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If you have been reading my posts for any length of time, you know that my biggest bug a boo is privacy. Second, of course, is security. In hopes that others will want to learn a little about privacy, I’ve searched the interwebs for some of the best articles out there right now about why online privacy on your electronic devices is important.
As Marsha Blackburn of US News and World Report says:
“Online privacy is an issue that continues to rightfully concern Americans. According to research by IBM, over ninety percent of the world’s data has been generated in the last two years alone. The explosion of smartphones and internet-connected devices has Americans utilizing online services to do everything from grocery shopping to tracking their health. However, increased reliance on online services has made Americans more conscious about how they share sensitive personal information…”
It’s important to remember that the onus is on you to keep your own data secure as these people who sued Facebook found out. They thought that once they had logged out of Facebook, it should not be able to track their browsing history. In this article, the Judge presiding over the case said no.
“Judge dismisses lawsuit accusing Facebook of tracking users’ activity, saying responsibility was on plaintiffs to keep browsing history private. …. US district judge Edward Davila in San Jose, California, dismissed the case because he said that the plaintiffs failed to show that they had a reasonable expectation of privacy or suffered any realistic economic harm or loss. …. Davila said that plaintiffs could have taken steps to keep their browsing histories private…”
And Alfred Ng reports in c|net that some of the bargain phones are sending info to a server in China.
“People have enough to worry about when it comes to privacy on their personal devices. Between government surveillance and security vulnerabilities, preinstalled software on the phone itself is an unexpected breach of both trust and privacy for millions of owners who are just looking for an inexpensive phone. ….. Having access to the command and control channel — a communications route between your device and a server — allowed Adups to execute commands as if it’s the user, meaning it could also install apps, take screenshots, record the screen, make calls and wipe devices without needing permission.”
Privacy has become such an issue that the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case later this year. This article in Reuters describes much of the case.
“The case reaches the high court amid growing scrutiny of the surveillance practices of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies amid concern among lawmakers across the political spectrum about civil liberties and police evading warrant requirements.
The legal fight has raised questions about how much companies protect the privacy rights of their customers. The big four wireless carriers, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint, receive tens of thousands of requests a year from law enforcement for what is known as “cell site location information,” or CSLI. The requests are routinely granted.
The Supreme Court has twice in recent years ruled on major cases concerning how criminal law applies to new technology, on each occasion ruling against law enforcement. In 2012, the court held that a warrant is required to place a GPS tracking device on a vehicle. Two years later, the court said police need a warrant to search a cellphone that is seized during an arrest.
Civil liberties lawyers have said that police need “probable cause,” and therefore a warrant, in order to avoid constitutionally unreasonable searches.”
Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PC’s for the past fifteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more on our website, or give us a call 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.
We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years. We like the free and fast shipping. With Prime we have access to online streaming too. Prime is usually $119/year, but you can get a free 30 day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


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Snowflake Scales ABM Strategy With Personalized Content Hubs For Target Accounts
Content remains king even in an ABM world. In fact, the stakes are even higher once companies narrow their focus on buying groups within specific accounts and brands are expected to deliver tailored content that is easily accessible.
Snowflake, a cloud-based data warehouse provider, developed personalized content hubs for target accounts based on stakeholder pain points, topics of interest shared with sales reps and challenges commonly impacting specific account verticals.
But while ABM initiatives are often suggested by marketing teams as an opportunity to scale, Snowflake’s ABM efforts began with the sales team looking to continue ongoing success.
“In the beginning, a handful of sales leadership drove company growth on their backs,” said Daniel Day, Director of Account-Based Marketing at Snowflake. “They wanted to scale that process and position sellers to achieve the same success as their [leaders].”
To accomplish this, Snowflake developed its “Top 100” program, in which each sales rep chose 100 accounts that would comprise of their “territory.” Ultimately, Day and his team were tasked with driving engagement at more than 2,500 accounts to accelerate the customer journey for the sales reps.
Day stated it was critical that both sales and marketing were aligned around the wants and needs of their target accounts to be relevant in their buying journey.
“Since we work so closely with our sales organization, we’re positioned to accomplish a variety of things from a messaging standpoint,” said Day. “We can home in on specific pain points they suffer from, focus on the tech they use, or on what their data initiatives are. Working with sales, we can build ABM programs to speak to those business challenges and how Snowflake can overcome those challenges.”
Day stated that these specific programs are tailored for an individual IT operations manager or business intelligence contact within target accounts. The messaging focused solely around the contact’s interests and needs in data lakes, data sharing and other topics pertaining to cloud-based data warehouses.
“We have an engine to measure that ABM success through Engagio, and we have a model around intent and model fit to choose accounts through tools such as EverString,” said Day. “We partner with Terminus for one-to-one display advertising and are confident we can get it front of the people that matter to us. However, there was not a location where IT operation contacts from these target accounts could engage with our content.”
To scale, Day and his team had to have a place to present their messaging and meet the expectations of their target audience. “It was time to have landing pages where we had relevant, rich content for that individual account,” said Day. “We had to create that one location to control the journey and provide the most personalized, relevant content.”
Building Personalized Content Hubs With Messaging Tailored To Account Needs
Snowflake tapped Uberflip to create personalized content hubs that can act as the landing page for the company’s targeted display advertising efforts, as well as for follow-up content after conversations with sales reps.
Some examples of specific content hubs that Snowflake has created include:
- A partnership hub with their BI partner Tableau, where they provide content pertaining to the two solutions and their approaches to business intelligence that would be relevant to accounts that are current Tableau customers; and
- Bespoke instances of tailoring content covers and titles with target account names and logos.
To gather the insight required to make accurate decisions on what content to display in these hubs, the company turns to a variety of data points found in their Salesforce CRM, and tools such as DiscoverOrg and ZoomInfo. More importantly, the sales reps assigned to the accounts are expected to add additional insights.
“Sales reps have to be deeply involved,” said Day. “They can share specific details about conversations on challenges and topics of interest that are valuable to key contacts.”
Snowflake also creates programs called Intent Clusters, in which Day and his team bucket 20 intent topics together with help from Bombora. “We can see how accounts respond to these multiple intent topics and use that engagement to decide content that would resonate with a given account,” said Day. “This helps us understand suggested content for contacts at accounts we haven’t engaged with that much. Uberflip helps us understand who is consuming what, and we prioritize accounts tied together with account clusters to get a bigger picture of what’s going on.”
Day stated that adopting this process for sharing personalized messaging with target accounts has led to his team being able to create hubs for specific contacts in target accounts in 10 to 15 minutes. “It originally took five to six days to create these pages even having all the content at our disposal,” he added.
Day also contributes the success of his display advertising efforts — close to a 150% increase in ad conversion — to these content hubs. “We wouldn’t do this one-to-one targeting and messaging with display ads at scale unless we had these content experiences.”

domain: news


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"GOTHAM KNIGHTS" content on TweakTown - Page 1
We found 14 items for the tag: GOTHAM KNIGHTS
Gotham Knights locked to 30 FPS on PS5, a system that can do 120FPS
Warner Bros. Montreal confirms Gotham Knights is locked to 30FPS on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles...two systems that can hit 120FPS in games.
Gotham Knights shockingly won't have microtransactions
Warner Bros Games, who is known for microtransaction games, isn't infusing in-game cosmetic microtransactions into Gotham Knights.
Gotham Knights is PS5, Xbox Series X/S exclusive, skipping last-gen
WB's next Batman game is an action-RPG with four characters, lots of combat and loot, and it's skipping last-gen consoles.
Sony may have leaked new Gotham Knights multiplayer features
Sony may have accidentally leaked a new major feature coming to Warner Bros. Montreal's ambitions-open world Gotham Knights game.
New Batman multiplayer game Gotham Knights coming October 2022
Warner Bros. Montreal's new co-op multiplayer Batman game Gotham Knights finally gets a release date for the holiday 2022 quarter.
WarnerMedia re-iterates Gotham Knights, Hogwarts Legacy 2022 launch
WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar re-iterates 2022 launches for Gotham Knights and Hogwarts Legacy, but they could still get delayed.
Court of Owls casts a shadow on Gotham in new Gotham Knights trailer
The enigmatic and sinister Court of Owls debuts in this recently released Gotham Knights trailer, exposing the shadowy faction.
New Suicide Squad, Batman-less Gotham Knights footage coming soon
Warner Bros' new DC Fandome is back and will showcase new Suicide Squad and Gotham Knights gameplay footage this October.
New Batman Gotham Knights game delayed to 2022
Gotham Knights, WB's new Batman game sans-Batman, won't release in 2021 and has been delayed to an unannounced 2022 date.
New Batman Gotham Knights game: Everything you need to know
WB Montreal's new Batman Gotham Knights game is essentially a soft reboot of the Arkham series, complete with two-player co-op.
Batman is dead in new WB Montreal's new Gotham Knights game
Batman is dead. Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, and Red Hood must take over the mantle. The Court of Owls reigns in the shadows.
New Batman Gotham Knights game teases Two-Face's return
WB Montreal teases more of its new Batman Gotham Knights game, this time confirming a new faction and updating cryptic map teaser.
WB Montreal's new Batman Gotham Knights game reveal set for August 22
Warner Bros. Montreal will finally reveal its big new Batman game next week in a big 20 minute Q&A panel with developers.
New Batman Gotham Knights game domain confirms multiple protagonists
The name of WB Montreal's new Batman game has been revealed ahead of schedule, and confirms multiple playable protagnists.


