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Over the last few weeks, areas of Northern California that were ravaged by recent wildfires have been assessing the damage done to homes and businesses. Now, there’s word that an important chapter in the history of Silicon Valley may have been lost to the flames.
In 1938, William Hewlett and David Packard formed a technology company in a garage in Palo Alto. By 2007, Hewlett-Packard was the world’s leading manufacturer of personal computers, a title that it would hold until 2013.
Keysight Technologies is one of the many companies that can count themselves as a spin-off or subsidiary of HP, and today the firm is headquartered in Fountaingrove in Santa Rosa. When the wildfires hit California earlier this month, two modular buildings on that site were burned to the ground.
Inside these buildings were over 100 boxes containing documents and speeches authored by Hewlett and Packard, as well as personal correspondence between the two men, according to a report from The Press Democrat. In 2005, these materials were appraised at a value of $2.5 million, but their historical value may be even greater.
“A huge piece of American business history is gone,” commented Brad Whitworth, who served as HP’s international affairs manager in the 1980s, overseeing the creation of the archive. Kate Lewis, the archivist who the company brought in to establish the collection, has criticized the storage methods employed by Keysight.
Lewis was hired to produce the archive in the 1980s, in the run-up to the company’s 50th anniversary in 1988. It was so highly regarded – described as a “family treasure” by Whitworth – that it was housed in a specially designed room while it was stored at the company’s Palo Alto headquarters.
This setting had humidity control, and was windowless to reduce any damage that might be caused by sunlight. It was also outfitted with foam retardant to safeguard against the threat of fire. By contrast, Keysight’s protections amounted to damage-resistant boxes and a sprinkler system.
There are still questions to be answered about whether certain materials may have been stored elsewhere, either at another location maintained by Keysight, or by remaining in the possession of HP since before the two companies split.
HP Inc. provided the following statement:
At the time of the separation of Hewlett Packard Enterprise and HP Inc., archives were established to ensure the 75+ year history was preserved. These archives are housed in Atlanta, Georgia. During the recent Santa Rosa fire, archives owned by Keysight Technologies (a company spun off from Agilent Technologies; once part of HP) suffered damage. Reports that HP founder archives burned are misleading. HP’s sites were not impacted and archives remain intact in both physical and digital formats.
HP’s archives contain hundreds of items related to HP’s founders including many examples of speeches, personal correspondence, writings and other materials. In addition, many other materials from the founders are part of public collections, such as the William Hewlett papers (1907-2010) held by Stanford University. The HP Garage where the company was founded is a historical landmark noted as the birthplace of Silicon Valley and serves as a private museum.
Updated 10/31 with comments from HP Inc.
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SEATTLE, Wa., October 19 — Smoking Outlet is changing the way smokers of legal marijuana in Seattle and Tacoma buy their water pipes. The online headshop, based in Federal Way, is one of the first companies in the nation to offer same day delivery of water pipes to customers.
Online shoppers in the greater Seattle and Tacoma areas looking to replace a broken bong or dab rig, or who simply do not want to wait for their water pipe to show up in the mail, can now place an order on the company’s website and have it to their door in two to four hours. Smoking Outlet is offering this paid service along the I-5 corridor, from Lakewood to Shoreline, and as far east as Kangley.
On demand and same day services are already the norm in a number of industries. Amazon’s Prime Now has set the standard for convenience in online shopping. Beyond convenience, however, Smoking Outlet also hopes that same day delivery of its products will benefit local communities by keeping cannabis smokers from getting behind the wheel while high.
“It’s all about more options, more choices,” Smoking Outlet General Manager Doug Mackar said. “Our goal is to offer all of our customers the best buying experience possible. For our local Seattle and Tacoma customers, we’re going even further.”
The service area includes: University Place, Parkland, Lakewood, Tacoma, South Hill, Puyallup, Bonney Lake, Black Diamond, Kanaskat, Kangley, Hobart, Issaquah, Klahanie, Bellevue, Redmond, Shoreline, Kingsgate, Mercer Island and Seattle.
For a full list of zip codes as well as a price map, please visit: https://www.smokingoutlet.net/same-day-delivery
Qualifying orders must be placed between 9am-5pm Tuesday-Friday and 10am-4pm Saturday, excluding holidays. Same Day Delivery is not available on Sunday or Monday. Same Day Delivery does not ship to PO boxes, APO, FPO or DPO addresses. There is no minimum order.

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Otipy, the community buying platform for agritech startup Crofarm has raised USD 10.2 mn in its latest series A round led by SIG. The round also saw participation from Omidyar Network India, Innoven Capital, and existing investors IPV (Inflection Point Ventures), Pravega and FactorE.
Enablers, ValPro’s startup advisory arm, acted as the financial advisor to Otipy on the transaction.
Started in 2020, Otipy is building India’s largest social commerce platform for the fresh category that supports farmers, creates earning opportunities for resellers and provides fresher produce to consumers at lucrative prices. The company is equipped by a full stack proprietary technology to leverage a much needed strong supply chain for sourcing, demand forecasting, inventory management, transportation and reseller distribution.
Otipy’s farm-to-form delivery model optimises for freshness by procuring directly from farmers and delivering fresh produce to consumers in less than 12 hours. The startup sources over 2,500 tonnes of fresh produce every month from 10,000+ farmers across India. Otipy said it has become the e-grocer of choice for over two lakh households.
Varun Khurana, the founder shared his thoughts on the fresh category “Fresh produce is a 35-40 percent gross margin category. However, it is the wastage that kills those margins. We are among the first companies that have been able to control it via our innovative model.”


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Maruti Suzuki surges after July-Sept earnings
MUMBAI (Reuters) - Shares in Maruti Suzuki India Ltd(MRTI.NS) ended with gains of 8 percent on Tuesday after India's biggest car maker reported July-September net profit tripled from a year earlier, beating estimates.
Net profit was 6.7 billion rupees compared with the mean estimate of 5.52 billion rupees by 12 analysts, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
(Reporting by Abhishek Vishnoi; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
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By Paresh Dave and Stephen Nellis
OAKLAND, Calif. (Reuters) – Apple Inc (NASDAQ:) pays $113 million to settle allegations from 33 U.S. states and the District of Columbia that it slowed down iPhones to masks battery points and get customers to buy new gadgets, state officers introduced on Wednesday.
The cope with a coalition led by Arizona, Arkansas and Indiana is separate from a proposed settlement Apple reached in March to pay affected iPhone house owners as much as $500 million to stem a category motion.
Apple in 2016 quietly up to date software program on fashions of the iPhone 6, 7 and SE to throttle chip speeds in order that growing older batteries on the gadgets wouldn’t ship energy spikes to the telephone’s processor and trigger it to unexpectedly shut down. States contended Apple acted deceptively and will have changed batteries or disclosed the problem.
Tens of millions of customers had been affected by energy shutoffs, in keeping with an Arizona courtroom submitting.
“My colleagues and I are attempting to get the eye of those massive tech corporations, and you’ll hope a multimillion-dollar judgment with greater than 30 states will get their consideration,” Arizona Legal professional Basic Mark Brnovich stated in an interview.
“Firms can’t be disingenuous and conceal issues,” he added.
Apple, which has denied wrongdoing, declined to touch upon the settlement.
Apple additionally agreed for the subsequent three years to offer “truthful data” about iPhone energy administration throughout its web site, software program replace notes and iPhone settings. Arizona stated Apple’s current disclosures and choices are ample. The settlement with states is topic to courtroom approval.
The multistate investigation into Apple, which Reuters first reported in July, is a part of a wave of probes into the world’s largest expertise suppliers.
Republican attorneys normal in 11 U.S. states final month joined the U.S. Justice Division in an antitrust lawsuit in opposition to Alphabet (NASDAQ:) Inc’s Google, and huge, bipartisan teams of attorneys normal have ongoing investigations into Google and Fb Inc (NASDAQ:) over doubtlessly misleading and anticompetitive practices.
Apple acknowledged its replace lowered energy calls for after researchers discovered uncommon slowdowns in 2017. The corporate publicly apologized and slashed costs on battery replacements.
The settlement contains $5 million to Arizona, $24.6 million to Apple’s residence state of California and $7.6 million to Texas. The latter two states have the nation’s Nos. 1 and a couple of affected iPhone person bases. Brnovich stated the penalty in his state would assist fund extra investigations into tech and different corporations.
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IRSG: PEFC International joins the IRSG Panel of Associates
The International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) announced that the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), a global alliance of national forest certification systems, has joined the IRSG Panel of Associates.
As an international non-profit, non-governmental organisation, PEFC promotes sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification. PEFC provides forest owners, from the large to the small, with a tool to demonstrate their responsible practices, while empowering companies to buy sustainably. The PEFC label enables consumers to recognise products originating from a PEFC-certified forest – a forest managed in line with the strictest environmental, social and economic requirements.
Available to all companies that manufacture, process, trade or sell rubber and rubber wood products, PEFC chain of custody certification can track certified rubber and rubber wood from the plantation to the final products.


