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ECB eases digital euro doubts and backs proposed currency to thrive
The European Central Bank today eased doubts in Germany about the launch of a digital euro, insisting that the electronic cash would not be used to penalise savers or upend banks.
The ECB is looking to launch a digital version of the euro within the next five years to see off competition from cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.
However, the bank has received a backlash in Germany, where its main shareholder, the Bundesbank, has been unenthused by the project.
‘Catastrophic’ for savers
Popular German magazine Focus wrote that a digital euro would be “catastrophic” for savers.
ECB board member Fabio Panetta and official Ulrich Bindseil said the currency would not replace physical cash.
“The ECB is by no means planning to use a digital euro to enforce interest rates that are significantly more negative,” the duo wrote in an article.
“As long as there is cash, it will always be able to be held at an interest rate of zero percent.”
Bundesbank officials have stressed that a digital euro could pose risks to banks and should be studied at length before any decision is made.
But the two ECB officials said the digital euro could be designed so that it doesn’t compete with bank deposits, adding that it would ensure the euro zone’s independence from foreign powers.
“We have to prevent European payment transactions from being dominated by providers outside Europe, such as global technology giants who will offer art currencies in the future,” Panetta and Bindseil wrote.
“By preparing for a digital euro, we are also securing the autonomy of Europe. It is a safeguard in the event that undesirable scenarios occur.”


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Cisco Systems has finally grown up and is starting to pay a quarterly dividend to shareholders. The networking giant has been a bigtime IT player for the past decade and a half, since the Internet buildout, of course, but its expansion into new enterprise products such as servers and consumer products like Flip digital cameras …
Cisco is no longer a start-up. Dividends are simply the norm, and not paying them up till now has just been the usual dot-com arrogance.
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Island’s GDP falls 4% in fourth quarter
A broad measure of Bermuda’s economic activity contracted in the fourth quarter of 2020, primarily because of restricted economic activity due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Gross domestic product is the value of goods and services generated by the island’s economy. In the fourth quarter it fell year-over-year by 4 per cent when adjusted for inflation, to $1.51 billion. This followed revised falls of 16.1 per cent and 5.2 per cent in the second and third quarters, respectively.
The decline was influenced primarily by lower household final consumption on transport, recreation, restaurants and accommodation, which fell 5.8 per cent year-on-year, to $759.8 million.
Limited construction activity was reflected in a 7.7 per cent decrease in gross capital formation relating to construction.
Less spending by visitors on the island, and fewer flights resulting in reduced sales of fuel to visiting airlines, were among factors that also affected GDP.
Wayne Furbert, Minister for the Cabinet Officer said: “Consumption of services fell by 6.3 per cent mostly due to lower expenditure for recreation services, restaurants and accommodation services. For durable goods, spending decreased 4.6 per cent with fewer purchases of motorcycles and computers.”
Spending on non-durable goods grew by 12.7 per cent, due largely to a 12.4 per cent increase in expenditure on food and a 5.3 per cent increase on alcoholic beverages.
The Government had higher spending on employee overheads during the quarter, together with other personnel costs and spending on goods and services. Consequently, Government final consumption rose 4.8 per cent.
Imports of goods and services decreased 10.4 per cent as payments fell for passenger and freight transport, travel services, construction services, imported fuel, finished equipment and transport equipment.
Click on Related Media for fourth quarter GDP publication PDF.


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Ever heard of the best mileage sports car, an explosion is going to happen, Maruti Suzuki is bringing a small rocket
Maruti Suzuki and Toyota are now going to bring sports cars soon. It will be a hybrid sports car with top-of-the-line mileage.
Maruti Suzuki and Toyota are developing great sports cars. (Photo courtesy money control)
1. The sports car will be powered by a 1.0-liter petrol engine.
2. The car will generate 120 Bhp power and 200 Nm torque.
3. Maruti Suzuki and Toyota have not yet given much information about the car.
New Delhi. Maruti Suzuki is now going to launch such a car soon which will not be less than a rocket. Suzuki and Toyota are jointly developing the sports car in a hatchback model with a special 1.0-liter turbocharged petrol engine. It will be a midsize engine that will come with three cylinders. According to the information, this engine will generate power of 120 bhp and torque of 200 Nm. The special thing about the engine will be that it will be a mild hybrid, due to which its mileage will be excellent. Looking at this, it can be said that it will be the best mileage sports car.
It is believed that this car will give direct competition to Mazda’s MX5. However, Mazda is powered by a 1.5-liter engine that generates 129 Bhp power and 150 Nm torque. Although the weight of Mazda is about 1 thousand kg, the sports car being developed by Toyota and Maruti Suzuki will be lighter in comparison. Although the company has not yet given complete information about its specifications.
Although the company has not given much information about this car, it is being told that it will be a two-seater car. Also, it will be two doors only. The company has not yet given much information about the specifications of this car. It is being told that its engine is in the testing phase. At the same time, it has been claimed in a report that the price of the car can be around 20 thousand dollars.
Planning for many days
Toyota was planning to launch a sports car for a long time. The company unveiled the concept of its first sports car in December 2021. But it was completely electric. But now the company is focusing on the hybrid option. Although it is also discussed that with this car, Toyota can also launch an electric sports car.
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It is time for America's farmers to stop thinking about growing sorghum and actually start planting it. That was the message from the National Sorghum Producers and the Sorghum Checkoff during the 2015 Commodity Classic in Phoenix.
National Sorghum Producers CEO Tim Lust said that this is the year for farmers to devote more acres to sorghum as both demand and price are at all-time highs. He said both foreign and domestic buyers are calling for more of the grain. The demand is driving producer profitability as prices in some areas of the Sorghum Belt besting corn farmers.
When it comes to the foreign markets, China is a major buyer. Last year, China alone represented 90% of total U.S. sorghum exports with 168 million bushels. This year, China has committed to 280 million bushels of U.S. sorghum, or approximately 65% of the sorghum crop, according to Sorghum Checkoff Executive Director Florentino Lopez. Projections from the USDA indicate that exports will continue to increase through 2015.
The rising popularity of sorghum in the food industry is opening domestic market doors for producers. "A number of years ago consumers did not know what sorghum was and what type of products sorghum was going into," Lopez explained. As the demand for non-GMO and gluten-free food grows, consumers and food industry executives are looking to sorghum. It serves as a wheat substitute for many food products. Today, sorghum can be found in cereals, breads and pastry items. "We have spread the message that sorghum can fit into the food industry nicely," Lopez said.
Lust also stated that the ethanol industry is creating demand for sorghum. This value-added market is expected to increase 10% over last year. "To meet these growing demands," he said, "increased acres will be necessary this year."
Price is promising
The upside is that sorghum growers will be rewarded for their efforts to increase production as prices continue to remain stronger than corn.
Cash prices across much of the Sorghum Belt reached historic highs this past year. Lust, who was a marketing director before becoming NSP CEO, said that there are strong prices for both old and new crop sorghum. He noted that the Gulf Coast new crop basis soared to nearly $1.50 per bushel, with old crop basis still around $2. Even in states like Kansas, sorghum is 30 to 40 cents over the competition. In many locations across the central Sorghum Belt, new crop sorghum is trading at 10% premium to corn.
"Clearly the market is sending a message to growers that from a profitability standpoint the market is asking for more production acres," he said. "When the market is there and represented from a demand pull standpoint, it helps growers to go for top yields and really produce."


