сряда, 22 февруари 2012 г.

Капкейк Чудеса

Стилните декорации са нещо което малко хора успяват да оценят.
А какво ще кажете за сладкарското "бижутерно" изкуство.
Виждали ли сте някога прекрасно ръчно изработени сладки които биха внесли страхотен стил във вашия празник - сватба, рожден ден или тържество?
Е ето сега ще ви помогна малко като ви разкрия най-добрите ръчно изработени капкейк бижута на българския пазар.
Това са едни страхотни капкейк удоволствия за хора ценящи стила и красотата.
Страхотни за кокетни сватби и изискани събития.
Прекрасен подарък за рожден ден или просто ей така.
Това е едно невероятно съчетание между вкус и красота която малцина биха оценили и малцина биха могли да сложат на трапезата си.
Разгледайте снимките и преценете дали бихте искали да притежавате някои от тях.
Цените им също са доста прилични имайки предвид количеството ръчен труд вложен в тях - не повече от мъфин продаван в някои от елитните сладкарници или кафета в София - които нямат и грам украса, а само малко кремче отгоре.
Е разбрахте ли - това е вашият капкейк.

неделя, 5 февруари 2012 г.

Man City 3-0 Fulham

Manchester City open up a three-point lead over Manchester United at the top of the Premier League after a comfortable 3-0 win over Fulham.

get links sell

Murray will miss Davis Cup match

British number one Andy Murray will miss the Davis Cup match against Slovakia because of injury concerns.

really good amazing stories

ND0131127

Title: Cigarette Prices in GCC Countries to Rise Sharply in 2012
Description: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates announced plans to impose a ?health tax? that will tax cigarettes at roughly 100% of their value, beginning later this year.
Page Content:

DUBAI ? The six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations ? Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates ? announced earlier this week that cigarette taxes will rise sharply at the end of 2012, Emirates 24/7 reports.

Health ministers from the six-nation GCC endorsed what it characterized as a ?health tax? earlier this month as part of an effort to curb tobacco consumption in the region, said Dr Widad Al Maidoor, head of the anti-smoking section at the UAE Ministry of Health.

?The new law is intended to reduce tobacco consumption in the GCC and envisages the imposition of a new tax called ?health tax,?? he said. ?It will affect tobacco products and equipment used in its production and manufacturing?the tax will amount to 100% of the product?s value.?

Maidoor said the new law would be enforced at the end of 2012 subject to its expected approval by the GCC finance ministers.

Cigarette dealers said despite the increase, cigarette prices in the GCC region are below those in advanced countries. ?In Britain for example, a 20-cigarette pack now sells for?more than four times the prices here,? said an owner of a supermarket in Abu Dhabi.

Content Subject: International
Formatted Article Date: January 31, 2012

hippo articlez

Aberdeen 1-1 Queen of the South

Aberdeen and Queens head for a Scottish Cup replay as Scott Vernon cancels out Scott McLaughlin's opener for the visitors.

really good amazing stories

VIDEO: Highlights - Djokovic defeats brave Murray

Britain's Andy Murray misses out on a place in the Australian Open final, losing to Novak Djokovic in a five-set epic.

toys buy

събота, 4 февруари 2012 г.

ND0202123

Title: Chevron to Face Class Action Suit for ?Hot Gas?
Description: A California appeals court overturns a trial court decision, ruling that Chevron must face a class action lawsuit for selling gasoline at a higher temperature than it purchased it.
Page Content:

LOS ANGELES ? A state appeals court ruled that Chevron must face a class action for unfair business practices from customers who maintain it sells ?hot gas,? thereby short-changing customers, Courthouse News Service reports.

In the lawsuit, lead plaintiff Allen Ray Klein accused Chevron of purchasing wholesale gasoline at 60 degrees Fahrenheit and then selling it to California consumer sat 70 degrees. Due to the higher selling temperature, the suit alleges Chevron sells lass gasoline with less energy per gallon.

The suit also claims consumers are unable to make an accurate price comparison between retailers because of the temperature discrepancy.

In response, Chevron claimed its practice was allowed by California law and asked the court to dismiss the claim in light of a California Energy Commission report that ?Automatic Temperature Compensation? fuel-pump technology would not lead to an economic benefit for consumers.

The trial court sided with Chevron, ruling California?s Legislature had dealt with the problem. However, under appeal, the state?s Second Appellate District disagreed, thus allowing a case to proceed.

"The Legislature has not provided any alternative means of addressing the issues in plaintiffs' claims, nor has it provided any certainty that it will address those issues in the future," Justice Laurie Zelon wrote for the court.

Content Subject: Petroleum Retailing
Formatted Article Date: February 2, 2012

articlez zone article

ND0131127

Title: Cigarette Prices in GCC Countries to Rise Sharply in 2012
Description: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates announced plans to impose a ?health tax? that will tax cigarettes at roughly 100% of their value, beginning later this year.
Page Content:

DUBAI ? The six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations ? Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates ? announced earlier this week that cigarette taxes will rise sharply at the end of 2012, Emirates 24/7 reports.

Health ministers from the six-nation GCC endorsed what it characterized as a ?health tax? earlier this month as part of an effort to curb tobacco consumption in the region, said Dr Widad Al Maidoor, head of the anti-smoking section at the UAE Ministry of Health.

?The new law is intended to reduce tobacco consumption in the GCC and envisages the imposition of a new tax called ?health tax,?? he said. ?It will affect tobacco products and equipment used in its production and manufacturing?the tax will amount to 100% of the product?s value.?

Maidoor said the new law would be enforced at the end of 2012 subject to its expected approval by the GCC finance ministers.

Cigarette dealers said despite the increase, cigarette prices in the GCC region are below those in advanced countries. ?In Britain for example, a 20-cigarette pack now sells for?more than four times the prices here,? said an owner of a supermarket in Abu Dhabi.

Content Subject: International
Formatted Article Date: January 31, 2012

toys buy

Virginia Students to Speak Live With Space Station Astronauts

Students gathered at The University of Virginia College at Wise will speak with Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank and Flight Engineer Don Pettit aboard the International Space Station at 9:20 a.m. EST on Thursday, Jan. 26.

articles roofcargo

ND0202124

Title: Mississippi Committee OKs Repeal of Convenience Store Security Law
Description: Opponents maintain the law unfairly singles out convenience store owners, creating a financial burden for compliance.
Page Content:

JACKSON, MS ? As expected, the Jackson Planning Committee voted unanimously earlier this week to repeal a new law requiring 24-hour convenience stores to employ security guards at night, the Jackson Clarion-Ledger reports.

The ordinance had been proposed in response to numerous late-night shootings at convenience stores, though opponents said it unfairly targeted their businesses. It also would have required the stores to file a security plan with the city.

?I think it was well-intentioned, but to single out one set of business owners could be a problem,? said Ward 1 Councilman Quentin Whitwell, sponsor of the repeal.

?An overwhelming majority of [convenience store owners] were not in favor of this because it would strain their resources,? said committee chairman Tony Yarber.

Opponents also argued that the law is unenforceable because it doesn?t specify penalties for those who do not comply.

The city?s full council is expected to consider the repeal next week.

Content Subject: Operations
Formatted Article Date: February 2, 2012

cool stuff you want to learn

ND0203121

Title: Washington Report: NACS to Senate: Hands Off LUST Fund
Description: NACS is urging the Senate Finance Committee not to move LUST monies to the transportation bill.
Page Content:

ALEXANDRIA, Va. ? Keep the federal Leaking Underground Storage Tank (LUST) program intact, NACS is asking the Senate Finance Committee. The association sent a letter to the committee yesterday, urging them to not transfer $3 billion from LUST to the highway trust fund.

?In order for States to comply with the multitude of new requirements enacted in the EPAct, States must receive significant funding from the Federal program. If States do not receive such funding, they will be unable to comply and will lose funding from the Federal government, which would then return enforcement back to the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Unfortunately they also lack the appropriate funding and resources to effectively enforce the regulations,? the letter stated.

