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Businesses in Bristol on the rebound
BRISTOL — Some Bristol businesses struggled through the heavy winter as a couple empty storefronts on Main Street reflect.
Five Main Street businesses closed this year and two operations moved — Bristol Physical Therapy set up shop on North Street and the Pathways program of the Mount Abraham Union High School, which had a Main Street storefront, moved back into the school — leaving a total of seven vacancies on Bristol’s main drag.
“We had more (stores closed on Main Street) than anybody can remember at any point in time,” said Carol Wells, a selectboard member and executive director of the Bristol Downtown Community Partnership. “The recession hit some businesses really hard.”
But as summer sets in and spirits begin to rise, so too is the Main Street business scene. As many as four new businesses are projected to open there in the next two months:
• Recycled Reading of Vermont will hold its grand opening this Saturday, June 11, starting at 9 a.m.
• ND’s Tavern, situated in the old Dan’s Place location, is shooting to open on June 15.
• Painter Reed Prescott is aiming to unveil a new home improvement showcase called Verde Mountain by the end of the month.
• Bristol resident Todd Warnock is in the planning stages of founding an outdoor gear shop.
Virginia natives Melissa and David Hernandez decided to leave their home state and make a life change.
“We’d had enough of being down there and just fell in love with Vermont, so we quit our jobs and moved up here,” Melissa Hernandez said.
With a strong love for books and a substantial background working in the book-selling industry — she has been a supervisor for Barnes and Noble and an assistant manager for a Virginia book chain — Hernandez decided to follow her heart and open a book shop in Vermont. Initially searching for a space up North, Hernandez decided that Bristol was an ideal location when she and her husband drove through the town one picturesque autumn day.
“We visited here a year ago in the fall and it was just so incredibly beautiful,” said Hernandez. “As soon as we came into town we just loved how it felt with the shops, restaurants and great friendly people.”
Now Hernandez is set to open her own bookstore, Recycled Reading of Vermont, located at 25A Main St. next to Art on Main. The 800-square-foot space will have a wide range of used books and spotlight a large selection of children and young adult literature. Additionally, the store will trade CDs and DVDs.
Complimentary coffee and tea will be available in the reading section, where customers can lounge on couches and chairs with the convenience of free wireless Internet.
“I’d like to have a shop where people can come and browse through a large selection of books and spend some time and enjoy themselves,” said Hernandez, who will run the shop by herself at the beginning.
For the past several weeks, Hernandez has accepted trade-ins for store credit, and she will have more than 1,200 books when the store opens.
“Everybody who has stopped by has been extremely enthusiastic, so that’s been very encouraging,” said Hernandez. “I really appreciate everybody’s eagerness to have this store open.
When Wells approached Lincoln resident Reed Prescott about painting in a vacant Main Street space during Bristol’s Maple Fest in March, he obliged. Little did he realize how much he would enjoy painting in the middle of Bristol.
“It just grew from there,” said Prescott. “I could see more traffic, people were coming in to check out my work, I had the ability to give art lessons, and I thought I’ve got to figure out a way to stay on Main Street.”
Enjoying the spotlight that Main Street shined on his business, Prescott figured other local artisans, craftsmen and specialists would enjoy a similar boost. Since he didn’t need much room to paint, he decided to fill a storefront with a showroom for local “home improvement” businesses. In the space previously occupied by Bristol Cliffs Music Center at 19 Main St., he’s working hard to open a new store he’s calling “Verde Mountain.”
The way that Verde Mountain will work is that each business involved will put down an annual payment on the space so their products or services can be illuminated on Main Street. Customers looking for home products and services ranging from interior design and landscape work to hand-woven rugs and a Reed Prescott original painting will be able to find them there.
“The concept is that when you walk in here, it’ll feel like walking into a house except that everything will be done by local businesses,” said Prescott. He explained that extended portfolios for each business will be provided in digital, scrolling picture frames next to tangible examples of their work.
Prescott, who is still searching for tenants, aims to eventually have 18-20 businesses in the showroom, but will open with as few as 12. So far, Prescott said that he already has the commitment of six businesses other than his own:
• Stilwell Design, an architectural design firm in Lincoln.
• Stark Mountain Woodworking, a high-end woodworking company in New Haven that specializes in everything from cabinetry to furniture to kitchen renovations.
• DP Decorative Painting of Bristol.
• Thomas Builders and Design, a construction company in Lincoln that focuses on custom projects.
• McLaughlin Hardwood Flooring of Bristol.
• Goss Works, a technology and electronics specialist.
Additionally, Prescott is looking for a frame maker, a landscaper, an interior designer, a rug maker and any other businesses related to home improvement.
Prescott hopes that he will share the duties of working the showroom with two other business owners. He plans on painting in the showroom and assisting customers as they come in. Some products will be available for purchase in the showroom, but all of the money will go directly to their respective maker. For certain other products and services contact information will be on hand and referral won’t cost the buyer or seller a thing.
“I think his concept is unique,” said 19 Main St. landlord Tom Wells. “I’m impressed with it. I think he can provide great exposure and showroom space for good local businesses and through that synergy help them all be successful.”
“It’s an exciting time in Bristol,” added Prescott. “The town is on an upswing.”
Nina Badger and David Bannister, proprietors of ND’s said in an article in the May 30 edition of the Independent that they will keep the overall layout of the tavern similar to Dan’s Place, though they are giving the bar a facelift and revamping some of the kitchen equipment.
Warnock said on Friday that the outdoor gear shop he is planning for Main Street is coming along, but he wasn’t able to provide details at this point.
Reporter Andrew Stein is at [email protected].
MIDDLEBURY — Bernard D. Kimball, 76, passed away in Bennington Hospital on Jan. 10, 2023. … (read more)
The Fresh Air Fund, initiated in 1877 to give kids from New York City the opportunity to e … (read more)


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If you have an Apple device with FaceTime, you may want to disable it.
On Monday, tech blogs reported that a bug allows some users to listen in on people they called via FaceTime without the person picking up. Some users said they were able see through the front-facing camera of the person they were calling.
According to CNN, Apple said Monday night that it has identified the problem and will release a fix in a software update later this week.
The bug reportedly occurs on iPhones and iPads running iOS 12.1, and Apple PCs running macOS Mojave.
Until Apple releases the fix, CNN said you can disable the feature by doing the following:
"On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings -> FaceTime, and toggle off the green button at the top of the screen. To turn it off on a Mac, open the FaceTime app and go to FaceTime on top of the screen, then select 'Turn FaceTime Off.'"
>> See the screenshots here
I just tested the FaceTime bug with @juliacarriew. It’s real. You can call someone on FaceTime and listen to their phone’s mic if they don’t pick up. In some cases, you can even observe them through the camera without their knowledge. You can go to settings and turn off FaceTime. pic.twitter.com/WmMWjRwWrt— Sam Levin (@SamTLevin) January 29, 2019
About the Author

domain: news


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More evidence tablets sales surged over the holidays comes from Millennial Media, which saw tablet impressions on its ad network grow 12% a day on average from Dec. 23 to Dec. 27. That was far higher than the rate for smartphones, where impressions increased only 2% over the same period, reflecting the larger installed base of smartphones compared to tablets.
Impressions on Android tablets in particular shot up, increasing 18% on average around Christmas, with the Samsung Galaxy Tab, Kindle, Fire and Google Nexus 7 all doubling their impressions over the 5-day period analyzed.
Even with the addition of the iPad Mini, iOS tablet impressions grew only 7%. Millennial attributed Android’s faster growth to the greater availability and diversity of Android tablets this year. The rise in iPad impressions during Christmas 2012, however, was still up from a year ago.


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id's classic shooter has finally been (officially) ported to the iPhone. And thanks to oversight from John Carmack himself, there are a number of improvements that make it worth a purchase even for Jailbreakers.
In a blog post from May, Carmack says he loves that players port Doom to every device imaginable, but he's disappointed that there's rarely any real effort to build a new, functional control scheme on platforms without a keyboard and mouse. In other words, he'd rather that instead of everyone stopping at "Does it run Doom?" they ask "Does it play Doom?"
That's why he personally developed the controls for the iPhone version, and according to early reviews, the iPhone can now play Doom. Users are saying controls as good as you would expect from Carmack. Not to mention the other enhancements like 24-bit lighting.
Sure, you might have put the game on your jailbroken iPhone years ago, but graphical upgrades and tighter controls might make it worth the $6.99 admission price. [Recombu]


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As with many other large tech companies, Tesla employees have a thing for leaking private company information to the press. Tesla is fighting back by threatening leakers with dismissal and lawsuits.
Sometime in May 2019, Tesla security team sent an email to employees revealing they had fired and sued several employees for a range of offences, including sharing production data with journalists and posting private company information and phone numbers on social media.
In the email, the security team added that every worker needed to protect company information from unspecified people who wanted to see Tesla fail. However, it appears Tesla employees do not care since the email warning them against leaking company information was also leaked. That is why you are reading about it anyway.


