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Iceland is sending fresh fish to Grimsby for the first time in years
Iceland, which is suffering from economic problems more than most other countries, has a valuable natural resource - fish.
By offering its stocks to the UK market, the country is helping to revive the once-thriving fishing community on the Lincolnshire coast.
The dockside at Grimsby's fish quay used to be crammed with boats arriving laden down with cargo plucked from the North Sea.
It was the stuff that made this medium-sized town the biggest fishing port in the world.
Legend had it that you could walk from deck to deck across the entire harbour, and step on only one third of the fleet - because the rest of the boats were at sea.
They're trying to fish their way out of financial crisis
Steve Norton, Grimsby Fish Merchants Association
Today the trawlers have all but vanished, and crates of fish sold every day at the fish market, on the harbour, are more likely to arrive by air and by road than by sea.
"The containers are our bread and butter [and] these vessels are our jam," says Steve Norton, the chief executive of the Grimsby Fish Merchants Association.
The vessel he is looking at is the 50ft (15m) vessel the Tomas Torvaldsson, which drew up alongside the fish dock in the small hours of Monday morning.
Gangs of workers are busy unloading its cargo of 1,300 boxes of fish from the North Sea, and gangs of workers are hard at work.
The fishing port of Grimsby is enjoying a mini-renaissance.
Iceland, whose exposure to the economic crisis is worse than most, is trying to exploit one of its natural resources. As a result it is sending fresh fish to market Grimsby for the first time in more than a decade.
"It's marvellous to see them return after 12 years," says Mr Norton. "There's lots of interest in the fish and good prices.
"They're trying to fish their way out of the financial crisis. The cod quota was increased by 30,000 tonnes. They get a good reception, they get a good deal and they get paid very quickly."
Behind the fish docks, Grimsby's National Fishing Heritage Centre tells schoolchildren and tourists about the industry that once kept the town alive.
Local historian Jeanette Ferguson remembers the so-called Cod Wars of the early 1970s, which saw Iceland bar British trawlers from coming within 20 miles of its coastline - territory they had previously been allowed to fish.
"I've heard of a particular Grimsby trawler skipper who did in fact breach the waters. His vessel was boarded by the Icelandic police, and he locked them down in the fish hold, continued fishing, and headed back to Grimsby," she says.
Back on the quayside, a native Icelander, Orn Jonsson, lives and works in Grimsby as the director of a fish trading company.
He sees international trade as his country's way of fighting the financial crisis.
"Fresh fish in its nature is moving fast, and people get paid fast. Normally fresh fish from the Tomas Torvaldsson is processed and kept and stored. Obviously this way the process is made very very quick, and the money returns faster to Iceland," he says.
As more Icelandic fish reaches the UK market, wholesale prices are coming down.
The economic crisis is already having a positive impact in Grimsby and industry expectations are that cheaper fish will soon reach the shops.
Watch Jeremy Cooke's report on the Six O'clock News, on Monday 23rd March.
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KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP) in the third quarter of 2023 grew by 3.3 per cent against 2.9 per cent in the second quarter led by the services sector, based on advance estimates.
The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM) has introduced a new initiative by publishing quarterly advance GDP estimates. “Quarterly advance GDP estimates are developed to meet the demand for timely macroeconomic statistics and are in line with best practices in developed countries namely the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and Singapore,” it said.
DoSM said while the services sector continued to steer the overall performance in the third quarter, the construction sector’s performance remained modest while the agriculture sector showed a slight recovery.
“The mining and quarrying and manufacturing sectors contracted in the (third) quarter.
“Hence, the sum of three quarters of 2023 concludes that Malaysia’s economy grew by 3.9 per cent, against 9.2 per cent in the same period, with moderate economic growth in the third quarter,” chief statistician Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin said in a statement.
In terms of sectoral performance, the services sector increased by 5.1 per cent (2Q 2023: 4.7 per cent) in the third quarter of 2023, attributed to the wholesale and retail trade, transportation and storage and business services sub-sectors.
In addition, the construction sector grew by 5.8 per cent (Q2 2023: 6.2 per cent) in the third quarter of 2023. The agriculture sector grew marginally by 0.8 per cent (Q2 2023: -1.1 per cent) in the third quarter, attributed to better production in the palm oil sub-sector.
However, the mining and quarrying sector decreased marginally by 0.1 per cent (Q2 2023: -2.3 per cent), contributed by the decrease in the production of the natural gas sub-sector.
The manufacturing sector also declined marginally by 0.1 per cent (Q2 2023: 0.1 per cent) in the third quarter due to weaker demand for electrical, electronic, optical, petroleum, chemical, rubber and plastic products. — Bernama

domain: news


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RICHMOND, VA. — Heilig-Meyers said it will close its remaining 375 Heilig-Meyers stores this summer and concentrate its resources on the company’s 54 RoomStores units.
The struggling home furnishings chain began a draconian restructuring last August under Chapter 11 protection that included shutting more than 400 Heilig-Meyers outlets.
The company filed a motion with the Bankruptcy Court last week seeking authorization to shut the remaining stores and liquidate their inventory and is finalizing an arrangement with a third party to conduct going-out-of business sales, which are expected to be completed by mid- to late summer.
President/CEO Donald Shaffer said the company’s RoomStores format, which allows customers to purchase entire rooms of furniture, will become “the centerpiece of ongoing reorganization efforts.” The stores, concentrated in metropolitan markets within Maryland, Texas and Washington, D.C., generate about $300 million in annual sales. Sixteen Heilig-Meyers stores have been converted to RoomStores since the bankruptcy and the company is considering additional conversions.


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BetSoft Gaming Signs Agreement with Italian Land and Online Gambling Operator
BetSoft Gaming has signed a new partnership deal with one of Italy’s biggest gambling operators Sisal. Sisal is an online and land-based operator that is regulated in the market and received the approval of teaming up with one of the biggest online gaming providers in the industry.
The new agreement will see Sisal gaining access to BetSoft’s Slots3 collection of games. AAMS, Italian regulator approved BetSoft to distribute its content in the Italian market. Sisal will integrate all of BetSoft’s collection of approved video slots such as Sugarpop!, Boomanji, and Rook’s Revenge just to name a few. BetSoft already has agreement deals, and have been providing content to other Italian operators such as LeoVegas and Mr Green.
Valentina Tripputi, Spokesperson for Sisal said, “This collection of AAMS-approved video slots is brilliant. We are very pleased with the range of themes and innovative features in every game.”
Julian Camilleri, BetSoft’s Director for Client Relations added to the comments saying, “Sisal is well known and highly familiar to the Italian iGaming community. Being there from the very beginning, for 70 proven years of excellence, has afforded them a unique place in the market. Their experience in the field in combination with their full dedication to superior customer service, transparency and security, we are proud to be partnering with Sisal.”


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Shipwatch Square Shopping Center Redevelopment Plans
The City of North Charleston is on the verge of finally selling their ownership of the Naval Hospital and the Shipwatch Square Shopping Center sites. Once the sale is complete, the city is working that the new developers to achieve the primary goal of bringing a grocery store to the area that will hopefully spark redevelopment in the area. To give you an idea of how the city is making the attraction of a grocery store to the site a priority, the deal between the city and the buyers includes incentives for just that. The Naval Hospital site will be transformed into a mixture of park and office space as well as housing. The hospital itself is in plans to be renovated into a health clinic and senior living center. This project is just one of a number of exciting things going on in North Charleston near Park Circle. To view the entire article regarding the land deal, check out the Post & Courier article here.


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STAMFORD, CT (BRAIN)—Julie and Yori Gabay, long-time Stamford residents and triathletes, have teamed up to open their dream store in their home town.
Pacific Swim Bike Run is being dubbed as a facility where anyone that enjoys the trio of sports that a triathlon offers can come to learn more about the sports involved, improve their endurance and skills or purchase top-of-the-line products and equipment sold by a professional staff who live the lifestyle that they promote.
The Gabays especially want to encourage those to come in that are new to the sport. The Gabays were novices when they completed their first “tri” two years ago
“We know how daunting attempting any new activity can be, let alone one that is attached to a triathlon," Julie said. "When my husband and I started racing a couple years ago, I could not even swim one lap in the pool. By continuing to practice and learn more about the sports involved, but by really just getting out and doing it, we caught the bug.”
Pacific Swim Bike Run will offer 7,500 square feet of retail and training space in Stamford’s Harbor Point area, just blocks from the new Fairway Market and Metro North train station.
The sales and training team includes USAT triathlon certified coaches, personal trainers, Barnett Certified bicycle mechanics and knowledgeable and friendly sales people who are committed to helping both novices and experts alike reach their personal fitness goals. Pacific Swim Bike Run’s certified coaches will offer private classes, individualized training sessions, expert bike fittings, nutritional consultations and more.
After completing a workout in the multi-rider computrainer studio, guests can use the facility’s beautiful, new locker rooms and savor a cup of coffee in a cozy sitting area.