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Uber will offer fee relief to Australian restaurants by permanently reducing the standard commission it takes on deliveries from 35 per cent of order value to 30 per cent. The ride sharing and food delivery giant has also given a breakdown of its delivery commission model in response to criticism its share is harming local businesses.
Uber this week announced its food delivery arm, Uber Eats, will reduce some of the fees it charges restaurants to process and deliver orders following calls for the tech giant to do more to support struggling local restaurants during the COVID-19 crisis.
When restaurants were forced to shut their doors to dine-in customers under social distancing rules, business for delivery companies like Uber eats, Deliveroo and Menulog surged. The delivery companies responded with incentives and free marketing for restaurants to get them onboard their platforms.
But companies like Uber Eats were criticised by food franchisees and restaurant owners for not reducing the delivery commission they take on orders during the pandemic, which can be more than a third of the total order value.
Which-50 revealed in late March that none of the major platforms companies were planning to reduce delivery commissions, despite the disruption to the restaurant sector and strong criticism from the Franchise Council of Australia.
But on Sunday, Jodie Auster, Uber Eats Regional General Manager for APAC, announced the company is now permanently decreasing its 35 per cent fee by five percentage points.
In a company blog post, Auster also details other temporary fee relief and a new option for restaurant owners to take orders via Uber Eats but conduct deliveries themselves. For that service restaurants will pay Uber Eats 8 per cent of the order value before it reverts to its long term rate of 16 per cent from July 31.
Uber Eats will also temporarily waive its commission for pick up orders until July before reverting to the usual 13 per cent.
“But we know there are many who will want us to go further,” Auster writes. “Some businesses are calling on us to reduce commission fees by as much as half. This might sound like an easy solution. However, the issue isn’t as simple as it has sometimes been presented.”
‘And, yes, profit’
Auster argues the fees Uber charges restaurants cover three main things: paying its delivery “partners”, generating demand for restaurants, and Uber’s own business operations and profit.
While consumers typically pay an additional delivery fee on top of the food order, Auster says this won’t always cover paying the delivery drivers and Uber sometimes makes up the difference with the commission it takes from the restaurant.
When the actual delivery is paid for, including safety and new delivery driver and rider signups, “more than half” of the remaining commission is used on marketing, promotions, and support.
Auster writes, “The remaining portion of the commission fees goes to Uber Eats to cover things like card transaction costs, investment in our technology, and the cost of running our business – our staff, premises, taxes.
“And, yes, profit also. But fundamentally, like restaurants themselves, we are a low margin business.”
Exactly how much profit Uber makes in Australia is unclear. Last year, the AFR reported Uber Australia holdings, which includes its ride sharing and food delivery entities, made a gross profit of $785 million. But most of that was wiped out by a “service payment” to its US parent and the Australian entity ultimately paid $8.5 million in tax.


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Heimtextil 2011, Frankfurt
Last week we sped over to Frankfurt to take in the gargantuan Heimtextil fair, where over 2,600 exhibitors unveiled their latest fabrics and papers for every conceivable surface. Whether it was freelance designers showing new patterns ready to be put into production, big brands unveiling their latest collections, or contract houses revealing fabrics with new acoustic and olfactory benefits, there was plenty to inspire within the fair’s epic 11 halls.
To bring a little focus to proceedings, show organisers, Messe Frankfurt, called in the trend gurus at The Future Laboratory to deliver their prophecies for 2011/12. Looking at signals in the worlds of art, fashion and design, they condensed these into four themes, summed up by their names: sobriety, wilderness, mix mash and utility. While perhaps already quite familiar ideas, the team certainly produced a beautiful edit of fabrics from exhibitors at the fair, many exploring new technologies. These were presented in four imaginatively conceived pavilions.
Messe Frankfurt is one of the world’s biggest trade fair organisers and Heimtextil is one of its stalwarts, now in its 41st year. The first trade show of the year, it provides some indications about the shape of the industry over the next 12 months, and, with a growth in exhibitors and visitors on last year, it bodes well for 2011. All in all, the future is looking good.


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Trade credit insurer Atradius is better placed than ever to deliver crucial support to North West businesses.
A world leader in trade credit insurance with an established local presence in the north west, Atradius has created a new and larger team to enhance its offering in the region.
Thomas Murphy and Chelcee Witkowski have joined Atradius as business development managers alongside James Armitage and Lisa McMillan as account managers. They join senior business development manager Sally Nolan and account managers Sarah Seddon and Nicola Hinchliff. The team, which is based in Atradius’ Manchester Regional Hub is headed up by Regional Manager Mike Rowan who is already very well known in the region.
The Atradius Northern Region is tasked with growing Atradius’ presence over the year ahead, demonstrating to businesses in the region the value of trade credit insurance and further enhancing relationships with brokers and business partners.
“While we’re part of a multinational company with exceptional worldwide trade expertise, our northern team is based here on the doorstep of north west businesses, tailoring our service to the local market,” comments Mike Rowan. “We’re part of the fabric of the business community and are committed to providing the best possible service.”
The team expansion follows Atradius’ strategic move from Salford Quays to The Chancery, Spring Gardens, in the heart of Manchester’s financial district in 2013. The northern hub services Atradius’ brokers, customers and prospects in the north of England and Scotland.
With experts on the ground around the world and business intelligence on millions of companies worldwide, Atradius supports customers to trade with confidence by protecting them from the risks of non-payment. In addition to its ability to pay out claims, Atradius also provides unrivalled insights and advice on the risks and opportunities of trade making it the perfect partner for businesses.
“Non-payment is the single biggest risk of trade with the ability to effectively cripple a business overnight”, explained Mr Rowan. “Trading with protection, especially in the current climate of economic uncertainty, is essential. At Atradius, our role doesn’t stop there. As the export experts, we partner with businesses from the very beginning of a trade relationship to ensure that risks are mitigated and that viable opportunities are seized.”
Among its armoury, Atradius offers real-time insights and expert analysis on new and existing trade relationships, a suite of free economic, country and sector reports as well as a new digital credit management portal, Atrium, designed to directly and quickly address the everyday needs of customers and brokers. In addition, Atradius has enhanced its support to SMEs with a new streamlined cover option. Simple yet effective, Atradius Modula Freedom offers the protection SMEs need with a format, pricing structure and clear features designed specifically for them.
“Our aim at Atradius is to be the best,” said Mike Rowan. “We have the expertise, knowledge, experience and tools that businesses need, coupled with our renowned quality customer service. We are excited about showing more businesses and brokers in the north west what we have to offer and building upon our presence to be the best service provider in the market.”


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– Tom Heath
Warner Bros has confirmed that the Batmobile Edition of the upcoming Batman: Arkham Knight has been cancelled ahead of its release next week. Kotaku reports that an email sent by EB Games (the retailer the edition was exclusive to) said due to “unforeseen circumstances that greatly compromised the quality of the Batmobile Edition,” Warner have cancelled the product globally and will be unable to fulfil pre-orders.
EB Games are offering a recourse to those who are affected by the cancellation, giving them three options:
1. Customers can transfer their pre-orders to the Special Edition of the game at a discounted price ($87 down from RRP$109.95)
2. Transfer their pre-order to the standard version of the game.
3. Get a full refund.
The retailer has since removed the edition from their website.
This is sad news for any Batman collectors, as the Arkham Knight Batmobile looks awesome and that statue would have made a great collectible.
It is unclear as to whether this situation has affected the release of the other collectors edition of Arkham Knight, which features a memorial-esque statue of Batman himself. We have reached out to Warner Bros and will update this story if/when they reply.
Batman: Arkham Knight is due to release on June 24 in Australia.
Tom is more excited for Batman: Arkham Knight than he is about the coffee he’s about to go out and order. For those of you who don’t know him, that’s a big deal. Maybe you should get to know him by following him on Twitter: @tomdheath, and listening to his podcast: Unnatural Selection.


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PAX South tickets are now on sale on the official website, although at the time of this writing there was a queue to purchase them.
Attendees can buy one-day passes for $30 or a three-day pass for $65. PAX South is limiting purchases to four badges per person, with children six and under admitted free with a paying adult. There are no refunds.
The convention will take place in San Antonio, Texas, from January 23rd through the 25th, 2015.


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It’s hitting the fan at Bebe
Steve’s breakdown: Executive shake-ups like this one do offer an opportunity. If you can save them some cash, you win a new account.
LOS ANELES, CA: Bebe stores has brought back its founder and former CEO to lead a turnaround effort that includes a 15% reduction in its corporate workforce.
The troubled retailer announced that founder Manny Mashouf has rejoined its management team as CEO, replacing Jim Wiggett, who was hired less than two years ago. Mashouf previously served as CEO from the company’s founding in 1976 to 2004, and then again from 2009 until the beginning of 2013, when he stepped down and became non-executive chairman.
In another change, Bebe said Walter Parks will return as president and COO and also act as interim CFO. Parks, who replaces CFO Liyuan Woo, previously served as the company’s COO from the end of 2006 to early 2013, and as CFO for 10 years, from 2003 to 2013.
The moves comes as Bebe embarks on a restructuring plan to help revive falling sales. The company has posted three consecutive years of losses; including a loss of $5.5 million for its most recent quarter. Same-store sales have fell in five of the past eight years.
As part of its turnaround effort, Bebe said it will eliminate 45 jobs across design, merchandising, production, and information technology support functions of the company, representing a 14.6% reduction in corporate headcount.
“We believe the changes we are implementing will enable us to become a leaner and more nimble organization, allowing us to increase our focus on profitability while enhancing our product offering,” Mashouf said. “We recognize that the overall macro environment has not been favorable to retailers in general, which is why we are taking steps that we believe are necessary to position the business for long-term success.”
As a result of its restructuring, Bebe expects to incur a one-time severance charge of approximately $3.7 million in the third fiscal quarter of 2016. The reductions are expected to yield annualized pre-tax cost savings of approximately $6.0 million.
Bebe currently operates 151 Bebe full-priced stores and 38 outlet stores in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada, in addition to Bebe.com.


