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By Jenae R / June 16th, 2023
XSEED Games has finally announced an exact release date for AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead and Undressed Director’s Cut. The game will be launching for Nintendo Switch in both North America and Europe this upcoming August 1st, 2023. It will be available digitally for $29.99 and there will also be a limited Day 1 Edition physical copy available for $39.99. The Day 1 Edition is already available for pre-order in the XSEED Games Store and at various other retailers. Also, on PS4 and Windows PC where AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead and Undressed has already been released before, there will be DLC available for purchase instead. You’ll be able to buy the Kati’s Route DLC For $7.99. You can find more info from the latest press release about the AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead and Undressed Director’s Cut down below. And if you’d like to know more about the game, feel free to visit the official website.
Updated from its original release for a new generation, AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead and Undressed Director’s Cut places players in the role of Nanashi, an otaku mysteriously transformed into a vampire and thrust into a conspiracy of “Synthisters” plaguing the electronics mecca. Alongside a colorful cast of allies known as the ‘Akiba Freedom Fighters,’ Nanashi must defend his fellow otaku from vampire predators, discovering that the best strategy to defeat them is to strip them to their bare essentials and expose them to the cleansing power of the sun! Featuring an all new “true ending” route fully voiced in English and Japanese starring lovable maid Kati, original side quests introducing more offbeat otaku denizens of Akihabara, and an arsenal of new weapons and armor, AKIBA’S TRIP: Undead and Undressed Director’s Cut brings modern supernatural action and adventure for the Japanophile of discerning tastes.
ACQUIRE CorpAKIBA'S TRIP: Undead and Undressed Director's CutAkibas tripnintendo switchXSEED


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Persona 5’s Joker is officially joining the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster this week — and you won’t have to wait long to play as him as he hits the game on April 17.
Nintendo confirmed Joker will be available as the first of five DLC fighters as part of the Fighters Pass. The Challenger Pack 1 will include Joker as a playable fighter, a stage based on Persona 5’s Mementos location, as well as music from the entire Persona 5 series.
A trailer Nintendo revealed alongside Joker’s reveal revealed a main gameplay mechanic for Joker will be the ability for him to build up a Persona meter, which will allow him to summon Joker’s main persona Arsene from Persona 5. Players need to “hold onto their rebellious spirit” to keep using Arsene, who can help Joker with counters and a glide jump ability.

domain: news


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From Entertainment Weekly:
Since Amy Winehouse died on Saturday, fans have been honoring the British singer by playing her Grammy-winning neo-soul watershed Back to Black, giving the album a posthumous spike in sales.
Within hours of her death, Black climbed all the way to No. 1 on the iTunes charts in the U.S. and the U.K., and stayed there until Monday. (Today, on the U.S. side, Eric Church tops the chart, with Winehouse holding the No. 2 spot.)
Billboard also predicted that, due to sales from over the weekend, Black will re-enter the top 20 on its Billboard 200 albums chart—which comes out on Wednesday and reflects the sales tracking week that ended on Sunday night—with as many as 20,000 – 25,000 copies sold in the U.S. That’s a big jump from the week before Winehouse passed, when Black moved just a little over 1,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Read the entire story here


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The annual inflation rate in Colombia rose to 4.51 percent in September of 2021 from 4.44 percent a month earlier. This was the highest reading since April of 2017, boosted by further rises in cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages (12.40 percent vs 11.50 percent in August), housing and utilities (3.35 percent vs 3.47 percent), transportation (4.81 percent vs 5.06 percent), restaurants and hotels (7.22 percent vs 6.93 percent), and furniture (3.46 percent vs 3.26 percent). On a monthly basis, consumer prices went up by 0.38 percent in September, after a 0.45 percent gain in August. source: Dane, Colombia
Inflation Rate in Colombia averaged 13.78 percent from 1955 until 2021, reaching an all time high of 41.65 percent in June of 1977 and a record low of -0.87 percent in July of 1955. This page provides - Colombia Inflation Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Colombia Inflation Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on October of 2021.
Inflation Rate in Colombia is expected to be 4.40 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Colombia Inflation Rate is projected to trend around 3.00 percent in 2022, according to our econometric models.


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SINGAPORE - Despite differences in its member states' interests, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is able to achieve meaningful outcomes that bring about tangible benefits for economies, businesses and people, said Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong on Friday (June 17).
Writing about the negotiations that took place in a LinkedIn post, Mr Gan, who was in Geneva, Switzerland for the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference, said: "Discussions among delegates had been intense and often impassioned as each sought to preserve their national interests while seeking common grounds for international cooperation."
At the conference from June 12 to 16, the 164 WTO members agreed on a series of trade agreements, including the extension of a moratorium on applying customs duties to electronic transmissions, which refers to digital goods and services, such as music streaming, e-books and financial transactions.
Mr Gan said the continued freeze on duties would lend predictability to businesses and further enable the digital economy's growth.
Several developing countries, such as India and South Africa, had been in favour of ending the moratorium. Others, such as America and the European Union, had raised concerns that doing so would dent the global economy's prospects of recovery.
The WTO also agreed to a temporary waiver of intellectual property rights for the manufacture of Covid-19 vaccines.
"(This) will enhance equitable vaccine access and lay the foundation to tackle future global health crises and emergencies," Mr Gan said.
Countries also agreed not to apply export restrictions to food purchased by the World Food Programme for humanitarian purposes, which the minister added will help alleviate the growing food security crisis.
The United Nations, which runs the programme, had asked the WTO to do so, saying that Russia's war in Ukraine was increasing the risk of hunger and famine for tens of millions of people, many of whom already face food insecurity.
Mr Gan also said a move to limit fisheries subsidies - which have been pinpointed as contributing to over-fishing - was a laudable achievement for sustainable fishing.
On Monday, he met China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao on the sidelines of the WTO conference.
The countries signed two agreements on the green economy and digital economy. These aim to deepen collaboration between both countries through various means, including by getting businesses to work together.


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DELTA Beverages is upgrading its Masvingo and Kwekwe breweries at an estimated cost of $26 million to increase the production of the Chibuku Super brand. The increase in production will be realised by the fourth quarter of 2016.
BY BUSINESS REPORTER
In a statement the company said the upgrade began this month and the supply of Chibuku Super has lagged behind demand since the brand was introduced to the market in 2012. The company said capacity added at Fairbridge Brewery in October 2015, has already been fully extended.
“The upgrade in the production facilities and new technologies at the two breweries is expected to cost about $26 million. The major cost will be on the PET packaging plants and brewing tanks, grain handling equipment and civil works,” Delta said.
Machinery for the plant will be imported from Germany and South Africa and local partners have already been awarded contracts.
The company, at the moment, has a capacity to supply 220 000 hectolitres of Chibuku Super in the 1,25-litre pack from the two factories at Chitungwiza and Fairbridge
The upgrade will increase this to 240 000 hectolitres when the additional brewing tanks are installed at Fairbridge by March.
Delta Beverages has 15 brands and over 4 000 employees. For the third quarter ending December 31, 2015, lager volumes dipped by 14% compared to the second quarter as consumers shifted to cheaper alternatives. The volumes were down 6% for the nine months to December 2015.
Delta Corporation volumes and revenues were subdued during the third quarter due to depressed aggregate demand.


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Five months ago, Bitcoin.com News published a story regarding the speculation surrounding the third largest bitcoin wallet, with many observers believing that the address is a giant whale. The report at the time noted that the headline “1P5ZED” shows all indications that it is a trading platform, but to this day speculators still assume and are still spreading a strange guess as to why they think “1P5ZED” is a huge Bitcoin whale.
Famous Bitcoin Address ‘1P5ZED’ Once Again Sparks Unfounded Speculation & Rumors
The “1P5ZED” bitcoin address rumor is making the rounds again, as people honestly believe the address is a bullish whale picking up massive amounts of bitcoin. Stories about the “1P5ZED” bitcoin address were spread by crypto news outlets, analysts claimed the entity had a “trading strategy,” and Redditors posted threads about wallet transfers, and the wallet served as a topical conversation On Twitter too.
For example, on April 21, 2022, a Twitter account appeared with the name “Ozz, CEO of Altseason,” chirp Allegation that Microstrategy was selling and selling Bitcoin.
“I just realized Microstrategy is selling bitcoin without telling anyone,” Ozz said. “Michael Saylor said he would never do that, but yesterday he sold over 1,500 bitcoins. From their main address, bitcoins were sent to a secondary address that uses Coinbase and Okex to sell bitcoins,” Ozz added. The Twitter account also said the Microstrategy addresses were:
- Main guard address: 1P5ZEDWTKTFGxQjZphgWPQUpe554WKDfHQ
- Secondary guard address: 1FzWLkAahHooV3kzTgyx6qsswXJ6sCXkSR
While some people Ozz called out on the tweet because the information is not 100% correct, as the title is not owned by Microstrategy, the tweet is still there with 262 retweets, 163 quoted tweets and nearly 1,200 likes at the time of writing. The tweet also caused a huge amount of Unfounded speculation And Rumors About Microstrategy is incorrect.
‼ I just realized you’re a moron.
– Jameson Lopp (lopp) April 21, 2022
This is because the third largest bitcoin address is not owned by Microstrategy and is most likely an exchange platform. Bitcoin.com News investigated the “1P5ZED” bitcoin address before, and onchain analyzes showed spending patterns on the exchange such as cluster spending.
Industry source insists on Blockchain analytics tools connecting ‘1P5ZED’ to Gemini
Onchain analysis from blockchair.com indicates that “1P5ZED” transactions are almost always settled with very little privacy. Block explorer oxt.me also contains two annotations explaining that the bitcoin address “1P5ZED” may be associated with the Bittrex exchange.
However, after Bitcoin.com News published our “1P5ZED” report, our news desk received a message from an individual about the article. The person asked not to be named and explained that he has “access to blockchain analysis tools (Chinalysis and Ciphertrace) as part of his job.” The individual further added:
There is an almost 100% chance that both titles in your article, 1P5ZED and 1FzWLk, belong to Gemini.
Blockchain analysts show that “1FzWLk” handles very little “1P5ZED” transactions. “1FzWLk” is also marked with a note on oxt.me about the address associated with the exchange. “[1FzWLk] Commented as Okex by Whale Alerts. Although the source and pool spend indicates closer ties with Coinbase and Gemini,” your wish wrote at the time.
While most major Bitcoin addresses are categorized as exchanges, people continue to promote things in crypto media as if this were a mysterious Bitcoin whale. The truth is that the wallet is most likely, with almost 100% guarantee, a well-known exchange that has not been classified as a trading platform. Although, as long as the third largest bitcoin address is not reported, it will be open to interpretation and guesswork.
Do you think “1P5ZED” is a random whale address or do you think it belongs to an exchange? Tell us what you think about it in the comments section below.
photo credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons
Not giving an opinion: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal or accounting advice. Neither the Company nor the author shall be liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.


