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At last week’s India analyst briefing, IBM outlined urbanization as a key factor driving “Smarter Cities” initiatives in India.
IBM expects India to invest about $1.2 trillion over the next 20 years in areas like transportation, energy, and public security. The second phase of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM), which covers $40 billion in infrastructure-related projects, will play a key role in improving the country’s infrastructure capacity to support urbanization over the next five years. IBM is currently working on approximately 3,000 smart city projects globally; of those, about 30 pilot projects are from India.
About a year ago, I published a report on how cities are undergoing rapid transformation and creating massive opportunities for ICT vendors across Asia Pacific. Although the urbanization rate still stands at about 30% in India, it is growing fast. Also, an increasingly Internet-savvy population is demanding better citizen services. Indian state and city governments will make investments to build infrastructure on a large scale to meet the needs of their surging urban populations, creating opportunities for vendors. —
Despite the promise and opportunities that India provides for Smarter City initiatives, IBM has to deal with key challenges:
Infosys recently won a financial services systems integration deal from the Department of Post in the Ministry of Communications and IT of India worth INR 700 crore (US$126 million). In 2010, India’s Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved India Post’s “IT modernization” project, which was divided into eight separate contracts worth a total of $337 million. With this deal, Infosys has won one of these eight contracts.
According to the terms of the contract, Infosys will commission both hardware and software – Intellectual Property (Finacle Core Banking and McCamish Insurance products) over India Post’s approximately 25,000 departmental offices over a period of 24 months. The contract, which is valid for seven years, includes managed services, application support, and infrastructure operations. More details about the deal can be found here.
Let’s look at what this deal means to Infosys and to India Post:
Indian CIOs are at the risk of losing business credibility if they do not improve their understanding of business technology (BT). This is the key finding from thelatest report that John Brand and I just published. For this report, we surveyed 130 companies in India, using Forrester’s BT Leadership Maturity Model as a baseline for gauging the BT maturity and readiness of Indian organizations. Our survey revealed a surprising level of consistency and positivity about BT among Indian firms, regardless of organization size, type or industry.
This was especially surprising given that BT is a relatively new concept in emerging markets. When we asked CIOs at Indian organizations to define BT in their own words, the responses displayed an overwhelmingly enthusiastic and optimistic view of BT; the most common theme centered on the value of BT as a general principle. However, many topics that were widely cited in self-assessments from CIOs in more mature markets like North America, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand were all but ignored by Indian CIOs, including time-to-value, market differentiation, communication, and governance. As Indian CIOs have not long been exposed to the general concepts of BT, Forrester believes that inflated self-rankings are mainly attributed to a lack of understanding of just how comprehensive BT is.
The report helps answer key questions such as:
· Why are Indian CIOs remarkably consistent in their BT views and attitudes? And is this really just due to a common tendency to inflate their own BT maturity?
The most critical factor driving the Indian public sector over the next five years will be India’s 12th national five-year plan, which covers the period from 2012 to 2017. I have just published a report on the plan that provides a comprehensive review of India’s new government spending framework and what it means for ICT vendors looking to successfully position for success.
Forrester estimates that India’s public sector IT purchases will grow at a CAGR of 14% between 2012 and 2017, reaching $108.5 billion in 2017. In 2014, we anticipate a decrease in government spending due to parliamentary elections — but spending will pick up after the election, as maintaining GDP growth will be on the agenda of any new government. We believe that massive infrastructure investments and increasing citizen expectations will fuel public sector IT in spite of the 2014 parliamentary elections. Citizens are pressuring federal, state, and local government to become more proactive and interactive and to provide services in a more organized and user-friendly manner. A recent Forrester survey of government IT buyers in India spotlighted this heightened focus on citizen services:
Huawei hosted about 160 industry and financial analysts at its ninth annual analyst summit in Shenzhen, China in April 2012. The main takeaway for its consumer devices business was that consumer devices complete the end-to-end pitch for Huawei. Huawei showcased its growing capabilities across the wireless industry value chain. Most notably, Huawei made a foray into the smart devices domain with its own brand of smartphones and tablets. In 2011, Huawei shipped 20 million smartphones and 60 million mobile broadband devices like dongles. The smartphone market is already overcrowded with heavyweights such as Apple, Samsung, Nokia, and Motorola; thus, it might seem that Huawei may not be able to make a very profitable business from selling these devices. However, we believe that this move will bring indirect benefits to Huawei’s core Carrier Network division in the following two ways:
It spurs the uptake of smart mobile devices. Among all companies, Huawei is best suited to leverage manufacturing capabilities in its homeland, China, to mass-produce smart devices. Moreover, as it can manufacture processors in-house through its HiSilicon subsidiary, it can control and reduce the overall price of these devices. As price is a major buying criterion for consumers in regions like China, India, and the Southeast Asian countries, Huawei will be able to expedite the uptake of devices in these countries. Subsequently, the demand for data will increase and telecom operators in these countries will need to upgrade or roll out new technologies and networks (HSPA+, TD-LTE, FDD-LTE, dual-mode networks, etc.). This is where Huawei will benefit, as it will be able to position itself as an end-to-end supplier for telecom operators including hardware, professional and managed services, security solutions, servers, and storage.
I have recently published a report on enterprise mobility in India. Improving mobility infrastructure, including networks and devices, and business and workforce demand are fueling the growth of mobility within organizations. Mobility is being used not only to connect with customers, but also to connect with suppliers, partners, and employees. A few key takeaways from the report are that:
Interest in advanced mobile-enabled applications is increasing. There is a great impetus among enterprises in India to move beyond only mobile-enabling basic applications such as email, IM, contacts, and calendar. Twenty percent of enterprises plan to mobile-enable advanced applications like location-based services in the coming 12 to 24 months, while 37% of enterprises want to mobile-enable customer relationship management.
Mobility is among the top enterprise priorities for 2012 and investment is set to rise. For business decision-makers at enterprises and SMBs in India, provisioning mobility is one of the top three priorities in 2012. As a result, investment in all aspects of mobility — such as mobile devices, applications, middleware, and services — will increase.
The workforce wants employers to support mobility at work. The consumerization of smart mobility devices like smartphones and tablets is beginning to have an impact on the enterprise front. More than 60% of employees want to use smartphones at work.
Airtel launched India’s first 4G LTE services in Kolkata yesterday. Airtel delivers the service using TDD technology, making it one of the few operators globally to launch a TD-LTE network. The majority of commercial LTE launches are still based on FDD technology, which begs the question: What impact will TDD have on the LTE landscape? Will TD-LTE get support from equipment manufacturers, or will it suffer a fate similar to that of WiMAX? What does it mean for operators? I believe that TDD will affect the entire mobile ecosystem. Here’s how:
Price parity between paired and unpaired spectra. Both paired and unpaired spectra will be viewed as media that deliver wireless service irrespective of the underlying technology; this will drive price parity between the spectra. The dichotomy between the FDD spectrum (used primarily for coverage) and the TDD spectrum (mainly for capacity) will disappear as technological advancements make it possible to achieve similar capacity and coverage on both spectra. Consequently, the “spectrum crunch” may diminish, as any spectrum will be satisfactory for the deployment of mobile broadband services.
I presented the keynote at the Biztech2 event in Mumbai last week. It was a big evening, as almost all key Indian CIOs were present at the event. The theme of my keynote was “The Empowered BT CIO,” which triggered some interesting thoughts, as all of the discussions that I had after the presentation were mainly around “business” with hardly any mention of “technology.” Below are the key points mentioned by CIOs in my discussions with them:
“We do all the work and business leaders take all the credit. But if something goes wrong, we are the ones who get the blame.”
“The money is with the finance and marketing departments, and we have to depend on them for our budget. My CEO should change this structure.”
“I don’t have followers in my organization.”
“My organization doesn’t give me the same importance as it gives the CFO or CMO.”
“Through technology innovation, I helped the company reduce IT spending and save money.”
All of these points have one thing in common: “my present role and issues that I face today.” But no one talked about their future role! My response to them was consistent, as I categorically highlighted that CIOs have two options:
Continue with your current approach — but then the future role of the CIO will be dismal.
Step up and take the challenge to shape the business. Take it as an opportunity to transform your role in the empowered world.
The Indian government announced its 2012-2013 budget on March 16, 2012. While the announced budget does not contain direct incentives to promote the domestic ICT industry, there will be adequate indirect opportunities for vendors to explore. The excise duty will increase from 10% to 12%; this will have a marginal impact on the sale of PCs (desktops, laptops, and tablets), but the government’s focus on improving infrastructure, creating efficient delivery mechanisms, and improving e-governance will provide substantial indirect opportunities to IT vendors.
The latest budget aims to achieve long-term and inclusive growth for the economy and is in sync with my upcoming report, “India’s 12th National Five-Year Plan (2012-2017) Provides Massive ICT Opportunities.” The report answers questions such as why and how technology will act as a key enabler for the Indian government to achieve its growth target.
The 2012-2013 budget will provide adequate ICT opportunities for vendors, such as:
Packaged and industry-specific applications, e-governance, mobile apps, and analytics will support the strong need for sustainable revenue sources to fund investments. A common problem that India faces today is the significant imbalance between expenditures and revenues. The budget categorically highlights the need to deliver more with existing resources; we will witness increased demand for packaged and industry-specific applications, e-governance, and mobile apps to help generate sustainable revenue to fund investments. Also, the outlay for e-governance projects will increase by 210%, from the equivalent of US$62 million to US$192 million; applications from software vendors for e-governance initiatives will present some of the most exciting opportunities in India. And the government will use various analytical tools to improve revenue sources and take corrective actions by identifying gaps.
In their Asia Pacific Tech Market Outlook For 2012 report, Andrew Bartels and Frederic Giron show that government and business IT spending in the emerging markets of Asia (including China, India, and the ASEAN countries) will reach US$180 billion in 2012, growing by roughly 13% over 2011. While emerging Asia’s IT spending is surging this year, economic obligations in the developed markets of North America, Europe, and Japan will ensure continued austerity — and limited IT spending growth. In other words, emerging Asia is clearly a lucrative region of opportunities for US, European, Japanese, and South Korean vendors looking for new sources of growth to offset lower business prospects in their home markets.
Asia is a region of highly disparate countries, with regulatory complexity, cultural differences, and a limited pool of skilled resources. These barriers to entry and expansion will compel vendors to look beyond organic growth, which is simply too time-intensive. Instead, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) of local/regional incumbents with local know-how, skills, and client relationships will increasingly be a strategic imperative for vendors targeting emerging Asia. I’ve highlighted some examples from the Indian market below, but I foresee similar trends in the overall ICT sector throughout emerging Asia:


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College Replaces Cafeteria Staff With Machines
Many of the students were against the new changes, and said they'll miss fresh food and connecting with the staff
A community college in Upstate New York has announced that self serve kiosks will replace cafeteria staff workers at the end of the spring term.
The Orange County Community College Association, the nonprofit in charge of managing the SUNY Orange cafeteria, said that the decision came after the school’s food services division reported a $150,000 deficit, according to the Times Herald Record, which originally reported the story. The school will lay off nine full time workers and three part time workers and the change will take effect in June.
“By doing nothing we could have been out of business in 12 to 18 months. We would not have been able to make payroll,” Vinnie Cazzetta, executive director of the nonprofit, told the Times Herald. Many of the students said that they didn’t like the new changes, and they will miss fresh food and connecting with the staff.
The decision is representative of a larger shift towards automation in the food industry, though the change has been slower in schools and universities. In 2015, Three Square Market, a self-service technology company, piloted their self-checkout kiosks in three high school cafeterias in Minnesota.
In the commercial food industry, shifts are more widespread. In November, McDonald’s announced it would install self-service kiosks in 14,000 U.S. stores. Machines are already taking food orders at 500 McDonald’s in Southern California, New York, and Florida. In February, Wendy’s also announced it will add kiosks to 15 percent of its stores by the end of the year, and Panera Bread has said they plan to implement kiosks in the next few years. Technology has helped food companies’ bottom line in other ways too. Some restaurants and cafes, such as Starbucks, encourage customers to order on an app in order to reduce lines. Across the board, the motivations are the same: cutting labor costs.

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The whole world is ill at ease with the pandemic of Coronavirus or the novel COVID-19 to such an extent that major countries have shut down airports, restricted business in many levels, seized traveling especially to Asian countries to stop the virus to enter in foreign lands. There are reports of corona spread more than a few in the United States. But for the sake of games’ love, E3 Rumored To Be Looking Forward To Upcoming E3 2020 Despite Mounting Coronavirus Concerns.
So far, many gaming events have been called off due to the rapid spread of Coronavirus. The LPL got postponed and now it is not happening any sooner than the pandemic gets under control. For the raising concerns for COVID-19, the Game Developers Conference 2020 organizers declared that they chose to start the event after Blizzard until summer comes. Many other companies have made the same decision and pulled their names out of the event.
But this horrendous sight might not freak everyone in the business. Patrick Klepek, the senior reporter of Waypoint took to twitter to discuss the different approaches different companies had taken as a consequence of corona outbreak. He mentioned last week on twitter that E3 is not going to bail out so easily from the world’s biggest gaming scenario.
Patrick Klepek keeps all his attention in the current situation as their priority is staying healthy and the safety of all the exhibitors and participants. He presently told that the team is getting arranged in full-fledge manner with E3 2020 planning. The sales are going up and everyone seems very excited to see it around in June 2020.
Though the planning is hanging by a thread as there is a vast amount of time in between now and june and the while development can go upside down if the pandemic is not suppressed. COVID-19 has spread more than they have expected. E3 will be hosted in Los Angeles, California, the same states where 2 health workers were affected by Cornona virus.
Many followers are showing their concerns when Patrick Klepek took it to twitter with his quoting. Some fans felt little awkward towards the untoward concerns of the team for the virus and world health instead, he stated the sales were getting high as if they prioritized profit over health.
Many gaming developers pull themselves out from this league to avoid the gaming conference in the time of such a health crisis. It is quite possible if the virus outbreak sustains in America, the majority of the participants will withdraw.


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May 07, 2013 15:23 BST Svedbergs of Dalstorp, Sweden, are proud to announce the launch of their latest shower solutions with fashionable and stylish designs. These brand new designs have been exclusively created for Svedbergs by Hanna Werning.
Feb 07, 2012 14:28 GMT Svedbergs in Dalstorp signs agreement with Rautakesko Oy, one of Europe’s biggest DIY chains.
Jun 07, 2011 08:37 BST Anders Tofte, 43 years of age, has been appointed as Svedbergs new MD. He will start the position on July 1st ,2011. Replacing Peter Petersson who then will return to Backup Management.
Mar 09, 2011 11:47 GMT The largest Nordic bathroom supplier is launching a brand new design language. Svedbergs’ Style is a unique bathroom range, which is now being shown for the first time at the Stockholm Furniture Fair.
Feb 04, 2011 12:49 GMT This year’s Bathroom Book from Svedbergs contains many new features. The biggest innovation is the Style furniture range. Other new features include updates of popular furniture ranges, smart new WC and heated towel rails for the modern bathroom.
Jun 30, 2010 10:31 BST SVEDBERGS FLAGSHIP Svedbergs Swedish manufacturer of the complete bathroom is opening a series of Flagship retailers in the UK. The first of these is based in South West London, Bathroom at Source.
May 26, 2010 08:09 BST The R158 Spa bath has been a long standing favourite with Svedbergs customers. We are proud to present a complete face-lift of the spa features. The R158 is now available with features such as: massage programme, chromo therapy, touch panel to mention a few. Most importantly you will notice the silence when switching on the new massage programme.


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In today’s roundup of news links, we meet a man developing technology to improve cell network speeds by a factor of 1,000; we find out the real advantage of Amazon; we learn to speak Entrepreneurese; and we find out whystocks are overvalued…except for Facebook.
The Edison of Silicon Valley — Business Week
Perlman patiently explains that he’s developing a new type of wireless technology that’s about 1,000 times faster than the current cell networks. It will, he says, end dropped calls and network congestion, and pump high-definition movies to any computing device anywhere.
Amazon’s Scorched-Earth War Against the Rest of Us — Mother Jones
What is Amazon.com’s biggest advantage over its competition? One-click ordering? The ability to go shopping in your pajamas? Its enormous selection? Those all play a role, but Christopher Caldwell thinks the real answer is the fact that Amazon’s customers mostly don’t have to pay statetax:
It is the tax exemption, not the technology, that most distinguishes Amazon from its rivals.
This next article is interesting. Anyone have any to add?
All of these terms are critical to speaking like a true entrepreneur and picking up on what otherare actually saying to you. Keep in mind that while these definitions do not apply in all cases, more often than not, they’re spot-on. Pull up your chair for your first lesson in Entrepreneurese 101.
Bubble Trouble — Barron’s
Investor enthusiasm for social-media stocks is way overblown—except when it comes to Facebook.
© 2011All Rights Reserved


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Pork prices are on the rise as international exports increase and high feed costs are passed on to consumers, said a Purdue Extension agricultural economist.
Retail prices this year are averaging a record $3.35 per pound, up 14% from $2.93 per pound in early 2010.
Increases in exports to South Korea, Japan, Russia and China have led to stronger demand for U.S. pork, said Christ Hurt. Meat designated for export comprised 22% of all U.S. pork in production this spring, and he said that is leaving less for U.S. consumers.
“While it now appears pork production will rise about 1% this year, the large sales to foreign customers mean tight supplies here at home,” Hurt said.
In recent weeks, corn prices have fallen after reaching a record high of more than $8 per bushel in some locations. Margins between hog revenues and feed costs are now positive, which is welcome news for the pork industry.… Continue readingRead More »