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The group decided to start by finding out exactly what their hotel guests’ concerns and expectations are with regard to sustainable development.
“With 4,200 hotels worldwide and our pioneering experience in sustainable development, our role is to drive change and lead the tourism industry in this field," says Accor Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Denis Hennequin.
“I strongly believe that sharing our knowledge will enable us to advance, and that we need to leverage sustainable development concerns to develop new, more sustainable products and services that will eventually lead to a whole new approach to the hotel experience.”
Sample groups comprised nearly 7,000 respondents who had spent at least one night in a hotel in the previous 12 months, including a cross- section of hotel types (chain, independent, etc.) and segments (budget, economy, midscale, upscale and luxury).The idea is to extend the tracking study to other countries and renew it on a regular basis to identify any changes in consumer expectations.
The survey results are available to view at the Accor website. Accor are also making the methodology available to industry operators provided that they agree to freely share their own survey results.
Certain guest profiles are more concerned about sustainable development than others.
Contrary to popular belief, sustainable development seems to be of more concern to men (82 per cent) than to women (72 per cent). This finding is closely related to another, as business customers — the majority of whom are still men — were found to be more concerned about the topic than leisure customers.
The understanding of the concept also varies by hotel segment. Economy hotel guests seem more sensitive to sustainable development issues. However, this may be due to the lower average age of budget hotel users, who are generally quite young.
Nearly eight out of ten respondents claimed to know and understand the concept of sustainable development, which is seen as a day-to-day reality regardless of cultural and socio-economic differences, the purpose of the stay and the type of hotel selected.
A global consensus on water, energy and waste
In response to an open-ended question, optimising water and energy resources and reducing waste were by far the main concerns worldwide. In response to a closed-ended question, guests identified the fight against child sex tourism as a key priority for the hotel industry.
When asked about their sustainable development-related expectations, Chinese hotel guests ranked health and well-being high on their list, while Brazilian guests seem more concerned with fostering local economic development, a major issue in a country that is trying hard to reduce inequality.
NGOs and international organisations rank last on the responsibility scale
In a noteworthy change, survey respondents placed NGOs and international organisations last on the scale of responsibility for sustainable development issues. This observation seems to indicate that the time for enhancing awareness and encouraging action has passed and must now give way to more practical measures that enable customers to make a direct contribution.
Cultural differences seem to influence the order in which respondents place those they see as primarily responsible for sustainable development. The government and individual citizens topped the list in France, Germany and Brazil.
In these countries, respondents widely insisted on their own role in the process, with results above 70 per cent overall and above 80 per cent in Brazil. In Australia and the United Kingdom, on the other hand, hotel guests attribute almost equal responsibility to business and government, and only one out of two respondents believes that individual citizens are responsible for sustainable development.
In China, the top spot went to government, followed by private enterprise.
A constraint turned into a desirable experience
Fifty-one per cent of the survey respondents said they wanted their room to be at the right temperature as soon as they arrived. Paradoxically, 93 per cent said they were in favour of adjusting the air-conditioning themselves, even if it meant waiting several minutes for the desired temperature to be reached.
It seems that guests are willing to sacrifice some of their own comfort in favour of the environment, as long as they have a choice and are allowed to play an active role in the process.
Guests also say that they are increasingly considering social and environmental responsibility criteria when selecting a hotel, even if it means staying in a less practical location or paying slightly more.
Lastly, sustainable development is no longer seen as a sacrifice or equated with a lower-quality offering. 66 per cent of respondents do not expect comfort to suffer in a hotel engaged in a sustainable development process.


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GRANITEVILLE, S.C.—Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. celebrated the grand opening Nov. 11 of its state-of-the-art passenger and light truck tire plant in Aiken County, S.C., with company officials heralding it as a technological breakthrough in tire manufacturing. The $435 million, 1.7 million-sq.-ft. facility is the first in the world to fully incorporate Bridgestone Corp.'s advanced tire-assembly system, called ACTAS: Automated Continuous Tire Assembly System.
Speaking at the grand opening ceremony, Yoichiro Kaizaki, chairman, president and CEO of Bridgestone Corp., said the new plant ushers in the next wave of tire-manufacturing technology.
"The Aiken County plant represents the very best that Bridgestone Corp. has to offer in automated tire-manufacturing technology," Mr. Kaizaki said.
"We have tested our new systems and processes individually at plants in Japan, but the Aiken County plant is the first place in the world where we have put them all together in a mass production flow."
The ACTAS system represents a productivity breakthrough that Bridgestone intends to emulate at its plants all over the world, Mr. Kaizaki said.
Managers at the Aiken plant, also known as Bridgestone/Firestone South Carolina, said their goal is to make the facility tops in the world in productivity, product quality and customer service. Production is slated to reach 25,000 units per day by the end of next year—20,000 per day by April—with a work force of up to 800.
Currently, the plant is producing about 12,000 tires per day with just over 500 employees. At full capacity, the plant would average more than 31 tires per day per employee.
Most of the plant's output—75-85 percent—is destined for the original equipment market, officials said. The growing popularity of light trucks and sport-utility vehicles has shifted the product mix in that direction, officials said, and already has plant management planning an expansion of its rubber mixing capacity.
The heart of the ACTAS system is a highly automated—and highly proprietary—tire-building machine that completely assembles the green tire, including belts and beads, extrudes the tread rubber onto the built carcass and affixes a bar code identifying the size and type of tire it is intended to be.
Each builder has three tires in various stages of production at any given time, and the plant's entire output is generated by a total of 22 of these machines, which feed 150-160 curing presses.
From the builders, green tires are delivered automatically to the curing presses, which are located in close proximity.
After curing, the tires are placed on an elaborate conveyor system with bar code readers at critical junctures that send each tire through the various finishing stages, including trim, white sidewall grinders and what is called a "tire uniformity optimizer" (TUO).
The TUO machine inflates each tire, measures various parameters for uniformity and improves them, if necessary, by grinding off small amounts of rubber at strategic locations.
Tires are not touched by human hands until they reach the inspection stage, where most OE tires also have their high-point determined and marked for proper mounting.
After final inspection, tires go back onto the conveyor system and are sorted automatically by type and size, separated into groups of 24 like tires and stacked on metal pallets by a machine appropriately called a palletizer.
ACTAS also involves improvements to other aspects of the tire-manufacturing process—including rubber mixing, fabric calendering and steel belt and bead production—as well as optimizing the plant layout to minimize transportation and storage of materials and components.
Once the Aiken plant reaches full production, Bridgestone/Firestone plans to begin installing elements of the ACTAS system in other North American tire plants, including its passenger/light truck facility in Wilson, N.C., BFS Chairman and CEO Masatoshi Ono said.
The plant will help BFS close a gap between supply and demand that has existed since 1994, officials said, and may help the company reduce the need to import tires from Japan. Those imports currently are running at more than 5 million units per year, Mr. Ono said.
Mr. Kaizaki said the Aiken facility will play a part in increasing Bridgestone/Firestone's contribution to total Bridgestone corporate profits from 35 percent in 1998 to 40 percent in 2000.


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Shelby cars come to FL Resort
FRENCH LICK — The Indiana Shelby American Automobile Club held its Fall Classic at French Lick Resort Oct. 2-4.
While the event was focused on vintage automobiles, it was also open to late-model cars.
The nonprofit organization is dedicated to the preservation, the care, history and enjoyment of Shelby cars, designed by Carroll Hall Shelby for Ford Motor Company. He was involved with the design of the Mustang and the AC Cobra.
On Friday, the Shelby owners participated in a Southern Indiana cruise with stops at the Joey Lange Muscle Car collection in Ferdinand and the Ed Meyer’s shop in Huntingburg.
The Concours and Specialty Indoor Display was held on Saturday with the vintage autos in the Exhibition Hall and the late-model cars in the parking lot for viewing. Judging of the cars also took place.
Saturday ended with a banquet with guest speakers and awards.
Sunday concluded the event with members gathering for fellowship before loading their Shelby cars and heading home.


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Pizza Inn is changing everything from the design of its stores to its mascot.
The Texas-based pizza chain recently unveiled a new look, including a new store design, logo and updated mascot. The design, including work from advertising company BooneOakley and retail design firm Chute Gerdeman, features a party room with an accent wall, a game room and an outdoor patio.
“Pizza is fun, and it’s an American staple that provides a sense of comfort and nostalgia unlike any other kind of experience,” Claire Oakley, director of client services for BooneOakley, said in a statement.
“We wanted to pay homage to the brand’s legacy while meeting consumers where they are today. This refreshed look is not only found in the logo and our beloved mascot, Jojo, who stands tall and proud–but throughout every aspect of the new restaurant design.”
The first Pizza Inn location to showcase the new design will open in Asheboro, N.C later this year.
The 135-unit chain has recently increased its buffet count, but still saw a 10.6% decrease in overall unit count in 2021, according to Restaurant Business’ sister publication Technomic. The brand also saw a 9.9% decrease in sales in 2021. Still, the chain remains optimistic about its future.
“Now that we’re in our post-pandemic era, it’s time to express the brand in a compelling and modern way across all of our customer touch points,” Rave Restaurant Group CEO Brandon Solano said in a statement. “We are working hard on the economics of this new concept to create a cost-effective design that delivers on customer experience while making financial sense for franchisees and investors alike.”
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Incorporated (NASDAQ: MOLX) and (NASDAQ: MOLXA), begins its new
fiscal year today, the company proudly celebrates its 75
year in business serving customers in the global electronics industry.
As Molex Incorporated (NASDAQ: MOLX) and (NASDAQ: MOLXA), begins its new fiscal year today, the company proudly celebrates its 75 th year in business serving customers in the global electronics industry. Providing innovative interconnect solutions to the world’s leading manufacturers, the company’s primary markets include data communications, telecommunications, consumer electronics, industrial, automotive, aerospace and defense, medical and lighting. Molex sells more than 100,000 different products and ranks among the top three connector companies in the world based on annual revenue. “Molex has built a legacy of innovation while growing from a small, local enterprise in Chicago’s western suburbs to one of the largest connector companies in the world,” states Martin P. Slark, vice chairman and CEO, Molex. “This milestone gives us an opportunity to reflect on where we’ve been, as we look forward to a promising and powerful future.” Established in 1938, Molex earned an industry reputation for developing unique interconnect solutions for challenging design problems. Examples include: simple PCB connectors and stamped circuitry, as well as nylon plugs and receptacles for color TVs. Molex also introduced ever-smaller connectors and modular interconnects—the micro products of their day—and continues to be a leader in the miniaturization of electronic components. Molex opened its first factory outside the U.S. in Japan in 1970. The company has since opened manufacturing operations in many other overseas locations, including Mexico, Ireland, Hong Kong, Singapore, India and China. In 1972, Molex went public launching a period of rapid growth as the company expanded into global markets to provide design, customer service and manufacturing capabilities closer to its increasingly diverse customer base. On its 60 th anniversary, Molex sales had reached over $1.6 billion in annual revenue—a figure that has since more than doubled. “Investing in the development of innovative products has always been an important part of our strategy and that will not change,” adds Slark. “Molex continues to invest in design innovation, organic growth and strategic acquisitions to bring greater value to our shareholders and customers.”


