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In the early years of Montana’s hemp program, most farmers had their sights set on cultivating hemp for CBD. Now, farmers’ focuses are transitioning to the fiber and grain industries.
Let’s take it back to the beginning.
Hemp plants first hit Montana’s soil in 2017 under the state’s pilot program. There were 17 licensed growers at the time, many of whom had high hopes for the crop.
Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) Director Christy Clark says hemp program officials spent “countless hours” that year building the commodity program. “Many, many hours were spent in a conference room with all hands on deck. We had marketing; we had research; we had the lab; we had everybody—even the accountants in there trying to figure out how this is going to work. [It] took a tremendous amount of manpower.”
Since then, the number of licensed hemp growers and total acres planted has drastically changed each year.
Montana hemp plantsBased on data from the MDA, in 2018, there were 42 licensed growers and 13,645 total acres planted, including acres planted on tribal reservations. (The MDA does not license hemp growers on native reservations; they are under the USDA’s jurisdiction). While 11,100 acres were planted for CBD, 2,500 acres were planted for grain, and 45 acres were planted for fiber that year.
In 2019, following the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, those numbers skyrocketed. There were 197 licensed growers and 48,930 total acres planted—including those on tribal reservations. Forty-thousand acres were grown for CBD, 8,500 acres were grown for grain, 30 acres were grown for fiber, and 400 acres were grown for fiber and grain.
But in 2020, the number of hemp licenses dropped to 97 (a 50.8% decrease), and acres planted decreased to 10,950 (77.6%). Most notably, the total acres planted for CBD dropped to 1,400 (96.5%). These numbers fall in line with the national trend during that time of oversaturation in the CBD market, which hurt production and prices.
The state’s high-acreage-to-low-license ratio is interesting to note. “We’re a large acreage state,” Clark says. “When you see a 500-acre hemp field, it’s pretty astounding, and that’s not uncommon in Montana. … [Growers] always tend to plant things in large acreages.”
Establishing a Hemp Market
While 2020 was a challenging year for the Montana hemp market, Clark says it’s finally starting to stabilize itself, primarily through the food, fiber, and grain industries.
Close up of Montana hemp plant.
“It’s gone through a metamorphosis in the sense that it’s now recognized as a commodity, although, not maybe technically in law, but in farmer’s eyes as a good rotation. And it has many other uses that are not CBD specific,” she says.
The interest shows in the data. Based on the USDA’s Hemp Acreage and Production Survey, in 2021, Montana hemp farmers planted the second-most amount of hemp—7,900 acres—and harvested more hemp—4,500 acres—than producers anywhere else in the U.S. (The USDA’s data includes acres planted and harvested on tribal reservations).
The processing capacity for food, fiber, and grain, is also growing in the state.
“Hemp has matured into just a really good rotational crop that has a lot of soil benefits, has a lot of rotational benefits, and now has a solid market share.” – Montana’s Hemp Program Director Christy Clark.
For example, IND HEMP, a family-owned hemp oilseed and fiber company launched in 2019, recently expanded its Montana footprint and opened a hemp fiber processing plant in Fort Benton, across the street from its oilseed facility.
The processing facility came after farmers had concerns about how to dispose of the residual straw left on the field after grain harvest, Gregg Gnecco, IND HEMP brand and marketing director, told Hemp Grower. And with the new facility, farmers can take their residual straw and process it into fiber, which IND HEMP sees a future for in Montana.
“There is a lot of opportunity for a lot of people in the hemp fiber space,” Gnecco said. “And it’s going to take more than just IND HEMP getting operations, supporting their local farmers, and building material for these larger industries. … If COVID taught us anything, [it’s] people want diversified supply chains. So, there are people that need more fiber right now than we could make them if we were their sole provider. So, to really make an impact, we need the industry to grow, and we are excited to play our role in that.”
Clark agrees as she says the Agriculture Department has hopes for the potential of more processing facilities to come online in Montana soon.
“I think IND HEMP is acting as an anchor tenant in the state to stabilize the growing market,” she says. “So, there’s always going to be people that are going to want to grow hemp, and that keeps a stable supply, and people are going to want to locate [here]. We see that more and more.”
Clark also says a relatively large food manufacturer that focuses on hemp hearts and protein recently relocated to Great Falls, Mont., and there are talks of another fiber manufacturer potentially coming next to IND HEMP. She says there are also some smaller processing facilities in Montana that focus on refining hemp into fiber in various ways.
“I think once you get that anchor established, then we can expand that,” she says. “So, we’re out talking to people. … We’ll continue to push forward and say, ‘Hey, bring your businesses to Montana. … Bring your businesses to where the product is grown.’ And so, for us, it’s pretty exciting to see that and those businesses that want to locate here.”
Overall, Clark says she sees Montana becoming recognized as a “hemp growing state,” and more farmers are starting to incorporate the crop into their rotation.
“Hemp has matured into just a really good rotational crop that has a lot of soil benefits, has a lot of rotational benefits, and now has a solid market share,” she says. “It has a place where you can contract to grow hemp; that’s new. I mean, that has stabilized, I would say. And that gives farmers reassurance that, if they do grow hemp, there is a market, and it is with reputable companies. And so that’s what I’ve seen. I’ve just seen hemp mature in that way.”


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On Oct. 21, Bitcoin got a strong victory from an European Union (EU) court ruling that termed the crypto-currency as money, and as such should not be taxed as either a commodity or collectible. This ruling, as opposed to how the U.S. courts have suggested Bitcoin is an investment rather than currency, opens the door for much greater use and acceptance in the Eurozone, and in commerce for countries mired in inflation and sovereign currency issues.
Bitcoin rose in value against most major currencies after the ruling, and has over time stabilized despite attacks from sovereign regulators who have tried to both negate and destroy the currency in the eyes of the public and in retail transactions.
Bitcoin got a boost at the European Union’s top court after judges said exchanging virtual currencies should be exempt from value-added tax in the same way as traditional cash.
In a ruling that puts Bitcoin on a more equal footing with mainstream money, the EU Court of Justice sided with Swede David Hedqvist who set up a service for the exchange of mainstream money for bitcoin and vice versa. VAT, a type of sales tax, shouldn’t be charged because the business involves “the exchange of different means of payment,” the judges said.
“It’s very good news,” said Simon Dixon, CEO of Bnktothefuture.com, a platform for investing in new, alternative financial products, including those based on Bitcoins. “If you were taxed on the exchange it would make it an inferior currency to other currencies, so the implications of it being treated as a currency are that it can free flow.” – Bloomberg
Bitcoin has followed the path of that old axiom from Mahatma Ghandi that goes, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” And since its inception less than a decade ago, Bitcoin has not only won out over those who would discredit it, but now it is getting support from the very sovereign agencies who would suffer the most from it’s success.
Bitcoin is not the only alternative form of currency rising up out of the world’s rejection of fiat currencies, and its success is being seen and felt in other forms such as Bitgold and Karatbars. And as the world rushes headlong into its next monetary crisis that will assuredly see the end of purely fiat forms of money, the types of trade and commerce that emerge from this collapse will be in non-centralized financial systems, and in direct bi-lateral trade using any form of money people and retailers choose to conduct commerce in.
Kenneth Schortgen Jr is a writer for Secretsofthefed.com, Examiner.com, Roguemoney.net, and To the Death Media, and hosts the popular web blog, The Daily Economist. Ken can also be heard Wednesday afternoons giving an weekly economic report on the Angel Clark radio show.

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text: Lucas123 writes: Indiegogo announced at CES today that is now has a crowdfunding site exclusively for big businesses, which often have hundreds of internal R&D projects or ideas that never see the light of day and could benefit from getting public exposure online. Companies such as Google, Anheuser-Busch, GE and Hasbro have already run crowdsourcing campaigns on a pilot of the new site in order to raise money for projects, garner customer ideas, or validate pre-retail products. In July, GE ran a campaign to prove market demand for a countertop nugget ice-making machine for the home. GE offered the Opal icemaker for $399 to early buyers on Indiegogo, with a future retail price of $499. GE's Opal icemaker project raised $2.64 million total from 6,177 contributions by the end of the 30-day Indiegogo campaign. The campaign also garnered 510,000 page views and 15,000 Facebook shares. Natarajan Venkatakrishnan, head of R&D for GE Appliances, said crowdsourcing allows development and marketing to be conducted at a fraction of the cost of a traditional R&D project. "If it flops, no worries. Upfront costs were some 20 times less than a traditional product rollout, which can cost tens of millions of dollars," Venkatakrishnan said. "If we're going to fail, we want to fail fast."