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Happy Sunday! Welcome to Holy Shift, where we highlight big innovations in the auto and racing industries each week—whether they be necessary or simply for comfort.
At least four injuries and a death had connections to ruptured airbag inflators in Honda cars by August 2009, the month in which the manufacturer requested a design change by supplier Takata Corporation. But neither company notified U.S. regulators of the request, potentially making both more vulnerable in lawsuits.
A new report from the consortium of 10 automakers investigating the nightmarish Takata airbag failures have found three root causes to be at fault. After looking them over, it really sounds like one key failure.
If you’ve ever been in a car crash and, while looking at the damage, regretted you don’t drive with a couple of mattresses strapped to your car, you’ll be pleased to hear this: automotive safety supplier ZF TRW is developing an external airbag system that could be in cars as soon as 2020.
Back in December, 52-year-old Joel Knight was plodding along in his 2006 Ford Ranger when he crashed into a cow and a fence. The odd part, according to the law firm representing his family, is that the crash didn’t kill him. The airbag did.
“Happy Manipulating!!!” wrote Takata airbag engineer Bob Schubert in an email obtained by The New York Times. Schubert’s 2006 note regarding airbag tests was one of many documents unsealed from a personal injury lawsuit against Takata that suggest the company has a systemic issue with data manipulation.
NHTSA just released lab-test footage of a violent Takata airbag deployment. That reminded us of one of rural-America’s most cherished pastimes: blowing up microwaves with airbags.
While Takata has agreed to the largest consumer product recall ever of 34 million cars with their defective and potentially explosive airbags, millions of cars with Takata airbags have already had theirs replaced under previous recalls. Except hundreds of thousands of those airbags will now have to be replaced a…
Here's a terrifying video that shows the importance of having an airbag that works as it's supposed to versus having an airbag that works... but is a hundredth of a second late. You see one watermelon drop in slow motion and get cradled by the deployment of an airbag versus another watermelon that explodes.
Until today, automakers like Honda assured owners of cars affected by the Takata airbag recall that their vehicles likely wouldn't have shrapnel-filled airbag explosions if they lived in non-humid climates. Needless to say, that's not very reassuring. So today, after pressure from regulators, they'll be replacing all…
Alpinestars is out with its first pair of street-focused airbag-equipped jackets, and they have me seriously considering hanging up by beaten and battered leathers and taking the leap.
Japanese airbag supplier Takata faces a global backlash not just because of their defective exploding airbags, but because they knew about the problem for years. Now, a a New York Times report claims Takata officials acted swiftly to cover up the problem after discovering it in secret testing.
Remember that list of cars affected by the Takata airbag recalls? NHTSA revised it last night, adding some cars and removing others. The most up-to-date list is here in the updated story.
While the world may be burned out on hearing about automotive recalls after General Motors' acknowledged their ignition switch defect and then recalled just about every car they've made in the last 17 years, drivers now face a safety problem that is far more widespread and possibly even more dangerous.
We take airbags for granted today, being the preferred way for most of us not to slam our faces into windshields and dashboards at speed. But it's easy to forget just how difficult it was to get them in cars a few decades ago. This little NYT Retroreport does a nice job recapping the fight.
2012 to 2013 Land Rover Evoques and 2010 to 2015 Land Rover LR2s, as many as 40,551 SUVs, are being recalled because the cars can't tell if someone's sitting in the front passenger seat. With that system not working correctly, the passenger airbag might not go off in a crash.
Ducati became the first motorcycle manufacturer to integrate Dainese's D-Air airbag system into one of its bikes earlier this year, and now we get to see how the system handles crashing into one its corporate siblings.
Due of the massive Takata airbag recall, Honda has issued a stop-sale on any new cars that are impacted, but they can't hold back pre-owned vehicles. Some used vehicles are not recalled, but may be affected. Honda is telling dealerships to have customers sign a liability document.
My favorite airbags are the ones that do not explode and fire shrapnel at me. Unfortunately, those were not the kinds of airbags made by Japanese supplier Takata. The company now prepares to take a $440 million loss in the second quarter amidst millions of recalls.


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Dumb policy in the name of the environment is still dumb policy. That is why last week's proposal by the Trump administration to weaken the Obama-era fuel economy standards was a wise one.
Under the current regulation, the corporate average fuel economy standards are set to jump to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. That means that automakers would be required to produce vast numbers of vehicles the marketplace simply does not want.
Higher fuel economy standards will raise the price of automobiles between approximately $3,000 and $5,000 per vehicle.
Many consumers will be priced out of the market and manufacturers would suffer.
This was tried previously by President Jimmy Carter in the 1970s, who mandated a 53 percent increase in fuel economy for a period stretching into the mid-1980s. The result was the production of particularly clunky and unsafe automobiles.
A major reason for the Obama CAFE standards was the dependence on foreign oil, but in the last few years those imports have dropped drastically due to the shale boom.
High fuel economy standards are good in concept but poor in execution, hurting consumers and manufacturers while falling short of intended goals relating to the environment.
American consumers want fuel-efficient cars. No one likes to pay $60 to fill the tank. In fact, no one enjoys filling up the tank at all. The players in the auto industry know that a fuel-efficient car that America falls in love with is inevitable and they are competing to be the first one to build it.
Innovation abounds in the free market, but we must keep the market as free as possible. A lot of taxpayer money is spent subsidizing industries and practices that government wants Americans to gravitate to, and a lot of money is wasted.
When it comes to fuel economy standards, President Trump has put faith in the people and he is right to do it.


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I love Pinterest, and this infographic from a recent PR Daily article was too good not to share. Did you know that by the end of the year, Pinterest will contribute roughly 40 percent of all social media driven purchases (Facebook will control about 60 percent, and Twitter will become virtually insignificant.), or that buyers from Pinterest are 10 percent more likely to purchase and will spend, on average, 10 percent more than users from other social media sites?
With Pinterest’s popularity still on the rise, and its future still unknown (especially in regards to advertising), we are keeping a close eye on the pinning site here at Clairemont, because numbers like these are hard to ignore! This infographic from PR Daily gives a great breakdown of Pinterest’s current, and possibly future, clout, and reinforces that Pinterest really is a site to continue to watch.


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American Cannabis Company (OTCQB: AMMJ) has received a patent for The Satchel™ from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
The Satchel is the company’s child-resistant solution that is a high-quality pouch designed like a case, which the firm believes will be of significant use in the growing marijuana industry. The U.S. patent authority has already tested the product and it meets the child-safety standards set by the Consumer Products Safety Commission. This means that The Satchel complies with the standards across all the states in the U.S. It was also tested by the American Society for Testing and Supplies, which has also confirmed that the product meets the standard requirements.
A marijuana media company called Cannabis Business Executive mentioned American Cannabis Company as one of the ancillary businesses in the top 100 list of firms in the marijuana industry. The company was ranked 42nd in the list, which includes both private and public firms. The list was released on June 7, with companies being measured on qualities such as the amount of revenue earned and the number of employees.
American Cannabis Company’s president and CEO, Corey Hollister, stated that protecting intellectual property is a significant part of a business’ competitive strategy, and the case applies in the marijuana industry that has been experiencing rapid growth. Hollister also noted that the patent for The Satchel is a milestone since it is part of his company’s strategy. The CEO also mentioned that it was an honor for his company to be recognized as one of the top supplementary businesses in the marijuana industry. The patent further edifies the firm’s objectives of creating value-adding solutions to other firms in the marijuana industry.
The company relies on its experience in the industry to create products and businesses that align with the industry practices and regulations. The company uses two business strategies to derive value from the market. It acts as a cultivator company and also a cannabis consulting firm offering client support from the conceptualization stage to the commercialization stage.
DISCLOSURE: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors, and do not represent the views of PotNetwork.com. Readers should not consider statements made by the author as formal recommendations and should consult their financial advisor before making any investment decisions. To read our full disclosure, please go to: http://potnetwork.com/legal-disclaimer/.


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March 8, 1999
Retail Sales Up in February
Retail sales were better than expected in February, leading most retail
analysts to raise expectations that consumer spending will stay strong in
Factors such as low unemployment and higher wages, as well as a rush of
early tax refunds, were credited as the reasons for the healthy performance.
Discounters led the list of retailers with good sales. Wal-Mart's sales during the Valentine's Day period, including a strong jewelry category, were up 17.7% over the same period in 1998. Upscale department stores such as Saks (up 7% over '98) and Neiman Marcus
(up 8.6%) also fared well, as did specialty retailers like Ann Taylor. The
lackluster performers were once again middle-of-the-road stores such as Sears,
which posted a 4.6% decline in sales, and J.C. Penney, which had a downturn
of 1.6% from a year earlier.
- by Peggy Jo Donahue


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Intel is to buy Altera, a maker of programmable logic semiconductors, for $16.7 billion, strengthening its presence in the data centre market.
The Intel board has agreed the deal, which equates to $54 a share in cash for Altera – a premium of 11 per cent over Altera’s closing share price on Friday and 56 per cent from 26 March, the day before the possibility of a transaction was first reported.
Intel, like other chipmakers, has to contend with growth and rising costs, while trying to defend its most profitable business, the large volume data centre market
The largest deal ever in the $300 billion semiconductor business was announced last week when Avago Technologies agreed to buy Broadcom for $37 billion (see Avago Technologies to buy Broadcom for $37B). Intel’s Altera purchase and Avago’s Broadcom deal already make 2015 a record year for semiconductor acquisition.
Intel has been looking for growth beyond the personal-computer market, which has been declining since its peak in 2011. Altera chips are used in a variety of markets, ranging from communications to consumer electronics.
Altera is well known as a manufacturer of field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and other complex programmable logic devices – all of which can have their function updated, even after they’ve been installed in end devices or servers.
Optical equipment vendors Huawei and Ericsson are among Altera’s largest customers.
Intel chief executive officer Brian Krzanich has been trying to find more customers, outside of his own chip business, for Intel’s network of chip fabrication plants which, the company says, is the most advanced in the industry. Up until this point, Altera had been the biggest customer for foundry services.
“The acquisition will couple Intel’s leading-edge products and manufacturing process with Altera’s leading field-programmable gate array technology,” Intel said in the statement. “The combination is expected to enable new classes of products that meet customer needs in the data centre and Internet of Things market segments.”
Acquiring Altera may help Intel defend and extend its most profitable business: supplying server chips used in data centres. While sales of semiconductors for PCs are declining, the data centre market is expanding as the use of data management and analytics increases because more businesses see the benefit of integrating these technologies into their own workloads.
FPGA technology, which mainly comes from industry heavyweights Xilinx and Altera, offers much higher levels of energy efficiency than more general purpose x86 processors.
When the deal is consummated, Altera will become an Intel business unit. Intel expects to close the deal in six to nine months.


