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We take pride in producing domestic energy thereby reducing our country’s dependence on foreign energy sources.
While the industry continues to evolve with the development of new technologies and discoveries, PENNECO is well positioned to adapt to and capitalize on this dynamic environment. Our company has withstood the test of time, growing ever stronger year by year.We are excited about the future and building upon our legacy with you as our Energy Exploration Partner.
- ‘It’s so horrible that I want to buy it’ — Jim Cramer likes these 2 beaten-down tech names that are still posting white-hot revenue growth
- Dow jumps over 300 points after retail sales data as investors await Fed’s Powell
- Stock market news live updates: Stocks jump ahead of Powell remarks as markets attempt comeback
- Walmart Q1 earnings miss estimates as inflation weighs on profits
- Home Depot Sees Record First-Quarter Sales. The Stock Is Rising.


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Krispy Kreme is celebrating the Day of the Dozens on Dec.12 (get it: 12/12?) by offering customers a dozen of their "Original Glazed" doughnuts for $4.99.
No coupon is needed for the special price. Doughnut lovers can just show up at participating locations for the tasty deal.
“We look forward to the Day of the Dozens each year, and we figured there was no better way than to create a massive clock made of doughnuts as a way our fans can join us in the countdown,” said Jackie Woodward, Chief Marketing Officer at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. “There is always a reason to celebrate at this time of year, and offering a dozen of our signature Original Glazed doughnuts for $4.99 on the Day of the Dozens is just another way for our guests to spread joy and the holiday spirit with their colleagues, families and friends.”
Krispy Kreme will countdown to the event starting on Dec. 10 with a clock made entirely out of — what else — doughnuts at www.krispykreme.com/dayofthedozens.

domain: news


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Warburg Pincus completes B&L acquisition
ROCHESTER, N.Y. Bausch & Lomb and Warburg Pincus on Friday announced that Warburg Pincus has completed the acquisition of B&L for a total purchase price of approximately $4.5 billion, including the assumption of approximately $830 million in debt.
The company’s stock ceased trading on the New York Stock Exchange and was delisted by close of market Friday, the company announced.
“With a strong and supportive partner in Warburg Pincus, we are well-positioned to create new opportunities for Bausch & Lomb and advance our leadership in the eye health industry,” stated Ronald Zarrella, chairman and chief executive officer of B&L. “Our customers will continue to receive high levels of service, product quality and innovation, and our commitment to serving their needs remains steadfast.”
NAD recommends ad modifications for Estroven
NEW YORK The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus on Wednesday recommended that Amerifit Brands modify advertising for its Estroven brand dietary supplement.
NAD examined evidence that included a number of studies on ingredients that found in Estroven, including black cohosh and valerian root. However, NAD determined that in the absence of any testing on the product itself, the advertiser’s “clinically proven” claims for Estroven were unsupported and recommended that they be discontinued.
NAD did, however, find that the totality of the research indicated that these ingredients can “help” accomplish the claimed benefits. Accordingly, NAD recommended that the advertiser discontinue its clinically proven claims, but noted that it may make certain milder, ingredient performance claims—that Estroven contains black cohosh, isoflavones and valerian root, ingredients that may help reduce the symptoms associated with menopause and in the case of valerian root, may help one sleep.
NAD also found that Amerifit provided a reasonable basis to support its sales and preference claims that “Estroven is the No. 1 pharmacist recommended supplement for menopause…” and “Estroven, with clinically proven ingredients, is the No. 1 choice among women for natural support during menopause,” as well as the claim that “Estroven is America’s top-selling women’s dietary supplement.”
Matrixx CEO predicts retailers will stock cough/cold medicines in a timelier manner
PHOENIX The purchase of cough and cold items by retailers may more closely correspond with illness rates going forward as opposed to seeing a significant purchase spike just before the cough and cold season in August, Carl Johnson, president and chief executive officer of Matrixx Initiatives, revealed in a press statement Wednesday regarding Matrixx’ most recent quarterly results.
“Over the past couple of years, we have seen our largest retail customers trim the size of their pre-season purchases—which had generally occurred in August and September—and focus on repurchasing inventory as consumption levels increase during the cold season,” he said. “We expect that trend to continue as the consolidation in the industry and growth of several national chains has allowed retailers to manage inventory at tighter levels and replenish store shelves in a timelier manner. We believe this shift in behavior will spread retail orders over the entire cold season compared to the large early inventory buys in previous years, which were sold down throughout the season.”


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How small-business issues are shaping politics and policy.
We have just published an article exploring what appears to be a burgeoning trend among big businesses: helping small businesses — with loans, mentoring, new opportunities and sometimes a combination of all three. While the story focuses on the efforts of Boston Beer Company, large companies across the commercial spectrum, including financial giants and national retailers, have joined in.
But if you ask Matthew Griffin, a small-business owner in Carmel, Ind., what’s the best thing big businesses can do to help small businesses, he would probably say: pay their bills promptly.
Mr. Griffin, owns Baker’s Edge, which makes serpentine baking pans (“The Brownie Pan for Edge Lovers!”) sold at specialty kitchen stores and some catalogs. In 2009, he said, several of the retailers he sells to announced in mid-contract that they were changing their payment terms to 90 days from 30 days, which had been standard. Another one of his retailers, Costco Wholesale, Mr. Griffin said, insisted from the outset that it would pay bills in 60 days.
“I’m burning up my line of credit, paying interest, and they’re dragging their feet,” said Mr. Griffin, who employs two people directly and said he supports the equivalent of another three to six jobs at the contract factory in Minnesota that makes his pans. “You’re the smallest guy on the totem pole, and you feel like you’re carrying the largest amount of risk and debt to feed the larger beast.”
In recent years, giant companies — and not just retailers — have used their size to rewrite the rules for paying the small businesses that supply them with inventory, products for own their use, and services. And though Mr. Griffin first noticed this after the recession hit, many of the companies engaging in this practice are not exactly hard up for cash.
In early 2011, Jeffrey Leonard, a clean-tech private equity fund manager, wrote in the Washington Monthly that Cisco Systems was increasing its payment time from 30 to 60 days, despite handsome profits and nearly $39 billion in cash on its balance sheet. In June, the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple, Wal-Mart, and Ford Motor Company were among corporations that had increased the amount of time they take to pay vendors. And Costco, which takes 60 days to pay Mr. Griffin, has about $5 billion on hand.
Alan Bubitz, a vice president and general merchandise manager at Costco, said that at that store, payment times to vendors are negotiated and are generally tied to the time it takes to sell the merchandise. “We want to sell the merchandise before we have to pay for it, and in essence the vendor will fund the inventory,” Mr. Bubitz said. “So if it takes us 60 days to sell the merchandise, and he wants to be paid in 10, we’re sitting on the cost of money. It’s not a very good way to do business.”
The founder of Boston Beer, Jim Koch, said that when he was starting out, he, too, had difficulty getting customers to pay, which of course rankled him, since many of his customers were “large, well-capitalized businesses, while I was scrounging for money and paying credit card rates.”
His solution? He asked his customers if they would pay him in five days rather than 30, just for the first year. “I would explain to them, I’m just starting out,” he said, “I’m solid — ’cause you don’t want them to think you’re going to go broke — but if you pay me faster, I’m going to put it back into Sam Adams, and you’ll make more money selling it.”
More often than not, Mr. Koch said, simply posing the question worked. If it didn’t, he’d offer a 1- percent discount for a five-day payment. “Every company has standard practices around this sort of thing. It doesn’t mean it’s not negotiable,” Mr. Koch said. “There’s always someone with discretion, to help you out. Most small businesses don’t ask, and if they do, they take the first no. Generally, the first person you deal with doesn’t have the discretion to change the policy. Don’t take no from somebody who’s not authorized to say yes.”
You’re more likely to get that yes, Mr. Koch said, if you couch the proposition in “win-win” terms. “It doesn’t have to be business or financial — it can be a good deed,” he said. “It makes people feel good to say yes. And as a customer, they generally want to see you succeed.”
As for the terms Boston Beer sets for its own vendors, a spokesman e-mailed to say that payment is on average 45 days, “but there is a significant range around that average.” In our conversation, Mr. Koch said that payment varied by the type of transaction. “Some people you E.F.T.” — electronic funds transfer — “money right away, some you pay in 30 days, some we pay in 60 days.”
But, he said, the distinction is not based on the vendor’s size. And “if somebody asks us to pay them early, then we’ll pay them faster,” he continued. “We might ask for a 1-percent discount. But like most things, it’s ultimately negotiable.”
What’s been your experience? Are you having problems getting big companies to pay quickly? Have you tried to negotiate with them? And what do you make of Boston Beer’s efforts to help small food and beverage businesses?


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French dairy giant Bel Group aim to have vegan Babybel cheese in US supermarkets by next year, with plans for more products to follow.
According to reports, nostalgic lunchbox item Babybel will be launched in a dairy-free version in US supermarkets next year.
French cheese giant Bel Group aims to go beyond just Babybel, releasing a plant-based version of Boursin soft cheese available to purchase on Amazon Fresh by the end of this month.
It also plans to launch a vegan offering for each of its core brands, which also includes The Laughing Cow, with the intention to introduce a new international brand dedicated to vegan products.
The company had previously made a commitment to becoming a more sustainable and healthy brand in a statement last October, introducing its new signature: “For All. For Good.” Therefore, the plans to branch out into the dairy-free market may come as no surprise to some.
“Five generations into its history, our company has reached a milestone,” Antoine Fievet, Chairman and CEO of the Bel Group, said in a statement.
“We are today confronted with the challenge of feeding a growing world population, while preserving our planet’s resources. The food business model that we all know is obsolete. It’s time to open the road to healthier and responsible food for all. And we food manufacturers must provide real answers.”
The Bel Group’s desire to delve into the plant-based market can only be a positive thing, and we hope that they bring their vegan cheese to the UK soon after!
Discover all the latest vegan product launches here.