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Tag - AUO
Sony might jump to its one-time partner Samsung to leap into OLED TVs. Purported insiders claimed Tuesday to Digitimes that Sony, having unsuccessfully tried a partnership with AU Optronics on large-size OLEDs, was going with Samsung-made OLED panels for some Bravia TVs due in 2013. AUO wouldn't have large-enough organic displays until late 2012, or too late for Sony to use them, according to the tip.
Apple's rumored 7.85-inch iPad was claimed late Thursday to be going into production in late spring. Part suppliers talking to Digitimes believed Apple was staggering the introduction of a second model, launching the iPad 3 towards March but shipping its miniature counterpart before the fall, leaving the summer as the likely target. Previously alluded production plans would see both AU Optronics and LG Display making the new screens.
Display maker AU Optronics has demonstrated two extremes in transparent AMOLED screen technology at the recent Yokohana Exhibition in Japan. The company showed off a large 65-inch transparent touchscreen display fitted over a vending machine to theoretically be used for buying from the machine's glass, leaving more room to show the products themselves. AUO also demonstrated a six-inch transparent AMOLED display.
A rumored small iPad might have manifested itself if a purported leak is accurate. Both AU Optronics and LG Display were said by Taiwan's Economic Daily News to be sending Apple samples of a 7.85-inch touchscreen with the same 1024x768 resolution as the current, 9.7-inch iPad. Broadcom would supply the touchscreen's controller chipset, while Kinsus would make the substrate.
AU Optronics (AUO) today revealed that it will show a potentially record-setting 71-inch 3D LCD at the upcoming FPD International 2010 trade show. The company claims the screen is the largest 3D LCD widescreen panel available today. The panel uses passive polarization to achieve the 3D effect, which requires viewers to wear polarized glasses. It has a cinema-like aspect ratio of 21:9, which the company says makes it suitable for high-end home theater systems.
Signs that Apple is
AU Optronics today at the SID Display expo showcased a number of advances it believes should advance LCDs for handhelds. The highlight is the world's first curved LCD, according to the company: a new thinning technique allows the company to produce a screen with a 100mm (3.9in) radius that not only arcs but which has even backlighting across the entire display. The invention could mean a generation of devices with LCDs where they were previously difficult or impractical, such as wristwatches or instrumentation built directly in-dash for cars. AUO doesn't say when it expects the technology to reach shipping products.
Two panel makers are evenly splitting orders for new LCDs to be used in upcoming consumer MacBooks, according to a story in Taiwan's Commercial Times. The newspaper claims that two of the island's more prominent display makers, AU Optronics and Chi Mei Optoelectronics, are being tapped by Apple to produce the screens for mainstream systems that will be launched sometime during the summer. The Times doesn't mention screen sizes or other characteristics of the LCDs.
Taiwan display maker AU Optronics today revealed what it says is the world's first truly wide-aspect, full HD 24-inch flat-panel display. The LCD adopts the same 16:9 ratio of many HDTVs and is capable of a native 1080p resolution. While shorter than the 1920x1200 resolution of existing 24-inch computer screens, the wider display makes it better-suited to widescreen movies with the image filling more of the available space. The new design is also half as thick as the taller displays: where a conventional display would measure 1.38 inches deep, the new implementation is just 0.55 inches. Combined with a narrow bezel, this allows a same-size display in a much smaller space.


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VIZ Media is adding The Drifting Classroom: Perfect Edition, An Incurable Case of Love, A Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow and Jujutsu Kaisen to its slate of manga titles.
VIZ Media is launching a new imprint – VIZ Originals – that will collaborate with manga-inspired creators to develop original stories.
The imprint will be led by Executive Editor Fawn Lau, and the first titles will debut in 2020.
Bury the Lede, by former Boston Globe reporter Gaby Dunn, is a crime thriller about Bostone Lede intern Madison Jackson and the relationship she builds with Dahlia Kennedy – the murder suspect she’s writing about.
Bury the Lede will be available on October 2nd in comics shops and October 9th in bookstores. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and the BOOM! Studios app.
Eric Powell has announced the release of The Goon #1 from his company, Albatross Funnybooks ahead of a 23-city international signing tour to celebrate The Goon’s 20th Anniversary – beginning with The Goon 20th Anniversary Party in Nashville on March 8th.
The Goon #1 will be available on March 13th. Check out the preview pages below.
Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Sirens spins the tale of a successful fisherman who values money above all else – his wife and daughter. When he chances upon a beautiful mermaid and is bewitched by her voice, he abandons his family and his life in order to listen to her siren song. But…
The first issue of Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Sirens – written by Bartosz Sztybor and drawn by artist Jakub Rebelka – will be available in print and digital in April.
We have five pages and an alternate cover to preview below.
BOOM! Studios has announced Lumberjanes: Somewhere That’s Green #1, an oversized one-shot comic book about the power of friendship, by New York Times best-selling author Seanan McGuire (Spider-Gwen: Ghost-Spider) and artist Alexa Bosy, with an additional story by cartoonist Mariana Costa (Peritale), available in stores May 2019.
Plot synopses follow.
Vault has announced its new Bound: Comics and Community initiative.
Under this initiative, Vault will provide comic shops with up to $25,000.00 (retail value) worth of product to support a variety of community engagement events throughout 2019.
The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers are back in Angel Grove…with the White Ranger as their leader! But what happened to the team after they defeated Lord Drakkon?
Mighty Morphin Powers #40 – Necessary Evil – marks the debut of new creative team Ryan Parrott (writer) and Daniele Di Nicuolo (artist) and the start of an arc that answers questions raised by the Shattered Grid crossover. Details follow.
Things are getting Spikier in the third issue of BOOM! Studios Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic.
Check out five pages from Buffy the Vampire Slayer #3 below. It will be available in print and digital on March 13th.
Joss Whedon’s Firefly is performing above expectations with the series’ first three issues selling out before their arrival in comics shops.
Firefly #2 is now on its third printing – with a cover by Lee Garrett, and Firefly #3 is on its second printing – with a cover by Kirbi Fahan (below).
Both new printings will in stores on March 13th.
It’s time for the monthly Winged Creature Clinic at Willows Whisper Veterinary Practice, where flying creatures from all over come to get treated. But when Glenn the Wildlife Warlock brings in an injured flying pig that looks like it may have been mistreated, panic strikes and a greater mystery unfolds.
The adventures of witches-in-training Nan and Clarion continue in Hex Vet: The Flying Surgery – due in stores and digital in December 2019.


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the Ukrainian model and the winner of the 13th breast size Mila Kuznetsova wanted to become a professional boxer. Her words quoted Champion.com.ua.
“When you win the coronavirus will start practising with the coach. If it goes, will make out in the national League of professional Boxing of Ukraine license, to a few months to make his debut in the professional ring,” said Kuznetsova. She added that wants to make their statements show.
Kuznetsova, participant of the Miss Universe Plus Size 2019. On her account in Instagram signed by more than 550 thousand people.
In April of this year, Russian model Irina Ivanova seventh the size of the breast told how to get rich by selling images online. She began to sell pictures, which depicted Nude, and currently earns over one million dollars a year.