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The March8th Initiative for Small Businesses – a youth entrepreneurial- focused grant launched by well-meaning Nigerians known as “Friends of Prof”, has completed the disbursement of funds to beneficiaries of its scheme put together in honour of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
This is contained in a statement released by the group on Wednesday evening in Abuja. The entrepreneurship support initiative, implemented by “Friends of Prof” is designed to support the dreams of brilliant Nigerian entrepreneurs with disruptive ideas, seeking opportunities for growth and expansion.
According to the statement, “after an extensive verification process to ensure that correct data was aggregated from the winners to guarantee a seamless distribution structure, winners of the grants have already started receiving their cash prizes from the initiative.
“Starting out June 4th, each business owner on the beneficiary list has been credited with the sum of N1 million. Beneficiaries such as Spring Safe Global Services Limited, Andie Wears, and mDairy Nigeria Limited among others, have begun sharing testimonies on social media under the hashtag #GrantsPaidByFOP and #FriendsOfProf.
“These funds will be used as investments into these businesses to encourage and increase productivity while generating more income.”
Continuing, the organisers said “this is coming as a timely intervention amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that has caused a rapid decline in production, eventually trickling down and resulting in the loss of jobs and complete shutdown of businesses. The initiative offered N1 million grant to 100 businesses ranging from health and technology to education and agriculture.”
Stating the rationale behind the initiative, the organisers noted that “since his entry into office in 2015, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has remained a major proponent in the discourse around creating opportunities for Nigerian youth, and the overall development of our country’s MSME industry.
“Recognizing the opportunities entrepreneurship provides across sectors, unencumbered by educational or cultural backgrounds, as well as the Vice President’s passion for the cause, it became apparent that the best way to honor this selfless leader would be to support the dreams of brilliant Nigerian entrepreneurs with disruptive ideas, seeking opportunities for growth and expansion.”
It will be recalled that the process of selection of beneficiaries for the initiative started on February 29 with media advertisements which was closely followed by the collation of one-page proposals from Nigerian entrepreneurs who met the criteria listed for the programme.
As at the deadline date of March 3, a total of 20,200 applications were received from entrepreneurs across the country.
– Daily Trust


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Posted on July 3, 2013 – 1:58 pm | Author: Susan Lulgjuraj
Baseball, Basketball, Beckett Updates, Football, News Categories, World Of Sports | 2013 National Sports Collectors Convention, Damian Lillard, Josh Gibson, Leaf Trading Cards, National Sports Collectors Convention, NSCC, Yasiel Puig | Comments (4)
By Susan Lulgjuraj | Beckett Sports Card Monthly Editor
Leaf is making it possible pick your redemption at the National Sports Collectors Convention with Leaf Bucks.
By opening different products at the Leaf booth, collectors will earn bucks toward redemption prizes such as autographs, an NSCC six-card set or memorabilia.
Los Angeles Dodgers sensation Yasiel Puig is the star of Leaf’s redemption set. The company will have Puig in six different poses with the Chicago skyline as a backdrop.
In addition, collectors can also get Johnny Manziel autographed sketch cards or a never-before-released 2013 Leaf Valiant Damian Lillard Autographed card.
If you get enough Leaf Bucks, you could also be eligible to win a Josh Gibson cut card.
Products eligible for the promotion include:
– 2012 Leaf Legends of Sport
– 2013 Ace Authentics Signature Series Tennis
– 2012-2013 Leaf Metal Basketball
– 2012-2013 Leaf Best of Basketball
– 2013 Leaf Best of Hockey
– 2013 Leaf Legends of Gridiron Cut Signature
– 2013 Leaf Legends of The Ring Cut Signature
– 2013 Leaf Metal Draft Football
– 2013 Leaf Valiant Draft Football
– 2013 Leaf Trinity Football
– 2013 Leaf Power Showcase Baseball
– 2013 Leaf Rookie Retro
– 2013 Leaf U.S. Army All-American Football
– 2013 Leaf Pop Century
– 2013 Leaf Masterpiece Cuts
– 2013 Leaf Pride of the Pinstripes Cut Signature
Susan Lulgjuraj is an editor of Beckett Sports Card Monthly. You can email her here with questions, comments or ideas. Follow her on Twitter here. Follow Beckett Media on Facebook and Twitter.
Josh Gibson cut?
And if you don’t buy Leaf products, you won’t have to deal with that blowhard “Big” Brian Grey. That’s the real prize.
Is it just me or is Yasiel exceptionally dirty on that card?
Do you have to buy the products at the national? Or just break them at the booth?
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Indianapolis-based Sandor Development Co. has entered into an agreement to lease parking lot space at 65 of its shopping centers across the country to be used for COVID-19 testing.
Sandor has forged a partnership with Collection Sites LLC to place temporary, ‘pop up’ testing sites in parking lots. The plan is to offer shoppers a quick and convenient place to get tested for the virus.
Collection Sites, a subsidiary of Canada-based CapQuest Inc., will lease 50 x 100 feet of space in the parking lots.
“With the substantial traffic and regular visits to our properties, Americans will be able to make COVID-19 testing part of their regular routine and help flatten the curve and restore regular business and life for the United States,” said David Eskenazi, president of Sandor Development.
The pop-up labs will be managed by Collection Sites. Testing analysis will be conducted by Alcala Testing and Analysis Services, a laboratory service in California.
Sandor owns and manages shopping centers in 25 states, usually adjoined to large retailers.
“As people go about their regular shopping routines at stores like Walmart and Target, they will be able to conveniently and quickly access COVID-19 testing,” said Doug Sommerville, chief executive officer of QuestCap Inc. “This is the key to flattening the curve and will help maximize the testing that is completed.”
The deal calls for an initial six-month term with the option to extend.
The initial testing sites will be placed in Arizona, California and Texas, with a daily testing capacity of 150 tests per site each day.
The first location is scheduled to launch in November. Collection Sites will charge $59 to $139 per test.


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In celebration of Pi Day, restaurants and bars around the country are hosting tons of nerdy math-themed promotions this Friday, March 14 (3.14), most involving pizzas or slices of pie for $3.14. Also: cheap drinks!
Here are a few possible options for geeking out—and saving some cash—on Friday, 3.14.2014:
Boston.com recommends pie for breakfast at the Beacon Hill Hotel, where a slice sells for $3.14 on Friday, while the Salvatore’s, a local Italian chain, offers a selection of flatbread pizza pies for $3.14 that day.
Check out the huge list of 3.14-themed promotions and deals at restaurants and bakeries in the Windy City rounded up at Chicago on the Cheap. Most feature a $3.14 price on pizza or pie, but there are also basic buy one slice of pizza, get one free offers.
New Jersey’s quaint college town takes March 14 seriously. Not only is 3.14 Pi Day, it’s also the day that longtime town resident, university professor, and all-around genius Albert Einstein was born. Accordingly, Princeton goes all out with an entire weekend honoring Pi Day and Einstein’s birthday, including free guided walking tours of Einstein’s neighborhood, a “Top Chef” pie-making competition, and a Rubik’s Cube demonstration.
Pi Pizza, with a handful of locations in Missouri and a sister branch District of Pi restaurant in Washington, D.C., is naturally host to a range of special Pi Day events and deals, including a promotion in which your second pizza is $3.14 after paying full price for the first.
Based in Maine, with locations also in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, the Portland Pie Company is host to discounted pizza deals and a $3.14 pint special during lunch and happy hour.
Your Pie, a restaurant chain with locations in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee, is hosting its “fifth annual celebration of the circle” this Friday, with the base price of its customizable craft pizzas starting at $3.14.
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Microsoft this week outlined its intent to stand and fight against a difficult economy with a plan to go after competitors and seize market share in areas like netbooks, mobile devices/services, browsers, databases and even search/advertising. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer earlier this week walked financial analysts through the company's annual mid-fiscal year update on its strategic thinking, striking a bit of a conciliatory tone but making it clear he's organizing to fight.
"You don't beat it. You manage in this environment," Ballmer said. "We need to then really ask the question, what do we invest in, what's important, what's going to happen."
What's going to happen, experts say, is that Microsoft, as always, is going to be on the offensive with its extensive line of products and business interests ranging from Windows to Xbox.
"This is Ballmer saying we think our strategy is working and we are not going to change it or the areas of investment," said Matt Rosoff, an analyst with independent research firm Directions on Microsoft. "They look at this as time to expand and take share from companies that are weaker fiscally. Microsoft has cash, they have incredible profit margins, they are doing pretty well."
In the first half of fiscal year 2009, Microsoft posted US$31.7 billion of revenue, which was up 5 percent over the same time period last year, and US$11.9 billion in operating income. The company reported in December that it had nearly US$20 billion in cash.
"If you look at the numbers, just the raw numbers, it was actually a very good first half," said CFO Chris Liddell, who appeared this week with Ballmer at the financial analysts meeting in New York City.
Ballmer said Microsoft will seek to grow its share in various markets that it has been in for years including mobile and databases and attack new markets like netbooks and entry-level servers.
Some of the company's effort will be to protect market share, as is the case with the upcoming Internet Explorer 8, some will be to gain market share, as in its ongoing battle to steal database customers from Oracle, and some will be a massive uphill battle like search and advertising where Google dominates.
Ballmer announced that Windows 7 would be available on netbooks and said Microsoft is working on a low-cost, low-functionality entry level server called Foundation Edition.
And he said Office 14, slated to ship next year, client access licenses and a new high-end version of SQL Server would be foundations to sell into corporations.