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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Democrats led by Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday unveiled a draft bill that would legalize, regulate, and tax cannabis at the federal level.
Authored by Schumer, Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, released as a “discussion draft” and not a formally introduced bill, proposes removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act altogether, not merely reclassifying the substance in a less-restrictive category. The proposal also calls for immediate expungement of non-violent cannabis-related federal criminal records and earmarking new tax revenues for social justice efforts in communities most impacted by the drug war.
Although Booker said the discussion draft aims to “finally turn the page on this dark chapter in American history and begin righting these wrongs” and Wyden serves as chairman of the powerful Finance Committee, legislation is unlikely to see action in the Senate anytime soon. Most Republicans staunchly oppose almost any measure introduced by their colleagues across the aisle, and even Democrats harbor reservations about abandoning prohibition due to lingering stereotypes and stigma. However, legislators across the spectrum undoubtedly realize legalization is a popular issue with voters, 68 percent of whom support federal action according to a November 2020 Gallup poll.
The cannabis industry and advocates hailed the discussion draft as a significant milestone in the quest for legitimacy and a sign prohibition’s days are numbered.
“We view this historic bill as an essential step toward righting decades of inequitable wrongs,” said Steve Hawkins, chief executive officer for the U.S. Cannabis Council and executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project. “We implore Congress to consider the importance of this moment. In looking at the eight states that have legalized cannabis since the election last November, it’s clear that ending federal cannabis prohibition is the will of the American people. We should no longer delay.”
Resource Innovation Institute Executive Director Derek Smith said, “This is a strong first step in long-awaited, sensible federal regulation and a hopeful milestone toward broader national restorative justice efforts.”
According to Global Alliance for Cannabis Commerce President Rezwan Khan, “Leader Schumer is doing exactly that: leading the way for a better path forward for the millions of Americans — from consumers to employees and businesses — affected by cannabis prohibition. The time for members of the House and Senate to end prohibition is this Congress.”
Some remarked, again, about federal legalization’s potential impact on commerce.
“The introduction of legislation that would federally decriminalize cannabis would have implications far beyond banking,” said Wana Brands founder and CEO Nancy Whiteman. “For starters, it will expand the opportunities for minority populations that have been disproportionately targeted during the War on Drugs. Federal decriminalization would also enable manufacturing and then shipping across state lines. Supply chains will become more efficient and cost-effective, as plants would be grown in appropriate outdoor climates and other materials could be sourced across markets.”
Leaf Trade Chief Revenue Officer Michael Piermont remarked, “The general public and a consensus of health experts have long agreed cannabis is not the harmful substance as it is currently defined by the decades-long war on drugs. Now, with the introduction of this legislation, we finally will have a chance to see more scientific research into cannabis, more investment opportunities for legal businesses operating in the industry, and — perhaps most importantly — criminal reform that will no longer disproportionately discriminate against people of color.”
Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical cannabis, and nineteen have legalized recreational use. The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act would free individuals and businesses from the fear of federal prosecution for possession, use, and sale although states would be allowed to establish their own rules


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NFT and blockchain gaming has raised over $2 billion in 2022, report says
A new financial report shows that despite the crypto and NFT market crash companies are not deterred from investing in the technology in the gaming space and have spent billions in investments.
Cryptocurrency and NFTs became household names 2021 as the marketplace for both exploded in value with the rise of blockchain technology.
While tons of companies scrambled to figure out how to incorporate blockchain technology and cash in, including video game publishers, in May 2022, the entire market for crypto and NFTs completely collapsed.
Despite the market has not picked up since the crash, investments into the gaming space for NFT and blockchain technology-based games continue to soar.
Report shows billions invested in NFT gaming
The new report comes from DrakeStar, a global technology investment bank, and revealed just how much NFT and blockchain companies have raised in the first half of 2022.
“More than $2.2 billion was raised by private blockchain & NFT gaming companies with over half of total amount raised by early-stage companies.”
Of the staggering amount, here the following companies made the largest investments: Animoca Brands, Shima Capital, and FTX.
The report also noted that the $2.2 billion amount represented half of all financing deals in the gaming space.
Clearly, the massive crash of the NFT and crypto market hasn’t deterred big companies from putting enormous investments into the technology within the gaming space. How their investments will shake out will interesting to monitor.


text: Investors could benefit from buying Ford Motor shares going forward, according to Morgan Stanley. Analyst Adam Jonas, who is widely followed on Wall Street, upgraded the automaker to overweight from equal weight, reiterating his price target of $14 per share. That target implies upside of 13.2% from Tuesday's close of $12.36. Ford shares rose 1% in the premarket. Ford shares have been under pressure recently, losing 18.5% over the past month, after the company warned in late September of an extra $1 billion in supply chain costs for the third quarter. Ford also said that supply issues have led to shortages affecting 40,000 to 45,000 vehicles . "3Q profits warning coupled with macro concerns have resulted in a decline in buy-side expectations and sharp pull-back in shares. Ford shares trade at approximately 8x our normalized EPS forecast of $1.50," Jonas wrote. However, he also said that this pullback could be a buying opportunity for investors. "Potentially favorable idiosyncratic development regarding the company's restructuring (creation of Ford Blue and Ford Model e) has the potential to better align the growth and capex needs of the EV business with a more favorable cost of capital," Jonas said, adding that the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act could boost Ford's U.S. electric vehicle business. Elsewhere in the auto space, Jonas lowered his price target on General Motors to $30 per share from $42 and reiterated his equal weight rating on the stock. The new target is 17.3% above Tuesday's close of $35.80. The analyst noted that, while GM hasn't issued a similar warning as Ford, the latter's move "is likely to be a bellwether event for the industry." — CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report.


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Wall Street economists are anxiously awaiting Wednesday's FOMC meeting.Marketsread more
Normally, when the Fed starts loosening policy it does so amid clear-cut signs of economic weakness.Economyread more
With bold and targeted steps, economists say, government can increase opportunity and incomes for many more people in ways that strengthen, not weaken, American capitalism.Politicsread more
CNBC's Jim Cramer connects the dots by reasoning that if the president were to act he would pick a replacement for Powell that would do his bidding.Economyread more
Shoppers are "very nuanced in their expectations," Ron Johnson, the former CEO of J.C. Penney and the former senior vice president of Apple's retail division, said at CNBC's...Evolveread more
Beyond Meat has blown up. The plant-based meat company is now larger than 80 S&P 500 companies, including Macy's, Xerox and Mylan.Trading Nationread more
We've been given plenty of reasons to quit Facebook, including a new report that alleges disgusting working conditions at a company, Cognizant, it uses to employ contractors....Technologyread more
This just might be Fed Chair Jerome Powell's toughest meeting yet, because whatever the outcome, odds are high that it will disappoint a large group.Market Insiderread more
More and more American firms are calling for the Trump administration to resolve its conflict with China.World Economyread more
These are the stocks posting the largest moves midday.Market Insiderread more
Facebook is leading the FANG stocks this year, and Miller Tabak's Matt Maley foresees more upside.Trading Nationread more
Wal-Mart is doing a lot of things right, but it should spend its money on other things rather than buying back more stock, former Wal-Mart U.S. CEO Bill Simon told CNBC on Tuesday.
The big-box retailer unveiled a $20 billion share repurchase program on Tuesday morning. The new authorization will be used over a two-year period, the company said.
"It sort of suggests to me that their growth options are becoming more limited. Most companies look for the opportunity to grow with their excess cash before they return it," Simon said in an interview with "Closing Bell. "
He said Wal-Mart's top line and operating income both peaked in 2015.
"I'd like to see them spend that cash, that capital on growth opportunities and move it forward," he said.
Another issue is ownership of the company, with the Walton family now owning more than 50 percent, he pointed out.
"The more they buy back the bigger that gets. They're great people, but it sort of puts the minority shareholders in a difficult place," Simon said.
Shares of Wal-Mart soared after news of the buyback and the retailer's decision to redesign its website. The stock closed more than 4 percent higher on Tuesday.
David Trainer, CEO of New Constructs, said Wal-Mart's stock is "easily" worth 30 percent more than where it is trading right now.
He agreed that investing in growing the business is always good if the company has the opportunity and that Wal-Mart's move to buy back shares potentially signals it doesn't have that opportunity.
However, "at least they're being smart with their capital," he said in an interview with "Closing Bell."
"It's a very profitable business, and they're poised to do really well," he said. "When your stock is cheap it's OK to buy back stock."
Wal-Mart did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Simon's remarks.
— CNBC's Lauren Thomas contributed to this report.


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The world's oldest Rolls-Royce owners club, the 20-Ghost Club, assembled a spectacular lineup of 20 vintage cars from the brand at its HQ this week as it welcomed in the latest iteration of the Ghost model.
The club is devoted exclusively to pre-1940 Rolls-Royces and all cars, including a Rolls-Royce 20/25, Silver Ghost, Phantom I and Phantom II travelled to the Goodwood factory under their own power.
One of the cars in the group, a 1920 Silver Ghost with an open drive Limousine Body by HJ Mulliner, had a remarkable 100th birthday celebration at the event too. The car, owned by its current keepers since 2011, has completed over 17,000 miles since then, mainly on 20-Ghost Club tours.
As well as enjoying a socially distanced picnic lunch, guests were treated to a glimpse of the new Ghost just three days after its global reveal, and ahead of its full public debut.
"It is always a delight to welcome the 20-Ghost Club to our Home here at Goodwood," said Andrew Ball, head of heritage, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. "As the oldest Rolls-Royce car club in existence, they’re a very special part of the wider Rolls-Royce family and play a crucial role in maintaining our unique heritage.
"It was the Silver Ghost that first earned Rolls-Royce the accolade of 'the best car in the world' – and with new Ghost, we’re upholding and strengthening that reputation.
"When you see the earliest and latest models together you realise just how far advanced the original cars were, in terms of design technology and bespoke capabilities. Our new Ghost remains true to the original car’s founding principles of effortlessness, excellence and serenity."
The latest Ghost replaces the company's best selling car from its 116-year history and is the result of a complete redesign, built upon an aluminium spaceframe and is powered by a 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 engine that sends power to all four wheels, all of which are steered as well. Only the Spirit of Ecstasy bonnet emblem and the door-mounted umbrellas remain from the outgoing model.


