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Federal report: Ferguson police discriminate
A federal civil rights investigation has found that the Ferguson police and officials discriminate against black people.
FORECAST: Snow, sleet and freezing rain
7 Sports Morning Dish: March 3
Trades, tags, pet snakes and an adorable wish granted. We have your one-stop shop for all thing's Detroit sports.
Lions will not place franchise tag on Suh
The Lions team website reported Monday morning the team will not place a franchise tag on DT Ndamukong Suh.
Red Wings acquire Marek Zidlicky at deadline
The Red Wings have fortified their blue line, adding right-handed defenseman Marek Zidlicky hours before today's trade deadline.
Daughter gets her wish as Leopold is traded home
Jordan Leopold has learned he's coming home, to the Minnesota Wild. Nobody could have been more delighted by the deal than Leopold's…
Tigers Iglesias back on field in win
Detroit shortstop Jose Iglesias played in his first game in more than a year, and the Tigers beat Florida Southern 12-2 Monday at spring training.
Police: Road rage leads to chase in Macomb Cnty
A Detroit man is facing charges in connection with a road rage incident that led to a high speed police chase.
Need some power? IKEA to sell charging furniture
Phone chargers are such a hassle, wouldn't it be great to just charge your devices with your furniture?
Artist says Clinton portrait has Lewinsky nod
A Philadelphia artist has disclosed that his museum portrait of former President Bill Clinton contains a shadow reference to Monica…
Barry Manilow donates instruments to MI school
Last month Barry Manilow played a concert at the Palace. He also made quite an impact in the music department at Pontiac High.
Police Chief addresses Corktown, Cobo car thefts
Detroit police chief James Craig announced Monday, new initiatives to combat car thefts in the city, and a better response to victims of such…
Controversial Dearborn cleric's probation ending
Last year, the 7 Investigators introduced you to Ahmad Jebril.
Questions raised after hair-cutting cop rehired
A Warren police officer made headlines across the world after she cut off a prisoner’s sewn-on hair weave. Warren police…
Illegal flyers influence election in Hamtramck
This week, Hamtramck schools had a special election to pass a millage that would provide vital funds.
MDOT grilled by lawmakers over spending
The head of the Michigan Department of Transportation sat before lawmakers in Lansing late Wednesday, defending his agency against…
Women come forward to accuse Warren hair-cut cop
The video made headlines around the world: a Warren police officer strapping a young mother from Detroit into a restraint chair and slicing…
Exhaust fumes leaking into some Ram 1500 trucks
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles says the problem will be fixed.
Dearborn Sausage offers Lenten recipe
If you're running out of recipes for Lent, Dearborn Sausage has a great recipe for Haluski cabbage and noodles.
Vacation packing tips
Mariana Keros, Trend Expert and Fashion Advisor to Meijer, shares smart packing tips for warm weather vacations.
Calling all outdoor lovers!
42nd annual OUTDOORAMA underway this weekend in Novi.
Dick Purtan's Bed & Bread radiothon is today
Dick Purtan is in the midst of his 28th annual Salvation Army Bed & Bread Club radiothon.
Detroit Comedy Underground hosting weekend shows
Metro Detroit has a rich history of standup comedy. Performers like Tim Allen, Dave Coulier, and Keegan Michael Key all got their starts here.
Meryl Davis and Charlie White return to skating
Before Meryl Davis and Charlie White were winning Olympic gold, there were just kids growing up in metro Detroit.
Consumer Reports: Successfully cutting cable
Is your cable bill too high? Consumer Reports shows you ways to cut the service, and still get some of the programs you want.
Big trucks are back, thanks to low gas prices
John Matarese reports on a big shift in car buying habits for 2015
Wallace Scones: Homemade with a little help
Mom's a Genius... Two local women, retired nurses, are giving you the gift of time. They're selling frozen scones that taste…
Consumer Reports: Top 2015 auto picks
Consumer Reports Top Pick cars for 2015 are the best of the best of the 270 cars recently tested in 10 of the most popular categories.
Couple opens board game lounge in Plymouth
Do you ever feel like you don’t have your kids’ undivided attention when you’re at home, with their faces in their phones,…
Consumer Reports: How not to treat a cold
Whether it's natural remedies or OTC medications, our partners at Consumer Reports check out the options. What works and what doesn't…


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‘Cyber Force’ Fans Raised $117,000 So You Can Read Issue #1 For Free Right Now [Full Comic]
This week saw the release of Top Cow's new Cyber Force #1, an issue that's entirely free thanks to a very successful crowd funding initiative by which fans of the series raised so much money that anyone can pick up the first five issues of the new series at comics stores for precisely zero dollars. Top Cow has provided ComicsAlliance with a digital version of Cyber Force #1 for you to check out right now.Series creator Marc Silvestri announced the Kickstarter campaign back in July, saying that he wanted to "think way outside of the box" when it came to celebrating the 20th anniversary of the title about a 16-year-old girl's quest to save the world from a future of certain extinction. Silvestri and co. decided to reboot the title and make the series available for free to anyone that wanted to read it, sort of the ultimate jumping-on-point. "We figure this is a great way to reward loyal comic fans plus get new people to get onboard reading comics and see what they've been missing," he explained.
Of course, those loyal fans were the ones who made this possible, with 1,419 of them pledging $117,134 to ensure that the project could happen in the first place (The original goal of $75,000 being passed with more than a week to go before the campaign finished). Those who pledged received a PDF of the issue a day before release, but for everyone else, here's your own chance to read the complete Cyber Force #1, for free, as a gift to you from Marc Silvestri, Matt Hawkins, Khoi Pham and Sunny Gho, not to mention over a thousand comic fans who hoped you might enjoy it, not to mention the additional four free issues to follow in the coming months.

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Toyota has yet to turn a single Formula One lap, but the companyis already making hay with an F1-inspired MR2 (sketch) and a high-powered Lexus IS 430.
To complement Toyota’s much-publicized entry into Formula One next year, the Japanese automaker showed off a range of hot concept cars at the late-November motor show in Essen, Germany.
Leading the charge is a reskinned version of the MR2 packing a turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 255 hp. Boasting styling cues and the distinctive red-and-white paint scheme from Toyota’s new F1 race car, the low-slung two-seater is being considered for low-volume production, according to insiders at Toyota’s German-based motorsport division, which is responsible for its construction.
Also debuting at Essen was a 396-hp supercharged V8-powered 4.3-liter version of the Lexus IS, a concept aimed at cars like the BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C32 AMG. The Lexus concept also boasts height- adjustable suspension, an upgraded brake system with six-pot brake calipers, exterior styling kit and 19-inch alloy wheels.
Three other concept cars produced in a cooper-ation between Toyota Motor Corp. and Toyota Motor-sport also were shown, including a 236-hp 3.0-liter V6 MR2, a 197-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged Celica and a 148-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter version of the Yaris (Echo in the United States). We don’t know about the 3.0-liter MR2 or the Celica, but at last check, U.S.-based Toyota Racing Development had until year-end to decide whether to bring a similar performance-tuned Echo to the States.


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In this week's show, Ray talked us through his insurance win, we have another look
After initially being announced back in 2020 as a 2021 model and disappearing without a trace, Kawasaki's 250cc inline 4-cylinder ZX-25R is finally heading to Kiwi dealerships.
After the initial shipment had to be canceled and previous orders refunded due to the bikes not meeting NZ certification criteria, Kawasaki NZ today announced the ZX-25R is now headed our way with a retail price of $14,995 plus on roads.
Harking back to the screaming small-capacity supersports of the 90s, the ZX-25R boasts an all-new inline 4-cylinder engine producing 47 PS (34.5kW) and combines a strong low-mid range with high-revving power. Like its forebears, the ZX-25R can scream to more than 17,000rpm which instantly sets the Ninja ZX-25R from the crowd of growling twins.
Set to arrive in the second quarter of the year, Kawasaki NZ has noted the New Zealand ZX-25R is a LAMS-approved Special Edition and comes in 2 different color options – the traditional Lime Green in Kawasaki Racing Team graphics and Metallic Matte Graphite Steel Grey.
The perks of the special edition include a tinted windscreen, and frame sliders. wheel rim tape, a dual-direction quick-shifter, USB socket, and adjustable front suspension.
The 2023 model also comes with a number of improvements over the 2022 model including a 4.3" TFT screen with Bluetooth connectivity via the Kawasaki Rideology app along with Circuit Mode which has been added to instrumentation.


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While Whistler may have accomplished global brand recognition thanks to the Winter Olympic Games, there's nothing quite like a global economic meltdown to take the sheen off your afterglow. Especially when you discover that your enduring reputation is as an expensive place to visit.
"Price is what you pay," says Warren Buffett, the recession-proof Oracle of Omaha. "Value is what you get."
And Whistler guests aren't getting it.
Value for money consistently ranks the lowest of any category on Whistler visitor satisfaction surveys. In boom times, one could shrug this off. "Well, we're number one. What do you expect?" Not now.
The fault-lines from capitalism's drunken bender continue to send shears and tremors around the world. Local awls are getting a workout, punching new holes in belts as the hits keep coming, HST, pay parking, property tax hikes, Hydro rates on the rise.
Canadians suddenly find themselves in the bizarre position of having a debt-to-income ratio higher than Americans'. Consumer debt is growing faster than income. (Didn't anyone get the memo?) If interest rates move up or house prices drop, the Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney has warned it is likely to trigger a spate of personal and corporate bankruptcies. How far things can continue to stretch before they snap, no one knows.
But we all know this: there's no longer any such thing as business as usual.
A month ago, American Express commissioned a report from Europe-based consumer insight and trends consultants The Future Laboratory to find out what is going on.
The official response: "Consumers across the world are changing, reassessing a model of capitalism that has driven unparalleled growth in the world's economy over the last 50 years."
We're flying into an uncertain future, two generations blind.
"The global economy faces an unprecedented series of challenges over the next decade as it recovers from financial shock," claims the report.
A decade long recovery?
82 per cent of American consumers believe we are still in a recession and 54 per cent believe the economy will be the same or worse in a year's time. We're not looking for quick fixes anymore. It's time to dig in for the long haul. And to pay real attention to our consumers, the guests who say "meh."
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The challenge with "value" is that it's like pornography: you know it when you see it.
Price does matter. Coupon redemption, according to Brand Key's Customer Loyalty and Engagement Index earlier this year, is up 25 per cent. But value is not just about price. The well-established correlation between price and "objective quality," means that often, the more we pay, the better quality we presume something to be.


