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In a June 2011 letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) used these buzzwords to describe the Silk Road, an online marketplace for narcotics and other goods. In the letter, the senators asked that the Drug Enforcement Agency “take immediate action and shut down the Silk Road network.”
Fast-forward two years: the FBI arrests 29-year-old Ross William Ulbricht in San Francisco, charging him with founding and operating the network. Under an alias, Dread Pirate Roberts, Ulbricht allegedly raked in over $80 million in commissions and facilitated $1.2 billion in sales since the site’s inception in Feb. 2011.
After the arrest, the FBI has effectively shut down the Silk Road. However, the virtual currency that its users bought and sold their goods with, called Bitcoin, remains. But for how long?
Bitcoin is difficult to grasp and perhaps hard, if not impossible, to control. Many questions remain about its origins and future. Is it economically viable? Will it become mainstream? Who actually founded it?
Despite the uncertainty, one thing remains clear: misinformation regarding Bitcoin should not be the basis for government policy. It would be poor policy, if it is even possible, for Washington to shut down Bitcoin on false premises.
What is Bitcoin? Simplified.
Bitcoin, a decentralized virtual currency, allows users with an Internet connection to send money to other users pseudo-anonymously. Unlike centralized currencies, Bitcoin has no middleman or issuer, but instead relies on computing power to verify transactions and increase money supply through a process called “mining.”
While this may seem confusing, an imperfect but valuable analogy is that of gold. In a free market, no central authority regulates gold. It is difficult to track who trades gold with whom, the market relies on experts to verify that gold is real, and miners increase the supply of gold by pulling it out of the ground. Bitcoin is a completely digital, math-based gold.
Nobody really knows who founded the currency, but he/she/they went by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Nakamoto is well versed in economics and cryptology, as she created an algorithmically sound, largely unhackable currency in Bitcoin. All the Bitcoin software is open-source and available online for anybody to download. Nobody controls Bitcoin, and some argue that Bitcoin cannot be controlled.
Why do people use Bitcoin? Who are they?
Bitcoin has myriad users, with a present total market value hovering around $2.13 billion or 180 USD to the Bitcoin.
Microtransactions, where small amounts of money are traded at high volumes, precipitated the rise of Bitcoin. The transaction costs that businesses like Paypal charge make sending small amounts of money internationally relatively costly.
In countries where inflationary pressures are a constant worry, like Zimbabwe, individuals have converted their money into Bitcoin as a store of value. Especially in Argentina where the government has attempted to strengthen the peso by restricting currency conversions, Bitcoin is viewed as a refuge for those without access to foreign dollars when they travel.
Many have invested in Bitcoin with the hopes that the currency’s value will rise. VC firms in the Silicon Valley have thrown money into the game, as have the Winklevoss twins who own roughly one percent of all Bitcoin in circulation. A growing number of consumers and businesses also own or accept Bitcoin, including vendors like Palo Alto’s Coupa Café.
Consumers of illegal products, as exemplified by the recently closed Silk Road marketplace, also transact in Bitcoin. Although the Silk Road is ostensibly gone, similar sites like “Black Market Reloaded” remain as outlets for illegal purchases. These sites are easily accessible via an anonymizing router like TOR.
Finally, small-time money launders and anti-financial establishment advocates also own Bitcoin, for practical and ideological purposes. Some view it as a haven from central government control of markets, others as a means of sending money away from government eyes—for better or worse.
Confronting common myths
Myth: Bitcoin is the Silk Road.
Bitcoin is not the Silk Road. According to a U.S. court, Bitcoin is a form of money. There is no business running Bitcoin, no puppet master pulling the strings. Nobody owns Bitcoin just as nobody owns the dollar.
Myth: Bitcoin is anonymous.
Bitcoin is pseudo-anonymous, which is not really anonymous. Although users’ identities are hidden, by tracking the public ledger where all Bitcoin transactions are posted, as well as through quantitative analyses of the transaction network, users’ identities can be stolen.
Myth: Bitcoin has been hacked multiple times.
Although the companies and users that use Bitcoin have been hacked, the Bitcoin protocol itself—the currency—is cryptologically sound. Although it is theoretically possible that future quantum computing technology could overcome the system, Bitcoin is secure for the foreseeable future.
Myth: The government can shut down Bitcoin overnight.
Bitcoin is not based in the U.S., but instead exists on the Internet. Although the government could target the businesses and users that use Bitcoin, defeating the currency would be a daunting task.
What, if anything, should be done?
As is, Bitcoin does not pose a major threat to national security. It lacks the overall liquidity for large-scale money laundering and is more traceable than the cash transfers criminals largely use to send money.
Surely, the rise of virtual currency warrants a robust, detailed debate as to whether Bitcoin is sound currency of positive economic benefit: some have argued that Bitcoin is a deflationary Ponzi scheme that will reward early investors to the detriment of latecomers (despite the publicly available code). However, we should confront fallacious arguments on both sides of the debate before calling for government action.
Senator Schumer characterized Bitcoin as “an online form of money laundering” back in 2011 when an estimated 4.5 to 9 percent of all Bitcoin transactions were on the Silk Road. Today, while some may launder money via Bitcoin, we should not let generalizations of criminal activity determine the fate of Bitcoin. By solely that standard, it would seem difficult to defend the use of paper money—we don’t know how much physical currency is used for criminal activity either.
While Bitcoin continues to grow, D.C. should not to scare away entrepreneurship and venture capital to Canada and Germany, but instead formulate clear, standardized policy to attract investment in U.S. money service businesses. The days of coin and cotton transactions are likely numbered. Whether Bitcoin succeeds or some other virtual cash mechanism prevails, our government—from the IRS to DHS—should be informed and prepared.
NOTE: The author does not own or plan to own any Bitcoin as of November, 2013.


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Tis the Season to Be Scammed
Don't let any of these five cons ruin your holidays
Your merry spirit, coupled with an uptick in purchasing and festive phishing emails, could increase your risk of being scammed during the holidays.
Con artists are getting craftier, using high-tech tricks to get your financial data, and it’s nothing to ho-ho-ho about.
“The holidays are used as a hook for the same scams we see the rest of the year,” says Katherine Hutt, national spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau. “Since people are doing more shopping at this time of year, scammers are out in full force to take advantage of that.”
(MORE: 4 Phone and Email Scams to Avoid)
To keep scammers from ruining your holidays, watch out for these five holiday schemes:
Phony Websites Promising Great Gift Deals
In this con, scammers send emails luring you to bogus sites by touting what look like huge bargains on the season’s hottest gifts. The sites look just like ones of popular big box retailers, but fail to deliver the promised presents. Instead, the credit card data you enter at their fake checkouts give the fraudsters just the information they nees to go on their own holiday shopping sprees.
“Emails promising too-good-to-be-true deals on popular gifts should raise red flags,” notes Robert Siciliano, online security expert for McAfee and author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew…Before Your Identity Was Stolen.
For a tipoff that a retailer’s site may be fake, hover your mouse over the link to the see the URL. If it’s not a recognizable web address, steer clear. And before purchasing a gift through an unknown retailer or site, Siciliano recommends, Google the business name and URL to check for complaints.
Also, remember to check your online-account statements regularly to monitor for fraudulent charges. If you spot any suspicious activity, report it to your bank or card issuer immediately.
(MORE: Debt Collectors: Top Complaint of Older Consumers)
Santa Letter Schemes
Give pause before you sign up to let Claus send a letter to your grandkids. Websites promising personalized letters from the North Pole can be clever holiday-themed frauds in disguise.
“Those emails are probably coming from a scammer, not an elf,” warns Hutt.
Like those gift site cons, these websites demand that you provide your credit card information in exchange for Santa sending a letter to a special recipient. Then, the scammers end up on the naughty list for stealing your identity and charging up your credit card.
There are, of course, legitimate businesses sending letters from Santa, such as SantaClausHouse.com and PackageFromSanta.com, which charge $15 to $90 for a personalized letter and goodies from the “North Pole.”
Instead of clicking on a Santa letter link you receive via email or one you see on a social media sites, first research these services and go straight to their sites from your browser.
(MORE: Telemarketing Calls That Are Cause for Alarm)
Fraudulent Gift Cards
Gift cards are the most popular item on holiday wish lists, according to a National Retail Federation survey; $274 billion worth of cards are expected to be sold this year. That’s exactly why the cards are a top target for con artists.
Here’s how this scam goes down: First, crooks take gift cards from rotating racks and cash register displays and write down the cards’ codes. Next, they check online to see that the cards have been activated by unsuspecting gift recipients. Then, the scammers use those codes to shop online, depleting the balance.
Before purchasing a gift card, Liz Weston, author of The 10 Commandments of Money, suggests checking to see if the security code on the back has been scratched off — a dead giveaway it’s been targeted for fraud.
To minimize the risk of fraud, avoid cards stocked on rotating racks in big box stores where scammers can access them. Weston also suggests keeping your receipt as proof of purchase and activation in case there is a problem.
Fake Data Breaches
With more than 679 data breaches reported so far in 2014, including ones at popular retailers like Home Depot and Target, consumers are on high alert — and scammers know it.
So if a retailer calls you to report a data breach and requests information, such as an account number and security code, to get things sorted out, hang up. It’s not really the store and there was no hack. “The premise is plausible enough to draw people in,” Weston admits.
When a legitimate data breach occurs, retailers send letters to customers and their websites and social media accounts tell you what to take.
If a caller claims to be working with a retailer, here’s what you should do: Phone the 800-number on the back of the store credit card or on the retailer’s site and ask to speak with the fraud department. The customer service rep might ask for your account number, address and phone number but, as Weston notes, “Since you initiated the call, it’s safe to give them the information to verify your account details.”
You use ATMs and swipe credit and debit cards at retail terminals more often during the holidays, giving thieves plenty of opportunities to steal your financial data this way. Scammers install skimming devices at ATMs or put faceplates over payment terminals that read the card’s magnetic strip, providing access to your accounts and the ability to do their holiday shopping with them.
“You’re shopping feverishly, distracted and less cautious about your transactions,” Siciliano says. “It makes you vulnerable.”
To keep your data safe, keep your debit and credit cards in sight during transactions and cover the keypad when you enter your PIN at the ATM or retail terminal. “If a thief can’t see the PIN, he can’t use it,” says Siciliano.
Jodi Helmer writes about business and finance for Next Avenue, Entrepreneur, CBSMoneyWatch, Arrive and CreditCards.com. She’s saving her pennies to renovate a vacation home in the mountains of North Carolina. Visit her online at jodihelmer.com.

