text:
HiBar Addresses The Beauty Industry’s Plastic Problem By Encouraging Bottle-Free Showering
Dion Hughes calls the shower that sparked his brand HiBar an uh-oh moment rather than an aha moment. Returning home to Minneapolis after a trip to Mexico, where he was unnerved by the sight of a beach covered in plastic, he hopped in for a quick wash, and noticed shampoo and conditioner bottles crowding the small space around him.
“I started thinking about what it would take to change that,” says Hughes, founder of creative consultancy Persuasion Arts & Sciences. “I wanted to take my problem-solving skills, and my brand-building background to inspire people to remove plastic from their homes. I researched and looked around for brands that had come up with ideas to address this, and there weren’t that many.”
Five years later, HiBar was born to confront the thorny issue of plastic pollution produced by the beauty industry’s generation of 120 billion units of packaging annually. Its solid shampoos and conditioners leave the plastic bottles behind while providing consumers results that don’t leave them disappointed.
“HiBar’s mission is to take on a seemingly intractable problem and help solve it to prove that we can make a change without having to make a compromise,” says Hughes, noting he’s not the only person compelled to tackle plastic waste. “I think demand is building from customers actively looking to remove plastic from their lives. How many people there are I don’t know, but I believe that, in the near future, there will be a lot of them.”
No matter their dedication to the environment, consumers don’t seek unappealing products. Hughes was underwhelmed by the available products when he scoured the shampoo bar landscape prior to launching HiBar. He found the design of bars to be crunchy and their performance subpar. For HiBar’s design, Hughes cultivated a cheery aesthetic to draw mainstream shoppers not typically plunking down for eco-friendly products. It features vivid green, blue and orange shades that aren’t gender-specific, and eye-catching recyclable and compostable exterior cases to give the brand shelf presence next to standard haircare items.
“I think demand is building from customers actively looking to remove plastic from their lives. How many people there are I don’t know, but I believe that, in the near future, there will be a lot of them.”
Hughes rejected thousands of names for his brand before settling on HiBar. He believes it suits the brand’s can-do approach to environmental concerns. “We can take a category like shampoo and conditioner and reimagine it to solve a problem in the world. We really can expect more of ourselves,” he says. Imagining consumers cleansing their hair with HiBar shampoo to start their day, Hughes adds, “They might be thinking, ‘I’m going to raise the bar and do something really cool today.’”
The shape of HiBar’s shampoos and conditioners was crafted over a year. Hughes explains it’s based on river rocks. Importantly, the shape fits nicely in the palm of a hand and indicates its function to consumers. Their beveled tops signal HiBar’s bars are meant to be applied to hair, and they stand upright to mimic the bottles they’re replacing. “I thought it shouldn’t look generic. It shouldn’t look just like a bar of soap,” says Hughes.
To assist in the manufacturing and distribution of HiBar’s bars, Hughes pulled in experts as partners in the brand. Nora and Jay Schaper, husband-and-wife entrepreneurs behind the body-care brand Bodylish, and Ward Johnson, previously owner of Sojos Pet Food, have joined HiBar as co-founders. To perfect its formulas, Hughes tapped Melissa Christenson, founder of Bridge Product Design + Development, and former president of Intelligent Nutrients and marketing director at The J.R. Watkins Co.
Christenson worked hard to ensure HiBar justifies its promotion of “salon-quality shampoos and conditioners.” It was a tall order to develop haircare products similar to salon offerings in bar forms without sulfates, parabens, silicones and phthalates, but Hughes says Christenson hit the mark. The shampoo, he points out, is “genuinely shampoo with the water removed” and lathers promptly like a conventional shampoo. Each bar is formulated to last as long as a regular 16-oz. bottle of shampoo or conditioner.
“We can take a category like shampoo and conditioner and reimagine it to solve a problem in the world. We really can expect more of ourselves.”
“We tried everything we could with this product to make it have a beautiful sensorial experience,” says Hughes, continuing, “For most consumers, it’s stepping away from what they’ve known. They’ve grown up using liquids and a mom who told them not to use soap to wash their hair. Here we are with a bar, and we have to get people over the barrier. If it works, they will stick with it. A bad hair day is a bad hair day, and no one wants that.”
HiBar has entered natural grocers in the Minneapolis area, including Lakewinds Food Co-op, Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op and Linden Hills Co-op. The brand has six stockeeping units: shampoos and conditioners in clarifying, moisturizing and volumizing ranges. Leading up to HiBar’s rollout to stores, Hughes guessed the clarifying shampoo would be the bestseller, but, so far, the moisturizing shampoo is the strongest seller. He reasons shoppers are hunting for hydration as a key benefit. HiBar went live in October, and its early quarterly sales have been doubling forecasts.
Hughes’ dream is for HiBar to spread to large retailers such as Target and CVS. The retail price of a HiBar bar is $12.95 to match the prices of better hair-care products on mass-market store shelves. In addition to responding to a rising consumer interest in combatting the plastic issue, Hughes asserts retailers should consider HiBar as part of efforts to contend with their culpability in disseminating plastic. “They’re a big enabler of the problem,” he says. “So, if they can start to learn themselves about the reinventions of commonplace products and how their customers relate to those, and how they can attract new customers, they should get on that right now.”


text:
Distance Learning | News
Versal Launches Free Course Publishing Platform, Grant Program
A San Francisco, CA-based startup has unveiled a beta version of its free Web-based course-creation publishing platform. Versal, which is available to anyone interested in teaching online courses, uses "gadgets," or customizable learning apps, to develop interactive lessons.
In addition, Versal has launched the Versal Foundation, which will provide grants in amounts of $1,000 to $25,000 to nonprofits and teachers to create "forever-free" online, Creative Commons-licensed online courses.
Teachers can invite people to take their courses by embedding links on blogs and social media platforms, and through email invites.
Versal has three sample courses posted on its Web site:
"Versal is creating a renaissance model of the virtual classroom, where students can truly interact and engage in the curriculum and instructors can dream up new ways to illustrate concepts," said Deirdre Murphy, adjunct art professor at the University of Pennsylvania and professional artist, in a prepared statement. "For example in my Color Play: Color Theory course, students explore a master painting to decode the mysteries of complex color, thus opening the gateway of understanding the importance of color in art and design."
Nonprofit organizations or teachers interested in applying for grants from The Versal Foundation should fall into one of two categories: Transformative Education or Foundational Education. Transformative Education courses have "a profound potential for improving people's lives. Individuals, not-for-profits and NGOs with domain expertise are encouraged to apply," according to information released by the company. Foundational Education courses cover "basic literacy, arithmetic, science, and related topics. In a nutshell, core knowledge that should be readily available to every single person on the planet."
To apply for a grant and to find out more about application requirements, go to versal.org.
Developers interested in receiving an invite to create a Versal gadget should go to versal.com/develop-gadgets.
For more information about Versal, visit versal.com.
Tim Sohn is a 10-year veteran of the news business, having served in capacities from reporter to editor-in-chief of a variety of publications including Web sites, daily and weekly newspapers, consumer and trade magazines, and wire services. He can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @editortim.

domain: news


text:
Sustainability for all: moving toward a new pricing paradigm
Kantar research shows that brands offering sustainable products at the right price can attract more consumers.
Throughout 2022, as Kantar tracked the salient concerns of people in 19 countries around the world, we saw a consistent pattern. War, the economy, and climate and environmental issues were a consistent top three, with inflation and social issues tracking close behind. In September 2022, following an astonishing period of natural disasters across the Northern Hemisphere, concerns around climate and environmental issues leapt by 50%. In the third year of the UN’s urgent ‘Decade of Action’, sustainability is a mass concern.
Foresightful brand owners have done well by identifying the need for sustainable options and have enjoyed the rapid growth that sustainable propositions deliver. Recently, researchers at New York University reported that the six-year CAGR (2015-2021) of sustainably marketed CPG in the US was nearly three times greater than that of conventionally marketed equivalents.


text:
Small companies need to take advantage of digital tools
As many New Jersey business owners can attest, there are many things that go into running a business. Marketing is one of them, and with Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest all the rage, it's important now for small companies to take advantage of these marketing opportunities in order to attract new customers and hold onto the ones they have. However, there needs to be a balance between spending hours a day on social media websites and avoiding them altogether.
Older entrepreneurs may not be as social media savvy as their younger counterparts, but by shunning digital tools altogether, they are missing out on opportunities to grow. With the average consumer in the United States using digital media for close to 15 hours a week, businesses need to stay connected to their target audience. However, 10 percent of small businesses don't even have a website. The percentage of companies not using social media is even higher -- almost 30 percent.
It's easy to get sucked into social media, which is why many small companies try to avoid it. They've seen other entrepreneurs spend hours a day updating Facebook statuses and posting photos online that they decide they want to spend their time utilizing other strategies. However, every company should have a website. They don't need anything fancy, just a clean and simple site that explains what the company does and how it can be contacted.
With just a website, there are many ways to optimize the text to make it easier for consumers to search and find. Advertising and promotions through similar websites are also good ways to help a business become a household name. A company doesn't have to utilize every media channel, but they should focus on at least a couple.
Source: USA Today, " Digital tools play big role in small business growth," Laura Petrecca, Oct. 7, 2013


text:
Clickmango seeks more funds
Clickmango.com, the health and beauty website co-founded by Tiny Rowland's 30-year-old son Toby, has confirmed it failed to raise up to £10million in additional funding from its principal backer Atlas Venture.
The site, which features Ab Fab star Joanna Lumley, raised £3million from backers in eight days in October. But has not been so lucky since then.
The firm says it still has options open to it.
Most watched Money videos
- Tips to invest your Isa - and why it is worth doing
- Range Rover races through the 99-turns of the Tianmen Road
- Should you buy a petrol or diesel car: Here's how to decide
- New Jaguar I-Pace takes on Tesla in race against the clock
- Take a look at the brand new Jaguar I-Pace prototype
- Jaguar I-Pace prototype smart cones driving test in Geneva
- Jack Whitehall stars in Jaguar I-PACE promotional video
- British car maker Morgan shows off new Aero GT in Geneva
- Can emerging markets continue to climb? We ask a top manager
- Alarming levels of plastic waste in oceans
- Big Money Questions: What is diversifying?
- Big Money Questions: Does tax have to be so complicated?