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From the Heartbleed bug to large-scale (and highly publicized) data breaches, Shellshock to mobile threats—2014 did not leave us wanting for more in the security sphere. I’ve already discussed my predictions for 2015, and now I’d like to reflect on some of the most important security events of 2014 and what we’ve learned along the way.
First things first: Heartbleed
It seems like a lifetime ago that we first heard the term ‘Heartbleed’ and realized what an impact it could (and would) have to personal data security on the Web. In fact, it was just eight months ago, though much has happened since.
The discovery of Heartbleed prompted Internet users around the globe to update their passwords, for fear of leaked information, while developers scrambled to update their OpenSSL as quickly as possible. Referred to as the most widespread and perhaps debilitating vulnerability discovered to date, Heartbleed set the stage for a crippling year of cyber security threats. Unfortunately, many sites remain vulnerable. To ensure that you’re using trusted websites—use our Heartbleed Checker tool or download the app now.
Point-of-sale breaches: en vogue
Target, Goodwill, Albertsons, and P.F. Chang’s. These are just a handful of the companies that suffered large-scale data breaches at their point-of-sale systems in 2014. As cybercriminals continue to evolve their methods, and companies weather their attacks in the public eye, the need for strong security is more apparent than ever. From a consumer standpoint, the need to keep transactions isolated to a single (or one-time-use) credit card is also more apparent than ever. As these companies work to secure their systems and data , we too can shrink our attack surface and lessen any potential damage that may be felt from a breach by being smart about how and where we spend.
In addition to using a one-time-use credit card, you should check your financial statements on a weekly basis (at least). If you notice any suspicious activity, notify your bank at once.
Shellshock makes waves
As if one Internet-wide threat wasn’t enough for the year, Shellshock emerged in September just as many companies were picking up the pieces from Heartbleed. Shellshock is a vulnerability found in Bash (software used by millions of computers) that enables hackers to directly attack servers, routers and computers that are storing your personal information. Though it was discovered this year, our team at McAfee Labs™ anticipates that its effects will be felt for years to come.
Because it’s a software vulnerability, there is unfortunately not much you can do to protect yourself from Shellshock. Rather, device manufacturers bear the burden of updating their products so that they’re no long vulnerable. What you can do to help protect your data is update your devices as soon as software updates are made available. This will help ensure that you have the latest patches for bugs—as soon as they’re discovered and remediated.
Mobile threats: all shapes and sizes
Attacks on mobile devices came in all shapes and sizes this year, and they’re only expected to increase in 2015. From the “celebgate” attack that leaked the nude photos of many popular celebrities, to mobile spyware and attacks on Internet of Things devices, it has become apparent that hackers have found their new target(s) of choice. To protect your mobile devices from threats to come, I encourage you all to install our free mobile product, McAfee Mobile Security, on your Android or iOS device. It will help protect against known threats, and ensure that your personal life remains personal.
Follow us to stay updated on all things McAfee and on top of the latest consumer and mobile security threats.


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Cannondale is significantly increasing its investment with Brixia Sport to become the title sponsor of their pro cycling team, newly named “Cannondale Pro Cycling Team” starting Jan.1, 2013.
“Cannondale is excited to partner with Brixia Sport to be the title sponsor of the Cannondale Pro Cycling Team. Innovation leadership is part of our DNA. For the past six years, it has been a thrill to watch the team push their limits on our bikes as we push the boundaries on what those bikes can do,” said Bob Burbank, General Manager, Cannondale. “With the title sponsorship, our dealers and consumers can expect to see us really challenge the status quo and develop programs and opportunities that demonstrate our continued commitment to professional cycling in new and exciting ways that will be undeniably Cannondale.”
Cannondale began its relationship with the team in 2007 as the technical sponsor for the Liquigas Pro Cycling Team. In January of 2010, Cannondale became a co-sponsor of the Liquigas-Cannondale Team. Since 2007, the team has won: three Grand Tours including the Giro d'Italia in 2007 and 2010 and the Vuelta a Espana in 2010; two Tour de France jerseys, including the 2009 Polka Dot and the 2012 Green Jersey; and, countless prestigious individual races.
Throughout the relationship, the team has ridden the race-proven line of Cannondale road bikes including the SuperSix, Slice, Slice RS, Synapse and the recently named “Best Bike in the World” SuperSix EVO Ultimate.
“Fans of the sport and Cannondale can expect to see one of the world's best race team riding on the most exciting bikes available,” said Burbank. “It's truly a partnership in innovation and excellence.”
“We are incredibly pleased with Cannondale's decision to continue and increase its partnership with the team,” said Paolo Zani, President, Brixia Sport. “We share the same goal of furthering a sports project that has produced exciting results in recent years. We are convinced that the Cannondale Pro Cycling Team will be one of the most competitive teams in international cycling. Combining the Italian tradition of cycling with the naturally innovative spirit of a brand like Cannondale will initiate the genesis of an international team that will always be a main contender wherever it competes.”


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updated 07:22 pm EDT, Tue April 23, 2013
CEO claims iPhone 5 best screen
Apple CEO Tim Cook has shed fresh light on Apple's reluctance to build an iPhone with a larger display, while fueling speculation that such a device may be in the works. Answering an analyst question during the company's fiscal Q2 financial conference call, the executive claimed competitors have made sacrifices to resolution, white balance, color quality, screen longevity and portability in their drive to create ever-larger smartphones.
"My view continues to be that the iPhone 5 has the absolute best display in the industry, and we always strive to create the very best display for our customers," Cook said. "We wouldn't ship a larger iPhone while these tradeoffs exist."
The comments echo the opinion once voiced by late CEO Steve Jobs when asked about rumors of a smaller counterpart to the initial 9.7-inch iPads. Jobs had dismissed the 2010 rumors, claiming a seven-inch tablet would be uncomfortable to hold and too small for the software experience, however the company late last year released the iPad mini and appeared to encounter difficulty keeping up with initial demand.
Rumors surrounding a larger iPhone have persisted for years. Apple retained a 3.5-inch display for many generations, eventually stretching only the vertical measurement for the four-inch panel of the iPhone 5. Recent rumors claim Apple is working on a 4.5-inch variant slated for 2014.
The company's Android competition has embraced larger screens, with flagship devices such as Samsung's Galaxy S 4 stretching to five inches with 1920x1080 resolution.
Apple has yet to officially confirm details of its next-generation smartphone. During the conference call, Cook also hinted that no major product announcements may come until the fall, aligning with the timing of previous iPhone unveilings.


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The global consumer electronics market is thriving more than ever. We have seen that consumers are actively and aggressively investing in smart electronics and better technology. We are looking at exponential growth in the industry with consumers becoming further accepting of change in technologies. Products like smart TVs, virtual assistants, ACs, among others, are no more luxury commodities. The global perspective of the coming year seems positive for the consumer electronics market but at the same time, competition in the consumer electronics market has become fierce as new products and innovations constantly influence consumers’ tastes and preferences.
As we see, the demands of consumers are changing and the best way to benefit from that is by keeping ourselves updated with the key trends that are influencing customer’s decisions.
Advancements in 8K TVs, 5G, VR, and AI-powered voice-assistant technologies are driving the market. We have closely been monitoring CES 2019, which is considered to be the biggest consumer electronics expo that showcases the latest and finest technology the global markets have to offer to consumers this year. It has unwittingly influenced the tech decisions of consumers and predicted the wonderful tech advancements of the near future.
We have seen that these days global trends influence and reflect the demands of our national consumers. The enduring growth in the consumer base and penetration of consumer durables has created great opportunities for the growth of the Indian electronics market. With an affluent middle class and the country’s economic growth being on a rapid track, the consumer electronics industry has never before witnessed such fascinating growth. This increase in demand for electronic goods in our country can also be attributed to the increase in demand from households, changing lifestyles of individuals, easier access to credit, and rising disposable incomes. We have seen capital growth in the total production of electronic goods in India over the last couple of years. Rapid electrification in rural areas has also contributed immensely to the rising demand for consumer electronics in India. We have now seen exceptional penetration of consumer electronics in Tier-II and Tier-III cities. A slow but persistent change in consumer behavior has been noticed through the recent years over the adoption of newer technologies.
Awareness has now surged through these Tier-II and Tier-III cities with people living there having easier access to data and the emergence of affordable smartphones.
Consumers are predominantly becoming technologically conscious. They are demanding products that are multi-functional and yet minimal. Largely driven by consumers’ desire for newer, superior, and improved capabilities, this sector is constantly looking for technologies, innovations, or products that not only capture people’s imagination but are also affordable and relevant to solving day-to-day problems. At Truvison, we are focused on delivering quality feature-loaded products across India at economical prices – be it air conditioners, televisions or speaker systems, all our products have achieved great coverage, thanks to our efficient suppliers.
Eco-friendly – Energy-saving gadgets
We have seen a rise in global warming concerns and environmental issues amongst consumers as they are becoming environmentally sensitive; this has influenced the market to move with greater impetus toward energy-efficient devices. Sustainability is becoming a concerning factor to our industry; we need to focus on designing and redesigning their products to reduce running costs and increase efficiency and durability. Dedicated players in the energy-efficient electronics industry are constantly striving to help customers achieve greater energy conservation and better power efficiency with the assistance of their sustainability-driven and eco-friendly inventions. At Truvison, we have taken these factors into consideration since our initiation; our products are energy-efficient and we participate in reducing the total carbon footprint of our industry.
The air conditioners we produce have R-32 eco-friendly refrigerant, which reduces electricity consumption while providing consistent powerful cooling. We are constantly improving our technology to improve energy efficiency and the longevity of our products. Indoor air quality is going to be one of the next key focus points of smart home technology as it puts emphasis on making day-to-day lives of the consumers healthier and comfortable.
AI becomes conventional
Artificial intelligence (AI) seems to have stormed the healthcare, education, and communication industries and is now set to revolutionize the consumer electronics industry as well. Customer experience has become the center of this new wave of smart technology. Manufacturers are now enhancing their products with AI and IoT, focusing on offering smart household electronic appliances to leverage consumer’s interaction and experience with technology.
The completely automated home is a newer concept in today’s market, but steadily we are moving toward the true realization of it. We now see a lot of household appliances manufacturers integrate IoT and AI in household products, enabling the consumers to connect intuitively with their living spaces, equipped with many such AI-powered capabilities, ensuring the convenience, comfort, and affordability for customers.
Bigger, brighter and sharper screens
Being a part of this industry, we have experienced a considerable shift from black-and-white to color TVs to now the generation of smart TVs; televisions have evolved exponentially over the years. It has now become an essential part of almost every household. TVs now deliver a brilliant viewing experience with a centralized entertainment/edutainment smart hub. This next generation of intelligent smart TVs has enabled the viewers to connect to the internet without any wires and cords; it assists them in accessing multiple streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime. Netflix forecasts the next 100 million subscribers to come from India.
We are seeing the general population move further toward feature-rich televisions, which have ultra-wide screens and high-definition displays, immersing the users in realistic gameplay and delivering cinematic viewing experience for all types of content. Our new 55-inch televisions at Truvison have a vivid picture quality with 4K Ultra HD and are a part of the Android smart series, enabling our customers to stream the latest movies and shows from Netflix, Amazon Prime, and the like. The bezel-less design removes screen limitations and provides an immersive experience to customers. Truvison is dedicated to catering to the growing numbers of feature-driven consumers at affordable prices.
Rise of smart homes
Smart homes have been one of the most anticipated advancements of all times and it is now becoming a reality. In the coming years, smart homes are forecasted to become main-stream given the fast-paced and convenience-oriented lifestyle of the subsequent generation. Household electronics that can be controlled with the help of smartphones or smart home panels have witnessed higher demand in our market.
ACs now regulate the temperature of the room before you enter, using the pre-scheduling features synced with the smartphones. Our TruAer technology enables our air conditioners to self-diagnose and inform our customers about any possible issues that may be reducing their efficiency. We look forward to inculcating newer features in the coming years as well.
These are exciting times for the consumer electronics industry globally, with shifting customer demands and preferences along with fast-changing technology. Truvison is always evolving, learning, and inculcating new technologies to be in tandem with the changing consumer demands. Our goal has always been to provide new technologies to our customers at an economical price; we aim to provide true value to our customers. Understanding how new technologies such as AI, VR, smart homes, 5G, and others add value to the customer’s lives will be vital for making crucial decisions.
Our future markets will depend on those who collaborate to inculcate new technologies into their products efficiently, providing a wholesome user experience. This collaborative movement of manufacturers and technological awareness amongst consumers will ultimately shape and benefit the consumer electronics market.


