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Federal prosecutors charged a Florida paint and coatings manufacturer with conspiring to unlawfully produce and continue sales of a bottom paint containing the pesticide tributyltin methacrylate, or TBT, and falsely representing to customers and distributors that it was in compliance with federal law.
Attorneys representing the company said in court documents that the company’s actions were always made “in good faith and without the intent or knowledge to violate the law.”
An 11-count indictment handed down in South Florida’s U.S. District Court Feb. 7 says that New Nautical Coatings Inc. — manufacturer of Sea Hawk Paints — and company executives concealed unlawful production and sales of Biocop by falsely representing to their customers and main distributor that the antifouling paint was in compliance with Environmental Protection Agency law.
The indictment said that New Nautical maintained a website stating “Biocop is a copper and tin-based copolymer formulation that blends the benefits of a hard base with TBT and copper for the highest level of antifouling protection.” The indictment states that the website went on to say “Biocop outperforms every other comparable paint that is on the market today” and “due to its pesticide content, its use is most appropriate in areas of aggressive marine growth.”
Documents filed earlier this month on behalf of New Nautical Coatings president David Norrie requesting a trial delay said the company is not guilty. U.S. District Judge Ursula Ungaro has agreed to postpone the trial until Sept. 22.
The indictment charges two companies — New Nautical Coatings Inc., doing business as Sea Hawk Paints, and Sea Hawk Refinish Line Inc., doing business as Refinish Line Auto Supplies — and four New Nautical executives: David Norrie, CEO Erik Norrie, vice president Jason Revie and sales manager Tommy Craft.
“New Nautical was prohibited from manufacturing Biocop for domestic sales after Dec. 1, 2005, the effective date of cancellation, and was prohibited from selling Biocop to anyone in the United States after Dec. 31, 2005,” the indictment said. “Contrary to EPA authorization, New Nautical continued to produce Biocop, and continued to use its sales team to sell and distribute Biocop in the Southern District of Florida and elsewhere in the United States.”
The parties involved “concealed New Nautical’s unlawful production and sales by falsely representing to their customers and their primary distributor, M.Y.D., that the Biocop sold after Dec. 31, 2005, was in compliance with EPA authorization and federal law,” the indictment read.
“By producing and selling Biocop, an unregistered pesticide, for domestic use and application, and by concealing such acts from the EPA and customers, New Nautical and Refinish Line and their co-conspirators derived pecuniary gains in excess of $2,000,000,” the indictment read.
The company “willingly” acted “to defraud the United States, that is, to impede, impair, obstruct and defeat the lawful functions of the EPA in enforcing federal environmental regulations,” the indictment said.
None of the entities listed in the indictment or their attorneys returned emails or phone calls requesting comment. However, court documents filed on behalf of David Norrie say “there are substantial legal issues raised by the government’s indictment.”
“This is a very complicated and technical issue,” said a motion filed by Michael Pasano, who is listed as David Norrie’s counsel. “The defendants have pleaded not guilty and insist that their actions were always made in good faith and without the intent or knowledge to violate the law.”
The motion that requested a trial delay said that “although Congress took no action to declare TBT illegal in the United States, in the early 2000s the EPA began pressuring TBT products registrants to surrender their registration. Facing tremendous pressure, including the EPA’s refusal to register any other New Nautical products, New Nautical reluctantly agreed to what the EPA calls a ‘voluntary cancellation,’ effective Dec. 31, 2005.”
According to the indictment, TBT-based coatings leach their constituent components into seawater. “Over time, high concentrations of TBT were found in marinas, ports, harbors and even the open seas and oceanic waters,” the indictment said. “TBT was found to have significant harmful effects on marine life, causing growth retardation, immuno-suppression and imposex, which is the development of male characteristics in females. TBT was also bio-accumulative, meaning it increased in concentration in the food chain.”
"EPA has canceled all TBT antifouling paint product registrations; cancellation of the last such registration was effective in December 2005. The effective date is the last date the product can be sold by the registrant. We expect that any remaining supplies of TBT antifouling paints have diminished greatly or been exhausted."
The motion filed by David Norrie’s defense said that “as early as 2009 or before, the EPA began investigating New Nautical and Refinish Line, and its officers and employees, relating to allegations that Biocop manufacture and sales continued after December 2005.”
“This investigation produced consensual tape recordings and a search of the business in November 2009. To date, neither any tape recordings or the materials seized during the 2009 search have been produced to the defense,” the motion said.
“There were also several grand jury subpoenas that generated records,” court documents filed by Pasano said. “These materials have not yet been produced.”


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Congratulations to our client Dream Games, a mobile gaming company based in Istanbul, on its $155 million Series B financing round – the largest Series B financing in Turkish history. Co-led by Index Ventures and Makers Fund, the round also included Balderton Capital, IVP and Kora. This financing brings Dream Games’ valuation to $1 billion – making it the latest company in Turkey to achieve unicorn status.
Dream Games’ puzzle game “Royal Match,” which launched globally in March 2021, currently sits in the top-20 grossing games in the US, UK and Germany with 6 million monthly active users and $20 million/month in revenues from in-game purchases (not ads).
The Orrick team advising Dream Games was led by James Connor and includes Heidi Wardle and Viv Holyoake. They worked alongside a team led by Emre Ozer at Gen, Temizer & Ozer (part of Kinstellar) who provided local law Turkish advice. Orrick previously advised Dream Games on its $50 million Series A round in February.

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London: Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) said it will raise about $2 billion (Rs9,260 crore) from offering investors a 10% stake in the company.
The government is selling a 10 % stake in SAIL, V.K. Mehta, an executive director at the company, said in an interview.
Mehta also said India will become the world’s second largest steel maker in 2012 and that demand for the metal will outpace that in China, Russia and Brazil.
Hyundai to invest Rs800 cr on small car for India
Chennai: South Korean car-maker Hyundai will invest around Rs800 crore to develop a small car for the Indian market that is likely to be launched in the next two years.
The firm, which has operations in India through a wholly -owned subsidiary, Hyundai Motor India Ltd, will manufacture the car, which will be smaller than the Santro, at its plant here.
“We are developing a small car and approximately Rs800 crore will be invested at the Korean plant for development,” newly appointed managing director and chief executive officer of Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) Han-Woo Park said.
He declined to give any details, but said: “It will be smaller than the Santro and the price will also be lesser. It will take at least 24 months from now to launch the car in India. Right now, it is in the design stage.”
“Initially it will be targetted at India but gradually it will also be exported,” he said.
“It will be manufactured at the Chennai plant once the design gets completed,” he said.
HMIL, which sells popular compact cars like Santro, i10, i20, has made India a small car hub for the Korean firm and has been exporting the cars to overseas markets.
In October, the company sold a total of 51,736 units, an 11% growth compared with same month last year. Its exports, however, dipped by 11.9% to 23,435 units during the month.
Bharti to look at opportunities in emerging markets
Bharti Airtel Ltd., India’s largest mobile-phone operator has said that it will look at opportunities in emerging markets after a failed merger with South Africa’s MTN Group Ltd.
“Bharti is interested in markets where we can implant our unique business model, which is a growth model and that will be a win-win for us,” chief executive officer Manoj Kohli said on Tuesday in a television interview.
“I think we’re done with MTN,” he said.
The New Delhi-based carrier aims to expand outside its home market as it faces increasing competition from Vodafone Group Plc and Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc. Bharti last month reported profit growth slowed for the ninth quarter as competitors cut call charges in the world’s second-largest wireless market.
“India’s auction of spectrum to provide third-generation wireless services is scheduled to take place on 14 January,” said Kohli, who expects Bharti to start its commercial 3G service in early 2010.
“I think we are a bit late, behind many countries in the west,” Kohli said adding: “but I think it’s right time for us, because of the affordability needs of Indian customers, because the infrastructure now will be at the right cost and handsets will be under $100.”
In September, Bharti called off talks for a proposed $23 billion merger with MTN after failing to get South African government approval, setting back efforts to create a company that would have trimmed costs and challenged Vodafone.


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Exploding Samsung phones may be banned from a hospital near you
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April 28, 2017
In light of news that the batteries in the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 cell phone can explode and cause major fires, some major hospital advocacy and regulation groups are asking hospitals to take a serious look at whether the devices should be allowed in their facilities.


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He says he is open to studying a fishing agreement that allows fishing for European fishermen but giving priority to the British
LONDON, 3 Feb. –
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that the United Kingdom “has no need” to follow the economic rules of the European Union in a future trade agreement with the community authorities, while advocating to imitate the pact that the community bloc keeps with Canada.
“There is no need for a free trade agreement that involves accepting the rules of the European Union in competition policies, subsidies, social protection, the environment or anything similar beyond the obligation that the European Union should have to accept the rules from the United Kingdom, “Johnson said, in an appearance before the press to explain the British strategy after the European Union left.
Johnson has said that the United Kingdom will maintain “the highest standards” in the different areas mentioned, “higher in many respects than those of the European Union”, “without the obligation of a treaty”.
“It is vital to say this now clearly because too often we have had to choose between full access to the European Union market, accepting its rules and courts as in the Norwegian model, and a free trade agreement, which opens the markets and it prevents the entire panoply of the regulation of the European Union, as the agreement of Canada “, has indicated.
The British prime minister has assured that the United Kingdom has already “adopted its decision” and that it is going through “a comprehensive free trade agreement similar to that of Canada,” according to the British newspaper 'The Guardian'.
The trade agreement between the European Union and Canada establishes the elimination of import tariffs on a majority of products although it also excludes some foods such as eggs or chicken. Under the trade agreement, companies in the European Union can apply for public tenders in Canada and Canadian companies can participate in public business competitions in European Union countries.
In the fisheries section, the British Prime Minister has said that the United Kingdom is willing to allow ships from European Union countries to continue fishing in British waters but provided that such authorization is reviewed annually and giving priority to British fishing vessels .
“We are willing to study an agreement on fishing but it must reflect the fact that the United Kingdom will be an independent coastal country at the end of this year 2020, with control over its waters,” said the 'premier'.
This fisheries agreement, as stressed, should include “annual negotiations with the European Union, using the latest scientific data and ensuring that British fishing areas are first and foremost for British vessels.”
The head of the British Government has thus summarized the general lines of his Executive's strategy for the negotiation for the relationship with the European Union as of the end of the Brexit transition period, at the end of 2020.


