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The headline for the Arthritis Foundation’s website declares: “You are not alone” — and that statement couldn’t be more true for sufferers of the chronic disease. While the pain and inflammation of arthritis can feel debilitating and isolating, sufferers can take a small measure of comfort in the fact that they’re in very good company.
An estimated 54 million Americans (one in five) have been diagnosed with arthritis. From ankylosing spondylitis to fibromyalgia; from gout to lupus; from juvenile arthritis to osteoarthritis; from psoriatic arthritis to rheumatoid arthritis — all forms of arthritis and their associated ailments affect people of all ages, and in a variety of debilitating ways.
It’s little wonder, then, that according to a survey of 2,600 arthritis sufferers conducted by the Arthritis Foundation, a whopping 80 percent of them have either tried CBD to treat their arthritis, are currently using it, or are considering using it in the future.
Perhaps the “You are not alone” solidarity statement should be extended to apply to people who see the potential of using CBD to treat arthritis!
It’s true: Word is spreading fast about the potential of CBD as an effective weapon in the lifelong battle against arthritis. The anecdotes are overwhelmingly positive. The peer-reviewed studies are increasing in number, and their results are promising.
In this article, we’ll dive deeper into how CBD can be used to find relief from the pain and inflammation caused by arthritis.
Why CBD? A Brief Intro To The Powers Of This Popular Substance
CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of the 113 known cannabinoids found in the cannabis or hemp plant. Though it’s often discussed in the same breath as marijuana, hemp, or its fellow cannabinoid THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), CBD causes none of the psychotropic effects so widely associated with those substances. That’s because the “high” feeling that makes marijuana so controversial is caused by THC, and CBD products — including New Coastal’s — are Farm Bill Compliant and contain less than 0.3% THC.
In the past decade or so, people have been using CBD in increasing numbers to help with anxiety, appetite, trouble sleeping, pain, inflammation, and more. Companies are eager to meet the exploding public appetite for this versatile therapeutic substance, offering up tinctures, softgels, topical products, gummies, suppositories, and other CBD products.
Arthritis sufferers have been singing the praises of CBD for pain relief and inflammation reduction for a long time now. But is there something there?
CBD And Arthritis: The Evidence So Far
People who have already tried CBD to treat the pain and inflammation of arthritis can’t stop talking about how effective the substance is. But while anecdotes and ringing endorsements are quite convincing, they lack the certainty of scientific evidence. Luckily, there have been a number of rigorous research projects to provide us with data about the efficacy of CBD in treating arthritis.
A landmark study, supported by the American Cancer Society, was published in the European Journal of Pain in 2016. In introducing the research, its authors noted that the most effective known treatment for rheumatoid arthritis — injectable fusion proteins — can stop the progression of the disease, but will cause side effects like immune suppression and can lead to its recurrence.
Enter CBD. In the words of the study’s authors: Cannabidiol (CBD) attenuates inflammation and pain without side effects. Further, by applying the CBD topically rather than taking it orally, arthritis sufferers achieve a more consistent treatment outcome because they avoid first-pass metabolism and experience more constant plasma levels.
In order to arrive at their findings, the scientists tested how effective CBD was at reducing pain and inflammation in rats with arthritis. (The rats were given arthritis through an injected mixture of mineral oil, detergent, and an antigen — a common protocol in arthritis treatment studies.)
The study’s authors applied CBD gels at concentrations of 0.6, 3.1, 6.2, or 62.3 mg/day for four consecutive days after arthritis induction. Following administration, the authors measured the rats’ joint circumference and recorded what kind of immune cell invasion their bodies were experiencing. They also made note of the rats’ reflexes upon feeling a hot surface and noted how active the rats were following CBD treatment.
The key results: CBD gel significantly reduced joint swelling, [decreased] spontaneous pain, [lowered] immune cell infiltration? and revealed reductions of pro-inflammatory biomarkers. While the low doses — 0.6 mg/day and 3.1 mg/day — showed no significant impacts, CBD doses at 6.2 and 62 mg/day were effective doses. The CBD did not appear to impact the rats? higher brain function.
Put simply by the study’s authors: These data indicate that topical CBD application has therapeutic potential for relief of arthritis pain-related behaviours and inflammation, without evident side-effects.
Recommended CBD Treatment Methods And Dosages For Arthritis Sufferers
Due to the fact that CBD is such a new and fast-growing industry, there’s a lot of public misconception and some disagreement about the best ways for arthritis sufferers to take advantage of this wonder substance.
Kevin Boehnke, a research investigator working in anesthesiology at the University of Michigan, was instrumental in creating the Arthritis Foundation’s recently published guidelines on how arthritis sufferers can best utilize CBD. The guidelines, published September 2019, represented a first: No major patient advocacy group had publicly offered its opinion on CBD usage to treat arthritis before.
“It was important to acknowledge the public’s interest, and put out some guidelines on the state of the science,” Boehnke said.
The first piece of guidance from the Foundation: Arthritis sufferers wanting to try CBD should start taking the lowest dose possible, and assess the impact before increasing dosage. Patients should also pay careful attention to how their symptoms change or improve over time.
But it doesn’t all have to be guesswork: New Coastal has partnered with EndoCanna Health to offer a unique CBD DNA test, which is the only one on the market that can accurately measure:
- Your current CBD levels
- How much and when you should supplement your body with CBD
- How taking CBD, or any cannabis product, can interact with medications you may already be taking
Regarding what kind of CBD to take, the Arthritis Foundation recommends people try CBD sprays and sublingual tinctures (liquid drops held under the tongue for about one minute). These CBD products are considered a good choice for treating arthritis because they allow the active ingredient to go right into the bloodstream, which will yield the highest possible dose efficiency and the shortest time to relief.?
The Foundation considers edible products containing CBDs and CBD lotions as less than ideal for arthritis relief, as those products may cause unpredictable impacts in different people. The Foundation does not recommend vaping CBD.
As always, it’s important to consider how CBD may interact with any existing medications, from over-the-counter painkillers to corticosteroids to prescription anti-depressants.
How To Choose The Right CBD Product To Treat Your Arthritis: Get Started
CBD has shown promising results in decreasing inflammation and pain in arthritic rats. An important takeaway from the European Journal of Pain study is that dosing can be sensitive, and diminishing returns can be observed. That is: Depending on the person, it may not take a lot of CBD to start experiencing relief from the pain and inflammation of arthritis, and taking a higher dose could deliver relief, but not any more than you would experience at the lower dose.
That’s the basis for the Arthritis Foundation’s recent guidance on how to use CBD for arthritis relief. Start low and titrate your dose up slowly, carefully observing how your body handles the CBD at each concentration. Avoid vaping, and opt for sprays and tinctures rather than consumables and transdermal applications.
The biggest, most empowering piece of advice for using CBD to treat arthritis? Just go ahead and try it. With the body of evidence and anecdotes favoring CBD for arthritis use reaching a critical mass, and with the availability of trustworthy, high-quality CBD health and wellness products at an all-time high — there’s no better time to fight your arthritis symptoms with CBD than right now.


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Consolidating a number of offices around London, Apple plans to open a new British headquarters inside an iconic decommissioned power station on the south bank of the River Thames.
The Battersea Power Station was first built in the 1930s, and though it stopped generating electricity as of 1983, the massive facility remains iconic. As such, developers are working to restore the giant brick building with four massive chimneys, which was featured on the cover of the Pink Floyd album Animals and was also featured in the film Help by The Beatles.
Apple currently has eight different offices around London, but the new Battersea Power Station site will allow the company to consolidate them and house 1,400 employees in the new London campus, according to the Evening Standard.
In a statement to the paper, Apple said the facility will open in 2021, and expressed excitement for calling home "one of the city's best-known landmarks." Apple will reportedly occupy all six floors of office space inside of the so-called "cathedral of power."
"This is a great opportunity to have our entire team working and collaborating in one location, while supporting the renovation of a neighborhood with rich history," the company said.
In addition to a significant corporate presence, Apple also has five retails stores in London, and the company hosts the annual Apple Music Festival in London's iconic Roundhouse venue. Last year, Apple invested in the Roundhouse, giving it an eco-friendly makeover with improvements to lighting, plumbing, HVAC, and the installation of recycling and composition bins.

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Right Ring Anywhere with LG
Kathmandu: LG has brought a new LG-GM200 mobile phone set that has MP3 Music and Recording and Editing, all which will be played hi-fi thanks to the 2.1 Channel Subwoofer and Side Stereo Speakers. Thumping Stereo Subwoofer, Dual Side Speakers and Dolby Mobile are some of the features of the mobile that also has Wireless FM Radio, Radio Recording and Editing, Radio Alarm and Right Ring Anywhere systems.
LG GM200 has other features like 2MP Camera, Bluetooth 2.o and MicroSD, said the company. The maximum retail price of LG-GM200 is Rs 10,590. “With every purchase of this handset, customers will get a free 2 GB memory card, data cable and stereophonic headset worth Rs 2,500,” said the company. LG Mobile has the widest network of 18 service centres throughout the country, with a one-year warranty on the handset and six months warranty on the battery. On the auspicious occasion of Dashain and Deepawali, customers will also get the chance to become a millionaire through LG’s recent festive scheme ‘Koryo ki Soryo’. — HNS
Beauty Shot for buffs
Kathmandu: Samsung Digital Still Camera — marketed in Nepal by Him Electronics Pvt Ltd — with its revolutionary Beauty Shot feature, is proving to be one of the most sought-after multilateral featured cameras. With the new line 12.2 megapixel resolution Samsung Digital Still Camera is packed with cutting edge technology, what with 24mm Ultra Wide 10x Optical Zoom that captures detail at its finest, claims the company.
Samsung Digital Still Camera also features Dual Image Stabilisation, minimising the risk of blurred shots and defocused images, and with its 1280x720P HD movie, this festive season of Dipawali keeps getting better as more memories can be captured with the range of this true digital art. For the festive season, Him Electronics Pvt Ltd has introduced additional incentives with the already-so-perfect range of cameras. A free special leather pouch for the protection and easy portability of the camera is being offered with each camera. With special holiday and special memories coming in, a 2 GB free memory card also is part of the picture, according to the company. — HNS
Yesuda a great catch
Kathmandu: Call Mobility Pvt Ltd, the authorized distributor of Yasuda brand mobile phone, has introduced an SG500 model mobile set in the market. The phone set has an outside-housed speaker for loud and clear sound of music.
The SG500 has FM, MP3 and MP4 facility along with Bluetooth, 3GP and a torch. The set has facility for two SIM cards.
Said to be the best set for two SIM cards at a time, the SG500 set can house a 4GB memory card. — HNS