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Despite the economic consequences of the pandemic, China has been experiencing an impressive economic recovery in comparison to other countries. With huge market opportunities and a collaborative business environment, it is an opportune time for Indonesian entrepreneurs and the business community to tap the wealth of potential that China presents.
Get the chance to engage directly with the Global CEO of TOJOY, China’s biggest business acceleration platform, in this virtual briefing platform designed for the Indonesian business community. Hear insights on market trends and opportunities and how to expand your business to China.
Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) cordially invites you to “Finding Business Partners and Seizing Opportunities in China during COVID-19 Time and Beyond,” featuring:
1. Rosan Roeslani, Chairman of KADIN (Indonesian Chamber of Commerce & Industry)
2. H.E. Djauhari Oratmangun, Indonesia’s Ambassador to China
3. Ge Jun, Global CEO of TOJOY
With closing remarks from Dr. Dino Patti Djalal, Chairman of Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia.
Rewatch the discussion below or via our Official YouTube Channel


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You can stop Cortana from automatically starting after you sign in to Windows 10, and here's how to do it.
Microsoft outlines instructions to mitigate Storage Spaces parity issues with Windows 10 version 2004 while a permanent solution is in works.
Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 is coming to Windows 10, and this how you can start using it.
Microsoft fixes printing issue after pushing a buggy update for devices running Windows 10 version 2004 and older versions.
Microsoft is increasing the number of PCs that can safely upgrade to the Windows 10 May 2020 Update.
Surface devices should soon start receiving the Windows 10 May 2020 Update now that the company has fixed the blocking issues.
If you can't print, it's likely because you're using Windows 10 version 1903 or higher, and the USB print port is missing. Here's the ...
Microsoft ships the first update (KB4557957) for Windows 10 version 2004, May 2020 Update – here's all you need to know.
Update KB4560960 is now rolling out for Windows 10 version 1909 and 1903 to address several issues. Microsoft is also updating version ...
Are you planning to install the Windows 10 version 2004? These are the new minimum hardware and processor requirements.


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At the Republican Convention, Trump declared, when it comes to such issues as jobs being shipped out of the U.S., ‘I, alone can fix it.‘
Unfortunately for Trump, and all Americans, it is really starting to look as though Trump can’t ‘do it’ alone, and in fact may not be able to do it at all.
Donald Trump took aim on Sunday at Rexnord Corp for the industrial supplier’s decision to move jobs to Mexico from Indiana.
Milwaukee-based Rexnord announced plans in October to move a bearing plant and its 300 jobs from Indianapolis, employees told the Indianapolis Star at the time.
True to form, Trump is now trying to pin the blame on Former President Barack Obama: “Rexnord of Indiana made a deal during the Obama Administration to move to Mexico. Fired their employees,” President Trump tweeted on Sunday.
Trump also tweeted in December about Rexnord’s decision, saying he would stop jobs from being lost to countries with lower labor costs. “No more!” he tweeted at the time.
Rexnord did not immediately respond to a telephone call on Sunday seeking comment outside of normal business hours.
Trump, who campaigned on the promise to put American workers first, has tweeted at other companies that attracted his ire – including Lockheed Martin in December for the high cost of the F-35 fighter jet program, General Motors Co in January for its manufacturing in Mexico, and retailer Nordstrom in February for dropping his daughter Ivanka’s clothing line.


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Tru2way™ Technology A Hit at 2008 CES
Numerous manufacturers and software companies show new integrated equipment and interactive services that will work on all cable systems without a separate set-top box
Louisville, Colorado, January 15, 2008—As the cable industry was rolling out the new tru2way™ brand for consumer and retail marketing of interactive digital video during the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas last week, numerous consumer electronics, software and high-tech companies were showing tru2way-enabled products and services to attendees and the press.
Tru2way technology (formerly called OpenCable™) is built into televisions, set-top boxes, and other devices. The technology enables cable companies and other interactive television service and application developers to "write" interactive applications once and see them run successfully on any device that supports the specification. Existing applications include interactive guides, "start over" applications, and games; future applications might include, for example, interactive ads, chat, web browsing, and t-commerce. With tru2way technology, consumers will be able to access two-way digital cable programming without the need for a cable operator-supplied set-top box.
Tru2way will support all cable services now delivered to set-top boxes and other devices currently leased to consumers as well as future services written for the platform. Major cable operators have committed to support the tru2way platform on systems covering more than 90 million U.S. homes by the end of 2008.
"The 2008 CES was a landmark event for the cable industry," said Dr. Richard R. Green, CableLabs President & CEO. "It permitted us to showcase our partnerships with leading consumer electronics manufacturers to develop TVs and other devices that will free consumers from the set-top box. The deployment of tru2way technology is the next evolution of TV in America."
Four of the world's leading consumer electronics companies, representing more than 28 percent of global television sales (iSuppli Corp., 9/07), demonstrated tru2way-based products at CES 2008:
- Panasonic – Displayed 42" and 50" tru2way plasma televisions, part of their Viera line that will operate without a set-top box from a single remote and that will be in the marketplace by the 2008 holiday season.
- Samsung – Demonstrated a tru2way HD set-top box that was running the Comcast/TV Guide program guide, model DCB-H670C.
- LG Electronics – Showed its Model 42LG51 - LCD television with tru2way functionality.
- Thomson – Exhibited a tru2way set-top box, the "9000 Series – HD MPEG-2/4 Interactive Cable Decoder for the North American market".
Additional companies are developing software, toolkits, chipsets and interfaces to support the cable industry's plans to use tru2way technology to deliver interactive services to consumers. Companies that exhibited specific tru2way innovations at CES included:
- VividLogic – Demonstrated tru2way software. Its customers include Funai, Mitsubishi and Pioneer.
- ViXS and Advanced Micro Devices both showed CableCARD™ chipsets that support tru2way technology.
- Digeo – Demonstrated its Moxi Media Center, which integrates content sources throughout an advanced user interface and centralizes all sources of entertainment on a single TV screen.
An intermediate step toward this goal, called the OpenCable Unidirectional Receiver (OCUR, enabled by a removed CableCARD security device), currently allows some cable content to flow to PCs. Among exhibits at CES indicating a growing level of support for OCUR:
- Dell – Showed an interface to Media Center PCs.
- Hewlett Packard – Demonstrated an interface to Media Center PCs.
- Sony (Vaio) – Exhibited an interface to Media Center PCs.
- Niveus Media – Debuted an interface to Media Center PC integrated into a high-end home media management system.
- Life/Ware (Exceptional Innovations) – Showed an interface to Media Center PCs built into high-end home media management and home automation systems.
OpenCable Developers' conferences are planned for mid-May at the 2008 Cable Show in New Orleans and also at JavaOne developers' conference in early May in San Francisco.
About CableLabs: Cable Television Laboratories (www.cablelabs.com) was founded in 1988 by members of the cable television industry. A non-profit research and development consortium, CableLabs delivers innovations that enable cable operators to be the providers of choice in their markets. Cable operators from around the world are members. CableLabs maintains web sites at www.cablelabs.com; www.packetcable.com; www.cablemodem.com; www.cablenet.org, and www.opencable.com.
CableLabs® is a registered trademark of Cable Television Laboratories, Inc. Other CableLabs marks are listed at http://www.cablelabs.com/certqual/trademarks. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.