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One Saturday last May, Shane Heath woke up with an idea: the young serial entrepreneur would market the drink he had been sharing with friends in Venice Beach – a muddy concoction of tea, cocoa, spices and four kinds of mushrooms – to the wider world. “Over the weekend I designed the brand, ordered a minimal amount of inventory, and put up a website,” says Heath. By Tuesday, he was online selling 15-serving tins of the dry drink mix he dubbed Mud\Wtr for $30 each. Six months later, revenues exceeded six figures, he says, and with the start of the new year, “we secured a million-dollar investment fund and moved into an office in Los Angeles”.
Mushrooms are having a moment. And the market goes far beyond the portobellos, shiitakes and button mushrooms you find in the produce section. Whole Foods named so-called “functional mushrooms”, used for centuries in traditional medicine, as one of the top 10 food trends of 2018. Suddenly, exotic varieties such as reishi, chaga, cordyceps and lion’s mane are turning up in everything from powders and extracts to coffees, teas, smoothies, broths, chocolates, face creams and shower gels.
US sales of mushrooms accounted for nearly $5bn in revenue in 2017, according to the market research firm Grand View Research, and the market is projected to rise to $7.4bn in the next three years.
Heath freely admits that the draw is not so much the earthy flavor, but the idea that consuming mushrooms will make you feel and perform better. According to the Mud\Wtr website, chaga mushrooms “provide energy and mood enhancement”, cordyceps “increase vitality and endurance”, lion’s mane “improve brain function” and reishi “fight off tumor and cancer growth”.
Mud\Wtr joins scores of other companies selling products that tout mushrooms as a magic elixir. Dried mushroom powders from Om Mushrooms, for example, have “anti-aging properties to retain your youthful vibrance” and “harmonize your longevity, energy and spirit”. Moon Juice promotes Brain Dust, featured on Gwyneth Paltrow’s website Goop, as “edible intelligence” that will “help combat the effects of stress to align you with the cosmic flow for great achievement”.
Some won’t be surprised to learn that even Alex Jones has discovered mushrooms. His infamous Infowars website sells Wake Up America: Immune Support Blend coffee infused with mushroom extracts celebrated for “enhancing immune response and physical stamina”.


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Marketo (NASDAQ: MKTO), has announced it was named a Leader for lead-to-revenue management in large enterprises. This was according to the January 2014 Forrester Research, Inc. report: “The Forrester Wave(TM): Lead-To-Revenue Management Platform Vendors, Q1 2014.”
According to this Forrester Wave, savvy B2B marketing leaders are going beyond revenue performance management to transform marketing into the architect of engagement across the customer life cycle. L2RM platform vendors are stepping up with tooling that enables customer-centric, multichannel, personalized marketing — at scale.
Companies that have implemented an L2RM automation platform have seen results in both organizational maturity and business impact. According to a Forrester survey, L2RM platform users contribute more to the sales pipeline, have higher levels of process maturity, measure results more holistically and collaborate better with their sales colleagues.


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Blog: The just-drinks Weekly Round-Up
Olly Wehring | 27 January 2014
On just-drinks last week:
- We started with a bang on Monday morning, when Anheuser-Busch InBev said it had agreed to buy back Oriental Brewery in South Korea, almost five years after it sold the company to private equity group Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. At first sight, this looks like a strange purchase: sell for US$1.8bn and buy back for $5.8bn? At the very least, however, the move shows how far A-B InBev has come since 2008.
- Things appeared to be going from bad to worse for Remy Cointreau: No sooner had the company's CEO handed in his resignation earlier this month than the head of the group's Remy Martin Cognac division called time on his tenure. The surprise announcement may not have been that much of a surprise to the company, however, who confirmed the appointment of a replacement at Remy Martin earlier this morning.
- In soft drinks, it would appear that any carve-up of PepsiCo is now off the table. Nelson Peltz, the shareholder that had been pushing for a split of PepsiCo's food and beverage businesses, said last week that he would "rescue" himself from discussions over the company. While this may mark the end of the matter as far as PepsiCo's board are concerned, will shareholders be able to shake the worm from their ear?
- In wine, the latest figures out of Australia make for pretty bleak reading, with sales of the country's wines in both value and volume terms stuttering in 2013. Oh well, at least it gave the adjective "challenging" the chance to grab some air.
Here's a brave move by the folk from Camerata at Paulie's in Houston: a wine-related parody of Summer Nights from Grease....
This month, Richard Woodard looks at the NPD trend of blending spirits either together or with another alcoholic segment to create a whole, new sub-category. Is this really innovation at its purest?...
Here's a round-up of the top stories on just-drinks last week, featuring The Coca-Cola Co and Monster Beverage Corp, Constellation Brands, Anheuser-Busch InBev and Australia's wine producers....
UK brewer Timothy Taylor is back in the headlines after winning 'Champion Beer of Britain' at the Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) today. ...
Here's a round-up of the top stories on just-drinks last week, featuring Guinness, Campari, Vitaminwater and Treasury Wine Estates....
- Interview - Bacardi global marketing boss, whisky
- Comment - Hybrid Spirits: Innovation or Laziness?
- Has Coca-Cola Jumped From Frying Pan to Fire?
- Constellation grapples with glass as reality bites
- Brewers Feel Prolonged Russian Winter
- Diageo doubles intake for spirits start-ups scheme
- Second senior exec to depart Bacardi
- Portman finds against Diageo "mix it up" tagline
- Diageo appoints head for Asia marketing unit
- Bacardi sees North America president step down


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Financial sector skeptical of FCA’s plan to shake up the rules
A planned overhaul of consumer protection by the UK’s financial regulator is “moot and fuzzy” and could go beyond what it can offer, consumer groups and financial services companies have warned.
Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority, said a new set of rules called ‘consumer duty’ will be one of the agency’s top priorities, imposing stricter requirements on businesses to ensure that ‘they act in the best interests of their clients.
But industry and consumer groups have expressed doubts about the success of the reformulated FCA rules in their ambition to “fundamentally change the mindset” of regulated financial services groups, such as insurers, banks and investment providers.
âThe obligation to consume gives a very good sense of direction. But I have serious doubts as to whether the FCA can actually do it, âsaid Mick McAteer, co-director of the Financial Inclusion Center, a nonprofit think tank.
McAteer, a former FCA board member, said a major weakness is that companies will not be required to compile regular and consistent reports on their compliance with the new standards. âIt will be very difficult to know whether it actually works or not,â he said.
Tim Fassam, director of policy and government relations at the Personal Investment Management & Financial Advice Association, a trade group, said the proposed rules remain unclear.
âThe FCA has placed great emphasis on consumer obligation which is fundamental in its approach to regulation and supervision,â said Fassam, but the draft standards are âsomewhat academic and vagueâ.
Rathi is seeking to re-energize the FCA, prevent financial scandals and tackle lingering complaints that some UK businesses are charging excessive fees for substandard services.
The draft rules released by the watchdog this week will raise the “level of due diligence” on financial firms, the FCA said, exceeding current expectations that firms “treat customers fairly.” The new approach asks businesses to put themselves in their customers’ shoes and requires that “all businesses focus on good customer outcomes.”
The regulator said it would increase its scrutiny of areas such as so-called “sludge practices” aimed at discouraging customers from leaving substandard products, and marketing tactics that lead customers to unsuitable options. , along with complex fees and poor customer service.
However, Rathi pointed out the limitations of the FCA’s mandate for clients who buy crypto assets. Speaking to members of the Commons Treasury Select Committee on Wednesday, he said the FCA needed to draw a “fairly clear line on where… Compensation should be payable” in the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, which he is actually revision.
The FCA chief said that, without prejudice to the outcome of the consumer rights consultation, “I would suggest that we simply say that anything crypto related should not be entitled to compensation, so that consumers are clear about this. “
Financial services companies broadly welcomed the FCA’s focus on results for clients, but said the regulator needed to focus on enforcing existing standards rather than rewriting the rules.
“The inconvenient truth is that the majority of ‘bad’ financial services players either flout existing rules entirely or take a botched approach to treating clients fairly,” said Tom Selby, head of retirement policy at AJ Bell .
“The regulator says it plans to be more assertive in its dealings with companies that do the wrong thing – this will be crucial in achieving better results for consumers.”
UK Finance, which represents the banks, said: “A number of questions remain as to whether consumer obligation is the best way to meet FCA’s goals, as well as the timelines for implementation.”
Consumer advocates also praised the spirit of the FCA rules, but questioned whether they would be successful in holding companies to account.
McAteer said the focus on testing the suitability of new products and empowering business leaders “could be a really positive step,” but that “it all depends on how they are supervised and applied.” .
One area where the new rules could bite is exit fees, which the FCA has flagged as potentially “discouraging[ing] consumers to leave products or services that do not suit them â.
âExit fees are a recipe for scams,â said Moira O’Neill, head of personal finance at Interactive Investor, the funds supermarket. “That said, we are alarmed that the regulator distinguishes between ‘unreasonable’ exit charges – all exit charges are unreasonable.”
Some personal finance activists were more optimistic that the new rules could make a difference. Martin Lewis, founder of financial news site MoneySavingExpert.com, which campaigned for the new standards, said the shift to a “proactive” duty to serve clients’ best interests was one of the biggest changes. regulations for decades.
âIt’s a really radical upheaval. I’m quite surprised the FCA were brave enough to do it, but I’m very happy they did, âLewis said on ITV. Hello Great Britain. For example, Lewis said that under the new rules, a bank would have to notify a customer who was getting a low rate on their savings account and encourage them to switch to a better rate.
Financial companies have expressed relief that the FCA has withdrawn from measures that would allow customers to sue companies for breach of the new obligation. Steven Cameron, director of pensions at Aegon, said he “welcomed” the decision not to introduce the right to sue, “which would have created more complexity and uncertainty.”
A previous version of this article indicated that Nikhil Rathi had made comments to the Treasury Committee on the applicability of the consumer obligation to crypto assets. It has been amended to reflect that it relates to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.


