вторник, 31 януари 2012 г.
QPR secure Fulham striker Zamora
NASA, University Of Maryland Invite Public To Astronauts' Discussion Of Recent International Space Station Missions
ND0130126
WASHINGTON ? The Environmental Protection Agency announced last week that biodiesel made from palm oil does not meet the requirements for inclusion of the federal renewable fuels program because the fuel?s greenhouse-gas emissions are too high.
In a regulatory filing on Friday, BusinessWeek reports that the EPA said that palm-oil biodiesel, produced in countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, provides reductions of as much as 17% in greenhouse-gas emissions compared to traditional diesel fuel, falling short of a 20% reduction necessary to qualify.
Failure to meet the 20% threshold means that oil companies cannot use palm fuels to meet national renewable fuel standards. However, they can use fuels made from soybeans, animal fat, recycled cooking grease or similar materials.
?Our goal is to continue to diversify the already strong portfolio of biodiesel feed stocks in the future, but we respect the EPA?s review process and will move forward accordingly,? Ben Evans, a spokesman for the National Biodiesel Board, told BusinessWeek.
Also on Friday the National Biodiesel Board announced that the U.S. biodiesel industry reached a key milestone by producing more than 1 billion gallons of fuel in 2011. The total volume of nearly 1.1 billion gallons is a record for the industry and exceeds the 800 million gallon target required under the EPA's Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The previous record for biodiesel production was about 690 million gallons in 2008.
Swansea 1-1 Chelsea
ND0125123
JACKSON, Miss. ? The Jackson City Council is likely to repeal a law that made convenience stores have a security guard on the premises from 12 am to 5 am, the Jackson Clarion Ledger reports. The mandate has not been enforced since it became law in September.
Part of the problem has been the ordinance?s lack of penalties for violations. Former Councilman Kenneth Stokes had sponsored the law as a way to make 24-hour convenience stores safer after a series of shootings. But opponents labeled the law as unfair and costly.
Convenience store operators expressed concerns over the cost of hiring a security guard and the lack of clarity of the law.
Now, Ward 1 Councilman Quentin Whitwell is leading the charge for its overturn, calling the measure not well considered before its implementation. ?It just goes to my philosophy that I try to share at the council as much as possible,? he said. ?Before we do anything, we need to think it through.?
Whitwell also pointed out that the city mandate could have far-reaching influence, including trade associations looking to propose state laws preventing cities from this sort of legislation. ?An overreaction could end up causing (local governments) to basically have to cede the authority that they have,? he said. ?We could just deal with it at the city level so that it doesn't end up being something that's debated at the state that could cause more problems than it fixes.?
Currently, the repeal motion is awaiting committee assignment in the council. It?s unclear whether the council would support the overturn of the law or not.
Chelsea capture Genk's De Bruyne
ND0127126
PURCHASE, N.Y. ? Over the past dozen years, Pepsi has increased the size of its billion-dollar product club two-fold. This year, the soft-drink company announced three new additions: Brisk tea, Diet Mountain Dew and Starbucks ready-to-drink beverages, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
Each of those beverages now generate yearly sales of more than $1 billion. Now, Pepsi has 22 billion-dollar brands, including some from its food products side. The company has added five products to its billion-dollar sales club since 2007.
?Our ability to accelerate the growth of our billion-dollar brand portfolio with Diet Mountain Dew, Brisk and Starbucks reflects the success of our product marketing and innovation initiatives, the strength of our joint venture partnerships and the power of our distribution systems,? said Indra K. Nooyi, Pepsi chairman/CEO, in a statement.
Diet Mountain Dew, launched in 1988, is the eighth carbonated soft drink from Pepsi that has surpassed a billion-dollar-a-year in sales. Brisk, sold under an agreement with Unilever, has grown around 30 percent by volume in this country since 2009. Starbucks ready-to-drink beverages that are in the billion-dollar sales club include Frappuccino and Doubleshot Energy+Coffee.
Pepsi said in a press release that the increase in the number of billion-dollar products demonstrates the company?s focus on expanding its business. The company has struggled with higher costs and slowing demand in the United States, but offset that with higher prices and an increased focus on emerging markets.
Man City's Veseli joins Man Utd
ND0131124
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.
Loeb makes it six wins in Monte Carlo
ND0124125
NEW YORK ? U.S. beverage and restaurant groups are objecting to advertising campaigns that links their products to disease and amputation, the Financial Times reports.