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Sprayroq Defines Infrastructure Rehabilitation Strength in Recent Academic Study
BIRMINGHAM, AL. July 27, 2021
Spraywall, the only proven and structural high-build polyurethane lining on the market, developed and manufactured by Sprayroq, was chosen by the University of Texas at Arlington in a 2020 study to create testing and application standards for spray-applied pipe rehabilitation liners in Department of Transportation markets. SprayWall was the only polymeric material to participate in this innovative test, with the other test material being a cementitious spray-applied liner.
Both materials were applied to invert-less corrugated metal pipe culverts, designed to simulate deteriorated pipes that failed at the invert, where ring compression forces are the strongest. The control pipe, with no spray applied treatment, was not able to resist the applied pressure from the test on its own. When treated with SprayWall, the pipe’s load-carrying capacity was increased by 471.7% at 250 mils of application, 484.8% at 500 mils of application, and 802.7% at 1000 mils of application.
SprayWall was so effective that it was deemed structurally capable to function as its own pipe inside of the unit being tested, completely exceeding AASHTO’s LRFD strict design requirements.
“We take great pride in knowing that our products and equipment perform with incredible results,” said Jeremy Huckaby, General Manager of Sprayroq. “Being backed by this leading research study further proves what we’ve known about SprayWall for decades; It truly makes infrastructure stronger.”
Sprayroq’s brand ethos has always been built on trust, credibility, and industry knowledge, and that holds true through the firm’s recent brand transformation. In response to accelerated company growth, Sprayroq has unveiled a new visual identity, coupled with the launch of a new website and relocation of the firm’s corporate headquarters.
“We have commenced significant renovations to the new facility to make sure we are equipped to live up to the standards of a true learning and innovation center,” said Mark Corr, CEO of Sprayroq’s parent company, Signet LLC. “We look forward to utilizing this new facility to promote, support, train, and educate the market on our exceptional products and offerings.”
With construction slated to wrap up in September, features of the new facility will include a state-of-the-art training area and a brand new, in-house lab managed by Sprayroq’s most recent addition, Ph.D. Chemist, Akhtar Kahn.
This rebrand, website enhancement, and corporate headquarter relocation represents a significant step in the firm’s evolution and further invests in the future growth of Sprayroq.
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Sprayroq, Inc. develops, manufactures and markets the highest quality protective coating and lining systems designed for long life, corrosion resistance and structural support, installed through our alliances with Sprayroq Certified Partners throughout the world. We work every day to be the premier producer of polyurethane coating and lining systems through our commitment to teamwork, innovation and superior technological leadership. Learn more at sprayroq.com.


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Could I interest you in a package of fully-cooked beef stew that sat unrefrigerated on a shelf for a year before being dropped on your doorstep? Or perhaps a vegetable frittata?
That’s what Amazon might have in store for us — lots of non-refrigerated pre-cooked food.
Amazon is reportedly looking into a process called microwave-assisted thermal sterilization, or MATS. This technology, developed at Washington State University, originated to meet the needs of the U.S. military. The process kills bacteria and seals meals using microwaves, allowing pre-cooked meals to remain safe for up to a year without refrigeration. The meals are easy to transport, and they only need to be heated up a bit before being eaten. As a result, they’re also quite cheap compared to fresh meals.
A Dever-based startup called 915 Labs is shopping the technology to Amazon. According to the startup, MATS has many advantages over other methods of sterilization currently being used in food processing. Traditional processing methods get rid of nutrients and flavor along with the bacteria. MATS allows dishes to be treated in a shorter amount of time, meaning that the dishes retain more of their original texture and flavor.
Amazon could get going on this new venture as soon as 2018. It would give Amazon a stronger foothold in the grocery market, which has long been a goal for the company. Prepared meals are much harder to transport than the millions of other shelf-safe items Amazon sells.
This isn’t the only move Amazon is making to chew up more of the food market. Amazon is also in the process of acquiring the grocery chain Whole Foods, and it already has a grocery delivery program in place called AmazonFresh.
Amazon has not yet confirmed that it will actually end up using microwave-assisted thermal sterilization.
Reuters has also suggested Wal-Mart may be looking into MATS as well. A company called Solve for Food is planning on setting up a MATS facility near Wal-Mart’s headquarters in Arkansas. Wal-Mart has not yet commented.
Featured Image via Wikimedia Commons


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MSMEs Loans Under Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme: PNB sanctioned Rs 8690 Crore
Punjab National Bank (PNB) has sanctioned Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) loans worth Rs 8,690 to the small businesses to help them come out of the COvID-19 pandemic heat.
MSMEs Loans Under Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme: The Punjab National Bank (PNB) has sanctioned Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) loans worth Rs 8,690 to the small businesses to help them come out of the COvID-19 pandemic heat. The public sector bank MD and CEO CH. SS Mallikarjuna Rao informed about the same while addressing a live webinar with CII.
Speaking on issues related to MSME customers across the country and to address their challenges in the face of COVID-19 pandemic Rao said that that Punjab National Bank has sanctioned Rs 8690 Crores in 404675 accounts to MSME Sector under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) out of these accounts Rs.2595 Crores has already been disbursed in 79029 accounts so far.
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Agyey Kumar Azad, Executive Director at PNB said, “The pandemic has posed fresh challenges for the country’s economy, causing severe disruptive impact on both demand and supply side elements. This has potential to derail the growth of the economy in the current and coming fiscal years. With the proactive approach of the Govt of India, RBI and bank we hope that the outreach program will help our customers to understand the customised new product facilities, benefits and special schemes offered by the bank to cope up with the crisis”.
The PNB officials said that through the online platform of Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS), MSMEs can avail timely credits against their bills, which helps in managing their cash flows efficiently. In addition, the bank has communicated with a large number of MSME Associations, across the country seeking co-operation to educate the MSMEs under their ambit about the special schemes launched by the bank.
Get Latest Business News, Stock Market Updates and Videos; Check your tax outgo through Income Tax Calculator and save money through our Personal Finance coverage. Check Business Breaking News Live on Zee Business Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on YouTube.


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Apple says it sold its one millionth iPad on Friday, which is just 28 days after the device was launched on 3rd April. (It's also the day the 3G-enabled version went on sale in the USA). As a comparison, the company took 74 days to sell its first million iPhones. In addition, iPad users have downloaded over 12 million apps from the App Store.
UK pricing for the Apple iPad should be announced next Monday (10th May), with the device going on sale later in the month.


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Choosing a model to promote a product’s image is something many companies take very seriously, but it appears that a Turkish hair removal enterprise is not among them.
They’ve recently published an online ad that features Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the imprisoned al-Qaeda official.
The picture they chose is one that was taken of the alleged September 11th attack planner shortly after his 2003 arrest in Pakistan.
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In it he’s disheveled and a thick layer of hair covers his upper chest and back.
Above the photo is a caption that translates as, “Waiting won’t get rid of that hair!”
While that may be true, the ad has raised some questions.
Topping the list is why they chose a terrorist to promote their product.
According to a spokesperson for the company, they actually had no idea who the specific person in the image was.
He said, “The guy is quite hairy, so we thought his body was a good fit for our ad,” and noted that they found it on a popular Turkish social media site.
Apparently the photo of Mohammed is a popular meme in the country.
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Xi Jinping and the pork crisis
In the Year of the Pig, the price of pork grew by 46.7% until August. Fears for the economy and inflation. Many people point to Xi Jinping as the person responsible for this crisis: to counter the US, he opened to meat imports from Russia, known to be the most affected by swine fever. In a year at least 200 million animals were killed or died from illness. Sale of meat from strategic reserves.
Beijing (AsiaNews) - According to some observers, the biggest concern of President Xi Jinping is not the war on duties with the US, nor the Hong Kong demonstrations, but the increasingly high price of pork.
In 2019 - precisely in the Year of the Pig - the price of pork has grown by 46.7% until August, causing a three-point increase in the consumer price index, with a relative influence on inflation. The pig-related industry contributes 128 billion US dollars to the national economy and constitutes 60% of the Chinese meat diet.
For over a year in the country there has been an epidemic of African swine fever. Started with an infection of cattle on a farm near the Russian border, it has now spread to all 31 provinces of China, decreeing death by disease or extermination of over 200 million pigs, almost half of the animals bred in Country.
Many people point to Xi Jinping as responsible for this crisis. To avoid all dialogue on the trade war with the US, the president has preferred to impose taxes on pork coming from the USA (second producer in the world, after China) and open to imports from Russia, known to be the most affected by swine fever.
To avoid heightened tensions over rising pork prices, yesterday the government decided to sell 10 thousand tons of frozen pork from its strategic reserves at auction.
China created a strategic pork reserve in 2007, but its extent is unknown.
The pig is a symbol of well-being: the ideogram of "home" is designed like a pig under a roof. Somehow, if pork is missing, you can't be happy. At the feast of October 1st, for the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China, the population will be able to witness one of the largest military parades, with ultra modern "made in China” weapons, but perhaps it will not have pork on the table.


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Global Solution Styrene Butadiene Rubber Market Driven at 11.27% CAGR Due to Demand from Tire Industry: Transparency Market Research
By Business Wire News
A recent report released by Transparency Market Research forecasts the growth of global solution styrene butadiene rubber (S-SBR) market at a CAGR of 11.27% from 2012 to 2018. The report, titled “Solution Styrene Butadiene Rubber Market – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth and Forecast, 2012 – 2018” forecasts the global demand for S-SBR to reach 1,062 kilo tons by 2018.
The report indicates that the increasing growth in global tire market will fuel the growth of the S-SBR market during the forecast horizon. Growth in tire market can be attributed to the rise in disposable income of the growing middle class population, which has resulted in the increase of automobile demand. Automobile sector has mandated the need for high performance of the tires which in turn has increased the demand for S-SBR. However, the report cites that volatile raw material prices and environmental concerns will negatively affect the growth of the market during the forecast period.
The report segments the global S-SBR market on the basis of S-SBR application in tire, footwear, adhesive and sealant, polymer modification, and others. In 2011, tire industry registered highest demand in the market. The demand is expected to increase considerably during the forecast period and the segment is estimated to be valued at US$2,647.8 million by 2018.
Based on geography, the report segments the global S-SBR market in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and RoW. Tire labeling regulations in European Union and in Asia Pacific regions will contribute significantly to the market growth in these regions.
The report profiles the key vendors of the global S-SBR market such as Bridgestone Corporation, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Sinopec, and Styron.
- Leather Chemicals Market:http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/global-leather-chemicals-market.html
- Lyocell Fiber Market:http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/lyocell-fibers-market.html
Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S. based market intelligence company driven by high-pedigree consultants and researchers. TMR leverages its Syndicated Research, Custom Research, and Market Consulting expertise to help businesses make accurate decisions. TMR’s exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis draws on proprietary data sources and techniques, while their data repository is continuously updated to reflect the latest trends.


