practices, credit card fraud, and four counts of prostitution. According to the criminal complaint in the case, he demanded and received a sex act from a woman as a condition of paying her bond.
Debra Ellis is also charged with multiple counts of credit card fraud related to EBT transactions.
Justin Gilbert, an employee of Always Affordable Bail Bonds, is also charged with six counts of fraudulent sales practices.
All three have been released on bond and in what could be an endorsement of a competitor, David and Debra Ellis opted to use Kenny’s Bail Bonds in Des Moines.


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South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the new regulations to curbed the surge of Covid in the country.
The President said on Monday that indoor and outdoor gathering is bans as the second wave of Coronavirus strain hits high as 2,000 deaths were recorded in one week.
READ ALSO: Croatia Hits By 5.2 Magnitude Earthquake
Ramaphosa statement read:
Under the adjusted level 3 regulations:
- All indoor and outdoor gatherings will be prohibited for 14 days from the date hereof, except for funerals and other limited exceptions as detailed in the regulations, such as restaurants, museums, gyms and casinos.
These will further be set out by the Minister in regulations and will be reviewed after that period.
- Funerals may not be attended by more than 50 people with social distancing.
Every business premises must determine the maximum number of staff and customers permitted at any one time based on our social-distancing guidelines and may not exceed that limit.
The nationwide curfew will be extended from 9pm to 6am. Apart from permitted workers and for medical and security emergencies, nobody is allowed outside their place of residence during curfew.
Non-essential establishments – including shops, restaurants, bars and all cultural venues – must close at 8pm. The list of these establishments will be released shortly.
We now know that the simplest and most effective way to reduce transmission of the coronavirus is to wear a cloth mask that covers the nose and mouth whenever in public.
Until now the owners and managers of shops and public buildings, employers and operators of public transport have had a legal responsibility to ensure that everyone entering their premises or vehicle is wearing a mask.
But given the grave danger our country now faces, the adjusted level 3 regulations will make every individual legally responsible for wearing a mask in public.
From now on it is compulsory for every person to wear a mask in a public space. A person who does not wear a cloth mask covering over the nose and mouth in a public place will be committing an offence.
A person who does not wear a mask could be arrested and prosecuted. On conviction, they will be liable to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both a fine and imprisonment.
This is a drastic measure but is now necessary to ensure compliance with the most basic of preventative measures.
We remain particularly concerned about the elderly and those with co-morbidities and ask that they do their utmost to protect themselves from the virus, especially minimising their contact with other people.
Akewusolaf is an online Publication. I blog about News| Sports| Politics| Entertainment| Celebrity Gist| Health Tips| Gossip| Personality| Current Affairs| Quotes


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There's something in the air – quite literally, it seems. Airplane chic is having a moment.
From the 60s sophistication of stewardesses in Pan Am, to the new BA 2012 pop-up restaurant that's opening in Shoreditch, jet set glamour is taking off this spring.
Virgin Atlantic are the latest airline to give passengers a taste of the high life – they've collaborated with bareMinerals to create a bespoke lipstick, recreating the iconic 'Virgin Atlantic Red' that's the trademark of their sexy female cabin crew.
The red hot lip colour - bareMinerals Pretty Amazing Lipcolour in 'Upper Class Red' – gives the coverage of a lipstick but the high shine effects of a gloss in a classic red shade that suits every skin tone.
Plus, the long-wearing finish makes the glamour last that bit longer, perfect for long-haul flights, right?
The bespoke shade will be sold exclusively in the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse Spa at Heathrow, Gatwick and New York JFK before it is made available in bareMinerals stockists later this year. Visit the bareMinerals website for more info.


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Once a guilty pleasure consumers indulged in largely late at night and in the privacy of their homes, snacking is now an acceptable—and even encouraged—eating behavior. Increasingly time-pressed and health-conscious, consumers are no longer eating three square meals, but instead are opting to eat multiple mini meals throughout the course of a day. And there are plenty of products to choose from as progressive restaurant operators continue to introduce a broad array of morning and afternoon pick-me-ups, ranging from indulgent sweets to miniaturized savory treats.
