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Albuquerque Journal, Proposal renews debate on payday advances
By Dan Boyd / Journal Capitol Bureau Chief
Sunday, October 4th, 2020 at 12:05am
Copyright В© 2020 Albuquerque Journal
SANTA FE вЂ“ The debate over capping payday loans in Texas no credit check brand New Mexico rates of interest on storefront loans may well not be over yet.
36 months after state lawmakers approved a bill that capped small-loan interest levels at 175per cent, a prominent Santa Fe-based think tank is proposing that the limit be lowered significantly вЂ“ to 36% вЂ“ and economic literacy classes be manufactured a graduation need for twelfth grade pupils statewide.
Fred Nathan, executive manager of Think New Mexico, said the proposed modifications would allow state residents to better protect their individual funds.
вЂњWith the crisis that is economic , New Mexicans are far more vulnerable than in the past to predatory loan providers, increasing the urgency of those reforms,вЂќ Nathan stated in a declaration.
But, the proposition might face sledding that is tough the 2021 legislative session, as current proposals to lessen the attention rate limit have actually neglected to gain traction during the Roundhouse.
Experts of these legislation have actually argued that this type of policy modification would place some stores that are small-loan of business, decrease state licensing income and then leave less alternatives for cash-strapped New Mexicans.
Rep. Patricia Lundstrom, D-Gallup, one of many sponsors regarding the 2017 legislation, stated bringing down the interest that is maximum for little loans could push borrowers to make use of internet lenders, some of that are situated in other nations and cannot be managed.
вЂњIf theyвЂ™re referring to a 36% APR, we donвЂ™t genuinely believe that works for storefront businesses,вЂќ said Lundstrom, that is chairwoman of your home Appropriations and Finance Committee.
Nonetheless, customer advocates as well as other backers of reducing the stateвЂ™s limit state storefront loan providers prey regarding the bad and people that are trap a period of financial obligation.
Approximately 60% associated with the stateвЂ™s small-loan stores are within 10 kilometers of tribal land, where lots of residents reside underneath the poverty that is federal, in line with the brand brand brand New Mexico focus on Law and Poverty.
Therefore the Think New Mexico report argues that other choices for loans would nevertheless beвЂ“ that are available as credit unions вЂ“ and small-loan shops never have disappeared in other states which have lowered their caps on loan rates of interest.
In addition, the report discovered that brand brand New MexicoвЂ™s present 175% limit may be the third-highest within the nation вЂ“ lower than just Oklahoma and Mississippi вЂ“ on the list of 45 states which have an existing restriction.
New MexicansвЂ™ usage of solutions such as for example check cashing and pay day loans can also be more than the average that is national in accordance with a 2016 study by federal regulators.
Meanwhile, the Think brand brand New Mexico report also details the stateвЂ™s long history with financing regulations.
brand New Mexico had a 36% yearly limitation on small-loan rates of interest for many years but eliminated the limit into the 1980s amid increasing inflation, in accordance with the report.
The 2017 legislation ended up being meant as compromise after many years of subsequent debate during the Capitol over payday advances. The bill, that was signed into legislation by previous Gov. Susana Martinez, additionally prohibited alleged pay day loans with regards to lower than 120 times.
While debate simmered in the problem, storefront lending businesses employed dozens of lobbyists and provided campaign that is big to New Mexico legislators and elected officials.
One Florida-based business, customer Lending Alliance, offered $24,950 to almost 30 legislative prospects вЂ“ both Democrats and Republicans вЂ“ and governmental committees in 2016, relating to a situation campaign finance database.
One other element of the Think brand brand New Mexico report relates to making literacy that is financial a requirement for high school graduates.
A lot more than 20 states nationwide have adopted such a necessity, in line with the report, and numerous brand new Mexico school districts currently provide such classes as electives.
But, no more than 11percent regarding the stateвЂ™s kids took among the classes, which train subjects such as for example cost management, saving and money that is investing through the 2019-20 college 12 months, relating to consider brand brand New Mexico.
New MexicoвЂ™s 60-day legislative session begins in January.
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Deliveries of Nexera canola to the new Louis Dreyfus crushing plant in Yorkton, Sask., are back on track, according to Mark Woloshyn, Dow AgroSciences’ Nexera canola brand leader.
Last fall and earlier this year, the plant wouldn’t take scheduled del iveries from a number of farmers. The culprit was a combination of startup problems exacerbated by cold weather, back-to-back big canola crops and a Nexera oil customer that didn’t take delivery of oil as soon as expected, Woloshyn said.
“I think they (Dreyfus) could’ve taken a little different communications strategy,” he added. “It wouldn’t have eliminated the problem, but it might have alleviated it.”
The crushing plant is now running better than expected and Nexera deliveries are current, he said. [email protected]

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Innovators in Sub-Saharan Africa shake up Mobility
Despite its troubles - wars, political upheavals, civil unrest and more than a fair share of natural disasters - sub-saharan Africa is teaming with innovation. Although economic growth may have stalled, innovations in agriculture, industry and energy continue to thrive.
The spirit and appetite from Africans to solve their own problems and leapfrog many of the stages more developed countries have gone through, particularly in terms of adopting new technologies, is palpable even from afar.
Innovators with vision, temerity and stamina are coming forward and staking their claim to make a positive difference to citizen’s lives, while also doing their bit to save the planet and they’re making a success of it. They are also doing it with little in the way of the funding and support companies in developed countries enjoy.
Electric mobility for all
One such entrepreneur is Yacine Fylla, founder of Mopepe Solutions, a multiple service company offering (among other solutions) a fleet of electric vehicles available for rental in Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo).
An ex-athlete, Fylla isn’t short on focus or resilience, which is just as well as he plans to “democratise electric vehicles in the DRC” (this he stated to Journalist Jean Marie Takouleu, who interviewed him for Afrik 21).
Aiming to provide solutions for sustainable development and ecological transition in Africa, one of the first services to be launched is Eco Car, an Uber-type service based on electric vehicles supported by a network of recharging stations. This service is being launched in the coming weeks with an app that passengers can use to book and pay using “mobile money” because (as Fylla states) his company is committed to financial inclusion and very few citizens in subsaharan Africa have access to bank accounts but many have mobile phones and are tech-savvy.
Stabilising the unstable electricity supply
However, in DRC (as elsewhere in Africa), electricity is an unstable commodity. Although Kinshasa is largely powered using hydroelectricity, production capacities are low and distribution networks poorly maintained. Africa contributes less than 4% to global greenhouse gas emissions and yet is one of the world’s continent most affected by climate change. Fylla wants to (in his own words) “take the bull by the horns” and do something to prepare for ecological transition. As sunshine is abundant in Africa, he plans to harness that and use solar to recharge his electric vehicles.
In the meantime, Mopepe has partnered with Rawbank and Vodacom to install charging stations at their branches. This is the second of Mopepe’s solutions: Mopepe Refill. The aim is to have between 500 and 1000 charging points available by 2025.
Electric mobility, offered on a rental or subscription basis, driven by solar recharging makes sense in Subsaharan Africa where sunshine is plentiful but vehicle maintenance workshops are not. Another element in short supply, however, is investment and funding for startup mobility innovators like Fylla. Perhaps that will change as increasingly more people like him stand up to claim their space in Africa’s innovation arena.
Image of Yacine Fylla, founder of Mopepe, courtesy of Mopepe Solutions.


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New Jersey Online Sports Betting
Online betting is becoming more popular as a means to make money while you play your favorite sports. New York is a great place for online betting and has sportsbooks that have combined gross revenues of $3.57 million through January of 2021. In November, Governor Cuomo declared his support for online sports betting and endorsed a single-source model operated by the state lottery. This model has been widely criticized in Washington D.C. as leading to lower pricing for consumers.
The number of legal states has been growing steadily, but the number of sports betting sites continues to grow. In New Jersey, BetMGM is leading the way, with a strong marketing push and strategic marketing deals. Its sportsbook selection is extensive and its reputation has grown over the past several years. Other newcomers to the New Jersey market include PointsBet and Sportsbet, which caters to sports bettors. These startups have been gaining momentum in recent months after securing a deal with NBC.
Online sports betting has its advantages and disadvantages, but there are also many advantages. The best advantage is that it is easy to participate, and is perfect for non-sports enthusiasts or those who don’t have time to watch a live game. With Internet speeds rising every day, the average gamer can play in minutes. Plus, with online betting, players can interact with their friends and family and make new friends without leaving their house.
Online sports betting is a growing industry and offers many benefits. For example, many state-owned tribal casinos are not located in major cities. A few state tribes also have remote locations, which means they can’t allow online sports wagering. Therefore, the industry hopes to expand its offerings statewide. While it is still too early to say whether legal sports betting will make gambling easier and more enjoyable, it is a promising trend.
While there are many advantages and disadvantages of online sports betting, the fact remains that it is a booming industry that is only beginning to see the full benefits of this growing industry. Moreover, it is also a lucrative one, and the potential profits are huge. If you’re looking for a new way to make money while watching your favorite teams and sports, online sports betting can be the perfect option for you. Just make sure to choose the right site and start playing!
Online sports betting is growing fast. The United States has the largest online sports betting market. It has been around for a long time and has served various countries throughout the world. With so many options available, it is important to choose a site that’s convenient to use. A legal online betting site is one that has good security features. You can be assured that your personal information is safe when you play with online betting sites. So, what are you waiting for?