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SkyParkSecure, an airport parking provider in the United Kingdom, is now accepting bitcoin for payments at a number of airports across the region in cities including London, Liverpool, Glasgow and Belfast.
Are you a frequent flier in and around the UK? A parking provider will now take your bitcoin. SkyParkSecure will automatically convert the fiat pricing of a parking ticket into Bitcoin for quicker and seamless payments directly from your cryptocurrency wallet.
Based in the North-West of England in Blackpool, SkyParkSecure doesn’t own or operate car parks but acts as a booking platform for airport parking and a host of other travel services including hotels and lounges. The parking provider claims to have facilitated over 1.6 million bookings on its website and ropes in customers with discounted rates.
Now, SkyParkSecure has laid claim to becoming the first independent UK travel company to accept bitcoin for airport parking.
Speaking to CCN, the platform’s content manager Niall Pailing stated:
In terms of which airports where the feature is available, I can tell you that bitcoin will be accepted at all 27 UK airports we sell parking for.
The parking provider points to the cryptocurrency’s growth in popularity over the last few years due to “it’s ease of use and improved security” compared to standard payment methods as reasons for enabling cryptocurrency payments.
“Although Bitcoin has not yet been widely adopted, we can see the future potential of such an innovative and secure method of payment,” stated the company’s managing director David Brown.
It is yet unknown if the parking provider is using the services of a bitcoin payment processor to enable payments. Naill assures CCN a response in this regard soon.
SkyParkSecure’s effort to enable cryptocurrency payments comes soon after a similar endeavor by Top Airport Parking, a US-based parking provider that began accepting Bitcoin and 25 other cryptocurrencies for parking at Denver International Airport this earlier month. The parent company of the stateside parking provider is aiming to launch cryptocurrency payments at 30 U.S. airports by the end of the year.
Featured image of Heathrow Airport from Shutterstock.
PlexCoin Founder Gets Jail Time, Fine on Contempt Charge
U.S. and Canadian authorities appear determined to make an example of a recent initial coin offering.
On Friday, a Canadian court ordered a two-month jail sentence against PlexCoin creator Dominic
'Bitcoin Jesus' is 'really, really concerned' about the future of the digital currency
An early bitcoin investor said Monday the digital currency can run higher, but the hype has far outpaced its usability. "I think in the short run it can run up a lot more," Roger Ver, CEO of
Bitcoin has aspects of a bubble, but it's OK to 'play' with it: Economist Robert Shiller
Bitcoin has "aspects of a bubble" but it's almost impossible to know whether it's gone too far, Nobel-winning economist Robert Shiller told CNBC on Monday. Bitcoin has been on a wild ride
Futures Launch Puts Record Bitcoin Highs Back in Play – Yahoo Finance
Digital currency bitcoin begins trading on major exchange for first time in Chicago WLS-TVBitcoin Futures Started So Hot That Trading Had to Be Halted Twice FortuneBusiness Insider Â âCNNMoney Â â
Understanding Futures: A Primer for Bitcoiners
Lanre Sarumi is the CEO of Level Trading Field, an interactive online platform for professionals in the finance industry.
"Study the past if you would define the future." – Confucius
Bitcoin Price Back Above $17k to Set New All-Time High
The price of bitcoin has pushed back above $17,000, hitting a new all-time high on CoinDesk's Bitcoin Price Index (BPI).
As of press time, the BPI had climbed as high as $17,382.64, beating the $17
People are taking out mortgages to buy bitcoin, says securities regulator
Bitcoin is in the "mania" phase, with some people even borrowing money to get in on the action, securities regulator Joseph Borg told CNBC on Monday. "We've seen mortgages being taken out to buy
Two Firms File Bitcoin ETF Applications in Wake of CBOE Futures Launch
Two exchange-traded fund (ETF) providers have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to create Bitcoin ETF products that trade in cryptocurrency derivatives.
According to the


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12 hours agoLeuxs LS fuel cell vehicle coming in 2017?
A new report indicates the next generation Lexus LS will be offered as a fuel cell vehicle.
Dec 17, 14Lexus teases a new F model for Detroit
Lexus has announced plans to introduce a new F model at the North American International Auto Show on January 13th.
Dec 08, 14Lexus IS Convertible replacement could be based on LF-C2 or LF-LC concepts
According to a source close to Lexus, Toyota's premium marque is currently analyzing the options for an IS convertible replacement.
Dec 05, 14Lexus registers LC 500 and LC 500h names, likely for LF-LC production version
Lexus has trademarked the "LC 500" and "LC 500h" monikers which will likely be used for the already confirmed production version of the LF-LC concept.
Nov 28, 14Lexus RC F 5.0 V8 engine detailed, generates 471 bhp
Lexus has released additional information about its V8 petrol engine that powers the RC F sports coupe
Nov 26, 14Lexus could bring two new models to 2015 NAIAS in January, likely GS F and RX
Lexus Group Vice President Jeff Bracken has announced at least one, if not two, models will premiere in January 2015 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
Nov 21, 14Lexus RC Convertible axed, three row crossover coming instead
Lexus just took the wraps off the LF-C2 concept but a new report is indicating it won't spawn a production variant.
Nov 19, 14Lexus LF-C2 concept goes topless in L.A. [video]
Lexus has unveiled the LF-C2 concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Nov 18, 14Lexus drops two additional teasers for LF-C2 concept
Lexus is continuing the teasing game for their LF-C2 concept set to debut tomorrow at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Nov 17, 14Lexus LF-C2 concept returns in a more revealing teaser
Lexus has dropped an additional teaser of their upcoming LF-C2 concept which is set to premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Nov 16, 142015 Lexus RC configurator now online, starts at $42,790
The 2015 Lexus RC configurator is now up and running for those willing to pay at least the $42,790 starting price.
Nov 16, 14Lexus RC F Shooting Brake is crazy yet beautiful idea
X-Tomi has published his new virtual project – a shooting brake modification for the Lexus RC F
Nov 14, 14Lexus LF-LC reconfirmed for production, won't be positioned as an LFA successor
Lexus Europe Vice President Alain Uyttenhoven has confirmed the company will offer a production version of the LF-LC concept.
Nov 11, 14Lexus LF-C2 concept teased, debuts in Los Angeles
Lexus has announced plans to introduce the LF-C2 concept at the Los Angeles Auto Show on November 19th.
Nov 10, 14Lexus mocks the BMW i3 [video]
The Lexus CT200h might be a tad underwhelming but that hasn't stopped the company from mocking the BMW i3 in a new promotional video.
Nov 10, 142016 Lexus LS to become "more emotional"
Lexus European chief Alain Uyttenhoven has shed some light about the next generation LS due in 2016.
Nov 05, 14Lexus RC 350 F SPORT tuned by Gordon Ting & Beyond Marketing
Hot on the heels of yesterday's unveiling of two modified RC F Coupes, Lexus has taken the wraps off a customized RC 350 F SPORT.
Nov 04, 142015 Lexus NX 200t F SPORT gets an aggressive look from 360 Elite Motorworks
The SEMA Motor Show continues as Lexus has taken the wraps off a one-off NX 200t F SPORT.
Nov 04, 14Lexus RC F gets tuned by Gordon Ting & VIP Auto Salon for SEMA
Lexus has unveiled two customized RC F Coupes at SEMA. They features revised styling and an upgraded 5.0-liter V8 engine.
Nov 03, 14Mint condition Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition on sale for £440,000
A rare Lexus LFA Nürburgring Edition is up for grabs in United Kingdom for a cool £440,000.
Oct 29, 14Lexus GS F & RC F Convertible reportedly announced at dealer conference
According to a recent report, Lexus executives have confirmed plans to offer a GS F and RC F Convertible.
Oct 16, 142015 Lexus NX starts at $34,480
Lexus has quietly announced the 2015 NX 200t will be priced from $34,480 in the United States.
Oct 16, 142015 Lexus LS unveiled with minor updates
The Lexus LS is getting a little long-in-tooth but that hasn't stopped the company from announcing a series of updates for 2015.
Oct 05, 14Lexus GS F spied undergoing testing near and on the Nurburgring
A prototype of the upcoming Lexus GS F has been spied undergoing testing near and on the Nürburgring in Germany.
Sep 29, 142016 Lexus GS F spied up close, could have 500 bhp
The Lexus GS F is inching closer to production as our spies have managed to snap new pictures of the BMW M5 and Mercedes E63 AMG competitor.
Sep 25, 14Lexus NX by will.i.am revealed with wide body kit
Lexus in collaboration with will.i.am have unveiled a one-off NX last night at a special event organized in Paris.
Sep 05, 142015 Lexus GS 450h gains a new F Sport variant in the U.S.
Lexus has announced a series of changes to the 2015 GS 450h in the United States.
Sep 05, 142015 Lexus RC F pricing & performance specifications released
Lexus has announced detailed performance specifications for the 2015 RC F.
Sep 05, 14Report says Lexus GS F and four-door RC F coming in 2016
British media is reporting Lexus will introduce the GS F and a four-door RC F sometime in 2016.
Sep 04, 14Larte gives the Lexus LX 570 an aggressive body kit
Larte Design has introduced a new styling program for the Lexus LX 570.


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November 16, 2020
acomos™ is delighted to announce that they are now an accredited member of Made in Britain.
Made in Britain brings together a community of British businesses with a physical or digital product. The accreditation gives businesses and consumers confidence and clarity that they are buying British.
To qualify for the accreditation, businesses must meet specific criteria to guarantee that the manufacture and product are of a high standard and are truly British. The mark is internationally recognised and can only be used by official members of Made in Britain.
Account Manager Nicole Parker comments: “We are delighted to be the first UK based property management software providers to receive the Made in Britain accreditation.
Since inception, we’ve been working from our UK headquarters to deliver property management software to the hospitality industry. We have an amazing team of technical experts who combined have more than 50 years’ experience in hospitality and accommodation, and we are very proud of our British roots.
Made in Britain only showcases the best of British products and we hope this accreditation will show our customers that we only work to the highest standards.”
The Made in Britain accreditation will feature on our website, social media and marketing material.
To find out what acomos™ has to offer, please click here.