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Everyone is invited to learn to toss and top pies at the first Worthington Dewey's Pizza School.
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 4, the pizza lessons will be held behind the glass at Dewey's, 640 High St. in Worthington.
Cost will be $25 per person, with children ages 4 and younger admitted for free. Proceeds will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio.
The price includes pizza-making lessons plus free pizza, salad and soft drinks. Alcohol and desserts will cost, but the money will go to the charity.
"Everyone gets to go back in the kitchen and make and then eat their own pizza," said Hayley Campbell, assistant general manager of the Worthington Dewey's. She also is the Worthington representative for the DewMore Initiative, which is the Dewey's philanthropic arm. All employees are encouraged to volunteer their time to the pizza schools and to other community-based causes.
"All of our cooks and servers are volunteers," Campbell said. "I'm very proud of them. They sign up right away when we have an event like this."
Another pizza school is planned for September. It will benefit the Worthington Food Pantry.
Registrations are limited to 90, and spots are filling up quickly, Campbell said Monday, April 28.
To register, visit Dewey's or call the store at 614-985-3333 and ask to speak with a manager.


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NEW YORK, NY--U.S. industrial manufacturers expect continued global economic growth in 2012, with optimism regarding the prospects for the U.S. economy continuing to rise, according to the Q1 2012 Manufacturing Barometer released today by PwC US. Optimism regarding the broader world economy also improved, but only moderately as uncertainty remains prevalent across the globe. Reflecting the overall rise in sentiment, more companies plan to hire employees in the year ahead, while a majority forecast increased investment spending. In addition, companies are reporting improved profitability and decreased concerns regarding barriers to growth, despite volatile oil/energy prices worldwide and ongoing concerns regarding legislative/regulatory issues, among other factors.
Some key findings from the report include:
92% of U.S. industrial manufacturers expect positive own-company revenue growth
50% of manufacturers plan to add employees to their workforce in 2012 (the most sought after employees will include production workers, professionals/technicians and skilled workers)
The top three perceived barriers to growth were oil/energy prices (53%), lack of demand (47%) and legislative/regulatory pressures (40%)
Over the next 1-2 years, more than 90% of participants plan to implement new technologies to meet the needs of consumers, customers and employees to support digital transformation.
PwC's Manufacturing Barometer is a quarterly survey based on interviews with 60 senior executives of large, multinational U.S. industrial manufacturing companies about their current business performance, the state of the economy and their expectations for growth over the next 12 months. This survey summarizes the results for Q1 2012 and was conducted from February 8 through April 20, 2012.
To view the complete Manufacturing Barometer report, visit http://www.pwc.com/manufacturing-barometer


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Manufacturing has taken successful at a time when the commerce is witnessing robust demand from the US and Chinese language markets, diamantaires stated.
They’re slicing down the import of tough diamonds as manufacturing has dwindled, which is more likely to soften the costs of tough diamonds. India cuts and polishes 14 out of 15 diamonds on the planet.
Surat has recorded 1,690 new coronavirus instances on Sunday, pushing the town’s tally to 81,778 to date.
Vipul Shah, vice-chairman of the Gem & Jewelry Export Promotion Council, stated: “The tempo of manufacturing of polished diamonds has slowed down in Surat as a result of rising Covid instances. As in comparison with March, manufacturing is already down by 20-25%. If the state of affairs doesn’t come below management in Could, then it could additional affect polished diamond manufacturing.”
This in flip will convey down tough diamond imports. The Covid blow has come at a time when the commerce was regularly recovering from the affect it took within the first wave of the pandemic.
“Final yr, there was lockdown all around the world. However it’s not the case this yr. There’s sturdy demand from the US and China this yr as Covid instances haven’t paralysed their economies like final yr,” stated Shah.
In March this yr, imports of tough diamonds had gone as much as 131.77 lakh carats in contrast with 77.31 lakh carats a yr earlier.
Bhavesh Tank, vice-president of the Diamond Staff Union in Gujarat, stated greater than 20% of the migrant staff had already left Surat.
“A fortnight in the past, the diamond merchants had requested whether or not they may shut down models to forestall the unfold of Covid. We now have instructed them that we might favour lockdown at models provided that they provide us the wage for the interval. Final yr, the employees had confronted a whole lot of monetary bother as a result of lockdown. We don’t need to repeat the identical this yr,” he stated.
The commerce employs round 10 lakh individuals.
The commerce doesn’t need exports to get affected as a result of a slowdown in manufacturing, as demand from the main markets is rising.
Consultancy agency Bain & Co in a latest report stated demand for diamond jewelry in China was set to bounce again in early 2021. Whereas the nation’s diamond-jewellery market suffered through the pandemic, it shortly recovered after lockdowns have been lifted. The US will, in the meantime, attain pre-virus ranges between 2021 and 2022, forward of most different nations, due to the a number of stimulus packages supplied by the federal government, Bain has predicted. However rebounds in India and rising nations wouldn’t happen till 2023 to 2024, it has stated.


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JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA DAILY FISHING REPORTS FOR: WWW.CAPTDAVES.COM - CALL: 904-642-9546
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
1/17 - AWESOME winter day......again!
It was sooooooo beautiful of a day on Tuesday, and the fishez thought so too. And alot ended up in my fish box.
Enjoy, the tunes on this new video.
Capt. Dave Sipler
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The last thing the Chicago commodity markets need is a stink in the bean pit. With congressional hearings on futures reforms starting today in the House and a federal grand jury still looking over their shoulders in Chicago, the Chicago Board of Trade and Chicago Mercantile Exchange are already under the microscope. Never before has there been so much doubt about whether self-regulation works in the billion-dollar-a-year business of buying and selling bushels of soybeans that haven't been harvested yet and baskets of stocks that don't really exist. Then last week, the word got out that somebody was trying to corner the market in beans at the CBOT. Traders were holding futures contracts for almost 35 million bushels of beans to be delivered by this Thursday, when the July contracts expire. As best anybody could determine, there were no more than 13 million bushels of beans to be had in Chicago warehouses. Now you can't fill a 35 million bushel order with 13 million bushels of beans, but you can spend a lot of money trying. You can pay to haul in beans from other sources -- if you can find them and get them delivered -- or you can pay to get out of your obligation. You can pay through the nose if you made the mistake of selling beans you didn't own. People who sell beans they don't own are known in the trade as "shorts." They make their living by betting that prices will go down. The way it's supposed to work is that you sign a futures contract to sell beans on July 20 for $7.50 a bushel and then sometime before the beans have to be delivered you buy them for less than that and you make money. Sometimes, however, the shorts guess wrong and the price of beans goes up instead of down. That's what was happening in Chicago, with a vengeance. With the 20th of the month fast approaching -- and with it the time to settle up on the July futures contract -- bean prices jumped from $7.25 to $7.75 a bushel in just a couple of days. The people who bet that bean prices would go down started to scream that the market was rigged against them. Bean prices weren't going up on their own, the bean shorts complained, but because of a classic effort to corner the market by Ferruzzi Finanziaria S.p.A., an Italian company that owns Central Soya, one of the biggest bean buyers in the Midwest. Ferruzzi was holding two-thirds of the contracts to buy beans and already owned most of the beans in storage. That put Ferruzzi in a position to push the price of beans through the ceiling and to squeeze blood out of the poor fools who promised to deliver beans they didn't own. Those particular fools, however, are not so poor, nor are they foolish. Mostly, in fact, they are rich, powerful and ruthless. They include some of the biggest grain dealers in the country, some of the richest speculators in Chicago, perhaps even some members of the board of directors of the Board of Trade. Determined not to let Ferruzzi squeeze the shorts, corner the market and walk away with millions in illegal profits, the Board of Trade declared a soybean emergency last Tuesday and ordered big players to begin liquidating their positions. CBOT decreed that by contract expiration on Thursday, no one could hold futures for more than 1 million bushels. Ferruzzi was forced to sell, suffering massive losses as bean prices plunged last week. Preventing illegal market manipulation is exactly what futures market self-regulation is supposed to do, but the reaction to the CBOT's decision has been overwhelmingly critical. That backlash gets to the heart of the question of whether self-regulation works. Ferruzzi says the Board of Trade action was not self-regulation, but self-interest. We weren't doing anything wrong, Ferruzzi insists, we were just buying all the beans we could get our hands on because exports are booming and we had lots of orders from abroad. The Board of Trade order was an improper interference in the market, say Ferruzzi and its friends. It was a deliberate decision to drive down the price of beans and bail out the shorts who bet wrong about prices. The Minnesota attorney general said he will investigate complaints by soybean farmers that the Board of Trade drove down prices so big grain companies and CBOT soybean speculators could make millions. Ferruzzi said it will sue the Board of Trade for changing the rules in the midst of the game. This is not a new complaint. Nelson Bunker Hunt said the same thing a decade ago after the collapse of the silver futures market on the Comex in New York. The Comex accused Hunt and his brother William Herbert of trying to corner the market; the Hunts said Comex changed the rules to benefit the shorts. Nobody listened much to the Hunts, but they're listening to Ferruzzi. There seems to be as much concern in futures and financial markets about whether the CBOT acted improperly as there is about Ferruzzi trying to corner the market. The burden of proof is going to be on the Board of Trade, not only to prove that Ferruzzi was acting illegally but also that its own action was not biased in favor of insiders.
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Hostess, the maker of beloved names like Twinkies, Wonder bread, and Ding-Dongs, filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time at the beginning of this year. This time, however, they just couldn’t pull things together and the company is being liquidated.
So how did this happen?
Our Internet marketing firm found out that Hostess was in trouble back in 2004 when it filed for bankruptcy the first time: The company was in debt $450 million and as government regulators issued new dietary guidelines, low-carb diets like Atkin’s and South Beach became popular and sales of the brand’s many treats declined. During their bankruptcy, the Hostess workforce dropped from 32,000 employees to 22,000 and they closed nine of their bakeries.
The company was able to emerge in 2009, thanks to lenders like Silver Point, Monarch, and others who agreed to provide a loan of about $360 million and things looked promising for Hostess. They re-introduced their banana Twinkies and published their Twinkie cookbook, but as the Great Recession hit, the prices of sugar, corn, and flour went up and because of their first bankruptcy, the company was in debt almost $670 million. Sales continued to drop; Hostess lost $340 million in the fiscal 2011 and grew their debt to around $860 million. Silver Point, Monarch, and other lenders contributed another $75 million to help the company after they filed for bankruptcy again in January of 2012, but things continued to go downhill.
Once Hostess re-wrote a new contract for its bakers in the fall of 2012, all hell broke loose. The bakers went on strike, refusing to accept the new contract and forcing Hostess to shut down three of its plants. When they still refused to return to work a few days later, the company announced it would be liquidating its 33 bakeries, 565 distribution centers, 570 outlet stores, and over 18,000 employees.
All of Hostess’ assets are being sold, which means its products could potentially be continued or even reinvented, but as of right now, no one knows the fate of America’s beloved Twinkie.
…so make sure you stock up.