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Developer of Football Manager wants equivalent of Steam on Android to combat piracy
by Will Wilson 2/5/2012
Product: Football Manager Handheld 2012
Developer: Sports Interactive
Genre: Simulation, Sports
Miles Jacobson, studio director of Football Manager creator Sports Interactive, has called for "something like Steam for Android" to negate the sky-high piracy rates on the platform.
In a guest blog posted on Wired, Jacobson talks about the 9:1 piracy rate suffered by his company since the release of Football Manager Handheld 2012 on Google's platform, and praises Valve's Steam distribution software for combating piracy on PC.
"Piracy is a fact of life for game developers. I'm not stupid enough to think that 100 per cent of pirated games are lost sales - there are, of course, some people who would not buy or play a game if it wasn't available for free, but there are also some dishonest people who pirate things they would otherwise buy, just because they can."
Wide of the mark
The resulting first-week legal sales of the Android version of Football Manager Handheld 2012 were described as being "[in] the 10,000-50,000 band".
"This isn't spectacular - the iOS version reached that milestone on its first day - but it was where we expected it to be."
Jacobson told Pocket Gamer a couple of weeks ago that he felt "angry and upset" about the piracy levels on Android, saying that the company would still be open to making future titles available on Google's mobile platform, but only if sales targets are met.
©2014 Steel Media Limited
Get even more pocket gaming goodness online at www.pocketgamer.co.uk


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The first test of Microsoft's claims that device makers running Google's Android mobile operating system have infringed on its patents comes Monday.
That's when Administrative Law Judge Theodore R. Essex of the U.S. International Trade Commission will hear Microsoft's claims against Motorola, in one of the most closely watched patent disputes in techdom.that Motorola's Android-based smartphones infringe on nine patents related to syncing e-mail, calendar, and contacts, and notifying applications about changes in signal strength and battery power. Microsoft brought the dispute before the ITC in order to block shipments of Motorola devices from manufacturing facilities abroad before they hit U.S. soil. Both Microsoft and Motorola declined to comment on the hearing.
Microsoft has filed similar claims with the ITC against other mobile-device makers,for its Nook electronic reading tablet. Taiwanese handset maker HTC over claims that its handsets infringe on iPhone patents.
The hearing that begins Monday at the ITC's headquarters in Washington, D.C., will focus on the validity of Microsoft's patents and on whether Motorola infringed on them. In addition to Microsoft and Motorola making their cases, lawyers from the ITC may also chime in to guide Judge Essex. The hearing is scheduled to last about 10 days.
But don't expect an instant verdict. The judge will make an initial determination later this year, followed by a final judgement in 2012. If he rules that Motorola did infringe on Microsoft's patents, he could then issue an injunction blocking shipments of devices in dispute.
While Google is not a party to the litigation, it will loom large in the case. Earlier this month,one of Microsoft's expert witnesses from testifying, arguing that Microsoft improperly disclosed Android source code with him. Last week, , ruling that Google didn't appear to make an attempt to resolve the matter within the rules he has set for the case.
Microsoft also has a separate lawsuit in federal court in Washington state alleging the same patent infringement claims. And, as is typical in patent disputes,, accusing Microsoft of infringing 16 patents in its Xbox gaming console and in Windows for servers, PCs, and mobile devices.


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History Tour: Thousands of tickets for Donald Trump-Bill O'Reilly events unsold
- 'The History Tour' will feature Donald Trump and Bill O'Reilly at venues in Florida and Texas
- Tickets for the events went on sale in June
- Thousands of tickets are available to purchase online just days before Trump and O'Reilly kick off the tour at the FLA Live Arena on December 11
Tickets for former US President Donald Trump's interview tour with former FOX News host Bill O'Reilly have been widely available at each location for several months. The duo are set to appear on stage for "The History Tour" for four dates at venues in Florida and Texas. Tickets went on sale in June, costing from $100 to thousands of dollars. In July, Politico first reported that tickets for the tour were selling slowly, noting how pop star Bad Bunny's March show at the Amway Center in Florida, where Trump and O'Reilly are appearing on December 12, had been sold out in just two days. Bill O’Reilly threatened to sue over the news report.
Just a few days before Trump and O'Reilly kick off their "History Tour" at the FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida on December 11, there are thousands of tickets available to purchase online, including those at the cheapest prices, according to Newsweek.
The Ticketmaster website where people can purchase the tickets shows that there more than a thousand seats are available at the FLA Live Arena, as well as at the Anway Center in Orlando on December 12.
Several hundred tickets are available to buy at the American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas, where Trump and O'Reilly will speak on December 19, with the show at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, on December 18 also having more than 200 tickets left.
In their July report about slow ticket sales, a Trump aide told Politico that the former president hasn't promoted the events.
Trump spokesperson Liz Harrington told Politico: "The History Tour has already sold over $5 million of tickets, and the excitement and enthusiasm is unlike anything we've seen before. Come December, the sold out shows will be a memorable night for all."
In a statement the same month released via Trump's PAC, O'Reilly claimed that the tour had already grossed $7 million, partly because many of the expensive VIP tickets have sold well.
"This tour will be one of the most lucrative of all time," O'Reilly added.


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Personalized Content with Dynamic Yield
Today's consumers (end-users) are looking for a personalized encounter on the 'Net and digital publishers are increasingly focused on providing an optimal experience and are actively integrating solutions to make it happen.
Real-time content optimization engine Dynamic Yield for example, has released a new solution that will provide online publishers an opportunity to provide their website visitors such a personalized experience around news content.
Dynamic Yield’s algorithms analyze each and every user’s behavior and interests and builds a unique persona for them in real time, resulting in a personalized web experience tailored to each user's needs regardless of how they got there or what they want when they arrive.
Publishers using the service will also be able to test various factors that might impact the spread or distribution of editorial content including headlines, photos, location, etc. Automating the A/B testing process could result in a boost in engagement,
“Even though we all know that every reader is different, we've grown accustomed to accepting a one-size-fits all approach to news consumption. Our solution allows publishers to move beyond this dated perspective and to personalize news for every reader, allowing for a more enjoyable and tailored experience,” said Liad Agmon, CEO of Dynamic Yield. “We focus on helping publishers significantly increase engagement and retention by giving every user their own personalized news site.”