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HAUGHTY, BEAUTIFUL AND PROUD!
Luis Miguel sang it in “La bikina”, “haughty, beautiful and proud”. And the brands at LGBT Pride applied it.
This is how everyone should go through life, regardless of their sexual status.
Throughout this week, thousands of colours have invaded advertising campaigns all over the country.
On the occasion of the celebration of LGBT Pride throughout this week, today at Grupo WDi we are taking a look at the marketing and advertising campaigns that we liked the most in 2019. For its humour, transgression, originality, commitment… let’s start!
Examples of brands at LGBT Pride
Scotch-Brite® – Wash away your prejudices
The famous and classic Scotch-Brite® brand surprises this year with a change of direction in its communication and image. The 3M brand supports diversity and equality with its claim “Wash away your prejudices”. For this reason, this year they are joining the MADO (Madrid Orgullo) celebrations by putting their image on one of the floats participating in the LGTB Pride Parade, which will take place this Saturday 6th in the centre of Madrid. A party in which, together with the GayDay organisation, they will celebrate family diversity.
Wallapop – Let nothing and no one stay in the cupboard
Wallapop, the famous app for buying and selling second-hand items, has hit the nail on the head with the slogan of its latest outdoor advertising campaign. By using the expression “coming out of the wardrobe”, he has been able to use it in a masterly way to relate it to the objective of his company. If you want to see this announcement live, you only have to go to Madrid’s Plaza de la Luna.
Burger King – Pride My Way
The Burger King hamburger chain is also joining Pride. In addition to launching the Unicorn Shake, a milkshake that emulates a unicorn in both shape and colour, they have changed the colours of their crown to Pride colours. Under the hashtag #OrgulloAMiManera, they invited all the kings and queens who wanted to wear it to customise it with their own messages.“Less scratches and more…”. Which sentence would you complete it with?
Uber – UberPride
For the second year, the transport company joins as an official sponsor of mobility in Madrid during Pride Week. The company has always made clear its support to the collective through different actions. Today we take a look at a detail that has been seen these days in your app. When ordering an Uber, we could see the Uber route in the Pride colours, instead of the corporate black. A beautiful rainbow that moves around the city as a symbol of bringing tolerance and freedom to others.
Just Eat – Who cares what I eat?
If you’re a fan of food delivery, you probably receive the Just Eat newsletter. Last week they surprised many of us with their particular Pride greeting. Under the slogan “Who cares what I eat?”, they joined the party by celebrating with a review of the less normative foods that people have ended up loving: melon with ham, mango gazpacho, kikos for breading… Great campaign!
Telepizza – Telepizza Rainbow
Continuing with food, Telepizza has created a campaign that has touched our hearts for its commitment and message of tolerance. On the occasion of Pride, they have created the Telepizza Rainbow. A pizza with toppings in the colour of the Pride flag. But this pizza is not for sale. How to get it then? This is where the most beautiful and engaging part of the campaign comes in. To get it in the participating Madrid venues, all you have to do is carry a sign that violates tolerance. Exchange hate messages for food with lots of love. What better way, as they say, to “feed your pride”.
These are just some of the most prominent campaigns. Which one did you like the most, and which one stuck in your memory because of its commitment or message? Do not hesitate to share them with us.
Here are some examples of successful branding for LGBT Pride
Which one would you like to see in future editions?


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Are These The Best Renewable Energy Stocks To Buy Right Now?
Amidst the current momentum in the stock market, renewable energy stocks continue to gain. Rightfully so as the need for the industry grows by the moment. This would be due to the ongoing climate crisis, whereby global warming is becoming a more pressing issue. Accordingly, this is where the broader renewable energy sector comes into play. By transitioning to cleaner sources of energy and more sustainable alternatives, most nations hope to reduce their carbon emissions. This, in theory, could serve to help slow down the negative effects of global warming.
By and large, when it comes to renewable energy stocks, most would consider long-term growth potential. Take Enphase (NASDAQ: ENPH) and General Electric (NYSE: GE) for example. On one hand, Enphase reported record quarterly revenue in its latest fiscal quarter report posted last month. According to CEO Badri Korthandaraman, demand for the company’s home grid solar energy systems is booming. On the other hand, GE is planning to spin off its energy divisions by early 2024. Some would argue that this could see the company having a potentially greater focus on renewables. All in all, it would not surprise me to see investors eyeing renewable energy stocks now. On that note, here are five to consider in the stock market today.
Top Renewable Energy Stocks To Invest In [Or Not] Today
- Blink Charging Company (NASDAQ: BLNK)
- NextEra Energy Inc. (NYSE: NEE)
- Volta Inc. (NYSE: VLTA)
- ChargePoint Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CHPT)
- Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG)
Blink Charging is a leading owner and operator of EV charging equipment and networked EV charging services. Its principal line of products and services is its Blink EV charging network, which is a proprietary cloud-based software that operates and tracks all Blink EV charging stations and associated charging data. With thousands of EV chargers deployed across the U.S., the company is well-positioned for growth as the country transitions to EVs.
On November 11, 2021, the company reported a record third quarter. Diving in, total revenues for the quarter was $6.4 million, an increase of $5.5 million from the prior-year period. Also, it reported that there were 3,016 charging stations contracted or sold during the quarter, an increase of 351% compared to a year earlier. The company says that this quarter’s results continued the momentum built during the first half-year of 2021. Additionally, it also continues to exceed internal expectations with record revenues in both product sales and service revenues. Given this piece of information, will you consider adding BLNK stock to your portfolio?
- 4 Artificial Intelligence Stocks To Watch Right Now
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NextEra Energy Inc.
Moving on, we have NextEra Energy, a renewable energy company that owns the largest rate-regulated electric utility in the U.S., Florida Power & Light Company (FPL). FPL serves more than 5.6 million customer accounts, supporting more than 11 million residents across Florida with clean, reliable, and affordable electricity. It also owns a competitive clean energy business, NextEra Energy Resources, which is one of the largest generators of renewable energy from the wind and sun and a world leader in battery storage.
On Monday, the company presented at the EEI Financial Conference on its long-term growth rate expectations among other things. The company says that it has a $167 billion market capitalization with 59 gigawatts of generating capacity. FPL’s continued smart investments would also further enhance its best-in-class value proposition. Its Energy Resources continues to capitalize on an outstanding renewables development environment and expects to build from 23 to 30 gigawatts through 2024. With that being said, should you pay close attention to NEE stock right now?
Volta is also a renewable energy company that focuses on its EV charging network that capitalizes on and catalyzes the shift from combustion-powered miles to electric miles by placing media-enabled charging stations. By leveraging a data-driven understanding of driver behavior to deliver EV charging solutions that fit seamlessly into everyday lives, Volta can benefit the entire ecosystem of drivers, brands, and its commercial partners.
On November 10, 2021, the company reported its third-quarter financials. Firstly, it reported a revenue of $8.5 million, up by 77% year-over-year. It also saw a 50% year-over-year growth in total installed stalls. The company also added new media brands like Visa (NYSE: V) and DHL to its platform during this quarter. All things considered, is VLTA stock worth investing in?
ChargePoint Holdings Inc.
Following that, we have ChargePoint. As the name suggests, it is in the business of EV charging as well. The company currently operates one of the largest EV charging networks in the world today. It manages this network via a cloud subscription platform and “software-defined charging hardware”. For a sense of scale, ChargePoint’s EV charging network consists of hundreds of thousands of charge points across North America and Europe. Now, CHPT stock has enjoyed gains of over 30% in the past month.
Even with its current gains, ChargePoint does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon. As of late last month, the company is currently working with Sunnova Energy International (NYSE: NOVA). Through this partnership, the duo are looking to create home EV charging solutions for consumers. With ChargePoint’s EV charging expertise and Sunnova’s experience with solar grid management, we could be looking at a powerful alliance. Given the rising adoption of EVs in general, this would be a timely play by ChargePoint. As such, will you be watching CHPT stock?
[Read More] 5 Metaverse Stocks To Watch In November 2021
Plug Power Inc.
Last but not least, we will be taking a look at Plug Power. Overall, it primarily engages in the development of hydrogen fuel cell systems. The likes of which can, ideally, replace conventional batteries in electric-powered equipment and vehicles. For investors looking to jump on a top name in the hydrogen industry, PLUG stock could be worth considering. As it stands, PLUG stock has experienced gains of over 40% in the past month.
Notably, the company continues to make expansions to its current operations. Today, Plug Power is hosting the grand opening of its ‘Gigafactory’ in New York. According to the company’s estimates, it is New York’s first fuel cell and electrolyzer manufacturing facility. Moreover, the plant currently boasts an annual production capacity of 600,000 fuel cell stacks and 500 megawatts of electrolyzers. All of this would serve to significantly grow Plug Power’s production capabilities. With that said, could PLUG stock be a top watch for you?