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Links posted to a fake Louis Vuitton non-fungible token (NFT) raffle were made to capitalize on a recent real collaboration between Beeple and the luxury fashion brand.
Yield generation app Stablegains is facing a lawsuit after losing around $44 million worth of user funds in the Terra collapse when it previously said it allocated funds “across a number of stablecoins”.
Coinbase’s new “crypto native think tank” features an advisory board of finance and law academics from top United States universities and will publish original research to shape policies around crypto.
“GAMES FUND ONE” will invest in game studios, consumer apps and game infrastructure providers with a16z saying the industry has “solved many of the problems” needed to make a Metaverse.
Robinhood’s wallet will be non-custodial and multi-chain, allowing for the storage of NFTs along with the ability to connect to NFT marketplaces.
Highlighting Germany’s crypto license as an example of attractive regulation, Birgit Rodolphe writes that similar frameworks should be the same throughout the EU to “prevent a fragmented market.”
The funding round led by Web3-focused venture capital firms will be used for upcoming non-fungible tokens (NFTs), comics, and a play-to-earn game slated for late 2022.
The fallout from Terra’s collapse continues as outflows from Tether (USDT) hit an average of $1.1 billion a day over the past week.
The global head of digital assets for Goldman Sachs said the demand for cryptocurrency from institutions is rising and the firm has been “actively broadening” its market capabilities to cater to that demand.
The SEC’s “crypto mom” Hester Peirce has said the regulatory “movement” around stablecoins needs to allow for “trial and error” and room for failure.


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CBSE announces class 10 board exam result, check scores here cbseresults.nic.in
- The students can access their results at the official website cbseresults.nic.in. Students can also visit
cbse.nic.in or results.nic.in to check results.
- Umang app and Digi locker can also be used to check results.
- CBSE has decided not to release any merit list or topper’s list this year due to coronavirus.
BREAKING: CBSE class X exam results announced https://t.co/ZPExjhJrR1— Prasar Bharati News Services (@PBNS_India) 1594797004000
Here’s how to check your results —
- Go to the official website of CBSE results at cbse.results.nic.
- Click on CBSE class 10 result 2020 link.
- Enter your details like roll number and date of birth.
- The results will be displayed on your screen.
- You can download the results or print it.
According to CBSE, there is a marginal increase in pass percentage since last year, 91.46 pc students pass class 10 exam.
Proud to share that @KVS_HQ has scored a 98.62% success rate in #CBSE Class XII board examinations in 2020 against… https://t.co/VlOCTGRre4— Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) 1594796609000
This year over 18 lakh students appeared for the class 10th board examination. However, CBSE has decided not to release any merit list or topper’s list this year due to coronavirus. Some of remaining board exam papers scheduled in July were also cancelled due to the pandemic.
West Bengal Madhyamik Results 2020 for Class 10 declared
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Waitrose & Partners has announced that seven shops will close later this year, affecting up to 677 jobs.
A new car showroom is set to open in Aberdeen this weekend.
Discount supermarket chain Lidl has announced it is to open 12 new Scottish stores in a move which will create around 500 jobs.
Children are being encouraged to get out and about this summer with a new booklet highlighting north-east landmarks.
Discounters are set to play a significant role in driving 12.5% growth in the UK food and grocery industry by 2024, contributing £4 in every £10 of growth over the next five years, according to forecasts.
Discount supermarket Lidl has announced plans to open 40 new stores in London as part of a £500 million expansion plan, creating around 1,500 jobs.
Junk food ads from Asda, Kellogg’s, Marks & Spencer and McDonald’s have been banned after they were discovered on children’s websites and YouTube channels.
A tree frog believed to have originated from Costa Rica has been found in a bunch of bananas in a Nottinghamshire branch of Lidl.
Lidl have issued a recall of salt and pepper mills over fears they may contain glass.
Pupils from an Aberdeen primary school glee club have officially opened a new supermarket in the city today.
Supermarket giant Lidl is recalling packs of jaffa cakes from its shelves due to undeclared milk.
A supermarket giant will open their fifth Aberdeen store tomorrow.
An Aberdeen armed forces charity that was being hampered by problem parkers has moved to new premises.
Staff at a north-east children’s charity have raised funds for a safety service.
Plans to turn a former supermarket site in Aberdeen into a car dealership have taken a step forward.
Work to transform a former Aberdeen electronics shop into a supermarket has started.
An Aberdeen supermarket has confirmed its latest store will open its doors to customers this week.
A 15-year-old boy has been arrested following an assault on another teenager in Aberdeen.
Lidl is to start selling a robotic vacuum cleaner made by German firm Vileda, as it looks to enter the smart home retail world.
An Aberdeen road will close for more than a month while roadworks are carried out ahead of a new supermarket opening.
A planning application has been lodged to turn a former technology store into two retail units - including a new supermarket.
Almost 50 products have now been recalled due to fears of listeria contamination.
Major recall over fears frozen veg on sale at Sainsbury’s, Lidl, Aldi and Tesco could be contaminated with deadly Listeria
A major recall of 43 frozen vegetable products - including some on sale at Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and Sainsbury's - has been issued over fears it may contain a deadly bacteria.
An Aberdeen community is set to hold a litter pick in an effort to tackle issues with rubbish in the area.
Three cars have crashed on a busy Aberdeen road. The collision happened outside Lidl on the Lang Stracht. Police and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were called to the scene at around 3.30pm. The incident has caused tailbacks on the road. More to follow
Work is now under way on a new supermarket in Aberdeen after councillors approved a building warrant.
Plans to build a new supermarket on the site of a former garage have been approved.
A new car dealership has been given the green light.
A supermarket is looking for new sites in Aberdeen to expand its presence.
An Aberdeen supermarket site could become a car dealership if new plans win approval.


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Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. has hired Kathi Riddle as its new senior vice president of sales and revenue management. In her new role, Riddle will lead revenue management, as well as travel advisor, affinity group and charter, and wholesales sales efforts for the cruise line.
Prior to joining Lindblad Expeditions, Riddle most recently served as vice president of business transformation, consumer products, games & publishing, at The Walt Disney Company. During her 27-year tenure there, she held several leadership roles. Riddle was also a key player in The Walt Disney Company's acquisition of National Geographic and worked with the team at National Geographic Expeditions and 21st Century Fox on the integration.
"We are thrilled to welcome Kathi and her many years of decorated leadership into the Lindblad Expeditions family," said Noah Brodsky, chief commercial officer at Lindblad Expeditions. "Expedition cruising is undeniably the travel trend of the decade, which has created a world of possibilities for our company, and the many adventure seekers who want to responsibly explore the wild and wonderful world."


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Resistance trilogy and GT V have online support pulled in 2014.
Bad news for gamers who still enjoy playing the Resistance games and Gran Turismo V online: Sony has recently revealed that in 2014, none of the four games will have online support.
This news comes from their “Support for online games” page, where they reveal that, beginning on March 28, 2014, gamers will be unable to play Resistance: Fall of Man, Resistance 2, and Resistance 3 online. They’ve also updated the page to reveal that online support for Gran Turismo V will end on May 20, 2014.
If you have online trophies that you need to grab in these games, you better hurry up and do so or you may miss out on your platinum trophies for the games. If you just don’t care about trophies, you may still want to try out the online modes while you still can, just to see how they are.
What are your thoughts on Sony’s decision to pull online support from these four games?


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Mooyah looks to take a big bite of Arizona burger marketEat This, Not That!/MSN 03/29/2021
Mooyah Burgers, Fries & Shakes plans to open 20 new locations in Arizona in the next seven to 10 years. The chain, which operates a totally-franchised model, currently has almost 80 locations flying its banner in 21 states.
Source: Eat This, Not That!/MSN
Check out RetailWire's Engaging Online Discussions Featuring Our Exclusive Braintrust!


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SCOTTISH fast fashion chain Quiz Clothing’s bricks-and-mortar policy has been ‘justified’ as it swung to an annual profit, it is claimed.
The Glasgow-based, London-listed group said recovering demand for party wear helped boost profits and revenue, with the latter up 250% in physical stores. However, he also warned that sales could suffer as the cost of living crisis worsens.
The group recorded underlying pre-tax profits of £788,000 for the year to 31 March compared with losses of £9.6million the previous year.
Overall revenue nearly doubled to £78.4m from £39.7m the year before as coronavirus restrictions were further reduced.
He warned of the “potential for sales later in the year to be affected by the effect of the inflationary environment and rising cost of living on consumer confidence.”
The results show that trade in its 62 UK stores and five Irish outlets rebounded, with revenue up 250% to £36.8million, while online sales remained robust, up by 24% over the year and 66% on its website.
READ MORE: Quiz to get back to profit as demand surges for party wear
Analyst Matthew Webb, of Panmure Gordon, said: “Quiz’s strategic decision to maintain a physical store base, albeit on a smaller scale and on very different terms, was justified by the stores’ return to profitability in during fiscal year 22.
“The stores remain an important part of Quiz, contributing the bulk of the 47% of the group’s revenue in FY22 attributable to UK stores and concessions, as well as serving as a ‘showcase’ for the range and managing collections and returns for online orders.
Tarak Ramzan, Founder and Managing Director, said “despite well-documented challenges in the retail industry, we remain encouraged by customer demand for the Quiz brand,” with sales up 62% since beginning of the year.
“While there are currently significant levels of consumer uncertainty, we are confident that Quiz is well positioned to continue to deliver on its strategy and deliver long-term, sustainable and profitable growth,” said Mr. Ramzan. .
“We are very pleased with the strong increase in active customers and the growth in sales through our own website, which is now supported by a flexible and profitable portfolio of stores and concessions,” he said. Quiz said it raised prices “slightly” in the face of rising apparel and shipping costs.
He added: “Widely reported industry-wide global freight disruption and rising costs have affected and continue to affect the group. To date, we have minimized the impact of increased costs on customers resulting from additional transport costs by adjusting delivery schedules to ensure product is available when needed.
READ MORE: Glasgow Quiz channel to hit millions in Very link-up
Mr Webb also said in the analysis: “Quiz continues to try to drive footfall by testing new product categories in stores and increasing stock availability. It will continue to open new stores where rental conditions are advantageous. However, the biggest long-term growth opportunity lies in e-commerce, given its greater scalability and structural change in demand. »
He added: “Through a mix of choice and necessity, Quiz reduced its exposure to UK department stores in FY22, from 119 to 69. This included the impact of the closure of Debenhams and Outfit stores. (Arcadia) and the decision to close unprofitable outlets. . Most of the remaining concessions are operated in New Look stores on a capital light basis and are not operated by Quiz staff.
“Quiz will open new dealerships ‘selectively’. Quiz continues to explore opportunities for international expansion through its online, consignment and concession routes to market.
Shares of Quiz closed up 3.4%, or 0.35p, at 10.6p.


text: It's been a month of cheers and jeers for the American meat industry. The good news? According to a recent study by the American Meat Institute Foundation, meat producers have significantly reduced listerosis outbreaks, a foodborne illness, by sharing effective food safety practices and research within the industry. The bad news? Where to begin?