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By Ed CarrollArmas Ugartechea, founded in Eibar, Spain, in 1922, has ceased production. Like many gunmakers in the region, the company was known for producing guns by older, small-shop craft methods. Ugartechea became known in the US for a range of side-by-side shotguns that included high-grade sidelocks, but it was especially popular for hitting the least-expensive end of Spanish boxlocks.
No public announcement has come from Ugartechea, and an e-mail to the company was not answered. But John “Buck” Koritko, the largest importer of the guns in the US for nearly 30 years through his company Lion Country Supply, in Pennsylvania, confirmed the end of production.
In early summer Canadian importer Will Bilozir, who has sold Ugartecheas through his business Bilozir Fine Guns, in Alberta, made a similar announcement on his website (bilozir.net). In a phone interview Bilozir said, “We’ve been their exclusive importer in Canada for eight or nine years. We have a personal relationship with Ignacio [Ugartechea] and his wife, and we have visited with them several times.”
Both importers said they had been told that labor issues and a generally weak economy were the dominant reasons for the closure. Bilozir also noted that, generally, Spanish gunmakers have relied on traditional craft in small, labor-intensive shops and have not modernized their machinery and methods the way Italian gunmakers have. “So the labor costs have become a real problem,” he said.
According to Bilozir, there are approximately 40 finished “stock” guns at the factory, and he is offering a 25-percent discount on previous retail prices to help Ugartechea liquidate the inventory. At press time, those guns were expected in Canada by September and would be sold on an “as-is, where-is, paid-in-full” basis.
Koritko said that Lion Country Supply will not be bringing in any more guns from the maker. He added that, compared to his usual inventory of about 150 Ugartecheas in stock, when news of the closure came, “I had around 100, and they’re going fast.”
In a written announcement, Koritko looked back to his beginnings with the second-generation owner in 1987: “I immediately developed a positive relationship with owner Ignacio Ugartechea and knew his line of handcrafted firearms were a fit for Lion Country Supply. Ugartechea built solid side-by-sides for a reasonable cost. I knew they would be a winner in the American market, and they were!
“We will continue to offer our unbeatable, written two-year warranty on every single one of these great upland classics sold at Lion Country Supply. Warranty repairs are few, because our master gunsmith of 30 years is meticulous and spends a lot of time on each gun.”
Both importers said that they were planning trips to Europe to look for gunmakers that could fill the void left at the low end and middle of the side-by-side price range.
“I’m looking for a reliable maker that . . . can help me keep a gun under $2,000,” Koritko said. “Ugartechea made a hell of a gun for that price. Our meat and potatoes is where I’m going to stay, with good guns that we can stand behind.”


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New Irish Ferries ship is good news for tourism from GB
Tourism Ireland warmly welcomes today’s announcement by Irish Ferries of a new ship, the Epsilon, which will operate on the Holyhead to Dublin route from next month. The new ship will provide two additional departures per day on this important Irish Sea route – helping to boost tourism business from the important British market.
Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “Today’s announcement is more good news for tourism to Ireland for 2014. As an island, the importance of convenient, direct access cannot be overstated – it is absolutely critical to achieving growth in inbound tourism. We already work very closely with Irish Ferries and we look forward to co-operating with them to maximise the promotion of their services from Holyhead.
“The new sailings will help boost car touring holidays from GB; visitors who bring their car here on holidays tend to stay longer, spend more and are more likely to visit more than one region. And prospects for car touring holidays in 2014 are really good, with the launch of the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s first long-distance touring route, as well as the beautiful Causeway Coastal Route – providing additional reasons for overseas holidaymakers to visit.
Niall Gibbons continued: “Great Britain is the largest market for tourism to the island of Ireland, delivering almost 50% of all overseas visitors in 2012. And I am pleased to report a return in growth in visitor numbers from GB this year – up +3.5% for the January-September period, including +9% for the peak summer months (July-September). This year, Tourism Ireland has been rolling out the ambitious ‘GB – Path to Growth’ strategy, which is targeting several new audiences which have good potential for growth.”


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Galaxy S4 is the fastest-selling Samsung smartphone ever: 5 million units sold in two weeks
The Samsung exec, who remained unnamed throughout the Chosunilbo report, reportedly said that in less than five days after the official launch of the Galaxy S4 last month, they had already shipped out four million units to telecom operators all over the world. And not only that, but that at the current rate of unit shipments and sales, Samsung is set to sell 10 million units of the Galaxy S4 by the end of May, beating its own record for unit sales with previous handsets such as the Galaxy S2 and the Galaxy S3.
As of this time’s writing, Samsung is already well over the 6 million unit sales mark. And with new shipments that are sure to arrive later this month, it just might hit its 10 million sales target on time indeed. Samsung is also expected to launch a modified version of the Galaxy S4 at this year’s Google I/O developer conference, this time running a “pure” or stock version of Android, a la Galaxy Nexus.
Do you think the iPhone can still fend the Galaxy S4 off in this situation? Share your thoughts below by posting a comment.


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Another hotel is coming to InterQuest’s hot zone in Colorado Springs | Content reserved for subscribers
Another hotel is planned for the InterQuest area in northern Colorado Springs, which over the years has become a bustling commercial center for restaurants, shops, entertainment venues, apartments and other developments.
GAP Hotels, with offices in Houston and Lafayette, Louisiana, plans to develop a 160-room dual-brand hotel that would fly the Home2 Suites and Tru flags, which are part of the Hilton Hotels & Resorts hotel chain.
The Home2 Suites and Tru hotel would be built on 3.2 acres southwest of InterQuest Parkway and Federal Drive in downtown InterQuest, one of four mixed-use developments in the area.
“Colorado Springs is the ideal type of market for a product like Home2 Suites and Tru by Hilton,” said Amit Patel, a GAP executive, via email. “It has a diverse mix of businesses, including corporate, passenger, tourism, medical and military/government, which makes our brands and product offerings ideal for meeting market demands.”
Second hotel planned along Powers Boulevard in Colorado Springs
Home2 Suites is an extended-stay hotel for business people and travelers who typically stay for days, weeks, or even months and need apartment-like amenities, according to travel industry publications; Tru is a mid-range hotel designed to appeal to young travelers.
GAP has partnered with hotel brands Hilton, Marriott and IHG and has developed more than 20 properties nationwide, Patel said. Its Colorado Springs hotel would join Hampton Inn & Suites, Residence Inn by Marriott, Drury Inn & Suites, Great Wolf Lodge and Water Park and SpringHill Suites by Marriott, among other InterQuest-area properties.
InterQuest was attractive because of the region’s wave of development in recent years, Patel said.
In addition to restaurants, retail, hotels, and more, InterQuest is home to major employers such as Bal-Seal Engineering. California’s In-N-Out Burger also built a production and distribution facility at InterQuest when it expanded into Colorado two years ago.
Springs-based Ent Credit Union opened a new headquarters in the area last year; Centura Health is building a 72-bed hospital at InterQuest; the New Life Church and Pikes Peak Community College campuses are nearby; and the Air Force Academy is just west of the area.
Red rocks to the south? 8,000-seat outdoor amphitheater planned for Colorado Springs
“The development of retail, residential, restaurant and other businesses moving and expanding into this area shows that this area is the new hot spot for commercial real estate activity and that hotels are complementary businesses for this market,” Patel said.
“The Air Force Academy is close to this area and we believe the northern part of the Springs area is the main growth corridor going forward,” he added.
Although several hotels have been built and are planned at InterQuest, Patel said his group believes there is room for more and some visitors to Colorado Springs will turn to new properties.
“We believe there will be a shift in consumer choices and preferences from other established sub-markets and older existing hotels to the newer, fresher offerings that Home2 Suites and Tru by Hilton will present to customers” , did he declare. said.
The GAP project has been in preparation for several years. The group paid $1.76 million in January 2019 for its downtown InterQuest site, according to El Paso County land records. But the project – like many others – has been put on hold due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on leisure and business travel, Patel said.
Chipotle Opens 9th Colorado Springs Location; 10 is on the way
Now travel is returning and GAP thinks the time is right to launch the hotel, he said.
“Many developers in the hotel space have put projects on hold or canceled them altogether because market conditions have changed,” Patel said. “We had also put a brief pause on the project with market uncertainties, but we are comfortable with the basic fundamentals of the Springs market and the InterQuest area.”
GAP Hotels is seeking approval for a development plan for its project, according to a proposal it submitted to city government planners.
In a best-case scenario, Patel said construction would begin next spring and the hotel would open in early 2024. The hotel is expected to employ 15 full-time and 10 part-time staff, he said.