In an effort to combat its nearly 23% obesity rate, New York City?s health department has launched a $500,000 campaign encouraging the city?s residents to eat and drink less.
One ad depicts a boy with an amputated leg pictured behind a diagram displaying the increasing size of soda portions.
?These drinks are important contributors to the obesity problem,? said Thomas Farley, New York health commissioner. ?The health consequences are severe. The simplest message is to switch out these sugary drinks and switch to another.?
Similar campaigns have been launched in Chicago and Seattle, as well as Georgia and Hawaii.
The American Beverage Association (ABA) characterized the campaigns as ?stomach turning? and ?misleading propaganda.?
?It?s absurd to say that drinking a soda will cause these really extreme health conditions,? said Chris Gindlesperger of the ABA. ?Our companies are out there providing real help for consumers with more low- and no-calorie beverages.?
Gindlesperger said cities and states would better serve their residents by using the campaign funds to build parks and bike paths.
Joy Dubost, director of nutrition and healthy living at the National Restaurant Association, said the goals of the ads are noble but that member companies have already been working to provide healthier offerings.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control released a study last week that reveals obesity rates in the U.S. have leveled off in the past 12 years. However, they remain high, with more than one-third of adults and almost 17% of children obese.
Be sure to read more about the proliferation of the ?food police? in the upcoming February issue of NACS Magazine.
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ND0126121
CONCORD, NH ? New Hampshire has introduced a bill that would cap credit and debit card fees to one-percent for state-charted bank-issued cards, CreditNewsline.com reports.
House Bill 1319 includes three parts: a federal cap on big national banks, a state cap for smaller banks, and no cap for small, federally chartered banks. The state cap would affect 18 state-chartered bans, while six smaller banks would be exempt from the cap.
The Durbin Amendment caps debit card�interchange fees at roughly 21 cents on financial institutions with $10 billion or more in assets. However, all banks in New Hampshire have assets of less than $2 billion. As a result, New Hampshire?s merchants are finding no benefit from the new federal fee caps, according to the news source.
New Hampshire State Rep. John Hikel, the bill?s sponsor and a small business owner, said existing card fees are unpredictable and ?as a merchant, you don?t know what the card is going to cost you.?
Christiana Thornton, the president of the New Hampshire Bankers Association, said the bill would ?undermine the free market? and ?create an un-level playing field.?
A price cap would ?make it entirely likely that some smaller institutions will need to discontinue issuing debit and credit cards, just to avoid losses in this area,? she said.
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ND0131123
RICHMOND, VA ? A Virginia House of Delegates subcommittee recommended approval last week of legislation to declare stores with roll-your-own cigarette machines to be cigarette manufacturers, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.
The move is opposed by Virginia tobacco shop owners who said it would force them to close, as well as an Ohio company that produces roll your own machines. Major cigarette companies and trade groups have backed the legislation.
Altria Group Inc. said the legislation is necessary because roll-your-own shops are not subject to cigarette taxes and other regulations imposed on cigarette manufacturers.
"The purpose of the bill is to ensure that anyone making cigarettes in a retail establishment has to play by the same rules that everyone else in the business has to play by," said John Rainey, a lobbyist for Altria.
The subcommittee voted unanimously, 5-0, to recommend that the full finance committee advance the legislation.
One customer said the bill is an example of big companies ?bullying? small businesses.
"If the bill passes, no more of my money will go to big tobacco," said Monica Arnold, a customer at a Virginia Beach roll your own shop. "I'll roll my own cigarettes at home."
For more information about roll your own tobacco, read ?Roll Your Own Profits? in the January NACS Magazine.
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Adams laments Lakeside neck pain
понеделник, 30 януари 2012 г.
Murray can be number one - Nadal
Iraqi VP predicts return to sectarian violence
ND0123122
ATLANTA ? A recent Poll Position survey reveals that 34% of Americans believe that poor parenting and poor food choices cause childhood obesity.
Poll Position asked participants if they think childhood obesity is a disease, or if it?s caused by poor parenting, poor food choices (or both). The results: 34% said both poor parenting and poor food choices cause childhood obesity, 29% said poor parenting, 24% said poor food choices, 4% thought childhood obesity was a disease, 9% did not offer an opinion.