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Egg fixes (another) problem
Egg, says it has fixed a potential security problem that emerged three weeks ago for people using a small number of browsers. A recently installed facility that allowed customers to log off their accounts did not work for one version of a browser, which would theoretically have allowed other users of that computer to look at the customer's accounts in some cases, Egg's Chief Information Officer Pete Marsden said.
But he said there had been no cases where Internet surfers had obtained unauthorised access to customers' savings or credit card accounts at Egg. The bank had now fixed the problem, he said.
Current Internet technology means that anyone clicking to another site directly from their bank account does not actually log off from that bank account and therefore anyone else using the computer, perhaps at an Internet cafe or library, could in theory click back to the still-open account and access it.
But Egg used a mechanism which shut the open account after 15 minutes if there had been no activity and had recently installed a specific feature that prompted people to physically log off immediately before they browsed elsewhere. Marsden said this new feature had not worked on the browser Netscape version 4.6, but had worked with all other browsers, including all versions of Microsoft's Explorer. This problem had now been overcome, he said.
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US: General Mills launches note buyback
US cereal giant General Mills has launched a modified Dutch auction cash tender offer to buy back up to US$250m of its outstanding notes.
The company said yesterday (12 April) that it is making the offer for its 6% notes due in 2012 and its 5.65% notes, also due in 2012.
The company said that it will set the price, which remains to be determined, based on a mix of the yield and a bid spread range associated with the notes.
General Mills expects to use a combination of cash on hand and the proceeds from the issuance of commercial paper to fund the purchase.
Companies: General Mills
The battle to buy United Biscuits apparently now has an Eastern flavour....
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CHICAGO, IL (BRAIN) — If there was one common thread among the four shops visited during the first day of the Chicago Dealer Tour, it’s that the retail business here is a family affair.
LAGUNA BEACH, CA (BRAIN) —After a four-month search, Crankbrothers has named outdoor and action sports industries veteran Andy Palmer as its new general manager.
KENT, WA (BRAIN) — Raleigh has hired 30-year bicycling and outdoor industry veteran Alan Rowland as director of sales for the West territory.
MADISON, WI (BRAIN) — Voting is open for Saris Cycling Group's third National Poster Contest.
The company has selected first-place posters from each of the states that participated in the contest. Each state winner received a bike, light and helmet.
CHICAGO, IL (BRAIN) — Bicycle Retailer & Industry News editors and sponsors roll out Tuesday morning on a three-day tour of bicycle stores in Chicago.
WASHINGTON, DC (BRAIN) — The U.S. Senate on Monday passed legislation to allow states to collect sales tax from online and mail-order retailers, even if those retailers don't have a physical presence in the state.
BOULDER, CO (BRAIN) — Below-normal temperatures and the 10th largest March snow coverage on record sent IBD sales into a deep freeze compared with an unusually warm and record-setting March last year, according to March retail sel
NEWBURY PARK, CA (BRAIN) — Augmenting its retail development team, Giant USA has promoted Josh Fonner to West regional retail services manager.
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA (BRAIN) — Canada-based Onex Corp. has agreed to buy Nielsen Expositions, the owner of Interbike and the Outdoor Retailer shows, from Nielsen Holdings for $950 million.
SAN DIEGO, CA (BRAIN) — Zoic Clothing has bolstered its sales and marketing team, naming Abbie Newell national sales leader and Kenna Quiroga Gray marketing specialist.
GHENT, Belgium (BRAIN) — ETRA, the European retailer association, has hired Florian Dammer as its new business development manager.
KENT, WA (BRAIN) — Raleigh is donating $50 to Ride 2 Recovery for certain road bike models sold between now and May 27. Ride 2 Recovery is a national program that uses cycling to help wounded veterans recover.
NEWBURY PARK, CA (BRAIN) — Strong Santa Ana winds in Southern California coupled with record high temperatures and low humidity have led to a series of wildfires.
SOUTHBURY, CT (BRAIN) — Aaron Bethlenfalvy, formerly Cycling Sports Group’s global vice president of design, has launched a design consulting business, Alpha Dog Design.
NEWBURY PARK, CA (BRAIN) — Giant outlined a new unilateral minimum advertised pricing policy in a letter that went out to dealers this week.
HOUSTON, TX (BRAIN) — Federal officials have seized 10 web domains that were allegedly selling counterfeit products including Specialized bikes, clothing and shoes. Officials said other bike vendors including SRAM, Cervelo and Pinarello assisted in their investigation.
SIMI VALLEY, CA (BRAIN) — Currie Technologies is offering a mail-in consumer rebate on 2013 models of IZIP branded e-bikes and Electro-Drive conversion kits. The program, which applies to models sold from May 1 through July 31, will offer rebates starting at $25 and going up to $250.
WASHINGTON, DC (BRAIN) — Imports of adult bikes — 24-inch wheel sizes and higher — were up 292,875 bikes over the first quarter in 2012, a 20 percent increase, according to Thursday's release of bicycle import statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau.


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Nintendo will have major Zelda presence at Dec. 1st's The Game Awards. Also, Nintendo Direct for the Switch coming Jan. 12th.
A video montage of Sculpture_Geek's amazingly detailed statue bust.
Download the sheet music and play along!
You a brony living in or visiting Dallas? Come see me!
Check out the trailer and details about this ultra portable home console.
Watch the Nintendo NX be revealed on Thursday, October 20th at 7am PT/10am ET!
Check out Abby's new Star Fox Adventures comic and maybe chip in.
A weird and funny little animation featuring most of the Star Fox cast including Krystal.
Blocky Krystal on a massive scale.
Zyn of OxygenImpulse has made her Krystal charms available for customization and purchase.


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Hardee’s in Canton has converted its restaurant at 16 New Clyde Highway to a dual-branded Hardee’s/Red Burrito location. The newly-converted Hardee’s/Red Burrito celebrated with a grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce.
The addition of the Red Burrito menu gives Hardee’s a new line of Mexican fare. The dual-branding program began at sister chain Carl’s Jr. in 1994, when the first Carl’s Jr./Green Burrito restaurant was opened in Carson, Calif. It proved very successful, increasing both average unit volumes and profits. Hardee’s was soon to follow suit and now has more than 180 dual-branded restaurants across the Midwest and Southeast and has plans to expand the program at both chains going forward.


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AR/VR in 2024: A Year of Promise, Facing Reality Checks
2024 marks a pivotal year for the augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) industry, brimming with excitement and potential. But beneath the hype lie stark realities that could hinder AR/VR’s journey towards mainstream adoption. Let’s delve into the current landscape and the challenges, while exploring the key players and technological advancements shaping this fascinating world.
Apple’s Vision Pro: Game Changer or Costly Gamble?
The year kicks off with Apple’s audacious entry into the AR/VR arena with its high-end Vision Pro headset. While the device boasts cutting-edge technology, its hefty price tag puts it within reach of a limited audience. This raises questions: will Apple’s premium offering spark widespread interest, or merely cater to a niche market?
Beyond the Price Tag: Addressing Content and Privacy Concerns
Cost is only one hurdle. The industry grapples with a lack of compelling content, making it difficult for consumers to justify the investment. Additionally, privacy concerns remain a significant barrier, hindering user trust and adoption. To truly thrive, AR/VR needs to address these roadblocks by developing engaging content, offering affordable entry points, and ensuring robust privacy protections.
A Glimpse of Hope: Opportunities in Education, Healthcare, and Manufacturing
Despite these challenges, the future holds immense potential. AR/VR promises to revolutionize education with immersive learning experiences, empower healthcare professionals through virtual training, and optimize manufacturing processes. These real-world applications could drive the next wave of adoption, bringing AR/VR beyond the realm of gaming and entertainment.
New Frontiers: Qualcomm Chips, Sony’s Ambitions, and Smartglasses on the Rise
Tech giants like Qualcomm are fueling innovation with the latest Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip, enabling next-generation headsets with stunning visuals and lower latency. Sony, venturing beyond gaming, is targeting professional users with its mixed-reality device designed for 3D content creation and collaboration. Meanwhile, smartglasses like Xreal’s Air 2 Ultra offer a lightweight alternative to bulky headsets, potentially opening up the AR market to a wider consumer base.
The Journey Ahead: Embracing the Potential, Overcoming the Obstacles
As we navigate 2024, the AR/VR industry stands at a crossroads. While the year is ripe with exciting developments, overcoming cost barriers, content limitations, and privacy concerns is crucial to propel AR/VR from niche markets to mainstream acceptance. The industry must embrace collaboration, prioritize user needs, and focus on creating meaningful experiences that justify the leap into this groundbreaking realm.
A Call to Action: Explore the World of AR/VR
Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, an educator, or a healthcare professional, the AR/VR world offers endless possibilities. From trying out immersive apps to exploring educational content, there’s a vibrant ecosystem waiting to be discovered. By fostering curiosity and engagement, we can collectively shape the future of AR/VR, ensuring it reaches its full potential and transforms the way we live, work, and learn.