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Top Secret: from ciphers to cyber security unveils over 100 objects from the security service's history, some never seen before.
BBC Two has been rebranded by the BBC’s in-house design team BBC Creative, alongside design consultancy Superunion.
The new look is centred around a set of 16 new idents for broadcast and digital use, which do away with the previous theme of recreating the number “2” in different forms and materials.
Last week, we spoke to the author of a new book documenting the rise and fall of 1980s culture mag The Face, famously designed by Neville Brody. Now, designers tell us which magazines have changed their lives.
Pearlfisher has redesigned the restaurant chain’s packaging for its takeaway service, with the aim of making it take up less space and enabling food to be shared more easily.
As a new book is released documenting the rise and fall of youth culture magazine The Face under founder Nick Logan’s stewardship during the 1980s and 1990s, we speak to the author Paul Gorman about the enduring impact of the publication.
Marina Willer has brought the travelling exhibition to life with colourful, storyboard style graphics, while Jody Hudson-Powell and Luke Powell have created a motion-controlled robot installation.
If you happen to be passing through Charing Cross Road area over the next few weeks, you may well notice a new face on the bustling, Central London high street. Tucked among its many shops, restaurants and theatre venues is a new pop-up with a brightly-lit storefront, reminiscent of one of Apple’s retail stores. Peer inside the shiny, enticing windows and you’ll see that the space is decked out entirely in white – even the staff are wandering around in head-to-toe white uniforms – and is filled with a multitude of screens, tablets and other devices.
Runs until 12 November at 69-71 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0ND.
Small exhibition style podiums explore a variety of subjects from: On and offline shopping behaviour, fitness apps, immigration and banking, drones and of course privacy… thought provoking stuff and worth going just to earwig on others reactions.


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With less than 60 days before Americans vote for President, Oakland North reporters Theresa Adams and Aaron Mendelson asked small business owners on Broadway to deliver a message to the presidential candidates. Click on the video to the right to hear business owners at Downtown coffee shops, clothing stores, cannabis dispensaires and newsstands tell Barack Obama and Mitt Romney what’s important to them in this election. Reactions ranged from supportive to critical of the President, but Oakland’s merchants were eager to express their views on small business development, medical marijuana, and foreign policy.
This Weekend in Oakland
Looking for something fun to do? Community events and activities for the weekend of May 17-19, 2013.
You Tell Us
Op-Eds from the community


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A Cambridge University and SITA, an airline IT provider, research suggests that airlines could save around $500 million with the help of passenger cellphones.
Delays cost airlines a lot of money and is can be drastically reduces if mobile phones on board could be used as news services regarding the flight. Mobile phones can become a travel agenda containing news and also boarding passes, payment data, baggage tracking and other similar information, this could reduce number of delays says the research.
According to a SITA official, mobile services will be available worldwide to all passengers in about five years and that by 2010 almost 70 per cent of all airlines will have a special offer for mobile check-in.
The importance of mobile phones has grown rapidly even for the traveling business. Around 82 per cent of airlines will offer notification services on cellphones.


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Frontier recently launched a small business focused website, the Frontier Small Business Center. The site hopes to engage small business customers with a variety of tools, including a ‘merchant discount center.’
The merchant discount center offers discounts for Frontier business customers on business services and products from companies like Dell, OfficeMax, and Paychex. The concept follows other business customer focused programs launched by both telco and cable competitors, hoping to cultivate lucrative business services.
Verizon launched their Small Business Center earlier this year with similar offerings. The cable industry recently got in on the trend with the launch of a collaborative effort, Solutions for Small Business.
These efforts, which utilize specific microsites to offer business tools and discounts for non-telecom services, complement traditional service provider business websites where business communications offerings are outlined.


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WeWork, the leading flexible space provider, has announced that it will begin accepting payment in select cryptocurrencies. In partnership with BitPay and Coinbase, WeWork will expand its flexibility by utilizing cryptocurrency for inbound and outbound transactions. Through BitPay, a cryptocurrency payment service provider, WeWork will accept Bitcoin, Ethereum, USD Coin, Paxos, and several other cryptocurrencies as payment for its offerings. The mainstream adoption of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies has accelerated this year.
WeWork will also hold the currency on its balance sheet.
WeWork will also hold the currency on its balance sheet. The company will pay landlords and third-party partners in cryptocurrencies where applicable through Coinbase, a WeWork member and the largest U.S. cryptocurrency trading platform. According to the announcement, Coinbase will be the first WeWork member to use cryptocurrency to pay for its WeWork membership. WeWork was founded in 2010 with the vision to create environments where people and companies come together and do their best work. The firm has accelerated its focus on leveraging technology to take flexibility to the next level.
Crypto industry continues to gain mainstream exposure.
WeWork CEO, Sandeep Mathrani, said, “WeWork’s strength is in our ability to evolve and best meet the diverse needs of our members around the world. As our member base continues to grow in the fintech sector, so will our ability to adapt to their needs and service a new economy.” “It only makes sense for us to expand on the optionality we provide by adding cryptocurrency as an accepted form of payment for our members,” he added. As reported earlier, payment giant PayPal-owned Venmo announced that it would now allow users to buy and send bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies on its platform. Bitcoin has witnessed a massive winning rally this year, following an increased institutional interest in bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.


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Limit food intake that causes inflammation
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. More on how chronic inflammation can be threatening to your body.
RAPID CITY, S.D. – The rates of diabetes and obesity have increased in the country. And it just so happens that obesity is a key risk factor in the development of Type 2 diabetes. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, so as we head into the holidays, here are keep some things in mind.
Eating healthier and making better lifestyle choices will help fight off extra pounds and fatigue that many succumb to over the holiday season.
Your immune system becomes activated when your body recognizes anything that is foreign (such as processed food and refined sugars). This often triggers a process called inflammation, which is normal, but too much can be threatening to your health. Many major diseases that plague us, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s, have been linked to chronic inflammation.
Ways to combat those levels are to keep an eye on added sugar to your diet. Read the labels of what you are eating; check out how much added sugar is listed.
Regional Health Rapid City Hospital Dietician, Tamara Henzlik, says that besides sugar, refined grains fuel inflammation as well.
“Food that would be an anti-inflammatory would be your more whole foods, for instance, all the colorful vegetables and fruits and there are more in their natural form … fish … spices that we tend to kind of forget about: cinnamon, nutmeg, curry, basil … we don’t have to think about always adding salt.”
One of the most powerful tools to combat inflammation comes not from the pharmacy, but from the grocery store. Avoid foods such as soda, red meat, lard and refined carbohydrates. Fiber also helps with blood sugar control in your system.
“Don’t forget about fiber with all the treats and the snacks that are available to us. Those whole foods tend to be put on the back burner. Take advantage of the abundance of the seasonal produce … that also helps with blood sugar control and another way to help us keep that appetite in check. Fiber foods can help us fill a little bit more full.”
Henzlik says high blood sugar can mean pre-diabetes or diabetes, and “over time, they cause inflammation and they can cause damage to our arteries into our organs. So by minimizing those high blood sugars, there’s a lot of lifestyle habits that we can practice – exercise, drink water, slow down your eating, eat more fiber foods.”
A healthy diet is beneficial not only for reducing the risk of chronic diseases, but also for improving mood and overall quality of life.
Don’t forget about the ultimate beverage – water. It will help keep your appetite in check. A guide to how much water you should be drinking is to take how much you weigh and divide by 2. That is how many ounces you should get in a day. You can also ask your physician exactly how much water you should be consuming daily. Try adding cucumber or lime slices to hit your water intake goals. Sparkling water, tea and coffee will also benefit as daily intake.
Keeping active will also correlate with a healthier life. Take a walk after meals, even if it’s just for 10 minutes.
If it all seems too overwhelming – change just one habit at a time.
“Long-term is what it’s about. It’s not like one day we wake up and we have diabetes or pre-diabetes. It happens over time. And so, lifestyle habits are important, and they can happen gradually, and we work on them, even during the holiday time.”
Henzlik also suggests getting enough sleep – 7 hours is recommended a night. A lack of sleep can lead to increased appetite and increased blood sugars.
For more Wellness Wednesday stories like this one, click here.


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BRISTOL — By the end of this week, shelves at Bristol Community Food Pantry will be empty. An increase in demand has caused food to go out much quicker than normal, and funding for food purchases to dry up.
For the first time since the pantry's opening in 2006, more clients are picking up food more than ever before, but donations are not offsetting demand.
Bristol's pantry organizers have started a campaign to see if people would be willing to donate $1 to turn the situation around.
“What would happen if we didn’t have any food?” asked Brenda Spence, pantry director.
“It’s just unbelievable, new applicants, people that have never had to askfor food before, plus I have had numerous people who had been working now got laid off, or things just got real tight,” said Spence.