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It wasn’t so long ago that recording a professional-quality video required a studio camera, a specialist operator and editing equipment that required a specialist computing rig.
How times have changed.
The 4K picture quality of today’s smartphones enables them to capture video clips in brilliant quality.
The addition of a cheap go-anywhere device holder like a Gorillapod ensures stability, while some grips even incorporate LED lighting and a unidirectional microphone.
Desktop computers have basic video editing packages built into their operating systems, while various video editing apps are available in the Android and iOS app stores.
As such, it’s surprisingly easy to produce self-made video streams, with a plethora of platforms competing for uploads.
And all this has coincided with unprecedented changes in the media we consume, and the platforms we consume it through…
Lock and loading
One of the unintended consequences of the UK’s on-off relationship with lockdown has been a rapid growth in the amount of time adults are spending online.
And while much of this is work-related, we’re also spending a lot more time consuming video footage online.
Video calling platforms like Zoom and Teams are taking over from phone calls, and social media video content is increasingly supplanting photography as the go-to entertainment format.
Research by Ofcom has shown that 90 per cent of adults with access to the internet use at least one of the main video platforms – YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok.
(This doesn’t include any of the more specialist video streaming platforms. At the time of writing on a Wednesday afternoon, gaming service Twitch was reporting 2.7 million live viewers.)
Ofcom has also discovered that a third of adults spend more time on video-sharing services than watching broadcast television.
And this dramatic increase in content consumption is being fuelled by an equally rapid rise in content production.
An estimated 40 per cent of adults (and almost 60 per cent of older children) now create, upload and share video content with either their social networks or the wider world.
Shake your money maker
Home-made video footage used to be the preserve of TV shows like Takeover TV and You’ve Been Framed, sent in speculatively and potentially rewarded with a small cheque in the post.
The earnings potential of today’s self-made video streams would astonish someone who hadn’t been paying attention to the industry’s meteoric growth.
YouTubers earn up to $20 million a year from a career in front of the lens, while Instagram influencers like Ariana Grande and Cristiano Ronaldo earn roughly $1 million per post.
More modest fortunes are being earned in this country by the likes of fitness guru Joe Wicks, gaming guru Daniel Middleton (DanTDM) and fashion blogger Zoe Sugg (Zoella).
The vlogging market is increasingly mature, and fierce determination is needed to achieve either a significant following or a full-time income, let alone both.
However, the growth in self-made video streams shows no sign of abating.


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2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid
Toyota just introduced a brand-new generation for the Corolla this year, with both a head-turning hatchback and a smart sedan making the body style lineup. Now, Toyota is adding yet another model with a new hybrid variant, ushering in an even-greener option for the compact four-door segment. Standout features for the 2020 Toyota Corolla hybrid include a comfortable ride, loads of technology and features, and as an added bonus, upwards of 52 mpg combined thanks to the drivetrain that’s borrowed from the Toyota Prius.
2020 Toyota Corolla
The Corolla is a true benchmark for the compact segment, with over 46 million units sold over the course of five decades since its release in 1966. Now, the Corolla enters its impressive twelfth generation for the 2020 model year. Earlier in 2018, we got behind the wheel of the new 2019 Corolla hatchback and loved its raucous styling and shift-happy manual transmission. Now, the Japanese automotive behemoth is offering a brand-new sedan version, and it promises even more refinement, more technology, and a new look to boot.
Toyota has pulled the wraps off its refreshed Prius at the 2018 LA auto show which brings a more toned down appearance and optional all-wheel drive to the table. It isn’t any significantly more efficient or any faster, but its less aggressive styling will be a pleasing comeback for some, while the new all-wheel drive is apparently going to be really popular.
Projected sales for the Prius AWD-e say up to 25 percent of all cars sold will have the option, despite the fact that it does have a small negative impact on overall efficiency - the main reason you went for a Prius in the first place. The most frugal Prius, the L Eco trim, can still hit a claimed 56 mpg combined.
Aside from the subtle restyling and addition of all-wheel drive, the 2019 Toyota Prius also gets interior updates, extra tech, and a simplified trim structure to help buyers and dealers alike understand the range better.
2020 Toyota Avalon TRD and Camry TRD
In its continuous pursuit of excitement that started sometime with the introduction of the latest Camry, Toyota revealed two cool cars - the Toyota Avalon TRD and the Toyota Camry TRD. These may be some of the most important products Toyota has ever unveiled. Not per se in terms of sales or market, but in terms of something far more important for us - car enthusiasts. The Avalon TRD and the Camry TRD are what the company wants to show the world - audaciousness.
See, before the latest 2018 Camry, Toyota’s car development process was always led by the engineer. The engineer was at the top of that imaginary car development food chain. For the latest Camry, it was the designer.
"We actually started with that 2-inch doodle," Ian Cartabiano, Toyota California Chief Designer said, "And it became sketch, bigger sketch, bigger sketch, model. But that original intention followed all the way through to the cars. It was totally new for us. There’s always been a designer, but the chief engineer has been the top guy. It was always just 100 percent engineering."
Obviously, not for the latest Camry.
Well, the Avalon TRD and the Camry TRD are basically an ultimate expression of the flamboyance Toyota wanted to express with the latest line of its cars. That was the main idea behind Akio Toyoda’s, Toyota CEO, comment back in January 2017. He said,
“Until now, there were times when Toyota’s cars were called ‘boring’ or were said to be lacking in character,” Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda told reporters of USA Today. “But I now feel that, in terms of driving and design, our customers have begun to favorably evaluate our cars.”
He said it just months after the unveiling of the latest Toyota Camry, a bold design exercise that seemed kinda risky compared with the Toyota styling habits of the past.
So, what do the tricked-out Avalon and Camry TRD bring to the table then?
2017 Toyota FT-AC Concept
Toyota’s been hitting it big with its recent concept vehicles. This year alone, we’ve seen the Japanese automaker unveil the Concept-i, the FT-4X, and the GR HV Sports Concept. Now that we’re less than a month away from flipping our calendars to 2018, Toyota introduced one last concept at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show. It’s called the Future Toyota Adventure Concept (FT-AC), and in my mind, it’s the best Toyota concept to come out this year.
Yes, I’m picking it over the GR HV Sports Concept, the sexy, taiga-style, two-door concept that we first saw at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show last October. I like the GR HV Sports Concept, but given a choice, I’d probably pick the FT-AC Concept over it. There’s something about this angry-looking SUV prototype that’s hard to ignore. Maybe it’s because of its design. Perhaps it’s because of the assortment of tech and connectivity features it has. It might even be a combination of both. The FT-AC is a concept that screams to my imagination, telling me to tell Toyota to turn it into a production model. I don’t know if I have that kind of cache, but I definitely wouldn’t be opposed to seeing it happen.
Continue after the jump to read more about the Toyota FT-AC Concept
Since 2001, Toyota has offered the Prius in one form or another, giving buyers the roominess of a sedan or a liftback (2004 and on) with fuel economy that was almost impossible for traditional cars to match. In 2012, after other automakers started hopping on the hybrid bandwagon and gobbling up sales, Toyota saw a gap in the market for a hybrid wagon and launched the Prius v. With the 2015 model year upon us, and Toyota looking to inject a little youth into its customer base, the automaker has given the hybrid wagon a facelift that gives it a slightly sportier look than before without abandoning its reserved personality altogether.
With this refresh comes a handful of changes to the front fascia and a little tuck on the backside. Unfortunately, Toyota left the drivetrain unchanged. Allowing its main competitor to easily trump it in terms of performance.
Does the Prius v still have what it takes to dominate the hybrid wagon market?
Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Prius v and find out.
The Prius c started its life in 2012 as a smaller and more affordable version of the hotly successful Prius liftback. Through 2014, the model remained relatively unchanged and failed to really shake up the hybrid segment. Now as we approach 2015, the Prius c has undergone a nice refresh that makes it stand out from its larger brothers with its sportier and more youthful appearance. Oh, and it gets 50 mpg combined, which sweetens the deal a little.
Though it’s just a refresh the 2015 Prius c looks like a whole new car; that’s just how far Toyota took this upgrade. Sure, from the side it looks like the 2014 model, but the wide-open front grille and the “light pipe” taillights inject a little youth into the lineup.
So, is this redesign enough to help push the Prius c to the next level?
Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Toyota Prius c and find out.
The Swagger Wagon has just received a dramatic and quite literal facelift, featuring the unmistakable mug of SpongeBob Squarepants. This one-off piece of absurdity is actually a 2015 Toyota Sienna, customized to the hilt by Toyota and Nickelodeon to promote the upcoming SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water.
The Sienna SpongeBob Squarepants Edition will make its public debut at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. As sure as the sun is hot, this creation will likely go down as one of the more popular attractions in Los Angeles.
Once the SpongeBob Sienna gets its fill of the spotlight in Los Angeles, the van will embark on a cross-country tour to promote the new SpongeBob movie before the it opens in theaters on February 6, 2015.
Serious-minded folks are likely to scoff at the Sienna SpongeBob and dismiss it as nothing more than a novelty showpiece. How easy these people forget that this is actually the second SpongeBob-themed creation Toyota has built in as many years. Remember the 2014 Toyota Highlander Spongebob Squarepants Edition that made its debut at the 2013 SEMA Auto Show?
On a far less obvious level, it’s a genius marketing ploy to attach SpongeBob Squarepants to a minivan Toyota wants parents all over the U.S. to buy. What better way to do draw attention to that than by dressing up a Sienna using a cartoon character that kids of this generation are all-too familiar with. We see what you’re doing there, Toyota.
Click past the jump to read more about the Toyota Sienna SpongeBob Edition.
The current generation RAV4 has been sale since 2005 and the only update was in 2009 when it received a mild refresh. It is no surprise that today, at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, Toyota decided to finally unleash the fourth generation RAV4. The new SUV has been caught testing in many times and teased a few more times, so we can say it brings nothing that we did not expect.
The new RAV4 is not only redesigned both inside and outside, but it also receives new in-cabin technologies, a fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine, new six-speed transmission and new safety features.
While building the new RAV4, Toyota will use the same body-engineering principles previously used on the 2012 Camry and 2013 Avalon that helps improve steering and handling, and makes the car a little bit lighter.
The new generation Toyota RAV4 will go on sale early in 2013 in three well-equipped grades: LE, XLE and Limited.
Updated 12/18/2012: Toyota today announced prices for the 2013 RAV4 SUV that will arrive at dealerships in early January 2013. Prices will range from $23,300 for the LE FWD version up to $28,410 for Limited AWD one.
Click past the jump to read our full review on the 2014 RAV4
Toyota has always prided itself on being an industry leader when it comes to building eco-friendly vehicles that not only look past the current norms of today’s industry, but challenge them to address the growing need of building economical and efficient yet technologically advanced vehicles. This year, the LA Design Challenge, an annual fixture at the LA Auto Show, is looking for the best concept that addresses these specific needs; to build a lightweight car while minimizing the dependence on using natural resources.
You could say that Toyota is right at their element with this year’s competition and they’re bringing a concept vehicle that answers all of the event’s requirements.
Calling it the NORI Concept, Toyota envisioned its concept as a car that infuses cutting-edge technology with the emissions and fuel economy standards set up by the contest’s guidelines. To prove its point, Toyota built the NORI concept with a unique podular feature wherein the car’s body and its chassis are built as one instead of two separate parts, making it stronger, lighter, and aesthetically more appealing. As a supplemental energy, the NORI concept harnesses solar technology that’s captured through solar cells woven into the concept’s PODULAR, serving as energy back-up should the situation call for it. The podular body is also strengthened using ‘nori’ to create bioplastics technology while combining it with carbon fiber weave to create a sturdy body that can withstand the environment. The specific use of ‘nori’ – in Japanese, it means “seaweed” – reduces the vehicle’s weight.
Full story and press release after the jump
It took more than around 13 years, but Toyota seems to have finally decided on producing the second-generation of the Toyota Rav4 EV. Maybe all it took was a partnership with Tesla to get the proverbial EV ball rolling.
The partnership between Toyota and Tesla was born out of a mutual interest in developing a new model using Tesla technology on a Toyota vehicle, incorporating the strengths of both side to produce a vehicle that consumers would come to enjoy.
“When we decided to work together on the RAV4 EV, President Akio Toyoda wanted to adopt a new development model that incorporated Tesla’s streamlined, quick-action approach,” said Jim Lentz, president and chief operating officer of Tesla Motors. “From the beginning, the customer experience has been the focus.”
The ultimate question, at least according to Hentz, was how the two companies can "deliver an unconventional product to mainstream customers that is compelling and affordable and that offers an acceptable level of daily convenience.”
In the end, the answer turned out to be the Toyota Rav4 EV. For now, Toyota is building 35 models of the new Rav4 EV for a demonstration and evaluation program through 2011, with the company looking into a production version sometime around 2012.
More details after the jump.
Toyota will unveil the 2011 Corolla at the Los Angeles Auto Show. This new model gets new front and rear exterior styling, new interior design changes, Toyota Care complimentary maintenance plan, standard Smart Stop Technology, and two new colors. The 2011 Corolla will go on sale in December.
For the exterior Toyota has added a redesigned front bumper, radiator grille, front lower grille, headlamps, trunk lid, rear license garnish, rear combination lamp, rear bumper, and reflex reflector. The S model gets a new front spoiler, rocker moldings, and upper and lower rear spoilers. The interior gets a new instrument panel, a newly designed steering wheel and new seat color and pattern.
For 2011 the model is offered in three trim versions: Corolla, LE, and S, all powered by a 1.8-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine, which produces 132 hp at 6,000 rpm and 128 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. The engine can be coupled to either a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic Electronically Controlled Transmission (ECT).
Press release after the jump.
Toyota revealed today at the Los Angeles Auto Show the third-generation Sienna minivan. Sales will begin in February 2010 with the Sienna being offered in five grades: Sienna grade, LE, SE, XLE and Limited.
The 2011 Sienna features a more modernly advanced and bold design, with sophisticated headlamps angled, sculptural rear corner, LED taillights and distinctive window shapes.
The car will be offered with a choice of two engines: a 3.5-liter V6 rated 266 hp at 6,200 rpm and a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers 187 hp at 5,800 rpm. Both engines are matched with state-of-the-art, electronically controlled six-speed transmissions with sequential shift.
The third generation Sienna minivan that will go on sale in February 2010. Prices will range from $24,260 for the Sienna grade with a four-cylinder engine to $39,770 for the Sienna Limited all-wheel-drive (AWD) V6. The 2011 Sienna will be offered in V6-powered Sienna grade, LE, XLE and Limited models. Four-cylinder Sienna grade and LE models, and the SE grade will arrive at dealerships in April.
Press release after the jump.
Toyota unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show the compressed natural gas (CNG) Camry Hybrid concept vehicle. According to the company the car features "just one of the many alternative fuels we’re exploring in our ongoing advanced technology research and development."
The CNG Camry Hybrid Concept is powered by a 2.4 liter, 4-cylinder engine with Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive and the gasoline fuel system has been replaced by CNG system. The maximum output is 170 hp (Engine + Electric Motor + Generator + Power Storage).
The CNG Camry features a sporty look: a sleek custom front fascia and front bumper cover eliminate the grill opening, while a custom rear bumper covers the tail pipe and visible exhaust system. The vehicle is fitted with 19 x 7.5 alloy wheels and Bridgestone Potenza 225/35ZR19 run-flat tires to accommodate the lack of a spare tire.
Full details in the press release after the jump.
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) U.S.A, Inc., unveiled the second-generation Sequoia full-size sport utility vehicle at a press conference today at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show. Sequoia is completely new for 2008, with a new body, a new interior, a new chassis, an available new 5.7L V8 engine/six-speed transmission combination and an increased focus on efficiency, performance and driver/passenger comfort.