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Will cryptocurrency expansion continue among emerging markets in 2022?
Emerging markets were at the forefront of last year’s massive growth in global cryptocurrency adoption. With this growth widely tipped to continue into 2022, a range of countries will see their crypto markets mature or expand.
How does Asia Pacific rank on net-zero emissions targets?
The report, published in April by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), found that by the end of 2021 just 8% of companies in the Asia-Pacific region had signed on to plans to reach net-zero carbon emissions.
As the leader of Asia’s sole member of the Group of Seven (G7), Kishida discussed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during his trip to Southeast Asia, where only one nation – Singapore – has joined sanctions against Moscow
Vietnam, China and Thailand are Cambodia’s top three export destinations
Cambodia’s total export to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) member countries amounted to $1.95 billion in the first quarter of 2022, up 11 percent from $1.75 billion over the same period last year, a Ministry of Commerce’s data showed on Thursday.
Thailand Cuts 2022 GDP Outlook to 3.5% Over Russia-Ukraine War
The tourism-dependent country is on track to receive 6.1 million foreign visitors this year, but below the 7 million projected earlier due partly to the impact of China’s travel restrictions and the Ukraine conflict on Russian tourist numbers.
The campus is an interconnected ecosystem for start-ups and tech entrepreneurs, tech companies, investors, accelerators, incubators, academies, and government agencies to co-exist in Bangkok that help drive Thailand to become a global hub for digital innovation.
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PARIS – The fallout from Europe’s horse-meat scandal has spread far outside the continent, with an imported lasagne brand pulled from shelves in Hong Kong on Wednesday.
A host of top players have been caught up in the spiraling scandal, including Nestle, the world’s biggest food company, top beef producer JBS of Brazil and British supermarket giant Tesco.
Hong Kong authorities ordered ParknShop, one of the biggest supermarket chains in the city, to remove lasagne made by frozen food company Findus, one of the firms at the center of the scandal. The product was imported from Britain and made by French firm Comigel.
Hong Kong’s Center for Food Safety said Wednesday that the item “might be adulterated with horse-meat which has not undergone tests for veterinary drugs.”
The chain, owned by tycoon Li Ka-shing, has around 280 stores in Hong Kong and the neighboring gaming hub of Macau.
In Europe, meanwhile, the Czech Republic became the latest country embroiled in the horse-meat affair, with food inspectors ordering Tesco to withdraw Nowaco brand frozen “beef” lasagne after detecting horse-meat.
The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority said it had found horse DNA in two samples of the Nowaco meals manufactured by the Tavola company in Luxembourg.


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When it comes to the American half of its newly merged company, investors will have to decide whether the glass is half empty for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
That’s because the cost of completing the acquisition of suburban Detroit-based Chrysler bludgeoned the trans-Atlantic maker’s earnings. But the Chrysler side also delivered a healthy 11% increase in FCA’s overall revenues.
Legally headquartered in the Netherlands, Fiat Chrysler is reporting that its 2014 net profit fell by two-thirds, to 632 million Euros, or $718 million. For 2013, the maker had a restated net of 1.9 billion Euros. For the final quarter of 2014, the maker earned 420 million Euros, down from 1.2 billion during the same period in 2013.
On a per-share basis, FCA generated 47 cents in earnings, down from 74 cents per share in 2013. A consensus of industry analysts had forecast a figure of 50 cents.
On the positive side, global revenues came in at 96.1 billion Euros, or $108.9 billion in 2014, compared with 86.6 billion euro, or $98.3 billion, the year before. Revenues rose sharply on the Chrysler side, largely driven by a 15% increase in North America, where the numbers reach 52 billion Euros. Chrysler also gained slightly in a European market just beginning to emerge from a long and deep recession.
Demand for new sport-utility vehicles and pickups were a major factor in those gains, the Jeep brand breaking through the 1 million sales mark for the first time ever. The goal is to now reach nearly 2 million with new products like the compact Renegade.
(Renegade set to lead Jeep’s global expansion. Click Here for the story.)
Even then, the 495 million Euro cost of purchasing the remaining shares of Chrysler stock from a union health car trust took a toll across the company. In North America, operating earnings – calculated prior to factoring in taxes, interest and other extraordinary items – fell 4 million Euros, to 617 million, or $838.5 million.
The earnings numbers were in line with FCA’s earlier forecast. But investors were initially wary of the results, FCA shares traded on the NYSE briefly dipping below $13 a share in pre-market trading. They rebounded into positive territory by mid-morning on Wednesday.
Fiat shares have surged by nearly 50% since the company began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on October 13th.
The burst in demand for light trucks and crossovers has been especially helpful to Chrysler’s Jeep and Ram brands, but it also helped the company overall to reach combined sales of 4.6 million new vehicles last year. FCA is predicting that will reach 4.8 million in 2015.
CEO Sergio Marchionne has warned that Fiat Chrysler still needs to grow well beyond that level. During a May strategy briefing he outlined plans to reach volumes of 7 million vehicles annually by 2018.
(“Ruinous practices” threaten the auto industry, warns Marchionne. Click Here for more.)
While that target was expected to come from the growth of all key Fiat Chrysler brands, comments made by the chief executive during a Detroit Auto Show media briefing this month have led some analysts to speculate that FCA might be seeking a third major automotive partner.
Automakers, he said, “need to bring down the cost of execution to de-risk their businesses.” One way to do that, he added, is through further consolidation which would allow product and component sharing on a grand scale.
FCA USA LLC, the carmaker’s American unit, will report its own earnings next Tuesday.
(FCA’s Alfa Romeo brand is gearing up for growth – slowly. Click Here for the story.)


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It was another dramatic week in our Top 10 trending chart with the Oppo Find X retaking the top spot from the Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 Pro.
The third position is occupied by the newly unveiled Huawei nova 3i, which is the first phone to come with the company's new Kirin 710 chipset.
The Samsung Galaxy J8 and J6 have been pushed down to fourth and sixth this week, split by the Nokia 6.1 Plus, which enters the chart in fifth place.
The original Huawei nova 3 is still around, occupying third place, ahead of the Xiaomi Redmi 6 Pro. The latter is expected to make its global debut next week under the Mi A2 Lite name and the teaser campaign has obviously succeeded in boosting its popularity.
The same applies to the Xiaomi Mi 6X and Mi A2, which also returned to the chart to capture the last available spot. Right ahead of it is the third Samsung phone among the top 10 - Galaxy A6+ (2018).
Last weeks' top 10 members to miss out this time around are Nokia X6, Samsung Galaxy J7 Prime and Sony Xperia XA2 Plus.
Yeah. Hopefully, Amazon or Huawei sell the Mate 20 in a safe manner without scams.


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Amazon is offering resourceful entrepreneurs the chance to develop and manage their very own delivery fleet – for an up-front investment. Amazon Business Integration – which offers dedicated Amazon EDI solutions for sellers on the marketplace – is keen to see how the service pans out and if it will make its way to the UK.
The new Amazon Delivery Service Partner Program, which is currently being rolled out in the US, will offer interested parties the opportunity to manage up to forty vehicles as a delivery fleet for the online retail giant. As of now, Amazon is actively building up the service, recently placing an order for 20,000 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Vans. The order has instantly made Amazon Mercedes’ biggest customer, and it seems that Amazon’s newest idea is proving immensely popular.
The platform has already had to turn away thousands of hopeful applicants, even after opting to order 20,000 vans instead of their initial intention to roll out the service with 5,000 vehicles. According to Amazon, entrepreneurs who invest the $10,000 required could see annual profits of up to $300,000 if they run a full, 40-van fleet of delivery vehicles. Moreover, Amazon isn’t reserving the opportunities on offer for those with an existing logistical background – anyone is free to apply. At the same time, Amazon is also recruiting thousands of drivers to meet the needs of its newest service.
Amazon’s proposition is so attractive to so many entrepreneurs because the potential business owners know that they will have a substantial, steady number of packages to deliver – unlike some ‘gig economy’ delivery firms that cannot promise work from one day to the next. Those that enter into the Amazon Delivery Service Partner Program will also receive exclusive discounts on important resources like insurance and fuel, as well as receiving training from Amazon and use of the latest delivery tech. For Amazon, this means even more reach for their products and a dedicated, committed delivery force that’s working both for the platform and for themselves.
Peter Thomas, Managing Director of Amazon Business Integration, said, “This is a really interesting move from Amazon. They’re investing a great deal of money and resources into this new venture and it’s good to see that entrepreneurs can benefit to such a degree. Obviously, at this point we don’t know how the profits will shake out for the operators of these new fleets, but the numbers seems promising.
“We’re also very interested to see if a scaled-down version of the service makes its way to the UK and how different economic factors here will affect potential profits. Ultimately, though, it’s an innovative move and that’s not surprising when it comes to how Amazon does things. “
To find out more, visit http://www.amazonbusinessintegration.com/


