text:
The show may be over for Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings but the final credits are yet to roll on the epic streaming service platform. It may have been a challenging 2022 for Netflix but the company did receive the welcome news that it had added 7.66 million subscribers in Q4 – putting it ahead of analyst predictions.
In a way, it’s the perfect way for Hastings to beat his anticipated retreat from the company that became synonymous with online streaming, some 25 years after its inception. Back then, in 1997, Hastings and co-founder Marc Randolph spotted an opportunity – combining the new technologies of DVDs and the internet to offer a simple postal service for movie rentals. Brick and mortar stores like Blockbuster never stood a chance.
Incredibly, it was another decade before Netflix became the on-demand streaming service 230 million global subscribers know and love. It began producing its own content back in 2013 and now more than half of the shows on the US site are Netflix Originals.
Obviously, Netflix’s dominance did not go unnoticed, with Amazon, Apple, Disney and a whole host of creator / streamers coming online in recent years. Coupled with tough economic times, this competition led to the first real wobble from Netflix as it started to shed subscribers in April 2022. Now Hastings has reversed that worrying trend (via a combination of great content, cheaper subscription packages and clamping down on shared passwords), he can ride off into the sunset like John Wayne in The Shootist. Well, at least take the role of Executive Chairman.
Who is taking over as the new CEO of Netflix?
Taking the reins will be existing co-CEO Ted Sarandos and COO Greg Peters, who will share co-CEO duties. Many tech firms have tried the co-CEO model (SAP, Oracle, Salesforce to name a few) but with limited success, so it will be interesting to see how this double-act approach works at Netflix.
Sarandos and Peters knew this day was coming and the board had been planning this succession for years, but they could not have imagined the torrid time they have faced in the last 12-18 months.
Hastings described it as a “baptism by fire, given Covid and recent challenges within our business” in a blog post.
Sarandos joined Netflix in 2000 and as Chief Content Officer was responsible for Netflix’s original programming. He became co-CEO in 2020.
Peters joined Netflix in 2008 as International Development Officer, becoming COO in 2017.
It is easy to see the global impact of Netflix when you take a close look at some of the eye-watering stats, especially when it comes to TV series – Netflix effectively gave birth to the binge-watch, box set method of consumption.
Here are the Top TV Series based on Netflix’s own reported total hours of viewing in a show’s first 28 days on the platform:
- Squid Game, Season 1 – 1.65 billion hours
- Stranger Things, Season 4 – 1.35 billion hours
- Wednesday – 1.24 billion hours
- Dahmer – 856 million hours
- Money Heist, part 5 – 792 million hours
It is hard to fathom those figures but Squid Game, for instance, was watched an average of 59 million hours per day.
With the current Addams Family spin-off Wednesday proving a runaway success, it looks like Netflix is one ‘show’ that will run and run.
So what next for Hastings? Well, with an estimated personal fortune of around US$3.3bn and now in his early 60s, we think he might just have earned the right to chill, although previous stints on the board of Microsoft and board of directors at Facebook mean the tech sector may not have seen the last episode in his glittering career just yet.
- Leadership development remains critical to successLeadership & Strategy
- Five Minutes With: Björn Dufwenberg, MD at Strat7 AdvisoryLeadership & Strategy
- Building bridges between management and productivityLeadership & Strategy
- How analogous inspiration can solve your strategic deadlockLeadership & Strategy


text:
In a post on Facebook on Tuesday, Truffle Hill Chocolates said after "much discussion, deliberation and even more work cleaning" it will reopen at noon on Dec. 9.
Last week, Truffle Hill Chocolates, affectionately known as the chocolate house by locals, was targeted by vandals. Owner Marshall Morehead told FOX 9 someone broke into the shop and not only stole a computer, $200 cash, and some chocolate, but sprayed three fire extinguishers everywhere. Due to the chemicals, they had to throw all their product away. Morehead estimates they threw away 35 trash bags full of chocolate and other ingredients with a value of more than $35,000.
"We’ll be busy the next few days getting as much product on our shelves as we can, but we cannot wait to say ‘hello’ to you all again," the post said. "We’re excited to be reopening our doors to serve this amazing community we have at Truffle Hill. This will be a holiday season like no other – let's all make it a positive one to remember."
Meanwhile, Truffle Hill says it won't be turning on its online sales because there are "just too many plates spinning around." But anyone who would like to place an order can contact the shop at firstname.lastname@example.org.

domain: news


text:
(Franklin) — Deputies with the Heard County Sheriff’s Office seized all of the alcoholic beverages from a local retail store Friday morning following the suspension of the establishment’s alcohol license by the Heard County Board of Commissioners at Thursday’s regular August meeting.
After much discussion Thursday evening the Board, on a motion by District 4 Commissioner Frank Crook and a second by District 1 Commissioner Larry Hooks, unanimously voted to suspend the store’s alcohol license for six months following testimony from County Clerk Patty Jiles and Heard County Deputy Will Hannah about the activities taking place there during the last year.
Jiles reported that workers at the store had been selling alcohol from behind the counter without the required credentials referred to commonly as an alcohol “badge.”
Jiles and Hannah also reported on the recent multiple arrests of one specific store employee, Mr. Gurmeet “Gary” Singh Bhangu. Bhangu has been arrested three times during the past year for either public intoxication or pedestrian under the influence while working at the store.
Chairman Boone also stated that the business itself had not renewed their business license for this calendar year for the operation of the grocery store.
Attorney Ken Gordon spoke at Thursday’s BOC meeting on behalf of the owners of Pop’s Grocery and had suggested a resolution to the issues stating that the owners would obtain a business license and ban Mr. Bhangu from the premises as long as the establishment maintained an alcohol license.
The alcohol was seized by the Heard County Sheriff’s Office Friday morning after the store opened for business Friday morning with alcohol still unlocked on the sales floor.
The suspension of the alcohol license Thursday evening was immediate and according to the Board’s stipulations, the beer and wine were supposed to be locked up immediately.


text:
News & Insights
Blumberg Capital portfolio news, startup growth resources and industry insights
FinTech survey also reveals Israel to be an early-adopter with Israeli adults being more likely than many to use mobile banking apps (50 percent) and mobile wallets (27 percent)
SAN FRANCISCO and COPENHAGEN, Denmark – JUNE 28, 2017 – According to KPMG’s 2016 global Pulse of Financial Technology (FinTech) Report (source), Venture Capital (VC) investment in the FinTech sector reached an all time high with a total of $13.6 billion across 840 financings in 2016. While FinTech investment proved to be “hot” in 2016, has this massive investment translated into consumer adoption? Today, at Money 20/20 Europe, early-stage venture capital firm Blumberg Capital released the results of its recent survey conducted online by Harris Poll in France, Germany, Israel, United Kingdom (U.K.), and the United States (U.S.), which found that FinTech appears to be gaining traction with Israel emerging as a leader in early-adoption. Despite investment and adoption progress, cash still remains king for most of these countries such as Germany, where 75 percent of adults still use paper currency and coins to make purchases at least once a week. Can cash ever be crushed? To see the full findings, please visit globalfintech.blumbergcapital.com.
The survey, which looked at how financial technology is used in different countries, found that while mobile wallets, peer-to-peer lending, online cross-border trade and mobile banking are making an impact across all countries surveyed, wide adoption of new payment technologies, such as ApplePay®, PayPalTM and VenmoTM, have not yet penetrated all mainstream consumer groups, presenting a huge growth opportunity for the sector.
“This survey reveals a huge opportunity for FinTech companies to grow and scale as more consumers begin to recognize the benefits of FinTech and get comfortable moving beyond cash and checks,” said David Blumberg, founder and managing partner of Blumberg Capital. “The findings suggest specific populations are enthusiastically adopting FinTech products and services while others continue to maintain more traditional methods of transacting. At Blumberg Capital, we believe that adoption of new FinTech products and services level the playing field across demographic segments and will only accelerate as bigger banks and financial institutions partner with the early-stage FinTech companies to introduce new types of products and services to consumers. We’ve made investments into many of the emerging companies at the center of the FinTech revolution and look forward to continuing to nurture the industry as it continues to grow and evolve.”
Israel Embraces FinTech Early but Cash is Still König in Germany
The findings indicate Israel as a leader in early FinTech adoption as this country is more likely than other countries surveyed to use mobile banking apps and mobile wallets to make a purchase at least once per month. Additionally, nearly one in 10 Israeli adults say they have used alternative financing/lending services within the last 12 months. While many may believe cash to be an antiquated form of payment, the survey revealed paper money is still regularly in use.
– Israeli adults are most likely to use a mobile banking app at least once a month (e.g., to check account balances, transfer funds, make a mobile deposit) (50 percent vs. 38 percent in U.S., 37 percent in U.K., 35 percent in France, 28 percent in Germany).
– Israeli adults are more likely than French, British, and American adults to use mobile wallet apps to purchase goods/services at least once a month (27 percent of Israeli adults vs. 21 percent of French adults, 18 percent of American adults, and 17 percent of British adults).
– Seven percent of Israeli adults have used alternative financing/lending services (e.g., peer-to-peer lending, online lender, lease-to-own) within the last 12 months.
– German adults are most likely to use cash to make purchases at least once a week (75 percent vs. 64 percent of British adults, 58 percent of American adults, 48 percent of French adults, 47 percent of Israeli adults).
What is Fraud Anyway?
As cybersecurity continues to dominate the headlines, there was a surprisingly low level of concern among most countries surveyed given the current risk landscape. In Blumberg Capital’s 2017 State of Cybersecurity Report, findings revealed a gross overconfidence in cybersecurity knowledge and safety despite $15 billion being stolen from 13.1 million American consumers in 2015 in the U.S. alone (source). This disregard for fraud risk could indicate that consumers generally have confidence in the products and services they choose, suggesting that FinTech companies have the opportunity to educate new users on the security measures they have in place and why they are important.
– British, American and Israeli adults are more likely than French and German adults to worry about being defrauded (e.g., getting scammed, having identity stolen, having accounts hacked) when they make financial transactions online (43 percent, 39 percent, and 38 percent vs. 31 percent and 23 percent, respectively).
Nationalism vs. Globalization: Are transactions crossing borders?
The survey also looked at how often people make online cross border purchases at least once a month. Again, Israeli adults lead the charge in cross-border transactions which could reflect on the narrower range of product choice available locally in Israel compared to other countries or Israel’s acceptance and wider adoption of FinTech and international eCommerce. Additionally, people were polled regarding the costs related to cross-border transactions, which revealed a budding anticipation of increased costs for these types of purchases in the future, especially in the U.K. This belief in the U.K could be related to Brexit. Findings include:
– Israeli adults are most likely to make online purchases outside of the country they live in at least once a month (44 percent vs. 17 percent of French adults, 14 percent of German adults, 13 percent of British adults, and 9 percent of American adults).
– 21 percent of British adults believe making online purchases outside of the country they reside will become more expensive (i.e., goods/ services will cost more and/or there will be additional fees) in the future. (Vs. 16 percent of American adults, 14 percent of German adults, 11 percent of French adults, 9 percent of Israeli adults).
FinTech Companies Weigh In
A few of the founders and CEO’s of Blumberg Capital’s portfolio companies offered additional commentary on the survey results:
“We are at a tipping point of financial technologies being implemented throughout the payment cycle. Digital banking is here, cross border transactions are here, peer-to-peer and other technologies are in place. Credorax deploys the best of FinTech in a cost-effective, localized, yet international e commerce environment. We’re encouraged but not surprised by Blumberg’s Harris Poll Survey confirming the growing implementation of FinTech throughout the payment lifecycle.”
–Igal Rotem, CEO, Credorax
“The survey shows that FinTech companies have developed products and services that are relevant for consumers; however, consumers still seem to have a lack of confidence in technology when their money is involved. We believe that FinTech will continue to evolve and create a whole new ecosystem of specialized players, stepping into service areas where banks have left consumers behind. We see a big opportunity in automation of financial services – which will lead to individualized offers and custom-tailored products for the consumer, which will lead to greater consumer acceptance.”
— Alexander Graubner-Müller, CEO and Founder, Kreditech
“The FinTech space remains ripe for innovation, especially in the area of cross-border retail. Consumers are becoming more accustomed to making purchases regardless of the merchant’s geographical location.Merchants are looking to expand their customer bases overseas, but are concerned about high fees, declining rates, local payment preferences and more. This is where the tech sector comes in, developing solutions that help facilitate easier and more efficient international e-commerce while saving money for e-tailers and consumers alike.”
–Oren Levy, founder and CEO, Zooz
This survey was conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of Blumberg Capital from May 16-22, 2017 among 2,166 American adults ages 18+, 1,046 German adults ages 18+, 1,048 French adults ages 18+, 1,050 British adults ages 18+, and 550 Israeli adults ages 18+. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For additional information about the survey results and methodology please contact: email@example.com