According to market research firm The NPD Group, snacks account for 20 percent of all meals consumed. While that number hasn’t changed since 1990, what has changed is the perception of snacking, the time of day snacks are most often consumed and where consumers get their snacks.
“We are not snacking more,” says Harry Balzer, vice president of Port Washington, N.Y.-based NPD. “It’s just that restaurants are becoming a source for more snacks.”
Consumers may not be eating more snacks, but fewer seem to feel the need to sneak a snack. According to NPD, in 2007 50 percent of consumers said they tried to avoid snacking, down from 72 percent in 1986, and the number continues to move downward.
While the majority of snacks are still eaten in the home, in the past few years more consumers have turned to restaurants to get their in-between-meal fixes. According to NPD, 23 percent of all snacks came from a restaurant in 2007, up from 21 percent in 2002.
The shift in perception may be partly attributed to the medical community, say experts such as Molly Morgan, a registered dietician and owner of Vestal, N.Y.-based Creative Nutrition Solutions.
“There’s a lot of research [that shows] eating small meals throughout the day is the best way to get your metabolism burning brightly,” Morgan says. “Somewhere in the late 1980s or the early 1990s [there was a] shift in mentality.”
Better eating habits may also be the reason that consumers are less likely to snack in the evening and more likely to snack in the morning than they were in previous years. According to NPD, as recently as 20 years ago the majority of snacking occurred after dinner. Today, fewer snacks are consumed at night and significantly more snacks are consumed in the morning hours, when consumers have the whole day to burn off the calories.
“There’s a structural change in our behavior,” Balzer says of the shift. “More people are having a second [eating] event in the morning time…and restaurants are getting the benefit of this.”
Once largely defined by what a few quarters could buy from a vending machine, snacks today run the gamut from frozen-coffee drinks and fruit smoothies to downsized versions of classic sandwiches and salads. In short, just about anything consumed in between the core meal times of breakfast, lunch and dinner can be considered a snack—and more restaurants are making them available.
Quick-service chains have been offering snack items for some time. In August 2006 Oak Brook-Ill.-based McDonald’s introduced its Snack Wrap, a tortilla-clad chicken snacker with ranch or honey mustard sauce, which has brought much attention to the brand.
Canton, Mass.-based Dunkin’ Donuts has had great success with its line of frozen smoothies, introduced in spring 2006, and has recently been testing savory snacks, such as hand-held hash browns and flat-bread sandwiches.
In the year ended November 2007, quick-service restaurants accounted for 94 percent of all snack traffic, while full-service restaurants accounted for just 6 percent, according to NPD. But many casual-dining players have picked up on the trend and have begun offering reduced-sized versions of classic burgers and sandwiches on their regular menus. Last September, Carrollton, Texas-based T.G.I. Friday’s added three-to-an-order hamburger sliders, cheeseburger sliders and chimichurri sliders to its menu. Similarly, casual-dining rival Bennigan’s Grill & Tavern, based in Plano, Texas, recently added both Burger Bites and Chicken Minis to its menu and reportedly has plans to add additional mini items down the road.
Restaurant snack items tend to be both smaller and cheaper. In the year ended November 2007, the average check during a snack occasion at a quick-service restaurant was $3.36, compared with $3.68 for breakfast, $5.33 for lunch and $5.90 for supper, according to NPD. During the same period, the average check during a snack occasion at a full-service restaurant was $6.50, compared to $7.31 for breakfast, $10.07 for lunch and $13.64 for supper.
“It’s not a big check, but it’s ordering items that have high margins,” says former restaurant analyst Craig Weichmann, explaining why some restaurants are experiencing success with snack offerings. “Your flow-through margin on [a snack] item might be 50 percent, while your overall margin might be just 10 [percent] to 20 percent.” While the increase in snacking at restaurants may be attributed at least in part to more consumers hoping to reap the health benefits of the multiple-mini-meal ideology, some of the most popular items positioned as snacks are in fact high in fat and calories. Nonetheless, nutrition experts such as Creative Nutrition Solutions’ Morgan say the increase in snacks available from restaurants is largely a positive shift.