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Android O just dropped and brings along with it several new features, many of which we reported on earlier this month. Now, Google is making factory images available for several devices including Pixel and Nexus phones and tablets.
Currently, Android O will only be available via these factory images and won’t be available via the Android Beta Program over OTAs, but that is coming later on ahead of this year’s Google I/O. Google has yet to provide specific info on that just yet, though.
Android O is available now for the Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel C, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X, and Nexus Player. Download links are below or via Google’s download portal.
Update: 6P images now available.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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ST. LOUIS — Post Holdings Inc. has undertaken several strategies to propel its ready-to-eat cereals business, including looking for ways to better provide value products and packing more protein.
In an Aug. 8 conference call with analysts to discuss third-quarter results, Terry Block, president and chief operating officer, said the St. Louis-based company is constantly on the lookout for ways to add more high protein options across its portfolio. He described protein as the building blocks for bodies to function properly, and as instrumental in assisting lean muscle mass development and satiety.
So far this year Post has launched several cereals featuring a healthy dose of protein, including: Grape-Nuts Fits, which contain 6 grams of protein; Great Grains Protein Blends, 8 grams of protein; and Honey Bunches of Oats Greek, 5 grams of protein. In addition, the company re-launched Original Grape-Nuts with 8 grams of protein this year.
“This is when most breakfast cereals contain only 2 to 3 grams of protein,” Mr. Block said.
More innovation is in store for later this year, when Post plans to introduce Honey Bunches of Oats Morning Energy, which will contain 6 grams of protein and more than two-thirds of the recommended daily allowance of whole grains per serving.
In 2014, Post will take a page from the recently acquired Attune Foods business and will reformulate Grape-Nuts and several Great Grains products to be non-bioengineered, Mr. Block said.
Another important component of Post’s R.-T.-E. cereal business has been a sharper focus on providing value products for consumers on a strapped budget.
“We have stated that we are actively executing against the strategy to better address the economically stressed consumers with quality Post cereal alternatives,” Mr. Block said. “The ongoing Post Good Morenings’ test has provided learnings with regard to product mix, product placement, size mix and marketing. The Good Morenings’ product line-up is being reduced to reflect those learnings.
“Capitalizing on those same Good Morenings’ learnings, this summer we will be expanding our efforts to address this growing household segment — estimated to be about 25% of all U.S. households — with the limited introduction of large-bagged items of Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles, Honeycomb and Golden Crisp. Shipments are scheduled to begin in September.”
Discussing the general performance of the company’s R.-T.-E. cereal business during the third quarter, Mr. Block said Great Grains and Grape-Nuts experienced stronger dollar sales growth while Honey Bunches of Oats and Pebbles sustained setbacks.
New product distribution was seen as the key driver behind growth at both Great Grains and Grape-Nuts during the quarter, and Mr. Block noted that Grape-Nuts Fits helped the base Grape-Nuts brand grow distribution 37% versus last year, leading to the brand’s highest share in two years.
Although Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles performed well during the quarter, sales for the overall Pebbles brand declined 2% due to the discontinuation of Pebbles Boulders and Pebbles Marshmallows at several key customers. Meanwhile, high levels of competition adversely affected dollar sales of Honey Bunches of Oats, contributing to a 4% decline during the quarter.
“Post has become more competitive and is turning the corner with regards to revising long-term negative share and revenue trends,” Mr. Block said. “The combined contribution of the generating demand processes, marketing, sales and R.&D., coupled with manufacturing, is evidencing itself in the marketplace. However, this is a category where competition battles over tenths of a share point. Seeking more and better needs to constant.”
Net income at Post in the third quarter ended June 30 was $1.1 million, equal to 3c per share on the common stock, down sharply from $15.8 million, or 46c per share, in the same period a year ago. Factoring in restructuring and plant closure costs, acquisition related transaction costs and mark-to-market adjustments on economic hedges, adjusted net earnings for the third quarter were $9.5 million, which compared with $17.6 million in the same period a year ago.
Sales for the quarter rose 6% to $257.3 million compared with $241.9 million during the previous year. Post said net sales from current-year acquisitions contributed $10.7 million in the quarter.


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BancABC recently introduced a new digital innovation to extend banking services to customers on the popular messaging app, WhatsApp which they termed Ally.
The new chatbot being the first digital member of the #A team will enable customers to enquire their balance, pay bills, buy airtime as well as debit card management like blocking a card if stolen.
Besides access to banking services, subscribers can also receive the latest news around the globe ranging from sports live scores, weather and other news headlines.
The Managing Director and CEO of BancABC Zimbabwe, Dr Lance Mambondiani commented on the initiative by his team.
"Our growing customer base requires us to think differently about how we can serve our customers more efficiently using the channels they are accustomed to and WhatsApp is one such platform."
"Whilst these releases have focused on basic services where our customers have experienced the most friction, to us this is the beginning of an exciting journey in which we expect to transform the business and serve our customers better. In the next few months, we will be coming to the market with exciting products that we are currently working on. l would like to thank our customers for their tolerance and patience during this transformation journey," Dr Mambondiani added.