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Here's what Obama, business leaders must do together now
It's safe to say that many business owners didn't want President Barack Obama to be re-elected. But now they're stuck with him. How do you make this relationship work?
Here are three suggestions from business leaders as to how Obama and Congress should work together:
Put aside partisan bickering and start solving problems
This is one area where there is widespread consensus among business leaders.
"The time for politics is over. It's time now for governing," said Greg Casey, president and CEO of the Business Industry Political Action Committee. "I think the business community is ready to participate in that."
"The partisan rancor, negative rhetoric and perpetual gridlock must come to an end so that we can begin to heal this country and get it moving again," said Chris Holman, chair of the National Small Business Association, CEO Of Michigan Business Network.com and president of the Greater Lansing Business Monthly.
With Obama's victory comes the responsibility to lead efforts to find bipartisan solutions to problems, business leaders say.
Avoid the fiscal cliff and extend current tax rates for a year
Most business groups doubt that any long-term solution to the fiscal cliff can be reached in the few weeks that remain before these across-the-board spending cuts and tax increases go into effect in January.
That's why they hope Obama and Congress will agree on a short-term solution to avoid the fiscal cliff, and then reach a grand bargain on taxes, spending and entitlement reform next year. That means extending current tax policy for another year, instead of picking winners and losers in a lame-duck session, they say.
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Authorities have revealed that the Singapore blockchain payment network, which would foster faster and cheaper international settlement, has been developed and set to launch.
The Singapore blockchain payment network dubbed “project Ubin” had the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) work alongside state investor Temasek and J.P. Morgan to develop the prototype multi-currency payments network.
leveraging Project Ubin to develop digitized Singapore dollars
Project Ubin development began in 2017 with plans to first develop a digitized Singapore dollar (SGD). Afterward, it was planned that blockchain and distributed ledger technology would be explored to build a system for the clearing and settlement of payment and securities using digital SGD.
MAS alongside Temasek and J.P Morgan collaborated only for the final phase of the Singapore blockchain payment network.
The blockchain network also would enable a platform where other blockchain networks can connect and integrate seamlessly as if successful, it could even go on to form the basis for a global payments platform for central banks, MAS said in a statement they released.
Singapore blockchain payment network, a reflection of digital asset innovation
With the set to launch Project Ubin, Singapore, as regards Blockchain tech has been forging ahead deploying the technology to use in different ways. In June, Ravi Menon, the managing director of the MAS, said that Singapore is planning to work alongside China in experimenting a central bank digital currency.
Outside Blockchain projects of the Singaporean government, the country’s private sector is also advancing as regards crypto innovation and blockchain. Between now and 2019, the country has experienced a 50 percent surge in the number of blockchain companies across the country.
The tech has been deployed to be used in the healthcare, logistics, and agricultural sectors in many countries as government and private companies come to realize the true potential of the technology.


