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Blockchain technology was supposed to be a disruptive force throughout the industry, but in a report entitled "Resolving the Blockchain Paradox in Transportation and Logistics" by the Boston Consulting Group suggests that adoption of the technology is slower than expected.
The survey found that 88 percent of respondents believe that blockchain will disrupt the industry on some level, while 59 percent that the disruptions will take place within the next two-to-five years. Additionally, 74 percent of respondents indicated that they are exploring opportunities only superficially or haven't thought about blockchain at all.
However, the survey suggest that blockchain has been slow to adopt because of a limited understanding of the technology and the absence of coordination among industry players, creating a "fundamental paradox." Blockchain can increase transparency throughout the supply chain, but in doing so requires collaboration among competing companies. Mistrust between companies makes it difficult to bring participants into a common blockchain ecosystem.
“This industry is often rife with mistrust, with lots of handoffs among multiple parties, more so than in any other industry,” Andy Schmahl, BCG partner and managing director tells Logistics Management. “Most industries have straightforward, bilateral, or maybe trilateral, transactions. But, over the course of any supply chain or transportation move, a single good can change hands dozens of times and can have multiple dozens of players when you factor in brokers and regulators, customs agencies, and other things. Each of them has some vested interest, and things often don’t go as planned, which can lead to finger pointing, and that generates huge frictions, in terms of costs and time.”
Still, blockchain pilots have been done, though the results are usually modest, leaving others to believe that the technology isn't worth investing in at this moment.


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Pakistan launches crackdown against medicines’ profiteers
ISLAMABAD: On the direction of caretaker Health Minister Dr Nadeem Jan, the authorities concerned have launched a crackdown on medicines profiteers across Pakistan.
According to the spokesperson, major action was taken against those selling more than the approved price during the operation in Lahore.
Heparin injection, TB, epilepsy, cancer and life-saving drugs were being sold in the black, said the spokesperson. These medicines were being sold at a higher price than the approved price.
Tegeral epilepsy medicine was being sold for Rs 1300 to 1400 rupees instead of 260 rupees per box.
Heparin injection was selling at Rs 1500 to 3000 instead of Rs 975 while Rivotril was being sold at Rs 700 to Rs 800 instead of Rs 267 per box.
A box of Rivotril 2mg was being sold for Rs 800 to Rs 1000 instead of Rs 400.
Similarly, a box of Zenax 0.5mg was being sold at Rs1400 instead of 278 while Zenax 1mg box was selling at Rs 4000 instead of Rs 502.
The Ultrawest box was being sold at Rs 6500 instead of Rs 3418.
In a statement, Health Minister Nadeem Jan said that he has initiated action against the involved elements under DRAP [Drug Regulatory Authority Pakistan] Act.
He said that heavy fines and punishments will be given against profiteers as per the DRAP Act. “The task force of DRAP will take full action against the profiteers,” the minister added.

domain: news


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Sony (NYSE:SNE) had warned that “the beginning of the end” was near. This is not a phrase you expect when business is booming. Sony results were released today and confirmed that indeed business is booming.
Despite the ominous tone, Sony’s latest financial results showcased impressive results. Results showing that sales of its PlayStation 4 are speeding up… not slowing down.
Sony Results: Business is Booming
Six months after new CEO Kenichiro Yoshida took over, the company recorded $19.6 billion in revenue. $2.2 billion of this was pure profit. The period was for the three months ending September.
More impressive is the fact that these Sony results are better than the last quarter’s. So Sony is doing very well.
PlayStation is the main revenue driver for the company, bringing in more than double the revenue than any other division. However, its mobile division continues to be its weakest link—it is responsible for Sony’s only losses.
The PlayStation part of the business brought in $803 million in profit alone. It brought in almost $5 billion in revenue.
However, Sony didn’t expect such strong results. In fact, it thought the console had reached its peak and sales were expected to decline. It was so expected that the prediction came directly from its gaming chief John Kodera.
But the console proved to remain as popular as ever with 3.9 million units sold over the three-month period. This tally is more than in either of the two preceding quarters.
And then there are the sales of games. 75.1 million games were purchased, with Marvel’s Spider-Man making up for 3.3 million of these sales.
Christmas is Coming
The latest quarter was one of the best quarters for game sales in recent history, and following on from that, PlayStation Plus subscriptions are increasing too. By the end of September, the company had 34.3 million subscribers.
Christmas is around the corner. And off the back of these increased results, the company is, naturally enough, now predicting increased takings over the holiday period. But it won’t know until the next quarter results how this holiday season will go for PS4 sales.
Something tells me that sales of this console will not be slowing down anytime soon.
Featured Image: Depositphotos /© alexionas1989


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Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2020 gets canceled due to fear of coronavirus. The event was scheduled to start on February 23 in Barcelona, Spain. Due to the coronavirus outbreak several tech giants, including Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, Sony withdraws their names.
“The GSMA has canceled MWC Barcelona 2020 because the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event,” CEO John Hoffman said in a statement.
MWC is a big annual event where tech giants unveil next-generation revolutionary products. So canceling MWC is a big blow for GSMA. GSMA, the organization behind the MWC is now planning for the next possible steps.
After cancellation of the event, Xiaomi and Oppo both rescheduled their event. Oppo said in a statement, “After serious consideration, we have also decided to reschedule the OPPO Find X2 Global Launch Event, originally scheduled on 22nd February.” Xiaomi said it has postponed the Mi 10 launch event. The event was originally scheduled for Feb 23. While the second-largest smartphone maker Huawei did not make take any decision on its February 23 event.
The Coronavirus was discovered in the Wuhan city of China in December last year. According to the World Health Organization, as of Thursday, there are more than 60,000 people infected around the world. More than 1,300 people have died.


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We swipe left, we swipe right, but do we every wipe our phones clean?
A new survey finds that one in four have never cleaned their cell phones, even though they take it with them everywhere they go, including the bathroom.
Women are a little more likely to clean their phones, but not by much.
People in the survey say when their hands are busy, 41-percent put their phones in their mouths.
Of course, that's not the only thing. 51-percent say they've put their keys in their mouth, 54-percent put a credit card in their mouth, and 34-percent have put cash in their mouth.
And while half of us eat lunch over our computer keyboards, only one in three clean their desk once a week.
Read more of the study here.
Image courtesy Getty


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British surgeons are calling for a ban on all cosmetic surgery ads. After the nationwide recall of a low-grade silicone implant, the country's leading experts in the field of plastic surgery are worried consumers are getting the wrong message that cosmetic upgrades are easy and risk-free. They want firmer regulation from media watchdogs, even if that means an all-out blackout of surgical ads.
Aggressive marketing tactics that play on consumer insecurities aren't exclusive to the UK. Whether you're combing the Internet or driving down a freeway, you're bound to see an ad for your friendly local plastic surgeon promising a better life.
"Good looking people have more fun, make more money and have more good looking friends," asserts California surgeon Dr. Timothy Kelly in a Miami Vice-inspired commercial for his services.
Kelly's commercial verges on parody, but as more surgeons sink big dollars into ad campaigns, the message is spreading. It's also getting slicker. With so many signs pointing to the necessity of nipping and tucking, risky procedures appear easier, healthier and more fulfilling than ever before. Looks can be deceiving.


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UK Authorities Fine Sony for "Serious Breach" of Data Protection Act
January 24, 2013 9:34 AM
comment(s) - last by
Sony find over $390,000 for security breach in the UK
Back in 2011, Sony was the victim of a massive
that saw the PlayStation Network database breached. In the attack, the hackers made off with details from 77 million accounts including credit card information. The attack resulted in Sony apologizing profusely and offering affected customers free video games and credit-watching services.
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe has now been hit with a £250,000 fine, which works out to roughly $396,100. The fine levied against Sony was for a "serious breach" of the Data Protection Act. According to authorities in the UK, the April 2011 hack "could have been prevented." The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) also criticized Sony for not having up-to-date security software.
"If you are responsible for so many payment card details and log-in details then keeping that personal data secure has to be your priority," said David Smith, deputy commissioner and director of data protection at the ICO.
Sony says that it "strongly disagrees" with the UK ruling and plans to appeal.
"Criminal attacks on electronic networks are a real and growing aspect of 21st century life and Sony continually works to strengthen our systems, building in multiple layers of defence and working to make our networks safe, secure and resilient," a spokesman Sony added.
Sony says that it has rebuilt its network to make it more secure since the hacks.
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
RE: Slap on the Wrist
1/24/2013 1:23:00 PM
The real cost is that there are many people who wont buy a PlayStation again.
I know that I won't. I've bought a PS1, PS2 and PS3, but my next console will probably start with an X.
Mostly because of Sony's pretty poor record, and partly because they as eem to do a better job of stopping me from moving my saved games from a YLOD PS3 to another one than they do of protecting my personal data on their servers.
If they'd made moving my games over easier, they'd have had another PS3 sale and no doubt a few game sales over the last 6 months too, but they really don't seem to care.
"Well, we didn't have anyone in line that got shot waiting for our system." -- Nintendo of America Vice President Perrin Kaplan
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Should Elon stay or should he go? That is the question we discussed on CNBC Power Lunch. The issues facing Tesla are like a spreading sore. Trust has taken a major battering.
There is a dysfunctional dynamic at Tesla. Leadership is to help people develop beyond their dreams and hold their fears. Elon has been weighed, measured, and found wanting.
Shareholder value is not a strategy it’s a result. One thing is for sure the Tesla brand can be stretched beyond cars, trucks and lithium batteries. Other automakers cannot. Should Elon be running the day to day or should he be focusing on those bigger bets? Here’s the segment.