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NIO is one of the most exciting manufacturers of Chinese electric cars on the scene along with BYD and BYTON, among others. The firm, which currently has three models for sale (the electric SUVs ES6, EC6, and ES8, to which should be added the production version of the hypercar EP9, which is not yet for sale), has passed in the recent times due to a series of economic difficulties, which are close to an end.
Due to the recession in the local market, NIO experienced a challenging year in 2019, with low sales levels that led to losses valued at several billions of dollars. The flat rate of production, the high cost of manufacturing its vehicles, and a call for a massive overhaul that affected 20% of all the cars it had produced. The ingredients for the disaster were served.
To this should be added the rejection of the government of the Chinese city of Zhejiang to NIO’s plans to build a factory in the region. Something similar happened with the Huzhou city government, where NIO was studying the construction of a second plant with a capacity of 200,000 vehicles per year. According to the assessment made by the authorities, the investment would pose a high risk, which led to the end of the negotiations.
Stopping its production for several months following the coronavirus crisis only made things worse for the electric car maker. However, their future is now a little brighter, as it has received a $1 billion injection by the state-owned construction company Hefei City Construction and Investment Holding. On paper this should allow the company to overcome all its financial problems.
Despite the global pandemic, NIO has seen its sales increase by 11.7% in March compared to the same month in 2019. With a total of 1,500 units delivered, everything seems to indicate that little by little the Asian manufacturer begins to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Something that will help the fact that the Chinese government has decided to rebate electric cars that have battery change systems, a technology that NIO has long defended.
This same year NIO has started selling the restyling of its ES8 model, which has also released a new 100 kWh pack (in 2018, it was offered with 74 kWh batteries, which were updated to 80 kWh in 2019). The pack can also be installed in previously manufactured units: owners will have to pay about $5,000 for the operation or rent the new batteries for about $100 a month.
Nor should we lose sight of the arrival of the EC6 above, the “coupe” version of the ES6. This ambitious model promises a maximum autonomy of 613 km NEDC thanks to the 100 kWh pack. A very competitive figure similar to that of higher category models such as the BYD Han EV. Thanks to its advanced all-wheel-drive system, you will be able to do 0 to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds.


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Google's ongoing axing of dead weight from its product portfolio has claimed a host of new victims, chiefly a cloud-based backup offering for Microsoft Exchange.
Since last year, Google has taken the hatchet to a host of products in its portfolio, killing marquee offerings like Google Buzz, Google Gears and Google Wave in a bid to "put more wood behind fewer arrows," said Google CEO Larry Page.
"As we head into 2012, we’ve been sticking to some old resolutions -- the need to focus on building amazing products that millions of people love to use every day," Dave Girouard, Google vice president of product management, wrote in a blog post announcing the new product cuts. "That means taking a hard look at products that replicate other features, haven’t achieved the promise we had hoped for or can’t be properly integrated into the overall Google experience."
Google has unveiled new plans for a handful of products which the company said will be "merged, open-sourced or phased out in the coming months." Among them is Google Message Continuity (GMC), an offering launched in 2010 as an e-mail disaster recovery product for users of Google's cloud, which backs up e-mails originally sent or received in an on-premise Microsoft Exchange system. Google is cutting GMC to focus on the disaster recovery capabilities in Google Apps.
"In the time since we launched, we've seen hundreds of businesses sign up for it. By comparison, in that same time, we've seen millions of businesses move entirely to the cloud with Google Apps, benefitting from disaster recovery capabilities built directly into Apps," Girouard wrote. "Going forward we've decided to focus our efforts on Google Apps and end support for GMC. Current GMC customers will be able to use GMC for the duration of their contract and are encouraged to consider using Google Apps as their primary messaging and collaboration platform."
Google plans to open source Google Sky Map, a tool that Google called "a window to the sky for Android users."
Google said it will retire Needlebase, a data management platform that Google acquired from ITA Software, on June 1 and is looking to integrate it with other data-related Google offerings. Google will also kill Picnik, an online photo editor Google acquired in 2010 and will retire on April 19. And due to slow adoption will depreciate Social Graph API, an API that makes information about public connections between people on the Web for developers, and fully retire it on April 20.
Lastly, Google will eighty-six Urchin, an online web analytics play that Google acquired in 2005 and made the foundation for Google Analytics. Google said it will continue to build an online analytics product, but is tossing the client-hosted version of Urchin, known as Urchin Software, and new Urchin Software licenses will no longer be available after March 2012.
"Resolutions can be hard, and changing products that people love is hard too," Girouard wrote. "But we're excited to focus on creating a beautifully simple, intuitive user experience across Google -- an experience that will change the lives of millions of people."


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In the past month, I upgraded my Plex server from the 2017 version of the Nvidia Shield to an 8th generation Intel NUC, and I couldn’t be happier. As I was setting it up, I couldn’t help but wonder: why
B&H has launched a new Apple sale this week that’s focused on pro-grade machines and the latest releases out of Cupertino. Amazon is matching select offers throughout. Free shipping is available for all.
B&H Photo has a new sale going on this week aimed at discounts on select "pro" models of the Mac, including MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, and iMac. The discounts include a few lowest-ever prices, so be sure to
It was a fairly interesting week for rumors this week, with reports claiming new 5G iPad models will be coming around the same time as 5G iPhones, likely in the September–October timeframe, while a mysterious
Logitech's $170 USB-C StreamCam/Capture software is fantastic way to start streaming video - 9to5Mac
Logitech sent us its new $169.99 StreamCam in September to review before its Logitech Capture for Mac software was even ready. Something happened and the project got pushed out a few months until today,
Last week, we reported that many custom iMac, iMac Pro, and MacBook Pro configurations are facing longer-than-usual delivery estimates on Apple's online store in the United States. The reason for the is


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This post was first published on December 19, 2014.
Just a few months ago, this particular cellular company took the market by storm and made its stand in the 3rd rank of the world’s cellular companies. It not only pleased consumers, but also gave tough competition to leading brands in the market. As a matter fact, the phones sold like hot cakes within minutes of its release on one of the biggest online shopping destinations, Flipkart. More recently, the company got into a patent spat, the first of them, with another biggie, Ericsson. Even more recently, the ban was partially lifted.
Xiaomi is the name that jumps to mind immediately. This phone gained all the stardom due to its amazing specifications. It did not provide any specification out of the box when compared to its competitive brands but what it did provide was all the highly featured specifications which the leading brands sell for very high cost. Xiaomi sold the same specifications for half the cost. This low cost phone with high end specifications was then known to be a “Chinese iPhone”. Xiaomi, having moved out of China, has made its stand in seven countries in Asia and is on track to sell 60 million smartphones this coming year.


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Jun 10, 2019 -
A new look at Shenmue 3's gameplay at E3 2019.
Mar 12, 2019 -
Check out this Shenmue 3 official trailer for Monaco Anime Game International Conferences 2019.
Dec 17, 2018 -
Making games is hard, and delays are inevitable. Here's what to move to your 2019 wishlist.
Oct 15, 2018 -
We got details about how long it takes to beat Red Dead 2, a Diablo-themed Nintendo Switch bundle, and the Shenmue ga...
Aug 21, 2018 -
After a 16-year wait, the third game in the series is finally coming in August 2019.
Jul 03, 2018 -
Shenmue remasters get a date, Microsoft announces PUBG and Minecraft Xbox One bundles, and don't get bated by free V-...
Jun 29, 2018 -
From the Final Fantasy VII Remake to Red Dead Redemption 2, here are the games we were bummed to see not make it to E3.
May 16, 2018 -
This is the second time the game — which continues the story of Ryo Hazuki — has been pushed back.
Apr 19, 2018 -
Sega says modern ports were “inevitable” with or without Yu Suzuki’s anticipated sequel.
Apr 13, 2018 -
The two classics are coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC ahead of 2018's long-awaited Shenmue III.
Mar 01, 2018 -
Shenmue series creator has planned for a fourth installment with an open ending in Shenmue 3.
Jan 01, 2018 -
There's a lot to like about 2018's games lineup and these are some of the biggest coming our way.
Dec 30, 2017 -
A quick look back at the biggest games that were supposed to come out this year.
Oct 31, 2017 -
From Death Stranding to Days Gone, here's what didn't show up at Sony's Showcase.
Sep 28, 2017 -
Ys Net gives a brief update on the game, showing off the expressions of a grandma.


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Former Wonder Bread bakery turns into Iowa brewery
WATERLOO, Ia. — A once crumbling bakery in Waterloo that for decades produced Hostess Wonder Bread is now opening as a brewery, restaurant and distribution center.
SingleSpeed Brewing Co. opened Thursday for the first of three soft openings this weekend, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported.
The facility can hold 500 with seating for 300, and includes a full menu to complement 10 beers on tap. An outdoor beer garden scheduled to open this summer can hold an additional 125.
The beer hall will also appeal to children with a large kids zone hosting games, Legos, art supplies, a chalkboard, magnet board and little stools and tables.
"It's inspired by West Coast breweries — they all had cool kids zones," SingleSpeed owner Dave Morgan said.
Morgan decided to decorate the facility with various bicycle-themed accessories.
"We have a target of next week," Morgan said about opening to the public. "It depends on how the invite-only events this weekend turn out. Best case Monday, worst case another week. We don't want to rush it."
While Morgan and his team worked for years on rehabilitating the old Hostess building, he still made sure it was restored to its 1957 glory. Original floors are displayed at the entrance and replica windows ring the outside.
"It's nice to remind people what it looked like when we came in," Morgan said. "And how, over 60 years, it changed."


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Verizon is introducing plans that share data consumption between the phones on the same plan.
It's called the "Share Everything" plan, and each one comes with unlimited voice minutes and text messages. Verizon only tracks a plan's data consumption.
This plan can be used amongst several different devices like smartphones and tablets -- it's not just for basic phones.
Here's a breakdown on how the pricing will work.


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Tom Ford introduced the lookbook for his Fall/Winter 2015 collection.
Inspired by Spanish graphic artist Rafafans, Carlos Campos’ new collection was constructed in a streamlined palette of solid blues,
Simon Porte Jacquemus presented Jacquemus Spring/Summer collection inspired by his mother’s beach style.
The visit was a surprise appearance at the Richard Quinn show today.
Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo unveiled key visual for Spring/Summer 2020.


