text:
Union haul: Labor leader says Wal-Mart has been stopped
Union leaders came to Albee Square last week fearing that the recent sale of the Gallery mall would trigger a new attempt by Wal-Mart to find a location in Brooklyn. But those same leaders and workers ended up cheering as Pat Purcell, an organizer of Wal-Mart Free NYC, told the faithful, “There will be no Wal-Mart in Albee Square!”
The square will soon be bustling with development activity as new owners Acadia Realty Trust and partner Paul Travis begin demolishing the retail building to build an office and residential tower instead.
Wal-Mart has said in the past that it had eyed the site, formerly owned by Thor Equities, which bought it for a mere $25 million in 2001. Some retail experts have said that a large, big-box store like Wal-Mart — if done properly — could fill a gap in the borough’s under-served retail market.
But that wasn’t on the agenda last week at the protest-turned-party. One by one, union leaders and elected officials allied with their cause stepped up to the mic to congratulate themselves and promise to keep fighting the retail giant.
“We are not done fighting against Wal-Mart in the city of New York,” said Bruce Both, the president of Union Local 1500. “We will oppose them at every turn.”
But celebration wasn’t the only item on the agenda. Most speakers complained that the new tower does not, as yet, include any below-market-rate rentals or co-ops. And the recent development boom in Downtown Brooklyn — thanks to a 2004 upzoning passed by the city council — has left a lot of small business owners around the Fulton Mall scrambling to save their businesses.
“Our city was built on the blood and sweat of our people,” said Joy Chatel, a member of Families United for Racial and Economic Equality. “We can’t allow outsiders to come in and take that away from us.”
©2007 The Brooklyn Paper


text:
Chinese exporters at the country's largest trade fair are generally optimistic about trade prospects.
More than half of companies surveyed by the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) expect exports to rise in the second quarter, according to a poll of about 600 companies at the Canton Fair.
The ratio was up from around 43.5 percent last year. For the whole year of 2018, 56.5 percent of the firms expect exports to climb.
Firms were generally cautious on prospects of exports to North America, as uncertainties remain in China-U.S. trade relations.
Some 47 percent of the companies said they were spending more on research and development.
Li Xinghao, chairman of air conditioner manufacturer Chigo, said trade frictions would have limited impact on his business as China has competitive advantages in every part of the supply chain, but short-term effects, such as rising costs, are inevitable.
Rather than trade tensions, exporters at the fair are more worried about exchange rates.
A separate survey by China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals, and Chemicals Importers and Exporters showed that exchange rate risks topped the list of exporters' concerns, followed by rising raw material prices and product homogeneity.
Wu Jun of automaker Zotye Domy said an appreciating yuan against the U.S. dollar has made the company less competitive. The central parity rate of the yuan is about 10 percent higher against the U.S. dollar than a year ago.
Wu said that the company had to reduce costs to offset the effect while investing heavily in R&D to make products more competitive.
Zhang Hao of Baoding Changan Bus Manufacturing Company is worried that protectionism in the United States could spread to other countries that are major markets of the company. In response, Zhang said the company would focus on innovation and product quality.
"With improved quality, we will have a say no matter how high the entry barrier is," Zhang said.
The upbeat sentiment among exporters at the fair is in line with official outlook on foreign trade: positive, despite seasonal fluctuations and uncertainty arising from protectionism.
Growing demand in a recovering world economy, China's sound economic fundamentals and supply-side structural reform will support foreign trade, spokesperson Gao Feng with the ministry of commerce told a press conference Thursday.

domain: news


text:
FULLERTON – Despite a $250,000 price tag, it took less than a week for Richard Smith to sell his Fender Stratocaster.
But this was no ordinary Strat: It was the first production model to come off the factory line in 1954 in Fullerton.
The guitar was sold on consignment by George Gruhn, a high-dollar vintage guitar seller in Nashville, Tenn. The buyer paid every penny of Smith’s asking price. The deal was finalized Wednesday.
“I felt good,” said Smith, 63, who lives in Fullerton. “It’s moving on, and I thought it was all fair and square, and it will help my kids immensely.”
Smith, who works as the curator of the Fender Gallery at the Fullerton Museum Center, said the money will cover a “big cut” of his daughters’ college educations: Sarah Smith, 21, is studying architecture at USC, and Amy Smith, 18, is studying cinematography at Emerson College in Boston.
Music legends Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan all played Stratocasters. To this day, the model is one of the most popular guitars on the market.
Smith would only say the buyer is a businessman in the United States. The private collector will likely treasure the instrument more than a museum would, Smith said.
“Things like that can get lost in an institution,” said Smith, a friend of legendary guitar-maker Leo Fender. He bought the Strat from the original owner, a carpenter, in the early 1980s. “In a private collection, it’s more likely to get special treatment. And if they are paying that kind of money, they are certainly sophisticated.”
Smith wrote two books on guitar history and was a regular vintage-guitar columnist in Guitar Player magazine.
He purchased most of his instruments while prices were low in the 1970s and ’80s.
Contact the writer: 714-704-3754 or email@example.com


text:
FedEx stock is testing critical support following a multi-week slide, with a breakdown predicting tougher times for the U.S. economy. …read more
Read more here: FedEx Decline Could Signal Economic Slowdown
Category: FDX, UPS
Please enter your email to receive banking, savings, mortgage offers and newsletter about the latest financial events.


text:
AccessMyLibrary provides FREE access to millions of articles from top publications available through your library.
Byline: Marcy Medina
Calif. Firms Seek Use of Alligator, Croc Skins
Accessories makers are rallying to support legislation that would allow alligator and crocodile skins to be sold in California next year.
The state Senate will hold a hearing today in Sacramento on a bill that seeks to permanently amend the state penal code, which will outlaw the sale of these skins as of Jan. 1.
The new bill, written by Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, is supported by the Accessories Council, California Retailers Association, California Small Business Association and companies such as Chado Ralph Rucci One Couture Inc., Roje Leather, Dualoy Leather and Geneva Watch …


text:
Two craft brewers with a Chicago ties have undergone the merger route in the past four days.
Tuesday morning, the beer world was hit with an announcement that Lagunitas Brewing Co., the Petaluma, CA-based beer maker with a huge Chicago brewery, had sold a 50% share to Heineken N.V., currently the world’s third largest brewing company. The transaction is claimed to be a 50/50 joint venture, aimed at getting getting Lagunitas capital for continued expansion, and to get a foothold into an international market with a growing taste for American craft beers.
On a smaller, yet similar scale. it was announced Friday that Greg Hall has sold a majority stake in his Virtue Cider to Goose Island Beer Co. Hall is the son of Goose Island founder John Hall, and left his position as Goose island’s brewmaster to start Virtue Cider when the brewer was sold to Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2001. Full details can be found in this Chicago Tribune article by Josh Noel.
These have been but two of the many buyouts and acquisitions to hit the U.S. craft beer world since ABI bought out Goose island. Other transactions have included Duvel merging with Firestone Walker after buying out Boulevard, Anheuser Busch also buying into Blue Point, 10 Barrel, and Elysian Brewing; and taking bigger stakes in the Craft Brew Alliance, owners of Widmer Brothers, Kona Brewing and Redhook. Founders sold a 30% stake to Spanish brewer Mahou San Miguel, as Georgia’s Terrapin did to MillerCoors.
When one of these big deals goes down, there is usually a visceral reaction that said craft brewer has sold out to the Big Fizzy Water, and on the same level, I tend to agree. There’s also a concern that the big brewers might be buying up the little guys for the express purpose of shutting them down. This is what Heineken has been accused of doing to many small brewers, and what Miller is said to have done to Celis White.
Other beer fans will be wary of a possible downturn in quality for their formerly favorite brands. The boards I follow have often erupted into discussions about how Goose Island’s IPA or Honker’s Ale have been “off” since production was shifted to Anheuser-Busch breweries in Ft. Collins, CO or Baldwinsville, NY. However, the same move has meant more capacity at the Fulton Street brewery to make the higher-end beers, and room to install a tap room, not to mention the installation of a barrel warehouse and a regular release of four or five Bourbon County brand beers in 7 cities around the country. But I must acknowledge that one bad sales quarter could see the whole works bulldozed overnight.
It seems the main reason given when the larger craft brewers go in for these partnerships today is access to capital and a chance to expand markets. Tony Magee’s blog post about the merger mentioned the great reception Lagunitas got in the Irish market, and an apparent thirst for American-style hoppy beers in Europe. Obviously, an affiliation with a European corporation would make that go easier. In return, Heineken will get its first stake in the U.S. market; until now, the closest they got to an ownership position was their purchase of Mexico’s FEMSA, brewers of Dos Equis, Tecate, and other Mexican brands seen on US shelves. Noel’s article notes that Hall would like to see Virtue expand production and markets, and maybe come up with a flagship cider for 12 oz. bottles.
But the article also notes that Virtue has had trouble paying one of its apple suppliers, and suggests that it might be somewhat undercapitalized. Tony Magee’s book, “So You Want to Start a Brewery,” is one of the few craft beer hagiographies to go into the details of finding money for your crazy venture, like refinancing debt at a lower interest rate and using the savings to buy equipment, or simply convincing bankers that they should collect loan payments from Lagunitas instead of their current bank (though he has nothing but good things to say about the handshake deal that got Lagunitas its Chicago brewery; and with no government deals or tax rebates). It might be understandable that after 20 years of hunting down funding, building his own equipment and designing his own labels, Magee might want to kick back a bit. Things change when you hit your 50s. I should know.
The growth in the craft beer industry can be shown by the fact that Goose island was valued at $38.8 million when it was sold to Anheuser-Busch in 2011. Lagunitas does have much more brewing production than Goose had four years ago, and more distribution, which only partly explains why the deal with Heineken valued the company at $1 billion.
Some of us beer geeks will loudly declare that they will never touch a Li’l Sumpin’ Sumpin’ again, or throw in a little sour grapes and claim it doesn’t taste as good now, anyway. Other will just say “as long as the beer’s still good, I’ll drink it.” In the meantime, I wonder if this deal will result in some Lagunitas brewers using the chance to break out and start even more microbreweries in town.