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Investors pushed shares of Diamond Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:DMND) up more than 21% on Wednesday. However, don’t call it a comeback just yet. Earlier this week, the snack-food company forecast better-than-expected fourth-quarter results and proposed a settlement to resolve a class-action suit, which was brought against the company in late 2011. The question on many investors’ minds now is whether this warrants buying the stock. While these developments look great on the surface, a closer look may reveal it’s too soon to jump back into the stock.
When Diamond Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:DMND) serves up its fourth-quarter results next month, the company expects revenue to fall between $196 million and $201 million. That’s notably higher than the $187.4 million analysts were hoping for, according to FactSet. The company’s full-year guidance also came in ahead of expectations, with fiscal 2013 sales estimated to be between $860 million and $865 million, compared to $851.7 million.
However, Diamond Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:DMND) needs to do more than beat already low quarterly expectations if it’s going to earn my trust again. Remember, only a year ago the company was involved in an accounting scandal, which forced it to restate two years of earnings. That incident also cost Diamond the iconic Pringles business. The snack giant had planned to purchase Procter & Gamble‘s Pringles brand last year in an all-stock deal valued at $1.5 billion.
Had the deal gone through, Diamond Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:DMND) would now be the second-largest snack maker after PepsiCo. Unfortunately, Diamond lost the Pringles bid last year following the internal investigation that exposed improper payments to walnut growers. As a result, Procter & Gamble ended up selling its Pringles business to cereal maker Kellogg for a cool $2.7 billion.
Looking to the future
That brings us up to date. Diamond Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:DMND) this week agreed to pay $11 million in cash and issue 4.45 million shares of common stock to resolve the class action over the company’s accounting probe. In its settlement plea, Diamond denies all claims of wrongdoing or liability. While the court still needs to approve the settlement, it’s a step in the right direction for this troubled company.
Moreover, Diamond Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:DMND)’s portfolio of popular snack brands, including Pop Secret popcorn and Kettle Brand chips, position the company well within the broader snack market. However, Diamond needs to do damage control to revive its relationship with walnut growers going forward. Ultimately, I think there are safer stocks for investors in the snack-food arena.
The article Should Investors Trust Diamond Foods Again? originally appeared on Fool.com is written by Tamara Rutter.
Fool contributor Tamara Rutter has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble. The Motley Fool owns shares of PepsiCo.
Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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National Geographic, a global pioneer in geography, cartography, and exploration, has announced the upcoming debut of a non-fungible token (NFT) collection to celebrate its 135th anniversary.
The “GM: Daybreak Around the World” collection, created in partnership with Web3 studio Snowcrash, features 1,888 NFTs, with the number corresponding to the year National Geographic was founded.
Sixteen National Geographic photographers and digital artists contributed to the collection’s creation by releasing 118 editions of their sunrise photographs.
“A Good Morning at the Top of Mt. Sinai” by Justin Aversano, “We Are Light” by Yagazie Emezi, and “Rise & Shine” by Tara Workman are some of the creations.
As a result, the NFTs released on the Polygon blockchain will include sunrise shots from Australia, Mount Everest peaks, and even one from the metaverse.
The NFT collection will be accessible beginning January 17, 2023, and NFTs can be purchased with a debit or credit card or a cryptocurrency wallet.
National Geographic, which has long been a supporter of photography and innovation, hopes that this NFT collection will be a good opportunity to make art more accessible throughout the world, tell stories in a more creative way, and attract new generations.


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Ray Kurzweil, who has 20 honorary doctorates, is director of engineering for Google and has an amazing success rate of accurately predicting technological change, made a host of predictions in January 2015 that would occur over the next 25 years. …
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It was a disappointing IPO debut for SBI cards, thanks to the tanking market. The IPO, which was valued at Rs 755, were trading at 7% lower at Rs 700, Live Mint reported. However, later in the day, an Economic Times report said that the value had dropped 13 per cent at Rs 658 per share.
SBI Cards proposed to raise Rs 10,289 crore at the lower end of the price band (Rs 750 per share) and Rs 10,355 crore at the upper end (Rs 755 per share), bankers announced at the end of February.
Unfortunately for SBI, the listing of the SBI Cards came at a time when the world witnessed a siginifcant crash in the stock markets, thanks to the economic impact of the coronavirus that originated in China and is spreading fast outside the country.
Earlier, market experts felt that the IPO was overvalued at issue price.
Experts feel that the performance of the SBI Card IPO should have reflected in the share price of SBI too, which is the majority shareholder in the credit card company.
The IPO size was apparently Rs 9,000 crore, with a fresh issuance of Rs 500 crore, thereby rendering Rs 500 crore for the SBI Card company. The rest Rs 8,500 crore, around 95% of the total amount, will be taken by SBI and Carlyle Group, the promoters, which has also raised questions on the actual beneficiaries of the IPO.


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Executives of the top corporations in America have grown more cognizant of the online profiles of themselves and others, and they actively research those of colleagues and industry thought leaders, according to findings of an annual study reported exclusively by Research Intelligencer.
The study, the third annual corporate reputation report from online reputation management firm Qnary, also found that LinkedIn has emerged as the go-to platform for staying on top of corporate reputations, by a margin of nearly two-to-one, over the next most used platforms: Google and Twitter.
The findings, which are the first benchmark of the role digital platforms play in shaping the perceptions of others, cannot be compared to previous years, but Qnary founder and chairman Bant Breen says it signals an anecdotal shift from Google’s dominance to LinkedIn’s.
“I would say that when we first began researching this in 2017, it really stood out that Google was highlighted heavily as the discovery platform among executives,” he tells MediaPost, adding that the role social channels play in shaping executive reputations is in flux, but LinkedIn likely excels for several reasons, including the adoption of its mobile app.
Breen, who is a long-time Madison Avenue executive, who previously was a digital wunderkind at Interpublic, says the new data isn’t explicitly representative of the sentiment of ad executives, but they likely are among the most reputation-savvy of all types of corporate executives given what they do for a living.


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SA port tariff increases limited to well below inflation rate
South Africa's Citrus Growers' Association (CGA) chief executive officer Justin Chadwick, welcomed the decision to turn down the port operator proposed price hike.
"It's well below the rate of inflation at 5%. Transnet have been making a lot of money from the ports and using this to subsidize other arms of their organization."
University of KwaZulu-Natal Graduate School of Business & Leadership Dr Mihalis Chasomeris, said Transnet's proposal failed because it was unable to give sufficiently strong evidence as to why the 18.06% hike for 2012-13 was necessary.
"This is good news but what is going to happen in the future if Transnet can come up with a good rationale for big increases then they may go through."
He said current cargo dues left agriculture at a disadvantage because charges are organized on either a container or tonnage basis, which favors high value low volume material, as opposed to high volume low value commodities.
In his state of the nation address earlier this month, South African President Jacob Zuma announced the port regulator and Transnet had agreed to decrease charges for manufacturing exporter,s saving the industry about 1 billion rand (US$129 million) in the coming year.
Intensive lobbying by the automotive industry about high charges at Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage ports last year appeared to have worked.
"What about exporters of agricultural goods? Why are they not getting a better deal. Perhaps they don't have the same voice or contacts as manufacturing," said Dr Chasomeris.
A benchmarking study by South Africa's regulator looking at 12 international ports, showed Durban port to be the most expensive and inefficient.
For example, in 2008 Durban achieved 23 crane container moves per hour compared with Antwerp's 94, and had an average container vessel turnaround of 72 hours compared with Rotterdam's 40 hours.
Port tariff increases over the last few years have been consistently below the rate of inflation. Last year's increase was set at 4.49% by the regulator, despite Transnet's 11.91% % proposal, and 2010-11 increases were limited to 4.42%.
Transnet's proposed increased tariffs would have helped it with its 10-year 8 billion rand (US$1.04 billion) development plan to improve the infrastructure of the country's eight ports.
Transnet also runs South Africa's freight rail, rail engineering and oil pipelines.


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June 14, 2022
Tim Glomb, VP of content and data at Cheetah Digital, recently sat down with Barbara Spiering, VP of marketing technology and quality engineering at Starbucks, to get her take on using technology to foster customer loyalty.
June 06, 2022
U.K. retailer Boots is telling people to "get ready for summer" in a new seasonal TV push that takes a fresher and and more authentic approach than you might expect.
April 18, 2022
Etsy is trying out a new marketing approach. The emotional narratives that have served as a cornerstone of its branding in recent years are taking a backseat to more product and buyer-specific messaging.
March 25, 2022
Spring is here (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) and Hornbach wants to get people thinking about sprucing up their gardens again. Its newest TV ad is a call to action that warns that if you don't get started, your garden might go rogue.
March 08, 2022
People love the outdoors, but not too much, in a humorous new campaign for online furniture brand Article Furniture that's fresh and unusual for the category.
March 07, 2022
Dutch drugstore Etos has released a new animated Christmas campaign continuing the message “it’s lovely what something little can do”, created by creative agency TBWA\NEBOKO and crafted by creative production studio Ambassadors.
March 02, 2022
Ikea is promoting the opening of its first small urban store format, called "Livat," in West London this week with a fun outdoor campaign from Mother London.
February 22, 2022
Introducing the smallest, greatest love story of the year for leading Dutch retailer Albert Heijn’s much-anticipated Christmas campaign.
November 30, 2021
Midwestern retailer Meijer has been giving the John Lewises of the world a run for their money recently with its holiday ads from Chicago agency The Distillery Project.
November 29, 2021
U.K. retailer Co-Op is taking a different tack from its rival U.K. retailer this year in its Christmas campaign, eschewing a heartwarming or celebratory storytelling approach in favour of a live commercial highlighting the issue of food waste.
November 17, 2021
Most of the Christmas ads we've seen so far from the U.S. and U.K. this year have been joyful, even if they've had some poignant moments.
November 16, 2021
Ashley Jensen, the "Extras" and "Ugly Betty" star, fronts Waitrose's festive commercial this year, playing a character for whom food trumps absolutely everything else at Christmas.
November 15, 2021
Tesco's message in its Christmas commercial this year is that "nothing's stopping us," from travel restrictions to stock shortages, as the U.K. celebrates despite the ongoing pandemic.
November 15, 2021
Sainsbury's puts the Christmas Day feast into slo-mo this year in its festive ad, highlighting the fact that it's been a "long time coming." It's the latest U.K.