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By Lucia Mutikani
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States’ trade deficit in goods narrowed sharply in September and inventories at retailers surged, sealing expectations for record economic growth in the third quarter after the worst performance in at least 73 years.
The data from the Commerce Department on Wednesday added to reports ranging from retail sales, durable goods orders and housing that suggested the economy has regained some footing, though gross domestic product would still likely remain below the department’s forecast for the fourth quarter.
The anticipated surge in GDP was driven by a more than $3 trillion government rescue package early this year, which provided a lifeline for many businesses and the unemployed as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the economy. The fiscal stimulus has since been exhausted, leaving the outlook for the fourth quarter murky amid a resurgence in new coronavirus cases.
The government is scheduled to publish its advance GDP growth estimate for the third quarter on Thursday, five days ahead of the U.S. presidential election next Tuesday.
“We should remember output will be below that of the end of fourth quarter of 2019,” said James Knightley, chief international economist at ING in New York. “There is a long way to go before the economy is fully healed and unfortunately the challenges are mounting.”
The goods trade deficit decreased 4.5% to $79.4 billion last month. Exports of goods increased 2.7% to $122 billion, led by a surge in shipments of foods, feeds and beverages. There were also increases in exports of motor vehicles, consumer and capital goods. Exports of industrial supplies fell.
Imports fell 0.2% to $201.4 billion last month, pulled down imports of industrial supplies, consumer goods and other goods.
U.S. stocks fell as spiraling coronavirus cases soured investor sentiment. The dollar rose against a basket of currencies. U.S. Treasury prices were higher.
SMALLER TRADE HIT
September’s decrease in the goods trade deficit after two straight monthly increases suggested trade would be a smaller drag on GDP growth than had been anticipated earlier. The trade hit to output could also be offset by accumulation of inventories.
Stocks at retailers jumped 1.6% last month after gaining 0.5% in August. Retail inventories excluding autos, which go into the calculation of GDP, rose 0.9%.
The trade and retail inventory data put a upside risk to the third-quarter GDP growth estimate. According to a Reuters survey of economists, the economy likely grew at a 31% annualized rate in the July-September quarter.
The anticipated historic growth pace would follow a 31.4% pace of contraction in the second quarter, the deepest decline since the government started keeping records in 1947.
“It will still likely take until the third quarter of 2021 for real GDP to regain its level of the fourth quarter of 2019,” said David Kelly, chief global strategist at JPMorgan (NYSE:) Funds in New York.
Fusion Media or anyone involved with Fusion Media will not accept any liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on the information including data, quotes, charts and buy/sell signals contained within this website. Please be fully informed regarding the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, it is one of the riskiest investment forms possible.


text:
Even in the crypto bear market, new companies are springing up to tackle old problems.
Fordefi — which offers a wallet platform that allows institutions to engage across various chains — is emerging from stealth and entering a market crowded by firms that aim to safeguard assets for decentralized finance and web3 investors.
Founder Josh Schwartz previously worked at two such companies. His first foray into crypto was at BitGo, where he served as a sales executive. In 2019, Schwartz joined Curv, which was acquired by PayPal in March 2021.
His latest venture aims to meet the needs of the current market, which Schwartz said is defined more by active participation in web3 and decentralized finance than simply "holding" bitcoin in a digital vault. Today's market requires participants to stake their assets or sign smart contracts to engage in governance and other on-chain activities, he said.
"This cycle is different because users are demanding controls to pair with any key management technology," Schwartz said. "Users want to build the right set of controls around what is actually getting signed."
Using a secure multiparty computation (MPC) that distributes a user's private keys in a way that makes it more difficult to compromise, Fordefi says it will allow users to automate their engagements with blockchains and smart contracts.
MPC requires parties to hold secret information and solve a problem that requires the input of all of those secrets, eliminating a single failure point. Fordefi said its systems protect users against accidentally signing malicious transactions through a user interface that flags such incidents.
Fordefi's 25-person team, based in Israel and New York, includes co-founders Michael Volfman and Dima Kogan. The firm has tapped Stanford crypto professor Dan Boneh and former Curv CEO Itay Malinger as advisors.
Schwartz declined to name Fordefi's investors, but said that they were drawn to the firm because they have been active in decentralized finance and "they understand that opportunity means nothing if one can’t manage the risks — billions of dollars continue to be compromised and legacy solutions are not equipped to handle these new risks."
"The need for an institutional wallet and security platform that is purpose-built for DeFi was clear and by helping institutions understand and mitigate the risks of DeFi, we are paving the way for increased adoption," Schwartz added.
Ventures capitalists are becoming increasingly more interested in custody and security plays, which historically haven't been as attention-grabbing as marketplaces or exchanges.
"What we're really excited about is moving beyond just speculative trading and where there are the real world use-cases," said Peter Johnson of Brevan Howard Digital. "So things like gaming, which we think are going to be absolutely huge, things like NFTs creating a new category of fashion and luxury items and art... and the supporting infrastructure that makes all that happen, things like smart contract security."
© 2023 The Block Crypto, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.


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The 50 States Of Google: What’s The Search Giant’s Economic Impact On US Business?
Across the U.S., Google says its search and ad programs helped drive $165 billion in economic activity in 2015.
By David Kaplan, May 26th
Google Location Searches Grow 50 Percent Faster Than General Queries
As a result, Google is adding Promoted Pins to Google Maps and expanding its use of beacons to drive omnichannel sales.
By David Kaplan, May 24th
How Brands Can Partner With Google Assistant
By David Kaplan, Oct 2nd
Announcing Our New Venture: CMO On The Go!
By Lauryn Chamberlain, Sep 27th
IBM Watson Unveils Added AI Tools For Marketers, Including Weather-Related Ad Designs
By David Kaplan, Sep 26th


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Explore and be inspired by the latest women's fashion news and trends.
Enjoy HYPETRAK's updates, features, and editorials on the dynamic world of music.
Collectible trading cards with art by local Hong Kong artists are up for grabs.
Inspired by the International Day of Peace, celebrated this past September 21, Ogilvy and Mather have embarked on a campaign of its own titl...
In promotion of the launch of its tiny Coke cans, Coca-Cola has teamed up with Ogilvy & Mather Berlin on a special campaign. Coinciding...