text:
WASHINGTON: A strong job market and low gasoline prices helped boost U.S. consumer confidence again this month.
The Conference Board on Tuesday said that its consumer confidence index rose to 98.1 in January from 96.3 in December, the second straight monthly gain. The business research group said Americans were more confident about the future, though their assessment of current economic conditions was unchanged from December.
Consumers shrugged off the recent sharp decline in the stock market and signs of economic weakness overseas.
The stock market has been rattled by the impact of China’s persistent economic slowdown and a plunge in the prices of commodities, including oil.
From October through December, U.S. employers added a robust average of 284,000 jobs a month. The unemployment rate remained at a seven-year low 5 percent in December. The average price of a gallon of gasoline has reached $1.83 from $2 a month ago, according to AAA.


text:
BlackBerry Q5 goes on sale amidst uncertainty
TORONTO—The BlackBerry’s latest smartphone running the new operating system went on sale in Canada today, amid speculation about the company’s future and a further bump in its share price.
BlackBerry shares traded as high as $12.59 this morning, the highest since late June when the stock lost more than one-quarter of its value in one day after the company issued a disappointing quarterly report.
BlackBerry stock closed at $12.26 yesterday, after rising about 10 percent. The shares are still down from June 26, when they closed at $15.05 before BlackBerry reported an unexpected loss and missed analyst estimates on revenue.
The BlackBerry Q5, a followup to the original Q10 keyboard model and the Z10 touch-screen model were introduced earlier this year, has been on sale in other countries but not in Canada.
The Q5 phone was originally targeted at Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America, but the company recently decided to add Canada to the list.
BlackBerry also announced today it plans another device running its old operating system—for Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.


text:
Since launching in April, ThredUP has shipped about 25,000 boxes of hand-me-down clothing and toys between its community of mothers. Now it also wants to be a place for them to exchange ideas.
The startup announced on Monday that it has acquired Momologie, a free site and newsletter run by two former editors of Martha Stewart Living. ThredUP's website will now host a daily discussion around a single magazine-style article in addition to managing hand-me-down exchanges.
At its core, the business model will remain the same. Parents who register for the site receive shipping boxes in the mail, fill them with outgrown clothing and toys, and list their contents on the site. Other parents can then choose to have those boxes shipped to them. For every box a family ships, it can sign up to receive one box from another family, paying just shipping costs and a small transaction fee.
ThredUP CEO and founder James Reinhart is hoping that parents will now also stick around on the site to chat about "The Daily Thred."
"We think about high-quality content in the same way that we think about customer acquisition in other channels, and it's just another way for us to deepen engagement among our community of moms," Reinhart says. "We're trying to build a better community with deeper engagement that we think, over time, will make the business stickier and more powerful."
Usually social sites that target mothers take an opposite path: they build a strong community and then monotize it — often by selling advertising, offering daily deals, or distributing coupons — instead of starting with a transaction platform and then integrating a community within it.
The differences between ThredUP's new approach and other parent communities don't end there. Although Momologie founders Michele Adams and Gia Russo will abandon the newsletter to work on The Daily Thread full time, they'll still post one carefully crafted article each day per category. The articles will be displayed alongside a Facebook wall plugin that pulls out like a drawer, hovering over other content to call attention to its real-time discussion. They expect this conversation to be richest if concentrated around one thought-provoking article (there's also a future opportunity to create relationships with brands referenced in those articles).
It will be interesting to see if the new approach pays off. The frequent activity on ThredUP's Facebook page indicates its customer base is up for some conversation, but whether or not adding that component to the site — and narrowing it to one topic — eventually affects the startup's bottom line is another question.


text:
(Boursier.com) – The US rating is now displayed in a scattered order on Monday. The DJIA takes 0.51% to 25,399 points, while the S & P500 takes 0.06% to 2.725 points. The Nasdaq, Again sealed by Apple, yields by contrast nearly 1% at 7,286 pts. The Federal Reserve's monetary meeting is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, and risk aversion is dominating despite the thin hopes of a trade deal with China.
In the forex market, the dollar fell by 0.2% against the currency basket.In Nymex, crude oil barrel (December contract) rose 0.9% to $ 63.7, while Brent pre-1.1% to $ 73.7 …
The concern of & measurements
The short-term elections in the US will be one of the biggest meetings of the week, with recent polls showing that the Democratic Party can win the US House of Representatives, while the Republicans win the Senate – retain their majority. Insists that the Democrats' success will be very bad for actions …
On Twitter, Donald Trump is sweeping negative polls for Republicans today. "Quit & VOTE Remember, we may now have the" largest economy "in the history of our country!
So funny to see the fake CNN suppression of false rhetoric polls. View negative results Tuesday. We lucky the chances of CNN so low. Do not fall for the game deleting. Quit & VOTE. Remember, we have the largest economy (jobs) in the history of our country! > – Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump), Via Twitter
Rom Powell expected to stand firm
The Fed is expected to keep interest rates unchanged on Thursday night, between 2% and 2.25% of federal funds after its penultimate meeting in 2018. The probability of the status quo will be 93, according to the CMW FedWatch tool. The Fed, on the other hand, will raise its fourth interest rate on December 19, bringing the fund rate between 2.25% and 2.50% (FedWatch's 72.1% probability). ) … This monetary tightening of the US Federal Reserve is now openly and regularly criticized by Trump, who is concerned about its impact on US economic expansion and employment.
Hopes on the commercial front
Chinese President Xie Pingping played the conciliation card on Monday for the opening of the China International Import Exhibition (CIIE) in Shanghai on November 5-10, attended by thousands of investors. For example, Shay undertook to lower China's import tariffs to improve access to its market. The Chinese leader says he wants to "open his market to the world." The president of China also intends to open the markets of education of culture or media, according to today's words. He wants to safeguard the interests of foreign companies in matters of intellectual property. Therefore, Shai spoke about the emergence of a global trading environment without detailed details of concrete steps.
Trump and Xi under surveillance
The recent remarks by the Chinese leader are not really convincing observers, in the middle of the open trade dispute with the United States. Negotiations are still underway this month between the two economic powers ahead of a long-awaited meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jiefing at the edge of the G20 summit in Argentina, November 30 and December 1. Since the beginning of the conflict, the United States Trump has already imposed additional taxes to 250 billion dollars of imported Chinese products. Beijing responded with additional taxes totaling about $ 110 billion in US imports.
The president of the United States promised on Thursday, on the Twitter social network, had a "very long and good conversation" with the President of China, Shi Jing on many topics, especially trading. "These discussions are progressing, with meetings planned for the G- 20 in Argentina, and I had a good discussion on North Korea, "said Trump, when markets feared a more difficult dispute than potential taxes.Customs on the import of Chinese products Sources Bloomberg even said at the beginning of last week that Trump is expected to impose additional taxes soon on all imports from China (More than 500 billion worth of products).
The Chinese press last week approved these phone calls between Trump and Shai, which will be their first call for a few months, so can show a desire to appease. The Chinese president, for his part, said he hoped to develop strong and healthy ties between the first two economic forces of the planet. "Negotiations from both countries should strengthen their relationship and consult on issues of concern to both sides, and they should promote a plan that both sides can accept," said Shai on the CCTV channel.
Strong service indicators
Business expansion in the US was approved in October, so the PMI index for March 2018 stood at 54.8, compared to a consensus of 54.7 places and a 54.7 reading level for the previous reading.
The ISM index for services (called "no production") for October 2018, which was published today, stood at 60.3, compared with a consensus of 59.1 and a level of 61.6 last month. Therefore, the ISM reflects a slight slowdown in service activity, which remains at a historical level.
Finally, these two service indicators are still far beyond the 50 mark, which marks extension.
After Apple, quarterly publications continue
The quarterly season has not yet ended across the Atlantic, after the "disappointment" DarkWhich somehow appealed to Wall Street last weekend. It remains indeed a beautiful week of results, with more than 70 members of the S & P500 index …
CNA Financial (11%) announced a net profit of $ 336 million and $ 1.23 for the third quarter, as well as a adjusted profit of $ 317 million and a adjusted profit of $ 1.17.
Diamond Offshore (-1%) reported a net loss of $ 51 million, or 37 cents per share, for the same period, and a adjusted loss per share of $ 0.26 per share. The group, which is active in oil and gas drilling, generated quarterly revenue of $ 286 million.
Loews (+ 4%) posted a net profit of $ 278 million, or 88 cents per share, in the third quarter, in revenue of $ 3.61 billion.
Sysco (-10%) deadlines. The US food group missed consensus on the first fiscal quarter. Cisco posted a profit of $ 431 million, or 81 cents per share, compared to $ 368 million a year earlier. Earnings per share were 91 cents, but the consensus was 92 cents. Revenue was $ 15.2 billion, up from $ 14.7 billion a year earlier and $ 15.4 billion in consensus.
SeaWorld (-3%) reported higher quarterly earnings and revenues than expected. Net profit was $ 96 million, $ 1.11 for security, up from $ 55 million a year earlier. The consensus was $ 1.09 bpa. Total revenue increased by 10% to $ 483 million, while the consensus was $ 475 million.
Lowe of (-1%), the number two furniture in the US, will close 20 stores in the US and 31 in Canada, as part of recent strategic initiatives. The group estimates that the effect of "closing the stores" in 2018 will be 28 to 34 cents per share.
Berkshire Hath (+ 5%), Warren Buffett's company, far exceeded expectations for the quarter ended, doubling operating profit in the third quarter, thanks to strong insurance results as well as lower taxes. Operating profit was $ 6.9 billion, up from $ 3.4 billion the previous year and $ 6.1 billion.
Dark (-4%) still suffers on Wall Street today, after falling 6.6% on Friday. The market value of the Cupertino group fell this time significantly below $ 100 billion, operators confirm sales of iPhones and guidance somewhat disappointing. Caution still dominates today, while the group with the apple would cancel the increases in production of the iPhone XR, if one believes the Japanese newspaper "Nikkei". Apple had announced to subcontractors Foxconn and Pegatron that they would have to give up an increase in the number of production lines dedicated to the iPhone XR, the cheapest of the three new iPhone models sold.
Amazon (-3%) waives its minimum purchase price for free shipping during the holiday season, said the American giant of e-commerce. The minimum purchase for non-premium customers is US $ 25. The offer will remain valid until the end of the Christmas delivery.
Ferrari (-1%) on Wall Street, after disappointing quarterly results. By negative effects on the currency and negative product mix, the prestigious automaker achieved a consolidated EBITDA of 278 ME (+ 4.7%) in revenues of 838 ME (0.3% + 2.2% at a fixed rate) in the third quarter of 2009. Net profit was NIS 287 million, compared with NIS 1,140 million the year before. Ferrari, which sold 2,262 vehicles during the period (+ 10.6%), has approved its 2018 targets, ie revenues of more than 3.4 billion euros, adjusted EBITDA of at least 1.1 billion euros and the delivery of at least 9,000 cars.
© 2018, Boursier.com