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MANILA -- For 37 years, Helen Castillo fills one side street in the country's financial district with the smell of hot caramel, waiting for customers clad in power suits and construction hats to line up for their daily fix of the country's unofficial snack.
The turon or banana fritter is the "superstar" of Filipino desserts, an enduring presence in hawker stands, office cafeterias and groceries. The country's largest mall operator, SM, said that in 2016 alone it sold 42 million pieces of turon over 2 years
Priced at P15 each and with vendors apprehensive about raising prices, turon has also challenged faster than expected inflation.
"Para siyang si Nora Aunor. Hindi mawawala ang superstar ng mga merienda," said Samantha Rivera, who tends to a "Jollijeep" rolling store in Makati.
(It's like Nora Aunor. The superstar of merienda will never fade.)
Castillo, 60, said turon is a staple in her menu because it is exactly what busy workers are looking for in the middle of the afternoon -- quick, cheap and satisfying.
"Hindi sila nagsasawa kasi dito sa Makati iyan ang pinakamurang merienda. Kinse pesos tska softdrinks ok na," Castillo told ABS-CBN News.
(They don't grow tired of it here in Makati where it's the cheapest snack around. For P15 and softdrinks, youre good to go.)
The 24 million turon pieces sold in 2016 was 33 percent higher than 18 million in the previous year, SM Investments said on its website.
The company has set a turon standard at 8 inches long, 2 inches in diameter and aims for a uniform taste across stores, SM said.
"The success of turon is proof that Filipinos tend to look for familiar taste at a price that's 'sulit' (value for money)," said SM Markets vice chairman Herbert Sy.
Marjorie Montalban, a staffer at an apparel store in one of SM Malls joined the queue for turon at the grocery during a break from work.
"Ito lang ang turon dito eh pag lumabas kami baka umulan pa. Sana sa susunod banana cue naman," Montalban told ABS-CBN News.
(This is the only turon available here, if I go out, it might rain. I hope in the future they offer banana cue.)
Inflation has held at its highest levels in 5 years in recent months as elevated fuel prices in the world market pushed food prices higher.
Food inflation alone in June was at 6.1 percent, faster than the headline number 5.2 percent.
Turon vendor Emerlita Gallos undercuts the competition by selling her desserts at P10 a piece and she said she would not raise pricess soon.
"Pag tinaasan ko, hindi naman lahat ng tao may pera," she told ABS-CBN News. She ha been selling turon for 28 years.
(If I raise prices, not everyone might have enough money to buy.)
Gallos said she sells 200 pieces of turon daily, double the competition.
Unlike Gallos, Rivera said she might raise prices due to higher prices of sugar and cooking oil.
With or without a price hike, IT supervisor Kim Crisostomo said he would continue having turon for snack everyday. Crisosotomo spends P50 every week on banana fritters.
"Parang softdrinks lang 'yan eh, tumaas pero binibili pa rin," Crisostomo told ABS-CBN News.
(It's like softdrinks. Prices go up, but people still buy it.)
"Feeling ko hindi siya mawawala sa eksena kahit magtaas ng presyo kasi turon is turon talaga," Rivera said.
(I feel it won't fade from the scene even is prices go up. Turon is turon.)


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Traverse City Record-Eagle, July 7, 2014
By SARAH ELMS
— TRAVERSE CITY — Volunteers in red T-shirts combed the beaches around the Open Space early today to collect food wrappers, empty beer cans and other trash left behind by weekend festival-goers.
Grand Traverse County Emergency Management Coordinator Gregg Bird estimated more than a half-million people descended on downtown Traverse City for July 4 celebrations and the National Cherry Festival’s opening weekend.
They took in the fireworks, marveled at the U.S. Navy Blue Angels — and left their trash.
The Ticker, June 27, 2014
Andy Gale a top a big old pile of big old mattresses.
by Lynn Geiger,
Instead of money under the mattress, one local businessman is betting on money being in it.
Andy Gale, who has built a successful nonprofit recycling operation out of many things most people consider garbage, is now taking mattress recycling to a whole new level.
This spring Gale purchased Michigan Mattress Recyclers of Gaylord with a vision to expand the service and to keep Bay Area Recycling for Charities (BARC) on its growth trajectory. It is the latest expansion for a company that started with just a pickup truck six years ago and is now leasing a 20,000 square-foot warehouse on Barlow and bringing all of its operations under one roof – now including thousands of used mattresses.
Glen Arbor Sun
By F. Josephine Arrowood
“Thar’s gold in them thar hills!” So went the old saying about the 19th century Gold Rush in the American West. Today, there’s a resurgence of eager entrepreneurs mining for wealth—only now, the mountains are made of trash piled up in garbage bins, at curbsides, and landfills in every community in the country.
Andy Gale of Cedar is one such seeker who has made “waste not, want not” his personal and professional mission. The founder of Bay Area Recycling for Charities (BARC) discusses his visionary goals and the extraordinary growth of his six-year-old venture.
BARC collects a wide variety of recyclable materials from both residential and commercial customers, offering both convenience and a cost-effective way to make their detritus “disappear.”
Bay Area Recycling for Charities (BARC) presents:
The First Annual BARC Products & Services Expo
WHEN: Tuesday, March 25th 11:00am – 4:00pm
WHERE: ECCO Event Space – 121 E. Front St., Traverse City, MI 49684
WHAT: See our innovative and earth-friendly products and services.
Shop Your Community Day
Downtown Traverse City
Support your favorite organization on Saturday, November 9, 2013 just by shopping downtown!
For every purchase you make at the following stores, 15% of the sale will be donated to the organization of your choice! It’s that easy to support your favorite non-profit, plus get a jump on your holiday shopping!
Look for the shopping bag and balloons for all the businesses participating downtown!
BE somebody who gives back!


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(Bloomberg) — Consumer confidence unexpectedly fell in May from a nine-month high, showing Americans are being shaken by rising grocery bills and elevated fuel costs.
The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary sentiment index decreased to 81.8 from 84.1 in April. The median projection in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for a gain to 84.5.
Food prices have risen and the cost of gasoline has held near its highest level of the year, making buyers less secure in their finances. Falling unemployment, rising home prices and near-record stock indexes could provide support for sentiment, giving Americans the wherewithal to boost the spending that makes up 70 percent of the economy.
“Higher energy prices, higher prices for gas, and the rising consumer food prices would be something I would look at as a factor holding back confidence gains,” Robert Rosener, an economist at Credit Agricole CIB in New York, said before the report. “We’re watching these numbers closely to see what the household read is, whether they’re feeling the benefit of an improving labor market.”
Stocks declined after the report, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index losing 0.2 percent to 1,866.89 at 10:23 a.m. in New York.
Another report today showed the pace of home construction jumped in April to its highest level since November, led by a surge in starts on multifamily projects.
Housing starts climbed 13.2 percent to a 1.07 million annualized rate following March’s 947,000 pace, according to Commerce Department figures. Starts exceeded all analysts’ forecasts, with the median estimate of 79 economists surveyed by Bloomberg calling for 980,000. Permits for future projects increased, a sign activity might accelerate in coming months.
Estimates for the confidence index among 66 economists in the Bloomberg survey ranged from 82 to 88. The gauge averaged 89 in the five years before December 2007, when the last recession began and 64.2 in the 18-month contraction that followed.