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MacBook Air users might need to move their new ultra-thin laptops to keep bits moving to and fro, Apple said in a note on its support site, just one of several problems posted now that the new portable has started shipping.
The Business Centre
Anonymity systems designed to allow users to carry out actions on the Internet without identifying themselves can often be cracked with a bit of unorthodox thinking, according to a Cambridge researcher.
Videoconferencing device maker Tandberg in New York announced Friday that its products will interoperate with the Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007, bringing users greater flexibility in setting up sessions.
During the 2007 holiday season, there was another small, white and cheap tech device that became a hard-to-find bestseller: the ultra-portable Eee PC notebook by ASUS. (It also comes in black and three other colors, but the white model appears to be ...
Intel has released survey data it has gathered in an effort to find out what PC alternatives are winning the hearts and minds of its customers. The short answer from the survey is this: None of them.
A Japanese company has taken a leaf from bank ATM security by launching a portable hard drive that comes with its own built-in PIN keypad.
Exploit code affecting an unpatched flaw in an image uploader used by both Facebook and MySpace is circulating publicly, putting users of the social networking sites at risk, according to security researchers.
Breaking the speed barrier of traditional flash memory, Intel and Micron Thursday announced a new flash memory architecture that increases the data transfer rates in consumer electronics by cutting the bottlenecks affecting conventional NAND flash me...
Google has made its first official comments on Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Yahoo saying that the deal raises "troubling questions" and that the underlying principles of the Internet stand to be tested by the proposed deal.
Microsoft is an odds-on favorite to pass regulatory muster over its proposed acquisition of Yahoo, according to analysts.
While dealing logistically and technically with their overlapping online offerings will certainly prove troublesome if its bid to purchase Yahoo succeeds, Microsoft will at least have an immediate outlet for bringing more of its traditional desktop p...
Microsoft Friday rocked the industry with its offer to buy Yahoo. Clearly, the battle lines against Google are poised to be redrawn, and other areas of the Web that Microsoft is fighting for, including services it can combine with its on-premise sof...
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Concept cars at the Shanghai Auto Show in China. Agence France-Presse
Electric vehicle (EV) concepts shown in Shanghai this week, such as the Audi AI:me and Infiniti QX Inspiration, point to a future of living-room-like comfort in cars with flat floors and ample space for sofa-like bench seats.
In the design studies, automakers have taken advantage of the space freed up by the electric motor, which takes less room than the bulky internal combustion engine, cooling apparatus and complex transmission gears needed for gasoline cars.
As most batteries in an EV are laid out flat under the floor, the EVs shown in the Shanghai Auto Show also have more height and, in fact, many are sport-utility vehicles (SUVs). The show started on April 16 and will close on April 25.
Both the AI:me urban car and Infiniti’s QX Inspiration SUV have flat floors, interiors large enough to accommodate what looks like a sofa in the back and more leg room and storage.
Because there is no tunnel, which often houses the drive shaft and exhaust apparatus in a gasoline car, running through the length of the EV cabin, the centre of the rear seat “can become just as valuable” as the space on its sides, design chief for Nissan’s premium brand Infiniti, Karim Habib, said.
That in turn points to the possibility of “a return of the bench seat” in the front and the rear – a throwback to American cars of a bygone era, Habib told Reuters.
The EV’s flat and slightly elevated floor allows passengers to slide into it, Habib said. “You can kind of comfortably sit into it. You can cross your legs, stretch your legs out,” he added, referring to the QX Inspiration concept car.
Audi’s AI:me offers what the company’s China operations chief, Thomas Owsianski, described as “maximum space comfort” despite its smallish urban car profile.
“We are fundamentally changing the perception of a (urban) car, particularly car experience,” Owsianski said in Shanghai. “The AI:me has very compact dimensions but … it shows the urban mobility, especially premium mobility, doesn’t need to feel small. Cars are becoming a living room space.”
China’s car market will return to growth in the second half of this year due to government support although the days of high single or double-digit growth are over and consolidation is likely, senior automotive executives said on Tuesday.
The predictions from executives including the head of Mitsubishi Motors on the first day of the Shanghai Auto Show point to a vehicle market that is heading for more balanced growth, especially if the trade war with the US is resolved.
Automotive sales in China contracted for the first time last year since the 1990s as a slowing economy and the trade friction between Beijing and Washington affected consumer sentiment.
Recent moves by the Chinese government to cut taxes, carmakers’ plans for new model launches as well as the hopes that the US-China trade spat will soon be resolved could start to turn things around, the executives said.
“We predict there will be negative growth in the first half this year, even double digit,” said Guangzhou Automobile Group’s (GAC) general manager Feng Xingya.
“But due to government subsidies, carmakers’ discounts and better macroeconomic conditions, sales will turn to positive in the second half,” he said.
The decline in Chinese automotive sales has already started to slow. They fell by 5.2 percent in March, the smallest decline since August 2018.
“It’s only natural for the China market to transition to slower growth,” Mitsubishi Motors’ Chief Executive Osamu Masuko told Reuters in an interview, saying that the market was showing some “level of maturity.” “Going forward the market still has more growth left in it, but it will likely grow moderately. Growth of 5-6 percent a year on a consistent basis might not be that easy to achieve.”
The opening day of the autoshow was marked by launches of new sports utility vehicles from carmakers such as General Motors Co and Daimler, aimed at rejuvenating customer interest with fresh designs in the fast-growing market segment.
Some firms were more optimistic with luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce Motor Cars saying that it would likely achieve double digit sales-growth in China again this year, although below 2018 levels.
But others predicted that more pressure is to come as Beijing institutes tough rules to transform the industry, which could kick off a round of consolidation or prompt some to leave the Chinese market. “That’s more likely to happen to small, non state-owned players who really don’t have a whole lot to offer,” said GM’s China President Matt Tsien, adding that it could extend to some foreign players.
The government has this year tightened the screw on makers’ ability to add manufacturing capacity and is instituting electric car production quotas for automakers to combat pollution.


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Enterprise startups too hot? SAP Ventures CEO says yes
But the cause of his trouble wasn't the bubble of consumer seed fundings over the last two years that so many have been talking about and is the subject of the Business Journal's cover story this week.
It's inflated valuations among later stage startups aimed at the business sector, he said in an exclusive Q&A he did with me for Startup Now that is excerpted below.
Marakovic joined SAP Ventures in 2006 after working as a partner at two other Palo Alto firms, Draper Fisher Jurvetson and IVF Ventures. He oversees investments by SAP Ventures' $350 million fund and its $155 million Hana Realtime fund.
Here are excerpts of our conversation:
What were the big exits recently for SAP Ventures?
There was Endeca, which was acquired by Oracle about two years ago, and then LinkedIn's IPO 18 months or so ago and Exact Target last year with a big IPO. Those were our three billion-dollar-plus exits of the past two years.
Any opportunities that you passed on that you wish you hadn’t in the past year?
I’ll tell you 2012 was one of the most frustrating years of my career. I feel like I’ve seen more interesting companies and fantastic entrepreneurs than I’ve ever seen before. But the valuations got so frothy that we passed on tons of companies that we really liked that we felt were inappropriately valued by the private markets. I am 100 percent sure I made lots of mistakes, in fact, more mistakes than I’ve ever made in my career in the last year.
Cromwell Schubarth is the Senior Technology Reporter at the Silicon Valley Business Journal.
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CYBERSPACE — In a recent article for Forbes titled, “How Sextech Pioneers Are Outsmarting Conservative Gatekeepers,” founder and CEO of O.School Andrea Barrica affirms that the sextech industry is not for the faint of heart.
The increasingly popular industry has proven to be equally lucrative, however, in spite of its profitability, gatekeepers have notoriously shied away from welcoming sextech to the table.
Barrica, who recently spoke on a panel titled, “Censorship and Tech’s Prudish Stance on Our Sex Lives” at SXSW, details the hoops and hurdles entrepreneurs face when setting forth to stake their claim in the fast-growing market.
“Facebook and Google largely prohibit ads for sextech, including female sexual wellness products. Major app stores routinely ban apps related to sex, and increasingly restrict even what users say and do. Institutional investors and mainstream conferences often avoid the space out due to conservative boards.”
She cites the Osé debacle at this past year’s CES in which the trade show infamously revoked the award it had bestowed on the hands-free personal massager, citing a “strict policy that forbids ‘adult’ companies,” a clause reminiscent of the revamped “community guidelines” which have since stripped sites such as Tumblr of their NSFW content and perpetuated major payment processors’ bans on adult products.
The moral panic exhibited by CES, an organization that has itself come under recent scrutiny for sexist practices, seems to be the trend but Barrica expresses confidence in her fellow industry leaders.
“Today’s sextech entrepreneurs aren't mistaking the gatekeepers’ power for invincibility — rather, the opposite. For many, a gatekeeper’s refusal to engage with sextech is a sign of their stagnation and obsolescence, and a weakness that can be used against them.”
Creators and entrepreneurs alike are finding clever workarounds to demand space and forge their way in the global retail industry, notably utilizing crowdfunding and mainstream media to garner free marketing and publicity.
“You have to come up with distribution strategies that are creative,” commented Cyan Banister, founder of the adult-themed social network Zivity. “You can’t depend on some channels.”
Barrica concludes with an uplifting call to action.
“Sextech has never had the luxury of stability. It's never had easy clearance of gates, nor an old boy’s network that can provide it with loopholes. But this isn’t the disadvantage that it might seem. These hurdles have made the businesses — and the founders behind them — stronger and better able to survive even tectonic shifts. With constant threat or defunding or deplatforming, sextech entrepreneurs have built innovation and adaptability into the DNA of their businesses.”
With the threat of destruction constantly looming, sextech pioneers have developed the ability to adapt and when faced with conservative gatekeepers, adapt they will.
To read the full article, click here.