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The Finnish company’s new X6 mobile will enable users to download and keep an unlimited amount of music for free. The phone - which will be able to play 35 hours of music before the battery runs out - will hit the shops in time for Christmas and is likely to be available for free on £35-a-month contracts.
Nokia’s Comes With Music package is a serious challenge to Apple’s iPhone, which has built itself on the pedigree of the company’s iPod music player. Nokia said iPhone users would have to shell out about £800 to download the top 100 albums, whereas X6 buyers could get all the music for free.
“The Nokia X6 and Comes With Music is a powerful combination, enabling music fans to download all the music they could ever want – quickly, easily and for free,” Jo Harlow, Vice President, Nokia, said: “We’re giving people convenient access to and ownership of a vast music library and an exciting new touchscreen device to play their music on.”
Nokia also launched a slimmed-down sister to the X6, the X3, and a mini version of its N97 handset. Last week the company outlined plans to move into the fast-growing netbook market with a mini laptop called the Booklet 3G. On Wednesday Nokia said the device will cost €575 (£500), although it could be available for free with subsidy from mobile phone operators.


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‘Clean Food’ Leads To Food Waste
By Greg Henderson, Drovers, Editorial Director
via AgWeb - Nov 10, 2017
Many Americans have embraced the “eating clean” movement, the concept that we should eat whole foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains and healthy proteins and fats. And we should consume less refined grains, pesticides, additives, preservatives and fats.
Sounds logical, because who wants to eat pesticides and preservatives? New research from Iowa State University, however, shows that consumers are unaware of the costs related to producing “clean” label foods.
Ruth MacDonald and Ruth Litchfield, professors of food science and human nutrition at Iowa State University, warn of the consequences in terms of food waste, safety and cost. Clean food advocates suggest avoiding foods with ingredients you cannot pronounce. MacDonald says several food manufacturers, restaurants and grocery stores have responded by removing additives to fit the definition of clean.
The ISU professors say just because an ingredient or additive has an unfamiliar name does not automatically make it bad for you. The decision to remove additives appears to be driven more by market demand than consideration of the benefits these additives provide and the potential food safety risk, they said. Removing nitrates from deli meats and hot dogs is just one example.
Food manufacturers use ingredients such as sodium benzoate, calcium propionate and potassium sorbate to control the growth of microorganisms in foods without changing the character or taste of the food. Without such additives, foods will spoil faster, increasing food safety risk and the likelihood of more food ending up in the trash.
“People have a hard time understanding the risk-benefit ratio when it comes to foods. They see a chemical, such as nitrates, listed on the label and assume it is bad or the food contains a high amount,” MacDonald said. “The food safety risk without these preservatives is so much greater.”
Litchfield, an expert on food safety and health promotion, has this advice for consumers:


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Video: 3 Wanted For Shoplifting at Gloucester Twp., NJ, Nike Outlet
Police in Camden County are asking for your help identifying three people wanted in connection to a shoplifting incident at a Nike outlet store.
Gloucester Township Police say on the afternoon of Thursday, November 16th, the trio entered the store at Gloucester Premium Outlets.
Two of the suspects were captured on camera stuffing $635 worth of merchandise into bags and then leaving while a third person acted as a look out.
These same individuals are suspects in other area shoplifting incidents, according to Nike Loss Prevention.
If you can identify these suspects, you are asked to contact the Gloucester Township Police Department at (856) 228-4500 or their anonymous crime tip line at (856) 842-5560.


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By Steven Feldman Orlando, Fla.—Against the backdrop of a slowing ceramic tile market, a sold-out Coverings celebrated its 30th anniversary here April 9-12 with 1,100 exhibitors from more than 40 countries showing their latest and greatest in response to a variety of trends.
At 480,000 square feet, Coverings is ranked as the 35th largest trade show in the U.S., according to Trade Show magazine. That’s up 3% from 2018, said Jennifer Hoff, whose company, Taffy Event Strategies, has been managing the show for the past three years. To put that in perspective, Surfaces, the flooring industry’s premier event, is ranked 42nd in terms of exhibit space. The good news is Coverings continues to grow despite U.S. ceramic tile consumption more or less stalling in 2018, increasing just 1.5% to 3.11 billion square feet, according to the Tile Council of North America (TCNA). Consumption increased at least 5.1% in each of the three prior years.
Eric Astrachan, executive director, TCNA, pegged the U.S. ceramic tile industry at $3.69 billion, up just 0.4% from 2017. Imports grew as a portion of the market from 68.8% to 70.7%, an increase of 4.7%. On a dollar basis, Italy remained the largest exporter to the U.S. in 2018, comprising 30.9% of U.S. imports. China was second with a 27.3% share and Spain was third with a 15.6% share. In terms of square footage, China remained the largest exporter of ceramic tile to the U.S. with a 31.5% share. Next is Mexico with a 17.3% share, its lowest percentage since 2006. This despite the peso’s significant decline vs. the U.S. dollar over the last five years, losing nearly half of its value. Italy was the third-largest exporter of tile to the U.S. in 2018, making up 16.4% of U.S. imports.
What is impacting ceramic tile in the U.S.? For one, acronyms, namely LVT, WPC and SPC. The waterproof/rigid core revolution has impacted every category of flooring, and ceramic is not immune to that competitive pressure.
But it’s more than just the competition from LVT. Donato Grosser, consultant for Ceramic Tiles of Italy, acknowledged that Italian imports of ceramic tile to the U.S. in 2018 was down about 7% in dollars and square footage. “Ceramic tile in general has been down,” he said. “As for Italian tile, there is a lot of com- petition from Chinese, Spanish and Brazilian manufacturers, particularly the Spanish over the last couple of years; for some reason their FOB prices went down from $15 per square meter to $12 per square meter. We don’t know how this can happen so abruptly, but you have a situation where their products are cheaper than even the Chinese.”
Grosser also identified large companies like MSI, Bedrosians and Emser—all of which are very heavily invested in China. “They also import from other countries, but they buy mostly from China. And they offer good service, the product they sell is good and comparable to everything. So the price is not the only thing; otherwise, Brazil would have a much larger share of the market.”
Despite all of this, Hoff noted that Coverings attendance was trending ahead of last year with the hope that 26,000 people would make the trip to Orlando. Attendees run the gamut from architects and designers to fabricators and contractors to distributors and retailers.
Following are some of the key trends FCNews spotted at Coverings:
AT THE TILE OF SPAIN PAVILION…


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By Kasia Moreno
In the mid-1990s, when people used mail-in forms to buy music on compact discs, some of the biggest names in e-commerce today were unveiling a new way to shop.
Those companies were taking advantage of dial-up internet service, which was quickly catching on as the concept of home internet for a monthly fee was introduced. Around the same time, in 1998, Peter Thiel and Max Levchin came up with an idea for digital wallets and started a company that would later become PayPal.
By the end of the following decade, developers were making apps for smartphones, opening up mobile shopping and yet another set of opportunities for retailers.
Fast forward to 2020, and the coronavirus is imposing itself on society in expected and surprising ways. It has most certainly changed how we shop.
Pandemic Changes Shopping
Homebound and health-conscious consumers have been choosing online shopping during the pandemic to observe social distancing. They have also turned to direct-to-consumer channels to shop directly from the brands they know and trust.
And when they are visiting physical stores and patronizing local businesses, customers have new expectations about the predictability and safety of their experience.
Whether shopping in person or online, or accepting a curbside delivery, customers still expect every step of the customer journey to go smoothly—including how they pay. There is simply too much pandemic-related stress in other areas of their lives to have a transaction linger, interrupted or be unsafe due to the proximity of the buyer and seller.
Fifty-seven percent of consumers of all ages now say that the availability of digital payment options would affect their choices of where to shop, according to a report published by PYMNTS in collaboration with PayPal. The importance of digital payment options is even more important to Millennials (70%).
Direct-To-Consumer Model Gains Traction
The overload of stress during the pandemic means that consumers are seeking more certainty when shopping and turning to buying directly from brands they know and trust. The PYMNTS report showed that 37% of all consumers are now interested in direct-to-consumer (D2C) retail shopping. The primary reason consumers cite for this interest in the D2C channel is brand loyalty, which underscores the importance consumers place in knowing what type of shopping experience to expect before setting out to shop. This includes payment options.
Building the right payment system is a critical aspect of developing a successful direct-to-consumer channel: It requires offering alternative payment methods, adding a layer of security, as well as using analytics to gain insights from transaction data and other data to understand what works for the consumer and the merchant.
Partnering with a trusted and digitally savvy payment technology partner is one way to achieve success. Offering a PayPal payment option makes a difference. Consumers are 54% more willing to buy when a business accepts PayPal. Adding PayPal banners throughout your website, instead of only at checkout, signals to consumers at different stages of their journey that the merchant offers payment methods they can trust.
QR Codes Stage A Comeback
While popular and used for years in Asia, QR (Quick Response) codes are now getting a second look in the U.S. and Europe because they enable contactless transactions. A consumer can make a payment by aiming a smartphone camera at a displayed QR code.
Consumers’ willingness to shop with merchants is greatly impacted by the availability and acceptance of their preferred payment methods. Consumers who prefer shopping with QR codes are among the most loyal users of all, the PYMNTS report found. Approximately 34% say they would not buy from merchants at all if QR code-enabled payments were unavailable.
QR codes are a good solution for small businesses, which have been severely impacted by the pandemic. For small businesses to stay relevant, they need to revisit how they are blending the online and physical worlds, according to Jim Magats, senior vice president of omni payments at PayPal. Small businesses that offer takeout, for example, can post QR codes in their store windows. They are also useful for service businesses, such as gardeners, handymen or babysitters.
Brick-And-Mortar Goes Touchless
While 40% of shoppers said they did fewer activities in stores and more activities online this year, according to the PYMNTS report, not all customers have moved online. Brick-and-mortar stores, especially those offering essential products, have been open and working hard to ensure shopper safety.
One important step that can be taken to make shopping safer is avoiding contact during the payment step. This can be achieved via contactless payments.
Some major retailers are taking big steps to ensure customer and employee safety during the payment stage. CVS Pharmacy will be the first national retailer to offer PayPal and Venmo QR code technology at checkout. PayPal Holdings, which owns Venmo, aims to launch in 8,200 stores by the end of the year.
Half of retail shoppers who once planned to return to their pre-pandemic in-store shopping routines now say they will keep their digital shopping habits even after the pandemic is over, the PYMNTS report found. The degree to which consumers intend to continue shopping online changes depending on the types of products and services they purchase. The only activity that consumers seem to be more eager to do in person is patronizing restaurants. The share of consumers who say they plan to eventually go back to eating in restaurants has increased since March.
Safety, convenience and a smooth experience will remain key features that consumers will be looking for, irrespective of the channel they choose. And the payment options offered need to satisfy customers’ needs and expectations, which have only been heightened during the pandemic.