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air cargo forum, transport logistic Americas to be held in Nov at Miami
TIACA's DG Glyn Hughes talks to The STAT Trade Times about the events, location and what the industry can expect.
The International Air Cargo Association's (TIACA) biennial event air cargo forum (ACF) and Messe München's transport logistic Americas have combined their forces and will be held at Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC), the United States from November 8 to 10, 2022.
The former IATA (The International Air Transport Association) cargo chief and the current director general of TIACA Glyn Hughes joined us recently to discuss the upcoming events and what participants could expect from them as ACF now finds a permanent home in Miami.
How is Miami suited for ACF?
Miami is the perfect location for so many reasons. It's a thriving economic centre, the Miami International Airport is a leading US gateway connecting the US, Americas and Europe with easy connections beyond to Africa and Asia.
Air cargo is a critical aspect of the airport and region's economic and strategic growth plans. The port of Miami is also a key logistic centre serving global customers. Then we come to the city location itself, where better than Miami beach to meet business partners, friends and colleagues to discuss business and life in general over cocktails and beer with the beautiful tropical setting sun as a backdrop?
MBCC is perfectly located within walking distance of world-class hotels, restaurants and the south Florida beach.
How will air cargo forum and transport logistic Americas bring value to the participants?
Air cargo has always been an industry driven by success established on collaborative relationships and a shared vision to exceed customer expectations. The best way to achieve this is to come together to share best practices, challenge each other and embrace the latest technological and other tools designed to enhance efficiency, transparency and productivity.
air cargo forum & transport logistic Americas offer the perfect opportunity to achieve all these objectives. There will be 200 exhibitors, 5,000 visitors and a world-class conference program to enable each attendee to maximize their time for the greatest benefit. Also, the cost for visitors is zero. TIACA is pleased to be working with Messe München Group to help bring this event to fruition. Our vision is to unite the air cargo industry and air cargo forum & transport logistic Americas will help us achieve this aspiration.
What are TIACA's vision and expectations of the events?
Our expectation is to present the best possible experience for exhibitors, attendees and the industry. To provide the best possible conference programme hearing from industry experts and creating the environment to engage and debate. We also want to focus on providing a unique opportunity for the next generation of the workforce to learn about the opportunities presented by logistics and help ignite a desire for them to join and create their own career path in this great industry.
What can participants expect from these events?
Participants can expect to meet the industry, visit world-class exhibition booths, hear from industry leaders, be inspired by the innovation that's blossoming, enjoy networking and social functions, forge new business partnerships, celebrate past success and look forward to even greater success. Also, the great beaches, bars and restaurants of South Beach provide the perfect after-hours meeting venues.


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Social Media keeps introducing new features and changing their algorithms, it is as if they undergo an unseen evolution. A few years ago, Snapchat was known for disappearing stories, but now they market the world’s tastiest cakes, DIY tips and latest technology as rewatchable videos in the stories section. By 2021, there are 265+ million users who use Snapchat. These numbers speak for themselves in how quickly people adapt to the evolution of social media.
There are various social media trends that gained spotlight in 2021’s first few months. Of course, we cannot deny that the rapid growth of use of social media is partially thanks to a global pandemic, however, we have kept an eye out on the most trending social media platforms and their features.
We put together a small list to make it easy for you
1. Stories as social media content
As we said earlier, more than 265 million people check their Snapchat stories now. Also, more than 500 million users interact with the Instagram stories every day. With the expansion of growth in users who interact with stories, we can now take stories as a form of content rather than a status update. Users will be able to access latest trends, news, events, and advertisements through stories, and it is getting quite popular too! 51% brands mentioned that they use videos in stories to grab the attention of their customers, and the numbers do not seem to go down anytime soon!
2. Live streams are not going away anytime soon!
The global pandemic made most businesses go digital, and meetings became Zoom conferences and live concerts became live streams of artists playing at their own places. We can see a significant growth in the use of live streams, Facebook claims they saw a massive increase in messaging and live streaming during the first stage of the pandemic, specially in countries like Italy. The number of views on Facebook doubled in Italy within just a week!
People have gotten use to interacting with their brands at the comfort of their own homes, and live streams are a big part of it. Therefore, it is safe to say that live streams will keep gaining its popularity further into 2021.
3. Social Commerce keeps growing. Fast.
Social Media has always backed their shoppers and sellers, and we see more features coming out to enhance the shopping experience via social media. For an example, the Facebook marketplace has a whole new look now, and you can tag your products on Instagram pictures mentioning the price and link them to your website. Setting up social media storefronts has become another trend and we see social commerce enabling easy checkout for you without even being redirected to the shopping site. 54% of users seem to research on what they buy using social media, and it says that social media referrals can influence the purchase decision of a user up to 71%.
Social Commerce simplifies and shortens the customer journey by allowing customers to explore, decide and buy on a single platform. This is likely to reduce abandoned shopping carts and changing your mind.
4. Purpose driven campaigns gain the spotlight
Social media has been the best place to market and advertise, but now it supports a greater cause. With the global pandemic, brands have shared their story on how they came to the rescue of people trapped by the global pandemic with no help.
A survey gave results of 74% respondents in Twitter that they want brands to show the acts of kindness, which is a major turning point for the customers. 77% feel more positivity towards brands that try to support the society at times of a crisis.
In 2021, we see many brands posting their stories and gaining wider audience as these videos are being shared across all platforms and goes viral. Support for the frontline staff, support given at quarantine centers, support given at vaccinations, support towards uplifting the mental health during the pandemic, these acts are all much appreciated and looked upon.
While these 4 trends have gained more attention, we would like to mention the trending social media platforms such as Clubhouse and Telegram, and trending content such as podcasts. We have previously talked about how Clubhouse is gaining more popularity, and we will write about Telegram and podcasts in detail in the future.
There are many other social trends we would like to bring to your attention, and we would like to continue this blog as a thread to our future blogs. Make sure to stay tuned and check our website and social medias pages to stay updated on the latest blogs and we will continue to bring more insightful content for you!


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Why should major Banks in Italy make additional investments of over one billion Euro in information and communications technology in the next three years, as suggested in a brand new report from Accenture? And why is this a golden opportunity – and not a provocation? The reason lies in the new internal and external context of the Banking industry which is pushing for strong change. As a direct consequence, there is a need to rapidly evolve the predominant business operations model which is no longer economically sustainable.
Technology and information systems can make a difference in this scenario by providing new models to defend Banks’ business and re-launch it in a more sustainable and profitable proposition. In addition to the lasting crisis during which the cost of credit for the Banks virtually exploded, there are two main factors accelerating change.
The first is digital disruption, driven by customers who have radically altered their behaviors and who have a whole series of new needs. They demand new and better levels of service and want to interact with their Bank easily, rapidly and safely, especially using digital channels. The volume of physical transactions in Branches is sliding by approximately 15% each year. Indeed, Branches are increasingly empty. As a result of these new customer behaviors, the traditional value chain is being stretched out to incorporate what happens both before and after the actual financial transition. This, in turn, is having an enormous effect on customer loyalty and the Banks’ capacity to create new sources of profit. All of this is giving rise to a new ecosystem in which the Banks will have to defend their central role and ward off encroachment from digital natives such as Google, Amazon, PayPal and others who are progressively invading service niches. Recent analyses by Accenture show that this phenomenon is putting at risk between 20% and 30% of the total revenues of Italy’s banking sector.
The second factor pushing Banks to invest more heavily in technology is the new environment introduced by the European Central Bank. The criteria by which capital requirements can be modified now impact business functions and the information systems they rely on as well as the quality of integrity of data, cybersecurity and operational continuity. To put this in context, Banks were fined over 180 million Euro between 2009 and 2013 from domestic authorities alone.
An information system that has been certified and approved and that responds rapidly to new regulatory norms can change capital requirements and generate enough value to marginalize the cost of the information system itself.
Post originally published in IlSole24Ore, Tuesday May 19th, 2015


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Miners, hashes, keys, cold storage, blocks.
it’s confusing. We can help you understand how Bitcoin works. How exactly to categorize Bitcoin is a matter of controversy. Is it a type of currency, a store of value, a payment network or an asset class? Fortunately, it’s easier to define what Bitcoin ac
Bitcoin Cash Us Dollar (bch Usd) Converter Australian shoppers have discovered a little-known money-saving trick that will slash hundreds of dollars off their grocery bill over Christmas. A Bloomberg article claims that Americans are foregoing the safety of the dollar for more speculative assets like stocks, 28 Jan 2020. At the time of writing, Bitcoin Cash (BCH) is trading at around $369.
Bitcoin is nearing the tenth anniversary of the release of a paper introducing it to the world. But assessments of the cryptocurrency’s effect in the last ten years have mostly been negative. Is bitcoin useless? Ordinarily, a tenth anniversary is cause for celebration and reflection. But there are h
Even as digital currencies’ popularity grows, some myths have proven difficult to shake. As with any new area of investment, cryptocurrencies have prompted potential investors and analysts to ask many questions. In the past couple of years, digital currencies have experienced significant boosts in p
Bitcoin Bubble Will Crash After Price Hits $60k In 2018 17/01/2018 · The crash in prices comes soon after the man widely believed to be the world’s savviest investor, Warren Buffet, said "I can say almost with certainty that cryptocurrencies will come to a. 26/12/2017 · Bitcoin could hit $60,000 in 2018 but another crash is coming, says startup exec Published Tue, Dec 26 2017 12:00 AM
To find out whether bitcoins work as real money yet, we bought one and tried to use it to acquire pizza and martinis. Despite a few delays and and hiccups, the Domino’s showed up and we paid our tab. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link.
The most disruptive innovations often clash with existing legal frameworks. Bitcoin may have been designed with that idea in mind. An award-winning team of journalists, designers, and videographers who tell brand stories through Fast Company’s distinctive lens What’s next for hardware, software, and
Learning how to buy bitcoin is easy, but it’s perhaps the most important stage if you want to try your luck in cryptocurrency trading. Regular spikes in the bitcoin price chart make this digital cryptocurrency a potentially lucrative investment if you’re interested in making a quick profit. However,