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A Hillary Clinton TV ad claims that “in the last seven years drug prices have doubled.” That’s inaccurate. A report, provided by her campaign, says brand-name drug prices on average have more than doubled. But more than 80 percent of filled prescriptions are generic drugs, and those prices have declined by nearly 63 percent, that same report says.
In fact, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says in its latest National Health Expenditure report that the shift to cheaper generic drugs has resulted in “historically low rates of prescription drug spending growth” in recent years.
The Clinton campaign has been running the ad, titled “Doubled,” for weeks in three Iowa markets in advance of the Feb. 1 Iowa caucuses, according to Kantar Media’s Campaign Media Analysis Group, an ad-tracking service. It is currently running in Davenport, Iowa, and Burlington, Vermont.
The ad begins by saying, “Heart disease. Asthma. Diabetes. Seven out of 10 Americans take prescription drugs. But in the last seven years drug prices have doubled.” The Clinton campaign provided us with a report published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings that showed nearly 70 percent of Americans use prescription drugs, a figure that has been increasing in recent years. But it could not support the claim that “drug prices have doubled.”
The Clinton campaign referred us to a Wall Street Journal article from April 26, 2015, that said: “Since 2008, branded-drug prices have increased 127%, compared with an 11% rise in the consumer price index, according to drug-benefits manager Express Scripts Holding Co.” Express Scripts is one of the nation’s largest pharmacy benefits managers.
But the Express Scripts report also shows that average generic drug prices have gone down nearly 63 percent, and that the vast majority of filled prescriptions are generic products, not name brands.
Jennifer Luddy, a spokeswoman for Express Scripts, told us in an email that among Express Scripts members “brand medications – specialty and traditional – accounted for 17.1% of all prescriptions filled in 2014. Generics accounted for 82.9%.” That is consistent with the CMS’ latest National Health Expenditure report that said the “generic dispensing rate” was 82 percent in 2014.
The Express Scripts report does not say, and Luddy couldn’t tell us, how much overall drug prices have changed over the last seven years. “Unfortunately, we don’t have a figure that combines generics and brands,” she said.
The report does, however, include year-over-year price increases for the top 10 traditional therapy classes that combine both generic and brand-name drugs. Of the three medical conditions mentioned in the ad, diabetes was the only one that saw a price increase in 2014, according to the Express Scripts report. The unit cost for medications that treat diabetes increased 18 percent from 2013 to 2014, while those for asthma declined 14.9 percent and those for heart disease declined 12.6 percent.
Glen T. Schumock, director of the Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomic Research at the University of Illinois at Chicago, who has written extensively about drug costs, told us in an interview that it is misleading to say drug prices have doubled in seven years. “Most drugs are generic and those have gone down,” Schumock said.
Of course, there have been some well-publicized cases of individual drug prices spiking, an issue that gained renewed attention after the arrest of Turing Pharma CEO Martin Shkreli. But even when individual drug prices rise, Schumock said consumers don’t necessarily pay that price because most have private or public insurance that covers most of the expense — minus a set copay or cost-sharing amount.
“The bottom line is it is misleading to say it is doubling,” he said. “Not only is it untrue based on the data that [Clinton officials] quoted, but it is not true from a consumers’ perspective, by the way we pay for drugs as patients.”
Schumock said he did not know of any available data that could conclusively answer the question of how much consumer drug prices have increased. “The whole question about pricing is complicated,” he said. “I don’t know that there is an answer to that.”
For example, he said the so-called Red Book tracks the Average Wholesale Price set by manufacturers. “But,” he added, “nobody really pays AWP. The actual cost to a payer is not AWP, so it is kind of a fictitious number. There is price and what actually people pay.”
He said the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ annual report on health care expenditures includes the total amount spent each year on prescription drugs. In 2014, that amount was $305.1 billion, a 12.6 percent increase from 2013, according to an article written by CMS researchers for the journal Health Affairs and published online July 28, 2015. The double-digit increase — the highest rate of growth since 2002 — was notable because the increases had been so modest in recent years. Prescription drug expenditures increased just 2.5 percent in 2013 and 2.3 percent in 2012, the article said.
“Recent historically low rates of prescription drug spending growth have been driven by the shift from brand-name medications to less expensive generic drugs,” CMS researchers wrote. “This shift to cheaper medications has offset annual price increases for brand-name drugs. With the generic dispensing rate already at 82 percent in 2014, there is an expectation of only a small increase in this rate over the next ten years.”
CMS researchers partly attributed the 12.6 percent increase in total prescription drug expenditures to “new treatments for hepatitis C.” But “prescription drug spending growth is projected to decelerate, as lower costs associated with expensive specialty treatments for hepatitis C are negotiated between payers and the drug industry,” the paper said.
Even the CMS data are not ideal for measuring consumer cost. Schumock said three factors affect the total expenditure on prescription drugs — usage, price and the availability of new drugs — and only one of those factors involves the cost.
In the end, we cannot provide a figure for how much drug prices overall have changed in seven years. But the Clinton campaign ad leaves the misleading impression that drug prices have doubled in the last seven years. The ad could have said that brand-name drugs have doubled. But those drugs account for less than 20 percent of filled prescriptions, and the shift to generic drugs has offset price increases for brand-name drugs.


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Published in ACHR on Sept. 11, 2020 “They’ve been forced into trying out new buying behaviors, and then they’re keeping the ones they like” comments Lisa Anderson, founder and president of LMA Consulting Group, which specializes in manufacturing strategy and end-to-end supply chain transformation, comments Lisa Anderson, founder and [...]
Published on Aug. 6, 2020 Manufacturing and Supply Chain Expert, Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD, president of LMA Consulting Group Inc. talks about the supply chain & COVID-19.
Inland Empire Economic Partnership: 2020 SoCal E-commerce & Logistics Summit Summer Series: Building Supply Chain Resiliency
Published in Inland Empire Economic Partnership on July 22, 2020 Manufacturing and Supply Chain Expert, Lisa Anderson, MBA, CSCP, CLTD, president of LMA Consulting Group Inc., is the moderator for Session Two: Building Resiliency in the Supply Chain. Click here to read more.
Published in Ratelinx on May 20, 2020 “Forgetting about the people element is a major risk factor for businesses. To implement high tech successfully, you need to accompany it with high touch!” reminds Lisa Anderson, Supply Chain Expert and Consultant, President of LMA Consulting. Click here to read more.
Published in Ratelinx on Jan. 20, 2020 “The process may be familiar, but knowing where to start can be a challenge. The first step should be getting a clear picture of your current supply chain” notes Lisa Anderson president of Claremont, CA-based LMA Consulting Group, Inc. and manufacturing expert [...]
Published in Camcode on Jan. 17, 2020 “Inventory accuracy is cornerstone to success” says Lisa Anderson, The Manufacturing ConnectorSM and president of LMA Consulting Group, Inc., Claremont, CA. Click here to read more.


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As northern Nevadans became more frugal during the current recession, the region's Batteries Plus franchise was a direct beneficiary.
Don Vergilio, who launched the company's first northern Nevada store in 1999, has opened a third location at Prater Way and McCarran Boulevard in Sparks, near the landmark Joe Bob's Chicken Joint location.
The new 2,200-square-foot location joins the company's flagship store at Kietzke and South Virginia in Reno and a store at 1400 S. Carson St. in Carson City that Vergilio launched in 2001.
"We're doing very well here," says Vergilio.
Besides, he says, the declining price to rent retail space encouraged the company to expand during the downturn.
The recession, Vergilio says, left the Batteries Plus stores relatively unscathed. A major reason: Consumers have been holding onto cell phones, laptop computers and other battery-powered devices longer, which means they're more likely to need a replacement battery.
The Reno store also does a solid business rebuilding battery packs for power tools and other applications. One of the company's staff of 16 does nothing but rebuild those battery packs.
Batteries Plus estimates that the average household has 21 different battery-operated devices, and the franchise operation headquartered at Hartland, Wis., estimates that the U.S. battery market is growing by 2.5 percent annually.
The company says the market will total $33.6 billion by 2012.
"We're a battery society," says Don Vergilio Jr., who joins with his father in running the northern Nevada operations.
The company stocks more than 15,000 batteries and battery-related accessories to power everything from a hearing aid to a school bus.
Even with that depth of inventory, Don Vergilio Jr. says the store's staff gets stumped once every few months, often when a consumer hopes to find a battery for a long-discontinued item.
About two thirds of the Batteries Plus business in northern Nevada is retail, and the remainder comes from commercial accounts, says the elder Vergilio, who's been in retail most of his life. (He also owns the Candy Barrel store at Grand Sierra Resort.)
But the store's product mix also posed a challenge when Vergilio worked with Al Souza of Capurro & Reid to find a location in Sparks.
Batteries Plus needs the visibility of a high-traffic location, but it also needs a drive-in bay for installation of vehicle batteries.