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It's Twigmas time! Spruces and firs dumped for 'size zero' fake trees... but are Scandi-noir dramas to blame?
- More British families are now decorating with stark, minimalist designs
- Said to be inspired by TV ‘Scandi-dramas’ such as The Killing and Borgen
- Traditional pines are being challenged by fake, leafless wintry skeletons
The traditional Christmas tree, bristling with pine needles and heavy with baubles, is coming under threat from a new demand for slimmed-down ‘size zero’ models made from little more than twigs.
British families are increasingly decorating their living rooms with the stark, minimalist designs in a trend said to be inspired by bleak TV ‘Scandi-dramas’ such as The Killing and Borgen.
Traditional pines such as the Norway Spruce are being challenged by the fake, leafless wintry skeletons, which tend to come adorned with twinkling LED lights, leaving no room for tinsel, crackers or an angel on the top.
Scroll down for video
M&S range: This minimalist design being sold in Marks & Spencer fits in with the new 'size zero' tree trend
TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp, known for her love of chintz, will tackle the new Nordic trend in her Channel 4 show Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas on Tuesday.
She somewhat reluctantly confirmed to The Mail on Sunday that the ‘Christmas twig’ will be big this year.
‘There’s a lot of naked trees this year; it’s definitely a trend,’ she said. ‘It’s more confident, more alternative and design-led. It’s not just a case of putting up a tree, shoving some tinsel on it and putting up some decorations.
‘If you’re having a minimalist twig thing then you put very small, very delicate decorations on it. One of the reasons the Scandinavian decorations look so beautiful is because they’re so understated. Those “Scandi” trees do work with just a few decorations.’
Skeleton trees: Both leafless Christmas tree designs are being sold by retailers John Lewis this year
Scandinavian design is traditionally minimal, functional and simple.
David Mitchell, the Christmas tree expert for Wyevale garden centres, also spotted the trend, saying: ‘The Ikea generation like clean lines. That’s coming through with Christmas trees as well.’
Major retailers including Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Next, B&Q and Argos are all selling several types of artificial twig tree, as our pictures show.
Influence: TV ‘Scandi-dramas’ such as The Killing and Borgen, where minimalist Scandinavian style is on show, are thought to be encouraging the sale of these fake trees. Left, Tesco tree and right, range from Next
John Lewis has no fewer than 16 on offer as part of its ‘Copenhagen’ Christmas range. Its pre-lit paper birch tree, the 8ft version of which costs an eye-watering £125, is a bestseller, according to a spokesman. The store is also selling pine scent sticks, so customers don’t miss out on the aroma.
Ms Allsopp admitted a twig tree would not be taking centre stage in her household this Christmas. ‘There’d be a bit of a mutiny if we didn’t have something huge and bushy and glittery,’ the 43-year-old said.
‘But there’s nothing sad about a twig. You can do all sorts of things with them. I wouldn’t have a fake one, though. There’s no need.’
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The partnership between Riyad Bank and MasterCard will give customers access to MasterCards international network of 30 million merchants.
Riyad Bank and MasterCard in a joint partnership have launched a new range of MasterCard debit cards, which will replace the existing Maestro debit cards The new range of debit cards will enhance customer service experience with the provision of several new value-adding services. The new debit card offers unmatched convenience as customers can carry out both, international and national, transactions. The new initiative offers a flexible and convenient banking solution.
Adel Ahmad Bin Al Sheikh, Riyad Bank’s Executive Vice President of Retail Banking, and Michael Maybach, President of MasterCard in the Middle East and Africa were present at the signing ceremony which was held at Riyadh Bank’s headquarters.
The partnership will revolutionize banking experience for customers as it will give them access to MasterCard’s global network of 30 million merchants, shops and stores. Additionally, customers will be able to withdraw money from millions of MasterCard -branded ATMs and point-of-sales globally.
Adel Ahmad Bin Al Sheikh commenting on the partnership said that the initiative will create value for the customers, as it provides an opportunity to customers to benefit from countless services and offers. He expressed confidence in the partnership with MasterCard as the company offers transactions which are safe and secure.
Michael Maybach also expressed delight in the partnership and said that MasterCard hopes to strengthen its relationship with Riyad Bank and continue to provide technical support to improve service offerings for its customers.