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Gucci vs Cuggle
On October 6, 2020, the owner of an Osaka-based clothing business, Nobuaki Kurokawa, applied to register a trademark “CUGGL” for clothing, footwear, headwear, and apparel in class 25. The trademark included a pink painted line covering the lower part of the term “CUGGL”, creating an image visually similar to the word GUCCI. For that reason, Italian luxury fashion house GUCCI filed an opposition with the Japan Patent Office (JPO) on July 26, 2021, claiming that the trademark bears a close resemblance to the GUCCI trademark and is likely to cause consumer confusion.
Unfortunately for GUCCI, on July 12, 2022, the Japan Patent Office (JPO) dismissed an opposition. The Board did not find a resemblance between “GUCCI” and “CUGGL” from visual, phonetic, and conceptual points of view. As the trademarks were deemed not similar enough, the court could not oppose the trademark as being filed in bad faith or with malicious intent to free-ride on GUCCI’s reputation.
This is not the first time the name Nobuaki Kurokawa has appeared on controversial trademark applications. From Adidas, Puma and Nike to Prada and Balenciaga, Kurokawa has released numerous lines of clothing that used the trademarks of well-known international brands in one way or another. And this retailer is far from the only example of counterfeiting in Japan. Concerted efforts are being made by different sectors in Japan to set up a framework to eliminate counterfeit products. Some of their approaches are more advanced than those implemented in Europe or the USA. However, problems still remain.
Counterfeiting in Japan
As online transactions and e-commerce have developed and counterfeit products are easily spread through such means, a wide variety of industries, ranging from the manufacturing industry, mainly operating business in physical markets, to the contents industry, have been suffering from various damages caused by counterfeit products.
Like in many other countries, the top producer and exporter of counterfeit goods distributed in Japan is China, accounting for 85.2% of all fake goods flowing into the country . Until recently, many Japanese consumers purchased fake items knowingly as the practice has entered a realm of normality within the market. However, the main efforts today are focused on how to prevent consumers from accessing fraudulent websites which are deceitfully selling counterfeit products to consumers who are deceived either into buying counterfeits despite their wish to purchase authentic products.
Japan's long-term vision for IP Laws
Obtaining trademark rights in Japan requires filing an application for trademark registration with the Japan Patent Office (JPO). In total, 135,313 trademarks were registered in 2020, and the average time necessary for completing registration was about 11 months (FY2020). Japan uses the first-to-file system and is a member of the Madrid Protocol, an international system for obtaining trademark protection for many countries with a single application.
Japan understands that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and venture companies are a source of Japan’s industrial competitiveness, and therefore there is a need to support their activities from the aspect of intellectual property. In 2013 set a vision to bring significant changes to the way IP laws are currently managed and enforced in Japan. With the aim of establishing the world’s most advanced intellectual property system, the following three goals have been set for Japan’s long-term IP strategy:
Building up an intellectual property system attracting users and innovation investment from overseas.
Making Japan’s intellectual property system become a standard in emerging nations in Asia.
Continuously producing human resources with creativity and strategic capability for global intellectual property activities.


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Home » Lifestyle » McCormick hiring for director of 'taco relations' and the job will have food perks
McCormick hiring for director of 'taco relations' and the job will have food perks
Popeyes president on debut of its chicken nugget
Sami Siddiqui, president of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen for the Americas, explains that the creation of the company’s chicken nugget is not in response to inflation, which he argues is ‘temporary in the environment.’
Here’s one way to spice up your job search.
McCormick, the food company known for its seasonings and spices, is hiring a director of Taco Relations designed specifically for anyone looking to get paid simply for loving – and eating – Mexican food.


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Japanese company Takeda is celebrating having sold more than 160,000 of its Chacle cycles.
The bikes are sold through Japan’s largest chain supermarket, Aeon, as well as traditional bike stores. The brand, fitted with no-puncture, airless Tannus Tyres, marked this milestone with an advert pitching Tannus’s tyres against a Ninja warrior, who tries (and fails) to derail a cyclist with tacks.
Chacle’s use of Tannus products predates Specialized Bikes, which reportedly uses the tyres on the Alibi commuter bike, under its own Nimbus Airless brand.
Young Ki Lee, Tannus chief executive, said: “[Tannus Tyres] are incredibly popular in Japan. The feedback is there is no issue with weight – they are as light as pneumatics, they are perfectly comfortable and they are easy to pedal as they have low rolling resistance.”
Jazz Walia, European sales director for Tannus, said: “Momentum seems to be gathering at the moment. You don’t shift volumes like [Chacle has] without consumers being very happy about what they are buying and communicating that to their friends and family. We take it as a compliment that the tyres are proving to be a great success – this is hopefully the first of many landmarks for Tannus as we move into 2017.”
Tannus was recently awarded a TUV safety certificate for its 700x 23 tyre.


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Coles has pulled back on its "I'm free" Easter advertising campaign after it sparked undesired and inappropriate comments towards staff.
The TV spot saw employees waving an 'I'm Free' paddle, intending to advertise Coles opening extra checkouts over the Easter weekend.
However, it's been reported that the paddles have now been removed after complaints from staff and their family members who felt there were "sexual undertones" to the “I’m free” signs.
The ad itself was also called out for featuring an inappropriate scene of a woman ‘sexually objectifying’ a customer.
A Coles spokesperson said: "Unfortunately in response to a small number of customers behaving disrespectfully to team members, we have now removed the hand-held signs.”
Many took to social media to question the marketing motives and share their thoughts on the ad with some saying it was “demeaning” and “sleazy”.
The Coles ad made national news headlines:
Many people also called out Coles for exhibiting sexual harassment itself due to the end scene in the advert whereby a checkout woman swoons over a buff customer.
However, there were also plenty of people that felt the hype over the advert was unwarranted and that people need to “lighten up”.
In the UK, supermarket giant Tesco was forced to apologise for any offence caused by its in-print beer advertisement which claimed "Good Friday just got better" … due to its discount booze offers over Easter.
According to the BBC, vicar and broadcaster the Reverend Richard Coles said the advert was "extraordinarily and unnecessarily ignorant". The supermarket said it would not run the ad again after it attracted criticism from some religious figures.
Last week Grill’d enraged vegetarians, vegans and animal activists alike with the launch of its bunny burger to coincide with the Easter long weekend.
Marking the launch with an ad on its Facebook page, the boutique burger shops says: “Move aside choccy eggs, this Easter we're bringing you the Bunny Burger.
That's what's up, doc.” The ad shows off the new rabbit burger, comically wearing fluffy rabbit ears.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at firstname.lastname@example.org


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Central shared office monthly rent is only a few thousand dollars
Central rents are high, and it is necessary to start a business or to set up a small company. The cost of rent rises and the creation of a shared work space arises. Metropolitan Workshop has continued to expand recently, and several thousand dollars can be rented and used in Central Office.
Metropolitan Workshop expands rental rate
The sharing of work spaces has been popular in foreign countries for some time. It has gradually become popular in Hong Kong in recent years. Many people in Hong Kong have noticed the market potential and devoted themselves to sharing space. For instance, investor Chen Wenhui has entered this market in recent years and has started related businesses more than two years ago. The company established its own brand, Metropolitan Workshop, to create a studio on the entire floor of the Kwai Chung Sky Center and opened it later in the days. It opened branches in Admiralty and Wanchai last year, and opened its first office in Central in Central this year. The unit was purchased by Chen Wenhui last year for 54 million yuan from the entire storefront of Prudential Plaza, 50 Stanley Street, Central, with an area of approximately 4,164 square feet and an average selling price of approximately 12,968 yuan. It was officially opened at the beginning of the year.
According to Yu Zhanming, general manager of Metropolitan Workshop, the group will provide 6 locations in total this year. After 3 years of operation, the overall occupancy rate is about 80%. “In addition to young people, there are also many experienced people who start their own businesses. The consultant has worked for many years and is now self-reliant.” He pointed out that the greatest benefit of sharing space is that it is relatively flexible. “As far as rents are concerned, rents are at least 25% lower than rented office space. If renting office independent units, the company has to pay the rent for the previous period. Renovation fees, etc. If renting a shared space, there is no need for much cost, and the lease term is also flexible and you can use it even more immediately.” Take the Central Office as an example, lease flat desks starting from RMB 2,500 per month. From 4,000 yuan, there is already an independent space.
In addition to providing basic equipment such as electricity, WIFI, and office supplies, there are also sufficient public spaces such as conference rooms. He pointed out that the Group will also provide opportunities for tenants. “We will assist our customers in promoting business, for example, the Group itself has a large number of FB users. We can promote branding activities and businesses. In addition, we invite outsiders, investors and others to attend the talks from time to time."
Low vacancy rate on Hong Kong Island
The brand continued to expand. For example, it had previously purchased the middle and upper floors of Jingwei Square in Central, with an area of approximately 4,398 square feet, with a turnover of 131 million yuan. The discount price was approximately 30,000 yuan, setting a new high for the construction price, which is expected to open in June. He pointed out that the first choice for opening is still in Central District because of the low vacancy rate in Hong Kong Island. “The Central District’s core area is even lower than 2%. The expansion targets are still mainly in Central District, including Admiralty, Sheung Wan, etc. In addition, Wong Chuk Hang District Business prospects are ideal and worth noting."
In the past year, the expansion of shared space has been extremely fast. In a single year, many international and Mainland brands have opened in Hong Kong, and the proportion of leased office buildings has increased significantly. Faced with intensified competition, Yu Zhanming believes that the potential for sharing space in Hong Kong is very large. At present, it is only at the initial stage of development. “Reportingly, the share of shared space in the total number of commercial buildings accounts for only 2.8%. There is still a lot of room for growth. I believe this is not Bubbles are the real trend. Even though the number of merchants that currently have shared space is increasing, each occupancy rate is also quite high. At present, the development of Hong Kong is not mature. Many people have not shared concepts and there is a lot of space on the market."


