text:
Google's pair of self-branded flagships, the Google Pixel and Pixel XL, have been out in the market for close to a month now, and while many have issued due praise for Google's premium non-Nexus offerings, only a few know that these phones were actually manufactured by HTC.
In fact, before HTC ran up to the task, Huawei was almost slated to manufacture the pair of flagships until a vague falling out with Google occurred, dissolving further plans. Now, an executive from Huawei has confirmed that Google has approached Huawei to manufacture the Pixel phones, but Huawei pulled out due to a number of concerns.
Why Huawei Didn't Want To Make the Google Pixel
Google had previously collaborated with Huawei for the Nexus 6P, the company's previous flagship offering along with LG's Nexus 5X. Apparently, Google wanted to extend the partnership it had with Huawei, but upon hearing Google's plans with the pair of smartphones, Huawei grew disinterested.
Colin Giles, Huawei's VP for the company's Consumer Business Group, was the one who confirmed Huawei's withdrawal, as stated in an article (translated) by German blog WinFuture.
Google apparently wanted the Pixel to entirely carry its own name, dropping any branding footprint from partner manufacturers. Killing its "Nexus" naming scheme was ample evidence of this sentiment. Huawei apparently didn't find this amenable. Its farewell was occupied by HTC, now the manufacturer of the Pixel phones, though true to Google's intent, the HTC branding is nowhere to be found, save for a subtle and hidden logo embedded in the device's battery.
Obviously, Google is banking on its "Phone by Google" branding strategy even if it means that the actual manufacturers would receive considerably less, if any, visibility. Google's Nexus phones previously featured the makers of the device, and the company was more lax about opening the phones to other channels for those who wanted to purchase a unit.
This time, Google is aggressively marketing the Pixel phones as its own, even handling sales altogether. HTC had been relegated to mere manufacturer instead of earning its own signature.
Did Google Fall Short On Its Promises For the Nexus 6P?
The partnership between Huawei and Google was spearheaded by last year's Nexus 6P. Google reportedly fell short on its roster of promises for the 6P. According to Android Police, it promised a multi-hundred-million-dollar ad campaign for the phone alongside prominent exposure across major brick-and-mortar retail outlets of U.S. carriers, with the implied agreement that Huawei would match Google's offer of dollar for dollar.
The Nexus 6P was never launched on a major U.S. carrier, and Google even demanded to lock the phone for a certain period on its own store, straining the two's relationship.
The State Of Google And Huawei's Partnership
Google and Huawei seem to have put its differences behind, as the two will reportedly continue pursuing "strategic initiatives" and products together, including a smartphone slated for the latter half of 2017.
Would you have liked to see a Huawei-made Google Pixel? Feel free to share us your thoughts!


text:
Digital overhaul for Northern Ireland’s number one retail coffee brand
Owners of Barista Bar, Northern Ireland’s number one retail coffee brand, have invested a quarter of a million pounds into a digital overhaul of their consumer offering.
Henderson Foodservice, which launched the brand in 2015, has invested £250,000 to develop the new ‘My Barista Bar Rewards+’ app for users in Northern Ireland, that will digitise the brand’s loyalty scheme and streamline communications with users.
Alongside the app, the brand has also revamped its website, and launched a new online store, where shoppers can purchase branded products, reusable cups and merchandise which is produced in partnership with local Ballymena company, Ted & Stitch.
Keavy O’Mahony-Truesdale, Brand Manager at Barista Bar said they are responding to their customer demand and joining top coffee brands with their digitised approach.
“Barista Bar and the way we communicate with our customers has evolved over the years, led by their behaviour and preferences,” said Keavy.
“This digital approach not only modernises the brand’s presence but will enhance the overall user experience while reinvigorating our loyalty and rewards programme, improving customer engagement and satisfaction. We are thrilled to be able to offer this innovative and seamless experience to our valued consumers through the new ‘My Barista Bar Rewards+’ app.
“Barista Bar’s position in the local marketplace is very strong, and we have announced expansions into Scotland in recent months. Our products are available in 444 SPAR, EUROSPAR and ViVO branded sites in Northern Ireland, 49 Co-Op sites in the East of England, and we have 104 new sites agreed within SPAR Scotland stores, the roll out for which commences early this year.”
Henderson Foodservice has invested over £14m in the Barista Bar brand in the past nine years, establishing the product as the preferred choice for takeaway hot beverages to go in Northern Ireland, with over 12 million cups sold in 2023.
The all-new My Barista Bar Rewards+ app went live on Monday 15th January and has been developed alongside local app developers, Sugar Rush Creative. It is available to download from App Store and Google Play.

domain: news


text:
December 11th, 2012 at 11:34am
Fiat can’t fight Volkswagen financially in Europe, so it is broadening the war against the German automaker in the American market. New York is facing a lawsuit from taxi operators and Nissan is stuck in the middle. Remember two years ago when a bunch of Chrysler workers at the Jeep plant in Detroit were caught drinking and smoking pot on the job? Now they’ve got their jobs back. All that and more, plus a look at BMW’s 2013 M5.
Well, we’re back with the most interesting news going on in the automotive industry. Coming up later, we’ve got a story that is really going to make you mad, but let’s get to some of the other news before we do that.
MASERATI THINKS BIG
Last year luxury car brand Maserati sold about 6,200 cars. So far this year it sold 4,700. But thanks to a big investment from Fiat, Maserati plans to boost that to 50,000 units by 2015. Sergio Marchionne says he wants the all-new Quattroporte to hit 13,000 in 2013. He is banking on Fiat’s partnership with Chrysler, its technology, and dealership network to help him hit that goal.
ROCK ‘EM SOCK ‘EM CARBOTS
In other Fiat news, the Italian carmaker and Chrysler are now offering a $1,000 rebate to current Volkswagen owners in the U.S. to trade in their vehicle. This is Marchionne’s latest jab at the German automaker as it offers large car-loan discounts to customers in Europe, a move that Marchionne says has created a “bloodbath” in the European market. Fiat can’t fight back financially in Europe, so it is broadening the war to the American market.
RARE EARTHS GET RARER
Ever since China began limiting exports of the rare-earth metals which are critically important for hybrids and electric cars, everyone else has been figuring out how to get by without them. Ford is the latest. Ford’s new lithium-ion batteries use fewer rare-earth metals than the outgoing nickel-metal hydride packs. It also slashed what it needs for magnets in its hybrid motors by 50 percent. Ford says that it could cut its use of rare-earth metals by 500,000 pounds a year.
HACKS SUE THE CITY
New York City is being sued again. Last week we reported that the Big Apple is getting sued over its red-light traffic cameras, now the city is facing a lawsuit from taxi operators over Nissan’s NV200 being the official cab of New York. The taxi companies say the vehicle was not tested in stop and go traffic, uses “outdated engineering, design and technology,” doesn’t use a hybrid powertrain, wouldn’t hold up to New York potholes, and requires replacement parts built outside the U.S. A spokeswoman for New York City says the lawsuit lacks merit.
LOOK FOR THE UNION LABEL
OK, here’s that story which will really make you mad. Remember two years ago when a bunch of Chrysler workers at the Jeep plant in Detroit were caught drinking and smoking pot on the job? Chrysler fired them immediately, but the UAW made sure those partying dudes all got their jobs back. The union filed grievances against the company, the company denied those grievances, but they got their jobs back through arbitration despite ample video evidence of them drinking and toking on their lunch break. There’s ample video because a local TV station, Fox 2 Detroit, was tipped off. It followed them for 10 days video-ing them in multiple locations. When the camera crew finally emerged from the bushes those workers scattered like cockroaches. They knew what they were doing was wrong. Who ever the tipsters were, they went to Fox 2 because they knew their union reps would never do anything about these guys getting drunk and high on the job. How ironic that this story breaks just as the UAW is screaming against the right-to-work law being enacted in the state of Michigan. The union has never said peep about the guys who were fired for getting high on the job at the Jefferson Jeep plant or at Chrysler’s Trenton engine plant. If there was ever a justification for the right-to-work law, this is it.
Coming up next, we’ll take a look at all the plusses and minuses of driving the BMW M5.
2013 BMW M5
(2013 BMW M5 can only be viewed in the video version of today’s show.)
BMW really does a terrific job with its entire M line. I went to the M factory some years ago and was really impressed to see how much tender loving care those cars get as they’re built.
And that wraps up today’s report, thanks for watching.


text:
Commerical Secret: Displair is the next step in the development of visualization media
"There are no technological clusters or business accelerators in
Astrakhan, the hometown of Maxim Kamanin, the founder of
Displair. But, nevertheless, the group of enthusiasts created the
successful technological start-up”, - “Sekret Firmy” Magazine tried
to find out what favored Displair and other Russian innovation
companies in development and entering the international markets.
Read the full text here:
Displair on The Denver Post
“Displair – it is Russian company, which represents a...
Displair in USA
On April 27 Displair Company made a working visit to the United...
Displair: Consumer electronics software to become the flagship of innovations
Every year more and more technological startups are created in...
Displair company announces the opening of partnership program.
Our aim is to make air screen technology accessible for everyone. So...
American movie "Displair" became the semi-finalist of the International Documentary Film Festival
"Is the new Steve Jobs living in a distant Russian city?"...
Back to the list