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A group of technology suppliers, standards bodies and associations, and potential users from a wide variety of industries has formed the Smart Active Label Consortium. Its aim is “to promote smart active label solutions and create standards to benefit supply chain management, asset tracking and the daily lives of consumers in a wide range of industries”.
“Smart active labels will lead the way for the RFID industry to become bigger than the plastics credit card and smart card industry,” says Baruch Levanon, interim chairman of the consortium. “For me, SAL isn’t just RFID labels – it includes printed microelectronics, roll-to-roll mass production of environment friendly, disposable devices.”
He says the SAL Consortium plans to develop several active and semi active modular tag demonstrations, create uniform standards, and publish technical papers and economic analyses of SAL systems under its umbrella. Following the development of demonstration systems, the consortium will run a series of end user showcases in Europe and the USA throughout 2003.
More information from SAL Consortium – WEBSITE: www.sal-c.org/index


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The International Criminal Police Organisation has uncovered a €1.5m face masks scam involving Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands.
It said it found out that a portion of the money was wired to Nigeria. Interpol Secretary General, Jürgen Stock revealed this as he noted that compromised emails were used in the “highly sophisticated fraud”.
The global shortage of face masks amid the coronavirus pandemic had made the German authorities to vigorously seek to procure the essential personal protective equipment.
It started in mid-March when German health authorities contracted two sales companies in Zurich and Hamburg to procure EUR 15 million worth of face masks.
They later got an email from one of the contacted companies, explaining that their request cannot be met, unfortunately.
But in the mail, the contacted company referred the German health authorities to a company in Spain selling face masks, posting the URL of the company’s site in the body of the mail.
But unknown to prospective buyers, the site was fake and their legitimate email addresses had been compromised.
The Interpol explained that the newly contacted Spanish company, through a chain of emails, initially claimed to have 10 million masks, only for the delivery to fall through.
“As a consolation, they then referred the buyers to a ‘trusted’ dealer in Ireland. The Irish middleman promised to put them in touch with a different supplier, this time in the Netherlands.”
“Claiming to have a strong commercial relationship with the company, the man provided assurances that the alleged Dutch company would be able to supply the 10 million face masks.”
“An agreement for an initial delivery of 1.5 million masks was made, in exchange for an up-front payment of EUR 1.5 million.”
“The buyers initiated a bank transfer to Ireland and prepared for delivery.”
“Just before the delivery date, the buyers were informed that the funds had not been received and that an emergency transfer of EUR 880,000 straight to the Dutch supplier was required to secure the merchandise.”
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“When the buyers realized they had been duped, they immediately contacted their bank in Germany, which in turn contacted INTERPOL’s Financial Crimes unit, setting off a race to intercept the funds and follow the money trail.”
“The Dutch Fiscal Information and Investigation Service quickly tracked down the EUR 880,000 which had been transferred from the German company.”
“Nearly EUR 500,000 of those funds had already been sent to the United Kingdom, all of which was destined for an account in Nigeria.”
Stock said the operation has already led to the arrest of two suspects in the Netherlands and more arrests would be made


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The iPad 2 rumours are flying thick and fast at the moment, and the latest is that Apple's new version of its tablet computer is already in production.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs today unveiled the iPad, calling the tablet a "magical and revolutionary" addition to the company's existing lines of Macs, iPods and the iPhone.
Apple on Wednesday launched its much-awaited iPad tablet device, a handheld that will allow users to view movies, surf the Internet and play high-definition games.
A report on news network CNBC confirmed this Tuesday that Apple's highly anticipated and long rumored tablet will be shown tomorrow.
Tablet computers preceding Apple's expected tablet may have been a dud with consumers, but they have actually made some inroads in industries such as health care, construction and field service.
As the dust settles from the launch of the Apple iPad -- a device that looks rather like an oversized iPod Touch -- reaction is mixed. Apple fan boys are no doubt already champing at the bit, but others aren't so sure; after all, this isn't an iPhone...
If the technology rumour mill is to be believed, Apple will tomorrow morning announce a new, touch screen-based tablet computer. Set to be unveiled at 5am Thursday morning (AEST), the media event in San Francisco is one of the most anticipated Apple ...
What do we know about technology's worst-kept secret? Not a heck of a lot.
Yes, Apple's inviting game bloggers to its January 27 super-secret product reveal, but I wouldn't read anything into it. Unless the company's launching a completely unanticipated device (always a possibility, but the odds are against it) expect to se...
The New York Times hasn't spilled the beans over the Apple tablet again, but rumors are linking the two companies once more. Reports of an upcoming paid model to be adopted by the New York Times are correlated with the mythical Apple tablet, as both ...
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(CNN) -- In this era of ever-accelerating technological development, we all tend to be so fixated on the gizmos of the future that we rarely take the time to think about the glorious technology of the past.
Fortunately, a treasure trove of rarities, oddities and tech "firsts" has been brought together -- including an experimental 17th century mechanical calculator, a hundred-year-old telephone and an incredibly rare, headline-grabbing Apple 1 computer -- to be sold at auction Saturday in Cologne, Germany.
While they may look dated today, the objects gathered by Auction Team Breker trace an evolution of technological thinking that stretches from the dawn of the industrial revolution through to the present day. It is a story of cutting edge tinkering; an inventors' hall of fame.
Basking in the limelight at the auction will be one of just six surviving functional Apple 1 computers -- a tech superstar which is likely to sell for a small fortune -- an estimated $400,000 -- propelled by bids from collectors, museums and Macolytes.
The Apple 1 was the first computer built by the California technology company. The computer was hand-assembled by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who, according to legend, financed the device's construction by selling his HP-65 calculator (co-founder Steve Jobs also sold his VW campervan).
Approximately 200 of the devices were made, of which fewer than 50 are thought to remain -- and only six in working order.
Company founder Uwe Breker said the sale is "unique in presenting masterpieces from the spectrum of antique technology, from the 17th century to the 21st."
Long before the current era of computers, the inventor Blaise Pascal designed a mechanical calculator in 1642 -- regarded by many as the first decisive step toward modern microprocessors.more


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Beijing is attracting more and more visitors who want to experience Chinese culture through traditional and modern ways in the city both during the day and at night.
The municipal government is rolling out measures to provide more choices to consumers.
Li Yihui, a bank clerk working in Beijing, used to go to nightclubs in Sanlitun area after 9 pm, which seemed to be one among the few places that helped her to kill time after work.
“I’m not a party animal and sometimes I dislike the noise in nightclubs, but there was nowhere else to go,” she said. “Now, it’s totally different. I can go to bookstores, which are open 24 hours, the food courts and shopping malls that offer service until late, and some museums that are quiet and informative.”
The consumption demand from people living in this megacity has grown rapidly in recent years as they have become richer.
“Beijing is experiencing a third-generation consumption upgrade at present, which has given people in this city numerous choices related to shopping, cultural events and entertainment,” said Sun Yao, deputy head of the city’s commerce bureau, at a forum recently.
The first two consumption upgrades happened from the beginning of China’s reform and opening-up in late 1978 until the early 1990s, Sun added.
“Different from the previous two consumption upgrades, the third one focuses on service consumption growth, which is much faster than the commodities unit,” he said.
For the first 10 months, Beijing’s total social retail volume was around 994 billion yuan ($142 billion), up 5 percent year-on-year while the service consumption volume reached 1.28 trillion yuan, up 10 percent year-on-year, according to the bureau. The consumption volume in the service unit has contributed 71 percent of the city’s total number during the same period.
Since summer, residents have found many streets providing beer and shows near their residential compounds. Near Beijing Exhibition Center in Xicheng district, for example, people can enjoy small-scale concerts by singers from Moscow while drinking Russian beer and eating roasted sausages till late.
“Our restaurants are still popular with many guests, until 2 am,” said Lin Hong, a waiter of a beer bar.
In addition to catering, including at restaurants and bars, bookstores are also attracting young people who prefer a quiet place to read at night with hot coffee in hand.
Xinhua bookstore in Xihuashidajie street, Dongcheng district, started to stay open for 24 hours in 2017. The bookstore, which has a 47-year history, is a must-go-to place among young people now.
Li Li, manager of the bookstore, said they want to create an atmosphere where books are always there whenever readers need them.
“The nighttime labor cost is 30 percent higher than it is during the day, but the income during the night only accounts for 5 percent of the total revenue, which pushed us to think of new ways to increase income at night, such as selling creative cultural products,” she said. “The government subsidy is a need for operators like us.”
With government support, the operators have more incentive to develop the night economy, she added.