“Offering snack-sized options at restaurants is helping provide better snacking alternatives and new mini-meal options,” Morgan says. “It’s often a lower-calorie option compared to the other menu items.”
Consumers’ health concerns have prompted some operators to add more healthful versions of existing snack products to their menus.
“Consumers can consider replacing that sweet snack so many of them reach for in the afternoon with a Skinny Latte,” Katie Thomson, a registered dietitian at Starbucks, recently said in a press release. “Not only will they save on calories and fat, but they’ll be getting an extra shot of calcium and protein to get them through the day.”
Although restaurants have only increased their share of snacks in the past three or four years, industry observers predict that as more operators learn that the snack occasion does not cannibalize the larger checks for main meals and can actually boost traffic and sales during dead times, more downsized offerings will start appearing on menus.
“Other restaurants have to attract some of that traffic,” Weichmann says. “The progressive restaurant will see it as an opportunity to fill in those dead zones.”


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The Legal Business of 'Title Washing'
By Marsha Thompson
This week we've revealed troubling news about hurricane-damaged cars that could be in the marketplace. Now WLBT News has uncovered a little-known Mississippi law that allows 'title washing' -- a way to legally conceal wrecked and rebuilt vehicles.
For most folks, a car is a big purchase. But what you see is not always what you get.
Doug Wilson of Wilson Auto Group says it fosters fraud on consumers. "And legitimate dealers are victimized by it as well," he says.
This Jackson car dealer is talking about the business of falsifying titles. "We shouldn't have a situation where Mississippi is a dumping ground for vehicles that allows titles to be washed," Wilson said.
The Attorney General's office agrees, according to the director of the Consumer Protection Division, Grant Hedgepeth. "We need to protect these people from it," he says.
Damaged vehicles can be concealed from buyers -- legally -- through the State Tax Commission. Salvaged titles can be wiped clean, and few would know they were purchasing a wrecked car.
Our investigation found out how simple it is. All it takes is 75 dollars and a quick inspection at the Highway Patrol to wipe "wrecked" off a car's record, leaving buyers in the dark. MHP inspection offices are set up statewide. You fill out the paperwork, and then a Mississippi Bureau of Investigation agent gives the refurbished car a once-over. But MBI agents are not mechanics checking the vehicle's integrity or safety, according to the new head of the MBI, Lt. Colonel David Shaw.
"We are in the inspection process primarily," he says, "to help ensure stolen parts aren't used in the rebuilding process."
We requested inspection records and found in the past two years nearly 17,000 titles were changed.
"Under current law an unscrupulous dealer fixes it up and sells it as a used car that's never been wrecked," Hedgepeth says.
Concealing repairs through "title washing" is a booming business in Mississippi. Our sources say a powerful lobby of northeast Mississippi rebuilders resist change.
"I believe that's were the money comes from," says Hedgepeth.
So do people in the automobile industry. Don Travis is director of the Mississippi Independent Auto Dealers Association. "We're talking about money," he says. "A clear title is much more valuable than a salvage car title."
"This should have been corrected years ago."
Who's responsible for allowing this deceptive practice to continue? Your lawmakers -- and the buck stops at the State Capitol.
Auto industry officials say title washing has gone on for years despite attempts to convince legislators to change the law. Travis says it should have been corrected years ago, as does Hedgepeth. But each time a bill has been submitted to the legislature, it has died in committee.
The Department of Public Safety, the Attorney General's office, consumer groups and the automobile industry in Mississippi support "title branding," a means of indicating on the title that a salvage car has undergone repair work.
In the meantime, consumers are urged to check titles before purchase and get a pre-purchase inspection. You can also use commercial internet sites like www.carfax.com to track a vehicle's history.