text:
In the last 12 months, there has been several legislative and regulatory changes revolving around pets. This blog only includes some of the changes.
- Higher Compensation for Wrongfully Injured dogs: Before this ruling, wrongfully injured pets were rewarded a fraction of the cost to heal the injured pet. And the defendant only got a slap on the wrist. The California Second Appeals Court opined that pets are still personal property, but their value is more than a piece of furniture. http://bit.ly/2AJgmUI
- Pet Sale Ban: For the first time in the nation, California has banned the sale for cats, dogs and rabbits that come from a breeder. The entrepreneurs, pet store owners and breeders, are not happy with this new regulation. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie vetoed the pet sale ban arguing that pet store owners do not get their animals from unethical breeders. (This blogger though has seen a customer get fooled. The pure bred Labrador puppy, costing $400, bought at the pet store looks a lot like a Labrador/Greyhound mix.)
- Shelter Oversight: Shelters and rescue centers have in the past not been regulated. That changes in 2017 in a couple of states. Shelters in Connecticut must be licensed and inspected. Louisiana now requires annual training for shelter inspectors. Shelters in these states are required to have accurate records and disposition reports. In other words, nonprofit shelters and rescue organizations in Connecticut and Louisiana are under the same state regulations that cover licensed pet dealers.
- Exotic Animal Ban: Hedgehogs, sugar gliders and large non-venomous snakes are declared unfit to be companion animals. In addition, many people, who breed exotic animals, are banned from doing so. This makes good sense since exotic animals such as, tigers, have the same instincts as animals in the wild.
- Ban of Ornamental Fish: This ban began when Walmart abused its ornamental fish by keeping its Betta fish in murky, yellow water. Several of the Betta fish died in the dirty aquariums.
There are 158 varieties of ornamental fish that are found in Hawaii and in fish farms. The court order prohibits collecting ornamental fish in Hawaii, as well as, prohibiting fish farmers from raising ornamental fish. It will take a lot of money to reverse this decision.
— Humane Society Int'l (@HSIGlobal) December 15, 2017
Laws need to be updated to reflect the public’s attitude. People are not tolerating the abuse of any animal that is for sale. Responsible breeders and sellers of animals though are being punished for the bad deeds of unethical breeders and sellers of animals. Unfortunately, this happens in every field, when regulations need to be put in place. What also happens, when there are regulations, are the “under the table” deals. Overall, the goal for the regulations is to better the treatment of animals.


text:
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Interior building renovations began in December, months after the Borders bookstore at the same location on 76th Street closed its doors.
Designer Shoe Warehouse, or DSW, is scheduled to open in the former Borders bookstore building, 5250 S. 76th St., on April 18, according to flyers posted on the building. Interior building renovations began in December after the temporary Halloween Express moved out. Flyers also indicate the store is hiring. Those interested are to apply online.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Restaurants, a grocery store, a shoe store and more will all be opening this year in Greendale. Tell us which one excites you most.
Last year there were many exciting announcements coming out of Greendale. Many of those included store openings around the Southridge area and Village Center. Chick-Fil-A, Walmart, Longhorn Steakhouse, Buca di Beppo and Designer Shoe Warehouse (DSW) are all opening on 76th Street this year. An athletics-themed Panther Pub and Eatery will be opening in the Village Center by summer as well. Old Navy, LOFT and Chico's will be opening in Southridge Mall.
Friday, August 17, 2012
The costume store will be a temporary tenant at the old Borders building. DSW will start construction on the building sometime in December.
Even though it's not fall yet people are already thinking about Halloween costumes. Halloween Express will open for the season Aug. 18, as a temporary tenant inside the former Borders building. Designer Shoe Warehouse will begin construction at the site in December, with DSW expected to open in March.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Designer Shoe Warehouse will be opening in March of 2013.
DSW, Designer Shoe Warehouse, will open at the former Borders building on 76th Street in March of 2013. Gary Stein, leasing broker for CBRE, said construction will start in December. Until then Halloween Express is scheduled as a temporary tenant later this year. Borders, the national chain, filed for bankruptcy last summer. Patch will continue to follow this story.


text:
Lycos announced Tuesday that it is upgrading its service to give consumers 1GB of e-mail storage. But unlike some rival services being developed, the Lycos service is not free. Users will have to pay a monthly fee of 3.4 pounds ($6.01).
Google caused considerable excitement last month when it announced that it was developing a free service called Gmail and that it would give all users of this service 1GB of storage space–far more than the 2MB offered by MSN’s Hotmail, for example. But the plans also alarmed some people, because Google said it intends to scan e-mail messages for keywords and insert targeted advertisements into the messages.
Read the whole story at CNET News.com.


text:
Gods and Heroes
Netflix to Release New Anime Series Inspired by Greek Mythology
Among the many original series it is working on, Netflix plans to release a new anime show based on Greek mythology titled "Blood of Zeus". It will premiere on the streaming service on October 27. The story, originally titled "Gods &...


text:
Sometimes monitoring insider trades can point investors towards specific industries before new trends emerge. A few weeks ago, we mentioned that regional and community bank insiders were loading up on stock during the Silicon Valley Bank fallout. Many of those banks rebounded aggressively before the talking heads made note of insiders buying stock on the cheap.
In the last two weeks, we noticed insiders at three companies in a narrow industry buying nearly simultaneously.
Two weeks ago, a pair of insiders at Genuine Parts Company (GPC) bought about $375,000 in stock. (1) Last week, AutoZone, Inc. (AZO) Senior Vice President (SrVP) and Chief Investment Office (CIO) Michelle Borninkhof acquired more than $1.14 million in stock. (2) At the same time, a pair of directors at Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (AAP) invested roughly $327,000 combined.
That’s multiple insiders from a trio of Auto Parts companies coming to the same conclusion in a tight window.
The Automotive Part Aftermarket industry is expected to see accelerating growth in the next few years according to Persistence Market Research. From 2017 to 2022, the industry grew at a medium Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 1.9 percent. Total revenue for the industry hit $548 billion in 2022 and is forecasted to reach $984 billion by 2033 with CAGR increasing to 5.5 percent. (3)
The report attributes longer lifespans as one of the primary drivers for heightened demand. They note “Customers are increasingly keeping older vehicles as second vehicles rather than swapping or scrapping them. Because of rising vehicle age, there is a high demand for part replacement, repair, and maintenance, which drives the auto parts sector in the aftermarket.”
According to S&P Global, “The average age of light vehicles in the US reached an all-time high in 2022 as the vehicle fleet climbed to 283M passenger cars and light trucks.
The average age of light vehicles in operation (VIO) in the US rose to 12.2 years this year, increasing by nearly two months over the prior year, according to new research from S&P Global Mobility (formerly the automotive team at IHS Markit).
This is the fifth straight year the average vehicle age in the US has risen. This year’s average age marks another all-time high for the average age even as the vehicle fleet recovered, growing by 3.5 million units in the past year.”
Of the three, Advance Auto Parts is the lowest priced of the trio at $69.59. Wall Street has a one-year price target of $82.54 and pays an annual dividend of $1 per share (1.42 percent dividend yield). (5) Genuine Parts Company also pays a dividend ($3.80 per share for a 2.35 percent annual yield) (6). AutoZone last traded at $2,493.83 and doesn’t pay a dividend.
OVERALL: From experience, it can be a good sign for an industry and new investors when multiple insiders from different companies buy stock at the same time. Market trends and analysis confirm conditions for the Auto Parts Aftermarket sector should improve for the next decade.
In general, the Auto Parts Aftermarket sector has about the same volatility as the S&P 500 and is appropriate for investors with average risk tolerance and at least a one-year time horizon.
1 – https://www.secform4.com/insider-trading/40987.htm
2 – https://www.secform4.com/insider-trading/866787.htm
3 – https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/automotive-parts-aftermarket.asp
4 – https://www.spglobal.com/mobility/en/research-analysis/average-age-of-vehicles-in-the-us-increases-to-122-years.html
5 – https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/AAP?p=AAP&.tsrc=fin-srch
6 – https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/GPC?p=GPC&.tsrc=fin-srch


text:
After initial rumors that the second OVO x Jordan Brand collaboration was going to release sometime this year, Sole Collector reports the highly anticipated OVO x Air Jordan 10 “Black” is set to drop during this year’s NBA’s All-Star Weekend. Quite fittingly, the event will be taking place in Drake’s hometown of Toronto from February 12-14. Unless you were able to cop a pair at the OVO pop-up store in LA, you’re going to want to mark your calendars for this second release because they will probably sell out instantly. Expect a price tag of $225 USD and stay tuned for more information.
You must be logged in to post a comment.


text:
Beware! Inflation is Coming, and It’s Not Playing NiceCain Chen
Inflation is everywhere – literally. Not only are all the media outlets plastering it on their front pages, every country in the world is experiencing rising costs. Essentials of all variety are more expensive and our money doesn’t go as far when purchasing goods and services.
While everyone is feeling the squeeze, one industry in particular has already elected to take decisive action.
“Barely into the year, more than 94,000 tech jobs have already been eliminated,” says Forbes. “No corner of the industry appears to be untouched, as big players like Microsoft (down 10,000 jobs), Alphabet (12,000 jobs) and Amazon (18,000 jobs) scale back in dramatic fashion.”
Some of these layoffs have been couched as a natural and necessary correction to tech’s hiring frenzy at the height of COVID-19. However, others believe these organizations are simply fearful of inflation projections.
Based on the industry-specific costs ahead, they may be right to be worried. But there are still tactics IT teams can take if they want to be strategic in planning their future spending.
Inflation’s Impact on the IT Industry
CIOs have seen the fallout from inflation firsthand. Supply chain issues are driving up prices and making some hardware more scarce. Everything from individual laptops to entire servers have already been impacted, resulting in a cascade effect that influences more than just the price of materials.
As Avery Dennison CIO Nicholas Colisto, tells CIO Magazine, “rising consumer prices and their impact on wage inflation are [also] making talent acquisition and retention more competitive.”
In terms of budget items, experts are watching these and other areas as places to plan around:
- Rising contracts and staffing costs. Recruiting talent is getting more expensive – and so is retaining them. Salaries are also on the rise as the cost of living increases. Even contracted positions, like the kind offered by Managed Service Providers, have risen 25% in some cases.
- Increasing technology and infrastructure prices. Servers and storage costs are also growing thanks to increased demand for cloud services, which is predicted to rise more than 20%. Other challenges include budgeting for, “infrastructure changes needed to accommodate employees returning to work,” according to TechTarget.
- Higher bills. Many IT leaders are tracking how inflation is slated to increase IT basics like workstations and other products. Specifically, they anticipate supply chain backlogs will continue driving up prices while slowing delivery times.
- Premiums for rushed equipment purchases. Speaking of longer delivery windows, John-David Lovelock, research vice president and distinguished analyst for the General Managers team at Gartner, expects hybrid work trends to drive demand for expedited equipment. He says CIOs, “can expect to pay premiums, though, if they want to get those items sooner rather than later…inflation isn’t the sole culprit driving such surcharges; rather, it’s a mix of factors at play — COVID-related shutdowns that impact manufacturing plants in Asia, supply chain issues and demand that exceeds supply as well as inflation.”
Aligning IT Spending with Business Conditions in an Inflationary Environment
Even if all this sounds scary, industry leaders like IDC still encourage companies to strategically plan for technology investments.
To avoid project derailment and insulate against productivity declines, try looking for ways to potentially use this uncertain economy to your advantage.
Specifically, “Adopt cloud optimization (FinOps) practices and processes that eliminate waste in current cloud investments while also resetting long term cloud cost metrics (Cloud Economics)…it’s also important to adopt a phased approach that delivers short term savings, mid-term gains that protect the business if conditions worsen more than expected, and long-term architectural choices that ensure sustainably lower operating costs as business conditions improve.”
By avoiding the temptation to be reactionary, your organization can make smarter, more far-sighted moves that work with, not against, the inevitabilities of inflation.
Content created and provided by ONEAFFINITI.