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Frustration over a growing number of privacy and security failures in recent years is driving the creation of digital identities controlled only by those whose information they contain.
Known as “self-sovereign identities,” the digital IDs will be used by consumers, businesses, their workers and governments over the next few years to verify everything from credit worthiness and college diplomas to licenses and business-to-business credentials.
“We are slowly graduating from crawling to walking. It takes one to two years ’til we have reliable capabilities to spark meaningful decentralized identity adoption,” said Homan Farahmand, a senior research director at Gartner. “A major non-technical hurdle is for organizations to learn the concept and take the necessary steps to appropriately adapt their business processes to decentralized identity ecosystems.”
A growing number of organizations is looking to better understand decentralized identity technology, which is predicated on blockchain electronic ledgers. Currently, there are more proof-of-concept projects than production systems involving a small number of organizations. The pilots, being trialed in government, financial services, insurance, healthcare, energy and manufacturing, don’t yet amount to an entire ecosystem, according to Farahmand.
“While these projects help identify gaps such as governance, user experience, standardization and interoperability issues, none of them [rise to the level of] a practical decentralized ecosystem to bootstrap pervasive adoption at this point,” Farahmand said.
What is a self-sovereign identity?
Self-sovereign identity envisions consumers and businesses eventually taking control of their identifying information on electronic devices and online, enabling them to provide validation of credentials without relying on a central repository, as is done now. Self-sovereign identity technology also takes the reins away from the centralized ID repositories held by the social networks, banking institutions and government agencies.
A person’s credentials would be held in an encrypted digital wallet for documenting trusted relationships with the government, banks, employers, schools and other institutions. But it’s important to note that self-sovereign ID systems are not self-certifying. The onus on whom to trust depends on the other party. Whoever you present your digital ID to has to decide whether the credentials in it are acceptable.
“For example, If I apply for a job…, and they require me to prove I graduated from a specific school and need to see my diploma, I can present that in digital form.” said Ali. “And, most likely that credential would have to be cryptographically signed by the school that issued it. So the relying party – my place of work – would have to decide when I present the credential if the signing key is something they trust.”
For example, a place of employment could issue an electronic confirmation or “credential” that could be stored in that employee’s digital wallet saying you work for the XYZ Company. Even something as simple as a health club membership verification could be added to a user’s wallet and presented through a mobile app.
For consumers who are mindful of their online information – credit card numbers, date of birth, annual income, etc. – a blockchain-based network means the user controls who can see their data or get purchasing approval without releasing details such as their annual income or their age and address.
For businesses such as banks, rules such as know-your-customer (KYC) regulations make blockchain-based digital identities attractive.
How a self-sovereign ID works
Self-sovereign identities can work like this: the user has a bank confirm a credit limit or an employer confirm annual income; that confirmation information is encrypted, but available, on a public blockchain ledger to which the consumer holds the private and public cryptographic keys.
A consumer who wants a car loan from an auto dealership, for example, can give the dealer permission through a public key to confirm that he or she has enough credit or annual income to buy a vehicle – without revealing an exact dollar amount. So, for example, if the dealer wants to ensure a consumer earns more than $50,000 a year, that’s all the blockchain ledger will confirm (not that the person actually earns, say, $72,587 or some other exact figure).
The confidentiality technique is known as zero-knowledge proof (ZKP), a cryptography technology that allows a user to prove that funds, assets or identifying information exist without revealing the details behind it.
Who’s leading the charge?
Self-sovereign identities extend to businesses or other organizations that want to be able to verify – or be verified – for transactions with other businesses or government agencies. For example, Ernst & Young has created a public blockchain that lets companies use ZKPs to complete business transactions confidentially without exposing sensitive business data.
In another example, CULedger, a cooperative owned by dozens of credit unions for the purpose of providing back-office services, worked with blockchain company R3 to create CUPay, a secure electronic funds transfer (EFT) payment network that is built on R3’s Corda blockchain platform. CUPay acts as an settlement rail for cross-border customer payments.
The blockchain-based settlement system also acts as a distributed identity platform, enabling users to be verified by their credit union and then take their digital ID with them for use in cross-border payments, no matter what country they’re in or what financial institutions are involved.
CUPay utilizes R3’s Corda for organizational identity and CULedger’s MyCUID, a personal digital ID technology created through a partnership with the Sovrin Foundation and digital ID company Evernym. The solution provides integrated KYC and AML services and can be integrated into multiple networks, eliminating the need for manual entry of recipient details and providing built-in compliance management for credit unions.
“So, the PoC they developed was built to use the SWIFT payment rail, but they can use whatever rail they want, and it can even use a cryptocurrency to settle [a financial transaction] if they need it to,” said Abbas Ali, R3’s head of identity management.
R3, created five years ago by a consortium of leading financial services firms, heads up a group of more than 300 companies working to build distributed applications on top of Corda, their blockchain platform. Third parties can develop dApps (known as CorDapps), for use on the Corda platform in any number of industries, including financial services, insurance and healthcare.
“In simple terms, you can think of the [blockchain] platform kind of like the operating system. It provides all parts of identity on the network; it provides a protocol for participants to communicate with each other, but that’s as far as it goes. Any specific use case or business application on top of that would be based in the form of a CorDapp,” Ali said.
“At the application level, we have a lot of partners developing identity access management solutions using what’s called decentralized identity [DiD],” he added.
Credit unions are in the thick of it
CULedger’s CUPay eliminates the need for user names and passwords and relieves credit union call centers from the obligation of resetting them when a customer loses them. The digital identity, which is encrypted using a public key infrastructure (PKI), is controlled solely by the credit union customer.
CUPay differs from modern payment rail systems in that a user’s identity is attached to every transaction they make. Current systems, such as SWIFT’s settlement rail, don’t send the user’s identity with a wire transfer; it remains separate from the wire instructions, meaning only the bank sending the money knows who is sending it.
“The advantage is for the receiving party,” Ali said. “For them, this is just one example of the use case they developed this PoC for, but they have a bigger vision. They want people to have flexibility to move between different providers. You have an identity on your phone or, let’s say your credit union-issued application…. [If] you decide to transfer to a new state or country or change credit union provider, you can take that identity with you. That’s the bigger use case there.”
The financial services industry as a whole is focused on developing decentralized identity systems that would eliminate today’s method of identifying users by keeping their information in siloes controlled by one company or a federation of partner companies, Ali said.
Key to a DID is that no one entity or person verifies a business’s or person’s identity. The onus for identification verification is on the relying party.
“Whoever you present your digital identity to has to decide if the proofs you’re presenting through the wallet are acceptable,” Ali said. “What’s most important isn’t what you say about yourself but what a trusted organization says about you.”
That means a bank, government, healthcare organization or any other entity verifying information about a self-sovereign identity user becomes responsible for ensuring the info can be trusted.
Self-sovereign academic credentials
For example, in 2017, MIT began piloting Blockcerts, a blockchain-based network and application for storing and sharing academic credentials. MIT worked with Digital ID company Learning Machine to develop the application.
Today, Blockcerts is up and running and used by 69% of graduates. In the last graduating class of 3,718 students, 2,561 opted to have their diplomas digitized and made available through the blockchain-based application, according to Mary Callahan, MIT’s registrar.
Blockcerts creates a single digital identity wallet a graduate can present through a link to would-be employers or other schools to verify academic achievements.
“As you might imagine, having… a piece of paper that indicates you graduated is a valuable commodity in the world. So fraud was an issue,” Callahan said. “There’s also the opportunity to really recognize a student’s lifelong learning. For our students, this is one stop along their learning trajectory. They may be obtaining certificates, badges, masters degrees, PhDs, and this can put them all together in one simple portfolio of their credentials.”
MIT has aggressively marketed Blockcerts to students through the school’s newspaper, display boards and the administrators of various academic departments – an effort that lead to a doubling of its uptake over the past year, according to Peter Hayes, assistant registrar at MIT.
“One thing we’re doing in terms of outreach now is working with the career services office to raise the profile for potential employers. They host career fairs with 400 to 500 employers on campus,” Hayes said.
Last year alone, the Blockcert application was used 4,124 times to verify graduate credentials, Hayes said. “So, while students haven’t given us direct feedback, we can see … numbers [that] indicate they are using it,” he said.
The movement is real
The self-sovereign identity movement spans industries, according to Gartner.
Examples of efforts to create DID infrastructures include:


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With Ferrari’s initial public offering coming in June, the Italian luxury car maker has released its latest toy. Sure to cure any mid-life crisis you might be dealing with.
Ferrari has finally unveiled (in pictures anyway) the turbocharged 488 GTB, which boasts a rear-mounted V8 engine and 670 horses under the hood. How fast do those horses run? Zero to 60 in three seconds flat. The 488 GTB tops out at 205 mph.
This new model from Ferrari is meant to mimic the original mid-rear-engined V8 model from nearly 40 years ago, the 308 GTB. (Video via YouTube / TheItalianCarChannel)
Back in September, Ferrari made a promise that all its new models would be either turbocharged or hybridized, and sticking with this “going green” mission the 488 GTB comes with a turbocharged engine.
Turbocharged engines — much like hybrid cars — generally have better fuel economy. AutoTrader describes the turbocharger as “like having two engines in one: a small, economical engine for ordinary driving and a responsive, high-performance engine for passing and such.” (Video via YouTube / Thomas Schwenke)
There’s no word yet on the price for this new prancing horse, but you can safely assume it will cost more than the car it’s replacing – the 458 Italia. The base price for the 458 is $243,000.
Ferrari will give consumers a chance to see the 488 GTB in person for the first time in March at the Geneva International Motor Show.