?The Federal LUST Trust Fund must not be used as an offsetting tool in this bill. This is a critical environmental program that needs to be adequately funded so that it can continue to protect the environment, prevent UST releases into groundwater systems, and ensure that all tanks comply with State and Federal UST laws. This was the intended purpose of the LUST tax and it should not be abandoned,? the letter said.

NACS concluded with a plea that the Senate ?explore all other funding options.?

Content Subject: Government Relations, NACS
Formatted Article Date: February 3, 2012

hippo articlez

De Gea pressure unfair - Ferguson

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson believes goalkeeper David de Gea is under a disproportionate amount of scrutiny because he plays for the champions.

hippo articlez

Stoner urges Rossi to step up to the plate

World champion Casey Stoner is urging seven-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi to put a disappointing 2011 behind him and mount a serious challenge on his Ducati this season.

read and know nasa

Taylor bids for last Olympic seat

Rookie Emily Taylor is determined to prove herself in Olympic rowing trials.

get new really good

IndyCar's Wheldon killed by fence pole

IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon was killed by a fence pole that sliced through his car, causing fatal injuries, an investigation into his tragic death at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 16, concluded Friday.

roofcargo games

GB into Fed Cup World II play-off

Great Britain qualify for the Fed Cup World Group II play-offs by beating Austria through wins from Anne Keothavong and Elena Baltacha.

buy get new

ND0201124

Title: Florida State Senator Proposes Food Stamp Restrictions
Description: The measure would ban food stamp purchases of ?junk food.?
Page Content:

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ? Florida wants to limit the type of food recipients of food stamps can buy, the Sun-Sentinel reports. State Sen. Ronda Storms and state Rep. Scott Plakon have sponsored a bill that would outlaw ?junk food? purchases with food stamps.

?Should the taxpayer foot the bill for Mountain Dew?? Storms said during last week?s committee meeting of the Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs. Plakon told the House Health and Human Services Access Subcommittee this week that the bill would simply increase the number of items on the can?t buy list for food stamps.

The House committee passed the bill because Plakon assured them it would have substantial edits. One portion of the measure would not allow benefits cards to be used at casino or strip club ATMs. Some committee members want the grocery limits part of the bill to be stripped out.

?I don't want people to tell me what to eat,? said Rep. Dana Young. ?I just don't think it's right as legislators and as a government to tell anyone what they can eat, even if they happen to be poor, even if they happen to be on food stamps. It's just not our core mission, and I'm personally offended by it.?

Currently, food stamp recipients cannot purchase tobacco, hot foods, alcohol, foods consumed in the store, or items such as pet food and paper towels under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Florida has to apply to the federal government to make changes to its food stamp program.

Eight years ago, Minnesota wanted to ban candy and soda from food stamp purchases, but the waiver was not granted. In 2011, New York City unsuccessfully tried to forbid soft drinks purchases with food stamps.

Because the number of food stamp recipients has increased in recent years, grocery stores and other retailers have begun targeting this group with promotions and other marketing programs.

Content Subject: Operations
Formatted Article Date: February 1, 2012

get new really good

VIDEO: Win 'a dream come true' for Azarenka

Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka says winning her maiden Grand Slam is "a dream come true" after securing an emphatic 6-3 6-0 triumph over Maria Sharapova in the Melbourne final.

toys buy

Clijsters ends Wozniacki campaign

Kim Clijsters beats Caroline Wozniacki to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open.

find out test

ND0131121

Title: U.S. Convenience Store Count Grows 1.2%
Description: The latest NACS/Nielsen Convenience Industry Store Count reveals more than 148,000 convenience stores in the United States.
Page Content:

ALEXANDRIA, VA ? The U.S. convenience store count increased to a record 148,126 stores as of December 31, 2011, a 1.2% increase (1,785 stores) from the year prior, according to the latest NACS/Nielsen Convenience Industry Store Count.

The convenience retailing industry has seen remarkable growth over the last three decades. At year-end 1981, the store count was 71,400 stores, year-end 1991 the store count was 103,400 stores and at year-end 2001 the store count was 124,500 stores. The U.S. population on Dec. 31, 2011, was an estimated 313 million, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That means that today there is one convenience per approximately every 2,100 U.S. residents.

?The continued growth in store count shows our industry is vibrant and adding jobs in difficult economic times. Convenience stores are an essential part of the fabric of everyday life across the country and our core offer of convenience continues to resonate with customers,? said NACS Chairman Tom Robinson, president of Robinson Oil in Santa Clara, California.

Motor fuels sales continue to be important to convenience store operations. Overall, 81.7% of convenience stores sell motor fuels. A total of 120,950 convenience stores sell motor fuels, a 3.1% increase (3,653 stores) over last year.

The convenience retailing industry also continues to be dominated by single-store operators, accounting for 62.9% of stores (93,209 stores total). The growth of one-store operations again outpaced the overall growth in store count.

Texas (14,766 stores) once again was the state with the most convenience stores, followed by California (10,763 stores) and Florida (9,510 stores).

Five states had store counts grow at a rate that was more than double the national average: New Jersey (3.3% growth), Alaska (3.2%), Massachusetts (2.7%), Oregon (2.7%) and New York (2.6%). Growth in Washington, DC, was 2.9%.

According to Nielsen TDLinx, as of December 31, 2011, the total store count of convenience stores is 30,000-plus locations greater than the cumulative totals of competing channels, including supermarkets (32,924 stores), drug stores (38,526 stores) dollar stores (22,782 stores) and superettes (13,234 stores).

Click here for more details on the store count.

Content Subject: NACS
Formatted Article Date: January 31, 2012

cool stuff you want to learn

ND0201126

Title: Coupon Interest Still High Among Shoppers
Description: More than 3.5 billion coupons were redeemed last year in the United States.
Page Content:

?WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. ? U.S. shoppers redeemed more than 3.5 billion coupons for consumer-packaged goods last year, a 6.1% increase over 2010, according to Inmar. While redemption activity in the first half of last year showed virtually no change from 2010, a 16% jump in coupon response in the third quarter of 2011 sparked the overall annual increase.

The increase in coupon redemption seen in 2011 continues an upward trend that began almost five years ago. After declining for decades, coupon redemption has increased 34.6% since 2006.

?Shoppers continue to love coupons. With consumer confidence flat, unemployment rates still a challenge and prices for most consumables on the rise, it?s now cool to be frugal -- to shop smartly. And, coupons are the vehicle consumers are using to do just that,? said Bob Carter, president of Inmar Promotion Services, in a press release.

The strong response to promotional offers comes in spite of a significant reduction in the number of coupons made available to consumers last year. After two years of increased distribution, marketers reduced coupon distribution by 7.5% to 311 billion coupons in 2011. The reduction was most apparent in the second half of the year, when distribution was slashed by 13% in the third quarter and 10% in the fourth compared to 2010 distribution statistics.

Shoppers also saw declining coupon values and shorter redemption periods. The average face value declined by 1.3% (down to $1.57) and the average amount of time a shopper had to use a coupon decreased by 4% (down to 2.4 months). However, this did little to dampen consumer enthusiasm for these promotions as they redeemed an additional 200 million coupons in 2011.

Mobile coupon usage will likely grow in the coming years. For more on coupons and convenience stores, check out ?Buy One Get One Free, Or Why Coupons Work,? from NACS Magazine.

Content Subject: Marketing/Merchandising
Formatted Article Date: February 1, 2012

really good amazing stories

Dozens killed at South Sudan peace meeting

At least 37 people were killed during a shootout at a meeting to resolve cattle disputes in South Sudan, officials said Saturday, the latest in a spate of violence in the world's newest nation.

post now find out

ND0201126

Title: Coupon Interest Still High Among Shoppers
Description: More than 3.5 billion coupons were redeemed last year in the United States.
Page Content:

?WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. ? U.S. shoppers redeemed more than 3.5 billion coupons for consumer-packaged goods last year, a 6.1% increase over 2010, according to Inmar. While redemption activity in the first half of last year showed virtually no change from 2010, a 16% jump in coupon response in the third quarter of 2011 sparked the overall annual increase.