text:
Dollar Tree might have to start considering a rebrand as it continues to branch out into higher price points. The retailer will begin adding new price points above $1 at all Dollar Tree Plus stores, and will start testing doing the same at legacy Dollar Tree stores.
“For decades, our customers have enjoyed the ‘thrill-of-the-hunt’ for value at $1 — and we remain committed to that core proposition — but many are telling us that they also want a broader product assortment when they come to shop,” said Michael Witynski, President and CEO of Dollar Tree in a statement. “We believe testing additional price points above $1 for Dollar Tree product will enable us over time to expand our assortments, introduce new products and meet more of our customers’ everyday needs.”
Another probable motive: heading off the impact of ballooning inflation, which hit a 30-year high in July at 4.2%. Members of the Fed’s rate-setting committee expect that to hold through the end of year, but begin to cool in 2022.
The company said it will have 500 Dollar Tree Plus stores — which offer an assortment of $1, $3 and $5 products — open by the end of 2021, with plans to add another 1,500 in fiscal 2022. The goal is to reach 5,000 stores by 2024.
The company also plans to expand it combo store format, which brings together the Dollar Tree and Family Dollar brands in one storefront, primarily in smaller towns and rural communities. Dollar Tree acquired Family Dollar in 2015 and opened the first combo store in 2019. There are currently 105 combo stores in operation, with 400 more to be added in 2022 and the potential for up to 3,000 over the next several years.
“We are a test-and-learn organization, which is what we are doing with this new initiative,” added Witynski. “Our brand promise is that customers get great value for what they spend at Dollar Tree. We will continue to be fiercely protective of that promise, regardless of the price point, whether it is $1, $1.25 or $1.50.”


text:
LG Intros First Android SmartphoneLG Intros First Android Smartphone
Powered by Google's Linux-based operating system, the LG-GW620 will have a 3-inch touchscreen and full QWETRTY keyboard.
September 14, 2009
(click image for larger view)
LG Electronics is the latest company to offer support for the Google-backed mobile operating system, as the third-largest handset maker introduced Monday its first Android-powered smartphone. The company did not reveal many details about the LG-GW620, but the device will have a 3-inch touchscreen with a slide-out, five-row QWERTY keyboard. The handset will have support for social networking functions out of the box, and it will likely be preloaded with Google software such as Google Maps, Gmail, and access to the Android Market for adding new applications. The Android-powered handset will be available in the fourth quarter in certain European markets for an unspecified price. "Our objective is to provide a wide selection of smartphones to satisfy the diverse preferences of today's consumers," said Dr. Skott Ahn, president and CEO of LG, in a statement. "This Android phone is just one of many smartphone models we plan to introduce worldwide in the years ahead." The introduction of the Android-powered handset is part of LG's larger strategy of focusing on smartphones in order to overtake Samsung to become the second-largest handset maker. The company said it would be launching three Windows Mobile smartphones by the end of the year, and at least 13 Windows phones by the end of the 2010. The move also shows that Android is gaining traction among handset makers, and Google said it expects up to 20 Android smartphones to be released by the end of the year. Motorola introduced its first Android phone Friday, and it joins LG, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson as major handset makers committed to making phones with the open source OS. Nokia is the only top-five handset maker that hasn't announced support for Android.
Most companies are just starting the hard work of mobilizing workforces by bringing the software they use to smartphones. InformationWeek analyzed this issue in an independent report, and it can be downloaded here (registration required).
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like


text:
Strong weanling sales hits export trade
The strength of farmer demand for weanlings at the mart sales has pushed live exporters "out of the market", with seasonal export sales slumping to the lowest level in more than a decade.
Live exporter, Hubert Maxwell said the prices are not "realistic" at the moment and export customers cannot meet the current rates being paid.
He predicts that the exports sales will continue to lose out this Autumn with lower beef prices in much of Europe, and prices would need to fall by up to €200/hd to resume strong live sales abroad.
Mr Maxwell said there is a market on the continent for the top continental bulls at up to €2.50-€2.60/kg.
However, he added that bulls cannot be purchased for that price at the moment.
Another live exporter confirmed slack sales to Europe, however, mentioned possible market opportunities in Tunisia later in the year.
Export sales for the first seven weeks of the seasonal trade from the start of July are down by 68pc on 2014, hitting their lowest for the period since 2004.
Official figures confirm that 1,249 weanlings were exported live in the seven weeks, compared to 3,883 in 2014.


text:
|Print this article|
Shobha Warrier talks to the 'swadeshi' man on what his views are on FDI in retail and the politics behind it.
The prime minister has told the nation that the Indian economy is as bad as it was in 1991. How do you react to this statement from the same person who has brought in the change and has been in charge of the nation for so many years?
There are two aspects which have to be examined first. The prime minister has to answer first, why did the economy go back to the 1991 position? After having developed, and grown - India was seen as a rising global economic power from 2005-08 - how, in the last couple of years has the economy nosedived? He has to explain this to the people.
That the prime minister himself has to warn the country that it is as bad as 1991, means it's a serious situation. So, he is answerable to the country how he took the country back to the 1991 days.
In 1991, you could say the policies that were pursued were restrictive and that was why the country underperformed. Now, in the last 20 years, you have liberalised, you have brought in so many changes. Why is it under performing today?
What, according to you, are the reasons why the economy was under performing?
Problems are of five kinds according to me; that is, the balance sheet of the government, the balance sheet of the corporates, the balance sheet of the banks, the external balance sheet of India and the balance sheet of the households. The household balance sheet is fairly alright. Our corporate balance sheet is not poor. They are not running in huge losses.
The bank balance sheet is okay. It's the government balance sheet and the external balance sheet of India that are in problem. Why has the government balance sheet got into problem? The government gave encouragement to the industry in 2008 and 2009 by giving a lot of tax concessions to ride out of the so-called recession.
The amount of benefit was almost Rs 100,000 crores (Rs 1 trillion). The amount foregone by the government through concessions is over Rs 7 lakh crores (Rs 7 trillion).
Click NEXT to read more...
Now, the government has no courage to withdraw the benefits because the corporates put pressure on them. This country is being run by "pink" mindset and the pink newspapers.
Next is the way they have maladjusted the expenditure side. For example, the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is just to fetch votes; indirectly a bribery. It is a cesspool of corruption and is consuming Rs 100,000 crores (Rs 1 trillion). You are not only disfiguring the balance sheet of the country but also spoiling the work force of the rural areas.
For the last six-seven years, the game has been going on but no political party wants to talk about it because it will affect the vote bank. Who disfigured the balance sheet like this? This government. This has resulted in a huge budget deficit and that is one of the reasons why the rupee weakened. You also mismanaged the external front by liberalising your imports based on your stock market money.
You have no reason to run a trade deficit of $120 billion with China and starve the local industries. Because the external front weakened, the cost of the economy went up by at least 25 per cent. You brought in inflation. When inflation went up, savings went down, and when savings went down, there was a capital shortage and pressure on interest rates. It was all brought in by this government by its actions.
Like the prime minister says, is FDI in retail and other sectors the answer to solve all these problems? When the government says FDI in retail can create millions of jobs, a study says even if it were to take 20 per cent of the retail market, eight million jobs will be lost.
If Walmart is killing three jobs to create two jobs in the US, the proportion cannot be more in India. It will kill more jobs in India. The very day India announced that FDI in retail would have no impact on small retailers, Atlantic City, the web cousin of Foreign Affairs magazine, carried a headline news that 'Radiating death - Walmart spells doom for small business.'
They have said that the closure rate of small shops near Walmart is 35-60 per cent. For every mile from the Walmart super markets, the closure rate is 15-20 per cent. It radiates this closure. At the same time, you are claiming that there will be more employment opportunities and small business will not be affected.
Click NEXT to read more...
But it is not Walmart alone that is going to enter the Indian market...
You must look at what the biggest player will do. That there are other players also means, more competitors will be doing the same job. Whatever Walmart does, the other players have to do worse. Otherwise, they will not survive.
What is the difference between what the big Indian retailers have been doing and what the MNCs will do?
There is a difference. Their pockets are not as deep as the foreign players. For example, players like Walmart can establish their malls everywhere without looking at profits for the next, say five years or 10 years. They can undersell and finish off all the local retailers. I don't think the Indian corporates can have this kind of an approach.
Because they are not big enough?
They don't have the equity or capacity to pose this kind of danger. Another worry of mine, other than losing employment and destruction of small shops is the impact it will have on rural food security. Sixty per cent of the food grains produced in India is distributed within villages and only 40 per cent enters the commercial arena. Most farmers produce food for only themselves.
If this is so, how can you establish a farmgate to retailgate link? If you draw two per cent out of the 60 per cent, it is going to be disastrous.
What is the guarantee that they will outsource from Indian farmers, like the government expects? If they get cheaper food products from elsewhere, won't they bring them to Indian market, like you see Fiji and Californian apples even today in Indian market?
They can outsource 70 per cent of their products. Let us assume they pay a higher price here and lower price outside, they can make their margin. My worry is taking even five per cent food grains from the Indian rural market. If that is so, what will happen to the food security of those people?
Thirty-five crore small farmers and about 25 crore farm labour are dependant on what is produced in the rural market.
Supporters of FDI in retail talk about FDI in countries like China, Indonesia, etc., and say no economic crisis has happened there because of FDI in retail. What do you say on this?
Can you manage your economy like China? You can manage only if you can manage your politics or media or police or army like China. Only if you can manage foreign countries like China.
Click NEXT to read more...
China has limited the entire globalisation process only to coastal China. There is no free movement of people, there is no free exchange of information. It is juts impossible to follow China.
Another thing is, the number of retail shops in India is at least three times higher than that of China. Retail penetration is very high in this country. China destroyed traders and substituted them with ration shops for over 40 years.
Similarly, they had wiped out the Chinese trading class and farmers. So, when they opened up, Chinese business class had to come from outside. They needed the business class from outside when they opened which is not the case in India. Traders, farmers and business class are in existence in India. It is not a comparable situation.
Will FDI in retail create a buoyancy in the Indian economy like the government expects?
I don't think so. It can only manage the sentiments. The idea of managing the economy through managing the sentiments is only a short term measure. The prime minister says 50 per cent of the FDI will go into developing the infrastructure. Do you expect them to do so when they are here to do business?
Why should they develop the infrastructure here? They may probably set up cold storages but why should they develop roads here? But basic infrastructure, you have to develop for them to put up their storage facilities. They may start the axillary infrastructure if you put up the main infrastructure. How foolish it is to expect them to develop infrastructure in the country! I don't know how it goes uncontested.
The criticism against the Marxist party (CPM) is that they are against capitalism, and the criticism against the BJP is that it is a baniya party...
I am very happy if the BJP supports the baniyas. I am very happy if Marxists support the small traders because they are anti-capitalists. I don't see anything wrong in this.
Do you call bringing FDI in retail or any other sector, reform?
I don't think reform has never been defined. Today, anything that the western countries want is "reforms". If you oppose what they want, you are against reforms. The entire retail development in the US can be attributed to the destruction of society there by promoting crass consumerism. Retail investment is a product of consumerism.
FDI in retail, FDI in insurance, FDI in pension fund... which is going to be the most dangerous, according to you?
According to me, FDI in retail will immediately affect the economy. Making pension fund dependant on the stock market will be very dangerous.
Click NEXT to read more...
In fact, the US economy has become dependant on the stock market. When the stock market falls, the economy falls. Instead, you should follow the German model where pension funds are banked. The social security system of Germany is based on banking model and not on stock model while American social security model is based on equity model.
Germans seem to be far more successful because Germany is the only country that is running surplus budgets. It has also surplus trade balance. And, we are basically a bank based country. Only two per cent of the savings gets into the stock market. That is why the government is able to meet its deficits.
This year, we will be depositing Rs eight lakh crores (Rs 8 trillion) in the banking system and the government will be borrowing Rs six lakh crores (Rs 6 trillion). If the people put money in the stock market, the government will become insolvent in this country.
And, the prime minister of this country said four years ago, if I recollect, don't go to banks, go to the stock market. But the country didn't listen. Our culture is aligned to the banking system.
The government says subsidies must go as it is eating the economy...
There is subsidy in every country. America is giving $20 billion annually as subsidy for agriculture, European Union also. Subsidies is the only way you can equalise.
The subsidies that are eating into the Indian economy is the petroleum subsidy. Seventy-five per cent of it can be attributed to the depreciation of the value of the rupee.
Our prices are sufficient to recover the international prices up to $100 per barrel provided the value of the rupee is 45 or 46. But the rupee value has depreciated by 25 per cent, and that is because of the mismanagement of the economy. So, don't blame subsidies, blame the fall in the value of the rupee.