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For the last few years, the Chinese government has been implementing strict measures for IP protection. Due to these measures, Chinese courts have heard more IP cases than ever before. One of the recent and encouraging cases is “LEGO vs LEPIN”. As “IPdaily news portal” reports, nine people were held and sentenced to 6 years in jail for violating copyrights of “LEGO” toys.
The infringing company of LEGO toys is “LEPIN”. There is no information about the date of the company’s establishment, type of the company, the registered capital etc. The first illegal business activity was dated back to 2015. The company bought different sets of “LEGO” toys, underwent a thorough examination of their design, material, structure and produced a copy of these LEGO constructions on a 1:1 scale. After successful production of the “LEGO” copycat, “LEPIN” expanded business: they built factories, rented warehouses, registered trademarks and ran online shops on well-known e-commerce platforms such as Taobao. Since 2017-2019 “LEPIN” had sold over 4.25 million construction sets which equated to 300 million RMB.
In 2019 the Police Department of Shanghai received numerous claims which concerned LEPIN toys. Owing to these claims, the Police Department of Shanghai decided to investigate this case. As a result, the Shanghai Police revealed a factory, special equipment for manufacturing fake toys and confiscated over 600,000 “LEPIN” brand toys, 289,000 construction boxes, 175,000 manuals and lists of sales orders with 50,000 clients. The seized products became infringement evidence. The Shanghai Intermediate Court (No. 3) made the following decision: the infringers were sentenced to 6 years in jail and paid a fine of 90 million RMB.
The representatives from “LEGO” Group highly appreciated the Police Department and Shanghai Intermediate Court work, and hoped, that the Chinese governmental bodies would continue to combat with infringers for a favorable business environment preservation, as it is the core of factor for running a business abroad. Besides, “LEGO” Group will cooperate with Chinese Police and other governmental bodies to take actions against infringers and suppress the misleading of consumers.


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It’s no secret that a number of wireline agents have, for several years, shied away from selling wireless products and services to their business customers. The blame rests on the traditional mobility profit model, which has featured no residuals and low margins on devices — a recipe for disinterest among many channel partners. Nonetheless, some CLECs have grown savvy to that reluctance and started to respond with new tweaks on old thinking because, let’s face it, wireless isn’t going away.
Even so, as mobility dominates the communications world, competitive providers and indirect partners alike must adjust their financial hopes. Wireless products and services don’t look or act like wireline, so mobility commissions cannot imitate their fixed-line counterparts. For example, companies buy analog or IP desk phones once every few years, at the most. Such a sale comes with little need for maintenance and certainly doesn’t carry a “new every two" expectation. That keeps margins high. With wireless, though, device upgrades, replacements and service plan changes all have the power to eat into profits and scare away agents.
But customers aren’t leaving agents much choice about selling wireless — they want all of their communications services from the same trusted adviser. Thus, meeting as many of a customer’s telecom service needs as possible “is the wave to ride," said Rich Powers, senior product manager at TelePacific Communications Inc. That’s why operators and partners must find middle ground when it comes to compensation. And in some cases, that’s already happening.
Some CLECs have sold wireless for several years and others are new to the game. For those in the sector a few years, like Cbeyond Inc., enticing agents from the beginning was key. Having partners on board has grown even more important since that time in 2006, as wireless substitution has spread from consumers to SMBs and enterprises. Now, businesses want an entire communications package from one supplier. For Cbeyond agents, then, mobility grew into an add-on to wireline. That’s why Cbeyond gives a one-time, per-device or per-line payment on the wireless side, while still doling out residuals on wireline products.
The method seems to work well for the Georgia-headquartered CLEC. “Enough agents are proponents that we’ve had success in the channel," said Brent Cobb, chief revenue and customer officer for Cbeyond. Part of the reason is that Cbeyond takes a unique view toward voice billing. It views landline long-distance minutes, toll-free minutes, conferencing minutes and mobile minutes as all the same. Users don’t have to worry about exceeding minutes on any one device. If overages occur, Cbeyond charges 5 cents per minute, whether it’s a wireline or wireless service. So, even though Cbeyond doesn’t offer residuals on mobility, its partners receive ample incentive overall.


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Disagreements over FRAND licensing must be settled by telecoms experts and arbitrators, not judges and regulators, says Bill Merritt, CEO of InterDigital, in an interview with WIPR.
Patent disputes are not a sign of illness—they are a sign of wellness,” says Bill Merritt, CEO of mobile technology research and development company InterDigital. “I would be really troubled if there were no patent disputes because that would suggest this is one sleepy industry,” he adds.
Founded in 1972, InterDigital designs and develops technologies used in digital cellular and wireless products and networks, including 2G, 3G and 4G. Spurred on by 180 engineers, it has 19,000 patents and patent applications. The company is a key contributor to global standards and, as a consequence, is actively involved in the licensing of standard-essential patents (SEPs).
The SEP field has witnessed many high-profile court disputes and regulatory investigations in the past few years, with authorities scrutinising SEPs’ licensing on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. Although Merritt fails to see why FRAND discussions are perceived as complex—“I’ve done this for 25 years, and it’s a very straightforward set of words”—he is a big believer in arbitration as the best means to resolve disputes.
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UNIONDALE, N.Y. (1010 WINS) — Police are looking for two groups of people behind two separate robberies at Long Island's Roosevelt Field mall.
In the first robbery, a 2023 gray GMC Yukon and a 2023 white GMC Sierra parked at the mall were taken just before 11 p.m. Sunday. The combined value of the two cars was estimated to be more than $150,000.
The vehicles were being stored at this location on behalf of a GMC dealership.
In the second heist, five people, an unknown number of suspects, walked into Ethan Jordan Jewelers inside the mall on Tuesday at 4 p.m., according to police.
Two women in the group began selecting various items from the store displays.
The group then diverted the sales clerk's attention, and the two women concealed nearly $140,000 in merchandise and removed it from the store without permission or payment.
Investigations into both robberies are ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS or call 911. All callers will remain anonymous.


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Spafinder Wellness 365® announced the winners of the inaugural global Wellness Travel Awards, which were presented at a press event held at the World Travel Market in London. The new awards reflect the significance of the $494 billion worldwide wellness tourism market and are the first to honor destination spas, hotels, resorts and retreats around the world dedicated to offering experiences and environments that leave visitors healthier when they check out than when they checked in.
An elite panel of 26 travel and wellness industry journalists and experts nominated 373 locations for the awards; consumers across the globe then cast votes for the nominees. Online voting took place June 18 through September 19, and those nominees that received the most votes were named winners.
The results indicate that “wellness” means different things to different people:
Many consumers voted for five-star hotels like the Four Seasons, which won 10 awards, two Crystal/continent awards and eight county awards –and has introduced creative offerings on the wellness front.
Some picked family-friendly options such as “Best for Families” winner, Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Oahu, Hawaii, where the family can choose from healthy food options and mom can relish a relaxing massage. And others cast their votes for exotic locations like Blue Lagoon in Grindavik, Iceland (“Best for Mineral or Hot Springs“) or designations where they can practice their fitness favorites, like Parrot Cay by Como in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos (“Best for Yoga”).
In all, people around the world cast votes for six Crystal Awards, 41 Country Awards and 18 Category Awards
Crystal Awards Honor Top Properties on Six Continents: Coveted Crystal Awards were given to the top wellness travel destinations on six (habitable) continents. Notably, Four Seasons properties won Crystal Awards in both Asia and Europe.
Africa: La Mamounia (Marrakech, Morocco)
Asia: Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan (Bali, Indonesia)
Australia: Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat (Queensland, Australia)
Europe: George V Paris Four Seasons (Paris, France)
North America: Canyon Ranch (Brand-Wide, U.S.)
South America: Lapinha Spa (Lapa, Brazil)
Country and Category Awards: In addition to the Crystal Awards, consumers voted for their favorite wellness travel destinations in 41 countries, from Vietnam to Chile. Four Seasons properties were once again in the spotlight, winning awards in Argentina, Egypt, France, India, Malaysia, the Maldives, Morocco and Russia. The Lifehouse Spa & Hotel, located in Essex, took honors for the UK, and Ste. Anne’s Spa in Grafton, Ontario, won the Country Award for Canada.
Voters also recognized top destinations in 18 “Best for” categories, with well-known Miraval Resort and Spa and Canyon Ranch Tucson, both located in Arizona, garnering five and four awards, respectively. Additionally, category winners included Blue Lagoon in Grindavik, Iceland (“Best for Mineral or Hot Springs“); Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Oahu, Hawaii (“Best for Families”); and Parrot Cay by Como in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos (“Best for Yoga”). Salamander Resort and Spa in Virginia was voted “Best New Wellness Travel Property.”
Mia Kyricos, chief brand officer of Spafinder Wellness, Inc.®, who announced the awards at the press event alongside John Bevan, managing director of Spafinder’s European division, said, “We are honored to recognize the importance of wellness tourism to consumers worldwide who are seeking healthy travel options, whether they are in St. Petersburg on business or enjoying a rejuvenating vacation in New Zealand. As a company that has been in this business for nearly 30 years, it’s gratifying to see so many engaged by this awards program, and it is just the beginning.”
Spafinder Wellness 365 defines wellness travel “as vacations, getaways and business trips that help travelers stay (or get) healthy by offering unique options, such as healthy cuisine or programs that allow guests to relax and rejuvenate.”
Kyricos also noted wellness tourism grew 74 percent faster than global tourism overall (12.7 percent versus 7.3 percent) between 2012 and 2013, and that growth was especially strong in developing regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa (57 percent); the Middle East/North Africa (39 percent); Asia-Pacific (21 percent); and Latin America (16 percent), during that same timeframe**. The Wellness Travel Awards recognized numerous spas, hotels and resorts in these regions, many of them new to travelers.
“The awards are an industry accolade and an important consumer guide,” said Kyricos. “And these winners are just a few of the thousands of wellness destinations that are dedicated to providing healthy travel experiences for every budget and every interest. Keeping well differs for everyone, and the awards reflect the many paths to wellness that are offered around the globe.”
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New: Moral Compass: Great Places to Go Where the Going Does Good
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- Green Growth
- Your Consultant
10:00 | 31/03/2020
Vietnam keeps a firm hand on the rudder as ASEAN chair as it continues to take the initiative in directly working with regional nations and ...
08:00 | 30/03/2020
As 5G has already gone live in several markets around the world, people are getting a first-hand experience of the technology. Denis Brunetti, president of ...
17:52 | 27/03/2020
Foreign investors’ capital into Vietnam has totaled 8.55 billion USD so far this year, 21% less than the same period last year, according to the ...
17:07 | 27/03/2020
Two tourism products in Vietnam have won at the ASEAN Tourism Awards Japan 2019 – an annual ceremony organised by the ASEAN-Japan Centre.
22:09 | 26/03/2020
The COVID-19 outbreak has hit fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) businesses but not all categories and retailers will suffer negative impacts, according to global data and ...
10:23 | 26/03/2020
The finance ministry’s recent cut and exemption of some securities service fees won't urgently help soothe investor nerves over the spread of the COVID-19 and ...
13:33 | 25/03/2020
The Ministry of Health announced on March 25 that it has detected a total of seven flights which recently landed in Vietnam with passengers who ...
14:00 | 24/03/2020
Vietnam’s efforts to combat water shortages and saline intrusion in the Mekong Delta and climate change impacts in other regions have been fuelled by the ...
11:58 | 24/03/2020
While Vietnamese officials are still battling the spread of COVID-19, a state of emergency has been declared in the Mekong Delta, where the most serious ...
11:57 | 24/03/2020
Vietnam is moving swiftly to introduce a slew of economic measures to support businesses amid escalating woes.