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According to a Korean media, Samsung has confirmed at the Semiconductor and Display Technology Roadmap Seminar that they are indeed working on a new smartphone that features a QHD AMOLDED display with a 2560 x 1440 resolution.
Samsung has also confirmed that they have plans on launching devices with 4K displays with a whopping 3480 x 2160 resolution in the future, which in our honest opinion, could be very well be time well spent on other new technology as 2560 x 1440 on a 5 to 6-inch smartphone is definitely more than enough. Not to mention how much juice it will hog on your device. Your thoughts, do we really need such high resolution display on a smartphone? Let us know in the comments below.
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jordan pulse -
The Qatar Financial Center said that the approaching World Cup has raised the prices of selling and services of Qatari private sector companies that are not related to oil at a record rate, despite the decline in the performance of the commercial activity of these companies since the beginning of the fourth quarter of this year.
According to a recent study prepared by the Qatar Financial Center, and announced today, the growth rate in the overall activity remained apparent due to the readiness of Qatari companies to increase sales with the start of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The price data, according to the study, showed an improvement in the profit margins of Qatari companies with a record increase in selling prices of their goods and services, in addition to a slight increase in the prices of production inputs, and the expectations of Qatari companies improved with the approach of the start of the FIFA World Cup to its best levels in two years in October. First 2022.
The Purchasing Managers' Index decreased from 50.7 points in September 2022 to 48.4 points in October 2022, indicating a decline in the commercial activity of Qatari private sector companies that are not related to energy.
The study attributed the decline in the commercial activity of Qatari companies mainly to the decline in new orders for the second month in a row, as the decline was more noticeable compared to September 2022, but on the other hand, the production index rose at a remarkable record pace amid efforts to increase the level of production ahead of the start of the World Cup. Foot in Qatar in the current 20.
And the Qatari private sector companies that are not related to energy decided to reduce their purchasing activities due to the continued decline in new orders coming to them, and the rate of decline in new orders was sharp, but it remained weaker than the contraction rates recorded at the height of the Corona pandemic.
The decrease in new orders helped Qatari companies to complete the backlog, and the rate of decrease in new orders was among the highest rates recorded in the history of the study.
The total input price index rose for the third month in a row, driven by an increase in purchase prices. Despite this, the inflation rate of production inputs remained slight with a decrease in salaries.
On the other hand, the study stated that the non-energy Qatari private sector companies raised the selling prices of their goods and services sharply, to record the third fastest rate in the history of the study after the rates recorded in the last survey period, and compared to November 2021.


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Interactive Intelligence buys Brightware
Vendor acquires its Netherland-based reseller
Interactive Intelligence Group Inc. (ININ), a global provider of unified IP business communications solutions, has signed a stock purchase agreement to acquire its Netherlands-based reseller, Brightware B.V.
Under the terms of the agreement, effective April 1, 2012, Brightware is now owned by Interactive Intelligence Group Inc. The new entity will now operate as ININ Netherlands B.V.
As part of the all-cash transaction, Brightware's 14 employees will join Interactive's current sales, marketing and support teams. Interactive Intelligence will now have 22 total employees based in the Netherlands to serve the Benelux region.
The ININ Netherlands staff will continue supporting Brightware's customers located throughout Benelux, including regional brand-name companies such as Klant Contact Services, SNT and Unirobe Meeùs Group.
"This acquisition marks the continuation of our strategy for growing existing operations in key international markets," said Interactive Intelligence founder and CEO, Dr. Donald E. Brown. "Since we first set up operations in the Netherlands more than 12 years ago, our products have been met with broad acceptance throughout the region. Brightware's staff of skilled deployment and integration specialists, along with its experienced support team will be integral to our success there. Our expanded footprint in Benelux will also help us build momentum for our cloud-based communications-as-a-service offering."
Interactive Intelligence has continued on the acquisition trail, as the company recently bought contact centre assets of South Africa-based reseller Atio Corporation.


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As far as first generation products go, Surface RT is downright excellent. Sure it has a few rough edges and hiccups every now and then, but on the whole it is a perfectly capable device.
And with the Windows Store growing by leaps and bounds, it is only a matter of time before the Windows RT platform as a whole comes into its own. More importantly however, Microsoft seems to be keen on bringing as many improvements as it can to its tablet oriented operating system.
While the desktop iteration of Windows (Windows 8.1) has remained the primary focus these past few weeks, Redmond has finally decided to provide more details on how the upcoming refresh of Windows RT is going to affect the Surface RT tablets.
First up the is the news that Outlook 2013 RT will indeed be coming to the platform, providing users with a powerful email client for their Windows RT tablet.
As Brian Hall, general manager of the Microsoft Surface said on the Surface blog today:
“I am thrilled for myself, for Edie’s colleague, and for everyone else who really likes Outlook to point out that all Surface RT users will get Outlook 2013 RT, alongside a lot of other cool stuff coming with Windows 8.1. Tami Reller announced this just recently at Computex.”
This means that along with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, Surface RT will also get Outlook 2013 RT, which is to be released for free via the Windows Store as part of Windows 8.1.
Hall also hinted that the upcoming refresh of the operating system will also bring improved VPN support. This is one of the most requested features for the platform:
“Surface RT with Windows 8.1 will have strong mobile device management capabilities. This will let the IT department manage some settings, give certificates, and protect data, even if it’s my personal system if I want to let them do that to get access to work resources.”
Better VPN connectivity was the most requested Surface RT feature, this side of Outlook RT, and these comments above show that Microsoft is quite likely paying attention to user feedback.


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In this post, we take a look at a non-practicing entity (NPE) that acquired rights from another NPE and filed a case against Groupon, Inc. We also examine Rosetta’s five patent suits against the world’s leading mobile manufacturers.
NPE Acquired Rights From Another NPE and Filed a Case Against Groupon, Inc.
Plano Encryption Technologies LLC, a non-practicing entity (NPE) is the assignee of U.S. Patent No. 5,991,399 since April 03, 2015. The ’399 patent is titled “Method for securely distributing a conditional use private key to a trusted entity on a remote system abstract.”
Plano has filed more than 20 patent infringement suits against various banking sectors and other online retailers. On March 8, 2019, Plano transferred its patent rights to Honeyman Cipher Solutions LLC, another NPE, existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, but maintaining its principal place of business in Texas.
On June 5, 2019, Honeyman filed their first patent infringement suit (1:19-cv-03754) against Groupon, Inc., nine days before expiration of the asserted patent in the Illinois Northern District Court. The Court is well-known for handling cases in the domain of digital information protection and this case was assigned to Judge Elaine E. Bucklo.
In 2016, Groupon had already faced a patent infringement suit asserting the same product and patent number lodged by Plano in Texas Eastern District Court. That case was dismissed on June 9, 2017 by Judge Rodney Gilstrap upon Groupon’s motion to dismiss the case for improper venue as they maintain their principal place of business in Illinois.
Rosetta’s Five Patent Suits Against World’s Leading Mobile Manufacturers Misses the Mark
Rosetta−Wireless Corporation is a wireless data solution provider for mobile workers like medical executives, sales persons, field service engineers, and many others. These mobile workers get secure access to their email and update their data instantly from anywhere using the wireless services. The firm holds right to U.S. Patent No. 7,149,511 entitled “Wireless Intelligent Personal Server.”
On November 24, 2015, Rosetta lodged a complaint in Illinois Northern District Court stating that LG Electronics Co. (1:15-cv-10608) infringed Claims 1-10, 19-22, 58-65, and 68-71 of ‘511 patent in more than 120 models of LG mobile devices, which involves methods of data transmission over wireless communication, as specified in the ‘511 patent. Rosetta further filed four more patent suits against the world’s leading mobile manufacturers including Apple, Samsung, Motorola, and HTC for the same reason stated above.
On January 27, 2016, an order was entered by Judge Joan H. Lefkow to consolidate all five cases into a single case (1:15-cv-00799) under internal operating procedure 13(e) for the purpose of pre-trial. On February 12, 2016, Apple and Samsung challenged all the infringed claims by filing cases (IPR2016-00616, IPR2016-00622) in the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB). PTAB declared that the challenged claims of ‘511 patent were proved to be obvious in light of prior art and invalidated them on August 21, 2017.
On June 11, 2019, Rosetta settled terms with all the defendants and submitted a notice of voluntary dismissal with prejudice under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1)(A)(ii) to avoid heavy damages and to reduce attorney fees.


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Terra Tech Corp (OTCMKTS:TRTC) has made significant advancement since the announcement of its grand opening date for its first cannabis dispensary in Nevada. The share price is up over 70% since the announcement as of today and continues to consolidate but could be ready for another leg up as it is in the formation of a bullish flag.
Volume has been increasing and well above average which bodes well for shareholders and investors who welcome the increased liquidity. TRTC traded as high as $1.40 in 2014. If it were to surpass those high it would gain over 900% from current levels. Technically, the stock has broken above its 10 weekly moving average and 30 weekly moving average on huge volume. It has not consolidated right at its 10-weekly moving average which is very bullish. The stock looks to be setting up for another thrust higher.
The dispensary that was opened in Nevada is a 3,900 square foot facility. Through the dispensary TRTC will sell premium medical cannabis, including flowers, shatters, waxes and oils, among other high-quality cannabis products from a range of reputable providers of superior grade medical cannabis. The dispensary is due for its final inspections by Nevada and Las Vegas very soon (late March) and also expects to receive is business license from Las Vegas as early as April. The grand opening is set for April 20, 2016.
TRTC operates as a holding company. The three wholly owned subsidiaries include GrowOp Technology Ltd., Edible Garden Corp. and IVXX, LLC. TRTC also has ownership interests in MediFarm, MediFarm I and MediFarm II. Through GrowOp it designs, markets and sells hydroponic equipment and indoor agriculture. Edible Garden subsidy acts as a retail seller of locally grown hydroponic produce. Edible Garden Corp. distributes hydroponic produce across the Northeast, Midwest and Florida. Edible Garden supplies local and sustainable products grown from hydroponics to major grocery stores including Shoprite, Kroger, Walmart, and others.
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TRTC is currently trading at a $42.49 million market valuation. It will be opening its first dispensary in Nevada in a little over a month which should provide a boost to its revenues given tourist season beginning. In addition, it has developed a three pronged strategy through its subsidies and currently sells to major grocery chains like Walmart and Kroger which is a boost to investors’ confidence. TRTC will likely continue its turnaround in a meaningful way as it rises from the ashes. Stay tuned as we will be updating subscribers daily.
We will be updating on TRTC when more details emerge so make sure you are subscribed to Microcapspot so you know what’s going on with TRTC.
Disclosure: we hold no position in TRTC either long or short and we have not been compensated for this article.