text:
Photo by Chris Ware
“Oy vey! What have you done?”
That’s what Zachy Zacharia, the founder of Zachys Wine & Liquor, Inc., would say if he could see his Scarsdale store today, says Zachys President Jeff Zacharia, 51. His paternal grandfather, a Polish immigrant, would see that the 150-square-foot, two-employee East Parkway Liquor House, which he bought in 1944, has morphed into one of the country’s most celebrated wine shops, offering one of the most complete selections of fine wine in the United States. He would see 5,500 square feet of retail space and tens of thousands of square feet of storage space, equipped with remote monitoring and climate control via a 50-ton refrigeration system. The store carries more than 3,000 brands of wine, mostly from France, Italy, Chile, Argentina, Spain, Australia, and the United States.
Zachys is satisfying demand not only from its in-store customers, but also over the Internet, with traditional patron purchases as well as auction sales. In 2011, Zachys racked up just under $80 million in wine auctions online and in Manhattan, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong, all of which were open to anyone. In 2010, auction sales totaled $65 million. “Its auction business has brought Zachys a lot more national and international attention,” says Westchester Wine School Director Ned Towle.
Zachys.com, which launched in 1999 (and which Jeff had a big hand in developing), draws customers from all over the world. “Depending on the time of year—for example, Thanksgiving, New Year’s, and the December holidays—anywhere between thirty to fifty percent of our business is through the Internet,” says Zacharia. A website purchase must be at least $100, and the biggest order so far totaled $100,000. While the website has meant a decrease in in-store business, it has also increased the number of visits to the store since many Internet orders are picked up in Scarsdale.
In fact, Internet sales have created a whole new form of competition, and Zachys is coming out on top. People can now buy not only from their local wine shop, but from a wine shop on the other side of the country. “You have to be on the cutting edge of prices and the wines that people want,” says Towle, “and Zachys engages in a lot of sales and special online promotions to maintain their base. I would also say that they have the most user-friendly online system—one that’s as good as or better than anyone else’s in the region.” But not all expansion has been on the web. Zachys also holds more food and wine events, wine-tasting benefits, and wine-themed dinners, all events taking place in Westchester and Manhattan.
Zacharia frequently jets to Bordeaux and Burgundy to taste new vintages, keep abreast of upcoming trends, and visit and buy from suppliers and vineyard owners. (He’s fluent in French.) He also visits Hong Kong, where Zachys holds fine-wine auctions and where the family is considering opening a branch of the store. The store’s global presence would undoubtedly make Zachy Zacharia’s head spin. “I don’t think he would understand this growth and change, but he would be happy about it,” Jeff says.
Here’s another aspect that Jeff’s grandfather never would have fathomed: Because many of its nearly 100 employees are multilingual, Zachys can cater to wine lovers from many different cultures. The staff includes four buyers, 15 sellers, print designers for its advertising, and departments for accounting, customer service, and IT. Two people work on social media, but Zacharia says that it hasn’t had as much of an impact on sales and presence as he’d like. “But we’re working on it.”
Stew Leonard, Jr., the president and CEO of the world’s largest dairy store, Stew Leonard’s, got to know the Zacharias when, in 1998, he and his father, Stew, Sr., were about to open their first wine store, at the Stew Leonard’s in Yonkers, and needed some advice. “I figured I’d ask the best of the best,” says Leonard, Jr. “Jeff was a great coach and source of information for us.”
Jeff’s father, Don, today Zachys CEO, bought East Parkway Liquor House from his father, Zachy, in 1961. He renamed it, moved it into a much larger space two doors down, introduced wine into its wares, and sent it on its way to where it is now. And even today Zachys remains a family affair: It’s owned by Jeff, sister Jen, Don, and Jen’s husband, Andrew McMurray, who joined up in 1993. As vice president, McMurray is in charge of buying, marketing, and day-to-day operations of the store. Jeff and his wife, Frederique, live in Scarsdale and have four children, ages 20, 18, and 13 (twins).
- Partner Content -
Back when Jeff was a history major at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, however, his mind was more on Frisbees than fine wine. After graduating, he “played around for a while and did some backpacking,” he says. “And, after a bit of time, my father offered me a job. I said, ‘Well, let me try it for six months and see if it’s something that I really want to do.’” But it only took two days for Jeff to decide that he wanted to make Zachys his career. “I realized how I always had loved the business.”
He started as a salesman on the floor in 1983, and spent 15 years studying the trade, working closely with customers, and learning from his father and grandfather. While his title remained salesman, his duties grew. “We’ve never focused a lot on titles here,” Jeff says. “It’s more about responsibility. For a long time, I didn’t even have a title. I knew what I did. There’s no official date when I took over. It happened slowly over the past fifteen years.”
Jeff says that working alongside his dad is “one of the greatest blessings in my life. We never argue and almost never disagree on business issues.”
Zacharia says that there are people from abroad and outside of the New York metro area who make a point to get to Zachys when they visit Manhattan—the Scarsdale Metro-North station right across the street has proved quite advantageous—and folks often take a detour to Zachys while driving through the tri-state area. Meanwhile, Westchester’s wine aficionados have it easy. Every Saturday, anywhere from 150 to 400 fans flock to the store from noon to 4 pm for free wine tastings. “You can read all the books you want, but until you taste and understand wine, you can’t really comprehend what it’s all about,” he says. “I like to say, ‘We taste thousands of wines so you don’t have to.’”
The sour American economy hasn’t corked customers’ enthusiasm. “While our average dollar sales went down by about fifteen percent, the number of bottles we sold stayed the same,” Zacharia says. “That told us that people still like to drink wine—they’re just stepping down. Whereas they used to buy a fifty-dollar bottle of wine, they might now buy one for thirty.”
The company’s employees are also fiercely loyal. Michael Thomas, who is a floor manager and the liquor buyer, recently celebrated his 30th anniversary. “Whenever possible, we like to promote from within. I think that keeps people here because they know there’s somewhere they can move to.”
With so much talk about wine, let’s not forget that Zachys also carries liquor. Okay, so spirits account for about 10 percent of its in-store display, but, says Zacharia, “There is also romance to the liquors. We carry a tequila that a family in Mexico makes in certain ways that absolutely separate their tequila from the rest of the pack; it sells very well. As for whiskey, there are single batches of bourbons—single barrels of the stuff—so there are definitely unique and special products in that side of the business as well.”
Zacharia himself loves wine and every night sits down to a dinner that includes a bottle. On weekdays, it comes from his store and, on weekends, he picks them from the stash in his home cellar—“Old World wines, which are generally from France, Italy, and Spain.” Just as Zacharia began at Zachys working the floor, one of his kids might soon be out there following in his footsteps. Eighteen-year-old college student Tom has worked at Zachys, spent last summer working at a Bordeaux château, and helped Jeff at an auction in Hong Kong. Like his father and Uncle Andrew, Tom is smitten with the wine business. Jeff would be thrilled if Tom or any of Jen’s kids wanted to carry on the legacy. “They would be the fourth generation here. That would be great!”
Jenny Higgons of Hastings-on-Hudson always stops into Zachys when in Scarsdale.


