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CSAA Insurance Group and Rick Astley Partner on Surprise…

August 17, 2022
by Vaseline

AAA Underwriters Partners With ’80s Icon To Create New Video For ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – (BUSINESS WIRE) – CSAA Insurance Group has partnered with 1980s British legend Rick Astley to launch a new branding campaign across 17 US markets. For the first time in 35 years, Astley and the premium AAA insurance provider have released a new version of his beloved music video for his 1987 chart-topping “Never Gonna Give You Up.” The new video pays tribute to the original while spreading the good news about InsurAAAnce – the insurance company that never gives you up!

“The homage to my video for the AAA insurance commercial — from set to wardrobe — was an amazing journey down memory lane,” Astley said. “I felt so good about the song and I’m thrilled to be collaborating with another iconic brand that has certainly stood the test of time.”

It’s a meaningful collaboration as CSAA Insurance Group continues its 100-year track record of providing customers with unbeatable service and support in times of need. There’s no better way to celebrate this milestone than with the world’s most adorable meme.

“Rickified” QR Codes

This week, Rickified QR codes are being released across the country primed to unleash a familiar Rick Astley experience: the Rickroll. Anyone in any of the target markets can scan the codes to experience the brand new music video for themselves. The “Rickroll” is one of the most original internet memes, captivating netizens as a light-hearted prank. When inconspicuous readers received a disguised hyperlink, they clicked on it, expecting an irrelevant topic, and instead were taken to the “Never Gonna Give You Up” music video. As a testament to the joy the meme has spread over the past 15 years, “Never Gonna Give You Up” has amassed over 1.2 billion views on YouTube and almost 600 million streams on Spotify.

“We are thrilled to be working with Rick Astley to not only rekindle the joy of his video, but amplify the incredible value our customers receive with InsurAAAnce,” said Linda Goldstein, Executive Vice President, Customer Experience & Marketing , CSAA Insurance Group. “And clearly, the indelible lyrics of ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ are one of the best ways we can get that message across.”

The campaign, a concept by Deloitte Digital, was brought to life in part through a commercial directed by Joseph Kahn, winner of multiple Grammys, MTV VMAs, Clios and Emmys. Deloitte Digital’s deep insurance industry expertise, combined with deep creative, data and technology capabilities, enable the company to take a creative approach to advertising and enable new brand platforms across all customer touchpoints.

“An iconic and popular brand meets an iconic and popular artist. ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ is the very promise InsurAAAnce makes to its customers: Legendary reliability that won’t let you down or let you down,” said Jones Krahl and Milton Correa, co-heads of Creative for Brand and Advertising at DeloitteDigital. “We wanted to communicate that in a memorable way, by not only re-imagining the iconic music video after 35 years (with Rick himself!), but also serving it up in a way that pays homage to the way internet and meme culture Rick Astley made his own.”

About CSAA Insurance Group

CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA insurer, offers auto, homeowner and other personal lines of insurance to AAA members through AAA clubs in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Founded in 1914, the company has been rated “A” or better by AM Best for more than 90 years and is one of the leading personal insurance groups for property and casualty insurance in the United States according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The company has been repeatedly named one of the 50 Most Community-Based Companies in America by Points of Light. For more information, visit http://csaa-insurance.aaa.com and social media (Facebook, TwitterLinkedIn).

About Deloitte Digital

Deloitte Digital helps companies create new growth by enhancing the human experience – with connected ideas, technologies and talent. Our goal is to create the best customer-centric organizations in the world. Together with Deloitte, we foster the connections needed to build a better future for our clients, our culture, our society and our planet. Visit www.deloittedigital.com or follow Deloitte Digital on LinkedIn or Twitter to learn more.

contacts

Liam Collopy, EVP, Stanton PR, [email protected] / 415-517-9760

7 highly-anticipated TV shows new or returning in Fall…

August 17, 2022
by Vaseline

Robert Aramayo (left) and Morfydd Clark in The Lord of the Rings: The Power Rings. Photo: Beth Rothstein/Prime Video

The summer television season has come and gone, and so have some of the most anticipated series “Stranger Things”, “Ms. Marvel” and “Hacks” have already ended their runs. But the best thing about television is that there is always more to see.

It’s time to grab a jumper and your favorite snack because the next batch of amazing TV shows is upon you. From vampires and elves to public school teachers and firefighters, the fall 2022 TV season will be filled with plenty of opportunities to be whisked away into fictional worlds while we recover from our own.

“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”

Set thousands of years before the events of the famous Lord of the Rings films, The Power Rings is the prequel of all prequels and one of the most anticipated shows of the year. Most people are familiar with the one ring of power that Frodo (Elijah Wood) traveled so far to destroy in the film, but what about the other rings, the ones that went to the elves and dwarves? The new show will follow the history of this forging, how all the rings came to be, as well as the rise of the villain Sauron.