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Qualcomm is accused of anti-competitive tactics
A U.S. regulator has sued Qualcomm over the way that it licenses cellular patents to smartphone makers — joining South Korea and potentially other governments in seeking to upend the San Diego’s company’s patent royalty practices.
The Federal Trade Commission filed the civil lawsuit Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Northern California. The company also faces investigations in Europe, Japan and Taiwan.
The FTC lawsuit comes a month after the Korea Fair Trade Commission fined Qualcomm $865 million over patent royalties. The company vowed to fight in South Korea’s courts, calling the regulators’ action inconsistent with the facts and a misapplication of fundamental tenets of competition law.
The FTC alleges that Qualcomm used its dominant market share in wireless chips to get excessive royalties on key, standard essential patents, which are supposed to be made available at reasonable rates under law.
The agency also says Qualcomm gave Apple rebates in exchange for being the exclusive supplier of cellular modems in iPhones from 2011 through 2015 — hurting competitors.
The FTC isn’t seeking specific damages but asked the court to take steps to prevent Qualcomm’s alleged anti-competitive practices from happening again.
The agency’s governing board voted 2-1 to bring the lawsuit. Commissioner Maureen Ohlhausen objected on the grounds that the court action is based on a flawed legal theory, that it will undermine U.S. intellectual property rights worldwide and that it comes on the eve of a new presidential administration.
Qualcomm echoed those concerns, calling the FTC’s lawsuit “midnight litigation” brought as Chairwoman Edith Ramirez leaves the agency and President-Elect Donald Trump takes over the White House.
“We have grave concerns about the two commissioners’ decision to bring this case despite a lack of evidence supporting the allegations and theories in the complaint,” Qualcomm General Counsel Don Rosenberg said in a statement.
Qualcomm makes money not only by designing mobile semiconductors but also by licensing its vast portfolio of wireless patents on key cellular technology.
In its complaint Tuesday, the FTC singled out Qualcomm’s “no license, no chips” policy, which requires smartphone makers that buy the company’s wireless semiconductors to also license its patents.
The FTC contends that the tactic forces cellphone manufacturers to pay higher royalties regardless of whether they buy chips from Qualcomm or rivals such Intel or MediaTek.
Because of its dominant market position, the risk of losing access to Qualcomm’s cellular modems is too great for smartphone makers to not take a license, according to the complaint.
In addition, the complaint says Qualcomm gave Apple rebates to make sure it was the exclusive supplier of cellular modems in iPhones from 2011 through 2015.
“Qualcomm recognized that any competitor that won Apple’s business would become stronger, and used exclusivity to prevent Apple from working with and improving the effectiveness of Qualcomm’s competitors,” the FTC said.


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When Angie Keefe and Courtney Marshall attended high school, they were crosstown rivals. But then fate intervened as both decided to attend the University of Puget Sound, where they soon became close friends.
Years later, after having traveled the world and working side by side, they put their heads together to figure out how they could open a coffee shop. When the right opportunity presented itself, the pair snapped it up and opened Gig Harbor MarKee Coffee Shop and Wine Bar on March 10.
“It is something we’ve always wanted to do in Gig Harbor, and when I moved back 18 months ago, we said, ‘Let’s do it,’” Keefe said.
Both women have backgrounds in the restaurant business, and with a burst of optimism and a great deal of hard work they opened the establishment to rave reviews and a whole lot of customers.
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MarKee, which is open seven days a week, serves coffee, wine, beer and food. Keefe wants the community to know is that the business is owned by locals.
“We are making a lot of our own food, and we partnered with Poverty Bay in Federal Way,” she said. “Their values are similar to ours, using all direct trade coffee. Direct trade is very important to us, and we want to have a great relationship with our roaster.”
The duo is also donating $3 back to the nonprofit Fish Food Bank of Gig Harbor for every pound of coffee that they sell.
“We want to give back and be very connected to the community,” Keefe said.
The two owners are busy training their baristas with the focus of making every cup of coffee special — MarKee specializes in latte art as well. The business also makes its own chocolate sauces that go into mochas as well as its own Chai.
Customers can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner at MarKee, and Friday and Saturday nights bring live music. This coming weekend, MarKee will feature The Shy Boys.
Keefe and Marshall each have a husband, young children and extremely busy lives.
“Our lives are packed but it is good,” Keefe said. “Courtney and I thrive on being busy and doing the thing that we love. We say in Gig Harbor we’re just a friend away from knowing everybody. It is a small town and we want to give people a place to connect.”
Keefe and Marshall also came up with a mission state for MarKee: “To enhance the lives in our community by connecting with our guests; establishing intentional partnerships to support community giving that will create a significant impact and setting the standards of excellence by providing an unforgettable and inspiring experience.”
Gig Harbor MarKee Coffee Shop and Wine Bar is located at 5275 Olympic Drive NW in Gig Harbor, next door to Harbor Greens.


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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Dirtbusters on 3rd Street in Terre Haute rolled open its doors for customers on Monday.
And there was quite the line!
The automatic bay uses a conveyor be;t to move cars.
The owner of the carwash is excited to have this location open for business.
"We love the town. We drove the town and realized the market was underserved a little bit and really thought something needed to be north of the interstate," owner Jerry McDaniel told us.
If you are interested in checking out their new location, there are $5 washes through the weekend.


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American Railcar narrows loss in Q1
- Staff St. Louis Business Journal
American Railcar Industries Inc. said Wednesday it lost $5.3 million in the first quarter, compared with a loss of $7 million a year earlier.
The St. Charles-based railcar maker reported revenue of $84.8 million for the quarter ended March 31, up 62 percent from $52.3 million, thanks to an increase in railcar shipments.
"I am excited to announce that both our revenues and shipments increased in the first quarter of 2011 as compared to the same period in 2010," President and CEO James Cowan said in the earnings release. "Industry reports show that railcar loadings have increased and a significant number of stored railcars have returned to service, indicating that the railcar industry continues to gain momentum."
Last week, American Railcar announced plans to restart production at its railcar castings factory in Alliance, Ohio. The factory was idled in June 2009 due to weak demand in the new railcar market.
American Railcar reported revenue of $273.6 million in 2010.
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Verizon Wireless’ In Store Trade-In Program has hit the major milestone, having collected its one millionth mobile device. Launched 1 year ago, the program has helped to keep the equivalent of 140 tons of e-waste out of landfills and 436 tons of carbon dioxide out of the ozone. This is also equal to the amount of electricity it would take to power 49 houses for one year.
Here’s what you should know about the Trade-In Program (if you haven’t heard about it before):
Through the Trade-In Program, customers purchasing a new device can trade in their no-longer-used wireless devices at any Verizon Wireless company-owned store and kiosk nationwide or online to receive a Verizon Wireless gift card in exchange for their devices. Customers can also trade in their no-longer-used devices through the Verizon Wireless Trade-In program available online at www.trade-in.vzw.com and receive an instantly redeemable Verizon Wireless gift card of up to $300 to use toward the purchase of a new phone, tablet, accessory or toward their Verizon Wireless bill.
To celebrate this milestone, Verizon wowed to donate enough money to American Forests so they could plant 1,000 trees in Northern California’s Klamath National Forest. The plantings will cover a handful of areas that were severely affected by wildfires, while providing benefits to local watersheds, scenery, recreation and wildlife…


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Staying in touch with the consumer and understanding her need to feel young is a big part of Johnson & Johnson’s success—even in this tough economy, said Pericles P. Stamatiades, company group chairman of the Johnson & Johnson Beauty Care Global Business Unit, during a recent Newsmaker Forum presented by the Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW).
At the CEW event, which was held in January, Mr. Stamatiades focused on several topics, including how Johnson & Johnson encourages innovation to the effects of the failing economy. Mr. Stamatiades’ advice was simple. “Tough times are good for tough people; keep calm and true to what you’re doing.”
CEW, a non-profit organization based in New York, has more than 4000 members in the beauty, cosmetics and fragrance industries. CEW has associated organizations in France and the UK.
More info: www.cew.org


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KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Crude palm oil (CPO) average selling prices may improve to 2,400 to 2,500 ringgit (about 588 to 613 U.S. dollars) per metric ton this year as inventory levels are expected to slowly decline with higher exports and consumption of palm oil products, a research house said.
The Malaysian research house Affin Hwang Capital said in a report on Tuesday that stronger exports and consumption for palm oil will likely be supported by the energy market and food industries.
For comparison, average Malaysian Palm Oil Board locally-delivered CPO prices in January stood at 2,037 ringgit per metric ton.
Malaysia's CPO production in January declined further by 3.9 percent month-on-month to 1.74 million metric tons, mainly attributable to the seasonal monsoon factor.
Meanwhile, exports surged by 21.2 percent month-on-month to 1.7 million metric tons as main buyers such as China, India and European Union (EU) countries bought more of Malaysian palm-oil products.
Exports to China, India and the EU increased by 17.9 percent, 12 percent and 161 percent month-on-month respectively, to 317, 200 metric tons, 318, 300 metic tons and 243, 500 metric tons.
"We believe higher palm-oil exports to China was partly due to the Chinese New Year festivities while higher exports to India was partly due to the cut in import duties on crude and refined palm oil by the Indian government," said Affin Hwang Capital.
Given that palm-oil exports and consumption in January was higher than the production level, stocks declined to 3 million metric tons from the record high of 3.2 million metric tons in the prior month.
"We expect Malaysia's CPO production to remain weak over the next one to two months, attributable to the seasonal monsoon period, and to pick up once again in the second quarter," Affin Hwang Capital added.
The research house foresees the CPO production to rebound 2.5 percent year-on-year to about 20 million metric tons from 19.5 million metric tons in 2018, supported by the improving fresh fruit brunches yield and CPO oil extraction rate.