Men and women differed in their views on the causes of childhood obesity. Among men, 35% said poor parenting causes childhood obesity, 31% selected both poor parenting and poor food choices, 22% said it was poor food choices, 4% said it as a disease and 8% offered no opinion.
Among women respondents, 36% said both poor parenting and poor food choices cause childhood obesity, 27% said it is caused by poor food choices, 24% said poor parenting, 3% said it is a disease and 10% did not offer an opinion.
Poll Position's survey of 1,145 registered voters nationwide was conducted January 17, 2012 and has a margin of error of �3%. Poll results are weighted to be a representative sampling of all American adults.
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ND0124126
WICHITA, KS ? Kansas convenience and grocery stores are seeking to allow full-strength beer, wine and liquor to be sold in their stores, The Wichita Eagle reports.
A bill has been introduced in the Kansas Legislature to allow the expanded sales, with a hearing on a tasting bill (one that would allow tastings at liquor stores) scheduled for today.
But Kansas Rep. Steve Brunk said he is skeptical that legislators would be any more amenable to the measures as they have in the past, when the proposals have been soundly rejected.
Brunk said if the bill comes before his committee ? Federal and State Affairs in the House ? he?s not even sure it would receive a hearing.
This is the fourth consecutive years that stores have sought to be allowed to sell full-strength beer.
A new QuikTrip that opened earlier this month in Wichita includes shelves for expanded sales of alcohol, built on the assumption the law will eventually change. Currently, Kansas convenience and grocery stores can sell beer and wine coolers that top off at 3.2% alcohol by volume.
Brunk said legislators oppose the change for a variety of reasons, including not wanting to harm mom-and-pop liquor stores and not wanting to make liquor more visible to young people.
The bill includes a moratorium of three years on new liquor licenses to allow existing store owners to adjust to the new competition or sell their licenses. Brunk doesn?t find that period sufficient.
?The real problem in my mind,? Brunk said, ?is that we don?t have a good transition period from one structure to another.?
Read more about state beer tax laws in NACS Magazine.
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Funso (Southern Indian Ocean)
Infrared imagery from the AIRS instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite showed that Cyclone Funso did a fast fade once it got outside of the warm waters of the Mozambique Channel this past weekend.
ND0126124
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."
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Adams laments Lakeside neck pain
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ND0127121
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.?
ND0120126
DALLAS ? Fifty years ago, John Thompson, head of 7-Eleven, took advantage of a booming economy and an American society bent on getting things done quickly by transforming his company into the world?s biggest convenience store chain, Investor?s Business Daily reports.
Among his innovations were 24/7 store operations, introduction of the Big Gulp and Slurpees, plus international expansion. Thompson, who died in 2003, elevated 7-Eleven to a whole new level?and with it, the entire convenience store industry.
?I'm not sure the modern convenience store would even exist without 7-Eleven,? Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of communications. ?They figured out people wanted things now. They were the first retailer to really do that. They knew what people wanted before people even knew what they wanted.?
Thompson?s father started the company back in the late 1920s and named it 7-Eleven to advertise its hours of operation. During the 1950s, John, along with his brothers Jere and Joe Jr., came aboard. John Thompson recognized early on that Americans were in a hurry.
?People wanted it even faster,? said Lenard. ?Forty years later, I think the speed of microwave is too slow. Today, people literally don't want to break stride. ? When you say convenience store, the first thing you think of is 7-Eleven. When you say 7-Eleven, the first thing you think of is convenience store. It's a generic name ? like Kleenex and Xerox.?
ND0124123
NEW YORK ? Video stores nationwide are shutting their doors, struggling to survive among the growth of video rental kiosks and online streaming services.
Marketing Daily reports that according to The NPD Group, consumer rentals of DVD and Blu-Ray movies dropped 11% last year compared to 2010, while those that were rented increasingly favored Redbox, whose market share rose 12% for the year.
?In most metro areas, [the video store is] on life support at best,? said Russ Crupnick, senior vice president of industry analysis for NPD. ?I think Blockbuster?s latest move to close a lot of stores really puts an end to the video store as we know it.?
According to NPD, Redbox?s unit volume grew 29% last year while its share of DVD and Blu-Ray rentals rose from 25% in 2010 to 37% last year. During the same period, Blockbuster stores saw a 6%net rental share drop to 17%.