text:
See Vega Details
Arianespace SA is a multinational company founded in 1980 as the world's first commercial launch service provider. It undertakes the production, operation, and marketing of the Ariane programme. Their vehicles launch exclusively from French Guiana in South America.INFO WIKI
Europe’s new Vega C launcher is on track for its inaugural launch from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, during the second half of June, according to officials managing final phases of integration.
Components for the first Vega-C (Vega Consolidation) rocket are entering launch preparations at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. This month, the first flightworthy P120C solid rocket motor was activated and moved to the launch fac…


text:
Also in mobile: rising spend from retailers; most use devices while watching TV.
The number of individual advertisers running campaigns on major mobile websites has more than doubled over the past two years, according to a study by comScore.
From a sample of over 600 of the most trafficked U.S. mobile web properties, the online measurement firm recorded 689 advertisers running campaigns in April 2011, representing 128 percent growth versus the 280 advertisers that did so during the same month in 2009. Hans Fredericks, comScore VP, attributes the growth to the continued proliferation of smartphone devices, which in turn has attracted an increase in ad dollars.
It's worth noting the study did not factor in ads served through mobile applications. The inclusion of those advertisers could result in a far higher number than the 689 reported.
In other mobile news…
Retailers, Restaurants, Auto Brands Grow Mobile Ad Investment
Retailers, restaurants, and automotive brands are spending significantly more on mobile advertising globally, at least across Millennial Media's network of mobile apps and websites.
For the first quarter of the year the company reported 1,342 percent growth in revenues from retail and restaurant advertisers compared with the same period in 2009. Meanwhile automotive advertisers upped their investment by 723 percent, and financial advertisers spent 379 percent more, it said.
Majority of Connected Device Users Watch TV Simultaneously
Marketers are increasingly interested in the potentially powerful relationship between tablet and smartphone devices and the consumption of broadcast TV content. Earlier this year Yahoo released data demonstrating a correlation between commercial TV breaks and an uptick in search behavior.
Nielsen recently released the results of a study reinforcing that behavior, suggesting over two-thirds of tablet and smartphone owners use their connected devices whilst watching TV.
Jack Marshall was a staff writer and stats editor for ClickZ News from 2007 until August 2011.
2015 Holiday Email Guide
The holidays are just around the corner. Download this whitepaper to find out how to create successful holiday email campaigns that drive engagement and revenue.
Three Ways to Make Your Big Data More Valuable
Big data holds a lot of promise for marketers, but are marketers ready to make the most of it to drive better business decisions and improve ROI? This study looks at the hidden challenges modern marketers face when trying to put big data to use.
December 2, 2015
1pm ET/ 10am PT
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
5pm HKT / 5am ET


text:
- Event Venues Partner with Groupon to Sell Tickets to Live Events
- International Arrests Made in $1.6M StubHub Fraud Case
- Stubhub Announces Customer Accounts Hacked, Long-term Fraud Investigation
- Billy Joel to Receive Gershwin Prize Amidst New York City Concert Series
- Garth Brooks Announces World Tour and New Album
- Shark Tank’s Daymond John Highlights Final Day of Ticket Summit®
- Successful Day Two at Ticket Summit® in Las Vegas
- Ticket Summit® Kicks Off First Day of Conference in Las Vegas with a Welcome from Former Mayor Oscar B. Goodman
- Ticket Summit: Record Attendance Expected!
- Ticket Summit® to Hold a Trade Show at this Year’s Conference
Minnesota Lawmakers Repeal 58 Year Old Scalping Law
ST PAUL, MN -- The House voted 124-8 to repeal the law on Wednesday, after a similar Senate vote in February. Pawlenty spokesman Brian McClung said the governor plans to sign the bill. The repeal would take effect Aug. 1.
"This law is now unenforceable in the age of the Internet," said Rep. Chris DeLaForest, the bill's House sponsor. "The Internet has made this commerce legal, and that's what it should be, members. After all, we don't talk about scalping real estate or artwork or stocks or bonds."...
State law currently forbids selling tickets above their face value, on pain of up to 90 days in jail or fines of up to $1,000 or both. The law was originally passed in 1949 and recodified in 1963, according to the Legislature's Office of the Revisor of Statutes.


text:
By Troy Hasselman, September 9 2019—
The Mashing, Alberta Beer Festivals’ autumn sampling event, promises to bring a carnival atmosphere over its two days at the Grand Stand in Stampede Park, with entertainment complementing the myriad food, beer, cider and spirits sampling stations that will pack the festival.
“We have a ton of entertainment, we have six different DJ’s playing from the Crafted Sessions group,” says Alberta Beer Festivals president Bill Robinson. “Dandy Brewing Company’s going to do a record party, Wildrose is going to do a record party also. We’ve got a drag show, we’ve got a mentalist, Green Fool is going to do a circus show, ATCO is going to do a big cooking-with-beer demo with Village Brewery so you can try some pretty crazy food. On top of that is a sampling event so we’ve got 75 breweries, distilleries, cideries and restaurants too. It’s on two levels with five stages.”
The vendors show the growth that has been made in food and drink pairings in Calgary in recent years, with beer-based restaurants playing a central role in Calgary’s food scene.
“There’s 12 different restaurants ranging from Cupcake Company to Chocolate Company to places like National and Pig and Duke that serves barbecue,” Robinson says. “The food that gets paired with beers has really changed in the last few years. It used to be drunk guys eating from a hot dog stand — not that that doesn’t happen, it still happens — but you go to a place like Craft or National and the food is pretty fantastic while it used to be stuff you ate while you were drinking beer.”
The Mashing is a smaller show after the massive Calgary BeerFest that happens in the spring at the BMO Centre. The fall show tries to equally combine the sampling aspect with the numerous types of entertainment into one unique event.
“In the fall we’re trying to do an intimate, local, really fun event where people can come and experience all the beers and ciders and spirits in a different way,” Robinson says. “All the entertainment makes the event really unique but we’re trying to do something that no one else in the world is doing. There are people out there making carnival-type things and there are different kinds of entertainment and we’re trying to put all of those elements into one thing, plus a sampling event and we don’t know of anywhere in the world where that’s happening.”
The drink samples at The Mashing are more local than the global-spanning lineup that is included at Beerfest but the lineup nonetheless tries to offer new and unique drink experiences and to introduce visitors to something they haven’t tried before.
“The Mashing tends to be more locally-focused, we do have a bunch of breweries, some from overseas and a lot from BC and Ontario and stuff like that,” Robinson says. “Now that a lot of spirit companies have been around a lot longer they’re starting to branch out and make some truly special things. You get to try something different here and get a chance to find a new favourite, but if you just try a little sample you get to try some things that you never heard of before.”
The unique makeup of the festival is also reflected its warm vibe and communal atmosphere.
“There’s a community aspect to this you don’t get going to the pub, you go to the festival and it’s the friendliest place you can go,” Robinson says. “You get there and everyone’s in a good mood, you’re standing in line and you start talking to the people in line with you, you meet people you wouldn’t almost anywhere else, people always come together over good food and drink and that’s what we have in abundance.”
The Mashing will take place Sept. 13 and 14 on the Grand Stand at Stampede Park. For information about the festival and tickets please visit the festival website.


text:
Sweetener producer PureCircle can resume its shipments of plant extract stevia to the US after authorities cleared it of using 'slave labour'.
The London-listed company has been locked in a dispute with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) after a PureCircle shipment was seized and impounded last year.
The US authorities said they had received information that stevia being imported from China had been produced by convicts. PureCircle said the claims were “based on an inaccurate allegation”.
The company is now free to resume trading the plant extract, which is used as a sweetener in products such as soft drinks, with its US-based customers after CBP removed its name from a Withhold Release Order.
PureCircle's US business represented one-third of the company’s sales in its last financial year, and earlier this month it blamed the customs dispute for a sharp fall in sales in the second half of 2016.
In an update that sent shares plummeting more than 10pc, PureCircle said sales for the period were expected to fall 14pc to $47m (£38m) compared to $54m for the same period in 2015.
“We understand, and fully support, the CBP’s commitment to ensuring that forced labour is never used in the production of any products imported into the US,” said PureCircle chief executive Magomet Malsagov.
“We are pleased that this matter has been rigorously investigated and that PureCircle has been cleared by the CBP.
“This experience has only reinforced our commitment to human rights and fair labour practices in any of our markets as well as strengthened our capabilities in providing traceability and transparency as the stevia industry’s only vertically integrated natural supply chain.”
PureCircle shares were unchanged in morning trade at 275p.


text:
“The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, through the Department of Commerce, announced today that the goods and services deficit was $43.4 billion in December, up $1.1 billion from $42.2 billion in November, revised. December exports were $181.5 billion, $0.5 billion less than November exports. December imports were $224.9 billion, up $0.6 billion from November. The December increase in the goods and services deficit reflected an increase in the goods deficit of $1.3 billion to $62.5 billion and an increase in the services surplus of $0.1 billion to $ 19.2 billion…”
Pay for a day's hosting for this site... same as buying the blogger a cup of coffee.


text:
The results exceeded analysts' expectations and were attributed to strong global demand, in particular from automotive and mobile phone customers. As a result of the good second quarter ST raised the estimate for the full year from $12.1 billion to $12.5 billion and raised the capex budget to $2.1 billion from $2.0 billion.
The second quarter sales were $2.99 billion, up 43.4 percent on the same quarter a year before, although flat with the 1Q21. The company made a net income of $412 million, up from just $90 million in the 2Q20. ST was one of the companies that reportedly raised prices at the beginning of 2021 in response to the chip shortage (Report: Chipmakers raising prices 10 to 20 percent).
"First half net revenues increased 39.1 percent year-over-year, driven by growth in all product groups, except the RF Communications sub-group. Operating margin was 15.5 percent and net income $776 million," said Jean-Marc Chery, CEO of STMicroelectronics, in a statement.
In terms of ST's three business groups, it was the analog, mixed-signal and sensors group that performed best with sales up 62.3 percent compared with a year before. The automotive and discrete group followed with a 48.2 percent annual uplift. The microcontrollers and digital group still enjoyed a rise of 22.3 percent. The AMS group is highly seasonal and is probably enjoying a ramping of sales for a round of smartphone introductions in the fall.
The forecast for the third quarter was set at $3.20 billion, which would produce a year-over-year increase of 20.0 percent.
"We will now drive the company based on a plan for FY21 revenues of $12.5 billion, plus or minus $100 million, a year-over-year increase of 22.3 percent at the mid-point. This growth is expected to be driven by strong dynamics in all the end markets we address and our engaged customer programs. Our capex plan will now be about $2.1 billion for 2021, said Chery.
Related links and articles:


text:
BRIEF-Nightingale says announces the sale of its Canadian assets
July 14 (Reuters) - Nightingale Informatix Corp
* Nightingale announces the sale of its canadian assets
* Nightingale informatix corp says deal valued at $14 million
* Sale represents a sale of substantially all of company's canadian assets
* Company will retain ownership of its v10 (nexia) software technology and rights to use its clearinghouse technology
* Significant portion of asset sale proceeds will be used to repay co's secured debt which totals about $10.4 million Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Bengaluru Newsroom: +1-646-223-8780)
© Thomson Reuters 2017 All rights reserved.