text:
End users like dairy and livestock producers are finding new appeal in dried distillers grains as prices of soymeal are rising, according to an article by Agrimoney (http://bit.ly/…).
The recent soymeal record prices are due largely to strong demand from both domestic and export markets that seek the high-protein feed ingredient. Also factoring in the equation is that world soybean supplies have been hit by drought-affected harvests last year in the U.S. and South America.
However, those high prices could send livestock producers, seeking for the least cost rations, back into the DDG market for better deals.
The price of soymeal continued to climb, reaching $520.80 per ton on Tuesday, pushing the value of DDG relative to soymeal to about 44%, presenting a definite value for end users.
When DDG hit record highs during August 2012, it priced itself out of some rations when its value relative to corn soared above 100% where it remained, other than occasional drifts downward, until three weeks ago, reaching 92% on Tuesday.
Merchandisers have reported to DTN there are ample amounts of DDG currently on the market, with some hesitant buying in recent weeks as buyers awaited last week's holiday weekend and hoped for price declines. With the value of DDG so low for corn and soymeal, demand for DDG should spark as DDG recaptures its place in some rations.
Cheryl Anderson can be reached at email@example.com.
© Copyright 2013 DTN/The Progressive Farmer. All rights reserved.


text:
Health food ecommerce retailer BUBBLE Goods announced this week that it has named Savraj Singh, former CTO of Daily Harvest, as chief technology officer, responsible for leading the company’s engineering team and digital platforms; Walmart was ordered to pay $115 million to Texas-based food tech startup Zest Labs after a jury in Arkansas ruled that the retailer was guilty of stealing its shelf-freshness technology.
California-based hemp milk maker UFO announced this month that it has opened a new 7,000 sq ft. co-packing facility, owned by a local SoCal brewery, ahead of a distribution expansion this year; Hemp extract-infused mocktail maker Proposition Cocktail Co. announced that it has partnered with Urban Outfitters for online sales, increasing the California-based brand’s nationwide presence.
Powdered beverage maker MANTRA Labs announced this month that it has closed a $1.5 million seed round, intended to help the company expand its around-the-clock health and wellness platform brand.
Powdered hydration beverage maker Nuun is continuing to build out its suite of functional products with its latest line extension, Nuun Energy. The dissolvable tablets contain a blend of 80 mg of caffeine sourced from organic green tea extract, Vitamins B5, B6 and B12, ginseng and electrolytes for hydration.
Non-alcoholic beverage sales saw mixed year-over-year results for the period ending March 27 as the industry passes the one-year anniversary of COVID-induced pantry loading, according to an analysis of Nielsen data by Goldman Sachs Equity Research.
The idea of drinking “Pickle Juice” may raise a lot of people’s eyebrows, and it’s a reaction The Pickle Juice Company is no stranger to. But as consumer awareness around the functional benefits of organic pickle juice-based drinks grows, the Texas-based beverage company is rapidly transforming to a broad-platform, international brand.
As the bottled water category has witnessed disruption from sustainably packaged water brands, M&A activity among premium brands and innovation in the form of functionality, The Alkaline Water Company is aiming to do it all. Founded in 2012, the Arizona-based, publicly-traded beverage company owns the Alkaline88 brand, which over the past few years has expanded its portfolio from bulk jugs of 8.8 pH water to include sustainably-packaged lines, flavors and CBD-infused drinks.
Seeking “a little more pop on the shelf,” caffeinated sparkling water brand Clear/Cut Phocus has introduced refreshed packaging, which is rolling out now amid a nationwide expansion for the Kentucky-based brand. The new cans feature a cleaner graphic design with more saturated coloring and the added slogan “Naturally Energizing Sparkling Water.”
As Oatly scales its U.S. operations, Millville, New Jersey-based Innovation Foods announced this month that it is building a new $45 million processing and packaging facility to produce plant-based aseptic and extended shelf life beverages for the Swedish oatmilk maker.
Rowdy Mermaid is extending its portfolio of functional beverages beyond kombucha with its new Adaptonic line of sparkling immunity beverages. The tonics, launching this month, are made with fruit, botanical herbs and Reishi mushrooms.
Looking to take the company to the next stage in its mission to help the environment through sustainable packaging, bottled water maker Pathwater has rebranded as PATH, a move that comes as the company completes a celebrity-backed funding round and rapidly scales its retail footprint.
Health-Ade Kombucha is further expanding its platform with Health-Ade Mixers, a new line of kombucha-based cocktail bases launching this spring. The new line, which is rolling out as a Whole Foods Market exclusive, is made with kombucha and additional ingredients, including simple syrup, bitters and juice, to create a unique style of cocktail mixer.
PepsiCo announced today the launch of Pepsi Mango, the core brand’s first permanent flavor addition in five years. The new product, available in regular and Zero Sugar varieties, will roll out nationwide next week. Pepsi Mango will launch primarily in grocery, mass and convenience retailers and will be available in 12-packs of 12 oz. cans and 20 oz. bottles.
Plant-based beverage brand AMAZ Project announced this month a brand refresh, featuring the launch of a new line of organic sparkling yerba mate drinks. The new drinks are available in three flavors: Acai Blueberry, Peach Mango and Lemon Ginger.


text:
Addis Ababa- Ethiopia (PANA) -- African leaders must prepare an action plan on ho w they would like the new United States President Barack Obama to help broker a g lobal trade agreement during their meeting here Sunday, African Union's Commissi o ner for Trade Elizebeth Tankeu said here Friday.
"We are waiting for the appointment of a new trade negotiator for the Obama admi nistration.
We hope the African heads of state will get organized and put on the table, what they want the new administration to do for them," Tankeu told a news conference in the Ethiopian capital.
African leaders are due for a meeting here on Sunday to tackle issues related to infrastructure and a global trade deal, offering African states more flexibilit y to sell their products in the richer states, which is currently not on the tabl e .
The new US administration has not appointed a new Trade Representative to help r e-start the stalled global negotiations for a new trade treaty, which African mi n isters of trade say must favour trade in agricultural commodities and seek an am b itious plan of cutting agricultural subsidies for farmers.
Speaking on the sidelines of the African foreign ministers meeting on the prepar ation for the 12th African heads of state summit on Friday, Tankeu said African l eaders must put on the table, concrete proposals on how to resolve the current g l obal trade stand-off and make use of the Obama presidency.
"We hope we will take his coming to power as an opportunity to solve the African problems… We are happy, but we cannot say Obama would solve all our problems.
H e is our role model," she said.
Africans have been expressing optimism about the continent's future relations wi th the US ever since Obama assumed the presidency.
Tankeu said African leaders should urgently table a possible solution on how to get out of the current trade impasse and take advantage of an African-friendly U S administration.
In an exclusive interview with PANA, African Union Commission Deputy-Chair Erast us Mwencha, however, warned that African states should not expect too much from t he US administration.
Mwencha said African leaders should take advantage of Obama's leadership to win more investment opportunities and help get the continent in the same level of in d ustrialization with the rest of the world.
He warned that Africa should not expect handouts from the US.
Meanwhile, Africa should get more foreign direct investments from the United Sta tes and the rest of Europe to compensate for the impact of the global economic s l owdown.
"We expect the US to invest more in Africa and add more value to African product s," Tankeu said.


text:
This year the organisers of the Loerie Awards have decided that they are not prepared to take a chance on rain making the event a wash-out.
Margate, KwaZulu-Natal’s South Coast will again play host to the annual Loerie Awards but this year it will not take place in September but from Friday 27 July to Monday 30 July 2007.
Call for entries to the Awards open on 15 March and close on 15 May and Wing-Wing Mdlulwa, chairman of The Loerie Awards encourages agencies in all fields of brand communication to enter.
“The Loerie Awards were first held in 1979, as a mechanism to support and grow television advertising. Since then the awards have expanded to encompass every area of brand communication including radio and print advertising, design, architecture, direct marketing, promotions, public relations, non-broadcast video, live events, and digital media,’ he says.
Mdlulwa continues to emphasise that the awards are now regionally focused on Africa and the Middle East.
“The Middle East and Africa are two of the fastest growing regions in terms of advertising spend and creativity and the Loerie Awards are proud to recognise and foster global creative excellence.’
The judging process and search for Creative Excellence will be held from 2 – 6 July 2007 and entries will again be judged by specialist panels comprised of leaders in their fields, with international judges chairing each panel.
This year for the first time Judging Week will kick off with a seminar, with marketers, students and agencies being invited to listen to the international judges talk on their work and areas of creative inspiration.
The SABC, Media 24 and the Zulu Kingdom remain major sponsors of the Loerie Awards.
“The SABC is proud to be supporting creative excellence and we are excited about this, the second year of our renewed partnership with the Loeries. Vuka Sizwe!’ says Jerry Mpufane, Marketing Director at the SABC.
Consumers can again look forward to the “Everyone’s Loerie Award’ – a partnership with the SABC which provides an opportunity for ordinary South Africans to have their say and vote for their favourite Radio and Television commercials.
In addition, the SABC will once more sponsor The Loerie Awards Travelling Exhibition – a national road show showcasing the award winning work of 2006 and increasing awareness of the Loeries amongst consumers and marketers and fostering creativity through inspiration.
Sarel du Plessis, Senior General Manager, of Media 24 says, “It’s with pleasure that Media 24 continues to support the Loeries to reward creative excellence in the brand communication industry. I would like to thank the advertising community for their outstanding contribution and support of our magazine and newspaper group. Without the advertisers’ support we could not alone produce such quality reads for the general public.’
“The Loeries’ has become far more than a single awards ceremony and besides continuing with the much sought-after biannual magazine and hard-cover printed annual and DVD of the year’s leading brands and agencies, it will also launch new education initiatives in 2007 – focusing on bringing talented individuals from a disadvantaged background into the industry.
In conclusion Mdlulwa explains that the Awards Festival was moved forward to July which offers the lowest monthly rainfall on the South Coast, while temperatures are still enjoyably warm.
“After last year’s awards, the feedback regarding Margate from our sponsors, partners and the industry has been overwhelmingly positive. There are however always areas where improvements can be made. Key priorities for 2007 include improving the service level, security, as well as transport services,’ he concludes.
For more information visit our website: www.theloerieawards.co.za