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Apple and Cisco yesterday announced a partnership to help bring more iPhones and iPads to enterprise users. The partnership aims to help Apple iOS devices communicate more effectively on corporate networks where Cisco gear is used, and the two companies will work on technology to help workers with iPads and iPhones better exploit Cisco’s collaboration [...]
G DATA uncovered issues with malware installed on phones while within the supply chain. This brings big questions about supply chain security.
Fire up your computer, free up some space on your credit cards and get your FRN information ready – you’ve got until SEPTEMBER 24, 2015 to get your reg fees paid … but don’t count on paying between 6:00 p.m., September 2 and 8:00 a.m., September 8. And we thought last year – when the … Continue Reading
Several sponsored researchers have floated the notion that network neutrality and Title II common carrier regulation constitute the major reason why U.S. broadband carriers apparently have reduced capital expenditure in new and replacement physical plant. Show More Summary
Intel Corporation introduced the 6th Generation Intel® Core™ processor family, the company’s best processors ever. The launch marks a turning point in people’s relationship with computers. The 6th Gen Intel Core processors deliver enhanced...Show More Summary
Nokia is ready to deliver the multi-vendor approach that carriers worldwide are asking for. We are just witnessing the birth of 5G standardization, but Nokia has already demonstrated several proofs of concept related to SDN (software defined networking). Meanwhile, the manufacturer is taking a holistic approach to carriers’ future 5G architecture needs. Its programmable 5G [...]
Information and communications technologies could bring far-ranging levels of sustainable prosperity and opportunity to all corners of the world within the next 15 years, according to research published by the BT-backed Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) and Accenture. Show More Summary
It’s a story we’ve heard before, the seemingly never ending fight between Dr. Frankenstein wireless carriers and the gluttonous data monsters of their own creation. Even after most of the carriers in North America have scuttled their unlimited data plans, we still regularly hear about the frustration of dealing with those fortunate few who still clutch [...]
Four months ago, a new type of infrastructure company was born in the form of Communications Sales & Leasing, which was spun off from Windstream as the industry’s first communications REIT. Since then, just what CS&L will do next has been the first question people generally ask of me. Will they start acquiring assets, and if so, […]
Early vendor and carrier activity isn't limited to research and development. There also will be efforts to gain favorable position with regulators.
With an activist investor taking public aim at the company, Internap decided today to take the path of least resistance. In an announcement this morning, the company said it is in fact exploring strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value, and in fact has been since early this year.... [visit site to read more]
Here's a quick look at some interesting items from the past few days, as August gives way to September at last:... [visit site to read more]


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11:44These are the most hackable passwords - is yours on the list?
17:11Hawick flats in line to be demolished in summer
15:53These are the best and worst mobile phone networks - where does yours fall in the rankings?
15:24Police warn of under-reported 'hugging scam' which sees unwitting victims pickpocketed
15:18Subway has launched a vegan menu - here’s everything on it
11:39This year’s common riding will be a gas, gas, gas for Marc
16:02Galashiels business hub will host more than 20 traders
15:01Poll: Will you register to continue watching porn online?
15:53Strong line-up for this year’s book festival
14:31Here's why you could be asked for a printed copy of your visa if you're visiting Turkey on holiday
14:18Have your say: Should Donald Trump's state visit go ahead?
14:46GALLERY: Jedburgh’s Easter market
12:10Asda recalls cereal bars over fears they may contain salmonella
12:24IN PICTURES: On the sidelines at Berwick Sevens


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Michael Dieck, commercial loan officer, from left; Jeff Austin, St. Vincent de Paul; Heather Beiler, branch manager; Jennifer Wussow and Nicole Walz, customer service representatives.
During November, Citizen's State Bank customers donated more than 300 food items and $380 during the annual drive.
Collections were made at all five CSB locations: Marshfield, Spencer, Loyal, Neillsville and Granton. Donated food items and cash donations were delivered to community food pantries. The Marshfield office donated its food items and cash proceeds to the St. Vincent ce Paul Outreach.
The bank would like to thank everyone who donated both food items and cash for such a great ...


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More Articles for barrels
DIY (Do It Yourself) Barricade Mobile Barrier Trailer helps keep workers safe and traffic flowing By Tina Grady Barbaccia The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) has found a way of minimizing traffic disruption and maximizing worker safety in short-duration, rapid-work zones, says J.C. ...
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Friday's® Restaurants Announce Seven New Menu Items from $5.99 featuring a Sauce by the Grand Champion of the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue™ Competition.
T.G.I. Friday's restaurants announced it will feature Jack™ Championship BBQ sauce, the actual sauce recipe developed by Chad Hayden, the Grand Champion of the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue™ competition, on seven new menu items at over 600 U.S. restaurants beginning today.
"T.G.I. Friday's is absolutely fanatical about bringing the most compelling, on-trend, best-in-class food and beverage to our guests," said Andrew Jordan, senior vice president of marketing for T.G.I. Friday's USA. "If you think our original Jack Daniel's Grill® is good, wait until you try this award-winning sauce."
The annual Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue™ competition features over 60 teams from around the world who bring their unique Barbecue recipes to Lynchburg, Tennessee to compete for the Grand Prize.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/fridays/34197/


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We are excited to invite Wardlaw + Hartridge School in Edison, NJ, USA into the Safe Teens Online family. The student ambassador and faculty at Warldaw + Hartridge join the global effort in educating teens on cyber safety related risks and opportunities.
While students, teachers, administrators and parents have all come to terms with a hybrid approach to education as well as life, the new normal highlights more than ever, the need for understanding rules of the digital road. It takes that special blend of courage, vision and drive to launch into a new effort while already overwhelmed with finding cadence around the new normal. We laud their efforts as we welcome Vineeth Reddy, Ambassador, and the entire Wardlaw + Hartridge community into the journey that begins in cyber safety awareness and progresses towards digital citizenship.
-Safe Teens Online