The increase in coupon redemption seen in 2011 continues an upward trend that began almost five years ago. After declining for decades, coupon redemption has increased 34.6% since 2006.

?Shoppers continue to love coupons. With consumer confidence flat, unemployment rates still a challenge and prices for most consumables on the rise, it?s now cool to be frugal -- to shop smartly. And, coupons are the vehicle consumers are using to do just that,? said Bob Carter, president of Inmar Promotion Services, in a press release.

The strong response to promotional offers comes in spite of a significant reduction in the number of coupons made available to consumers last year. After two years of increased distribution, marketers reduced coupon distribution by 7.5% to 311 billion coupons in 2011. The reduction was most apparent in the second half of the year, when distribution was slashed by 13% in the third quarter and 10% in the fourth compared to 2010 distribution statistics.

Shoppers also saw declining coupon values and shorter redemption periods. The average face value declined by 1.3% (down to $1.57) and the average amount of time a shopper had to use a coupon decreased by 4% (down to 2.4 months). However, this did little to dampen consumer enthusiasm for these promotions as they redeemed an additional 200 million coupons in 2011.

Mobile coupon usage will likely grow in the coming years. For more on coupons and convenience stores, check out ?Buy One Get One Free, Or Why Coupons Work,? from NACS Magazine.

Content Subject: Marketing/Merchandising
Formatted Article Date: February 1, 2012

games toys

McCoist unfazed by Gers quit talk

Rangers manager Ally McCoist dismisses speculation he would consider leaving Ibrox over a lack of transfer funds.

rino hippo

2012 Africa Cup of Nations fixtures, results & tables

Fixtures and tables for Gabon and Equatorial Guinea

get new really good

Underwater search of Italy cruise ship halted

The search of underwater areas of the wrecked cruise ship Costa Concordia has been suspended for safety reasons, the head of Italy's civil protection agency said Thursday.

read and know nasa

Djokovic beats Nadal to win title

World number one Novak Djokovic beats second seed Rafael Nadal in a five-set epic - the longest final in Grand Slam history - to retain his Australian Open title.

really nice stories read and know

ND0201121

Title: FDA Offers Compliance Training Webinar
Description: The February 7 webinar will address what retailers should expect during a compliance inspection.
Page Content:

WASHINGTON ? For 2012 the FDA Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) is continuing its series of webinars on federal tobacco regulations. These webinars are designed to provide FDA tobacco compliance education and information to retailers and small businesses.

Each webinar includes a Q&A session to provide participants the opportunity to have their questions answered by FDA.�

Next week, FDA will host a webinar on February 7 titled: ?What to Expect During a Tobacco Retailer Inspection.? Here is the participation information:

  • Presenter: Swati Kabaria, J.D., FDA Center for Tobacco Products Office of Compliance and Enforcement??
  • Time: 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm EST
  • Dial-In: (866) 901-3913?
  • Meeting ID: 60985
  • View Webinar: Mediasite Player or Silverlight Player
  • Coverage of the webinar will be provided in NACS Daily.

Content Subject: Government Relations
Formatted Article Date: February 1, 2012

amazing stories article online

IndyCar's Wheldon killed by fence pole

IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon was killed by a fence pole that sliced through his car, causing fatal injuries, an investigation into his tragic death at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 16, concluded Friday.

find and rely really nice stories

Azarenka win 'a changing of the guard'

'Victoria Azarenka deserves her new number one billing'

really good amazing stories

петък, 3 февруари 2012 г.

VIDEO: 31-shot rally from epic final

Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic trade blows in a 31-shot rally after more than five hours' play in the Australian Open final, leaving Djokovic floored but the crowd on their feet. (UK users only)

read and know nasa

Kayaker sets new Channel record

British sprint canoeist Paul Wycherley kayaks across the English Channel in a new record time, beating the mark set by his coach Ian Wynne.

really nice stories read and know

ND0201124

Title: Florida State Senator Proposes Food Stamp Restrictions
Description: The measure would ban food stamp purchases of ?junk food.?
Page Content:

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ? Florida wants to limit the type of food recipients of food stamps can buy, the Sun-Sentinel reports. State Sen. Ronda Storms and state Rep. Scott Plakon have sponsored a bill that would outlaw ?junk food? purchases with food stamps.

?Should the taxpayer foot the bill for Mountain Dew?? Storms said during last week?s committee meeting of the Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs. Plakon told the House Health and Human Services Access Subcommittee this week that the bill would simply increase the number of items on the can?t buy list for food stamps.

The House committee passed the bill because Plakon assured them it would have substantial edits. One portion of the measure would not allow benefits cards to be used at casino or strip club ATMs. Some committee members want the grocery limits part of the bill to be stripped out.

?I don't want people to tell me what to eat,? said Rep. Dana Young. ?I just don't think it's right as legislators and as a government to tell anyone what they can eat, even if they happen to be poor, even if they happen to be on food stamps. It's just not our core mission, and I'm personally offended by it.?

Currently, food stamp recipients cannot purchase tobacco, hot foods, alcohol, foods consumed in the store, or items such as pet food and paper towels under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Florida has to apply to the federal government to make changes to its food stamp program.

Eight years ago, Minnesota wanted to ban candy and soda from food stamp purchases, but the waiver was not granted. In 2011, New York City unsuccessfully tried to forbid soft drinks purchases with food stamps.

Because the number of food stamp recipients has increased in recent years, grocery stores and other retailers have begun targeting this group with promotions and other marketing programs.

Content Subject: Operations
Formatted Article Date: February 1, 2012

find out test

ND0127121

Title: Retailers Embrace Electric Charging Stations
Description: Chargers are seen as a good investment, as well as a way to be green.
Page Content:

SAN DIEGO ? Shopping malls and retailers across the country are helping consumers to ?charge it? in a different way by installing electric vehicle charging stations, the Los Angeles Times. Despite lackluster sales, car manufacturers are still churning out electric and hybrid cars.

Merchants see electric charging stations as a way to invest in the future and to advertise the retailer?s commitment to the environment. With only just over 5,000 public chargers in the United States, retailers have moved to fill the void by offering electric car owners a place to charge while they shop.

Walgreens was one of the first retailers to install chargers at around 800 locations across the country. Kohl?s launched a pilot program last year with charging stations at 33 department stores, while Macy?s will offer chargers at a few stores in the San Diego area. Best Buy is testing charging stations at a dozen locations.

?We're all about convenience, and many of our stores are located around commuter routes. We realized that Walgreens was ideally situated to implement a strategy for electric chargers,? said Menno Enters, director of energy and sustainability. Enters said if electric car sales start to soar, the company hopes to siphon off customers from close gasoline stations that ?seek the same convenience-type customers.?

Ikea has added chargers to some of its West Coast locations. ?You can just stand and watch folks driving by in the parking lot. They see the space and you can kind of see that 'oh wow, that's kind of neat' look on their faces,? said Joseph Roth, spokesman. ?We view it as another aspect of the shopping experience.?

Content Subject: Petroleum Retailing
Formatted Article Date: January 27, 2012

toys buy

VIDEO: We made history - Djokovic

Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic pays tribute to Rafael Nadal, the man he beat in an epic five-set thriller to retain his title in Melbourne.

zone article articles

Murray can be number one - Nadal

Rafael Nadal says Andy Murray has the ability to become world number one in 2012 if the Scot improves his mental approach on the biggest stage.

games toys

Azarenka savours 'dream' triumph

Victoria Azarenka believes there is no limit to what she can achieve in tennis after hailing her Australian Open triumph as a "dream come true".

hippo articlez

ND0127123

Title: Fast Casual Restaurants Only Bright Spot for the Industry
Description: The segment represents 14% of all QSR sales.
Page Content:

CHICAGO -- The lackluster economy may have dampened growth for the restaurant industry at large, but fast casual restaurants continue to stand out as one notable exception. With $27 billion in annual sales, fast-casual restaurants now represent 14% of all quick-service restaurant sales, compared to 5% just ten years ago, according to Technomic. The segment is expected to continue outpacing the industry over the next five years, when fast-casual growth is forecasted to compound 8% annually.