?Redbox is the one bright spot in growing both in types of volume,? Crupnick said. ?Their footprint is growing, and so consequently is their share.?
Meanwhile, Netflix?s rental business remained flat but an impressive 30% of market share, with its digital movie rentals commanding a 55% market share in the fourth quarter last year.
?The movie-rental market is clearly undergoing a sea change, as consumers become better equipped to access on-demand and streamed movies and are more comfortable with available delivery options,? Crupnick said. ?Even so, renting physical discs from now- ubiquitous kiosks in grocery stores and other venues has taken the lead as the most popular movie-rental method in the U.S.?
Mattek-Sands and Tecau claim mixed doubles title
неделя, 29 януари 2012 г.
Loeb makes it six wins in Monte Carlo
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NASA Hurricane Updates on Twitter
Check NASA's Hurricane Twitter feed for a daily behind the scenes look at storms in the tropics.
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ND0120123
WASHINGTON, D.C. ? Democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee are urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban flavored cigars and cigarillos.
In a letter to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, Reps. Henry Waxman (D-CA), Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), Diana DeGette (D-CO) and John Dingell (D-MI) voiced their concern that flavored cigar and cigarillo products appeal to minors. The representatives wrote in the letter that tobacco manufacturers are attempting to ?sidestep tobacco products standards? by adding flavors to cigars and cigarillos.
In September 2009, the FDA banned the sale of candy and fruit-flavored cigarettes. ?Congress believed this action was critical because flavored tobacco products are particularly attractive to children,? the letter stated.
The agency has been working to expand the ?scope of the Tobacco Control Act by making other tobacco products (e.g. cigars) subject to FDA oversight,? and the letter endorsed the FDA?s ?current evaluation of options for restricting additional flavored tobacco products.?
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Check NASA's Hurricane on Facebook provides daily looks at storms in the tropics and it's updated on Weekends during storms
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ND0127123
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.
NASA Hurricane Updates on Twitter
Check NASA's Hurricane Twitter feed for a daily behind the scenes look at storms in the tropics.
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ND0123125
DEERFIELD, Ill. ? Last week former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy joined Walgreens President and CEO Greg Wasson, Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) and community leaders in a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the grand reopening of Walgreens newly-renovated stores in the Indianapolis market.
Indianapolis is Walgreens market-wide, pilot transformation of the traditional drugstore into a health and daily living store. Each of the 68 Walgreens stores in the Indianapolis area, which employ more than 2,200 people, has been redesigned around customers? needs and includes combinations of the following features:
- Fresh food, including fruits and vegetables, meats, prepared salads, sandwiches, wraps, take-and-bake pizzas and other on-the-go meal options.
- An enhanced beauty department display, including one store with a Look Boutique featuring dozens of prestige and niche cosmetic, skincare and hair care brands not typically found in drugstores.
- A pharmacist located in front of the pharmacy, offering a greater opportunity for patient consultation and health care services such as vaccinations and health testing.
- A new Walgreens staff member called a Health Guide, equipped with an iPad and available to answer product and service questions, helps customers navigate the store and their health care options and sign up for events. Select stores also have a Health Corner space to host individual or group health and wellness community events.
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ND0126126
DALLAS, Tex. ? More than 850 ALON convenience stores, located throughout Texas and New Mexico, are offering one lucky couple a chance to win a date night?in a convenience store.
This unique experience includes convenience store cuisine such as hot dogs, soda, chips and candy, and the couple will be escorted via limo during the date. ALON is also offering an all-expenses paid trip to a big city chosen by the couple. Sure, a trip to Vegas or New Orleans is not as cool as date night at your local c-store, but most cities have some kind of convenience store so it?s not a total loss.
As a part of this once-in-a-lifetime contest, ALON is introducing a new super fan, Phil. As an expert on interpersonal relationships and heavy machinery, Phil has invaluable dating tips for couples and even the lovelorn. For example, when visiting a convenience store to make critical purchases, Phil advises, ?It can be tempting, but don?t overdo it on sweets too soon in the evening. Hello sugar crash!?
The opportunity to win a date night at ALON convenience stores will continue through March 1. By simply texting ?DATE? to the 444222 short code, some lucky couple can have an all-expenses paid date at the ALON convenience store of their choice. In addition to entering via text messaging, contestants can register to win online at www.myalon.com.
ND0127122
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.