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Saskatchewan ag officials are announcing a record for agricultural exports worth $17.5 billion in 2021.
They add that the total was an increase of almost seven per cent over the record of $16.4 billion set in 2020, which itself surpassed the previous year by 27 per cent.
Leading agri-food export commodities in 2021 continue to be canola seed, canola oil, non-durum wheat, lentils, durum and dry peas, with top international market destinations including the United States, China, Japan and Mexico.
Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison says the numbers reveal that the province is in a strong position to continue producing and supplying world-class agricultural products to meet world demand and support the Saskatchewan economy.
“Our growing export base is creating economic opportunity, good jobs and generating investment for communities across the province.”
Analysts say agri-food exports represented nearly half of Saskatchewan exports in 2021, valued at $37.1 billion.
This is despite having to overcome challenges including infrastructure disruptions due to adverse weather events in British Columbia in order to remain one of Canada’s leading agri-food exporters.
Also, the province exported more than $2.6 billion in each of its key crop product sectors – cereal grains, oilseeds, pulses and edible oils – in 2021. Compared to 2020, canola oil saw an increase of over 50 per cent, with exports to the United States increasing 72 per cent from $1.1 billion to $1.9 billion. Canola oil to South Korea also experienced a dramatic increase of 106 per cent from $71 million to $146 million.
Agriculture Minister David Marit sees the ag industry as continuing to have a key role in the economy with a global impact.
“Our producers have fed the world for generations, and we continue to enable the innovation necessary to keep feeding the world’s growing population, expected to be 10 billion people by 2050. These export figures prove once again that we’re up to that challenge and well on the way to meeting the future goals we’ve set.”
Provincial officials note the ongoing international market expansion plans with the establishment of new trade and investment offices in the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Mexico and Vietnam, in addition to existing offices in Japan, India, China and Singapore.
Officials add that the value-added processing and agriculture sectors are major components of Saskatchewan’s growth plans, which comprise increasing crop production to 45 million tonnes, agriculture exports to $20 billion, and value-added revenue to $10 billion by the end of this decade.
Additionally, they signal as the most recent example of progress toward these targets as the announcement by Federated Co-operatives Ltd., in partnership with AGT Foods to develop a renewable diesel facility and a canola crushing plant in Regina, with a capacity of 1.1 million tonnes and combined economic benefits estimated at $4.5 billion.


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The founders of online startup ClickPayRent are pinning their hopes on a business model that can reward tenants for paying electronically rather than with the traditional check in the mail.
Like kids who are encouraged to eat their vegetables before they can have dessert, tenants who make Web-based credit card payments to their landlord can get cash back or reward points in return, depending on the incentive programs their cards may offer.
“It's nice to get rewards for a bill you have to pay instead of [an incentive for] buying something frivolous, like shoes that you don't really need. You're being rewarded for a necessity as opposed to something that's a luxury,” said Steven Van Praagh, 39, a ClickPayRent founder and self-described “serial entrepreneur.”
ClickPayRent's revenues come from charging landlords for a merchant account at a fixed fee of between 2.3% and 2.9%, depending on monthly volume of rents paid. Tenants are charged either a $2 processing fee for an electronic check or $9 for a credit card payment. The company forecasts it will have 2010 revenues of $2.5 million.
That business model would seem to be a successful formula, yet the self-funded firm, which has 12 employees and offices in northern New Jersey and Harlem, has struggled for almost two years to get up and running. The challenge is not just the competition from other online payment systems, but its long search for the right credit card-processing company. Meanwhile, the startup's founders have become experts at using online marketing strategies to sell their idea in the relatively new market of paperless real estate transactions.
Founder Steven Kamhi, 42, is a real estate investor and landlord with about 50 apartment units, which puts him in a great position to test ClickPayRent as a customer. While the service works fine, he said, the tough part was the extensive negotiations needed to find a credit card-processing company that wouldn't charge too much for ClickPayRent's merchant accounts.
“It took us a year to find the right back-end company that would process the credit cards and give us the correct rate that we can pass on to the landlord,” Mr. Kamhi said, declining to name the processing company for competitive reasons.
During the negotiations, the firm's founders realized they could better sell their services to property managers if they created a package of Web-based account management tools and gave it away for free alongside ClickPayRent's fee-based payment system. And considering the paper and energy costs involved in sending bills and payments via snail mail, they also saw the advantages of selling the firm as an environmentally-friendly option.
The package includes reporting and bill presentment tools that allow property managers to send their bills electronically and tenants to set up an account and keep an online payment history, said founder Tom Kiernan, 39. It also enables real estate brokers to use their smart phones to accept renters' deposits at apartment showings.
“Our solution has secure reporting interfaces that let the property manager see who has paid and who hasn't paid,” Mr. Kiernan said. “For a property manager, timing is everything.”
Timing is everything for tenants, too. ClickPayRent lets them pay rent a day before it's due so the landlord receives it on the first day of the month, then tenants can pay off their credit card balance 30 days later, often without having to pay any interest charges if their bank offers a grace period.
“Collecting rents is arduous, and it's one of the most important parts of property management,” said Adam Disick, CEO of Triumph Property Group, a real estate brokerage and marketing company. Mr. Disick is not a ClickPayRent customer, although he said he's familiar with the company.
“People are lazy,” he said. “At some point, we've all paid a fee for using an ATM card or paying a bill by telephone. If it's the difference between writing a check, stamping the envelope and going to the mailbox or post office, some people will pay a few extra dollars for convenience.”
Campbell Hyers, partner and CEO at technology consulting firm Control Group Inc., said ClickPayRent's business model is similar to KliknPay, the service he uses to pay the rent on his Murray Hill apartment.
“It's secure, and it's even more reliable than paying by check, because I get feedback for each step of the payment process,” he said. “It's also a good place to see announcements saying, for example, that there will be building maintenance.”
Now that ClickPayRent is adding accounts, Mr. Kiernan has some advice for other startups looking to maximize their marketing budget: Rather than spending a lot on ads, companies should hire a search-engine optimization expert. And, he said, pick a good name that tells your company's story.
“With online advertising, the industry benchmark is that you have seven seconds or less to deliver a message that grabs somebody's attention. If you've got a very simple and clear name, you've saved time,” Mr. Kiernan said. “When I tell people our name is ClickPayRent, they immediately understand what we're doing.”
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said Mr. Kamhi owned 50 apartment buildings, not units.


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All-new Lexus RX to debut June 1st
Lexus may be on its way towards electrification with the release of the RZ last month, but they're far from being done with their combustion-powered models.
The Japanese luxury manufacturer has released a teaser image of the all-new Lexus RX SUV, which will have its official world reveal on June 1. The new RX will replace the outgoing fourth-generation model that debuted in 2015.
Toyota's luxury brand only showed us a glimpse of the fifth-generation RX's front fascia. Following the new design language, the spindle grille is significantly less pronounced than the outgoing model.
Compared to the all-electric RZ, the RX's grille features slots to cool the combustion engine and is flanked by a pair of LED headlights with L-shaped daytime running lights. In addition, the upcoming RX features a larger side intake instead of the vertical ones seen on the RZ.
Other parts of the new SUV were not shown. However, we should expect the RX to look very close to the RZ in terms of its overall profile and appearance, albeit with some tweaks to minor details just to have a distinction between the two models.
Lexus is also tight-lipped when it comes to engine options of the new RX. But following industry trends nowadays, we won't be surprised if the SUV would have its naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 replaced by a smaller turbocharged engine. Moreover, we can expect it to continue to be available with a hybrid powertrain.
All those questions, of course, will be answered once the 2023 Lexus RX makes its official debut on June 1, 9:00 AM Japan time. Are you excited about the launch of the all-new Lexus RX? Let us know in the comments.