text:
Together with Mattel, the studio is to show the popular doll's 'playful personality to life for generations of fans'.
Barbie is getting her own big screen treatment. Sony Pictures has struck a deal with the toy company Mattel and producers Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald to develop a live-action comedy around the fashion doll as a potential new franchise.
Deadline reported that the project would be overseen by the studio chief herself Amy Pascal and production president Hannah Minghella. The script will be provided by Jenny Bicks who co-wrote "Rio 2". Production is expected to begin before the year's end.
Tim Kilpin, executive VP of global brands for Mattel, said the movie would show Barbie's playful personality. "Barbie has entertained children and inspired their imagination and creativity for more than 50 years," Kilpin said. "Now is the right time in Barbie's celebrated history for her to star in a live-action, contemporary comedy that brings her playful personality to life for generations of fans."
Representing women empowerment, Barbie has juggled more than 150 careers over 50 years of its existence. Some of her careers as well as her famous pink Malibu mansion and sports car are expected to be featured in the movie.
"We've always thought that the Barbie story had great potential, but a universe of possibilities opened up when Jenny, Walter and Laurie brought us their unexpected, clever, and truly funny concept. It captures everything that has made Barbie a classic for generation after generation while also standing on its own, establishing Barbie as a truly original screen character," Minghella told Deadline.
The project is the second between Mattel and Sony, who are also developing a film adaptation of "Masters of the Universe". Universal Pictures had planned to produce a film around Barbie in 2009.


text:
Not available in XL: Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries accused of only wanting 'thin and beautiful people'
Company's aggressive pursuit of the preppy, highly-sexed 18- to 22-year-old demographic is largely down to its 68-year-old CEO
Tim Walker is The Independent’s Los Angeles correspondent, covering entertainment and other concerns from the West Coast of the US. He was previously a features writer and the editor of the paper’s diary column. His first novel, Completion, is being published in January 2014.
Wednesday 08 May 2013
Abercrombie & Fitch, the controversial US clothing retailer, has been accused of deliberately excluding plus-size women from wearing its clothes, by failing to make or sell womenswear in any size above Large. The latest claims of body elitism come from Robin Lewis, a retail industry analyst and co-author of The New Rules of Retail, who says Abercrombie CEO Mike Jeffries “doesn't want larger people shopping in his store, he wants thin and beautiful people.”
In an interview with Business Insider, Lewis suggested Jeffries “doesn't want his core customers to see people who aren't as hot as them wearing his clothing. People who wear his clothing should feel like they're one of the 'cool kids.'” The chain, which has more than 300 outlets in the US, sells men's clothes in XL and XXL sizes, but these are designed solely to fit the muscle bulk of strapping sportsmen, says Lewis. “Abercrombie is only interested in people with washboard stomachs who look like they're about to jump on a surfboard.”.
A&F's aggressive pursuit of the preppy, highly-sexed 18- to 22-year-old demographic is largely down to its 68-year-old CEO, who explained his strategy to Salon in 2006. “That's why we hire good-looking people in our stores,” Jeffries said. “Because good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people. We don't market to anyone other than that.” He went on: “In every school there are the cool and popular kids, and then there are the not-so-cool kids. Candidly, we go after the cool kids. We go after the attractive all-American kid with a great attitude and a lot of friends. A lot of people don't belong [in our clothes], and they can't belong. Are we exclusionary? Absolutely.”
The company, infamous for its semi-naked sales assistants, has come under fire previously for its emphasis on appearance. In 2004 A&F settled a $40m (£26m) class-action discrimination lawsuit in the US, after accusations that it filled its shop floors with almost exclusively white staff. Five years later, Riam Dean, a British student born without a left forearm, won £9,000 from the firm after she was forced to work in a stock-room, where she wouldn't be seen by customers. Last year, a leaked company email revealed that employees at the chain's Milan store were made to perform military-style exercises, such as push-ups and squats, in order to maintain their toned physiques.
Yet Abercrombie's policy of excluding overweight customers may turn out to be not only bad publicity, but also bad business. Recent estimates suggest that around two-thirds of America's clothes-buying population now fall into the plus-size category, generally deemed to be US size 14 and above. There are no women's trousers larger than a 10 on offer at A&F, whose size chart runs only from Extra Small to Large. By contrast, its leading competitors H&M and American Eagle offer up to sizes 16 and 18 respectively. H&M recently hired plus-size model Jennie Runk as the face - and body - of its latest beachwear collection.
Oscar Pistorius trial: Defence's own witness contradicts athlete's version of events
Oscar Pistorius trial: The case against Oscar Pistorius – and why the prosecution claims his story doesn't add up
South Korea ferry: Captain Lee Joon-seok could face criminal investigation as over 280 remain missing
Peaches Geldof dead: Private funeral for the family and friends of the socialite will take place next week
Shropshire criminals ‘using unmanned drones and infrared cameras to find illegal cannabis farms’ – and then steal from the growers
The food poverty scandal that shames Britain: Nearly 1m people rely on handouts to eat – and benefit reforms may be to blame
US Navy christens huge $3 billion destroyer ship USS Zumwalt that appears as a fishing boat on enemy radar
Scottish independence: It is the English who should be on their knees, begging the Scots to vote ‘No’
Nigel Farage fatigue? Half of voters ‘immune’ to Ukip’s appeal
Nigel Farage on Have I Got News For You: Ukip leader ridiculed over expenses and party 'fruitcakes'
Nigel Farage: I’m taking on the status quo, and the Establishment’s fighting back
- 1 Poveglia: 'World's most haunted island' up for sale...is anyone brave enough to buy it?
- 2 The Hobbit: There and Back Again set for possible title change
- 3 Video of British Muslims dancing to Pharrell Williams's hit Happy attacked as 'sinful'
- 4 24 people applied for the 'world's toughest job', here are their interviews
- 5 Andre Johnson: Wu-Tang Clan-discovered rapper severed his penis and jumped from LA building
£150.00 per week: QA Apprenticeships: This company is a company that specializ...
£153.75 per week: QA Apprenticeships: This company is an innovative outsourcin...
£150.00 per week: QA Apprenticeships: This company has been providing on site ...
£150.00 per week: QA Apprenticeships: We've been supplying best of breed peopl...


text:
Verizon is currently conducting alpha testing of Verizon Gaming, a game streaming service that would represent a major new initiative for the home and mobile internet giant. The Verge can report that Verizon Gaming is already up and running on the Nvidia Shield set-top box and will, according to the company’s documentation, eventually make its way to Android smartphones. In either usage scenario, the service can be played using a paired Xbox One controller. Verizon has not publicly advertised Verizon Gaming or even really acknowledged its existence.
Verizon has quietly been recruiting players to take part in the test, which currently involves over 135 games. Participants are promised a $150 Amazon gift card upon completion. They’re given…
Go to Source
Author: Chris Welch


text:
Tata Nexon Dimensions
|Dimensions||in mm||in cm||in inches||in feet|
₹ 7.34 Lakh - 11.4 Lakh Nexon vs Vitara Brezza
Tata Nexon News
Tata Nexon is the first Indian car to be published on the International Dismantling Information System
The Nexon's listing on the IDIS means that Tata will provide all the relevant recycling and dismantling information, ranging from safe draining of automotive fluids, neutralization of airbags and....
Competition is more intense than ever before in the compact SUV segment. The Brezza recently gained a new powertrain, the Nexon petrol was given more power, Hyundai brought in the semi-automatic....
The new Tata Nexon XZ Plus (S) variant packs in an electric sunroof, automatic headlamps and wipers, cruise control, a tyre pressure monitoring system and leather wrapped steering wheel and gear....
A quick visit to the Tata website has revealed the 1.2-litre Turbo Revotron unit's new power figure - 118bhp (or 120 PS). That's a 10bhp gain over the previous version and a 6bhp increase over the....


text:
- OR-based EartH2o, a bottled water company, and a St. Helens, OR-based recycling facility Orpet, announced a partnership to recycle used drink containers into single-serve, BPA-free water bottles sourced from Orpet’s recycling plant.
- EartH2o said it is the first bottled water company in the U.S. to use recycled PET as part of a closed-loop system.
- EartH2o was one of the first bottled water companies to use recycled PET in its bottles.
Orpet obtains beverage containers from recycling centers in Oregon. Materials are cleaned then transformed into flakes. The plastic is delivered to a recycler, Peninsula Plastics Recycling, where the flakes are ground into resin, converted into pellets and sent to EartH2o where it is converted into single-serve water bottles.
EartH2o adopted a number of sustainable initiatives as part of its operations. In 2011, the company stopped using cardboard packaging of its bottles, which saves over 350,000 pounds of the material annually. The business plans to manufacture bottle caps later this year, in an effort to increase sustainability further.