text:
Onion prices in Poland, a key producer in the EU, have fallen almost 60 per cent since the start of the year following a better than expected harvest.
Commodities data firm Mintec predicts that Polish production this year is up 15 per cent to some 630,000 tonnes as a result of favourable weather conditions during the growing season. Read more
Walnut prices in the European Union have fallen by 20 per cent year-on-year as a result of a global supply glut, despite soaring consumption by health-conscious consumers.
EU production is expected to rise by 5 per cent year-on-year to reach 117,000 tonnes for the 2015-16 season. This was intended to meet demand from the EU which has risen, up 2 per cent year-on-year, driven by a buoyant snack industry as consumers become more aware of the health benefits of walnuts with their high nutrient content. Read more
Nickel prices on the London Metal Exchange have fallen from $15,650 a tonne to about $8,765 over the past year, a collapse of 44 per cent.
Prices for the metal, the main alloying material used to produce certain types of stainless steel and traded in US dollars, fell sharply in November as the currency reached an eight-month high against the euro, offsetting the impact of upcoming production cuts, said Mintec, the commodities data firm. Read more
Prices of high density polyethylene (HDPE) have tumbled 14 per cent in the UK since June, as lower demand is expected following legislation on carrier bag use. Read more
Cotton prices in China fell 23 per cent year on year in August to a six-year low, a result of reduced demand and government policy measures. Read more
European demand for Scottish seafood has fallen, due to trade disruption in Calais caused by the migrant crisis. Lengthy delays last month at the Channel tunnel and ferry terminals as thousands of migrants attempted to gain access to the UK through the French port, hit exporters of perishable goods with produce ruined before delivery. Read more
European Union orange prices have increased 13 per cent year on year since March as the forecast harvest is set to be down 14 per cent from last season, to 5.7m tonnes. Read more
US egg prices have risen over 80 per cent year-on-year to the end of July as avian flu sweeps across the Midwest and Pacific northwest regions resulting in a cull of millions of egg-laying hens.
More than 49m egg-laying hens and turkeys in 15 states have been wiped out — well over 12 per cent of the country’s flock of almost 300m laying hens — by the outbreak which started in December. Read more
US honey prices are continuing a steady upward trend with year-on-year prices in early February 13 per cent higher as a result of increased demand and lower domestic production.
Production of US honey has been falling year-on-year, with the latest figures from commodities data firm Mintec showing 67,800 tonnes of honey were produced in 2013, down 5 per cent year-on-year and 35 per cent lower than output levels of 20 years ago, mainly due to a decline in bee colony yields.
As a result of a supply and demand imbalance, imports into the US have been rising steadily, with volumes in 2013 reaching 153,750 tonnes, up 8 per cent year-on-year, and totalling about 65 per cent of US supply. Read more
Norwegian salmon prices dipped last week after increasing sharply in the past month — they are still up 30 per cent since September — despite Russia’s retaliation against EU and US sanctions and helped by soaring seasonal demand for the Christmas and new year holidays.
Prices have been falling as warm seas, which increase fish growth rates, led to larger quantities coming on to the market earlier in the year than expected, according to Mintec, the commodities data analysts, but fewer fish are currently being kept on farms.
In May the volume on farms was up 10 per cent year-on-year but the stocks fell, however, to only 1 per cent ahead in October and are expected to have fallen even further in November, the analysts said. Read more
Europe’s producers of pears are leaving crops to rot because of retaliation by Russia, the biggest buyer of European pears, against sanctions.
Many growers say it is cheaper not to harvest any but the most perfect fruit in a year when, according to Mintec, the commodities research and data group, overall production in Europe is estimated at 2.27m tonnes, down 2 per cent year-on-year from high output levels of 2013. Read more
Russia’s ban on importing EU agricultural products will cause the loss of more than 300,000 tonnes of apples grown in Poland, a quantity more than the whole crop of the Netherlands or the UK, and risks causing a European glut of the fruit.
Poland’s apple and pear growers face substantial losses due the Russian embargo on farm imports from EU nations and other western countries which this year imposed sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine crisis. Read more
The price of salad is about to jump after prices for olive oil, lettuce and tomatoes have soared following a lengthy drought in Spain. Read more


text:
Long-running NFT trading card game Gods Unchained has finally gone mobile. Immutable Games announced Wednesday it has launched the fantasy-based tactical game on iOS and Android devices worldwide.
An early access version of Gods Unchained Mobile is now available on the App Store and Google Play Store. It provides a card combat experience on smartphones and tablets, turning the PC and Mac game into one that you can play pretty much anywhere.
“Your mobile is probably one of your most important devices, which is why it was important for us to give players the freedom to choose where they want to play, whenever they want,” said Executive Producer Daniel Paez in a statement. “For anyone who has ever wanted to play a quick game on the go, Gods Unchained Mobile now makes it possible."
The mobile app includes Immutable Passport wallet integration, ranked and casual play, and a deck-building tool. Plans for a mobile version of Gods Unchained were publicly announced last year, following a closed testing period on Android.
Gods Unchained originally launched in 2018 on Ethereum, and later was migrated to Immutable’s own Immutable X scaling network, which enables cheaper and faster transactions. The game has generated nearly $350 million worth of NFT sales to date, according to data from CryptoSlam.
Amid a recent wave of expansion, Gods Unchained hit the Epic Games Store, a popular PC gaming marketplace—but then was promptly removed. That’s because the ESRB ratings board gave the game an “Adults Only” rating due to its play-to-earn crypto elements, and Epic Games blocked such games from its storefront.
However, following an investigation from Decrypt’s GG in December, Gods Unchained returned to the store after Epic Games modified its policies to allow such “AO” games—but only in instances where it received the rating due to the ESRB’s policies towards crypto games.
Source : Decrypt by Andrew Hayward / Feb 29, 2024


text:
Top stories this week on just-style...
The most-read stories on just-style this week include a look at why the apparent benefits of Ethiopia for apparel and textile investors also make the country a serious risk, the suspension of a further seven factories by The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, and Vietnam leading the pack in September US apparel exports.
Where next for apparel retailers in a saturated market?
The US retail industry has hit a saturation point – what Robert Antoshak refers to as "peak apparel" – where the amount of clothing that can be sold and consumed has reached capacity. So what's the bottom-line for retailers? he asks.
BRC warns on post-Brexit clothing import tariffs
Failure to strike a good Brexit deal by 2019 would have a "disproportionately severe impact" on retailers and their customers, with clothing and footwear liable to attract double-digit tariff instead of the current zero-rating for all EU imports, an industry group says.
The Flanarant – Ethiopia violence undermines 'visionary' sourcing strategies
The apparent benefits of Ethiopia make the country a serious risk – both politically and commercially – for apparel and textile investors, Mike Flanagan believes. And the partial destruction by rioters of the Saygin Dima mill illustrates all too well the short-term superficiality of too many 'visionary' sourcing strategies.
Bangladesh Alliance cuts ties with seven more factories
The Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety has suspended the operations of a further seven garment factories for failing to provide evidence of their remediation progress.
Vietnam leads September surge in US apparel imports
The volume of US apparel imports booked another double-digit hike month-on-month in August thanks to retailers stocking up for the back-to-school season – with Vietnam and Indonesia seeing the largest growth and Cambodia a massive 21% year-on-year decline. That said, the data also shows the volume of imports is down on last year.
- Steps to piloting living wage in garment factories
- Trump blows the case for Brexit out of the water
- How to ensure sustainability is more than a slogan
- US apparel retailers' November 2016 sales roundup
- Duty-free trade key to build Africa supply chains
- US Q3 in brief – Destination Maternity, Cherokee
- Taiwan textile maker investing in first US plant
- Outdoor apparel sector set for double-digit growth
- Myanmar garment industry "lacking labour rights"
- Adidas NYC flagship raises the bar on sport stores