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SA Motor Lease, a division of PACE Auto Group, will become the latest leasing company in South Africa to offer long-term car subscriptions on the FlexClub network. This follows Avis Fleet launching its own long-term subscription offers earlier this year. FlexClub has created a vehicle subscription account that enables customers to easily subscribe for vehicles online, from a network of rental and leasing merchants. Customers with an account avoid prohibitively expensive security deposits, complex applications and can earn cashback on their monthly vehicle subscription spend.
This comes almost a year after PACE Car Rental, the car rental division within the group, joined the FlexClub network to offer their month-to-month car subscriptions. FlexClub members can use their accounts to shop online for a car that can be delivered to their door within 7 days, from an expansive network of merchants across the country.
According to FlexClub, merchants on the network have made more than 40,000 vehicles available to members for subscriptions, on contracts ranging from 1 month to 36 months. Since its launch, more than 20,000 people have created a FlexClub account to easily subscribe for vehicles online from the network of merchants.
SA Motor Lease becomes the latest merchant in South Africa to join the network in a bid to expand the reach of their long-term car subscriptions, joining major brands on the network such as Avis, Europcar, Green Motion and Bajaj. SA Motor Lease has vast experience in the consumer leasing industry, having spent the last decade serving customers looking to lease a vehicle instead of finance. “By partnering with FlexClub, we’re now able to serve a wider range of customers that want an online shopping experience or are looking for more accessible payment options”, says Grenville Salmon, the founder and CEO of PACE Auto Group.
Car subscriptions continue to rapidly grow in popularity across South Africa, as an increasing number of consumers seek out alternatives to the traditional 6-year vehicle finance offerings that currently dominate the local auto industry. The long-term subscriptions being offered by SA Motor Lease will range from 6-months to 24-months, at a price that will be cheaper than the month-to-month subscriptions already offered by the group via Pace Car Rental. The launch will feature select vehicle models which have already proven to be in high demand from members with a FlexClub account.
These long-term subscriptions are expected to directly challenge the total cost of ownership provided by traditional vehicle financing and will fill a void left by the limited number of private leasing products available in South Africa. Globally, more consumers are demanding greater flexibility from mobility products and South Africa is not expected to be an exception given the sophistication of the local automotive industry. Market statistics already highlight the fact that the average new car buyer in South Africa trades in their car after 3 years, despite the majority of them committing to 6 year vehicle finance contracts.
“This mismatch between available products and consumer needs has never been more glaring and we’re starting to see leaders of the largest financial institutions recognize the market readiness for car subscriptions in South Africa”, says Papi Melamu, Business Development Executive at FlexClub.
“The other elephant in the room is how much less accessible cars will become if the auto industry will rely solely on traditional vehicle finance, making the increased accessibility of subscriptions even more appealing to industry stakeholders”, adds Melamu. According to FlexClub, almost 50% of the members using their accounts to pay for vehicle subscriptions from the network of merchants are considered “thin file” customers. This means that there is little or no information on their historical financial activity being held by credit bureaus. As a result, these are customers who would have ordinarily been forced to consider more predatory alternatives to traditional vehicle financing.
Much like the existing month-to-month car subscriptions offered by Pace Car Rental, these long-term car subscriptions from SA Motor Lease will be all-inclusive, negating the need for additional maintenance, insurance, or tracking costs. The FlexClub accounts enable members to seamlessly shop for the vehicle of their choice, select their preferred subscription terms, arrange delivery to their door and continue to manage their subscription all online. While there are no penalties for cancelling or pausing the month-to-month subscriptions at any time, early termination of long-term subscriptions may incur an additional fee.
“Initially, these long-term car subscriptions from SA Motor Lease will only be available to consumers in Johannesburg and Pretoria. We will be working with SA Motor Lease to support them with a wider rollout, making their subscriptions available to members across the country”, concludes Melamu.
Cellulant and Money Q Collaborate to Make it Easier for Africans Living Abroad
Cellulant Vice President of Global & Regional Merchants Richard Gesimba and Amit Shrimali – Founder and CEO, Money Q
Cellulant, Africa’s Leading Payments Solutions Provider has partnered with Dubai-based fintech solutions company to enable expatriates to seamlessly pay for bills and recharge airtime for their beneficiaries across Africa. These customers will be able to make these payments through KrosPayz, Money Q’s Africa-wide digital payments platform that enables online payment for transactions and value-added services at the point of sale.
Mobile remittances present a unique opportunity for millions of people to access the formal financial system, bringing financial services and prospects for revenue generation closer to their communities. According to estimates, Sub-Saharan African remittances increased by 16.4% in 2021 but only by 5.2% in 2022. The average cost of sending $200 over international borders remained high in the second quarter of 2022, at 6%. Mobile operators offer the best rates (3.5%), but less than 1% of transactions are made through digital channels. Remittance services are now much quicker and less expensive thanks to digital technologies.
The KrosPayz digital wallet, which is set to go live first in Malawi this April, will enable customers to pay for national and international utility bill payments, airtime recharge, execute their domestic fund transfers to individuals and companies, and also pay in the local markets for their purchases via QR code.
“Remittances are the single largest source of foreign exchange for many developing economies, and they are stable and resilient in the face of economic downturns. They have been described as developing countries’ most stable, abundant, and secure sources of foreign aid. This partnership reaffirms our commitment to enabling businesses, banks, and consumers to make fast and efficient payments across Africa. By leveraging Cellulant’s presence and partnerships on the continent, Money Q will be able to provide its services throughout Africa” stated Richard Gesimba, Cellulant’s Vice President of Global & Regional Merchants.
Money Q’s goal is to ensure that no African should be deprived of using the digital channels on the continent. Commenting on the partnership, Mr Amit Shrimali, Money Q’s Founder and CEO stated “I am very excited with this partnership as it helps me to go a step closer to the vision of Money Q which is to make sure that none in the countries, we operate are deprived of using the digital medium to transact. The partnership between MoneyQ and Cellulant will indeed complement one another in growing the market share of both the companies in the African continent.”
Shelter Afrique unveils new five-year strategic plan
Shelter Afrique new Managing Director and CEO, Mr Thierno-Habib Hann
Pan-African housing development financier, Shelter Afrique has unveiled a five-year strategic plan to restore the Institution’s performance, competitiveness, and value creation for the long term.
Shelter Afrique unveiled the plan during a Ministerial and Board retreat in Nairobi, which was also attended by the Shareholders’ Bureau represented by Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Rwanda who currently serve as President, First Vice-president, and Second Vice-President of the Bureau, respectively. Development partners such as the African Development Bank, and investment partners such as Actis, Mi Vida and Shapoorji Pallonji (India) were also in attendance. Side discussions were held with Bilateral partners such as CDC, now known as BII (British International Investment), one of the initial shareholders of the Institution.
The new 2023-2027 strategic plan, dubbed the ‘New Dawn’, is expected to position the Institution for growth through improved governance, operational and financial performance.
The plan focuses on building relationships with various stakeholders to deliver strong and impactful business performance based on a new corporate structure fit for purpose.
Refocusing the business
Speaking at a retreat organised by the Institution in Nairobi to appraise the Board of Directors, shareholder representatives, and business partners, Shelter Afrique Chairman Dr Chii Akporji said the unveiling of the new strategic plan was an important milestone for the Institution.
“The new strategic plan that we have dubbed the ‘New Dawn‘ has laid the foundations to refocus our business on growth and impact, while creating sustainable returns for our shareholders and all our stakeholders. It has the board’s unanimous support and provides the Institution with a clear compass,” Dr Akporji said.
Dr Akporji welcomed the new Managing Director and CEO, Mr Thierno-Habib Hann and thanked the board for showing a great sense of responsibility and collective support to the new leadership paving the way to “creating conditions necessary to enter this new phase confidently”.
Echoing the Chairman, Shelter Afrique’s new Managing Director and CEO, Mr Thierno-Habib Hann said it was imperative for the Institution to refocus, deliver and scale up, following the successful conclusion of its restructuring program.
“The past 20 years provided us with some vital lessons which have been critical in developing the new strategic plan – a plan centred on sustainable and competitive growth while delivering consistently and enhancing shareholder value.” Mr Hann said.
Mr Hann added that the new strategic plan offers the Institution an impetus to focus more on clients, business performance, and staff; provides a framework for upscaling engagements with various stakeholders; offers a motivation to bolster the institution’s corporate governance credentials; and creates the momentum to introduce new product lines.
“While driving Mobilization and Syndication, we will be focusing on four business lines, namely (1) Funded and unfunded lines of credit to financial institutions to finance housing solutions, (2) Project Finance for large-scale housing initiatives; (3) Affordable Housing PPPs structuring and (4) Thematic Housing Fund Management and Advisory Services. The new strategic plan envisages a streamlined approach, which allows us to reach the end users by establishing new product structures such as Employer Staff Housing Funds, Green/Resilient homes and Rent-To-Own financing”, Mr Hann explained.
New organisational structure
The unveiling of the new strategy has necessitated the re-alignment of the organisation and the introduction of a new organisational structure and operating model designed to support the Institution’s innovation, growth, and productivity ambitions for the next five years.
Effectively, the Institution has created new units which will focus the business on financial institutions, project finance, fund management, and public-private partnerships. Additionally, the Strategy, Policy, research and partnerships functions will also be driven from the CEO’s office.
“We believe the new organisational model is central to the successful implementation of our new strategic plan as it will make us more agile and competitive, enhance client focus, unlock significant potential across the business, and drive value-creation through operational efficiencies,” Mr Hann concluded.
Ghana Fintech Awards 2022: DPO Pay Fintech Discovery of the Year
Leading African digital payments company DPO Pay wins the Fintech Discovery of the year award in the 2022 Ghana Fintech awards. As an initiative of Arkel Limited – a Fintech research and management consulting firm – that is supported by the Ghana Fintech and Payments Association, the awards acknowledge the fintech products and services, technologies, fintech firms and dynamic doers in the fintech ecosystem.
DPO Pay’s Country Manager of Ghana, Frank Anwelle, said: “We are very proud and humbled to receive the Fintech Discovery of the Year Award. Our Team at DPO Pay extends their appreciation to the Ghana Fintech & Payments Association for recognising the hard work and commitment we hold to growing African businesses on a local and global scale. Our innovative approach to simplifying payment processing across Africa continues to drive the core objective of DPO Pay as a merchant-focused solution.”
The award judged international fintech companies operating in the Ghanaian Fintech space on providing best-in-class infrastructure for the deployment of fintech solutions and the ease of integration with third parties to offer financial and non-financial services. The Fintech Discovery of the Year Award recognizes international fintech companies, working within the local Ghanaian ecosystem to provide multiple choices to the industry and clients, ranging from payments infrastructure, credit and debit cards, mobile money, merchant acquisitions, and other payment methods, leading to an integrated financial sector.
Throughout 2022, DPO focused on bringing payment solutions closer to local businesses in Ghana. As part of its efforts, the company has partnered with Mastercard to enable thousands of businesses in Ghana to offer their customers greater choice and convenience by pivoting online and accepting digital payments. It has enabled enable merchants to safely, seamlessly and securely accept a wide range of digital payment methods including mobile money and via e-wallets – both locally and from abroad – in the currency of their choice.
In addition, at the end of 2022 DPO released a new version of their payments app, DPO Pay Mobile. With several new features, DPO listened to merchant feedback to redesign and redevelop DumaPay. The app, previously DumaPay, now offers a variety of new features to allow for easier, more convenient transactions no matter where in Africa their businesses are. The new mobile payments application allows businesses to securely transact in multiple currencies across Africa.
Founded in 2006, DPO has developed integrated payments technology to support businesses of all sizes in over 20 countries and accepts payments securely and swiftly in all currencies and through many payment methods, including virtual cards, mobile money, and e-wallets.


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The marketing landscape is changing more rapidly than ever, with each new year bringing a fresh round-up of trends to stay on top of. In 2019, some of the key trends that companies will need to factor into their marketing strategies include:
Thanks to significant recent improvements in the sophisticated AI technology that powers them, chatbots have seen huge growth as a marketing tool over the past few years. According to speaker and author Jay Baer, as of 2018, 15% of American adults have used a chatbot to interact with a company (usually to perform tasks like resolving a complaint or problem, getting a more detailed answer to a specific question, making a reservation, or paying a bill). In 2019, experts agree that the influence of chatbots will continue to expand as more and more companies embrace the benefits they offer—most notably the ability to provide responsive, round-the-clock service to customers all over the world without the extra step of having to download a native app.
If video isn’t already a key part of your marketing strategy, you’ll need to work quickly to make it a priority for the year ahead. It’s hardly a secret that video’s dominance over other forms of digital content has been increasing in recent years, but even seasoned marketers might be surprised to learn that a remarkable 82% of web consumer content is expected to be video-based by the year 2020. Interestingly, this proliferation of video content is closely linked to another video trend that marketers should be aware of: an increasing focus on shorter videos, sometimes known as “snack ads,” that are less than 10 seconds long. We can expect to see much more of this bite-sized video content in 2019, as brands work to find creative ways to capture audiences’ increasingly shorter attention spans.
Will banner ads take their last gasp in 2019? Many experts seem to think so, given the extent to which interactions between brands and customers have changed since the dawn of the digital age. Today’s consumers are getting tired of the digital clutter that surrounds them, and are relying more and more on tools to help tune that clutter out. For example, according to a report from eMarketer, an estimated three in 10 Internet users were using ad blockers by the end of 2018. This means that traditional digital marketing strategies like banner ads aren’t going to cut it from here on; instead, companies will need to get creative with their content marketing and influencer marketing strategies, and find ways to offer their customers real value rather than advertising.
We’re living in a voice-activated world. With more and more consumers using voice-activated digital assistants and smart speakers like Siri, Alexa, and Google Home, companies need to get ready for a big shift in the way customers find and interact with their brand. In 2018, a BrightLocal survey of more than 1,000 US-based customers revealed that 58% of people had used a voice search to find information on local businesses within the last year. This suggests that brands need to think about how to optimize their brand for access via voice search, and work to incorporate more voice and audio content into their marketing strategies.
It might be surprising to think of transparency as a marketing trend, and yet that’s exactly what’s happening in this present moment of information saturation. Today’s consumers are hard to impress, and less likely than ever to be taken in by slick marketing pitches. Instead, they are increasingly turning to sources like online customer reviews and social media influencers to get what they perceive as more accurate and unbiased information about a company’s products and services. But rather than fighting this shift, smart brands are embracing it and adopting a transparent marketing approach that openly acknowledges (and actively seeks feedback on) faults or shortcomings. In addition, these companies are encouraging two-way communication channels with their customers, and working to build stronger relationships by addressing negative feedback directly.
Given the overwhelming dominance of digital strategies in today’s marketing landscape, it might come as a surprise to learn that there’s still room for old-fashioned tactics to make an impact. Recently, some companies have been turning away from e-mail marketing tools like HubSpot and MailChimp and instead sending print newsletters to their customers at additional expense. Interestingly, these print-based campaigns have proved highly successful at cutting through the digital noise and engaging customers on a different level. This is certainly not to suggest that brands need to abandon their digital marketing strategies altogether, simply that print and other out-of-the-box tools can still serve as a valuable complement to existing digital channels. Developing integrated campaigns that work to engage audiences in new and different ways—ways that competitors may not be considering—can help brands stand out from the crowd.