?The fast casual segment is still evolving in ways that are strongly influencing all sectors of the restaurant industry,? said Joe Pawlak, Technomic vice president, in a press release. ?While we categorize them among limited-service restaurants, they also compete strongly with full-service casual dining on several dimensions.?

?Full- and quick-service operators continue to adapt and reposition their concepts toward areas in which fast casual has been effective with consumers,? said Darren Tristano, Technomic executive vice president. ?This shift will likely blur the definition of fast casual in the eyes of consumers and increase competition in the segment.?

Fast-casual restaurants share a fast-food service system and strong takeout orientation. Check averages tend to be under $9. Technomic breaks the segment down further into categories that include bakery cafes, Mexican/Southwest, specialty, sandwich, chicken, and burger concepts.

Panera Bread currently leads the category in total sales, at nearly $3 billion in 2010. Six of the fastest-growing restaurant chains (on a percentage basis) in the entire industry are fast-casual concepts, including Five Guys, Chipotle, Wing Stop, Qdoba, Pei Wei, and Noodles & Company.

Content Subject: Foodservice
Formatted Article Date: January 27, 2012

really good amazing stories

VIDEO: Johansson wants 'dictator' Blatter out

Former Fifa vice-president Lennart Johansson would like to see current president Sepp Blatter removed from his position and replaced by current head of Uefa Michel Platini.

buy get new

Terry stripped of captaincy by FA

John Terry is stripped of the England captaincy, the Football Association has confirmed.

toys buy

VIDEO: Johansson wants 'dictator' Blatter out

Former Fifa vice-president Lennart Johansson would like to see current president Sepp Blatter removed from his position and replaced by current head of Uefa Michel Platini.

find and rely really nice stories

Take the Tube, Johnson tells IOC

Mayor of London Boris Johnson urges Olympic chiefs to take the Tube during London 2012, as organisers launch a campaign detailing pinchpoints on the underground system.

really good amazing stories

ND0127125

Title: Mexicans Will Have More Starbucks Options in 2012
Description: Operator Alsea expects to open 50 locations throughout the country.
Page Content:

MEXICO CITY ? Alsea, which operates casual dining restaurants in Mexico, will open 50 new Starbucks locations in the country this year, the Dow Jones Newswires reports. The company predicts double-digit growth in total and same-store sales because of a strong local economy.

Sales at Starbucks Mexico will be on par with last year?s growth, with overall sales forecast to jump 23 percent and same store sales to increase 11 percent. Alsea runs Starbucks Mexico with Starbucks Corp.

Mexico offers plenty of room to grow Starbucks, given the average coffee consumption is a mere 1.7 kilograms per person annually?far below some coffee markets that average 4.5 kilograms per person, per year, said Federico Tejado, who heads Starbucks Mexico.

Tejado has plans to expand its version of ?My Starbucks Rewards? program to an average of around 600,000 members within three years. Starbucks Mexico modeled the program on the U.S. version, and he said the loyalty card will drive traffic to its stores.

With Latin America overall doing well economically, Tejado said the region?s growth means now ?it?s our moment.? Even with increases in coffee and milk prices, Mexico Starbucks will hold price hikes for 2012 to under inflation.

Mexico Starbucks has been opening in hospitals, office buildings and universities, and Tejado has plans to expand into the home market with supermarket products. Alsea also runs Burger King, Chili?s and Domino?s Pizza restaurants in Mexico.

Content Subject: International
Formatted Article Date: January 27, 2012

post now find out

ND0201127

Title: In-Store Mobile Commerce Increases
Description: Fifty-two percent of shoppers use their mobile phones while shopping at a store.
Page Content:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ? More than half of adult cell phone owners used their mobile phones to seek help with purchasing decisions while they were in a store during the 2011 holiday season, according to new research from the Pew American & Internet Life Project.

During a 30 day period before and after Christmas, 38% of cell owners used their phone to call a friend while they were in a store for advice about a purchase they were considering making. Also during that same time frame, 24% of cell owners used their phone to look up reviews of a product online while they were in a store, and 25% of adult cell owners used their phones to look up the price of a product online while they were in a store, to see if they could get a better price somewhere else.

Taken together, just over half (52%) of all adult cell phone owners used their phone for at least one of these three reasons over the holiday shopping season and one third (33%) used their phone specifically for online information while inside a physical store?either product reviews or pricing information.

During a mobile results panel at the Mobile Insider Summit held in mid-January, Dan Israel of SapientNitro said that retailers are experiencing an era of ?radical transparency? in pricing because of smartphone-using consumers.

?It demonstrates that an opportunity, as well as a sense of urgency, exists for retailers to engage customers before they arrive at a brick-and-mortar, and continue the conversation after the visit to a brick-and-mortar,? said Israel in Online Media Daily. ?What matters now is engagement and providing utilitarian services, not just value centered on price alone.?

Read about how retailers can use mobile technologies to leverage customer loyalty programs in the February issue of NACS Magazine.

For more on technology innovation at retail, plan to attend NACStech ? the convenience and fuel retailing industry?s premier technology event that is taking place May 21 to 23 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville. Register today!

Content Subject: Technology
Formatted Article Date: February 1, 2012

buy get new

ND0131124

Title: Ordinance Would Allow Disabled Motorists to Phone for Fueling Assistance
Description: Proposal calls for stations with two or more attendants to post a sticker on their pumps displaying the store?s telephone number, allowing handicapped motorists to call clerks inside for fueling assistance.
Page Content:

FT. LAUDERDALE ? Veterans groups in South Florida are lobbying for county ordinances that would require gas stations with two or more attendants to post stickers on their pumps displaying the store?s telephone number, allowing handicapped motorists to call clerks inside and request fueling assistance, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

The Americans with Disabilities Act currently addresses the issue, instructing disabled motorists to ?honk or otherwise signal? an employee to come out and lend assistance.

The Paralyzed Veterans Association of Florida said the phone number sticker plan would be a major improvement. As such, Timothy Werner, the association?s advocacy director, proposed the idea to Broward County commissioners earlier this month who expressed willingness to research the issue.

"I had no idea that what the law states is that you [must] make noise to get [the clerk's] attention inside?I think it's a really great idea," said Commissioner Lois Wexler.

Local veterans have said they often cannot get assistance, despite waving or honking. "The employees either are ignoring them or can't see them,? Werner said, adding he plans to appeal to Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties next.

Hillsborough County, in the Tampa area, is the first county to have adopted the ordinance, passing a bill last month. As such, area pumps there display bright blue stickers on the pumps with the words ?assistance available upon request,? the station?s phone number, and the accessibility icon used on disabled parking permit placards.

Ned Bowman, executive director of The Florida Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association, said he believes the plan is one that association members would support. "Most stores have phones. If two people are there, then one can go out and pump the gas," he said.

However, Bowman said many of the state?s 7,000 convenience stores that sell fuel only have one person on duty, and those would not be required to have the stickers. Federal regulations state attendants working alone do not have to assist motorists.

Another option for disabled drivers is full service, and state and federal laws require motorists be offered the less expensive self-service price for the assistance. But full-service stations are rare in Florida, with an estimated 125 statewide and 13 in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Content Subject: Petroleum Retailing
Formatted Article Date: January 31, 2012

games toys

Pundits hail 'greatest' tennis match

Players and pundits give their reaction to a sensational Australian Open final

you want to learn rino

ND0131127

Title: Cigarette Prices in GCC Countries to Rise Sharply in 2012
Description: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates announced plans to impose a ?health tax? that will tax cigarettes at roughly 100% of their value, beginning later this year.
Page Content:

DUBAI ? The six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations ? Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates ? announced earlier this week that cigarette taxes will rise sharply at the end of 2012, Emirates 24/7 reports.