text:
Kojima teases snake skin 3DS
Metal Gear Solid creator posts picture of Snake Eater 3D edition of Nintendo handheld hardware, pricing and release information expected later this month.
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater is getting a 3D makeover early this year, and so is the hardware that will run it. Over the holiday break, Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima released a teaser picture of a new version of the 3DS featuring an embossed snake skin pattern on the lid.
Kojima posted the picture to his Twitter account, along with a note calling the snake skin hardware an industry first. He also noted that more information about the system, including pricing, should be revealed January 20.
Set for release March 8 in Japan and sometime in the first quarter in North America, Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D is a port of the PlayStation 2 stealth game with tweaks designed to take advantage of the 3DS hardware. These include 3D visuals, as well as touch pad and camera support.
For more on Snake's 3DS debut, check out GameSpot's previous coverage of Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D.
GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
We are inside the world of virtual reality. Here we see the engine room.
We were shown around and explained the plans for the new piping system put in place by GSG.
GSG is engaged in the production of various types of plastics, tubes and piping systems for companies within, among others, the agriculture industry.
– We couldn’t compete with companies from southern Norway, says founder and general manager, Roger Erlandssen
So they started investing in modern technology to make the company more attractive.
Today, GSG is a supplier to many of Norway’s largest agricultural companies.
By combining 3D and VR technology, they will be the best in the North.
– My son told me that we have to buy VR to play with it.
– I thought we should be able to use this for other things too, says the entrepreneur.
– In 10 years, it will be more common to work with virtual reality than without it
Founder and Managing Director Roger Erlandsen believes technology will take over the construction industry in not many years.
Professor and researcher Ekaterina Prasulova-Forland at NTNU agrees with Erlandsen about the future prospects.
she You have S.Specialization within, among others, virtual and augmented reality for learning and training.
shortening distances in the north
While the boat is out at sea again, the interior of the boat can be designed in the office in 3D software.
When the design is completed, the VR glasses can be placed to see if the model is suitable for carrying goods.
This way, the GSG and the fisherman can inspect the boat from every side of the country. before the model was actually produced.
The scanning operator, Olaf Josephsen, says travel time is going down and productivity is going up.
He also says 3D scanning is much more accurate than manual measurements.
“If we wanted to do it the old-fashioned way, we’d drive the car to the customer, take measurements, and hopefully that would be enough,” Roger Erlandsen explains.
– If we find that we are missing only one necessary measurement, we have to get in the car again and return to the customer.
GSG has established itself in the small village of Kunes in Finnmark.
Erlandsen says virtual and 3D reality is safer, too.
Inside the machine room, where it works traditionally, there can be a lot of noise and bad air. The measurements you need may be high or in unfavorable places.
With the new 3D tools, this is no longer necessary.
– It goes without saying that we are sitting safely in an office chair.
Researcher Prasolova-Førland at NTNU can confirm that many people use the technology in the same way as GSG:
– Many car manufacturers, such as Ford, are using virtual reality for new prototypes. Equinor uses it to review platforms before going live.
Roger Erlandsen is convinced that with this technology they can reach anyone, anywhere, anytime.
– We can reach the whole world of Kons!
“Web specialist. Lifelong zombie maven. Coffee ninja. Hipster-friendly analyst.”


text:
Google India plans to get 50 million women in India using the Internet within one year through a new initiative that aims to bridge the gender digital divide by providing women with easier access to technology, the company said.
With more than 200 million Internet users in the country and growing, India is set to overtake the United States as the world’s second largest market after China. Yet only one-third of India’s online users are women.
The “Helping women get online” initiative is largely centred around its website www.hwgo.com, which provides step-by-step information – in both Hindi and English – on the basics of how to use a computer and access the Web.
The initiative involves setting up easy Internet access points for women across the country and a toll-free helpline to guide new users.
Google India said its first priority was to create awareness about the benefits of the Internet for women through a mass media campaign.
“Lack of easy access to Internet, lack of knowledge on how to use the Internet and its relevance in their daily lives are the biggest barriers for women to get online. ‘Helping women get online’ is an initiative that aims to overcome these barriers and empower women to improve their lives,” Google India’s Managing Director Rajan Anandan said in a statement on Wednesday.
“With this initiative we are aiming to help 50 million additional women to get online by end of 2014 by undertaking a variety of initiatives across India.”
The Internet empowers people by allowing individuals to express their views freely, expand their knowledge and community, and provide education and employment. It also results in increased social and economic development, experts say.
More knowledgeable women in society will translate into lower maternal and infant mortality rates, less child malnutrition and increased employment and economic growth.


text:
As the Federal Statistical Office announced on Friday, import prices rose by 53.6 percent compared to the same month last year. The last time the rate of change was even higher was in May 2011 with a plus of 74.0 percent compared to May 2010.
“The war in Ukraine has an impact on the global grain supply and grain prices,” said the Federal Office. The price increases therefore run through all types of grain: in March 2022, wheat rose by a good 65 percent compared to the same month last year, barley, rye, oats also by around 65 percent and corn by 37 percent.
Cereals more expensive than they were last in 2011
However, the prices for imported grain had already risen significantly before the Ukraine war, the statisticians continued. Since January 2021, the monthly rates of change have been “consistently in the double-digit range” compared to the same month of the previous year.
According to the Federal Office, there are many reasons for the price increase: high global demand and a shortage of supply due to poor weather conditions in important growing countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia and South America, high fertilizer prices and rising transport and energy costs.
The Ukraine war also increased the price increase
To put this in context: the import prices as a whole were a good 31 percent higher in March 2022 than in March 2021, and the last time there was a higher year-on-year change was in September 1974 during the first oil crisis.
Grain export prices also rose above average in March 2022, up 65 percent from March 2021. Overall export prices increased by almost 16 percent over the same period.
Last year, more than eleven million tons of grain were imported into Germany, as the statistics office further announced. The main countries of origin for wheat, which makes up a good third of all grain imports, were the Czech Republic, Poland and France, with a combined share of more than 70 percent.
Although Ukraine and Russia are major grain exporters worldwide, they only play a minor role in German imports. In 2021, only 1.9 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively, of grain imports to Germany came from the two countries. Germany exported 11.7 million tons of grain last year.
A good 42 million tons of grain were harvested in Germany in 2021 – around half of them wheat. According to the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE), the degree of self-sufficiency of grain varies greatly: for example, it is very high for soft wheat at 125 percent or barley at 113 percent. On the other hand, grain maize (59 percent) or durum wheat (15 percent), which is required for pasta production, among other things, have a lower degree of self-sufficiency. If the degree of self-sufficiency is below 100 percent, Germany is dependent on imports. (AFP)
More on the food crisis


text:
Airtel has launched Africa's first 4G service on a network based on FD-LTE in the Seychelles, making it amongst the first countries in sub-Saharan Africa to commercially deploy this technology. This is Airtel's first commercial LTE network in Africa.
28 Nov 2014 10:43
If your African mobile marketing plan comprises mass messages not tailored to specific areas, people or times, you're off to a poor start. Nadia Gonzalez, vice president of mobile marketing for Gemalto, reveals the secrets to getting it right.
By Leigh Andrews 27 Nov 2014 14:00
East Africa Com, taking place from 6-7 May 2015 in Nairobi, Kenya, has announced its final call for submissions of topic proposals or papers to become a speaker at the event.
26 Nov 2014 10:01