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The money is going to existing shareholders and employees but not the company itself.
Guest Post This year’s E3 will be the last time we see record attendance at the conference and that over the next five years, E3 will struggle to stay relevant in an increasingly global mobile/tablet gaming world.
The classic road rage movie will come to the PS 4 and other platforms.
The new Warner Bros. title will let you pick from multiple versions of your favorite DC Comics characters and battle in a dynamic arena.
GamesBeat goes hands-on with the new multiplayer online battle-arena title from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Turbine.
During the day, you’ve got the upper hand on zombies in Techland’s latest game. But at night, you’ll be scared out of your wits.
The maker of Dead Island is back with a zombie game that introduces the pressures of surviving during the day or the night.
Thanks to Amazon, writing fanfiction about popular television show characters just became more than a passionate hobby that earns you ridicule from friends and co-workers.
If you follow VentureBeat but don’t regularly check our GamesBeat site, here’s a list of the best video game stories we ran over the last seven days that you may have missed.
With all the news of studio closures, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment shows the digital side of the industry is growing.
Netflix has reached yet another big programing deal with Warner Bros. today, which should improve the number of children’s programming options as well as options for late night hooligans, who enjoy adult cartoons.
Netflix has signed a new deal with Warner Bros. that will bring a slew relatively current television shows exclusively to the streaming video service, the company announced today.
Kabam was virtually unknown a few years ago, but now it’s making games that tie into Peter Jackson’s upcoming film trilogy The Hobbit — expected to be one of the most important movie properties of all time.
Richard Spitalny of First Star Software discusses the iOS remake of his classic Spy vs Spy and the changes he’s seen over 30 years in video game development.
Batman’s romp through interactive games has been spotty. We cover the highlights of the Caped Crusader’s pixelated and polygonal adventures.
Upcoming PC game Hawken joins the ranks of mech series Robotech and Gundam with a web program.
Sales of software and hardware continue to take a beating, down 29 percent, as the industry adjusts to how people consume and play games.
U.S. video game sales for the month of June are expected to be down 34 percent compared to a year ago, according to a forecast released overnight by analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities.
If you follow VentureBeat but don’t regularly check our GamesBeat site, here’s a list of the best games stories we ran over the last seven days that you may have missed.
DC Comics’ superheroes were never eviscerated quite like this on the illustrated page. But the kid gloves are off in Injustice: Gods Among Us, the newest fighting game starring DC heroes such as Superman and Batman.
U.S. retail video game sales finally showed some life in October, when sales grew 1 percent from a year ago, according to market researcher NPD Group.
Google has placed more than $100 million aside for original YouTube programming, including a major deal with retired skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Film studio Miramax on Monday launched a new Facebook application that lets you rent acclaimed movies like Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting and No Country for Old Men for $3 each.


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Yuengling boats the title of America’s oldest brewery, and offers tours to visitors at its site at 501 Mahantongo St., Pottsville.
Jenn Kruss, gift shop manager at the Yuengling factory, said a group of tour guides she called “brewery experts” give two, hour-and-a-half long tours daily of the brew house, bottle shop, old racking room and the caves where the beer was once stored, she said.
The end of the tours include a complimentary beer tasting, but she urges tourists to make sure they have closed-toed shoes, or they can’t be a part of the tour, Kruss said.
The tours are held twice daily during the week at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. From April to December, Saturday tours run from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. as a basic walk through, although Kruss said there is no beer production on Saturdays.
“It’s a completely unique and interesting place to see,” Kruss said.
She added that the brewery sees about 55,000 visitors annually.
The tours are held in a building that was erected 183 years ago, Kruss said. The original brewery was built in 1829 before it burned down two years later.
To this day, it’s still operated by the Yuengling family, and during weekday tours, Kruss said owner Dick Yuengling can be found in the facility.
For more information, visit www.yuengling.com.