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BioVittoria hopes to sell sweet story, raise $20M
BioVittoria hopes sweet story will entice New Zealand investors
By Peter Kerr
Oct. 27 (BusinessWire) – BioVittoria Ltd., a Hamilton-based biotechnology company that operates in China and the U.S., is considering a New Zealand share sale to raise $20 million to commercialise a sweetener extracted from fruit.
The agritech and food ingredients business has developed a non-caloric fruit concentrate sweetener called PureLo from Chinese-grown Luo Han fruit. Luo Han is protected under World Trade Organisation rules, and this year BioVittoria expects to process 3,000 tonnes of fruit from 5,000 Miao and Yao hill tribe growers in mountainous areas of Guangxi province, southern China.
The resulting stable PureLo white powder is the first naturally occurring sweetener to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The product is 200 times sweeter than cane sugar and sells for about $450 a kilogram. PureLo is targeted at the beverage, food and confectionary markets.
“We’re in the process of capital raising,” said BioVittoria chief executive David Thorrold. “New Zealand is one of the options. Whether we do it through an initial public offering on the sharemarket, or privately, is one of a raft of considerations.”
The company is gauging investor interest before deciding who to tap for the funds, he said. BioVittoria appointed McDouall Stuart to consider options and the Wellington-based brokerage is expected to report back in a couple of weeks.
This is BioVittoria’s third round of capital raising, following its venture capital start in 2006, and a second round of funding last year.
Thorrold said the company anticipates making announcements on distribution and new products in the next couple of months.


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Konami sees profit growth of 160%
Games division saw a 16.7% increase in revenue year-on-year
Konami may have been dealing with drama behind the scenes but that hasn't stopped the company showing an impressive year-on year profit increase of 159.9 per cent to ¥4,282 million in its latest quarterly financial results. Total revenue stood at total ¥51,202 million, a year-on-year increase of 5.3 per cent.
Its games division saw a 16.7 per cent increase in revenue year-on-year, from ¥20.4 million to ¥23.8 million.
"We saw strong revenue from the online payment system on the myClub game mode of World Soccer Winning Eleven 2015 (known in the U.S. and Europe as Pro Evolution Soccer 2015) which is the latest title in the World Soccer Winning Eleven series, as well as the repeat sales of Professional Baseball Spirits 2015, which was released in March 2015," said Konami.
"With the spread of smartphones and tablet PCs worldwide, the available means of providing games continue to diversify, and opportunities to reach an even greater audience for games are increasing. Against this background, we intend to develop ways of playing games that match the characteristics of each device."
The company predicted consolidated results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016 at revenue of ¥228,000 million and a profit of ¥9,500 million.


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In the 1980s a host of lawsuits emerged, which alleged cigarette manufacturers knew their products were addictive and caused lung cancer, but failed to warn consumers about the inherent dangers.
History may be in the process of repeating itself, this time amid a controversy that surrounds a modernized smoking-related device.
Several plaintiffs have already filed lawsuits against the largest e-cigarette corporate target, alleging that the company’s products create medical problems for consumers and additionally create addiction issues, particularly for teen users.
Like so many others before him, one Chicago teenager recently sued an e-cigarette company as well as a retailer over his own e-cigarette usage.
In papers filed by young user Adam Hergenreder, manufacturer Juul Labs Inc. is named as a defendant, along with a Waukegan gas station that allegedly sold products illegally to the teen. In Hergenreder’s state (Illinois), tobacco products are only allowed to be sold to those who are 21 years of age or older.
Juul is the leading manufacturer of e-cigarette devices and e-liquid flavors. It controls nearly three-quarters of the American vape market, which is a massive market in and of itself, and the company’s value is said to be in the tens of billions of dollars range.
After having difficulty breathing and experiencing tremors, among other symptoms, Hergenreder was hospitalized with severe lung damage. The young man claims he started his vape activity at age 16 to "fit in" with his friends.
He also claims he was unaware that the e-cigarettes contained nicotine. Believing that the products were safe, Hergenreder engaged in vaping multiple times a day.
Juul is alleged in the lawsuit to have used deceptive marketing tactics, which targeted adolescents. It is further alleged that use of its product ultimately created a serious and dangerous addiction for the individual partaking, because of the amount of concentrated nicotine and other harmful substances that are purportedly contained in the product.
Juul has had a significant online and social media presence, which it has used in its advertising campaign to make e-cigarettes appear trendy and hip, thereby appealing to young people.
In a January 2019 study, researchers at Stanford University analyzed Juul’s marketing approach, including its website, social media platforms, hashtags, and campaign emails. Researchers found that Juul’s advertising imagery in its first six months on the market was manifestly youth oriented.
Results indicated that the product’s presence on Instagram created online communities of young people who would post videos of vape related activity.
Hergenreder’s case is part of a response to a growing health concern related to the vape merchandiser. The states of Illinois and Indiana have both had individuals lose their lives as a result of vape related illnesses.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicates that it has received reports of six deaths and over 450 possible cases of e-cigarette related lung illnesses.
Consequently, in addition to civil lawsuits, Juul is facing mounting scrutiny by local, state, and federal officials, much like the tobacco companies experienced in the 1980s and 1990s.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Mich., and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-N.Y., recently banned flavored e-cigarettes. And from the Oval Office, President Trump told reporters that he was planning to take action after a sixth person recently died from a vape related lung illness.
Noting the seriousness of the issue, President Trump indicated that “some very strong rules and regulations” were forthcoming.
Shortly thereafter, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar announced a plan to ban flavored e-cigarettes at least until a formal review had been conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Juul has responded with a statement that it has an "aggressive action plan to combat underage use." The company stated that it is seeking to "preserve the opportunity to eliminate combustible cigarettes, the deadliest legal consumer product known to man."
Juul shut down its Facebook and Instagram accounts as of last fall in response to complaints, and has also pulled flavored products from brick-and-mortar retail locations.
The FDA has been unable thus far to identify a single source as the cause of e-cigarette related illnesses; however, theories suggest that illnesses may be related to vitamin E acetate (found in THC) or the combined effects of nicotine, flavorings, and solvents.
Although Juul claims in advertising that its products are a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes, for teenagers e-cigarettes appear to be a gateway product to conventional cigarettes.
A 2015 study at the University of California, San Francisco, and a 2017 Canadian study at the University of Waterloo both found that teenage vape users were more likely than their non-using counterparts to begin smoking traditional cigarettes after having experienced the sustained use of e-cigarettes.
In the 1980s tobacco companies defended against lawsuits, many times successfully, by asserting that smokers knowingly assumed the risks when they began smoking, including the risk of cancer.
In the 1990s, after documents were leaked that showed tobacco companies were aware of the addictive nature of tobacco, plaintiffs began to be successful in obtaining favorable verdicts and settlements.
Still, it remains to be seen whether the e-cigarette industry will be treated in the same manner as the tobacco industry, or perhaps even more harshly.
James Hirsen, J.D., M.A., in media psychology, is a New York Times best-selling author, media analyst, and law professor. Visit Newsmax TV Hollywood. Read more reports from James Hirsen — Click Here Now.
© 2023 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


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M-Battled: Swedish Court Bars M&M's Over Trademark Dispute
The Mars candy company brought M&M's to Sweden in 2009. But the country already had a famous chocolate candy marked with an M — and now a court says M&M's should melt from the market, owing to a trademark infringement.
The case pitted Mars against Mondelez International, which uses its Marabou label to sell M-marked chocolates that it calls Sweden's "all-time favorite."
Mars Nordic's corporate affairs director, Ylva Freiesleben, tells NPR, "we have always believed no confusion exists between the colorful m&m's brand — one of the world's favorite chocolate products — and the Marabou M Peanut Brand."
But the Svea Court of Appeal did not agree, issuing a ruling in which it said that the two brands were confusingly similar. The court also laid out potential penalties if Mars attempts to keep selling M&M's in Sweden.
From Swedish news site The Local comes this back story on the two companies' relationship:
"Mondelez, which owns famous Swedish chocolate brand Marabou, launched the M sweets in Sweden in the 1950s in partnership with Mars, who had already sold M&M's in other countries.
"An agreement reached between the two companies in 1989 said that Mars would not sell M&M's in Sweden, Norway and Finland. The agreement expired in 1998 and was not extended, and in 2009 Mars introduced M&M's in Sweden."
While the name Mondelez might seem foreign to many American consumers, they certainly know the company's brands, which range from Nabisco and Cadbury to Oreo and Trident. If you need a final hint: Up until 2012, the company was known as Kraft; that's the year it was spun off from the Kraft Foods Group.
When asked whether Mars might appeal the decision to the Swedish Supreme Court, Freiesleben said, "Given the court's decision we will assess the next steps for our beloved brand in Sweden. We will of course comply with all local laws in this matter."
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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IC Greens, a student organization at Ithaca College, is petitioning the college to ban single-use plastic bags and plastic water bottle sales at campus stores and vending machines.
The petition, which was launched in January and addressed to President Tom Rochon, says plastic bags and water bottles are toxic to the environment, harm animals and create excessive waste. The Campus Store, Mac’s Convenience Store and Sub Connection are a few campus locations that sell plastic water bottles and use single-use bags. There are 51 drink-vending machines across campus, according to the Office of the Campus Center and Events Services, that sell single-use plastic water bottles.
Freshman Josh Kelly, president of IC Greens, said this ban would be a good direction for the college, which prides itself on being sustainably conscious.
“This isn’t a problem located in Ithaca College: this is a problem worldwide,” he said. “I believe, and students here at this college believe, that Ithaca needs to pull its weight and step up to the plate when it comes to sustainability and lead rather than lag behind.”
As of March 19, the petition had 165 signatures. Kelly said the group is looking to get at least a 1,000 signatures before presenting it to the administration. He said the petition will be presented to the administration by the end of 2014.
Kelly also said the administration should be more vocal about the impact of waste and about possible alternatives to single-use plastic bags and bottles.
Rochon was not available for comment on the topic. However, he said via email the college is currently in the advanced stages of a search to fill the new position of Energy Manager/Sustainability Coordinator.
“When we have an incumbent, I will ask the individual to look at the petition,” Rochon said.
Kelly, who has introduced a similar petition calling for the ban of plastic bags in his hometown of Waterford, Conn., said he was inspired to do this at the college while driving around in Waterford.
“Right by my house, there is a patch of land that has been for sale,” he said. “I stopped the car, and I counted how many plastic bags I could see just from my window. It was 30-something in this little quarter of acre plot of land. That made me really sad.”
Kelly said he decided a ban would be a financially viable option for the college. He also said a complete ban would be a better option than reducing plastic bag and bottle usage.
“While reducing is better than operating as we currently are, it only takes one plastic bag to suffocate an animal,” he said.
However, Marian Brown, special assistant for campus and community sustainability, said a total ban would be a premature move without proper dialogue and discussion.
“I freely admit I am not a fan of either disposable plastic shopping bags or disposable water bottles, but I do recognize that there are compelling reasons why those items exist,” she said.
David Prunty, director of campus center and events services, said the college recently entered into a seven-year contract with a new vending machine company. He said the company stocks machines based on purchased items.
“Petitions are always helpful to get a sense of people’s perspectives, but what drives business decisions are purchasing decisions, not petitions,” he said.
Lauren Rishe, a staff member at Penn State University, is one of the signatories of IC Greens’ petition. In her signature, Rishe said she is involved in a similar movement on her campus.
Sarina Katz, a senior at Penn State and president of the student group Eco Action, is spearheading this movement. Katz said while a ban was what the group originally had in mind, it has decided on short-term measures instead.
“We are working more on reducing use, and our university actually just started a new recycling program where you can recycle plastic bags on campus,” she said.
Meanwhile, Brown said students have an important role in reducing plastic waste on campus every day.
“If students tomorrow decided they wanted to see an end to bottled water sales on campus, all they have to do is stop buying water bottles on campus,” she said. “I guarantee that within short order, those bottle water products would disappear from store shelves, from the coolers on campus and from the vending machines, because they are looking for products that students would buy.”