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Calls for schools to ban Fidget Toys have raised questions over how long the craze will continue to be a good investment for convenience retailers.
Fidget Toys were developed to help children with anxiety and attention disorders, but are now popular as a mainstream toy, with retailers cashing in on them for the past few weeks.
Anita Nye, manager of Eldred Drive Stores in Orpington Kent, said: "We're not sure what we can do with them now that schools near us are banning them."
Surjeet Notay, owner of Notay's Convenience Store (Nisa) in Heckmondwike, Yorkshire, told Retail Express: "The craze has been the best thing this year but the fad is definitely over. Clear all stock by next bank holiday."
This warning was echoed by a RDM for a major convenience wholesaler. "There's no point in getting them in as we've missed the trend. They'll be gone by next week," he said.
Retailers near schools that have not yet banned them are continuing to see a huge demand.
Harj Gill, owner of Select & Save – The Windmill, said: "Judging by how many retailers are still buying them, I don't think it's the end of it. Lots of our customers haven't heard of them yet."
Adam Hogwood, manager of Budgens of Broadstairs in Kent, said: "There's still a bit of life left in them. Fidget Cubes are still going strong."
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— Synopsys, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNPS) reported adjusted earnings of $1.15 per share for the fourth quarter of 2019, vs. $1.13 per share expected.
— Revenues increased to $851.1 million from $795.1 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, vs. 847.33 million expected
— Fourth-quarter net income declined sharply to $160.7 million, or $1.04 per share, from $254.3 million, or $1.66 per share last year
— For the first quarter of 2020, expects revenues in the range of $805 million to $835 million; and adjusted earnings per share between $ 0.89 and $ 0.94
— Expects full-year 2020 revenues to be in the range of $3.60 billion to $3.65 billion.
— Expects full-year adjusted earnings to be between $5.18 per share and $5.25 per share
Shareholders of online furniture retailer Wayfair Inc. (NYSE: W) have been speculating about their returns for long, with the stock not making any meaningful gains in the past several months.
Shares of Chewy Inc. (NYSE: CHWY) were down 6% in afternoon hours on Friday, a day after the company reported a narrower-than-expected loss and sales that matched estimates for its
Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE: LEVI) is slated to report its first-quarter 2020 earnings results on Tuesday, April 7, after the market closes. The bottom line will be impacted by


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Saturday, February 19, 2011
New Macbooks Launched on Feb. 24, 2011....?
According to this
, it looks like Apple is all set to launch its new Macbook next week on Feb. 24.
Why? Perhaps because its Steve's 56th Birthday!
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The lastest ABC results for UK consumer magazines saw circulations decrease by an average of four percent year on year in 2015. That’s to be expected, and continues the trend we discussed last year in a post entitled ‘Stagnation not Stability‘.
Overall print circulation at seven of the major publishers – Future, Dennis, Condé Nast, Bauer, Immediate, Hearst UK, and Time Inc UK – fell 2.47 percent. Though still bad news, that figure is an improvement from period June 2013 – June 2014, which saw total print circulation for those publishers fall 4.83 percent.
Hearst’s relatively strong performance in that time period is partially due to it having grown the print circulation of Cosmopolitan by 57 percent.
“We are delighted to see that the new marketing and distribution strategy for Cosmopolitan is working. Our innovative new route to market programmes, together with unmissable point of sale promotion through traditional retailers, has allowed us to get its brilliant content out to an even bigger audience.
“We’re also reaching 4.8 million unique users every month online, and through Snapchat Discover, which has carried Cosmopolitan content since September last year, we are able to reach more women than ever before.”
… though Press Gazette notes that “around half of the increase was due to more free pick-up copies. Cosmopolitan was also helped by a big reduction in cover price, from £3.80 to £1, and increased promotional activity including use of ‘pop-up’ distribution points”. Additionally, of its monthly brands, nine out of the fourteen included in Heart’s email saw their circulations decrease year on year.
Another brand that saw an uptick in its circulation figures was the relaunched NME, which went free for the first time in September last year, and reported circulation figures of 307,217. From Time Inc UK’s CEO Marcus Rich:
“We continue to increase the number of distribution locations and have added more universities, retail outlets and more recently supermarkets. Under the leadership of editor-in-chief Mike Williams, the refreshed magazine has been positively received by consumers who love the new content mix and are proactively seeking out the magazine. Our commercial partners are also taking advantage of the new opportunities with the brand and advertising revenues are up 42%. Our strategy has been a huge success and it truly is an exciting new era for this iconic brand.”
Instead, most of the publishers who’ve sent out emails about their ABCs have focused on the print products that have increased circulation (obviously, since print is still integral to their business models) but, crucially, have reported them using the combined print and digital figures.
@PaulLomax Then why do print mags still rule? Because the advertisers are sold a circulation number, propped up by digital editions.
— David Hicks (@David_Hicks) February 11, 2016
@David_Hicks They rule because they (mostly) still have scale and get circulation 8x larger than digital editions. Ad production cheap too!
— Paul Lomax (@PaulLomax) February 11, 2016
So many of the magazine publishers who are reporting success are doing so either because the central proposition of that brand has changed i.e. NME or Cosmopolitan (which is no bad thing!) or because the digital circulation changes affect print circulation in a positive way.
Huge circulation figures haven’t been representative of a brand’s ultimate success for a while now, so the fact that overall circulation declined four percent isn’t necessarily a bad thing – but the way the publishers are choosing to report the ABCs makes it clear they’re at least a little bit worried about the decline.


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Google is now activating 850,000 new Android devices daily, increasing its number to 300 million total devices — 12 million of which includes tablets. These stats are according to Andy Rubin, when he addressed reporters at this year’s Mobile World Congress. Rubin allocated the number of devices by counting activations once per device ID; this process left out the Kindle Fire as the popular tab doesn’t provide Google services.
The head of Android also noted how successful Samsung’s Galaxy Tab line of slates were doing, stating how they are the most popular tablets counted. Strange thing is, Samsung didn’t echo those same thoughts, as Hankil Yoon, a Samsung executive, told a group of reporters: “Honestly, we’re not doing very well in the tablet market.” Yoon added that the company is optimistic its Galaxy Note 10.1 will be a big success, but at the moment, the company is not in a good position.
Lastly, the search giant mentioned it had obtained more than 450 thousand apps in the Android Market, up from 160 thousand a year ago. These feats are impressive but it’s something that shouldn’t be at all shocking, what’s shocking is the lack of penetration Android tablet’s are making. For whatever reason, people aren’t buying them in droves.


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For its 2021 edition, Beautyworld Middle East in collaboration with fragrance house Iberchem will present “A World of Scents”, a new olfactory experience for the show’s visitors and participants to enjoy during their visit.
Curated by the team from Iberchem, “A World of Scents” will take place in different locations throughout the show, such as the Premium Lounge, the Quintessence zone and during the Beautyworld Middle East Awards ceremony to take place at the Dubai Ritz Carlton on October 5.
“A World of Scents” was developed as a unique way for visitors to discover, the beauty and benefits of scents beyond the stands of the fragrance brands and companies.
The concept will feature interactive installations and innovative concepts to delight visitors. It is the first time that the show has offered such an experience to its audience.
“We are thrilled to present this new fragrance experience at Beautyworld Middle East,” said Guillaume Audy, Corporate Communication Director at Iberchem.
“We feel incredibly honoured by all the trust the team at Beautyworld has placed in us to create this tailor-made experience. Year after year, Iberchem has brought innovative fragrance concepts to the show and this year, the creativity of our team will be featured at a whole new level. The fragrance industry has so much to offer, and it is our pleasure to contribute to spreading the word diffusion.”
“A World of Scents will offer trade buyers, beauty professionals, retailers, and distributors at Beautyworld Middle East the opportunity to elevate their typical trade fair visit by taking them on an olfactory journey through the show,” said Elaine O’Connell, Show Director of Beautyworld Middle East.”
“Creating scents is not just about chemistry, but about creative vision, living, dreaming and experiencing smells through memory, music, shapes, and colours. A World of Scents will embody this artistic journey and we’re delighted to partner with Iberchem in bringing this unique initiative to Beautyworld Middle East 2021.”
Beautyworld Middle East will be celebrating its 25th anniversary edition this year.
It is the region’s largest international trade fair for the beauty industry.
The upcoming show will host exhibitors from 54 countries and 17 dedicated country pavilions, making it the first truly international beauty event of the year.


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Tuesday, February 15, 2011
CHRIS BROWN REVEALS F.A.M.E ALBUM COVER
Just when you thought he was down, the Mechanical Dummy Chris Brown bounces back up like “Look At Me Now”. Breezy unveils artwork for his forth studio album F.A.M.E, which will be released in stores on March 22nd. The highly-anticipated LP F.A.M.E has guess appearances from: Lil Wayne, Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber. With singles like Yeah 3X peaking at 15 on the Billboard charts and “Look At Me Now” at 11, this album is already officially Platinum.


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Viacom, a leader in TV broadcast, has sued YouTube/Google for copyright infringement. They should be happy the stuff is on YouTube. I don't watch TV (except select shows), so the internet is the only way I would see anything from them. They should make a deal with Youtube already. From the article:
Their business model, which is based on building traffic and selling advertising off of unlicensed content, is clearly illegal and is in obvious conflict with copyright laws. In fact, YouTube's strategy has been to avoid taking proactive steps to curtail the infringement on its site, thus generating significant traffic and revenues for itself while shifting the entire burden - and high cost - of monitoring YouTube onto the victims of its infringement.Viacom says that Google isn't doing anything to stop infringement, but that is false. Google has announced a plan to deal with this. The whole problem lies in the fact that no program can be 100% true, and not without false positives. It also doesn't recognize fair use. The media companies just need to make content available themselves if not through YouTube; that is what the consumers want.