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The world’s two largest manufacturers of smartphones and tablet PCs Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple Inc. will soon face off in court over patent infringements. A US District Court Judge has placed a temporary injunction on the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 after Apple claimed the Galaxy is a copy of the iPad.
The injunction does not apply to the Galaxy Tab 10.1 II.
The judge says: "Although Samsung has a right to compete, it does not have a right to compete unfairly by flooding the market with infringing products.”
Apple filed for the ban in April, and if it is proven unnecessary in court, Apple will have to pay Samsung $2.6 million in damages.
Samsung filed an appeal with the federal appeals court, but says the injunction should not impact business. The trial will begin July 30.
Analysts believe Apple may be trying to stamp out competitors. Since 2010, it has tried to limit Google’s Android system, and Samsung’s Galaxy tablets operate on Android. HTC and Motorola have also been challenged in court by Apple.
Similar injunctions in Germany, Australia and the Netherlands all have been overturned. Earlier this year, a federal judge also dismissed a patent infringement claim against Google’s Motorola Mobility unit.
Worldwide, there are 20 lawsuits pending against Apple and Samsung. A ruling about a patent infringement case Apple filed in early 2012 in regards to the Samsung Galaxy Nexus has not yet been made, and another complaint filed against both companies with the US International Trade Commission has also yet to be decided.
Tablet Market Booming
The demand for tablets and smartphones is expected to grow; according to IHS iSuppli, some 123.5 million units should be sold before the end of 2012.
Android is the world’s best-selling operating system.
According to research firm Display Search, during the first quarter of 2012, Apple sold 13.6 million iPads, giving it a 63% global market share. Samsung sold 1.6 million Galaxy tablets, giving it a 7.5% global market share.
In late June, Microsoft launched a line of tablets, and expects some 4,873,000 units to be sold in 2012.
Google will also soon have a tablet on the market co-branded with Taiwan’s Asustek Computer Inc.
Key Statistics - US Tablet PC Market (source: TechSci Research)
- Apple’s iPad sold more than tens of millions of units globally in its launch year, setting the benchmark for tablet PC sales.
- In 2011, the tablet PC market reached $35.3 billion globally. The market is forecast to continue to grow until 2016.
- In the US, the tablet PC market is predicted to grow at the CAGR of nearly 11%. This is due to the increased demand from companies and the wide acceptance of tablets.


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2021's lineup of games just got a whole lot slimmer. After the resurgence of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, among others, several studios have had no choice but to postpone their games that were initially scheduled to launch within the year. Now, you can include Techland's highly-anticipated sequel to their 2015 open-world zombie title, Dying Light 2: Stay Human.
Techland apologizes to fans for the Dying Light 2 delay
Naturally, this got fans excited, especially after a new trailer that was released at Gamescom 2021 showcased the game's much-improved parkour mechanics. However, it appears that fans will just have to suffer for a little longer.
Update regarding release date. pic.twitter.com/xAx1RMbw0X
— Dying Light (@DyingLightGame) September 14, 2021
According to Techland CEO Pawel Marchewka, the upcoming zombie title is going to release on February 4, 2022 instead.
Techland's CEO released a statement on Twitter explaining the delay. According to Marchewka, Dying Light 2 is "nearing the finish line." He added that "the game is complete" and that the team is busy "playtesting it". But, because of the scale of the project, Techland asked for more time to "polish and optimize" Dying Light 2 so that it can bring it to the level that they envisioned for the game.
TLDR; Techland needs more time to work on Dying Light 2.
If it's any consolation, Marchewka did promise fans that the studio is going to release a preview of the console and PC versions of Dying Light 2 in October. Whether this will come in the form of a new trailer or a playable demo remains uncertain. We're hoping that it's the latter.
It's been a long road for Dying Light 2 to get here. Techland first announced Dying Light 2 at E3 2018 and intended to launch the game in spring 2020. Since then, Techland has gone radio silent until earlier this year when it started posting updates about the game. In addition to this, Techland has done its best to do fans right by releasing more free content for Dying Light, as well as porting the game to the Nintendo Switch.
With that said, it'll be interesting to see how well Dying Light 2 does against a stacked February lineup. Sifu, Horizon Forbidden West, Evil Dead: The Game, and the Saints Row reboot, are all expected to release in February 2022.


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Lyft is preparing to lay off hundreds of employees just days after new CEO David Risher took the helm of the ride-hailing service. It's the latest in a series of layoffs that have rocked the once high-flying technology industry.
In a blog post Friday, Risher told employees the company would "significantly reduce" the workforce as part of restructuring. Risher, a former Amazon executive, said the cuts were aimed at making Lyft a "faster, flatter company where everyone is closer to our riders and drivers."
"I own this decision, and understand that it comes at an enormous cost," Risher continued. "We're not just talking about team members; we're talking about relationships with people who've worked (and played) together, sometimes for years." The note came at end of his first week as Lyft's CEO.
Employees will find out if they're keeping their jobs by Thursday, April 27, Risher said. Those laid off will get at least 10 weeks' severance pay and health insurance coverage through the end of October, according to the post.
The Wall Street Journal reported that at least 1,200 positions, or more than 30% of Lyft's staff, would be cut, citing unnamed sources. These include sofware engineers, product managers and other white-collar workers across the U.S., since Lyft doesn't count its drivers as employees.
A Lyft spokesperson declined to confirm the size of the cuts.
"David has made clear to the company that his focus is on creating a great and affordable experience for riders and improving drivers' earnings," the spokesperson said in a statement to CBS News. "To do so requires that we reduce our costs and structure our company so that our leaders are closer to riders and drivers."
The planned layoffs are the second round of cuts for Lyft in the current downturn, after the company shed 700 jobs, or about 13% of its workforce, in November.
Risher was a Lyft board member before being recruited to replace co-founders Logan Green and John Zimmer, who stepped down from leadesrhip roles. In an interview with The Associated Press shortly after his hiring was announced, Risher cited expense control as one of his top priorities.
By ensuring Lyft is "super efficient," Risher said the company would be in a better position to lower its fares to lure back passengers who had shifted to using Uber more frequently because that service was offering lower prices for the same trips.
It was a theme Risher emphasized again in his Friday email explaining why he decided to slash the payroll, which doesn't include Lyft's drivers — a group that is classified as independent contractors.
"We need to bring our costs down to deliver affordable rides, compelling earnings for drivers, and profitable growth," Risher wrote.
Losing ground to Uber
Lyft has been struggling to turn a profit ever since the pandemic, when fewer customers were traveling but more were ordering items online. Unlike competitor Uber, Lyft never expanded beyond ride-hailing into deliveries, and it restricted its business to North America.
During the past year, it has become even clearer that consumers fell out of the Lyft habit as Uber's ridership bounced back to pre-pandemic levels and Lyft's losses mounted, causing its stock to plunge by 68%.
Lyft's stock rose 6% on Friday to about $10.44 after the layoffs were announced.
Recurring waves of layoffs are emerging as a new phenomenon in the tech industry, reversing more than a decade of mostly unbridled growth.
Both Facebook owner Meta Platforms and e-commerce giant Amazon have gone through two rounds ofduring the past year. Pandemic-fueled demand for digital services and products resulted in hiring sprees that they and other tech companies began to regret as the COVID-19 threat waned and growth tapered off.
for more features.


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Walmart launches its Amazon Prime Day counterattack with thousands of deals (WMT, AMZN)
- Walmart is offering thousands of deals online to counter Amazon Prime Day.
- Amazon launched Prime Day in 2015, and it's now one of the company's biggest shopping events of the year, behind Cyber Monday. Amazon is holding the 48-hour event on July 15 and 16 this year.
- Walmart, Target, Macy's, and hundreds of other retailers offer discounts every year to rival Amazon's annual shopping event. Target is offering "deal days," what it says will be its biggest sale of the summer.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Walmart is hoping to steal some fire from Amazon Prime Day.
The retailer is releasing thousands of "special buys" and "rollbacks" — which is Walmart's term for discounts — on Walmart.com between July 14 and July 17. Deals include discounts of more than $100 on items like the HP 15.6-inch HD Touch Display Laptop and the Dyson Multifloor Bagless Upright Vacuum.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
- Amazon completely invented Prime Day, and now it has grown to rival Black Friday and Cyber Monday
- People are urging boycotts of Amazon on one of its biggest days of sales
- Walmart employees are terrified after the company fired an employee for posting confidential information to Reddit