text:
The Big Thirst: new Charles Fishman book looks into the future of water
“The Big Thirst: The Secret Life and Turbulent Future of Water” was just published. It was written by Charles Fishman, an award-winning writer that is well-known for his best-selling “The Wal-Mart Effect”.
Fishman, whose 2007 magazine article covered the hidden secrets of bottled water, knows how to tease out the compelling facts in any story. For instance, the article about bottled water shows that 24% of the bottled water we buy is tap water repackaged by Coke and Pepsi.
And now Fishman has turned his gaze towards water in general.
Here are some of the items that caught our attention:
Water is taken for granted to such an extent in the developed world, that we don’t even know we’re taking it for granted. Water is assumed to be safe, unlimited and essentially free. Now this must change.
In a recent NPR interview, Fishman describes this as follows:
“The last 100 years has been the golden age of water in the developed world: water that has been safe, unlimited and essentially free,” he tells Fresh Air‘s Terry Gross. “But that era is over. We will not, going forward, have water that has all three of those qualities at the same time: unlimited, unthinkingly inexpensive and safe.”
“One of the big problems of water is that the success of the golden age of water has created an invisible system. We don’t even take [water] for granted because taking it for granted would suggest we pay attention to it. That hidden system is corroding, and as it corrodes, it even corrodes our support for public water. We think, ‘Why should I pay more for water? I’ll just go buy bottled water.’ But, in fact, we don’t actually spend that much money supporting the system. In the U.S., we spend $21 billion a year buying bottled water, and we spend $29 billion a year maintaining the entire water system — pipes, treatment plants, pumps. We spend almost as much on crushable plastic bottles of water as we do maintaining the water system.”
Taking water for granted means that too little attention is paid to the future of our water utilities and their ability to supply our needs.
This problem, evident when one looks at the deficit in infrastructure spending and large rates of water loss (25%-30% according to the world bank) is summed up here:
“The average U.S. home pays an average of $34 a month. So our always-on, unlimited, almost universally reliably safe water costs us about $1 a day. Our water bill is less than half what our cable TV bill or our cell phone bill is. So cities are starved for financial resources and water utilities are often in terrible shape. In Philadelphia, there are 3,300 miles of water mains in the city, and they replace 20 miles a year. They’re on 160-year replacement cycles. One of the officials from the Philadelphia water utility said to me, ‘We want to make sure we get the 20 miles right.’ That’s not a question of money, it’s a question of public resistance to digging up streets.”
Water is mis-priced.
Fishman mentions that business are already taking into account the dire need to reduce their water spend – for a variety of reasons, from protecting their reputation (by not harming local water supply) to saving costs and preparing for a less water secure future. This is what the big corporations are doing – Nestle, Coca Cola and IBM – but while businesses appreciate the hidden water they depend on, consumers and smaller businesses do not. One of the reasons for this is that water is never priced in accordance with its value.
Every gallon of water we use has an economic value — the value of whatever we can actually do with that water, whether it’s brew our morning coffee, grow an acre of wheat, or make a microchip.
Yet in our homes, our schools, our companies and organizations, we typically behave as if the opposite were true. We act as if clean, on-demand water has zero economic value. Especially in the developed world, the value inherent in water is hidden under a cloak of invisibility. Although the water has indispensable usefulness, it rarely has a price.
Yet Fishman ends on a positive note – although the US is using the most water per-capita and although India and China use more water as their economies become more developed, water use can be made much smarter. His most salient example is the reduction in the use of water as compared to GDP in the US. According to Fishman, today the US uses less water (410 billion gallons of water a day) than it used in 1980 (440 billion gallons of water a day). So although the US is an example for high per-capita water use, it is using less water to support a $ 13 trillion economy than it used for the $ 6 trillion 1980 economy, 30 years ago. This is dramatic. Today US farmers (71% of total global water use is for agriculture) use 15% less water to produce 70% more food. This is Fishman’s most important lesson: smarter use can bring a dramatic difference in how we use water and in our water future, without making the world a less habitable place.


text:
Danish toymaker The Lego Group has revealed plans to launch a series of own-brand stores across the globe. According to the Financial Times, the company will add more than 160 new retail spaces this year alone. The rollout will focus largely on expansion in Asia, with the expectation to see 140 stores debuted in 35 different Chinese cities by the end of 2019. Lego will open a new office in India as well.
Lego oversees nearly 100 stores worldwide.


text:
Lotus' First All-Electric Hypercar To Be Called Evija
Lotus has been teasing us with its upcoming all-electric hypercar and though we haven’t yet got a chance to see it, atleast we know its name. Lotus has chosen the Goodwood Festival of Speed to reveal the name of its new all-electric hypercar, and is calling on fans to visit its stand for an exclusive glimpse. Due to start production in 2020, the world’s first British EV hypercar will be called the Lotus Evija.
As the first major Lotus model launch under the stewardship of Geely, the Evija will be showcased at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Pronounced ‘ev-eye-a’ it means ‘the first in existence’ or ‘the living one’. Lotus Cars CEO Phil Popham said, “Evija is the perfect name for our new car because it’s the first hypercar from Lotus, our first electric offering and is the first new model under the stewardship of Geely. The Evija is a Lotus like no other, yet a true Lotus in every sense. It will re-establish our brand on the global automotive stage and pave the way for further visionary models.”
The Lotus Evija will be unveiled in full in London later this month. Since its existence was confirmed at the Shanghai International Auto Show in April, the car has been known only by its Lotus Type number – Type 130. In May Lotus confirmed a maximum of 130 examples will be built at its factory in Hethel, Norfolk, in tribute to its Type number.
Source: Read Full Article


text:
Nebraska’s economy way up in May
The state of Nebraska collected almost $300 million more in May tax revenue than what was projected - a sign that the economy is returning to normal.
The state of Nebraska collected almost $300 million more in May tax revenue than what was projected – a sign that the economy is returning to normal.
According to data released by the Department of Revenue, net receipts for May were $720 million, which is 70.2% above the certified forecast of $423 million.
Retailers have noticed the shift.
“Last month was the biggest month we’ve had in over a year,” Joey Rupp, the general manager of Best of Big Red, said.
Rupp says she noticed the changer from the very beginning of May.
“It would probably have been the day of the spring game for us,” she said. “We expected a lot of people but we had a lot more people and a lot more sales than I had anticipated that day.”
Not only are retailers are seeing huge increases in sales, Lincoln residents like Austin Peters are getting back out on the town.
“You’re hitting the bars for that little after work get-together,” Peters said. “Things like that. [Loosed COVID restrictions] just make it easier now that we can walk in and do our thing.”
Economist Dr. Ernie Goss says people have been holding onto their stimulus money. With Nebraska continuing to open up, now those folks have an opportunity to spend it.
“We’re talking about consumers now, for the first time in sometime over a year now that they feel unleashed to move out there and spend,” Goss said.
Goss says he’s been surprised by the sudden boom, and says it could be bigger.
“What now is keeping the economy from expanding more briskly, is simply the labor shortages,” he said. “We’re still well below pre-pandemic levels in terms of jobs, but in terms of overall economic activity, we’re almost back there. It has been surprising.”


text:
7.20 +0.04 (0.56%)
After hours: 7:56PM EDT
|Bid||7.14 x 39400|
|Ask||7.18 x 36100|
|Day's Range||6.93 - 7.22|
|52 Week Range||4.05 - 12.52|
|Beta (3Y Monthly)||2.49|
|PE Ratio (TTM)||33.15|
|Forward Dividend & Yield||N/A (N/A)|
|1y Target Est||N/A|
MYM Nutraceuticals (CSE: MYM) (OTCBB: MYMMF) reported that planting is now complete for the 2019 growing season at the CBD-rich hemp project situated on 120-acres in Nye County, Nev. MYM has entered into a production agreement with Elite Ventures and invested $500,000 to grow one pivot of 120-acres of CBD-rich hemp in Nevada. Elite will […]The post Cannabis Stock News Daily Roundup July 16 appeared first on Market Exclusive.
Former Canopy Growth CEO Bruce Linton reveals why he thinks he was fired, and why he'll likely be coming after Constellation Brands in the U.S.
Aurora's focus on medical marijuana patients and international expansion could put these three companies on its buyout radar.
An emerging data company has a unique solution to identify, manage and distribute cannabis products, but the potential of its technology could stretch beyond the booming marijuana markets
Add another marijuana stock to the exchange's lineup, and join the growing crowd ordering burritos at the popular Mexican fast-casual restaurant chain.
Aurora might be late to the battle in the U.S., but the company just might eventually claim the throne in the global hemp CBD market.
Edmonton, Canada-based Aurora Cannabis (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB) (Frankfurt: 21P) has signed an arrangement agreement to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Hempco Food and Fiber (TSX-V: HEMP) (OTC: HMPPF). Under the agreement, Aurora has agreed to acquire all of the remaining common shares of Hempco in exchange for its common […]The post Aurora Cannabis to Acquire Remaining Stake in Hempco Food appeared first on Market Exclusive.
You'd have a lot of extra green in your pocket if you've owned any of these popular pot stocks since the year began.
Investors who missed out on the dramatic run-up in cannabis stocks might want to take a look at Zenabis Global Inc. (ZENA.TO)
Medicare for all may not be just a Democratic talking point as the 2020 campaign kicks into high gear. It could also “dramatically” increase access to medical marijuana, according to Nicholas Vita, CEO of cannabis company Columbia Care.
If you have doubts that cannabis is on its way from illegal to industrial, take a look inside Cresco Labs’ custom built, 43-thousand square-foot production facility in Joliet, Illinois.