Health ministers from the six-nation GCC endorsed what it characterized as a ?health tax? earlier this month as part of an effort to curb tobacco consumption in the region, said Dr Widad Al Maidoor, head of the anti-smoking section at the UAE Ministry of Health.

?The new law is intended to reduce tobacco consumption in the GCC and envisages the imposition of a new tax called ?health tax,?? he said. ?It will affect tobacco products and equipment used in its production and manufacturing?the tax will amount to 100% of the product?s value.?

Maidoor said the new law would be enforced at the end of 2012 subject to its expected approval by the GCC finance ministers.

Cigarette dealers said despite the increase, cigarette prices in the GCC region are below those in advanced countries. ?In Britain for example, a 20-cigarette pack now sells for?more than four times the prices here,? said an owner of a supermarket in Abu Dhabi.

Content Subject: International
Formatted Article Date: January 31, 2012

buy get new

Iran's leader warns U.S. on war

The supreme leader of Iran issued a blunt warning Friday that war would be detrimental to the United States.

find and rely really nice stories

U.S. GP is confirmed for 2012

Organizers of the the U.S. Grand Prix said Wednesday that it will take its place in the 2012 Formula One calendar despite fears that the new circuit in Texas being built for the race will not be finished in time.

cool stuff you want to learn

'Fit' Samba left out at Blackburn

Blackburn captain Christopher Samba is "fit and available" but will not be in the squad for Saturday's trip to Arsenal.

education get links

ND0130122

Title: Washington Report: Maryland Retailers Fret Online Lottery Sales
Description: Maryland lottery officials are considering selling online lottery tickets to bring in additional revenue.
Page Content:

ANNAPOLIS ? Maryland lottery officials are considering whether to sell online lottery tickets by July 1 to bring in additional revenue, reports the Maryland Gazette. However, local retailers are speaking out against Internet lottery sales, including convenience stores.

In late December, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a ruling that removes obstacles for state lotteries to offer online lottery tickets. Some states are now looking at online lottery ticket sales as potential revenue drivers. According to the news source, Gov. Martin O?Malley said online lottery sales could add $2 million more to the state coffer in fiscal year 2013.

Current regulations ban the use of credit cards to purchase lottery tickets, a form of payment that many consumers rely on for online purchases. Maryland Lottery Director Stephen Martino commented that the state could get around this by selling an iTunes-like card that is purchased with cash at a store, with the money deposited into and online lottery account.

?We believe the lottery and the lottery industry needs new sales channels,? Martino told the news source, adding, ?This is how people are increasingly going to be doing business.?

However, convenience store owners maintain that allowing online lottery sales will hurt their businesses. NACS Sr. Vice President of Government Relations Lyle Beckwith told the news source that the average convenience store customer purchases lottery tickets spends about $4.00 more per visit on in-store merchandise. Face-to-face transactions also allow retailers to check ID on an age-restricted product. ?We are the industry of age verification,? he said.

Marino, meanwhile, believes that online sales won?t cannibalize c-store sales, adding that the state is looking at ways to ?marry the experience of brick-and-mortar with Internet where you buy a traditional instant ticket with an instant portion there and then go to the website to play the rest of the game.?

Read more about online lottery sales and the threat to c-store operations in a future issue of NACS Magazine, as well as online.

Content Subject: Government Relations
Formatted Article Date: January 30, 2012

articles roofcargo

ND0130122

Title: Washington Report: Maryland Retailers Fret Online Lottery Sales
Description: Maryland lottery officials are considering selling online lottery tickets to bring in additional revenue.
Page Content:

ANNAPOLIS ? Maryland lottery officials are considering whether to sell online lottery tickets by July 1 to bring in additional revenue, reports the Maryland Gazette. However, local retailers are speaking out against Internet lottery sales, including convenience stores.

In late December, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a ruling that removes obstacles for state lotteries to offer online lottery tickets. Some states are now looking at online lottery ticket sales as potential revenue drivers. According to the news source, Gov. Martin O?Malley said online lottery sales could add $2 million more to the state coffer in fiscal year 2013.

Current regulations ban the use of credit cards to purchase lottery tickets, a form of payment that many consumers rely on for online purchases. Maryland Lottery Director Stephen Martino commented that the state could get around this by selling an iTunes-like card that is purchased with cash at a store, with the money deposited into and online lottery account.

?We believe the lottery and the lottery industry needs new sales channels,? Martino told the news source, adding, ?This is how people are increasingly going to be doing business.?

However, convenience store owners maintain that allowing online lottery sales will hurt their businesses. NACS Sr. Vice President of Government Relations Lyle Beckwith told the news source that the average convenience store customer purchases lottery tickets spends about $4.00 more per visit on in-store merchandise. Face-to-face transactions also allow retailers to check ID on an age-restricted product. ?We are the industry of age verification,? he said.

Marino, meanwhile, believes that online sales won?t cannibalize c-store sales, adding that the state is looking at ways to ?marry the experience of brick-and-mortar with Internet where you buy a traditional instant ticket with an instant portion there and then go to the website to play the rest of the game.?

Read more about online lottery sales and the threat to c-store operations in a future issue of NACS Magazine, as well as online.

Content Subject: Government Relations
Formatted Article Date: January 30, 2012

buy get new

ND0202129

Title: BP Unveils $500 Million Marketing Plan to Revitalize U.S. Retail Brand
Description: Major initiatives were rolled out at BP?s annual marketers convention, including an aggressive campaign to market the benefits of Invigorate.
Page Content:

?

CHIGACO ? BP Products North America Inc. this week rolled out plans to reclaim the title as the number one fuels marketer east of the Rockies at the 2012 BP Amoco Marketers Association (BPAMA) Convention and Business Expo ? an annual gathering of BP marketers taking place in Florida.
A distinctive fuel offer, improved customer experience and a more compelling loyalty rewards program are at the foundation of BP?s 2012 marketing plan, which is part of a $500 million investment in the U.S. retail brand over the next two years.
?In 2012 and beyond, BP?s commitment to its branded marketers will be second to none in our industry,? said Doug Sparkman, president of BP?s East of Rockies Fuels Value Chain. ?Our top-quality fuel offer, improved consumer rewards programs and exclusive energy sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic Committee and Team USA all point to this year?s convention theme of ?winning together? through teamwork and collaboration with our branded customers.?
At the heart of BP?s branded fuel offer in 2012 is the re-launch of BP gasoline with Invigorate. The revamped advertising campaign will emphasize the increased mileage benefits of continuous use of Invigorate compared to low-detergency fuels.
An integrated marketing campaign around Invigorate is slated to launch in the first quarter and extend through the greater part of the year. The campaign will feature a rotation of the company?s first new fuels-related television commercials since 2009. The television creative, called ?side by side,?�uses a split-screen to follow the journey of two similar vehicles continuously using different fuels and concluding with one vehicle outdistancing the other due to the ?few more miles per tank?�benefit from using BP gasoline with Invigorate as compared to a low detergency fuel. The Invigorate marketing plans also include a robust schedule of spot radio, digital support, local public relations activation and refreshed point-of-purchase materials.
"BP's value proposition to consumers is clearer and more relevant than ever,?�said Kevin Phelan, senior vice president of sales and marketing. ?We?ve invested a lot of time and hard work to ensure that our offers and communications reflect a keen understanding of what consumers truly want and how we can best motivate them to choose BP. We believe our Invigorate campaign will do that in 2012.?
Another highly anticipated announcement coming out of this year?s convention was BP?s confirmation of a March 1 launch of its Pump Rewards payment technology. This first-of-its-kind technology allows BP customers to instantly redeem cents-per-gallon rebates by rolling back the price that appears at the gas pump. Pump Rewards marks a significant advancement in how retailers can reward consumers and encourage brand loyalty. The March launch will mark the rollout of several new initiatives that marketers can use to leverage the technology. These include the ability to distribute one-time-use rebate numeric codes that can be entered directly at the pump and the option to produce third party direct and bulk promotional cards that customers can personalize for their own site offers.
BP also discussed its plans to launch a multi-million dollar marketing campaign to support the Pump Rewards program as well as an aggressive effort to properly train CSR staff across the network. Currently, BP expects to lead nearly 900 training sessions at retail to help educate staff on the Pump Rewards technology and prepare them to support its use and handle consumer inquiries.
In other news, BP?s Fueling Communities Grant Program, an initiative that helped donate more than $3 million to more than 400 community organizations nominated exclusively by BP?s branded marketers last year, will return in 2012 with even greater application. The program will continue to offer customers the opportunity to build and strengthen community relationships, but for the first time it will leverage BP?s sponsorship of the U.S. Olympics Committee and allow BP branded marketers to elect for special activation packages that provide customized resources to support Paralympic Sports Clubs in their regions.