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Vitamin D in large doses lowers your cancer risk
Having high blood levels of vitamin D lowers the risk of several cancer forms, according to a new study of Japanese adults. The study is the first to take a closer look at how vitamin D affects an Asian population. Over the past decades, numerous studies have pointed to vitamin D’s role in cancer prevention. Meanwhile, other studies have demonstrated that there is widespread vitamin D deficiency. There is even evidence suggesting that our need for the nutrient exceeds the official recommendations, at least if we want to protect ourselves against cancer.
Around 30 percent of the Danish population gets cancer. Even with nationwide cancer fundraising projects coupled with cancer awareness TV shows, we still have not been able to break the curve. On the contrary. According to the Nordic cancer database, Nordcan, the cancer rate is believed to increase by more than 50 percent within the near future and many of those people who otherwise follow the official diet and exercise guidelines are also at risk.
Although many things can cause cancer, it looks as if vitamin D plays a both significant and somewhat overlooked role.
The sun is the primary source of vitamin D, but many people avoid the sun, and during the winter period, the sun sits too low in the sky to enable vitamin D synthesis in the skin of people living at northern latitudes.
As far back as in the 1940s, researchers noticed a link between UVB exposure from sunrays and cancer mortality. People who lived in the northern hemisphere had an increased risk of several different cancer forms compared with people who lived closer to Equator.
New study of vitamin D’s cancer preventive effect on Asians
According to the Japanese scientists, their new study supports earlier studies in showing that vitamin D has the potential to protect against several cancer forms. Vitamin D is primarily known for its role in calcium uptake, which is important for bones, teeth, and muscles. However, research conducted over the past decades has unveiled that vitamin D is also important for preventing an array of chronic diseases, including cancer. The majority of these studies is carried out on white, Caucasian populations of Europe and the United States, leaving only limited focus on Asian population groups.
Because the synthesis and the activation of vitamin D plus blood levels of the nutrient can vary from one ethnic group to another, the Japanese scientists decided that it was important to investigate whether the vitamin had similar anti-cancer properties in a non-Caucasian population.
An international team of scientists based in Japan therefore looked at whether vitamin D deficiency is linked to cancer in general, and if there is a link to specific cancer forms.
Vitamin D offers 20-50 percent cancer protection
The scientists analyzed data from a large Japanese health study (JPHC), which included 33,736 men and women aged 40-69 years. At baseline, the participants were asked to provide detailed information about their medical history, diet, and lifestyle, and blood samples were taken in order to determine levels of vitamin D in their blood.
The vitamin D levels were higher during summer and autumn and lower during winter and spring, which corresponds with the sun’s location in the sky at different times of the year. The researchers therefore adjusted for these season-related differences, and then they categorized the participants in four groups, ranging from lowest to highest in terms of vitamin D levels in the blood.
The study participants were followed for approximately 16 years. During this period, 3,301 new cases of cancer were diagnosed. After adjusting for several known cancer risk factors such as smoking, alcohol, age, BMI, physical activity level, and diet, the researchers observed that a high vitamin D content in the blood lowered the risk of cancer by around 20 percent in men and women. With liver cancer specifically, the risk reduction was 30-50 percent, with the largest reduction in men.
The scientists did not find a relation between vitamin D levels and lung cancer or prostate cancer. They said that the study has certain limitations in that the number of participants was too small to study the relation between blood levels of vitamin D and more rare cancer forms. Nonetheless, this Japanese study supports several other trials that have shown how vitamin D protects against cancer. The researchers call for future studies in order to pinpoint the optimal levels blood levels of vitamin D for cancer prevention.
Did you know that vitamin D influences most cells in the body and more than 200 genes?
Previous Danish study: Lack of vitamin D causes cancer
Having low levels of vitamin D in the blood increases your risk of cancer and premature death by 30-40 percent, according to a large Danish study that is published in the esteemed British Medical Journal. Lead investigator, Børge Nordestgaard, professor at the University of Copenhagen and chief physician at Herlev Hospital, says that a person with only 30 nmol/l of vitamin D in the blood (20 nmol/l below the official recommendation) has a 40 percent increased risk of dying of cancer.
Did you know that women who are out in the sun a lot are half as likely to develop breast cancer as are those who get less sun?
A comprehensive European study has shown a relation between low vitamin D levels in the blood (less than 50 nmol/l) and an increased risk of colon cancer. Also, people with higher blood levels of the nutrient had a 40 percent lower risk of colon cancer.
Alarming vitamin D deficiency
DTU Food (The National Food Institute) of Denmark reckons that nine out of 10 Danes get too little vitamin D from the diet. Also, an Australian study has shown that 58 percent of the Australians lack vitamin D, so living in a warm climate is no guarantee of having adequate vitamin D in the blood. You need to expose your skin to the sun.
Vitamin D deficiencies have become increasingly common over the past decades because people are spending more time indoors, avoiding the sun, staying off dietary fats, using sunscreen, and taking cholesterol-lowering drugs for prolonged periods. In addition, older people, diabetics, and people with dark skin may have difficulty with synthesizing vitamin D in their skin.
New threshold values urge wintertime supplementation
The recommended threshold value for vitamin D (measured as 25-hydroxy vitamin D) in the blood is 50 nmol/l. Still, leading experts claim the values should be higher, suggesting 75-100 nmol/l for optimal disease prevention. According to Dr. Jens-Erik Beck Jensen, chief physician at Hvidovre Hospital in Denmark, the diet alone is unable to provide that much vitamin D.
Many scientists recommend going beyond the official vitamin D recommendations
Many experts claim that the actual need for vitamin D is way beyond the official recommendation (reference intake level) and suggest (for adults) anywhere from 30 to 100 micrograms daily. It is easy to synthesize that amount on a hot summer’s day, provided your skin is light. The darker your skin is, the longer it takes for it to produce the vitamin. As mentioned earlier, even a healthy diet only contributes with limited amounts of vitamin D, so during the entire winter period and in other situations where it is not possible to get vitamin D from sunlight, supplements are necessary. We also need magnesium to help the body convert vitamin D from sunlight and supplements (in the form of cholecalciferol) to 25-hydroxy vitamin D and one other active form. Because vitamin D is lipid-soluble, we are best able to utilize it by taking it as a supplement in capsules with oil.
Vitamin D and its anti-cancer properties
Sanjeev Budhathoki et all. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and subsequent risk of total and site specific cancers in Japanese population: large case-cohort study within Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study cohort. BMJ, 2018
Science News. Higher Vitamin D levels may be linked to lower risk of cancer. ScienceDaily March 2018
Shoaib Afzal et al. Genetically low vitamin D concentration and increased mortality: mendelian randomization analysis in three large cohorts. BMJ 2015
Densie Webb, PhD, RD: Vitamin D and Cancer – Evidence Suggest This Vital
Nutrient may Cut Risk. Today´s Dietician. 2012
Grant WB et al. The association of solar ultraviolet (UVB) with reducing risk of cancer: multifactorial ecologic analysis of geographic variation in age-adjusted cancer mortality rates. Anticancer Res 2006
WU K et al. A nested case control study of plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and risk of colorectal cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 2007
Andreas R Raven: Langvarigt skifteholdsarbejde giver dobbelt kræftrisiko. Videnskab.dk 2013
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OWI has been tracking rising investor interest in funding platforms that are increasing their offerings for identity and document verification, fighting for market share through low margins, and for security and risk management, as data breaches continue to grow in sophistication and frequency. Most notably, this week, Veriff raised $69 million of development capital to strengthen their identity verification process for government IDs in the United States. In addition, DoControl raised $10 million of Series A, and SafeGuard Cyber raised $45 million in venture funding to develop their technology stack further, expanding the breadth of their risk mitigation platform.
In the public market, Microsoft acquired Nuance Communications for $16 billion, an ambient clinical intelligence solution digitizing conversations for healthcare providers, reflects the accelerated efforts to provide industry-specific cloud offerings to support customers and partners as they respond to disruption and new opportunities.
Developer of a SaaS-based identity verification platform designed to make online identity verification service secure. The company's platform offers a secure authentication, cross-platform technology that aids in detecting fraud as well as recognizes any website or mobile application to verify drivers license, passport and other identities, enabling the commercial sectors to improve fraud prevention and compliance with KYC regulations.
The company raised $69 million of Series B venture funding in a deal led by IVP and Accel on April 12, 2021. Other undisclosed investors also participated in the round. The funds will be used to continue building on its fast-growing market opportunity in the U.S. and deliver on its promise of building a stronger source of identity online than government-issued IDs alone currently provide.
Operator of a technology company intended to help enterprises find the right balance between security and business enablement. The company offers automated, self-service data access control tools for SaaS applications data access monitoring, orchestration, and remediation, enabling clients to improve security and operational efficiency in labor-intensive security risk management and data exfiltration prevention.
The company raised $10 million of Series A venture funding in a deal led by RTP Ventures on April 9, 2021. CrowdStrike, Cardumen Capital and StageOne Ventures also participated in the round. The funds will be used to execute its go-to-market strategy by doubling its headcount across R&D, sales, and marketing to accelerate global expansion while delivering an enterprise ready product that supports hundreds of customer feature requests.
Developer of an end-to-end collaboration security platform designed to manage the full life cycle of digital risk protection. The company's platform detects, analyzes, defends and prevents cybersecurity attacks while automating governance and compliance and delivers massive-scale threat analytics that leverages machine learning to notify clients, enabling clients to take action against risks and threats across digital channels in real-time.
The company raised $45 million of venture funding through a combination of debt and equity on April 12, 2021, putting the company's pre-money valuation at $75 million. A $21 million of Series D equity was led by NightDragon with participation from Cisco Investments and AllegisCyber. A $23 million debt portion was provided by undisclosed lenders. The company intends to use the funding to expand its business and technology capabilities to meet global demand for this rapidly accelerating market.
Founded in 1983, Accel is a venture capital firm based in Palo Alto, California. The firm seeks to invest in companies operating in the commercial products, healthcare, mobile and infrastructure sectors.
Active Portfolio - 443
Investments (TTM) - 148
Med. Round Amount - $14M
Med. Valuation - $76M
# of Exits - 592
Microsoft develops and licenses consumer and enterprise software. It is known for its Windows operating systems and Office productivity suite. The company is organized into three equally sized broad segments: productivity and business processes (legacy Microsoft Office, cloud-based Office 365, Exchange, SharePoint, Skype, LinkedIn, Dynamics), intelligence cloud (infrastructure- and platform-as-a-service offerings Azure, Windows Server OS, SQL Server), and more personal computing (Windows Client, Xbox, Bing search, display advertising, and Surface laptops, tablets, and desktops).
Microsoft (NAS: MSFT) acquired for $16 billion on April 12, 2021. The acquisition will help Microsoft to put advanced AI solutions into the hands of professionals everywhere to drive better decision-making and create more meaningful connections. Nuance Communications Inc is the pioneer in conversational AI innovations that bring intelligence to everyday work and life. The company delivers solutions that understand, analyze, and respond to people amplifying human intelligence to increase productivity and security.


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"On Sept. 29, Circuit City reported a loss of $239.2 million that was more than triple from a year earlier after sales fell for the sixth straight quarter.
Losing Share ~
Circuit City's rivals gained market share by offering Apple Inc. and Dell Inc. computers. Larger Best Buy and discount retailer Wal-Mart lowered prices on flat-panel televisions to lure U.S. customers, who are limiting spending because of higher food costs, further job losses and declining home values.
The global financial crisis is making it harder for the chain to stock its shelves and for consumers to finance purchases.
The company took on more debt this year, increasing a $500 million revolving credit agreement to $1.3 billion in January, according to its most recent quarterly filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. As of May 31, Circuit City said it still had $963 million available to borrow."


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Sinergex Purewatts 500 Elite Dc To Ac Power Inverter on 2040-parts.com
Poole, United Kingdom
Power Inverters for Sale
Former Chrysler chief LaSorda joins FiskerThu, 15 Dec 2011
Former Chrysler CEO Tom LaSorda will join Fisker Automotive as vice chairman, in the plug-in hybrid maker's second signing of an ex-Detroit 3 executive this week. CEO Henrik Fisker said LaSorda's position will include a day-to-day executive advisory role, as the fledgling automaker ramps up production of the Karma sedan at its Wilmington, Del., factory over the coming year. LaSorda will be chairman of the company's strategy council.
Ford tops Scrappage SchemeFri, 17 Jul 2009
Ford have made 14,000 sales under the Scrappage Sheme Ford – who are the biggest car seller in the UK anyway – are, not surprisingly, coming out on top in the Scrappage wars. They’ve managed to shift over 14,000 cars under the Scrappage Scheme in the last few months, and orders are coming in at the rate of 300 a day. Top seller is the new Ford Fiesta, with a healthy dose of Fiesta sales being the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic.
Bernie Ecclestone's daughter buys pricey house in Los AngelesTue, 14 Jun 2011
After nearly three years, Candy Spelling has finally found a buyer for her Los Angeles mansion (which some would call a castle)--the daughter of Formula One commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone. Petra Ecclestone, 22, will be the new owner of the 57,000-square-foot home in Holmby Hills, according to the Wall Street Journal. Spelling was asking $150 million for the joint, which puts it among the most expensive homes in the country, according to the newspaper.
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An acclaimed artist and children's storyteller is exhibiting his work upstairs and downstairs in a Teesside coffee shop.
Curtis Jobling has a retrospective of his work on children's books and his latest project the Biteneck Beatniks on the walls of Sam's Place in Middlesbrough until the end of December.
The artist is the brains behind the enormously successful animation Bob The Builder and earlier this year saw some of his work exhibited at the coffee house.
Now Mr Jobling, who studied at Cleveland College of Art and Design in Middlesbrough, is preparing for his second show at the coffee house.
He said: "All the work on show upstairs will be for sale - it could make an interesting Christmas present for someone."
The gallery is open between 9.15am and 8pm on weekdays.