text:
“Apple initially sued Motorola for allegedly infringing three iPad designs with the Xoom. It sought to have the device banned across Europe,” Torry reports. “Although the judges ruled Motorola’s Xoom doesn’t infringe on the iPad, the court rejected a counterclaim brought by Motorola alleging the iPad’s design patent is invalid, a spokesman for the court said.”
Torry reports, “As the court ultimately rejected both parties’ claims, it ordered Apple to pay two-thirds of costs and Motorola to pay a third, the spokesman added.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: So, for now, Europe’s store shelves can continue to be littered with yet another POS Android-based wannabe iPad that nobody’s even giving a second glance to, much less buying.
Motorola moves only 200K tablets, reports $80-million loss in Christmas quarter – January 27, 2012
Motorola only shipped 100,000 Xoom tablets last quarter – October 27, 2011


text:
Your preferences have been updated successfully.
Top 30 Lists
Chinese Insurer Buys Big Stake In Sotheby's
Taikang Life, one of China's biggest insurers, has built up a stake in Sotheby's, becoming the auction house's largest shareholder.
READ FULL INVESTMENT ARTICLE
In this article


text:
Gucci Mane Skips Three-Year Waiting List to Buy $600,000 Ferrari
For most people in the market for a 2018 Ferrari 812 Superfast, they have to be put on a three-year waiting list. But for Gucci Mane, waiting isn't an option.
According to an April 8 report from TMZ, Gucci dropped $600,000 on the new car and got to skip the three-year wait list. The Ferrari, which debuted last year, was delivered to Gucci within 24 hours of ordering it.
Gucci posed with his new new whip on Instagram, posting several photos of the red car. "New Whip Alert I Pullup and they feelings Hurt!" he wrote in one caption. "Guwop copped the #GuRRarri #812SuperFast if I don't get it first I don't want it #EvilGenius," he posted in another.
The rapper will definitely have a good time with the impressive new car, which features an 800 horsepower V-12 engine and tops out around 211 miles per hour. The 812 Superfast can also go from zero to 60 miles per hour in just three seconds.
In related news, the Mr. Davis rapper is gearing up for the release of the Glacier Boyz joint project with Migos and Lil Yachty. According to a recent Instagram post from Guwop, the project is set to drop on April 13. While a tracklist for the record has yet to be revealed, it is expected to feature the song "Solitaire," which the rappers recently shot a video for.
Quavo had previously hinted at a project from the artists in February, after tweeting that Migos were in the studio with Gucci and Lil Boat. While the post has since been deleted, Gucci did reply, confirming the project.
Check out pictures of Gucci Mane's new whip below.
Check Out the 2018 Hip-Hop Music Festivals You Need to See


text:
Data from the Shanghai Shipping Exchange’s Containerized Freight Index shows a doubling since mid-December. The index has gone from 869 last December to 1,464 recently. At one point, the intraday level increase was over 80% for the period. If there is any early warning sign that inflation globally may surge back quickly, it is this.
The effects on the economy are not only the rising container costs because of danger near the Suez Canal. Companies that have decided to take their vessels the route below the Cape of Good Hope need ten days to two weeks longer to reach their ports. They are also required to use about $300,000 more fuel per ship.
The World Bank recently observed that if the situation worsens, the supply chain problem could be similar to the one in 2021, caused mainly by the COVID-19 pandemic. If many ships that would typically transit the canal need to divert by 3,500 miles, shipping capacity will tighten considerably. Based on their worst-case scenario, “The higher figure is comparable to the stalled capacity of 2021 at the peak of the COVID-related crisis, as measured by the World Bank’s Global Supply Chain Stress Index,” The World Bank reports.
Last year, the San Francisco Fed estimated that almost two-thirds of US inflation, which peaked in March 2022, was caused by supply chain problems. “ We estimate that these effects contributed about 60% of the above-trend run-up of headline inflation in 2021 and 2022.”, their researchers wrote in a report titled: “Global Supply Chain Pressures and U.S. Inflation.”
If the Suez shipping problem drives canal traffic down by 50% or a military conflict brings it closer to zero, inflation globally will spike.


text:
Reliance Jio will launch a $184 (₹15,000) budget laptop with a 4G SIM card, aiming to replicate the success of its low-cost JioPhone in India’s price-sensitive market, two sources told Reuters.
The Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate partnered with global giants Qualcomm and Microsoft for the JioBook, with the former running computing chips based on Arm Ltd technology, while the Windows OS maker provided support for some applications.
Jio, India’s largest telecom operator with more than 420 million customers, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The laptop will be available to enterprise customers such as schools and government institutes starting this month, with a consumer launch in the next three months, the sources said. Just like the JioPhone, a 5G-enabled version will follow.
“It will be as big as the JioPhone,” one source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Since its launch late last year, the phone has become the best-selling sub-$100 smartphone in India, accounting for a fifth of the market in the past three quarters, according to Counterpoint.
The JioBook will be manufactured locally by contract manufacturer Flex, with Jio aiming to sell “hundreds of thousands” of units by March, one of the sources said. Total PC shipments in India were 14.8 million units last year, led by HP, Dell and Lenovo, according to research firm IDC.
According to Counterpoint analyst Tarun Pathak, the launch of JioBook will expand the overall notebook market segment by at least 15 percent. The laptop runs Jio’s own JioOS operating system and apps can be downloaded from JioStore. Jio is also offering the laptop as an alternative to tablets for out-of-office corporate employees.
Jio, which raised nearly $22 billion in 2020 from global investors including KKR & Co Inc and Silver Lake, disrupted the world’s No. 2020 ranking. 2 in the mobile market in 2016 when it launched cheap 4G data plans and free voice services, and later a 4G smartphone for $81.


text:
Smashburger enters the Manhattan market by opening a restaurant in the 34th Street district. Commercial Observer reports that the fast-growing burger chain signed a 5,432 sq.ft. lease at 10 West 33rd Street.
The buzz about Smashburger’s gourmet burgers has been impressive, and Midtown foodies will soon be able to sample the company’s innovative burger concoctions. The fast-growing chain recently announced plans to open at 10 West 33rd Street, right across from the Empire State Building.
As Al Barbarino reported in the Commercial Observer on January 16, Smashburger has signed a lease for 5,432 sq.ft. at the address, beginning in April. This will be the first Manhattan location for the company. As David Levy, principal of Adams & Co., who represented the landlord and tenant in the deal, told Barbarino: “This is a very good location for food. You have commuter traffic from the Empire State Building, traffic from Madison Square Garden. You’re about 100 feet out from Fifth Avenue… It’s a crossroads of all these traffic patterns.”
Besides burgers, Smashburger offers fresh salads, hand-breaded chicken sandwiches, veggie frites (flash-fried carrots and asparagus), Häagen-Dazs milk shakes, and beer and wine. Smashburger’s aggressive growth spurred Forbes to name it one of America’s Most Promising Companies. We’re pleased to welcome such a well-managed up-and-comer to the 34th Street district, adding to the neighborhood’s impressive array of eating venues.
$50,000 grant helps the park maintain its recycling program.
Sanitation, horticulture, and restroom cleanliness ranked high in public survey.
Big Apple gives knockout performance as first-time Super Bowl host.


text:
Just wanted to take a quick moment and wish everyone a very happy Holiday season! Thank you to all of our clients, partners, amazing agents and friends for a wonderful 2018 and we all look forward to working with you and helping you in any way possible in the coming year!
and YES!!! Cary is wearing possibly the ugliest Christmas sweater ever made!! If you have one that you think can beat it, we'd love to see a picture of you wearing it! Challenge made!
And here's a sneak preview of our upcoming class schedule for 2019 to get everyone ready to roll! Doug will be holding these classes for AZ and California and James for Spokane, while Cary does Western WA. We'll work to do a webinar for ID, CO, and Indiana!
The holiday season is a time to reflect on family, good fortune and unity. But a recent study serves to remind us that holiday revelry and merriment can blind us to some of the season’s most dangerous and ubiquitous hazards.
As online shopping grows in popularity, the number of porch pirates is growing. Packages left near doorsteps can be motivation for thieves to swipe unopened boxes from porches or even mailboxes.
Twenty-three million Americans have had packages stolen from their home before they could open them, according to a recent study by Insurance Quotes.
The online shopping trend is increasing opportunities for thieves to swipe from doorsteps. Shoppers now make 51 percent of their purchases online, up from 47 percent in
KIRKLAND, Washington (December 6, 2018) – With more plentiful inventory, recently announced increases in lending limits, and moderating prices, prospective home buyers are finding more options around Western Washington, according to industry experts from Northwest Multiple Listing Service.
Active Listings up 41%
King County inventory surging 135 percent from a year ago
Closed sales declined about 15.3 percent from twelve months ago
“Moderating interest rates over the past few weeks could provide a window of opportunity for buyers this month, even if the Fed is widely expected to raise them again in December,” said Mike Grady, president and COO of Coldwell Banker Bain.
“We are continuing to see a balancing of the market,” Grady
Here is your chance to be part of an innovative Real Estate Brokerage that's changing how things are done.
We are a FULL Service company with a comprehensive marketing plan, great training and support, and great agents! We save our clients thousands on the sale of their home, give them the support and service level they want, and in the process are building a name for ourselves that is second to none!
Contact Janet Jolly-Porter: janet@TheCascadeTeam.com or 425-830-6743 to set up your appointment to learn more.
By providing full marketing support which can be seen HERE: The Cascade Team not only helps you attract more listings, But we also help you attract more buyers. In fact we currently represent 61% Buyers and 39% Listings. That


text:
Artists of the Year 2017 Prize Winners
By Artists & Illustrators | Tue 24th Jan 2017
Winners of the annual Artists of the Year competition were revealed at an exclusive drinks reception at London’s prestigious Mall Galleries
Anna Perlin was selected as this year’s Artist of the Year, for her mixed media artwork including collage, Brambles and Bluebells.
Anna was awarded a £1,000 cash prize from Artists & Illustrators publishers The Chelsea Magazine Company, as well as a year’s supply of art materials from Cass Art and gallery representation courtesy of Thackeray Gallery.
You can find out more about the winning artwork and Anna’s inspirations and techniques in the April issue of Artists & Illustrators, get your copy today.
See Ruth’s artwork here
Aside from the first prize, £9,000 worth of art prizes were handed out on the night – a mix of art materials, vouchers and courses, donated by a host of leading art brands including Derwent, Pegasus Art and Canson.
“The event is a chance for readers to gain well-deserved national recognition for their work and I look forward to seeing what this talented group of artists will do next.”
The Artists of the Year exhibition at Mall Galleries, London SW1, runs until 28 January 2017.
Photography: Neil Hall


text:
Music startup Amie Street has a new roster of stars to sell: Radiohead's Thom Yorke, Cat Power, Pavement and a host of other notables from three indie labels. Artists from Beggars Group, Matador Records, and Polyvinyl Recording Co. have joined the Long Island City-based online retailer's roster, expanding its 500,000-song catalog by 15,000 songs.
Amie Street, which notched a Series A round led by Amazon.com last summer, has a novel twist on digital music sales: It allows users to pay a variable price for each download, based on popularity; prices range from 0 to 98 cents per song.
Cofounder Josh Boltuch says less than 10% of his company's catalog sell for 98 cents, but says most of the high profile acts joining Amie Street will sell at the high end of the scale. He won't disclose traffic or revenue stats, but says Amie Street's January unique visitors were "well into the six digits."
See Also: Amie Street Has Money. What's The Plan?