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Phoenix Paper is proud to announce the latest addition to their Premier Treated Inkjet Line of quality papers with the release of Premier Inkjet Envelope TM. This new addition to the Phoenix Paper product line including Phoenix Premier Treated TM and Phoenix Premier Book TM solidifies Phoenix Paper’s dedication to inkjet technology and the critical role paper plays in helping today’s commercial printers maximize their inkjet investment and increase offerings to their customers.
The creation of Phoenix Paper’s Premier Inkjet Envelope is in large part based on customer feedback, the launch of new inkjet printing equipment, as well as direct mail industry trends. According to a recent article* in Printing Impressions, “Direct mail printing remains a bullish industry segment, especially for highly personalized, data-driven mail pieces output on production inkjet printing presses.”
The power of personalization results in increased response rates, customer loyalty, and brand recognition. “Today’s commercial printers who are investing in inkjet can now extend customization beyond the inside of the envelope and offer their customers even greater impact in their direct mail pieces,” said Tom Umenhofer, Sales Director, Phoenix Paper.
As more and more manufactures come out with inkjet envelope printing solutions, the need for an envelope media specifically designed for inkjet is becoming more and more prevalent. “We’re excited to see that Phoenix Paper is coming out with media that supports the latest envelope inkjet printing technology. This paper gives our customers an opportunity to capitalize on the growing trend toward customization and high-quality envelope printing”, said a prominent executive at a national envelope converting company.
“At Phoenix Paper we’re flexible enough to keep up with the latest technology and market trends. The release of an envelope media targeting inkjet solutions provided by manufacturers is a direct response to market demand. It’s also a winning hat trick. Win for the manufacturers, win for Phoenix Paper, but most of all a win for the customer,” said Tom Umenhofer, Sales Director.
*Printing Industry Trends Reflected in 2023 Printing Impressions 300 Ranking of Largest Printers” by Mark Michelson
To request trial rolls of any of the Phoenix Premier Inkjet Line and for further inquiries, customers may contact a customer service representative at email@example.com


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Popular MDH sambar masala is being withdrawn from shelves after the US Food and Drug Authority found the Salmonella bacteria in its products. The company has now said that its withdrawing at least three lots of the product from the shelves.
Salmonella bacteria is extremely harmful to the human body as consumption of contaminated by salmonella can cause salmonellosis, whose common symptoms are diarrohea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating the contaminated product.
According to news agency IANS, the recalled MDH sambar masala was distributed in northern California retail stores. The decision to recall was taken the FDA discovered that the Salmonella contaminated products were distributed.
“Consumers who have purchased the MDH SAMBAR MASALA, 3.5 oz (100g) are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund,” House Of Spices, which distributes MDH products in the US, said in the statement.
The FDA, according to Indian Express, said in an official release on the move, “This product was tested by FDA through a certified laboratory to be positive for Salmonella.” It added, “The recall was initiated after it was discovered by the FDA that the salmonella contaminated products were distributed.”
According to Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, Salmonella causes about 1.2 million illnesses, 23,000 hospitalizations, and 450 deaths in the United States every year. Among these illnesses, about 1.1 million are acquired in the United States. Among the illnesses acquired in the United States, CDC estimates that food is the source for about 1 million illnesses, 19,000 hospitalizations, and 380 deaths.


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Ford says hydrogen engine is getting close to consumer ready
Ford started making the H2ICE shuttles last summer, and they don't come cheap - $250,000 is the going rate - but they have a much cleaner tailpipe than cheaper gasoline-powered buses; they get better mileage, too. iTWire writer WIlliam Atkins doesn't give us a lot of details in his article on Ford's happiness with its hydrogen engine plans, just that "Ford hopes to begin mass production of these vehicles for the U.S. driving public." That leaves us with more questions than hope, if you ask me.
- Most and least efficient car companies
- Fastest-depreciating cars in the United States
- Find and compare 2017 Models


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Nearly half of all family businesses in the CEE region plan changes in ownership within the next 5 years. But most of them don’t have clear processes in place for this turnover and require restructuring to be competitive in the future.
Family businesses have been growing rapidly across the region since the big social change in the early 1990's. Now, 20-25 years on, many of the founders face the biggest task: how to hand over the leadership to a younger member of the family. As many pioneering business owners approach retirement, 40% plan changes in ownership within the next 5 years. At the same time, many are looking to improve growth and profitability by expanding international sales, transforming operations, and investing in technology.
The next generation
According to PwC's latest global report 61% of CEE family businesses plan to pass down ownership to the next generation at some point in the future, while 28% plan to sell or float the business. PwC interviewed 2,378 family businesses in 40 countries worldwide, including 162 in Central and Eastern Europe.
To take over management effectively, next generation leaders need experience before taking the helm. So it is rather surprising that most CEE family businesses do not have a clear successor or formal succession plan in place. Only 39% of them have a succession plan for at least some roles compared to 53% globally. Likewise, only 29% of CEE family businesses currently have next generation family members working for the business, compared with 55% globally.
Conflicts about the management of the business can have terrible consequences on family relationships, while family issues – such as death, divorce, illness or accident – can throw the business into disarray. Having clear processes in place can prevent disagreements about the business from escalating into family crises, and vice versa. However, only 52% of CEE family businesses have a procedure in place to deal with conflict. This is much lower than the global average of 83%
Growing despite challenging markets
Despite the difficult climate, family businesses continue to perform well and are optimistic. 67% of CEE family businesses have grown in the last 12 months and 90% are aiming to grow over the next 5 years. More than half of family businesses in Central and Eastern Europe sees geopolitical risks as a threat to growth - 54% see the economic situation and political instability as key challenges over the next 5 years, while 51% are concerned about market instability.
As family-owned businesses in CEE mature, they are looking to evolve their entrepreneurial culture to a more structured approach. They are increasingly investing into making their operations more professional and corporate. Within CEE, 52% of respondents pointed out the need to “professionalise” as one of their key challenges. This was significantly higher than the global average of 40%. Finding the right staff is a key success factor in creating a more professional organization, and 61% of CEE family businesses see attracting the right talent as a key challenge over the next 5 years.
Technology and innovation
The pace of technological change is a major force in the market and 43% of CEE family businesses believe that technology will transform business over the next 5 years. Furthermore, 73% of them see the opportunity to raise awareness of their organization through digital channels. To take advantage of these new opportunities, 70% see the need to adopt to the new digital landscape.
Overall, CEE family businesses are less focused on innovation than their global colleagues. 46% of family businesses in CEE are focused on the need to innovate as a key challenge, compared to 64% globally. As business becomes increasingly international, CEE companies could face greater threats from more innovative foreign competitors entering their market.
Good successors in Hungary
There are plenty of good examples to demonstrate that the next generation is capable to take over the management of a family business. Let's take the famous Zwack family. In 2008, after 20 years as Chairman of the Board, Péter Zwack passed the baton to his son, Sándor, while his daughter Izabella also became a member of the Board of Directors. In this way family tradition has continued into the sixth generation. Since then Zwack has managed to increase sales and introduced new products. Apart from working for the 225 years old company Izabella now runs a winary on her own.
Foreign markets offer growth opportunities
CEE family businesses are looking to new markets for growth. 78% of family businesses in Central and Eastern Europe currently sell to foreign markets, and on average, international sales account for 21% of revenue. CEE companies are looking to increase international sales to 29% by 2019, and the vast majority plan to expand mainly within Europe.