text:
Entrepreneur and investor Bobby Lee, founding member of Bitcoin Foundation, has confirmed that he is true to his word. A futuristic electric vehicle, Tesla Cybertruck, is at stake when Bitcoin (BTC) rockets over $40,000.
The most generous giveaway in crypto history
Today, Jan. 8, 2021, Bitcoin (BTC) has routinely printed new all-time highs over $41,500. This means that the breathtaking mark of $40,000 may become a support for flagship crypto price dynamics. For Mr. Lee, that means that he has to keep his promise from June 2020 and send a Tesla Cybertruck to one lucky follower.
On June 2, 2020, Bitcoin (BTC) entered five-digit waters for the first time since Black Thursday in Crypto, witnessing a double-digit daily price spike. Mr. Lee announced that he was going to buy a Tesla CyberTruck in 2021 with nothing but one Bitcoin (BTC).
To prove that he was dead serious about this prediction, he promised to give away one free Tesla CyberTruck to a lucky person just for liking and retweeting his announcement. The bet is good until late 2021, so its terms were honored yesterday.
This memorial tweet was retweeted 8,800 times with 607 quote tweets and 10,400 likes in seven months. And its confirmation gained 6,000 retweets in less than half a day!
Will Elon Musk keep his promise?
Meanwhile, Mr. Lee added that, to meet all conditions of the bet, Elon Musk should release Tesla CyberTruck in 2021. The unveiling of the dual-motor AWD vehicle is scheduled for late 2021, while the single-motor versions are expected to arrive in 2022.
The price of one CyberTruck will vary between $39,900 and $69,900.
With its ongoing upsurge over $41,500, Bitcoin is up 315 percent since Bobby Lee’s tweet. However, it needs to gain 69 percent more to be able to buy the most luxurious self-driving editions of Tesla’s futuristic truck.


text:
Jamie Oliver, squeezed shoppers, and meat-free Thursdays
Friday, May 22, 2009 | 01:20 PM ET
By Tara Kimura, CBCNews.ca
CBC Arts has posted a fantastic Q&A with celebrated chef Jamie Oliver. Some of the excellent questions submitted by CBCNews.ca readers included: if you had the power to eliminate one "food" from the marketplace, what would it be? What do you make of the rise of the gastropub? And, what is your most often used herb/spice other than salt and pepper? Read Oliver's answers to these and other questions here.
On our consumer site, we take a look at the effect crowded shelves have on consumer behaviour. Researcher Juliet Zhu theorizes that when shopping in a crowded store, consumers seek out variety.
"When consumers are confined, either through a narrow aisle or crowding, they feel like their freedom is being constrained," Zhu said. "One such demonstration is choosing more varied options, such as different flavoured yogurt or candies, as opposed to the typical flavour they always choose."
Also this week, the Canadian Plastics Industry Association released a study suggesting re-usable bags may pose health risks. WWF spokesman Steven Price responded, noting consumers could eliminate the threat by washing the bags.
"It's a valid point, but I don't think we need to go back to disposing billions of plastic bags across Canada," Price told the Canadian Press. "We need to take care of the objectives, which is to be safe and healthy, so let's wash the bags."
Finally, the city of Ghent in Belgium has proclaimed Thursdays to be meat-free days.
City councillor Tom Balthazar, said "There's nothing compulsory. We just want to be a city that promotes sustainable and healthy living."
This discussion is now Open. Submit your Comment.
Post a Comment
About the blog
From trends and culture to politics and nutrition, Food Bytes serves up tasty tidbits about food and the issues surrounding it that flavour our everyday lives.
About the writers
Amber Hildebrandt writes for CBCNews.ca in Toronto. Growing up on a farm in Manitoba, she acquired an insatiable appetite, but it was during a stint in Japan that she developed her discerning tastebuds and "foodie" ways.
Andrea Chiu is an associate producer at CBC Radio Digital. Though she loves to eat, cook and discuss food, don't ask her to bake. It never turns out well. She tweets as @TOfoodie on Twitter and organizes food and wine events in Toronto called FoodieMeet.
Tara Kimura is the consumer life reporter for CBCNews.ca, covering a wide range of issues that range from rising food costs and the growing organic movement, to new trends in the marketplace.
Andree Lau is a CBC web reporter in Calgary. Her journalism career includes seven years as a CBC-TV reporter. Her own blog called "are you gonna eat that?" chronicles her eating adventures (including sampling snake and camel hoof tendon).
Jessica Wong is a CBCNews.ca writer who loves to eat and cook, as well as discuss, read and watch programming about food, sometimes all at once.
Kevin Yarr, CBCNews.ca's writer in Prince Edward Island, wrote about food and beer for national and regional magazines before joining the CBC. He acquired a desire for new tastes on his first trip to Europe, and an appreciation of eating locally and in season when he finally settled down on P.E.I.
Elizabeth Bridge is a writer with the CBC Digital Archives in Toronto. She first ventured into the kitchen as a child to indulge a sweet tooth by baking cookies and making fudge. A student budget compelled her to be a vegetarian (for a while) and instilled in her an ongoing curiosity about food and cooking.
- Groceries, eco-Atkins and an appreciation of the inventor of the salad bar
- Friday, June 12, 2009
- Tastes of home
- Wednesday, June 10, 2009
- Lobster profiteering?
- Friday, June 5, 2009
- Cleaning pantry
- Monday, June 1, 2009
- Meal planning SOS
- Friday, May 29, 2009
- Subscribe to Food Bytes
- June 2009 (4)
- May 2009 (13)
- April 2009 (12)
- March 2009 (10)
- February 2009 (9)
- January 2009 (9)
- December 2008 (16)
- November 2008 (13)
- October 2008 (12)
- September 2008 (11)
- August 2008 (9)
- July 2008 (12)
- June 2008 (10)
- May 2008 (16)


text:
The idea with a Google-branded keyboard app is to bring users closer to search and Google's other services - especially as users spend increasing amounts of time in social networking and private messaging apps, and not on the mobile web. Hard pressing the Google icon now brings up a variety of search options, including quick search, voice search, image search, and incognito search. The widget is powered by live trending Google searches and can be accessed by tapping on the trending search item.
Chapter 13's tweaked version features a new path where players can now opt to play Gladiolus on the mentioned level. Available free of charge for those who own Final Fantasy XV, the March update applies several new changes to the main game.
The most visible change may just be aesthetics, as chat will still be built into Gmail and contacts will move over. Google recommends the Android Messages app for this. Hangouts offers propelled enhancements over Google Talk, for example, amass video calling and joining with other Google items. In addition, Google confirmed the end of support for Google Talk, the predecessor to Hangouts.
In an effort to continue to keep the multiplayer community strong, BioWare has added its first post-launch APEX mission which adds a new class, in-game items, and is centered around a lost scout team headed up by Nakmor Drack. Despite the support of several developers from other companies in a valiant show of solidarity, the controversy surrounding Mass Effect: Andromeda doesn't stop with animation issues.
The Guide redesign focuses on making features you're most likely to need/want available "at your fingertips". You can check out a video showing off the new update for yourself below. Despite all of these changes, the Copilot feature has to be the most important for disabled gamers. "To simplify discoverability and to make it easier to get to the things you care about most, our multitasking features were designed with the new Guide in mind".
There is also an intimidating foe known as The Ringed Knight that "Dark Souls 3" players may soon have to confront, and this particular opponent "wields two rare giant swords tempered by the abyss and sealed with fire". " Embrace the Darkness! " Take a look at the trailer below. It is so hard that I chose to wait for three hours for someone to come to my aid, so I could finally down the boss in time for this review.
Apple India has sought concessions, including duty exemption on manufacturing and fix units, components, capital equipment. Reports are that, by August the Taiwanese manufacturer Wiston Crop will start the production of iPhone 6 and 6s along with Apple's new iPhone SE will take place in the same plant.
They attended the second day of debate on a motion that ultimately granted Sturgeon the authority to pursue an independence referendum. Scottish voters rejected independence by 55 per cent to 45 per cent in a referendum in 2014, but Sturgeon believes Britain voting to leave the European Union was a material change in circumstances which means people should again be asked the question.
SAN FRANCISCO- Uber's self-driving cars are back on the road, following a weekend crash in Tempe, Ariz. that grounded test cars in Pittsburgh and Arizona. The majority of those are the result of human error, and technology enthusiasts believe that number will be reduced significantly as more self-driving vehicles get on the road.
It looks like Nintendo are planning to announce a lot of new games at E3 in June, but not too many sequels... Perhaps it won't be an oversimplification to state that the bulk of its games are primarily targeted toward gamers of younger ages.
Reports suggest that Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) is planning to expand its over-the-top streaming service across the usa later this year. Xfinity's Instant TV is not unlike offerings we're now used to seeing from the likes of AT&T (DirecTV Now), Dish (Sling), and Sony (PlayStation Vue), according to Reuters .
The two telcos join a wide range of other brands which have dropped advertising on YouTube and Google in response to an investigation by The Times last week , which found that ads from the BBC, the United Kingdom government and United Kingdom retailer Argos were appearing alongside extremist and offensive content.
All transactions from " Truecaller Pay " will be powered by ICICI Bank following a two factor authentication. In keeping with this legacy, the Bank played a pivotal role in conceptualizing UPI as an initiative along with NPCI and was the first bank to introduce UPI in its mobile app .
The Nokia 150 marks the company's return to the budget ranged market. After launching the phone in December past year, Nokia has now finally made its first two device available in India as a part of its re-entry in the market - the Nokia 150 .
The man is the 12th person to be arrested in connection with the investigation, with nine others being released with no further action. Masood drove his auto into crowds of people on Westminster Bridge on Wednesday afternoon before fatally stabbing a police officer at the Houses of Parliament.
Apple only revealed the "9.7-inch iPad" last week, prompting questions about whether the rumored "10.5-inch iPad Pro" will be revealed or not. Not counting screen size, the design is quite similar featuring a large Home button on the front, main camera placed at the top left side on the back, and a large Apple logo on the middle of the backside.
If you've ever cracked your phone before, the huge edge-to-edge display we expect from the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S8 may seem like an accident waiting to happen. The firm has also announced that it will "detach salvageable components, such as semiconductors and camera modules, for reuse or sale", and will extract metals using extract metals using "environmentally friendly methods".
Even for a player of Dustin Johnson's vast ability, the Dell Technologies Match Play was always going to be the toughest for him to capture all four of the World Golf Championships. I tried to hang on as much as I could. Johnson rolled in a four-footer for a par to halve the hole and seal the win. "The front nine was a very steep and deep low, I must say", Rahm explained.
Users can choose whether to opt in for the donation programme. Round Up & Donate is now undergoing testing and will be available for all Lyft customers in the coming weeks. This story came out now only because Uber's senior VP of business, Emil Michael, reportedly attempted to cover it up. While Uber's multi-month string of bad news continues, its ride-hailing competitor Lyft has doubled down on trying to be everything Uber is not.
Until now, the only way to access Tinder was via its mobile app. Tinder says that the only information it collects about users who log on to Tinder Online is location via the browser. To make it work, you just have to visit Tinder .com on any browser, login through Facebook, set up your profile and start swiping as usual. It still requires you sign on to your account through Facebook.