text:
Remember me on this computer
Help, I forgot my username and/or password
We can only send passwords to the e-mail address you're registered with. If you can not remember it, or have any other problem, please e-mail firstname.lastname@example.org
Registered e-mail adress:
Need to register? Click here
In 2015, technology goes hand in hand with business so here is your handy guide to the best apps
Firm says phones are high quality and budget-friendly
Swiss watchmaker said to be developing line of watches with smart features
Galaxy Tab S2 is the latest addition to the flagship series, is 5.6mm thin and weighs 265g
Big Apple Buddy provides locally unavailable technology items to consumers including Apple Watch
Flagship iPod now features A8 processor found in the iPhone 6
New models are all dual-sim, and feature both rear and front cameras and come with complementary covers
Luxury mobile phone maker says Vertu Signature for Bentley will go on sale in September
Storage-guzzling 1TB system gets welcome upgrade, available on July 15
Streaming service also available in Saudi, Oman and Bahrain, but not as yet in Qatar or Kuwait.
Galaxy handset companion Gear VR Innovator Edition debuts in the emirates
Taiwanese smartphone vendor announced the unveiling of the HTC One E9+
Finnish firm Legend Helsinki releases new customised model, with prices ranging from $329 to $3963
Buyers will pay $49 for entry-level sports band that costs about $2 to make
Few surprises at WWDC, as Cupertino touches on product updates, software tweaks
RP Group chief Dr Ravi Pillai says visit will further galvanise investments to flow from the...
After slashing spending by $180 billion to deal with one of the worst industry downturns in...
Following deregulation of petrol prices, the rising cost of living is where the greatest challenge...
US president Barack Obama’s recent visit to Kenya drew welcome attention for one of Africa...
How the new chairman of the Libyan Investment Authority is fighting to recoup the ravaged nation...
With the theme 'Creating a Regional Framework for Prosperity and Peace through Public-Private...
King Abdullah II says projects will be delivered via public private partnerships; part of new...
Prominent firms stump up support for new youth unemployment target for WEF’s Regional Business...
Gordon Brown says public-private partnerships needed to drive urgently needed infrastructure...
It's high time that GCC countries assist their Arab brethren and open their borders to Syrian refugees. more
Can you consider a stopover in Europe on this route which would be easier on the children? You will pick up passengers in Europe on this route also. Since... more
It's a missed opportunity that the author of this article neglected to mention what an important role Iftah Ya Simsim can play in early learning. It's... more
Will have far more effect on the vast army of tiny LLC's that keep Dubai functioning - frequently by already working employees 7 days and too many hours... more
They definitely need to start charging for property ads as well. This will help to weed out the fraudulent properties and agents. more
Taking photos liberally of people is highly offensive so much so that in many countries the Privacy Act protects personal information that is held, or... more
You will never walk alone Mahendran...you have touched so many people with your heart, kindness and of course...that unforgetable smile. My heart will... more
With the clear signs of a global economic slowdown and the current financial crisis that began with Greece then the slide in oil price and finally the... more


text:
Hernando Farmers Market Awarded $197,677 for U.S.D.A. FMPP Grant
WASHINGTON, Sept. 18, 2018 – Under Secretary Greg Ibach today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $102.7 million to increase opportunities for farmers, ranchers and other growers across the country through five grant programs. The funding supports a variety of locally-led projects intended to expand markets for local food promotion and specialty crops.
“Every state has agricultural priorities that contribute to the well-being of farm families, consumers and the economic health of rural America,” said Ibach. “These programs target resources to the state, local and regional level where the people who understand the issues best can find solutions that help everyone.”
“The Hernando Farmers Market applied for funding to increase capacity of the market. We are fortunate to receive the grant as it gives people of all-ages an opportunity for entrepreneurship through agriculture and provides fresh, healthy and accessible farm products to our citizens and surrounding communities” said Gia Matheny, Community Development Director, “Increasing the number of vendors, shoppers and variety of products will also increase tourism to our city and improve our local economy.” The grant will provide marketing and technical assistance and aims to add targeted outreach to shoppers and producers in the region to determine successful message strategies. The project will build on metrics already collected through the Indicators for Impact project run by the Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) and the University of Wisconsin- Madison, which the market participated in 2015-2016.
“Today, farm-to-table is practically de rigueur, and consumers are taking their dedication to local foods to the next level. Shoppers, especially millennials, are increasingly patronizing farmers markets and seeking out restaurants that source local goods beyond just produce,” Tricia Smith, Food Logistics. Funding will allow the Hernando Farmers Market to facilitate meetings and invite experts to lead training workshops and resource development for market vendors, working in partnership with other markets. Support from Extension will offer seasonal food handling and risk management technical assistance to market vendors throughout the three years of the project. “I’m looking forward to providing the educational opportunities to help grow the market which in turn helps the growers and young farmers have a place to sell, “ Joy Anderson, DeSoto County Extension. The market is a place for our community to socialize and access fresh local products. “We are grateful to receive the grant as it benefits our city giving those young and old an opportunity for entrepreneurship through agriculture,” Mayor Tom Ferguson.
The resources announced are administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and include:
- $13.35 million is directed to 49 projects supporting direct producer-to-consumer marketing projects such as farmers markets, community-supported agriculture programs, roadside stands, and agri-tourism through the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP).
USDA supports local and regional food systems and increases consumer access to fresh, healthy foods through applied research, technical services and Congressionally-funded grants administered by USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS). More information is available at: www.ams.usda.gov.


text:
Student Run Coffee Shop
7 May 2018
There’s a new coffee shop coming to Fremont this fall.
While the new beverage stop plans to sell all of the usual coffee shop fare, the people it serves and those developing new business are less-than typical.
The coffee shop, to be known as Deja Brew, will not only serve students at Fremont High School it will also be run and managed by their fellow classmates.
“This is the first class that MCC (Metropolitan Community College) has ever had that has created a business incubator and is actually going to have a student run, student managed business,” Dan Smith, MCC instructor, said.


text:
Volkswagen has announced that the 2021 VW Golf GTD, which will be introduced at the Geneva Motor Show, will have one of the most environmentally friendly engines ever. Using a system called 'twin-dosing', this engine is said to reduce NOX gas emission values by 80%.
The diesel version of the Volkswagen Golf, called the GTD , is much less popular than the gasoline GTI version especially outside Europe, but this version has a rooted history as much as the gasoline version. At this point, the original GTI was released in 1975 , while the diesel version came out only 7 years later as the 1982 Golf GTD .
As you know, the new version of the Golf GTD was not expected due to the emission scandal of the German company in the past years, but according to the latest news, the new generation Mk8 will appear at the Geneva Motor Show in the upcoming days. The most important feature of this vehicle that will distinguish it from its predecessors will be the most environmentally friendly turbo diesel (TDI) engine that will ever take part in a Golf .
'The new Golf GTD will come with one of the most environmentally friendly engines ever'
The new Golf's by far the most environmentally-friendly turbo diesel (TDI) engine, Volkswagen said its future, however, the new Golf gtd'n's also one of the world's most environmentally friendly engine indicates the future. If we look at these explanations, the automobile giant is working very hard not to be on the agenda again with the emission scandal it has experienced in the past years .
Volkswagen, which is quite ambitious, says its words by relying on the latest 2.0 TDI engine. Using a system called 'twin-dosing' , this engine can reduce NOX gas emissions by 80% compared to the previous generation 2.0 TDI engine by increasing the number of catalytic converters that should normally be 1 . The most striking thing at this point is that while this development is happening, there is no loss in the performance of the vehicle or no increase in fuel consumption .
Although Volkswagen does not say how much power it will provide in the new Golf GTD, the vehicle is expected to be 197 horsepower . If this number is correct, the new vehicle will come with an increase of 16 horsepower compared to the old model. Also, if we consider the torque value of the previous Golf GTD to be 380 Nm, we can expect the new Golf GTD to produce torque in the range of 400 to 450 Nm .


text:
NEW YORK (AP) — Safeway Inc. is betting that its investment in a new customer loyalty program will eventually pay off, as the supermarket operator looks to fend off big-box retailers and other competitors that are expanding their grocery aisles.
The Pleasanton, Calif.-based company, which also owns Vons, Dominick's and other grocery chains, said the cost of launching its "Just for U" program continued to eat into its profit margins in the third quarter. But the program is already showing signs of boosting results, Safeway said, with its market share up and sales in the current quarter running up 1 percent.
Safeway also noted that the launch costs are now in the past.
The loyalty program, which offers personalized discounts based on past purchases, is intended to help Safeway hold onto shoppers in an increasingly competitive environment. In addition to competition from retailers such as Target, traditional supermarkets are increasingly competing with drugstore chains and dollar stores.
For the quarter, however, Safeway said that revenue at locations open at least a year edged up just 0.1 percent. The measure is a key indicator of a retailer's performance because it strips out the impact of newly opened and closed locations.
The company said the tepid increase was primarily because it raised prices less than expected. That was offset by improvement in volume from the new loyalty program.
CEO Steve Burd said "Just for U" is getting customers to "come to the store more often and to buy more when they're there."
Continue reading this story on the...


text:
Orange Park’s Pinglehead Brewing, the brewery located inside Brewer’s Pizza, has announced that the brewery and restaurant are closing this week.
Jacksonville’s Veterans United Craft Brewery is releasing POW/MIA IPA – a hazy IPA with “copious amounts of hops.” The 2023 release of this beer has a mission: to raise awareness for The National POW/MIA Memorial and Museum in their hometown.
Jacksonville Beach’s Southern Swells Brewing is taking a day to celebrate all things New England IPA with Karate Day. Karate Day has become an annual tradition and a sure-fire way of finding some of the most limited offerings from Southern Swells outside of their anniversary party.
On the heels of Dissent Brewing announcing the impending closure of their Lakeland location, Jacksonville’s Tabula Rasa Brewing Company posted a status update that includes their brewery’s upcoming closure. Tabula Rasa’s final day being open is August 13th, 2023.
Jacksonville’s Veterans United Craft Brewery has released their WatchStander IPA for 2023. Just like previous years’ release, WatchStander IPA has a mission to draw attention to and prevent veterans suicide.


text:
Futuristic Vertical Farming Sprouts Up In Tennessee Greenhouses
Vertical farming is like growing vegetables in a greenhouse on steroids. The industry includes methods like aquaponics, aeroponics and hydroponics. And it’s predicted to reach almost $6 billion in revenues within the next five years.
One of the centers of vertical farming is Tennessee, where the technique is providing locally grown vegetables year-round. Caroline Leland (@CarolineLeland) reports from Here & Now contributor Nashville Public Radio.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
Zelko says he normally sells about 80 beers during an average home game from the beginning of the game until the first pitch of 8th inning, when he has to stop. On those days he pulls in about $125. On weekends, he can sell more than 100 beers and pull in closer to $200 — even more if the Yankees are in town.
Zelko says he hopes taking his vending to Twitter will take some of the guesswork out of his game by making his routes more direct. Not only will an ordered beer likely mean a better tip, but he also says that fans with smartphones, who are on Twitter during the game, are more likely to have more wealth and therefore have more money to spend.
One fan, @justin_925, said this to Zelko on Twitter: “Cannot wait to tweet my beer order to you on Friday. It will be my birthday, so get excited for tips.”
Throughout the season, Zelko — who currently has 224 followers — hopes to do something that no other beer vendor has done before: Grow a following, let fans into his life as a beer vendor and communicate with fans even when he isn’t selling beer to them.
There's something to be said for getting to know your beer vendor. Zelko says it's not just the beer that you are selling, it's how you sell it. Last year, his favorite call was "Cold beer, cold beer, Stephen Colbert!" This year, he'll try some new lines. He admittedly has at least one beer vendor competitor who he can't top.