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MB Media Brokers announced that it is actively discussing the license of its vending related patent portfolio.
“We have begun the process of bringing companies into compliance with our patent,” said CEO David Levine, “and we hope to give companies within the industry ample opportunity to work with us so that they can position themselves for the future.”
Levine’s patent, vending machine messaging system US 7784643 B1, is a fully issued patent that relates to wireless vending machine messaging as well as how such systems can be retrofitted or positioned within the vending machine. “Our patent discusses not just the messaging system but also how and where it is installed on the machine. It also specifies design features that facilitate the installation of a screen within a vending machine both as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) piece and as a retrofit so as to prevent things such as product bridging or hanging within the machine.”
Levine feels that many machines in use today from several manufacturers as well as retrofit kits and future machines employ or will employ features covered under this patent.
“We have noticed an increasing amount of activity around patents of this nature, and feel that now is the right time to announce this initiative, since the passage of time will only make these issues more difficult to solve. As one of the first companies to send media wirelessly to vending machines, and the creator of the first newsfeed service for the vending industry, we look forward to hearing from proactive parties.” David Levine can be reached at 480-332-0844 or by email at [email protected].


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It’s amazing how productive some people are with their free time. About a week ago, Reddit user wise_genesis proved this by sharing a map they created to show differences in Big Mac prices across the United States.
“I made a site that tracks the price of a Big Mac in every US McDonald’s,” the user wrote. “Prices vary by up to 77%.”
The map, which is called McCheapest, pins Big Mac prices with dots, using a color gradient to visually depict prices on a spectrum. Green signals the cheapest burgers, while a deep shade of red so dark it looks black represents the most expensive.
According to the map, the cheapest Big Mac in the country can be found in Stigler, Ohio, at just $3.49. The most expensive is in Lee, Massachusetts, out by the western edge of the state, at $8.09—that’s more than double the cost of the burger in Stigler. The map is interactive, so you can zoom from region to region; as you do so, the notation in the top left corner about the most and least expensive Big Mac will adjust for the region you’re viewing.
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The map’s creator is Sacha Fournier, who said he was inspired by McBroken, a website that tracks whether the ice cream machine in a given McDonald’s location is broken (heroic). To populate the Big Mac map, Fournier wasn’t able to use data from the McDonald’s website, because it doesn’t show prices. Instead, he had to create a workaround that used the location-specific price information in the McDonald’s app.
“I built a custom scraper using the Appium framework,” Fournier wrote. “I have a script running on my machine 24/7 connected to a phone with the McDonald’s app ‘ordering’ Big Macs on loop. None are actually ordered, just added to cart. I self host a map server and the data updates from the scraper every few days.”
Why Big Macs? Because The Economist had already popularized it as a reference point via its so-called Big Mac Index, developed in 1986 to measure economic health (much like how FEMA uses the Waffle House Index to measure the scope of natural disasters). Fournier added that he wanted to look at the varying prices of other McDonald’s items, too, but the logistics soon got overwhelming. Another user suggested that the map function be applied to national egg prices, an idea that Fournier loves.
“Someone, somewhere, has already registered eggspensive.com (seriously?!?),” he wrote. “I’ll look into this as I think it could be pretty cool (providing I can get the data).”
As we await that new act of eggcellent internet investigation, I’ll be over here traveling the country by way of Big Mac prices. What a time to be alive.


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Here's an unsurprising piece of news -- people in states with higher median income levels tend to purchase iPads more than those who are in less affluent states. This nugget of important information comes from online ad network Chitika, which is tracking where third-generation iPads are being activated in the United States.
Chitika mixed its data showing new iPad activations (currently at about 10.1 percent of all iPad traffic) with U.S. Census Bureau data. They found that the top areas with new iPads are California, Hawaii (probably due to Doc Rock's influence), Nevada, Washington D.C., and Washington state.
Chitika noted that those areas are considered states of high median income levels, and that they are categorized as "coastal" states. Ergo, the richer coastal states are gobbling up the new iPads at a higher rate than inland states. Another research firm, Stevall Skoeld & Co., found a similar trend in China, where more than half of all iOS devices were found in the heavily industrialized (and more affluent) coastal regions of the country.


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LONDON, England – As British Prime Minister David Cameron wrapped up his China visit on Thursday, news arrived that UK government efforts to improve economic ties with China have certainly paid off: official British statistics show that Chinese visitor spending in the first half of 2013 has grown by a massive 132 percent year on year, totaling 181 million pounds. One city that may not be feeling the Chinese tourist love, however, is Paris, which is seeing lower sales in some industries.
Britain’s enormous revenue influx is a result of concerted efforts to attract Chinese tourists: the government announced in October its plans to loosen visa restrictions for visitors from the mainland with the support of businesses in the London Luxury Quarter, which launched a VIP marketing campaign for Chinese travelers to accompany the reform.
The efforts aren’t over yet: British Culture Secretary Maria Miller said on Thursday that Britain hopes to become “the most welcoming destination in Europe” for Chinese visitors, and a new campaign is set to be launched in spring 2014.
However, at the same time the UK is seeing such wild success in courting Chinese travelers, Paris isn’t doing as well as it used to.
Read the full article at http://www.jingdaily.com/paris-slumps-london-soars-in-chinese-tourist-spending/40588/


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If we didn't let browsers track our every digital move, ransomware wouldn't exist.
Driverless vehicles will likely be too cautious around humans, giving them the right of way in every circumstance, possibly creating new traffic problems.
Smart homes will only take off at outrageous prices because millennials didn't suffer enough as children. Yeah, you heard me.
When you can create 'real' voices as easily as Photoshopping images, we're all in trouble.
On Mastodon, it's easy to avoid those with whom you disagree. But that's not such a bad thing, as it also auto-segregates nutballs who are incompatible with the general population
German regulators want to treat streaming providers like traditional broadcasters; they see them as little more than tiny TV stations operating without a license. I know what they're up to.
In Oath, there's definitely a secret handshake and a weird hat.
When I use any of my Windows 10 machines, it's a miracle they work at all, especially when I consider what is going on under the buggy surface.
Who knows? Those behind these cheap-as-dirt 4K action cameras don't have robust US PR machines, so it's tough to know if the devices are legit or a total waste of money.
False promises abound in Silicon Valley, especially when it comes to free products going paid. But what can you do? Nothing really, and that's a problem.
Based on new leaks you'd think we live in truly Orwellian times, but the authorities building the surveillance state still can't do anything to stop actual crimes.
Facebook Pages replacing real websites screws over those who don't use social networks.
Do you have the right to fix products you purchased and own? Yes and no.
IBM and Yahoo are not fans of telecommuting, an odd, retrograde approach.
I knew it years ago, and the craziness of today's users confirms it: social media is the root of some very bad things.
Let's end this once and for all: a computer is never going to fully replace a journalist or writer.


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An unknown investor registered a purchase for more than $3 billion dollars acquiring little more than 133,000 Bitcoin today averaging a price of $23,000 per Bitcoin and has become one of the 3 largest holders of Bitcoin today.
Nakamoto in the lead!
According to information from June 2022, Satoshi Nakamoto is presented as the largest holder of Bitcoin between all people counting exchanges, federal governments and companies. It is estimated that Nakamoto actually mined more than 22,000 blocks, each worth 50 BTC, after launching Bitcoin in 2009. Assessments suggest that Nakamoto has more than 1.1 million BTC in his possession.
Biggest Bitcoin Holders
In addition to Nakamoto, the largest holder of Bitcoins is the asset management company Grayscale, which holds almost 683,480 Bitcoins. Giant cryptocurrency exchange service provider Binance trails Grayscale as the second largest Bitcoin holder in all rankings. with about 447,197 Bitcoins, Binance also initially ranks among crypto exchanges holding Bitcoin.
Biggest Bitcoin Holders as of June 2022
Almost all specific holders of Bitcoin have unknown identities. Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss invested in Bitcoin the millions they earned from a lawsuit against Facebook and ended up being the initially Bitcoin billionaires. Reportedly, own 1% of all Bitcoin in circulation. It is also estimated that the CEO of Binance, Changpeng Zhao, is among the largest holders, as its value on the Internet is $96 billion. and confessed that his cryptocurrency holdings comprise the majority of his internet value.
The purchase of 133,000 bitcoins has generated great skepticism in social networks since some people say that it could be a move by Elon Musk but the truth is that there are only rumors and deciphering the buyer becomes an almost impossible task considering the anonymity of the blockchain.
Disclaimer: The information found on CryptoReport is that of the cited writers. It does not represent the opinions of Criptoinforma on whether to buy, sell or hold investments. You are advised to conduct your own research before making any investment decisions. Use the information provided at your own risk.
Buy/sell Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies on CoinEx, the most comprehensive exchange to safely and conveniently invest in the world’s most traded cryptocurrencies. Sign up and see how simple it is, go to: https://coinex.com