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2016 is wrapping up with the announcement of the largest official cyber breach ever and the release of the fourth annual 2017 Data Breach Industry Forecast released by the nation’s largest credit bureau, Experian. It’s safe to say, cyber threats definitely were a hot topic this last year. And that’s not expected to change in 2017, because the cyber risks are real and the stakes are only getting higher.
Keep reading to find out which major company exposed over 1 billion users’ personal information and more information on these key vulnerabilities to watch out for in 2017:
- Aftershock password breaches will continue after major breaches expose billions of user credentials.
- Cyber-attacks will move from tools of espionage to weapons of warfare between countries.
- Healthcare ransoms and risks increase as electronic health records reveal vulnerability to attacks.
- Retailers threatened by self-checkout skimmers and uneven adoption of Chip technology.
- Bonus: Tax scams and virtual reality pose real world risks.
Ready to defend yourself against the biggest cyber threats of 2017?
Aftershock Password Breaches Will Follow Major Yahoo Breach
2017 is predicted to be the year of the “aftershock” breach. Just like its name implies, an aftershock breach refers to the breaches that occur as a result of a major incident, similar to the damage that can occur after an earthquake as smaller aftershocks hit.
The effects of an “aftershock” cyber breach can be felt long after the initial disaster and cause even more damage.
When a major company experiences a cyber breach, personal information such as usernames, passwords, and answers to security questions can be stolen. This information is later sold on the dark web, a secretive hidden network of websites where criminals regularly traffic and profit from the sale of illegal substances and information.
Hackers can then throw your username and password combination at a number of websites, waiting for one to click like a key finding the right lock. Which means that a company who was never hacked could then have to deal with the repercussions of unauthorized log-ins from stolen username/ passwords. In other words, they experience an aftershock of the original cyber crime.
The After Effects of Yahoo Breaches Will Be Widespread
In 2016, Yahoo made headlines as not one but two giant breaches resulted in aftershock breaches that impacted many. A 2014 Yahoo breach exposed 500 million accounts, and a recently announced 2013 Yahoo breach compromised over 1 billion users, making it officially the largest breach in history. Yahoo has admitted that information stolen may include names, email addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, hashed passwords and, in some cases, encrypted or unencrypted security questions and answers.
The aftershock of these and other major cyber breaches are likely to reverberate for years to come as the exposed credentials are sold in the underground economy.
The 2017 Data Breach Industry Forecast had this to say:
“Companies that have never experienced a direct breach will be forced to deal with the aftershock of Yahoo’s loss of user credentials. Given the continued success of aftershock breaches involving username and passwords, we predict that attackers are going to take the same approach with other types of attacks involving even more personal information, such as social security numbers or medical information.”
What Can You Do?
Simple username and password authentication is on its deathbed. Companies should be looking at two-factor authentication solutions such as SMS alerts, biometrics, and geo location confirmation. And businesses of all sizes and across all industries should be aware of the potential for aftershock breaches, and be prepared with cyber liability protection, incident response plans, and customer disclosure and guidance.
Cyber Attacks Move from Tools of Espionage to Weapons of Warfare
Cyber-attacks were a central topic both during and after the 2016 elections. In October, the US government formally accused Russia of cyber attacks against the Democratic Party ahead of the presidential election, and in December, President Barack Obama ordered intelligence agencies to review cyber attacks and foreign intervention into the election, demanding a report be delivered before he leaves office on January 20.
As cyber conflicts between nations escalate, state-sponsored cyber-attacks could very well move from tools of espionage to weapons of warfare between countries.
The Department of Homeland Security lists 16 critical infrastructure sectors as vital to the security, national economic security, and national public health or safety of the US, including the chemical sector, communications, dams, emergency services, financial services, nuclear, water/ wastewater, transportation, energy, defense, and information technology sectors. These critical infrastructures are at a very high risk of cyber-attacks and cyber terrorism.
What Can You Do?
Businesses and companies should be prepared for targeted cyberattacks from other countries, particularly if they are part of the critical infrastructure systems. Organizations are encouraged to stay vigilant about potentially exposed information and take proactive steps to protect themselves, including shoring up security measures and purchasing adequate insurance protection.
Healthcare Ransoms and Risks Increase as Electronic Health Records Reveal Vulnerability to Attacks
The healthcare sector and electronic health records in particular are expected to be a focal point for cyber attacks this coming year. Since 2014, when legislation passed requiring all public and private healthcare providers to adopt electronic medical records, the risk of cyber attacks has increased steadily. It only takes one outdated or compromised system to expose a patient’s medical health records including sensitive information.
More than 100 million health care records have already been compromised, and mega breaches are anticipated to move from health insurers to hospital networks this next year. Ransomware in particular is expected to threaten healthcare organizations. Ransomware is a type of malicious software that is designed to block users out of operating systems, until you pay a ransom to the attackers to let you back in.
Imagine waking up one morning to find your personal computer has been the victim of a virus which has locked down your hard-drive and taken control of your files and folders. You can’t access a thing on your computer, and a message is alerting you that your data and information is being held ransom. If you pay a fee, you can have your personal information back. Your pictures, files, and more can all be set free. If you don’t pay up, however, a complete data wipe is imminent. It will all be lost forever.
Now imagine that scenario played out on a larger scale. How much more money could a cyber criminal receive if they were holding a major healthcare operating system hostage? And how much more valuable is the data that system holds?
What Can You Do?
Healthcare organizations of all sizes and types need to ensure they have proper, up to date security measures in place. This includes contingency planning for how to respond to a ransomware attack, and adequate employee training about the importance of security for electronic health records.
Retailers Threatened by Self-Checkout and Uneven Adoption of New Chip Technology
Uneven adoption of new EMV Chip and PIN technology means retailers are still vulnerable to Point-of-Sale (POS) breaches. Attackers are expected to turn their focus on smaller franchised stores and small retail businesses who are more vulnerable to payment attacks compared to larger, big name retailers.
According to the 2017 Data Breach Forecast, a new technique is expected to be more popular with cybercriminals this year: skimming.
“Attackers are also going to use new techniques in mass to steal payment cards through well-coordinated and expansive use of different types of Point-of-Sale (POS) skimmers. While this technique has been used on a smaller scale by cybercriminals for years, it’s likely to grow, especially in the retail sector as self-checkout terminals become more popular. These skimmers are capable of stealing magnetic stripe data from POS systems even after they’ve been hardened against more traditional malware-based attacks. We are likely to see criminal gangs develop coordinated and widespread skimming operations to ensure the steady flow of payment cards continue to make a significant profit. We predict that at least one major national retailer will be hit with a significant skimming outbreak over the next year.”
What Can You Do?
Retailers are encouraged to transition to EMV Chip technology if they haven’t done so already. Both retail businesses and consumers need to maintain security best practices during this time of ongoing transition and recognize that cyber criminals won’t be completely deterred. Paying close attention to potential weak spots, including catching POS skimmers quickly, can help lower the risk of retail attacks.
2017 Bonus Threats: Tax scams and virtual reality pose real world risks
The 2017 Data Breach Industry Forecast outlines two bonus threats to be aware of this coming year: continuing tax scams and virtual reality risks.
Hackers continue to target companies around tax fraud. The IRS has not taken adequate steps to alert people when a tax form has been filed, and hackers have found that a few targeted emails send to unaware employees can result in large amounts of information with very little effort. These types of phishing attacks are working, largely because of a lack of employee training as well as IRS oversight.
Hackers are finding a new tool for cyber crimes as the popularity of virtual reality grows. The wildly popular game Pokemon Go, for example, encourages users to travel to specific location to catch a Pokemon. By setting up unsecure Wi-Fi hotpots in these locations, hackers can attempt to steal data from victims’ phones. Expect to hear about more virtual reality and augmented reality attacks in 2017 as this technology grows.


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WEST CHESTER, Pa., April 11, 2008 – Cash transactions cost retailers far less than the average two percent fee incurred from signature debit and credit transactions. MEI has released a new toolkit that makes it easier for retailers to accept cash transactions in their kiosks and self-checkout systems. MEI designed the Point of Service Toolkit (MPOST) – an industry first – to reduce the integration time of bill validators by at least 50 percent.
Integrating a bill validator using an MPOST toolkit and a USB interface is now as easy as integrating a card reader — a plug-and-play approach. The toolkit includes a flash download capability, an easy-to-use-library, advanced error handling, automatic device and currency detection and configuration, unit auditing and test and demo programs.
“MPOST reduces the costs and technical challenges of introducing cash acceptors into a self-service system,” said Dave McLaughlin, engineering director for MEI's retail channel. “Cash has been shown to increase the revenue of self service devices, and we have developed this software tool to ease integration and help retailers realize the full benefits of their self service units.”
MEI, headquartered in West Chester, Pa., holds the world’s largest installed base of unattended payment systems, handling over 2 billion transactions per week in more than 100 countries. The company developed the first electronic coin mechanism in the 1960s, followed by the first electronic non-contact bill acceptor, and more recently its credit card capability and vending management solution. Recently, MEI reached a milestone of selling more than four million bill acceptors and five million coin mechanisms worldwide. Its products are in widespread use in the vending, soft drink, gaming, amusement, transportation, retail, and kiosk markets. For more information on MEI and its products, visit www.meigroup.com or call 800-345-8215.


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The world’s tallest Viking ship finally docked in Norfolk on Thursday.
Nauticus says the Draken Harald Hårfagre (Draken) will be in Norfolk through September 30 as a part of its Expedition America: East Coast Tour 2018. The three-day stayover in Norfolk will feature ship tours and activations in the Draken Village.
The ship’s visit was originally scheduled to happen September 13 through September 16, but was postponed due to Hurricane Florence.
“Although we had to wait a little longer than expected, we can’t wait to welcome the Draken ship, and offer our visitors and locals alike the chance to experience this incredibly unique vessel,” said Stephen Kirkland, executive director of Nauticus.
Here’s the full schedule for the Draken’s visit:
The Draken Experience in Norfolk
Thursday, September 27
Draken Arrival Ceremony, 4 p.m.
Guests are invited to greet the Draken ship as it sails into port with a display of Viking valor and excitement. Captain Björn Ahlander and his crew will step ashore to welcome the crowd and introduce the Draken. This event is free and open to the public.
Friday, September 28 through Sunday, September 30
Draken Village & Deck Tours, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Beginning daily at 10 a.m., Draken will be open for timed and ticketed deck tours. Tour tickets, which run $6 for kids (ages 5 to 15, free admission for ages 4 and under); $12 for adults (ages 16 and over); and $30 for a family pack (includes two adults, and up to three children) can be purchased online at www.drakenhh.com, or on-site at the Draken Village. During each 30-minute tour, guests are guided through the ship and offered a look at a day-in-the-life of the crew and the historic craftsmanship used to build the ship with oak, tar, hemp, iron, and silk.
Within the Draken Village, which is free and open to the public, guests can experience a photo and video exhibition illustrating Viking history, modern explorers, and the adventures of the Draken; land-side views of the ship; the Highland Park Whisky hospitality tent; local food and beverage vendors; official Draken merchandise, and more.
Screenings of the newly released Draken documentary: “Expedition America – a Modern Viking Adventure” were cancelled for Saturday and Sunday.