With a staggering budget of $465 million, Rings of Power is the most expensive series ever, which hopefully means viewers are in for an epic adventure set in Middle-earth. While the plot is disappointing, the show’s trailer gives a sneak peek at one of the most visually stunning series of the year.

Watch it: Premieres September 2nd on Prime Video. Episodes will be released on Fridays through October 21st.

‘Vampire Academy’

These days it doesn’t matter if your book series has already been made into a horrible movie, reboots are here to raise the dead! After its woefully disappointing big screen debut in 2014, celebrity literary series Vampire Academy is set to take on a new TV adaptation helmed by vampire queen Julie Plec (of Vampire Diaries, The Originals, and Legacies fame).

The series follows a girl and her best friend, one of whom is a half-vampire who is being trained to be a warden and the other a king who is learning the ins and outs of vampire politics. As the undead, evil vampires threaten to tear their society apart, and these girls must work together to save the day.

Watch it: Premiered September 15 on Peacock. Subsequent episodes will be released on Thursdays through October 27th.

‘Abbott Elementary School’

This list wouldn’t be complete without the anticipated return of one of the best TV sitcoms in years. Abbott Elementary resonated with network and streaming audiences in its first season for its sharp humor and well-loved characters. Make sure you catch up before Season 2 brings more laughs this fall.

Written and created by Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary tells the story of a mismatched group of Philadelphia public school teachers who are determined to help their students succeed in life, even when they are underfunded and unrecognized.

Watch it: Premieres September 21 at 9 p.m. on ABC. New episodes will be available to stream on Hulu the day after the network debuts.

‘Interview with the Vampire’

If someone had a fang on their neck and had to remember at least two parts of vampire fiction or were exhausted, they would probably say Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” or Anne Rice’s “Interview with the Vampire”. Another example of how a novel’s movie gets a TV remake, vampire fanatics get a new take on one of horror’s most classic monster tales.

The year is 2022 and vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) is in Dubai where he meets Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian) and wants to tell the story of his (after)life. His story begins in New Orleans in the 20th Century, and as the story unfolds, Daniel slowly uncovers the truth behind his incredible stories.

Watch it: Premieres October 2 at 10 p.m. on AMC.

“The Midnight Club”

The last few years have been really great for a spooky season at Netflix, thanks to Mike Flanagan’s consistent excellence. Flanagan, the executive producer of Haunted Hill House, Haunted Bly Manor and Midnight Mass, has proven he knows how to tell a good scary story. And although “The Midnight Club” is aimed at a younger audience, goosebumps are almost guaranteed with the super producer at the helm.

Based on the novel by Christopher Pike, The Midnight Club is set in the Brightcliffe Hospice, an old mansion with a mysterious history. Five terminally ill patients decide to meet at midnight every night to tell scary stories and look for signs of the supernatural.

Watch it: All episodes are available to stream on Netflix from October 7th.

‘Fire land’

It doesn’t take long for a natural disaster to get the Hollywood treatment, and while Fire Country isn’t based on any specific event, it is inspired by a real-life program that sends convicted inmates to join Northern California’s fire crews in exchange for premature ones dismissal. And while Cal Fire was not involved in the creation of this show and has previously denounced the portrayal of their very real programming, it sure is interesting television.

The show follows the fictional Bode Donovan (Max Thieriot, who grew up in Sonoma County) as he tries to make amends for his past and find a way to prove he’s a better man. He gets his chance when he joins an elite group of firefighters and helps them put out the countless wildfires raging across his state.

Watch it: Premieres October 7 at 9 p.m. on CBS.

‘The Winchesters’

Running on the CW for over a decade, “Supernatural” chronicled the demon-fighting adventures of Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles), their family history and more. Even though its story is over, Hollywood is not an industry known for wasting good intellectual property. Cue The Winchesters, a prequel series that treats us to the story of how Sam and Dean’s parents met and worked together more than once to save the world.

Original series star Ackles, also executive producer on the new series, returns as Dean as he narrates the episodes that tell the story from the day John (Drake Rodger) and Mary (Meg Donnelly) met and for long to come thereafter. The only question is, will this series last as long as its predecessor?

Watch it: Premieres Oct. 11 at 8 p.m. on the CW.

Tarik Raouf

Tariq Raouf is from San Francisco and lives in Seattle as a freelance writer. Twitter: @tariq_raouf

Tech

Technology company OSR Enterprises AG, led by founder and…

August 17, 2022
by Vaseline

As the recent tsunami of hiring freezes and layoffs hits tech giants and startups worldwide, OSR Enterprises AG announces mass hiring to expand its R&D teams at what is being described as the most challenging time today

RED CROSS, Switzerland, August 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — OSR Enterprises AG, founded in 2011 by the entrepreneur Orit Shifmanrecruits hardware and software engineers, developers and AI specialists for its advanced R&D centers worldwide, effectively doubling its R&D workforce.