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Selling digital land is a trend that is reaching “fever” in Hong Kong as the world tech becomes more and more fascinated by the virtual ” universe metaverse “.
The term “metaverse” is suddenly everywhere, becoming a buzzword among technologists and crypto enthusiasts. But the latest group to take an interest in the new internet trend are tycoons and real estate professionals looking to buy land in the digital world. Selling virtual land has become one of the hottest trends in the technology world. Virtual land valuations sometimes exceed the valuations of real-world parcels.
According to the South China Morning Post, a plot of land on popular metaverse platform The Sandbox, controlled by Hong Kong video game company Animoca Brands, sold for about $4.3 million last month to Republic Realm, based company, New York- specializing in real estate development in the metaverse.
In Hong Kong, where housing is scarce and real estate is seen as the most important investment, interest around virtual land sales is running high. Not only large corporations have flocked in, individuals including former property brokers and wealth managers have also been busy getting in. This week, Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, the third-generation heir to New World Development in Hong Kong, announced the purchase of one of the largest plots of land in The Sandbox. The 42-year-old billionaire said he will set up a “GBA Pavilion” hub, where startups from the Greater Bay Area can sell their products virtual.
Andrew Man, Hong Kong investment specialist at public property firm investment, also started buying land in The Sandbox. Mr. Man said that a large number of buyers interested in virtual land is not surprising. “Last Saturday, a new area opened for sale and the land was sold out in the blink of an eye. About 100 new plots of land were created at that time. I joined a WeChat group with several landowners and we all failed to buy. It’s really a race of speed.”
Mr. Man now owns three pieces of land, one of which has nearly quadrupled in value in just a few short weeks. “When I bought it, it was about 1.8 ether ($7,241). Now it is close to 7 ether,” said Man. Ether is the second-largest cryptocurrency in the world. Virtual land is often sold as a non-fungible token (NFT). After that, NFTs are usually traded through cryptocurrencies.
However, the craze of virtual land sales is causing concern in Beijing, as the state media has repeatedly issued warnings in recent times. Newspaper People’s Daily (People’s Daily), the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China, said last week that speculators risk of “burn bag” as quickly buy virtual land. The article states that selling real estate by metaverse method is like “financing the product”, bringing with it the risks of volatility, fraud, illegal fundraising, and money laundering.
According to Mr. Man, the wisdom that applies to real estate investing in real life is also very much applied in the virtual world. The biggest factor that determines the value of a parcel of land is “location”. There are two factors that determine the location value: its distance to the center of the metaverse and the influence of the neighborhood. “Someone just paid $450,000 for a small piece of land to be the neighbor of Snoop Dogg in The Sandbox. One of my plots is next to a huge piece of unsold land. I hope it will eventually be adopted by Disney or a similar company later on,” Man said.
Jason Au, the director of the Nasdaq-listed investment company Troops (USA), is also a fan of buying digital land. It is known that Mr. Au used to be the owner of a real estate brokerage company in the Mid-Levels district of Hong Kong. In August 2021, Mr. Au and some friends who are passionate about NFT bought some large plots of land in Decentraland, a popular metaverse platform similar to The Sandbox. Mr. Au believes a virtual land plot is worth nearly 10 million Hong Kong dollars (about 1.28 million USD).
Last month, a parcel of land in Decentraland sold for a record $2.43 million. “I see the world of NFT and crypto as going back to the early days of the internet when people registered domain names. Everything is like history repeating itself and that’s an opportunity for us,” Au said.


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CNN: Plastic Surgery Under the Knife Because of Economy
The economic downturn has even affected the prettiest people â or those who aspire to be, according to CNNâs âAmerican Morningâ August 13.
âWith people cutting corners â thereâs a little less nip-tuck going on these days,â CNN âAmerican Morningâ co-host John Roberts said. âYes, the economic downturn is taking a slice out of cosmetic surgery.â
CNN general assignment correspondent Kareen Wynter told viewers how the industry was being impacted. Plastic surgery, once thought to be a luxury, became more of a mainstream option and surged in popularity. But the economic slowdown has returned enhancement to out-of-reach-luxury status, she said.
âWe often think of plastic surgery as something for only the very rich â something thatâs recession proof,â Wynter explained. âBut plastic surgery reality TV shows have helped to popularize procedures like liposuction and tummy tucks with people you wonât find splashed over the fashion magazines.â
The backdrop for Wynterâs report was
âDr. Linda Li, a renowned
According to Li â the housing downturn and the slowdown in plastic surgery are connected because people were using equity in their homes to finance those surgical procedures. The report cited American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) estimates that business is down by more than 50 percent.
But, other than the price â thereâs at least one other factor contributing to the decrease: recovery time.
âThey donât find themselves able to take that kind of recovery period that they would have been able to take before from work â fearful that the job may not be there when they come back,â ASAPS President Dr. Alan Gold told CNN.
But from Wynterâs point-of-view, plastic surgery may be perceived to be a luxury by some, but in
âPamela Ray Chavez [a prospective plastic surgery client] has put her procedure on hold waiting for the economy to rebound,â Wynter said. âBut, in a town where beauty is often skin-deep, even a few months can feel like an eternity.â
While a 53 percent decrease in the industry may seem enormous, it is mild compared to overall gains over the last decade for the industry. According to a Web site operated by a trade group representing the plastic surgery industry, there has been a 457 percent increase in the total number of cosmetic procedures from 1997 to 2007.


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Corporate social responsibility, once defined by large multinational corporations cutting checks, is undergoing a quiet revolution in open office spaces, apartments and accelerators in Silicon Valley. Small, for-profit tech startups are investing in social impact work earlier in their life cycles than ever before, using a lean startup framework to iterate thoughtfully and quickly.
The message is clear: There’s no need to wait until we have millions to give away to concentrate on social good.
The now-famous 1-1-1 model pioneered at Salesforce — committing 1 percent of time, equity and product to nonprofits — has steadily gained traction in the tech community in the 15 years since its introduction. It has inspired other companies like UpLift, for example, a payment marketing platform with 15 full-time employees, which is focused on discounted nonprofit sales just as aggressively as it is on for-profit customers.
Optimizely, a 300-person technology company, makes it easy to change and test design variations on websites and mobile apps. Through its discounted sales program, nonprofits can now optimize their donations. And Box, a cloud storage platform, offers a combination, donating up to 10 seats for nonprofit users, and selling at a discount on top of that.
The list goes on. While most early-stage companies aren’t flush with cash, that doesn’t mean they can’t prepare for a future when more traditional grant-making will be possible.
Every tech company, regardless of size, should bake social impact work into the fabric of its business from the very beginning, and here’s why:
Social impact means revenue potential.
Justifying and prioritizing social impact work at the early stages of a company can only happen if there’s real potential value. Many startups focus on CSR to gain press and exposure, only to end up disappointed when the great feature article they envisioned never comes to fruition. There has to be some positive, meaningful business impact.
One of the biggest deals at Okta, a single-sign-on data-security platform, has been with Planned Parenthood. This is real revenue. Optimizely has acquired 150 new customers as a result of its nonprofit work. It’s a matter of identifying the opportunities for revenue that come with social impact initiatives and capitalizing on them.
Social impact comes naturally to millennial employees.
Social impact work is often built into early-stage company culture because companies already have individual employees engaging in volunteering and impact work. Millennials who build companies “to change the world” also tend to share an authentic passion for purpose and profit.
According to the 2014 Deloitte Millennial Survey, millennials believe that the success of a business should be measured in terms of more than just its financial performance, with a focus on improving society among the most important things it should seek to achieve. With idealists at the helm, generational dynamics lead many of us to reimagine how we do business — and attract socially-minded, energetic employees along the way.
You’ll learn valuable lessons as you go.
When it comes to our social impact initiatives at Udemy, we’ve made strides from lessons learned through trial and error. For one thing, we’ve learned to speak in a language nonprofits know: The moment that we began formally giving grants, for example, we saw an uptick of interest from organizations looking to work with us.
Nonprofit organizations also have a lot to teach lean startups when it comes to measuring the impact of social good. Organizations like YearUp and Upwardly Global are great examples — they’ve found metrics measuring success after years of honing their program.
As we all grow in this work to leverage our expertise for good, we’re seeing more of our peers entering and considering the space. Given the relative ease of distributing cloud-based technology, and with millennials demanding social action and potential business value, more startups will begin to ask themselves, “How do we design our businesses with an eye toward positive social impact and revenue growth?” As is the case in any movement, small and focused actions can add up to something massive.
Meg Evans manages the Social Innovation Program at San Francisco-based Udemy, an online learning marketplace. She and her team work to democratize education by partnering with international organizations to help local content experts abroad share their expertise with the world. Reach her @megevans.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.


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Danish ultracyclist Michael Knudsen is training to ride the Race Across America next year – and as part of his training, from 28 October he will be riding the 5,000-kilometre course on Zwift in a shopping centre in Copenhagen.
For the full-on authentic experience, he’ll even be sleeping next to his home trainer and bike at Fields Shopping, one of the biggest shopping centres in Scandinavia.
Knudsen admits that the virtual ride, which starts on 28 October, is something of a PR stunt to “get the word out” ahead of him riding RAAM for real next June.
Ahead of finishing second in the 9,100-kilometre Red Bull Trans-Siberian Extreme in 2017, he undertook a similar PR stunt-cum-training block by spending a week virtually riding the combined elevation of the highest peak on each continent – a total elevation gain of more than 40,000 metres.
Speaking of his forthcoming challenge, he told road.cc: “Now it’s getting totally out of hand and I've got the biggest, most stupid and craziest indoor project lined up in just over a month.
“From 28 October I'll be sitting in my home trainer in Fields Shopping, Copenhagen. Here I'll be riding the total 5,000 kilometres of Race Across America non-stop on Zwift.
“This will absolutely shatter the current indoor World Record.
“I'll be sleeping in the shopping mall next to the bike to make it as ‘RAAM-ish’ as possible.”
He added: “Zwift is going to come with some set-ups so people in the shopping mall can try Zwift and join me on the route.”
Simon has been news editor at road.cc since 2009, reporting on 10 editions and counting of pro cycling’s biggest races such as the Tour de France, stories on issues including infrastructure and campaigning, and interviewing some of the biggest names in cycling. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, his background has proved invaluable in reporting on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, and the bike industry. He splits his time between London and Cambridge, and loves taking his miniature schnauzer Elodie on adventures in the basket of her Elephant Bike.