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Boat dealers share their best ideas for selling more
The marine industry may be recovering, but there’s still plenty of room for growth. As more buyers come back into the market, the best dealers are positioning their companies to get a bigger share of the pie.
We gathered information from dealers across North America about how they’re increasing sales of boats, engines and more. We’ve organized the tips by different parts of the business, but one thing they all have in common is that they’re helping dealers sell more. These ideas aren’t just theory — they’re all steps that dealers have taken to successfully boost sales.
With the rise of the Internet and decline in boat sales, shows have taken a hit. Most are smaller and dealers usually report fewer deals being made at shows than in the past. They’re still an important part of the sales process, though, as shows give prospective buyers a chance to see and feel the boats – and to get excited about boating in the dead of winter (especially in the Midwest and Northeast).
1. With the advent of the internet, Kelly’s Port, located on Lake of the Ozarks, found that many of the buyers that come to the shows are just as — if not more — informed on the different makes and models they are interested in. That prompted the Osage Beach, Mo., dealer to start using “model specialists” at its boat shows, assigning specific boats models to specific salespeople. Whenever a prospect is spending time on a specific boat the respective model specialist jumps on the lead. If a lead is more qualified for another boat they are then taken to the other boat and that model specialist is introduced.
2. Model specialist assignments are made in the fall to give the individual salespeople time to get to know their specific model of Regal or Bennington boats. That research includes not only getting to know the boats Kelly’s Port carries, but also seeing how the competitive brands sell and learning their strengths and weaknesses.
3. Traverse Bay Marine opted to go small in its boat show approach. Instead of displaying boats, the Traverse City, Mich.-based dealer rented a 10×10 booth at its local boat show in 2012 and ran its annual in-house boat show the same days and hours of the boat show.
The booth was manned by a salesperson and consisted of a display of pictures of new and used boats. Using an iPad connected to a flat-screen television, the salesperson could show off more products and “build a boat” functions.
“There were many times our little booth had more people at it than other dealers that had six boats on display,” said Traverse Bay CEO Jim Rautio. “We then invited them to visit our showroom only 15 minutes away to see all the brands and models at one stop.”
4. Traverse Bay also offered customers a refund of their boat show admission fee when they visited the showroom. The approach drove people to the showroom, where Traverse Bay could display more than they ever could at the show. The dealership closed nine more units during that time than they had the previous year.
5. In fact, the booth concept worked so well that Traverse Bay leased a 10×10 booth at the Detroit Boat Show, 250 miles south of the dealership. The exhibit allowed Traverse Bay to reach large number of boaters and boat prospects that have summer homes up north but live in the south Michigan area, and resulted in five units sold, plus marketing exposure.
Great customer service aims for more that satisfaction – it’s about creating those raving fans that will tell their friends, family and coworkers all about you and drive more business your way.
6. Davey Marine, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., started taking video of the prep and delivery of clients’ new boats. Those videos can then be shared by the buyers with their friends, social media networks and more.
“Our clients, especially the ones that are waiting to have their new boat shipped to them, have told us how much they appreciated these simple videos,” said marketing director Rosanna Aiello.
7. Pride Marine Group, a 10-location dealer headquartered in Bracebridge, Ontario, launched the Pride Passport program to stimulate customer loyalty. The Pride Passport is included with every new boat sale, to give the customer “worry-free boating” through the first boating year. The passport includes storage, maintenance and various discounts from Pride and third-party suppliers.
“The customers get in the habit of coming to us in their first year of boating so that they are now coming back in subsequent years to have Pride maintain their boating needs,” said owner Paul Nickel.
8. Alberta Marina, Nanton, Alberta, created a VIP Program to encourage its customers to do more business with them. Customers that join the program get a VIP card, notice of special sales, welcome gift, storage and service discount and more.
“The storage itself makes us little money, but the boats are here so we get fall winterizing and winter service,” said president Greg Beauchamp. “We also will be using a tag, with a string to tie onto winches on trailers parked at the area lakes. When the boaters get back from a day on the lake, they will find a coupon attached to their trailer, with a special on it.”
9. Rambo Marine approaches each customer as a new boater.
“Even if the customer has been around boats their entire life, we feel it is our responsibility to give a thorough introduction and explanation of operating procedures,” said Bennett Rambo, owner of the Hazel Green, Ala.-based dealer.
That means a complete demonstration of everything from trailer hookup and towing to docking and pulling skiers. Demos are at either Rambo’s private lake or at the buyer’s home lake. The training creates a more confident boater. Rambo reinforces the training – and keeps in touch with the buyer – through follow-up phone calls and paper and electronic newsletters.
“There is a lot of information for a new boater to take in, and we feel that constant reminders in the newsletters and calls help to keep them knowledgeable on operating and towing their boat safely,” Rambo said.
10. At Ski & Sports in Rogers, Ark., the first oil change and check out on all new boats sold is free.
“This brings the customer back initially and keeps them coming back,” said owner Kim Williams. “We offer boat detailing and fiberglass repair while the boat is here for other repairs.”
11. Glencove Marina added an upholstery and canvas shop to enhance the service capabilities for its existing customers as well as new ones. The upholsterer makes custom mooring covers and cockpit covers, replaces carpeting, and recovers seats, among other projects. The new addition helps keep Glencove front of mind for its customers.
“This has become a great accent to our service department as our customers appreciate that we can repair something for them while their boat is already in the shop,” said owner and general manager Sherry Jackson.
12. The Lake Ozark dealer also opened a prop shop in the summer of 2012. With a local prop shop going out of business, the venture began as a project for Glencove’s service manager who had always wanted to do prop repair. He learned from the seller and then taught one of the company’s other techs how to do the work.
This has become a great source of revenue for the service department and the quick turnaround time keeps customers happy, with Glencove now able to return a prop in hours or perhaps a day vs. a week, Jackson said.
13. At Quebec’s Marina Fortin, customers that buy their boat from the dealer in the popular boating area of Saint-Paul-de-l’Île-aux-Noix get “customer privilege,” which gives them special rates on docks, parts and storage; a special maintenance package; free use of the boat ramp; and access to the pool area.
The program has helped convince boaters to buy from Marina Fortin rather than buy from dealers outside the area, said administrator Pierre Fortin.
Finding creative ways to get the word out about your products, whether through events, digital or traditional methods, is crucial.
14. Traverse Bay Marine jumpstarted its social media marketing by partnering with the local NBC station in giving away a Sea-Doo personal watercraft in 2012 and following that up with a second giveaway of a PWC and Lund fishing boat in 2013.
To win, entrants had to register and like the company on Facebook. If they share this with someone else on Facebook, they get another entry and so on.
Traverse Bay received more than 2,000 likes in 15 days with the Sea-Doo and more than 1,000 likes for the same timeframe with the Lund. The TV station sent out four email blasts of 54,000 each about Traverse Bay Marine and the Sea-Doo and Lund contest, for a total of 216,000 impressions in 15 days. The program also included 70 TV commercials as well as live mentions five times daily about Traverse Bay Marine and the contest by the NBC TV news anchor.
15. Ontario’s Port Sandfield Marina puts its money where its mouth is with its “Dare to Compare” program comparing its Sea Ray boats against the competition. The company brings in the competitive boat, docks it next to the Sea Ray in the in-water showroom and points out the differences. Port Sandfield spent $100,000 to set up the first display buying a Cobalt A25 to compare with the its Sea Ray 250 SLX. The company uses indicator arrows to label almost 50 points of difference between the boats along with creating a website and brochures to highlight them.
“It was one of those things that I said I’d put my money where my mouth was, so I went and spent $100,000 and bought the competitor’s product to put there, and it’s been the talk of the town around the region here,” said owner Jonathan Blair. “It got people talking about us, and then the people came into see it because they couldn’t believe it.”
16. Making sure its customers know it’s a destination for parts and accessories has been a big boon for South Austin Marine. The Austin, Texas, dealer has a boating accessory catalog that is given to every customer that purchases a boat from it. The catalog is also mailed out to boat owners in certain targeted ZIP codes.
“This catalog has discounts on both items we stock and can order,” said Wayne Black, South Austin’s president. “This helps us compete with some of the discount chains such as WalMart and Academy and drives the customers into our store.”
The dealership also gets the word out with a big sale every fall on close out items such as wakeboards, skis, vests, and clothing, and by setting up a booth at Waketober Fest every year to sell merchandise and have drawings for free goods.
17. Town & Country Marine focuses its efforts on getting non-boaters on the water with its weekly “Family Fun on the Water” activities with a local resort. These programs, offered over an eight-week period, covers every weekend during the prime boating season in the Lakefield, Ontario, area and include other family boating partners to make a complete full day event: boating safety seminars from the local Power Squadron, fun water toys for the families provided by a cottage toys retailer and boat operator licensing seminars and testing. Town & Country brings a minimum of four boats and qualified operators to each event so that the entire family can experience the real lifestyle of boating.
18. Austin, Texas-based The Sail & Ski Center was looking to capitalize on the hot wake surf segment and wanted to demonstrate its new Nautique Surf System. At the same time, the dealership didn’t want to attract unqualified participants just looking for a free ride.
“We decided to disguise our surf demo event by creating a Surf Day,” said company president Rod Malone. “The idea is to run an event where our customers sign up for a specific time slot to wake surf behind a new boat for $40. Then we gave our salespeople the leeway to offer the time slots to their prospects at no charge.”
The event was marketed using a combination of social media, email and direct mail. The company filled all the time slots for the three boats at the event, with 60 percent of participants paying and 40 percent being invited by the sales team.
“We sold three boats directly from the event,” Malone said. “Harder to measure, but equally important is the residual value of the awareness of Nautique’s products we created during the promotion of the event.”
For more information on increasing sales and improving every aspect of your business, be sure to visit our downloads page where you can download the free 2014 Best Ideas White Paper.


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High performance computer system vendor SGI plans to offer pre-built clusters running the Apache Hadoop data analysis platform, the company announced Monday.
SGI has launched a modular data center that uses outside air instead of chilled water to cool the IT gear inside, making it highly energy efficient, the company said Monday.
SGI is making some big changes to its ICE Cube family of containerized data centers, adding new models that will be able to house standard server racks for the first time.
SGI is rolling out what it believes is the first hosted supercomputing service on the market.
Rackable Systems has completed its acquisition of Silicon Graphics and will change the name of the combined company to SGI, Rackable announced Monday. It hopes the name change helps it expand its business overseas, where SGI is a better-known brand.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)- Tickets for the 2019 SOMOS ABQ festival go on sale Friday, July 12 at 10 a.m.
The event will be held at Civic Plaza and will feature everything from entertainment to food, craft breweries, wineries, art and more. Also this year, SOMOS ABQ has partnered with New Mexico United.
This year’s festival takes place on September 28th. Click here to purchase tickets.


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Lamenting the plethora of “those ‘predictions’ and ‘trends’ articles doing their rounds on the Internet,” Daniel Newman offers a view into his own crystal ball in a recent post on Forbes.com aptly titled 5 Less Obvious Content Marketing Predictions For 2015. His first “less obvious” prediction: content generation will continue to rise but readers will grow increasingly numb to it. Citing a recent study showing an annual growth rate in content production of 200%, Newman suggests that brand journalists and content marketers will move their focus from quantity to quality, creating highly targeted content for highly targeted audiences.
His second prediction is a corollary of the first—by switching their focus to quality, marketers will start thinking of SEO and content rather than SEO or content. In other words, keyword stuffing is out and good writing is in. Newman’s third prediction is that video will no longer be optional, particularly given the exponential growth of mobile. His fourth is that paid media will become more important for marketers as social platforms adopt policies similar to Facebook’s recent decision to penalize any brand or individual content deemed too promotional.
Newman’s last “less obvious prediction” is that businesses will build better homes for their diverse content. Newman notes that “the key to content marketing success will lie in how well a brand combines video, visual, and written, with strong social and SEO integration. Content marketing is headed for an interesting future where embedded videos, interactive graphics, social integrations, SEO and mobile optimization, together with written content, will form the content marketers’ mix.”
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. That’s why it’s crucial for your business or organization to have a mobile-friendly, SEO-optimized, socially integrated content platform that easily accommodates hi-res video and photos. The TEKGROUP online newsroom offers all of these features plus a built-in distribution network of 240,000 journalists and over 400,000 Twitter and Facebook followers.
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to improve your brand journalism, PR or content marketing ROI, contact us for a free 15-minute demo of our online newsroom platform.


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Get ready to race.
Nintendo has announced that its popular Mario Kart series is coming to mobile phones.
The iconic video game company made the announcement on Twitter:
"The checkered flag has been raised and the finish line is near," Nintendo tweeted. "A new mobile application is now in development: Mario Kart Tour! #MarioKartTour Releasing in the fiscal year ending in March 2019."
Nintendo's first mobile game was "Miitomo," a social networking game released in March 2016. The company will eliminate that title in May.
"Super Mario Run" costs $10 to play (after a short free demo level). In the weeks after the game was released, very few people actually paid for the full game, according to analytics company App Annie.
Since then, Nintendo has released mobile games for the Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem franchises.
Switch, the latest Nintendo console, has been a sales success for Nintendo. The system sold nearly 15 million units in 2017. That's more than the Wii U, Nintendo's last system, sold in its entire lifespan. Critics widely praised the Mario game for the system, "Super Mario Odyssey."
Switch games can be played on a television or in handheld mode.
Nintendo's stock price has doubled since it released the Switch.
Mario and friends are heading for another screen as well — the big screen. Nintendo announced recently that a new movie was being made based on the franchise. The Mario Bros. were featured in a mostly panned 1993 live action flick.