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ND0127122
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.
събота, 28 януари 2012 г.
ND0123126
NEW YORK, NY ? Total retail sales of soy, almond, rice and other plant milks reached $1.33 billion in 2011, according to a new report from Packaged Facts.
Packaged Facts suggests that many consumers are increasingly turning either to non-caloric beverages or to non-traditional beverages with novel nutritional characteristics or benefits ? the latter a positive trend for the dairy alternative beverages market.
Consumers choose plant-based dairy alternatives for numerous reasons, according to David Sprinkle, publisher of Packaged Facts. Health issues including lactose intolerance, milk allergy, and the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) can be addressed through the consumption of dairy alternative beverages because these plant-based milks are free of animal proteins, in particular casein. Prime consumers of dairy alternative beverages also include vegans, vegetarians and people concerned about the antibiotics or growth hormones that could be found in cow's milk.
Packaged Facts survey data show that more than half (54%) of U.S. adults who purchase soymilk do so because of the nutritional characteristics of this beverage, and nearly half (43%) do so because of nutritional advantages related to specific personal or household health concerns.
Almond milk, however, was the dairy alternative beverage that posted the biggest dollar sales gains in 2011. Packaged Facts survey data show that while soymilk remains the single most popular single type of dairy alternative beverage, with 11% of adults as consumers, almond milk is now close behind in popularity, at 9%. Moreover, 62% of adults who use almond milk are drinking this beverage somewhat more often or much more often than they were five years ago. The almond milk segment, which now accounts for 21% of the retail market for dairy alternative beverages, therefore saw sales increase by 79% in 2011.
Across the most popular dairy alternative beverage segments, in addition, competition has increased as private-label brands have been slotted side-by-side with the now-familiar leading brands. In some regions, many of the private-label dairy alternative beverages boast the same formulations as the branded products and undercut the branded-label retail price. In retail outlets featuring private label dairy alternatives, these store brand products often command the premium shelf space for both refrigerated and aseptic versions.
In addition, the introduction of single-serve dairy alternative beverages has created broader opportunities for beverage manufacturers to reach a larger market. These ready-to-drink beverages fit well in refrigerated cases alongside water, juices and sodas, and can provide an immediate snack for a kid or adult, a beverage to pack for lunch, or a small container for use as a creamer, along with the ability to cater to different taste and nutritional preferences within a household.
Packaged Facts Food Shopper Insights survey data show that 21% of grocery shoppers purchase refrigerated single-serve beverages for immediate consumption, a rate that puts these grab-and-go drinks in the same league as sweet snacks such as chocolate candy or cookies or as traditional beverage staples such ground/whole bean coffee.
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ND0120126
DALLAS ? Fifty years ago, John Thompson, head of 7-Eleven, took advantage of a booming economy and an American society bent on getting things done quickly by transforming his company into the world?s biggest convenience store chain, Investor?s Business Daily reports.
Among his innovations were 24/7 store operations, introduction of the Big Gulp and Slurpees, plus international expansion. Thompson, who died in 2003, elevated 7-Eleven to a whole new level?and with it, the entire convenience store industry.
?I'm not sure the modern convenience store would even exist without 7-Eleven,? Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of communications. ?They figured out people wanted things now. They were the first retailer to really do that. They knew what people wanted before people even knew what they wanted.?
Thompson?s father started the company back in the late 1920s and named it 7-Eleven to advertise its hours of operation. During the 1950s, John, along with his brothers Jere and Joe Jr., came aboard. John Thompson recognized early on that Americans were in a hurry.
?People wanted it even faster,? said Lenard. ?Forty years later, I think the speed of microwave is too slow. Today, people literally don't want to break stride. ? When you say convenience store, the first thing you think of is 7-Eleven. When you say 7-Eleven, the first thing you think of is convenience store. It's a generic name ? like Kleenex and Xerox.?
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ND0123123
NEW YORK ? Taco Bell is rolling out its new breakfast platform ? dubbed ?First Meal? ? this week in about 750 locations in 10 states, the first wave of what the QSR says will be a year of change and innovation, Nation?s Restaurant News reports.
The chain is also beginning to test a new Cantina menu in about 150 stores, which includes higher quality ingredients developed with help from celebrity chef Lorena Garcia.
Taco Bell hopes that both moves will shift consumer perceptions of the brand.