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Rihanna to launch her first fragrance Reb’l Fleur
It's a deal that's been months in the making, but Rihanna is now officially Hollywood's newest perfumer with the launch of her debut signature scent, Reb'l Fleur...
It’s a deal that’s been months in the making, but Rihanna is now officially Hollywood’s newest perfumer with the launch of her debut signature scent, Reb’l Fleur.
“My grandmother in Barbados used to call me her Rebel Flower,” the singer tells PEOPLE of what inspired the fragrance’s name. And while the name might be the natural choice, deciding on the final mix proved something more of a challenge. “Over the years, I layered many different scents to get something that was truly my own,” she says.
“But I wanted…something that said ‘Rihanna was here.’ Something delicious and special, a fragrance with subtle hints that linger and leave a sexy memory.”
Click here to read the rest of this story.


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For 10 years, Apple Vacations has been a proud associate of Particular Olympics Illinois, providing prizes, donations and volunteers to additional SOILL’s targets to make a difference within the lives of its athletes. Charter firm Apple Vacations has announced that it’ll begin promoting trips to Cuba starting July 9, offering five- and 7-night time itineraries to the destination that is develop into the recent spot for American travelers. Goals resorts provide Unlimited-Luxury®, an All-Inclusive plan with added advantages together with no wristbands or restaurant reservations.
By way of a wide range of participation ranges—Pearl, Silver, Gold, Platinum , Diamond and Impression—discerning travelers can earn free nights stays at luxurious resorts and entry to unique associate provides. Apple Holidays has been around since 1969. Customise your expertise with a Costco Journey vacation package.
Bullets had been flying, folks came working into the lodge and resort workers just appeared to go on with life,” the man’s spouse told the Journal Sentinel. So, with out further ado, please click on right here to avoid wasting on your subsequent flight or hotel reserving by checking TKMERCHANT’s deal web page where you may discover the most recent choices and promos.
For nearly forty years, the company has offered priceless vacations to thousands and thousands of people — along with great service, comfort, and financial savings, especially whenever you use Apple Holidays promotional codes. Click now to get a deal with out an Apple Holidays coupon.
So when people who were injured at any of these resorts — the Journal Sentinel has received stories from a dozen — their complaints bought channeled by means of an internet of Apple Leisure Group subsidiaries. So Apple Holidays misplaced out on a $1900 trip package deal all as a result of they were not keen to waive the 20 change fee.


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Alibaba turned Single’s Day, the Chinese holiday for the single-set, into a huge economic opportunity through a savvy marketing blitz.
The company raked in $US5 billion during the first 90 minutes of the sale, totaling $US14.3 billion in just 24 hours largely through its online shopping platforms, Taobao.com and Tmall.com.
Students at Nanjing University first celebrated Single’s Day in 1993 as an appreciation of, you guessed it — being single. They picked November 11 (11/11) as an ode to the loneliness of the number one.
But Single’s Day was never meant to be a somber affair. Just like couples buy each other presents on Valentine’s Day, Single’s Day is an opportunity to treat yourself, and buy the things you’ve always wanted.
Yue Xue, a ‘dating consultant’ in Beijing explained to Time last year that the concept of being single in China is a recent development. “China used to be a society where there was no dating culture,” Xue said. “There was no going on dates to turn into a relationship. You see someone, if you can marry them or you never see them again.”
Singlehood only gained widespread acceptance in China because of Western films and television shows. And just as Valentine’s Day has become a juggernaut for consumption, so has Single’s Day.
Alibaba launched a massive marketing push around Single’s Day in 2009, offering special “Double 11” deals.
Their timing was perfect. E-commerce has exploded in China, leading to a 5,740% growth in Alibaba’s “Double 11” sales between 2009 and 2013, the Atlantic reports.
In the last couple years, Alibaba, once known only as an online retailer akin to Amazon, has moved aggressively into the entertainment space, launching a television production arm, and purchasing an online-streaming service that’s popular in China.
“Jack Ma (Alibaba’s CEO) is building Alibaba as the hub of all things commerce, whether it be physical goods bought and sold online, or now virtual goods and services,” Brian Buchwald, the CEO of consumer intelligence firm Bomoda told the LA Times.
And Alibaba has combined their expansion with brilliant marketing. On Wednesday, Alibaba aired a three-hour television special, “Tmall’s Double-11 Night Carnival” in order to drum up excitement for the insane “Double-11” deals.
The extravagant show included Kevin Spacey as President Frank Underwood from the show House of Cards delivering a two-minute message to would-be Chinese shoppers.
Daniel Craig, of 007 fame also made an appearance, as did singer Adam Lambert and a host of Chinese celebrities, the LA Times reports.
As the clock struck midnight, and the Double-11 deals officially opened, viewers of the broadcast at home could play along in online game show segments, where they could compete for the chance to buy Cadillacs for 15 cents, according to the LA Times.
For comparison purposes, Alibaba made only $US9.3 billion in 2014’s Single’s Day sale, $US5 billion less than this year, amounting to a 57% jump in sales.
Mobile purchases accounted for 72% of purchases in 2015, up from 43% in 2014, according to the Atlantic.
It was a good day for Alibaba.
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This year Apple will release the Apple TV, which will finally get support for 4K video
In the fall of 2015, Apple has released Apple TV new generation. It was the first completely new model of Apple TV over five years. Despite this, supercinski giant for some reason decided not to add the new support for 4K video.
But from the market trends can not escape even Apple. According to the source, the company is working on a new console, which should appear this year. Now it appears under an internal code name J105. And this model will finally support video in 4K resolution that already have learned to do all the competitors.
What other innovations await buyers of the new consoles, is still unknown. It is possible that it will not be a new model, and just update that Apple will replace the platform and will add support for ultra-high resolution video.
But there is a possibility that the upcoming Apple TV for the company will become a new starting point, as with this console copertina unable to announce their own shows, which have long been go different rumors.
It should be noted that the chief financial officer Apple Luca Maestri (Luca Maestri) said about the decline in sales of consoles Apple TV at the end of 2016 in comparison with the same period of 2015. This is confirmed by data analysts eMarketer which noted that in September last year, 12.5% of U.S. users owning a television set-top boxes, Apple TV, and in January of this year their share fell to 11.9%.


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Please wait a moment ...
Please wait a moment ...
May 15, 2014
East London, South Africa/ Stuttgart, Germany
- East London plant starts production as the second location in the global C-Class production network
- Fourth C-Class generation already at the East London plant
- Markus Schäfer: "We are ramping up our C-Class production as planned with the start of production in South Africa."
East London, South Africa / Stuttgart, Germany – About three months after the start of production of the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class at the Bremen plant in Germany, the second of the total of four locations started production of the highest volume Mercedes-Benz model line: For the East London plant, this is already the fourth generation of the C-Class. The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan is the first Mercedes-Benz model to be produced on four continents: Bremen and East London will be followed by the plants in Tuscaloosa/Alabama (USA) and Beijing (China) within the next months.
Markus Schäfer, Divisional Board Member Mercedes-Benz Cars, Production and Supply Chain Management: "We are ramping up our C-Class production as planned with the start of production in South Africa. Our youngest model is received very well by customers around the globe. The additional production capacities in East London are thus available at the right time to optimally serve the wishes of our customers."
The Bremen plant, in its capacity as the so-called lead plant, is controlling global production of the C-Class – from the tooling strategy to the training of the colleages from the international plants to production quality. With this, the company ensures top quality at all production sites from the outset. In total, some 500 employees from the international plants - among them more than 200 from East London - completed intensive training also in Germany in order to pass on their knowledge as multipliers in their respective home plants.
Arno van der Merwe, CEO and Vice President Manufacturing Mercedes-Benz South Africa: "The new C-Class marks another milestone for Mercedes-Benz in South Africa and for the East London plant. We have created 550 new jobs at the plant and have also made significant investments for the qualification of our staff. This goes especially with regard to the host of innovative manufacturing technologies which have been introduced at the plant for the first time with the new C-Class. We are thus optimally prepared to write the next chapter of our 'made by Mercedes-Benz in South Africa' success story".
About the Mercedes-Benz East London plant
Mercedes-Benz has had a presence in South Africa since 1954 and acquired majority ownership of the East London plant in 1984. The new C-Class marks the fourth vehicle generation of the highest volume Mercedes-Benz model line to be manufactured in South Africa's Eastern Cape. Since the year 2000 the plant exported sedans to right-hand-drive markets, since 2007 also left-hand-drive vehicles for export to the USA. The East London plant's excellent production quality has repeatedly won national as well as international recognition, most recently with the 2013 J.D. Power Plant Quality Silver Award, placing it among the best plants in the Europe/Africa region for the fifth consecutive year. In 2013 about 2,700 employees manufactured more than 50,000 C-Class sedans. As of 2014 the plant produces the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class as one of four global locations in a production network with the German lead plant in Bremen, the U.S. plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and the Chinese production site Beijing Benz Automotive Co., Ltd. (BBAC).