BP also owns exclusive rights as the official energy sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Committee and Team USA through 2016. Convention organizers dedicated time each day to rally branded marketers and set the stage for an exciting year of Olympic activity, including an in-person introduction to eight of its nine sponsored Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

Content Subject: Corporate
Formatted Article Date: February 2, 2012

read and know nasa

ND0131124

Title: Ordinance Would Allow Disabled Motorists to Phone for Fueling Assistance
Description: Proposal calls for stations with two or more attendants to post a sticker on their pumps displaying the store?s telephone number, allowing handicapped motorists to call clerks inside for fueling assistance.
Page Content:

FT. LAUDERDALE ? Veterans groups in South Florida are lobbying for county ordinances that would require gas stations with two or more attendants to post stickers on their pumps displaying the store?s telephone number, allowing handicapped motorists to call clerks inside and request fueling assistance, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

The Americans with Disabilities Act currently addresses the issue, instructing disabled motorists to ?honk or otherwise signal? an employee to come out and lend assistance.

The Paralyzed Veterans Association of Florida said the phone number sticker plan would be a major improvement. As such, Timothy Werner, the association?s advocacy director, proposed the idea to Broward County commissioners earlier this month who expressed willingness to research the issue.

"I had no idea that what the law states is that you [must] make noise to get [the clerk's] attention inside?I think it's a really great idea," said Commissioner Lois Wexler.

Local veterans have said they often cannot get assistance, despite waving or honking. "The employees either are ignoring them or can't see them,? Werner said, adding he plans to appeal to Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties next.

Hillsborough County, in the Tampa area, is the first county to have adopted the ordinance, passing a bill last month. As such, area pumps there display bright blue stickers on the pumps with the words ?assistance available upon request,? the station?s phone number, and the accessibility icon used on disabled parking permit placards.

Ned Bowman, executive director of The Florida Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association, said he believes the plan is one that association members would support. "Most stores have phones. If two people are there, then one can go out and pump the gas," he said.

However, Bowman said many of the state?s 7,000 convenience stores that sell fuel only have one person on duty, and those would not be required to have the stickers. Federal regulations state attendants working alone do not have to assist motorists.

Another option for disabled drivers is full service, and state and federal laws require motorists be offered the less expensive self-service price for the assistance. But full-service stations are rare in Florida, with an estimated 125 statewide and 13 in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Content Subject: Petroleum Retailing
Formatted Article Date: January 31, 2012

zone article articles

четвъртък, 2 февруари 2012 г.

Bombs hit evangelical Bible school in Sudan, group says

A Christian evangelical group said Thursday that a Bible school -- backed by American evangelist Franklin Graham -- was destroyed in the latest bombing raid to hit South Kordofan, an oil-rich Sudanese province that borders the newly created independent country of South Sudan.

get new really good

Court weighs fate of man who ran Khmer Rouge torture prison

Cambodia's war crimes court is to rule Friday on an appeal by a man who ran a notorious torture prison where more than 14,000 people died under the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s.

education get links

Canadian authorities bust child porn rings

At least 60 people have been charged in connection with one of Canada's largest ever pornography busts, authorities said Thursday.

rino hippo

VIDEO: Zigic nets four to cost Grayson job

Nikola Zigic scores four goals, including a seven-minute hat-trick, as Birmingham thrash Leeds at Elland Road to maintain their promotion push. (UK users only)

read and know nasa

ND0131126

Title: Bundling Meals for Success
Description: Foodservice operators turn to meal bundles as a means for wooing customers from restaurants.
Page Content:

NEW YORK ? Supermarket News highlighted earlier this week the practice of bundling meals as a foodservice strategy that is cutting into sales at restaurants.

The idea is to bundle meal deals with varying food combinations and sizes, providing a range of options for consumers who might otherwise visit a QSR or casual-dining restaurant.

?Bundling is a great way to reinforce that [Retailer Meal Solutions] can be a complete meal solution, not just a component,? said Jenny Anderson, director of the RMS monitor program for Technomic, a foodservice consulting firm in Chicago.

?And retailers are in such a better position to do it now than they were in the past, because so many have enhanced their overall variety and can offer a few different choices for sides in addition to the entr�e.?

Schenectady, N.Y.-based Price Chopper Supermarkets, for instance rotates 25 or so different dishes for its weekly Wednesday meal deal.

?The best combination bundle that we have ? it?s pretty much changed our life here ? is the Wednesday meal deal. That is the bundle. I put different meal combinations together for four people and that?s around $10,? said John Mazzacco, foodservice manager at Price Chopper.

?Now we?re looking at that whether we should raise the retail because we?ve been $10 for two years now,? Mazzacco said.

Darren Tristano, executive vice president at Technomic, said restaurants, too, are getting in on the family bundling strategy, citing Burger King?s family meal campaign that includes sandwiches, fries, drinks, and pies.

Tristano said that whereas checks average $12 to $13 at casual-dining locations, a $10 bundled meal is what resonates strongly among consumers.

?In the last couple years, several of the upscale retailers have focused on bundled meals with an entr�e and sides from their chef case areas to reinforce value,? Anderson explained. ?Establishing and promoting a set price (often lower than a comparable restaurant alternative) is such a clear message for reinforcing that.?

Rochester, NY-based Wegmans Food Markets prices its entr�e-and-two-sides bundled meals at $6, $8 and $10, depending on which items are selected. The company allows its consumers to plan ahead, with its website showing different meal combinations with cost, calories, and contents.

Comfort food, too, plays a role in bundled combinations, according to Supervalu?s Jewel-Osco communications manager Karen May.

?Customers can purchase eight-piece fried and grilled chicken meals with rolls and two sides. Their side dish options include potato salad, macaroni salad and coleslaw,? she said. ?We also offer rotisserie chicken meals and rotisserie turkey breast meals with these same side dish options and rolls.?

The supermarket chain launched its ?Pick 3 Express Meal? program last November, allowing customers to choose chicken cuts and side dishes.

Supermarket News stressed the importance of focusing on product quality and cost for a successful bundling strategy, while also advertising the offerings aggressively.

?If you don?t draw attention to it and they don?t know about it, it?s like a best kept secret in town that you can get a deal for that [price],? said Mazzacco.

Content Subject: Foodservice
Formatted Article Date: January 31, 2012

games toys

ND0127122

Title: Netflix Reevaluates Strategy
Description: The company has plans to attract new subscribers and has its eye on Amazon?s stand-alone streaming service.
Page Content:

LOS GATOS, Calif. ? Netflix has a new policy of getting ?along with everyone,? said its CEO, Reed Hastings, The video content company will position itself as a place to catch-up on television shows instead of acquiring the rights for current TV show seasons, Advertising Age reports.

?We would rather be additive to cable, not competitive,? said Hastings. As part of that strategy, Netflix will produce original content, such as ?Lilyhammer,? a new series that will debut next month. The company plans to release its entire first season?eight episodes?at once.