Orit Shifman, CEO and founder of OSR Enterprises AG (PRNewsfoto/OSR Enterprises AG)

Since 2011, OSR has been laying new technological foundations for the automotive industry by replacing the traditional distributed vehicle architecture with a centralized one. OSR’s centralized architecture is based on a single AI-powered central brain, the DEVELOPERthat enables better, safer and much smarter cars.

The EVOLVER platform (hardware and software) is an AI-based multi-domain brain that enables various complex functions, such as autonomous driving, data monetization, advanced AI-based user services, driver and cabin monitoring, etc., all with a proprietary multi – Layer cybersecurity protection.

OSR’s new “one brain per car” centralized vehicle E/E architecture methodology is designed to replace the current traditional distributed architecture.

The EVOLVER (today in its 6th generation)^th Generation) is sold to most of the world’s leading car manufacturers and was first in its 3rd generation^approx generation at the motor show in Frankfurt in 2017. The 4th^th Generation was introduced two years later as part of the cooperation between OSR Enterprises AG and Jaguar Land Rover.

OSR works with leading car manufacturers worldwide and continues to expand. “Today, given the company’s extensive activities, we are growing more than ever,” explains Orit ShifmanCEO and founder of OSR Enterprises AG. “We are hiring more people today and will double our R&D manpower globally. We value our employees’ contribution to the success and advancement of the company as a pioneer and leader in our field,” said Shifman. “We plan ahead to expand our R&D centers worldwide. We are looking for creative engineers and developers who strive to be at the forefront of technology and revolutionize the automotive industry and the mobility experience.”

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1875780/Orit_Shifman_OSR_Enterprises_AG.jpg
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1875781/OSR_Enterprises_AG_Logo.jpg

SOURCE OSR Enterprises AG

apps

Disciple Media Releases multilingual app update

August 17, 2022
by Vaseline

LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / August 17, 2022 / younger media (Disciple) today announced that they will soon be releasing a multilingual update to their white label community platform. This update means Disciple can offer non-English speaking and multilingual communities a complete solution by translating the apps for members (available on web, iOS and Android). They are in the early stages of deciding which languages will be available after testing French. The release gives community hosts the ability to customize their official platform language used for push notifications and emails. In addition, community members can experience the app interface in their device’s default language.

In addition to the language update, Disciple has made improvements to data security and notifications. Members now have more control over their data, including the ability to delete their account and content right from the app.

Disciple has also refined how notifications work to group similar notifications together and give members control over what types of notifications they receive. This makes the platform more valuable to active communities by making important content more visible and reducing the volume of low-value notifications.

“Our Disciple platform is constantly evolving so our hosts can build thriving communities and stronger businesses. We break down language barriers and make Disciple apps the best choice for communities in more geographic regions because we believe everyone should be able to find them and connect with their people. I can’t wait to see how Disciple’s powered communities benefit from the new language, security and notification features,” said Alec Bertram, Head of Product at Disciple Media.

ABOUT STUDENT MEDIA

Disciple Media is dedicated to helping you bring people together by creating a place where your community belongs. Your app is a place to share your unique passions, be your authentic, quirky self, and have meaningful experiences together. You deserve to feel that glorious sense of belonging that only comes from a trusted and safe community. No spam. No Ads. No algorithms.

With Disciple, you get all the tools you need to grow, engage, and monetize your community. Would you like to see how it works? Disciple shares a wealth ofstories of their clients’ accomplishments and the thriving communities they’ve helped build, from the Rolling Stones to Action for Happiness. As a Disciple platform user, you can store and share your content in one central location, create groups, top up subscriptions, create live streams and much more.

student is the only one community platform will you ever need It’s quick to set up with your own branding, flexible to fit your needs, intuitive to use, and gives you all the tools you need to build a thriving online community for web, iOS, and Android.

Talk to the student today and find out how to generate revenue, drive engagement and take back control of social media platforms.

Contact: Samantha Hudson, Content and Demand Manager
phone: 020 3966 7573
E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE: younger media

‘Desus & Mero’ brought the block to late-night TV

August 17, 2022
by Vaseline

In the series premiere of Desus & Mero, co-hosts Daniel “Desus Nice” Baker and Joel “The Kid Mero” Martinez enter a New York City classroom ready to embarrass themselves. “Late night for the people!” Desus announces himself in a room of unimpressed elementary school students. The kids immediately fire up both questions and roasts: “Do you have kids?” “What were you doing before TV?” “Aren’t you guys dragged along by DJ Envy? The Breakfast Club?” The skit ends with a girl saying, “You guys seem a little too ghetto to be on TV.”

The (scripted, I’m sure) comment noted the obvious: Neither Desus nor Mero looked, sounded, or acted like other mainstream late-night hosts, many of whom are wealthy white men in suits. Desus and Mero—of Jamaican and Dominican descent, respectively—had a heavy New York accent, wore casual clothes, and cursed openly and often. But more importantly, they openly embraced their connection to a version of the city that the elementary school classroom represented: a New York populated mostly by working-class families and immigrants, and where more than two-thirds of the residents are predominantly people of color Black or Latino.