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Remember when IKEA reached peak home furnishings?
The product wheels have been turning and the Swedish furniture company is taking a new and active direction aimed at commuters as well as cushion buyers.
In September, IKEA will launch its first bicycle with the aim of helping Australians support a sustainable lifestyle and get around more easily in the city.
The SLADDA is billed as an urban bicycle built for busy areas.
Picnic perfect: The SLADDA has an aluminium frame and an accessory range that includes helmets, a trailer, front and rear racks and a carry bag. Photo: Supplied
IKEA Australia sustainability manager Richard Wilson says the company is excited to bring the bicycle to Australia, just after it is launched in Europe and the UK in August.
“Our customers have told us they are in need of a convenient, cost-effective and efficient mode of transport and the SLADDA offers the perfect solution,” he says.
In case buyers need any further persuasion, IKEA has already done the sums to figure out how long it would take for the SLADDA to pay for itself.
An average monthly train fare, according to Transport for NSW, is $182. Ride the bike instead of catching the train and in three-and-a-half months, the train fare saved will add up to the cost of the bike.
If you park in Sydney’s city centre, which can cost $433 a month, according to the NRMA, it will take only one-and-a-half months to break even.
Despite the fact that IKEA has designed the SLADDA to make life as easy as possible for the user, there is still some assembly required.
The bike is semi flat-packed, with the rear wheel is already connected to the frame. It is expected to take 30 minutes to connect the front wheel, handlebars and pedals.
The main difference between a traditional treadly and the lightweight SLADDA is the rust-resistant, maintenance-free driving belt that replaces the familiar bike chain.
Needless to say, it also looks the part and has already won a prestigious Red Dot Design 2016 award, picking up a Best of the Best gong from an international field of more than 5000.
The SLADDA is made from high-quality aluminium with a matte grey finish on the frame, its design the result of collaboration between IKEA and creative trio Oskar Juhlin, Jan Puranen and Kristian Eke, of Swedish studio Veryday.
A range of accessories will also be available including a helmet (from $40), front ($50) and rear ($40) storage racks and a rear bag ($79). Pricing is still to be confirmed for the trailer.
The unisex bicycle is suitable for anyone aged 12 years and over. It has adjustable handlebars, a double kickstand for stability and has 26 or 28-inch wheel size options. Gears are hidden in the rear wheel hub.
The bike will cost $799 or $649 for IKEA Family members and the price includes lights.
It comes with guarantees of 25 years on the frame and 10 years (15,000 kilometres) for the belt.


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As long as people know the percentages and formulas for figuring out their worth, dealers can make educated offers that the customer will be pleased with.
Austin, TX (PRWEB) June 10, 2012
Money for scrap gold is a popular transaction these rough and tumble days, said today’s AbsoluteWealth.com article. In turbulent financial times, people look for any way to generate extra cash. Gold prices are peaking at skyscraper levels, and exchanging scrap or unwanted gold jewelry is helping people pay the bills. But the article said gold dealing is where the real money is being made, and Absolute Wealth is helping explain how.
The “Gold Profit Formula” is a guide and training course that shows people how to become a scrap gold and silver dealer. It’s the industry’s most comprehensive wholesale buying and selling system, said the article, and provides a proven business model for entering the personal jeweler arena.
Gold rings, silver necklaces, watches, outdated pieces, mismatched items, coins, bullion, and silverware can all produce profitable business. As long as people know the percentages and formulas for figuring out their worth, dealers can make educated offers that the customer will be pleased with. The article said dealers will then turn the gold over to refiners and in some cases earn double what they paid for it.
Once someone finds out how to profit from gold, they catch the bug and can’t stop, said the article. It’s an addictive practice, especially when such huge profits can be made on a daily basis. The article said the amount of money that can be made in a day sends people into shock.
The reasons for the scrap gold craze are multifaceted. Last year gold prices hovered around $2,000 an ounce, an all-time high. They’ve since settled, but are still in the $1,600 range, which according to the article is more than enough to be profitable.
Combine that with economic downturns, and the article said it leads to low level income, unemployment, and penny pinching. People are looking in every nook and cranny of their lives for extra income, and they’re finding it in their jewelry cases.
Absolute Wealth is an expert team of real investors and advisors devoted to identifying winning strategies for exceptional returns. Members subscribe to the Independent Wealth Alliance for professional investment analysis and recommendations on the latest trends and progressions. For more information and subscription instructions, visit AbsoluteWealth.com.
The “Gold Profit Formula” provides audio, video, and written training modules to teach people how to cash in on this trend. The article said it is the best way for people to get money for scrap gold because it’s from Absolute Wealth, the experts in financial information.


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HTC smart-phone maker is coming up with a new full HD smart-phone after the success of its 720p display phone, HTC One X. The new smart-phone will probably run on Jelly Bean. Featuring 1794x1080p resolution, the smart-phone will have 5-inch display.
It seems that the success of Samsung Galaxy Note has lead HTC to jump in the phablet arena. There are many other smart-phones like LG Optimus featuring a screen resolution of 1794x1080op
The new HTC smart-phone is expected to be launched in September-October. The report is short on details, but a similar leak from a benchmarking website suggests that this HTC smart-phone might have Qualcomm S4 processor with Adreno320 graphics.


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1. Wide of Taro Aso, Japanese Prime Minister, walking to podium at the Nippon Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) general assembly
2. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Taro Aso, Japanese Prime Minister:
"I think the global economy has just embarked on building a new order after such financial chaos. And I understand we (Japan) have a responsibility to meet such expectation (to contribute to resolving the crisis). Decisive action is called for to tackle such a crisis, once in a century."
3. Wide of Masaaki Shirakawa, Bank of Japan Governor at podium
4. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Masaaki Shirakawa, Bank of Japan Governor:
"Many say that the US economy will return to the recovery track in the latter half of next year. But, there is no positive reasons backing up such speculation and I understand such views as a message that the severe condition continues for another while."
5. Wide of Shirakawa at podium
TV Tokyo - No Access Japan
Nagoya, Japan - 22 December 2008
6. Wide of Toyota news conference, pull in to Katsuaki Watanabe, Toyota President, walking to lectern
7. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Katsuaki Watanabe, Toyota President:
"The world has been changing drastically since last year. The world economy is facing a crisis that comes once in a hundred years. And, the impact of the change is being felt far faster, wider and deeper than expected."
8. Cutaway of news conference
9. SOUNDBITE (Japanese) Katsuaki Watanabe, Toyota President:
"The environment surrounding us is extremely harsh. Now we are facing the unprecedented crisis so that we are compelled to review our profit result to negative figure for this quarter."
FILE: Tokyo, Japan - 2005, Exact date unknown
10. Various of Toyota stand at Toyota Motor Show
11. Various shots of "Lexus" cars in Lexus show room
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso said on Monday that "decisive action" was needed to tackle the global financial crisis, as Toyota said it would barely break even this fiscal year through March, slashing its profit forecast.
Japanese exports plunged a record 26.7 percent in November, the Ministry of Finance said on Monday, highlighting the drop in global consumer demand for cars, electronics parts and other Japanese products.
Economists warned that exports - a mainstay of the world's second-largest economy - would tumble further with no recovery in sight for the global economy.
Speaking in Tokyo at the Japan Business Federation general assembly, Aso said that the global economy had embarked on "building a new order" after the financial upheaval of recent months.
He added that it was Japan's responsibility to contribute to the resolution of the crisis.
Japan unveiled a budget proposal on Saturday that, if approved, will push spending to record levels as the government scrambles to battle an ever-deepening recession.
Battered by plunging global demand and a strengthening yen, major exporters like Toyota Motor Corp. and Sony Corp. have scaled back production, jobs and earnings projections.
Toyota on Monday said it would barely break even this fiscal year through March, slashing its profit forecast to 50 billion yen (555 (m) million US dollars), a fraction of the 1.7 trillion yen it earned the previous year.
Speaking at the company's Nagoya office, Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe said the drop in vehicle sales over the last month was "far faster, wider and deeper than expected."
Sinking sales in the US in the wake of the financial crisis have dealt a heavy blow to Japanese automakers.
But Watanabe said that emerging markets, which had held up in the beginning, were also slowing down now.
The surging yen has battered profits as well by eroding overseas earnings when converted back to yen.
The dollar has fallen to 13-year lows of about 90 yen recently.
This is the second time Toyota Motor Corp. - which makes the popular Camry sedan and Prius gas-electric hybrid - has reduced it annual earnings forecast this year.
Initially, it had been projecting 1.25 (t) trillion yen (13.9 (b) billion US dollars) in profit for the year through March 2009, but last month it reduced
that to 550 (b) billion yen (6.1 (b) billion US dollars) before chopping it further on Monday.
It also lowered the number of vehicles it expects to sell globally this calendar year to 8.96 (m) million, down 4 percent from a year ago, Watanabe told reporters.
Unlike previous years, he gave no goal for vehicle sales for 2009.
Toyota also lowered its sales forecast for the fiscal year through March to 21.5 (t) trillion yen (239 (b) billion US dollars), down about 18 percent from the previous fiscal year.
Toyota's US vehicles sales plunged by a third on year in November, when overall sales fell to their lowest level in more than 26 years.
And there is little hope for a quick recovery as consumers hold back big purchases amid a serious downturn.
While Japan's automakers are in far better financial shape than the cash-strapped American counterparts, the global slowdown is hitting them
Toyota is a relatively old-style Japanese corporation that offers lifetime employment, and in only recent years has hired and let go of temporary workers to adjust production.
The company's stock fell 5 yen, or 0.17 percent, to 2,895 yen.