text:
|By PR Newswire||
|February 24, 2014 07:00 AM EST||
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The GSMA today announced the launch of a collaborative initiative, supported by leading mobile operators including Axiata Group Berhad, China Mobile, China Telecom, Etisalat, KDDI, Ooredoo, Orange, Tata Teleservices, Telefonica, Telenor, Telstra and VimpelCom, to develop an innovative new service that will allow consumers to securely access a wide array of digital services using their mobile phone account for authentication. The Mobile Connect service will simplify consumers' lives, offering a single, trusted, mobile phone number-based authentication solution that fully respects their online privacy. In addition to leading mobile operators, key players from across the ecosystem are among the early supporters of this initiative, including Dailymotion, Deezer, Gemalto, Giesecke & Devrient, Morpho, Oberthur and VALID.
"As we move to an increasingly connected world, more consumers than ever are accessing information and using a range of online services across both mobile and fixed line networks," said Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA. "This digital life brings great benefits to consumers, but also introduces new concerns over the security of online identities. Mobile operators are ideally placed to provide the necessary authentication capabilities to enable consumers, businesses and governments alike to interact and access services in a private, trusted and secure environment. The Mobile Connect initiative we are introducing today addresses this critical requirement."
For consumers, digital identity solutions such as Mobile Connect offer privacy protection, reduce the risk of identity theft and simplify the login experience for a range of services, such as retail, healthcare, government and banking, among others. Mobile Connect will provide a streamlined experience for users; they will no longer need to create and manage multiple user names and passwords as the authentication and identification solution being developed will use the subscriber's mobile phone number or mobile user name and information contained in the secure SIM card. The standard-based Mobile Connect service will utilise the OpenID Connect protocol, offering broad interoperability across mobile operators and service providers, further ensuring a seamless experience for consumers.
Industry Support for Mobile Connect
Leading mobile operators and companies across the mobile ecosystem voiced their support for the Mobile Connect solution:
Jamaludin Ibrahim, President and Group CEO of Axiata Group Berhad, said: "Axiata is very pleased to be part of the Mobile Connect initiative coordinated by the GSMA and is looking forward to working with other operators, service providers, SIM vendors and other parts of the mobile identity ecosystem to launch services that offer real benefits for consumers in terms of convenience and security, while respecting their privacy. We welcome service providers to work closely with us to ensure that the solutions suit their needs and requirements. We have already launched a mobile identity service in Sri Lanka via Dialog, and we are looking forward to working with our other operators so that Mobile Connect can be available to all consumers in the countries we have operations."
"Etisalat has proven that mobile technologies can be secure and life-changing across its footprint. In our home market of UAE, Etisalat is supporting the government's vision and plan to move government services into the electronic realm. Soon the mobile phones of UAE residents will also serve as National ID, and users are able to login and access more than 100 government services using their mobile devices. Similarly, we are working across other business verticals including mCommerce and mHealth to provide Personal Data based services to address growing needs of our customers across countries where we operate," said Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat Group.
Tadashi Onodera, Chairman, KDDI, said: "In Japan, we have already launched a mobile identity service, au ID, which is available to all of our customers. This is a key enabler for our value-add and content services and is a huge success. We are now actively supporting the Mobile Connect initiative by the GSMA with the other operators, sharing our experiences and looking for ways to deliver a consistent offering across operators."
Dr. Nasser Marafih, Group CEO, Ooredoo, said: "Personal data is an important issue for our customers across the Middle East, North Africa and South East Asia, which makes this initiative a key strategic opportunity for us. We are committed to working with the GSMA on a range of propositions related to Mobile Connect, because we believe that digital services can enrich people's lives. The first set of Mobile Connect services will be launched by Ooredoo's company Indosat in Indonesia as early as 2015."
Stephane Richard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Orange, commented: "Mobile Connect is an easy, secure and universal solution for customers to connect to all digital services. It is for Orange an opportunity to show its capacity to innovate with simple services while improving personal data protection."
Axel Dauchez, CEO of Deezer, said: "This new innovation from the GSMA is set to provide a much simpler experience for Deezer users, which means people can focus on what's important to them - discovering great new music. With around 65 per cent of all music listened to on Deezer via a mobile phone, Mobile Connect will help provide music fans with a seamless mobile experience as well as increased convenience across other devices."
Olivier Piou, CEO of Gemalto, said: "The Mobile Connect SIM-based solution works on any handset and can be instantly deployed over the air, enabling it to reach the majority of existing SIM cards. It delivers a consistent user experience and one-click access across a whole range of services offered, whatever the security level required. To boost the adoption of Mobile Connect, Gemalto will embed the mobile connect applet in the ROM code of all new SIM cards at no cost for operators, once the GSMA solution is available. As Mobile Connect complies with industry standards, it will be very easy for service providers to integrate."
Dr. Walter Schlebusch, CEO of Giesecke & Devrient, said: "G&D has built up a broad experience over the last years in the integration of SIM-based mobile ID solutions. We have managed successful projects with several network operators around the globe. The SIM-card is one of the most secure and natural ways to store identities on a mobile. We are happy to support this initiative with the experience we gained and to come to a harmonised solution for the whole industry."
Philippe d'Andrea, Executive VP, Business Solutions Division and CEO, Morpho Cards GmbH said: "As one of the key players in digital security, Morpho is pleased to contribute to an initiative supporting the deployment of mobile identity services. It will enable our customers, MNOs and service providers, to manage all kind of online services and offer them to millions of users. We believe that trust in security of services will be built on strong enrolment, a strong secure element and strong authentication. The Mobile Connect application will be included in our standard SIM offer once the solution is available."
"The GSMA Connect initiative is a major step to enhance the user experience in the cloud, protecting the privacy and the data of consumers. OT contributes to Mobile Connect and brings an additional option with the implementation of FIDO authentication in the SIM. This solution provides a high level of security and a rich user experience for mobile users as it can be combined with mobile biometrics," said Didier Lamouche, CEO of Oberthur Technologies. "Consumers and service providers are demanding more security and convenience to enhance their digital experience in mobility. The GSMA Mobile Connect initiative will enable Mobile operators to deploy interoperable SIM-based identity services for mass adoption."
Mobile Connect Pilot in Barcelona
A pilot project run through the Mobile Word Capital initiative in the Mobile World Capital Barcelona and involving the GSMA, Orange, Morpho and the Catalonian healthcare service has also agreed to test the authentication mechanisms in a live environment.
The CEO of Fundacio TICSalut, Dr. Francesc Garcia Cuyas, said: "I am glad to announce that the Catalan Personal Health Record service, which has a potential user base of five million citizens, will benefit from a mobile connect solution, enabling them to access their medical data and interact with healthcare professionals. I believe Mobile Connect is one of the key elements that will lead the future in mHealth. This will reinforce how citizens play an active role in managing their health. Orange, as a key player in mHealth, will facilitate access to medical records creating the adequate environment for new services and applications to be delivered to citizens."
The Director of the mHealth Competence Center at Mobile Word Capital, Dr. Joan Cornet added: "Secure access to personal health records is our priority. We are delighted that Orange and Morpho are paving the way, providing a simple and interoperable solution."
Mobile Connect Operator Launches
In line with its commitment to providing customers with the highest possible level of security, Orange intends to provide Mobile Connect-based solutions across its footprint in Europe and Africa and the Middle East by 2015. Ooredoo is also aiming to provide similar services in South East Asia around the same time frame. The GSMA expects to see additional operator launches of Mobile Connect in 2015.
"We call on mobile operators, SIM card manufacturers, service providers and other key mobile industry participants to work with the GSMA to drive scale for this exciting initiative," said GSMA Director General Anne Bouverot.
For more information on Mobile Connect, please visit www.gsmamobileconnect.com.
About the GSMA
The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators with 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in industry sectors such as financial services, healthcare, media, transport and utilities. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo.
For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.
The Art of DevOps provides a fun overview to help teams understand DevOps. Written in the style of the famous 6th century Chinese manuscript “The Art of War,” this eBook describes DevOps in the form of a mission to continuously deliver assets to the operational battlegrounds safely, securely, and quickly. It’s a fun read with valuable insights.
Feb. 12, 2016 10:00 AM EST
SYS-CON Events announced today that iDevices®, the preeminent brand in the connected home industry, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. iDevices, the preeminent brand in the connected home industry, has a growing line of HomeKit-enabled products available at the largest retailers worldwide. Through the “Designed with iDevices” co-development program and its custom-built IoT Cloud Infrastruc...
Feb. 12, 2016 10:00 AM EST Reads: 119
There will be new vendors providing applications, middleware, and connected devices to support the thriving IoT ecosystem. This essentially means that electronic device manufacturers will also be in the software business. Many will be new to building embedded software or robust software. This creates an increased importance on software quality, particularly within the Industrial Internet of Things where business-critical applications are becoming dependent on products controlled by software. Qua...
Feb. 12, 2016 09:51 AM EST
As enterprises work to take advantage of Big Data technologies, they frequently become distracted by product-level decisions. In most new Big Data builds this approach is completely counter-productive: it presupposes tools that may not be a fit for development teams, forces IT to take on the burden of evaluating and maintaining unfamiliar technology, and represents a major up-front expense. In his session at @BigDataExpo at @ThingsExpo, Andrew Warfield, CTO and Co-Founder of Coho Data, will dis...
Feb. 12, 2016 09:30 AM EST Reads: 209
WebSocket is effectively a persistent and fat pipe that is compatible with a standard web infrastructure; a "TCP for the Web." If you think of WebSocket in this light, there are other more hugely interesting applications of WebSocket than just simply sending data to a browser. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Frank Greco, Director of Technology for Kaazing Corporation, will compare other modern web connectivity methods such as HTTP/2, HTTP Streaming, Server-Sent Events and new W3C event APIs ...
Feb. 12, 2016 09:00 AM EST
The Quantified Economy represents the total global addressable market (TAM) for IoT that, according to a recent IDC report, will grow to an unprecedented $1.3 trillion by 2019. With this the third wave of the Internet-global proliferation of connected devices, appliances and sensors is poised to take off in 2016. In his session at @ThingsExpo, David McLauchlan, CEO and co-founder of Buddy Platform, will discuss how the ability to access and analyze the massive volume of streaming data from mil...
Feb. 12, 2016 09:00 AM EST
The cloud competition for database hosts is fierce. How do you evaluate a cloud provider for your database platform? In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Chris Presley, a Solutions Architect at Pythian, will give users a checklist of considerations when choosing a provider. Chris Presley is a Solutions Architect at Pythian. He loves order – making him a premier Microsoft SQL Server expert. Not only has he programmed and administered SQL Server, but he has also shared his expertise and passion w...
Feb. 12, 2016 08:00 AM EST
Advances in technology and ubiquitous connectivity have made the utilization of a dispersed workforce more common. Whether that remote team is located across the street or country, management styles/ approaches will have to be adjusted to accommodate this new dynamic. In his session at 17th Cloud Expo, Sagi Brody, Chief Technology Officer at Webair Internet Development Inc., focused on the challenges of managing remote teams, providing real-world examples that demonstrate what works and what do...
Feb. 12, 2016 08:00 AM EST Reads: 320
SYS-CON Events announced today that Men & Mice, the leading global provider of DNS, DHCP and IP address management overlay solutions, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. The Men & Mice Suite overlay solution is already known for its powerful application in heterogeneous operating environments, enabling enterprises to scale without fuss. Building on a solid range of diverse platform support,...
Feb. 12, 2016 06:00 AM EST Reads: 247
Eighty percent of a data scientist’s time is spent gathering and cleaning up data, and 80% of all data is unstructured and almost never analyzed. Cognitive computing, in combination with Big Data, is changing the equation by creating data reservoirs and using natural language processing to enable analysis of unstructured data sources. This is impacting every aspect of the analytics profession from how data is mined (and by whom) to how it is delivered. This is not some futuristic vision: it's ha...
Feb. 12, 2016 05:45 AM EST Reads: 455
Silver Spring Networks, Inc. (NYSE: SSNI) extended its Internet of Things technology platform with performance enhancements to Gen5 – its fifth generation critical infrastructure networking platform. Already delivering nearly 23 million devices on five continents as one of the leading networking providers in the market, Silver Spring announced it is doubling the maximum speed of its Gen5 network to up to 2.4 Mbps, increasing computational performance by 10x, supporting simultaneous mesh communic...
Feb. 12, 2016 05:00 AM EST
Predictive analytics tools monitor, report, and troubleshoot in order to make proactive decisions about the health, performance, and utilization of storage. Most enterprises combine cloud and on-premise storage, resulting in blended environments of physical, virtual, cloud, and other platforms, which justifies more sophisticated storage analytics. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Peter McCallum, Vice President of Datacenter Solutions at FalconStor, will discuss using predictive analytics to ...
Feb. 12, 2016 04:45 AM EST Reads: 405
Let’s face it, embracing new storage technologies, capabilities and upgrading to new hardware often adds complexity and increases costs. In his session at 18th Cloud Expo, Seth Oxenhorn, Vice President of Business Development & Alliances at FalconStor, will discuss how a truly heterogeneous software-defined storage approach can add value to legacy platforms and heterogeneous environments. The result reduces complexity, significantly lowers cost, and provides IT organizations with improved effi...
Feb. 12, 2016 03:45 AM EST Reads: 264
Sensors and effectors of IoT are solving problems in new ways, but small businesses have been slow to join the quantified world. They’ll need information from IoT using applications as varied as the businesses themselves. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Roger Meike, Distinguished Engineer, Director of Technology Innovation at Intuit, showed how IoT manufacturers can use open standards, public APIs and custom apps to enable the Quantified Small Business. He used a Raspberry Pi to connect sensors...
Feb. 12, 2016 03:45 AM EST Reads: 348
The cloud promises new levels of agility and cost-savings for Big Data, data warehousing and analytics. But it’s challenging to understand all the options – from IaaS and PaaS to newer services like HaaS (Hadoop as a Service) and BDaaS (Big Data as a Service). In her session at @BigDataExpo at @ThingsExpo, Hannah Smalltree, a director at Cazena, will provide an educational overview of emerging “as-a-service” options for Big Data in the cloud. This is critical background for IT and data profes...
Feb. 12, 2016 02:30 AM EST Reads: 225