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Being central Florida Jeep® dealers, we get excited whenever one of our vehicles wins an award. So, you can imagine how thrilled we are to tell you that two Jeep SUVs won top honors at this year’s Mudfest.
For the 23rd year in a row, journalists from the Northwest Automotive Press Association spent several days testing vehicles on a combination of on- and off-road courses. This year, crossovers, SUVs, and pickups faced off in the following six automotive categories:
- Premium Compact
- Extreme Capability
Based on the evaluations performed by the 28 NWAPA judges, the all-new 2017 Jeep Compass took top honors in the Compact Utility Vehicle segment. The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee won the top spot in the Premium Utility Vehicle category.
“The Jeep Compass and [Jeep] Grand Cherokee Trailhawk faced tough competition at the Northwest Outdoor Activity Vehicle of the Year Competition, but took the crown for Best Compact Utility Vehicle and Premium Utility Vehicle,” said Tuan Huynh, NWAPA Mudfest Event Chair. “Jeep vehicles are renowned for going off the beaten path and this duo’s extreme off-road capability with competent on-road performance earned the votes of Northwest Automotive Press Association members.”
“We’re thrilled the Northwest Automotive Press Association has recognized both the all-new Jeep Compass and our [Jeep] Grand Cherokee Trailhawk with their prestigious awards,” said Mike Manley, Head of Jeep Brand – FCA Global. “This marks further recognition for [the Jeep] Grand Cherokee – the most awarded SUV ever – while [the Jeep] Compass earns high praise just as it arrives in Jeep showrooms across the country. We’re equally delighted that consumers are now enjoying the unmatched [Jeep] Compass capability that impressed the NWAPA members.”
Do you want to see why the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee and the all-new 2017 Jeep Compass won these coveted awards? Visit Fields Chrysler Jeep Dodge RAM Sanford to take one of these capable, versatile Jeep vehicles for a test drive today.


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Looks attractive. Jobs for thousands as Kenya develops a huge rose growing industry. The video shows the problem of carbon emission from flights carrying the produce round the world.
The producers say that this is offset by the fact there is no need to heat the greenhouses to bring on the flowers as in Europe. What the report doesn’t say is where all the water needed to grow the roses comes from. Other flower growing ventures have illegally diverted water from rivers giving people lower downstream problems. Presumably the industry is not owned by Africans whose labour is used extensively. While the fact that many have access to work, how sustainable is the venture and whose interests does it ultimately serve?
Once again it appears that international capitalism led by the United States determines the future of African countries. Of course Africa is not alone but its states are vulnerable to all sorts of exploitation of mineral wealth, natural resources and labour force. And there is massive competition for the spoils from China, although the Chinese bring their own labour so while exploitation might be avoided there neither do Africans get much benefit apart from cheap consumer goods which are sold everywhere.
My apologies that comments are currently disabled because of the constant and systematic abuse of the facility.


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Former Hacking Team supplier stops selling zero-day exploits on ethical grounds
Italian surveillance software maker Hacking Team recently claimed that it hasn’t lost any customers after the massive leak of its internal data two weeks ago. But it has lost at least one business partner: U.S.-based penetration testing specialist and zero-day exploit broker Netragard.
Over the weekend, Netragard announced that it is terminating its long-time running Exploit Acquisition Program (EAP), citing revelations about Hacking Team’s customers as one of the reasons.
Set up in 1999, EAP allowed Netragard to broker the sale of exploits for unpatched vulnerabilities—also known as zero-day exploits—between private researchers and select organizations interested in such computer intrusion tools.


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KICC asks court to stop property auction in Sh716 million unpaid bills row
Companies are seeking payments for services provided during the WTO Ministerial conference in 2015.
The companies are seeking payments for services provided during the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial conference in 2015.
KICC CEO Nana Gecaga in an affidavit, however, claimed that the procurement procedure was dubious and therefore wants court protection as the bills are verified.
“I am apprehesince that by attaching the corporation property or exposing its inability to meet its world trade organisation ministerial conference has the potential effect of bringing its functions to a standstill or throwing into disarray its (KICC) functioning. contrary to public interests and policy,” she said.
Ms Gecaga argues that there were changes in the management of the KICC which called for fresh audit of the bills.
She also noted that some claimants have threatened to malign KICC's name in the local dailies with a view to coerce the corporation into paying the bills before verification is complete.
At least 28 entities are demanding payments from KICC totalling Sh716 million, including a Sh80 million by the Kenya Revenue Authority.
The KICC chief executive says the corporation will suffer severe harm and business loss should its property be attached or the exposure allowed to continue.
The Auditor-General and the Attorney-General have been listed as interested parties.
Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:


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UTime Ltd. (Nasdaq: UTME) has enjoyed a striking good debut Tuesday after last week's postponement. In the afternoon, shares in the Chinese budget phone maker traded 602% above issue price, at $28.07 apiece.
UTime priced its offering at $4 per share, the low end of the expected range of $4 to $5. The company sold 3.8 million shares and raised $15.2 million for purposes including expanding in the U.S. market. Earlier today, UTME stock surged over 1000% on heavy volume and has halted a number of times.
Boustead Securities, Brilliant Norton Securities, and Fosun Hani Securities are underwriting the deal.
UTime appeared on Nasdaq’s schedule for planned lift-off on April 1, but was taken off the IPO list by midday. Bloomberg interpreted the numerous delays early this quarter as a sign of market weakness, citing the postponements and size reductions across global exchanges. Chinese company Smart Share Global Ltd. (Nasdaq: EM) was among those that experienced the IPO troubles first-hand as it debuted on Friday.
Today, however, UTime celebrates with fanfare, enjoying U.S. investors’ interest toward small-cap Chinese companies.
The company first publicly filed for a U.S. listing in March 2020, showing declining sales. A year later, however, its updated financial data shows an upturn. In the six months through September, UTime booked $26.3 million in revenue, nearly doubled from the same period of 2019. The company also turned up profit in the six months, posting nearly 7 million yuan ($1 million) in income in contrast to losses of 9.8 million yuan.
Based in Shenzhen, UTime sells cost-effective mobile devices to consumers globally, including the United States, India, Brazil, and some countries in South Asia, Africa, and Europe. It has subsidiaries operating in Hong Kong and India. The company also provides manufacturing services to other makers of electronics.
The company plans to use the IPO capital to grow its U.S. branch, expand global sales and distribution teams, increase promotions, launch 4G feature phones and develop Bluetooth glasses, according to the prospectus.


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Radiohead announced today that they will be releasing a limited edition 7″ record of “Burn the Witch” and “Spectre” to independent UK record stores tomorrow, May 13, and to select stores internationally soon.
We’ll keep you updated on the international release.
During Thom’s co-host stint earlier this morning on Gilles Peterson’s show, he dropped the following news:
“The Eraser Band that I got together, we’re going to do something, hopefully in April. Just small gigs, and then maybe that’s going to lead somewhere as well – there’s lots of stuff going on.”
While pursuing his solo project, Yorke assured Radiohead fans that the band are still keeping busy in the studio: “There’s a lot that’s underway at the moment. My trouble is trying to keep up, but I prefer it that way.”
It was announced yesterday that Thom’s “Eraser Band” will be performing at Coachella April 16-18.
As previously reported, Gnarls Barkley recently covered “Reckoner” during their performance at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark. Up until now, we had a crappy video clip to show you. Here’s a much better version:


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Stellantis, the automotive powerhouse formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA Group in 2021, has revealed a significant breakthrough in its efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The company has announced that 24 different types of internal combustion engines used in European vehicles since 2014 can effectively run on advanced e-fuels without requiring any modifications. This development is part of Stellantis’s overarching strategy to decarbonize its European vehicle fleet.
E-fuels as a Viable Option
The news comes in the wake of a recent decision by the European Union to grant a legal exemption allowing vehicles powered by e-fuels to remain in circulation beyond the previously mandated 2035 deadline for phasing out carbon dioxide-emitting cars. Stellantis’s announcement demonstrates a substantial commitment to shrinking the carbon footprint of its existing vehicle lineup.
Testing and Validation
Stellantis, which boasts an impressive portfolio of automotive brands such as Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Opel, Jeep, and Maserati, conducted rigorous testing on these engines. The company collaborated with Saudi oil giant Aramco to utilize synthetic e-fuels in the evaluation process. According to Stellantis, the successful adoption of low-carbon e-fuels in approximately 28 million European vehicles could potentially slash the continent’s CO2 emissions by a staggering 400 million metric tons between 2025 and 2050.
The Environmental Impact
E-fuels are positioned as a game-changing solution in the quest to curb carbon emissions from existing internal combustion engines. These fuels have the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by a remarkable 70% when compared to conventional fuels when considering the entire life cycle of a vehicle. However, it’s important to note that the effectiveness of this reduction relies on vehicle owners choosing to use e-fuels over traditional gasoline or diesel.
Stellantis’s Commitment to Sustainability
Stellantis has set ambitious environmental goals, aiming to slash its carbon footprint in half compared to 2021 levels by the year 2030. The ultimate objective is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2038. This initiative aligns seamlessly with the broader automotive industry trend of exploring cleaner and more sustainable alternatives to traditional fossil fuels.
Challenges on the Horizon
While the results of these tests hold great promise, the widespread adoption of e-fuels still faces several challenges. The development of necessary infrastructure, consumer preferences, and government policies will significantly influence the success of e-fuels as a mainstream automotive fuel source. Nevertheless, Stellantis’s resolute commitment to reducing emissions from its existing vehicles marks a significant stride toward a greener and more sustainable automotive industry in Europe.
Tags: Advanced e-fuels for carbon reduction Carbon emissions reduction in automotive industry E-fuels and carbon neutrality European vehicles and e-fuels Stellantis e-fuels compatibility Stellantis sustainability initiatives