text:
Simms declined to disclose annual sales for the chain. The Business Journal estimates it has sales of $60 million.
It’s still modest growth relative to the company’s larger competitors in the casual dining segment.
Those rivals include Darden Restaurants Inc.’s Yard House USA Inc. of Irvine, which has more than 40 restaurants and plans to open one restaurant each in Massachusetts and Idaho this year.
There’s also Huntington Beach-based BJ’s Restaurants Inc., which opened its sixth restaurant last week. The company said it plans to add a total of 17 restaurants to its 135-unit chain by the end of the year.
Simms said Lazy Dog is set to its own pace and seems to have hit its stride now.
“As the base of the restaurants have grown to 12, and soon to be 13, we find that it’s a little bit easier to open up an extra restaurant,” he said.
The job of opening a Lazy Dog restaurant—at a cost of about $4 million each—never gets easy, he added, but “our team has gotten better at it.”
That doesn’t mean faster growth is on the horizon.
“That’s always the tricky part in expanding. If you expand too fast, then you really run the risk of having quality suffer,” he said.
The company doesn’t plan on franchising, and that’s the same approach to Irvine-based Mimi’s Cafe, the chain of 145 company-owned restaurants Simms’ father, Thomas, and grandfather, Arthur, founded. Simms grew up in the San Fernando Valley but opened the first Lazy Dog in Huntington Beach because of Mimi’s presence here.
Mimi’s was sold by Ohio-based Bob Evans Farms Inc. to LeDuff America Inc. of Dallas earlier this year for $50 million.
Simms said he believes the chain can still grow to a sizable footprint under its current strategy but didn’t specify a number. There is also interest in growing outside of California in the next couple of years.
“There are lots of restaurant groups that are pretty big, so there’s a very long runway ahead of us,” Simms said. “We’re just in the beginning phase, but we always want to make sure we’re able to keep our arms around it.”


text:
Our Norwich office is on a high at the moment after taking part in Norwich Fashion Week, a showcase of fabulous local retailers and designers. We held a model search competition, and scouted and trained more than 100 new faces to take part in four catwalk shows throughout the week. The boy and girl winners were announced at the Fashion Excess finale show on Thursday, which had the models walking in between live bands.
Our gorgeous faces of fashion week, Maddy and Harry, are now working with test photographers and their books will be up on the website very soon. Meanwhile, you can get in touch with firstname.lastname@example.org to be updated with their new shots!


text:
When in Manila, running is seen as one of the best forms of exercise and stress relief out there. After all, it is never too cold to run in Manila and there are so many places to run in Manila nowadays, such as Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
Because of this, it really isn’t any wonder why Adidas has chosen BGC as their venue for the annual Adidas King of the Road running event. Now on its 14th year, the Adidas King of the Road running event will take place on September 30, where runners from all over are encouraged to join.
This year, the Adidas King of the Road running event will have three main categories – 5K, 10K and 16.8K – and two sub-categories – the Closed category for Filipino nationals, and the Open category for any nationality. If you are a ‘halfie’ or hold dual passports (like me!), you can choose any sub-category for the Adidas King of the Road event.
The Adidas King of the Road launch was hosted by the witty Boys’ Night Out DJs – Tony Toni, Slick Rick and Sam YG!
Of course, the top finishers of the Adidas King of the Road running event will win great prizes and everybody who participates will get to bring home an Adidas King of the Road medal.
It doesn’t end there, either! The top winners from the 16.8KM Closed category will be hailed Adidas King of the Road and Queen of the Road. They will also represent the Philippines at the Adidas King of the Road Southeast Asia Championship in Singapore (that’s an all-expense paid trip, by the way!).
The best part is that the Adidas King of the Road running event in Singapore will take place at its newest iconic landmark: the Gardens by the Bay. How awesome is that?
Also, as with last year’s Adidas King of the Road running event, Adidas singlets will be given out in multiple colors to showcase the vibrancy of running across the region. The race fees are as follows: Php1,050 for 5KM and 10KM, and Php1,300 for 16.8KM.
So, what are you waiting for? When in Manila, sign up for the Adidas King of the Road running event and get ready to have a blast and get the chance to represent our beloved country at the Adidas King of the Road running event in Singapore this October!
Register on-site: Adidas Megamall, Adidas Rockwell, Adidas SM Mall of Asia, Adidas Trinoma, Adidas Greenbelt
Adidas King of the Road Running Event Registration – NOW OPEN!!!


text: Volkswagen has teased its latest entrant in the crowded crossover segment – the T-Cross– through a video and a few sketches. Out of the four core properties that the car signifies; namely Practical, Cool, Intuitive, and Safe, this was the first trailer depicting the ’cool’ aspect. The car is indeed the T-Roc’s younger brother; drawing lots of styling cues and probably technology too. But what does it take to succeed when the competition is so damn strong? Well, spoil the customers for choice.


text:
Tag Archives: ace
Tue, Jan 19, 2010 | 17:16 GMT
ACE Team has revealed that its Zeno Clash port for Xbox 360 will get Ultimate Edition when it’s released via XBLA in March.
Thu, Oct 01, 2009 | 22:58 BST
Good news everyone. ACE has found a publisher for Zeno Clash, and it is none other than Atlus.
Because of this, the game is set to be released on Xbox 360 as Zeno Clash: Ultimate Edition via XBL.
That’s not all though, come spring 2010, the updated version will have online and splitscreen co-op, along with some gameplay enhancements suggested by the community.
Also, players can expect a brand new mode for the game that Atlus is saving as a surprise.
Press release is after the break.
Fri, Jun 26, 2009 | 23:15 BST
ACE has released new DLC for Zeno Clash called ‘The Pit’.
It has three new challenge scenarios where players compete for leaderboard scores, and gravity will not be your friend, apparently. Destructible floors and traps may cause you to end up in the bottom of the pit dead instead of alive.
The update is free, and is being released on Steam, where you can get Zeno Clash 50 percent off this weekend.
A video for the DLC is after the break.
Tue, Jun 09, 2009 | 17:24 BST
Zeno Clash may soon land on Xbox Live once it gets a publisher, according to a report from D’toid.
ACE co-founder Carlos Bordeu has said the team, is close to landing a deal, and the game will contain extra content once it is launched.
“We’ve been having conversations about a possible XBLA version of the game and we’re currently talking with a publisher,” said Bordeu. “But we still haven’t closed that yet. But it’s something we’d really like to do.”
You can get it on Steam for the time being.
More through the link.
Wed, May 20, 2009 | 14:12 BST
ACE has announced Zeno Clash 2, saying the second game is “to be much larger in scope”.
“The studio has begun planning the next game of the series which will continue the adventures of Ghat, who will struggle against new and old conflicts,” said the company in a statement.
“Father Mother, the mysterious Golem and new characters will be making an appearance in the next title. The story will be set after the events that take place in the first game.”
There’s no date as yet.
Wed, May 06, 2009 | 19:29 BST
Microsoft has made 75 percent of its staff at Massive redundant.
Around 100 people were let go from the in-game ad firm, which was purchased by Microsoft in 2006.
In order to reduce costs, 3000 other staffers were let go yesterday which adds to the 1400 back in January when staff from ACE, Rare and Windows Live were culled.
5000 cuts have been planned so far, but reports say more may be necessary.
More over on GI.biz.
Fri, Apr 24, 2009 | 22:00 BST
ACE has told Shacknews that it plans to release a demo, downloadable content and a SDK for Zeno Clash after release.
“We’re planning on releasing DLC and releasing a compatible SDK so users can edit levels and other assets” said ACE’s Andres Bordeu.
The planned DLC will be free and includes new Tower Challenges and the possibly “other things” that ACE is “not ready to share yet”.
Release dates have not been scheduled, but the firm says it shouldn’t take very long.
A patch is also in the works to address game play mechanics and some general bug fixing.
More through the link.
Thu, Mar 19, 2009 | 22:15 GMT
Zeno Clash is coming to Steam, and if you pre-order it’ll only cost you $10 instead of $20.
That’s half off.
The upcoming ACE FPS is expected in April.
Youll get to play as Ghat, who is forced into a “desperate journey past the forbidden desert and to the end of the world”.
Hit the link for more.