text:
Presenting the best of menswear showcased at the third edition of the GQ Fashion Nights. Photographs: Satish Bodas/Rediff.com Diamond Demons by... ...http://www.rediff.com/getahead/report/glamour-wait-did-shahid-kapoor-just-wear-gold-gloves-like-mj/20171114.htm
The actor walked the runway at the India Beach Fashion Week for Vikram Phadnis' collection titled Bahisht. Take a look at the pics from the... ...http://www.rediff.com/getahead/report/glamour-here-comes-the-bride-kiara-advani-vikram-phadnis/20171031.htm
Romance rules the world they say, and in all the dynasties that have ruled across the world, there is usually a secret and hidden story of passion... ...http://www.mydigitalfc.com/fc-supplements/elan/mastani-bajirao-i-love-story
The actor turned showstopper for designer Payal Jain at the Amazon India Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2018. The Befikre actress graced the ramp in... ...http://www.rediff.com/getahead/report/glamour-stunning-vaani-kapoor-redefines-bohemian-fashion/20171017.htm
Sridevi was the showstopper for PC Jewellers at the Bangalore Times Fashion Week. Dressed in a red bridal lehenga with a boat-neck choli, the... ...http://www.rediff.com/getahead/report/glamour-roll-out-the-red-carpet-sridevi-is-here/20171010.htm
bandagedresschina specialises in...
Buy online, Designer Abraham Thakore...
Luxstar Boutique specialises in...


text:
By MIKE FERGUSON
Of the Baker City Herald
The seeds of the future are everywhere, futurist Dr. Thomas Jones told a Baker City crowd Wednesday. Were just too busy living to see how theyre being planted.
Jones spent most of the time during his two-hour talk pointing out where he thought the most fertile soil was for those seeds to germinate:
o In the coming decade or two, our biometric beds will intuitively know us. Theyll evaluate our vital signs and our sleep patterns to predict how well well perform at work that day. The question becomes, Jones said, whether we want our boss to have that information. He might dock our pay.
o In the next 10 years, paper money will disappear altogether, replaced by e-money. That wont seem too unusual, since 85 cents of every dollar now moves electronically.
o Soon well all have our own intelligent software agent, called a knobot. These electronic personal assistants are already being marketed by Motorola. (Say hiya to Maya, the companys ad urges)
o By 2011, companies will offer us personalized products using a technique called mass customization, targeted for a market of one. Already we can order dolls that look like our children. To show the adaptive technology already exists, Toyota recently invited a Tokyo student to design his own car model. The company built and delivered it to him in five days. Now there are about 650 models of cars, Jones said. Soon there will be millions.
Jones, a small business management instructor at Clackamas Community College, painted a picture of the not-too-distant future that will be accessible to nearly everyone, thanks to the lower cost of new technology. Pharmaceutical companies will be transformed to genetaceutical companies theyll sell us medicine that incorporates our personal genetic material to make the medicine more effective.
Also in demand will be weight control and anti-aging products, he said, to help serve the nations 10,000 baby boomers who now turn 50 every day.
Another trend in retail will be never-owned products. Many goods will instead be leased, recycled and replaced. Thats already the case, Jones said, with most carpeting laid in office buildings.
Computers chips will be everywhere especially outside of computers. Theyll be painted on the walls, so that rooms in houses can be heated or cooled to different temperatures. Theyll be imbedded in boxes so that shipping companies can track packages more easily.
Time itself will compress. The sum of human knowing, which now doubles every four years, will double about every month by the year 2010. Everything that the most educated person in the world learned in a lifetime 150 years ago would now fit into a typical edition of todays New York Times, Jones said.
Tomorrows workplace will be far different. For one thing, it will be smaller. Emerging technologies already eliminate about 2,700 jobs every day. One futurist thinks General Motors will be the largest company in America by 2015 but it will employ just 15,000 people.
Today the company has more than 50,000 middle managers.
Half of todays retail stores will close by 2010. Only two kinds of stores will endure: those that offer convenience, like grocery stores; and those that provide a shopping experience one couldnt have elsewhere, such as Baker Citys historic downtown retail area.
Consumers will do the bulk of their shopping electronically. Already, e-commerce accounts for almost 10 percent of the nations $7 trillion economy.
National governments will probably be a thing of the past by 2050, Jones believes, as states realign themselves into regional centers of common interest. Oregon will probably be part of greater Columbia, a Northwest community of common interests that will include British Columbia. California, already the worlds fifth-largest economy, will be independent, Jones predicted.
Students of today will need to earn their academic credentials to make their way in a world that cant even imagine what theyll be doing for a living even 10 years from now. A robust economy has created nearly half a million high-tech, high-wage jobs that are currently unfilled. One in 10 of them had no applicants, Jones said, for jobs that are not place dependent. They could be filled by a Baker City resident or a New Yorker.
Oregon, he said, has the highest success rate for entrepreneurship in the nation. More than 70 percent of start-ups reach their fifth birthday. The high failure rate many of us read about has more to do with the industrial jobs traditionally located in Northeastern Rust Belt states.
Even local physicians may have to re-invent themselves. Surgeons are already experimenting with virtual operations, using video cameras and robotic scalpels to operate on patients in the next room. Soon the finest surgeons in the world will be able to operate all over the world from home, which for the highly skilled will become a television studio.
Jones brought one impeccable credential to his talk. Hes been delivering his speech since 1993, and hes still using about 80 percent of his material. That means most of what hes predicted has either come about or is down the foreseeable pike.
Since hes a self-described happy futurist, Jones left his audience with a quote from the comedian George Carlin, who suggested a new take on an old metaphor.
Some people say the glass is half empty, and other think its half full, Carlin said. I say the glass is the wrong size!
The future is a blank page that all of us can author, Jones said. Pessimists are more often right, but optimists accomplish more.


text:
After a year of debate, wine now sold at Kamloops grocery store
By Brendan Kergin
Kamloops Winery Association executive director Trish Morelli, right, speaking at the opening of the Sahali Save-On-Foods wine section, Friday, Oct. 7, 2016. Behind her, from left to right, are area MLAs Todd Stone, Terry Lake and Jackie Tegart along with B.C. Wine Institute executive director Miles Prodan.
(BRENDAN KERGIN / iNFOnews.ca)
October 07, 2016 - 12:16 PM
KAMLOOPS - After more than a year of debate, wine is actually on the shelves of a Kamloops grocery store.
Sahali’s Save-On-Foods grocery store held a grand opening today, Oct. 7, for its wine department, the first of its kind in Kamloops and 11th in B.C. Politicians, grocery store personnel and members of the wine industry were on hand for the ribbon cutting.
Kamloops Winery Association executive director Trish Morelli says the new location gives locally wineries access to new customers.
“It took a while to get here, but well worth the effort,” she says. “This is going to have a significant impact on the local wineries.”
While provincial politicians were on hand for the opening, no city councillors — who ultimately gave their stamp of approval to the grocery store wine sales — attended. City council had debated wine in grocery stores on and off since the provincial legislation changed in 2015.
A bylaw to restrict how many liquor outlets are allowed in an area was defeated and then approved in the summer of 2015.
In November 2015 Save-On-Foods bought B.C. wine licences from Discover Wines. While the grocery store chain was allowed to open a store in Kelowna in February, Kamloops council initially blocked the application Kamloops, but eventually approved it in July after a clarification of what exactly was to be allowed.
In Vernon and Penticton similar issues were debated.
Vernon council recently gave to go ahead for wine to be sold in grocery stores, while in Penticton, councillors initially blocked wine in grocery stores with a bylaw but amended it to allow B.C. wines to be sold.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Brendan Kergin or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © InfoTel News Ltd, 2016


text:
A temporary sales ban against the company's Galaxy Tab 10.1 was lifted by a court in the US. The ban had been imposed on June 26 ahead of a month-long patent trial between Apple and Samsung. However, the New York court rescinded the ban after a jury ...
That said, Apple Inc. AAPL, +0.50% still has plenty of challenges ahead. Some of those stem simply from the nature of the fast-paced, hyper-competitive consumer technology business the company currently competes in - and largely dominates.
Apple remains a leader in innovation that is adored by consumers around the world. The brand helped the company generate $40 billion in profits over the past 12-months, second most in the world behind Exxon Mobil.
Apple's executive shake-up earlier this week is a sign that design is the "tip of the spear" for the company, but the reorganization won't disrupt the firm's product delivery and may produce some groundbreaking moves, analysts predicted today.


text: Volunteer Judy Wu-Hamel smiles while picking tomatoes Friday at Florida Veggies & More in Vero Beach. “It’s great — they’ve done a beautiful job,” said Wu-Hamel, who tries to visit once a week. Florida Veggies & More partners with the The Source and the Treasure Coast Food Bank to provide nutritious, locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables to those in need. The store is also open to the public and home delivery is available. For more information, visit http://www.flveggies.com.