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TrendMicro, an information protection and cyber security solutions business, describes a data breach as “an incident whereby data is stolen or extracted from a method without having the understanding or agreement for the system’s manager.” DigitalGuardian said, since 2005, over 4,500 information breaches were made general public as well as 816 million specific documents have been breached.
Online dating sites is one of the most typical businesses focused by code hackers. Indeed, there were five data breaches having got a significant influence on dating sites, on line daters, and technology and safety general. Here you will find the tales as well as the effects of each:
1. AdultFriendFinder 2016: 412 Million records tend to be Exposed
The greatest dating internet site information violation in terms of the quantity of users who had been impacted was actually GrownFriendFinder.com in belated 2016. LeakedSource was actually the first ever to report the storyline, plus they mentioned hackers moved after FriendFinder Networks, the horny local moms and dad business of AFF, in October 2016.
Above 412 million (412,214,295 getting specific) FriendFinder user accounts were exposed, 340 million of these from matureFriendFinder. The breach impacted Cams.com (62 million records), Penthouse.com (7 million reports), Stripshow.com (1.4 million records), iCams.com (1.1 million records), and an unknown domain (35,000 records). Note: FriendFinder regularly have Penthouse.com but marketed it in March 2016 to worldwide Media.
The breach included 20 years really worth of client information, including emails (among them individual, federal government, and military tackles) and passwords (age.g., 123456 and qwerty).
Per TechCrunch, the hackers supposedly got through a regional file addition take advantage of, which offered them accessibility every one of FriendFinder’s interior sources. Among the safety weaknesses identified when you look at the breach happened to be that user passwords happened to be stored in plaintext or “hashed” utilizing the SHA1 formula, user logins for Penthouse.com were held despite FriendFinder marketed this site, and email messages and passwords were stored from 15 million people who’d erased their particular reports.
FriendFinder vice-president Diana Ballou revealed an announcement that read:
“over the last several weeks, FriendFinder has received some research relating to prospective protection weaknesses from a variety of resources. Right away upon learning these details, we got a few tips to examine the specific situation and generate best outside associates to aid all of our research. While some these promises became incorrect extortion attempts, we performed determine and correct a vulnerability which was related to the ability to access resource signal through an injection susceptability. FriendFinder takes the security of the buyer details severely and can give more updates as the investigation goes on.”
The Aftermath: too most likely envision, with all of the awful push as well as the significantly lackluster response from the staff, AdultFriendFinder lost some consumers and regard. Even today individuals are unable to speak about AdultFriendFinder without referring to this safety breach, that is in fact your website’s next (more on that below).
2. Ashley Madison 2015: 39 Million customers impacted, $11.2 Million Paid to Victims
It all began on July 12, 2015, when the father or mother business of Ashley Madison, Avid lifestyle Media, got a message from a bunch called group Impact that said in the event it failed to shut down this site (along with the brother website, Established Men), private business and user data was released. Seven days later, group Impact gave Avid lifetime Media a month to achieve this.
On July 20, Avid lifestyle news issued a statement that verified the breach and mentioned they were joining forces with Ashley Madison downline, law enforcement, and Cycura, a cyber security provider, to investigate the breach. Two days later on, Team influence released the brands of two Ashley Madison people.
The deadline emerged, and Ashley Madison and Established Men were still real time. Therefore Team influence leaked 10GB really worth of individual info, including email addresses (many federal government and armed forces). “we’ve got described the fraud, deceit, and absurdity of ALM as well as their users. Now everybody reaches see their particular dataâ¦ as well harmful to ALM, you guaranteed privacy but failed to deliver,” group Impact stated.
Over the subsequent couple of weeks, Team Impact revealed much more information, business emails, web site source rule, mailing details, IP tackles, individual signup times, and how much money customers had spent on Ashley Madison. Among the 39 million customers was Josh Duggar, of TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting,” exactly who added their profile which he ended up being enthusiastic about “Intercourse Talk” and a “Bubble Bath for just two,” among other pursuits.
Hacking and security experts found that Ashley Madison failed to confirm emails when anyone signed up, did not have a thorough security program for individual passwords, and hardcoded safety recommendations (like API secrets, authentication tokens, and SSL private tactics) to the website’s resource rule. And additionally customers which paid to own their unique records erased were not in fact erased and most regarding the feminine profiles on the webpage had been fake.
The Aftermath: Ashley Madison had been struck with a class action lawsuit, two users committed committing suicide, various consumers reported being blackmailed, President Noel Biderman resigned, and Avid Life news (which rebranded to Ruby Life) settled $11.2 million to the information violation subjects. Needless to say, never to be disregarded may be the trust that folks missing from inside the website.
3. AdultFriendFinder 2015: private Info of 3.5 Million Leaked
2016 was not the first time AdultFriendFinder had been hacked â it happened in May 2015, too. This time around, Teksecurity ended up being the initial socket together with the news. Not just happened to be email addresses and passwords leaked, but usernames, zip requirements (or postcodes), internet protocol address addresses, birthdays, marital statuses, and intimate tastes had been additionally uncovered.
Once it absolutely was produced alert to the violation, FriendFinder Networks said the team was examining with law enforcement and Mandiant, a cyber forensics business had by FireEye, which handled additional major breaches like Target, JP Morgan Chase, and Sony.
“We cannot speculate furthermore relating to this problem, but, certain, we pledge to take the appropriate strategies had a need to protect our very own clients if they’re affected,” FriendFinder informed CNN.
Computerworld reported that the hacker ROR[RG] asked for $100,000 and put the database up for sale for 70 bitcoins as soon as the ransom money wasn’t settled.
Per CNN, various other hackers commended ROR[RG], with one claiming, “i are packing these right up inside mailer today / I shall give you some bread from just what it can make / thank-you!!”
Another, Andrew Auernheimer, looked through information and started phoning down AFF members with government, state, or military tasks â such as for example a member of staff using Federal Aviation management and circumstances tax individual in Ca.
“I moved straight for government staff since they appear easy and simple to shame,” he mentioned.
The Aftermath: The physical lives of 3.5 million people were substantially and irreparably changed considering matureFriendFinder’s lack of protection. Bear in mind, it was not merely people’s standard personal data that was shared â information regarding the things they want to do inside the bedroom and if they were cheating on the spouses happened to be in addition generated community. However, this event didn’t apparently damage AdultFriendFinder excess due to the fact site however had significantly more than 340 million users merely annually after that tool.
4. Guardian Soulmates 2017: 27 Users Report Receiving Explicit Emails
One of the littlest dating site information breaches had been launched by Guardian Soulmates in May 2017. This site described that 27 people contacted the group simply because they obtained explicit email messages that showed their own user IDs and emails were jeopardized. Their dates of beginning and bank card details didn’t seem to happen uncovered, however.
a representative mentioned, “the continuous investigations point out a person error by one of our 3rd party technologies providers, which generated a publicity of an extract of data.”
The Aftermath: The effect the tool had on Guardian Soulmates wasn’t since bad as that which we’ve seen from AdultFriendFinder or Ashley Madison. “We just take matters of information security very really and have now done comprehensive audits and are usually confident that no outside celebration breached these programs,” a business enterprise spokesperson stated. “we’ve got taken appropriate actions to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
5. Yahoo 2013-2014: 3 Billion consumer Accounts Impacted & $350 Million Lost in Verizon Communications Merger
we are combining Yahoo’s two data breaches into one simply because they happened reasonably close to one another. We’re in addition such as these data breaches on the number, as a whole, because those impacted may have also included members of Yahoo Personals, the business’s internet dating service.
In 2013, there was a Yahoo safety violation that affected 1 billion clients. In 2017, the company said it had been really 3 billion consumers, maybe not 1 billion â causeing the the largest security violation actually.
Tragedy hit once more in late 2014 when 500 million Yahoo reports were hacked. The business has since asserted that it had been a state-sponsored hacker just who made it happen, but this has already been disputed.
Emails, passwords, phone numbers, dates of birth, and security concerns and responses happened to be all jeopardized. What’s promising from all this was that monetary info (e.g., charge card figures) was not stolen.
Neither of the breaches were revealed until Sept. 2016. Yahoo revealed that group had examined and believed they would handled the trouble, but a securities trade processing in March 2017 shows they don’t. Within the terms of CSO, “But even while the company took some remedial steps, such as notifying 26 users targeted in the tool and incorporating brand new security measures, some elderly executives presumably failed to comprehend or research the incident more.”
The Aftermath: On Dec. 15, 2016, Yahoo’s stock fell 2.5per cent just a couple of several hours after the 2013 breach had been disclosed. It was 3 months after news on the 2014 violation broke. Throughout that time besides, Verizon Communications was in the midst of $4.83 billion deal purchase Yahoo. Due to the breaches, the 2 businesses chose to simply take $350 million off the price.
Has Online Dating Sites Seen The Final Information Breach? Most likely Not
Dating sites tend to be appealing goals for hackers, and it’s easy to see precisely why. They shop some personal and monetary details, and quite often their unique innovation actually that fantastic. Hopefully, we are able to all find out something from the errors associated with organizations above. Instructions when it comes to customer include don’t use you work mail to join a dating site, making your own code as difficult discover as can be. For online dating sites, you’ll be able to not have excess safety. As they say, it’s a good idea to be secure than sorry!


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Facebook deals may add a week to IPO timing: source
By Alistair Barr and Gerry Shih
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A recent acquisition spurt by Facebook Inc may add about a week to the social network's journey to public markets, a source with knowledge of the situation said on Tuesday.
Facebook recently agreed to buy photo-sharing start-up Instagram for about $1 billion and on Monday the company said it would pay $550 million for hundreds of patents from Microsoft Corp.
The deals came weeks before Facebook was expected to enter the final stages of what will likely be the largest Silicon Valley initial public offering ever. The company has been aiming for an IPO sometime in May, with a roadshow typically taking about two weeks before the stock market debut.
The delay adds another twist to the high-profile offering a day after the company released quarterly results showing sagging revenue and soaring operating expenses, prompting at least one analyst to lower their valuations of the company.
Prospective investors will now have to wait about a week longer to get a glimpse of Facebook's roadshow, because the company will have to discuss the impact of its recent acquisitions with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the source said.
The SEC's Corporate Finance division is currently reviewing Facebook's IPO filing and the regulator must declare the document effective before Facebook can begin selling shares.
The Instagram and patent acquisitions are likely not material, which means Facebook will probably not have to answer SEC questions through a new regulatory filing, which would have taken more time, the source added. The person did not want to be identified because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the IPO.
A spokesman for Facebook declined to comment. An SEC spokeswoman declined to comment. Continued...


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THIS WEEK'S #STORESWELOVE|In a world where everyone urges us to take our business online, the market has become more saturated than ever. However, as companies invest in their digital efforts, one strategy is making a comeback: traditional, offline initiatives.
Brandless – the eCommerce which sells wholesome household consumables for $3 – is exploring brick-and-mortar with a pop-up shop in Los Angeles. Deemed to be disrupting the $600 billion grocery industry, Brandless is positioning itself as the smart, healthy, and socially conscious alternative to large grocery chains.
The experience, dubbed "Pop-Up with Purpose", is there not so much to sell you something. Many of Brandless’ products are on display to taste or try, but not purchase in the store. The company handed out a variety of food samples with QR codes that can be scanned to order products and later shipped to the customer's address. They also limit the amount of time the pop-up is open to the public to create a sense of urgency.
During 'off hours', they set up an event, which participants can donate $9 to a local charity to attend. Brandless hosted two weeks of live-streamed programming with different panels centered around wellness and nutrition. The entire experience is about the Brandless community coming together with a big open space for demos and conversations.
Building a community around a private label brand is pretty much unheard of; typically, these items were purchased for their convenience instead of a sense of customer loyalty. Brandless is flipping the conventional wisdom on its head and working to create a very specific image for their brand.
It's ironic, sure— they market themselves as being brand-free while simultaneously working to build one of the most compelling brands in eCommerce. But it's effective, and their product differentiation offers an object lesson in how non-Amazon retailers need to think about their brand and their image in today's age.
By treating their first physical location as a way to foster loyalty to their brand as opposed to a convenient quick stop to pick up some items, Brandless is inverting the traditional idea of what ‘generic’ brands tend to be.