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KOLKATA: It’s time to rewind to the past for a greener future. That is the message from Kolkata Municipal Corporation
(KMC) just days ahead of the ban in single-use plastic in markets across the city. Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, too, is taking up similar measures.
From October 2, shoppers purchasing vegetables, fish, chicken or meat from the markets will have to carry their own bags, much like it was the practice till the early 1990s before the polybag invasion. Not only are these non-bio degradable plastic bags a hazard to the environment, they have been a bane for municipal authorities, clogging gully pits, choking drains and triggering waterlogging in cities and mudslides in the hills.
The ban in Kolkata coincides with a nationwide clampdown on single-use plastic that kicks off on Gandhi Jayanti. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told the world that India was initiating a campaign to make the country a plastic-free nation.
According to the ministry of environment and forest, about 20,000 tonnes of plastic waste is generated daily in the country, out of which 13,000-14,000 tonnes are collected.
Though efforts have been made in Kolkata to raise awareness and change behaviour, it has been half-hearted at best. This time though, KMC authorities say they mean business. “We have asked all shopkeepers in all markets to dispose of single-use plastic by October 1. From October 2, sale and use of single-use plastics like polybags, plastic straw, PET bottles, plastic pouch and polystyrene
products like plates, bowls and glasses will not be allowed in KMC area. The ban will be in force in KMC and private markets as well as individual shops,” a KMC market department official said.
To drive home the message and prevent rule flout, KMC has roped in local policemen and councillors. Even local Trinamool Congress workers have been asked to pitch in by impressing upon local shopkeepers to comply with the ban. Vendors have been warned of a fine of Rs 500 for non-compliance. There are around 53 civic markets in Kolkata and several private ones.
And the message seems to have reached home, at least among vendors. Joydeb Pal, who sells disposalbe plastic goods at a KMC market, said he had been asked to dispose his entire stock of goods worth Rs 70,000 by October 1 or else face fine. Vegetable and fish vendors across markets have started asking shoppers to bring bags as they will be unable to supply plastic carrybags from October 2.
Sources said KMC officials were consulting the legal department on a schedule that includes punitive fines to curb violation. “In the past couple of years, we have repeatedly campaigned in KMC markets like Entally and Lansdowne to urge shopkeeopers and customers to shun single-use plastic. We have been urging customers to return to the old habit of carrying different bags for purchasing vegetables and non-vegetarian products. Bamboo straw baskets were also used to carry fish and eggs,” a KMC market department official said.
The state environment department has also forwarded a draft on the issue to the chief minister's office at Nabanna. “The ban on use of plastic bags below 50 microns has been in place since 2016 but it has never been enforced strictly. We are planning to do so now after widespread campaign against its use,” said state pollution control board chairman Kalyan Rudra.


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by Brendan Dunne
Images of a supposed Air Jordan 1 "Chinese New Year" have been circulating recently, suggesting that Jordan Brand would celebrate the holiday with this deluxe red suede shoe.
That's not the case–the sneaker, pictured here, is actually the work of The Remade, a custom crew that specializes in these sort of luxurious looks. It's telling that the craftsmanship here was good enough to fool people into thinking that the shoe was a real deal Jordan Brand release. The Air Jordan 1 will be released though, as The Remade is setting aside four pairs for China and four pairs for the U.S that will hit on Chinese New Year. There is no word yet on whether there will be an official 'Chinese New Year' version of the Jordan 1.


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Tyre maker Goodyear has posted a first quarter loss of $US58 million ($A62 million) which can be explained by Venezuelan currency charges and a severe winter in North America.
News.com.au reports that the loss added up to 23 cents per share. It compares with the profit of made $US26 million, or 10 cents per share for the same period last year.
The company said in a statement that, because of cold weather, sales in the North American market fell from 14.8 million to 14.6 million.
As Reuters reports, January and February were bad months for the whole North American auto industry. However, sales stared to pick up in March.
The result was also affected by the economic climate in Venezuela, a nation which contributed about 2 percent of the company's revenue in 2013.
This was exacerbated by an industrial relations dispute in the company’s Venezuelan plant.
"While the situation in Venezuela will remain volatile, we expect our volumes to increase in the second quarter, given the conclusion of our labour negotiations," Good year Chief Executive Richard Kramer said on a conference call with analysts.


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Reports have it that Captain America will be coming to the Fortnite Item Shop on July 4.
Fortnite Season 3 is here! Check out the Battle Pass and leaked skins!
Fortnite creator, Loserfruit, will reportedly be receiving a skin bundle soon, according to leaks.
Take a look at all of the leaked skins and cosmetics found in the Fortnite v12.60 game files.
A new starter pack called 'Yellow Jacket' should be hitting the Fortnite Item Shop soon.
Fortnite’s v12.50 Update is now live, and as always, dataminers have been sifting through the patch files to find new skins, harvesting tools, gliders, and more...
Take a look at all of the leaked skins and more from the Fortnite v12.40 update.
A leak revealed that Fortnite's second rideable glider is in the works along with a new synced emote.
The 'Oro' skin joined the ranks of leaked Fortnite skins that never entered the Item Shop. This skin received an update in v12.20.
The previously-leaked Fortnite Travis Scott skin has reportedly been revealed.
It’s a new week, and that means that there’s a fresh update for us all to enjoy, as the Fortnite...
Flare Gun, water level, bug fixes, and more expectations for the v13.20 Fortnite update.
Epic are responding to one of the biggest problem in competitive Fortnite: helicopters.