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – German automaker Volkswagen AG’s U.S. unit issued a false news release on Tuesday claiming it would rename its U.S. operations as “Voltswagen of America” in a marketing stunt designed to call attention to its electric vehicle efforts, three people briefed on the matter told Reuters.
The automaker was set to acknowledge it will not change its name on Wednesday morning, but the timing could change, the sources said. The news release, posted on its website and accompanied by tweets, was reported by Reuters and other outlets globally and included a detailed description of its purported rebranding efforts and new logos.
A Volkswagen spokesman in Germany called the rebranding a “nice idea” with a focus on marketing. A Volkswagen of America spokesman and Volkswagen Group of America CEO Scott Keogh did not immediately comment.
VW had said it mistakenly published a draft of the fake release on Monday and took it down after some reporters wrote stories about it. It then issued the “official” announcement on Tuesday, two days before the April Fool’s Day holiday.
The world’s second-largest carmaker expects to double electric vehicle deliveries and boost profits for its core brand this year after stepping up its switch to fully electric vehicles.
Some VW officials have expressed frustration that its significant U.S. EV efforts have not drawn as much attention as Tesla or General Motors.
The Volkswagen brand aims to invest 16 billion euros ($19 billion) in electrification and digitalization by 2025. It has committed to sell one million EVs worldwide by 2025.
Volkswagen in 2015 admitted to using illegal software to rig diesel engine tests in the United States, sparking Germany’s biggest corporate crisis and costing the carmaker more than 32 billion euros ($38 billion) in fines, refits and legal costs.
In 2017, VW pleaded guilty to fraud, obstruction of justice and making false statements as part of a $4.3 billion settlement reached with the U.S. Justice Department over the automaker’s diesel emissions scandal.
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It’s shaping up to be a busy summer for two entrepreneurs – one a recent high school graduate – pushing baby food and video games.
Fran Free, CEO and founder of Oh Baby Foods, said she has lots of irons in the fire as she gears up for a new product launch of toddler foods she hopes to bring to market by March 2015.
“Growth takes capital and expanding a product line quite be quite intensive in terms of time and money. It takes about a year to develop from the concept phase to end product. We are working to secure about $2 million in added capital to support this new product launch,” Free said.
Free is not just interested in securing the loan, but she also hopes to garner advisory expertise with strategic funding partners. The company recently was able to pay off an investor, which Free said felt “really good.”
Earlier this week Oh Baby completed its second production run in two months as it gears up to enter eight states in August with rollouts at Whole Foods and other retailers. The eight states are new markets for Oh Baby, and will give the company a presence in 39 states.
“We are excited to be going to the Rocky Mountain area and the Northeast and Mid- Atlantic regions, where we have not been sold before. We recently brought on new brokers in those regions which took some time to find,” Free said.
Because Oh Baby Foods uses fresh fruit and vegetables in its product formulations the summer harvest period is busy for Free who is working to negotiate contracts with suppliers for the next year.
“We had a production run yesterday, and it was the first time I haven’t been to there to oversee it. This time my food scientist took care of it for me so I could continue to work on other things like the supplier contracts. This is huge for me to be able to delegate something as important as production runs. But having a food scientist to oversee production responsibilities which take place in California makes sense at this time,” Free said.
Since The City Wire’s last update, Overwatch CEO Josh Moody graduated from high school and is now working full-time toward product launches that will begin as early as next month.
Moody said the Overwatch gaming application for iOs Apple users was beta tested and submitted to Apple for approval this week. He expects the app will go up on the App store in the next two weeks or so. The Android app continues to be developed, and the company will begin announcing more information about its release in the near future.
Moody said the beta testing including both Apple and Android users and the developers received some good feedback from the tests which they used to tweak the iOs user interface. Improvements were made to the overall gaming experience regarding the location of teammates and use of radar that helps track opponents. Moody said hardware components are taking longer to complete as they are working with Cybergun’s manufacturing facilities based outside the U.S.
“The finalized design on the rail mount hardware is done. We are waiting on receipt of the 3-D printed design from the manufacturer so we can put it through durability and functionality testing. At that point we order manufacturing to begin. We expect to have the hardware case mounts in retail stores before the holiday season,” Moody said.
In the meantime, Overwatch’s armband hardware has been approved and is ready to manufacture once the apps are approved by Apple and Android.
“We still have to design the packaging for the armband product which will be sold online once the apps are approved and manufacturing begins,” Moody said.
The company has not been without a few setbacks. The largest of those being a trademark challenge by a large gaming company.
“We were able to come to an agreement with them, successfully securing the Overwatch trademark for our mobile gaming use — and making us the official Overwatch app on both the iOS and Android app stores,” Moody said.
He said the company is also looking for other products that will enhance the game play of the apps. They are acquiring a Heads Up Display (HUD) which it will use for experimental testing.
“We are extremely excited about the future of HUD integration with Overwatch, as it offers a unique, highly unobtrusive way to display important gaming information right in a player's line-of-sight,” Moody said.
He explained that the HUD product is a SNOW2 made by Recon Instruments which was designed for snowboard/ski goggles, but it can modified to fit into a paintball mask.
All of this work takes money and Moody said the company is working to nail down its final funding round of $300,000.
“The product will be released regardless of the funding raise, but the raise will give us the necessary funds to operate a full marketing campaign to promote our release,” Moody said.


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Subscription-based streamers outstrip ad-supported services’ share of watch time
Ad-supported streaming services have some catching up to do. Subscription-based streaming services, which are largely ad-free, continue to dominate the amount of time people spend streaming video. But there is an opportunity for ad-supported streamers to edge into subscription-based services’ share of audiences’ attentions.
Of the time that people spent streaming video in 2020, 62% was spent on subscription-based services versus 32% on ad-supported services, according to a survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted by auditing and consulting firm PwC.
The reason for the gap may not be a simple matter of people preferring to watch movies and shows without commercial interruptions. That’s a likely contributing factor, but another consideration is that “there are a lot more [subscription-based] platforms than [ad-supported] platforms,” said Todd Supplee, partner at PwC.
With the exception of Hulu, the preeminent streaming services have been subscription-based and sans ads. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have historically dominated the market, and more recently Disney’s Disney+ and WarnerMedia’s HBO Max have risen the ranks without relying on advertisers for revenue.
However, the past year — and this year in particular — has seen an increasing influx of major ad-supported streamers. Last July, NBCUniversal’s Peacock rolled out nationally in the U.S. Then in January, Discovery debuted Discovery+. And in June alone, both HBO Max and ViacomCBS’s Paramount+ will have added ad-supported tiers to their respective services.
The ad-supported streaming landscape “is significantly different than it was 18 months ago. It’s been like a hockey stick,” said one agency executive.
The introduction of more ad-supported streamers has coincided with an increase in the overall number of streaming services that people use. In 2020, the typical person used, on average, nearly eight streaming services — including free services — compared to six in 2019, according to PwC.
While people are using more streaming services, the market among major ad-supported streamers is still settling. For example, the audience overlap among the major ad-supported streamers is relatively minimal, said a second agency executive. Moreover, each of the aforementioned major ad-supported services, as well as Hulu, provide ad-free tiers, and their primary ad-supported tiers still require people to pay a monthly fee. That can make it hard to gauge how their ad-supported viewership may change month to month.
Nonetheless, the growing number of streaming services offering high-quality shows and movies and charging for access may lead more people to opt for the cheaper ad-supported tiers to access a wide array of programming without breaking the bank.
In PwC’s survey, 63% of respondents said they would be willing to sit through more ads if it meant lower subscription prices. “There are people that have budget constraints,” Supplee said.
What’s unclear, though, is how many more ads people would be willing to sit through. Ad-supported streamers have used their low ad loads as a selling point, at least to advertisers. Compared to traditional TV, which typically features 16 minutes’ worth of ads per hour of programming, NBCUniversal’s Peacock has capped its ad load at five minutes of ads per hour, where Discovery+ and HBO Max have maxed out at four minutes. The lower ad loads are intended to make the services more attractive to audiences accustomed to seeing zero ads on Netflix or to being able to zip through ads through their traditional TV DVRs. And that idea has made them more attractive to advertisers.
“I do like the limited ad loads and decreasing interruptions. It’s making a more consumer-friendly ad experience,” said a third agency executive.
Four years after its premiere, NBC News’ ‘Stay Tuned’ has stayed the course on Snapchat
The twice-daily news show averages nearly 1 million unique viewers per episode, and 50% of its audience tunes in at least three times per week.
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3D printing is beginning to make a huge impact within the field of medicine, as doctors, surgeons and hospital personnel are beginning to realize the benefits that the technology provides. Surgeries are being sped up, patients are understanding their upcoming surgeries better, and post-surgical healing is happening quicker than ever.
Back in February, we reported on a company called Zdravprint which was looking to bring 3D printed casts to market. Today, we have been informed by Zdravprint that they have successfully been able to do just that, plus much more.
“Zdravprint has significantly moved forward,” Nadir Khabdulin, of Maxfield Capital Venture Fund, a seed investor of Zdravprint, tells 3DPrint.com. “They have expanded their range of products, gained traction and signed several agreements with clients. One of them is big hospital which now is using 3D printed casts to cure their patients”
That hospital is NNIITO, and they aren’t only 3D printing casts for their patients, but they are also printing finger splints, models of injured bones which doctors are using to train with prior to surgery, and casting molds which are used for bone replacement bipolymers.
“They sell almost 10 splints per week,” Khabdulin tells us.
Surprisingly, these medical aids are not 3D printed on large scale industrial 3D printers, but are actually being fabricated using a MakerBot Replicator 2. It all started just 2 months ago, when Zdravprint began integrating a set of 3D printing applications into the large traumatology and orthopedics hospital which is located in Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia.
“They use the apps to input biometric parameters of the patient, then a 3D model of a finger splint is calculated in our cloud customizer and sent to the printer,” CEO of Zdravprint, Fedor Aptekarev tells 3DPrint.com. “In 5 to 30 minutes, an individual splint is ready to be applied to the injured phalanx. Within two months, local doctors helped us create a set of models for frequent cases that we integrated in our cloud customizer. 3D printed splints are a hot topic in the media so we received requests for this technology to be integrated in hospitals outside [of] Russia. We’re working on regulatory procedures.”
While the 3D printers and the apps were initially intended to be used to 3D print splints and casts, doctors who had been using the technology soon found even more uses for it. The doctors, with the help of Zdravprint, began taking 3D CT scan data and printing these as tangible 3D models as well.
In addition to this, doctors also began using the 3D printers to produce individual bone replacement implants.
“First we model and 3D print a casting mold of the bone defect out dissolvable filaments,” Aptekarev tells us. “Then the biopolymer is injected into the mold. After it hardens, the mold is dissolved in appropriate liquid and the implant is sent for pre-surgery testing and cleaning. Before 3D printing [was available] they could not produce individual implants inside the hospital.”
While these advancements for this hospital seem quite fascinating, Aptekarev tells us that Zdravprint isn’t done innovating quite yet. Next they plan to build a large 3D printer which will be capable of printing braces for knees, elbows and shoulders. Additionally, they plan to expand outside of Russia, with the launch of a new website called healthprint.io in the near future.
What do you think about the use of desktop 3D printers such as a MakerBot Replicator 2, in creating casts, splints, medical models and actual bone replacements for patients? How soon will we begin to see all hospitals use this technology? Discuss in the Zdravprint forum thread on 3DPB.com.
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Facebook is attempting to build the Facebook Metaverse, a virtual reality world for work, play, and social interaction. Facebook will be changing its name to represent the Facebook Metaverse, but the new name is not yet revealed.
The Facebook Metaverse will allow people to interact in a virtual environment through Oculus rift in VR and through other traditional devices in AR. The Facebook Metaverse's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, began this project by purchasing Oculus in 2014 and believes the Facebook Metaverse will not be complete for years to come.
The venture for the Facebook Metaverse is not cheap and will not be profitable until it is a significant element of internet life. The Facebook Metaverse will remove physical barriers to daily life such as commuting to work for meetings or traveling the world for events.
The Facebook Metaverse is expected to be the successor to the mobile internet, adding a new dimension to current internet activities. Instead of just watching a video or looking at a project, the Facebook Metaverse fully immerses you in the digital world.
The Facebook Metaverse will not be entirely owned by Facebook, it will be open-source, allowing many companies to add business or game elements to the Facebook Metaverse. Facebook's growth from ad revenue has been slowing down, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg realizes that innovation is the future. This innovation is the Facebook Metaverse, which will become the new normal, removing the need for applications like Zoom.
Facebook is a massive, $915 billion dollar company with over 2.5 billion users. The Facebook Metaverse currently exists in an early stage known as Facebook Horizon, which is gaining more users and investors rapidly.
Facebook is definitely suited to develop the Facebook Metaverse as they have all of the required pieces. The dream of the Facebook Metaverse becomes more of a reality each month, and it's clear utility will make it an integral part of society when it arrives.
Digital innovation is the future, and the Facebook Metaverse is the ideal realization of this innovation for entertainment and workplace efficiency.
Image Credit: Facebook, Oculus