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We wanted to ensure you are aware of the latest development regarding the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) that helps low-income households pay for broadband service and internet connected devices.
What is the Affordable Connectivity Program? ACP is a Federal Communications Commission program that replaces the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program. Eligible households can receive:
- Up to $30/month discount on your internet service
- Up to $75/month discount if your household is on qualifying Tribal lands
- A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer
What’s the news? AT&T and Cricket Wireless will participate in the ACP.
Why is this important? ACP will help make broadband services more affordable for about 30 percent of American households who may qualify. Affordability is one of the key issues creating the digital divide–the gap between those who have internet services and those who don’t.
How do I take advantage of this? ACP began accepting eligibility applications on December 31, 2021.
To find out if you are eligible, please visit the ACP’s website at https://acpbenefit.org/.
To find a company that offers ACP discounts, please visit https://www.fcc.gov/emergency-broadband-benefit-providers#Florida.
For more information on AT&T’s participation, please visit https://about.att.com/story/2021/affordable-connectivity-program-participation.html.


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On recharging a Jio number with Rs 399, a user will get eight vouchers of Rs 50 each which will be redeemable on MyJio from November 15
Reliance Jio in its pre-Diwali offers is giving 100 percent cashback on a recharge of Rs 399. The offer is valid from October 12 to October 18.
On recharging a Jio number with Rs 399, a user will get eight vouchers of Rs 50 each which will be redeemable on MyJio app from November 15.Besides this, a user will get free voice calling and unlimited data for 84 days. The speed will be reduced to 128 Kbps after a user has consumed 1 GB quota per day.
— Reliance Jio (@reliancejio) October 11, 2017
A Jio costumer will also get 100 local/national SMS per day and a complimentary subscription to Jio apps on the recharge.
Last month, Jio in partnership with Apple announced that customers will get 70 percent buyback after 12 months on the iPhones bought with the Jio tariff plans.
The company is also offering JioFi hotspot device at Rs 999.Disclosure: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.


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Over the next 12 to 18 months, the firm will be closing down its PC operations and is instead turning to Cloud and infrastructure solutions and software with a focus on commercial markets.
This drastic change of direction for HP, the world’s largest personal computer maker, highlights the industry’s instability, as consumers increasingly choose tablets such as Apple’s iPad instead of the traditional home computer.
But HP is also killing off the TouchPad, a tablet that was supposed to compete with the iPad because it produced poor sales.
Mr. Apotheker said “The velocity of change in the personal device market continues to increase and the competitive landscape has grown increasingly more complex, especially around the personal computing arena. The tablet effect is real.”
HP also announced its intentions to buy UK infrastructure software company Autonomy, the announcements sent HP’s share price down by 25%. HP regained some of those losses Monday, as shares climbed about 3.5 per cent.
Autonomy makes software for mission-critical applications, including for information governance, records management, archiving, business process management, web content management and more.
HP said the purchase will accelerate HP’s ability to deliver on its strategy to offer cloud-based solutions and software that best addresses the changing needs of businesses.
The acquisition of Autonomy is expected to take a year to close, and analysts have warned that HP could face problems selling its hardware products while it waits for new revenue streams to start to flow.


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“I wanted to give the audience something new, so that started off with getting underneath the parents’ story, which will unfold over probably a few movies,” Webb told MTV News during a recent interview. “We don’t totally wrap up that story in this first movie. It’s sort of an ongoing mystery. That was something that was interesting to me.”
Looks like we'll be wearing the rose-colored 3D shades a little bit longer.


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While the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play (PlayStation Phone for those of you still in the dark) has yet to hit our shores, the Android handset has already been released in other parts of the world. But a quick check on the PSOne classic games being sold on the Android Market tells us that the games aren’t doing very well. None of the games on sale have yet to hit a thousand copies. However, Sony Ericsson isn’t worried.
According to Dominic Neil-Dwyer of Sony Ericsson, “We know there’s a lot more to come that we’re not, obviously, releasing yet. We’re releasing as we go, rather than telling everyone the full story.” He emphasizes that it’s a brand new platform that’s still in development. It’s also worth noting that the Xperia Play is also the first of many PlayStation-certified devices, with others on the way. With only 5 titles at launch, Sony really is off to a slow start, but it hasn’t been too long since the Xperia Play was launched. Let’s see what other tricks they have up their sleeves.


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Hong Kong trading and supply chain management major the Fung Group has partnered with non-profit research organisation the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation on a five-year collaboration to explore how global market shifts and rapidly advancing technology are disrupting industries and paving the way for supply chains of the future.
Funded by a grant from the Victor and William Fung Foundation, the partnership will draw on the Institute’s seminal work on Disruption Theory, together with the Fung Group’s extensive knowledge on supply chains and emerging economies.
“Consumer industries are undergoing a seismic shift from a fundamentally analog approach to embracing fully the digital economy,” says Li & Fung CEO Spencer Fung. “At the same time, global markets are reshaping due to changes in demographics and new trading frameworks such as the Belt and Road initiative, which covers more than 60 countries and half the world’s population. In this unprecedented era of change, we are delighted to work with the Christensen Institute to create insights that will drive our businesses and create scalable, sustainable impact in the communities where we live and work.”
The Fung Group sits at the nexus of these changes with global sourcing specialist Li & Fung as the leader in consumer products supply chains working to meet new demands of speed, digitalisation and innovation as part of its three-year plan which was unveiled earlier this year.
According to the Fung Group, a better understanding of industry shifts and disruption will enable the business and its industry partners to leverage their transition to a digital world in a way that benefits citizens, consumers and communities worldwide.
Meanwhile, as part of the collaboration, Li & Fung executive Jon George will take full-time residence at the Institute as a visiting research fellow. George will work closely with Institute researchers as well as Harvard professor Clayton Christensen – on who’s theories the Institute is founded – to merge leading theoretical frameworks with the insights of industry executives and practitioners with deep field experience.
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, the Institute is a non-profit, non-partisan think-tank dedicated to improving the world through disruptive innovation. It aims to shape and elevate the conversation surrounding many of society’s most pressing problems through rigorous research and public outreach.
“In an increasingly digital world, the theory of Disruptive Innovation can be invaluable in understanding businesses and social institutions alike,” said Institute President Ann Christensen. “Disruption across the supply chain carries an incredible opportunity to open up emerging markets, spur growth in developing nations, and provide essential goods to a greater portion of the world’s population.”
Research produced as a result of the partnership will be made available to the public at www.ChristensenInstitute.org.


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Businessman hoping to preserve Capital City Stadium
Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:03:55 GMT —
One man is going all in to help save a local icon from being torn down for retail space.
Columbia businessman Joseph Azar wants to see historic Capital City Stadium make a comeback after a proposed flood plain study is over.
Mayor Steve Benjamin said spending the time and money on a thorough study is in the best interest of the city. The city council delayed the sale of Capital City Stadium to developer Bright-Myers Tuesday night. The company is hoping to build a Wal-Mart retail center. The proposed land sale raises flooding concerns for some.
Azar, owner of Upstairs Audio in Columbia, is one of several residents who think the historic field is not being used to its full potential. He has an ambitious goal: buy the stadium and put it into a public trust as a non-profit.
Azar hopes to raise enough money to buy the property. He thinks private entities can still use it for summer and little league baseball, festivals, and concerts. That will boost the city's economy.
"It will also make Olympia a viable place. More people will want to live in the area like the students that are now; and new housing which should attract new businesses.
It is a risky investment Azar believes will result in a home run.
Azar and fellow investors have committed $7,000 to buy the stadium so far. The city is selling it for $1 million. He's hoping to gain more support and money in the next three months when a decision on the ballparks future is expected.


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The government is considering developing nationwide specifications for public procurement of goods by Central government agencies to encourage domestic suppliers to plan their production schedule, an official said.
The proposal is likely to be included in the new industrial policy being prepared by the commerce and industry ministry. The policy may also suggest extending the offset policy in public procurement in sectors beyond defence such as electronics and ICT.
The official said standardised specifications of products would enable government departments and public sector units (PSUs) to release large orders helping the industry achieve economies of scale.
The government and PSUs procure goods and services worth over Rs 5 lakh crore every year, as per estimates. Read More


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Biosimilar products, the challenge of the XXI century
February 23, 2016
In recent decades, biotechnology has allowed the development of more than 650 biological innovative drugs to treat diseases like cancer and other serious diseases, such as haematological, neurological or endocrine illnesses. In the coming years a high percentage of drugs to be launched are going to be biological in order to satisfy the unmet treatment needs of many patients.
Biologic drugs are large molecules formed by proteins that are produced by living organisms. The production process of biologic drugs is more complicated than the chemical products because are manufactured by living organisms. This fact determines the characteristics and specific properties of these drugs. The cost of biological products is higher because all the investigation and the complicated manufacturing process.
Nowadays, there are approximately 250 biological medicines to treat 380 illnesses, but it is expected that in the coming years many patents of biological drugs will expire. Generic Pharmaceutical Companies like Galenicum will have the chance to commercialize biosimilar drugs. These products are almost identical to the original, but the cell lines are different. Nevertheless, biosimilar products will have to ensure the efficacy and security.
The introduction of biological products is going to be under a solid regulatory framework, but in some countries the regulatory requirements are still not clear. Besides this, in some countries the regulatory requirements for chemical products is still a bit lax. For example, Antonio Luján, Managing Director of Galenicum Health Perú said in “El Comercio” that the Peruvian Medicines Agency hasn’t issued the regulations for the bioequivalence studies, which ensures the efficacy and safety of generic drugs.
Source: Spanish Bioindustry Association