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New Safe Harbor Pact Offers Temporary Port in Storm - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
Through an eleventh-hour maneuver, the United States and the European Union last week avoided action that could have choked the movement of data between the regions and caused financial harm to U.S. companies. It may be only a temporary respite, however. The problem stems from a European Court of Justice decision in October that blew up an agreement between the regions.
Old-Timey Mischief on Display at the Malware Museum - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
The Internet Archive on Friday cut the ribbon on its online Malware Museum, an online compendium of malware programs computer users in the 1980s and 1990s sometimes encountered. Everything old is new again, apparently. The museum presents examples of the viruses, complete with the messages or animations they would have shown when infecting a computer.
Keybase Releases Encrypted File-Sharing iPhone App - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
Keybase last week announced the alpha release of the Keybase app for the iPhone with a cryptographically secure file mount. Users can write data in an automatically created folder in this format: /keybase/public/username. Files written in the folder are signed automatically and appear as plain text files. The folder prevents server-side and man-in-the-middle attacks, Keybase said.
Smart Email and the Path to Digital Immortality - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
I attended IBM Connect last week, where I checked out one of the most interesting new products you've likely never heard of -- IBM Verse. While there was a lot of discussion about how it better integrated social networking, what really intrigued me was the idea of putting cognitive computing inside an email client. "Cognitive computing" is the new way of saying "artificial intelligence."
Vaio's Phone Biz to Test Windows 10's Reception in Asia - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
Vaio on Wednesday announced Phone Biz, a Windows 10 mobile phone. The device doesn't have a SIM, leaving users free to select their own carriers. The Phone Biz lets users easily access corporate apps, Microsoft SharePoint and Microsoft Exchange, as well as the Azure cloud, according to Vaio. The OS is synced with the latest version of Windows 10.
Google to Put Self-Driving Cars Through Rainy-Day Paces - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
Google on Wednesday announced that it has chosen Kirkland, Washington, as the next location to test its self-driving cars. It picked Kirkland as the third test city to give the cars more experience driving in new environments, traffic patterns and road conditions. Google has conducted testing mainly at or near its campus in Mountain View, California. Last year it expanded to Austin, Texas.
Apple Pencils In March 15 for 4-Inch iPhone Launch - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
Apple is planning an event to unveil a refresh of its iPhone 5s and its Apple Watch, as well as to introduce a new version of its iPad Air, according to a Tuesday report. However, the event date could change, or the company could opt for an online announcement. The 4-inch Phone 5se reportedly will look similar to the 5s and sell at the same price point: $450.
Rugged Turing Phone to Run on Sailfish OS, Not Android - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
Turing Robotic Industries this week announced that it has uninstalled Google's Android mobile platform in favor of Jolla's Sailfish OS in its yet-to-appear secure smartphone. The Turing Phone, molded from a single unit of the Liquidmorphium liquid-metal alloy, is designed to be more durable to absorb shocks and prevent screen breakage. Preorder pricing starts at $610.
Fitbit's Alta Is Dressed to Kill - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
Fitbit has unveiled a new fitness tracker that highlights muted colors and fashion-forward design elements. The Alta, priced at $129, has a brushed, stainless steel body that supports interchangeable bands, so that it doesn't stand out for the wrong reasons. Consumers can select bands from the Classic line, available in plum, teal, black and blue for $30 each.
MIT Team Runs Victory Lap in 1st Hyperloop Competition - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
A team from MIT won the best overall design award in the first round of the Hyperloop pod design contest, held last weekend at Texas A&M University. About 120 teams participated in the event. The MIT entry focused on speed, braking, stability and levitation. Powerful magnets placed over a conducting plate -- the aluminum SpaceX track -- will accomplish levitation in an actual pod.
T-Mobile Wins OpenSignal Speed Tests - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
T-Mobile's 700-MHz rollout has given its mobile users some of the fastest data speeds in the U.S. market, according to a report OpenSignal released Tuesday. OpenSignal crowdsources data on carrier signal quality from users who have its consumer mobile application installed. T-Mobile has the fastest 4G LTE download speeds in the country, overtaking Verizon by a slight edge.
Europe, US Cut 11th Hour Safe Harbor Deal - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
Europe and the United States on Tuesday announced a new Safe Harbor agreement that neutralizes the threat of enforcement actions against domestic companies handling overseas data. The EU-US Privacy Shield aims to protect the privacy of data belonging to European citizens when it's handled by U.S. companies. It "will protect the fundamental rights of Europeans," said EU Commissioner Vera Jourová.
Harvard Researchers Debunk Warnings of Terrorists 'Going Dark' - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
The Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University on Monday released a report that questions the so-called "going dark" phenomenon. The U.S. government and surveillance and law enforcement agencies have been calling for an end to encryption because they say it lets terrorists communicate with impunity and is responsible for the inability of law enforcement to monitor communications.
Gadget Ogling: Babe-Friendly Smartwatches, Pretty Routers, and Automated Aromas - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
If I were a parent, I assume I would have a strong opposition to giving a smartphone to an under-14 child of mine. Don't get me wrong. I would, I surmise, be all in favor of my offspring being able to tap into the Internet to explore, learn, and communicate. I'd also want my kid to be reachable at all times -- but, ideally, in a more-controlled way than by carrying a typical smartphone.
Microsoft's Project Natick: Data Centers Better Down Where It's Wetter? - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
Microsoft on Monday unveiled Project Natick, a research initiative aimed at developing underwater data centers that could be built near coastal cities. The project is still in its infancy, but Microsoft built one test facility last year. It was deployed 30 feet underwater off the California coast in August and was tested through December, when it was returned to the Microsoft campus.
Zenwalk 8 Beta Led Me Down a Rocky Road - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
Zenwalk is a Linux distro that seems to be in a state of flux. I took a gamble with the Zenwalk 8.0 beta edition, released last month, after several colleagues raved about its improvements. Chalk that up to potentially bad advice. It's not that Zenwalk is a bad distro. It is an uncooperative and strange experience. A lot can be said about not having to struggle with a problematic OS version.
How Analytics Could Upset the Presidential Frontrunners - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
Given all the campaign drama, there was little else on my mind when I started to write my column at the end of last week. The also-rans really didn't understand how suicidal Trump's comments were about fans supporting him even if he shot someone in New York. Also, Clinton's use of a nonauthorized BlackBerry revealed what she really thought of the Obama administration.
Oracle Pulls Plug on Java Browser Plug-In - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
Oracle earlier this week announced its decision to scrap its Java browser plug-in. The plug-in, a frequent target of hackers, won't be included in the next version of JDK 9, which is expected to ship in September. Oracle's action was motivated by browser makers' withdrawal of support for the plug-in. Developers of applications that depend on it need to consider alternatives, the company said.
Google, Movidius to Bring Deep Learning to Mobile Devices - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
Movidius on Wednesday announced that it's working with Google to put deep learning on mobile devices. Google will source Movidius' latest flagship chip -- the MA2450 -- and software development environment, and will contribute to Movidius' neural network technology road map in return. That could result in mobile devices that will be able to understand images and audio swiftly and accurately.
Google's AlphaGo Defeats Human Master of Ancient Game - Posted on Wednesday December 31, 1969
Research at Google on Wednesday announced that AlphaGo has become the first computer software system to beat a human at the ancient game of Go. There are more possible positions in Go than there are the number of atoms in the universe, and it has a googol more positions than chess, Google pointed out. That complexity makes it difficult for computers to play Go.
Oracle Releases Security Updates for Java - Posted on Monday February 08, 2016
Original release date: February 08, 2016
Oracle has released security updates to address a vulnerability in Java SE versions 6, 7, and 8 for Windows. Exploitation of this vulnerability may allow a remote attacker to take control of an affected system.
Users and administrators are encouraged to review the Oracle security alert and apply the necessary update.
Comodo Chromodo Browsers Vulnerable to Cross-Domain Attacks - Posted on Thursday February 04, 2016
Original release date: February 04, 2016
Some Comodo Chromodo browser versions (18.104.22.1682, 22.214.171.1241, and possibly earlier) are vulnerable to cross-domain attacks. When a user of a vulnerable Chromodo browser visits a specially crafted web page, an attacker may obtain access to web content from another domain.
US-CERT recommends users and administrators review Vulnerability Note VU#305096 for additional information and mitigation details.
WordPress Releases Security Update - Posted on Tuesday February 02, 2016
Original release date: February 02, 2016
WordPress 4.4.1 and prior versions contain two security vulnerabilities. Exploitation of one of these vulnerabilities could allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information.
Users and administrators are encouraged to review the WordPress Security and Maintenance Release and upgrade to WordPress 4.4.2.
FTC Announces Enhancements to IdentityTheft.gov - Posted on Friday January 29, 2016
Original release date: January 29, 2016
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has upgraded its IdentityTheft.gov site to provide improved help to victims of identity theft. Enhancements include more personalized response plans for consumers, automatic generation of documents to aid in recovery, and better integration of the site with the FTC's consumer complaint system. Resources are also available for those who want to avoid becoming victims of identity theft.
OpenSSL Releases Security Advisory - Posted on Thursday January 28, 2016
Original release date: January 28, 2016
OpenSSL versions 1.0.2f and 1.0.1r have been released to address vulnerabilities in prior versions. Exploitation of these vulnerabilities may allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information.
Cisco Releases Security Update - Posted on Wednesday January 27, 2016
Original release date: January 27, 2016
Cisco has released a security update to address a vulnerability in the web-based management interface of Cisco RV220W Wireless Network Security Firewall devices. Exploitation of this vulnerability could allow a remote attacker to take control of an affected device.
Mozilla Releases Security Updates - Posted on Tuesday January 26, 2016
Original release date: January 26, 2016
Mozilla has released security updates to address multiple vulnerabilities in Firefox. Exploitation of one of these vulnerabilities may allow a remote attacker to take control of an affected system.
Available updates include:
- Firefox 44
- Firefox ESR 38.6
IRS Releases Tenth Security Tip - Posted on Monday January 25, 2016
Original release date: January 25, 2016
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released the tenth in a series of tips intended to help the public protect personal and financial data online and at home. This tip describes steps tax preparers can take to protect sensitive information. Recommendations include conducting a full scan of all computer drives and files, making sure that tax preparers' security software updates automatically, and using robust security software that helps block malware and viruses.
Users and administrators are encouraged to review the IRS Security Awareness Tax Tip Number 10 for additional information.
Apple Releases Security Update for tvOS - Posted on Monday January 25, 2016
Original release date: January 25, 2016
Apple has released a security update for tvOS to address multiple vulnerabilities. Exploitation of some of these vulnerabilities may allow a remote attacker to take control of an affected system.
US-CERT encourages users and administrators to review the Apple security update for tvOS 9.1.1 Apple TV (4th generation) and apply the necessary update.
Google Releases Security Update for Chrome - Posted on Wednesday January 20, 2016
Original release date: January 20, 2016
Google has released Chrome version 48.0.2564.82 to address multiple vulnerabilities for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Exploitation of some of these vulnerabilities may allow a remote attacker to take control of an affected system.
Users and administrators are encouraged to review the Chrome Releases page and apply the necessary update.


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Record operating and net profit. Net profit of ISK 5.4 billion for the year.
"Origo's results in 2018 were the best in the company's history. Fourth quarter sales totalled ISK 4,461 million, up 13.1% from the same period in the preceding year. Net earnings in Q4 2018 totalled ISK 5,285 million versus ISK 167 million in the same period in 2017, a result which was significantly impacted by profit generated by the sale of a stake in Tempo. Looking at the year overall, sales of goods and services were up 4.3%, finishing at ISK 15,717 million. Our net earnings for the full year were up significantly, amounting to ISK 5,420 million versus ISK 433 million in 2017. EBITDA was ISK 1,128 million (7.2%) for the full year 2018, versus 928 (6.2%) in 2017. Our EBITDA trended upwards as the year progressed, totalling ISK 423 million (9.5%) in the fourth quarter, a new record for the company.
It is fair to say 2018 was a milestone year in the history of Origo and its predecessors. Origo was created at the beginning of year with the merger of three companies, and the rebranding and consolidation yielded immediate positive results for Origo and our customers as reflected in improved efficiency, economics and earnings. The year was an eventful one for Origo. In addition to strong sales of IT equipment to enterprise customers, in recent months we have been particularly focused on strengthening our offering in the areas of software and business solutions, both by developing our own solutions and through acquisitions of business and operating units. The company's revenue composition has changed with an increased emphasis on subscription services, consultancy and sales of various software and business solutions, including both internally developed and third-party solutions. These changes have helped deliver a broader solution offering, higher revenue and improved earnings.
Our rebranding efforts has been highly successful, with Origo already having established itself as a leading IT service company among enterprises and consumers alike. We notice increased interest in the company in several areas and it is clear that our thorough preparations, carried out in collaboration with consultants and our staff, have delivered a strong brand and high awareness of the nature of our operations. As an example of this, Origo is the first brand in customers' minds when it comes to choosing an IT company, according to a Gallup survey conducted in late 2018. Origo has gained a strong position in most age groups, and we are happy to note an increased awareness and knowledge of our brand among the younger groups, for instance among the 18-24 and 35-44 demographics. Furthermore, 91% of Icelanders recognise the Origo brand according to a recent Gallup survey, an impressive result in less than 12 months. We owe this accomplishment partly to the tone of the Origo brand, which is light and spunky while also signifying humility, helpfulness and technical prowess. This positive feedback lets us feel that we are doing something right, and it clearly has value for the company going forward.
Our sale of a 55% stake in Tempo last November was an important step for both Origo and the operations of Tempo. Origo is in a very healthy financial position after the sale and well positioned to support both internal and external growth as well as meeting any challenges that might lie ahead. The sale of Tempo is a testament to the terrific work done by the staff of Tempo and Origo in recent years. It also reaffirms the value represented by Icelandic ingenuity, which recently has been receiving increased attention and support from the government, which is to be celebrated.
With the combined support of Diversis and Origo, we expect Tempo to enter into a new phase of development and revenue growth and would not be surprised to see the value of the company rising substantially in the near future. In view of this, we have stressed the importance of Origo maintaining a significant stake in the company, for the benefit of Origo shareholders.
2018 was particularly good for us and we have never been as well positioned to advance our operations or face unexpected problems as they come. On that note, it is clear that conditions in the labour market may present challenges, but it is in everyone's best interest to maintain stability, control inflation and protect the gains in purchasing power that have been achieved in recent years, as well as the competitiveness of the Icelandic business sector. We are confident that this will be done."