?Taco Bell will always stand for a great value proposition. ?But we will try to stand out for the experience, for the flavors of the food and innovation. We?re dialing up our relevance for an expanding palate,? commented Brian Niccol, Taco Bell?s chief marketing and innovation officer.
Niccol also makes the point that Taco Bell has no interest in being Chipotle, the front-runner of quick-serve Mexican-inspired food.
?There are some forums and flavors that have been introduced that we have every right to participate in like burrito bowls,? Niccol told the news source, adding, ?We can do that and be a better value.?
Niccol suggested that Taco Bell has conquered the evening daypart and wants to steal market share from other QSRs that offer breakfast, such as Wendy?s, Burger King and McDonald?s.
ND0120124
SHERMAN, Ill. ? Around 150 Casey?s General Stores will never close their doors starting this month, part of a move by the chain to have establishments in smaller locales open 24/7, the State Journal-Register reports. The chain has also begun a pilot program with pizza delivery in a few areas.
Early in 2011, between 70 to 80 Casey?s made the switch, all of which registered a bump in revenue. ?We?ve been very successful with this, and the decision was to expand to other locations,? said William Walljasper, CFO of Casey?s.
The stores that will convert to 24/7 operations were picked because of their location near busy roads and interstates. With more cars on the road during the overnight hours, some convenience stores are finding boosts in sales by being open all day long, said Jeff Lenard with NACS.
?It?s a combination of gasoline and in-store sales,? said Lenard. ?Casey?s is among the top four or five in the country in terms of pizza sales.?
Casey?s raked in $152 million from prepared food and fountain drink sales, a recent six-month earnings report found. ?Casey?s model has always been serving small communities, and now they?re moving to 24 hours and how to extend that into those markets,? said Lenard.
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ND0120126
DALLAS ? Fifty years ago, John Thompson, head of 7-Eleven, took advantage of a booming economy and an American society bent on getting things done quickly by transforming his company into the world?s biggest convenience store chain, Investor?s Business Daily reports.
Among his innovations were 24/7 store operations, introduction of the Big Gulp and Slurpees, plus international expansion. Thompson, who died in 2003, elevated 7-Eleven to a whole new level?and with it, the entire convenience store industry.
?I'm not sure the modern convenience store would even exist without 7-Eleven,? Jeff Lenard, NACS vice president of communications. ?They figured out people wanted things now. They were the first retailer to really do that. They knew what people wanted before people even knew what they wanted.?
Thompson?s father started the company back in the late 1920s and named it 7-Eleven to advertise its hours of operation. During the 1950s, John, along with his brothers Jere and Joe Jr., came aboard. John Thompson recognized early on that Americans were in a hurry.
?People wanted it even faster,? said Lenard. ?Forty years later, I think the speed of microwave is too slow. Today, people literally don't want to break stride. ? When you say convenience store, the first thing you think of is 7-Eleven. When you say 7-Eleven, the first thing you think of is convenience store. It's a generic name ? like Kleenex and Xerox.?
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ND0124126
WICHITA, KS ? Kansas convenience and grocery stores are seeking to allow full-strength beer, wine and liquor to be sold in their stores, The Wichita Eagle reports.
A bill has been introduced in the Kansas Legislature to allow the expanded sales, with a hearing on a tasting bill (one that would allow tastings at liquor stores) scheduled for today.
But Kansas Rep. Steve Brunk said he is skeptical that legislators would be any more amenable to the measures as they have in the past, when the proposals have been soundly rejected.
Brunk said if the bill comes before his committee ? Federal and State Affairs in the House ? he?s not even sure it would receive a hearing.
This is the fourth consecutive years that stores have sought to be allowed to sell full-strength beer.
A new QuikTrip that opened earlier this month in Wichita includes shelves for expanded sales of alcohol, built on the assumption the law will eventually change. Currently, Kansas convenience and grocery stores can sell beer and wine coolers that top off at 3.2% alcohol by volume.
Brunk said legislators oppose the change for a variety of reasons, including not wanting to harm mom-and-pop liquor stores and not wanting to make liquor more visible to young people.
The bill includes a moratorium of three years on new liquor licenses to allow existing store owners to adjust to the new competition or sell their licenses. Brunk doesn?t find that period sufficient.
?The real problem in my mind,? Brunk said, ?is that we don?t have a good transition period from one structure to another.?