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This is post #16 in the ADA Compliance Series, which aims to outline a structure for validating and justifying a claim of “ADA compliance” for.
The primary request in most ADA lawsuits is for injunctive relief from the court to force the defendant to change their corporate policies, practices, and procedures to ensure their websites are accessible.
An overview of common claims we see in ADA lawsuits pertaining to web site accessibility.
An overview of digital accessibility lawsuits under the ADA – what they’re alleging and what they’re asking for.
Learn what to do if you receive a complaint that your website isn’t ADA compliant, plus steps you can take now to avoid getting one in the first place.
For decades, we’ve had one question in the digital accessibility industry: what does “ADA compliant” mean for my website, mobile app, or other technology?” This post kicks off the ADA Compliance Series, which aims aim to outline a structure for validating and justifying a claim of “ADA compliance” for a website or other digital system.
Earlier this month, a federal District Court in New Hampshire denied the defendant’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit in Access Now, Inc. v. Blue Apron..
On Monday, the American Council of the Blind (ACB) filed a nationwide class suit against Hulu, accusing the streaming video service of violating Title III.
1 Hour Pro Bono Consultation for COVID-19 Resources


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Prices of U.S.-listed Chinese firms have risen, recovering from account scandals that previously weighed on valuations. But investors are still looking to delist some of these firms, especially in non-Internet sectors, as in the case of U.S.-listed Chinese healthcare provider Chindex International
U.S. private equity firm TPG is leading a group to buy Chindex for $369 million, according to a recent company release. The firm, founded more than three decades ago by two American women, provides services in China through the operations of United Family Healthcare, a network of private primary care hospitals and clinics. An affiliate of Shanghai- and Hong Kong-listed drug maker Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Ltd. and Chindex Chief Executive Roberta Lipson are among the buyers.
More recent “take private” deals have been done because it makes sense to expand certain Chinese firms with private financing, “rather than just because (a firm) is a cheap asset,” says Jon L. Christianson, Beijing-based partner at law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, who advised Chindex’s CEO. “Chindex was not taken private at a cheap price,” but to expand hospitals is costly, so it makes sense to bring in private financing, he adds.
Chindex’s stock has risen 58.9% in the past 12 months to $17.15 per share as of yesterday’s close. It is being bought out at an even higher price of $19.50 a share.
The deal comes as the pace for buying Chinese firms trading on stock markets overseas has slowed. The $900 million buyout of AsiaInfo-Linkage is the only such deal to be completed so far this year. The latter half of 2013 saw three buyouts of overseas listed Chinese firms totaling $1.3 billion, down from five in the first half that totaled $4.4 billion. The first half of 2013 was especially strong, due to the $3.7 billion buyout of Chinese advertising firm Focus Media Holding Ltd. by a group that included U.S. private-equity giant Carlyle Group.
With U.S. stocks on the rise, a few Chinese companies are even recording stellar gains in their U.S. initial public offerings. Firms in the Internet space, in particular, are looking to list in the U.S. again. Shares of Chinese online retailer Vipshop Holdings have soared since the firm’s IPO last March.
But buyouts of U.S.-listed Chinese firms aren’t disappearing for good.
Scott A. Jalowayski, lawyer at Ropes and Gray LLP, says foreign investors remain keen on buying China-based businesses with offshore structures because China’s regulatory landscape is a big hurdle to doing deals on the mainland. There’s always “some level of government approval to buy onshore companies in any sector,” he says. But “as long as antitrust approval isn’t needed, an offshore deal doesn’t require (Chinese government) approval.”
While “the time when all (Chinese firms) were down (in their stock valuations)” has passed, Mr. Jalowayski says that “we’ll continue to see ‘take private’ deals” as long as there are U.S.-listed Chinese firms.
For investors looking to cash out, the prospects for a Hong Kong relisting may be brightening. China Metal Resources Utilization Ltd., a Chinese copper recycling firm that was taken private by its owner from a New York listing 15 months ago, completed a Hong Kong initial public offering this month at almost 10 times its delisted value. It raised US$90 million and is now the first IPO of a Chinese firm that has been bought off the U.S. market.


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How so? I recently interviewed Northwestern Kellogg School of Management associate professor of strategy, Mike Mazzeo; Stanford Business School professor of economics, Paul Oyer; and Yale School of Management professor, Olav Sorenson. (Mazzeo and Oyer were among the co-authors of Roadside MBA).
They all agree that growth flows to companies that continuously swap variable costs for fixed ones.
And their higher level of fixed costs enables them to lower their average costs. Growth leaders can use those lower costs to cut prices, gain more market share, and collect more cash that they can invest to lower further those average costs.
To be sure, such companies earn lower profit margins.
But they sell more -- and eventually gain so much market power that they can raise prices without losing market share -- thus reaping a profit bonanza.
While they all view Amazon as an excellent example of this principle, one of them -- Oyer -- also sees Starbucks as an exemplar of this strategy.
To scale effectively, a business should grow its revenues much faster than its costs, said Oyer.
The best way to do that is to find a way to design, make, deliver, and service your product very efficiently. And one way that companies do that is to make big investments in technology and processes that substitute variable costs -- such as labor -- with fixed costs, Oyer continued.
Mazzeo pointed to Amazon as a company that scales well. Indeed, I find it remarkable that a company with over $100 billion in annual revenue can keep growing faster than 20% a year.
Amazon invests capital in warehouses, inventory, delivery networks, and computer systems that give it the ability to keep prices low and spread those fixed costs over a huge number of orders.
Amazon also keeps inventing new products and services that it can sell customers to increase even more the number of orders over which it can spread those fixed costs.
Oyer also noted that Amazon keeps looking for ways to get machines to do the work of people -- citing its experiments with drone delivery.
For now, Amazon barely makes a profit, but investors believe it will eventually be able to raise prices and expand its margins, Mazzeo suggested.
How can we measure this effect at Amazon? Sorenson suggested I track how various Amazon productivity measures -- such as sales/employee, payroll expense/total costs, and capital expenditures/cost of goods sold -- have changed over time.
I followed his suggestion and the numbers I found lead me to believe that Amazon is investing heavily to build even greater scale that might ultimately yield huge gains in productivity.
But if you compare 2011 to 2015, it's clear that Amazon is suffering from a productivity plunge because it's been hiring people and investing in its business like crazy.
Specifically, Amazon employed 56,200 in 2011 -- a figure that soared 311% to 230,800 according to Statista.
The spike in Amazon's headcount "surprised me a bit," said Sorenson. "I went back and looked at the last couple of years of Amazon’s numbers. It appears that Amazon has been on a hiring spree."
He continued, "Two factors might therefore be behind the declining sales per employee. (1) They might be expanding rapidly in places with lower labor costs; or (2) they might be investing to new products and services (or both)."
Moreover, Amazon's capital expenditures rose 153% to about $4.6 billion.
One result is that Amazon's sales per employee has fallen. After all its employee base grew much faster than Amazon's sales -- up 123% to about $107 billion in 2015 -- causing its sales per employee to drop 46% to $463,631 since 2011.
Amazon has, however, shown signs of success in substituting fixed costs for variable ones.
Amazon's cost of goods sold grew more slowly than its sales -- by 92% to about $71.7 billion.
"The fact that COGS has been declining as a function of sales suggests that Amazon may be raising prices (or at least passing less cost savings on to the customer)," hypothesized Sorenson.
And Amazon's payroll expense -- estimated by Sales, General, & Administrative expense -- as a share of total operating expenses fell from about 69% to about 61%.
Sorenson also suggested comparing these measures to those of rivals -- but we could not identify companies that would be pure comparisons.
How is Amazon substituting machines for labor?
If you watch the YouTube video of how Zappos's warehouse operates, as Sorenson suggested, you can see how Amazon is using robots to do much of the work of picking and moving inventory in the warehouse.
Amazon is not the only company that's following the professors' growth prescription.
Oyer sees Starbucks as another good example. He believes that its founder and CEO, Howard Schultz, has invested in a management structure and brand that enables Starbucks to scale profitably.
Specifically, Oyer suggests that Starbucks excels at picking heavily trafficked store locations and at making consistently very good -- but not great coffee -- that contributes to a brand that enables it to charge a price premium.
Oyer argued that if the coffee was great, it would be very difficult to hire and train enough baristas who could make great coffee consistently and efficiently.
But hiring and training baristas who can make very good coffee consistently and efficiently is part of Starbuck's managerial magic.
So, in Oyer's opinion, is Starbuck's management structure that makes it possible to manage inventory efficiently and operate thousands of stores around the world while maintaining high quality and service standards.
These professors offer food for thought when it comes to identifying companies that can sustain industry-leading growth.
And those thoughts could boost the value of your portfolio.