text:
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Just in time for holiday travel Uber pick-up at Chicago airports was approved by the city Tuesday.
A typical trip from O'Hare International Airport to downtown Chicago will cost $28, while a trip from Midway International Airport will set riders back $23.
At O'Hare, Uber drivers will make domestic pick-ups on the departures level at Terminals 1, 2, and 3, while all international pick-ups will be available on the arrivals level. The Uber app will guide passengers where to go.
The popular ride sharing company said that travelers looking to Uber home should request a ride after getting baggage to provide for a seamless and faster pick-up experience. Pick-up areas will be painted and labeled "Rideshare."
Last week, the city approved airport pick-up for the ride-sharing company Lyft.


text:
In July, Britain's High Court ruled in favor of Samsung, explaining that Samsung’s Galaxy tablet, despite certain similarities, is simply “not as cool” as the iPad, and can therefore not be confused with that device.
The court's ruling is valid throughout Europe, not only in the UK, which should end the patent dispute between the two companies — at least when it comes to tablets.
As expected, Samsung welcomed the judge's decision. "We continue to believe that Apple was not the first to design a tablet with a rectangular shape and rounded corners," the company said in a statement.
The tablet patent war in the UK is still not over, though, as Apple has the option to appeal this decision to the UK's Supreme Court.


text:
The Karnataka government will simplify procedures for getting new ration cards, said Minister for Food and Civil Supplies UT Khader.
Addressing presspersons here on Saturday, he said that at present a person has to fulfil 14 conditions to get a ration card. These conditions will be simplified and brought down to four, he said. A proposal in this regard will be placed before the State Cabinet soon, he added.
The government is also planning to make the process of PDS paperless. The department will launch dedicated toll-free IVRS (interactive voice response system) numbers for PDS consumers and shop-owners.
The consumer who calls the IVRS number will receive a code in the return SMS. The SMS will also have details about the quantity of commodities to be given to the consumer under the PDS.
The shop owner will confirm this code by calling the dedicated IVRS number before supplying the commodities to the consumer. This will help prevent pilferage in the system and pave the way for the paperless transactions, he said.
The government will soon begin the supply of double fortified salt to consumers under the PDS. Salt, which is fortified with iodine and iron content, will help reduce anaemia and iodine-deficiency disorders, he added.


text:
|Forum: Google Finance, Govt, Policy and Business Issues|
|Displaying Topics 601 - 640 (874 total) Sorted by: Date-Last-Post, Direction: reverse|
|601:|| Google Wins Key Ruling in Patent Dispute|
"In a summary judgment issued Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Douglas Woodlock in Massachusetts decided that Google Earth doesn't infringe on a patent issued to Skyline Software Systems Inc. in 2002."
|Mar 9, 2007|
|602:|| Mark Cuban's Film Studio Subpoenas Google Over YouTube Videos|
"A film studio owned by technology and media entrepreneur Mark Cuban asked a U.S. federal court to force Google to identify people who put its copyrighted videos on Google Video and YouTube, Cuban said on Wednesday."
|Mar 7, 2007|
|603:|| Google CEO Defends YouTube Purchase|
"Google chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt said the company's deal for YouTube is working well but that it will take time for the site to generate meaningful sales and profits."
|Mar 7, 2007|
|604:|| Microsoft Attacks Google on Copyright|
"Microsoft on Tuesday launches a fierce attack on Google over its "cavalier" approach to copyright, accusing the internet company of exploiting books, music, films and television programmes without permission."
|Mar 6, 2007|
|605:|| Google Defends Accounting Practices|
"The SEC has expressed concerns about "various issues with respect to our public filings, including our provision for interim period effective...In this most recent filing, Google admitted that the two sides are at an impasse."
|Mar 3, 2007|
|606:|| BBC Strikes Google-YouTube deal|
"Three YouTube channels - one for news and two for entertainment - will showcase short clips of BBC content."
|Mar 2, 2007|
|607:|| Google Says In Dispute With SEC on Tax Accounting|
""We believe that we properly account for our income taxes. We will continue to work to resolve these comments with the SEC," the Web search leader said in the annual filing."
|Mar 2, 2007|
|608:|| IBM to pipe Google gadgets into Company Sites|
"IBM has reached a deal with Google Inc. to bring the consumer Internet into the office by piping YouTube and thousands of other Web programs into IBM software used by millions of office workers."
|Feb 28, 2007|
|609:|| Google Adds Limited Traffic Data to Maps|
For a few dozen big cities in the US.
|Feb 28, 2007|
|610:|| Gmail Domain Dispute For Google in China|
"Google, fighting to consolidate its trademark globally, faces an obstacle in the world's second largest Web market -- China's www.Gmail.cn, which is refusing to sell its Internet address to the U.S. giant. "
|Feb 27, 2007|
|611:|| Google in Content Deal With Media Companies|
"Google is working with Dow Jones & Company, Condé Nast, Sony BMG Music Entertainment and other large content companies to syndicate their video content on other Web sites."
|Feb 27, 2007|
|612:|| Google's YouTube to Offer NBA Videos, Accept User-Created Clips|
"...teamed with the National Basketball Association to create an NBA Channel that offers game highlights and behind-the-scenes footage."
|Feb 26, 2007|
|613:|| Google Gearing Up Antipiracy Tools for YouTube "very soon"|
"'We just reviewed that (issue) about an hour ago,' Schmidt told Reuters when asked what Google was doing to make anti-piracy technologies widely available to video owners. 'It is going to roll out very soon ... It is not far away.'"
|Feb 22, 2007|
|614:|| Google Apps Package Launched|
"The package, called Google Apps, combines two sets of previously available software bundles. One included programs for e-mail, instant messaging, calendars and Web page creation; the other, called Docs and Spreadsheets, included programs to read and edit documents created with Microsoft Word and Excel, the mainstays of Microsoft Office, an $11 billion annual franchise."
|Feb 22, 2007|
|615:|| Google Publishes Hard Drive Study|
"Surprisingly, we found that temperature and activity levels were much less correlated with drive failures than previously reported."
|Feb 19, 2007|
|616:|| Google Sues Polish Poets Over gmail.pl|
"Google has launched legal action against a group of Polish poets, demanding that they give up their Internet domain name gmail.pl, a member of the cultural collective said."
|Feb 18, 2007|
|617:|| Google buys Adscape for $23m|
"Adscape's technology allows advertisers to place ads within games, as well as giving marketers the ability to measure ad performance."`
|Feb 16, 2007|
|618:|| Google Earth: New Search Feature Adds Layers to Mapping Tool|
""Users can now search through all of the world's KML files, making the millions of Google Earth layers on the web instantly accessible for geobrowsing and exploration," wrote Chikai Ohazama, a Google Earth product manager in an official company blog. Google expects to extend this capability to its mapping website Google Maps, Ohazama wrote."
|Feb 15, 2007|
|619:|| Google Loses Copyright Case & Drops Belgian News Content|
"A Brussels court said Google Inc. violated copyright laws by publishing links to Belgian newspapers without permission and ordered the company to remove them, setting a precedent for future cases in Europe."
|Feb 13, 2007|
|620:|| Become A GAAC (Google Analytics Authorized Consultant)||Feb 11, 2007|
|621:|| How Rich the YouTube Deal Was: The Numbers Are Out|
"The biggest windfalls went, not surprisingly, to the company's three founders and to Sequoia Capital, the main financial backer of YouTube, the popular video-sharing site."
|Feb 8, 2007|
|622:|| Google CEO: Internet's Role in Freedom Still Expanding|
"The Internet has an ever-growing role to play in allowing free expression across the globe -- but only if attempts to reign it in are unsuccessful, Google Inc. Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt said yesterday."
|Feb 7, 2007|
|623:|| Google Still Searching For Recognition in D.C.|
Mr. Schmidt goes to Washington.
|Feb 7, 2007|
|624:|| Google Setback for "Gmail" Name In Germany|
"Google's Gmail trademark just suffered a severe blow in Europe as the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market has ruled against the search giant's use of the Gmail name there, according to the man who opposed the mark."
|Feb 1, 2007|
|625:|| Google's Q4 Earnings Announced|
"Net income for the fourth quarter grew to $1.03 billion (524 million pounds), or $3.29 per share, compared with $372.2 million, or $1.22 per share in the year-earlier quarter."
|Jan 31, 2007|
|626:|| YouTube Plans Revenue Sharing With Users|
"Chad Hurley, co-founder of YouTube, said Saturday that his wildly successful site will start sharing revenue with its millions of users."
|Jan 28, 2007|
|627:|| Fox subpoenas YouTube after "24" clips posted|
"The "24" episodes in question actually appeared on YouTube prior to their primetime January 14 premiere on the Fox broadcast network..."
|Jan 25, 2007|
|628:|| Google Admits to User Data Disclosure|
"Google has confirmed that it unwittingly disclosed sensitive login and password information pertaining to more than a dozen users."
|Jan 23, 2007|
|629:|| Google: Plans For $600M Data Center in North Carolina|
"Google Inc. plans to spend up to $600 million to build a data center in North Carolina, state officials and the company said Friday."
|Jan 20, 2007|
|630:|| MIVA Inks Ad Deal With Google|
"Search marketing company MIVA Inc. said in a regulatory filing Wednesday it agreed to exclusively use Google Inc.'s WebSearch and AdSense services for approved Web sites and applications."
|Jan 3, 2007|
|631:|| Google Steps More Boldly Into PayPal's Territory|
"Traffic on his site more than tripled, and best of all, he said, Google picked up the tab for the promotion.
|Dec 20, 2006|
|632:|| Google, NASA Ames To Cooperate On Technical Projects|
"NASA Ames Research Center and Google have signed a Space Act Agreement that formally establishes a relationship to work together on a variety of challenging technical problems ranging from large-scale data management and massively distributed computing, to human-computer interfaces."
|Dec 18, 2006|
|633:|| GooglePhone Coming Soon?|
Google has held talks with Orange, the mobile phone operator, about a multi-billion-dollar partnership.
|Dec 18, 2006|
|634:|| Google Gets Into Domain Registration|
"The Mountain View-based company is offering its latest service in a partnership with GoDaddy.com and eNom, two of the many administrators that help Web sites officially register their names under domains like '.com' and 'net.'"
|Dec 15, 2006|
|635:|| Google Lets Staff Auction Stock Options|
"Google plans to start an unorthodox stock options programme in April that will allow employees to sell their vested options in an online auction, the search giant announced late on Tuesday."
|Dec 13, 2006|
|636:|| Google: YouTube; Copyright Nightmare Or Opportunity For Broadcasters?|
"Google's head of business development Omid Kordestani, speaking at an investor conference in London this week, confirmed that "conversations have been going on with all the key players" on developing and making money out of YouTube. He also hinted that old media partners would get the lion's share of advertising revenues."
|Dec 11, 2006|
|637:|| Google Begins Testing Radio Adverts|
"Google Inc. said Thursday it has completed the development of its widely anticipated radio advertising system and begun a limited test allowing customers to buy ads via its online ad-buying system."
|Dec 8, 2006|
|638:|| Google To Work With Sky|
Eric Schmidt : 'We will be delivering exciting new services for Sky Broadband customers all over the UK.'
|Dec 6, 2006|
|639:|| Google Closes Google Answers Service||Nov 29, 2006|
|640:|| Google Reaches Deal In Belgian Dispute|
"Google Inc. said Tuesday it has struck a content-sharing deal with two organizations to partly settle a dispute in Belgium over news articles available through the Internet search engine."
|Nov 28, 2006|