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The battery-swapping policy and interoperability standards come as an encouraging factor for the EV industry which otherwise found not much to cheer in the budget
Though the battery-swapping policy decision has been broadly welcomed, the industry is awaiting the nuances in the policy
Other demands, particularly expectations with regard to FAME incentives and GST reduction were not met in the budget
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcement that the government will come up with a battery-swapping policy and interoperability standards come as an encouraging factor for the EV industry which otherwise found not much to cheer in the budget.
While the battery-swapping policy found favour with the finance minister, other demands, particularly expectations with regard to Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid & Electric Vehicles (FAME) incentives and GST reduction were not met in the budget.
“Considering the constraint of space in urban areas for setting up charging stations at scale, a battery swapping policy will be brought out and interoperability standards will be formulated. The private sector will be encouraged to develop sustainable and innovative business models for battery or energy-as-a-service. This will improve efficiency in the EV ecosystem,” the finance minister said in her budget speech.
Battery-Swapping Policy Is The Need Of The Hour
Swapping solves two major problems – it cuts down on wait times at charging stations and allows vehicle owners to carry a spare battery to reduce range anxiety.
Besides, according to experts, fixed batteries do not really work except through home charging because of the load it will exert on the grid and the time it takes. Convenience especially for last-mile operators, gig economy players and others is a big factor too.
“Most of the two-wheelers now being sold are high-speed vehicles which require or are dependent on swapping the battery. The architecture, usability and consumer preference are moving towards swapping. Then there is the B2B sector and delivery companies. People need things to come quickly and the only solution is battery swapping,” said Ankit Kumar, an investor and entrepreneur in the EV and drone space.
Startups have been pioneers in setting up battery-swapping infrastructure as countries increasingly adopt EVs. While China with low-cost batteries leads the battery-swapping market, Southeast Asia’s Indonesia and Cambodia have also experimented with the idea. In Europe too, the idea is taking roots as startups as well as large companies are inking pacts to set up battery-swapping facilities. US EV giant Tesla, however, has not been too receptive to this idea and continues to use fixed batteries.
In India, a handful of companies, including startups, that provide batter-as-a-service offerings have emerged. Honda has set up a battery-swapping and sharing service in India. Among the OEMs, Ashok Leyland is firming up plans to introduce battery swapping in electric buses. Twenty Two Motors has tied up with Taiwanese Kwang Yang Motor Company for a battery-swapping solution, among other things. Revolt Motors is another company whose e-bikes have batteries that can be swapped.
Battery-swapping– A Few Hurdles Ahead
The swapping policy, which will strengthen the charging infrastructure, is expected to prompt manufacturers and customers to join the EV bandwagon. Though the battery-swapping policy decision has been broadly welcomed, the industry is awaiting the nuances in the policy. Battery range, subsidy, GST are some of the major issues where the industry is awaiting clarity.
Chetain Maini, cofounder of EV startup Sun Mobility, tweeted that it would be great if the government addressed other key points around subsidies for consumers and businesses, range criteria, as swappable batteries are typically smaller and offer a low range and GST for swapping services.
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Others called for standardisation in battery quality. For instance, Sambit Chakraborty, who is on the advisory board for infrastructure player Indigrid Technology, expressed apprehensions about the proliferation of low-quality, “cheap” Chinese batteries.
“If the policy can build in a structure to raise the safety and the Made-in-India aspects, that will be a boon for India in the long run. There are many Indian manufacturers of safe batteries and swap stations who would then not have to choose to lower quality and safety standards,” he added.
A major concern around battery swapping is the high capex involved in setting up swap stations where batteries need to be kept charged and ready for drivers and riders. Such investment calls for incentives, according to entrepreneurs we spoke to.
As in the case of charging stations, there need to be lower rentals and subsidies for swap stations. He also pointed out that charging and swapping should be developed simultaneously to boost the adoption of all kinds of EVs. Startups and large companies have already been eyeing the battery-swapping space.
Reliance BP Mobility Limited or Jio-BP and the Mahindra Group have formed a joint venture for battery-swapping in India.
Expectations of EV Players That Remain On Paper Only
Of course, in the run-up to the budget, the EV ecosystem had plenty of other demands from the government that were neglected by Sitharaman. Akash Gupta, cofounder and CEO of Zypp Electric, believes there’s a lot of confusion even for swapping companies, which has dampened EV adoption.
“I would have loved it if GST on battery and spare parts had also been reduced to 5% like it’s there for electric vehicles purchases; this would also help the entire electric vehicle ecosystem,” he said.
Further, a holistic approach is needed to ensure a robust network of swappable packs and swap stations so that it merges seamlessly with the existing consumer behaviour around refuelling vehicles.
More adaptable FAME-II norms were another demand that has been ignored in the budget. Coupled with production-linked incentives (PLI), this would have helped the industry invest in EV infrastructure
The EV industry had also hoped that the budget would cut import duty on raw materials. PLI on the lines of automobile or semiconductor manufacturing would have boosted the localisation efforts of EV players. Original equipment manufacturers are at present struggling under the present inverted duty structure.
The EV players had also demanded low-cost finance options for smoother adoption of electric vehicles and placing EV financing under priority sector lending. This would have gone a long way for EV adoption
The long list of expectations and demands also included government support for R&D in affordable and indigenous battery technology development, the biggest pain point for EV players. Dependence on lithium imports from China is considered a strategic disadvantage for Indian EV manufacturers.


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An Israeli court has granted a temporary injunction against one of the country’s grape growers infringing on fruit breeder Sun World International’s intellectual property (IP) rights.
The injunction prohibits the grower from continuing to market fruit produced from Sun World’s proprietary grapevine genetics.
The case relates to the illegal planting of Sugrathirteen, a proprietary black seedless grape owned by Sun World and marketed by the company and its licensees under the Midnight Beauty brand.
“We are pleased with the court’s unambiguous message that fruit breeders’ rights prevent a protected variety’s growth and proliferation without the lawful owner’s permission,” said Sun World International executive vice president David Marguleas.
“This landmark case reflects the importance of Intellectual Property in agriculture and supports a shift of attitude amongst producers towards respect for these rights.”
The verdict led to a settlement whereby the infringer agreed to uproot his vineyard and cease growing the protected fruit variety.
The Israeli Central District Court ruling held that the interests of entities making large financial investments in the development of their varieties ought to be protected.
“I think that the lack of enforcement of the protection given to the variety’s registered owners and its rights to prevent its exploitation by others in the protection period – in cases where the cause of action is allegedly proven, as it is in our case – may diminish the existing incentive for developing new varieties and inflict notably significant damage to those developers of varieties that have acquired protection,” said the judge presiding over the case.