When Desus and Mero’s show debuted on Showtime in 2019, the Bronx-bred duo seemed poised to usher in a new era of late-night TV. At the season two premiere a year later, David Letterman dubbed her “the future” of the industry. The show continued its strong run, with guests as diverse as Eddie Murphy, Sandra Bullock and Chris Smalls organizing the Amazon Union on Staten Island. But then Showtime announced last month that the series would not be returning for a fifth season. The presenters ended their creative partnership, including their popular, long-running podcast, much to the chagrin of thousands of viewers and listeners. Bodega Boys.

The reason for the show’s cancellation is unclear. In a recent interview, Mero said that he and Desus had been talking about the split for more than a year. But in the season 4 finale in June, Mero said the show would only be on a summer break, and right before the Showtime announcement, fans speculated about it tension between the two. Whatever the exact cause, the end Desus & Mero is a loss not only to its fanbase, nicknamed Bodega Hive, but also to the broader television landscape. The show spoke to New Yorkers who grew up or live in the Hood, provided a space for black celebrities to show themselves in, and created a space for black men in particular to engage in conversations that sounded like it , as if they were leading them with friends.

Read: 20 Perfect TV Shows for Short Attention Spans

That Desus & Mero A departure from typical late-night studios, Set captured the show’s ethos. The co-hosts sat side-by-side on a low stage, with no desk separating them from the audience or their guests. The interviews took place first at a table covered in graffiti (drawn by Mero) and lastly at a set modeled after a bodega and stocked with candy, beer, Jesus candles, toilet paper and a sneaker display. Most props wore either the Desus & Mero logo or one of their keywords. (The brand, as they always said, was strong.) The flags of their two islands were always present, as were liquor bottles imitating Brugal, a Dominican rum. Desus and Mero wore timbs, down jackets, and close-fitting hats—a uniform familiar to Bronx natives and many of the city’s black and Hispanic residents. Mero in particular has often recovered Dominican paraphernalia, whether it be an Águilas sweatshirt (for one of the country’s baseball teams) or clothing from local Latino brands.

The duo’s path to stardom wasn’t like that of many other late-night hosts: go to a reputable improv school, get hired there Saturday night live, and then wait your turn to take a solo break. Desus was a strip club manager, mechanic, and bartender before working in media; Mero has had jobs in IT and as a paraprofessional special education teacher. Their backgrounds were prominent on the show, allowing them to venture into comedic territory that other late-night hosts wouldn’t or simply couldn’t.

Take Desus’s mocking defense of basketball player Tristan Thompson, for example, which refers to the stereotype that Caribbean men cheat on their partners. “You know us Jamaicans. We’re loyal,” he said in one episode. And then, after a pause, “To all our families.” They frequently mentioned Dominicans bringing spaghetti to the beach (if you know, you know) and the regular fights that break out in City Island restaurants. At times, the co-hosts joked about black neighborhood drug addiction, stop-and-frisk, and their parents’ threats that they would be sent back to the islands if they disobeyed. Though seemingly somber, these moments reflected the humor that people cope with when faced with these daily humiliations. The cultural specificity kept her close to her New York City roots and her goal of creating a late-night show “for the people.”

Late night shows also depend on celebrity access and memorable conversations Desus & Mero gave Black Stars a room late at night where they didn’t have to switch gears. In a Season 1 interview with the Black Panther actor Winston Duke and Lupita Nyong’o, the hosts, showed a picture of Duke in leather mules — the “official shoes of any African or West Indian father,” Desus noted. Duke had been called out by his Instagram followers for wearing the open-toe sandals while doing construction work around the house. “And then you see all the Caribbean people coming up and saying, ‘What’s the problem?'” Duke recalled. “These are regular shoes.” They discussed the expectations of immigrant parents, and Duke mimicked his family members’ accents. In the season 4 premiere, the hosts spoke to Denzel Washington (who was doing commercials The Tragedy of Macbeth) about having an overprotective mother and growing up in Mount Vernon, near the Bronx. Mero dubbed the actor “Hollyhood.” (By contrast, Washington spent most of his performance on another show quoting Shakespeare with the white host.) Desus and Mero also featured people who otherwise might not have been welcome late at night, including bodega owners ; strippers; rapper Bobby Shmurda, who served more than six years in prison; and local internet stars like Long Islanders Bigtime Tommie and DJ Vinny Dice.

The couple didn’t place much value on respectability politics or political correctness. The N-word was used regularly, as was the term crack heads relate to people addicted to drugs. Desus and Mero’s refusal to censor themselves was part of their appeal and a reflection of conversations you might hear on East Fordham Road in the Bronx or Jamaica Avenue in Queens. Still, they were quick to correct themselves if they said something rude. During a CIA Pride Month tweet, in which the agency posted a supportive message from its gay service members along with a photo of a combat helmet loaded with rainbow-colored ammo, Desus poked fun at the “gay bullets.” But he immediately refrained: “Why do we call them gay bullets?” These moments demonstrated the co-hosts’ openness to growth and respect for changing public opinion on social issues.