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Justin Linproduction banner, perfect storm Entertainment has formed a joint venture with (art)ificial, the art & technology studio behind the NFT SF collection. galaxy eggwhere the two companies share full fundamental rights. galaxy egg Saga.in that franchise galaxy egg, galaxy warrior and coming soon galaxy genesis As co-owner and co-producer of the series, Perfect Storm will also be able to explore cross-platform franchise opportunities, build universes, and pioneer new ways to create and release content. Andrew Schneider will oversee the project for Perfect Storm.
This deal is unique for a production company as historically NFTs are created from established IP. This is different as PSE and (artificial) facials are reverse engineering of that process. Their intention to be the first company to build a Hollywood franchise out of original NFT art.
Created by artist Gal Burkan and designed by Bob and Gilli Gillik. galaxy egg is the first community-driven Web3 SF universe based on NFTs. The saga explores a future where humans and AI intersect, raising philosophical questions. This collection was released in his September 2021 and sold out in minutes.Sequel planning galaxy warrior Released in January 2022, it again sold out quickly.
Lynn and Schneider said: “Gal, Mr. Bob and Gilli Gillik have created an entire immersive digital universe. Our goal is to create a franchise inspired by Gal’s artwork from the ground up.”
The first collaboration between PSE and (art)ificial, galaxy genesis Collection: A limited set of 1/1 sci-fi art pieces. galaxy egg Saga.Additionally, the team is also working on the graphics galaxy egg NFT novel.
“This is an amazing vote of confidence for the Galaxy Eggs brand,” says Barkan, the artist behind the collection. “The team of Justin Lin and Perfect Storm is phenomenal and I can’t think of a better partner to join them on this journey and build the Galaxy Egg franchise.”


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Barr Soft Drinks has launched three new full-sugar variants of KA, the UK’s No.1 Caribbean soft drink.
The introduction of Tropical Krush, Strawberry Soda and Citrus Punch flavours is designed to drive further shopper demand for the KA carbonates range, which is now worth over £15 million (IRI) and showing “impressive growth” year on year.
The new flavours will be supported by a year-long brand investment, including a partnership with online media platform GRM Daily, which is at the ‘epicentre’ of Black British music culture. The new partnership, which will include an online advertising campaign, is expected to reach nearly seven million consumers.
Adrian Troy, marketing director at Barr Soft Drinks, says: “KA is already known for its powerful and bold flavours and has a strong base of loyal shoppers. This NPD has been created with the same passion for vibrant flavours, and is free from artificial sweeteners, which will help retailers to really drive the brand in store and tap into incremental sales within full-sugar carbonates, which are currently worth £7.7 million in convenience (IRI).
“We are excited to be working with GRM Daily on the launch of our new full-sugar range for KA,” Troy continues. “Not only does the platform continue to deepen the brand’s connection to our core drinkers, but it also reaches out to a wider audience in a relevant and authentic way. The partnership will be key to raising awareness and stirring up excitement surrounding the new flavours.”
Currently, 83% of KA’s sales are driven through independent and symbol stores, and the brand attracted more than 135,000 new shoppers in 2020 (IRI), highlighting a profit opportunity for convenience retailers looking to add something exciting to their soft drinks fixture.
All three flavours performed well in consumer research, and particularly well amongst existing KA consumers. The products are available in 79p price-marked 330ml cans, 24 to a case, and Barr has a range of impactful brand PoS that retailers can use to signpost the NPD.
Barr recommends that retailers merchandise the new KA full sugar flavours next to the KA core sparkling range in the chiller.Published Date: January 19, 2021


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The managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reportedly said that investors should not completely pull out of crypto after the collapse of cryptocurrency terra (LUNA) and stablecoin terrausd (UST).
IMF Chief Has a Message for Crypto Investors After the Collapse of LUNA, UST
Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), discussed cryptocurrency at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos Monday.
She urged people not to completely shun crypto after the recent collapse of algorithmic stablecoin terrausd (UST) and cryptocurrency terra (LUNA), Bloomberg reported. The IMF managing director was quoted as saying:
I would beg you not to pull out of the importance of this world … It offers us all faster service, much lower costs, and more inclusion, but only if we separate apples from oranges and bananas.
The IMF chief stressed that it is the responsibility of regulators worldwide to put up protective measures and adequately educate investors on the risks of crypto assets.
She pointed out that there are many different types of crypto assets with varying risk levels, emphasizing that there’s a big difference between stablecoins that are backed by cash and algorithmic stablecoins, like LUNA.
The less there is backing it, the more you should be prepared to take the risk of this thing blowing up in your face.
IMF Chief Says Stablecoins Not Backed by Assets Will Eventually Fall to Pieces
Georgieva further discussed stablecoins during a panel moderated by CNBC in Davos Monday. “When we look at stablecoins, this is the area where the big mess happened. If a stablecoin is backed with assets, one to one, it is stable,” she said, elaborating:
When it is not backed with assets, but it is promised to deliver 20% return, it’s a pyramid … What happens to pyramids? … They eventually fall to pieces.
What do you think about the comments by IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva? Let us know in the comments section below.
Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services, or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article.


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The DEA has contested this by saying all CBD oil is illegal and marijuana. After coming under fire, they back stepped, and said that any cannabinoid derived from the flowers of the cannabis plant is marijuana and illegal under federal law. The mature stalks of cannabis plants are not covered under marijuana’s definition in The Control Substances Act. As long your CBD oil is derived from the stalks, your oil is legal.
Since the loosening of legal policy around cannabis and the growing evidence in support of its health benefits, CBD oil has become an integral part of a lot of peoples supplement stack, used as a recovery aid by helping to improve sleep and reduce exercise-induced inflammation. Personally, I’ve been taking it for a few weeks have felt real, tangible improvements in my sleep quality.
CBD vaporizer oils can be used in a vaporizer of your choice. They offer a healthy way of inhaling your daily dose of the CBD supplement. Vaping is also a very direct way of ingesting CBD oil because the CBD compounds are absorbed very quickly through the lungs. CBD vape oil comes in convenient pre-filled CBD vape cartridges that connect easily with standard vaporizer batteries, as well as CBD vape liquid that can be used to fill the tanks of liquid-compatible vaporizers.
CBD oil has become increasingly popular and accepted in the mainstream in recent years, but there are still laws and regulations that must be followed. By having a better understanding of the laws that govern cannabidiol oil both in the U.S. and abroad, online merchants can avoid any regulatory issues and grow their businesses in a safe, legal way.
But because all these products are illegal according to the federal government, cannabis advocates are cautious. “By and large, the federal government is looking the other way,” says Paul Armentano, deputy director of the Washington, DC–based National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), but until federal laws are changed, “this administration or a future one could crack down on people who produce, manufacture, or use CBD, and the law would be on its side.”
Perhaps the most enjoyable way to take CBD is through CBD edibles. CBD edibles are food products that have been infused with hemp-derived CBD. Generally, CBD edibles contain a lower serving, usually 5 to 10 mg of CBD each, allowing you to easily increase or decrease your intake based on your individual wellness needs. CBD edibles come in the form of delicious CBD gummies and bite-sized CBD energy chews.
It’s important to remember, though, that these areas of study are still very new and in their early stages. This makes it hard to predict just how far their reach and impact will be. Combined with lifestyle and dietary changes, prescribed cannabinoid use will very likely be a pivotal intervention in the future of obesity and diabetes management and recovery.
Is CBD Legal? Marijuana-derived CBD products are illegal on the federal level, but are legal under some state laws. Hemp-derived CBD products (with less than 0.3 percent THC) are legal on the federal level, but are still illegal under some state laws. Check your state's laws and those of anywhere you travel. Keep in mind that nonprescription CBD products are not FDA-approved, and may be inaccurately labeled.
If you live in a state where CBD is legal for your condition, it’s best to buy it from a state-regulated dispensary. But even there, oversight is uneven. “I feel safe being a cannabis consumer in Colorado, since the state tracks everything from seed to sale, but I didn’t the first few years after cannabis became legal,” when the rules were still taking shape, says Robyn Griggs Lawrence, the Boulder author of The Cannabis Kitchen Cookbook, which features recipes for cannabis edibles.
ShredCBD’s offering, is pretty solid. A massive 1200mg of isolate in 60 capsules, making this the best way to get a good amount of CBD into your diet. CBD isolate isn’t full spectrum CBD, so it might be for everyone. But there is minimal THC in each capsule and zero side effects, it’s a completely safe bet and one that also supports weight loss whilst coming with all the usual effects of CBD.
Scott Shannon, MD, assistant clinical professor at the University of Colorado, recently sifted through patient charts from his four-doctor practice to document CBD’s effects on anxiety. His study, as yet unpublished, found “a fairly rapid decrease in anxiety scores that appears to persist for months,” he says. But he says he can’t discount a placebo effect, especially since “there’s a lot of hype right now.”
But isn’t that because we are more willing to break our laws? Think about it. Saudi Arabia, for example, has much stricter laws than we do governing every aspect of life. Why aren’t they and countries like them the #1 incarcerators? I’m thinking either because their citizens are more law abiding by nature or are just plain scared of the barbaric punishments.


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Budget 2021: New business rate relief to help hospitality recover
The Chancellor of the Exchequor has unveiled a new 50% business rate relief for the retail and hospitality sector to help business hardest hit by the pandemic.
In today’s budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that retail, hospitality and leisure sector would be able to claim a 50% discount on their bills up to £110,000 maximum for a year.
The tax cut worth £1.7 billion would benefit pubs, music venues, cinemas, restaurants. He pointed that, taken in conjunction with the existing small business relief, more than 90% of hospitality, retail and leisure businesses would see a discount of “at least 50%”.
“Apart from the Covid relief bill, this is the biggest single tax year cut to business tax in over 30 year,” Sunak told the House of Commons.
As part of a wider cut to business rates amounting to £7 billion, this would help to “unleash the dynamic and creativity of British businesses with a simpler, fairer and more competitive tax system,” he added.
However, Kate Nicholls, CEO of UK Hospitality said that as the business rates relief would be capped at £110k per company, that was the maximum that the rates bill can reduce. “While it will benefit many smaller businesses, this will limit the impact for larger premises and multi site businesses,” she said.
She applauded the Chancellor reform and simplification of excise duties but said that “we need that ambition brought to business rates. Moving from 5 to 3 year revaluations doesn’t really count as ‘root and branch reform’ as set out in 3 manifestos.”
She also highlighted that the big increase in the National Minimum Wage, amounting to 10% for 21-22 yr olds to £9.18, 12% for apprenticeship rates and youth rates for 16-20 year olds both rising by 4.1% would be a big increase for the hospitality sector where wages account for over half of all operating costs.