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Recent upheavals in the tech world prove that the invulnerability of rockstar status for some business leaders, such as Elon Musk and Sheryl Sandberg, is limited and, sometimes, counterproductive, writes James Bailey, a professor at the George Washington University School of Business.
For many executives, cultural celebrity is good branding and an inoculant to merciless P&Ls or disapproving boards of directors. A shrewd CEO can use Twitter to counter rumors on Wall Street or dodge a public relations nightmare.
But recent disruptions in the tech industry suggest that celebrity may have its limits. Elon Musk of Tesla and Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook, who have both carefully cultivated public personas, have found that global fame is not foolproof when government investigators come knocking.


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Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited has sought exemption from the payment of Value Added Tax (VAT) on the import of COVID-19 vaccine, its administration and distribution to supply to the consumers at affordable prices.
As per the existing VAT law, the consumption tax at a rate of 15 per cent is applicable to all type of services.
Some 5.0 million doses of vaccine is scheduled to arrive today (Monday) that the company has imported from the Serum Institute of India.
Beximco asked for the waiver in a letter the National Board of Revenue (NBR), signed by the company's Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Ali Newaz.
Talking to the FE on Sunday, Mr Newaz said the company would be able to vaccinate people at 15 per cent reduced price if the government exempts VAT on it.
"VAT is a consumers' tax that is imposed on the end-users," he said.
He said the price of per dose of COVID Vaccine has yet to be fixed by the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA).
However, according to the current formula of the DGDA, per dose vaccine may cost Tk 1,100, but the company would try to offer an affordable price minimising its profit to 10 per cent, Mr Newaz said.
To vaccinate people, the company needs to rent a large space at the Bashundhara Convention Center and employ at least 800 people, he said.
"The total cost of import and vaccination would be around Tk 300 to 400 million for Covid-19 vaccination," he added.
In the first phase, the company has targeted the corporate sector and its employees as private sector is the life-line of the economy, he said.
Currently, there is no VAT on medicine, but the service charges for administering the vaccine is taxable as per law.
Beximco pharma signed an agreement with the Serum institute to import Oxford- AstraZencca vaccine in December. The country's largest drug exporter is the lone distributor in Bangladesh.
The company will supply and distribute the imported vaccine to the government as
well as directly sell and vaccinate the private sector.
A senior official of the VAT wing said all types of health services are exempted from the payment of VAT, including vaccination.
He said the NBR has yet to scrutinise the process of vaccination by Beximco to assess whether VAT would be applicable.


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Publix raising pay and stock price
Publix will raise wages for its hourly employees and some managers, a move that could help it compete with chains such as Target and Walmart that have made public announcements of pay increases.
The Lakeland-based supermarket chain also boosted its stock price by nearly 13 percent, to $41.40, ahead of its fourth-quarter earnings announcement scheduled for Thursday.
Publix would not disclose how much the raises will be or what current wage ranges are, saying it’s proprietary information.
“We want to continue to invest in our most valuable asset — our associates,” spokesman Dwaine Stevens said in an email. “So with this investment, we will increase the retail pay range for non-management positions as well as assistant department managers and department manager positions.”
Publix has about 188,000 workers at 1,172 stores nationwide, according to its website.
Only employees and board members are eligible to buy stock, which is privately traded. The price of the stock is adjusted quarterly and set by auditors who base it on the company's financial performance of compared with how other supermarket and food companies are trading on Wall Street.
It’s the highest that Publix stock price has been since October 2016 and reverses a downward trend since the shares peaked in March 2016 at $45.20.


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Commercial UAV News has discussed the importance of distribution and the supply chain on a macro-level, underscoring the importance of maintaining appropriate availability to markets where the demand is high; but with COVID-19 affecting almost every market along the supply chain, it is now more important than ever to understand how to prepare for and mitigate interruptions in your supply chain.
Drones are proving to be a valuable asset in the fight against COVID-19, but the ability to maintain, let alone ramp up, any production is becoming increasingly difficult as businesses along the supply chain have had to make the difficult decision to shut down or downgrade their production. But there are ways to mitigate the impact, having a strong understanding of your supply chain can help you anticipate and stay ahead of expected disruptions in your business and the businesses you work with.
In the following article by Royce Morse, Managing Editor at IOFM.com, breaks down some important things you can do to maintain your supply chain and keep your business running as best you can in these difficult times.
Maintaining the Supply Chain During a Global Shutdown
A few months ago, we couldn’t even imagine what a “global shutdown” would look like—or why we’d ever experience one. Today, we’re faced with that cold, hard reality due to COVID-19, which has taken people by surprise and created a myriad of issues.
Retail and entertainment establishments have been hit hard, but even for business-to-business organizations, there are difficult challenges to address—both now and in the future. One of those is trying to keep a supply chain up and running while companies everywhere are struggling to continue their own operations.
These are challenging times, and you may find it nearly impossible to get some of the things you need. And nearly everyone is in the same situation, including your suppliers. What can be done?
What History Has Shown
Nearly twenty years ago, the U.S. experienced a terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. While businesses in and around the area were immediately impacted, the ripple effect was felt throughout the country and beyond. Why? Because the attack shut down the banking system. Wall Street was closed for nearly a week, businesses struggled and subsequently failed, hundreds of thousands of people lost their jobs and the supply chain was disrupted.
More recently, there have been other disasters. In Asia, there was a major earthquake, a tsunami and a significant flood. Here in the U.S., we’ve experienced two devastating hurricanes. Because our economy has become increasingly globalized, these disruptions were felt worldwide. And as businesses both here and abroad struggled to stay open and productive, companies scrambled to find suppliers for materials they could no longer acquire through their normal channels.
Now we’re facing a different kind of disaster—a global pandemic unlike anything ever seen before.
One of the results is that procurement is tasked with trying to source from an impaired supply chain. The problem is severe enough that many businesses have simply suspended operations until things regain some sense of normalcy. The problem is, we don’t know how long that will take.
Mapping Your Suppliers
What can you do right now? Harvard Business Review advises that something every company should undertake—but that many don’t because of the effort and resources involved—is to map their supply network. It is what it sounds like: Determine and document where your suppliers are located. For large manufacturers with thousands of vendors, that’s a big task.
But there’s more. HBR advises to go down as many tiers as you can. For example, if you source plastic bottles from a plant in China, where in China is that specifically? China’s a big country. If there’s an earthquake in a particular region, will that source be affected?
Now take it further. Where does the plastic that goes into the bottles come from? What about the caps, the labels and the foil seals? And where do those manufacturers get their supplies from? And on down the line, all the way to the raw materials. Be aware of the geography, the economic and political situations, potential logistics issues, possible vulnerabilities all the way down.
As you can see, it’s a major project to obtain and record all that information, which is why many companies don’t do it. However, having this information ahead of an event can help you know which natural disasters and trade disruptions can potentially affect your supply—and your suppliers’ supply. This gives you an advantage when there’s a disruption. HBR says the cost of this activity will more than be worth it in the event that your supply chain takes a hit and you quickly need to regroup.
Have Alternative Sources Ready
A common trap companies can easily fall into is the “putting all your eggs into one basket” problem. The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania notes that while it’s tempting to maximize efficiency while reducing costs by giving all your business to a specific vendor, this leaves you particularly vulnerable, which is what’s happening right now.
For this reason, it’s important to have other vendors available. You may not give them the bulk of your business when things are normal, but when things aren’t, you need to have a backup plan through established relationships with alternative vendors. Ideally, they won’t all be located in the same geographical area either. Whether it’s a natural disaster, disease or significant political unrest, having all your suppliers in the same region can mean you won’t be able to get what you need from any of them if something happens.
Understand the Variables
Procurement must deal with a lot of other moving parts. First, there’s buying behavior and how that’s likely to change during a crisis, as we’ve seen with the hoarding behavior during the Covid-19 outbreak. In addition to the expected shortages in disinfectants, soap, masks and medical supplies, we’ve seen odd buying patterns, such as the stockpiling of bathroom tissue and grocery items. While it’s hard to predict irrational spending during a crisis, it pays to expect the unexpected based on what you do know and can logically infer.
How much inventory do you have? Striking the right balance between enough and too much product on hand can be tricky, but also take into consideration the inventory available within your supply chain.
However, manufacturing is also limited by equipment and labor. Right now, businesses that sell high-demand products are struggling with a finite amount of machinery, staff and hours in the day. And in some facilities, that staff may be reduced because people are becoming ill. Do your suppliers have a backup plan in this eventuality? Can they outsource production or bring in a contingent workforce? Can they quickly repurpose some of the equipment to produce higher-demand products?
Consider, too, logistics. McKinsey advises ramping up carrier capacity as necessary and remaining flexible on the mode as the situation demands. Knowing your options and maintaining relationships with various providers in the best of times can help keep your products moving in the worst of times.
Pay Your Invoices
Although it may seem obvious, your supply chain depends upon your payments to be able to provide you with what you need. In a time of high demand, customers that don’t pay timely are a liability. Given that suppliers’ own costs of materials and shipping may be inflated due to limited supply and competition for resources can mean that they have little choice but to cut off slow-pay customers in favor of those who keep the cash flowing.
Of course, in times of crisis, you probably don’t want to rely on the mail and paper checks either. As we’re seeing right now, manual payments can create issues. AP staff must retrieve the physical payments and deposit them, requiring they break quarantine and handle the mail, which can expose them to the virus. In other types of disasters, mail delivery may be disrupted entirely. Electronic payments are the fastest and most secure method of getting your suppliers paid quickly and safely.
Is It Too Late Now?
While it’s critical to have done most of this work before a crisis happens, you can still make headway on some of these things, especially if you have down time as a result of reduced operations. We don’t know how long it’s going to take things to get back to pre-pandemic status. While Wharton says that China is already beginning to rebound economically, we have no idea how long it will take to get back to the “new normal,” whatever that turns out to be.
Assessing and expanding your supply chain, being mindful of every part of the process and constantly evaluating your position relative to the global situation will get you much further than just waiting it out and hoping for the best. And it will prepare you for whatever might come next.