text:
Sarasota company celebrates its expansion
By SARA KENNEDY
A Sarasota company today is celebrating the grand opening of an expansion of its manufacturing operation.
The new facility will have up to 20 new employees, according Kathy Baylis, president of the Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County.
The company expanded across the street from its plant at 1712 Northgate Blvd. PPI Technologies makes packaging machinery for other companies, primarily those in the food industry.
"I think that is wonderful news," Baylis told a crowd at an EDC breakfast meeting today at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall.
Reprinted from the Bradenton Herald | April 7, 2008


text:
GASP: Survey Finds Singles Are Actually Looking Forward to Valentine’s Day
If you’re single, you know just how awesome that can be – no one to fight for the remote, no one to crowd your bed, and no one to veto your choice of restaurant. That’s why not being in love with someone else can be the best time to celebrate loving yourself. And what better day to celebrate your mad love for yourself than the most love-filled holiday of the year: Valentine’s Day!
Despite what some nagging relatives try to make us believe (seriously, go away Aunt Barb!), being single isn’t a result of character flaws or failing to find the ‘right one.’ A Valentine’s Day Dining survey conducted by OpenTable, the ‘world’s leading provider of online restaurant reservations,’ has the proof that we’ve long figured this one out.
“Exploring everything from attitudes towards Valentine’s Day marriage proposals to dinner table social media use, and ultimately revealing that singles aren’t dreading the holiday – contrary to popular belief,” OpenTable explained in a press release citing the survey which included over 5000 responses from across the US.
A few fun facts from the survey:
- Many singles (42 percent) are looking forward to dining out for Valentine’s Day this year.
- Almost half of the singles (46 percent) who plan to dine out for Valentine’s Day plan to share their experiences on social media (of course!) with one in five (21 percent) planning to share food photos.
- One in three singles (35 percent) plan to dine with multiple platonic friends or family members.
But how do surveyed singles feel about other peoples’ V-Day PDAs or V-Day proposals?
“More than half (59 percent) of the singles surveyed are fine with couples’ PDA at the table, saying it is okay to feed your date a bite of food, à la Lady and the Tramp. However, singles are less enthusiastic about the concept of Valentine’s Day marriage proposals with one in three (36 percent) indicating that any day of the year would be better, whereas only one in four (25 percent) of married respondents shared this sentiment.”
So, PDA and sharing food? “I do!” Valentine’s proposal? “I don’t!”
Are you HAPPILY celebrating Valentine’s Day as a single? Tweet us @britandco!
(Photo via Getty)


text:
The Ryno, a one-wheeled vehicle, can more or less be ridden anywhere you can walk.
Rather than just simple updates and facelifts, many 2013 cars have been totally redesigned–especially these 10.
Some Nissan Leaf owners in Arizona are reporting a major loss in battery capacity. Is it the heat?
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has issued new warnings for seniors who drive.
Here’s our current list of fave applications that will work on both iOS and Android.
A new study on distracted driving shows teenagers mirror their parents’ bad habits.
These 2013 Fords may make you seriously consider running out and buying new.
From urban dwellers to long-distance commuters, more and more Americans are opting to leave the driving to others.
Isn’t this the time of year when gas prices are supposed to drop? Isaac is to blame, in part.
Some lease deals allow customers to drive around in a Volt for as little as $5,050 over two years. That’s super cheap.
Manufactured by Piaggio and meaning “wasp” in Italian, Vespa may be the most iconic scooter ever. Which is your favorite design?
Car enthusiast Mike West test drives the Honda Civic CNG and decides it’s still a work in progress.
Customer satisfaction with vehicle purchases has hit an all-time high, tying a mark set back in 2009.
Three popular auto-related claims from the Democratic Party are examined and graded for accuracy.
The race is on for the car of the future. Which would you love to test drive today?


text:
Fuel Cell Vehicles May Be Slow Sellers, But They’re Trending Up
Toyota began selling the four-door sedan Mirai hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in California in October 2015, and last week passed the 3,000 sales mark, making the Toyota Mirai the best-selling fuel car car. While not a particularly impressive number, say compared to the 43,000 Toyota Camrys sold last month nationwide, consider that there are only 31 hydrogen fueling stations in the state, mostly concentrated in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay areas. That helps put the sales into perspective.
The Mirai wasn’t the first fuel-cell car offered for sale to the general public in the U.S. That distinction goes to the Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell sport utility, which went on sale in the Golden State in late 2014. But the Mirai was the first to be a distinct model, rather than a fuel-cell version of an existing model–and the first with a marketing push. The Mirai also competes against the Honda Clarity Fuel Cell sedan. Hyundai will soon replace the Tucson Fuel Cell with a new model called the Nexo. Other automakers may throw in with models as well.
Of the three fuel cell models currently offered, Toyota is responsible for 80 percent of all hydrogen cars sold in California.
“Toyota remains at the forefront of developing and deploying hydrogen fuel cell technology, and we believe strongly in its potential to help realize a more sustainable and zero-emissions society,” said Bob Carter, Executive Vice President, Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
The Toyota Mirai, a four-door, midsize sedan, is a zero-emission hydrogen vehicle. It creates electricity using hydrogen, oxygen and a fuel cell, and emits nothing but water vapor in the process. The EPA estimates a driving range rating of 312 miles and 67 MPGe (miles-per-gallon equivalent) city/highway/combined. The car can be refueled in approximately five minutes. Power is derived from an electric motor running 151 horsepower and 247 pounds-feet of torque.
More Hydrogen Fuel Stations Coming
In an effort to expand the hydrogen refueling network, Toyota continues to partner with FirstElement Fuels and Shell to support the creation of a broad network of hydrogen infrastructure in California, with an additional twelve stations projected to open in 2018. The automaker is also collaborating with Air Liquide, a producer of industrial gases, to set up a network of 12 hydrogen fueling stations stretching from New York to Boston, with the first station expected to launch in Boston later this year.
In addition, Toyota is building a new Tri-Gen facility at the Port of Long Beach that will use bio-waste sourced from California’s agricultural industry to generate water, electricity and hydrogen. The hydrogen will fuel all Toyota fuel cell vehicles moving through the Port, including new deliveries of the Mirai sedan and Toyota’s Heavy-Duty hydrogen fuel cell Class 8 truck, known as Project Portal.
Related Stories You Might Enjoy:
Road Test: 2017 Toyota Mirai (Steve’s view)
Road Test: 2017 Toyota Mirai (John’s view)
Road Test: Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell
First Drive: 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell


text:
Notre Dame is no longer just a destination for its guests, but now a stop for wine and cheese enthusiasts thanks to a new rooftop restaurant that serves up a tasty panorama of the city as well.
Since the Notre Dame Center Roof Top Wine & Cheese Restaurant opened a few months ago, news has spread through word of mouth attracting Israelis from all over the country, city residents, volunteers in Israel in addition to the hotel’s guests.
“It has been very successful so far, and the view is awesome,” Father Juan Maria Solana told Travelujah. “It is one of the best in town.”
The wine bar, with sweeping, awe-inspiring views to the East and South of Jerusalem, opened in March. Outdoor dining is perfect after a hot Jerusalem summer day. Indoor seating is replete with modern furniture and a swank atmosphere.
The wine list has a selection of imports and Israeli vintages. Cheeses run the gamut from French gruyere to British cheddar, plus goat cheeses and fresh butter. Even if you don’t like wine or cheese, a trip to the bar is worthwhile. Other drinks and a selection of light foods and meals are on the menu in addition to the exclusive wine and cheese lists.
The Pontifical Institute of Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center is a diverse location. The impressive building, across from the Old City’s New Gate, is home to a guesthouse, an exhibition for the Shroud of Turin, a cafe, an elegant restaurant and a church, Our Lady of Peace Chapel, in addition to other outlets.
“Notre Dame has always been looking to be a peaceful place for everyone,” Solana said.
By Nicole Jansezian, Travelujah
Nicole Jansezian writes for Travelujah.com, the only Christian social network focused on travel to the Holy Land. Travelujah is a vibrant online community offering high quality Christian content, user and expert blogs, travel tours and planning services for people interested in connecting with or traveling to the Holy Land.


text:
The Guinness and Johnnie Walker owner has been granted regulatory approval to take control of Quanxing, which owns ShuiJingFang, one of China's best-known baijiu spirits.
Diageo's move is significant, as it marks one of the few times a foreign company has been allowed to take control of a Chinese company.
Chinese regulators have approved Diageo buying an additional 4% stake in the Chinese company for £13m. The acquisition will take Diageo’s share in Quanxng to 53%.
Diageo acquired 43% of Quanxing in 2007 and increased its shareholding to 49% in 2008.
The company has been involved in long-standing negotiations with Chinese authorities – which had antitrust concerns – over the move.
At this year's Cannes Lions international Festival of Creativity, it was reported that Diageo chief marketing officer Andy Fennell gave an insight into its strategy in emerging marketing.
He said the company received about one-third of its overall business from emerging markets, but expected it to grow to about 50% within the next three to four years.
Paul Walsh, chief executive, Diageo, said: "I am delighted that Diageo's application to increase its investment in Quanxing has been approved by the Chinese authorities. We look forward to working with our Chinese partners to further develop the ShuiJingFang brand, both domestically and overseas.
"We are privileged to have the unique opportunity to participate at scale in super- premium Chinese white spirits, one of the largest, fastest-growing spirits segments in the world. I am appreciative of the vote of confidence Diageo has received from the Chinese authorities and the tremendous support we have had from our own government as we seek opportunities for growth in our business."
As part of the deal, Diageo has agreed to fund £193m for the development of the business.
The deal comes in the same week that Prime Minister David Cameron and Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, announced a wealth of business deals between the two countries.
This month, Andy Fennell discussed taking brands into emerging markets and "exploring new consumer frontiers", in a two-part interview with Marketing magazine.


text:
driving autonomous is a reality will take very little time to get into our lives. The car brands continue to move forward with their projects and plans to incorporate the first of their cars with the necessary technology to convert them into autonomous machines. Google and its subsidiary Waymo continue to work closely with Fiat Chrysler Cars (FCA) as the Chrysler Pacifica which were donated to the project are continuing with their test. The funny thing about all this is that since Google and Waymo are looking for drivers that want to be testers of their autonomous cars.
In an official communiqué released by Waymo explains that “As a pilot tester, you will be able to use our autonomous vehicles to go to sites that you frequent every day, from work, to school, to the movies, and more. Below, you will be able to share their thoughts and experiences with our team to help shape the future of how to operate our vehicles self-driving “.
This experience will not start crazy, so drivers who are willing to take on this task will be a development engineer of Google in the passenger seat. According to those responsible for the most important search engine of the internet, the drivers will make large sums of money for giving rides in the car. In addition, to prove what they are saying they have made public a video on its official YouTube channel in which they explain this curious job offer.
This initiative is the first that arises in regard to proof of car technology autonomous. For now are the brands that are in the process of conducting these tests and test validation. However, Google has decided to go one step further, because its autonomous cars are not for sale nor are they accessible to the normal drivers. For this reason, with this action seek to normalize this technology to zoom in even more to the drivers that may be wary of her.
in The wake of this news, Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat Chrysler Cars (FCA) has made public a press release in which says that “it has been advantageous for both companies as we continue to work together to fully understand the steps necessary to bring the driving autonomous vehicles to the market.”
punishment is that this offer is only available for certain states of the united States. Hopefully, they will remember Europe and when it to regulate the legislation needed able to enforce drivers testers.
Source – Google – Waymo