text:
Holy crap. The latest on the lawsuit against OLPC by Nigerian firm Lagos Analysis Corporation (Lancor) is that OLPC has been hit with a temporary injunction, meaning it can't be distributed or sold in Nigeria "on pain of jail time." LANCOR also wants $20 million in damages. From a charity. Groklaw insinuates something of a conspiracy theory about this lawsuit:
One of the parties named (there were four, including OLPC) in the suit originally was Alteq, who has since been dropped. Alteq is Intel's Nigerian partner, and Intel, if you recall, is marketing the OLPC competitor, the Classmate. Here's what Groklaw says:
Not to be too cynical or anything, but if by any chance the roadblock of this case miraculously clears up in a few months, around the time the OLPC's with Intel chips are ready to roll into Nigeria, or some Nigerian ripoff of the OLPC is suddenly available for purchase, let's just say my FUD/bogo-litigation meter is going to start to ring off the hook.
More likely, it's just legal eagle version of the spammers we love to mock—to wit, their letter to the OLPC said "WE HEREBY DEMAND payment in damages in the sum of $20 million (Twenty Million USD)."
Either way, this isn't good news for OLPC, since their lawyers now have quite the mess to slog through, though we expect they'll be responding soon, since all of this took place in court without them, making this looking even more on the level. [Groklaw via Slashdot]


text:
Hold on to your stats! ShortDot gets two gTLDs approved in China | Domain Incite
ShortDot, which makes a business repurposing unwanted gTLDs for the budget end of the market, said today it has had two more horses in its stable approved for use in China.
The company said that .bond and .cyou have been given the necessary nods by Chinese authorities.
What this could mean, if history is any guide, is a sharp increase in sales for the two extensions, possibly to the extent that they materially affect overall domain industry volume stats for the next few years.
ShortDot seems to think so, saying in a press release: “Given the massive success of .icu in China, it is quite clear that .bond and .cyou will follow suit to become largely successful.”
.icu currently has about 600,000 names under management, more than half of which are registered via Chinese registrars. Its numbers are on their way down.
At its peak 18 months ago it had more than 10 times as many, about 6.6 million, due to its low pricing and popularity among Chinese speculators.
The sudden rise and wholly predictable precipitous fall of .icu has been messing with overall new gTLD industry stats for the last couple of years. No volume analysis is complete without a .icu-related asterisk.
It’s by no means assured that the same will be true of .cyou and .bond of course.
.cyou, which was originally a dot-brand matching the ticker symbol of a Chinese company, had 118,000 names under management at the end of May and 136,000 in its zone file yesterday.
Names in .cyou can be had for $2 at Namecheap and NameSilo, its top two registrars, which together hold over 70% of the market.
.bond, originally an Australian university’s dot-brand, has fewer than 5,000 names at the last count and retails for about $55 retail at the low end.


text:
How do you tax a viral video? This is the question content creators in Nigeria have been asking since the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) declared their intention to register and regulate their activities under the Company and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020. According to the CAC, its mandate is to enforce the CAMA 2020, which requires that any business, whether carried on by an individual or a company, must be registered with the commission. The CAC also contends that registering and taxing content creators will broaden the tax base, promote entrepreneurship, and generate more employment opportunities for Nigerians. However, the idea of taxing creativity does not sit well with many. Is this move legal, fair, and beneficial for the digital economy?
Earlier in January, FIRS set a target to increase tax revenue by 15% in 2024, with a target of N19.4 trillion. The taxing agency plans to carry out internal reallocation from oil to non-oil sectors, with the digital economy being a main source. Nigeria is a hub of creativity on the internet, producing diverse content ranging from skits to songs. With over 154 million internet users as of January 2024, Nigeria has the largest online population in Africa. It also has the second-highest number of social media users in the continent, with 33 million active users on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok. Nigeria’s social media market is estimated at $3.4 billion, with the digital economy contributing 3.8% to its GDP. The FIRS expects its non-oil revenue target to contribute significantly to the President Bola Tinubu administration’s vision of achieving an 18 percent tax-to-GDP ratio in the next three years.
It is not uncommon to tax content creators as the World Bank has urged governments to adopt tax systems that are inclusive and adaptable to the digital age. In the United States, content creators are subject to income and self-employment taxes, regardless of whether their online activities are a hobby or a full-time job. According to the IRS, content creators are considered self-employed and must report their income and expenses on Schedule C. They must also pay self-employment taxes, which are 15.3% of their net earnings, and cover Social Security and Medicare. To avoid penalties, content creators must make quarterly estimated tax payments to the IRS. Some content creators may opt to form their business entity, such as an LLC or corporation, depending on their specific circumstances and business goals. Content creators may also have to pay taxes on gifts they receive from brands in exchange for promotional services if the value of the gifts exceeds $100.
Taxing content creators also creates a level playing field for all workers in the digital economy, regardless of their employment status. According to PwC, out of the 1.2 million (as of 2019) people employed in Nigeria’s entertainment and media industry, only 0.4 million were in formal employment. This implies that about 67% of the industry’s workforce is outside the tax net, leading to revenue loss for the government and unfair advantage for some workers over others. For example, a radio station generating millions in advertising revenue already contributes to the tax system, while a popular Youtuber earning similar amounts might not. This lack of parity creates a sense of unfairness and undermines the principle of shared responsibility for funding public services.
Yet, effectively tracking and taxing content creators presents unique challenges compared to traditional sectors, Unlike salaried employees with consistent paychecks, creators have diverse income sources. They may earn through advertising, sponsorships, merchandise sales, direct payments, platform rewards, and even cryptocurrency. Also, each platform might have different reporting and payment structures, making tracking income complex. In said cases, navigating creator income data with tax authorities due to privacy regulations and competitive concerns might be a challenge. This lack of transparency can hinder accurate tax assessment in a system akin to Nigeria’s informal sector. According to a report by SBM Intelligence, 98% of businesses in Nigeria’s informal sector pay taxes, but to non-state regulated actors, such as market associations, unions, vigilante groups, and area boys.
This leads to the issue of multiple taxation. By classifying creators as businesses, the CAC implies they should register and potentially pay company income tax (CIT) of 30%. However, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) is the only agency authorized to collect taxes in Nigeria. The FIRS clarifies it primarily collects corporate income tax, not directly taxing individuals. This suggests individual creators might fall under state-level personal income tax, currently at 24% for individuals earning above N30 million annually.
Kenya had similar concerns last year when the Finance Bill 2023 proposed taxing digital content creators. The proposed 15% withholding tax, significantly higher than the 5% rate for professional services, sparked significant debate. With a potential effective tax rate exceeding 30% due to income tax credits based on a 50% profit margin assumption, critics argued creators, especially those with lower earnings, could face unfair burdens.
Legally, the picture is also murky. CAMA 2020 predominantly governs the registration and regulation of businesses, primarily focusing on companies and partnerships. While the CAC argues any business activity, even by individuals, requires registration, the legal definition of “business” in this context remains unclear. Does creating online content for income constitute a “business” under CAMA? The line between hobby and entrepreneurial activity, especially for casual creators, is ambiguous, potentially leading to unfair targeting and compliance burdens. Moreover, the CAC’s history of less-than-efficient regulation raised concerns about the effectiveness and potential negative impact of its proposed approach.
Globally, taxation of content creators is still a complex and evolving topic, as the digital economy grows and changes. According to the International Finance Corporation, Nigeria’s internet economy is projected to reach $50 billion by 2025, accounting for 14% of the country’s GDP. Yet, with millions of Nigerians relying on online content for entertainment, information, and even income, the question of taxation becomes more than just numbers. Can the Nigerian system adapt to capture this new economic reality?


text:
BioShock creative director Ken Levine has opened up on the once planned PS Vita entry in the series, which never began development.
He added, “Wish I could do it myself, but lawyers and all that. I still love my Vita.”
He continued, “Something that would work well on the Vita and not be a compromise in any way. Also, as some know, I’m a turn based whore.”
While BioShock may never come to PS Vita in its own exclusive form, there’s always the possibility of playing a BioShock Infinite PlayStation 4 remaster via PS Vita remote play. At least, that’s what Levine is hoping. But of course, it’s “not [his] decision.”