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Oilers owner Daryl Katz is $920 million richer today after selling off a chunk of his pharmaceutical empire.
McKesson Corp., a U.S.-based company, announced Monday that it has signed a purchase agreement for Drug Trading Company Limited — the independent banner business of the Katz Group Inc. — and Medicine Shoppe Canada Inc., the franchise company of the privately owned Katz Group.
Under the agreement, McKesson will acquire all assets of Drug Trading, which consists of more than 850 independently-owned pharmacies across Canada, most of which operate under the I.D.A. and Guardian brands.
The U.S. giant will also acquire Medicine Shoppe Canada Inc., which operates the franchise business of providing services to more than 160 independent pharmacies.
In a statement released Monday afternoon, McKesson noted that member-pharmacists will remain owners of their pharmacies and retain sole management responsibility.
Executive vice-president and group president Paul Julian, called the transaction a “natural evolution,” as McKesson has been the primary pharmaceutical distributor to Drug Trading and Medicine Shoppe Canada for years.
“By joining McKesson, Drug Trading and Medicine Shoppe Canada will be even better positioned to support independent pharmacists as they strive to offer enhanced services to their patients amidst the significant changes the industry is undergoing.”
The Edmonton Oilers and the Rexall chain of pharmacies were not part of the deal.
— Edmonton Sun
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Nokia decides against following FAS recommendations for distribution - FAS
MOSCOW. Oct 2 (Interfax) - Nokia, the world's leading producer of cellular telephones, has admitted violations of competition regulations in is implementation of its Nokia Upstream product distribution system in Russia, the Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) said.
The FAS said that Nokia, in additional agreements with distributors, recommended retail prices for its products, which, according to the agency, could qualify as a cartel agreement on the cellular market.
The FAS opened a case against Nokia regarding this violation of antimonopoly legislation. However, the company declined to follow the agency's recommendations. As a result, the FAS closed its case. Nonetheless, Nokia still faces the threat of fines but their size has been reduced, the FAS said.
According to the Nokia Upstream program, Nokia was in control of wholesale and retail prices. In its violation of FAS recommendations, the company deprived distributors of bonuses or completely halted deliveries. In addition, Nokia denied distributors the right to have operations with other producers, the FAS said.


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Apple could drop LCD displays for its 2020 iPhones in favor of an all-OLED line-up, a new report today claims. From the Wall Street Journal (paywall):
Apple is likely to drop LCD displays altogether in its 2020 iPhone lineup in favor of organic light-emitting diode displays that allow for more flexible handset design, people familiar with the production plans have said.
This isn’t the first time we’ve heard that Apple is considering dropping LCD models from its line-up in order to make a complete shift to OLED displays in 2020.
WSJ suggested the possibility earlier this month, but today’s report gives the rumor more clout by [...]
With support for the now-discontinued Windows 10 Mobile devices set to end on December 10, 2019, Microsoft is recommending that its current Windows 10 Mobile customers move to an Android or iOS device instead.
Microsoft made the recommendation in a Windows 10 Mobile support document (via Thurrott) explaining its plans to stop offering security updates and patches for Windows 10 Mobile.
With the Windows 10 Mobile OS end of support, we recommend that customers move to a supported Android or iOS device. Microsoft’s mission statement to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, compels us to support our Mobile apps on those [...]
Former Apple intern Christian Selig has released version 1.4 of Apollo, the popular Reddit client developed with Apple’s iOS design guidelines in mind. The latest update introduces a raft of highly requested features, including quick switching accounts and new subreddit preferences to add to its existing plethora of options.
For those who like to access multiple Reddit accounts through the Apollo app, the new quick switching feature can be activated by long-pressing the Accounts tab in the bottom tab bar.
Over on the subreddit option front, it’s now possible to use specific sorting, where where Apollo can remember preferred sorting preferences on a per [...]
Eve Systems, formerly Elgato, today announced several new additions to its popular HomeKit product lineup, including a power strip, a light strip, and a new light switch for use in Europe.
The Eve Light Strip follows the Eve Flare, a HomeKit-connected mood lamp that was released in May. The Eve Flare was limited to countries in Europe and is not available in the U.S., but the Light Strip will see a wider release.
The LED light strip works with a selection of pre-installed lighting scenes and allows users to set their own colors. According to Eve, the Light Strip provides up to 1800 lumens across its two meter length thanks to triple-diode architecture. Eve Light [...]


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NORTHAMPTON – On his 61st day of retirement, Don Muller had no regrets about selling his landmark business, Don Muller Gallery.
“I’m feeling really, really good about it,” he said Thursday from his Hadley home.
After 38 years in downtown Northampton, the last 34 at 40 Main St., Muller sold the store on Sept. 1 to Maya MacLachlan, who had worked for him for a dozen years. Neither would disclose the selling price.
MacLachlan, 37, studied art history at the University of Massachusetts before her 12-year tenure at the gallery and has been able to hit the ground running. She knows the artists, the customers and what makes the gallery so special.
“I’ll keep it the same,” she said. “I’ve been getting great support from the customers.”
Those customers have been coming from all across the country and all over the world, said Muller, who was among the pioneers who made Northampton a shopping destination filled with boutique, owner-operated businesses. As Muller recalls, the scene was decidedly more bleak when he opened shop in 1978.
“It was just Fitzwilly’s and me,” he said. “There were no other restaurants or galleries.”
Tapping local artists and craftspeople like Josh Simpson, whose studio is in Shelburne, Muller created a store that was unique and won every top award in the jewelry and crafts industries.
At 63, he is turning his energies to pastimes like travel, fishing and working around the house. Part of him is still in the gallery, however, and Muller appreciates the support that made him a success.
“I’d like to thank the community for its tremendous support and hope that they continue to patronize the Don Muller Gallery,” he said.


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Despite a challenging year, 2021 has been a successful year for BMW in North America. According to a press release, BMW USA sales increased 20.8% or 336,644 units compared to the 278,732 vehicles sold in 2020. In the fourth quarter of 2021, BMW brand sales in the U.S. totaled 93,031 vehicles, a 5.8% decrease from the 98,750 vehicles sold in the fourth quarter of 2020. Inventory issues has been part of the sales lifecycle in 2021, but the Bavarians managed to overcome the shortcomings.
The once very popular MINI brand also reported an increase in sales in 2021. The U.S. subsidiary sold 7,860 vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2021, a decrease of 8.1% vs the 8,549 vehicles sold in the fourth quarter of 2020. For the full year 2021, MINI brand sales increased 6.4% on total sales of 29,930 vehicles compared to the 28,138 vehicles sold in 2020.
“We are proud of the success we achieved in another unusual year and look forward to building on that as we accelerate our electric vehicle strategy in 2022,” said Sebastian Mackensen, president and CEO, BMW of North America. “I would like to thank our dealers for their flexibility and perseverance, and our customers for their loyalty to our brand as we work to meet the strong demand for BMW vehicles in the U.S.”
BMW Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles.
- 23,180 BMW Certified Pre-Owned vehicles were sold during the fourth quarter of 2021, a 10.2% decrease from the same quarter a year ago. For the full year 2021, BMW Certified Pre-Owned sales totaled 109,743 vehicles, a 1.1% increase from the 108,593 vehicles sold in 2020.
MINI Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles.
- 1,720 MINI Certified Pre-Owned vehicles were sold during the fourth quarter of 2021, a 20.9% decrease from the same quarter a year ago. For the full year 2021, MINI Certified Pre-Owned sales totaled 10,527 vehicles a 10.9% increase from the 9,490 vehicles sold in 2020.


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Endurance Series – Zytek 07s & 09s Previews
Team Enduracers have released plenty of previews of two new additions to the LMP ranks of their Endurance Series mod – The Zytek 07s & 09s.
The versatile British prototype has been raced in various configurations both in the LMP1 & LMP2 classes from 2007 to 2011 in various sports car series around the world. Endurance Series will feature the car in plenty of liveries as you can see below.
Furthermore, the team has released new previews of the Lola Aston Martin LMP in Muscle Milk & Signatech colors. While these previews have been made using rFactor as the team’s development platform, a target platform for the mod’s next release has yet to be decided upon.
Earlier this year, the team proudly announced to have done some work for Sebastien Loeb Racing. While the Oreca 03 LMP2 will be added to future versions of the mod, the Mclaren MP4-12C GT3 will not be released for the public.