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Publish in Special Reports - Wednesday, October 7, 2020
America Movil sold its prepaid, no-contract mobile phone provider TracFone to verizon in the largest announced Latin American deal so far this year. (Photo: TracFone)
Announced deals also fall 43% in Brazil during first nine months.
BY LATINVEX STAFF
Mexico-based telecom giant America Movil’s sale of its TracFone business to Verizon for $6.5 billion became the largest announced deal in Latin America during the first nine months this year, according to Latinvex research.
According to Refinitiv the total value of announced M&As in Latin America reached...
Keywords: Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, M&As


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Approximately 7,600 new 2013 Ford Escape SUVs have been recalled for a potential coolant leak that could cause the engine to overheat and possibly catch on fire. Only models with 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines are affected, the Washington Post reports.
Consumers who have purchased the defective SUV can take the vehicle to a Ford dealership where it will be repaired free of charge. Ford received one report of an engine catching on fire at a car dealership; no one was injured.
Ford has issued three recalls for the 2013 Escape in the past two months. One recall was issued to fix a possible brake problem and another to repair a separate engine leak.
If you or someone you love has been injured by an auto defect, contact the auto defect attorneys of LaMarca Law Group, P.C. at (515) 705-0233 today.


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LAHORE: Chairman All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Abdul Rahim Nasir on Friday rejected sudden hike in gas prices from $6.5/MMBTU to $9/MMBTU for export oriented units.
He was addressing a hurriedly-called press conference at APTMA House, Lahore. He was accompanied by the Chairman Northern Zone Hamid Zaman, Senior Vice Chairman Kamran Arshad and Secretary General APTMA Raza Baqir.
Rahim Nasir said this upward revision in gas tariff is in contradiction of the commitment given by the federal government for continuous supply of gas/RLNG on $6.5/MMBTU.
According to him, the Regionally Competitive Energy Tariff (RCET) provided by the current government over the past 3 years has yielded outstanding results. The industry has delivered to the nation by investing Rs450 billions in machinery for capacity enhancement as per commitment.
This has resulted in an increase of $500 million in exports each and every month in FY22 so far. But the new projected investment of $5 billion, setting up of 100 new plants and addition of at least 500,000 new jobs with 90 percent of them in Punjab would all be jeopardized, he stressed.
He said the textile industry’s commitment to increase exports by $7.5 billion by the end of fiscal year 2021-22 over the fiscal year 2017-18 has become a reality.
He said the present government’s visionary, progressive, and pro-export policies have enabled unprecedented textile export growth. The textile exports have increased by 27 percent in the first four months of the current fiscal year.
According to him, a comparison of gas tariff in the region with Pakistan in a study conducted by PIDE suggests that gas to the export-oriented sector is available at $4.05/MMBTU in Bangladesh and $5.19/MMBTU in India.
In the textile sector, he said, the component of energy costs account for roughly 18% of final product value. “An increase of $2.5/mmbtu would result in around 5 percent hike in the final cost,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Chairman Northern Zone Hamid Zaman emphasized the point that the textile industry operates on very slim margin of 3 to 4%, and the present rise gas tariff only for the industry located in Punjab would render it uncompetitive and unserviceable not only globally but also in the local market.
It will lead to large scale closures and resultantly unemployment, Zaman apprehended. He said the tariff increase only for industries in Punjab is also against the principle of promissory estoppel which protects previous agreements and contracts.
Senior Vice Chairman APTMA Northern Zone Karman Arshad said more than double the gas price difference between Punjab and Sindh would promote parochialism and damage national harmony.
Punjab is being rapped and penalized through abnormal increase in gas tariff rendering it in competing against other provinces, he said and added that a wide gulf between the gas prices of Punjab and rest of the country would lead to national disharmony and jeopardize the sustainability of textile business in Punjab.
The APTMA leadership has expressed the hope that Prime Minister Imran Khan would take stock of the situation and restore Regionally Competitive Gas Tariff of $6.5/MMBTU for Export Oriented Unit Sectors to avoid any eclipse to the growing export market.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021


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Have a Million to Spare? Here’s What It’s Worth in Real-Estate Property Today!
$1 million is still a pretty decent sum of money to have in today’s real estate market. That being said, the kind of home you can purchase with $1 million depends on the type of city that you would like to reside in across the country.
For example, chief economist Danielle Hale says that if a buyer’s ideal price is around $1 million, and they happen to be looking for space either in San Francisco or Los Angeles, they have a higher chance of purchasing more square footage for that amount in Los Angeles.
Focusing on Los Angeles, the most ideal place to look at with that kind of money is Burbank, where you can get the value of that million. For example, if you can add an additional $99 to that 1 million, you can get a neat 3,600 square foot home in Burbank Hills, having your own canyon views as well as a terraced backyard.
In San Francisco, however, the situation is entirely different. As a matter of fact, even if you’re making a six-figure salary, it can be pretty difficult to find a great home worth $1 million if we’re analyzing in terms of space.
Indeed, $1 million will enable you to purchase roughly 1600 square feet. Comparing with last year’s distribution, that’s roughly 19% less than what was available.
This means that price per foot has climbed to $618, a 22% increase from what was there last year.
That being said, Realtor.com does provide some relief for buyers interested in purchasing homes in the Washington D.C. and Chicago markets. In fact, buyers can get nearly twice the square footage in these areas when the same price is compared to footage in San Francisco.
Additionally, according to Zillow, the price of a median home is San Francisco is roughly $1.366 million.
Analyzing the market in Washington DC, buyers can get much larger houses with that $1 million price range.
In fact, stats from Realtor.com reveal that more than half the homes that are in the $1 million price range surpass 4300 square feet in terms of size.
Moreover, they average 4.5 bathrooms and 4.6 bedrooms.
According to the senior vice president of Compass, Mr. Koki Adasi, there are quite a number of good housing options available in the region.
Additionally, he says that individuals in the North Arlington area in Virginia can purchase homes in good condition in close proximity to shopping malls and schools.
As for Atlanta, Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist Lisa Harris says that people living in Atlanta are fortunate enough to have a strong and vibrant economy, whereby the median price of a luxury home can be around $950,000.
As for Boston, the market is also vibrant as well, with buyers being enticed by open houses.
In fact, the area receiving the most interest in Boston is Seaport. However, luxury condominiums there are pretty expensive, with broke associate even having to tell one of his clients that he could not find a one-bedroom in the area worth a million with parking!
The alternative option is to purchase a 950 square feet luxury condo with a decent water view at the Fan Pier for roughly about $1.25 million.
Looking at Manhattan, realtor Lisa Larson has confirmed that despite Manhattan’s notoriety of being particularly expensive when it comes to space, the market has seen a softening trend lately.
Analyzing the city, $1 million can get you a decent 2000 square foot home.
However, data collected by a real estate firm Neighborhood X shows that some of the prized real-estate snatches in some major cities are comparable to the price of average properties in Manhattan.
In fact, data showed that the average prices per square feet for some of the top cities were $1053 in Portland, $1708 in Denver, $1643 in Philadelphia and of course, $1773 in Manhattan.
As for Seattle which has been receiving a rapid increase in demand, managing broker John Manning comments that it was not long ago that a majority of the houses that played about the $1 million price range played in only specific neighborhoods such as Laurelhurst and Queen Anne.
However, ever since the likes of technology companies such as Facebook, Amazon anf Google began concentrating their workforce in such areas, $1 million dollar homes have been springing up in just about every region of the city.
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BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Nearly two dozen receipts and backup information to support credit card charges made by Jefferson County employees are missing and thousands of charges totaling close to $500,000 have been made over the past 13 months without county commission review or approval, according to documents examined by Al.com/The Birmingham News.
Additionally, finance department employees have had problems with credit card account numbers, incomplete reports and missing backup documentation as recently as January, Al.com found.
County officials acknowledged that stronger internal controls need to be established.
"We have to tighten up our procedures," County Manager Tony Petelos said. "A procedure has to be set up on how we are going to process this. That is going to be corrected."
George Tablack, the county's chief finance officer, said, "We can do better and we will do better."
The commission passed a resolution in May authorizing Petelos to approve all credit card statements. After his approval, the credit card statements "shall be included for review and considered on the agenda for approval by the full commission," according to the resolution.
Commission does not see information
None of the information has ever come before the full commission as required by the administrative order.
Commissioners said they have not asked to review the charges. Some said they assumed the information was part of purchasing report document that detailed departmental spending.
Commissioner Jimmie Stephens put the problem squarely at the feet of Petelos and Tablack.
"That is not something we should have to ask for," Stephens said. "That should be done as a normal pattern and practice of business."
Petelos and Tablack said Friday they planned to meet with staff to find out why the information is not being forwarded for commission review.
AL.com found 21 charges totaling $5,031 without supporting documents. That does not include charges for months November through February. Most credit card charges for those months have no receipts or backup information.
Charges without backup documentation, according to records, include $758 at McCain Uniforms in May, 2012; $500 at Ryder truck rental in August, 2012; and $400 at Siemans Industry in March 2012.
Credit card charges average more than $40,000 per month and are used for a variety of items that range from light bulbs to tires to heavy equipment parts to travel, according to documents.
Employee details concerns
On Jan. 7, a Jefferson County finance department employee wrote an email to Tablack outlining some of the credit card problems.
"I am having problems with account numbers, incomplete reports and missing backup documentation," the employee wrote. "We do not have established reconciliation procedures for the Jefferson Credit Union statements."
Tablack, in his reply, asked that "all employees sign a master copy of whatever the current standard operating procedure's relevant to (credit card) usage."
Records show that 43 county officials and employees have access to the credit cards including Commission President David Carrington and Stephens.
All charges by Carrington and Stephens have supporting documents.
Stephens said he was not bothered by some of the missing documentation because of the small amount of money involved.
"If it was a large amount for someone we did not do business with it would be more troubling," he said.
Commissioner George Bowman said the amount doesn't matter because commissioners went line by line over expenditures at the former Cooper Green Mercy Hospital. Those expenses were contained in a weekly purchasing department report. Bowman said commissioners called for repeated audits and financial investigations into the hospital.
"There appears to be a double standard considering the level of scrutiny that they (commissioners) gave to every transaction at Cooper Green," Bowman said. "I would be interested in seeing a complete review of all of these credit card transactions . . . let's also apply the same thing here."
County Commissioners have received a weekly purchasing report for each department, but no documentation on the credit cards. The difference is that the purchasing reports are an overview of what is being bought while the credit card statements show who bought the items.
Tablack said he intends to get the commission information on all credit cards transactions dating back to start of the fiscal year.
"I will instruct staff to provide the detailed list of all credit card charges retroactively to Oct. 1, 2011, which is the beginning of the fiscal year . . . and ask for commission approval for all expenditures itemized on those statements," Tablack said. "It is my belief that all expenditures should be transparent and put before the public body to determine public purpose."