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Police seizing e-scooters minutes after purchase says spokesman
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Many e-scooter riders have said that high street shops and online retailers shouldn’t be allowed to sell something that they can’t use in the overwhelming majority of places. Some experts believe that the widespread nature of rental e-scooter schemes is making people believe that private e-scooters fall under the same rules.
E-scooters are considered “powered transporters” which are designated as any personal transportation device that is powered by a motor.
Because of this, e-scooters are subject to all the same legal requirements as more common vehicles, including MOT, tax licensing and specific construction.
Since e-scooters don’t always have visible rear red lights, number plates or signalling ability, they can’t legally be used on roads.
When renting scooters, the Met Police say they will issue fines of £50 for riding on the footway.
If riders are caught using a mobile phone or riding through a red light, they can be slapped with a £100 fine and six penalty points on their driving licence.
With thousands of e-scooters expected to be given as Christmas presents this year, there are fears this could lead to a spike in private e-scooter use.
Eamonn Dunne, Engagement Manager (North East) for the Thomas Pocklington Trust is campaigning for shops and online marketplaces to do more to make potential customers aware of the dangers.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, he said: “Shops need to tell prospective buyers that they are only legal on private land, using them on public land is legal and subject to certain sanctions.
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“That’s what a retailer’s responsibility is. Some websites, the messaging is there, it could be better, it could flash up or something, but it’s okay.
“When you add specific scooters to the basket, it clearly says what the legal use is.
“So when someone rides it legally, they can’t say they didn’t know. They can’t say they were made aware of the retailer. That’s responsible, but others just don’t do it.”
The Thomas Pocklington Trust is a national charity which supports blind and partially sighted people and has received a lot of feedback saying that e-scooters are becoming a real problem.
Save 10% on your MOT
It’s Kwik Fits’ Midsommer Madness sale and you can take 10% off your MOT Test with the UK’s #1 MOT tester – just click the link to book online.
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Now in its 21st year, the high-profile event drew thousands of exhibitors, key industry figures and yachting enthusiasts who descended on the Dubai International Marine Club for the 5 day fair.
In total, yachts worth over $272 million were on display with an impressive 31 launches also taking place exclusively at the show.
Amongst the standout yachts to debut in Dubai were a 30-metre from German shipyard KaiserWerft, a 40m from Italian boat builder Sanlorenzo, and a 47-metre from UAE company Gulf Craft – representing its largest yacht to date.
Also in attendance was His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, who inaugurated show.
“We are extremely honoured and grateful to H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum for his support and presence at this year’s Dubai International Boat Show, said H.E. Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre and Director General of the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.
“Dubai is a lucrative platform for the leisure boating community in the Middle East and globally, and the show continues to cement its role as the catalyst for increased foreign investment and business opportunities.”
To reinforce the Middle East’s growing influence on the yachting world, the Dubai event also hosted its first ‘Made in UAE Pavilion’, aimed at providing a platform for small-to-medium UAE boat builders such as Al Hareb Marine, Julfar Craft, Legacy Yachts and Ocean Boats, to increase local and global market exposure.
The Dubai International Boat Show ran from 5th – 9th March.


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New Wetsuit Gives Divers The Edge
HECSLLC today announces the launch of a new range of wetsuits designed to help divers get closer to marine life. The wetsuits have been developed by US company HECSLLC and contain a layer of energy-blocking material known as HECS StealthScreen. HECSLLC has been awarded multiple patents for the technology.
Warren Bird, HECS development director, says; “Many marine animals can detect and react to electric signals. HECS StealthScreen helps reduce the human electric signal.” Warren adds; “HECS benefits anyone who wants to get closer to lobsters, sharks, rays, eels and other marine animals that can detect electric signals. We are getting amazing feedback from divers and marine biologists about the efficacy of the HECS suits.”
Marine Biologist Riley Elliot says; “Being specialized in animal behavior, I have been testing this technology for the past five years. It is the application of a proven scientific technology - the Faraday cage - to a wetsuit, and it is showing extremely exciting benefits to cameramen, spearfishers, divers and anyone who wants to mask their foreign presence in the water, allowing closer and more natural animal interactions.”
The HECS StealthScreen material is lightweight, comfortable and flexible, and contains a unique combination of conductive carbon fibers, which act as a lightweight Faraday cage to reduce the output of electric signals. The material is available in a specially-designed camouflage pattern, and can be worn on its own or bonded to neoprene for wetsuits.
The HECS Dive Skin 1mm suit is designed for tropical waters, and is priced at around US$395 RSP. The price includes fullsuit, hood, gloves and socks.
For cooler water, HECS Spear Wetsuit is priced at around US$695 RSP for the 5mm full suit. The price includes hooded top, long johns, gloves and boots.
HECS Dive Skins and HECS Spear Wetsuits are available online at www.hecsaquatic.com