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The price outlook for fed and feeder cattle prices has improved over the past month.
First, beef production during the first half of 2017 will be lower than earlier anticipated. Second, offshore North American beef demand has strengthened in Southeast Asia due to lower exports from Australia. Third, Canadian exports of fed cattle and beef products will remain strong through the first half of 2017 due to lower U.S. imports from Australia and New Zealand. Finally, the weaker Canadian dollar and strong U.S. greenback continue to support Canadian export volumes.
Alberta packers were buying fed cattle in the range of $153 to $155 in mid-December, which was up nearly 20 per cent from the yearly lows back in September. Wholesale beef prices are percolating higher, encouraging the year-over-year increase in weekly slaughter levels. At the same time, we’re seeing a softening of retail beef prices, which has increased purchases at the meat counter.
Margins throughout the beef production pipeline are coming back in line with traditional levels. Feedlot margins are now in positive territory with Alberta breakeven pen closeouts near $145. Given the positive margin structure, feedlots have been more aggressive on feeder cattle purchases in an effort to recoup some of the losses over the past year. Larger-frame Simmental-based steers averaging 550 pounds were trading for $197 in central Alberta, while Charolais-cross steers just over 600 pounds traded for $187 in the same region during mid December.
Feed grain prices remain under pressure given the larger production of Canadian feed barley and feed wheat. A burdensome U.S. corn situation along with a sharp increase in South American corn production will continue to weigh on world feed grain prices.
U.S. fourth-quarter beef production will finish sharply above year-ago levels, however the USDA lowered production estimates for the first half of 2017 (see chart at top). Lower feedlot placements during the fall along with minor downward revisions for expected carcass weights have drastically altered the supply situation.
First-quarter beef production is estimated at 6.165 billion pounds. Second-quarter beef production is projected to finish near 6.29 billion pounds, which is down from earlier projections of 6.6 billion pounds. The futures market is now starting to factor in a risk premium due to these lower production estimates. Pork production during the second quarter will also be at a seasonal low so the overall red meat price structure for the second quarter of 2017 is not bearish, but rather has a mildly friendly sentiment. The main point is that the production fundamentals for the first half of 2017 are not bearish from current levels but rather point to higher prices.
However, beware during the third and fourth quarters of 2017. Feedlot operators will want to hedge their fall production in late March or early April because the futures markets will turn over during this time. Fed cattle prices have potential to make seven-year lows next fall given the surge in beef and pork production.
The feeder cattle outlook for the first four months of 2017 is also quite positive given the healthy margin structure of finishing feedlots. However, the feeder market may start to turn lower in late April and May of 2017 as the market factors in a surge of third-quarter beef production. Next spring, cow calf producers will likely want to take some protection on their fall 2017 marketings because the latter half of 2017 will experience sharply lower fed and feeder cattle prices compared.


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NIO (NYSE: NIO) is a Chinese automobile manufacturer headquartered in Shanghai, specialized in designing and developing electric vehicles. The company is also involved in the FIA Formula E Championship.
NIO has announced its creation of a battery asset management company that will launch in August, dedicated to BaaS (Battery as a Service) products, Pandaily.com reports. NIO is seeking a raise in funds for the newly founded company. Among potential investors is Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), China’s largest automotive lithium-ion battery maker. The new company is expected to take over NIO’s power battery assets.
Li Bin, chairman and CEO said, “NIO’s battery service business model of rechargeable, replaceable, upgradeable, and vehicle electricity separation (BaaS) has made remarkable progress. NIO will gradually achieve the full separation of vehicles and electricity in the third quarter under the new national policy”.
On April 23, China’s Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and other departments jointly issued a new subsidy policy for the promotion and application of electric vehicles, supporting the development of new business models, adopting the separation of vehicles and electricity. NIO is said to be the only domestic EV firm qualified to receive the subsidy. Up to now, NIO has built 137 battery swap stations, covering 61 cities in China.


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AT&T officials stunned the tech world when they announced the deal March 20, just 48 hours before the wireless industry's largest trade show of the year. The deal, if approved, will drastically affect the plans of many companies gathered at CTIA to show off their latest devices.
"The proposed transaction that was just announced,"Julius Genachowski, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, told the audience during his keynote. "I'm not going to comment on that."
The audience laughed. The FCC is one of the regulatory bodies that will have to review the proposed AT&T deal.
Instead, Genachowski focused on unleashing more spectrum, calling this "a national priority." Suggesting that wireless helps drive innovation, he added: "If we don't innovate in the private sector and government, we risk letting big opportunities pass us by."
In the meantime, he added, the spectrum-squeeze issue facing the United States is critical. Everything from cars to health-care applications would eventually benefit from tighter integration with wireless technology, predicted Sprint CEO Dan Hesse during his keynote.Like the FCC chairman, Hesse called out the need for more spectrum for wireless devices, referring to it as the air "that gives our industry life and growth."
The keynote sessions also featured Jim Kramer, host of CNBC's "Mad Money," hosting a round-table with the wireless industry's biggest CEOs: Hesse, Verizon Wireless' Daniel Mead, and AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets President and CEO Ralph de la Vega.
The AT&T leader suggested the "need for additional spectrum" helped drive the deal with T-Mobile. "Few things in life grow 8,000 percent over four years," he said, before adding that the potential acquisition "helps alleviate the crunch by allowing the networks to be combined and more efficiently utilize that spectrum."
For more, read the eWeek article AT&T, T-Mobile Deal Dominates Day 1 at CTIA 2011.
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Just how much of a Taco Bell are fan are you? Enough to plunk down some money to pre-order a secret new menu item before it’s even released?
Taco Bell announced Monday that you can buy its secret and “highly anticipated” mashup before it goes on sale nationwide. It’s so secret in fact that its pitchmen, NBA player James Harden and Texas attorney Bryan Wilson, don't know what's being sold.
And to build buzz around the gimmick, the fast food chain won’t be revealing the item until its 30-second spot during Super Bowl 50.
Diners can place orders at its website ($2.99 per, maximum order of five) and pick them up Saturday, two days before the rest of America can chow down.


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INTIN has displayed O'VIEW Air, a multi-therapy device which measures temperature-humidity and fine dust concentration, ㅑn front of 150 guests in the industry and foreign media at the event MIK Innovation Night 2019 on January 10, which was held during CES 2019, the world's largest technology exhibition in Las Vegas, USA.
Convenient diagnostic technology of INTIN provides a self-diagnostic medical device to solve daily health management problems.
The temperature-humidity and fine dust concentration measuring device, which had its debut through this show, is portable and manageable in use because of its compact size and intuitive interface.
O'VIEW M, a smart self-sperm testing device, can measure the number of active sperms under the standard of WHO, and it does not only have an algorithm of best sperm movement in the world but also Android and IOS service.
AVING NEWS and GMEG, a global company specializing in MICE have planned together and co-hosted MIK Innovation Hot Spot. MIK Innovation Hot Spot is made as the global project zone to give boost to startups in Korea to enter the global market. With the space provided for exhibition and pitching, it runs various programs and parties. They also hosted their first global network event MIK Innovation Night in Las Vegas.
2019 CES is an innovative place where the tech companies that will be leading fourth industrial revolution future are attending.
The following are the topics of CES: 3D Printing, Accessibility, Advertising, Marketing, Content and Entertainment, AR/VR and Gaming, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Audio and Video, Baby Tech, CES Sports Zone, Country Pavilions, Design & Source Showcase, Digital Money, Drones, Enterprise Solutions, Eureka Park, Family and Kids Tech, Fitness, Health and Wellness, High-Tech Retailing, Home Cinema, IoT Infrastructure, iProducts, Resilience, Self-Driving Technology, Sleep Tech, Smart Cities, Smart Home, Sports Tech, Tourism, Vehicle Technology, Wearables, Wireless Devices and Services.
→ Go to 'CES 2019 MIK INNOVATION HOT SPOT & MIK NIGHT' news special page
→ MIK INNOVATION HOT SPOT SHOW MAGAZINE


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SAN DIEGO (AP) — Diabetes drug maker Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. said Thursday that sales of its new drug Bydureon totaled $6.9 million in the first quarter, missing analysts' estimates.
Amylin took a larger quarterly loss because of the end of its development and marketing partnership with Eli Lilly and Co. The company reported greater marketing and research and development costs, and sales of its older drug Byetta also decreased.
Bydureon is a once-per-week injection intended to treat Type 2 diabetes. It contains the same ingredient as Byetta, which is taken twice a day. European Union regulators approved Bydureon in June, and the Food and Drug Administration cleared it in late January after several years of delays. Amylin developed and marketed the drugs with Lilly, but the companies agreed to end their partnership in November.
Analysts expected Bydureon sales to reach $9.5 million during the quarter, according to a FactSet survey of five analysts.
Amylin agreed to pay Lilly $250 million and it is taking full responsibility for marketing Byetta and Bydureon. The company said its sales and administrative expenses jumped 71 percent to $110.3 million in the first quarter as it hired more sales staff and launched Bydureon. Research and development costs grew 22 percent to $51.2 million.
Also, in the first quarter of 2011 the company received $59.9 million in profit-sharing from Eli Lilly.
Amylin said it lost $99 million, or 66 cents per share, for the period, missing the average Street estimate of 30 cents per share, according to FactSet. In the first quarter of 2011 it lost $37.3 million, or 26 cents per share. Total revenue edged up to $153.7 million from $152.7 million but also fell short of the consensus estimate of $162.2 million. Sales of Byetta fell 6 percent to $120.6 million, and sales of the company's other diabetes treatment, Symlin, rose to $23.1 million from $22.8 million.
Shares of Amylin Pharmaceuticals dipped 42 cents to $25.78 in midday trading. The stock has more than doubled in the year to date.