text:
TRADE GAP HIGHER: The U.S. trade deficit grew 15.8 percent in November from October to $48.7 billion, a seven-month high.
EXPORTS AND IMPORTS: The deficit increased because imports rose 3.8 percent, while exports increased just 1 percent. The import gain was led by consumer goods, reflecting strong demand for foreign-made cell phones.
IMPACT: The wider deficit will likely slow economic growth in the October-December quarter because it means Americans spent more on foreign products while U.S. businesses earned less in overseas sales. But the jump in imports shows consumers have maintained their appetite for spending, which could help growth in the coming months.


text:
Another Toilet Paper Shortage? Look So As Supply Chain Issues Clog Distribution
It's almost like a repeat of early 2020 all over again. Toilet paper is becoming harder and harder to find and people panicked that they'll run out, are buying all that they can which isn't helping the situation.
The warning that maybe supply was getting low came from my mother a month ago when she told me that both Cosco and Walmart in her Albany area neighborhood were bare-shelved when it came to toilet paper.
Last weekend, while standing in the checkout at Aldi in Vestal, a woman approached the cashier and asked if there was more toilet paper in the back. The employee said that there wasn't and that they didn't know when more would be coming in. Then, she made a comment about how they couldn't keep the product on the shelves.
On Monday, a friend sent me a text showing almost completely bare shelves of toilet paper at Sam's Club in Vestal. So, what's the deal? Is there really a legitimate toilet paper shortage or are people unnecessarily panicking and hoarding for no reason?
Experts say that there are a variety of reasons why certain items such a toilet paper, chicken, and even coffee are harder to find. The biggest reason is that shipping costs have skyrocketed as demand for the items has outpaced the supply.
According to Burt Flickinger, a retail expert, Americans should expect product shortages to be just as bad as when the COVID-19 pandemic started. Clearly, we hope this won't be the case but there's no guarantee it won't be.
Forbes jumped in and said that there are some serious bottlenecks in the supply chain which are made worse by a shortage of shipping container problems. Does this mean we should panic buy? No. Please don't do that as it will only make the situation worse.
On another note, if you're tired of worrying about running out of toilet paper, the bidet industry is currently booming in America. Seriously.


text:
While many wine lovers across the country don’t take Pennsylvania wine seriously, the state has made great strides in the industry as its number of licensed wineries has grown from 64 to 257 since 2000, writes Marnie Old for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The depth of grape-growing experience has expanded, and therefore, so has the quality of the wines produced here.
“Compared to other international wine regions, the various facets of our climate most closely resemble those found in northern France, northern Italy, Austria, and even Germany,” said Michela Centinari, assistant professor of viticulture at Penn State.
The cool, cloudy, but still humid conditions favor light and bright white wines like the 2016 Grüner Veltliner from Penns Woods Winery in Chadds Ford.
Pennsylvania does produce some noteworthy red wines, too, like the 2016 Cabernet Franc from 1723 Vineyards in Landenberg.
Read more about Pennsylvania wine in The Philadelphia Inquirer here.


text:
- The House That Fried Chicken Built, more popularly known as Max’s, has been around after the Second World War and has been a favorite of many American soldiers
- The restaurant has built a better reputation for itself as its Glendale, California branch has been dubbed as one of the area's best Asian fried chicken joints
- Award-winning food critic Johnathan Gold dubbed Max’s chicken as ‘pretty much the right call'
Philippine cuisine has made its mark as one of the best cuisines in the world, whether traditional or fast food. This time, Jollibee did not take over any international list – but another restaurant that prides in its fried chicken.
(photo credit: edmontonjournal.com)
Max’s, whose fried chicken has been dubbed as ‘sarap to the bones’, made its way to Pulitzer Prize winner Jonathan Gold’s list of top Asian fried chicken restaurants in Los Angeles, California.
Gold has made a name for himself as a food critic for a couple of Los Angeles-based publications such as the Los Angeles Times and LA Weekly and has been known for supporting small, ethnic restaurants.
(photo credit: alchetron.com)
In an article he has written for the Los Angeles Times over a month ago, he described the restaurant’s chicken as ‘pretty much the right call’, with its slightly vinegar taste and nice crispness. He even suggested trying the halo-halo after the main course.
The restaurant’s branch in Glendale joins other Asian establishments such as Merry’s House of Chicken from Indonesia, OB Bear from Korea and Tokyo Fried Chicken from Japan.
(photo credit: ryelmedina.wordpress.com)
Max’s was first established post-World War II, which was initially a café that served simple dishes to American soldiers. The owner’s niece, Ruby Gimenez, created the recipe that has been their signature chicken, and the rest is history.
Like the rest of other local fast food chains, Max’s has kept up with its expansion to the point that they have branches in every part of the country. They have now targeted North America for its global expansion, where California has the most branches so far. The restaurant chain has also established a few branches in Canada as well.-Kami Media


text:
The search marketing industry will see many more patents filed and granted in the coming year. They will improve processes and run backend systems behind the scenes, certainly not meant for those searching the Web to see. These behind-the-scene gems will work to make online search advertising and marketing more efficient, so brands can serve less ads and gain better returns on investments (ROIs). They must as the industry matures. It's part of growing up.
Earlier this week, Covario, a San Diego-based search marketing agency, revealed it had received its first patent for geared toward Web-based software for search engine optimization (SEO). The patent No. 7877392, granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office for a "Centralized Web-based Software Solution for Search Engine Optimization" supports features in Covario SEO Audit Score, a system that uses a weighted algorithmic formula to audit and score SEO. It has three key indicators to assess a brand's or a product's probability of ranking high in a search engine's natural results.
Covario SEO Audit Score scans a client's Web site pages for best practices of SEO. It's divided into content, technical and link-building sections. The weighted scoring algorithm helps to summarize the health of the client's site and pages. It provides insight into what to work on next. The patent supporting the platform feeds into a new concept Covario CEO Russ Mann calls "algorithmic SEO."
Mann says the patent on algorithmic SEO that combines automation and analytics relies on content, analytics and scores. The signals identify quality link analysis, content relevance and technical quality. In its latest version Covario adjusted the weighting scale to put the greatest emphasis on link quality. Earlier this month, Covario suggested clients, mostly electronics companies, increase global paid search budget between 15 and 20%, compared with last year. This increase, on average, will allow them to maintain market share in the global high-tech and consumer electronics sector as more budgets and campaigns go global.
Covario also recommended allocating between 10% and 20% of the total of their global paid search advertising budget to Facebook advertising in 2011. Budgets moving into Facebook will come from display advertising, not search, according to the report.


text:
The cancelation of festivals and other crowd drawing events here and parts of the Cordillera Administrative Region due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid 19) threat has adversely affected the vegetable industry in the region, an official of a produce trader's group in Benguet said on Friday.
Benguet Farmers Marketing Cooperative head Agot Balanoy said the last month of 2019 and the first two months of 2020 have been difficult for the vegetable industry.
She said the suspension of the annual Panagbenga or the Baguio Flower Festival, which brings in hundreds of thousands of tourists for the whole duration had also led to the drop in the sales of vegetables locally.
She said the suspension of the Panagbenga has led to hotels, restaurants and resorts' limiting their orders due to the low demand for food in establishments, with few local and foreign tourists arriving, compared to the other years during the Panagbenga season.
Balanoy said the cancelation of the festivals in other regions prevented people from cooking food for several guests, also caused the drop in the demand for vegetables, substantially reducing the orders at the vegetable trading post.
Few vegetables are being bought and transported to other regions, she said.
Balanoy, however, said the supply of vegetables is steady.
There are no calamities and there is nothing to disturb the production but the demand is just low that it causes prices to drop, Balanoy said in the Ilocano dialect.
She said since December 2019, traders have been having a difficult time selling their vegetables in Metro Manila where sellers were prevented from peddling on the streets, effectively reducing orders.
The issue of the truck ban in Baguio during the nationwide peak demand for vegetables had also affected the sales of the highland produce.
Balanoy said more or less 130,000 farmers in Benguet supply highland vegetables in different markets nationwide. There are also farmers in Mt. Province and Ifugao, which also produces highland vegetables brought to the trading post.
The first quarter of the year is a very difficult time in selling highland vegetables at the trading post due to low demand, said Balanoy as the vegetables being sold even below their production cost.
She said on wholesale prices at the La Trinidad Trading Post, cabbage was sold at PHP4 to PHP8 for the mighty ball variety, the rare ball from PHP6 to PHP10; scorpio at P10 to PHP14 per kilo on February 10.
She said these further dropped to PHP3 to PHP6, PHP4 to PHP7 and PHP6 to PHP10 for the same varieties, respectively on February 28.
Balanoy said wombok (Chinese cabbage) was sold on February 10 between PHP6 to PHP10 and carrots from PHP10 to PHP15 and improved a little on Feb. 28 from PHP5 to PHP10 for wombok and PHP12 to PHP16 for carrots.
Potatoes' prices remain good from PHP40 to PHP55 a kilo depending on the size, Balanoy said.
Joel Cervantes, municipal information officer of La Trinidad, said the cancelation of crowd drawing events nationwide due to the Covid 19 scare has led to the drop in the sales of vegetables and the drop in the prices.
All farmers have good harvest but the real problem right now is the drop in the prices due to the drop in the demand while the supply is very sufficient, Cervantes said.
He said while the situation is good for the consumers, it is affecting the traders and the farmers who have to face the brunt of the drop in prices with losses due to unsold goods.
Some 1.2 to 1.5 million kilograms of assorted vegetables are transported daily from the trading post going to various markets nationwide.
SOURCE: PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY