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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 — The Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (Margma) says its members will do their utmost best to ensure an adequate supply of medical gloves amid the novel coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China.
Its president Denis Low said with China requesting more urgent shipments of the protective devices, Margma members are ramping up production to meet the request in a bid to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Believing demand for gloves will increase, Low urged association members to give priority to those affected areas and countries.
“As a responsible industry player, we will do our part to ensure sufficient gloves reach the affected people and territories,” he said in a statement today. — Bernama


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Meta officially launches Threads, Instagram’s “text-based conversation app.” This messaging app similar to Twitter is supposed to give tough competition to its competitor, Twitter.
The new messaging app Thread was officially released and announced by Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, on Wednesday 6th of July. Some of the changes on the Twitter platform by the arrival of Elon Musk were disturbing its user experience and many of its users were fleeing from the platform. Meta, avail the opportunity and launched Twitter’s rival to accommodate those users and step into the market.
Instagram users can easily now access this new messaging app, Threads with their Instagram username and password. The users can also follow the same accounts as they do on Instagram. On this app, Instagram users can have conversations and discuss everything and every kind of topic.
Any user can write a short form of text with a limit of 500 characters a post and there is also a facility to add videos, photos, and carousel. Similar to other social media platforms, users here can also like, comment and repost different posts. An important point for verified users is that they can also import their verified check marks to Threads as well.
Threads is available on the iOS Appstore and Android Playstore in several countries to download for free.
Just after the launch on a Wednesday evening, Mark Zuckerberg actively mentioned the early success of the Threads app by the crossing of 2 million signups.
The recent Twitter mishaps paved the way for other brands to step into the market as an opportunity and help the user in need. Threads is a user-friendly app and makes waves already with bulks and bulks of signups.


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Alibaba Group Holdings (BABA) reported earnings and revenue that topped analyst expectations, but the shares were down this morning after an initial increase.
The actions of Alibaba short sellers betting on a decline in the stock may explain some of the initial rise in the stock, followed by a decline in U.S. trading, despite positive news: Alibaba reported revenue of RMB34,292 million ($5,142 million), an increase of 55% year-over-year, including significant growth in customers willing to pay for cloud-based services. Non-GAAP net income fell 69% year over year "primarily due to a non-recurring revaluation gain of RMB18,603 million in the quarter ended September 30, 2015," the company said. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) increased by 42% to RMB15,875 million ($2,381 million) in the quarter ended September 30, compared to RMB11,146 million in the same quarter of 2015, according to the Alibaba earnings release.
Alibaba stock pared early gains on the earnings news, catching up to shares of Latin American online retailer MercadoLibre (MELI), and Amazon.com (AMZN), each of which was down more than 1% Wednesday morning. Alibaba shares are up nearly 15% this year, in line with the rise in Amazon stock. MercadoLibre shares are up 47% year to date.
From the Alibaba earnings conference call transcript, here are the opening remarks by Joseph C. Tsai, executive vice chairman at Alibaba, based on a preliminary transcript provided by CallStreet.com via FactSet:
"We delivered another terrific quarter with 55% year-on-year revenue growth and 2.1 billion in free cash flow. All of our business segments saw robust growth. And for those of you who have tracked us for a long time, you will observe that beginning in the last quarter, we have accelerated our revenue growth compared to growth rates in the prior year. I want to provide my perspective on why Alibaba is growing faster this year than last year even off of a bigger base. And more importantly, why we think significant growth is sustainable into the future.
First of all, our core Commerce segment continues to be very robust with year-on-year revenue growth of 41%. On a basis of a very healthy China retail marketplace base now with 450 million mobile MAUs, we see tremendous opportunities for us to increase monetization of our user base. This is because user engagement of our platform is growing. And this generates strong value for branding and distribution to brands and merchants coming to our platform to reach consumers. In addition, we see significant upside in building out our international marketplaces, where penetration of Internet-enabled commerce is still relatively nascent.
Second, the core Commerce business throws off tremendous cash flow to enable us to make investments in important strategic areas. Two of these strategic areas are cloud computing and digital media and entertainment. Both segments are coming into their own in terms of scale and market position, each seeing triple-digit revenue growth this quarter.
Third, we're extremely patient when it comes to developing potentially high-impact initiatives. A couple of quarters ago, I talked about investing for the long run and how we focus on initiatives with long gestation periods. In our experience, the investment cycle for incubating businesses that eventually become massive value drivers could take seven to 10 years. We've seen this pattern in the case of Taobao, Alipay, cloud computing, etcetera, all of which we have developed organically in-house. As I said before, having the ability to remain patient and the strategic flexibility to invest with a long view is a huge competitive advantage. ..."
And from CEO Daniel Yong Zhang:
"... The most important opportunity on horizon is helping traditional business to upgrade into a new retail model and not continuing to grow online business in isolation ... Our cloud computing continues to shine. Revenue increased by 130% year-over-year and paying customers grew to more than 651,000. We launched a nuclear energy center in northern China capitalizing on the regionally, naturally advantages, weather conditions and innovative new ways to lower operational costs. Over 40,000 developers from 58 countries attended our annual investors conference for cloud computing and artificial intelligence in Hangzhou, where we unveiled a third ring project in collaboration with Hangzhou government to upgrade and transform citywide management and services ..."
See our posts Alibaba Stock Sinks: Insider Aiding SEC Inquiry?, Alibaba Has 30% Upside, Citi Says and Alibaba: Why Is Short Interest up 52% This Year? UPDATE: Also see our post After Alibaba Earnings: 25% Upside.


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The beer market dynamics in Russia is approaching zero, yet major brewers are divided into those who developed considerably in 2017 and those who considerably reduced their volumes. For instance, company Efes has managed to substantially extend their sales due to restrained pricing policy and activity in the modern trade. Heineken has also demonstrated an excellent performance promoted by significant increase of advertisement budgets launching a non-alcohol sort of the title brand and unusual activity in the economy market segment. Carlsberg and AB InBev have been focusing on margins and lost a market share of their inexpensive brands. Serious dependence on PET package and mass enthusiasm about Zhigulevskoe have negatively impacted the most of big regional brewers, that have been for the first time pressed by the leaders in the key sales channels, especially in Volga and Central regions. In the small business there has been a noticeable slowdown in appearing of new restaurant breweries, yet the number of craft breweries has been growing rapidly. In 2018, the beer market is likely to grow a little, while the share of AB InBev Efes may decrease due to the integration. ...
“Catalogue of Russian Beer Producers 2018” includes 1070 businesses ranging from large subsidiaries of international companies to rather small restaurant and craft microbreweries.The catalogue includes 32 large breweries, 75 regional breweries, 693 industrial mini- and microbreweries as well as 270 restaurant breweries. ...
Global hop marketA local alternative to mass beer suggested by independent brewers has been successful and is now altering the global market. Beer is becoming more diversified, so transnational companies have to accept the new game rules and to switch focus to young and fast growing markets. All these processes increased the demand for aroma and bitter hop as well as their acreage expansion on two continents. However now there appeared a downward trend of alcohol consumption in the world, so even special sorts can soon turn to be sufficient. In this connection the dynamic American hop market is already facing some problems. EU hop producers have become more cautious, they are not racing to exceed the demand and look forward with more confidence, judging by the contract terms.
Hop Market in RussiaGermany still dominates the Russian market, yet over the recent two years one has been able observe a continuous success of Czech hop suppliers. Their expansion and growing popularity of hops from the United States became the drivers of supplies growth in 2016 despite the preceding modest harvest crop in the EU, as well as the factor of relative stability in 2017. In this connection, in 2017, the ratio of the varieties continued to shift towards the aroma ones, and the supplies of Magnum hop and other alpha varieties were reduced. However, the import of bitter hop pellets is partially replaced by extracts, especially from the major beer manufacturers. Total volumes of alpha acid supplies, according to our estimation, decreased by approximately 5% and returned to the level of 2015. Barth Haas Group continues dominating the hop products market; HVG also increased its weight. At the same time, Morris Hanbury significantly reduced the supplies in 2017.
SABMiller finds way of reducing raw material costs
The brewer currently uses approximately 42bn. crowns every year to top bottled lagers and carbonated soft drinks, with an equivalent weight of 100,000 tonnes - nearly twice the weight of the steel used in the Empire State Building.
Using conservative estimates, the new low-gauge crown could reduce the amount of steel required across SABMiller's global production platform by at least 10% a year, enough to build London another Olympic stadium.
The standard thickness of steel used to create bottle crowns across the brewing industry is between 0.22mm and 0.24mm. Backus' new, low-gauge crown uses 0.17mm steel, possible thanks to a unique design which embosses a ring around the bottle lip to prevent a 'spring back' effect that can lead to leakage and contamination.
In the 12 months to 31 March 2010, Backus used around 20m. low-gauge crowns in production at its San Juan plant in Pucallpa City. Following this successful pilot, the low-gauge crowns have been rolled out across the remaining four breweries in Peru, with approximately 80m. low-gauge crowns being used in the twelve months to 31 March 2011.
While the Peruvian low-gauge crown is forecast to be fully implemented during the second half of F12 in Peru and Ecuador, other countries and regions are working on similar low-gauge projects. Netherlands based Grolsch brewery has performed trials on a 0.18mm crown from Italian crown producer Pelliconi, and results have encouraged other European countries to follow its lead, with trials being planned for all countries in F12.
SABMiller's partially-owned South African supplier, Coleus, will implement a 0.21mm low-gauge crown, which depends on steel supplier capability constraints but will achieve the same commercial benefits as their European counterparts due to special market conditions.
If the Peruvian initiative could be rolled out across SABMiller, it could hypothetically deliver annual cost savings of $12.6m in material costs alone.
The reduced weight of the bottle crowns will also have a positive impact on the environment. Today, a standard bottle crown weighs approximately 2.38 grams. The low-gauge bottle crown will weigh around 2.14 grams, which will mean a 360 gram weight reduction in every pallet being transported to the group's breweries and from the brewery to retailers and distributors. In addition, reduced weight in transport will deliver as yet unqualified cost savings and reductions in C02 emissions through transportation.
Maurice Egan, Group Head of Manufacturing at SABMiller said: "The low-gauge crowns programme is just one example of a cumulative effort across the group to innovate in every aspect of production. Across the globe, we continue to encourage blue-sky thinking that will increase efficiency, improve costs and reduce the impact our business has on the environment."
5 Jul. 2011