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Esteemed film director Martin Scorsese is reportedly in talks with Apple and Netflix over his next film project, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. The film ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ — based off a best-selling book of the same name — is already partway in production. The film was in development
You’d think if there was ever a time to show appreciation for grocery delivery workers, it would be now. But some Instacart shoppers are doing the exact opposite: cheating the people who deliver their food
Whilst everyone is staying indoors, Apple has made a handful of Apple TV+ shows free for anyone to stream. This should be live now in the US and available in all countries where Apple TV+ is available starting April 11th.
Last week, 9to5Mac reported that Apple is discounting HomePod to $149 for employees, perhaps in an anticipation of a new model. The response to that news was largely that Apple should make such a price drop permanent. What do you think? HomePod originally debuted at $349, but Apple quietly cut the price to $299 almost
Apple today has released a new “30 Creative Activities for Kids” worksheet designed specifically for those learning from home due to COVID-19. The worksheet includes 30 creative tasks for kids, ranging from photo walks to creating a comic strip and more. Apple says: Explore 30 fun, constructive, and creative activities to do with built-in features
LG continues to expand the availability of AirPlay 2 and HomeKit across its latest lineups of TVs. The company today has announced pricing and availability for its 2020 NanoCell lineup, which starts at $599 with AirPlay and HomeKit support. In typical LG style, availability details are still somewhat vague. Only two options are available starting today.
Facebook is taking a page out of Apple’s Screen Time playback and rolling out a new Quiet Mode feature to the Facebook app. This feature allows you to set a schedule for when you want to mute notifications from the Facebook app and more. When Quiet Mode is enabled, you can mute all notifications from
It’s not everyday that a new app comes around and meets two very different interests. The brand new Pocket Rocket app does that for me, however, mixing SpaceX rocket launches with augmented reality on the iPhone using ARKit.
Apple launched a new app last month to inform about how to stay safe and prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Today the COVID-19 app for iOS was updated to version 2.0 with new features, including tips to stay mentally healthy, and more. According to the release notes of Apple’s COVID-19 app, the latest update
Have you ever signed up for a subscription through Apple and forgotten about it? Or maybe you want to cancel a trial right after signing up so you don’t forget. Whether you’d like to cancel an Apple subscription/free trial on your iPhone or just remember which services or apps you’re paying for, read along below.
Universal Audio LUNA is out now. Back in January, Universal Audio unveiled its exciting new recording platform with a spring release date, and that time has finally come. Now available for select Universal Audio interface owners, folks can now download the Luna Recording System for free. More details below. more
Today’s best deals include iPhone 11/Pro/Max fully unlocked and refurbished from $600, plus Apple’s 9.7-inch iPad is discounted, and you can save on the Logitech MX Master 3. Hit the jump for all that and more in the latest 9to5Toys Lunch Break.


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LEXINGTON, Ky. (9/10/13)—Apple is announcing the features of the next series of iPhone, the 5S and the 5C at 1 p.m. today. Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, is scheduled to take the stage to reveal the iOS 7-release date, which is the iPad and iPhone’s new software update.
The iPhone 5S is going to be a lot like the 3GS and 4S versions of the phone but with some new tweaks, according to a news release. The biggest addition is the finger print sensor, which will allow only the user to be able to log into their phone, without having to use PIN or a password. The phone will look similar to the iPhone 5 but will reportedly come in champagne or gold. The new versions of the iPhones are set to go on sale on Friday, September 20, according to reports.
We won’t know all of the details until later this afternoon. Watch Cook’s announcement LIVE.
Photo provided by Apple.com
© Copyright 2014 SurfKY News Group, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, or rewritten without permission. SurfKY News encourages you to share this story by using one of the social media links below.
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Good news for lovers of muck and magic.
There was good news this week for lovers of muck and magic, because it seems that organic farming could be capable of producing enough food to feed the world.
That's according to a study from team of researchers led by Ivette Perfecto from the University of Michigan in the United States. They've pulled together a huge amount of data on farm productivity from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation and their findings fly in the face of the widely held belief that organic farming won't be a global solution to feeding the world because it produces less food per hectare than conventional intensive farming techniques.
The team showed that in developed countries, organic farms can produce 92% of the food that conventional farms can generate, while in the developing world the picture looks even better - in the poorer parts of the world organic farms can actually do much better than normal farms, producing up to 80% more food. The reason for this is that farmers in developing countries can rarely afford to buy all the fertilisers and pesticides needed for conventional farming, but they can very cheaply produce their own organic fertilisers.
Organic farming and the use of fewer man-made chemicals is thought to have really important benefits to both the environment and human health, and so it's really good news that potentially, if organic farming at a global level is a viable option for future food production.
At the moment, world wide farms produce an average of over two thousand 700 calories per person per day. And this latest study has estimated that a global organic farming system could produce between two thousand 600 and over four thousand calories per person per day - which is more than enough to provide our daily requirements.
But of course one of the big problems we still have to face isn't really how much food the world can generate as a whole, but where the food is being produced. While we in the west have an embarrassment of food, there are still millions of people going hungry every day. But it could be that small organic farms could start producing much needed food in developing countries.


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When cell phone customers can keep their numbers after changing carriers, expect a herd of users to switch providers.
But the loudest roar is likely to come from business users with corporate accounts.
The new rules allowing for number portability will lead to fat discounts and shifting control of cell phones used for business, industry insiders predict.
"It will turn the wireless world upside down," said Susan Cheney, Midwest vice president for Sprint PCS.
Wireless, not surprisingly, continues to gain in popularity among business customers, yet companies have been slow to get a handle on this growing expense, said Greg Carr, chief executive of Teldata Control Inc., a firm that advises businesses on telecom service purchases.
It is common for executives and salespeople to buy their own cell phones and then to submit expense accounts covering the monthly charges, he said. But it is less common for businesses to contract with a wireless carrier to offer service at a substantial discount, he said.
"Wireless has crept into the corporate cost structure through the back door," said Nick Wray, a Teledata Control vice president.
Corporate control was stymied because workers did not want new numbers with a new wireless service. They fear losing business contacts who have their old cell phone numbers.
With the number portability deadline looming Nov. 24, expect businesses to make substantial changes in how they view cell phones.
Users will be able to keep their old numbers with a new carrier and corporations will centralize and control their use, Wray said. Businesses will give all their business to one or two carriers and demand hefty discounts in return.
In the United Kingdom, where number portability was enacted years ago, corporate customers typically get discounts of 40 to 50 percent, Wray said, while in the U.S. the average corporate discount is 15 to 20 percent.
Still, most corporate customers are not aware the change--and how they could benefit--is coming, Carr said.
"I just met with the communications manager at one of the nation's top banks," said Carr. "He was totally unaware of the change and how it would affect his business."
Carriers are quietly offering business customers discounts if they sign long-term contracts now, locking them up before the deadline mandated by the Federal Communications Commission takes effect.
Carr advises against signing long-term contracts without a full understanding of the issues.
Most wireless carriers see portability as a threat, but some also view it as an opportunity, said Chris Carrington, chief of Telecom Media Networks, which provides advice to carriers.
"Some of our clients that have adopted a culture that this is an opportunity are positioning their sales force to go after the enterprise customer," said Carrington.
Carriers that are defensive about number portability seek to lure customers into long-term contracts now, said Debbie Stipe, a senior manager at Telecom Media Networks, which is a unit of Cap Gemini Ernst & Young.
Nextel Communications Inc., which traditionally has catered to business customers, says number portability is an opportunity to win customers.
"We currently take 90 percent of our customers away from other carriers," said Leigh Horner, a Nextel spokeswoman. "We think we're going to continue that, and we think we will be winners with number portability."
Another competitor, Chicago-based U.S. Cellular Corp., also expects to win more customers, said John Rooney, the firm's chief executive.
Still, he has some reservations about portability.
"From the technical standpoint, I worry if the industry is ready," said Rooney, who was an executive with Ameritech Corp. when number portability was implemented for traditional phones in the 1990s. "We had troubles with it on the landline side, and there are more issues with wireless."
All wireless customers should benefit from improved service and lower prices as carriers strive to avoid losing business, known to the industry as "churn," said Jeff Kohler, director of wireless banking services at Bathgate Capital Partners in Denver."The primary reason customers churn off a system is service," said Kohler. "Price is second."
In general, Kohler said, larger carriers such as Verizon Wireless, Cingular Wireless and AT&T Wireless are more vulnerable to churn because they have more customers to lose, while smaller carriers like Nextel, T Mobile and U.S. Cellular are aggressively trying to win new customers.
Because carriers are locking up as many customers as possible with long-term contracts, churn related to number portability could be spread over the next few years as customers wait until contracts expire to make changes.
But wireless carriers will not be able to halt the trend toward lower prices, said Carr of Teldata Control.
"We're going to see more competitive pricing," said Carr. "It will look like long-distance pricing trends that started years ago."