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Australia Post today announced an expanded relationship with the world’s biggest online retailer, Alibaba, to strengthen trade between Australian businesses and millions of consumers across South-East Asia.
The partnership will involve extending Australia Post online storefronts beyond China to Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, creating a powerful online platform for Australian businesses to sell products across the region.
The Australia Post-branded storefronts will establish the first Australian marketplace within South-East Asia’s leading eCommerce network Lazada, of which Alibaba has a majority shareholding.
Lazada provides merchants with direct access to more than 560 million consumers in six countries and features a wide product offering in categories ranging from consumer electronics and household goods to fashion and health products.
Australia Post Executive General Manager Parcels and StarTrack CEO, Bob Black said the South-East Asian expansion built on Australia Post’s strong relationship with Alibaba.
“We are committed to supporting local Australian businesses and delivering eCommerce solutions that make it easier to grow their businesses whether that be across Australia or overseas,” Mr Black said.
“International expansion can be daunting for many businesses, particularly small and medium sized enterprises. That’s why we are proud to have partnered with Alibaba to help give Australian businesses access to the booming eCommerce sector in China and now the lucrative South-East Asian market.”
Mr Black said Australia Post also planned to open storefronts on Lazada’s other sites in Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines beyond this year.
Australia Post’s relationship with Alibaba has already enabled Australian businesses to sell their products across Alibaba’s key platforms since 2014, including Tmall Global, Global TaoBao and 1688.com.


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The Federal Trade Commission announced Wednesday that it has closed its investigation into Google's inadvertent Wi-Fi data collection via its Street View cars.
Google has implemented sufficient changes to its privacy policies and assured government officials that it will delete and not use the collected data, the FTC said. "Because of these commitments, we are ending our inquiry into this matter at this time," David Vladeck, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, wrote in a letter to Google lawyers.
FTC staff was concerned that Google did not have adequate internal policies in place to uncover glitches with the system, Vladeck said.
"[Google] did not discover that it had been collecting payload data until it responded to a request for information from a data protection authority," Vladeck wrote. "This indicates that Google's internal review processes - both prior to the initiation of the project to collect data about wireless access points and after its launch - were not adequate to discover that the software would be collecting payload data, which was not necessary to fulfill the project's business purpose."
At issue is a May admission from Google that equipment attached to its Street View cars collected data that was traveling over unencrypted Wi-Fi networks, known as payload data. At first Google said it did not know if that data included personally identifiable information, but the company admitted on Friday that it did include entire e-mail addresses, URLs, and passwords.
When it made that announcement, Google also made several changes to its privacy policies: it appointed Alma Whitten to serve as Google's director of privacy across privacy and engineering; it promised to enhance its core privacy training for engineers and other groups; and Google said it will add a new process to its existing review system.
Given these changes, the FTC is no longer as concerned about Google's processes, Vladeck said. "Google has made assurances to the FTC that the company has not used and will not use any of the payload data collected in any Google product or service, now or in the future," he wrote. "This assurance is critical to mitigate the potential harm to consumers from the collection of payload data."
"We welcome the news that the FTC has closed its inquiry and recognized the steps we have taken to improve our internal controls. As we've said before and as we've assured the FTC, we did not want and have never used the payload data in any of our products or services," Google said in a statement.


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Court Approves Haggen Sales
Albertsons and Sprouts Approved, Roxy’s Market Awaits Court Decision
At a Tuesday hearing in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware approved the bankrupt Haggen grocery chain’s sale of three stores in Santa Barbara County to Albertsons and Sprouts Farmers Markets. In the coming months, Albertsons will open shop at Haggen’s 163 South Turnpike Road location in Goleta and 1500 North “H” Street location in Lompoc. Sprouts Farmers Markets will move into Goleta’s Fairview Shopping Center.
The court said yes to 47 separate purchase agreements of 25 locations in Southern California, as well as stores in Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, and Washington. That means eight of the 55 store bids from Haggen’s three-day auction held earlier this month still await court approval. Among those eight are bids by a buyer listed as Balboa Retail in Lomita, Carnival Supermarkets’ bids on two stores in Chula Vista and San Marcos, a company called RJS Investment Group’s bid on a location in Poway, and Roxy’s Market and Cafe’s $75,000 bid on Haggen’s Mesa location. All of these bidders appear to be smaller companies that filed bids for either one or two locations each.
Michael Lawler, co-owner of mom-and-pop grocery store Roxy’s Market, told The Independent there are “still quite a few hurdles to get through” before he can count on opening his first shop in Santa Barbara. He said he was recently notified that approval for the Mesa location had been pushed back to a December 4 court hearing.
This week, the Pacific Coast Business Times reported that shortly after Lawler successfully bid on Haggen’s Mesa location, fending off corporate giants like Albertsons, Ralphs, and Smart & Final, he learned that “the landlord is looking for a larger national tenant.” Business Times wrote, “Roxy’s will likely have to find another location,” although nothing is set in stone until next month’s hearing.


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The 2024 KTM 450 Rally replica has been launched, the latest edition of the ultimate production rally racing bike.
There’s little doubt that the Dakar Rally is the pinnacle of motorcycle rallying. Whatever your opinion of the challenge of the event in its modern form based in Saudi Arabia, it’s the rally that every top rally rider wants to win.
Over the past 20 years, most of the top rally riders have ridden for KTM – and/or one of its sister brands in the Pierer Mobility Group – and in Mattighofen they have found perhaps the best rally bike in the world.
The combination of top riders and a top bike has led KTM to dominate the Dakar in the 21st century. It won every edition of the Dakar between 2001 and 2019, and also won the last two editions in 2022 and 2023.
Well, more or less. GasGas is one of those sister brands of the PMG company and won the 2022 edition with its own version of KTM’s 450 Rally, the RX450F, driven by Sam Sunderland. That victory brought with it GasGas’ own rally racing production model, but for the time being, the 2024 model year is only available for KTM.
Only 80 are being manufactured, making this one of the most exclusive 2024 bikes as early as September 2023, but it’s clear that it was built with a very specific purpose in mind.
As you’d expect, since they’re also part of the Pierer Mobility Group, WP supplies the suspension. Specifically, the 2024 450 Rally replica gets 48 mm WP XACT Pro Cone Valve forks and a WP XACT Pro shock absorber with full adjustability. There’s also an Akrapovic exhaust system connected to the 450 cc SOHC engine and a competition-derived frame, as well as the same gearbox as the factory race bike.
It’s not completely factory, but it’s as close as you can get without a factory contract. But, as Mason Klein discovered in 2022, it’s still a bike worthy not only of finishing the Dakar, but also of making the top 10.


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- 2 min read
Govt reaps Rs 10,000 crore tax bonanza from Flipkart deal
The payment by Walmart brings to an end the uncertainty regarding tax dues related to the $16-billion transaction, which included a $2-billion fresh investment.
The payment by Walmart brings to an end the uncertainty regarding tax dues related to the $16-billion transaction, which included a $2-billion fresh investment. As a result, the taxes were paid on the basis of the share sale estimated at $14 billion.
On August 10, TOI had reported that the Walmart-Flipkart deal will help the government mop up $1.5-2 billion in taxes.
A team of executives from Walmart's headquarters in Bentonville had held discussions with Akhilesh Ranjan, who heads the foreign taxation unit in the income tax department. The entire deal had become controversial after some of the sellers sought exemptions from paying capital gains tax. The government had rejected the demand for an exemption and fixed September 7 as the deadline for clearing dues.
A bulk of the tax accruing to the Centre from the deal will be in the form of withholding tax that has been paid by the American giant on behalf of those selling shares such as SoftBank, eBay and Naspers. Additionally, Indian investors - including Flipkart co-founder Sachin Bansal - have also made some payments but the break-up was not immediately available.
The tax department has been keeping close tabs on the transaction and had raised queries as soon as the deal was finalised as it was keen to avoid a repeat of a Vodafone-type situation where the telecom company did not deduct tax dues before closing the deal with Hutchison Whampoa.