Read more about state beer tax laws in NACS Magazine.
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ND0124121
NEW YORK ? While the Durbin Amendment reduced sharply how much large banks like Wells Fargo and Citigroup can charge merchants for debit card transactions, it exempted smaller banks, those with less than $10 billion in assets. As a result, they have been collecting fees that are often three times those imposed on cards by large banks, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The WSJ notes that a $100 sweater purchased with a debit card would incur a fee of 95 cents on a card issued by a smaller bank and only 26 cents for those issued by big banks. As a result, the big banks are upset at the law, which is a ?gross miscarriage of justice,? according to J.P. Morgan Chairman and Chief Executive James Dimon, adding the new rule cost the company $350 million of revenue last quarter.
In response, small banks maintain that their ?advantage? will disappear over time as merchants steer customers away from those more costly debit cards by promising cash discount incentives.
Regardless, merchants in rural areas seem to be hardest hit by the rule as their customers predominantly use cards issued by the Durbin-exempt smaller banks. Indeed, Heartland Payment Systems Inc. confirmed that retailers in Montana, Alaska, and North Dakota are benefitting the least from Durbin.
"I think the law should apply to all banks," said Linda Phillips, who owns a drugstore in Lamoni, Iowa, adding that half her customer?s debit card purchases are used with cards issued by small lenders.
Bankers maintain the system will realize additional uncertainty after April 1, when all U.S. banks and credit unions must offer retailers more choices of companies used to process debit card transactions, a move that is expected to lower interchange fees further.
"It is a short-term advantage," said Jeffrey Szyperski, chief executive of Chesapeake Bank, a unit of Chesapeake Financial Shares Inc.
For more on swipe fee reform, see ?Courting the Fed Over Swipe Fees? in the current issue of NACS Magazine.
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ND0126122
LOUISVILLE, KY ? MasterCard Worldwide has taken mobile payments to movie theaters in Australia, teaming with Australia?s Commonwealth Bank and Hoyt Corporation movie theater chain to allow moviegoers to order and pay for snacks directly from their seats, Mobile Payments Today reports.
The mobile payments app, called QkR, incorporates NFC tags with a printed QR code on it to identify seat locations. Patrons scan the code or tap on the tag with an NFC-enabled phone to launch the app. They then order food and drinks, paying for their purchases from within the app, after which the order is delivered to their seats by theater staff.
The service kicks off later this month in Sydney at Hoyt?s La Premiere cinemas and will be available for iPhone and Android devices.
"For our La Premiere guests, being able to purchase a meal, dessert or another round of drinks using QkR without missing a second of the movie is a real luxury!? said Hoyt CEO Delfin Fernandez. "Hoyts has long embraced new technology to give our guests the ultimate cinema experience?and now QkR will eliminate the hassle of having to leave the cinema auditorium to place another food or drink order."
"QkR has many possible uses, and this pilot is just one great example of leveraging different technologies in a new way to create an easy and convenient ordering experience,? said Matt Barr, MasterCard Australia?s head of market development. "We?re focused on smart ways to simplify and improve the consumer experience.?
ND0124126
WICHITA, KS ? Kansas convenience and grocery stores are seeking to allow full-strength beer, wine and liquor to be sold in their stores, The Wichita Eagle reports.
A bill has been introduced in the Kansas Legislature to allow the expanded sales, with a hearing on a tasting bill (one that would allow tastings at liquor stores) scheduled for today.
But Kansas Rep. Steve Brunk said he is skeptical that legislators would be any more amenable to the measures as they have in the past, when the proposals have been soundly rejected.
Brunk said if the bill comes before his committee ? Federal and State Affairs in the House ? he?s not even sure it would receive a hearing.
This is the fourth consecutive years that stores have sought to be allowed to sell full-strength beer.
A new QuikTrip that opened earlier this month in Wichita includes shelves for expanded sales of alcohol, built on the assumption the law will eventually change. Currently, Kansas convenience and grocery stores can sell beer and wine coolers that top off at 3.2% alcohol by volume.
Brunk said legislators oppose the change for a variety of reasons, including not wanting to harm mom-and-pop liquor stores and not wanting to make liquor more visible to young people.
The bill includes a moratorium of three years on new liquor licenses to allow existing store owners to adjust to the new competition or sell their licenses. Brunk doesn?t find that period sufficient.