As the season progressed, the couple’s stature grew. They befriended celebrities, and their newfound fame seemed to fuel their disagreements over what was or wasn’t appropriate on air. Desus in particular seemed more concerned with maintaining professional relationships. (In a segment about Mariah Carey’s 2021 Christmas campaign with McDonald’s, Desus winced at Mero’s suggestion that the singer wear shapewear. “When we eventually interview her, she’s going to ask about that comment,” he said.) Though both maintained their irreverent, salacious, off-the-cuff humor, Mero seemed aloof from the glossy world opened up to them by the show — in large part, because he was a family man with four children – and often gave Desus sideways glances or distanced himself from Mero’s potentially offensive comments. “Hollywood Desus” became a running joke between them and the Bodega Hive, although those jokes seemed less lighthearted in Season 4. Sometimes that tension made the show less entertaining.

But growing pains notwithstanding, it was a seismic feat for Desus and Mero to even make it to TV. Since the series premiered in 2019, other shows have popped up that fill a similar void. At HBO Break with Sam Jay, for example, comedian Sam Jay gathers friends – including ex-prisoners, government employees and other entertainers – for broad talks on issues like capitalism, conspiracy theories and LGBTQ education in schools. But no series offers the authenticity and local perspective of Desus & Mero. Losing the show means one less seat for people who grew up in the Hood to feel seen and welcomed and most importantly, unjudged — as Desus used to say, “God works on us all.”

Tech

McLANE FEATURES LATEST TECHNOLOGY, LATEST C-STORE EATING IN ORLANDO

August 17, 2022
by Vaseline

More than 500 customers and suppliers take part, over 3,000 products are on display as the National Trade Show marks the return to the face-to-face event

TEMPLE, Texas, August 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — McLane Company, Inc., a leading supply chain services company providing food and hospitality supply chain solutions, opens its annual National Trade Show (NTS) today. This year’s show is the first McLane has held in person since before the pandemic hit 2019.

The McLane team is thrilled to be back in person for the first time in three years,” he said ChrisSmith, President of McLane Grocery. “We looked forward to bringing our customers and suppliers together to learn first-hand about their businesses and challenges, and to showcase our latest innovative products and services.”

Each year at NTS, McLane introduces retailers to the latest technology and foodservice for more efficient warehousing and ordering. The industry’s leading manufacturers choose NTS as their national launch pad for new product lines and expansions. This year the event will feature more than 170 exhibitors and host 1,000 visitors. the keynote speaker Nick ModiManaging Director of RBC Capital Markets, will open Wednesday’s General Session; BradLyonMcLane’s Vice President of Application Development Customer Technology will also be present.

NTS attendees visiting the McLane booth can learn about updates to the company’s Mobile VTS show ordering app, which will feature a new look with improved functionality. Customers will see an improved user experience with enhanced ordering features that make ordering across multiple stores easier than ever. Suppliers will find several new features, including image diversity, engagement features such as the ability to add comments, notes and recipes, and improved site-wide search. Eventually, McLane partnered with one of its strategic supplier partners to create the ability to set up tiered bundles on VTS, giving users the flexibility to place orders for multiple stores with different shipping dates at the same time.

McLane will also highlight its enhanced Delivery Tracker app, which now includes multi-carrier SIM cards in devices to strengthen and expand coverage, and a new geolocation feature that, when combined with existing fleet management technology, will provide retailers with more accurate tracking and delivery data delivers.

Attendees will be able to experience McLane’s interactive booth highlighting its Foodservice-at-Retail solution, McLane kitchen. Generating optimal sales and profits for retailers, McLane kitchen offers easy to implement turnkey solutions as well as customized options. This year, McLane is focusing on two hot food programs: Central Eats and Choice Chicken. Central Eats offers high-quality, pre-packaged breakfast, lunch and dinner options that are available for sale in chilled or heated ready-to-eat offerings. Central Eats products can be branded with the retailer’s custom label, or they can use the vibrant Central Eats branding developed specifically for this program. Choice Chicken offers quality products from some of the leading names in food service and retail, along with delicious side dishes.

At the McLane booth, attendees will also find JAVAPERKS baristas serving up sophisticated lattes and other delicious coffee beverages. JAVAPERKS, McLane’s proprietary coffee and tea program, offers coffee, cappuccino, tea, iced coffee, cold brew and hot chocolate, and allows retailers access to custom graphics for their coffee bar, countertops or walls to promote the brand in store.

“NTS will be two days packed with a technology summit, sessions hosted by industry leaders and a trade show featuring the hottest new products, offerings and trends,” he said Vito Mauricio, Senior Vice President Sales. “It also gives our customers access to other McLane customers, suppliers, brokers and teammates for a premium experience that helps them buy better, sell smarter and make more profit.”