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Baku, Azerbaijan – June 30, 2022 – Xiaomi 12 Lite 5G official price and specs have been released to the public as Xiaomi Azerbaijan on Instagram had posted a pre-order of the device starting June 30 till July 8 of the year 2022.
Similar to the Xiaomi 11 Lite 5G NE, the Xiaomi 12 Lite 5G runs on the Snapdragon 778G platform. There seems to be some misunderstanding in regards to whether the Snapdragon 778G or the 778G+ was used in Xiaomi 12 Lite 5G, with the latter also planned for the Nothing Phone (1). However, as their names imply, the Snapdragon and Snapdragon 778G+ barely differ from one another. Why mentioned Nothing Phone (1)? According to the tech community, Xiaomi 12 Lite 5G is the phone that will go toe-to-toe with the newly released smartphone competitor.
We would also like to mention that a 6.55-inch AMOLED screen display on top of a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ certification is another feature of the newly confirmed device from Xiaomi. It will also sport a 32MP front-facing camera in addition to 108MP, 8MP, and 2MP rear-facing cameras. The Xiaomi 12 Lite 5G, on the other hand, weighs 173g and has a 4,300mAh battery with 67watts of fast charging.
Predictably, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage will be offered with the Xiaomi 12 Lite 5G. In addition, the cost of the smartphone in most markets has not yet been revealed, but in Xiaomi Azerbaijan, it will cost 999₼ or about PHP 32,364.37 in the current PHP to AZN currency exchange. Color variants, based on the photos, are pink, mint green, and space black.


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Award-Winning Tennessee-Based Small Dollar Loan Company Brought Financial Services to Bristol
Advance Financial Opened Second Location in Tri-Cities Market
BRISTOL, Tenn. – The fastest growing small-dollar loan financial services company in Tennessee, and one of the leading companies nationwide within its industry, continued its expansion in the Tri-Cities market with the opening of a store in Bristol.
The new location of Advance Financial at 2519 West State Street opened for business on Jan. 23, 2017 and will remain open 24/7 thereafter. Advance Financial is one of the only companies in its industry that is open to serve customers around the clock.
The new Bristol store was the 76th
location for the company and the second of several planned for the Tri-Cities. Company officials announced the opening of a store in Kingsport last month and plan to open two more stores in Johnson City in the coming months.
“At Advance Financial we are delighted to continue our expansion into the Tri-Cities with the opening of our store in Bristol,” said Tina Hodges, the company’s chief executive and chief experience officer. “We have already received a wonderful welcome in the region after opening in Kingsport. Our passionate team looks forward to dedicating themselves to serving the financial and community needs of the residents of Bristol.”
Founded 20 years ago, Advance Financial is a family-owned company based in Nashville that has significantly expanded its footprint throughout Tennessee in recent years. Its first locations outside of Middle Tennessee were in and around Chattanooga and Knoxville. The new Bristol office is currently the furthest east of all 77 locations.
Advance Financial offers a range of financial services including prepaid cards, electronic wire services to anywhere in the world, check cashing, free bill-payment services and free money orders. The company’s loan product is not just a small dollar loan, but a flexible line of credit – called a FLEX Loan – that offers customers the freedom of access to funds on their schedule with no late fees or early payoff penalties.
Find out more information about our Advance Financial store in Bristol
About Advance Financial
Advance Financial, founded in 1996, is a family owned and operated financial center based in Nashville, Tenn. The company currently operates more than 70 locations throughout Tennessee and employs more than 700 local representatives. The company provides wide variety of financial services – including wire transfer, bill payment, unlimited free money orders and FLEX loans. Advance Financial was named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the country for the fifth year in a row.


text: Britney Spears’s first Pepsi commercial — a two-minute spot for the soft drink that will feature her with dancers and a reported special appearance by Bob Dole — is set to air during the Academy Awards show on Sunday. But for those too impatient to wait until then, the commercial is set to air in its entirety online at Yahoo’s! homepage at 6 p.m. ET Sunday, two hours before the Oscar show debut. The commercial, titled “Performance,” features a special Spears version of the “Joy Of Pepsi” commercial theme and is set in a Pepsi bottling plant that comes to life when Spears, outfitted in a bra-top and hiphugger jeans, and her happy-footed colleagues show up. The pop diva, 19, signed a global marketing deal with Pepsi Cola in February that includes co-sponsorship of a worldwide concert tour. Ironically, one of Britney’s idols wasn’t so lucky when it came to forging a business deal with the soft-drink giant. Madonna’s 1989 video, “Like a Prayer,” which featured a combination of sexual and religious imagery, cost her a sponsorship deal with Pepsi. And in yet another soft drink camp, that of the No. 1 Coca-Cola Company, Oscar night will also see the unveiling of a shiny new ad campaign. Two of five new Diet Coke commercials, which feature voiceovers by Ren e Zellweger, Matthew McConaughey and several other Hollywood stars, will be aired on Sunday during the Barbara Walters pre-Oscars special on ABC.


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Call 540-904-5872 or (toll free)855-203-7058
You can also email us at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Pat Palmer of MBAA interviewed on Anderson Cooper 360 February 20th and February 21st.
MBAA's expert advocates are part of an elite group of professionals focused on reducing theft in America’s healthcare industry. Consumers, self-insured groups, insurance companies, and all payers alike are being exploited and subjected to unnecessary costs in an already devastating economy. Detecting errors in medical bills and correcting the overcharges will inevitably translate into thousands of dollars in savings, which directly affects the pockets of consumers and bottom line profits for businesses.
Our advocates can take immediate action on your behalf and
Don’t hesitate to ask an Advocate to help you enforce the guidelines and regulations that have already been developed by our government.
In addition to providing a full team of nationwide advocates, MBAA is working hard to spread consumer and corporate awareness. Pat Palmer, an expert in medical billing advocacy, exposes the truth of healthcare costs. She shares her knowledge with you in two must read books, The Medical Bill Survival Guide – What You Need to Know Before You Pay a Dime and The Medical Bill Workbook - Inside the Medical Billing Maze. These books are filled with ammunition to help you avoid and fight medical bill overcharges.


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Mobile is the fastest growing channel among consumers, which has media buyers taking notice. However, a new study conducted by Forrester and Velti shows that mobile advertisers aren’t approaching the mobile market with the right attitude and approach. In short, most marketers are dropping the ball big time. What’s happening? Ignoring most [...] more...
In our most recent ADOTAS poll, we asked: “Should Marissa Mayer’s pregnancy be a factor in Yahoo hiring?” The results were as follows: Yes: 2%. No: 98%. Our new poll question is derived from yesterday’s controversial opinion piece by Peter Koeppel, Founder and President of Koeppel Direct: “Is the social media party over?” To [...] more...
ADOTAS – After a few years of decline and slow growth, the future seems bright for social media spending and marketing budgets overall. According to several recent studies, increased optimism in the U.S. economy and in the future of business growth has marketing managers in both B2B and B2C sectors setting [...] more...
ADOTAS – Facebook’s finances are growing by leaps and bounds. According to an inside source (and published widely), the first six months of 2011 have brought in $500 million in net income to Facebook. As a private company, Facebook does not have to publically disclose its earnings, yet for a point [...] more...
ADOTAS — As we all know by now, June 12, 2009 was the last day any full power television station used analog. Congress had mandated a shift to digital broadcasting that was meant to benefit both consumers and providers – and the question is whether it has succeeded. Along with better [...] more...
ADOTAS — Across the United States, marketing budget after marketing budget has been slashed due to the impact of the recession. At the same time, sales for many products are flat or declining. Marketers are being asked to produce greater results with less money. Ad dollars that once went to advertising [...] more...
ADOTAS EXCLUSIVE — Economists agree that the United States and many European countries have now plunged into a recession. Financial experts are predicting that this economic downturn will last longer than most recent economic slumps. With thousands losing their jobs and more job cuts expected in the near future, consumers are [...] more...
- BroadbandTV CEO is Named Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum March 11th 2014 VANCOUVER, March 11, 2014 (ADOTAS) – Shahrzad Rafati, founder and CEO [...] more »
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Leading 3-D printer firms to merge in $403M deal
Stratasys Ltd. said Wednesday the acquisition will enable it to offer affordable desktop 3-D printers. MakerBot, whose machines are priced around $2,000 to $3,000 and are aimed at the “prosumer” market, sells direct to buyers over its website. In contrast, Stratasys makes machines priced $10,000 to $600,000 mostly to industrial clients through resellers.
MakerBot’s owners will receive 4.76 million newly issued Stratasys shares and are eligible for another 2.38 million through the end of 2014 if certain performance targets are met. That could raise the purchase price by about $201 million based on Wednesday’s closing stock price.
The merger is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.
Stratasys is based in Eden Prairie, Minn., and Rehovot, Israel. Its shares rose $2.40, or 2.8 percent, to $87 in after-hours trading. New York-based MakerBot is privately held.
MakerBot will keep its name, products and strategy as a unit of Stratasys. Stratasys said the purchase will add to its growth, but will reduce net income slightly in 2013 and add to it in 2014.
MakerBot also runs the website Thingiverse.com, which offers a large collection of downloadable digital designs for physical objects.
Analysts of the 3-D printing market have said the industry has the potential to revolutionize manufacturing, since the printers are able to make everything from chocolate molds and mouth braces to gun parts by laying down layer upon layer of plastic, metal or other materials.
The market is expected to double by 2016 from a base of about $3 billion this year, said Stratasys CEO David Reis. Both companies are posting strong revenue gains that should outpace the overall industry, he said.
“The potential in this market is huge,” Reis said.
“Even though both of our companies have had a lot of aggressive growth, we’re still at the beginning,” said MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis.
Both companies plan to hire more employees later this year to boost their expansions, Reis said.
In the first quarter through March, Stratasys’ revenue more than doubled to $97.2 million from $45 million a year ago. MakerBot had first-quarter revenue of $11.5 million, compared to $15.7 million for all of last year.
Stratasys bought Israeli competitor Objet in December, and said it has sold about 31,000 printers worldwide. It said MakerBot has sold about 22,000 desktop units since 2009.
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Big names are banding together to create a more sustainable electric future.
With all the information and specifications listed on the website, it’s only a matter of time before the bikes are available.
Wheelies on the new RC look just right.
The RC 390 gets an update for the 2022 model year, and includes the RC 125 in its world reveal.
Husqvarna and KTM continue to enjoy successful market performance in the Philippines, largely due to its continuous expansion in terms of local manufacturing capabilities.
Here’s your unofficial-official first look at the 2022 KTM RC 390.
All 100 units of the track-only supersport from team orange are all accounted for.
Husqvarna is developing a new 501 platform in partnership with Indian motorcycle manufacturer Bajaj. The same platform will be used for the upcoming KTM 490 range of motorcycles.
KTM will soon launch a 750 platform in partnership with Chinese motorcycle manufacturer CFMOTO.
KTM has unveiled the 1290 Super Duke RR. The high-performance super naked bike is jam-packed with performance.
Inline with its thrust towards more sustainable mobility, KTM has partnered with German battery manufacturer Varta to co-develop batteries for its future lineup of electric two-wheelers.
Honda, KTM, Yamaha, and Piaggio have teamed up to form a consortium geared towards swappable batteries.
Despite the stigma around Indian-made motorcycles, production and assembly quality has gone far. There is no better time to own a motorcycle made in India.
KTM has unveiled its most performance-oriented adventure bike yet, the KTM 1290 Super Adventure R
Despite the similarities with the KTM 390 motorcycles, the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 is a beast of its own.
BMW Motorrad, Honda, KTM, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Triumph have teamed up to form a consortium geared towards the development of tech to make motorcycles safer.
If you’re in the market for a new KTM 390 Duke, be sure to check this out before pulling the trigger
Husqvarna has launched the 2021 701 Enduro and Supermoto in the global market.
KTM has unveiled the KTM 890 Duke just one year after launching the 890 Duke R.
A spoked wheel upgrade for the KTM 390 Adventure has been added to the KTM Powerparts catalogue.