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The UK once again prepares itself for the prestigiously exclusive event that is the Urban Muslim Woman Show; giving Muslim women a chance to be inspired, empowered and to network at the London Novotel West on Saturday 15 June 4.30pm – 10.30pm.
This is the third such event organised by Saverah in partnership with Muslim Charity which has been buoyed by past successes and this year promises to be bigger than ever! Influential speakers such as broadcaster and journalist Lauren Booth (half-sister of Cherie Blair), author of Love in a Headscarf, Shelina Zahra Janmohamed and Rimla Akhtar, chair of Muslim Women Sports Foundation will also be present to share their thoughts and experiences on the issues faced by many Muslim women in matters of culture, faith and professional lives.
Another highlight of the UMW show will be the latest fashion shows from established designers such as Sri Munawwarah, Jeny Tjahyawati as well as new and emerging talent who are showcasing their fashion collections for the very first time before their official launches.
Designers are keen to challenge conventional thinking on Muslim women’s fashion and so their bold, creative and flattering designs are not only innovative and refreshing but also demonstrate how fashion and modesty can be beautifully combined to create a chic, contemporary look.
The event acts as a platform for many entrepreneurs keen to show off their creative skills and original products so guests have a chance to support local businesses and buy the designer clothing featured on the catwalk.
Guests will also be treated to a sumptuous 3 course meal, entertainment by singer/songwriter Sarah Yaseen and will be free to browse through the collection of many exhibitors.
The event is open to Muslim and non-Muslim women from all walks of life as we extend a warm welcome to professional business women as well as students and domestic wives. Over 500 guests are expected to be in attendance as the show is fast gaining support and has become one of the highlights of the Muslim calendar.
The Urban Muslim Woman Show is a bringing together of a whole community which aims to inspire and motivate woman, giving them a voice and supporting their ambitions in a secure environment.
It paves the way for women to be successful and to change their own communities, leaving behind a lasting legacy for other young women in the communities.
The UMW show is organised by Saverah Events who aim to connect people in order to achieve goals and encourage change. They are partnered with the Muslim Charity which works to eliminate poverty and build communities in the developing world.
The show will take place on Saturday June 15th at the London Novotel West from 4.30pm to 10.30pm and tickets must be booked in advance.
For press passes please email us on firstname.lastname@example.org
For more information please contact Saverah Events on email@example.com or visit the UMW website www.urbanmuslimwoman.co.uk <http://www.urbanmuslimwoman.co.uk/> .
UMW are also on Facebook: www.facebook.com/urbanmuslimwoman <http://www.facebook.com/urbanmuslimwoman> and Twitter: @umwshow <https://twitter.com/UMWShow> .


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Hennepin County Library Voices Opposition to New eBook Restrictions
Step into any library and you’ll see thousands of books sitting on shelves, waiting for people to enjoy what lies within their pages. But physical books only make up a part of a library’s collection.
“We are finding more of our patrons wanting to read on personal devices, and eBooks make that available to them,” said Johannah Genett, Hennepin County Library’s Division Manager.
These days, nearly everyone has access to electronic devices like smartphones or tablets. To accommodate the culture shift, Hennepin County Libraries now have more than 400,000 eBooks and e-Audio books available in its collection.
“We are seeing the biggest growth in our circulation with our e-materials, both eBooks and e-audio books,” Genett said. “They are also very important to certain patrons with disabilities.”
Macmillan Decision will impact how Hennepin County Buys and Lends eBooks
Whenever a new book comes out, libraries purchase it in a variety of formats. However on Nov. 1, Macmillan Publishers will put a restriction on brand new eBook titles.
“Which means that instead of us being able to buy ten or 20 copies of an eBook when it first comes out, that publisher is limiting us to one copy for eight weeks. And that can be very confusing for our patrons,” Genett said.
Macmillan says that since eBooks are so readily available from libraries, book sales and authors’ royalties have fallen. So by limiting the immediate availability of new eBooks, authors can still earn a decent wage.
If you talk to officials from Hennepin County Libraries, they’ll argue that the eight-week embargo is an arbitrary time frame that only limits access and increases wait times.
“That isn’t good for our community. That doesn’t encourage reading,” Genett said. “What we’ve found is that when our patrons check out authors’ books from the libraries, they are much more likely to purchase a copy of that book to give to a friend or a family member or to purchase other titles.”
Library officials have made public pleas urging Macmillan to reverse their policy. The hope is that Macmillan listens, and that other publishers won’t follow suit.
“I hope that they hear from readers that having access to eBooks in libraries is important, and that they make different business decisions,” Genett added.
The American Library Association has started an online petition to urge Macmillan to reverse their eBook policy.
Meanwhile, the Author’s Guild has come out with a statement in support of the Macmillan decision.


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Prior to Tuesday's press event, Apple promised that it had "a little more" to show us. That "little more" turned out to be quite a bit, as the company released a smaller version of its iPad tablet, introduced a new generation of regular-sized iPads, and rolled out new iMac, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini models.
The iPad mini was the last in the slew of product announcements Apple made on Tuesday, but it was clearly the most anticipated. The 7.2mm-thick tablet is 23 percent thinner than a full-sized iPad and weighs in at half the weight of its predecessor. The iPad mini sports the same 1024-by-768 resolution of the iPad 2, so that existing iPad-optimized apps will work on this new model.
The iPad mini starts at $329 for 16GB, with 32GB ($429) and 64GB ($529) configurations also available; adding cellular connectivity tacks on another $130 to the price tag. Apple will start taking pre-orders this Friday. The Wi-Fi versions of the iPad mini begin shipping on November 2; the cellular editions will start shipping "a couple of weeks" after that.
In addition to the iPad mini, Apple also introduced a fourth-generation of its full-sized iPad. The new tablets are powered by the A6X chip, which promises faster performance and better graphics. The front-facing camera has been upgraded to a FaceTime HD model, and a Lightning port replaces the 30-pin dock connector. Apple kept the prices on these iPads the same as the third-generation models it introduced just six months ago.
"We're not taking our foot off the gas," Apple CEO Tim Cook said.
Get more information on Apple's new iPads
Apple's tablets may have been the marquee attraction, but they weren't the only hardware unveiled Tuesday. Perhaps the most eye-catching update was the new iMac lineup, featuring dramatically thinner versions of Apple's all-in-one desktop.
The iMac still sports the aluminum design that's been in place for more than five years, but the insides have been re-engineered to make the machine lighter and thinner. The new systems are 45 percent skinnier than their predecessors, according to Apple; they're also about 8 pounds lighter.
The new iMac comes in 21.5-inch and 27-inch sizes, with prices starting at $1299 for a 2.7GHz quad-core Core i5-powered version of the smaller one. The other 21.5-inch iMac features a 2.9GHz quad-core Core i5 processor for $1499, while the 27-inch offerings sport a 2.9GHz quad-core Core i5 or 3.2GHz quad-core Core i5 for $1799 and $1999, respectively. The 21.5 inch models will ship in November, the 27-inch the month after that.
Among the build-to-order options for the new iMac is the newly announced Fusion Drive, a hybrid storage device combining flash storage with a regular hard drive. The Fusion Drive features 128GB of flash storage and 1TB or 3TB of hard-drive capacity. Apple hasn't announced pricing or availability for the iMac upgrade.
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In December, Pizza Hut announced that it was joining the Super Bowl commercial juggernaut for the first time ever. The chain has since gotten cold feet about the $3 million spot.
According to Broadcasting Cable, Pizza Hut has opted out of the rotation and is selling its spot back to the Fox network. The abandoned ad space is expected to get picked up quickly.
In lieu of participating in the prime advertising bill Feb. 6, Pizza Hut will put its efforts toward the pre-game advertising.
This is a familiar role for Pizza Hut, which has been the presenting sponsor on the NFL Network’s “GameDay Morning” show in the past, and has run ads leading up to the game featuring celebrities such as Jessica Simpson and Donald Trump.


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In Canada, Samsung Electronics has officially announced the availability of its Windows Phone 8 handset, the Samsung Ativ S. According to press release, this smartphone will launching next month and Canadian customers will be able to get it via four carriers: Bell, Telus, Rogers, and SaskTel
Gigabyte has introduced a new Intel-based gaming laptop, the Gigabyte P2742G. Coming with either of an all-black or bright orange enclosure, this powerful notebook has a 17.3 inches display with resolution of Full HD 1920 x 1080 pixels. New Gigabyte P2742G boasts a 2.4GHz Core i7-3630QM quad-core processor (increased to 3.4GHz in Turbo), 4GB/8GB of Gigabyte P2742G gaming laptop with Windows 8 OS is a post from: GadgetFolder.Com
Like other computer makers, Mouse Computer has also developed a new convertible all-in-one desktop PC/tablet, the Mouse Computer Lm-One T. New device will be available for Japanese market starting December and cost around $1125 to $1880 depending on the configuration
The upcoming smartphone, LG Nexus 4 is expected officially introduced at Google event in New York, USA on October 29. But this LG smartphone will be ship on October 30 and pre-order in UK, although the Google LG Nexus 4 page on Carphone Warehouse listing has been taken down now. According to Carphone, the smartphone Google LG Nexus 4 smartphone specs and press pictures leaked is a post from: GadgetFolder.Com
ASUS has started selling a new laptop, the Asus VivoBook S200 that pre-installed with Windows 8 operating system. Based on Ivy Bridge platform, the notebook has a multitouch trackpad for use with its operating system
Verizon Wireless has confirmed to start taking pre-order for the Samsung Galaxy Note II phablet now. Customers can pre-order Verizon’s Samsung Galaxy Note II for priced at $299.99 on a new 2-year contract
Already introduced in early this month, the Sony Xperia TL will be available on November 2nd. AT&T has recently officially announced the availability and price of this Sony handset. The AT&T’s Sony Xperia TL smartphone will price tag $99.99 on a 2-year contract.