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President Buhari’s Socialist welfare leanings could be shaping Nigeria up to become the next Venezuela.
In his second stint as president, Muhammadu Buhari is still not realizing that mere will-power or ‘body language’ will not win against the force of free market.
His preference for sticking with controlled markets, rather than accelerating reforms towards freely determined markets show that he is not quite the messiah that Nigerians have come to expect. These controlled and distorted markets, with their artificial prices are bringing Nigeria’s economy down to its knees.
A key feature of a distorted market is the existence of two prices and two markets for one product, which create arbitrage opportunity. People buy in one market (often the lower-priced govt controlled one) and sell in the other, for a higher price.
The second market often exists because supply and demand at the original market does not match. It doesn’t match because there is either way too much demand because price is low, or supply is too little because price is not competitive enough.
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Although petrol prices have been pegged at N86 (or 43 cents) a litre, consumers have found it increasingly difficult to get the commodity at that price. Over the last few days prices have hovered at between N150 and N200, more than double the price fixed by the government.
Norway, the 3rd largest energy exporter in the world sells petrol to its citizens at $1.63, almost 4 times what is sold in Nigeria. The US sells for 66, cents nearly double that price.
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Nigerian petrol marketers would often happily hoard the product whenever the opportunity arises, and wait for better conditions to sell at a higher price.
The smarter ones take products destined for Nigerian market to sell to neighboring countries where prices are higher.
Because of Nigeria’s distorted market and pricing system, the country is suffering an incomprehensible scarcity of petrol, while the rest of the world is drowning in too much oil.
In the same way a black market for foreign exchange was strengthened after government tightened its grip on the exchange rate, the black market for petrol is now taking over the streets.
Somehow, the government still thinks that the way boost supply of the product is to interfere even more and squeeze the independent/private suppliers out of the market, rather than release its chokehold on the product’s price. It now plans to allocate 78% of import quotas to the state oil company. A move that has irked the independent marketers.
Right now, there is a tussle for market share in the petrol distribution industry between the government and private individual suppliers which has further constricted supply. The consumers who continue to suffer scarcity as sellers refuse to sell, are the only victims in this fight.
The effect of controlled markets is having even more dire consequences for the country.
Nigeria has remained in perpetual darkness as gains in the amount of electricity generation steadily fall.
Independent electricity generation and distribution companies are refusing to produce more power because the prices at which they can sell their electricity has been fixed by the government. An attempt to increase the prices to make them more economically viable met with resistance and a summon to the senate.
The price for gas, an indispensable input for power generation is also fixed. Gas producers are pussy-footing with regards to capacity expansion even though the potential market is humongous, and the business case for investment in gas is as clear as sky.
As much gas as they already produce is snapped up by gas hungry plants and manufacturing companies seeking to reduce costs.
Although the gas companies can expand and sell much more, they are hesitating because there is little incentive.
There is also a lack of investment in electricity transmission because it is still being fully controlled by the government. Meanwhile, the blackouts linger.
Last Thursday, electricity generation at the main grid fell to zero due to system collapse that has become a rathe regular occurrence.
All these mean that productivity is plunging, fuel queues are longer, frustration is rising, companies are shrinking, and unemployment is rising.


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TESCO AND WWF LAUNCH NEW PROGRAMME TO SCALE-UP FOOD INNOVATION IN THE UK
Supermarket giant Tesco has continued its partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) on a new programme that aims to boost food innovation in the UK.
Chiefly, the goal of this partnership – which started back in 2018 – and the new Innovation Connections programme – is to increase food innovation in the supply chain and decrease the negative impacts that food can have on the environment, as well as guaranteeing UK food security. This will be done by connecting innovative start-ups with Tesco suppliers.
Innovation Connection will reportedly tackle “a key barrier preventing promising sustainability innovations from being adopted at scale in food supply chains”, as put in a public statement. This will be done by finding and partnering with suppliers that are able to help scale-up new innovations and technology.
The programme opened up to applicants, who were matched with Tesco’s long-term suppliers. The teams will work on pitching concept scale-up projects that can be implemented in food supply chains. Winners will then be selected to work with supplier partners of Tesco, in order to pilot and scale their ideas. Winners will also receive around €175,000 in funding.
“To deliver affordable, healthy and sustainable food for all, the entire food sector must innovate fast”, said Tesco Group CEO Ken Murphy. “That’s why, as well as driving improvements in our operations, Tesco is collaborating with innovative suppliers and start-ups”.
Finalists selected to come up with food innovation strategies
Eight finalists have been selected for this year’s innovation programme. Among the finalists are AgriSound & AM Fresh, Aurea & Adrian Scripps, Chirrup.ai & Hilton, CCm, Andermatt FCT & Branston, FCT & ProduceWorld, Future by Insects & Hilton, Harbro & Muller and InsPro & Prepworld.
The finalists will compete this month (May 2022) to be winners and actualise their food innovation strategy.
“More than a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions are driven by how we produce and consume food, but it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s possible for farms to produce enough nutritious food and sustain farmers’ livelihoods at the same time as protecting and restoring the natural resources they depend on”, said WWF CEO Tanya Steele, CEO, WWF.
“We hope the launch of this new accelerator program with Tesco will bring innovative solutions a step closer and help us achieve our goal of halving the environmental impacts of the average UK shopping basket”.
Tesco and World Wide Fund for Nature continue their partnership
As previously mentioned, Tesco and WWF have been working together since 2018. “Despite being very different organisations, Tesco and WWF share a common ambition”, says WWF. “To make affordable, healthy, sustainable food available to everyone”.
The Fund cited a Living Planet Report as being a main driver for increasing food innovation on the supply chain. The report explained that wildlife populations have decreased by 60% in the last 50 years. “The single biggest reason for this disastrous decline is the global food system – what we eat, how we produce it, and how it reaches our plates”.
By partnering with Tesco, the organisations intend to improve the food supply system from the inside, and WWF benefits from having a platform in one of the UK’s most popular supermarkets.
Three main aspects of the eco mission have been outlined by the WWF: helping everyone to eat more sustainably, restoring nature in food production and eliminating waste.
Winners of the Innovation Connections programme will be announced later this month (May 2022).


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Following the rise in the consumer energy price cap, business leaders from across the brewing and pub industry have signed an open letter to the Government and leadership candidates warning small businesses will close and jobs will be lost if immediate action isn’t taken on energy bills for businesses
The letter, signed by six business leaders warns that pub and brewing businesses across the UK are at risk of closure due to out of control energy bills, with upwards of 300% price hikes reported.
Chief Executives of regional and family brewing and pub businesses to international companies came together to raise alarm of the ‘real and serious irreversible’ damage the energy crisis will cause if the Government does not implement an urgent support package that effectively caps the price of energy for businesses.
It is an issue impacting the entirety of the industry’s supply chain, with major CO2 producer, CF Industries announcing it will be ceasing production of what is a critical component in beer production and dispense in pubs, citing market conditions as a key decision driver.
The call from business leaders follows the consumer energy price cap announcement at the end of last week which set raised the limit at which consumer energy bills will be capped.
Representatives from J.W Lees, Greene King, Admiral Taverns, St Austell Brewery, Drake and Morgan and Carlsberg Marstons, who make up the Board of the British Beer and Pub Association, noted that whilst action on consumer energy prices is essential, without relief for businesses many jobs and livelihoods would be lost in the coming months.
Chris Jowsey, Chief Executive, Admiral Taverns said:
“The impact of energy price rises on community pubs is truly frightening. One of our licensees reluctantly gave notice to leave his pub, after the cost of electricity increased by 450%, making it impossible to trade profitably. Let’s not forget that for most licensees, the pub is not just their business but also their family home.
“I raised this issue with Minister’s over 6 months ago, but the government has failed to act. A small business price cap is essential if we want to retain local pubs and the jobs and support they provide to their communities across the UK.”
Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive, British Beer and Pub Association said:
“This rise in energy costs will cause more damage to our industry than the pandemic did if nothing is done in the next few weeks, consumers will now be thinking even more carefully about where they spend their money. There are pubs that weathered the storm of the past two years that now face closure because of rocketing energy bills for both them and their customers.
“If we lose them, we not only lose businesses and the jobs that go with them, but also the beating heart of communities across the country where people gather in times of need. We need an energy cap for businesses before it’s too late.”
© 2024 Admiral Taverns Ltd. All Rights Reserved. Registered in England & Wales No. 05438628


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$DCGO reports FY2022 revenue up 38%, expects 14-16% growth in FY2023
Mar 13th 2023, 8:33 pm
Analyst Summary: Mobile health service provider DocGo Inc. reported fiscal year 2022 revenue of $440.5 million, up 38 percent year-over-year, with non-COVID related revenue up 75 percent. For full-year 2023, the company expects adjusted EBITDA of $45-$50 million, gross margin of 35 percent, and revenue of $500-$510 million, representing growth of approximately 14 percent to 16 percent over 2022. DocGo also plans to launch its new 'rapid normalization initiative' which seeks to cut onboarding new contracts from 90 to 120 days to 60 days. The company reported costs associated with new projects launched in 2022 but expects its rapid normalization initiative to mitigate these costs in the future. DocGo CEO, Anthony Capone stated he was pleased with the company's performance during the quarter and full-year despite challenges brought on by the pandemic.