text:
We stand with BCTGM Nabisco/Mondelēz workers rallying outside the company’s shareholders meeting today. Support union workers, fight for family-sustaining jobs, only buy AMERICAN-made Nabisco snacks!
In July 2015, Nabisco (Mondelēz) announced it had decided to invest $130 million in a plant in Salinas, Mexico, instead of investing it in its iconic Southside Chicago Nabisco bakery. Mondelēz called on the workers, represented by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) International Union, to come up with $46 million in annual savings (in perpetuity) at the Chicago facility for the company, or it would take the $130 million planned investment to its Salinas, Mexico bakery.
In order for the union members to generate $46 million in annual savings, they would have to take a wage and benefit cut of $22 to $29 per hour every year. The company announced it will move nine product lines to the Salinas bakery, which will result in the loss of 600 good paying Chicago jobs. The BCTGM continues to fight the company’s decision to export the union jobs.
The UAW has announced its support of the BCTGM International Union’s boycott of Mexican-made Nabisco products as a result of the company’s decision to move hundreds of Illinois jobs to a plant in Mexico.
BCTGM, which represents some 4,000 workers of Mondelēz International, the parent company of Nabisco, launched the Check the Label campaign as a means to push back against the company’s ongoing outsourcing of American jobs to plants in Salinas and Monterrey, Mexico. The campaign is calling on consumers to check the label of Nabisco products and only buy snacks that are made in the U.S. as a means to “support middle-class American jobs.”
What can you do?
What can you as a UAW member do to help support our brothers and sisters at BCTGM fighting for good-paying jobs?
Check the Label!
Watch and share the videos!
Video: Check the label
Video: The Nabisco-Mondelēz 600
Sign the petition!
Join other union members from around the country by signing the petition telling Irene Rosenfeld, CEO Mondelēz International, Inc. to Support Nabisco Jobs in Chicago.
Show your support on social media!
Like BCTGM Local 300 on Facebook and follow BCTGM International Union there, too. While you’re there, leave them a message of support. You can also get updates on Twitter by following @BCTGM_Nabisco. You should also check out their webpage at fightforamericanjobs.org.
Other users read these articles next...


text:
Twitter is close to letting its users purchase products directly through the social network
and is nearing a deal with payments startup Stripe.
The deal, which is in the final stages but not yet complete, is the surest sign that the social network is finally serious about making it easier for brands, retailers or manufacturers to sell directly on Twitter.
Details on how Twitter plans to break into the e-commerce market are sketchy but TechCrunch claims that a marketplace similar to the one developed by Square (led by Twitter chairman Jack Dorsey) is in the pipeline. TechCrunch says that Twitter has also been talking to PayPal.
The company has had a history of dabbling in e-commerce in the past, often through partnerships with outside companies. In February of last year, Twitter hooked up with American Express to let AmEx card holders use Twitter to buy specific products if they synced their credit card with Twitter.


text:
University Business Park hosts mixer Wednesday
University Business Park will host a mega-mixer 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at the former Wrigley Building, 2857 Mission St., which has been transformed by owner Ow Properties into an incubator for small businesses and workspace for artists.
Participating businesses include R Blitzer Gallery, Om Gallery, Sessions, Sub Culture Television, Aerial Arts Santa Cruz, Dog Days Vintage Guitar Straps, Tao San Fitness and Martial Arts, Barbara Bailey Porter, Carolyn Reynolds, Michele Giulvezan-Tanner, LifeAID Beverage Co., Vitamin Answer and Ohana Gymnastics.
Visitors can see a multimillion-dollar renovation completed for the U.S. Geological Survey's Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center. The 385,000 square-foot building houses more than 240,000 square feet of office and manufacturing, with the rest available for lease.
Business Professionals network Wednesday
Business Professionals of Santa Cruz County plan a networking meeting, 9:15-10:45 a.m. Wednesday at Cruzio, 877 Cedar St.
Maxine Bingham of Agora Marketing & PR will speak on "PR for Your Venture in the Google Age." Cost is $10. To RSVP, visit http://bit.ly/1jwC2sb.
Plantronics honored by Avaya
Plantronics has been named a 2014 Avaya DevConnect Partner Innovation award recipient for headset integration with Avaya Aura.
"Our customers are looking for new solutions that can help them work in this rapidly evolving multidevice environment," said Eric Rossman, Avaya's vice president, developer relations.
The solution allows people to continue collaborating "seamlessly" as they move between desktops and mobile phones, according said Erna Arnesen, Plantronics' vice president, global channel and alliance marketing.