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Woman sought in mobile phone theft probe
Police have released images of a woman in relation to the theft of a mobile phone stolen from the till of a supermarket in Long Eaton.
A woman was shopping in the Aldi store on Cross Street on Wednesday, February 1.
She went to pay at the till between around 2.40pm and 2.50pm, and put her mobile phone down at the till while bagging up her shopping.
The phone was then picked up and stolen.
Officers believe the woman, with long dark hair who is pictured on the CCTV image, may be able to help with enquiries. She had been pushing a pushing a wheelchair.#
Anyone with information contact PC Tania Kimberley by calling 101, quoting reference 17*45550. You can also send her a message online through the Contact Us page on the website: www.derbyshire.police.uk.


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Retaining customers and maintaining growth after last year is a challenge nearly every packaged food company is facing as people venture back out to restaurants and offices. Home Run Inn’s pandemic pace has already slowed considerably, said CEO Dan Costello. That was expected.
Though COVID closures kept people out of restaurants for much of last year, it certainly didn’t keep them from the frozen foods aisle. Frozen pizza sales in the U.S. soared almost 21 percent to more than $6 billion, according to data from market research firm Nielsen.
Home Run Inn’s sales followed those trends, with revenue up 20


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Unless Apple is altogether giving up on the long-struggling tablet market, which seems unlikely, a number of new iPads must be right around the corner, considering this fall’s unusual lack of activity on that front.
But the Cupertino-based tech giant’s reliance on the world’s largest dedicated independent semiconductor foundry might end up costing it a precious few extra months. Unfortunately, it sounds like TSMC’s sizzling hot 10nm chips won’t be ready for primetime (read mass production) very soon, making it impossible to launch 10.5 (or 10.9), 9.7 and/or 7.9-inch 2017 iPad upgrades as early as March.
It’s probably too late to source A10X processors from a different supplier as well, or go back to the drawing board and use an older, larger node. Besides, Samsung is reportedly facing its own batch of 10nm yield problems, even forcing Qualcomm to settle for a 14nm fabrication process as far as the next-gen mid-end Snapdragon 660 is concerned.
That’s still a major step forward from the SD650’s 28nm roots, with the 10nm-powered Snapdragon 835 likely capable of sticking to its original release timetable. Back to Apple, a TSMC-made 10nm A11 SoC has been widely rumored to exclusively find its way inside next year’s iPhone 8 (and presumably, the 7s and 7s Plus too), but by summer, you can definitely count on a happy end to “lower-than-expected” yield rates.


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ILWACO - Thanks to a generous donation by a local Girl Scout troop, children visiting the Ocean Beach Medical Clinic in Ilwaco will have a little more fun while waiting to visit the doctor.
Cadet Troop 2399 of the Columbia River Girl Scout Council decided they would do something different this year with some of the money earned through their annual cookie sale. They used a third of their total for the year to purchase toys and books for the lobby of the clinic.
"During the time of earning the money it was their main focus," said troop advisor Sheryl Brady.
The troop began selling the cookies last January and ended in March with $750. Originally the girls wanted to give the donation to Ocean Beach Hospital, but due to the construction going on they were referred to the clinic instead. The girls began calling around to various toy stores in the area to find out if the store might match the funds the girls spent toward their donation, but they all declined. Finally they decided to just go to Wal-Mart and see what they could get.
And get they did. The girls spent $250 on various toys including a table in which the children can color or do puzzles on, a frog walker for smaller kids, a rocking snail, plus various smaller items like dolls and toy cars as well as coloring books and crayons.
"When the shopping time finally came, they had a blast," said Brady. "They were comparison shopping with what was available. They were wise shoppers."
There were five girls in the troop at the time the fund-raiser began, that number has since dropped to three; Monica Millner, Allison Converse-Brady and Christy Frye-Brady. The three girls and their troop advisor dropped off the toys at the clinic on Friday, to the delight of Laurel Anderson, back office manager for the clinic.
"This is great, you guys," she told the girls. "You did a great job. The kids ought to be thrilled to death."
The annual cookie fund-raiser each year goes towards funding different things for the troop including small trips and badges. Part of the money this year will be put aside toward a trip to Minnesota in July 2004 for a Girl Scout Jamboree. The girls have decided that next year they will do the same thing, this time giving to the hospital as they wanted to this year.
"Its all up to the girls," said Brady. "They get to make their choice, and the adults just help to get it where they want it to be."


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Two new studies show Microsoft
is now leading both the embedded operating system category as well as in PDAs.
According to statistics by research firm Gartner
, Microsoft’s Windows CE was the leading operating system for PDA deployments in the third quarter of 2004.
This marks the first time that Microsoft has beat perennial PDA OS leader PalmOne in the category that Palm helped to pioneer. Palm OS shipments declined by 28 percent, according to Gartner, and its market share fell from 46.9 percent in 3Q03 to 29.8 in 3Q04.
Windows CE recorded 32.6 percent growth and saw its share hit 48.1 percent up from 41.2 percent last year.
According to Todd Kort, principal analyst in Gartner’s Computing Platforms Worldwide group, Microsoft’s dominance was not unexpected.
“We actually thought that the third quarter was going to be the first quarter in which Palm OS was passed by Microsoft,” Kort told internetnews.com.
“There’s a 50/50 chance that PalmOS will retake the lead in the fourth quarter due to the holiday season. Longer term, 2005 and beyond, it’s going to be Microsoft in the lead except for the fourth quarters of each year.”
In terms of actual vendor units shipped however, PalmOne still leads with a 26.2 percent market share, which is a decline from 34.3 percent for the same quarter last year. HP
holds the number two spot at 24.2 percent, up from 23 percent last year. The biggest gainer was Research in Motion, which saw its share jump from only 4.9 percent last year to 19.8 percent this year.
Linux also lost ground in the sector. Gartner found a negative growth rate of 49.5 percent and reported only a 0.9 percent market share.
“It’s unlikely to make much of a comeback at least until 2007 or beyond,” Kort said of Linux for handhelds. “Sharp PDA’s have been using it but declining in sales. I don’t see anyone really picking up the banner and moving forward with it.”
Kort also noted than some PDA users are buying HP’s iPaq handheld and then “flashing” them with a Linux OS. “It’s not a major phenomenon but there is probably as much of that going on as there is of the Sharp units that come loaded [with Linux],” Kort explained.
Kort said Microsoft is rapidly assuming control of the enterprise PDA market. “People are familiar with the Microsoft tools so they don’t need to hire new staff to program for Palm or for Linux.”
“It looks pretty much like Microsoft has won over another market,” he added.
The PDA market isn’t the only new embedded market that Microsoft has won either. According to research firm Venture Development Corporation (VDC), Microsoft was the leading vendor of embedded OS for 2003. VDC placed Microsoft ahead of Wind River, Palm and Symbian.
John Starkweather, product manager of the mobile and embedded devices division at Microsoft, is not surprised by statistics showing Microsoft leading in the embedded space.
“Over the past year, Microsoft has announced Windows CE 5.0, Windows XP Embedded with Service Pack 2 and Windows Embedded for Point of Service,” Starkweather told internetnews.com.
“In the Windows Mobile space, we are working with more than 35 manufacturers and 60 mobile operators in 28 countries to deliver Windows Mobile-based devices to market. Microsoft’s success to date is definitely contingent on our strong industry partnerships.”
But this would also appear to be at least one sector where Microsoft doesn’t see Linux as a threat.
“Our primary competitor in the embedded space is proprietary in-house operating systems,” Starkweather said. “We see Linux as falling in the same category, continuing the trend of proprietization and fragmentation. Linux lacks mature tool chains, and embedded software vendors that support Linux in embedded devices are further diluting and fragmenting the code base.”
According to Starkweather, Microsoft is working with device makers that are building everything from IP set-top boxes to the next generation of Windows Mobile phones. The embedded market is going to be driven by a number of critical factors.
“First we see Moore’s law applying itself on the hardware side resulting in smaller and more powerful devices,” Starkweather said. “Secondly, the availability of high bandwidth networks and faster wireless data rates will create opportunities for mobile operators to offer more services, content and applications to their customers.”
“We see software as having a critical role in enabling our partners to take advantage of these trends,” he added.


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World Travel Market (WTM) 2013 will take place at Excel London on 4–7 November, while Business Travel Market (BTM) remains a two-day event that will take place on the final two days.
Reed Travel Exhibitions acquired BTM in 2011 and managing director Richard Mortimore said: "It was always planned to put BTM alongside our flagship travel event, WTM.
"Our demographic data clearly shows that over 17,000 visitors to WTM reflect companies that have an involvement in business travel, so it is pleasing that we can now offer this specialist event at Excel for the last two days of WTM."
BTM is now in its fifth year, since its launch in 2009 by Paul Robin. It was held at Excel on 13-14 June this year.
BTM exhibition director Robin added: "We are excited by the business opportunities the co-location with WTM gives our clients.
"We are continuing to invest and build on the success of BTM’s hosted buyer programme and are also launching a series of invitation-only industry dinners throughout the year as well as a brand new BTM Knowledge Conference in June in London.
"This creates many more touch points for our clients with the market throughout the year; all leading to the main event in November."