Netflix also said its U.S. subscriptions have jumped by 600,000 in the last quarter, reversing the loss of subscribers after a rate hike last year that competitor Redbox used to launch its own ad campaign. By the end of last year, 24.4 million U.S. residents subscribed to Netflix.

With margins improving on streaming customers, Netflix is now watching Amazon Prime, Hulu and HBO?s streaming services. ?We expect Amazon to continue to offer their video service as a free extra with Prime domestically but also to brand their video subscription offering as a stand-alone service at a price less than ours,? said Hastings.

However, the company doesn?t see the other services as much of a threat. ?Both Amazon and Hulu Plus's content is a fraction of our content, and we believe their respective total viewing hours are each less than 10% of ours,? said Hastings in a letter.

The company will not market its DVD service in 2012. ?We expect DVD subscribers to decline every quarter, forever,? said Hastings.

Content Subject: Marketing/Merchandising
Formatted Article Date: January 27, 2012

buy get new

Arab League: U.N. talks put pressure on Syria

Even a watered-down U.N. Security Council resolution will put pressure on the Syrian government, Arab League Secretary General Nabil el-Araby told CNN Thursday, ahead of renewed talks at the United Nations.

test find and rely

VIDEO: Magnanimous Sharapova hails Azarenka

2008 champion Maria Sharapova credits her opponent Victoria Azarenka as being "better on so many levels" following her 6-3 6-0 defeat to the Belarusian in the Australian Open final. (UK only)

get new really good

VIDEO: Goals of the Week

A selection of some of the best goals from this week's Football League action. (UK users only)

amazing stories article online

Sutil seeks F1 return after guilty verdict

German driver Adrian Sutil is confident of returning to Formula One despite receiving an 18-month suspended jail sentence for grievous bodily harm on Tuesday.

nasa education

ND0202129

Title: BP Unveils $500 Million Marketing Plan to Revitalize U.S. Retail Brand
Description: Major initiatives were rolled out at BP?s annual marketers convention, including an aggressive campaign to market the benefits of Invigorate.
Page Content:

?

CHIGACO ? BP Products North America Inc. this week rolled out plans to reclaim the title as the number one fuels marketer east of the Rockies at the 2012 BP Amoco Marketers Association (BPAMA) Convention and Business Expo ? an annual gathering of BP marketers taking place in Florida.
A distinctive fuel offer, improved customer experience and a more compelling loyalty rewards program are at the foundation of BP?s 2012 marketing plan, which is part of a $500 million investment in the U.S. retail brand over the next two years.
?In 2012 and beyond, BP?s commitment to its branded marketers will be second to none in our industry,? said Doug Sparkman, president of BP?s East of Rockies Fuels Value Chain. ?Our top-quality fuel offer, improved consumer rewards programs and exclusive energy sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic Committee and Team USA all point to this year?s convention theme of ?winning together? through teamwork and collaboration with our branded customers.?
At the heart of BP?s branded fuel offer in 2012 is the re-launch of BP gasoline with Invigorate. The revamped advertising campaign will emphasize the increased mileage benefits of continuous use of Invigorate compared to low-detergency fuels.
An integrated marketing campaign around Invigorate is slated to launch in the first quarter and extend through the greater part of the year. The campaign will feature a rotation of the company?s first new fuels-related television commercials since 2009. The television creative, called ?side by side,?�uses a split-screen to follow the journey of two similar vehicles continuously using different fuels and concluding with one vehicle outdistancing the other due to the ?few more miles per tank?�benefit from using BP gasoline with Invigorate as compared to a low detergency fuel. The Invigorate marketing plans also include a robust schedule of spot radio, digital support, local public relations activation and refreshed point-of-purchase materials.
"BP's value proposition to consumers is clearer and more relevant than ever,?�said Kevin Phelan, senior vice president of sales and marketing. ?We?ve invested a lot of time and hard work to ensure that our offers and communications reflect a keen understanding of what consumers truly want and how we can best motivate them to choose BP. We believe our Invigorate campaign will do that in 2012.?
Another highly anticipated announcement coming out of this year?s convention was BP?s confirmation of a March 1 launch of its Pump Rewards payment technology. This first-of-its-kind technology allows BP customers to instantly redeem cents-per-gallon rebates by rolling back the price that appears at the gas pump. Pump Rewards marks a significant advancement in how retailers can reward consumers and encourage brand loyalty. The March launch will mark the rollout of several new initiatives that marketers can use to leverage the technology. These include the ability to distribute one-time-use rebate numeric codes that can be entered directly at the pump and the option to produce third party direct and bulk promotional cards that customers can personalize for their own site offers.
BP also discussed its plans to launch a multi-million dollar marketing campaign to support the Pump Rewards program as well as an aggressive effort to properly train CSR staff across the network. Currently, BP expects to lead nearly 900 training sessions at retail to help educate staff on the Pump Rewards technology and prepare them to support its use and handle consumer inquiries.
In other news, BP?s Fueling Communities Grant Program, an initiative that helped donate more than $3 million to more than 400 community organizations nominated exclusively by BP?s branded marketers last year, will return in 2012 with even greater application. The program will continue to offer customers the opportunity to build and strengthen community relationships, but for the first time it will leverage BP?s sponsorship of the U.S. Olympics Committee and allow BP branded marketers to elect for special activation packages that provide customized resources to support Paralympic Sports Clubs in their regions.

BP also owns exclusive rights as the official energy sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Committee and Team USA through 2016. Convention organizers dedicated time each day to rally branded marketers and set the stage for an exciting year of Olympic activity, including an in-person introduction to eight of its nine sponsored Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

Content Subject: Corporate
Formatted Article Date: February 2, 2012

hippo articlez

Azarenka stuns Sharapova in final

Victoria Azarenka beats Maria Sharapova 6-3 6-0 in the Australian Open final to win her maiden Grand Slam title and become the new world number one.

zone article articles

ND0127121

Title: Retailers Embrace Electric Charging Stations
Description: Chargers are seen as a good investment, as well as a way to be green.
Page Content:

SAN DIEGO ? Shopping malls and retailers across the country are helping consumers to ?charge it? in a different way by installing electric vehicle charging stations, the Los Angeles Times. Despite lackluster sales, car manufacturers are still churning out electric and hybrid cars.

Merchants see electric charging stations as a way to invest in the future and to advertise the retailer?s commitment to the environment. With only just over 5,000 public chargers in the United States, retailers have moved to fill the void by offering electric car owners a place to charge while they shop.

Walgreens was one of the first retailers to install chargers at around 800 locations across the country. Kohl?s launched a pilot program last year with charging stations at 33 department stores, while Macy?s will offer chargers at a few stores in the San Diego area. Best Buy is testing charging stations at a dozen locations.

?We're all about convenience, and many of our stores are located around commuter routes. We realized that Walgreens was ideally situated to implement a strategy for electric chargers,? said Menno Enters, director of energy and sustainability. Enters said if electric car sales start to soar, the company hopes to siphon off customers from close gasoline stations that ?seek the same convenience-type customers.?

Ikea has added chargers to some of its West Coast locations. ?You can just stand and watch folks driving by in the parking lot. They see the space and you can kind of see that 'oh wow, that's kind of neat' look on their faces,? said Joseph Roth, spokesman. ?We view it as another aspect of the shopping experience.?

Content Subject: Petroleum Retailing
Formatted Article Date: January 27, 2012

find and rely really nice stories

Legendary Astronaut Shannon Lucid Retires From NASA

Shannon Lucid, a member of NASA's first astronaut class to include women, has retired after more than three decades of service to the agency.

buy get new

ND0126124

Title: Iced Coffee Sales Heating Up
Description: A Dunkin? Donuts survey of iced coffee drinkers reveals some interesting consumer preferences during the winter months.
Page Content:

CANTON, Mass. ? As the temperatures drop, the popularity of iced coffee is heating up.