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Genting hires Alison Brincat as Head of Affiliates
Genting Casinos has appointed Alison Brincat (formerly Head of Affiliates at Wetten.com and Videoslots) to lead its affiliate program for its GentingCasino.com and Genting Bet brands from a new Malta headquarters.
Genting Casinos UK Ltd is one of the Great Britain’s largest casino operators offering the very best in premium casino gaming, live casino and sports betting via its mobile, apps and website products. The Genting Group launched its first online casino in 2008 while the Genting Bet sports book was launched in 2013. Both verticals have grown consistently over recent years supported by Genting’s considerable retail estate of 40+ casinos.
Ms. Brincat will be based in Genting’s new Maltese offices with interactive marketing and operations teams and will be responsible for growing the Genting Affiliates program after a handover from incumbent affiliate manager Matt Maunder. 00
Jeremy Taylor, Managing Director of Genting Interactive said:-
“We are in the process of building a team of the highest calibre of marketing and operations professionals to grow Genting’s interactive business out of our new Malta office. Alison is one of the most respected affiliate professionals in the gaming industry and the first of our new hires so I’m very happy to welcome her to the team”.
Alison Brincat, Head of Affiliates at Genting Interactive said:-
“Genting is a huge global business with a significant UK casino estate and big ambitions for their mobile and web casino and sportsbook brands. It’s a great time for me to be joining the team and I’m looking forward to working with both current and new affiliates to capitalise on the success Genting Casino and Genting Bet have seen to date”.


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Microsoft currently refers to what we'll call Windows 9 as Windows Threshold or Windows X internally.
1 day ago, 2:59am CDT
Microsoft says to open a new flagship store on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, right in the near of the 5th Avenue Apple Store.
2 days ago, 6:48am CDT
While Windows 9 is the easiest name that comes to mind, the folks over at Microsoft are calling its new OS "Threshold."
3 days ago, 3:06am CDT
The event is said to have a targeted focus on power users as well as enterprise customers.
Sep 16 2014, 10:14pm CDT


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Rep. Mike ConawayKenneth (Mike) Michael ConawayTop intel Dem: Trump Jr. refused to answer questions about Trump Tower discussions with father House panel interviews Podesta after Trump dossier revelation Texas lawmaker says GOP colleague should resign over lewd photo MORE (R-Texas) announced the bill on Friday, drawing renewed attention to concerns in Congress about the firms and their relationship with the Chinese government.
Unfortunately for Samsung, a Chinese court in Shenzhen has ruled that the company did indeed violate Huawei's patents. Their reason, USA lawmakers expressed concerned about potential ties between Huawei and the Chinese government. Although the bill targets telecommunication equipment manufactured by both Huawei and ZTE, it could have a ripple effect on their smartphone business.
In 2012, Huawei and ZTE Corp (000063.SZ) (0763.HK) were the subject of a US investigation into whether their equipment provided an opportunity for foreign espionage and threatened critical USA infrastructure - a link that Huawei has consistently denied.
Which Song From Camila Cabello's 'Camila' Album is Your Favorite? Vote!
When Camila Cabello left Fifth Harmony back in 2016, there was a lot of back and forth between the new solo star and her ex bandmates about what happened.
Conaway described that report as "incriminating" on Friday.
AT&T has decided not to carry phones by Chinese smartphone maker Huaawei after concerns about security.
On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. -based telecommunications company AT&T has made a decision to back away from a deal to sell Huawei's smartphones in the U.S. Huawei had been expected to announce the deal at CES that day.
But Dr Edward Tse, founder and chief executive of the Gao Feng Advisory Company, argued that most investment from China is not by state-owned enterprises, but from entrepreneurial private sector companies, led by shareholders. The Commerce Department is also said to be investigating Huawei's dealings with sanctioned nations.


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Disney Bans Junk Food Ads Towards Children
These days I wear multiple hats, but two of the most important ones are “mom” and “dietitian.” When I heard that Disney was taking big steps to cut all advertising of unhealthy products aimed at children under the age of 12 beginning in 2015, I couldn’t help but tip both of those hats to them.
Having struggled with weight as a child, I've often found myself worrying about the influence of junk food ads on my now 10-month old daughter as she gets older and has more exposure to television.
In a statement released Tuesday, June 5, 2012, Walt Disney Co. Chairman and CEO Robert A. Iger announced new nutrition standards for food advertised to children on its television channels, websites, and radio stations. The guidelines assess foods based on whether they contribute to a nutritious diet such as fruits, vegetables, whole grain, low fat dairy, and lean protein, as well as encourage appropriate portions for calorie control, and limit sodium, sugar, saturated fat, and trans fat.
Actively involved in the obesity epidemic, the First Lady Michelle Obama summed up my thoughts and the beliefs of many American parents by saying, "Just a few years ago, if you had told me or any other mom or dad in America that our kids wouldn’t see a single ad for junk food while they watched their favorite cartoons on a major TV network, we wouldn’t have believed you because parents know better than anyone else just how effective and pervasive those advertisements have become. I'm thrilled that over the next couple of years, when our kids tune into their favorite shows on Disney channels, or they log onto the Disney website, they will no longer be bombarded with unhealthy messages during those commercial breaks. Instead, they will see ads for foods that we might actually want them to eat, ads that can reinforce healthy habits and teach kids very important lessons.”
In addition to their announcement about banning unhealthy food ads, Disney introduced the “Mickey Check” tool that will identify their licensed food products sold in stores, online, and at its parks and resorts that meet the new nutrition standards.
While I worry that three years is a long time to wait for these new standards to take place, I’m encouraged that through my positive diet and lifestyle example, coupled with a drastic decline in unhealthy food ads thanks to Disney, my daughter as well as other young children, will be more likely to ditch the junk food and make healthy, unbiased choices.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Do you think Disney has just raised the bar for other businesses like Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon? Do you think this ban will have a positive impact on the obesity epidemic? Please share.