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ATTENTION: Six Cryptos That Could Each Make 10 Times Your Money
On Tuesday, Walmart announced it filed patents for digital currency, software to manage cryptocurrency, and other non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for its retail services.
Jeff Brown’s The NFT Moment event is where Jeff will discuss his brand-new NFT model portfolio, with three cryptocurrencies that could deliver the biggest gains of his career.
Wall Street legend Teeka Tiwari is going live with a special one-time wealth-building event! It’s called: FREEDOM 2022: A Lifetime of Wealth on IPO Day.
Uncensored Crypto is where for the first-time ever 56 industry insiders pull back the curtain to reveal what’s really going on with cryptocurrencies.
Teeka Tiwari reveals the three biggest poverty-producing myths, right here and now. In the process, he’s also going to tell you his secret to getting a 45% return in 2021… and an annual average gain of 176% since 2016. And doing all of it with 20% LESS risk than a plain vanilla stock market index fund.


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Jun 25, 2023
A Manhattan federal judge on Friday granted Hermes‘ request to permanently block artist Mason Rothschild’s sales of “MetaBirkin” non-fungible tokens following a jury’s verdict that they violated the French luxury house’s trademark rights in its famed Birkin handbags.
U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff said the permanent injunction was justified because Rothschild’s continued marketing of the NFTs would likely confuse consumers and irreparably harm the company.
Rakoff denied Rothschild’s requests to throw out the verdict or hold a new trial.
“Defendant’s entire scheme here was to defraud consumers into believing, by his use of variations on Hermes’ trademarks, that Hermes was endorsing his lucrative MetaBirkins NFTs,” Rakoff said. “Nothing in the First Amendment insulates him from liability for such a scheme.”
Representatives for Hermes and Rothschild did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the decision.
NFTs are unique tokens on blockchain networks that are often used to verify ownership of digital art. Hermes sued Rothschild last year over his MetaBirkins, 100 NFTs associated with images depicting the luxury house’s prized Birkin handbags covered in colorful fur.
Hermes called Rothschild a “digital speculator” and the NFTs a “get rich quick” scheme that infringed its “Birkin” trademark and created the false impression that the fashion house endorsed the tokens.
Rothschild, whose legal name is Sonny Estival, countered that the works were an absurdist statement on luxury goods and immune from the lawsuit based on protections in the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution for art that uses trademarks in an artistically relevant way without explicitly misleading consumers.
A jury ruled for Hermes in February and awarded the company $133,000 in damages.
Hermes said in a filing in March that Rothschild continued to market his NFTs after the jury’s verdict. It asked the court to force him to stop and to turn over his remaining tokens and post-trial profits.
Rothschild told the court that Hermes’ request went “far beyond what is appropriate in a case, like this one, that involves artistic expression.”
Rakoff largely granted Hermes’ request, but decided not to order Rothschild to transfer the tokens out of an “abundance of caution” for 1st Amendment concerns.
The case is Hermes International v. Rothschild, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, No. 1:22-cv-00384.
© Thomson Reuters 2023 All rights reserved.


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Source: Richard Rodriguez / Getty
Saweetie was spotted on Instagram this week donning another hot look and we’re in love! The “My Type” rapper wore yet another sexy ensemble while spending time in the Philippines and certainly gave us fashion envy in the process.
Taking to Instagram, the beauty shared a few photos of herself rocking the sexy look which included a leather crop top with white stitching throughout. She paired the look with a matching leather mini skirt and matching black heels with straps around her ankles while showing off her toned body in the process.She accessorized the ensemble with shiny jewelry and rocked her hair in a green style with full bangs and low buns that fell on her shoulders. She wore the cute look while spending time in Manila, Philippines, and preparing for a performance.
To show off the fit, Saweetie posted an Instagram photo carousel while modeling the look to perfection from all angles. “ready to play ” she simply captioned the photo set. Check it out below.
Saweetie’s 13 million Instagram followers were loving this look just as much as we were and flooded her comment section with their stamps of approval. “You’re sooo perfectttttt” one follower commented while another wrote, “I know that’s right ” and another was left speechless, writing, “The best of the best” and we definitely agree because every look is a hit!
Saweetie Is ‘Ready To Play’ In Latest Instagram Photos
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As part of a new collaborative capsule that will be complemented by merch and a live AMA session.
While Apple is set to host an event on October 18.
Alongside 8,888 mystery boxes for purchase.
Three creative stars collide for one iridescent collaboration.
A limited-edition footwear and bag collection with an unmissable dream-team collectible.


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Encore Azaleas Found to Be Cold Hardy
Years of trials in botanical gardens, university trials and plant nurseries have yielded important new cold-hardy findings about Encore azaleas, according to Kip McConnell, director of Plant Development Services, Inc. The studies reveal that 19 Encore varieties are cold hardy to USDA Zone 6B, and 10 are cold hardy to USDA Zone 6A.
“These findings significantly expand the accepted growing areas for Encore azaleas,” McConnell said. “For years, garden centers and home gardeners in these zones have told us about their success with many of our varieties during cold weather; these findings confirm their cold hardiness.”
Ten varieties consistently exhibited cold hardiness throughout Zones 6A and 6B: ‘Autumn Amethyst’, ‘Autumn Carnation’, ‘Autumn Cheer’, ‘Autumn Lilac’, ‘Autumn Royalty’, ‘Autumn Ruby’, ‘Autumn Sangria’, ‘Autumn Sundance’, ‘Autumn Sunset’ and ‘Autumn Twist’.
In Zone 6B, nine additional varieties consistently exhibited solid cold hardiness: ‘Autumn Bravo’, ‘Autumn Carnival’, ‘Autumn Debutante’, ‘Autumn Embers’, ‘Autumn Empress’, ‘Autumn Monarch’, ‘Autumn Princess’, ‘Autumn Sweetheart’ and ‘Autumn Rouge’.
For best results in Zones 6B and colder, gardeners should plant in spring or early summer. In Zones 7-9, Encore Azaleas benefit from fall and late summer-planting schedules. Encore azaleas may need special care in zones colder than 6A, but their multiseason blooms make them ideal for container gardens. As a base plant in a container garden, Encore azaleas can be paired with seasonal favorites, and then moved inside when a winter freeze threatens.
For more on Encore azalea varieties and their hardiness, visit www.encoreazalea.com.


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The art/nightclub mash-up known as ArtJamz will be coming to Crystal City later this year.
The event will take place from Dec. 2-5, in the lobby of the building on 23rd Street that housed the G-40 street art ‘summit’ earlier this year. It will feature the same mixture of music, drinks and art creation that has drawn crowds at ArtJamz events in DC. However, the Crystal City event will be double the scale of previous ArtJamz — with 50 easels available for painting simultaneously.
Would-be artists — who reserve an easel ahead of time — are supplied with a canvas and paint, and then have four hours to create a piece of original art that they can take home.
The event, created by local artist Michael Clements, will also feature a specially-designated day for kids to create their own art.
In related news, the dates and location for the returning Crystal Couture fashion festival were revealed today. Crystal Couture will take place from Feb. 1-5 in the space used by the Crystal City Shops food court.


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MOSCOW, January 14. /TASS/. Tunisia hopes to create a free trade zone with the Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), Tunisian Ambassador in Moscow Ali Gutali told a news conference on Wednesday.
“The Customs Union (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan) is a very important structure,” the diplomat said, noting that “we want to get closer to it, including through creation of a free trade zone."
“We also call for creating such zone with the EEU (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia) as well. We already asked for Russia’s official consent on this issue. We hope that we will join this union in the near future.”
As for prospects of Russian-Tunisian partnership, Ali Gutali noted that “Tunisia wants to make cooperation with Russia strategic.” “We are interested in Russian investments,” he noted.
The ambassador noted sweeping prospects for tourism cooperation, particularly after Tunisia had introduced visa-free rules with Russia. “In 2013, more than 300,000 Russians visited Tunisia,” he noted, adding that “we hope tourist inflow will grow.”.


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Reversing the rapid decline in ocean health is critical to addressing climate change. It is a global challenge requiring a global solution. Our oceans cover 70% of the world’s surface, generate over 50% of the world’s oxygen, absorb half the carbon produced and account for 80% of the planet’s biodiversity. Ocean Health is critical for economic and food security reasons, with over 100 million households livelihoods dependent on the fisheries industry and 3 billion dependent on seafood as their primary protein (Source: WEF).
In many countries around the world, the seafood sector is growing at twice the rate of GDP growth. It is a significant employer and contributor to government revenues. However globally, illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing represents a theft of around 26 million tonnes, or close to $24 billion value of seafood a year. In certain cases, such as tuna, stocks have declined over 90%, and some species could soon be classed as ‘at risk’. The decline of such stocks impacts economic development, jobs, livelihoods of coastal communities that are already under stress, as well as having serious environmental consequences. Illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing has exacerbated the situation, taking more fish out of our seas than scientists recommend.
In addition, the seafood sector is a particularly challenging sector for the 100 million who work across the seafood value chain. Poor labour conditions and human rights abuses, both on fishing vessels and in processing plants, are notorious and well documented. As vessels travel in and out of national jurisdictions, monitoring such poor and hazardous labour conditions require new approaches.
New technologies around traceability in the seafood supply chain could offer powerful new techniques to address illegal fishing and ensure growth can be sustainable. Technologies such as lower cost satellite tracking, unmanned drones that can fly for months on end, unmanned vessels, lower cost sensors, big data, blockchain, can help automate and remotely monitor fisheries, making it easier to regulate against illegal fishing activities.
Sustainable innovation will require industry to take greater responsibility along the supply chain. By requiring that all seafood is fully traceable to the vessel or aquaculture farm, retailers and harvesters can ensure all seafood entering the supply chain is safe and legally sourced. This requires strong public-private collaboration.
We announced our commitment to the UN Oceans Conference 2017 and the launch of a project dedicated to developing talent and skills on machine learning and AI for addressing Oceans challenges.
Data analytics and machine learning can provide a range of new or deeper insights/foresights for understanding, sizing and managing ocean resource exploitation and illegal fishing, among many other challenges.
There are many diverse ways to nurture talent, but in all cases an essential element is practical tangible experience. This si the format of Data Science for Social, an initiative dedicated to the exploration of data science to problems that matter. The format is challenge driven, whereby a group of data scientists (with skills on machine learning, image detection, statistics, visualization and geospatial analysis) work on a specific problem. In one of the first projects, the goal is to demonstrate how Machine Learning applied to a combination of AIS data, high resolution satellite images and other ocean data sources can provide meaningful progress towards addressing the challenge od detecting and ending illegal fishing.