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The Apple-Samsung dispute encompassed 50 lawsuits in nine countries. The first litigation in the U.S., termed the “patent trial of the century,” resulted in a $1 billion jury verdict for Apple. In the end, verdicts, injunctions and court judgments around the world made little difference in the marketplace. The court cases moved too slowly, decisions often conflicted and many were reversed, limited or became largely irrelevant because they didn’t keep pace with new product offerings. Apple and Samsung agreed to dismiss all of the non-US cases in August 2014.
In the September issue of Association of Corporate Counsel ACC Docket, Les Schiefelbein, Rachel Koch and I discuss why international arbitration would have provided Apple and Samsung a more efficient and focused process. A properly coordinated arbitration would have provided timely, definitive results, while saving many tens of millions of dollars spent on court cases, which could instead have been invested in new innovation.


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Despite being armed with two brands in the men's fairness category, Hindustan Unilever (HUL) is unable to shake the leadership of Emami's Fair and Handsome, which continues to dominate with a value share of 57.5%. According to Nielsen's September 2013 data, HUL's two brands put together (Vaseline for Men and Fair & Lovely Max Fairness) have about 30% share in the men's fairness category. Even Garnier for Men is relegated to a sub-12% share. Fair and Handsome has a turnover of close to Rs 200 crore, while Fair & Lovely Max Fairness delivers under Rs 100 crore annually. It reinforces the fact that a first mover certainly has an advantage over others, and in the case of Fair and Handsome, a longer lead as well. The Emami brand created a separate market for men's fairness on the realization that nearly half of the users of fairness creams in India were men.
Motilal Oswal plans to enter housing finance business
Owning a home is considered the cornerstone of the Indian dream, the foundation of a happy family life and long-term financial security. And financial institutions play a major role in helping people realize this dream. Competition in the housing finance sector will heat up as one more player plans to enter the game. Motilal Oswal has drawn up a blueprint for the home loan business and has brought on board former Dewan Housing CEO Anil Sachidanand to spearhead the venture. With a capital of Rs 100 crore, Aspire Home Finance Corporation has applied to the sector's regulator for a licence. It expects to launch the business in the first quarter of next year. Motilal Oswal will be latest brokerage to enter the home finance field after peers like IIFL and Edelweiss.
Despite being armed with two brands in the men's fairness category, Hindustan Unilever (HUL) is unable to shake the leadership of Emami's Fair and Handsome, which continues to dominate with a value share of 57.5%.


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Some call it the Preferred Beer of Richmond, but most know it as Pabst Blue Ribbon.
But whatever you call it, you can own it—if you got $300 million to spare.
Pabst Brewing Company, which owns the PBR brand in addition to Colt 45, Schlitz, and Old Milwaukee, is for sale and the ownership group has recently hired Bank of America to push the sale.
From an article on MSN Money:
Despite its hardscrabble, old-school image, Pabst is actually owned by a charitable foundation in Northern California. But the Internal Revenue Service doesn’t like charities to run for-profit companies, and is demanding a sale.
Problem is, no one wants to buy. The charitable foundation hasn’t been able to find a buyer for years, and the IRS has extended its original 2005 sell deadline to 2010, reports the Chicago Tribune.
PBR is arguably the most popular beer in Richmond, especially among the college crowd. Nationwide the brand, which has been around since 1844, has experienced a resurgence as the beer of choice for, as Crain’s put it, “bike messengers and other younger drinkers who viewed the beer as a statement of non-mainstream taste.”
According to industry reports sales of the beer are up 25 percent this year, and its not because its a cheap recession-alternative. Pabsts raised its prices last year and now PBR is about as $1.50 more per case than Keystone and a $1 more than Busch and Natural Lite.
Its selling because its hip to drink it, as blogger for NBC in Chicago Matt Bartosik puts it in a recent article:
Let’s call a spade a spade: Those “non-mainstream,” “younger drinkers” are hipsters.
Usually found smoking European cigarettes and/or cloves, hipsters are known for their despise of anything “mainstream” and their fondness for irony. They listen to bands that no one has ever heard of and start fashion trends that are cool because of their “uncoolness”, e.g., trucker hats or vintage plaid shirts.
This is where Pabst Blue Ribbon comes in.
“It’s an anti-establishment badge,” said a major market wholesaler. “It seems to play to the retro, nonconformist crowd pretty well.”
So Richmond, anybody out there ready to make an offer?


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Briefs: MIT Holding boosts mail order presence
SAVANNAH, Ga. - MIT Holding got a lot bigger in February when it acquired National Direct Home Pharmacy and Palmetto Long Term Care Pharmacy. The deal creates a home delivery/mail order pharmacy with annual gross sales of $18 million, MIT said in a release. MIT has three wholly owned subsidiaries: a wholesale pharmaceuticals distributor, an ambulatory infusion center and a home medical equipment division.
AABCP plansbook series
HOUSTON - The American Association of Breast Care Professionals (AABCP) will publish a series of business books for people who run or wish to start a post-mastectomy business, the association announced on March 3. The books will be published in both print and e-book formats, and will be sold through Amazon and through AABCP Publications.
Graymark reports record January
OKLAHOMA CITY - Graymark Healthcare's January CPAP supply shipments were up 225% over the same period last year--a record, the provider announced Feb. 22. "Increasing rates of CPAP re-supply orders and higher margin agreements are key barometers that show we are successfully providing timely and high-quality sleep management programs," said chairman and CEO Stanton Nelson in release. Graymark Healthcare diagnoses and treats sleep disorders through 98 locations nationwide.
IDS lands national sleep contract
DECATUR, Ala. - Instant Diagnostic Systems (IDS) inked a deal with Aetna to provide home sleep testing and overnight oximetry testing to its members, it was announced in February. IDS serves more than 2,500 HMEs and 125,000 physicians and is accredited by the Joint Commission. Aetna has more than 37 million members nationwide.
Sleep provider launches e-book
AGOURA HILLS, Calif. - Nationwide Medical is offering "The Ultimate Sleep Apnea Guide," a free e-book that offers patients and physicians up-to-date information on obstructive sleep apnea, and its treatments, the provider announced Feb. 14. It also offers tips on ways to increase quality of sleep. The e-book can be downloaded at www.nationwidemedical.com.


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Boston will make $6.3 million available to small businesses in the city affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and related recession, Mayor Martin Walsh's office announced Friday. The money, supported by CARES Act funding and donations, will be distributed through three avenues: a commercial rent relief fund, offering up to $15,000 in rent relief for businesses; a certified business relief fund offering up to $15,000 to businesses certified as women-, minority- or veteran-owned; and a High Road Kitchen restaurant relief fund offering $15,000 in grants aimed at helping restaurants retain or rehire workers. Since the start of the pandemic, Boston has offered more than $15 million in grants for small businesses, Walsh said.
"Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been listening closely to the needs of our small business community," Walsh said in a press release. "These conversations are crucial to ensuring a safe and equitable recovery for our City. The new funds we are announcing today will address those needs to better support the small businesses who have been hardest hit by the pandemic."
Boston's Small Business Unit will host Zoom webinars on Monday at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. to discuss the programs.


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Salt Lake City, UT (PRWEB) June 28, 2012
Already considered the fastest growing pest control company in North America, Alterra Pest Control is a progressive pest service that provides environmentally responsible pest solutions, and they’re proud to announce that they’ll be opening 13 new locations in major U.S. markets, including Salt Lake City, UT.
In May alone, Alterra Pest Control added more than 13,000 new customers nationwide, however, they’re neither satisfied nor stopping the momentum any time soon. With the ultimate goal of gaining more than 50,000 new accounts in 2012, Alterra will be opening 13 new locations nationwide to make this happen.
In addition to the major markets such as Dallas, Washington DC and Los Angeles, Salt Lake City is the next key location for Alterra and their plan to grow because of its concentrated population. Although Salt Lake City proper has a population of only 190,000, the greater metropolitan area, known as the “Wasatch Front,” carries a much larger pool of potential of over 1.3 million residents.
CEO David Royce believes Alterra will be widely received by the greater Salt Lake community not only because of the unique pest control services that Alterra can offer, but because of the family culture in which they operate.
“I attribute Alterra’s massive growth to each one of our employees diligently living by our 10 Core Values, which are the backbone of our culture,” says Royce about Alterra’s company culture. “Alterra’s family environment helps to strengthen our team’s willingness to WOW customers and promote referrals. In any business, you have to get the right people onboard to ensure long-term success.”
Alterra Pest Control may very well offer a unique brand of pest control like no other but of all of their 13 new locations, they believe their emphasis on their core values will be best received by the residents of Salt Lake City, the home of Alterra’s newest location.
Alterra provides residential and commercial pest control services to over 400 cities nationwide (in 13 major markets). Alterra is accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and specializes in environmentally responsible residential and commercial pest solutions. Alterra is also a proud partner of the United Nation’s Foundation “Nothing But Nets” which helps stop the spread of Malaria transmitted by mosquito bites. Alterra dedicates a portion of company profits annually to “Nothing But Nets” providing insecticide-treated bed nets to help save the lives of millions in underdeveloped countries.