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* July CPI up 0.67 pct m/m, below forecast of 0.87 pct
* July CPI up 4.61 pct y/y, below forecast of 4.81 pct
* July core CPI up 4.55 pct y/y, below forecast of 4.70 pct
JAKARTA, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Indonesia's July consumer price index from the country's statistics bureau.
KEY DATA: CPI (y/y pct change) (m/m pct
change) July 4.61 July 0.67 June 5.54 June 0.55 May 5.98 May 0.12 April 6.16 April -0.31 March 6.65 March -0.32 Feb 6.84 Feb 0.13 Jan 7.02 Jan 0.89 Dec 6.96 Dec 0.92 Nov 6.33 Nov 0.60 Oct 5.67 Oct 0.06 Sept 5.80 Sept 0.44 Aug 6.44 Aug 0.76 July 6.22 July 1.57 June 5.05 June 0.97 May 4.16 May 0.29 April 3.91 April 0.15 March 3.43 March -0.14 Feb 3.81 Feb 0.30 Jan 3.72 Jan 0.84 Dec 2.78 Dec 0.33 Nov 2.41 Nov -0.03 Oct 2.57 Oct 0.19 Sept 2.83 Sept 1.05 Aug 2.75 Aug 0.56 July 2.71 July 0.45 June 3.65 June 0.11 May 6.04 May 0.04 April 7.31 April -0.31 March 7.92 March 0.22 Feb 8.60 Feb 0.21
Indonesia's annual inflation in July was seen easing to the lowest since May 2010 at 4.81 percent, though month-on-month inflation was expected to pick up to 0.87 percent as food prices went up ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in August. Families enjoy elaborate evening meals after fasting during the day.
The consensus by analysts in a Reuters poll was in line with an estimate by the country's statistics bureau chief, who on Thursday saw July inflation below 5 percent from a year ago.
Analysts expected the slowing inflation to give Indonesia's central bank room to again hold its benchmark overnight policy rate when meeting on August 9, though they still expect it will lift the rate once more this year to dampen inflation.
Core inflation -- which excludes administered prices and volatile foods -- in July was seen quickening to 4.7 percent from a year ago, nearing a 5 percent level the central bank previously said might trigger policy tightening.
Bank Indonesia (BI) in its last policy statement said inflation was seen as under control and the appreciation of the rupiah currency was in line with efforts to dampen inflation.
A BI deputy governor said annual inflation could ease to 4.9 percent by year-end if the government did not change its policy on fuel subsidies.
Any change on fuel subsidies could trigger inflation to build to 5.7 percent, still within BI's target of 4 to 6 percent by year-end.
The central bank has said it remains prudent in dealing with price pressures, following its only rate rise this year in February, though analysts see it as having become less hawkish as inflation eased in recent months. BI has signaled further macroprudential policies to manage liquidity.
- Indonesia's statistics bureau: .... www.bps.go.id
- CPI breakdown ................................. (Reporting by Aditya Suharmoko and Adriana Nina Kusuma; Editing by Neil Chatterjee)


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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) -- Shares of gun maker Smith & Wesson fell Tuesday after the gun maker didn't boost its outlook for the year, despite a strong fall quarter, increasing worries about slowing demand in the coming months.
THE SPARK: Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. late on Monday projected net income and revenue for its latest quarter that topped a prior forecast, as well as Wall Street expectations. The quarter, its fiscal second, ran from August to October. The company will release full results on Dec. 6.
But the company kept a previous outlook for the full year, which ends in April.
THE BIG PICTURE: President Barack Obama's administration has been good for the gun industry. Industry watchers have speculated that gun shoppers increased purchases out of fear that Obama's presidency would lead to tougher gun restrictions. But Washington has expressed little interest in passing new gun laws.
Smith & Wesson said the August-October quarter's sales were driven by strong demand for M&P branded products such as pistols, modern sporting rifles, and its new Shield line of weapons.
THE ANALYSIS: The fast-growing gun industry, driven in part by election-related purchases, may be approaching a peak in demand, said KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst Scott Hamann in a research note Tuesday.
That the company did not raise its guidance for the year may be evidence that supports his concerns about gun demand weakening in the coming months, he said.
Hamann has a "Hold" rating on the shares.
THE SHARES: Smith & Wesson shares fell 38 cents, or 3.8 percent, to $9.67 in late afternoon trading. Shares of the Springfield, Mass., company have more than doubled in 2012 and more than tripled over the past 12 months.


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The Government has committed to reaching net zero by 2050 and to leave the environment in a better condition for future generations. However, analysis by the Climate Change Committee suggests that "without changes to people’s behaviours now, the target of net zero by 2050 is not achievable".
The report, In our hands: behaviour change for climate and environmental goals, makes several recommendations. The first is to improve the prevalence of positive environmental behaviours like using public transport. This recommendation points out that advertising currently runs in the contrary direction, with a disproportionate space given to high-carbon products like SUVs.
The second recommendation is to do more to counter greenwashing, build consumer trust and ensure companies that make products or provide services with lower environmental impact can compete fairly.
The final recommendation is to introduce measures to regulate the advertising of high-carbon and environmentally damaging products. The priorities are to create clear definitions of commonly used environmental terms, to which businesses must adhere in marketing and labelling their products, and banning misleading and unsubstantiated environmental claims under consumer law.
The report refers to work done by the Competition and Markets Authority in its publication of the Green Claims Code, the Advertising Standards Authority’s advice that ad regulation needs to do its part in reaching climate goals.
The recommendations have been welcomed by campaigners who have been making the case that advertising has a direct impact on the climate and thus needs to be better regulated. The group Badvertising called for “tobacco-style restrictions on advertising of high-carbon and environmentally damaging products” to reduce advertising’s climate impact.
Robbie Gillett, a campaigner at Badvertising, said: “Such recommendations coming directly from the House of Lords shows precisely how much high-carbon advertising needs regulation. For too long, corporations have downplayed or outright misled consumers on the exact impact of their products and services.
“Just as we did for tobacco, we need to stop advertising polluting products that are harming our health and our planet and move beyond the culture of hyper-consumerism that advertising promotes.”


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Status: 11/25/2020 1:33 p.m.
The trend towards home offices has changed the world of work dramatically. But many employees were not at all technically prepared for this. Computer companies Dell and HP are reporting unprecedented demand.
The computer manufacturer Dell has clearly exceeded the expectations of Wall Street with its figures for the third fiscal quarter. The bottom line was that profits shot up 60 percent to $ 881 million.
“Technology has never been as important as it is today,” announced Dell CEO Jeff Clarke on Tuesday after the US market closed when he presented the quarterly figures. “We have seen unprecedented demand for home work applications.”
Before the corona crisis, PCs had already degenerated into slow moving and Dell was declared the dinosaur of the IT industry, the pandemic had provided a role backwards here.
Many employees and families first had to upgrade their technology for home office and homeschooling. And many did this in the traditional way with PCs.
HP is optimistic about the future
“The PC suddenly became essential,” emphasized HP CEO Enrique Lores in an interview with the news portal Marketwatch on Tuesday evening. Previously, the HP group had also presented surprisingly good figures for the past quarter. Accordingly, the profit in the fourth fiscal quarter with 668 million dollars was a whopping 72 percent above the corresponding figure for the previous year.
The view into the near future is also extremely positive. HP expects earnings per share of 64 to 70 cents for the current quarter – and thus easily surpasses the market consensus, which is 54 cents per share.
Dell shares in great demand in 2020
The great demand for PCs, notebooks and tablets during the Corona crisis and the resulting good business for computer manufacturers are meanwhile also being reflected on the stock market. But this is where the wheat is separated from the chaff.
While the Dell share has increased 37 percent since the beginning of the year, the plus for the HP share amounts to just six percent. By way of comparison: The market-wide American share index S&P 500 posted a gain of 13 percent in the same period.
At the beginning
This article was printed out at the address:


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As disturbing information comes to light of the depth and breadth of the National Security Agency’s (NSA’s) spying program, three things have happened: Americans have become angrier, politicians have done more grandstanding and technology companies have been quietly trying to make it just a little bit harder for government agencies to use the information they collect against American citizens.
In late September, Google made a change – very quietly – that aimed to encrypt all search activity except for clicks-on ads. The move was reportedly undertaken to provide “extra protection” for searchers whose online activity was a target for the NSA and other security and intelligence agencies.
The encrypted searching has reportedly been in place for users logged into Google since 2011, but now it’s a staple for everyone using Google search, the Mountain Valley, California-based search giant has confirmed:
“We added SSL encryption for our signed-in search users in 2011, as well as searches from the Chrome omnibox earlier this year,” Google told Danny Sullivan of SearchEngineLand. “We’re now working to bring this extra protection to more users who are not signed in.”
The change hasn’t pleased everyone, says Sullivan. When Google searches are encrypted, search terms that are normally passed along to publishers after someone clicks on their links at Google are withheld. In Google Analytics, the actual term is replaced with a “Not Provided” notation. This information was formerly a large source of information for publishers, who are less than happy to find it’s no longer available.
“A lot of people who conduct marketing on the web are freaking out about it: Now, they complain they're basically flying blind,” wrote Business Insider’s Jim Edwards. “And they're angry, because the data that has been switched off is the ‘organic’ search data, not the paid search data generated when people click on search ads.”
Because of the new encryption program, Google is only passing along data regarding what words are generating incoming traffic to publishers who pay for advertising on Google. While Google has replaced the free data with the information derived from its Webmaster Tools product, publishers say it’s not the same.
“Many marketers complain that the difference between organic search data in Google Analytics and the data inside Webmaster Tools is that the latter is based on a sampling, or an average set of aggregated traffic. It's not the full data set of terms that generate all Google visits to your web site,” wrote Edwards. “And it isn't as accurate or useful, a source tells Business Insider, because search marketing is an extremely quant-oriented business where full, accurate datasets convey significant advantages.”
One marketing executive who recently spoke to Ad Age called it a “data apocalypse.” Americans aware of the extent of government spying on their online activities, however, should be pleased that Google had a choice between them and marketers and chose them.
Edited by Blaise McNamee