NTS expires Wednesday 17 August to Thursday 18 August at Rosen Shingle Creek in OrlandoFlorida.

About McLane
McLane Company, Inc. is one of the largest providers of supply chain services in The United States, which provides grocery and foodservice solutions for convenience stores, mass retailers, drugstores and restaurant chains. Through McLane Grocery and McLane Foodservice, McLane operates over 80 distribution centers and one of the largest private fleets in the country. The company buys, sells and ships more than 50,000 consumer products to nearly 110,000 locations across the United States. In addition, McLane, through its subsidiary Empire Distributors, Inc., offers alcoholic beverage distribution. McLane is a wholly owned unit of Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE: BRK) and employs 22,000 teammates.

SOURCE McLane Company

apps

Phone apps as effective as blood pressure cuffs: study

August 17, 2022
by Vaseline

Phones are no more effective at keeping blood pressure under control than simple cuffs used at home to monitor blood pressure, according to a new study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. After six months, the scientists found almost no significant difference between the readings on the two devices.

Patients using the cuffs had reduced their blood pressure by 10.6 millimeters (0.41 inches) of mercury, while people using a smartphone app saw their blood pressure drop by 10.8 millimeters (0.42 inches). column of mercury fell.

There was also no significant difference in patient satisfaction with their devices.

The US researchers say the Bluetooth-enabled phones, which offer data visualization, reminders and other features, cost nearly $100 and can take a long time to set up, without actually being of much benefit to patients be.

dr Elizabeth Maziarka reads a blood pressure monitor during an examination of patient June Mendez at the Codman Square Health Center April 11, 2006 in Dorchester, Massachusetts. A new study has found that a smartphone is no more effective than a standard blood pressure cuff at measuring blood pressure.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

People looking to save money or hassle can effectively do without them, the scientists added. For the study, the team compared the effectiveness of the two devices at 20 medical centers across the United States

They will randomly send either the cuffs or the phones to more than 2,000 people with hypertension. A third of the patients were black or Hispanic.

The researchers didn’t want to affect how doctors treat patients or how patients use the devices.

The team was surprised that the phones didn’t have much benefit, as previous studies suggested that intensive monitoring, which is easier to do with a phone, was better at keeping blood pressure down.

The corresponding author of the study, Dr. Mark Pletcher, of the University of California, San Francisco, said: “This study is important because it provides real-world, real-world answers for physicians and patients.

“There are many studies that suggest that the more support and hand-holding you give, the better results you get when monitoring blood pressure. But most of these programs are really difficult and expensive to implement.

“We thought commercially available technology could help by reminding patients to check their blood pressure and providing the ability to visualize and understand the data.

“There is a cost issue with the Bluetooth devices, and the time and effort involved in connecting to a smartphone is really non-trivial. As it turns out, this doesn’t seem to be of any use.

“The racial and ethnic diversity of the study is important because inequitable management of hypertension plays a significant role in the disproportionate impact of cardiovascular disease on black communities.

“In patients of all races and ethnicities, the study found that the newer technology did not outperform simple cuffs.”

Apple is launching the iPhone 13 in the UK on September 24, 2021 at its Regent Street store in London. According to blood pressure experts, daily home measurements are more accurate than tests done by a doctor every few months.
Ming Yeung/Getty Images

The team continues to explore whether technology, particularly smartwatches that don’t require monitoring by the wearer, can help people control their blood pressure.

Between a quarter and a third of Britons and half of Americans have high blood pressure, which can cause heart attacks and strokes.

Daily home measurements are more accurate than tests done by a doctor every few months.

Produced in collaboration with SWNS.

This story was provided to Newsweek by Zenger News.

Insurance

CSAA Insurance Group and Rick Astley Partner in Surprise…

August 17, 2022
by Vaseline

AAA Underwriters Partners With ’80s Icon To Create New Video For ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’

WALNUT CREEK, CA., August 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — CSAA Insurance Group has partnered with the 1980s British legend Rick Astley launch a new branding campaign in 17 US markets. For the first time in 35 years, Astley and the premium AAA insurance provider have released a new version of his beloved music video for his chart-topping 1987 hit song “Never Gonna Give You Up.” The new video pays tribute to the original while spreading the good news about InsurAAAnce – the insurance company that never gives you up!

Rick Astley's iconic hairstyle is featured in a CSAA Insurance Group ad campaign. — Rick Astley’s iconic hairstyle is featured in a CSAA Insurance Group ad campaign.

“Rickified” QR Codes

This week, “Rickified” QR codes will be released across the country primed to unleash a familiar Rick Astley Experience: the “Rickroll”. Anyone in any of the target markets can scan the codes to experience the brand new music video for themselves. The “rickroll” is one of the original internet memes that wowed netizens as a light-hearted prank. When inconspicuous readers received a disguised hyperlink, they clicked on it, expected an irrelevant topic, and were instead taken to the Never Gonna Give You Up music video. As a testament to the joy the meme has spread over the past 15 years, “Never Gonna Give You Up” has amassed over 1.2 billion views on YouTube and almost 600 million streams on Spotify.