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US judge rules that 'Texas two-step' bankruptcy can't help J&J stop a new proposed talc lawsuit
Last month, J&J won its controversial bid to file for bankruptcy as a way of settling 38,000 lawsuits over its talc products. Now the company’s about to face another class action suit — and it looks like the same tactics won’t help it dodge this one.
Federal Judge Michael Kaplan ruled on Tuesday that J&J’s bankruptcy filing can’t stop a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging the company hid evidence that workers may have been exposed to asbestos from the talc operations.
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The Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) has issued its December 2021 report detailing sales, licensing, and production data in the state’s adult use and medical cannabis programs. The release of December data completes full-year sales tallies for last year.
In 2021, retail sales in Michigan’s adult use market reached over $1.31 billion, up 157% from $510.6 million in sales in that sector of the market in 2020. 2021 medical sales amounted to $481.3 million, up 1.5% from $474 million in 2020. Combined sales in 2021 climbed to over $1.79 billion, up 81.8% year-on-year from $984.6 million in 2020. 2021 is only the second full year of adult use sales in Michigan, which commenced in December 2019.
Michigan’s combined adult use and medical cannabis sales jumped 10% in December 2021, hitting nearly $168 million versus November 2021 sales of $152.7 million. Year-on-year, December 2021 sales were up 66% over December 2020 sales of $101.1 million.
Despite strong growth in demand year-on-year, Michigan’s Spot price remains under significant pressure with new growers coming to market, the first substantial outdoor harvest last fall, and a determination on the part of at least some new growers to undercut the pricing structure to establish their brands.
Year-on-year to mid-January 2022, Michigan’s Spot price is down over 36%. More than half the year-on-year losses have accumulated since late November 2021. Michigan has no cap on the number of grower licenses it can issue so price pressure is likely to increase over time.
Adult use sales have risen in two of the past three months, with holiday demand likely providing the extra bump in sales in December. Given relatively low flower prices, rising sales can be explained by the likelihood that the number of cannabis consumers is expanding due to lower prices, due in part to the wide availability of outdoor flower for the first time, as well as the continued proliferation of retailers.
Average daily sales jumped 8.2% in December, from $4.02 million in November to nearly $4.4 million in December. Outdoor product may be hitting the market at significantly lower price than indoor and greenhouse product and that too is likely pulling in consumers.
Retail flower sales volume jumped 15% in December. Sales revenue jumped in December as well, gaining 11.5% in the month.
Inventory of flower held by growers in the adult use sector that had passed the state’s required testing was at 40,413 pounds at the end of December. Combined with the amount of flower held in inventory at retailers, 38,127 pounds, the amount of immediately marketable flower in Michigan’s adult use market as of the end of December stood at 78,540 pounds, or the equivalent of 3.7 months of supply based on December sales volume.
The number of plants reared and harvested in the most recent three months is shown in the table below. Vegetative and flowering plant figures are as of month-end, while harvested plant figures encompass all those successfully harvested throughout the month of December.
Vegetative plant counts rose 14.9% month-on-month in December and flowering plants leapt by over 46% month-on-month, likely reflecting the work of new growers in the market. Harvested plant count fell by 13.1% in December.
The average retail flower price fell again in December, slipping over $5 per ounce as more growers come into the market and more products at lower price points weighed in. In December, the extrapolated retail pound price fell below the $3,000 barrier, coming in at $2,958 per pound.


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Password resets over the phone are stopped in the aftermath of the “epic hack”
Apple and Amazon have stopped resetting user passwords over the phone, after hackers used their services to get access to Wired writer Mat Honan’s iCloud account and remotely wipe all his Apple devices.
Honan has written in length about his misfortunes, criticising the interlinked cloud account systems and urging Internet companies to rethink their policies.
After collecting plenty of personal information about the journalist online, the hackers, identifying themselves as Clan Vv3 and Phobia, used “clever social engineering” to get around security questions and gain control of the accounts.
First, they got their hands on Honan’s emails and billing address. Then they rang up Amazon tech support, and used his details to see a critical piece of information — a partial credit card number. The last four digits of this number allowed culprits to get into Honan’s Apple ID account.
This, in turn, helped them get into Gmail, which gave them access to both Honan’s personal Twitter account and Gizmodo’s Twitter account. As collateral damage, the journalist’s iPhone, iPad and MacBook Air were remotely wiped of all data.
“In short, the very four digits that Amazon considers unimportant enough to display in the clear on the web are precisely the same ones that Apple considers secure enough to perform identity verification,” wrote Honan.
Clan Vv3 and Phobia hacked this twitter
— Is this Mat Honan? (@mat) August 4, 2012
In the aftermath of the hack, Apple had placed the blame on its staff, saying that “internal policies were not followed completely” when changing Honan’s password. However, the journalist later successfully replicated the attack, proving that this wasn’t a “one-off” occurrence. He took control of the AppleID the same way hackers did, armed with just a name, e-mail address, mailing address and the last four digits of a credit card number.
After the unfortunate event, Honan has been in contact with Apple, urging the company to change its security policies. And it seems his efforts have paid off.
On Tuesday, Apple had stopped all AppleID password resets by phone. Apple worker with knowledge of the situation told Wired that the freeze would last for at least 24 hours. He assumed this was necessary while the company was looking at its systems and analysing what went wrong.
The same day, Amazon said it had closed a hole in its customer service systems that enabled the hackers to gain control of Honan’s account using just the name, email address and mailing address. “We have investigated the reported exploit and can confirm that the exploit has been closed as of yesterday afternoon,” the company said in a statement.
Can you look after your personal data online? Take our quiz!


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Google has announced the release of a new iPhone web application that integrates the company’s services, such as search, Gmail, Calendar, Reader, and more, into a single, iPhone and iPod touch-friendly interface. Google says that the new application takes advantage of browser technologies like AJAX that allow for Gmail and Google Maps on the desktop, stating, “In supporting these advances in web technology, the iPhone’s Safari browser not only delivers an excellent mobile Internet experience; it enabled our product and engineering teams to create an optimal Google experience on a mobile device.” To access the new application, simply visit google.com on an iPhone or iPod touch.
Charles Starrett was a senior editor at iLounge. He's been covering the iPod, iPhone, and iPad since their inception. He has written numerous articles and reviews, and his work has been featured in multiple publications.


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BY Shannon Iggy
on Nov 22, 2013
Topman, an offshoot of the internationally renowned clothing line Topshop, is sponsoring a female blogger for the first time in its 35 year history. Sonny Oram, founder of Qwear, identifies as a queer female whose wardrobe consists of menswear. Topman announced their new sponsorship in an interview with Oram, where she discussed how gender identity and sexuality helped inform her style.
She details how she prefers clothes that will hide her curves, but ... Read More


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FORGET the t-shirts and badges if you are going to the Grand Prix at Silverstone today.
It will be 100 years before they gain value.
But save the programme. Those from recent years already fetch £10-£20 online and any from 20 years ago or more get £50.
Collectibles dealer Spencer Elton said: "In tha past people threw away their programmes, so older ones are a lot rarer and worth more.""
Tragedy only adds to the value. One from the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, where Ayrton Senna, right, was killed, is on sale online for £250. Signed memorabilia is also worth collecting. A David Coulthard-signed cap can sell for £100.
-For more information log on to www.spencerelton.co.uk, or call 01373 864897.


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Shares of online estate agent Purplebricks Group (LSE: PURP) have recovered in recent week, climbing by more than 27% from their November low of 310p.
Fans of the stock, including fund manager Neil Woodford, are probably relieved. But is now the right time to be buying, or should shareholders think about locking in some profits?
The good news
The only part of the group’s business that’s operating profitably at the moment is its UK division. UK sales rose by 118% to £39.9m during the first half of the group’s current financial year, lifting the division to an operating profit of £3.2m.
The company’s other operating divisions (USA and Australia) are still operating at a loss, but that’s to be expected as they’re still in the early stages of development.
This is why I’d sell
Purplebricks has faced questions about its business model and accounting, but in my view the most serious concern for investors is the firm’s valuation. The shares currently trade on 14.5 times sales and a whopping 247 times 2018/19 forecast earnings.
Property portal Rightmove also trades on about 15 times sales. But it has an operating profit margin of more than 70%. Purplebricks’ operating margin in the UK was 8% during the first half of its current financial year. Overall, it made a loss.
The costs of rolling out Purplebricks’ business model appear to be considerable. Administrative costs in the UK rose by 144% during the first half of last year, even though sales only rose by 118%. Remember, although it has no branches, it still has lots of local agents.
I don’t think that it will ever enjoy the kind of profit margins achieved by Rightmove. In my view, the group’s current valuation leaves little room for further gains and means that shareholders have no protection against any kind of disappointment.
Although this may be a great business, I’d rate the shares as a sell at current levels.
One consumer stock I’d buy
If you’re looking for investments with exposure to the UK economy, I believe car dealership group Cambria Automobiles (LSE: CAMB) could be a more interesting opportunity.
The firm’s shares edged lower today after it released a year-end trading update. Like-for-like new car sales fell by 14.6% during the five months to 28 February, but some of this decline was offset by flat used car sales and a 6.1% increase in like-for-like after-sales.
It’s important to remember that new car sales are the least profitable part of a dealership business. After-sales is by far the most profitable activity.
Taking a stronger position
One way to improve the profitability of a car business is to head upmarket, where volumes are lower and margins are higher. And where after-sales are very expensive indeed.
That’s what Cambria is doing at the moment. Over the last five months, the firm closed two body shops, plus Honda, Alfa Romeo and Jeep dealerships. To replace these, it’s opened two Bentley dealerships, a McLaren showroom and — shortly — a Lamborghini operation.
The shares look cheap to me at the moment, on just eight times forecast earnings. Although the outlook for the new car market remains uncertain, Cambria’s £63m market cap is supported by £49m of fixed assets and a net cash balance. In my view, this could be a relatively low-risk buy at current levels.
Right now, this ‘screaming BUY’ stock is trading at a steep discount from its IPO price, but it looks like the sky is the limit in the years ahead.
Because this North American company is the clear leader in its field which is estimated to be worth US$261 BILLION by 2025.
The Motley Fool UK analyst team has just published a comprehensive report that shows you exactly why we believe it has so much upside potential.
But I warn you, you’ll need to act quickly, given how fast this ‘Monster IPO’ is already moving.
Roland Head has no position in any of the shares mentioned. The Motley Fool UK owns shares of Cambria Automobiles. The Motley Fool UK has recommended Rightmove. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.