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- On paper, the Meta platform appears to be a very attractive investment, but new threats to innovation from Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp could weigh on its long-term upside.
- DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) are a compelling new type of institution that will continue to grow in utility and sophistication. This can challenge or even disrupt traditional models.
- Experimental social media projects have been programmed into cryptocurrency blockchains. These could one day liberate users from the data gardens they have limited (if any) property rights to.
Facebook’s revenue has more than quadrupled (in LTM terms) since 2016, and its growth is as dramatic as the company’s growth plans. In 2020, Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) made a big and failed push into the digital currency market that could have brought Facebook to the tabletops of central banks by creating an SDR tool for ordinary people to use. The year ended with Facebook being accused of colluding with Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) to illegally rig an online ad auction.
The entertainment in 2021 is undiminished. Facebook accidentally labelled the Declaration of Independence as hate speech, reflecting the wisdom of launching “Instagram Kids,” and has been accused of colluding with Google to circumvent Apple’s new, stricter privacy protections. The anticipation of not being able to track users online posed a huge threat to Facebook’s business model, so the company changed its name to Meta platform Inc., reflecting its focus on its Oculus VR division as the company’s future.
Much of the year has been embroiled in controversy. Frances Haugen started her career at Google and earned an MBA from Harvard University with funding from Google. Less than 24 months after she joined Facebook, she leaked tens of thousands of internal Facebook documents to The Wall Street Journal. Few of the documents were particularly surprising, and they would have served as the basis for Jaron Lanier’s 2018 “Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media” Accounts) footnote.
However, Facebook has suffered national stigma, while YouTube’s CEO (the former sister-in-law of Google co-founder Sergey Brin) has simultaneously claimed that YouTube is actually “valuable for teenage mental health”. Google’s former CEO and chairman (who spent Election Day 2012 in Obama’s war room) accused Facebook: “They know what they’re doing.” It’s worth noting that YouTube is a key venue for the QAnon conspiracy, One conspiracy YouTuber alone has garnered 33 million views.
It’s also worth mentioning that a former Google employee recently created a lobbying group to “remind Democrats that tech companies are on their side when it comes to progressive priorities.” Google just happened to dodge heavy criticism of Meta Platforms.
Feudalism at Facebook
Given the steady and impressive growth of Facebook and Instagram, it’s not hard to see why arguing that Meta, which has become an everyday transaction, is a technology-driven value game. Facebook’s 2010 revenue was less than $2 billion, but Meta Platforms’ long-term earnings were $112 billion. Long-term cash flow is $53 billion. Meta currently trades at 16 times TEV/EBITDA and an attractive price-to-earnings ratio of 24 times. Balance sheets are flooded with cash. Even qualitatively it bodes well, with Apple reportedly being forced to pay a $180,000 bonus to curb Meta’s looting of Silicon Valley talent.
Few people discuss Facebook and Instagram’s business model, which is a bit like monetizing surveillance. Facebook and Instagram users (who are products themselves) generate their own private data on these platforms and other sites they visit (where they are constantly tracked). For non-users, Meta simply creates a secret configuration file with available data.In other words, we are all Facebook users whether we have social media accounts or not.
The private data of over 3 billion people is the property of Meta Platforms and is owned by Meta shareholders. This data is used for sales advertising and other analytics. It’s a very profitable business, generating about $48 in total net profit for each of Facebook’s current 3 billion active users over the past 10 years (year 10 using the LTM basis). On top of that, it’s about $145 per user. At current rates, that would equate to $374 in revenue per user and $134 in net revenue over the next 10 years, all else being equal.
The venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, an early investor in Facebook, described the business model of Facebook and other “incumbent platforms” as feudal in private presentations, where users don’t have their own data serf. Horowitz, which recently raised $9 billion in funding, has been a pioneer in the Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO). In Anderson’s words, this alternative to joint-stock companies could return power over data to users, just as private property rights freed farmers from serfdom.
This will dramatically upend the business models of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram.
Will talented software developers bring their talents to DAOs and collaborative workspaces?
What is a Decentralized Autonomous Organization? There are many different interpretations, and most involve a change in the idea that contributors and stakeholders can be organized around decentralized projects built on the underlying protocol of a particular cryptocurrency. But this definition ignores the fact that cryptocurrency projects are essentially the same thing.
Take Bitcoin, for example; as Bitcoin’s blockchain network becomes more practical, Bitcoin’s developers have been rewarded by seeing the value of their ownership in Bitcoin go up. The same goes for Bitcoin’s massive infrastructure.Developers have created new software features for Bitcoin, such as the Lightning Network, which enables cheap transactions in El Salvador. Digital infrastructure companies like Core Scientific (currently in the process of merging with Power & Digital Infrastructure Acquisition Corp. (XPDI)) have made Bitcoin the most secure computer network in the world.
These independent groups collaborated to create Bitcoin. So Bitcoin itself is a DAO, although most people don’t see it that way.
Ethereum is a more complex example. Ethereum is backed by a core group of developers based in Switzerland. Ethereum is not only a form of digital currency, but also a highly sophisticated platform that allows developers to build decentralized applications and smart contracts. Developers have taken advantage of this feature to create applications such as domain name services, automated market makers, and various digital assets called NFTs. These projects are DAOs where different parties come together not only to make them work, but also to make additional improvements.
There is a general belief that the existing social media platforms suck and we need better ones. This is true for different reasons…the concept of engagement, and the kind of engagement that is valued, is very inconsistent with quality.
Vitalik Buterin (7/21/21)
Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin even floated the idea of creating a complex compensation scheme so that if an Ethereum developer’s idea turned out to be a significant contribution after the fact, they could be rewarded retroactively to the network. Of course, as the functionality and ubiquity of the network increases, users will also be rewarded. One fund manager believes that Ethereum could eventually touch half of all financial transactions.
Whether we think of DAOs as cryptocurrency-based organizations or cryptocurrencies themselves as DAOs, this is a new and powerful way to organize economic activity.
Will the Metaverse Decentralize?
In 2016, the CEO of Meta Platforms walked past rows of telecom and tech executives attending a trade show.
Today, these concepts and innovations are expensive to implement, although they can scale quickly. Executing a simple smart contract on Ethereum can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Hosting files directly to the blockchain can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars (which is why many NFTs reside on traditional servers). That said, much of the infrastructure underpinning blockchains is still centralized, and decentralization is costly.
But this will change. There are projects like Solana, which provide the functionality of Ethereum with credit card-like speed, scalability, and cost. IPFS and Filecoin provide decentralized file storage; Internet Computer takes it to the next level with what can be considered decentralized AWS. There’s even the Helium Network, which rewards users for creating decentralized wireless infrastructure. It is worth mentioning that Anderson supported all of the above projects.
There are also projects aimed at creating decentralized, censorship-resistant social media platforms. Ethereum’s Buterin said it’s one of the prospects he’s most interested in. WhatsApp rival Telegram recently attempted to launch a blockchain-based decentralized computer network (the SEC intervened, but the situation continues). There’s even Steemit and THETA, both YouTube competitors. In theory, anyone could be rewarded for deploying supporting infrastructure, just like they do in Bitcoin mining.
These innovations pose a long-term threat to Facebook’s business model, and may also be limited by stronger privacy protections. In response to these challenges, Meta has moved to the Metaverse strategy by combining virtual reality video games and social media, driven by Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth.
We continue to expect that in 2021, regulatory and platform changes, especially recent iOS updates, will bring increasing resistance to ad targeting, and we expect that the iOS update in Q3 will generate a larger Impact.
– David Wehner, CFO, Meta Platforms (7/28/21)
Meta’s response to this disruption is to try to ensure that the digital world is entirely Facebook’s property. Until recently, all Oculus users were required to have a Facebook account. While Facebook colluded with Google to bypass Apple’s new privacy protections, Oculus is also working on integrating VR with Apple Health. The company is even exploring combining NFTs with digital wallets, the widgets offered to those users on the Metaverse data park.
Andresseen’s advice is pragmatic, suggesting that existing platforms (Meta Platforms) should “step forward,” a tongue-in-cheek suggestion to Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Meta Platforms. Andresseen likened the situation to Kodak, suggesting that these companies may choose to use legacy technology to go bankrupt.
What exactly does this look like when these new institutions are so disrupting core business models? Should governments force Facebook and Instagram to open up interoperability with other decentralized platforms (DAOs) to their users? What does this mean for investors? Can companies restructure to tokenize users’ data assets, allowing them to purchase a new DAO platform? Such a DAO platform would allow users to choose how, when, and where to put their data Monetize it?
Vitalik Buterin of Ethereum; in just six years, Ethereum developers and contributors have created a platform worth $383 billion. Meta Platforms is worth $913 billion.
The tech industry is full of giants of the past that failed to adapt to the new environment. Cisco, once the world’s most valuable company, has never been valued at more than 20 times TEV/EBITDA since 2004, despite significant growth.
It is too early to tell whether decentralized innovation can disrupt entrenched social media platforms. But given that the cost of creating competing platforms is falling rapidly, they can scale quickly, and the frictional cost of switching is low (if not a reward to users), the potential advantages of Meta Platforms may be limited. Interestingly, Jared Cohen, the head of Google’s paramilitary division, has joined Andreessen as an outside advisor on cryptocurrency.
While these threats could limit the monetization of Meta Platforms’ potential value, creating a value trap, it wouldn’t be surprising if Meta’s stock rose again in the near term. The slight change in interest rates (quite ironically) has sparked a speculative frenzy in stocks of companies that a few weeks ago were seen as having limited or lackluster future prospects.Facebook fits the “value” profile very well, even if it could end up being a value trap.
Posted by:CoinYuppie，Reprinted with attribution to:https://coinyuppie.com/will-daos-create-a-facebook-value-trap/
Coinyuppie is an open information publishing platform, all information provided is not related to the views and positions of coinyuppie, and does not constitute any investment and financial advice. Users are expected to carefully screen and prevent risks.