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Social unrest in the Middle East has severely impacted TV ad revenues in the countries affected.
The wave of demonstrations throughout the region, collectively known as the Arab Spring, caused a sharp downturn in TV advertising revenues in Egypt and Bahrain, according to new data from the Pan Arab Research Centre (PARC).
PARC founder and general manager Sami Raffoul unveiled new numbers at the Digital TV Middle East conference in Dubai last week that showed that Egypt, previously the largest single territory in terms of ad revenues in the region, will see US$620 million (€450 million) wiped off its annual ad revenue income because of the unrest.
Egypt generated US$1.49 billion of ad revenues in 2010 and that will fall to US$870 million this year.
Bahrain, another country affected by the Arab Spring, will see ad revenues fall from the 2010 total of US$140 million to US$113 million.
However, PARC estimates that despite the declines in territories where there has been turmoil, total pan-Arab advertising will increase this year. Raffoul said that the 2011 region-wide total will be US$13.87 billion compared with US$13.75 billion last year.
Pan-Arabic ad spend will account for US$7.72 billion of the total and the United Arab Emirates will generate US$1.41 billion, a slight decrease on its contribution last year.
ICYMI: Virgin Media to offer Plume’s HomePass across UK digitaltveurope.com/2021/09/20/vir… https://t.co/k4ROpfIVrU
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Rlaxx TV and Smartclip team up for advertising digitaltveurope.com/2021/09/20/rla… https://t.co/Lc3OjBSsbV
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WHISKY trade veteran Stuart Nickerson has launched the first gin to be legally produced on the Shetland Islands.
Shetland Reel Gin is being made at the islands' first distillery, on Unst, the archipeleago's most northerly isle. It is based on a recipe including apple mint grown on the island, as well as juniper, coriander and citrus peel. The name is inspired by the islands' musical tradition but give a nod to the gin's authentic Shetland origins.
The Shetland Distillery Company is located on the former RAF site at Saxa Vord, which is also home to award-winning holiday accommodation and the Valhalla Brewery.
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Its gin will initially be sold to outlets in the Shetland Islands, with distribution later widened to specialist spirits shops on the mainland. Interest has also been noted in export markets such as the US, Canada and Germany.
Mr Nickerson drew on his long career in the spirits industry to develop the recipe, having been part of the team which developed Hendrick's gin for William Grant & Sons at the Ailsa Bay Distillery in Girvan.
While whisky distilling will ultimately be the main focus, the firm has introduced a gin because it is a "drink that is in the ascendancy" and it can be brought to market more quickly than whisky.
Mr Nickerson, who owns the business with wife Wilma and Saxa Vord owners Frank and Debbie Strang, said there was also a motivation to prove gin could be made in Shetland.
A previous attempt to establish a distillery at the site, by Blackwood, failed to get off the ground. Mr Nickerson said: "One of the main drivers was that there had been a project here in the past focused on whisky, and it didn't happen. Yes, a gin came out of it, but it was never produced here. The other reason was that we wanted to prove to people we we are serious about what we are doing with whisky."
While apple mint, an aromatic form of mint, is currently the gin's only local ingredient, Mr Nickerson said there is no reason why juniper, coriander and cinnamon could be cultivated on the islands for the gin.
He said: "You can grow most things in poly-tunnels. Ultimately we want to try to source more Shetland botanicals than we are doing at the moment."
Shetland Reel is the latest in a series of Scottish gins to enter the market, following in the footsteps of players such as the Spencerfield Spirit, the firm behind Edinburgh Gin, and NB Gin, made in North Berwick.
Asked how he feels Shetland Reel can thrive in a crowded market, Mr Nickerson said: "We wanted a unique point of difference, and we believe we have that both with the flavour, and secondly by having a huge geographical point of difference."
The business has been supported by a grant from Highlands and Islands Enterprise.


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Transparency Market Research has published a new report titled "Industrial Robotics Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2014 - 2020" to its report store.
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/19/2014 -- The global industrial robotics market is growing at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2014 to 2020. The market was worth US$28.93 billion in 2013 will reach an estimated value of US$44.48 billion in 2020. Transparency Market Research has released a report titled "Industrial Robotics Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2014 – 2020" lists all the details required to attain a deep understanding of the industrial robotics market.
Browse the full Global Industrial Robotics Market:
The report states the increasing demand for industrial robotics in multiple industry verticals to be the primary factor that will drive the market in the forecast period of 2014 to 2020. Other drivers discussed in the report include increased research investments, increased infrastructure development investments, and reduction of duties. Infrastructure has been improving rapidly across the Rest of the World as well as Asia Pacific. These regions are expected to strengthen their hold over the industrial robotics market by 2020.
The report also says that access to the relatively new industry verticals including healthcare, instrumentation, and electronics, along with the increased penetration of robotics within labor intensive economies is further analyzed to boost the global industrial robotics market. The report also includes a section that describes the adoption of robotics in small and medium enterprises which ensures further market growth. The report details the various segments in the global industrial robotics market. It identifies the four major categories of type, function, industry, and geography. For instance, the report says that articulated robots led the global industrial robotics market in 2013, after gaining a 48.35% market share. Cartesian robots followed, with 20.31% market share in the same year.
Get report sample PDF copy from here:
The report expresses that SCARA robots and cylindrical robots are two of the top types that will lead the market in terms of revenue generated within the forecast period of 2014 to 2020.
The automotive industry segment dominated consumption in the global industrial robotics industry in 2013, gathering a market share of 27.39%. The other segments that showed great promise were metals, precision instruments, optics, and goods and beverages. These segments are expected to grow at the fastest rates in the forecast period as compared to other industry verticals, mostly because of the heavy growth that will be experienced by these sectors.
The report gives a geographic detail of the industrial robotics market. It says that Asia Pacific is estimated to be the fastest growing regional market, displaying a CAGR of 7.6% within the forecast period. Primary reasons for this are given as key research and development practices being employed in India, China, Japan, and Australia.
Browse the full Press Release of Global Industrial Robotics Market:
Some of the top players mentioned in the report include KUKA Robotics Corporation, Yaskawa Motoman Robotics, Denso Corporation, and FANUC Ltd.
About Transparency Market Research
Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We are privileged with highly experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information.
Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.
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On May 14 this year, INTER-BIO Association, an interprofessional association for organic agri-food products, organized together with: USH Pro Business, BIOTERRA, the Romanian Association of Bioagriculturers and the Bio Danubius cluster, founding members of the association, a digital seminar dedicated to organic products, in the current context the modest performances of the field in Romania.
The members of the association, farmers and associative structures, researchers, academia, organizers of fairs and digital events (Dubai, UAE and Biofach Germany), companies in the field of precision agriculture were present.
An important conclusion was that, if we want to reduce the gaps in the adoption of organic farming, there should be a national strategy with the active involvement of state authorities in order to: stimulate the consumption of organic products, stimulate the processing of organic products and the links in the supply chain. create product promotions on the domestic market and for export, stimulate research, innovation and digitalization.
“Although Romania has important advantages in the ecological field, its performances continue to be modest, and the Romanian agri-food model seems to evolve contrary to the European one, which is increasing, mostly the ecological one. The business environment in the field is burdened and poorly supported, the supply chains are not consistent and the confusion between ecological and conventional agriculture persists with a disadvantage of those who invest in healthy food, without pesticides and other chemical or toxic ingredients. The recent pandemic will accelerate the adoption of organic farming in the EU and globally, “said Costin Lianu, Inter-Bio President.
“Biodiversity, soil and water quality in Romania are constantly threatened, we are losing these assets in the Danube Delta and in the protected areas or in other agricultural areas where the degree of threat and contamination is little known. If we practice organic farming, we will have the guarantee from the private standards for which Bio Danubius and Inter-Bio are constantly fighting “, said Mr. Petrișor Petrescu, Inter-Bio Vice President and President of the Bio Danubius cluster.
Mr. Aurel Petruș, an organic farmer, claims that there are many regulations that discourage farmers and that could be rethought, such as: multiannual sanctions, the period of organic employment, permissiveness of controls for those who say they practice organic farming or separation within the surface declaration of the subsidy so that the organic farmer is not treated in the same way as a conventional farmer on the subsidy.
“The Swiss-Romanian Cooperation Program. Integrated Export Services for SMEs in Romania, to support organic producers was a notable achievement but which reached only a small number of producers. The idea of Inter-Bio was born through this program. Farmers need consistent support and a clear political will because we need to use this great ecological potential that we would otherwise waste.”, said Albert Imre, Inter-Bio Vice President.
There was a presentation regarding the possibilities for Romanian companies to participate in the international fair MENOPE, Dubai, in a mixed format, digitally and as a physical presence, in December 2020 . So, from month to month, until September, the organizers provide a matching platform that focuses on a different topic each time, in the bio field.
Digital Trade Week creates real contacts. If, for example, a honey company and distributor enters this platform, he connects directly with honey importers, all products made by the producer are uploaded to Arabian Organics and promoted there. At the beginning of each week, a webinar is organized with importers from the Arab market, from various fields, who will explain the demands and changes in the market. Registration is free and is part of the exhibition registration package.
The conclusion of the Organic Digital Trade Week presentation is that matching can be done on the created platform. This gives an advantage to companies for the moment when they will participate in the fair, in December (already the exporter and the importer know each other, because they discussed, the exporter has already presented the products, catalogs, the importer will approve them and both of them can go further to signing contracts). It is a big step forward, to use participation in fairs and exhibitions, not as a beginer who at the end of the event notices that he did not close any deal, which often happens to many exhibitors. This new possibility does not necessarily offer a guarantee that business will materialize, but it brings producers closer, more consistently to the market.
The debate ended with the presentation of the funding perspectives, through the future EU applied research program, Horizon Europe. The guidelines of the program and the thematic areas for which calls will be organized, starting with 2021, were presented.