According to an independent survey commissioned by Dunkin' Donuts, an overwhelming majority (84%) of iced coffee drinkers claim they are drinking more iced coffee this winter compared to last winter. And, people are turning to ice for more than just a boost to make it through a winter day, as nearly two-thirds feel that iced coffee gives them a mental edge over colleagues at work.

Dunkin' Donuts conducted the survey during the last week of December 2011. Polling 500 iced coffee drinkers throughout the country, the survey examines the "cold hard facts" about iced coffee consumption, and how and why coffee drinkers are warming up to iced coffee during the winter.

Eighty-four percent (84%) of respondents say that they are drinking more iced coffee this winter than last winter. Eighty-six percent (86%) of respondents say that they are drinking more iced coffee this winter compared to three winters ago.

Meanwhile, 77% of respondents claim that iced coffee makes them feel more productive at work, while nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents believe that drinking iced coffee gives them a mental edge over their colleagues.

Iced coffee drinkers also savor the flavor. According to the survey, 90% of respondents go for flavor in their beverage. The most popular choices for flavored iced coffee among survey respondents are French vanilla (30%), mocha (27%) and caramel (21%).

When do most people crave iced coffee? For iced coffee drinkers responding to the survey, the most popular time of the day is between 10 am and 2 pm (41%), followed closely by 2 pm to 6 pm (37%).

More than half of respondents (55%) say that they feel cooler and trendier by holding a cup of iced coffee. The percentage increases to 60% among younger iced coffee drinkers, age 18 to 24.

Dunkin' Donuts' survey also examined ways besides iced coffee that people get themselves going and keep themselves running during the winter months. Some of the top responses include:

  • Going to the gym (35%)
  • Planning a vacation (19%)
  • Watching the football playoffs (17%)
  • Watching new shows on TV (17%)
  • Receiving a tax rebate (12%)

?As the company that serves the most iced coffee in America, we've seen iced coffee consumption continue to rise steadily in winter months, with iced coffee now nearly as popular as the classic cup of Dunkin' Donuts' hot coffee even during the coldest time of year," said John Costello, chief global marketing and innovation officer at Dunkin' Brands. "As our survey results show, more and more people recognize iced coffee as the perfect way to gain some extra energy or a mental edge that can be so important for keeping running through the long winter days."

Content Subject: Foodservice
Formatted Article Date: January 26, 2012

rino hippo

VIDEO: Magnanimous Sharapova hails Azarenka

2008 champion Maria Sharapova credits her opponent Victoria Azarenka as being "better on so many levels" following her 6-3 6-0 defeat to the Belarusian in the Australian Open final. (UK only)

articles roofcargo

VIDEO: Top-flight century delights Bent

Aston Villa striker Darren Bent is thrilled to score his 100th Premier League goal in his side's 2-2 draw at home to QPR.

test find and rely

NASA Hurricane Updates on Facebook



Check NASA's Hurricane on Facebook provides daily looks at storms in the tropics and it's updated on Weekends during storms

post now find out

Cisse confident of QPR survival

Queens Park Rangers' new striker Djibril Cisse is sure the club will avoid relegation after he scores on his debut in the draw against Aston Villa.

you want to learn rino

ND0202125

Title: Competing Channels Grab a Share of Convenience
Description: Grocery, dollar and drug stores are enticing shoppers by offering the same benefits as convenience stores ? namely a convenient location.
Page Content:

?HOUSTON ? Convenience stores are losing market share to other retail outlets, reports The NPD Group in its new Convenience Store Monitor, which tracks consumer purchasing behavior of more than 51,000 c-store shoppers in the U.S.

In the quarter ending December 2011, non-convenience store outlets, including grocery and mass market retailers, dollar stores, and drug stores, captured 9.3% of convenience store traffic, a 2% increase from the same quarter in 2010. Convenience store traffic overall dipped 2% for the quarter from the same quarter last year.

The main reasons consumers shop at a convenience store ?�convenient location, efficient shopping experience, and extended hours of operation ?�are now shared at non-traditional outlets.

According to the report, 79% of consumers who visit a convenience store did so because of its convenient location, while 67% chose a non-traditional store for the same reason. Getting in-and-out of a convenience store quickly was a deciding factor for 44% of consumers, while for the same reason, 40% chose a non-traditional outlet. And 21% of consumers visited a convenience store because of longer hours of operation, while 24% reported that as the reason for shopping at other retail outlets.

?There is no doubt that convenience stores are facing stiff competition from non-traditional retail outlets,? said David Portalatin, convenience store channel analyst for NPD. ?Convenience stores need to glean as much insight as they can from the preferences that consumers are exhibiting. When they do that, they can differentiate themselves from the competition by providing offerings most relevant to their consumers.?

Content Subject: Research
Formatted Article Date: February 2, 2012

get new really good

Every game a cup final - Wenger

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is confident his side can bounce back from their poor run and secure a Champions League berth.

games toys

ND012612

Title: Register Today for NACS CAF�
Description: Spaces are available for the February 12 to 15 NACS CAF� course, a dynamic resource that helps convenience store operators build effective and profitable foodservice programs.
Page Content:

ALEXANDRIA, Va. ? Registration closes this week for the upcoming NACS CAF� course ? an innovative resource specifically for convenience retailers who are seeking to build and grow effective, profitable foodservice programs.

The upcoming NACS CAF� course takes place February 12 to 15 at Atlanta's Georgia World Congress Center (home of previous NACS Shows) in the Georgia State University Hospitality Learning Center. Here are three reasons why NACS CAF� is an essential tool for your foodservice development:

  1. Achieve the Certified Convenience Foodservice Manager (CCFM) designation, which is recognized as one of the most comprehensive and meaningful designations in the foodservice industry. Obtaining the CCFM designation shows your commitment to continuous professional development in the convenience foodservice.
  2. Stay ahead of the competition by receiving education, ideas, information and solutions that will help your company build a profitable foodservice program.
  3. Increase your foodservice expertise, credibility and sales to achieve long-term success.

Hear from NACS CAF� Education Director Nancy Caldarola on how this program can benefit your operation.

Register today for the February 12 to 15 course by contacting Jenn Makarsky, NACS programming and education manager.

Content Subject: Foodservice, NACS
Formatted Article Date: January 26, 2012

really nice stories read and know

Pit-lane pioneers: Women in F1

"I'd never been near a race track in my life," explains Divina Galica, a former Olympic skier who belongs to an exclusive band of Formula One drivers. There are only five members -- and they are all female.

sell cool stuff

Baseball legend Bonds spared jail

Former US baseball star Barry Bonds avoids a prison sentence after he misled a jury investigating whether he took performance-enhancing drugs.

articlez zone article

сряда, 1 февруари 2012 г.

Wales to play Mexico in New York

Wales will play Mexico in a May friendly in New York's MetLife Stadium.

really good amazing stories

Djokovic sees off Spain's Ferrer

Defending champion Novak Djokovic beats quarter-final opponent David Ferrer to set up an Australian Open last-four clash with Britain's Andy Murray.

find and rely really nice stories

Djokovic beats Nadal to win title

World number one Novak Djokovic beats second seed Rafael Nadal in a five-set epic - the longest final in Grand Slam history - to retain his Australian Open title.

toys buy

VIDEO: Kean frustrated after defeat

Blackburn boss Steve Kean says his side created enough chances to win "two or three" matches despite their 2-0 defeat at the hands of Newcastle.

read and know nasa

Gap closing on top three - Murray

Andy Murray believes he is closing the gap on the world's best players despite losing an epic five-set Australian Open semi-final to Novak Djokovic.

hippo articlez

Jeffrey expects close title race

David Jeffrey is expecting a close battle for the Premiership after Linfield's lead is reduced to four points.

buy get new

British pair clinch Swedish title

Nathan Robertson and Jenny Wallwork win the mixed doubles title at the Swedish International in Stockholm to boost their Olympic qualifying hopes.

you want to learn rino