“We are pleased about the partnership Rick Astley to not only rekindle the joy of his video, but to amplify the incredible value our customers receive with InsurAAAnce,” said Linda Goldstein, Executive Vice President, Customer Experience & Marketing, CSAA Insurance Group. “And the indelible lyrics of ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ are clearly one of the best ways we can get that message across.”

“An iconic and popular brand meets an iconic and popular artist. ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ is the very promise InsurAAAnce makes to its customers: Legendary reliability that won’t let you down or let you down,” said Jones Krahl and Milton Correa, Co-Head of Creative for Brand and Advertising at Deloitte Digital. “We wanted to communicate that in a memorable way, not only by re-imagining the iconic music video after 35 years (featuring Rick himself!), but also by serving it up in a way that pays homage to the evolution of the internet and memes -represents culture Rick Astley his own.”

About CSAA Insurance Group

CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA insurer, offers lines of auto, homeowner and other personal insurance to AAA members through AAA clubs in 23 states and the United States District of Columbia. Founded in 1914, AM Best has been rated “A” or better for more than 90 years and is one of the leading personal property and casualty insurance groups The United States, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The company has been repeatedly named one of the 50 Most Community-Based Companies in America by Points of Light. For more information, visit http://csaa-insurance.aaa.com and social media (Facebook, TwitterLinkedIn).

About Deloitte Digital

CSAA Insurance Group | 3055 Eichenstrasse, Walnut Creek CA 94597 | www.csaa-insurance.aaa.com

Media contact: Liam KollopyEVP, Stanton PR, [email protected] / 415-517-9760

SOURCE CSAA Insurance Group

The Last Socialist Artifact, Croatian Miniseries, Wins Top TV…

August 17, 2022
by Vaseline

The Croatian limited series The Last Socialist Artifact (original title: Područje bez signala) won the grand prize for Best Drama Series at the Hearts of Sarajevo TV Awards, the 35mm section of the 28th Sarajevo Film Festival.

The TV awards honor outstanding television productions from the region.

In addition to the main prize for the best drama series, The Last Socialist Artifact received the Best Actor and Best Actress awards for stars Izudin Bajrović and Lana Barić, as well as the Best Director award for Dalibor Matanić and the Best Screenplay award for writers Hana Jušić, Jelena Paljan and Milan F. Živković.

“I didn’t expect to win that much, it was quite a surprise,” said Tilić, who produced the series on her Zagreb-based kinorama in collaboration with Slovenian production company Perfo, Serbian Sense Production and Finland’s Citizen Jane. “I’m particularly happy and proud because the voices came from peers, regional professionals and peers, which makes it even more special.”

The award for best actress in a drama series went to Ivana Vuković, the star of the Serbian crime series awakening (Kljun). Her co-star Stefan Vukić received the Rising Star Award for his performance.

The highest comedy honor went to the Bosnian series lawyerwhile Strange Kinds of Lovea Serbian romantic comedy about two former lovers on the sides of two feuding winegrowing families, was awarded in the comedy categories for best director and best screenplay.

The Last Socialist Artifact follows two Zagreb men, a businessman and an engineer, who, at the behest of a mysterious client, take over an abandoned turbine factory in a small, run-down town to get business back on track. The series was adapted from the novel Area with no signal by the Croatian writer Robert Perišić.

“The novel really impressed me, not only because of the strength of the subject matter, but also because of the strong characters that are very well written,” said Tilić The Hollywood Reporter. “I knew right away that it was the perfect material for a TV series. I felt this was the optimal format to convey the spirit of the book.”

The Last Socialist Artifact premiered at last year’s Series Mania TV Festival in Lille, where it won best series in the International Panorama competition.

About 17 series from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Slovenia have been nominated for the Hearts of Sarajevo TV Honours, with the winners being selected by a panel of more than 400 film and television professionals from the region.

Hearts of Sarajevo TV Awards 2022 winners

Best Drama Series: The Last Socialist Artifact
Best Actress in a Drama Series: Ivana Vuković (awakening)
Best Actor in a Drama Series: Izudin Bajrović (The Last Socialist Artifact)
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Lana Barić (The Last Socialist Artifact)
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series: Slavko Štimac (Black Wedding)
Newcomers in the drama series: Stefan Vukic (awakening)
Best Director for a Drama Series Episode: Dalibor Matanić (The Last Socialist Artifact)
Best Screenplay for a Drama Series Episode: Hana Jušić, Jelena Paljan, Milan F. Živković (The Last Socialist Artifact)
Best Comedy Series: lawyer
Best Screenplay for a Comedy Series Episode: Boban Jevtić, Nikola Kojo (Strange kind of love)
Best Director for a Comedy Series Episode: Nikola Kojo (Strange kind of love)
Best Actress in a Comedy Series: Jasna Đuričić (lawyer)
Best Actor in a Comedy Series: Mustafa Nadarević (1943 – 2020) (Crazy, confused, normal)
Rising Star in Comedy Series: Jovan Jovanović (Strange kind of love)
Best Screenplay for a Comedy Series Episode: Boban Jevtić, Nikola Kojo (Strange kind of love)
Best Director for a Comedy Series Episode: Nikola Kojo (Strange kind of love)

Tech

Ruto’s plan to make Kenya a global technology hub…

August 17, 2022
by Vaseline

As Kenya’s new President William Ruto plans to form his new government, he faces a huge workload in his quest to transform the country into a global technology hub.