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We recently convened an architectural round table panel on BrightTALK to share successes from leaders in Online Gaming, eCommerce and Recruiting. In this post, we’ll explain why being able to scale is important; explain how each of these companies approached it; and how you might be able to emulate their triumphs.
As we all know; the world is markedly different today than it was in early March of this year; and one of the things that are seeing first hand is the quickening pace in the usage of real-time payments, where money is digitally deposited into another account instantly.
So much has changed in the last few weeks that it seems like we are living in a different world from what we saw before all this craziness started. Regardless of where one is, things have changed for the worse for so many industries, organizations and individuals that it would take more than a keen pair of eyes to find anything positive; much like finding a needle in a haystack.
It’s no secret that in today’s data tsunami, every C-Suite executive (and those that support them) has to have a point of view on how to not just protect, but utilize their customers’ data.
Aerospike’s Sherry Prescott-Willis was recently named to the Silicon Valley Business Journal’s “Women of Influence, Class of 2020.” We are thrilled to see her receive this well-deserved distinction.
The promise of the cloud is access to resources that enable agility in the face of a changing world. I can get the resources I need when I need them without massive upfront commitments.
Business stakeholders are demanding real-time data faster to keep up with customers, competitors, and partners. Enterprises often cite support for real-time as a top data management and analytics requirement, especially as users increasingly adopt modern business apps and streaming insights solutions.
As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to disrupt our work, families and our communities, I want to update you on Aerospike’s business continuity practices and what we are doing to support employees, customers and our greater community around the world.
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) became law on Jan. 1, 2020, and ad tech companies are among those businesses that must inform consumers of any personal data being collected and then give those consumers the option to have it deleted.
Significant disruption across industries and the rising influence of the empowered consumer continue to exert pressure on businesses to deliver differentiated and consistent experiences across the entirety of the consumer journey.


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South Korean smartphone firm; Samsung officially unveiled their newest member to the S-series; the Samsung Galaxy S9, S9+ at a launch event, scheduled just a day ahead of Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2018. It didn’t take Samsung much time to make the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ official, though much still remains to be unveiled at the event – most importantly, the price.
The new smartphones sport an “uninterrupted display,” come with improved cameras with variable aperture sensor on the primary rear camera, and the Galaxy S9+ sports dual rear camera setup.
Other new features include face recognition, AR Emojis, Bixby Vision, ‘rumored’ AKG-tuned dual speakers, reduced bezels on the top and bottom, and faster processors. As for the release, set for March 16th in select markets, and pre-orders will begin in the US on March 2nd. The two handsets will be available in Midnight Black, Coral Blue, Lilac Purple, and Titanium Grey colors.
Samsung Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+ specifications
The Galaxy S9 duo is powered by a 64-bit octa-core SoC (2.7GHz Quad and 1.7GHz Quad in some markets, 2.8GHz Quad and 1.7GHz in other markets) and and will be available in 64GB/128GB/256GB storage options with support for up to 400GB expandable microSD cards. You get the Android 8 Oreo mobile OS, IP68 water + dust resistance as well.
The 5.8-inch QHD + Curved Super AMOLED 18.5:9 display phablet also packs a 4GB of RAM, 3000mAh battery, and weighs 163 grams. In terms of connectivity; Gigabit LTE, dual-band Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth v5.0, NFC, and 3.5mm headphone jack.
Meanwhile the Samsung Galaxy S9+ packs a 6.2-inch QHD + Curved Super AMOLED 18.5:9 display, 6GB of RAM, a 3500mAh battery, a dual rear camera setup with dual OIS, specifically a wide-angle lens with Super Speed Dual Pixel 12MP sensor and a telephoto lens with 12MP sensor and weighs 189 grams.
Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ price
The Samsung Galaxy S9 has been priced USD$719.99, while the Samsung Galaxy S9+ has been priced at USD$839.99 both for the unlocked models – starting from the U.S before going global.
The highlight of the smartphones was the dual aperture setup on the primary rear camera sensor, which is capable of shooting at f/2.4 when there’s ample light, but can switch to f/1.5 when the phone detects low-light conditions. According to Samsung, this enables the phones to capture 28% more light compared to the Galaxy S8, adding that a new multi-frame noise reduction feature results in up to 30 percent less noise compared to the previous flagship, NDTV news reported.
The other headline feature on the camera is the super slow-mo camera. The phones are capable of recording 960 frames per second, which means 0.2 seconds of footage is stretched out to 6 seconds when you are playing it back.


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CHINATOWN — Double Happyness is in double trouble.
A Chinatown bus company that is under federal orders to stop operating after being deemed an "'imminent hazard' to public safety" has continued to sell tickets, violating a cease and desist order that was issued last week, DNAInfo.com has found.
Double Happyness, which has offices at 133 East Broadway, was open for business as usual Monday morning, with customers coming and going with tickets in their hand and eager staffers lined up behind the counter, despite a staunch order from the feds Jan. 6 ordering them to end all operations.
"Where are you going?" a staffer asked a reporter who walked up to the ticket counter at around 11 a.m.
Told she was speaking to a reporter, the staffer said the company was running buses under a different management company, then changed her story to say that there were no buses at all.
A few minutes later, a reporter watched staffers sell a ticket to Mayne, 33, from Buffalo, who declined to give his last name.
"I like this company. They're convenient. It helps people get back and forth," said Mayne, who spent $30 on a Double Happyness ticket to Buffalo. He owns a sandwich shop there and comes to Chinatown frequently to buy equipment for his business.
The feds ordered Double Happyness on Dec. 23 to "immediately cease all intrastate and interstate passenger service declaring the carrier an 'imminent hazard' to public safety," the agency said in a statement.
"The imminent hazard order followed an extensive review of the company's operations, which found multiple hours-of-service, vehicle maintenance, and controlled substance and alcohol testing violations. If Double Happyness continues to operate illegally, the company will face additional enforcement action," the statement continued.
On Jan. 6, the feds followed up with a cease and desist order, "after finding that the company was operating and selling tickets in violation of a previous agency order to shutdown."
A staffer who refused to give her name on Monday tried to chase away a reporter, saying: "Go home. No more tickets. Closed. No more buses."
A spokeswoman for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which oversees bus companies, said the Double Happyness should not have been open at all on Monday.
"They should not be doing any business at all. They should not be selling any tickets. We are investigating it," a spokeswoman for the federal agency said Monday.
A source said that there was at least one other complaint about illegal operations since the cease and desist order went into effect.
The spokeswoman could not independently confirm that Double Happyness was defying the cease and desist order.