text:
Arla Foods Ingredients has launched a new protein bar allowing brands to raise the protein content of their bars – including mass, filling and coating – without having to increase size or compromise on taste or texture.
80% of consumers have expressed they are interested in protein – up from 69% in 2014 – driving an increase in protein bars in retail outlets. Most have a more uniform mass than confectionery options, which can offer a variety of layered textures; a challenge where texture is a major informant on consumer purchasing decisions.
The new recipe from Arla Foods is based on high-quality whey and milk protein ingredients from the company’s Lacprodan range. The rich chocolate retains its flavour and softness throughout shelf life and offers 30% of protein per bar, meaning the company can make high protein claims. As a ‘plug and play’ solution, it can be used by brands as the basis for their own formulations.
“In the crowded bar market, manufacturers need to capture the attention of consumers seeking high-protein options that are just as appealing as their confectionery counterparts,” explained Laima Liepinyte, Sales Development Manager, Health & Performance Nutrition at Arla Foods. “With Lacprodan ingredients, they can create multi-layer protein bars with a palette of textures and a soft, light, and creamy mouthfeel. As well as delivering pathways to success for wellness-focused manufacturers, this new concept opens new doors for high-protein confectionery products.”
The new concept will be launched 15 September in a webinar hosted by Arla Foods Ingredients in partnership with Nutrition Integrated.
Stay up-to-date on the latest industry news and developments in our magazine.
Editor, International Confectionery
Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920


text:
Seoul vehicles to go electric by 2020.
A Korea Herald article says that the mayor of Seoul has pledged that by 2020, Korea will have 120,000 electric cars on the road. This pledge is intended to show the world a model for clean energy. This is pretty interesting.
As we know now, there are many cities (especially in the U.S.) where the use of cars is absolutely necessary. It is especially apparent in countries with an underdeveloped railroad system.
Korea’s railroad is hardly lacking, but with the technology available and such a small country with a centralized population, Seoul is ideal for trying this type of technology out en masse.
There’s also an agreement to supply electric cars to the city of Los Angeles. This is great, because L.A. has never had a subway. Smog is a huge problem in L.A., and this may be just what the city needs.
Right now it’s impossible to make a direct switch to electric cars because there are so few charging facilities and other infrastructure, but if Seoul (or L.A) were to install that infrastructure, I imagine that the cars will increase in popularity.
Weaknesses at the moment include low speed and inability to travel far distances, but electric cars would be ideal for commuting.


text:
Tag Archives: Bubble
[unable to retrieve full-text content]
The cryptocurrency market is in a meltdown. Bitcoin prices are down nearly 60% from their December highs, and major banks are cutting off credit card access to crypto exchanges—no surprise in the wake of a mania that saw everyone and their dog sharing hot crypto tips.
Meanwhile, the cyber-security industry is experiencing its own bubble bursting, albeit in much less dramatic fashion. As Reuters reported last month, investors are at last acknowledging the obvious: There are too many VC-bloated start-ups chasing too few clients, while unicorns are morphing into zombies struggling to find an IPO or other exit.
This situation may explain a recent flurry of press releases from cyber firms like Tenable, Cylance and Duo. The releases tout revenue growth and appear intended to assure anyone who will listen that “hey, we’re surviving the cyber shake-out just fine thank you very much.”
It’s hard to say for now which firms will be left standing at the end of 2018 but, for now, it’s clear the peak of the cyber-boom, when VCs would shower money on any company with blinky lights, is over. The investor uncertainty, though, is just one part of the cyber story. There’s also the more important question of whether all these companies have helped harden the country against hacking, and the answer appears to be yes.
Based on recent conversations with ordinary executives, I’ve found cyber-literary has shot up. While hackers are still getting through (they always will), managers and general counsels are finally attuned to the threat and doing something about it.
This change is also trickling down to more humble enterprises. I met a company this week called CyberSight, which offers free and low-cost ransomware protection to the likes of small businesses and county governments, and many of them are actually implementing it. This is a welcome change from a year ago when too many companies blew off cyber defense as an exotic affair they didn’t need.
So let’s celebrate cyber victories where we can find them. Finally, returning to crypto, don’t forget it’s tax time—if you bought or sold, here’s a plain English Q&A to get you through. Have a great weekend.
Jeff John Roberts
Welcome to the Cyber Saturday edition of Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily tech newsletter. You may reach Robert Hackett via Twitter, Cryptocat, Jabber (see OTR fingerprint on my about.me), PGP encrypted email (see public key on my Keybase.io), Wickr, Signal, or however you (securely) prefer. Feedback welcome.
Bye-bye little bots: Twitter users are losing tens of thousands of followers in the wake of a searing report about a “follower factory” that let people inflate their social media popularity with the help of bots, many of which were crafted by means of identity theft. A Twitter board member was among those who lost followers in the purge.
Apple and the FBI, it’s complicated: In the wake of a 2016 terrorist attack, media outlets (including Fortune) reported on bad blood between Apple and law enforcement over the iPhone maker’s encryption polices. Today, the two sides still don’t see eye-to-eye but are in many ways more friendly than you think.
Looming specter of Spectre: Sure enough, those scary Spectre and Meltdown viruses may be coming to a chip near you. Researchers have already found 130 malware samples that appear to have been built in order to exploit the worldwide chip vulnerabilities disclosed in January.
Netflix and Phish: When you have 118 million subscribers, many of them addicted to binge-watching, your service will be a popular target for scammers. A fake Netflix subscription email is making the rounds (again), threatening to cancel Netflix customers’ accounts if they don’t supply their credit card number. One guess what happens if you click.
Hey Hawaii, good call on canning that button pusher who kept confusing drills with real life.
Share today’s Data Sheet with a friend:
Looking for previous Data Sheets? Click here.
— If you’re going to rob someone at gunpoint for their crypto-currency, for heaven’s sake, don’t transfer the funds to a popular exchange in your own name. Fortune obtained exclusive details about a crazy crypto heist in New York.
ONE MORE THING
Obligatory SuperBowl tidbit: Jeopardy host Alex Trebek chided his contestants over their complete and utter ignorance of football, a topic that regularly pops up in the weeks before the gig game. The show then trolled the players with a tweet, saying “Our contestants answered as many clues in this category as the @Browns had wins this season.”
Life as we once knew it drastically changed in the mid-90s. The Internet’s popularity was on the rise, and many savvy businesses and companies saw the potential of a hyper-connected, digital world. This lead to the dot-com bubble–a sharp rise, and fall, in stock prices that was fueled by investments in Internet-based companies.
While we’ve moved far past the early stages of Internet start-ups and e-commerce companies, digital is continuing to change our everyday lives–from how we work, live, and play to the future of money itself. Interest in cryptocurrency, similar to the frenzy we saw in the early days of the dot-com bubble, is reaching a crescendo–yet many experts are already predicting its demise.
Warren Buffet has gone on the record saying that crypto will come to a bad ending. Jamie Dimon, J.P. Morgan’s CEO, called Bitcoin a fraud before later admitting that he regretted making that statement.
Meanwhile, other big-name investors and companies are going out of their way to invest in crypto–from Richard Branson to Microsoft .
But are the naysayers right? Are we headed toward a catastrophic implosion of dot-com level proportions?
Yes, the crypto market is volatile. There are too many unknowns to be certain, but if we look at the histories of companies like Amazon, eBay, Priceline, and Shutterfly, then maybe we can gain some clarity.
These e-commerce companies were born during the dot-com era, and they weathered the storm and emerged as some of the most successful and stable companies in history. The dot-com crash didn’t destroy the concept of e-commerce or the fact that consumers want to buy airline tickets, antiques, or pet food online–there was simply a gold rush in the early development stages. Once the dust settled, however, the strong survived.
Don’t call it a comeback
In the end, the dot-com bubble was a movement. Smart investors saw the future of digital-based commerce and, as they invested, the movement snowballed into madness. Many of the companies that popped up during that time were run by people who were in over their heads, or they didn’t have the technology to keep up with the demand. When the crash happened, it thinned the herd.
Mona El Isa, the chief executive and co-founder of Melonport, summed this notion up at a recent TechCrunch conference when she said, “The dot-com bubble was messy, but if we look at some of the largest companies that exist today they are a result of the dot-com bubble and they are part of our everyday lives.”
Which leads us back to what we’re seeing with cryptocurrency today. Even if this bubble bursts, the concept of digital currency will not go away. It may wipe out 90% of today’s existing startup currencies, but the strong will survive. Companies, like Kodak, who try to create a currency without providing real customer value may see efforts go to waste. And this will pave the way for the Amazon of cryptocurrency to make its mark on the world.
To further the power of this movement, it’s important to remember that cryptocurrency isn’t a company. It doesn’t have shareholders. It isn’t VC-backed. Which means this movement extends beyond any other economic bubble we’ve seen–it’s happening in an arena that’s removed from the stock markets. So, when, and if, the bubble bursts, it won’t go quietly into that good night. The parameters may change drastically from what we are seeing today, but digital currency–in one form or another–is the future.
How to invest in a movement
So, if cryptocurrency is the future–how do you invest? From a business standpoint, it’s important to look at crypto through a risk-management lens. Business leaders and board members should be learning everything they can about this new trend so they can determine how, where, and why it might affect or fit into the business. Is there a way to offer customers value through cryptocurrency? Is the time right to execute? Is there a long-term strategy in place that will take advantage of the crypto movement when the stormy waters calm down?
These are the types of questions you need to consider. Do what’s best for your business and what’s best for your customer. As with any digital movement, you need to be aware of the trends and aware of how it could change your business. This is the only way to defend your company from possible disruption.
For anyone who is considering investing in cryptocurrency, it’s important to remember that this is a long-term movement. Our world is becoming increasingly smaller and more reliant on digital means–currency transformation is inevitable.
It’s the smart investors who understand that this isn’t a fragile economic trend. Digital currency will continue to adapt and change over the next few years–and the companies and entrepreneurs who pay close attention now will have the best chance at deftly navigating the troubled waters.