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A new lobby group is making waves across the cannabis space, going against the grain and promoting the retail collocation of cannabis and alcohol as a valid harm reduction strategy.
Canadians for the Collocation of Cannabis and Alcohol Sales (CCCAS) “seeks to inform policy makers, stakeholders, and health professionals that the best public health outcome for legal cannabis lies on the path of collocation,” says spokesperson Bob Goodman.
“We have assembled a body of research that clearly shows the harm reduction potential of collocation” Goodman continues. “This is largely due to two factors: purchase substitution, and the effects of co-consumption.”
“We have studies that show that simple purchase substitution—the simple act of people changing their minds at the store and buying cannabis instead of alcohol—will itself reduce overall alcohol consumption in areas with collocation by about 10%.
“What’s even more interesting are the effects of co-consumption. These include reduced volumes of alcohol consumption, purgative effects on people who smoke cannabis after consuming too much alcohol, and in many cases, enhanced awareness of both physical and social limitations despite intoxication.”
The ranks of the CCCAS are largely made up by a coalition of members of other social and professional organizations that have a vested stake in the harm reduction they say will result from the collocation and co-consumption of cannabis and alcohol, including:
The Canadian Association of Minor League Hockey Concessions (CAMLHC), which strongly believes that allowing cannabis to be sold alongside beer at hockey concessions will drastically reduce instances of parent-on-parent violence, and also significantly reduce the shouting and screaming of profanities;
The University of Scarborough Interfraternity Council (USIC), which cites evidence that partygoers who have smoked cannabis are 10 times less likely to engage in risky behaviour like keg stands and panty raids, and also that people who drink to excess and then smoke cannabis often projectile vomit and then munch out, leading to a drastic increase in upholstery stains and empty cupboards, but a comparable reduction in cases of severe alcohol poisoning, and finally;
The Union of Rural Canadian Strip Clubs that Frequently Screen Live UFC Events (UR$CSCQFJSLUB#FCE), which just completed an extensive study on the relationship between cannabis use and violent or otherwise dangerous behaviour in public places, showing that co-consumption of cannabis with alcohol reduced instances of shit-talking, physical posturing, and brawling each by several orders of magnitude.
The CCCAS also plans to promote the collocation of cannabis with coffee, which they say will reduce instances of road rage by up to 37%.
* One study showed that writing cannabis satire significantly increases your chances of being egged at 420 protests.


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Vauxhall to become first advertiser targeting gender and age demographic on Channel 4oD's new ad system
Vauxhall will be the first advertiser to use Channel 4’s new digital ad product, Adapt, which allows advertisers to target audience by age and gender demographic on its 4oD service.
Targeted: Male and female versions of the ad will be used
The partnership was brokered by Carat and will launch today, 16 August. Vauxhall will use its video ad spot on 4oD to deliver male and female versions of an ad promoting new city car Adam.
Matthew Eagle, broadcast manager at Carat, said: “The Adapt targeting format will enable clients to move into a space with data driven targeting at the heart, allowing us to continue our mission to drive real business value for our clients.”
Andy Freeman, head of digital and relationship marketing at Vauxhall, added: “For the launch of Adam, we know that VOD is a very important channel to reach our target consumer, but we want to ensure that the content we serve to audiences is as relevant as it can be.”
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Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster that began transmission on 2 November 1982.Find out more
Vauxhall Motors Limited is one of the oldest established vehicle manufacturers and distribution companies in the United Kingdom and has its headquarters in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. It is a subsidiary of the French automotive giant Groupe PSA.Find out more
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Odds are good you’ve been to a convention that featured one of those glass boxes in which a whirlwind sends money swirling all around you, creating frustration as you try to grab the cash. Welcome to Steve Moore’s world. Moore runs the installed sales operation at Knoxville, Tenn.-based Tindell’s. Like you in that glass box, he’s having success, but he also laments that he’s seeing many more dollars fly away.
Moore’s trouble—and the problem faced across the country—is finding the labor needed to do installed sales jobs. As part of its efforts to hire workers, Tindell’s has dropped its rigorous three-step interview process in place of conducting a single interview. The company also eliminated a 60-day trial period, runs job-search ads nonstop, commits to a training period of up to one year for each hire, and offers a good benefits package. “We had to increase our per-hour rate for new employees with no experience in trades,” adds Moore. And even with these aggressive tactics, Tindell’s attrition rate for installed sales employees runs around 50%.
“There’s plenty of work in Knoxville, but we’ve hit our max,” Moore says. “We could have done another million dollars last year in our installed sales division.”
Dealers across the country are telling the same good news/bad news story. Some operations told ProSales of 50% gains in their respective markets and product lines. Improved sales can be attributed to the housing market’s continued recovery. Future prospects appear to be just as bright, given the increases in housing starts forecast this year as well as the robust remodeling market. And the small labor pool represents huge opportunity for dealers to expand their footprint or enter the segment, because for all the trouble that dealers have finding workers, many builders have it worse.
Nevertheless, installed sales remains an acquired taste. Fewer than half of the dealers in a 2015 survey by The Farnsworth Group said they offered installed sales, and even among the ProSales 100 members that year, just under two-thirds were involved. To many, embracing installed sales is like hugging a hand grenade: It too easily can blow up in the form of angry customers (who now see you as competitors), expensive liabilities, and the myriad dangers that come from trying to learn a new business model.
But if you can master the trade, proponents say, the benefits are robust. At Poncha Lumber in Poncha Springs, Colo., installing insulation provides 10% of the company’s revenues but 20% of its profit. It’s 20% of 84 Lumber’s revenue.
And there are competitive advantages. At a time when builders can’t find workers and would rather not subcontract construction headaches, being able to not just sell but also install the product can prove to be the clincher that wins the contract.
The story of dealer involvement in installing products starts several decades back with tales of LBM operations that entered a repair and remodeling business line because a need developed in the local market. Then, during the housing boom, dealers increasingly found themselves called upon to help frame single-family homes and put in windows, doors, cabinets, and countertops. Lately, the big growth has been in multifamily projects.
When Boston-based New England Building Supply, acquired by Kodiak Building Partners in 2013, added installed sales to its service lines in 2014, it exclusively focused on the multifamily segment. “We saw our first revenue in installed sales in 2015—just under 6% of our total revenue,” company president Pat Flood says. “Our client projects are comprised mainly of mid-sized framing and siding projects for small, independent general contractor-developers and large general contractors with projects ranging from 25,000 to 100,000 square feet.”
Likewise, at Builders FirstSource (BFS), “Our level of installed sales business has remained relatively flat over the past three years with a slight gain in 2015, but a healthy percentage of these gains have been represented in the multifamily sector,” says Terry Rosamond, the company’s vice president for installed sales. “We’ve done some large multistory, high-density projects in the last couple of years that are typical of the trends we’re seeing in this segment.”
With a presence in 30 states and 200 locations, US LBM also is big on multifamily projects, says Dale Carlson, vice president of operations at US LBM. “Despite the labor challenges, we see installed sales as a large growth category,” he says. “We’re trying to get labor off the jobsite by supplying our customer with turnkey solutions. As labor challenges continue to haunt [the industry], we’re seeing an increase in the use of building structural components on the jobsite.”
A Careful Process
Building on the success of its retail operations, 84 Lumber entered the installed sales market in 2007 using a market-by-market approach, says Mike McCrobie, 84’s vice president for installed sales nationally.
“We look at each market and identify the best services we can provide in that market—including pricing—and build a management team around each of our clients,” he says. McCrobie estimates that framing provides 60% of 84’s installed sales revenue, while windows and doors provide 20% and the rest comes from insulation, roofing and siding, and interior millwork.
“We’re huge fans of wall panelization and find value in having our own manufacturing to maintain control of the process,” he says. “This is a growth area for us, and we’re opening two manufacturing facilities in April—one in Raleigh, N.C., and another outside Indianapolis.”
Poncha Lumber started installing insulation sales in 2004. “It’s become a very important part of our ops,” says Steve Chelf, operations manager for the company. Last year, multifamily represented nearly 50% of the dealer’s installations. “Our company started with me and another guy installing batts and blowing fiberglass with a small DIY machine,” says Chelf. Now business is so good and labor is so tight that Poncha also has changed its hiring procedures. “Our wages have jumped by 30%,” Chelf says. “We don’t let job applicants walk out the door before we make an offer.”
In other regional markets, companies like Tindell’s as well as Idaho-based Franklin Building Supply are enjoying increases in installed sales by focusing on single-family projects. “This part of our business has grown tremendously the last three years,” says Moore. The company offers installation for insulation, garage doors, fireplaces, windows and doors, and after-paint products and is looking into adding interior trim.
Franklin has adopted a careful approach in adding to its core installed service lines. “Currently, business is strong,” says CEO Rick Lierz. “Installed sales have increased significantly over the last two years as home building in our markets has improved, but we typically do not get into a new installation application quickly—we take our time to study and set it up for success. An example is installed framing. We resisted for years, but after a long period of study, we began a test program last year to install framing for one home builder.
“In 2015, we framed one test home,” Lierz continues. “Most folks would look at that process and say that it was painstakingly slow and deliberate, but we looked at it and recognized that [it] would be easy to get out ahead of ourselves before we knew what we were doing. The result of our process was a contract to install framing for multiple subdivisions—a prospect we are much more comfortable accepting now.”
Challenges and Solutions
Dealers vary in terms of whether they have employees do the installing or hire subcontractors. At BFS, “I don’t see us expanding and creating our own labor force to install products,” says Morris Tolly, COO for BFS’ Eastern division. His firm relies on subs. In contrast, Franklin Building Supply believes in using employees. Installed sales experts say going this route helps dealers more confidently commit that crews will be on site on the days promised. Of course, employees also can cost more, particularly if you don’t have any work for them.
84 Lumber views labor challenges market by market. “Labor compressed during the downturn, but we’re seeing demand from pre-2007 levels. Recruiting has always been No. 1 for us,” says McCrobie. “No. 2 is strengthening our relationships with existing subcontractors. We also utilize internal associates to identify new subcontracted partners, especially in our most vibrant markets like Houston, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Charlotte, N.C. We sell the long-term benefits of working with 84 Lumber and put a lot of work in front of our clients, which really helps with retention.”
In the meantime, dealers are scrambling to find workers. “The industry has lost a decade of employees since 2006,” US LBM’s Carlson says. “But in all of our markets we’re working very closely with local and regional building associations, participating in job fairs, and offering internships through trade schools and colleges to fill labor gaps and to promote the industry.”
Labor challenges offer LBMs an opportunity to focus on efficiency across the enterprise through the use of technology to offset reduced manpower. Business process management software can be instrumental in achieving this goal.
At BFS, shared technology is one key to its management process. “Our crews, onsite supervisors, and schedulers use customized software called AppWright,” says Rosamond. The company uses the software’s JobCenter to manage ordering, delivery, and installation of inventory. “It eliminates the ‘he said/she said’ of crews waiting around for deliveries or deliveries having to be returned because crews weren’t scheduled.”
Meanwhile, BMC Stock Holdings is touting Ready-Frame, a system that downloads house plans into software that directs the cutting and labeling of the lumber needed to frame a structure. BMC claims the system cuts framing time by at least 20% while reducing waste and the potential for accidents. And by sending the materials in organized bundles rather than as pre-built panels, BMC gets more stuff on a truck.
While the future looks good for installed sales operations, the dealers ProSales spoke with are being careful. “We hope to be at 15% of sales and would love to keep the margins we’re running,” says Chelf. “I don’t see us adding new products. Our direction is to try to increase profits and enhance our existing services.”
As for Lierz, “I see continued growth in our market and expect that the level of installed sales and mix of installed products will increase,” he says. “But we’re committed to being deliberate and smart about what we take on and will likely expand into other markets we currently serve.”
Although less than two years into the installed market, New England Building Supply has plans to expand into cabinets and millwork. “We’re dedicated to the turn-key space and anticipate significant growth in the coming years,” Flood says. “But before any expansion, it will be important for us to gain an understanding of those segments and identify the best subcontractors with which to partner.”