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The Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class was revealed at IAA Mobility 2023 in Munich,Germany The platform will underpin the German car manufacturer’s push into electrical vehicles.
Mercedes-Benz and BMW took the covers off electrical idea vehicles as they aim to overtake Tesla in the premium end of the marketplace.
At the IAA car program in Munich, Mercedes displayed the Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class while BMW exposed the BMW Vision Neue Klasse.
These vehicles are constructed on a totally brand-new platforms from the German car manufacturers that will underpin both their EV offerings for the coming years, in what has actually been their most aggressive push into battery-powered lorries yet.
They are idea vehicles, so it’s uncertain what their last type will appear like when they’re ultimately produced. But here’s a better take a look at Mercedes and BMW’s offerings.
Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class
The Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class is constructed on the so-called MercedesBenz Modular Architecture (MIXED MARTIAL ARTS), a brand-new platform created by the German car giant for electrical vehicles.
The variety will make up an overall of 4 brand-new designs– a four-door coupé, an estate and 2 sports energy lorries.
Mercedes declares the vehicle will have a series of 750 kilometres (466 miles) on a single charge. The business likewise declares that in simply 15 minutes, the battery can be charged so the vehicle can be driven 400 kilometers.
Mercedes promoted the fast-charging abilities and long-range batter of the Concept CLA Class.
Mercedes has actually put a huge concentrate on the interior and user experience. The business stated it is establishing its own os for the vehicle called MB.OS. This will assist power numerous functions from the huge screen throughout the control panel to the voice assistant within the vehicle.
It will likewise permit third-party apps, such as your preferred music or video streaming apps, to be incorporated with the automobile.
“This proprietary chip-to-cloud architecture represents a completely new approach for the company and will be a largely hidden yet defining aspect of all its future vehicles,” Mercedes-Benz stated in a news release.
Mercedes stated it concentrated on digitizing the interior of the Concept CLAClass This consists of a virtual assistant and assistance for third-party apps.
Traditional car manufacturers have actually been viewed as lagging Tesla on the software application front. This is an effort by Mercedes to reveal it is capturing up.
BMW Vision Neue Klasse
The BMW Vision Neue Klasse is BMW’s response toTesla It is likewise constructed on a brand-new architecture that will underpin BMW’s future electrical vehicles.
The very first electrical lorries based upon the Neue Klasse– or brand-new class– architecture are set to get in production in 2025.
BMW exposed the BMW Vision Neue Klasse, a principle electrical automobile that will underpin its venture into battery-powered vehicles.
The idea automobile has a glass roofing system. BMW stated the style of the vehicle embody timeless components that fans understand of the brand name.
The BMW Vision Neue Klasse was revealed at the IAA Mobility 2023 International Motor Show in Munich.
BMW stated the vehicle will include what it calls Panoramic Vision, a heads-up display screen which predicts info on the windshield at the eyeline of the chauffeur.
The business stated this will initially be readily available in the NeueKlasse Both guest and chauffeur will have the ability to communicate with the Panoramic Vision function, BMW stated.
There were couple of information on variety and charging. But BMW stated the brand-new generation of its innovation will enhance the charging speed of the Neue Klasse designs by approximately 30 percent, in addition to increasing their variety by approximately 30 percent.
BMW states the Vision Neue Klasse electrical vehicle has all the timeless functions the brand name is understood. BMW stated the 21- inch aerodynamic wheels “pay tribute to the classic cross-spoke design inspired by motorsports.”


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Want to become an internet billionaire? Move to Africa – If you want to become extremely wealthy over the next five years, and you have a basic grasp of technology, here’s a no-brainer: move to Africa.
Seriously. The internet is only now arriving, and — with a billion people on the continent still mostly offline — there exists a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build the next Zyngas, eBays and Groupons for a huge untapped local market. You need only look at the map of huge broadband fibreoptic cables currently being laid on both east and west coasts, from Djibouti to Dakar, to understand how quickly and ambitiously an entire continent is being connected. It’s like being back in 1995 again, and realising there might just be a market for an online bookshop or auction website.
Don’t take my word for it: David Cameron is so keen to give British entrepreneurs a foothold that he recently took a high-level delegation of corporate CEOs to nigeria and South Africa to highlight “one of the greatest economic opportunities on the planet”. The trip — featuring the bosses of firms such as Barclays and Bombardier, Vodafone and Virgin Atlantic — was hailed by Downing Street as “a historic visit to a continent with a trillion dollar economy and the potential, according to the IMF, to grow faster than Brazil over the next five years”. Much of that growth will come from startups that bring the mobile internet to businesses and consumers who have until now been offline. That’s why Cameron’s team invited along the British founders of red-hot mobile-money business Monitise, a clever text-messaging system called FrontlineSMS — and your own Digital Life columnist with his trusty notebook.
It was, admittedly, a surreal four-day schedule — taking in South Sudan, Rwanda, nigeria and South Africa — that, at the last moment, was squeezed to just two days and two countries (well, there was the small matter of a domestic phone-hacking crisis to distract the PM’s attention). But that was long enough to get a sense of the extraordinary opportunities — at a time when McKinsey and Ernst & Young are forecasting that $150 billion will flow into Africa by 2015, and that consumer spending will reach $1.4 trillion by 2020. No wonder Helios Investment Partners could recently raise a $900 million fund specifically targeting the continent.
So where could you make your own tech-based millions? A few obvious markets primed for explosive growth:
Who needs banks if you can use your mobile to send and receive cash? More than a quarter of Kenya’s GDP now passes through a phone-to-phone network called M-Pesa, and in Uganda MTN MobileMoney has almost two million users. As Cameron put it in a speech to Lagos Business School, “Today, mobile banking systems mean we can cut out middlemen and make a direct impact on the lives of small farmers who can produce more food, feed their families, sell more food at the market and in turn buy more seed.”
You don’t need a smartphone, let alone a PC, to shop online. The American startup SlimTrader runs a service called MoBiashara, which lets consumers shop by mobile on basic cellphones. And there are half a billion of those in Africa.
The British startup entrepreneur Stefan Magdalinski — formerly of UpMyStreet and Moo.com — moved to Cape Town a couple of years ago to run a bunch of firms for international media group MIH, including a Kenyan business directory, Mocality, that gave many companies their first online presence. Why? Because he wanted to be where the action was.
Not only do mobile phones turn into blood-pressure monitors and ultrasound devices that can connect rural communities. They can also detect counterfeit medicines: the startup mPedigree works with pharmaceutical companies to let patients text codes on packs of antimalarials to receive confirmation that they’re genuine.
If a tiny fraction of, say, Zimbabweans have access to the “big” internet, then why not make the internet accessible via SMS on their 2G phones? That’s what Econet Wireless Zimbabwe is offering its five million mobile phone subscribers, turning their handsets into virtual smartphones with tech from ForgetMeNot Africa that turns emails and chats into text messages.
Now insert your own big idea here, and book your air ticket. Sure, Africa still faces huge hurdles — in South Africa, 11 million people live below the poverty line, and almost 6 million have HIV; in Nigeria, 110 million out of a population of 158 million live on less than £1 a day. But when one telco alone, Bharti Airtel, recently announced $13 billion inrevenue last year, you know it’s time to abandon our traditional assumptions.
As Cameron said in Lagos, “Which continent has six of the ten fastest growing economies in the world?… Africa is transforming in a way no-one thought possible 20 years ago…and suddenly a whole new future seems within reach.”
Why shouldn’t you have a profitable role in that future?


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Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS), the world’s biggest maker of smartphones and memory chips, announced on Thursday that it plans to adopt a corporate culture akin to a startup, seeking to become more nimble as growth slows.
Samsung’s executives will sign a pledge to move away from a top-down culture and towards a working environment that fosters open dialogue.
The flagship firm of South Korea’s dominant conglomerate will also reduce the number of levels in its staff hierarchy and hold more frequent online discussions between business division heads and employees.
“We aim to reform our internal culture, execute as quickly as a startup company and push towards open communication and continuously innovate,” it said in a statement.
The pronouncement is the latest among sweeping changes attempted at a time of crisis by the conglomerate and carries echoes of a 1993 exhortation by Samsung Group patriarch Lee Kun-hee to executives to “change everything but your wife and children”.
Hurt by a rapid decline in smartphone profits and the absence of new businesses to drive growth, Samsung has been under pressure to reform its military-style working culture to foster innovation.
Some current and former employees say it will be difficult for a company like Samsung, which has global headcount of more than 300,000, to transform itself. Analysts also say there is the risk of Samsung losing its edge as a fast-execution hardware company by attempting to change its ways.
Lee has been hospitalized since a 2014 heart attack, and the group is in the midst of a transition to control by his son, Jay Y. Lee.
Other moves in recent years to ease a rigid corporate culture include flexible working hours, a loosening of dress code requirements for weekend work and less pressure on employees to attend after-work drinking sessions that have long been a staple of Korean corporate life.
Samsung said it will also cut down on unnecessary internal meetings and simplify reporting procedures in order to improve productivity and offer training to employees to strengthen their “winning spirit”.
It will also reduce unnecessary overtime and weekend work and push employees to spend time with their families or take advantage of learning opportunities.
(Reporting by Se Young Lee; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)


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Could your location put you at a higher risk for stolen credit information during e-commerce transactions? Credit reporting agency Experian analyzed millions of e-commerce transactions from 2015 to determine the frequency of fraud across the U.S.
Florida is the overall riskiest states for fraud, followed by Delaware, Washington, D.C., Oregon, and California. Most of the fraudsters are based in Delaware, followed by Oregon, Florida, California, and Nevada.
By frequency of fraud per city, Eudora, Kans., has the overall riskiest billing ZIP code (66025). The next two riskiest ZIP codes are in Miami and Boston.
The states with the least amount of fraud were Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wyoming, South Dakota, and West Virginia.
For more on cybersecurity, watch:
According to recent studies, annual e-commerce and payments fraud costs reached $32 billion in 2014, a 38% increase over 2013.
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Experian’s senior vice president of fraud, Adam Fingersh, warns that e-commerce fraud is not confined to just larger cities. He cautions that the move to chip-enabled credit cards and more e-commerce companies adopting anti-fraud software (which Experian peddles) could help combat fraudsters.