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Sustainability is no false Messiah
Despite voices of agreement, Dominic Mills ruffled feathers this month when he argued any impact adland can make in tackling climate change would only be at the margins. However, Mindshare's Ollie Joyce argues sustainability will be the 'megatrend' to shape markets over the next 20 years
The case for advertising having a role, let alone a positive impact, on sustainability doesn’t start in a promising place.
Numerous CSR efforts and purpose positionings have been exposed as skin deep virtue signalling or outright hypocrisy. Advertising's self-indulgence in awarding fashionable ideas that make no lasting impact continues largely unabated.
And then there’s the strange irony of an industry created to sell, considering the opposite – like an architect going into demolition to improve the view.
But things are about to change for commercial rather than ethical reasons.
The success of sustainable business is key to a carbon neutral world
Greta Thunberg and XR are playing a vital role in driving awareness and urgency. Amazing job, please carry on. But whilst their message is striking, making their solutions work would require a reversal in all historical precedent, as innately selfish humans have never supported a government that promotes economic decline or a perceived drop in living standards.
As billionaire businessman Mark Benioff said at CES, the choice between doing good and growth is a completely false one.
Things change radically when there is high buyer demand and providers can also profit. To date with sustainability neither has been broadly true. However, whether it’s Thunberg or the death of a billion animals in Australian fires, the game is changing.
On the demand side quant surveys across the globe are showing consumer concern around environmental issues is growing at an unprecedented rate.
On the profit side businesses as big as Unilever are already seeing their sustainable living brands growing fastest. Kara Swisher on the Pivot podcast decried the lack, to date, of tech investment in sustainability but still predicted that the first Trillionaire would emerge in this space.
Larry Fink, the CEO of Blackrock, who control $7 trillion in investments, announced in his annual letter this week that environmental risk was financial risk, and that a significant re-allocation of capital will happen.
China, often vilified for its environmental record, has installed around 70% of the worlds electric charging points as it plans to reduce its reliance on oil.
Put simply, sustainable businesses will replace those that aren’t.
Delivering a mass behavioural shift
It will sometimes be about consuming less. But has anyone mourned the 95% decline in plastic bag usage? If consumers reduce power consumption by 30%, but bills are only reduced by 15% because energy sources cost more & suppliers need to fund eco R&D AND grow profit margins, is there a loser in that scenario?
However, marketing disciplines at their best are about making markets. Changing attitudes, lifestyles and behaviour is what advertising does. Now it needs to be deployed not to reverse the massive benefits that economic progress has brought (reduced poverty, infant mortality, deaths in conflict & illiteracy), but to radically change usage in a way that’s consistent with a zero-carbon world.
I am not renowned for my lack of cynicism, but I feel differently about this. I’ve never seen such a significant upswing in consumer data on a similarly broad topic."
To suggest ads alone can solve this is wrong, but the abject failure of governments globally to implement any meaningful public policy change across the last decade indicates that relying on those institutions is over optimistic. In the same way that advertising has played a pivotal role alongside government policy in changing attitudes & behaviour on public health issues, the same can and must be done here.
On the subject of public health none other than Arnold Schwarzenegger suggested last week that the focus on long term catastrophe was wrong, and that messaging should be about the immediate impact on our health – and he should know as he’s been to the future.
This is exactly the sort of messaging challenge that advertising is great at, and its best talent can be deployed to accelerate public demand into mass lifestyle changes.
Beyond the immediate imperative of getting our own houses in order, what specifically should agencies do? A starter for ten:
Success will mean there won’t be a need for carbon neutral marketing awards, because brands delivering best against this growing consumer demand will dominate all awards.
A lack of optimism is not an option - It must end well
I am not renowned for my lack of cynicism, especially in the depths of January. But I feel differently about this. I’ve never seen such a significant upswing in consumer data on a similarly broad topic.
I’m seeing car brands with unequivocal environmental goals like Volvo dramatically outperform the market. I’ve heard for the first time a CMO refusing to run marketing activity until the company changes its own behaviour.
I’m amazed by the upswing of veganism after 30+ years of it being a punchline. I’m quietly hopeful about the small shift to practical tech at CES. I’m inspired by my 5-year old neighbour Weezie Peterson who saw the plight of Australia’s Koala’s and 3 hours later had raised $250 from the residents of Brooklyn. I want my pension invested with companies that will dominate battery innovation or successfully replace plastic.
Emotion and idealism aside, I believe the economics will increasingly work and that advertising can accelerate the current groundswell into a mass behavioural shift. As articulated by global chief development officer at Mindshare, Marco Rimini, sustainability can be the megatrend of the next 20-years in the same way that Digitalisation has been of the last 20.
Do well by doing good has largely been a catch phrase, but over the next decade it can become a reality. Because unlike the majority of our ‘issues of the moment’, it’s here to stay because we can’t afford to ignore it or to let it fail.
Ollie Joyce is Head of Worldwide, Mindshare


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Google is scheduled to launch the next-generation Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL including other devices and smart accessories at a launch event in San Francisco. In addition to Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, Google will also showcase various products such as smartphone speaker, PixelBook laptop and much more.
To watch the live event, you need to navigate to the official Made by Google YouTube channel at 9 AM PST in the USA. If you are based in the US and have access to media pass, you can directly watch the live event.
While fans based in the UK can watch the live event at 5MP British Time, the viewers located in India can watch at 9.30 PM IST. People in China are celebrating their National Holiday week but they will be able to watch the live event at 12 AM on October 5.
The standard Pixel 2 will be made available similar to the previous counterpart. However, the Pixel 2 XL will be most likely equipped with a bezel-less display with a higher display capacity. You can also expect increased RAM and internal storage capacity in the Pixel 2 XL when compared with Pixel 2.
According to rumor mills, the search engine giant will most likely ditch the 32GB storage variant and integrate 64GB and 128GB storage capacities. While the 64GB Pixel 2 will cost $649, the 128GB variant will be available at $749. In the case of Pixel 2 XL, the 64GB and 128GB storage models will cost $849 and $949 respectively.
Based on the rumors, Google will also unveil a PixelBook, which will function as a convertible. The advantage of Google PixelBook is that it can be used not only as a tablet but also as a laptop. Moreover, the search-engine giant will also launch a Pixel Pen stylus for $99. However, the stylus will be an optional accessory and will not be bundled with the product package.
Instead of Windows, the PixelBook will be pre-loaded with the latest version of Chrome OS and will be available in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB storage capacities starting at $1199. If you would like to buy the premium 512GB model, you need to pay $1749.
Along with Pixel 2 and PixelBook, Google will also launch a new Google Home Mini smart speaker powered by Google Assistant. The Mini version will not be compatible with Wi-Fi and will be available in several color options for $49. It seems that the company has launched the Mini version to compete with Amazon Alexa.
Meanwhile, the Google Daydream VR headset will have improved features than the previous counterpart and will ship with a motion controller. Expected to cost $99, the headset will be available in several color options.
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text: Gwyneth Paltrow is the face of the new Hugo Boss fragrance, Boss Nuit. But you already knew that as we reported the new collaboration some time ago. However, this is your first look at the accompanying video campaign. Paltrow is seen wearing a Hugo Boss Little Black Dress for the Boss Nuit premiere, which will be available to buy in store at Hugo Boss from this autumn winter. Look out for the fragrance to hit shelves this week.


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NEW YORK – The Nationalcontinues to create major inconveniences for families.
In response, Mayor Eric Adams said a.
As CBS2’s Elijah Westbrook reports, it came as theand there’s more on the way.
The nationwide shortage of infant formula continues to wreak havoc on many households. The shortage began in February after Abbott Labs, the largest formula maker in the United States, closed its plant due to a safety recall.
“It’s ridiculous,” said mother Miriana Lisanti.
She says she is frustrated. Her little one no longer needs formula, but her cousin has struggled to find some for her baby. She believes that more needs to be done to help struggling families.
“I have a cousin with special needs who needs a special formula and she can’t find it anywhere,” Lisanti said. “And our children? We pay the taxes.
Store shelves where formula milk is usually foundlike in a Duane Reade on the Upper West Side, but some much-needed relief could be on the way as soon as this week.
President Joe Biden tweeted Sunday that a second shipment of formula is expected to land in Pennsylvania in the coming days and will be distributed nationwide.
“I’ve been told this shipment provides enough formula to care for 9,000 babies and 18,000 toddlers for a week,” Biden said.
But the Biden administration is facing criticism that it hasn’t acted quickly enough.
“They need to step in and provide for the American people,” one person said.
In New York, Adams declares a state of emergency to prevent price gouging. In a statement, the mayor said “this emergency executive order will help us crack down on any retailer seeking to take advantage of this crisis by raising the prices of this essential good.”
“It’s so sad. I think we have to step up a bit and try for the younger ones, it’s tragic,” said mother Angie Durjan.
It’s unclear when our area will receive this latest round of formulas from the federal government, but we hear another shipment is expected to arrive in Pennsylvania later this week.


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The United States Postal Service (USPS) and the Postal Inspection Service announced expanded measures to protect postal employees, mail security and attack postal fraud incidents that have intensified with the national rise in crime.
“As crime increases, so do threats against our public servantssaid Postmaster General and CEO Louis DeJoy. “The men and women of the Postal Service walk the streets of our nation every day to fulfill our mission of delivering mail and packages to the American people. All Postal employees deserve work securely and be free from attacks by criminals looking to access public mail”.
In a statement, the USPS detailed that incidents of mail carrier robberies are increasing across the country. In fiscal year 2022, 412 USPS mail carriers were robbed on the jobwith 305 incidents reported in the first half of FY 23. While there was an increase in high-volume mail theft incidents from mail receptacles, including blue drop boxes, with 38,500 in FY 22 and more than 25,000 in the first half of fiscal year 23.
Actions being taken to provide greater security include:
· The installation of 12,000 Blue High Security Collection Boxes at the national level. These are stronger, making it harder for criminals to access your content, and they are being deployed in high-risk areas.
· Implementation of 49,000 electronic locks to replace outdated arrow locks, which were used by criminals to steal mail from receptacles and commit financial crimes, including altering checks to commit fraud with such documents.
Measures are being taken to deal with change of address (COA) transactions, which are motivated by obtaining identity theft, where the fraudster intercepts mail, credit cards or checks for financial purposes. The Postal Service is strengthening authentication processes, relying on electronic formats and requesting hard copies from people.
Users looking for a COA now they will receive a validation letter at their old address and they will receive an activation letter at their new address. As an added security measure, the Postal Service will no longer accept change-of-address shipments from third parties.
· Also you will face counterfeit postage or the use of false stamps. The institution will fully exercise new powers to take possession and dispose of packages identified as fraudulent. The measures include screening shipments at Postal Service docks and during outreach visits to warehouses. Websites and e-commerce accounts selling counterfeit postage will also be shut down.
Protection measures that users can carry out:
· Don’t let incoming or outgoing mail stay in your mailbox. You can significantly reduce the chance of being a victim by simply picking up your mail from your mailbox every day.
· Deposit outgoing mail in several secure wayseven inside your local post office or at your place of business or handing it over to a mail carrier.
· Register at Informed Delivery and receive daily digest emails that show a preview of your mail and packages scheduled to arrive soon.
Get involved and get involved in your neighborhood through neighborhood watches and local social media groups to disseminate information and share information.
· Keep an eye out for your postman. If you see something that looks suspicious or see someone following your operator, call 911.
· If your mail is stolen, notify it immediately at www.uspis.gov/report or by calling 877-876-2455.
· Report acts of misconduct by Postal Service employees at 1-888-877-7644 or www.uspsoig.gov.
· Hispanics robbed USPS mailbox in search of checks: red-handed arrest in New York
· USPS mailman delivered cocaine to a woman: both arrested in New York
· USPS alerts increase in check thefts from mailboxes; thieves take advantage of the night to do their misdeeds
#Postal #Service #Steps #Efforts #Prevent #Mail #Theft #Mail #Fraud