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Over the previous yr, the cryptocurrency market took a collection of heavy punches from the Chinese language authorities. The market took the hits like a warrior, however the combos have taken its toll in lots of cryptocurrency traders. The market lackluster efficiency in 2018 pales compared to its stellar thousand-percent positive aspects in 2017.
What has occurred?
Since 2013, the Chinese language authorities have taken measures to control cryptocurrency, however nothing in comparison with what was enforced in 2017. (Try this text for an in depth evaluation of the official discover issued by the Chinese language authorities)
2017 was a banner yr for the cryptocurrency market with all the eye and development it has achieved. The acute value volatility pressured the Central financial institution to undertake extra excessive measures, together with the ban of preliminary coin choices (ICOs) and clampdowns on home cryptocurrency exchanges. Quickly after, mining factories in China had been pressured to shut down, citing extreme electrical energy consumption. Many exchanges and factories have relocated abroad to keep away from laws however remained accessible to Chinese language traders. Nonetheless, they nonetheless fail to flee the claws of the Chinese language Dragon.
Within the newest collection of government-led efforts to watch and ban cryptocurrency buying and selling amongst Chinese language traders, China prolonged its “Eagle Eye” to watch international cryptocurrency exchanges. Firms and financial institution accounts suspected of finishing up transactions with international crypto-exchanges and associated actions are subjected to measures from limiting withdrawal limits to freezing of accounts. There have even been ongoing rumors among the many Chinese language neighborhood of extra excessive measures to be enforced on international platforms that permit buying and selling amongst Chinese language traders.
“As for whether or not there can be additional regulatory measures, we must watch for orders from the upper authorities.” Excerpts from an interview with staff chief of the China’s Public Info Community Safety Supervision company beneath the Ministry of Public Safety, 28th February
WHY WHY WHY!?
Think about your baby investing his or her financial savings to spend money on a digital product (on this case, cryptocurrency) that she or he has no means of verifying its authenticity and worth. She or he might get fortunate and strike it wealthy, or lose all of it when the crypto-bubble burst. Now scale that to hundreds of thousands of Chinese language residents and we’re speaking about billions of Chinese language Yuan.
The market is stuffed with scams and pointless ICOs. (I am certain you’ve heard information of individuals sending cash to random addresses with the promise of doubling their investments and ICOs that merely do not make sense). Many unsavvy traders are in it for the cash and would care much less in regards to the expertise and innovation behind it. The worth of many cryptocurrencies is derived from market hypothesis. Throughout the crypto-boom in 2017, take part in any ICO with both a well-known advisor onboard, a promising staff or an honest hype and you’re assured at the very least 3X your investments.
A lack of information of the agency and the expertise behind it, mixed with the proliferation of ICOs, is a recipe for catastrophe. Members of the Central financial institution experiences that nearly 90% of the ICOs are fraudulent or includes unlawful fundraising. For my part, the Chinese language authorities needs to make sure that cryptocurrency stays ‘controllable’ and never too large to fail inside the Chinese language neighborhood. China is taking the fitting steps in the direction of a safer, extra regulated cryptocurrency world, albeit aggressive and controversial. The truth is, it could be one of the best transfer the nation has taken in a long time.
Will China challenge an ultimatum and make cryptocurrency unlawful? I extremely doubt so since it’s fairly pointless to take action. At present, monetary establishments are banned from holding any crypto property whereas people are allowed to however are barred from finishing up any types of buying and selling.
A State-run Cryptocurrency Trade?
On the annual “Two Periods” (Named as a result of two main parties- Nationwide Folks’s Congress (NPC) and the Nationwide Committee of the Chinese language Folks’s Political Consultative Convention (CPCC) each participate within the forumï¼held on the primary week of March, leaders congregate to debate in regards to the newest points and make vital regulation amendments.
Wang Pengjie, a member of the NPCC dabbled into the prospects of a state-run digital asset buying and selling platform in addition to provoke instructional initiatives on blockchain and cryptocurrency in China. Nonetheless, the proposed platform would require a authenticated account to permit buying and selling.
“With the institution of associated laws and the co-operation of the Folks’s Financial institution of China (PBoC) and China Securities Regulatory Fee(CSRC), a regulated and environment friendly cryptocurrency trade platform would function a proper means for corporations to lift funds (by ICOs) and traders to carry their digital property and obtain capital appreciation” Excerpts of Wang Pengjie presentation on the Two Periods.
The March in the direction of a Blockchain Nation
Governments and central banks worldwide have struggled to grapple with the rising recognition of cryptocurrencies; however one factor is certain, all have embraced blockchain.
Regardless of the cryptocurrency crackdown, blockchain has been gaining recognition and adoption in numerous ranges. The Chinese language authorities have been supporting blockchain initiatives and embracing the expertise. The truth is, the Folks’s Financial institution of China (PBoC) have been engaged on a digital forex and have carried out mock transactions with a few of the nation’s business banks. It’s nonetheless unconfirmed if the digital forex can be decentralized and provide options of cryptocurrency like anonymity and immutability. It would not come as a shock if it seems to be only a digital Chinese language Yuan provided that anonymity is the very last thing that China needs of their nation. Nonetheless, created as an in depth substitute of the Chinese language Yuan, the digital forex can be subjected to present financial insurance policies and legal guidelines.
Folks’s Financial institution of China Governor, Zhou Xiaochuan. Supply: CNBC
“A lot of cryptocurrencies have seen explosive development which may deliver vital detrimental impression on shoppers and retail traders. We do not like (cryptocurrency) merchandise that make use of the large alternative for hypothesis that provides individuals the phantasm of getting wealthy in a single day” Excerpts from Zhou Xiaochuan interview on Friday, ninth March.
On a media look on Friday, ninth March, Governor of Folks’s Financial institution of China, Zhou Xiaochuan criticized cryptocurrency initiatives that leveraged on the Cryptocurrency to money in and gasoline market hypothesis. He additionally famous that growth of the digital forex is ‘technologically inevitable’
On a regional stage, many Chinese language cities have are driving blockchain initiatives to advertise development of their area. Hangzhou, renown for being the headquarters of Alibaba, have said blockchain expertise to be one of many metropolis’s prime priorities in 2018. The native authorities in Chengdu metropolis have additionally been proposed the constructing of an incubation middle to foster the adoption of blockchain expertise within the metropolis’s monetary companies.
Native conglomerates such Tencent and Alibaba have additionally fashioned partnership with blockchain corporations or initiated initiatives on their very own. Blockchain corporations equivalent to VeChain have additionally secured a number of partnerships with Chinese language corporations to enhance provide chain transparency in China.


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A study conducted by WalletHub reveals that more than 50% of the American population works for a small business. InfoRich Group Inc. president Margaret King hopes that the celebration of the National Small Business Week on May 5-11, 2019 helped raise awareness and recognition of small businesses and also their sales and revenues.
Another WalletHub study found that some of the best small cities to start a small business is in the Upper Midwest. There are several advantages in starting a business in small cities. These include lower overhead expenses, the potential to become “a big fish in a little pond” and a closer relationship with customers. But there are also disadvantages such as a less diverse customer base, problems in finding top talent and limited industry options.
Here are some tips for small businesses who are having problems with their enterprise. Business owners should avoid combining their business and personal accounts, their time should be split 50-50 between developing their products and services and attracting customers.


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Back in May, Sony introduced a new smartphone series for the selfie generation. The company knows that selfie addicts need the best phone they could get their hands on for their narcissism and the Xperia C4 could be their new gadget. This model is just one of Sony’s next-generation PROselfie smartphones equipped with a 5MP front-facing camera.
The Sony Xperia C4 is finally rolling out this week. It’s the first Octa-core smartphone from Sony and it boasts of a large 5.5-inch Full HD IPS screen, 13 megapixel rear camera, 2GB RAM, 16GB built-in storage, 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, 64-bit 1.7 GHz Octa-core processor, and a 2600 mAh battery. The 5MP front camera also comes with LED flash features and Superior Auto to allow perfect selfies under low light conditions. It seems more and more phone manufacturers are joining the selfie phone trend by launching devices that have great front camera technology.
Sony Xperia C4 will be available in the Asia Pacific region starting this week. Other countries and regions are expected to receive the phone and its Dual variant in the next few weeks. Sony describes this model as “The World’s Best Selfie Smartphone” and it could really be the best right now until another model from another company is released.
Sony tested the Xperia C4 before its release this month. Strategy Analytics conducted a consumer test to evaluate the quality of images captured by the new Sony Xperia C4, as well as, the leading rivals that are optimized for selfies. The Xperia C4 was tested against the likes of Nokia Lumia 1020, Xiaomi Mi4, Samsung Galaxy A5, HTC Desire 820, and Huawei P7. The main results are in favor of Sony’s PROselfie phone with 82% of consumers rating the quality of images captured as good or very good, beating the competitors.
The Sony Xperia C4 is considered as a mid-range phone. It runs Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box and will be available in white, black, and mint green.


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Sorry if you missed it, congrats to those who called in. Stay tuned for other holiday sales and deals before spring 2017!
You can still take advantage of Cyber Monday for more info click here or call 603-542-4416
Come celebrate the final days of summer and Labor Day with us this weekend. Don’t worry this isn’t the last of celebrations at Morningside, the Columbus Day Fly In is coming up soon. More Details on events, food and fireworks coming soon.
The brand new Moyes “Sports Class” hang glider, Grey and Fluro Red
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It is being organised by the Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences of the University of Ghana (UG), Legon, in collaboration with the Abuesi Fish Processing Association Resource Centre in the Shama District of the Western Region.
The programme, also a partnership with the Ghana National Fish Processing Traders Association (GNAFPTA), seeks to ensure efficient fish processing for sustainable livelihoods in the long term.
Participants would learn fish handling, fish processing and preservation, small and large scale fish processing, packaging, marketing and also do hands-on practicals.
Attended by 20 fish processors from the Abusei, Shama, Aboadze, Sekondi and Anlo Brach areas, the technology transfer course would also introduce the participants and students from UG, to the fast, reliable, efficient, sustainable and hygienic Abuesi Gas Fish Smoker(AGFS) and promote such fish processing and process in relatively large tonnage of fish for both local and export market.
Opening the course on Monday, the Principal Investigator of the Technology Transfer Training Project at the Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, Prof. Francis K.E. Nunoo, said the small scale fish industry needed to grow, expand and also become export–focused, raking in more income for the industry players and the economy.
He, however, stressed that the issue of hygiene and safety of fish food was critical in this globalised economy and the crucial concerns to meet consumer taste and satisfaction.
“It’s good and critical that we have best practices in the fish business we do; for a better price and for the fish consumed in the country and worldwide so that the consumer will be happy and healthier. Indeed, your fish must be hygienic, stay longer and be in a good condition,” he said.
Touching on signs of perishable fish, Prof. Nunoo, also lecturer in Fisheries Ecology and Management, mentioned that fish began to spoil right out of water and that the time spent in fishing, handling on decks or canoe, in containers, human hands, equipment, time to get on land and the place at the beach were critical factors, saying that sometimes the boats were not neat and decent enough.
He said, as bacteria multiplied an acted on the fish caught it began to deteriorate and, therefore, advised the fish processers to act rapidly and reduce long haggling, to avoid the fish from going bad.
He taught them to maintain a good cold chain, hygiene, avoid damaging or crushing of fish to reduce fish cracks so that they get good value and good price, maintaining that “a good and attractive fish gained more customers”.
He continued: “Fish is perishable and so you must prevent spoilage which shortens the lifespan and value. By this, we will add value, gain more profits, create jobs and we will eat fish with satisfaction.”
The Principal Investigator noted that, in some areas, hygiene and the safety of fish was unsatisfactory as some of processors stepped on the products on the bare floor as they worked while others, too, would be sneezing and coughing, describing these habits as bad.
Prof. Nunoo said fish could be contaminated by germs, and, therefore, urged the participants to must avoid poor handling, observe good hygiene and clean working environment and home surroundings so that they do not unknowingly kill people, stressing that they need to chill the fish at require temperatures, process and sell them quickly.
“Some of you are not washing the fish you process, some also wash in dirty water and placing them on dirty surfaces exposing them to animal and predators. Keep them from flies and insect infestation. After visiting the toilet, wash your hands with soap, before handling fish. And dress neatly to gain the confidence of the consumer.” he added.
Indicating that the Ghana Standards Board would soon be tasked to visit the project and assess standards, he stated that the small scale business needed to grow and multiply into large scale production to improve price, export drive, foreign exchange and reduce poverty.
Fish, an animal protein, he said, was critical to world economy, providing employment for about 10 percent of the population with additional 10 percent being dependants, adding that while Ghana’s average consumption of fish was about 25 kilogrammes, global estimates averaged about 13 kilogrammes.
The switch to gas energy sources, he explained, was one way to reduce the cancers, noting that it would also reduce climate change effects, due to the indiscriminate cutting of forests cover.
The Chairman of the Abuesi Fish Processing Association Center, Mr. Aidoo Abban, said the partnership with the Marine and Fisheries Department was an important landmark in the groups march towards improved performance in the fish industry, safety and security of products, self -sufficiency and raising incomes.
From Clement Adzei Boye, Abuesi