Things to do:
• Jerry’s Classic Cars and Collectibles Museum, 394 S. Centre St., Pottsville. More than 20,000 collectibles housed in old Studebaker dealership open noon to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.www.jerrysmuseum.com
• Mud & Maker: 6 S. Centre St., Pottsville. Retail and gallery art space.
• Pine Creek Alpacas: 2535 Panther Valley Road, Pottsville. Alpaca farm.
Rosemount Camping Resort: 285 Valley Road, Tamaqua, located in Lewistown Valley between Pottsville and Tamaqua. Includes swimming, hiking, fishing and more. www.rosemountcampingresort.com
• Anthracite Philharmonic: 1440 Mahantongo St., Pottville.www.antphil.org
While you’re in town:
• Every first and third Thursday of the month until Labor Day:Tamaqua Summer Concert Series
: 6 - 8 p.m. on the platform at the Railroad Station in Tamaqua. www.tamaqua.com
Second annual Lavender Festival:Hope Hill Lavender Farm
, 2375 Panther Valley Road, Pottsville. www.hopehilllavenderfarm.com
•July 28-Aug. 2:
Schuylkill County Fair: Schuylkill County Fairgrounds, Summit Station.www.schuylkillfair.com
Faerie FanFaire!: Stonehedge Gardens, 51 Dairy Road, Tamaqua.www.stonehedgegardens.org
Harvest Festival: Benigna's Creek Winery & Vineyard, 1585 Ridge Road, Klingerstown.www.bcwinery.com


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Tyler Haney, 27, grew up playing sports. “I always worked out in stuff with neon or crazy logos. It was all screaming ‘Harder, faster, better!’” she says. But the Colorado native didn’t connect with that ultra-competitive aesthetic. So, after studying at Parsons School of Design in New York City, she launched her own brand, Outdoor Voices, in 2013. The line is about high-performance activewear with a low-key vibe: leggings, sweats and tops in soft fabrics and muted colors, for when you’re on the go or kicking back.
Striking that balance between work and play is something Haney is familiar with. While her brand has taken off, she still makes time for friends, many of whom run similarly buzzed-about wellness-minded businesses in NYC. Her squad includes Krissy Jones, 27, and Chloe Kernaghan, 27, founders of Sky Ting Yoga; and Sabrina De Sousa, 31, the restaurateur behind healthy hot spot Dimes. The group regularly meets up to get sweaty and encourage each other. “Doing activities with friends who are on similar paths recharges you,” Haney says. Here, their tips for staying energized when putting in long hours.
1. Move More
“My best ideas often occur when I’m physically moving, so I try to incorporate casual activity into everything I do, from bike commuting to walking while taking business calls,” says Haney.


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According to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, the rates for food and beverages served in hotels or restaurants already include the charge for food and service.
As per the guidelines, "No hotels or restaurants shall add service charge automatically or by default in the bill."
Restaurants and hotels generally levy a service charge of 10 per cent on the food bill.
The guidelines said there should not be any collection of service charge by any other name.
No hotel or restaurant can force a consumer to pay service charge. They have to clearly inform the consumer that service charge is voluntary, optional and at consumer's discretion.
"No restriction on entry or provision of services based on collection of service charge shall be imposed on consumers," the guideline added.
Further, service charge cannot be collected by adding it along with the food bill and levying GST on the total amount.
If any consumer finds that a hotel or restaurant is levying service charge in violation of the guidelines, s/he can request the concerned establishment to remove it from the bill amount.
The consumers can also lodge a complaint on the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), which works as an alternate dispute redressal mechanism at the pre-litigation level, by calling 1915 or through the NCH mobile app.
They can also file complaints with the Consumer Commission. The complaint can be filed electronically through the e-Daakhil portal for its speedy and effective redressal.
(With inputs from PTI)
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Abu Dhabi-based International Holding Company PJSC (IHC) said on Thursday it is selling its stake in Adani Green Energy and Adani Energy Solutions, less than 18 months after the strategic investment company invested ₹15,400 crore in three Adani group companies.Festive Fever may Light Up Ecomm Sales by 16%
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