text:
Interview with Eveline Jonkhoffby Emanuele Bompan
For the Dutch municipality, the construction and food sectors represent two valuable precious value chains. Improving building materials’ reuse strategies could generate €85 million per year and as much as €150 million could derive from a more efficient management of organic waste.
The city of Amsterdam has made a major step in the transition to become one of the world’s first circular cities. The goal? Minimize waste, innovate product-as-a-service business, boast new businesses, increase its well-being and profit.
Commissioned by the city, the plan started out by mapping and identifying areas in which circular business models can be applied while...


text:
When compared to the same period in 2020, EV’s are indeed exploding. EV’s sold 98,832 units in Q1 2021 compared to 68,247 at the same time last year.
In terms of actual units sold, Tesla dominated Q1. The manufacturer moved 69,300 units which equal 71% of the total US EV’s sold. The Model Y placed first, while the Model 3 took the second spot.
Rounding out the top three is the Chevy Bolt EV. The Bolt EV had nearly 10,000 sales in Q1. Finally, in fourth, the newly released Ford Mustang Mach-E.
These numbers are a surprise, as much of the United States has been in various types of lockdown with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tesla’s market dominance has continued, even with GM, Chevrolet, Ford and Volkswagen entering the EV space. The EV space is starting to crowd, but Tesla continues to lead from the front with its fleet of vehicles.
Source: GM Authority


text:
iOS 7 to Feature ‘Flat Design’ Under Jonathan Ive’s Leadership
iOS 7 could feature ‘flat design’ as Apple prepares to unveil the next operating system for iOS devices. Late last year, Jonathan Ive was just Senior Vice President of Industrial Design at Apple but with a management shakeup at the company, his role expanded. Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook gave Jonathan Ive leadership of the the company’s Human Interfaces teams. This means that Ive was now, in part, controlling the hardware and parts of the software which could provide from some tightly integrated products.
This is something that Apple is known for in its products, tightly integrated hardware and software within the company’s ecosystem. According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple’s mobile software teams are being informed of hardware prototypes early on the cycle. Ive is also reportedly meeting with the human interfaces team to look at designs and is looking to create a ‘flat design’ in iOS 7.
Some suggested that in Apple’s next mobile operating system, Ive is pushing a more “flat design” that is starker and simpler, according to developers who have spoken to Apple employees but didn’t have further details. Overall, they expect any changes to be pretty conservative. For the past few years, Apple has unveiled versions of its mobile operating system in the summer.
Design is one example of the increased “collaboration across hardware, software and services” that Apple said it was aiming for when Cook pushed senior vice president and mobile software chief Scott Forstall out of the company last year.
WSJ’s report also notes that Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi is looking to combine Mac and iOS teams when necessary, likely to transition features between devices as they did with “Back to Mac” event in 2010. With Apple receiving intense criticism over the past several weeks for its “lack of innovation”, this is most certainly positive news.
All of Apple’s current iOS and Mac products are from the Steve Jobs era and with Tim Cook working with someone who worked closely with Jobs, it is very likely that they will come up with something else revolutionary. Apple’s products is all about integrating and learning from previous generations, which is something that they can now accomplish with Jony Ive collaborating with both hardware and software teams.


text:
With the silence of the Playstation 5 in these days, the gaming world came to a halt when Epic Games released their trailer for Unreal Engine 5, showing off a playable demo on the Sony next-generation console. Going into detail about how their new technology, Lumen – among other interesting terms – worked, the game engine giant went into a praise for the Playstation 5. The Live Demo that was shown, was according to the Unreal Engine developers, “real-time footage on the Playstation 5,” simply adding an HDMI to export the video.
Graphically, it looks absolutely stunning, and that’s not where it stops. Epic Games has stated on their Summer Game Fest stream that Fortnite, the big Battle Royale giant, will be utilizing the new Unreal Engine 5 starting next year on the next generation consoles. This is the most excited I’ve been for the video game world, when it comes to immersion, than I’ve ever been. There is so much more to look forward to, and with the Summer Game Fest live stream showing off brand new games and new technologies every single day, the excitement can only go further.


text:
New samsung galaxy s10 Like Apple did create with its 10th-anniversary iPhone and set, Samsung is celebrating 10 years of Galaxy
smartphones with a replacement device debuting aboard the very anticipated new samsung galaxy s10 and S10 and — the Galaxy S10e. but where’s the iPhone X was the flagship, staying a rung on prime of the iPhone eight and eight and, the S10e is that the foremost cost-efficient phone of Samsung’s 2019 flagship lineup.
And if you thought three phones were masses, reassess. There’s to boot the Galaxy S10 5G, that supports the ensuant generation of mobile networking technology. It’s not offered but, but you will be ready to scan a great deal of regarding the phone here. The S10 and S10 and convey a variety of enhancements over last year’s Galaxy S9 and S9 and, thus let’s break down what these phones — alongside the S10e — unit all regarding.
For our in-depth impressions, explore our Galaxy S10 and S10 and review and our Galaxy S10e active review.
The Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, and S10e might even be packing the latest generation of smartphone method power, but they’re at the same time as fragile on the surface as glass-clad phones have tried to be. At least, that’s the conclusion SquareTrade has come to, having place each new member of Samsung’s flagship vary to the take a glance at.
The tests were simple: A drop onto the front of the device, followed by a drop onto the rear. you will be ready to see the testing and thus the finally ends up within the video on prime of, but what’s fascinating is that phones came off best.
None of the devices got away damage-free, every} one three suffered variable degrees of damage and shattered glass from each falls. The S10e seemed to come off worst, as a result of the screen not entirely shattered, but became nonfunctional once one drop. the rear drop saw the camera lenses shatter and thus the flash finish off too. The S10 and fared higher, functioning completely once every drop. However, every front and backdrops caused shatters with dangerously loose glass shards. the standard S10 performed the foremost effective, staying fully purposeful despite similar shattering, but with no dangerous glass shards.
Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy S10 would possibly deliver very important updates modish and choices to the South Korean smartphone manufacturer’s flagship line of premium phones.
That’s what the rumors unit suggesting, at least. Even Samsung’s mobile-business leader, DJ Koh, has chimed in to excite ensuant Galaxy S smartphone.
If the rumors unit correct, we tend to should expect a fairly very important overhaul among the Galaxy S10 lineup which may see the adoption of latest technologies, next-gen specs, and a great deal of stylish vogue. The rumors paint a futurist vision of the Galaxy S10’s look.
We’ll see exactly what Samsung’s been up to the present last year once the company hosts its twenty19 Unpacked event on Gregorian calendar month twenty, that’s where Samsung generally unveils its new Galaxy S flagship devices.
These results place the phones in AN passing similar league to the Galaxy S9 and iPhone XS vary, though there’s no word on what range devices were tested. After all, results on these tests can vary across single devices, which we tend to wouldn’t be happy to position money on the S10 being the “strongest” of the variable. Still, there’s the very little question these valuable phones take pride in protection, and that’s why we’ve placed on case round-ups for the Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10 and, and thus the Galaxy S10e.
The Samsung Galaxy S10 is already being hailed as arguably the foremost effective phone out there, but it would get even higher. Carriers have confirmed that the Galaxy S10 will have a code update offered to it as presently as it’s launched, which may reportedly improve the camera and thus the in-display ultrasonic fingerprint detector. The update additionally can bring the Gregorian calendar month one security patch to the Galaxy S10. to the present purpose Verizon and T-Mobile have confirmed the update — though it’s in all probability different carriers will push it, too.
In different words, if you’re a Galaxy S10 early parent, expect a code update to be ready for you as presently as you set it up.
A 5G device. A folded phone that morphs into a pill. A smartphone that will charge another smartphone once sandwiched on.
Samsung is making daring moves with its new lineup of Galaxy S10 smartphones, that were declared Wed at its “Unpacked” press event in the port of entry.
Following a year of slower sales growth — due largely to the S9 models not being entirely totally different enough from its created Galaxy S8 merchandise — the company hopes a number of innovative choices will inspire shoppers to alter existing devices for newer models.
The Galaxy Fold
Samsung kicked off its event with the debut of the Galaxy Fold, a 4.6 inch-smartphone that will open up into a seven.3-inch pill. in conjunction with Samsung’s long excited time Flex show, it is a hinge system that can’t be seen from the surface. the luxurious device, which may worth $1,980, hits stores on Apr twenty-six.
“We unit creating a replacement dimension for your phone and your life,” a Samsung human aforementioned throughout the event. “It doesn’t even define a replacement class; it defines a replacement class.”
The Galaxy Fold, which may be offered in black, silver, inexperienced and blue, supports three apps at one time: you will be ready to watch Netflix, Google one issue and answer text messages at the same time.
Consumers world organization agency flock to large screens, whether or not or not for vice or the ability to ascertain a great deal of their data in one place, might even be curious about the distinctive thought. Samsung has already tried that there’s interest around larger-screen smartphones with the success of its Galaxy Note line.
But Samsung will be got to convert developers to vogue apps for the distinctive kind issue, and shopper demand out of the gate might not be enough to encourage this considering the price purpose.