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Displaying items by tag: Stevie Munn
#ANGLING - The Irish Fly Fair and Angling Show at the Galway Bay Hotel next weekend be "the biggest of its kind in Ireland", hosting the largest number of fly tyers and trade stands from over 15 countries, according to organisers.
The two-day exhibition, now in its second year, will welcome some of the world's top fly tyers and angling celebrities to Salthill.
As with the first event last November, visitors will have the opportunity to learn from the world's best fly dressers and casters, with tuition provided by APGAI Ireland.
Returning angling celebs Hywel Morgan, Glenda Powell, Stevie Munn, Paddy McDonnell, Peter O’Reilly will be joined by newcomer Scott MacKenzie to advise on all aspects of fly fishing.
Among the new events this year is the youth fly tying competition, giving younger anglers a chance to show the pros what they can do.
Experts from Inland Fisheries Ireland, the Wild Trout Trust and many more will also be hosting talks and seminar on various angling-related topics.
And all that is aside from the huge trade aspect of the weekend.
"Building on the success of last year’s show, where business was brisk, the 2011 show has attracted trade from all over Europe who are keen to come to Galway and exhibit to the Irish market," said organiser Grace McDermott.
For more details on the second annual Irish Fly Fair and Angling Show visit www.irishflyfair.com.
Most of the top names in fly tying and angling will be in Galway this November for the inaugural Irish Fly Fair say Galway organisers. Well known game angler Stevie Munn will be in town in partnership with Irish Angler magazine. The event sponsored by Inland Fisheries Ireland has succeeded in attracting many of the world's best fly tyers and anglers – including the top Irish ones – to what promises to be a great weekend for anglers and their families.
Centerpiece of the event will be the fly tying area, where over 30 world class experts will give demonstrations of their art and skill, as well as lessons in the techniques of constructing Salmon, Trout, Pike and Saltwater flies.
In addition there will be casting demonstrations by World renowned Fly Casters and also instruction from fully qualified instructors.
For those looking for Christmas gifts, there will be a wide range of tackle and other retailers with lots of bargains on offer.
There will be lots for the family too. For the first time ever in Ireland French firm Scatri will be letting people practice their angling skills on their range of fishing simulators. Galway Aquarium will allow visitors to see the wide range of fish and other creatures that live in our waters up close and personal and also an expert on entomology will be there. Galway Bay FM will broadcast live from the event on Saturday. Chef Chris Sanford will prepare a number of haddock recipes throughout the weekend, to complement Bord Bia's current promotional campaign to increase the awareness, and Irish consumer's consumption, of haddock.
More information HERE


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For this month’s Pulse Report, the monthly survey conducted by Baird Research in conjunction with the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas and Soundings Trade Only, 111 marine retailers were contacted to assess current and future retail trends. And in a trend that goes back to the spring, dealers continued to report strong consumer demand and extremely lean inventories.
Dealers were also asked to opine on 2022 retail growth expectations — again, inventory availability is expected to be a major driver of performance. Those who responded said that 2022 production is presold as demand continues, positioning companies for strong sales trends through 2022 and 2023. Restocking activity is expected to last well beyond 2022.
Broadly, dealers expect 2022 sales near 2021 levels. At the margin, more expect growth (39 percent) than declines (37 percent), with growth slowed by a lack of units in stock. “We only expect 2022 to be down due to lack of being able to get inventory. We would be up more than 15 percent if we could get inventory,” one dealer said.
Overall, more dealers reported retail growth (44 percent) than declines (29 percent), a sign that availability may be improving in seasonally lower volume months. “Demand is still through the roof,” one dealer responded.
However, almost 90 percent of dealers reported that new-boat inventory is too low, while just 2 percent reported is was too high. Used inventory also remains extremely lean, with 78 percent of dealers reporting used inventory as too low. One dealer commented on used-boat sales: “The used NADA is priced way too high right now. That’s why the new market it doing so good for us. Guys are trying to sell their boats for more than they paid, and smart shoppers have noticed. They will wait for a new boat with a full warranty.”
Another voiced cost concerns for a bevy of boat-related products: “I think people are hitting their ceilings on the costs of boating. It’s not just the inflated purchase price of major units, though also the costs of upkeep. Shrinkwrap is increasing by 40 percent. Non-toxic antifreeze is up big, [as are] other items across the board. And then there is the rising costs of labor. It all adds up. We are still selling but for how long?”
While the lack of inventory has limited retail sales in 2021, it has also reduced carrying costs, and many inbound units are already presold. “We would have had a better year if some of the manufacturers kept up with their commitments. We understand but are hoping for more inventory next year,” was one response.
Sentiment on current retail conditions improved last month (46 versus 43), while the three- to five-year outlook decreased (44 versus 52). Dealers expressed concern about the impact of higher costs and inflation on demand. One commented: “Manufacturers should be willing to reduce prices in the future if supply chain and disruptions get under control.”
One dealer cited the continued importance of communication, saying that one positive has been “open communication with our primary major unit supplier. I have been receiving regular updates on our on-order, sold and stock boats. Knowledge is value.”
With all the news recently about inflation, we asked dealers how current manufacturer prices compare to pricing on equivalent units this time last year. Ninety-seven percent of dealers reported increases of greater than 5 percent, with most reporting low-double-digits to low-teens percent increases. Most dealers surveyed — 84 percent — also said that they plan to pass along most or all of the increase to consumers.
Another said, “Working hard to have boats, motors and trailers in stock or on order to sell. Not much need for marketing, as customers are coming in without us marketing. Having to pay employees a lot more to retain them. Higher margins have helped offset the increase in employee costs.”
This article was originally published in the January 2022 issue.


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As part of this week’s Connected Home Global Summit 2011 in London the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) is releasing a new Interoperability Guidelines for the playback of commercial media content. The new guideline will make it easier for residential customers to stream video content to in home devices such as DLNA certified Blu-ray disc players, connected TVs, game consoles and set-top boxes.
At this year’s Consumer Electronic show CyWee announced the release of its new wireless and motion sensing technology. They are the CyWee Z wireless 3D Game Controller, the CyWee Media Browser and the CyWee X wireless HDMI Gateway. All system comes with first of its king features.


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Jeff Bezos had a spectacular decade. Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) soared 900 percent while the S&P 500 barely doubled.
But more recently, the juggernaut has faltered. AMZN is only up 13 percent in the past year and is still 7 percent off its all-time peak. The market as a whole, meanwhile, has shifted into racing gear.
It is not hard to understand why Bezos has hit a wall. The e-commerce engine that he built has gotten so big that achieving additional growth at any speed has gotten spectacularly expensive.
And the cloud computing operation that many on Wall Street once considered a secret weapon seems to be hitting competition in the form of some of the world’s top corporate predators. Amazon is going up against Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) more and more in the cloud computing domain. And Bezos has started losing.
That’s not a great thing for shareholders who were told the miraculous synergy between all of Amazon’s many ventures would feed growth and profits well into the future.
Microsoft Is Making its Move
Goldman Sachs just did a survey of corporate technology managers that should terrify Amazon investors. The poll revealed that Microsoft now has more big enterprises on its Azure cloud platform than Amazon has using its web services.
A full 56 percent of the survey population is already working with Azure and another 10 percent is planning to at least partially embrace Microsoft’s cloud solutions over the next three years.
Huge contract wins like the Pentagon’s $10 billion decision to let Microsoft run its cloud programs tip the market share scales even further. Azure has gone from a niche player to the status quo.
And everyone who knows Microsoft knows that once it gets a dominant position in any market segment, it never lets go. The whole strategy here revolves around cross-selling solutions into the platform, ensuring that competitors starve.
Maybe that’s why Microsoft refuses to go into detail on Azure’s financial performance. We suspect that the cloud is about a $17 billion business for the company now, which is barely 14 percent of the overall revenue footprint.
But with an estimated $1 trillion to capture between now and 2023, this is a big enough prize for even the world’s largest companies to fight over.
Amazon, on the other hand, is already watching its cloud growth slow down. Last quarter, I was expecting 36 percent growth from the unit and reality came in 2 percentage points short of that target.
That’s a significant deceleration from previous quarters. In fact, Amazon’s cloud hasn’t grown this slowly since 2014.
And while most companies would be ecstatic to watch a unit that’s already capturing $9 billion a quarter move at these growth rates, any weakness on the cloud is ominous for Amazon.
Bezos draws 71 percent of his operating income from this business and historically redistributes it across other ventures like Amazon Prime delivery, original video programming, Kindle support and Alexa voice computing. This is where he gets the cash to keep growing.
While merchants around the world hate and fear his online retail platform, Amazon sales are barely profitable. Plus, its margins are compressing fast. A year ago, Bezos booked about a 6 percent profit on everything sold on his site. Now, its net income from North American retail is below 3 percent.
That’s precarious. But with cloud margins declining as well, his cash cow looks a little underfed right now. I’m not convinced it can keep enough profit flowing to support an $1,900 stock.
AMZN is on track to report around $20 per share in earnings when the final 2019 numbers come in. That’s a 90X multiple for a company that is already struggling to raise the bottom line more than 1-2 percent a year.
If and when we see the growth, AMZN might catch back up to the rest of the Big Tech giants. I just don’t see the cloud playing a big role in that recovery.
Which stocks benefit from AMZN’s headaches? GameChangers routinely alerts subscribers to the next-generation retailers who laugh at the notion that Bezos will drive every other store into extinction.
And for the long haul, I’ve launched a new IPO service that focuses exclusively on the newest kids on Wall Street. While the last decade belonged to Bezos, these stocks will rule the 2020s.
Join Me for the Orlando MoneyShow, February 6-8, 2020, at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. I will be speaking Friday, Feb. 7, 3:00 p.m. about The Stealth Value Investor: Ten Amazing Dividend Yield Plays Flying Under the Radar. On Saturday, Feb. 8, I will talk at 5:15 a.m. about Identifying the Real Future GameChanger Stocks: Ten Companies Positioned to Double — Even if the Bears Take Over Wall Street. Other investment experts who will be speaking include retirement and estate planning specialist Bob Carlson, income and options expert Bryan Perry and world-traveling, free-market economist Mark Skousen, who leads the Forecasts & Strategies newsletter. Register by clicking here or call 1-800-970-4355 and mention my priority code of 049252.
CANNABIS CORNER: CALLING THE WINNER
Last year turned ugly for Big Weed investors as bad news spiraled across the industry in a classic demonstration of contagion out of control. Every headline fed back on all the stocks because Wall Street couldn’t tell the players apart.
But here we are with a clear winner emerging. Investors seem to have figured out that Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC) is different enough to stand up to the tides of sentiment.
All you need to do is look at the stocks over the last few months. CGC has rebounded 45 percent off its Nov. 17 low, outperforming runner-up rival CannTrust Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CTST) by 10 percentage points and leaving everything else in the dust.
Quite a few of these stocks never caught the bounce at all. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) has dropped another 21 percent over that time period and Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) is down 25 percent.
The performance gap here is staggering. Over the summer, all of these stocks moved in eerie unison. Now, there suddenly are winners and losers.
That’s all a factor of CGC lining up the right management team to align the business with corporate parent Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE:STZ), which has a 35 percent stake in the company and a vested interest in its success.
Dropping Constellation’s chief financial officer into the CEO chair ensures that Canopy makes the best moves to protect its parent’s investment. That’s a great thing for shareholders.
After all, Constellation just wrote down another $534 million in the value of its Canopy stock. Management on both sides will do whatever it takes to stop the bleeding.
It has worked so far. But there’s a lot of ground left to recover. The last six months have cut the overall value of CGC in half.
At least it’s bouncing now. TLRY and ACB are still falling knives. I don’t see them hitting the floor until they communicate exactly what sets them apart from the little players in the industry who imploded for very good reasons over the summer.
Size isn’t good enough. Winners here will have compelling products and differentiated business models to drive them. Losers will race to the bottom.