His manifesto (pdf) reads: “[We will] Setting up a regional hub in Africa and promoting the development of software for export.” His government wants to spend $400 million on the entire tech strategy.

The country must overcome a chain of hurdles if it is to realize Ruto’s plans to create a local software development ecosystem and market the country as a respected provider of technology products and talent worldwide.

His predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta oversaw the growth of the country’s tech ecosystem into one of the strongest in Africa in the last 10 years, but while campaigning across the country, Ruto said there was still work to be done and vowed to bring Kenya’s technology into to bring the world global market.

Containing the brain drain of software talent will be an issue

According to the 2021 Google Africa Developer Ecosystem Report (pdf), 38% of the region’s 716,000 developers work for companies outside the continent, and the new government needs to make the local developer landscape more favorable to avoid more brain drain.

Developers working for foreign companies earn 1.4 times the monthly income of those working for local companies, and Kenya’s new government will have to grapple with the difficulties local startups and companies face when it comes to this going to keep their best programmers. Despite a high demand for programmers on the continent, Kenya brought only 2,000 developers to market in 2021 and only 15% of them were women.

A particularly ambitious promise from Ruto is to lay 100,000km of internet fiber across the country over the next five years. Although all 47 districts in Kenya are connected to the national fiber optic backbone, many parts in the rural areas are still operated with 2G and 3G networks. Although Kenya has one of the highest internet speeds in Africa, only urban centers and their surrounding areas enjoy 4G internet speeds. The country now has seven undersea internet cables, but its mobile internet cost is still the highest in the East African region, and its total fiber optic network is about 10,000km as of August 2022.

It’s time to secure government websites

Its promise of bringing 80% of government services online is achievable, but many semi-public agencies and agencies still rely on outdated IT systems, and most importantly, tons of data are stored in traditional silos without urgent need is required to digitize them.

Most government employees require retraining and upskilling to meet the demands of modern technology if they are to help citizens access government services faster. Ruto will also need a decent budget to protect all government portals from cyber attacks. A total of 18 sensitive government websites were hacked in 2019.

At one of his campaign rallies, Ruto said that once elected, Kenyans will have free cellphone calls and free internet surfing, an exaggeration of his manifesto, which aims only to cut costs. No country in the world offers free calls and internet. In order to afford free calls through WhatsApp or any other calling app, you need to afford stable mobile internet.

Despite Kenya having one of the highest smartphone penetration rates in Africa, the government introduced a 10% tax on all phones shipped into the country in June, further driving up the cost of smartphones. Ruto will have to see how that plays out as he tries to give more citizens access to online government services via affordable smartphones.

The introduction of cutting-edge technologies is a challenge

Ruto also promises to implement the country’s 2022-2031 digital master plan, which recommends the application of frontier technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing. However, there is no sign that the recommendations made by the blockchain and AI task force three years ago to the government to use the technologies in all sectors to unlock the country’s digital potential will be accepted.

He is also facing the challenge of deciding whether or not to launch a Central Bank of Retailers (CBDC) digital currency, after the Central Bank of Kenya began talks last February on the likely launch of eShilling, an equivalent of Nigeria’s eNaira.

Despite pledges to cut education costs, increase research funding from 0.8% to 2% and establish a one-year paid internship for all university students, Kenya’s Kwanza government will be tasked with securing the new coding program this month in plugged into the syllabus is successful.

Kenya is the first African country to teach programming in public schools. In addition, there is the existential challenge of adapting the university curriculum to the requirements of Industry 4.0. Many Kenyan graduates are unemployed because the sometimes outdated course content does not match market requirements.

Ruto must avoid missteps that have ruined the laptop project

After being declared the winners of the 2013 presidential election, Kenyatta and Ruto promised first graders laptops to encourage digital literacy from an early age, but the idea was proved far-fetched when the government resorted to buying tablets . Just a month before this year’s general election, they were put up for sale on Uganda’s black market thanks to mismanagement of the program.

One tech project launched with optimism, dubbed “the first sub-Saharan smart city,” is the digital city of Konza Technopolis, which has become a white elephant nine years after its conception. Ruto’s ICT ministry will need different approaches to turn Kenya’s failed promise of a smart city into new hope that will create the promised thousands of jobs.