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Ozone’s shareholders – News UK, Reach plc, Guardian News & Media and Telegraph Media Group – have announced a new wave of funding following a strong year of performance throughout 2022 that saw it increase advertising revenue by 61%. 15 non-UK publishers also now form part of the network.
Ozone – the UK’s digital advertising platform built for brands, by publishers – saw advertising revenue increase by 61% in 2022, outpacing the 7.4% AA WARC forecast for online display advertising by more than eight-fold. The platform’s brand count increased by 48% over the same twelve months.
Strong growth was also seen on the publisher side with BuzzFeed UK, HuffPost UK, Mumsnet, Autovia, and Asian Media Group joining the UK alliance. 2022 additionally saw the launch of Ozone’s Biddable Management Service to help small and medium-sized publishers, or UK arms of international publishers, increase their programmatic revenues.
The strong performance has now been underpinned by additional investment from Ozone’s existing shareholders – News UK, Reach plc, Guardian News & Media and Telegraph Media Group – which it is hoped will help the business fast-track development of its offerings for advertisers as well as tools and analytics for publishers.
Over the past year, Ozone has won numerous industry accolades including Media Week’s Brand of the Year, The Media Leader’s Technology Company of the Year, and Digiday’s Best Publisher Platform.
Commenting on the new investment, Martin Harriman, Ozone’s Chair said, “Following an impressive twelve months, our shareholders have invested further in Ozone to accelerate the profitable growth plans of the business. Not yet five years old, the new investment reinforces the board’s view of Ozone’s critical role in creating a sustainable future for journalism and editorial content, as well as the digital advertising ecosystem at large.”
We’re delighted to have started 2023 with an even deeper commitment from our founding publishers. The investment enables us to build on the exceptional performance we’ve seen in the past 12 months, and focus on delivering better service, products and tools to our advertiser and publisher partners.Damon Reeve, CEO, Ozone


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Tuesday, January 15, 2013
“Green Lantern: The Animated Series” Comic Title Now Bi-Monthly
The World’s Finest has confirmed the ongoing Green Lantern: The Animated Series comic title from DC Comics will now ship on a bi-monthly basis starting March 2013. The comic book is based on the acclaimed Cartoon Network animated series of the same name. The new publishing schedule for the title was confirmed by a member of the creative team for the comic series. Green Lantern: The Animated Serieswill keep its monthly schedule, releasing three more issues – including issue #10 this week – until March 2013 when it will then switch over. After that, the next new issue will hit shelves come May 2013.
Further details on the Green Lantern: The Animated Series comic title can be found at The World’s Finest.
Additionally, further changes to the all-ages and media tie-in titles released by DC Comics are expected to be unrolled throughout the year, including possible format changes and new initiatives, including a third issue of the DC Nation magazine.


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Suburbs driving increase in Birmingham area car sales
Auto dealers are seeing a surge in vehicle sales so far this year – the strongest since the recession began – and the increases are mostly occurring in outlying areas.
Although auto sales have improved in most of the ZIP codes in Jefferson and Shelby counties since the recession, the strongest growth has been in Trussville, Bessemer and north Shelby County, according to data from the Birmingham Auto Dealers Association.
Of the top ZIP codes for new cars bought in April, 35235 has had the highest percentage increase in new car ownership since the recession. Sales to owners living in that area, which includes much of Trussville, grew 61.1 percent to 58 in April from 36 in April 2008.
Other fast-growing ZIP codes include 35022 in the Bessemer area, where sales rose 44.7 percent in April 2012 from April 2009, and 35244 and 35226 in the Hoover area, where sales grew 29.6 percent and 20.3 percent respectively in that time frame.
Jennifer Whisenant, executive director of the Birmingham Auto Dealers Association, said sales rose across the Birmingham area, but especially in “high growth” areas like north Shelby County.
Lee Edwards, who co-owns Edwards Chevrolet downtown with his father, said new and current residents are moving to those outlying communities, which is one reason he opened a second location on U.S. 280 in the 35242 ZIP code.
That ZIP code, which includes portions of Vestavia Hills and Hoover, has been home to the highest number of buyers of new autos for years, according to BADA data. As of April, residents there had bought 874 new vehicles, up 6.9 percent from the same period in 2011.
“We wanted to find a bigger growth area, a better demographic,” Edwards said.
Although some parts of the metro are faring better, BADA data shows the total new auto sales numbers are up across the board.
Since April 2009, when year-to-date sales of new vehicles dropped to 7,801, sales have shot up 62.1 percent to 12,645 in the same time frame this year, according to BADA. That’s better than 2008, when year-to-date sales as of April 2008 were at 11,951.
And Bruce Limbaugh of Limbaugh Toyota in Ensley said that growth pattern is from a combination of factors, including an increase in commuters and economic recovery.
He said the upward trend is expected to continue and perhaps improve in coming years.
“In the Birmingham area, we’re seeing the kinds of numbers we saw in 2006,” he said.
Ryan Poe covers real estate, retail and manufacturing for the Birmingham Business Journal. Click here to follow him on Twitter. Click here to join him on Google+.
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Revlon’s prestige makeup brand Flesh Beauty will be inclusive from the get-go
According to WWD, which got the exclusive, Flesh will consist of 12 different beauty products, including 14 highlighters, eight blushes, 30 lipsticks, and most notably, 40 shades of foundation. Yes, you read that correctly. 40. Shades. Of. Foundation. This news is not only huge, it’s a change in the right direction.
Linda Wells, industry veteran (she is the founder of Allure, after all) and Revlon’s Chief Creative Officer, brought Flesh to life last summer. She told the magazine that she credits her 24 years at Allure as her inspiration for Flesh. She explains that she wanted to create a makeup line that would be inclusive in all aspects of the word. Wells told WWD:
"It’s really focused on the idea of flesh being all flesh colors — we’re redefining the notion of what flesh color really is and having it be inclusive on every level... Now, 40 foundations has almost become the industry standard, but it’s really broadening that conversation and proposition out to other products as well."
It’s safe to say that more brands are following in Fenty Beauty’s footsteps, and as Wells mentioned, it has become the industry standard. Jefferies analyst, Stephanie Wissink, also summed it up perfectly when speaking to the magazine. She explained why this “Fentification,” as it’s cleverly dubbed, is important. She said:
"We're in a post-Fenty world now, where talking about inclusivity is a commitment — it's not just acceptable, it's desired."
And in this social media age, consumers don’t want any more excuses. They want more representation in the beauty industry. Customers no longer shop products based on the quality of the makeup, they shop products based on the brand’s ethics, including their commitment to inclusivity. And we’re glad that Revlon is recognizing the need for change in the industry.
If you’re excited about Flesh as much as we are, you don’t have to wait too long to shop its beauty goodies. WWD reports that Flesh is set to hit Ulta’s website on June 24th, and it will be in over 500 Ulta stores starting July 8th. The prestigious new brand will be sold exclusively at Ulta Beauty, so you can easily rack up your rewards points guilt-free. Prices will range from $18 for lipsticks to $38 for eyeshadow palettes, according to WWD.
Are you excited for the Flesh launch?


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MBA Team, Inc., a web design and marketing consulting firm announced today that it has received a patent pending status for EZ Yearbooks, its innovative online system for creating, managing and editing yearbooks. “Our filing gives us patent-pending protection and a green light for marketing our system to schools in preparation for the 2003 academic year,” said James Kennedy, Principal at MBA Team, Inc.
Online article submission and peer review via the web have become the industry standard in the publishing world, but it hasn’t caught on in the yearbook industry. The EZ Yearbook system is designed to streamline the process of creating yearbooks by cutting down on the time-consuming, labor-intensive processes. “Our revolutionary system makes it possible to write, edit, revise and approve yearbook copy wherever and whenever yearbook staff have online access. By containing user input within specific parameters and minimizing time spent handling paper-based documents, yearbooks are delivered to publication error free in a managed timeframe,” said Kennedy.
The company is also launching its nation-wide marketing campaign this week in Portland Oregon at a National Convention sponsored by the National Scholastic Press Association and the Journalism Education Association. Kennedy expects to receive a warm reception at the conference as the company demonstrates their web-based system for creating yearbooks. As an exhibitor at the event EZ Yearbooks will be presenting its patent pending system to thousands of students, advisers, high school journalists and yearbook publishers as they attend over 200 sessions of seminars, media swap shops and writing contests.
About EZ Yearbooks:
MBA Team, Inc. is also in the process of spinning off EZ Yearbooks as a separate company operating as an online application service provider specializing in providing web based publishing systems for creating yearbooks. EZ Yearbooks will provide affordable, web-based publishing solutions to facilitate yearbook creation. Founded on the premise that that the Internet is an ideal medium for creating yearbooks; its mission is to develop web based systems that make the process of creating, editing and publishing yearbooks as easy and fun as possible.
For additional information contact:
Tel (877) 458-3814
info(at)ezyearbooks.com or on the web at www.ezyearbooks.com