text:
Times Archives: Computer breakdown escalates (April 2009)
As Sirocco marks five years since the creation of the Glorious Dictatorial Republic of Andersonia, the Times is opening up its archives to present articles not seen since they were first published in the Andersonian Times all those years ago. Join us as we take a trip down memory lane to simpler, if stranger, times. Some details will be slightly altered so as to protect the identities of some persons involved – these details are underlined.
Today’s article from 6 April 2009 reports on a computer breakdown, which in typical Andersonian fashion was reported as a hacking. The computer in question, an already fragile Vista computer from early 2007, was revived a few days later, but only weeks afterwards died completely. The tower now resides in the possession of the National Centre of Computing’s Havilland maintenance centre, where it has not been switched on in over five years.
Leave a Reply


text:
Almost half of businesses (47%) that carry out user experience testing spend less than £10,000 per year on such initiatives, while 7% don’t actually spend anything at all.
In contrast, 11% of businesses spend more than £100,000 each year on UX testing.
The findings come from the Econsultancy and WhatUsersDo User Experience Survey Report, which is based on a survey of more than 1,400 professionals working for brands, agencies and specialist user experience firms.
The report shows that almost half of companies (49%) that run UX testing are planning to increase their budget in the next 12 months, with just 8% planning to spend less on UX testing over the next year.
On average, how much do you or your clients spend on user experience testing each year?
This suggests that businesses that are currently carrying out UX testing are experiencing some benefit from it and are willing to continue allocating budget, however a large proportion of companies still don’t do any UX testing on their products.
Data included in the report shows that 12% of businesses do not carry out user testing and have no plans to do so, while a further 33% currently don’t but plan to begin testing in the next 12 months.
Agencies were asked to state what the most common objection they received was when it came to UX testing. The majority (51%) stated that cost was the most common objection, followed by project timescales (22%) and unproven ROI (16%).
What is the most common objection given by clients to user experience testing?
The final section of the report looks at UX testing on mobile and asks which devices take priority.
The results show that desktop computers are still considered the most important device by some distance, as 91% of businesses stated that ‘fixed web’ devices (e.g. laptop, desktop) are regarded as a high priority when optimising the user experience.
This was followed by iPhone (72%), iPad (68%) and Android smartphones (59%), while just 25% rated Windows smartphones as a high priority.
Which of these devices do you or your clients regard as a high priority when optimising the user experience?


text:
The “no-party” policy was implemented during the pandemic when people were using rentals to party after the extended closure of bars and restaurants.
Short-term rental app Airbnb announced on Tuesday, June 28 that they were permanently banning all parties at their rental accommodations. Seeing as quite a fair share of rentals are booked for the sole purpose of hosting party events, will the app’s popularity take a further dive among consumers?
On the other side of the coin, many Airbnb hosts have long since put conditions in place that have disallowed for parties or large events in a bid to avoid unwanted damage or noise complaints. Now, it looks like Airbnb very much want a cleaner image of their services by implementing the ban on the platform itself.
In fact, the rental company put a halt to all parties at their rental residences in 2020 when the pandemic started. The “no-party” policy was first put in effect “until further notice” due to many people who were using rentals to party when faced with the extended closures bars and restaurants.
Seeing how the policy worked not only as a Covid-prevention measure, but also as a tool for the overall health of the service, Airbnb decided to have it as a permanent rule.
“Over time, the party ban became much more than a public health measure. It developed into a bedrock community policy to support our Hosts and their neighbors,” the company wrote in a press release.
“Moreover — it’s been working. We believe there is a direct correlation between our implementation of the policy in August 2020 and a 44% year-over-year drop in the rate of party reports.”
Airbnb’s Covid policy got more than 6,600 guests banned from the app last year for trying to skirt around the no-party rule.
Although the party ban has become permanent, Airbnb did however lift a restriction on the number of guests a property can host. When the temporary party ban was instituted, it included a 16-guest occupancy cap. Airbnb has since lifted the cap, stating there are some properties that can comfortably house 16 or more people.
"ExpatGo welcomes and encourages comments, input, and divergent opinions. However, we kindly request that you use suitable language in your comments, and refrain from any sort of personal attack, hate speech, or disparaging rhetoric. Comments not in line with this are subject to removal from the site. "


text:
This week Pre expectations rose to fever pitch while Chinese authorities tried to hose down June 4 remembrance.
Palm’s Pre, it much-anticipated new smartphone, prepped for debut. Early reviews praised its design, camera, OS and multitasking capabilities.
Nokia launched its high-end N97 phone while leaked photos suggest the coming iPhone 3.0 will have a compass and a 5-megapixel camera with autofocus.
Twitchy Chinese officials blocked Twitter, Flickr, Microsoft’s new search engine and a host of other sites ahead of the June 4 anniversary.
China Telecom and Chunghwa Telecom said they would build a $15 million subsea cable across the Taiwan Strait.
Former Nortel execs are trying to raise $1 billion to help take the stricken vendor out of bankruptcy.
The top10% of Twitter users account for 90% of all tweets, a survey found.
Intel bought software firm Wind River for $884 million to help it in the embedded devices markets. Motorola will embed high-speed wireless chips in cameras and other gadgets.
The chip market showed some signs of recovery in April, according to an industry group. Sony Ericsson predicted a turnaround in the global handset market in Q4.
Verizon Wireless and Sony Ericsson joined the app store craze .
NetApp upped its bid for deduplication firm Data Domain after an unexpected offer from EMC.
Netbook-makers won the right to call their products “netbooks”. Qualcomm called its new device a smartbook. Acer and Asus will soon sell Android-powered netbooks.
BT began upgrading its broadband network to ADSL2+, aiming to deliver 20 Mbps to 55% of customers by March.
A judge threw out more than three dozen lawsuits claiming American telcos had illegally assisted in President Bush’s warrantless wiretap program. The Australian regulator cleared the Vodafone-Hutchison merger.
Huawei unveiled the world’s first commercial CDMA EV-DO Rev B solution, soon to be trialled by China Telecom.
Ericsson was reported to have won a $500 million contract from new Indian cellco, Unitech.
Amateur sleuths mapped out North Korea on Google Earth, identifying missile-storage facilities, mass graves, labor camps, and the entrance to its underground nuclear base.
Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr appeared on stage together to help launch Beatles Rock Band.
And an Indonesian woman faces six years' jail for defamation after complaining about her treatment at a local hospital in an email to friends.


text:
Facebook’s “Foursquare Killer:” Now Mom Will Know Exactly When You’re Getting Wasted
With the recent launch of Twitter’s Geolocation API, every social startup worth its rackspace has been moving in the direction of locational applications. Now, Nicholas Carlson at Silicon Alley Insider seems to have inside confirmation that Facebook is working on adding capabilities for “checking into” to physical locations through its mobile service. Will parents soon know every time a college freshman hits up a frat party? Will your boss question your frequent trips to the free clinic? Will your significant other notice your repeated, um, “visits” to their best friend’s apartment?
Carlson seems to think that Facebook’s move is a serious threat to Foursquare, the fledgling startup based in New York’s East Village which has been leading the space since its launch at SXSW 2009. In his words: “Like with Foursquare, Facebook friends are your real friends — the kind of people you want to join you when you go out.”
Wait a minute — has Carlson been paying attention to how people actually curate their friend lists on Facebook?
The problem (as amply illustrated by the likes of Lamebook and a raft of Huffington Postings) is that ordinary users are already using their presences on various social networks to create irregular network topologies. That’s Web 2.0-speak for the fact that, while people will friend pretty much anyone back on Facebook, many people tend to use Twitter for news, Foursquare for people they don’t regard as serious stalking risks, and so on.
How could Facebook get around this? It might be possible for their engineers to introduce “Friend Groupings,” so that people could slot all of their “real friends” into a group, then give only that group permission to see checkins.Considering the fact that only 25% of users have ever even touched their privacy settings, though, it seems unlikely that many people would use a feature several times more complicated.
It’s true that Facebook could add passive checkins as a feature, but the company’s Beacon privacy disaster (plus the stagnation of Loopt, once the herald of “always on” locational networking), makes that a losing proposition.
Still — there are tens of millions of users and hundreds of millions in ad revenues at stake. Look for Facebook to start inserting itself into your social life as soon as it finishes, you know, rewriting the Internet.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]