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‘Use it or lose it’ is the message already adopted by several AOP member companies, many of whom see delivery of reduced inventory as a more effective (and less administratively-heavy) penalty, than charging a cash fee.
The initiative was proposed at a meeting of the AOP Commercial Working Group, which comprises of the commercial heads of AOP member organisations including ANM, BSkyB, Channel4, CNET, Emap, Future Publishing, FT.com, GCap Media, Guardian Unlimited, Haymarket, and News International among others.
Alexandra White, director of AOP said: “While the ability to respond quickly and effectively is one of the strengths of online compared to other media, it’s just not practical for copy to be delivered at the eleventh hour – or in many cases, well after the campaign was due to launch. AOP members have decided to raise awareness of this problem and want agencies and clients to work together with them to set some limits.”
Giuseppe Troisi, chair of the working group and consultant to GCap Media, commented: “AOP is a group of premium media owners; our content is premium and therefore our inventory is at a premium. Late copy and its possible knock-on effect to all commercial partners puts undue pressure on our ability to meet our own high standards in delivery, customer service and trafficking, which on a larger scale can reflect poorly on what is a dynamic and successful medium.”
Errol Baran, head of advertising and sponsorship for Channel4, said: “The dynamic nature of digital media has allowed many clients to leave their options open with regards to creative selection, right up until the last moment. Our industry has moved on so much that we now need to develop ways in which creatives are delivered in time: this will then ensure a smoother, more efficient delivery of campaigns across all sites."
The UK Association of Online Publishers (AOP) is an industry body representing online publishing companies that create original, branded, quality content. AOP champions the interests of approximately 160 publishing companies from diverse backgrounds including newspaper and magazine publishing, TV and radio broadcasting, and pure online media. Together they publish around 1,150 products and attract more than five billion page impressions per month.
AOP presents a unified voice to industry and Government, specifically to address issues and concerns relating to all areas of online publishing. AOP publishes original research, hosts forums, conferences and events, covering a range of topics from paid-for-content, subscription models and data protection, through to copyright, content management, new technologies and audience measurement.
Last year AOP produced the highly acclaimed research ‘Reaching the Online Elite’ and every year it delivers the annual member benchmarking study, the ‘AOP Census’. This year AOP will add to its original research with two new studies.
The AOP autumn Online Publishing Conference & Awards is its annual industry event. It attracts the biggest names in online publishing to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the industry and celebrate outstanding achievement. The 2005 event will be held on 7 October at the London Hilton, Park Lane.
Members include Associated New Media, BBC, BSkyB, Capital Radio Group, CNET Networks, Channel 4, Dennis Interactive, The Economist Group, Emap, FT.com, Future Publishing, Guardian Unlimited, Haymarket Publishing, Independent Digital, IPC Media, ITV Online, News International, Reed Business Information, Telegraph Group Limited and Which?. In addition, PPAi (Periodical Publishers Association Interactive) retains a corporate seat on AOP board: representing the interests of magazine publishers online.


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Product reformulation bigger challenge to sugar than Mexico problems
DANA POINT, Calif. — Food companies’ product reformulations to fit within the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and to reduce the amount of sugar shown on the new “added sugar” section of the rewritten Nutrition Facts Label are the biggest challenge to the sweetener industry – bigger than those surrounding the sugar dispute with Mexico, a key industry analyst said in Dana Point last week.
“Everyone knows marketing is pounding on you to reduce sugar, to get it off the label. The entire sugar industry is in a very tenuous time,” Craig Ruffolo, vice president of McKeany-Flavell Co., a California ingredients advisory firm, told an audience of sugar buyers at the International Sweetener Colloquium.
Speaking on one of two panels on the U.S. sugar market, Ruffolo also said that his definition of the sweeteners facing challenges include high-fructose corn syrup, which many food manufacturers use instead of sugar.
Much of the panel discussion focused on the continuing conflict between the U.S. and Mexico over Mexico’s sugar exports to the U.S. Mexico’s exports are now occurring under agreements that suspended cases U.S. sugar producers brought against Mexico for subsidizing and dumping sugar in the U.S. There is a lot of dissatisfaction with the suspension agreements because cane refiners have said they are not getting enough raw sugar to refine. U.S. and Mexican officials have attempted to renegotiate the suspension agreements, but so far have not been able to come to agreement.
BEET VS. CANE
Meanwhile, some food companies have switched from beet sugar to cane sugar to avoid any connection to genetic modification, even though beet growers have argued there are no signs of genetic modification in the beet sugar. The switch has led to higher prices for cane sugar than beet sugar.
Frank Jenkins, a Connecticut-based sugar broker and consultant, said that, if nothing changes in the suspension agreements, the losers will be those companies that continue to buy refined cane sugar at a massive premium rather than cheaper beet sugar.
Even if agreement is reached soon, the markets might not be affected in the near future because most of the industrial sugar has already been contracted for this year, Jenkins said.
If the suspension agreements “collapsed,” Jenkins added, Mexico would be likely to bring an anti-dumping case against U.S. corn refiners who export to Mexico “as a stalling tactic.”
Barb Fecso, director of the dairy and sweetener analysis group at the Agriculture Department’s Farm Service Agency, said she spent most of last year trying to renegotiate the suspension agreements and that she is awaiting appointment of Trump administration officials to give her instructions on how to run the sugar program on the no-cost basis that Congress required in the farm bill.
On another panel, Mike Gorrell, president and CEO of the Imperial Sugar Co., a cane refiner, said that the reason the conflict with Mexico has become so intense is that there is $8.2 billion in value at stake, depending on how these issues are resolved.
“The U.S. sugar market will remain the most volatile, most dysfunctional, most political sugar market in the world until Mexico’s access is restructured permanently,” Gorrell said.
Jack Roney, director of economics and policy analysis for the American Sugar Alliance, said that growers feel it is “vexing” that sweetener users go to Congress and say that consumers would benefit from increased imports or changing the program when prices of sugar-containing products do not go down in periods of low sugar prices.
“Only food manufacturers would benefit,” Roney said.
Bill O’Conner, an agricultural policy adviser with McLeod, Watkinson & Miller who is an adviser to the Sweetener Users Association, said, “USDA does not have the ability to address the tensions in what is now a two-priced market” for beet and cane sugar.
O’Conner also said he does not believe “the public” will stand for beet sugar not being labeled as a genetically modified ingredient in food, even though beet growers point out that there are no remnants of the genetically modified beet sugar seed in the sugar.
“The farm bill will be the first opportunity to change the law we are operating under,” O’Conner said.
After the session, panel moderator Rick Pasco, president of the Sweetener Users Association, said the SUA does not have a position on whether beet sugar should be labeled as genetically modified or not.
Former House Agriculture Committee Chairman Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., and 80 of his colleagues last week introduced the Protect Farmers from the SEC Act.


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In the past two weeks the RoundTable has heard from several concerned Evanston residents about delays of days or weeks in mail delivery.
Colleen, a retired technology executive who recently moved back to Evanston with her husband and asked that her last name not be published, said her condo had not received any deliveries between Jan. 6 and Jan. 12.
She had been anticipating mail because she uses the Postal Service’s Informed Delivery service, which lets consumers see digital images of envelopes en route to their address, along with the tracking numbers of packages on their way. Colleen said she called the post office to inquire and was told there are 40 routes in Evanston and the area was down 15 mail carriers.
“I understand it, but it may be an unsolvable dilemma,” she said. “I especially feel bad for people who are awaiting delivery of medications or who don’t receive Social Security payments electronically.”
In a prepared statement, a regional spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service acknowledged there have been problems.
“Local management is aware of delivery issues in Evanston and is taking steps to address the concerns,” said Timothy Norman, part of the USPS communications office that serves Chicago and the Illinois district that includes Evanston. “This office has returned to full delivery of mail this week. We appreciate the patience of our customers and the efforts of employees during challenging times.”
Norman said the Postal Service “is not immune to the human impacts of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.”
The spokesman said postal customers with delivery problems should contact their local post office. “The Postal Service will diligently continue to investigate customer’s concerns and correct deficiencies,” he said.
There are various ways residents may notify the Postal Service about service issues:
- Customers can go to the USPS website, usps.com and click on “Contact us” at the bottom of the homepage.
- The official Twitter account of the Postal Service, managed by the social media staff at USPS HQ, can provide help. For customer service, tweet @USPSHelp.
- Visit the Evanston post office at 1101 Davis St. or call 847-328-6288.
In Illinois, at least 100 mail carrier positions are unfilled, according to the USPS website’s career section. As Norman mentioned, illness is a factor. The remaining staff have more work to do with fewer personnel, thus increasing wait times. Training new hires takes time and new carriers take longer to complete deliveries until they learn their routes. Winter weather hazards of ice and snow also contribute to service delays.
In the past, to reduce expenses carriers were asked to reduce overtime. When asked about the current overtime policy, Norman said, “The use of overtime hours is based on operational needs. We flex available resources to match the workload.”
The USPS Office of the Inspector General issues reports and audits “to protect assets and revenue, ensure efficient and economical mail delivery, and safeguard the integrity of the postal system,” it says on its website.
The Inspector General’s Office has an online list of “Hotline Helpful Links,” including “I’m having a problem with the delivery of my mail,” for a variety of consumer postal concerns.
It also posts a performance map dashboard for the entire country that reports quarterly service scores. On Jan. 14, the map showed that Chicago was one of 11 districts with below-standard delivery times.
The standard delivery time for first-class mail is two days and the target goal percentage for Chicago was 87.8%. The actual delivery time during the fourth quarter of 2021 was 85.3%.
Just as this article was going online, Colleen called back to report that all of the mail she and her husband had been expecting Jan. 6-12 had just been delivered that day, Jan. 14.


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Amazon.com ironically not catching on amongst people of the Amazon.
Recent industry studies indicate the popular website Amazon.com has reached high levels of name recognition in virtually every corner of the world with the ironic exception of the Amazon jungle for which the website was named. A closer investigation by researchers at the University of Cincinnati revealed that people of the Amazon have absolutely no awareness of Amazon.com nor are they aware of the existence of the internet, computers, or electricity. A possible reason suggested is the Amazon people may simply not have the time to learn about the internet because they lead such busy lifestyles consisting mostly of hunting, farming, and making medicine out of bits of leaves and mud. In fact a brief survey indicated that given a choice between surfing the internet or engaging in their native custom of painting elaborate designs on their bodies with tree sap, four out of five of Amazon tribe members chose the latter. Of particular concern to executives at Amazon.com, known mostly for its book sales operation, is that the Amazon people do not read books instead preferring to pass on knowledge and folklore by writing little pictures on scraps of cured bark. Amazon.com spokesman Charles Westport commented, "If these people are willing to make more of an effort to embrace technology we are in a position to offer them significant preferred customer discounts and free shipping and handling for a period of time."
- ABC concerned about depleted pool of celebrities for Dancing with the Stars
- 2-year-old left in hot car, now 41, still trapped in car, sweaty, angry
- Norwood celebrates 100 consecutive stabbing-free days
- Over-the-Rhine 'Stray Bullet Festival' disrupted by craft displays and food booths
- Family growing weary of Dadís obsession with sarcasm
- Area hipster loses track of which clothing items are ironic