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The new Samsung Gear smartwatch which has the codename Orbis will apparently launch as the Samsung Gear A and the device is said to feature a rotating bezel which will apparently bring a new method of interaction to the device.
We know that Samsung intends to launch their new Samsung Gear smartwatch some time this year and now according to a recent report, the device will be made in September.
Samsung will apparently launch the Samsung Gear A smartwatch along with the new Samsung Galaxy Note 5, both devices are expected to launch some time in September.
We suspect that we will see Samsung’s round smartwatch along with the Galaxy Note 5 at IFA 2015 in September, as soon as we get some more details about the device, we will let you guys know.
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And that’s more bad news for a brewing industry that needs them to survive.
Here’s the deal…
Due to non-essential business closures and state’s mandating that it’s residents stay home, approximately 25 percent of U.S. restaurants won’t reopen their doors after the coronavirus lockdowns are finally lifted, Steve Hafner, the chief executive officer of Booking Holdings’ OpenTable and Kayak, told Bloomberg.
Upon surveying almost 20,000 restaurants for online and phone reservations and walk-in customers, the influential reservation service platform, found that the total amount of walk-in diners and reservations were down by 95 percent on May 14 when comparing year-over-year data.
Offering a glimmer of hope for the industry, Open Table did find that diners have started to eat out again in Arizona, Texas and Florida, where the lockdown restrictions have been relaxed, with Florida showing the highest number of diners returning to restaurants.
Restaurants in Indiana and Tennessee are currently allowed to operate at 50% capacity. But just as in the craft beer industry, restaurant profit margins can be notoriously tight and understandably some have chosen not to reopen using this model.
That data comes from analysis of 60,000 restaurants across the United States and what it means for the beer industry is not good.
Fewer restaurants means fewer places for breweries and distributors to sell their wares…but that’s just the beginning according to OpenTable‘s Steve Hafner….
Restaurants are complicated beasts. You have to order food and supplies. You have to make sure you’ve prepped the kitchen and service areas to be easily disinfected.”
According to the Drinks Business, OpenTable has waived fees and subscription costs for the restaurants on its platform and has opened up use of the site to bars and wineries that need to comply with capacity controls and social distancing rules.
The National Restaurant Association says some $30 billion was lost by its members in March, and $50 billion in April.
Want some good news?


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Generally speaking, I don't believe there's much a place for technical analysis when it comes to long-term investments. Yet, given the current unfortunate circumstance in which Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) investors find themselves, I think it is extraordinarily important in this instance that investors be aware of a raging battle taking place on Wall Street regarding the pricing of Apple.
As most investor already know, Apple has been struggling to move higher since we've entered the new year. The stock is trading near levels it reached back in October of 2010, and has been significantly underperforming the NASDAQ-100, NASDAQ, S&P 500 and DJIA since that time. Apple's P/E ratio has fallen to levels unseen since the days of the financial crisis and despite posting explosive 92% earnings growth, the stock has more or less been the biggest bust of 2011.
A lot of investors want to know what is going on, and why Apple is struggling despite its extraordinary fundamentals. On a daily basis, I get e-mails asking me if Apple is headed lower and when the stock might bottom. I believe having a clear understanding of both the fundamental and technical side of the equation can help set parameters on where the stock is probably headed in the short, intermediate and long-term.
Let's begin with the fundamental picture in order to set the pricing parameters -- the upper and lower price boundaries within a particular time period -- and then determine where Apple is more likely to fall within that boundary. The first place to start is trying to determine what the lowest and highest P/E ratio Wall Street is likely to give Apple over the course of the next several months and years.
I think the days of Apple trading above a 20 P/E ratio for any extended period of time is now over. Despite what even the most intelligent analysts might think, Wall Street as a whole firmly believes Apple's growth is now sitting on its last legs. That the years of Apple growing at 90% a year are coming to end.
Maybe not this year, maybe not next year, but they all pretty much believe we're sitting at that horizon. Are most of these fund managers basing their conclusions on a measure of gross imbecility? Of course they are. Do they have all of the power when it comes to Apple's stock price? Without any shred of a doubt, they certainly do.
So the question now becomes, what exactly is the new P/E ratio parameter for Apple? In 2010, Apple tended to trade between an 18 and 22 P/E ratio. Yet, now that we're in 2011, I think that parameter has fallen to between 13 and 18. Here's why.
Apple is currently trading in the dreaded age of P/E compression. Every large company eventually goes through P/E compression until a point that the stock trades between an 9 and 12 P/E ratio. Apple is headed firmly in that direction. But this is not a bad thing. It's a good thing and here's why. Once Apple trades down into the 10 - 12 P/E ratio range, that is pretty much the low in terms of valuation for Apple. Future outperformance will then be based on knowing what Apple is likely to report in earnings. Those who have a stronger understanding of the earnings picture will outperform those who do not. I'll dedicate more to this analysis in the future.
But suffice it to say that Apple will probably trade between a 13 and 18 P/E ratio for the rest of 2011. On the outer extremes, I think Apple could get down as low as a 10 P/E ratio and as high as a 20 P/E ratio. But both of those scenarios are highly unlikely at this point.
Now for the second part of the fundamental pricing parameter is determining what Apple is likely to earn in 2011 and 2012. Apple's fiscal year ends October 1 and Apple tends to report its results near the end of October. Those who know me know that I have a consistently good track record at predicting Apple's revenue and earnings. Over 22 quarters straight, I've had a cumulative error of about 5%+/- in predicting Apple's revenue and earnings. Last quarter I had a mere 1.46% cumulative error in predicting revenue and earnings, which was the second best guess out of 48 analysts polled.
I expect Apple to report $28.45 in EPS on $111.4 billion for the rest of fiscal 2011, which ends this October, and expect Apple to earn about $39.15 on $149.5 billion in fiscal 2012. As of the close on Friday, Apple trades at a 15.97 P/E ratio based on $20.99 trailing 12-months of earnings. For Apple's fiscal Q3, I expect that number to rise to $24.56, and at the end of October, Apple's TTM of EPS should rise to $28.45.
Now that we have the two key variables of EPS and expect P/E ratio, we have our pricing parameters for the next few quarter and for 2012. The numbers below outline the extreme low end, low end, mid-range, high end and extreme high end pricing:
Current Earnings (Q2 2011): TTM EPS $20.99
- 10 P/E Ratio: $209.90
- 13 P/E Ratio: $272.87
- 15 P/E Ratio: $314.85
- 18 P/E Ratio: $377.82
- 20 P/E Ratio: $419.80
July Earnings (Q3 2011): TTM EPS $24.56
- 10 P/E Ratio: $245.69
- 13 P/E Ratio: $319.28
- 15 P/E Ratio: $368.40
- 18 P/E Ratio: $442.08
- 20 P/E Ratio: $491.20
October Earnings (Q4 2011): TTM EPS $28.45
- 10 P/E Ratio: $284.50
- 13 P/E Ratio: $369.85
- 15 P/E Ratio: $426.75
- 18 P/E Ratio: $512.10
- 20 P/E Ratio: $568.00
January Earnings (Q1 2012): TTM EPS $31.58
- 10 P/E Ratio: $315.80
- 13 P/E Ratio: $410.54
- 15 P/E Ratio: $473.70
- 18 P/E Ratio: $568.44
- 20 P/E Ratio: $631.60
FYE 2012 Earnings October (Q4 2012): TTM EPS $39.15
- 10 P/E Ratio: $391.50
- 13 P/E Ratio: $508.95
- 15 P/E Ratio: $587.25
- 17 P/E Ratio: $665.55
So this data above should be very revealing. What do we know? That for the immediate short-term, if Wall Street wanted to give Apple the same P/E ratio it gives to Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Apple could trade down as low as $209.90 or a little less than 3x what it has in cash per share. We also know that if Apple traded at the same P/E ratio it traded at for pretty much most of 2010 and much of 2009, it could trade as high as $419 this quarter.
We also know that once Apple reports earnings in October, if it's still sitting here trading at a 16 P/E ratio, the stock would be at $455.20 a share. Come this February, a 15 P/E ratio (lower than today) would put the stock near $475 a share. Alternatively, if Apple is still trading here at $335 when Apple reports earnings in January, it would trade at a mere 10.6 P/E ratio. If Apple is trading at $335 a share come October 2012 -- 16 months from now -- it would trade at an 8.55 P/E ratio and trade at less than two times its total cash.
This should offer some comfort to long-term investors in knowing that the company would have to trade at some extremely low valuation if it doesn't move significantly higher from here. Yet, a drop down into the $200 range is a long drop and I think technicals tell the rest of the story.
Right now Apple is forming what is known as an inverted head & shoulders pattern. It's a bullish pattern in most cases -- an inverted head & shoulder set the lows during the 2001-2003 recession, the March 2009 bottom to the financial crisis and the August 2010 bottom to the April - May 2010 correction -- but has been known to lead to significant selling pressure whenever it breaks to the downside. See the charts below:
Chart 1: Apple currently forming an inverted head & shoulders pattern. Left shoulder reached $330, head sits at a low of $320 and right shoulder looks pinned to a low of $330. A breakout above the $355 neck-line would be huge for investors.
Chart 2: As you can see from the chart below as an example of an inverted head & shoulders bottom and break-out, the S&P 500 bottomed in the 2001-2003 recession with an inverted & head and shoulders. The S&P then formed another inverted & shoulders in 2004 and charged higher.
Chart 3: The chart below shows Apple bottoming in the 2008 financial crisis with a picture-pefect inverted head & shoulders. During the period I called Apple a buy anywhere in the $90 a share range and a strong buy anywhere in the $80 a share range and that this was indeed the bottom for the stock.
Finally, as you can see the S&P 500 bottomed in the April 2010 to August 2010 summer correction with an inverted head & shoulders. The QQQ, NASDAQ, DJIA and SPY all displayed exact chart patterns.
As history has shown, Apple is sitting at a critical juncture from a technical perspective. According to the measured move, if Apple is able to rally to $355 and breaks that neck-line, it should suggest an immediate short-term move to $389 a share.
Yet, on the other side of the coin, if Apple loses support at $320 a share -- which happens to be very major support -- the next line of major support stands at $278 a share which was the high set during the April - August correction of last year. This is very likely the logic behind CNBC's Fast Money Guy Adami's $278 price target for Apple. It's probably based on the idea that Apple will not only lose support at $320, but will likely lose support of $300 a share.
Well lets take a look at Apple's P/E ratio and see whether this is at all plausible. If Apple trades down to $278 a share this quarter -- that is before Apple reports earnings in July -- it would trade at a 13.29 P/E ratio. While this might seem low to many Apple watchers, it's not that low from Wall Street's perspective.
Fund mangers wouldn't even bat an eye at a 13.29 P/E ratio because -- as I mentioned above -- most think that Apple should trade down the average mega-cap P/E ratio. Even if it is entirely irrational and unjustified from an earnings and cash growth perspective, to Wall Street, Apple should trade at a P/E ratio that is commensurate with the average P/E ratio for other mega-cap stocks -- 9 -12 P/E ratio.
Yet, as we head closer to the fall, I think this scenario becomes increasingly unlikely. As one can see from the variables I posted above, if Apple traded down to $278 after reporting earnings in October, it would trade under a 10 P/E ratio -- something I find to be very highly unlikely. Even after Apple reports earnings in July, I think there would be a lot of buyers well ahead of a $278 price target. The stock would trade just a little under an 11 P/E ratio in that scenario.
That being said, based on Apple's current trailing 12-months of earnings, I could see the stock trade at a 13.3 P/E ratio or $278 a share. It's a distinct possibility and could very well happen if Apple were to lose support at $320 a share. Yet, I still believe that this scenario is overall unlikely and here's why:
First, the market would have to get absolutely hammered between now and July to see Apple take a $57 hit over the next 45 trading sessions. Secondly, Apple has already been struggling for over 7 months now, and I think this consolidation period is nearing an end. Thirdly, this is now the market's fourth attempt to take Apple under $320. The previous three attempts failed including when Steve Jobs noted that he would be taking a leave of absence back in January.
If the market starts to rally over the next few weeks and Apple gets closer to $355 a share, I think that portends a move to significant new highs. This next leg up is very much for real if Apple breaks above $355. Given the vast amount of bearishness going around on Wall Street right now, I think Apple has already bottomed at $320 and is more likely than not to break-out of this inverted head & shoulders to the upside.
Disclosure: I am long AAPL.