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We were hoping to get an update on how 3D TV is coming along at CES, and LG and Philips didn't disappoint, with demos on show at both their stands.
The concept for both prototypes is the same – a TV that can show 3D images without the need for gorky goggles – but their approach is completely different.
The picture on LG's '3D monitor' is slightly better developed with more depth, but needs the content to be specifically encoded to work. This means the company is looking more at commercial uses like advertising before us consumers – you may see frighteningly lifelike Big Macs jumping out of high street displays from the second half of this year.
The main thing that's holding the tech back is that you also need to be standing front on and about ten feet back to get in the sweet spot, otherwise it just looks like a bad 2D display. Still, once you're there, the effect is decidedly freaky – it really does work.
Philips' sweet spot is only a few feet from the screen, and its approach is slightly more promising for us consumers – it has 2D-to-3D conversion software that allows it make normal images jump out of the screen. As you'd expect, it doesn't work quite as well as the content made specifically for the LG LCD, but the real-time conversion of high-def footage means it may attract more attention from shopping centres and museums who want to pioneer the tech.
The Dutch company added that it hopes to use 3D in home cinema and gaming, possibly with its amBX gaming effects, later this year. So, the technology is coming along nicely but, as the Grolsch man would say – this 3D telly, it's not quite ready yet.


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The Johor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested four individuals – the director and employees of a frozen meat importing company – on suspicion of involvement in corrupt activities in the smuggling of frozen raw materials into the country.
According to a source, the detainees, aged between 39 and 50, were arrested at the Johor MACC office last night to assist in the investigation.
The source said MACC took a serious view of the issue as it involved public interest, especially of Muslims in the country. The investigation is being conducted under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.
“The cooperation of several agencies such as the domestic trade and consumer affairs ministry, the Department of Veterinary Services, the Department of Malaysian Quarantine Inspection Services and the Customs Department has been obtained and meat importing companies have also been identified,” the source added.
When contacted, Johor MACC director Azmi Alias confirmed the arrests. The detainees will be brought to the Magistrate’s Court for a remand application today.


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NPD's latest report shows PS4 topping Xbox One in January in the US but software purchasing hit a rough patch
As several analysts and publishers have pointed out, console transitions can be tough. That's clearly evident looking at today's January retail game sales report from The NPD Group. NPD noted that January 2013 was a five-week reporting period, so everything has to be multiplied by 0.80 to normalize the data. With that in mind, total industry sales in January 2014 resulted in a one percent decline at $664 million (down 21 percent if you don't normalize) and the big culprit is software. Total software sales were just $232 million, and even when normalizing that represents a 26 percent drop from last year.


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Dublin, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/26/2017 -- Earlier this year, Investment conferences were organized by both the private sector and the public sector. The government's Nepal Investment Board has published that it has received many billions of dollars of interests from foreign companies to be invested in Nepal. Although it's speculative how much of those dollars would actually turn into investments in Nepal, the wave of some of the foreign companies entering in Nepal is overall a positive sign for the nation. Recently, Frost and Sullivan and Apprit Technology Group - both based in Silicon Valley -- have announced they have entered in Nepal.
Apprit Technology Group is one of the leading technology companies in the valley. The statement issued by the company said that Nepal expansion would help the computer science graduates to work in Nepal and develop the nascent technology industry. Compared to India and China, Nepal's large neighbors, Nepal lags in technology infrastructure. Unlike other technology outsourcing companies, Apprit operates on a country client model which means that the employees in Nepal would mostly be working on Nepal clients. Both private sector and government are in need of technologies that is usually unavailable in Nepal. Apprit plans to supplement the local talent with the know-how in Silicon Valley which would help the Nepal employees effectively serve the market in Nepal and build superior technologies customized for the region.
Nepal's main foreign investment has been in infrastructure related projects and hydropower. Deloitte is also administering a contract of USAID to invest and bring investments in Nepal related energy projects. With the rise in technology companies and a changing culture due to new startups, more Silicon Valley companies are planning to enter in Nepal, sources say.
Apprit was started by few computer science students to address the digital challenges faced by small businesses who were shutting their doors because of their inability to compete on a growing digital landscape. Since the times have changed significantly the way business was conducted just few decades ago, Apprit helps businesses to create a digital strategy which enables the businesses to effectively compete online. Apprit's core philosophy is to help small business owners. Apprit professionals have background in engineering and business which helps them to build products and provide services that benefits their clients.
8019 IGLESIA DR DUBLIN CA 94568-1366


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Nearly 150,000 Android Apps Predicited by End of 2010
There’s no doubt that the Android Market is taking off.Â It seems not a week goes by without some report indicating more adoption and developer interest.Â The latest one we’ve come across seems to indicate a ridiculous amount of development is right around the corner.Â Mobile analytics firm Flurry is predicting that by this time next year, there could be upwards of 150,000 Android applications.
In an interview with Business Week,Â Flurry Inc. CEOÂ Simon Khalaf said that thanks largely to marketing campaigns by Verizon and Motorola, â€œa lot of developers have come onto the Android platform.â€Â Khalaf forecasts 100,000-150,000 applications by the end of next year.Â As for Apple?Â Flurry is expecting at least 300,00 by then.
How do you feel about that figure?Â Is that about what you’d expect or are they being a little too ambitious?
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Blizzard recently announced that Blizzcon event attendees as well as people who sign up for the Pay-Per-View event would receive an in-game non-combat pet. This pet, the most awesome Grunty the Murloc Marine, will come equipped with a gauss rifle that he will “occasionally fire into the air to make sure no invisible spacecraft are swooping in to attack.”
We won’t discuss whether or not a space marine fits into Warcraft lore here. Nor will we explore the merits of granting the pet to DIRECTV viewers who will not be physically attending the conference. What we will say, however, is that by allowing home viewers the opportunity to purchase the pet Blizzard has effectively introduced the option for many players to outright buy the pet for real-world cash. This was also possible with previous pets but the prices were beyond the reach of most players who either could not attend the conference physically or otherwise were not interested in paying the premium on ebay (as the ebay listing will likely be changed in the near future the listed buyout price at the time of this article is $1,299).
Blizzard’s partner in this endeavor, DIRECTV, has announced that their price to view the event will be $39.95. According to the press release, included in this price is the option to view the event via internet stream. Just a few hours ago Blizzard also confirmed that those viewers of the stream who do not have DIRECTV would still get the pet. This means that, in effect, you can buy the pet for forty bucks.
The reason this interests us is because there are many WoW players that simply won’t purchase the DIRECTV event but will still be interested in attaining the mini murloc. These players will be paying ridiculous amounts of gold for these pets. While we imagine that the pet won’t be a BoE sort of item and will, instead, be code based, we still expect that there will be a secondary market for the pets (not to mention a vast amount of players being ripped off in these sorts of trades). In this way, unless Blizzard somehow changes the mechanics of how the pet is installed, they’ve just introduced a way for some players to purchase gold for cash. The question, of course, is just how much will players be willing to pay for their mini murloc. We feel the answer will depend largely on both how limited supply will be for the item (for example, will gold farming firms be able to purchase the pets en masse for resale?) and how many gullible players there are out there (quite a few if experience dictates).
For the time being anyway, if you want this pet be prepared to cough up $40 bucks. Similarly, if you want to try a risky (yet currently legal) cash-for-gold arrangement you might consider picking one up for resale. Oh yeah, for your money you also get to watch the conference. It actually kind of reminds us of when J.P. Morgan bought a building and got a bank for free. Kidding, we’re kidding folks…
In all seriousness we’ll be watching the event closely and bringing you live coverage of any relevant WoWenomic news (while showing off our little murloc friend) so stay tuned.