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Research In Motion said today that it sold about 1 million of its critically important new BlackBerry 10 devices.
It surprised Wall Street by returning to profitability in the most recent quarter.
The earnings provide a first glimpse of how RIM's new touch-screen BlackBerry Z10 is selling internationally and in Canada since its debut January 31.
The 1 million Z10 phones were above the 915,000 that analysts had been expecting.
The BlackBerry, pioneered in 1999, had been the dominant smartphone for on-the-go business people and other consumers before the iPhone debuted in 2007 and showed that phones can handle much more than email and phone calls.
RIM faced numerous delays modernising its operating system with the BlackBerry 10. During that time, it had to cut more than 5,000 jobs and saw shareholder wealth decline by more than $70 billion.
In the quarter that ended March 2, RIM earned $98m, or 19 cents a share, compared with a loss of $125m, or 24 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue fell 36% to $2.7 billion, from $4.2 billion. Analysts had expected $2.82 billion.
Despite the BlackBerry 10 sales, RIM lost about 3 million subscribers to end the quarter with 76 million.
The new BlackBerry 10 phones are redesigned for the new multimedia, Internet browsing and apps experience that customers are now demanding. The Z10 has received favourable reviews since its release, but the launch in the critical US market was delayed until late this month as wireless carriers completed their testing.
RIM, which is changing is formal name to BlackBerry, said it expects to break even in the current quarter despite increasing spending on marketing by 50% compared with the previous quarter.
"To say it was a very challenging environment to deliver improved financial results could well be the understatement of the year," the company's chief executive Thorsten Heins said during a conference call with analysts.
Heins said more than half of the people buying the touch-screen Z10 were switching from rival systems. The company did not provide details or specify whether those other systems were all smartphones.
He said the Q10 will sell well among the existing BlackBerry user base. It is expected in some markets in April, but not in the US until May or June.


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In food news: Shipping-container food stalls, new Greek restaurants, and chef Mark Cutrara at Richmond and Church.
Edward Burtynsky immortalized them in his photography. Now shipping containers are catching on in Toronto as food stalls. Meanwhile, the Danforth adds more Greek restaurants and we name Hawthorne Food & Drink’s executive chef.
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Trucks out, crates in
Scadding Court Community Centre’s Market 707 no longer has a monopoly on food stalls in shipping containers. Some have landed at Harbourfront Centre (235 Queens Quay W., at Lower Simcoe). Three containers, owned by meat purveyor Blue Goose, serves up wraps, burgers, lobster rolls, and gourmet hot dogs inspired by Toronto’s neighbourhoods. Chef David Chrystian of Victor Restaurant consulted on the menu, available daily this summer till 8 p.m.
New Greek restaurants
Two new Greek restaurants are coming to (where else?) the Danforth. Opa-Opa Café & Eatery (708 Pape Ave., at Danforth) will offer 24-hour take out, while Kritamos Greek Fish House & Rotisserie (443 Danforth Ave., at Logan) will specialize in food from the Aegean Sea area that borders Greece and Turkey. According to a sign in the window, the restaurant also promises “a highly trained Athens chef.”
Mark Cutrara at Richmond and Church
Chef Mark Cutrara, who closed his Cowbell restaurant in Parkdale last February, is now the executive chef of Hawthorne Food & Drink (60 Richmond St. E., at Church). A new menu has been rolled out and includes house-made pappardelle, glazed pork belly, lamb empanada, a duo of duck, and what Cutrara is calling mind-blowing burger.
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It’s an iconic look.
Fashion is a cultural and social movement, and it’s about to change.
With fashion’s first generation of millennials starting to hit their teens, it’s a time when the industry is in transition, says Anna Hwang, founder of Fashion Designers Network.
The future is here, and we are seeing it right now.
In 2020, women will make up nearly half of all fashion designers.
It’s a demographic that is growing at the fastest pace in history, Hwang says.
The millennial generation is more affluent, and they’re the ones who are embracing new trends and emerging fashion styles, she says.
They are more likely to go shopping and to travel, she adds.
A decade ago, there were only three designers on the roster.
Today, there are more than 40.
This is a time of change, and this generation is the future of fashion, says Jennifer Meehan, founder and CEO of Aesthetic Magazine.
For a lot of young women, this is their moment.
This will be the time of their fashion career.
Meeham says there are so many styles in the market today that women are buying into, from everything from traditional to hip to bold.
They’re buying clothes from designers they like, and designers who they respect.
A lot of the time, young women are spending more time shopping for themselves and less time shopping around the world.
In 2019, the top 20 brands in the United States spent more than $1 billion on marketing and promotion, according to a report from the research firm Kantar Media.
The biggest brands in 2019 included Calvin Klein, Christian Dior, Alexander Wang, Chanel, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein.
A few brands from the last decade, like Nike and Burberry, are now part of the elite.
But there’s also an influx of new brands from abroad.
These include brands like L’Oréal, Gisele Bundchen and Estée Lauder.
The shift toward younger women is also evident in the clothing industry, says Meeam.
Brands like Levi’s, Christian Louboutin and Ralph Lauren are starting to move away from the “old” style.
While brands like Tommy Hil and Ralph have continued to be about the look, brands like Calvin Klein and Burberries are moving towards more contemporary styles and design, Mee-han says.


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If you’re a phone user, you’re already familiar with the benefits of using a cable-free device.
But the internet and cable companies aren’t the only ones who enjoy having your data on the go.
If you’ve ever wanted to watch a movie on a device that’s wireless, you can now do so.
In the coming months, Amazon is introducing the first major streaming device to feature wireless capabilities, and it’s free of the expensive cable boxes and cable cord that you’re used to.
The Amazon Prime Video Stick has been the go-to streaming device for streaming on Amazon’s streaming video service for some time now, but this is the first time it’s included with Amazon’s TV service.
The stick is priced at $99 and comes with a wireless connection for $19.99.
It’s a bit more expensive than the $30 you can get from a cable box or cable TV, but you can use it as a remote to control other devices and make calls.
Amazon TV subscribers can stream movies and TV shows to a smartphone or tablet for about $8 per month, according to the company.
The device is still in beta, but Amazon says it’s in beta with a few bugs that may prevent it from being fully reliable until the company addresses them.
In addition to the feature, the device also comes with its own app and cloud storage for storage of movies and shows.
You’ll need a Fire TV or Roku 4 streaming box to stream movies, but it can stream apps from Amazon.com and other retailers.
There are also a few other limitations that are similar to the features of a cable subscription.
For instance, the Amazon Prime Videos app can only stream in high-definition, but not SD, and can only play HD video at 30 frames per second.
The Roku app can stream in full HD, but doesn’t support 4K resolution, so you’ll need to use a 4K device to watch it.
Also, you’ll be able to only watch movies in 720p resolution, but the Roku app supports 1080p, so your videos can be played in full 1080p.
You can use a Roku app to access Netflix and Hulu from your Amazon.
Netflix and other streaming apps can also be accessed from your phone, tablet, or computer, but only with Amazon Prime, not other third-party streaming apps.
The most important aspect to keep in mind about the Amazon Instant Video Stick is that it’s a wireless device that doesn’t require any extra equipment to connect to a home theater or other setup.
There’s no HDMI cable required to connect it to your home theater, and you can simply hook it up with a wall outlet or an outlet that can be connected to the internet.
Amazon has not yet announced any pricing details for the device, but a recent report from Digiday said the device is expected to be available later this year.
If it’s as well-received as Amazon’s announcement, it’s possible that the device could eventually make its way to other streaming devices like Roku or Fire TV.
For now, though, this is your one-stop-shop to stream your favorite movies, TV shows, and music from Amazon, Netflix, and other services without the hassle of a dedicated box or TV set.