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Verizon continues to be interested in potentially acquiring Yahoo for the 1 billion people who use its email, finance, sports and video services; its broad online content offerings and its heavy Web traffic. The mobile carrier upped its pursuit by recently enlisting the help of the CEO of its AOL unit to research its strategy, according to a report.
Tim Armstrong, CEO of AOL, which Verizon owns, has been given “a leading role” in exploring a possible bid for Yahoo, according to a Feb. 8 story by Bloomberg that is based on reports from an unnamed source who is familiar with the matter.
Verizon “hasn’t hired bankers to conduct an offer and there have been no formal talks, according to the person, who asked not to be identified because Verizon’s plans haven’t been made public,” the story reported. “Still, as Yahoo sorts out its strategy, Armstrong is taking a lead in preliminary discussions, the person said.”
The wireless carrier, which already has about 112 million subscribers, wants to potentially combine Yahoo into its corporate umbrella to drive growth for its go90 streaming video service, the article reported. Yahoo’s Web traffic and its exclusive content “is just what Verizon needs to secure a foothold in video advertising against YouTube and Facebook serving a mobile phone-addicted generation,” the article continued.
Armstrong has known Yahoo CEO and President Marissa Mayer for many years, according to the report. Both Armstrong and Mayer were executives at Google before leaving to join Verizon and Yahoo. Armstrong even talked with Mayer previously about a possible Verizon acquisition or partial purchase back in 2014 at a media conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, another source told Bloomberg. “This was a year before Verizon acquired AOL and when Armstrong was exploring a deal to combine the two former Web portal giants.”
Armstrong “serves as a talent scout and deal maker” at Verizon today, helping the company develop its mobile video business to compete with Google and Facebook, the story reported.
Yahoo has been having a tough time in recent years. Earlier in February, Yahoo announced that it is cutting about 1,700 workers, or about 15 percent of its workforce of 11,000 full-time employees, as it works to scale back its operations and business units to cut costs, according to an earlier eWEEK article. Yahoo was founded in January 1994 as Jerry Yang and David Filo’s guide to the World Wide Web, and then renamed Yahoo a year later. Yahoo reported fourth-quarter 2015 revenue of $1.27 billion, an uptick from $1.25 billion in the year-earlier quarter. Operating earnings totaled 13 cents a share, which squared with Wall Street forecasts. However, Yahoo investors earned 30 cents per share in the fourth quarter of 2014.
In search, Yahoo has continued to struggle since Google claimed market dominance 15 years ago. Yahoo captured only 2.1 percent of the $94 billion worldwide search market in 2015, and eMarketer said it expects the company to stay flat in that category this year.
The company ostensibly is being forced by activist investors who don’t believe in the competitiveness of Yahoo anymore to sell off its main business and keep the corporate identity of Yahoo as a shell to manage the rest of its assets—which consist mostly of its $30 billion stake in Chinese online retail sales site Alibaba.
Mayer, who took the helm at Yahoo back in July 2012, has made many changes at the company—from banning employees in February 2013 from working from home to shuttering the AltaVista search engine in July 2013.
Mayer was brought in as CEO and president to try to put Yahoo back on track as a leading, growing and stable Internet company. She hailed from Google, where she was one of that company’s first 20 hires in June 1999 and was the company’s first female developer when it was just getting started.
Mayer was hired by Yahoo after an embarrassing and distracting string of three CEOs came and went in a seven-month span.


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Intel will invest $95 billion in European fabs over the next ten years and will open up its Irish fab for foundry business from car companies, said CEO Pat Gelsinger at Munich’ s IAA car show.
By David Manners, ElectronicsWeekly (September 8, 2021)
he aim, said Gelsinger, was a “total project of 80 billion euros ($94.77 billion) over the next decade that would be a catalyst for the semiconductor industry, a catalyst for the entire technology industry.”
“Cars are becoming computers with tires. You need us and we need you. The aim is to create a centre of innovation in Europe, for Europe,” said Gelsinger.
Click here to read more ...


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We love this time of year! Apples are out. Fresh, crunchy, crisp apples just picked off the tree.
There was a new study all over the news this week that states ramen Continue reading
Maggie from Maggie’s Vegetarian Cafe in Lincoln, Nebraska shares her recipe with us. This black bean casserole recipe is what they serve at the cafe and it’s the same recipe published in her cookbook, “Dueling Chefs.”
Her banana chocolate chip muffin recipe is also awesome!


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Shares of ITC rose over 2 per cent on Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) after the company said it is re-opening its factory units. The company, along with other peers, had stopped work at its factories in protest of the government's decision to make 85 per cent pictorial warning on cigarette packages compulsory.
Reacting to the news, shares of the company gained 1.7 per cent to Rs 323.30 on the Bombay Stock Exchange.
Shares of ITC surged 1.92 per cent to Rs 323.80 a piece on National Stock Exchange.
Meanwhile, the broader benchmark BSE Sensex was trading at 25,569 points, up 341 points, or 1.25 per cen.


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The Portland Rose Festival has announced the beer list for the 2023 Oregon Brewers Festival Tap Takeover, June 2 to 4, at CityFair. With more than 30 craft brews in the lineup, fans will be able to enjoy IPAs, Lagers, Pilsners, Kölsches, Goses, Blondes, Hefeweizens, Ciders and Spritzers crafted by more than 25 brewers and cidermakers from around the Pacific Northwest.
See the entire selection of beers, ciders and spritzers here at this website:
Access to the Oregon Brewers Festival activities, is included with CityFair admission. Attendees will be able to buy the 2023 Rose Festival edition Oregon Brewers Festival Mug and purchase a 12-ounce pour from the selection of OBF-curated beers on tap for $12, and every refill thereafter is $7. Cash and cards are accepted as payment, but OBF tokens will not be honored at this event. (Admission to CityFair is $15 at the gate, $12 online.)
The Oregon Brewers Festival was founded in 1988 as an opportunity to expose the public to microbrews at a time when the craft brewing industry was just getting off the ground. Today, that industry has flourished, with more than 7,000 craft breweries in America, according to the Brewer’s Association.