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Back in 2016, Lexus unveiled a new compact crossover concept: the UX Concept. At the time, there was no information on exactly when this concept would make it to production, but we now have a clearer idea. Lexus recently announced that the production version of the UX will make its global debut at the Geneva Auto Show.
The UX Concept was an incredible design study that boasted an aggressive, cab-rearward design. It also featured super-sharp creases, flared wheel arches, a swooping roofline, and a one-piece, winglike taillight assembly. While the final design remains to be seen, the teaser image shows the taillight design will make it to production, albeit in a more timid fashion.
The shadowy teaser also shows that the rear wheel arches are toned way down, though the do flare out a bit, and the roofline will be a touch more traditional in production.
The interior will be completely different from the concept, which is pretty common, so we won’t even go into that until we see the production model.
All else remains a mystery for this compact crossover until it makes its official debut at the Geneva Auto Show on March 6, 2018.
We’ll bring you all the official details once they become available, so stay tuned.


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Man Facing Jail Time For Dumping Beer
A Southern California man could spend a year behind bars for dumping out beer bottles and putting some other sort of substance in them.
San Diego officials say Eduardo Cossio bought beer and then returned it to the stores after dumping out the suds and replacing them with something else. He did it at retailers like Target and Walmart in 2015 and last year. Cossio pled guilty this week to felony counts and will be sentenced in early October.
Authorities have not disclosed what Cossio did to the beer.


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Droga5 Sydney is set to shut its doors at the end of the year in what David Droga, founder of the global network, describes as a “difficult decision”.
“This was obviously a very difficult decision, both professionally and personally, and as a proud Australian, it was a bitter pill to swallow,” Droga said.
“However, we see little value in continuing to operate in this market with an office that, sadly, no longer consistently represents the Droga5 brand.”
The news follows the departure of the agency’s executive creative director, Steve Coll, who jumped ship to be a creative partner at agency WiTH Collective.
Former editor of Marketing Week in London, Steven Forster, said the agency’s closure sounds like “a lack of TLC”, describing the closure of the Sydney office as a “big blow” for the network.
“Now Droga has announced it’s closing its Sydney office – Droga is an Aussie – which it blames on self-inflicted mistakes, bad luck and an irrational Oz ad market,” he writes for the More About Advertising blog.
“At one point Droga’s Sydney office was reported to employ hundreds of people. Sounds like a lack of TLC to me.”
The full release from Droga5 in New York is below.
NEW YORK, NY – September 9, 2015 – Advertising agency Droga5, which is headquartered in New York, announced today that it would be closing its Sydney office. Although the Sydney office enjoyed an exceptionally strong start, it struggled to maintain that momentum.
“This was obviously a very difficult decision, both professionally and personally, and as a proud Australian, it was a bitter pill to swallow,” said David Droga, creative chairman and founder of Droga5.
“However, we see little value in continuing to operate in this market with an office that, sadly, no longer consistently represents the Droga5 brand. Despite world-class local management and many talented individuals working hard, the Sydney office has floundered over the past few years. Some of it was self-inflicted, some of it bad luck and some of it just the befuddling local advertising market. Regardless, we aren’t a company that measures its success by the number of its offices, but rather by the creative output, positive influence and culture of each office.”
The Sydney office will officially close its doors before the end of the year.
This year, Droga5 New York enjoyed its ninth consecutive year of over-40-percent growth and was recently named the North American Effies’ Independent Agency of the Year, One Show Global Agency of the Year and Cannes Lions Independent Agency of the Year.
“We continue to realize strong growth in the U.S., and are focusing on creating a world-class leadership team in Europe while simultaneously exploring potential models of offerings in China as our two key priorities outside the U.S.,” commented Sarah Thompson, Droga5’s Global CEO.
Droga5 recently announced the hire of a new CEO, Bill Scott, for its London office. Scott joins from Grey London. Additional key creative hires are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Image David Nobay and Sudeep Gohill, creative chairman and CEO of Droga5 Sydney
Locked down Victorians who don’t currently have an Optus Sport subscription will have complimentary access to Optus Sport from this weekend to enjoy the UEFA Champions League tournament plus access to premium health and fitness content through the Optus Sport app. UEFA Champions League – the world’s premier continental football tournament – kicks off at […]
Torrens University Australia has launched ‘Career Crush’ via VCCP Sydney and Lash, to help match students with a career they’ll love. Career Crush is an online quiz that determines prospective students’ personal strengths, passions and aspirations to match them with the careers and courses they’re most compatible with. One of the toughest decisions young people […]
Pedestrian Group has partnered with Nine subsidiary Mi9 New Zealand to offer NZ brands the opportunity to partner with the likes of Business Insider Australia, Pedestrian.tv and Gizmodo Australia. Next month, Mi9 New Zealand will be representing Pedestrian Group in the NZ market, offering clients the opportunity to work with leading youth publications including Lifehacker […]
ViacomCBS Networks International (VCNI), a division of ViacomCBS, is launching a premium streaming service internationally, appealing to audiences of all ages. The new SVOD service will start its international roll-out early in 2021, offering exclusive premieres of all new SHOWTIME series, including Halo and American Rust. CBS All Access originals will also premiere exclusively on the new service, such […]
As part of a larger project to refine their brand with partner branding agency Re, Optus have engaged experimental creative studio FutureDeluxe to explore how the iconic ‘Yes’ brand mark behaves in a sophisticated 3D environment. FutureDeluxe have produced a series of 8x idents and a number of static key visuals which will be used […]


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“The Mobile Economy 2013” Details Socio-Economic Impact of Mobile and Highlights Drivers of Future Growth for the Mobile Industry
The GSMA today released a new report, “The Mobile Economy 2013”, which provides a comprehensive overview of the mobile industry today, and outlines the key opportunities and challenges for the mobile industry over the next five years. Developed by the GSMA and A.T. Kearney, the wide-ranging study offers critical insights into the health of the mobile communications industry and details the global enablers needed to spur further investment and growth in the sector. With the number of mobile subscribers standing at 3.2 billion people, nearly half of the world’s population now uses mobile communications 1. It is expected that a further 700 million subscribers will be added by 2017 and the 4 billion-subscriber milestone will be reached in 2018.
“Mobile is a vibrant and evolving industry at the heart of everyday life for billions of people around the world,” said Anne Bouverot, Director General, GSMA. “Mobile has gone beyond being a mere communications tool to one that provides life-enhancing, and in some cases life-saving, services to men, women and children. It’s exciting to look at the possibilities ahead of us as we connect the world’s population to the mobile Internet.”
Socio-Economic Contribution of Mobile
The mobile industry is a major contributor to the global economy. The total mobile ecosystem revenues were US$1.6 trillion, or 2.2 per cent of global GDP. For the period through 2017, the mobile industry will invest US$1.1 trillion in capital expenditure and will contribute US$2.6 trillion to public funding. Importantly, in 2017, companies across the ecosystem will employ nearly 10 million people globally.
“The mobile industry’s economic impact reaches far beyond its already-impressive $1.6 trillion in revenues, to boost individual well-being, corporate productivity and government funding,” said Mark Page, leader of A.T. Kearney’s Communications, Media and Technology practice and co-author of the report. “As the market expands with the spread of smartphones, 4G networks and innovative applications across the globe, the challenge for mobile operators is to stake their claim to a share of the associated revenue growth. Cross-industry initiatives such as those described in this report will be essential to operators in ensuring a central position in the mobile ecosystem value chain.”
Proliferation of Mobile Broadband Is Enabling Growth of Data
At the end of 2012, there were 6.8 billion mobile connections worldwide, a figure expected to grow to 9.7 billion by the end of 2017. Mobile broadband accounted for 1.6 billion of these connections in 2012, increasing to 5.1 billion in 2017, including 920 million LTE connections. The proliferation of mobile broadband is enabling an explosion in data traffic and in 2012, 0.9 exabytes of data traversed mobile networks every month; this will increase by 66 per cent to 11.2 exabytes per month in 2017. 2 The rate of growth is best illustrated by the fact that total traffic volumes in 2012 were as high as all prior years combined. 3
Global Enablers to Spur Investment and Growth
The report highlights several factors critical to the further growth of the industry. With the growing adoption of mobile broadband and the dramatic rise in data traffic, the future of mobile depends on operators having timely and reasonable access to the necessary spectrum resource. Another essential element in enabling growth is a transparent, consultative and predictable regulatory environment, addressing spectrum licencing, competition, taxation and intellectual property. And finally, it is important that anti-trust authorities, while protecting the market against any abuse, should allow the industry to re-organise and consolidate to address new economic realities.
“The mobile communications industry is creating a mobile economy, both directly through network investment, job creation and contributions to public funding, and by transforming adjacent industries such as education, healthcare, payments, transportation and utilities,” continued Bouverot. “But to fully realise this future and to enable the mobile industry to maximise its investments, it is essential that we establish a light-touch regulatory environment, based predominantly on competition, and develop new business models that will allow all ecosystem participants to benefit from the mobile economy.”