text:
Typically even a blowout quarter isn’t sufficient for Wall Avenue.
After Lowe’s on Wednesday reported U.S. comparable gross sales rose 30.4% final quarter, shares fell 6%. Residence Depot’s very robust quarterly report on Tuesday, reflecting Individuals’ continued spending on dwelling tasks through the pandemic, was additionally met with a inventory worth dip.
Whereas a few of that needed to do Wall Avenue worries in regards to the bills at each corporations linked to compensating staff and making shops secure through the COVID-19 pandemic, the hit to shares mirrored a nagging worry amongst traders: how will Lowe’s and Residence Depot sustain this torrid tempo?
The businesses hope to reply that query by branching out past their conventional bread-and-butter choices. Subsequent week’s Black Friday buying event will present some perception into how a lot prospects will reply to newer merchandise from these retailers. Lowe’s is making its largest play but for vacation season gross sales this yr by including enjoyable to its assortment in an try to get past issues like drywall and energy instruments. Meaning including merchandise like scooters, trampolines, train bikes, air hockey tables, and kitchen objects on the idea that individuals’s spending on their properties through the pandemic can transcend establishing areas fitted to work-from-home and residential education.
“We already service dwelling workplace and residential college wants, however we didn’t have rather a lot happening for the leisure piece of it,” Lowe’s CEO Marvin Ellison tells Fortune. “Our knowledge tells us that when the client trusts us and buys merchandise for his or her properties, they may belief us for getting different non-core objects.”
He takes a web page from Residence Depot’s playbook, which final yr credited a powerful Black Friday interval, by no means beforehand that vital to dwelling enchancment chains, for its stellar fourth quarter outcomes. Final yr, Residence Depot created gifting areas in its shops and doubled down on dwelling decor objects. Extra lately, the corporate made Halloween an enormous gross sales occasion, having fun with robust outcomes pushed partially by a $300 12-foot skeleton that bought like hotcakes.
Each Lowe’s and Residence Depot argue that even as soon as COVID-19 fades and prospects aren’t spending as a lot time at dwelling, the increase will proceed.
Ellison says that roughly two-thirds of income comes from issues prospects don’t have any selection however to deal with, equivalent to changing a damaged heater or equipment, or fixing a leak, so the majority of the enterprise is secure. Development will come, he says, due to an getting older of U.S. housing inventory; some 50% of U.S. properties are older than 40 years and can want work within the coming years.
And in contrast to the 2009, when collapsing housing values dented spending on dwelling enchancment, this financial downturn has seen dwelling costs maintain up properly, a development that spurs householders to spend money on their homes, and really feel extra invested in them, an concept one analyst on Wall Avenue echoed in a analysis be aware.
“We encourage traders to think about householders’ strengthened emotional attachment to their properties,” wrote Jefferies analyst Jonathan Matuszewski. What’s extra, the analyst added, many giant dwelling enchancment tasks have been on maintain due to social distancing necessities. “A wave of tasks” may come as soon as the vaccine arrives, he stated.
Extra basically, the businesses see a cultural shift that may final past the present pandemic, with folks prone to hold working from dwelling extra typically even when workplaces re-open, and studying to like fixing stuff round the home.
“We’ve re-introduced folks to dwelling enchancment throughout this era and doing it themselves,” Residence Depot finance chief Richard McPhail informed Fortune this week.
Extra must-read retail protection from Fortune:
- How Mattress Tub & Past’s CEO tamed its trademark coupons—and turned the retailer round
- The corporate behind Kay and Zales desires to provide jewellery buying a pandemic-era makeover
- Kohl’s CEO insists its supersize magnificence retailers can compete with the brand new Ulta/Goal partnership
- Goal trounced rivals like Walmart within the third quarter
- Black winemakers are climbing up the vine


text:
What you think you know about the content business is changing minute by minute. But we’ll keep you up to speed, join us!
Welcome to TheGrill 2021, presented by our WrapPRO community! After a year and a half of a global pandemic, we are smarter than we were a year ago about where the entertainment and media industry is headed. But there is a lot that is continuing to shift.
We are seeing the results of wave after wave of consolidation at the top of entertainment, from Viacom and CBS re-merging, to Discovery taking over Warner Bros. to Amazon buying MGM and just this week CAA acquiring ICM. It’s an industry with fewer, bigger giants. Is there still more to come?


text:
The newly formed Cambodia Travel Goods and Leather Association (CLTA) will ‘bridge the gap’ between the government and private enterprise to better assist the industry that exported over a billion dollars worth of products last year.
More than 500 members, sponsors, and partners attended the launch event at the Sofitel in Phnom Penh the launch including Deputy Prime Minister H.E Men Sam An and Neak Oknha Keth Meng, Chairman of Cambodia Chamber of Commerce.
The event also brought together over 20 business associations and chambers in Cambodia and was sponsored by Kasen Group, Alpha Commercial Bank, Huawei Technologies, ES Packaging, Singapore Cambodia International Academy, and Hanuman Beverages.
A common platform for the industry
The CLTA will be led by Honorary Chairman Oknha Ly Kunthai and Chairman Lim Tong, who stated the association was established due to the growing numbers of small and large factories in Cambodia.
“There was a need to establish the independence of the manufacturing sector of each product is increasing, it is necessary and timely to form this association to give focus on each product with efficiency,” Oknha Ly Kunthai said.
“CTLA will serve as a common platform for members to provide ideas, and facilitate communication in providing appropriate solutions to all stakeholders for the common benefits and contribute to the development of Cambodia’s economy,” he added.
Chairman Lim Tong explained that the export data of bags and traveling products to foreign markets increased by over 55% compared to 2021, with a total value of $1.02 billion.
“Since the establishment of the association, we have gained full support from all factories in this industry,” he said.
“Our association aims to join the government in attracting investors, facilitating setting up of factories and providing employment opportunities to workers in Cambodia, stimulate the economic growth of the Kingdom of Cambodia to grow even stronger,” he added.
Working with partners to help members
The CLTA also signed several agreements to work with partner institutions including the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, the Singapore Cambodia International Academy, and Huawei Technologies.
The agreements will allow the CLTA to implement training sessions for its members, develop better communication technology infrastructure via smart devices as well as implement green energy infrastructure across the industry.
Cambodia Investment Review has previously reported local manufacturing companies have been requesting the government cancel burdensome grid connection capacity charges as well as offer more favorable tariffs for rooftop solar to ensure the sector remains competitive.
In addition, the sector is currently undergoing a transformation focusing on developing sustainability for its workforce as well as its carbon footprint.
To read more about the transformation click here.
The association said it will also be guiding member factories to adhere to International Labor Organization Better Factories Cambodia requirements in improving workplace conditions, maintaining the interest of both employers and workers, and aligning with the development strategy of the government.


text:
Maruti Suzuki today launched the Vitara Brezza Sports Limited Edition, which is basically an accessorised Vitara Brezza. The Sports Limited Edition model can be purchased in any of the existing grades..
Maruti Suzuki has ramped up production of the Maruti Vitara Brezza by 10 per cent to 94,000 units during the April-October period of the ongoing fiscal as compared with the same period last year. The..
Not long ago, the word SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) used to be associated with highly rugged purpose-built off-roaders like the Mitsubishi Pajero SFX. Now, the term SUV is regularly used for many car ..
Global NCAP, under its Safer Cars For India Campaign, has tested 25 mass-market models that are on sale in India. Recently, the organisation released the results of its latest round of crash tests. In..


text:
Drug firm Venus Remedies on Thursday said it has launched a consumer healthcare division that will offer a variety of products in segments like crucial pain management, gastro-enterology, hygiene, stress management, vitamins and supplements. To begin with, the division has introduced its holistic pain management solution called R3SET, Venus Remedies said in a statement.
The R3SET Life formula ensures maximum efficacy by combining the goodness of proven essential oils with nanotechnology to provide instant relief and long-term healing, it added.
"We have charted a roadmap for addressing the needs of modern-day Indian consumers who, empowered by the digital revolution brought about by technology over the past decade, make informed choices by digging deeper into science and opt for remedies that work best for them," Venus Remedies, Global Critical Care President Saransh Chaudhary said.
Venus Remedies has entered this OTC space at an ideal time to cater to their specific requirements, he added.
Amongst the other launches of the consumer healthcare division is Sterloc, a hypochlorous acid based natural disinfectant, the filing said.
Shares of Venus Remedies settled at Rs 465.15 per scrip on BSE, up 5 per cent from its previous close.
FICCI is advocating for the 'Illegally operating E-Pharmacies' and giving them the false impression and narrative that they are operating legally and in compliance with the laws of our country, despite the High Court of Delhi having banned their operations. This misadventure from FICCI proves that they do not believe in the process of laws and Courts in our country, shared AIOCD in their letter.
The Union Health Ministry stated in Parliament today that there is a 71 per cent increase in medical colleges from 387 before 2014 to 660 as of now. Indicated that 101,043 seats are currently available, up from 51,348 in 2014, of which 52,778 are in government medical institutions and the remaining 48,265 are in private medical colleges.