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Posts Tagged 'web'
The Internet continually evolves and there are a number of important considerations every business person, marketer and ecommerce manager should be paying attention to this year.
A Cornish company has just completed work on a sophisticated web based flight booking system for a major national travel company after being recommended as one of the few companies in the country able to program this level of system.
April 14th, 2008 and filed in News
Social-media sites like Wikipedia and Digg are celebrated as shining examples of Web democracy, places built by millions of Web users who all act as writers, editors, and voters. In reality, a small number of people are running the show. According to researchers in Palo Alto,
Owning your own network online could never be simpler than through www.ning.com, a white label social networking site that enables individuals to create their own social networks at no cost. Never one to miss an opportunity to test a new web application, I created a group for members of the network and referral organisation, the […]
Hi my name is Aren Grimshaw and I am the Project and Account Manager of Cornish based web development company, uknetweb. My role within the company is to research emerging technologies, liaise with clients and potential clients, and manage some of the projects coming in. I have started this blog to share some of our […]


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Russian imports of pigmeat increased last year but remained at a much lower level compared to previous years.
As reported by the umbrella organisation of the Danish agricultural and food industry (Landbrug & Fødevarer, L&F) on the basis of provisional customs data, Russia imported a total of 89,040 t of pork including by-products and bacon in 2019, which was 11.2% more than in the previous year.
In 2011 and 2012 Russia still imported more than 1.1 mill. t of pork each. Thereafter, political and veterinary import bans and the strong expansion of domestic production through subsidies led to a massive drop in imports. In addition, the decline of the Russian rouble and losses in purchasing power contributed to the restriction of international pork purchases.
Last year there were de facto only seven supplier countries for the Russian market. The most important of these was Brazil, with the South American country more than tripling its exports to Russia to 40,973 t compared to 2018. The sharp increase was due to the fact that Brazilian goods were not allowed into the country for almost the whole of 2018 because of previously found residues of the growth promoter ractopamine. Brazil has now gained new customers in China and the quantities delivered to Russia are significantly lower than the 250,000 t sold there just four years ago.
The increased purchase of pork from Brazil was apparently at the expense of Chile, whose deliveries to Russia fell by almost 41% to 25,618 t. On the other hand, Russian importers in Argentina ordered 13,365 t, almost 46% more than in the previous year.
The purchase of pork from Paraguay remained largely unchanged at 4,582 t. Due to the closure of suppliers from Belarus for violations of Russian veterinary regulations, imports from this neighbouring country fell by 74% to 2,083 t compared to 2018.
Rather insignificant were the quantities sold to Russia by the seventh supplier Kazakhstan, which increased by around a quarter compared to 2019, but only amounted to 588 t in total.


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Lamborghini's Huracan and Urus will each receive two variants this year and they will be the last Lamborghinis to be launched without any form of electrification.
The new variants will be revealed in the coming months, after which the “age of internal-combustion engines” will be over at Sant'Agata, Lamborghini said on Thursday.
To be clear, there will still be internal-combustion engines fitted to Lamborghinis for years to come, though only with electrification starting in 2023 when the successor to the Aventador will arrive with a V-12 plug-in hybrid setup.
The news isn't a huge surprise as Lamborghini has stated that it will be a fully electrified brand by the end of 2024. The automaker is also committed to adding electric vehicles to its lineup.
2023 Lamborghini Aventador successor spy shots - Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
The first Lamborghini EV will be a fourth model line and arrive sometime in the second half of the decade. The model is expected to be a 2+2 grand tourer, something akin to a modern Espada.
Lamborghini didn't say what the new Huracan and Urus variants due this year will be, but we already have some clues. A high-riding Huracan based on 2019's Sterrato concept has been spotted testing. There will likely also be a special Huracan to serve as the final model powered purely by an internal-combustion engine, similar to last year's Aventador Ultimae which capped the Aventador's run.
In the case of the Urus, we know that an updated version is out testing. We may also see an oft-rumored hardcore variant.
In other Lamborghini news, the Aventador is headed back into production, albeit briefly. An additional 15 examples of the Aventador Ultimae need to be built to cover for the 15 that were lost in transport due to the sinking of the Felicity Ace cargo ship in the Atlantic Ocean in early March.


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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — What’s for dinner this weekend? How about crab cakes direct from Maryland or deep dish pizza from Chicago?
According to food industry experts, sales of mail order meals are expected to grow to between $3 and $5 billion over the next 10 years.
As CBS2’s Mary Calvi reported, everything Italian can be found over on Arthur Avenue; cheese, sopresata — it’s all there.
But what if Arthur Avenue is just too far to get to?
From New Jersey, Ken Koenig helped launch the website Foodydirect, which brings famous foods from around the country to your doorstep overnight.
Web Extra: NYC’s 5 Best Home Delivery Meal Services
You can order a deep dish pizza direct from Chicago for your weekend party or send a whole antipasto to a loved one over the holidays.
Now, iconic foods from iconic locations, are just a click away.


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For postmenopausal women who are overweight, it makes sense that losing weight could reduce their risk of breast cancer because being overweight or obese increases the risk. But when overweight women are working to shed pounds, is it primarily exercise or cutting calories that makes more of a difference in lowering the risk?
Both, suggests a new study, with weight loss fueled primarily by exercise possibly leading to even more benefits – at least in the short-term for certain markers of breast cancer.
The study is one of the few randomized controlled trials that focuses on teasing apart the effect of diet versus exercise on breast cancer risk. It was published this week in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans are out and they take a step in the right direction to help you make choices to lower your risk for cancer. Two key pieces of advice–eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of plant foods and keep sugary foods and drinks to a minimum. And that could mean fewer cases of cancer associated with poor diet and obesity.
You can put these into practice with our New American Plate model – filling at least 2/3 of your plate with vegetables, legumes, whole grains and fruit, and 1/3 or less with fish, poultry, meat and dairy.
The guidelines also recommend keeping your added sugar to 10 percent or less of your total calories. As we wrote earlier about the nutrition label and sugar, if you follow a 2000 calorie diet, you could have about one cup of fruit yogurt and one small dark chocolate bar. That’s because foods with high amounts of added sugar contribute to overweight and obesity, a cause of 10 cancers, including colorectal, postmenopausal breast and kidney.
Unfortunately, the Dietary Guidelines does not reflect the evidence-based recommendation from the independent expert committee to advise Americans to limit red and processed meat. It is disappointing that industry lobbying efforts succeeded in preventing the clear and simple message that these increase risk for colorectal cancer. AICR research has shown that red and processed meats are convincingly linked to colorectal cancer, and the World Health Organization has also recently established that link. Here’s our recommendation:
One of the most common questions we get here at AICR is about sugar. And it can be confusing. The overall body of evidence suggests that sugar’s link to cancer risk is an indirect one: diets high in sugar can lead to obesity, and excess body fat is a cause of ten different cancers.
But now comes a study performed in mice that is getting a lot of media attention. It suggests a more direct link between sugar consumption and breast cancer development. Published in Cancer Research, the study is interesting, says AICR Vice President of Research Susan Higginbotham, PhD, RD, “but it’s important to recognize, that this is a single study and it is testing diets in mice, not in people.”
“Our reports, which have reviewed thousands of studies on diet and cancer, have found no evidence that sugar or added sugar directly causes cancer in humans. “We recommend limiting energy-dense foods and avoiding sugary drinks, but current evidence suggests it is not necessary to avoid sugar altogether.”


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Research and Application News
Satellite imagery reveals deforestation in the Amazon
02 March 2016
Over the past 15 years, satellite imagery has revealed that deforestation has been increasing at an unprecedented rate in the Peruvian Amazon. According to the Environment Ministry of Peru, the high rates of deforestation are attributable to the rise of agroindustrial crops such as coffee, cacao and African palm oil. These ‘cash crops' are transforming the Amazon rainforest, impacting the local climate, water cycle and biodiversity. Satellite imagery has been used to produce valuable maps which reveal the ‘hotspots' where this deforestation is occurring and where the effects are likely to be most prominent.
These maps show how the deforested areas are closely correlated to regions where large-scale plantations have already been established, thus showing how agroindustrial crop managers are expanding their operations. The Peruvian government are actively demonstrating an awareness of climate change, especially with protecting the Amazon rainforest, though the trend in local government appears to disagree.
Image credit: Geocento - Satellite imagery reveals deforestation in the Amazon