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Ad agencies are facing growing scrutiny regarding the transparency of their practices and their compensation. Marketers say they’re increasingly worried agencies are allocating ad dollars in ways that best suit their own businesses, as opposed to those of their clients.
Former Mediacom Chief Executive Jon Mandel fueled those concerns further on Thursday when he told a room full of marketers at a conference of the Association of National Advertisers that agency rebates are now widespread across the industry.
Some agencies have arrangements in place with media sellers that reward them for their spending, he said. If those agencies choose to direct more of their clients’ budgets to specific vendors, they might be given lower ad rates, free ad space or even cash in return. Clients may not be made aware that these relationships exist.
“There are cases where there are rebates that should be going to clients that are instead going to agencies,” Mr. Mandel told CMO Today.
AdAge reported Mr. Mandel’s remarks first.
“Rebates could mean cash, or it could mean extra inventory an agency could resell to another client for a profit,” said Bill Duggan, group executive vice president at the Association of National Advertisers. “Marketers are looking for transparency from partners and agencies about such relationships because it’s their money fueling the opportunity for these rebates.”
Mediacom’s parent company, WPP-owned GroupM, distanced itself from the claims. In an emailed statement, GroupM Chief Digital Officer Rob Norman said, “In the U.S., rebates or other forms of hidden revenue are not part of GroupM’s trading relationships with vendors. GroupM and its agencies have not sought nor received any rebates from U.S. media vendors or other parties with whom we do business on behalf of our clients. In other markets around the world, rebates are sometimes part of the buy-sell relationship between agency and vendor. GroupM returns those rebates to advertisers in compliance with and as required by our client contracts.”
Mr. Duggan said ANA members have voiced concerns about the rebate issue over the past year, but added that it’s just part of a growing mistrust that marketers have for their agencies.
“Marketers’ knowledge of the relationship between their agencies and media companies is more opaque and less transparent than ever before,” Mr. Duggan said.
Last year the ANA and Forrester Research conducted a survey of about 150 senior marketers and found 46% of those polled expressed concern about the transparency of their media buys. Survey results also showed that more than half of those polled noted a high level of concern over the possibility that agencies may receive a rebate from the media seller.
“The reality is that the holding companies are so large, interconnected and incestuous that it’s very easy to have very little transparency in that world,” said Joe Tripodi, former marketing chief of Coca-Cola. “As much as they say they are transparent they are able to move stuff around and hide stuff. It’s difficult to get a clear line of sight into the accountability at the holding companies,” he added.
Mr. Mandel stressed that rebates are not the only method agencies are using to extract financial benefits from the vendors they work with. Some agencies have promised to spend a specific amount of their clients’ money with vendors in return for ownership stakes in those vendors, he said. Others have opted to invest in vendors and have subsequently increased the amount of business they do with those companies.
“There are many different facets of this,” Mr. Mandel said. “It’s not every agency, but each agency that does it does it differently.”
The practice of media rebates and credits last surfaced about ten years ago when Interpublic Group of Cos. disclosed in a securities filing that it had to return money to clients that it had received from media companies as part of volume media deals.
That incident caused marketers to pay closer attention to their ad contracts and make sure that deal terms with their ad buyers clearly disclosed that if a volume discount is received, that discount or cash is passed along to the marketer. Interpublic disclosed the issue as part of its effort to remedy accounting irregularities that had taken place at the company.
In the late 1990s, Procter & Gamble forced its ad agencies to reimburse it for bonuses they had received, sources told the Wall Street Journal in 2005. Over the past several years—with the expansion of new media– worries about rebates and agencies’ transparency began to ratchet up again.
The ANA created a task force that included marketers and some of its executives to look into the problem. The task force has meet about a half dozen times and has discussed a wide range of topics including media rebates and the lack of transparency at the programmatic trading desks, a person familiar with the matter said.
The group also discussed agencies taking stakes in media or tech companies and what possible conflicts of interest that could pose, the person said.
Agency holding companies Publicis Groupe, Omnicom, Havas, IPG and Dentsu could not immediately be reached for comment.


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Surveys suck—but they don’t have to. It’s time to forget survey incentives and focus on consumer value instead.
With six months left, it's time to educate everyone who handles consumer data about their role in CCPA compliance and create a plan for fulfilling consumer requests.
How much do consumers trust brands with their personal information? We asked 1,000 US consumers which brands they trust—and why.
Jebbit’s Consumer Data Trust Index suggests that consumer trust is contingent on value in exchange for personal information.
Recent survey shows broad support for data privacy legislation as consumers remain leery of brands requesting too much information.
Google Chrome now allows users to opt out of third-party cookies, hastening the demise of an ad-targeting solution that never targeted ads well anyway.
Struggling to wrap your head around GDPR, the CCPA, and other proposed data privacy legislation? It all comes down to reconceptualizing data as a privilege, not a commodity.
We're not arguing semantics! Understanding the CCPA's terms and definitions is the first step to compliance.
The California Consumer Privacy Act shares a common goal with GDPR, but it's not identical. Here's what marketers need to know.


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Gobal IT mogul, Samsung will certainly currently be approving repayments in cryptocurrencies for its products like smartphones, tablet computers, TELEVISION, and also others. Samsung customers in the Baltic states will only be able to access the stipulation. The new payment alternative was enabled after the repayment processor CopPay signed up with hands with Samsung.
SEE ALSO: Need for Bitcoin Mining Chips improves Samsung Profits
The states where the settlement will certainly be readily available
The stores in the Baltic areas of Tallinn (Estonia), Riga (Latvia), Vilnius (Lithuania), as well as Kaunas (Lithuania) will supposedly allow clients to pay in cryptocurrencies. The token of Surge– XRP, is claimed to be one of the tokens in which Samsung will certainly accept the repayments.
The news was reported by Bitcoin.com and also went viral prior to Samsung verified the information. However, a number of tweets originated from various users that are thrilled at the possibility.
The European fintech company, Coppay stated: “Clients in Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, and Kaunas could purchase Samsung mobile phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, TV-sets, and a lot more with digital money.”
Coppay was asked on Twitter if they have any type of strategy to sustain Bitcoin Cash money (BCH): “@CopPay_io, congratulations on your rollout of crypto payments with Samsung in the Baltic states! Do you have any plans to sustain #BitcoinCash $BCH in the future?”
In feedback, Coppay tweeted validating: “Thank you quite for the excitement! We undoubtedly have plans of carrying out $BCH in the future! Remain tuned due to the fact that more and more incredible information will certainly get on it’s means!”
Crypto popularity in the Baltic States
The most up to date turn in event, points to the existing appeal of cryptocurrencies in the Baltic states, where bitcoin payments are extensively accepted for coffee, homes, bars, dining establishments, resorts, boutique, apparel stores, and also massage parlors. Huge parts of the Baltic hardly has any type of inflexible governing plan when it concerns handling cryptocurrencies, excepting Latvia, where a 20 percent funding gains tax obligation is imposed on the exchanges selling cryptocurrencies.