text:
Amazon's Holiday Weekend Breaks Company Records
Cyber Monday was the biggest shopping day in Amazon history.
‘Tis the season to be jolly, and Amazon has 180 million reasons to be jolly this year. The Thanksgiving holiday weekend was record-breaking for Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) with Cyber Monday being the biggest shopping day in company history with more products being ordered globally than on any other day. Over the five-day holiday shopping weekend or “Turkey 5,” Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, customers around the world purchased more than 18 million toys. On Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Amazon customers bought more than 13 million fashion items.
“Black Friday and Cyber Monday continue to break records on Amazon year over year, which tells us that customers love shopping for deals to kick off the holiday shopping season,” said Jeff Wilke, CEO Worldwide Consumer, in a news release yesterday. “With curated gift guides, convenient shopping experiences, incredible product selection, and free shipping with no minimum purchase amount, Amazon offers customers tremendous value-sure to deliver smiles all season long.”
Understand what you need to master to be successful at your subscription business.
Highlights from the holiday shopping weekend include the following:
- Holiday shopping sales were big for small and medium-sized businesses, growing 20 percent on Black Friday compared to last year.
- Over the five-day weekend, Amazon customers purchased more than 180 million items.
- Top sellers included Christmas lights via Prime Now, the all-new Echo Dot, the Amazon Smart Plug, Michelle Obama's “Becoming,” the L.O.L. Surprise Series toys, AncestryDNA: Genetic Testing Ethnicity, Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones for Apple, Jenga, and the six-quart Instant Pot DUO60.
Of course, Amazon products were big sellers around the globe as well. The new Echo Dot was the #1 selling product across all manufacturers and all categories. Other top sellers were the Fire TV Stick 4K, the Fire 7 tablet with Alexa, iRobot Roomba, millions of Fire tablets and Kindle devices, and Amazon home security products including Ring and Blink products.
Amazon reports that, leading up to the holiday weekend, Whole Foods Market and Amazon made customers' lives easier as they prepared for Thanksgiving guests. Highlights include:
- Prime members saved millions on grocery items, including turkeys, from Whole Foods Market. Turkey sales broke company records for the second year in a row.
- More shoppers ordered Thanksgiving meals and had groceries delivered through Amazon Fresh and Prime Now.
- Day-before-Thanksgiving top sellers included lemons, celery and onions.
- Alexa got in on the action, advising customers on how to prepare and roast their turkeys, sharing requested recipes and serving as a kitchen timer.
Amazon did not announce whether they acquired new Prime members during the holiday shopping weekend.
On the heels of Amazon's announcement about dividing its new headquarters between Virginia and New York City, Amazon reports record holiday shopping results. This comes as no surprise, as Amazon has been setting holiday shopping records for years. Alexa's additional skills, Amazon's new products and the 2017 acquisition of Whole Foods contributed to this year's success.
Personally, Amazon made my holiday much easier. I ordered groceries twice using Amazon Fresh – including my turkey – on the Saturday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving. This helped me avoid the grocery store for the most part. While they didn't have everything I needed, they had most items I needed and at prices comparable to stores. I didn't do any Black Friday or Cyber Monday shopping, but I did get a deeply-discounted Instant Pot from Amazon on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.


text:
- Subscribe NowLimited Time Offer
The retail revolution
Send this story to a friend
- Angelo Carusi, Cooper Carry
The classic, indoor American shopping mall has become so synonymous with our culture that it’s hard to imagine life without it.
But as cultures shift and online retailers bite into sales, retailers, developers, architects and designers must identify what the next generation of retail will look like. My prediction is that malls in the right locations will continue to survive by doing what they always have: adapting to the needs of their customers, who, in this day and age are frequently immigrant groups.
Data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau projects that if immigration continues as expected, the nation’s population will grow from 309 million in 2010 to 436 million in 2050, an increase of 127 million. By 2050, the Census Bureau also anticipates that net immigration will total 68 million. These future immigrants plus their descendants will add 96 million residents to the U.S. population, accounting for three-fourths of future population growth.
Although many industries have adapted their business models in order to retain the Gen Y customer base, it’s clear the biggest increase in population during the next 40 years will stem not from Generation Y, but rather from immigrants. Architects and designers must therefore shed any predispositions or biases and design for these new cultures.
As noted by numerous demographers, immigrant populations have and will continue to settle in suburbs due to existing social structures, available jobs and the desire to achieve the American Dream - a house in a safe location with good schools for their children.
Already positioned in these suburban areas are regional malls, ready to respond to new shopping patterns. Developers should convene focus groups to determine the demographics of the local population, and then tailor their plans based on the results.
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
- Most popular
- SunTrust buys naming rights to new Braves stadium (SLIDESHOW)
- MARTA moves forward to build atop rail stations
- Jacoby Development to seek approval for massive redevelopment
- Apartments planned by Atlanta Waterworks
- Mayor Reed says Turner Field sale could benefit Hawks
- Obama to visit Atlanta Tuesday for Ebola update
- Ex-Georgia Democratic Party Chairman charged with $1.8M in fraud
- Tweet this: Twitter takes 80,000 square feet at Atlanta data center
- Ponce de Leon Zesto closing
- Coca-Cola brings back Surge
Sign up to receive Atlanta Business Chronicle's Morning Edition and Afternoon Edition newsletters and breaking news alerts.
Sales Representative ChannelAdvisor | Morrisville, NC
Work For: ChannelAdvisor ChannelAdvisor | Morrisville, NC
Director-External Afairs Georgia Southern University | Statesboro, GA
Assoc. Vice President for University Advancement Georgia Southern University | Statesboro, GA
Sales Manager for Mundo Hispanico Cox Media Group | Norcross, GA


text:
From a humble beginning with just 4 employees in 1997, we have grown into an organisation with over 300 employees today.
The 16th National Best Quality ICT Awards 2014 was held on the 17th of October 2014 at Galadari Hotel, Colombo. It is a competition organised by the British Computer Society Chartered Institute for IT Sri Lanka.Read Full Story
hSenid Business Solutions in collaboration with Deloitte Consulting hosted a breakfast forum on "Succession Management- A critical factor for business sustainability" on the 23rdof October 2013 at Hilton Colombo Residence.Read Full Story
Gitex Techonology week 2013 was held from 22nd of October to 24th at Dubai World Trade Centre where hSenid Biz and hSenid Outsourcing showcased their products this year. GITEX Technology week 2013 is the ICT business gateway to the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia region.Read Full Story


text:
Global leader in cloud video surveillance, Eagle Eye Networks, will be present at this year’s ASIS Europe event, taking place in Vienna, March 20 – 22. In this exclusive interview, we speak to Vice President and Managing Director, EMEA, Rishi Lodhia, about what the brand has in store for visitors at the event, including new products and features the company has recently introduced, including AI-powered innovations.
Why is ASIS Europe an important show for you?
RI: “This event brings together key stakeholders, decision-makers, and innovators in security, offering a prime opportunity for us to showcase how our cloud-based video surveillance and AI technologies are revolutionising security operations, making their security systems significantly more efficient.”
What can visitors expect from you at the show? Why should they visit your stand?
RI: “Visitors can expect a dynamic and informative experience at our stand including live demonstrations of our innovative cloud video surveillance technologies and opportunities to discuss how Eagle Eye Networks can address their security and business challenges. We encourage attendees to book a meeting ahead of the show to talk to one of our Eagle Eye experts about enhancing their security posture, saving time and money, and simplifying their jobs.”
Can we expect any announcements from you at the show?
RI: “Attendees will get a chance to see a new products and features we’ve recently introduced including AI-powered products such as Smart Video Search and Eagle Eye LPR (License Plate Recognition), as well as our flagship open platform, Eagle Eye Cloud VMS (Video Management System). These developments underscore our commitment to deliver helpful solutions to our customers. Moreover, our dedication to cybersecurity assurance remains, ensuring the highest level of protection for our clients’ data and systems.”
What do you feel you are offering that sets you aside from your competitors?
RI: “Our focus on innovation and customer satisfaction distinguishes us as a trusted partner in the security industry. Eagle Eye Networks stands apart by providing a comprehensive suite of cloud-based security solutions that combine cybersecurity with simplicity, savings, and efficiency through AI integration. We bring to the market user-friendly interfaces, seamless integration, and superior performance. We prioritize scalability, and accessibility, ensuring that our customers can easily deploy and manage their security systems with minimal complexity.”
What are you most looking forward to at the show?
RI: “We are most excited about the opportunity to connect with our partners and potential customers, as well as industry peers. ASIS Europe is a valuable forum to exchange ideas, forge partnerships, and shape the future of security together.”
Find Eagle Eye Networks on stand: D7
For more ASIS Europe news, click here


text:
Apple just launched a new color for their latest iPod nano generation. Looks like Valentine's Day is not far away again as the new color for the iPod nano is pink.
The Apple store offers the pink 8GB iPod nano for $199.
Engraving is free, making the new pink iPod nano a great Valentine's gift.
The Apple store features a whole Valentine's Day gift guide. As with Christmas, almost all products in the Apple store would be great Valentine gifts, besides software or cables.
More details on the Apple Store.
Don't Miss: Enter the I4U News Nintendo Switch Giveaway!


text:
Union expresses deep regret at failure of Dunnes Stores, Lloyds Pharmacy and vintners’ bodies to engage over employee protection issues
Mandate seeking creativity and flexibility from employers on rostering due to closure of schools and childcare settings
The Mandate Trade Union has today welcomed the co-operative approach from the vast majority of retail employers on protecting workers’ health and safety in the context of the Corona virus crisis. However, the union has expressed deep regret at the failure of Dunnes Stores, Lloyds Pharmacy and the vintners’ organisations to engage with the union on their staff’s behalf.
Gerry Light, Mandate’s Assistant General Secretary, said that the situation relating to COVID 19 is escalating at an unpredictable and rapid pace and retail workers are very much in the frontline of trying to ensure that our families and communities continue to function as normally as possible during this crisis.
“Since confirmation of the first diagnosis of the Corona virus here in the Republic of Ireland, Mandate wrote to all major retailers on 3 March last requesting the implementation of best practice to ensure that retail workers are afforded the maximum levels of protection when it comes to their health and safety.
“We welcome the fact that the vast majority of employers in the sector responded in a speedy fashion providing the assurances we sought for retail workers and agreed to keep the union and its members appraised of developments as they occur. Indeed, some employers have gone beyond their statutory and contractual obligations, such as Tesco Ireland, and we would urge all retailers to follow their example.
“Regrettably two companies, Dunnes Stores and Lloyds Pharmacy, have not responded to our 3 March communication. This has resulted in us writing to them again expressing our disbelief that they have failed to engage with their workers’ representatives about this global health crisis and its obvious implications for their staff.”
Gerry Light explained that Mandate Trade Union also wrote to the two main licensed trade representative bodies, the Licensed Vintners Association and the Vintners Federation of Ireland to engage with them on health and safety issues for bar workers.
“As of today, we have not received any response from either organisation and this is deeply regrettable. We have now written again to the two vintners’ organisations and we would urge them to engage with us so we can together ensure the health and safety of their staff. Their behaviour – and that of Dunnes Stores and Lloyds Pharmacy does little to reflect the spirit of the national all-inclusive collaborative effort currently underway.”
Gerry Light concluded by explaining that yesterday’s decision to close all schools and childcare settings will have a considerable impact on retail workers.
“Clearly yesterday’s Government decision will have a significant impact on a sizable proportion of retail workers. Because of this, we have now written to all retail employers asking them to be as creative and flexible as possible in responding to the challenges facing their employees at this time in terms of how they approach their rostering of work.”