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HP remains ahead of Lenovo in worldwide PC sales
The traditional PC market (including laptops, desktops, and workstations) is down 3.3 percent YoY as of Q2 2017 according to market research firm IDC. Analysts had originally anticipated a slightly steeper drop of 3.9 percent, but a handful of manufacturers have actually shipped more this year compared to the last.
The lower-than-expected drop can be attributed to the continuing strong demand in North America. In comparison, demand overseas in the Asia-Pacific region (excluding Japan) has been very poor while the EMEA region has been relatively stable thanks to healthier sales of convertibles and 2-in-1s.
HP is still the manufacturer to beat after overtaking Lenovo as the largest PC company earlier this year. HP, Dell, and Apple have grown YoY in terms of total number of PCs shipped by 6.2 percent, 3.7 percent, and 1.7 percent, respectively. These top three companies make up nearly 60 percent of all traditional PCs sold worldwide. Unfortunately, this growth was not enough to offset the significant drops from other less fortunate manufacturers like Dell and Asus.


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True to its storied history as one of Canada's oldest family businesses, chocolate maker Ganong Bros. Ltd. of New Brunswick has promoted a member of the fifth-generation of Ganongs to the corner suite.
Bryana Ganong, the daughter of outgoing president and chief executive officer David Ganong, will take over the top job at the St. Stephen, N.B.-based company on Aug. 12.
The passing of the torch marks an increasingly rare occurence in North America of truly keeping a family business in the family.
The privately held chocolate– and candy-maker – head offfice address: 1 Chocolate Dr. – traces its roots directly back to 1873 and its founding by brothers Gilbert and James Ganong.
Bryana Ganong, 41, joined the company in 1997 and has worked in everything from R&D and product development to contract manufacturing and marketing.
She and her younger brother, Nicholas, were considered the top candidates to take over from David Ganong, who is now 70. A third sibling, Aaron, does not work at the company.
"I learned the ins and outs in different ways at the company. I care very deeply about Ganong and the people that work here," Ms. Ganong said in an interview Monday.
How has the iconic company been able to maintain such continuity across so many generations, avoiding the destructive feuds or generational dilution of other family businesses?
"There have been ups and downs obviously," Ms. Ganong said. "There have been lost of challenges. Every generation had its own set of challenges and opportunities as well.
"It continues to be a challenging environment for us," she added.
Among the more difficult issues are rising energy costs and tough competition from the big multinational chocolate manufacturers, she said.
One element of the corporate strategy is to promote the branded product line more intensely beyond the big seasonal sales periods, Ms. Ganong said.
Appropriately enough, her birthday falls on Valentine's Day. Ganong is credited with being the first company in North America to sell chocolates in a heart-shaped box.
Boxed chocolates are only part of the Ganong line; it also sells fruit snacks under the Sunkist brand, bagged candies and bulk candy products and chocolate bars. It signature product is Chicken Bones, a hard candy with a dark chocolate centre.
All of the company's products – many of them made for other companies under different brand names – are still confected at its one facility in St. Stephen, a town of about 5,000.
Exporting beyond Canada and the United States is "something we are looking at," Ms. Ganong said. India and South Korea are two potential markets.
Ms. Ganong says she is not too concerned over the push to get people to eat healthier and consume less sweets.
"I have a bit of bias, growing up in the chocolate business," she said, mentioning that her great-grandfather ate two pounds of chocolate a day and lived a healthy life into his 80s, while her great uncle put away one pound a day and lived to his 90s.
"I would say our generation would be more moderate in terms of intake of confectionary." Her three children's consumption of sweets is a disciplined one, she added.
"Growing up in this business has given me a foundation of experience and values that I know will be extremely helpful as we continue to expand our markets, our reach and our product development," Ms. Ganong said in a news release Monday.
David Ganong, who accumulated a total of 33 years in the roles of president and CEO, will take on the newly created position of executive vice-chair.
There was only a short period – from 2008 to 2012 – when Ganong was headed up by an outsider: dairy executive Doug Ettinger.


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What happens in China is very important for you as an investor or business leader, even if you share my view of not investing in China.
First of all, it affects the large U.S. companies that do a lot of business with China. The country’s worsening credit crisis has a high probability of infecting Asia and the global markets. Be skeptical about any economic measures coming out of China.
The China financial system experienced a virtual shutdown in June. Overnight interest rates soared from around 7% to more than 25%. The large banks, and their ATMs, did not allow people to withdraw funds from the bank accounts, pleading “computer system” failures. Loan applications were put on hold. It was a typical credit crisis.
Historically, economic activity plunges immediately after such a crisis. However, suddenly the Chinese government releases remarkably positive economic numbers for July. Anyone who believes them should beware of a person trying to sell them the Brooklyn Bridge.
According to our information, China’s private sector economy is now going into a serious recession. However, many analysts prefer denial. On July 23, HSBC’s latest Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), which measures manufacturing in the private sector, declined a big 3.2 points from last month to 47.7. The 50 level is considered the dividing line between expansion and contraction.
Now look at the ‘official’ PMI from the government for the same period. It showed a rise to 50.3 from the prior 50.1. Do you notice to smell of something “fishy?”
However, western economists and firms are not paying attention. They still believe the fable of 7.4% GDP growth. A Wall Street Journal headline read: “U.S. Firms Mostly Shrug Off China’s Slowing Growth.”
Li Keqiang, the new premier of China, is an economist. Before becoming premier, Li Keqiang stated that the official GDP figures of China should be used only “as a guide.” He said that the GDP numbers were “man made,” or in other words, “fudged.”
He always used his own economic growth index for China. Earlier this year, his calculations indicated 2% economic growth in China, not the official 7.4% GDP growth. I would bet that right now it’s below zero.
On August 8, China released its July numbers for exports and imports. Both had nice gains over the prior month. The bulls cheered and said these were signs that the economy is “stabilizing” following a two-quarter “slowdown.”
Imports were ‘officially’ up 10.9%. With a total credit market shutdown in June, it’s not possible for consumer and corporate demand for imports to have risen. It would be a first in economic history. When companies can’t get credit to buy goods from abroad, how can they be importing more? Imports were helped by aircraft orders and oil. This is not a sign of consumer demand and a recovering economy.
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Economic history shows that there will now be continued private sector deterioration in China because of lack of credit—although the government will do its best to hide it. I believe that the government has decided to fudge the statistics even more than usual. Therefore, the economic numbers will not be allowed to drop, no matter what the real situation is.
For a while, this may fool western economists. But eventually, reality will surface. A China recession would take the rest of Asia down, and eventually perhaps the global markets.
Therefore, a better gauge for measuring China is to watch the markets of its neighbors. The charts of the smaller Asian stock markets look absolutely dismal. This is where you can see what is happening in China and its neighbors. Even Japan is being affected: GDP growth just released for the last quarter was an anemic, annualized 2.6% percent in the second quarter, slowing from a revised 3.8 percent in the prior quarter versus expectations for 3.6 percent growth. That’s a great disappointment as the slowdown came in spite of a record stimulus program.


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Medical marijuana: How IT can spark the budding cannabis industry?
After legalization of marijuana in various states in US, marijuana industry is set to spread its wings and take a flight as a budding business. More than 29 states have allowed marijuana in medical and in some states, in recreational capacity. Florida is one of them.
Enactment of Amendment 2 into a law in June by Florida Governor Rick Scott has opened gateway to a growing ecosystem of businesses directly or indirectly connected to cannabis in Florida alone. Statistically speaking, cannabis industry in US is expected to valuate at $20 million by 2020.
Influence of Cannabis Industry
Cannabis industry is ready to take over the world with its multi-faceted branches. In addition, when we talk about booming marijuana industry, we are not yet counting businesses that are indirectly related to the sale of marijuana products themselves. These secondary products include food and nutraceuticals, plastics, bio fuels and fibers that can be manufactured from the hemp plant. Moreover, Essential consumables produced for medical cannabis companies like packaging, is another example of indirectly related industry, which is going to benefit greatly by this new trending and thriving industry.
Cannabis and IT
Any industry that claims its share in today’s market cannot avoid direct or indirect involvement of IT. Marijuana industry likewise, developing vertical market will definitely need enabling software, business apps and other IT services, which will be necessary to run the business smoothly.
IDG News Service writer Katherine Noyes has found many companies who have started using IT to deal with their business and the industry scale. According to her research, Flowhub is offering software that assists the cannabis growers and retailers to comply with state laws. Similarly, La Conte’s Clone Bar and Dispensary found in Denver, has already converted its paper work into computer-stored files on Cloud to avoid the tedious task.
Similarly, e commerce also bringing the IT factor in sales and purchases section of the marijuana industry and making it more accessible to the consumers, especially in the states where sales of marijuana is relatively easier and not restricted too much through regulations. Florida is more vertical oriented industry when it comes to marijuana and Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers (MMTCs) are provided a license by the Florida Department of Health Office of Medical Marijuana Use (OMMU) that is involved in every step.
They regulate businesses dealing with marijuana on very strict grounds. That is the very reason for such a small number of licenses issued, 12 to be exact. They are however, planning to increase the number by 20 by the end of next year.
The list is long about the ways IT can and will influence marijuana industry in coming years. Big IT companies definitely will fight for their share in the marijuana pie. This is going to make a perfect match considering the volume of business marijuana is set to produce in future and the scale is set to pass our expectations looking at the current trends. Hence, when we talk about indirect relationship to marijuana as a business, IT stands at top slots of contenders.