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Second Hand Baby Crib Safety Warning
Charity shops and other second hand retailers are being urged be on the lookout for Bednest bedside cribs, of the type that has been linked by the West Sussex Coroner to the death of a baby in West Sussex.
Warwickshire County Council Trading Standards Service understands that some Bednest cribs without essential safety modifications may be on sale in some second hand shops. This follows the recent discovery of an unmodified bedside crib on sale in a charity shop in East Grinstead, West Sussex.
Only modified cribs with current instructions can be sold.
Warwickshire County Councillor John Horner, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said: “I would urge retailers of second hand products to periodically check their stocks and circulate this warning to their staff.”
In 2015 a seven week old baby was found with her neck resting on the partially lowered crib side. The provisional cause of death stated by the Coroner was asphyxia. The full inquest is due later in the year.
Following the death last year, Bednest Ltd (a Stratford upon Avon based company), notified its known customers of the availability of a modification kit that prevents the sides from being partially lowered to remove this asphyxiation risk.
While Bednest Ltd. is monitoring second hand online sales, some cribs are still finding their way onto the second-hand market in an unmodified state and potentially without proper instructions on not leaving the baby unattended with the sides folded down.
Warwickshire Trading Standards urge anyone who has bought or is selling a Bednest crib to check it has had the modification and updated instructions by going to the Bednest website: http://www.bednest.com/FAQs.
The company maintain the product was not unsafe but issued the modification as a precaution, accepting that experts believe there is a small but plausible risk of death or injury.
Warwickshire County Councillor Philip Johnson, Chair of the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee, added: “If any resident sees a Bednest crib on sale, either in a shop or online, please report it to Trading Standards by phoning 03545 040506. Retailers can obtain advice via the same telephone number.”


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Dante Guintu, UX Designer – Watson Supply Chain/Blockchain IBM Watson Customer Engagement, IBM, explored blockchain and its importance to today's organizations during his presentation to Argyle's CIO membership at the 2018 CIO Leadership Forum: Data Strategy & Innovation in San Francisco on Feb. 13.
Gary Davis, Vice President of Consumer Marketing at McAfee, discussed what it takes to build trust with consumers during his keynote presentation to Argyle's CMO membership at the 2017 Chief Marketing Officer Leadership Forum in Toronto on September 28.
Katherine Fithen, Chief Privacy Officer for The Coca Cola Company, discussed how to talk to business about privacy and security as a competitive advantage.
Todd Fitzgerald, Global Director of Information Security at Grant Thornton International, Ltd. talked about the role of the CISO in 2020.
Gary Davis, Vice President, Global Field & Consumer Marketing, Intel Corporation, explored the cost of privacy in a hyper-connected world in his keynote presentation to Argyle's CMO membership at the 2016 Chief Marketing Officer Leadership Forum: Spring Event in Chicago on March 8.
Argyle Executive Forum and Oracle surveyed leading CIOs on how the digital economy is impacting their business, what challenges have emerged, and where the most exciting growth opportunities lie.
Differences between the United States and Europe about privacy issues have been a problem for some time now. Recent events have brought those problems to a breaking point. There is a very real potential for harm to U.S. business if the problem is not resolved soon.
Last month the Senate Judiciary Committee approved Sen. Al Franken’s Location Protection Act, which would require mobile apps to obtain consent from users before recording their locations.


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IBM sources products and services worth as much as $60 million (Rs 360 crore) from women entrepreneurs in India every year. The company is known to have one of the best diversity policies in the world, and under its supply chain diversity programme, it globally does $3.4 billion worth of buying. “You have to give access to all suppliers because you might otherwise miss the next big innovation,” Michael Robinson, IBM’s program director for global supplier diversity said at a conference in Bangalore of WEConnect, a global organization that makes connections between women entrepreneurs and corporates that believe in inclusive sourcing.
Such diversity policies of MNCs are today proving to be of huge benefit to women in business. Anshul Verma started a placements firm called ToppersEdge in 2008 in Bangalore. This year, she became a certified member of WEConnect; the certification confirms that the firm is majority-owned, managed and controlled by a woman. “We got an entry into Accenture because of WEConnect. And at least two more connections are close to being forged thanks to this network,” says Verma. She attended a WEConnect conference in the US and now is doing business for American firms too.
The two-day WEConnect conference in Bangalore saw over 450 women entrepreneurs from around the country coming together to discuss and network, and meet representatives of companies. That number is up from 290 last year, when WEConnect held its first ever conference in India.
WEConnect’s head of India, Sucharita Eashwar, says the organization has 60 certified members now, and an additional 420 who are self-registered, which means they get invited to all events.
WEConnect members Nivedita Prasad and Uma Raju, co-founders of a chocolate venture called Chocolate Philosophy, received mentorship from Walmart India’s retail marketing head which they say helped to significantly increase their retail presence. The organization also helped them get their feet into Intel and Accenture, for whom chocolate gifting is big.
Priya Parabj, a Mumbai-based entrepreneur who has a venture in shakes made of sprouts that are targeted at addressing nutrition deficiency, has been certified for two years now, and says WEConnect has helped get a lot of leads. “Besides, it feels good to be part of such an impressive gathering. In Mumbai, you don’t get women entrepreneurs under one roof,” she says.
Geetha Devi, CEO of Gradus Engineers that provides project management services, says she could tap into small and medium enterprises, but getting access to bigger players was never easy. “WEConnect got us that access,” she says.
WEConnect’s corporate members are many — among them Accenture, Alcatel-Lucent, AT&T, Boeing, Cisco, IBM, Intel, Walmart. Together they have $700 billion in annual purchasing power. And most of them have diversity policies that encourage them to source from women vendors. WEConnect’s certification is a valuable tool for them to identify appropriate candidates.
Srikant J Rao, MD-procurement for Asia Pacific in Accenture, and chair of the India Advisory Board of WeConnect India, says that when small, medium and diverse companies can better participate in the marketplace, “we create a multiplier effect that adds more jobs, more revenue and more vitality in communities across countries.”
Rajneesh Kumar, VP of corporate affairs in Walmart India, says the company works with its vendors to make them the best. “We provided seed money to a group of women making cloth bags in Rajasthan, and today they have a much bigger and better business,” he says.


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One of the biggest technology trends in motion picture exhibition today is immersive seating. Several companies have successfully partnered with exhibitors, movie studies and other producers to create an audience experience that actively mirrors the sights, sounds, actions and aromas of the movie on the screen. MediaMation is unique among these companies because not only are the seats in an MX4D theatre designed for movement and effects, the entire room is.
Warner Bros. Pictures’ Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, will be released November 16 in ScreenX, bringing the Wizarding World to the big screen for the first time ever in the unique immersive format.
For the first time in the U.S., D-Box will install motion recliner seats in two full auditoriums. The first installation is slated for November at the Maya Bakersfield Theatre in California. The second installation will start in December at the North Las Vegas Theater and be completed just in time for the highly anticipated holiday blockbuster season.
Cineplexx Kinobetriebe is installing the company’s first MediaMation MX4D Motion EFX Theatre, making it the first such installation in Austria. The 72-seat, 18-bench theatre is located in Graz, the country’s second largest city.
MediaMation today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued US Patent 10,076,712, entitled "Systems and methods for fluid delivery in seat systems".
Cineplex and CJ 4DPlex today announced a new agreement that will bring the 4DX experience to as many as 13 additional Cineplex locations across Canada over the coming years. The companies opened Canada’s first 4D auditorium at Cineplex Cinemas Yonge-Dundas and VIP in the heart of downtown Toronto, Ontario, in 2016, and its popularity with guests has prompted this new partnership and investment.
Screenvision Media has teamed up with Xbox to announce the national debut of two new cinematics that utilize immersive MX4D technology in select theatres. Xbox's advertisements will support the October 2 launch of open-world racing game Forza Horizon 4 and Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft's gaming membership. They are the first ads to utilize this technology to provide moviegoers a seat shifting, heart racing advertising experience.
In time for the release of Warner Bros. horror film The Nun, Regal announced today that it’s opening ScreenX locations in New York City and San Francisco. The launch this Thursday will mark the first theatres in each of these cities to feature CJ4DPlex’s ScreenX, the premium, panoramic, 270-degree cinema environment that projects films on three walls of the auditorium. With these openings, ScreenX expands its domestic presence to seven locations.
To commemorate the 25th anniversary release of Steven Spielberg's masterpiece Schindler's List, one of the most significant endeavors in the history of cinema, Universal Pictures will re-release the film with picture and sound digitally remastered—including in 4K, Dolby Cinema and Dolby Atmos—for a limited theatrical engagement on December 7, 2018, in theaters across the United States and Canada.
Regal announced today that the latest ScreenX location in the U.S. will be at the Irvine Spectrum Center, opening this week. The launch is the first of the previously announced major expansion plan with the Cineworld Group and its subsidiaries, which include Regal, to bring 100 ScreenX screens locations to the U.S. and Europe in the coming years.


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MONTREAL, QC — (11-24-22) — Pump! Underwear’ Black Friday Sale Commercial entitled ‘We took it off for you!” is unleashed by the exquisite Men’s Underwear brand PUMP! The illustrious Men’s underwear brand goes insane by dropping prices on every jaw dropping design on its official WearPump B2B and B2C website.
Watch PUMP! Underwear – We took it off for you!
Review Pump! Underwear’s Black Friday Sale on their Official Website.
Retailers and distributors can get wholesale ordering information by contacting PUMP! Underwear’ B2B Platform.
Article by: Keith Witchka, Staff Writer
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