text:
After celebrating a record-breaking 2016, reporting an increase in year-over-year sales for the fifth consecutive year, FASTSIGNS International, Inc., stakes its claim as the worlds leading sign, graphics and visual communication franchise. With the signing of 62 franchise agreements worldwide, including 22 in the third quarter alone, 2016 marked a year of unprecedented growth for FASTSIGNS. Building on the momentum of a tremendous year, the brand continues to forge ahead with plans to open an additional 45 centers in 2017, including robust expansion plans across the globe.
“Growth like this definitely underscores the power of the FASTSIGNS brand and strength of our business model in all regions and countries. We are enthusiastic about the brands strong international footprint and look forward to continuing this rapid expansion throughout 2017,” said Mark Jameson, EVP of Franchise Support and Development, FASTSIGNS International, Inc.
FASTSIGNS has truly made its mark on the international stage, gaining industry recognition for its steady growth and continued success in varying markets across the globe. This proven model for success is demonstrated through FASTSIGNS dedication to differentiating itself from the pack with industry leading innovation in technology, leadership and superior franchisee satisfaction. The brand continues to add expanded products and services including, digital signage, augmented realty with static signage and developing a marketing orientation. FASTSIGNS has recently added a virtual reality tool to help customers visualize their signage, offering the unique ability for clients to see and how their investment will look upon installation. FASTSIGNS is always researching new ways to help franchisees profit from trends and meet cutting-edge business needs.
In addition to the above benefits, our franchisees receive:
- Thorough & Ongoing Business Support
- Protected Territories
- Network of Franchisees
- National Marketing Initiatives
- Global Buying Power
FASTSIGNS locations provide comprehensive sign and visual graphic solutions to help companies of all sizes and across all industries attract more attention, communicate their message, sell more products, help visitors find their way and extend their branding across all of their customer touch points including décor, events, wearables and marketing materials. FASTSIGNS is ranked #89 as a Top Global Franchise, with a commitment to excellence that is showcased in the success of it robust and lucrative franchise business model.
As a testament to the brands exceptional reputation as the select choice for franchisees, FASTSIGNS was recently ranked number 1 in the Business Services/Signs category and 95 overall in Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500®, the world’s first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking. Acknowledged by entrepreneurs and franchisors as a top competitive tool of measurement, the Franchise 500® recognizes FASTSIGNS for its exceptional performance in areas including financial strength and stability, growth rate and brand power.
FASTSIGNS is currently seeking candidates across all markets for its award-winning sign franchise. Catherine Monson, CEO of FASTSIGNS International, leads by example and personifies the following qualities as a means of achieving success. As such, the ideal Master Franchise partner embodies the following qualities:
- Being Open and Positive
- Acting with Passion
- Doing the Right Thing
- Doing What You Say and Making It Great
As a franchisee with FASTSIGNS, entrepreneurs and business owners alike are provided with the tools needed to run a successful, prosperous business with unparalleled support from the FASTSIGNS family and corporate network. The brand prides itself on representing the gold standard in franchisee benefits through its proven practices, strong business model and well-known brand that increases profitability.
FASTSIGNS is dedicated to helping veterans find success and purpose through our sign franchise opportunities. Recognized as one of the “Top Franchises for Veterans” by the Franchise Business Review™ and a top “Military Friendly Franchise” by G.I. Jobs, FASTSIGNS offers significant financial incentives to military veterans. Going beyond the recommended 10 to 20 percent discount, the brand offers a 50 percent reduction on the initial franchisee fee (a value of $23,750) as well as 50 percent savings on royalties and advertising fees for the first year. Recently, FASTSIGNS International was honored with the 2016 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award at a ceremony at the Pentagon. The Freedom Award is the highest recognition presented by the Department of Defense to employers for their exemplary support of National Guard and Reserve members.
Established in 1985, FASTSIGNS International, Inc. has more than 650 independently owned and operated locations in nine countries worldwide, including the U.S., Canada, England, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Grand Cayman, Mexico and Australia (where centers operate as SIGNWAVE®). In addition to more than 400 U.S. and Canadian markets targeted for development, FASTSIGNS has 65+ international locations open for continued expansion. As part of the brand’s development strategy, FASTSIGNS is also targeting co-brand and conversion opportunities whereby print shop owners can expand their services by adding FASTSIGNS to their existing business or convert their business into a thriving FASTSIGNS center. The investment range for a Master Franchisee ranges from $300,000 to $750,000, USD with a minimum required capital of $750,000, USD.
For information about the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity, contact Mark Jameson (firstname.lastname@example.org or 214-346-5679) or download an eBook that explores the FASTSIGNS franchise opportunity at http://amzn.to/1FrnDJu.
Follow the brand on Twitter @FASTSIGNS, Facebook at facebook.com/FASTSIGNS or LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/fastsigns.


text:
But Mike Evans, president of Chichester’s Rotary Club, confirmed the Easily Distracted By Christmas And beagles Dog Xmas Shirt, Hoodie, Tank top, Sweater club is preparing to erect its own tree at the cross as usual and has applied for permission to organize collections, including Father Christmas.
Easily Distracted By Christmas And beagles Dog Xmas Shirt, Hoodie, Tank top, Sweater
“More than ever, people and store owners not only need but also deserve to be, Christmas,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chichester BID confirmed that the Christmas lights will be phased in from mid-November.
“On behalf of the businesses in the city center, we are still running a holiday light show. like last year to make sure the city looks more magical than ever this Christmas.
When asked about the Christmas market, the county council said there was no decision yet on what Christmas activities will take place this year.
“We are currently working with partners including Chichester City Council and Chichester BID (Business Improvement Area) on COVID safe Christmas activities that could be organized for This festive season.
The Easily Distracted By Christmas And beagles Dog Xmas Shirt, Hoodie, Tank top, Sweater Hanover Theater is looking for two kids to play a role in this year’s edition of “A Christmas Carol” at the venue.
The audition video must include dialogue from a specific scene that can be found here. People reading the opposite lines should turn off the camera. The submitted videos will be kept strictly confidential and will only be used for the purposes of casting “A Christmas Carol” production this year, Hanover Theater said.
The small Christmas store opened on Friday on The Wharfage and will offer a year-round portion as well as items from local vendors.
Councilmember Lee Carter, the cabinet member for residential, commercial, and reconstruction services, said: “Everyone loves Christmas and the Little Christmas Store offers what we currently do. Not yet in Ironbridge, thus attracting visitors back to the much-acclaimed main street.
“We are creating a unique venue for locals and tourists to visit. The Easily Distracted By Christmas And beagles Dog Xmas Shirt, Hoodie, Tank top, Sweater store will have a Christmas section all year round and we will also feature handcrafted items and sourced from trusted suppliers that will honor the local heritage.
“Christmas is the time. Enjoy and bond family and friends together We want to give everyone reasons to share positive experiences and bring a sense of community spirit.


text:
Mailer groups welcomed Postmaster General Jack Potter’s announcement that the U.S. Postal Service would not be raising postage rates on market-dominant products next year, saying it will help keep companies in the mail.
But they also acknowledged this might not have been possible had Congress not reduced its annual obligation for retiree health benefit premiums from $5.4 billion to $1.4 billion, giving the USPS an extra $4 billion to operate with.
Late last Thursday, Postmaster General Jack Potter said the U.S. Postal Service would not raise prices for market-dominant products next year. Those products include standard mail, first class mail, periodicals and single-piece parcel post (“PMG: No Postage Rate Hike in 2010” Direct Newsline, Oct.16 http://directmag.com/postal/1016-postal-pmg/).
“The postal service had originally asked for, I think $2.3 billion so they got twice as much as they asked for,” said Tony Conway, executive director of the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers.
He added that the USPS also probably made this decision because it’s well aware of how fragile the mailing industry –and all its related companies like printers and mail preparers-are now when mail volume is falling and many marketers are looking for lower-cost alternatives like e-marketing.
“This will go a long way toward keeping people in the mail,” said Conway.
“The Congressional action a couple of weeks ago to grant it $4 billion of forgiveness is what allowed the postal service to make this announcement,” said Jerry Cerasale, senior vice president of government affairs at the Direct Marketing Association.
“I think this will encourage DMA members to use the mail whereas a rate increase would probably have driven them to find other means,” said Cerasle. “So it’s gonna be positive for the volume of standard mail. I’m not sure it’s gonna do much for first class mail.”
Under the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006, the USPS is entitled to an annual rate increase based on the consumer price index, or rate of inflation. Since that figure is negligible now, the USPS may have had to file for an “exigent” rate case to raise extra money to cover its expenses, had the USPS not received those $4 billion from Congress a few weeks ago.
Mailer groups agree that would have been disastrous to the industry.
Potter also said Thursday that in November, the USPS would take up pricing for its competitive products such as priority mail, express mail, parcel select and most international products.
But Cerasale didn’t think the USPS would try to raise those prices much because doing so might drive it out of those markets.
© 2009 Penton Media. Displayed by permission. All rights reserved.


text:
Divers Find Richest Shipwreck in History
A jet chartered by Tampa-based Odyssey Marine Exploration landed in the United States recently with hundreds of plastic containers brimming with coins raised from the ocean floor, Odyssey co-chairman Greg Stemm said. The more than 500,000 pieces are expected to fetch an average of $1,000 each from collectors and investors.
"For this colonial era, I think (the find) is unprecedented," said rare coin expert Nick Bruyer, who examined a batch of coins from the wreck. "I don't know of anything equal or comparable to it."
Citing security concerns, the company declined to release any details about the ship or the wreck site Friday. Stemm said a formal announcement will come later, but court records indicate the coins might come from a 400-year-old ship found off England...
comments powered by Disqus
- Judith Kelleher Schafer, 72, a historian of slavery and prostitution, dies
- Northwestern celebrates Garry Wills with a book in his honor
- Conservatives go after UCLA's historian James Gelvin
- Laura Hillenbrand writes her masterpieces despite suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- New PBS DVD From Henry Louis Gates Jr. Explores African Influence on the Caribbean


text:
News broke Monday that OPI, my fave nail color on planet earth, has got new owners.
But I don’t mind at all. Here’s why.
OPI is being acquired by Coty, a name we all know from the numerous celebrity fragrances that have hit the market in recent years.
Think Beyoncé’s Heat, Lady Gaga’s unnamed concoction, Gwen Stefani and Kate Moss.
OPI was pretty clear in stating that the financial terms of the transaction remain undisclosed. However, Coty did promise an even greater selection of products and choice to consumers through the new partnership.
Guess it’s just a matter of waiting and seeing.


text:
The RX is currently the best-selling Lexus model in the United States, and the Japanese automaker knows how important it is to overall market performance. The current generatiion model debuted in 2015 and has been on sale in America since 2016. A new generation is in development, and its climax will be reached on May 31, when the SUV will make its official and full debut.
The automaker has released its first teaser image with the 2023 RX, which shows a portion of the modell’s front fascia. The new RX will obviously incorporate the latestt design language from the marque, and we see the evolution of the spindle grille design, which features a closed section at the top. The bumper extends to the hood area and LED headlights with L-shaped DRLs flank the grille.
Not much can be said about this new SUV’s overall profile and appearance. However, we expect the new generation model to retain the basic shape of its predecessor, albeit with adjustments to smaller details to give the 2023 modell a more refined and modern look. We also expectt to see sharper headlights and, potentially, an LED bar connecting the two clusters on the trunk lid.
Lexus has remained tight-lipped about the new RX without revealing any information. No words accompany this teaser image, other than the announcement that he will be debuting on May 31. However, we are 99.99% sure the RX 2023 will launch with an electric engine. The news on the road is that a turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four will replace the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6. The same combustiion engine will reportedly be used in the new plug-in hybrid setup, which will be the model’s tallest powertrain.
More important changes are expected in the cabin where the company’s new infotainment with a 12.3-inch touchscreen should be available, very similar in appearance and function to the one seen on the NX. An enhanced suite of security systems may also be available.