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Triumph Motorcycles India Eyes 10 Percent Growth
Triumph Motorcycles India, a subsidiary of Triumph Motorcycles, has about 5,000 customers since it entered India in 2014.
Triumph Bonneville Speedmaster. (Photo Courtesy: Kingdom Creative)
British iconic motorcycle brand Triumph is eyeing 10 percent rise in sales in India during the next financial year, a top official said. Triumph Motorcycles India, a subsidiary of Triumph Motorcycles, has about 5,000 customers since it entered India in 2014. The company follows July-June as a financial year and expects to sell 1,300 units by May, Triumph Motorcycles India managing director Vimal Sumbly said here.
"We are expecting to sell around 1,300 units. For the next financial '18-'19, we are looking at 10 percent growth" he said. Sumbly and senior company officials were here for unveiling new-generation classic cruiser 1200cc Bonneville Speedmaster priced at Rs 11.11 lakh (ex-showroom Chennai).
The company currently has 15 outlets across the country and would be opening the 16th in Mangaluru later this week, he said. Responding to a query, he said, in the last four years, the overall motorcycle sales grew by two percent while Triumph Motorcycles posted 63 percent growth with the majority of sales contributing from Classic range.
The company has tied up with private sector HDFC Bank to offer financial schemes which cover 75 percent of the customers. Stating that the company would be rolling out various new models in the next financial year, he said 90 percent of the motorcycles were "assembled" at the company's factory in Manesar, Haryana.
The company has several models with prices ranging from Rs 7.05 lakh to Rs 23 lakh (ex-showroom Chennai), he added. To a query, Sumbly said, the company plans to have 25 retail outlets in next two-three years across the country.
Also Watch: Tech and Auto Show | Ep 37 | Hyundai Elite i20, Virat Kohli, Google Pixel 2 & More
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A SILENT auction of a limited quantity of Totara Reserve is one of the activities planned at the Pohangina Valley Estate’s garden party later this month to raise funds for the regional park after which the wine is named.
Three bottles from each of the red wine’s 2008 and 2009 vintages will go to the bidder with the highest written offer and help lift proceeds towards the ongoing upkeep of the picturesque picnicking and camping spot under the Ruahine Ranges.
The garden party – from 2pm to 5pm on Saturday, March 20, and supported by the Manawatu District Council – is the latest community initiative by Manawatu’s first vineyard to enhance the regional park’s profile and follows the $1000 it raised through the sale of the initial 2008 Totara Reserve vintage.
Pohangina Valley Estate owners, Bronwyn and Nick Dymock, and Fiona McMorran, donated $1 for every bottle sold of the Beaujolais-style summer wine with the money set aside for the planting of totara trees at the park.
The 1000 bottles available for sale proved extremely popular and sold out quickly.
Ms McMorran said only 400 bottles of the 2009 vintage (just released) are available and as a result the vineyard decided to host the garden party as a different form of fund-raising.
“We are hoping to raise a similar amount of money as we did with the earlier venture,” she said, “Let’s hope the weather remains kind and we get good support from the community.”
She said the silent auction should create much interest among wine connoisseurs as both vintages of the Totara Reserve offered their own distinctive flavours.
Public response to the naming of the unique picnic wine, with its local connection, and the sale donation initiative, had been positive, said Ms McMorran, and fitted in well with today’s increasing support for sustainable ventures.
Parks and Reserves Manager, Albert James, said the garden party underlined the vineyard’s ongoing relationship with Totara Reserve and was an ideal way of marketing an excellent product and a popular recreational attraction.
“It highlights the status of Totara Reserve as a regional park,” he said. “It’s a win-win situation for everyone ... and a chance to have a nice party.”
A six-piece jazz band headed by Sue Pugmire and afternoon tea catering by Hester Guy will also feature at the party in the vineyard’s private house gardens at the back of the Valley Road property near Ashhurst.
Tickets are $40 per person and can be purchased through the website or by emailing firstname.lastname@example.org or at the Feilding Information Centre. Limited tickets are available and there are no gate sales.


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Survey Finds Nearly Half Of Pet Parents Want A Tattoo Of Their Furry Friends
People can be pretty obsessed with their pets. They’re part of the family, after all, and we want to do all that we can to make them feel loved, special and included.
As it turns out, pets may be a little closer to most people than we thought.
OnePoll conducted a poll of 2,000 cat and dog owners on behalf of ACANA Pet Food and discovered that many pet owners shamelessly admit to being obsessed with their pets.
According to the Longview News-Journal, of the people polled, nearly half are considering getting a tattoo of their pet(s). What’s more is 16% of those polled already have a pet-themed tattoo on their body!
It takes a lot of commitment to have your furry friend permanently memorialized on your skin, but it’s something many people are willing to do.
Beyond tattoos, pet owners also were found to have likenesses of their furry friends in their homes or on their clothes, and 31% said they use their pets as icebreakers in conversation.
What might surprise some people is that more than half of pet owners (55%) admit to having conversations with their pet(s) when no one else is around. Beyond that, 48% said they’ve told their pet a secret that they’ve never told anyone else!
The survey also revealed the majority of pet owners believe they’re more obsessed with their pets when compared to other pet owners.
According to Longview New-Journal, ACANA’s Brand Manager, Kirsten Mundorff, said: “If there’s one thing the internet has taught us, it’s that people are obsessed with seeing and sharing cute animals with each other. The popularity of animal influencers proves that pet obsession is incredibly common, even if you dont’ actually own a pet – although it certainly helps!”
Would you get a pet-themed tattoo? Let us know!
Help Rescue Animals
Provide food and vital supplies to shelter pets at The Animal Rescue Site for free! →


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Current Market Reports
As of April, Marcon had 19 inland and 21 ocean/coastal tank barges available for sale out of 676 tracked. Rampant inflation in the commercial marine industry is causing all costs in the tank barge sector to rapidly rise. Oil prices have soared since the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and looks to continue. Newbuilding costs in the US are up roughly 40%-50% from November 2021 to March 2022, having an immediate effect on newbuilding market demand, while boosting the demand for working / certified tonnage in the US petroleum barging market. Currently the inland market has high utilization rates due to demand exceeding supply, whereas the coastal market is lagging with excess tonnage languishing on the market.
In our March 2022 offshore market report, Marcon reports 529 supply, tug supply, crew, fast supply and pilot boats officially on the market for sale out of 4,149 tracked worldwide. While we only completed 10 sales and charters in 2021, we ended first quarter 2022 with eight sales and several more pending. In the market, we see the number of OSVs available for sale decrease, while recently enquiries for vessels has increased. This has led to sellers' prices increasing, even between our initial and follow-up enquiries. The market is tight, with uncertainty still prevalent given the Ukrainian war, new COVID-19 variants and resulting impacts on the global economies.
In December 2021, Marcon reported 39 push boats officially on the market for sale out of 783 tracked. This is down 40 (50.63%) from one year ago in November 2020 and 27 (40.91%) from November 2016. The inland market continued to improve during the 4th quarter of 2021, despite some headwinds. Overall 2022 is looking to be a strong year for inland operators. Although demand is strong for inland push boats, second hand supply continues to be very limited, therefore sales of push boats continue to be few and far between.
In November, Marcon reported 475 tugs officially on the market for sale out of 5,221 tracked. This is down 22.89% from one year ago, and down 27.48% from five years ago. Marcon closed ten sales and one charter in 2021. Many of the 2020 deals were well in the works before the Covid-19 situation developed and oil prices crashed. Throughout most of 2020 and early 2021, the market was extremely slow both domestically and world-wide. We continue to see a pickup in inquiries and inspections and have multiple sales pending at this time as business rebounds.


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As the Shockers and Jayhawks head into the Sweet 16, fans are looking to don their team’s colors in support, and local retailers are responding to the demand.
“This town will be painted black and gold before it’s over,” said Tad Snarenberger, owner of Tad’s Locker Room, 9747 E. 21st St. “It’s been phenomenal. We’re darned near sold out, but we have another shipment coming in (Tuesday). The fans have been crazy. They’ve been waiting for this for six and a half years.”
With wins in the NCAA tournament over the weekend, Wichita State and KU are headed to the next round of play. WSU will play La Salle on Thursday in Los Angeles, while KU will face Michigan on Friday in Arlington, Texas.
Whether they are headed for the games, their living rooms or local sports bars, fans are gearing up – as in sports gear.
Snarenberger said his store has sold 20 boxes — 100 shirts a box — just of Wichita State Sweet 16 shirts.
That shipment came in Sunday. Another arrived Monday, and two more orders are coming in Tuesday, he said.
The excitement, Snarenberger said, seems even greater than in 2006, when WSU last made it to the Sweet 16.
“We knocked off the No. 1 team in the nation, and people are really excited, and I’ve got a feeling we’re not done,” Snarenberger said.
Meanwhile, KU sales are also holding steady, Snarenberger said.
“We don’t want to forget about them,” he said. “They’re doing just as well.”
Kansas Sampler Rally House, 3053 N. Rock Road, has seen a 15 percent increase in sales for WSU gear, said manager Jordan Best-Grim.
KU sales have been steady, but without any big spurt.
“KU fans are pretty used to the Sweet 16, and they usually wait until the Elite Eight or Final Four (to buy merchandise),” she said. “But they’re still doing well. It’s a hot market and a hot traffic item.” WSU’s bookstore has seen a mix of current and prospective students, alumni, faculty and staff and the everyday fan, said Andi Stipp, assistant director.
The store sold out of some sizes of the Sweet 16 shirts and reordered more, Stipp said, and they had hundreds of sales in store on Monday, in addition to online.
“Sales are always good when athletic teams are hot, and we ride the wave with them,” Stipp said.
At Sports Time Fan Shop in New MarketSquare, 2441 N. Maize Road, Suite 123, one truckload of Sweet 16 shirts wasn’t enough, said store manager Valerie Becker.
There was a steady stream of customers at the store throughout Monday, Becker said.
“We look forward to this,” Becker said. “Christmas and March Madness are the best time for sports retail season. We pretty much sleep here.”
Chris Noone, a Wichita State junior studying criminal justice and psychology, was in the store Monday afternoon to purchase Sweet 16 shirts and a rally towel for family members in Connecticut.
“They’re big WSU fans, and I’m going to send this to them,” he said.
Becker said she heard customers Monday as they made plans to come back for Elite Eight and Final Four T-shirts.
“They’re going to flock in after Thursday’s game,” she predicted.


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Paul Holmes 03 May 2011 // 2:47PM GMT
New Pfizer CEO Ian Read discusses some of the reputation issues faced by the pharma industry. Specifically, he points out that the pharma industry has been “slow to adapt” to a more open society, and to increasing demands for more transparent data. There is less on how Read plans to tackle some of these issues, particularly given his industry’s fraught relationship with social media. IBM is the latest company to enter the social media monitoring space, launching a new product that aims to provide better analytics for its campaigns. Along with peers such as SAS and SAP it appears that application vendors are taking the lead in this space, rather than relying on third-party solutions. Does this spell yet more consolidation among social media monitoring providers? Meanwhile, the momentum behind digital analytics as a critical component of modern PR continues to gather pace. ProPublica’s analysis of the rise of PR is certainly interesting, but falls down by defining PR according to its relationship with the media. So while the ratio of reporters to PR people is eye-catching, it would surely make as much sense to throw in data on the rise of influencers outside of the traditional media - from NGOs to analysts to empowered consumers. It is not just PR people who are proving adept at offering alternative interpretations of the ‘truth’.