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© saniphoto dreamstime.com Analysis | July 05, 2019
TV panel prices plunge in June, no signs of stopping in July
Although the US-China trade dispute reached a ceasefire after the Trump-Xi meeting at G20, TV brands have been engaging in preemptive stocking in 2Q due to fears of a 25% tariff to be placed into effect in 3Q as well as Samsung Display's (SDC) original decision to shut down their Gen 8.5 L8-1-1 plant. This caused TV panel prices to plunge in June to an unforeseeable extent.
TrendForce points out that although SDC eventually had to postpone the shut-down of the plant until 3Q due to financial, technological and other considerations, end distributors' inventories of TV sets have already become bloated beyond saving in June, and brands' panel inventories have already reached dangerous levels. Although some panel manufacturers are making small adjustments to production capacity in June and July, there is no turning back from the oversupply situation. Though US-China trade has entered the renegotiation stage entering July, it is of limited help to the TV market. Samsung Electronics made it out of the trade war safe and sound, as it leveraged its Mexico manufacturing advantage. Yet despite its signaling at the end of 2Q that it will actively make preparations in anticipation of peak season demand in 3Q, China brands' efforts to promote sales in 1H haven't been paying off, leading to ever-increasing inventory levels. Adding that panel prices started to take a dive in May and continued plunging throughout June, China brands' confidence in the markets has greatly diminished, and will take up a more conservative stance in procurements for July. Furthermore, most panel manufacturers will be turning a blind eye towards the prospect of making production capacity adjustments in 3Q, in hopes of maintaining their respective shares of the market. As demand stays weak and production capacity pressures continue to rise, negotiating power for TV panel prices in 3Q will probably remain firmly in the hands of buyers. 32-inch Panel Prices Drop by More than 10%, with No Improvements in Demand 32-inch panel prices have dropped by over USD 4 in one fell swoop under the weak demand and climbing inventory levels of June, arriving at USD 36. From a supply side point of view, we see BOE, a major supplier, trying to lower 32-inch production in order to alleviate the downward pressure on prices. Meanwhile, Innolux's 58-inch products from its Gen 5.5 line were no match for CEC Group's low-pricing strategy, causing the company to suffer an outflux of orders and turn to 32 -inch products for help. We also see Korean manufacturers endlessly cranking out 65-inch panels, which are produced in pairs with 32-inch panels, in a bid to maintain their 65-inch panel market share. 32-inch panels will be in oversupply for July, and panel prices may crash below cash costs, putting panel manufacturers' cost-saving abilities to the test. 55-inch Panels Falling out of Fashion and Dipping in Sales Due to a drastic fall in prices for 65-inch TV sets, the TV size of choice hung in the living rooms of North American families have moved up from 55 inches to 65 inches, causing demand for 55-inch products to stagnate. Although SDC will be closing 1.5 of its Gen 8.5 lines, other panel manufacturers with Gen 8.5 lines will be increasing the ratio of production for 55-inch panels, bringing supply for such panels up by 3-4% YoY. Panel prices will most likely fall. Due to brands having stocked up beforehand in June in anticipation of SDC's plant shut-down and the low demand at the end, their panel inventories have been piling up. Meanwhile, panel manufacturers are under pressure to get rid of their inventories by the end of the first half-year, causing prices to sink by over USD 10 in June with ASP arriving at USD 116 for the first time. If demand remains unoptimistic in July, there will still be some risk of price decline. 65-inch and 75-inch Production Capacity Continues Growing, with Shipments Brought up by Price Cuts As BOE's Gen 10.5 Hefei line reaches full swing, and CSOT's Gen 11 continues expanding, 65-inch and 75-inch panel supply will far surpass the needs of customers, leading to only one road for 65-inch and 75-inch panel prices: reduction. Panel manufacturers have even accumulated over a month's worth of inventories in June, and are under heavy pressure to sell off their stocks: 65-inch products have slid by USD 10, with ASP arriving at US185. As for 75-inch products, CSOT had to drive prices down to appeal to customers in order to keep the flow of shipments steady after its Gen 11 line began mass production in May, causing the 75-inch market to drop by 7-9% and ASP to crash below the USD 400 threshold in June. Now as CSOT has new production capacity for large-sized panels, perhaps not even BOE's attempt to relocate capacity from 65- and 75-inch products to 43-inch products would be enough to mitigate the risk of prices falling.
dSPACE adds West Coast office Simulation and validation specialist dSPACE has opened a Silicon Valley office in San Jose, California as part of its strategic realignment.
Cogiscan, BasiCAE form strategic partnership Quebec-based Cogiscan Inc. has announced a partnership with China’s BasiCAE Technology, a provider of traditional shop control systems and software customization services.
Korea hits new record of industrial robots in operation The World Robotics report presented by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) shows a new record stock of about 300,000 operational industrial robots in the Republic of Korea in 2018 (+10%).
Keytronic starts production at its new Vietnam facility Keytronic Corporation says it has started shipping product from its new Da Nang, Vietnam manufacturing facility.
USI's looking to accelerate expansion - acquires Asteelflash It looks like we’re ending 2019 with a bang. One of the worlds biggest EMS providers wants to acquire one of Europe’s largest electronics manufacturers.
Devon manufacturer adds capabilities in Dorset via acqusition Devon-based PCB manufacturer, EuroTech Group, is acquiring PCB manufacturer Lyncolec, based in Poole, Dorset.
Kyocera and TactoTek collaborate on IMSE solution Kyocera and TactoTek has singed a marketing agreement which aims to bring IMSE solutions to several new market segments, including industrial and automotive components, electronic devices, and more.
IPC: Unanimous approval of USMCA needed IPC issued a statement this week expressing support of the recently bi-partisan approval of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), and a strong desire for legislative approval by Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.
Nordson's CFO to retire in 2020 after 30 years with the company Nordson's Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Gregory A. Thaxton, plans to retire in 2020 after thirty successful years with the company, with the last 12 years as CFO.
KUKA restructures subdivision due to economic uncertainty KUKA is restructuring a subdivision in the Robotics segment that is responsible for automated manufacturing solutions such as cells and special machines.
PCB industry recovers slightly in Q3 PCB manufacturers in the D/A/CH region were able to increase sales sequentially in the third quarter of 2019 by 1.1%. However, sales figures are 11% lower than those recorded for the third quarter of 2018, reports the industry association ZVEI PCB and Electronic Systems.
Garz & Fricke moves into new HQ in Hamburg-Harburg Garz & Fricke GmbH continues to expand. As of late October, the business operations of the HMI and Panel PC specialist will be transferring to the new headquarters in in Hamburg-Harburg.
TF Massif Technologies taps new CEO British Columbia-based TF Massif Technologies has announced the appointment of Tom Peregoodoff as the company’s new chief executive officer.
DoJ: Google, Fitbit deal under review The U.S. Justice Department is looking into anti-trust issues concerning Google's bid to buy Fitbit Inc.
L3Harris Tech secures U.S. Marine Corps order L3Harris Technologies received a USD 50 million follow-on delivery order for Falcon III AN/PRC-160 HF radios and related equipment from the U.S. Marine Corps .
Metair completes Romanian lithium-Ion battery cell factory South African energy storage company, Metair Investments, says that its Romanian units Prime Batteries and Rombat have completed the installation of the group's first Lithium-Ion battery cell manufacturing and assembly facility in Bucharest, Romania.
£5m award marks ‘topping out’ of Cardiff research powerhouse An GBP 80 million Cardiff University powerhouse for Welsh scientific research has been ‘topped out’ by Bouygues UK – backed by over GBP5 million support from Welsh Government and industrial partners.
Advanced Energy expands with new lab near Frankfurt Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. has opened its Advanced Materials Processing (AMP) Showcase Lab near Frankfurt, Germany.
TTM Technologies unveils NY engineering center On the heels of its acquisition of manufacturing and IP assets from i3 Electronics Inc., TTM Technologies has announced the opening of a new engineering center in Binghamton, NY.
EU Commission to support pan-European battery development Seven member states will provide, in the coming years, up to EUR 3.2 billion in funding to support research and innovation in the common European priority area of batteries.
The pulse of the electronics industry Growth is slowing worldwide and the industry’s outlook is less optimistic than in previous quarters, although it is still generally positive, according to the results of IPC’s fourth-quarter 2019 Pulse of the Electronics Industry survey.
Teradyne delivers J750 semiconductor test system to Ardentec Teradyne has hit a milestone with the 6,000th shipment of the J750 family of semiconductor testers.
Season Group names new SvP for global business development Season Group has appointed Stephen Tsao as the company's new Senior Vice President, Global Business Development.
Zestron appoints new sales director Europe Mr. Adam Meinert recently joined ZESTRON as the Sales Director of Europe.Load more news


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Trinia Cuseo poses with the motorcycle that is being rebuilt. [Photos all provided by Cuseo.]
When Father Eric Freed was murdered in January of this year, Trinia Cuseo wanted to be part of changing this community for the better. “I thought about how I could help. Since I love bikes and I work at a motorcycle café [and] shop with builders coming in and out all day, I came up with rebuilding a custom motorcycle and raffling it off to raise money to help our community’s struggle against meth abuse,” Cuseo explained.
Volunteers gathered around the motorcycle discussing ways to customize it.
Cuseo, who works at the Black Lightning Motorcycle Cafe in Eureka, said, “I talk to gear heads all day.” She started sharing her idea. She went to Indiegogo to raise the initial $1000 to get the project off the ground.
She was given a 1993 Honda Shadow VT 600 with only 6000 miles on it to rebuild. Through her own skills and with a little help, she got the bike running to confirm that it was worth working on. After that,she gathered sponsors and rallied her helpers. “I asked a bunch of people— friends, mechanics. I asked lots of favors. No one ever said no. Some said yes in a big way.”
She asked people to take on aspects of the project. “Some people could bite off little bits of what we needed to do,” she said. Together, volunteers fixed or replaced parts that were broken or worn. It is almost done. (See photo below.)
Nearly finished custom bike which will be raffled off to raise money for the Humboldt Meth Abuse Awareness Program.
Next week, the bike when the bike is 100% ready, it will be raffled off. “We’re pushing to sell 400 raffle tickets to raise $10,000 to go to the Humboldt Meth Abuse Awareness Project,” Cuseo said. Those interested in buying a $25 ticket can reach Cuseo at firstname.lastname@example.org or buy tickets at the Black Lightning Motorcycle Cafe.
See more photos of the project here at Cuseo’s screen printing/apparel and design business.