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There’s no such thing as a typical look from Rodarte, the independent fashion label founded 11 years ago by sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy and beloved by critics and celebrities for its dark, romantic sensibility. Each garment is a unique mix of hand-altered fabrics, materials, and embellishments, offering a glimpse of the Mulleavys’ seemingly limitless imagination. This month, they’re bringing that same ingenuity to the big screen in Woodshock, a fantastical thriller written and directed by the Mulleavys and starring Kirsten Dunst. Here’s how they are expanding their brand into new mediums.
Lean Into Your Inexperience
The Mulleavys were recent college graduates with no ties to the fashion industry when they started Rodarte in 2006. Instead of being a liability, the Mulleavys’ outsider status has helped them preserve their unconventional aesthetic, which is the key to their success. One of their early collections, inspired by Death Valley, featured fabrics that were painstakingly shredded, torn, and burned around the edges. In their naïveté, the Mulleavys underestimated how difficult it would be to replicate the look for production. But they made it work, and the collection was ultimately a hit with buyers and stood out in stores. Today, although they’re more attuned to production demands, the Mulleavys continue to prioritize inspiration. “That lack of knowledge leads to something you’ll never have again,” says Kate. “It’s like a strange magic.”
Set Your Own Expectations
When they started writing Woodshock in 2011, the Mulleavys kept the project a secret out of fear that speculation about the film would hinder their storytelling process. “In any industry, there are a lot of rules and guidelines telling you how to do things,” Kate says. “And at the end of the day, we knew we couldn’t subscribe to any of those rules.” It was only after they had established their own vision for the film that they began talking about the project with others. They’ve taken a similarly insular approach to the fashion industry: Despite pressure to move closer to hubs such as New York or Paris, the Mulleavys continue to operate Rodarte out of their hometown of Pasadena, California. “The only way to survive in a creative industry is to have a personal and unique voice,” says Laura. “Realizing that early was important, because it meant that when we had doubts, we knew to follow our instincts.”
Protect Your Autonomy
Unlike many fashion labels that launched around the same time, Rodarte has remained independent. That’s by design, say the sisters, who retain creative control, free from the commercial expectations of either a parent company or outside investors. Though the Mulleavys have made concessions to marketing their brand to a wider audience (they sell a line of T-shirts called Radarte and a ready-to-wear collection with Coach), they’ve also been able to make more counterintuitive moves. While most major American brands are trying to increase their production schedules to keep up with fast fashion, in January the Mulleavys pulled back the number of shows they do per year, announcing that the brand would not participate in New York Fashion Week in favor of the more artistically inclined Paris shows. The move freed the sisters up to work on other projects while still maintaining the same level of involvement in Rodarte. “If we’re going to do a show each season, we want it to be done on our terms,” says Kate.
Look For Like-Minded Collaborators
Building partnerships with other creatives has helped the Mulleavys translate their ideas to the public. Woodshock is distributed by A24, the New York–based company behind indie hits such as Room, Ex Machina, and Moonlight. When the Mulleavys first met with A24 executives, the sisters came away impressed with how the company supports groundbreaking filmmakers with innovative marketing, and its success in taking unconventional stories mainstream. The power of the A24 brand is enough to make certain viewers take a chance on a new movie, Kate notes. “That’s what we strive for at Rodarte,” she says. “Even if we decided to shift and try something different or really out there, hopefully the time we’ve spent building a brand and identity will convince people to go on that journey with us.”


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Perhaps inevitably, Netflix has begun testing new tools to prevent account sharing, the BBC reports.
In the trial, which currently affects a small sample of accounts, viewers are shown a screen saying: 'If you don't live with the owner of this account, you need your own account to keep watching'.
Users are then asked to provide confirmation that they share the same household by entering a verification code sent to the owner.
A spokesperson for Netflix told the BBC: "This test is designed to help ensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorised to do so."
This may sound rather officious for the typically laid-back Netflix, but never fear; it has been reported that there’s an option to ‘verify later’, banishing the warning screen from reappearing. For now, anyway. The company has not yet decided whether the feature will roll out across its whole network.
While sharing passwords outside of a household violates Netflix's terms of service, it’s long been a common practice that the company has acknowledged as one of its strongest marketing tools, with CEO Reed Hastings having called it “a positive thing” back in 2016.
That may have been the case when we were first introduced to the delights of streaming, but with users becoming savvier and increasing the number of digital services they are willing to subscribe to, Netflix’s attitude could be shifting.
Streaming subscription numbers saw a record increase in 2020 thanks to the combination of the Covid-19 pandemic and new services like Disney Plus and HBO Max. Netflix is still the clear leader with over 203 million accounts, but as competitors have started to eat up its market share, could password control be the company's way of fighting back?
Check out the 36 best TV shows to watch on Netflix right now
Here are 25 Netflix tips, tricks and features


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By Neo Kolane
Fashion and Lifestyle Kloset, an event aimed at boosting the economy and bringing back the spirit of fashion in the country will be hosted in May.
The event will showcase the fashion lifestyle of a beauty queen and is set to attract people who adhere to the works of fashion.
The event’s organizer, Thato Fonya, says the show will be the first of its kind after many initiatives such as fashion works by NALA, MSU MARKET and SHIPA.
Fonya observed that there is Lesotho Fashion Week at which designers’ boutiques display their fashion creations. It is at these shows that exhibitions are staged, with people admiring various works.
As a fashion activist, Fonya told theReporter that the industry of fashion, beauty and lifestyle has been on its lowest ebb due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has struck the world since its emergence in December 2019.
Fonya realized that it was up to the artists and designers to revive the industry so as it would attract fashion lovers.
“We are trying to gain benefits from ticket sales of which a 15 percent amount will be invested in fashion design materials while the remainder of the money is to be shared among the artists,” Fonya said.
According to him, fashion artists are to set aside some funds in order to sponsor their social media pages as a marketing tool.
“We expect the sponsors who will contribute hangers, rails and the red carpet in order to bring in glamour to fashion and lifestyle events.
“We are also hoping for sponsors to contribute cash for logistical issues, paying backstage presenters, and the master of ceremony as well as the ushers.
“Those who attend the shows should expect glamour and beauty. They should expect fun while admiring artistic works,” Fonya concluded.


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It wasn’t all that long ago that Apple would routinely make the news for rejecting an app for reasons that belied all logic and reason. But these days, Apple has largely gotten their app review process under control and it’s rare that we see headlines about Apple’s draconian app store policies spring up.
In conjunction with Apple perhaps becoming judicious in its app store rejections, the lack of app store rejection stories can also be attributed to the fact they admittedly got a bit repetitive. That said, we’re not totally removed from the era of controversial app rejections and techaheadcorp recently compiled a list of 15 controversial apps that Apple pulled from the iTunes App Store in 2011.
From an app centering on the notion that homosexuals can stop being gay to a Palestinian app urging a violent uprising against Israel, all the favorites from the past year are here. While most of the titles will be familiar – such as the recent Drivers License app that was pulled just 2 weeks ago – there are a few we ourselves haven’t heard of.
The list reads:
1. Exodus International
2. Third Intifada
3. Phone Story
4. Smuggle Truck: Operation Immigrant
5. Financial Times
6. Google Books
8. Jew or Not Jew
9. DriversEd.com’s Drivers License App
11. DUI Checkpoint Apps
13. iControlbits iOS App
14. Any Music Downloader


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Facebook’s iPad (s aapl) app is no longer mere rumor and speculation. Twitter user @AeroEchelon discovered that the full code for an iPad version of the app resides in the latest Facebook for iPhone update (which means Facebook will likely make the app universal instead of releasing a separate, iPad-only version), and TechCrunch got the app up and running on an actual iPad device. It took them awhile, but it looks like the social network will soon set things right for its iPad-toting users.
The lack of a proper native iPad client for Facebook has been a glaring absence ever since Apple launched the device last year. In the time between then and now, countless Facebook clients created by third-party developers have sprung up on the App Store, including current pack leader MyPad (which also provides access to Twitter, thanks to a recent update), but there is still nothing from Zuckerberg and co. at Facebook HQ, except for a response to a question that made it seem like the network’s website might be all iPad users could hope for.
I mentioned MyPad, and if you’re looking for an example of how the new app will work, that might be a good place to start (you can actually get the official version running on your device, but not without jailbreaking it first). Like MyPad, Facebook for iPad features a navigation column on the right with a dark background that provides you access to your messages, news feed, photos and more. But it also features a lot of elements borrowed from the site’s home page and a photos interface that looks like the native iPad Photos app. Other highlights include the frequent appearance of contextual pop-up menus, which should make interacting with your shared content and navigating your network quite iPad-friendly, and a Places section that displays a full Google map with visuals to go with your list of check-ins, all on one screen.
My own Facebook use dropped off considerably once I started using my iPad more and my MacBook less, which basically means I’ve used it sparingly for about a year and a half now. I’m not sure whether the delay of a native iPad app is because Facebook thought it could get by on its web presence alone or because it took the company this long to get it right. Whatever the reason for the lengthy oversight, the good news for users and Facebook alike is that iPad support is now likely only an update away.