text:
Since 1887, Raffles Singapore has welcomed famous guests from celebrities, politicians and even members of royalty, such as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. With its signature Raffles butlers and liveried Sikh doormen, Raffles Singapore will always be remembered for its charming and graceful services that fulfil every request, both ordinary and extraordinary. Not to mention its classically elegant colonial style.
Through the decades, Raffles has spread its brand to many other parts of the world, with Jakarta one of them. Now, to celebrate the Singapore hotel’s milestone, a series of special events will be held at Raffles Jakarta. A range of exciting dining experiences awaits guests to create special memories while celebrating the brand’s 130th anniversary. Raffles Jakarta will bring you the Raffles Culinary Journey, the Around the World Sunday Brunch, with guests able to indulge in the signature culinary style of each Raffles hotel destination, like Istanbul, Paris, Siem Riep and Singapore.
Raffles Jakarta has invited Chef Mickael Le Calvez for a very special Sunday brunch by Arts Café on September 10. In addition, a new fine arts programme has also been launched by Raffles Jakarta entitled The Classical Music Soiree. Every month, talented musicians will be featured in The Writer’s Bar so they can be a part of the timeless beauty of classical music at Raffles.
The celebrations continue towards the end of the year when the 130 Years Garden Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held. The spectacular ceremony will take place by the pool, with Christmas choirs and a lighting spectacle. Raffles will also bring back its legendary Christmas dishes from the hotel’s past.


text:
YEREVAN — Inflation in Armenia continues to accelerate. The 12-month rate of inflation in the country was 9.6 percent, according to a report published by the Statistical Committee of the Armenian government. In the last quarter, all goods and services have become more expensive compared to the same period last year.
Inflation in the cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages grew 16.9 percent in November compared to the same month the previous year. This was greatly facilitated by the 4.8 percent and 16.4 percent respective rise in prices for fruits and vegetables.
Inflation was 63.5 percent for vegetables as compared to November of the previous year. In particular, in November, compared to October, registered a significantly greater rise in the prices of potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, green beans and green onions.
Fruit prices rose by 3.3 percent in November this year compared to the previous year, and by 4.8 percent compared to October this year. In November of this year, as compared to October, the general inflation of fruit and vegetable products was 11.35 percent. The above-mentioned product groups, having a share of 8.35 percent in the consumer basket, contributed to the growth of the general level of consumer prices by 0.9 percentage points during the mentioned period.
Cheese and eggs prices rose 13.3 percent compared to November last year. In November of this year, compared to the previous year, the price of eggs increased by 26.2 percent, cheese by 11.1 percent, meat by 8.0 percent, oils and fats by 21.1 percent, and sugar by 20.6 percent.
Compared to the previous year, non-food prices rose by 9.9 percent. In November of this year, compared to October, the prices of gasoline and diesel fuel increased by 3.2 percent and 3.1 percent respectively. Compared to the beginning of November last year, the price of gasoline increased by 48.1 percent and diesel fuel by 53.1 percent.


text:
Value Village plans to open up to 75 stores in coming years
Published 10:00 pm, Tuesday, May 3, 2005
The 197-store company, which operates as Value Village in the Northwest and Canada and as Savers in other U.S. regions, has been posting same-store sales growth of 12 percent, said Alterman, a former Pepsi-Cola Bottling Group manager who was promoted by the company in January.
After slowing down growth for a few years, the Bellevue-based company is targeting the Northeast, the Southwest, and the Upper Midwest for clusters of its for-profit thrift stores, which depend on purchases of secondhand goods from non-profit organizations.
- Starbucks holiday cup causes social media buzz over hand holdingFoxM9NJ
- Morning Business Outlook 11/22Fox7
- WOW Air's Black Friday Deal Is $99 Flights — and They're on Sale NowTaLTIME
- Mark Suster Says These Are the Hot Trends For VCsCheddar
- Analyst Notes Challenges for New Tesla TruckAP
- HSA v. FSAFox5Atlanta
- United Way hosting career fair for DPSCD studentsFox2Detroit
- Kellogg’s Will Open a NYC Cereal Café Five Times Bigger Than Its Times Square Pop-UpFAWTime
- Lyft is going internationalWibbitz
- Chinese FinTech CFO on IPO Day: Mobile, Blockchain Will Drive Industry InnovationCheddar
- All the Black Friday deals that matter right nowWibbitz
- Buena Vista winery hopes visitors will return in droves after the wildfiresKTVU2
- David Does It: Coca-cola StoreFox35Orlando
- This Company Wants You to Get Beach-Ready at HomeCheddar
- Newly-Public Aquantia Is Now Coming For Self-Driving CarsCheddar
- Conde Nast shuts down Teen Vogue magazine
- 8 fast and easy ways to make extra money
- Geo Group revenues up for quarterSunSentinel
- Lennar to merge with CalAtlanticSunSentinel
- Why Nexa Resources CEO Tito Martins Says Now Was the Right Time to IPOCheddar
"A lot of our strength is in Canada," said Alterman, explaining the focus on expansion in the United States.
The 8,500-employee company has 88 stores serving Canada's population of 32.2 million, and 104 stores serving the U.S. population of 295 million.
He said the company reached $432 million in sales last year, an 8 percent increase from the prior year's $400 million in sales, and a 15.2 percent two-year compound growth.
"We are trying to bring our profitability into the double digits," he said.
"We always try to double our investment."
The single most important factor in determining the nature and speed of the company's expansion, Alterman said, is its relationship with its non-profit partners, on whose bulk-rate deliveries the company's profits depend, whether for clothes, books or furniture.
Alterman is simplifying the company's pricing system and updating technology to allow more precise tracking of merchandise, which he said typically stays on the floor for no longer than a month.
He said that the fastest-growing segment of the chain is its "on-site deliveries," by which customers bring clothes and goods directly to the store, rather than donating at an off-site collection center.
The savings on gas, labor and delivery trucks for the non-profits mean lower costs for Savers.
While the company pays an average of $3 per pound to its non-profit partners who deliver the goods, it renegotiates its buying contracts when using the in-store collection center to pay about $1 per pound to the non-profit in whose name the clothes were donated.
Last year, the company bought 4,800 tons alone from the Northwest Center, a Seattle-based non-profit that provides services to disabled children and adults.
"It's the most important financial relationship we have," said Jean Kantu, the vice president of associative enterprise at the Northwest Center.
"We have contracts with the county and federal governments, but all that money has strings attached to it -- the money we get from Value Village is a terrific form of freedom for us."
In order to secure a steady supply of donations, the company has incubated more than 120 non-profits in its history, paying for the business costs of the startup until it has become stable enough to operate on its own.


text:
During National Fire Prevention Month the Wizard is raising funds selling wristbands with the company slogan, “Prevent a Fire, Clean Your Dryer” for a $5.00 donation to the Children’s Burn Foundation
Leesburg VA – The Leesburg Dryer Vent Cleaning Wizard is raising funds for the Children’s Burn Foundation as a way to observe National Fire Prevention Month and promote dryer fire prevention. Dryer Vent Wizard is a member of the National Fire Protection Association and a nationwide franchise specializing in commercial and residential dryer vent repair and maintenance.
The Wizard will be selling wristbands with the company’s slogan, “Prevent a Fire, Clean Your Dryer” for a small donation of just $5.00. The Wizard is giving 100 percent of the proceeds to the Children’s Burn Foundation. Consumers can visit the website to make an online donation at http://www.dryerventwizard.com
More than 17,000 dryer fires occur annually causing deaths, injuries and property damage. Failure to clean dryer vents is the number one cause of dryer related hazards.
“We are so happy to join this nationwide effort to raise money for the Children’s Burn Foundation to help children burned in fires,” said Janice Bittner, owner of Dryer Vent Wizard.
Education is an important part of the Wizard’s service. Customers receive the highest quality dryer vent service available in the industry and valuable information to keep their family safe while reducing energy bills and improving dryer performance. Professional dryer vent installation, regular dryer vent cleaning and dryer vent repair service is the Wizard’s main focus.
The Leesburg Dryer Vent Cleaning Wizard provides the following dryer maintenance tips while performing an important home service:
• Professional dryer vent installation using semi-rigid or solid metal venting
• Clean the lint filter before starting each load of laundry
• Wash the lint screen with warm, soapy water to remove residue left behind from fabric softeners and dryer sheets
• Avoid storing combustibles like cleaning supplies, cardboard boxes and flammable chemicals near the dryer
• Do not leave home or go to sleep when the dryer is running
• Have a professional dryer vent inspection and cleaning performed annually
Dryer Vent Wizard help raise public awareness about the importance of dryer vent cleaning to prevent dryer fires and save energy. Doug and Janice Bittner the Northern Virginia area, Leesburg, Arlington, Sterling and surrounding cities and communities. Visit http://www.northernvirginiadryerventcleaning.com/ to learn more.
About Dryer Vent Wizard:
Dryer Vent Wizard is a member of the National Fire Protection Association and the largest chain of dryer vent cleaning, repair, replacement and alternation specialists in the U.S. with nearly 60 franchisees in major markets. Dryer Vent Wizard franchisees work to promote public awareness on the importance of dryer vent cleaning to prevent dryer fires and save energy. Consumer education while making clothes dryers safer and greener are the main focus of DVW franchisees. Dryer Vent Wizard was founded in 2004 by Dave Lavalle who is also the founder of the Mr. Handyman franchise.