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A new 24-hour pan-African TV is set to launch on Gotv channel 97 on Thursday, 26 November, 2015.
New channel to launch on GoTV
The 24 hour channel will be showcasing an variety of African movies and more.
The new channel called TrybeTV will be showcasing premium content made up of Nigerian films, African films (from countries including Kenya, South Africa and Ghana), television dramas and various genres of feature programming.
There will also be original content produced by the entertainment channel including “Director’s Profile”, "One On One”, “On My Honour”, and “Rising Stars”.
TrybeTV is owned by Consolidated Media Associates (CMA). CMA owned by media expert Tajuddeen Adepetu is also the parent company of music channel Sound City, fashion channel Spice, ONTV, ON Max, Access 24, and Televista.
TrybeTV launches on MultiChoice’s DTT platforms including GOtv Lite, GOtv Value, GOtv Plus packages at 12 noon tomorrow.
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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- U.S.-listed shares of European companies were up on Tuesday as they found strength from a rebound in commodity stocks and got a lift from technology shares led by ASML Holding NV following the chip equipment maker's upbeat forecast for second-quarter orders.
ASML Holding ASML, -2.00% was one of the top volume movers and percentage gainers on the Bank of New York Europe ADR Index, with shares up 6.7% to $19.96.
At last check, the Europe ADR Index rose 1.8% at 147.11 and the Bank of New York Composite ADR Index picked up 2% at 147.82.
On Wall Street, stocks moved higher as commodity-based companies gained ground after a rebound in prices for oil and precious metals. U.S. stocks also got a lift from overseas markets.
"The overseas markets have calmed down a little and rallied. Emerging markets, which are the ones that are really tied to oil and metals have bounced after being pummeled for the last two weeks," said Paul Nolte, director of investments at Hinsdale Associates. See Market Snapshot.
The U.K. FTSE 100 index (UKX) closed up 2.6% at 5,678, the German DAX Xetra 30 index (1876534) rose 2.4%, also at 5,678, and the French CAC-40 index (1804546) added 2.5% at 4,931. See London Markets.
The pan-European Dow Jones Stoxx 600 index (SXXP) rose 2.6% at 317.50. See Europe Markets.
Oil and gas producers were all higher, with crude for July delivery up 1.9% on the New York Mercantile Exchange. See Futures Movers.
Shares of Taftnet TNT, -10.59% surged 7.5% to $88.50. The Russian oil company was upgraded by Deutsche UFG to hold from sell, according to a report by Dow Jones Newswires.
Mining companies also moved higher, with copper prices leading the strength in metals. See Metals Stocks.
Mechel OAO MTL, -0.33% rocketed 19% to $22.53 after the Russian mining and steel company said its board has recommended a dividend payment of $1.41 per American Depositary Receipt.
The company said the payment is line with its previously disclosed plans to increase the dividend to 50% of net profits under U.S. GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles). Mechel's board also set a date of June 30 for its annual shareholders meeting. The record date for the meeting and the dividend is June 2.
Strength in the tech-sector also aided European markets to higher finishes.
Dutch equipment maker ASML Holding climbed after it said it expects second-quarter orders to be at least 40% higher than the first quarter. See full story.
Merrill Lynch also upgraded ASML to neutral from sell, citing valuation.
"ASML's share price move, rather than a change in our estimates or view of the company, is the reason for our change in stance," said Merrill Lynch.
An analyst comment also helped push shares of Nokia Corp. NOK, -2.74% higher, by 3.3% to $21.52. UBS analyst Maynard Um listed several "good reasons" to buy the Finnish mobile phone giant's stock, including the Finnish mobile phone company's competitive position and improving fundamentals in the mobile device industry.
Royal Philips Electronics PHG, -5.16% also gave strength to the Europe ADR Index. Shares of the Dutch conglomerate rose picked up 3.9% to $31.84 after it agreed to acquire Avent, a supplier of baby and infant feeding products in the U.K. and the U.S., for about 460 million pounds ($867 million) in cash.
The move is aimed at further boosting Philips' position in the consumer-health business. Read more.
Nestle SA NSRGY, -1.06%, whose shares trade on the pink sheets, rose 1.1% at $74.75. The food giant agreed to acquire the Uncle Tobys business in Australia, as well as the rights to the brand in New Zealand, for A$890 million in cash ($670 million). Uncle Tobys is a maker of porridge.


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HP delivered strong first quarter earnings Wednesday and raised its outlook for 2010 in a move that signals that the company is set to gain amid PC and server upgrade cycles.
The company reported first quarter net income of $2.3 billion, or 96 cents a share, on revenue of $31.2 billion, up 8 percent from the year ago quarter. Non-GAAP earnings were $2.7 billion, or $1.10 a share.
Wall Street was expecting earnings of $1.06 a share on revenue of $30.01 billion.
Meanwhile, HP raised its outlook for fiscal 2010 and the second quarter (statement, preview).
For the second quarter, HP is projecting revenue between $29.4 billion and $29.7 billion. Earnings will be 89 cents a share to 91 cents a share under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Non-GAAP earnings are expected to be $1.03 to $1.05 a share. Wall Street was looking for earnings of $1.03 a share on revenue of $29.03 billion, according to Thomson Reuters.
HP's outlook for fiscal 2010 was also better than expected. The company projected revenue of $121.5 billion to $122.5 billion, up from its previous estimate of $118 billion to $119 billion. GAAP earnings will be $3.79 to $3.86 a share with non-GAAP earnings of $4.37 to $4.44 a share. Wall Street was looking for earnings of $4.37 a share on revenue of $120.3 billion.
In a call with analysts today, company CEO Mark Hurd called HP's portfolio one of the best and broadest in the industry, noting that the company is No. 1 or No. 2 in every category where it competes. He said the investment to ensure innovation in technology will continue, noting that the customers put value in innovation, scale, usability and affordability, among other things. He said HP's market coverage in IT is strong and that cost initiatives are paying off, noting a double-digit growth in revenue-per-employee.
Hurd made a point of saying that HP's best days lie ahead. It's a far cry from what companies were saying not so long ago as uncertainty around the economy had execs guessing. Pair that comment with the boost in earnings forecasts and it feels safer to say that the worst of the economy is in the past.
From today's call with analysts.
By the numbers:
A few quick notes on the results:


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OLX Group has announced the appointment of Tim Davis as its new global chief technology officer.
The Prosus-owned international classifieds business said it was “extremely happy” to welcome Davis into the role.
“He brings more than 30 years of experience in the technology sector, building some of the world’s most widely used consumer products across a variety of tech platforms,” said the company, announcing the hire.
“His appointment will help us accelerate our vision of building marketplace ecosystems that are enabled by tech, powered by trust, and loved by our customers. Tim, we’re very excited to have you onboard!”
According to his LinkedIn profile, Davis’s most recent role was as VP of engineering at Booking.com, where he spent close to three years. Prior to that he held the similar position of VP of product and engineering at iStreamPlanet (AT&T), also for three years.
He also had spells at Amazon and Microsoft.


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Though it is a common knowledge that the list will include U.S firms, and perhaps firms from countries that have since complied with U.S ban on Huawei and other Chinese firms.
The Commerce Ministry is going through relevant procedures, and will release the first batch of blacklisted entities soon, according to state-media China Central Television.
China has already established a system of "unreliable" entities, CCTV noted, adding the investigation will be "a warning to other foreign companies".
The US government has moved to curb Huawei's ability to sell equipment in the US and buy parts from American suppliers, potentially crippling one of China's most successful - but controversial - global companies.
The vague wording of the Chinese state media report opens the door for Beijing to target a broad swathe of the global tech industry - from U.S. giants like Alphabet Inc.'s Google, Qualcomm Inc. and Intel Corp. to even non-American suppliers that have cut off China's largest technology company. Two packages containing documents being shipped to the company in China from Japan were diverted to the USA without authorization, Reuters reported.
For now, China's Ministry of Commerce is declining to offer details about the "unreliable entities list", including how offenders will be punished.
The most recent round of negotiations earlier this month ended with no agreement, after Mr Trump more than doubled duties on 200 billion dollars (£158bn) in Chinese imports.
The tit-for-tat moves now involving lists come amid an intensifying trade war between the two countries.
Huawei relies heavily on USA components, including computer chips, and about one-third of its suppliers are American. Earlier this month, the Commerce Department officially placed Huawei on its "entity list", barring US companies from engaging in export trading with the company in an effort to cut off critical elements of Huawei's supply chain. Around 80% of USA rare earths imports is supplied by China.
Several countries are also considering banning Huawei gear from 5G wireless networks, amid USA lobbying that Huawei poses a security threat.


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The IEEE Standards Association, a global technology industry standards body, and SAE International, an aerospace and automotive industry group, announced on Wednesday that they have agreed to work together to establish standards for vehicular technology that connects to the smart grid.
The smart grid, of course, is necessary to properly charge hybrid and all-electric vehicles. It's a logical step for both industries, which are strange bedfellows from a historical standpoint but are now suddenly thrust into cooperation as vehicles and the power grid move toward Internet connectivity.
The partnership ensures that the auto and energy industries stay on the same page as technologies continue to advance -- keeping hassle to a minimum and costs down.
Of specific focus are plug-in electric vehicles and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) communications standards. SAE already has 46 standards to its name and another 30 in the pipeline; IEEE has 100 standards, 20 of which were recognized by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology Framework and Roadmap for Smart Grid Interoperability Standards.
Under the terms of their agreement, the organizations will share draft standards for input from each other.
"[This] translates into faster realization of the revolution that the smart grid promises in terms of production, delivery and use of electricity for industry and consumers alike worldwide," IEEE Standards Association managing director Judith Gorman said in a statement.
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com


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LOUISVILLE, Ky.–Louisville Bedding has reached an agreement with La-Z-Boy for a licensed collection of basic bedding, which it will debut at next month’s New York Home Fashions Market.
The line includes bed pillows, mattress pads, sheets and comforters. According to a Louisville Bedding statement, pricing and fabrication for the line are similar to other offerings in these product categories. The La-Z-Boy collection is being positioned as “comfortable, affordable luxury.”
The retail targets for the line encompass department stores, furniture stores and mid-tier mass merchants, Louisville Bedding said.