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Roth MKM senior research analyst and Tesla Inc TSLA bear, Craig Irwin, is of the opinion that the stock is “egregiously overvalued,” asserting that the EV giant offers nothing that Japanese automaker Toyota does not. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, however, believes that the analyst is mistaken.
What Happened: Irwin joined CNBC on Wednesday to discuss his forecasts for Tesla and EVs in general. Drawing a parallel between Tesla and the world’s top-selling automaker Toyota Motor Corp TM, Irwin stated, “I’m bearish because I see it as egregiously overvalued. When we look at Toyota as a benchmark, there’s nothing Tesla has that Toyota does not.”
Regarding recent reports of Tesla launching a revamped version of the Model Y from its Shanghai plant, Irwin noted that it is “overdue,” given that people have been requesting upgrades to the lineup for a while now. “They are late. Competition in China is overtaking them. It’s going to be a tough 2024,” Irwin said.
Irwin anticipates increasing competition from players, including Chinese EV maker BYD Co Ltd, coupled with economic weakness spurring more electric vehicle price cuts next year. Irwin has set a price target of $85 for Tesla.
Musk Responds: Musk, however, believes that Irwin used the “wrong frame of reference” in comparing Tesla with another automaker. “Tesla is an AI/robotics company,” Musk wrote.
This viewpoint aligns with several Tesla bulls, including Wedbush’s Dan Ives and Morgan Stanley’s Adam Jonas. While Tesla primarily focuses on EVs, the company has expanded its business beyond manufacturing electric cars, encompassing energy storage solutions, solar products, Supercharger stations, software and connectivity, and robotics.
However, Wall Street estimates suggest that China’s BYD will overtake Tesla as the leading seller of pure electric vehicles in the fourth quarter. In the last quarter, BYD shipped approximately 432,000 BEVs, just shy of Tesla’s 435,000 units.
Price Action: Tesla stock closed up 1.89% at $261.47 on Wednesday and was up 0.83% during premarket trading. Shares have gained nearly 142% this year, according to data from Benzinga Pro.
Check out more of Benzinga’s Future Of Mobility coverage by following this link.


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A report by Gartner predicts affordable 3D printers within a few years, opening up a range of possibilities for the technology on a consumer level.
3D printing is an amazing technology with a lot of applications: Companies have already used it to create models, even mechanical ones with working parts; they’ve been used to create working firearms; and on a more peaceful note, they’ve been used to create artificial tissue for surgery, and even body parts like ears.
On the consumer level, the internet is beginning to fill up with free models that one can print at home, such as iPod docks or desk toys. Unfortunately, 3D printers are cost prohibitive and though prices are going down, a good model will still be too expensive and too bulky for the average consumer. A recent Gartner report however, suggests that an “enterprise-class” 3D printer will cost less than $2000 by the year 2016, and that finally opens up the market for you and me to take part.
This toy demonstrates the power of 3D printing. It was printed in one piece, with no aditional assembly, and all the gears work
The expanded user base will likely change how business transactions are conducted; designers, architects and manufacturers, even those working on a small scale, can easily produce prototypes or models of their products to demonstrate to customers. At home, 3D printing would facilitate easy creation of household items; both practical ones such as measuring cups, and recreational ones such as Christmas decorations or Halloween masks.
To reach the consumer level though, there may be one more hurdle for the new tech, beyond the price. Nikolaj Farrell, who happens to be my very own brother, is project manager for the 3D printing efforts at a Stockholm-based design company, ABA, and had this to say about the technology: “The CAD- programs are still too complex. Within the industry, it isn’t a problem, but regular consumers don’t have that experience. When it becomes really easy to produce original models, I believe more people will discover the technology and begin using it on a wider scale”
Wohler’s Associates, which is a 3D-print consulting group, estimates that by 2015, the worldwide sales of products and services will be as high as $3.7 billion.


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Costs of living in February increased by 0.1 percent compared to January, while retail prices dropped 0.3 percent, the State Statistical Office said today. Compared to February last year the cost of living increased by 0.7 percent and the retail prices by 0.5 percent.
Increase in Consumer Price Indexes in February 2020, compared to the previous month, was recorded at 2.6 percent for fresh and chilled fruits, 2.1 percent for fresh and chilled vegetables except potatoes and other root fruits, oil and fat. by 1.6 percent, meat, milk, beer by 0.8 percent, fish and seafood by 0.7 percent, mineral water, carbonated drinks, fruit and vegetable juices by 0.6 percent, soft drinks, liquor by 0, 5 percent, yogurt, cheese and cottage cheese, eggs 0.3 percent and wine 0.2 percent.
Last month there was also a rise in consumer price indexes by 3.2 percent in IT, motor vehicles by 3.1 percent, water supply by 1.9 percent, gardens, plants and flowers by 1.7 percent, waste water collection by 1.4 percent, household gas by 1.3 percent, road passenger transport by 0.9 percent, catering services by 0.6 percent, pets and related products by 0 , 5 percent, furniture and furnishings, large electrical appliances to households, other own-transport equipment services by 0.3 percent.
Доколку преземете содржина од оваа страница, во целост сте се согласиле со нејзините Услови за користење.


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Phoenix promotor of the 'Greatest Vitamin in the World' charged with defrauding over 220,000 victims
PHOENIX - A federal grand jury in Phoenix has returned a 41-count indictment against Donald Lapre of Phoenix, for Conspiracy, Mail Fraud, Wire Fraud, Promotional Money Laundering and Transactional Money Laundering. The indictment, returned last week, alleges that the 47-year-old Lapre oversaw and promoted a nationwide scheme to sell essentially worthless Internet-based businesses to over 220,000 victims through his company "The Greatest Vitamin in the World."
Lapre was summoned yesterday to appear for an arraignment at 1:30 p.m. June 22 before Magistrate Judge Lawrence O. Anderson in Federal Court in Phoenix.
"This indictment goes to show that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is," said U.S. Attorney Dennis K. Burke. "Mr. Lapre used incessant nationally televised info-mercials to hawk his vitamins and worthless websites as a way to get rich quick without working hard. His scams swindled a sea of victims, but thanks to the efforts of the Postal Inspection Service and the IRS, he will face justice."
"Home-based business opportunities have a certain appeal, especially in today's economy," said Pete Zegarac, Inspector in Charge of the Phoenix Division U.S. Postal Inspection Service. "Consumers should be cautious of schemes which promise to bring in large amounts of money with little or no effort on their part."
IRS Criminal Investigation, Special Agent In Charge Dawn Mertz added, "This case demonstrates that the appearance of success can be a mask for a tangled financial web of lies. As the web falls apart it leaves investors with nothing. IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to pursue these types of investigations, and make those responsible accountable for their actions."
According to the indictment, from April 2003 through October 2007, Lapre allegedly conspired with others to defraud thousands of victims all across the country by encouraging them to invest in an Internet-based business. The "business" primarily consisted of selling the Greatest Vitamin in the World (GVW) over the Internet and the opportunity to sell the opportunity to do the same thing to others. At the height of the scheme, Lapre had enlisted approximately 226,794 people to sell a limited number of products via individual websites. Along with selling tens of thousands of Internet-based businesses which were essentially worthless, Lapre fraudulently provided his investor/victims, known as "Independent Advertisers" (IAs), with false vitamin sales records. These records encouraged IAs to purchase additional advertising and services in the hope of obtaining commissions including $1,000 checks. Lapre also fraudulently sold bulk Internet traffic to IAs while claiming that it was targeted to individuals who were seeking to either buy vitamins or invest in similar businesses. GVW sales representatives regularly signed up victims as IAs even if they did not own a computer. During the course of the scheme, at least 220,000 victim/IAs were defrauded of approximately $51.8 million. During this same period, approximately $6.3 million in commissions were paid to approximately 5,000 victim/IAs.
Convictions in this case for Conspiracy carry a maximum penalty of five years, a $250,000 fine or both; Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud carry a maximum penalty of 25 years, a $250,000 fine or both; Promotional Money Laundering carry a maximum penalty of 20 years, a $500,000 fine or both; and Transactional Money Laundering carry a maximum penalty of 10 years, a $250,000 fine or both. In determining an actual sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Susan R. Bolton will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.
An indictment is simply the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Potential victims of this scheme may submit a victim statement via the following website operated by the Postal Inspection Service: www.postalinspectorsurvey.com/vitamins. Potential victims of this scheme may also keep track the progress of the case by visiting the following link located on the U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona's website: http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/us_v_donald_lapre_gvw.html
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Frederick A. Battista, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-11 1102-PHX – SRB (DKD)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2011-114(Lapre)


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Brookfield Police Looking for Gift Card Fraud Suspects
Brookfield Police are looking for two suspects that are accused of using a stolen credit card to buy over $4,000 worth of gift cards from local stores on Jan. 18.
According to police, the two suspects purchased $4,021.64 worth of gift cards at the Target store on 12725 W. Blue Mound Road using stolen Visa credit cards.
After the suspects left Target, they went to Target to buy $200 worth of iTunes gift cards.
The first suspect is described as a male with a dark-colored beard, wearing a blue hat, jeans, a gray shirt and a black coat.
The second suspect is described as a male, clean shaven, wearing a black hat with dark-colored sweatpants, a blue sweater and a black jacket.
If you have seen these suspects, please call Brookfield Police at 262-787-3702