?The real problem in my mind,? Brunk said, ?is that we don?t have a good transition period from one structure to another.?
Read more about state beer tax laws in NACS Magazine.
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ND0125122
SEATTLE ? Responding to customer feedback for more options to relax in its stores in the evenings, Starbucks Coffee Company announced this week it has plans to bring wine, beer and premium food offerings to a handful of locations in Atlanta and Southern California by December 2012. These stores, along with several others recently announced for the Chicago area, will be the first extensions of the evening day-part concept outside of the Pacific Northwest.
?Building an evening day-part is a natural progression for us as we are always looking for ways to evolve and enhance the Starbucks Experience based on what our customers are telling us,? said Clarice Turner, senior vice president of U.S. operations, in a press release. ?We?re pleased with the response of our customers to the introduction of wine, beer and premium food at several of our stores in the Pacific Northwest, and we?re excited to see how the idea translates to other markets.?
Since first introducing the evening day-part concept at its Olive Way location in Seattle in October 2010, Starbucks has seen success creating a new occasion for customers later in the day through an expanded food and beverage menu. Five stores in the Seattle area and one in Portland, Ore., currently serve wine, beer and premium food. Late last year, Starbucks announced plans to bring the concept to five to seven locations in the Chicago area by the end of 2012. Atlanta and Southern California will each see four to six stores, also by the end of the year.
As part of an enhanced menu, these stores will serve new premium food (including savory snacks, small plates, and hot flatbreads) as well as wine and beer. The wine and beer list will be hand-selected to reflect local customer tastes and preferences, and will be refined over time. In addition to providing a product assortment not traditionally found at Starbucks, these stores will incorporate flexible seating to accommodate individuals and small groups as well as larger parties that want to host community meetings or other events such as book clubs.
?As our customers transition from work to home, many are looking for a warm and inviting place to unwind and connect with the people they care about,? said Turner. ?At select stores where it is relevant for the neighborhood, we are focused on creating an atmosphere where our customers can relax with a friend, a small bite to eat and a cup of coffee or glass of wine.?
At this time, the evening day-part concept is only focused on Atlanta, the Chicago area, Southern California, and the Pacific Northwest.
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ND0126122
LOUISVILLE, KY ? MasterCard Worldwide has taken mobile payments to movie theaters in Australia, teaming with Australia?s Commonwealth Bank and Hoyt Corporation movie theater chain to allow moviegoers to order and pay for snacks directly from their seats, Mobile Payments Today reports.
The mobile payments app, called QkR, incorporates NFC tags with a printed QR code on it to identify seat locations. Patrons scan the code or tap on the tag with an NFC-enabled phone to launch the app. They then order food and drinks, paying for their purchases from within the app, after which the order is delivered to their seats by theater staff.
The service kicks off later this month in Sydney at Hoyt?s La Premiere cinemas and will be available for iPhone and Android devices.
"For our La Premiere guests, being able to purchase a meal, dessert or another round of drinks using QkR without missing a second of the movie is a real luxury!? said Hoyt CEO Delfin Fernandez. "Hoyts has long embraced new technology to give our guests the ultimate cinema experience?and now QkR will eliminate the hassle of having to leave the cinema auditorium to place another food or drink order."
"QkR has many possible uses, and this pilot is just one great example of leveraging different technologies in a new way to create an easy and convenient ordering experience,? said Matt Barr, MasterCard Australia?s head of market development. "We?re focused on smart ways to simplify and improve the consumer experience.?
ND0120123
WASHINGTON, D.C. ? Democratic members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee are urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban flavored cigars and cigarillos.
In a letter to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, Reps. Henry Waxman (D-CA), Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), Diana DeGette (D-CO) and John Dingell (D-MI) voiced their concern that flavored cigar and cigarillo products appeal to minors. The representatives wrote in the letter that tobacco manufacturers are attempting to ?sidestep tobacco products standards? by adding flavors to cigars and cigarillos.
In September 2009, the FDA banned the sale of candy and fruit-flavored cigarettes. ?Congress believed this action was critical because flavored tobacco products are particularly attractive to children,? the letter stated.
The agency has been working to expand the ?scope of the Tobacco Control Act by making other tobacco products (e.g. cigars) subject to FDA oversight,? and the letter endorsed the FDA?s ?current evaluation of options for restricting additional flavored tobacco products.?