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FBI Adds "Loverspy" Developer To Cybercriminal List
WASHINGTON — It’s not just the federal government intercepting your communications. It could be a nosy relative or jealous partner.
Among five individuals added this week to the FBI’s list of most wanted cybercriminals is a former San Diego college student who developed an $89 program dubbed “Loverspy” and “Email PI.” Sold online from his apartment, the program was advertised as a way to catch a cheating lover by sending the person an electronic greeting card that, if opened, would install malicious software that captured emails and instant messages, or even spy on the person through their webcam.
The case of Carlos Enrique Perez-Melara, 33, is noteworthy because he appears to have made relatively little money on the scheme, unlike others on the FBI list accused of bilking millions of dollars from businesses and Internet users worldwide. Perez-Melara was a native of El Salvador in the United States on a student visa in 2003 when he sold the spyware. He was accused of helping turn average computer users into sophisticated hackers who could use the information to stalk their victims.
Loverspy was designed “with stealth in mind, claiming that it would be impossible to detect by 99.9 percent of users,” according to a July 2005 federal indictment of Perez-Melara.
An FBI section chief who oversees operations in the agency’s cyber division, John Brown, said Loverspy was one of many illegal hacking-for-hire services available online. In one case earlier this year, a New York police detective was arrested for spending more than $4,000 on hacking services to obtain the emails of more than a dozen of his colleagues. Many of the operators tend to be based abroad.
“These are sophisticated folks who know how to hide themselves on the Internet,” Brown said.
Brown said Perez-Melara was added to the FBI most wanted list in part because the former college student has been so difficult to find. Perez-Melara has eluded the authorities since his indictment eight years ago, with his last known location as El Salvador. The government is now offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
According to his indictment, Perez-Melara sold the program to 1,000 customers, who then tried to infect roughly 2,000 others. Victims took the bait only about half the time, the government said. People who purchased the spyware were charged with illegally intercepting electronic communications. Most of those cases appear to have resulted in probation and fines.
Years later, there is an established commercial market for snooping software that domestic violence advocates warn can also be used to stalk victims. Software like ePhoneTracker and WebWatcher, for example, is advertised as a means of monitoring kids’ online messages and tracking their locations. For $349 a year, Flexispy Ltd. of Wilmington, Del., promises to capture every Facebook message, email, text and photo sent from a phone, as well as record phone calls. These services would only be legal if the person owns the phone or computer or is authorized to install the software.
Others identified on the FBI “most wanted” cyber list includes Alexsey Belan, a Russian, who allegedly broke into the computer networks of three major U.S. e-commerce companies. Belan is accused of stealing the companies’ user databases and encrypted passwords, which he then sold. Two others named by the FBI hijacked computers with malware disguised as online advertisements, then sold security fixes to victims. In one case, the loss to consumers was estimated to be $100 million.


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Palm Swings as Drop in China Holdings Counters Malaysia Concern
The contract for September delivery traded 0.2 percent lower at 2,380 ringgit ($742) a metric ton on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives at 5:10 p.m. in Kuala Lumpur after gaining and losing as much as 0.4 percent. Palm for local physical delivery in July was at 2,390 ringgit, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
Inventory at China’s major ports totaled 1.15 million tons, 20,000 tons less than a week ago, according to a report from state-owned researcher Grain.gov.cn, which said demand for palm may rise as it’s cheaper than other oils. Production in Malaysia typically increases from July to October each year, risking an increase in reserves.
“From July onwards, stocks may start to build up,” said Rajesh Modi, a trader at Sprint Exim Pte., referring to holdings in Malaysia, the second-largest producer. “I’m not seeing any aggressive demand coming in.”
Reserves in Malaysia fell 3.7 percent to 1.75 million tons in June from a month earlier, the least since June 2012, a Bloomberg survey last week showed. Output rose 6.2 percent to 1.47 million tons and exports gained 4.1 percent to 1.47 million tons, according to the survey. Data from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board are scheduled for release on July 10.
Soybean oil for December delivery lost 0.5 percent to 45.79 cents, while soybeans for delivery in November gained 0.5 percent to $12.345 a bushel in Chicago. Palm’s discount to soy was at $267.22 a ton today after dropping to $253.44 a ton on June 27, the smallest since August.
Refined palm oil for January delivery fell 0.7 percent to close at 5,850 yuan ($954) a ton on the Dalian Commodity Exchange, while soybean oil for delivery in the same month lost 1.1 percent to end at 7,238 yuan.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Poole at email@example.com


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Maine-based Global Biotechnologies was raided by federal marshals Wednesday at the request of the US Food and Drug Administration. “The company has made claims on its website, in promotional materials, and on the products’ labels that its products can diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent human diseases,” said the FDA in a statement.
Seized products included Glucanol and Immunol—labeled for immune system support—Lactopril, which claims to help reduce “gastrointestinal inflammation associated with Crohn’s and IBS,” and Healthy Trac, which purports to lower cholesterol, blood glucose, and insulin levels, according to the FDA.
The FDA urged action after the Portland company failed to respond to a 2006 warning letter citing numerous infractions in the labeling of these supplements. A recent inspection of Global Biotechnologies manufacturing plant revealed that the company continued to make “illegal claims that cause their products to be misbranded as drugs,” according to the FDA. The agency added that no illnesses have been associated with any of the products.
Global Biotechnologies did not respond to a request for comment.


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The Obama Bounce & San Diego’s Cleantech Innovators, Zeebo Steps Onto A Global Stage, Hollis-Eden Axes Its Namesake Founder, & More SD BizTech News
It was a busy week for San Diego’s innovation economy, with reports on new products, new deals, and some insights into how startup companies can survive virtually. So read on!
—Zeebo, a new San Diego-based company, launched its game console, entering a multi-billion dollar industry dominated by the Wii, Xbox, and Playstation. Backed by Qualcomm, Zeebo uses a Qualcomm chipset that allows users to connect over a cellular network (instead of broadband or Wi-Fi) to purchase and download games—much like Amazon’s Kindle.
—The U.S. cleantech industry is said to be benefiting from an “Obama bounce,” based on the billions of dollars designated for renewable energy and cleantech spending in the federal economic stimulus package. So it seemed like a good time to put together a comprehensive list of San Diego cleantech companies.
—Pure Bioscience of El Cajon, CA, told Xconomy’s innovation journalism fellow, Juha-Pekka Tikka, the company expects hundreds of products based on Pure’s germ-killing agent, silver dihyrdogen citrate, to soon hit the market. Pure later announced it has found an Indian distributor to immediately begin marketing Enviroguard, a disinfectant cleaner, in India.
—A special committee of the board at San Diego’s Hollis-Eden Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: [[ticker: HEPH]]) fired founding CEO and namesake Richard Hollis for cause and named the company’s chief operating officer, James Frincke, as interim chief executive.
—During my recent stopover at San Diego’s DriveCam, CEO Brandon Nixon explained how the company, which began with a dashboard-mounted video recorder, has evolved into a data communications technology company.
—San Diego’s Arena Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ARNA) secured a $50 million equity financing commitment. The company did not disclose how it plans to use the proceeds from sales of its shares, which will take place at the company’s discretion over the next 18 months.
—Sofinnova Ventures partner and San Diego-based Trius Therapeutics CEO Jeff Stein told a Biocom audience last week that many venture capital firms are now taking a hard look at creating new companies around a virtual business model.
—The Salk Institute formed a collaborative partnership with global pharmaceutical giant Sanofi-Aventis that will provide additional funding for expanded work on stem cell research.
—Private telecommunications provider Carousel Industries of Exeter, R.I., has acquired San Diego’s Daycom Systems as part of a West Coast expansion. Financial terms were not disclosed.
—Stealthy startup Calixa Therapeutics announced that an early stage trial of its new antibiotic to fight pseudomonal infections appears encouraging enough to move to the next phase of testing.
—Luke reported that Cambridge, MA-based Biogen Idec, which operates a San Diego R&D center, is developing a way to make its best-selling drug for treating multiple sclerosis last longer in the bloodstream—and that could help its drug patent last longer in the market.
—Biogen’s Cambridge-based neighbor, Genzyme (NASDAQ: GENZ), which also has San Diego operations, is expecting results from a clinical trial of patients in an experimental gene therapy for peripheral artery disease. Luke reports the trial could show a single shot can help patients to walk without pain.


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RBI will go for another 0.25% rate hike in August MPC meeting; MSP hike to spur inflation: BNP Paribas
It said the price is higher than the RBI's medium-term target of 4 percent and the risks to inflation going forward are tilted on the 'upside'
Mumbai: Brokerage BNP Paribas on Friday said the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will go for another 0.25 percent hike in key policy rates at its August monetary policy review, a day after an official data showed retail inflation rising to a five-month high of 5 percent in June.
"Consumer price inflation points out to a hike in August," the French Brokerage said in a note, adding it expects the RBI to hike the repo rate by 0.25 percent to 6.5 percent.
It said the price is higher than the RBI's medium-term target of 4 percent and the risks to inflation going forward are tilted on the "upside".
The upside risks to the price rise come primarily from the hike in minimum support prices (MSP) for foodgrains procurement and also the hike in wages, it added.
"Even though the hike in MSP came in lower than what the brokerage initially expected, it will fan the inflation print," the brokerage said, estimating that the headline inflation will come at 4.5 percent for March 2019.
Apart from MSP, it said salary hikes for government employees, especially in the housing component, will lead to rise in the critical inflation number.
The RBI's rate-setting panel had hiked the repo rate by 0.25 percent at the June review. The central bank, however, had sticked to the neutral stance of the policy and
affirmed that its future actions will be data determinant.
The six-member monetary policy committee is slated to begin its three-day meet on rate review from 30 July and announce its resolution on 1 August.
Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison.


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‘Accelerated computing and generative AI have hit the tipping point. Demand is surging worldwide across companies, industries, and nations.’
This is what Nvidia Corp [NASDAQ:NVDA]’s CEO, said in a statement following his company’s latest quarterly results last Thursday.
Not according the numbers.
Analysts had predicted US$21.9 billion in revenue, which was already a tall order.
But Nvidia exceeded even these lofty expectations!
Highlights of the quarter were:
- Record quarterly revenue of US$22.1 billion, up 22% from Q3, up 265% from a year ago
- Record quarterly Data Center revenue of US$18.4 billion, up 27% from Q3, up 409% from a year ago
- Record full-year revenue of $60.9 billion, up 126%
The share price exploded 16% higher on the results.
And a whole host of brokers have upgraded their price targets.
Agree with this or not, Nvidia’s stunning revenue growth isn’t something you should ignore.
Its’s a sign that AI is real. That the demand for AI products is real. And that like it or not, an era of AI-led disruption is coming.
Which means, like the internet before it, how you position yourself, how you trade, and how you understand what’s really going on, is likely to sort the winners from the losers over the next decade.
It’s easy to scoff at statements like this.
But one thing I’ve learned in investing is that pessimists and sceptics rarely make money.
And while the sceptics continue to scoff at the valuations now being put onto AI companies like Nvidia, they’re missing the big picture behind all this.
Because this is a digital revolution.
And like any revolution, there will be blood, twists and turns, and drama in spades.
Speaking of drama…
Go woke, go broke?
One of generative AI’s coming superpowers is the ability to create images — and even film — from text-based instructions.
Last week, a new product release from OpenAI called Sora, astonished the world with how good it was.
Go here to see some examples of it in action.
I promise you’ll be amazed by it.
Remember, all these films were generated from simple text commands anyone could type in.
Hollywood film-makers are quaking in their boots!
As this tweet shows:
But it was a different AI model — Google’s Gemini project — which caused an even bigger stir last week.
And not in a good way…
You see, Gemini’s recently released text-to-image AI tool started throwing up some very interesting results.
For example, when asked to give an image of a Viking, it came up with this:
How about a picture of a Pope?
Do you see something that looks off?
I mean, as far as I know, there weren’t any black Vikings, nor has there ever been a female Pope.
What’s going on then?
Well, it appears that the model Google used to train its AI algorithm has been injected with a ‘diversity component.’
Someone even managed to get Google’s Gemini to leak its ‘prompt injection’ process:
While this kind of artistic license may be fine for a Hollywood film or a musical like Hamilton, it’s not great for what’s meant to be an independent AI tool that tries to provide objective facts.
The suspicion is that Google are injecting their own political bias into their AI.
And this week, the reaction against this has been extreme.
Wesley Yang, a widely followed author, wrote this:
And Elon Musk – who has a competing AI project called Grok — tweeted this:
Anyway, Google have clearly been stung by the attack and have tried to backtrack saying this was just a misunderstanding.
They’ve even paused image generation for now while they rectify the ‘problem’.
It could be too late in the publicity stakes game because the cat is well and truly out of the bag.
People are starting to question Google’s corporate bias. Which, as the world’s premier sorter of information, is a big problem.
As venture capitalist Marc Andreessen noted:
‘The danger of the incipient repressive AI oligopoly, enabled and supported by government regulatory capture, should be clear now. What is to be done about it?’
The two big issues of our lifetime, in my opinion, are control over information and control over money.
In my view, both should be decentralised as much as possible.
And free markets play a big role in this…
Remember Bud Light
Today, Google has a 90% market share in search. But issues like the above have opened a line of attack from competing products.
Right now, Microsoft and OpenAI are creating the tools to compete with Google on search.
For every percentage point of search advertising share Microsoft can pick up, they would generate US$2 billion in additional revenue.
And with Elon Musk’s Grok pitching itself as ‘the anti-woke’ AI alternative, Google could see some of its long-held revenue streams come under severe pressure in coming years.
Remember Bud Light?
After the famous beer company used a transgender model to advertise its product — a move that went entirely against the views of many of its customers — the company saw sales plummet.
Two decades of dominance in the light beer market came to an end six months later.
To be clear, I don’t think most people have an issue with transgender people.
And like most people, live and let live is my own personal credo.
But what people absolutely hate is having political views jammed down their throats.
Business is about selling products people want, not preaching your ideology to them.
Google and others in the AI world would be wise to remember that and heed the lessons of Bud Light…
Editor, Crypto Capital and Alpha Tech Trader


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FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – Back in 1964, the Ruiz family decided to make a change and start their own business in California.
“It was really a small operation working out of the family’s home and that’s really where it all started,” said Pete Mayadag, operations director at Ruiz Foods.
A small warehouse operation expanded to sell their products to local mom and pop grocery shops. Quickly, they became the nation’s leading distributor of frozen Mexican food.
One of their three manufacturing facilities is located in Florence.
“Really it’s been a growth and desire for the people in the east coast to have frozen Mexican food in the Monterey brand and Tornado brands,” said Mayadag.
The ‘El Monterey’ brand includes products such as burritos, tamales, empanadas and there’s more.
“The Tornado is taquito types. We have small taquitos, quesadillas and empanadas, those are the main products that we make,” said Tommy Pruitt, HR Manager at Ruiz Foods.
Instead of trying new ingredients and putting things together, Louis and Fred Ruiz had an idea to base their food around the recipes of Fred’s mother and include a special meaning for this company.
“The word Fred uses are that we have to support the children in our community, they’re our future and really those words resonate back when he and his dad started the business and they still resonate today,” said Mayadag.
Around town people might have heard of program such as Ruiz 4 kids and Ruiz cares, “Last year we were able to donate here in Florence $66,000 worth of scholarships to local students and in addition donated $19,000 worth of teacher grants to the community,” said Pruitt.
With years in the industry, the Ruiz family put a lot of effort to make sure there’s a positive presence in the community.
“The company provides funding for those types of contributions and our actual team members in the facility provide the volunteerism,” said Mayadag.
Ruiz Foods transitioned from a family business to a huge successful company, their story describing the American dream.
“It’s a sense of pride. Employees are proud to really wear the brands around town, they’re proud to see our brands out in the grocery stores and in the convenience story around town. Also being a part of a community that gives back and believe in giving back,” said Pruitt.


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Gionee has announced the availability of its E3 smartphone in India, one of the many from its upcoming Elife range, this series will boast of ultra sleek and stylish Android phones with the latest Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean OS. Gionee has been late to enter the Indian market but since launch they have produced some very affordable and quality handsets. The latest E3 smartphone comes with 4.7 inch IPS HD display with 312 PPi, it is powered by a 1.2 GHz Quad Core processor and measures just 7.9mm in thickness. Check out the full feature list after the jump.
Gionee E3 Hardware and Features
Pricing: Gionee E3 is priced at MRP 14,999 with two screen guards and a smartphone cover.
Check Out Related Posts:


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Columbia Business Monthly, Charleston Business Monthly and Greenville Business Monthly recently conducted a contest of its readers to determine which company provided the best office cleaning services? In this inaugural contest, the readers chose Palmetto Commercial Services in Columbia, SC, as the top provider of office cleaning services in the state for 2021. There were several finalists, but Palmetto Commercial Services was the only finalist that was not a franchise.
Palmetto Commercial Services was featured in all three of these publications in the January issue. The focus of the article was to highlight a business that was able to pivot during the COVID-19 pandemic. PCS was not only able to adapt quickly to the new environment, but was able to educate and reach a new customer base that previously was unaware of the sanitizing and disinfecting services it offers. The article also referred to PCS’s incredible business network to connect other companies with exceptional service providers. The Business Development Club, a group designed to help companies not only gain new customers but also to help them develop stronger strategies to help them succeed long-term, has been a huge asset to Palmetto Commercial Services and is a key reason PCS was able to transition so seamlessly during the pandemic. Other leads groups promote increased awareness which can lead to new sales, but helping a business develop goes well beyond the awareness factor.
The State Newspaper, located in Columbia, South Carolina, recently awarded Palmetto Commercial Services, the award for Best Cleaning Service for 2021. PCS also won this award, out of all cleaning companies, in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, making this the 5th consecutive year for cleaning services. This recognition came after a vote from The State Newspaper’s readers from cleaning companies of all types, not just commercial cleaning services. Palmetto Commercial Services generally works with other cleaning companies and refers work to companies who specialize in different types of cleaning, such as commercial kitchen cleaning, commercial carpet cleaning, stripping and waxing floors, medical cleaning, office cleaning, commercial deep cleaning, hood cleaning, pressure washing, crime scene cleaning, hoarding cleanup, bed bug cleaning, estate cleanouts, junk removal, etc. PCS takes a lot of pride in recommending other outstanding service providers in the areas it operates.
Palmetto Commercial Services was awarded the prestigious BBB Torch Award for Business Ethics in 2017 for the small business category. The BBB Torch Award recognizes business who excel in several areas of business. PCS was also named a finalist for the medium business category in 2020 and 2021. The winner of this award is compared with all other finalists in the respective categories, not just cleaning companies. Winners are not eligible for 3 years after winning, as to give other companies the chance to compete for this award. It is designed to judge companies on a variety of business skills and may vary from year to year.


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Posts Tagged ‘Kimco’
by Claude Solnik Published: June 21, 2013
Tags: Cablevision, CEO, Comtech Telecommunications, Economy, EisnerAmper, Executive Compensation Report, Finance, Hain Celestial, health food, Kimco, kosher food, New York Stock Exchange, Pall Corp., pay, salary, Slim-Fast, Voxx International, wages
Long Island’s best-paid CEOs are hanging around for a lot more than the perks.
by David Winzelberg Published: April 29, 2013
Tags: Breslin Realty, drinks, food, food industry, food-only, grocery, Grocery chains, Kimco, Neighborhood Market, Retail, shopping center, stores, Supermarket, superstores, Wal-Mart, Waldbaum's
Wal-Mart Stores will launch its Neighborhood Market concept in Levittown this summer, bringing the scaled-down, grocery-only shop to a former Waldbaums.
Kimco Realty Corp. said Wednesday it increased a public offering of common stock to 10 million shares and priced the shares at $37.10. The real estate investment trust said it expects to raise about $356.5 million from the offering. If underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional 1.5 million shares, granted by Kimco to cover [...]