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CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of Sherwin-Williams Co (NYSE:SHW) by 0.5% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 213,341 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock after selling 1,018 shares during the period. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC’s holdings in Sherwin-Williams were worth $117,310,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of SHW. Meridian Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in Sherwin-Williams during the first quarter worth $168,000. Clearbridge Investments LLC boosted its holdings in Sherwin-Williams by 43.2% during the first quarter. Clearbridge Investments LLC now owns 15,969 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $6,878,000 after buying an additional 4,816 shares in the last quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in Sherwin-Williams by 13.9% during the first quarter. EP Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 779 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $335,000 after buying an additional 95 shares in the last quarter. Bath Savings Trust Co boosted its holdings in Sherwin-Williams by 18.9% during the second quarter. Bath Savings Trust Co now owns 4,979 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $2,282,000 after buying an additional 792 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Cox Capital Mgt LLC boosted its holdings in Sherwin-Williams by 2.3% during the second quarter. Cox Capital Mgt LLC now owns 1,904 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock worth $873,000 after buying an additional 42 shares in the last quarter. 76.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
A number of analysts recently issued reports on the stock. Northcoast Research reissued a “neutral” rating on shares of Sherwin-Williams in a report on Monday, July 29th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price objective on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $435.00 to $490.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 24th. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on shares of Sherwin-Williams in a report on Tuesday, October 8th. They set a “peer perform” rating and a $606.00 price objective on the stock. Buckingham Research increased their price objective on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $460.00 to $485.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Friday, October 11th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Finally, ValuEngine downgraded shares of Sherwin-Williams from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 2nd. Ten equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the stock. The company has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $543.85.
Sherwin-Williams (NYSE:SHW) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, July 23rd. The specialty chemicals company reported $6.57 EPS for the quarter, beating the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $6.35 by $0.22. The business had revenue of $4.88 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $4.94 billion. Sherwin-Williams had a net margin of 6.61% and a return on equity of 48.92%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $5.73 earnings per share. Equities research analysts anticipate that Sherwin-Williams Co will post 21.12 earnings per share for the current year.
In other news, Director David F. Hodnik sold 501 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $521.57, for a total value of $261,306.57. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 9,569 shares in the company, valued at $4,990,903.33. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider David B. Sewell sold 4,709 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $493.52, for a total transaction of $2,323,985.68. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 12,604 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,220,326.08. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 12,121 shares of company stock valued at $6,134,153 over the last quarter. Company insiders own 0.50% of the company’s stock.
The Sherwin-Williams Company develops, manufactures, distributes, and sells paints, coatings, and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers. It operates in three segments: The Americas Group, Consumer Brands Group, and Performance Coatings Group. The Americas Group segment offers architectural paints and coatings, and protective and marine products, as well as OEM product finishes and related products for architectural and industrial paint contractors and do-it-yourself homeowners.
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Most consumers believe energy suppliers should foot the bill for smart meters because they will make savings from the scheme.
A survey from Which? found that nine in ten people think energy suppliers should be the ones to meet the £8.6 billion cost of rolling out smart meters.
Consumers are expected to pay for the roll out, but more than four out of five (83 per cent) people said they are not prepared to pay any additional cost to have a smart meters installed in their home.
Which? chief executive Peter Vicary-Smith said it is understandable that people do not see why they should have to pay for a scheme that will save energy suppliers alone hundreds of million pounds a year.
"There's an assumption that smart meters will automatically slash people's bills but a smart meter isn't going to insulate your house or follow you around turning lights and appliances off," he said.
If you want to find out more about your energy options and how you could save up to £378 in minutes, click here.


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Japan’s Financial Services Agency this year confirmed bitcoin and several cryptocurrencies can be used as legally accepted means of payment in the country. Several Reuters’ stories described bitcoin’s and other cryptocurrencies’ status in Japan as “legal tender”, which is incorrect.
The erroneous reference was made in the following stories: Nov. 27: ANALYSIS-Bubble or breakthrough? Bitcoin keeps central bankers on edge Nov. 22: Digital currencies will not replace physical money soon - BOJ official Sept. 29: UPDATE 2-Japan’s FSA gives official endorsement to 11 cryptocurrency exchanges Sept. 29: Japan’s FSA approves 11 companies as operators of crypto-currency exchanges July 11: UPDATE 3-Chief of bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox denies embezzlement as trial opens July 11: Chief of bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox pleads not guilty to embezzlement -Nikkei June 2: Fretting over savings, Mrs Watanabe turns to bitcoin May 26: Japan, South Korea drive global bitcoin prices as retail investor pile in


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Posts Tagged ‘ Terrapin Partners ’
Monday, October 24, 2016 | Team TC | More »
Yatra.com, one of India’s top online travel agencies (OTAs) that is set to get listed on NASDAQ through a reverse merger, will issue a small equity stake to Reliance Industries Ltd as part of a business arrangement, a person privy to the development told Techcircle. The proposed deal is linked to ...
14 July, 2016 | More »


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Next Gears of War Will be Xbox One Exclusive
Ashley Allen / 8 years ago
It seems the next Gears of War game won’t be coming to Xbox 360. Jack Felling, developer with the game’s maker Black Tusk Studios, has confirmed on Twitter that the new Gears of War will be an Xbox One exclusive:
@Clayton_117 No sorry, it won't be available on the 360 but it will be available for the Xbox One!
— JackieFelling (@JackFellingX) April 1, 2015
Though the game was pretty sure to be next-gen only, plenty of developers over the last year have later opted to release for previous consoles, like Alien Isolation, Forza Horizon 2, and the forthcoming Lara Croft sequel, Rise of the Tomb Raider.
Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, raved about the in-development game back in December, saying that the Black Tusk team were making “massive progress”. A trailer for the new Gears of War game is expected at E3 in June.


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ChargePoint, the world’s leading EV charging network, today announced that is has closed $127 million in incremental equity financing. This additional investment brings the Series H total to $667 million.
ChargePoint has completed this round of fundraising during a global pandemic, which is a clear indication of the strength of the market and significant progress ChargePoint has made in growing its business in Europe and North America.
The funds will accelerate the expansion of ChargePoint’s global commercial and fleet businesses, supporting the world’s transition to electric mobility. In spite of the global pandemic, interest in transportation electrification continues to increase as growing expectations for climate change mitigation, improved transportation economics and on- demand delivery drive more investment.
“The shift to electric drive is intensifying for mainstream businesses and fleet operators and is poised to be one of the most significant transformations in modern history. The additional $127 million in funding provides capital to expand investment on pace with the market, underscoring investor confidence in the unprecedented potential of electric mobility and ChargePoint’s leadership across continents. With more than a decade of category leadership, ChargePoint is well positioned to continue the build out of 21st century mobility infrastructure that will pave the way to the mass adoption of EVs,” said Pasquale Romano, President and CEO, ChargePoint.
The latest funding mirrors unprecedented interest in the EV market and underscores ChargePoint’s position as the provider with the most comprehensive portfolio of solutions in the industry. Continued investor commitment to ChargePoint reinforces the tremendous investment potential afforded by electrifying the movement of people and goods. ChargePoint will use the latest funding to expand its commercial and fleet portfolio in North America and Europe and continue to scale policy, marketing and sales efforts.
Returning investors (from Series H) include American Electric Power, Braemar Energy Ventures, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), Chevron Technology Ventures, Clearvision, GIC, Linse Capital and Quantum Energy Partners.
To date, ChargePoint’s EV charging network has grown to more than 114,300 places to charge with drivers plugging in approximately every two seconds while delivering more than 80 million charges.


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ECOPRODIGI project consortium has for the past year been working for a more eco-efficient and digitalised shipping sector in the Baltic Sea region.
Now he project invites all interested parties to participate in the seminar: “Heading towards digital and eco-efficient shipping in the Baltic Sea region”.
At the seminar the first findings of the project will be presented. And furthermore, there will be keynotes speaches and panel discussions on the two key themes of the project: DIGITALISATION and ECO-EFFICIENCY.
The seminar will take place on:
20 November, 2018 at the Aalborg University in Copenhagen, Denmark
The seminar is free of charge, but has limited seats, so please, register now:


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Tomorrow is the day the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play launches in the UK, but at least two operators won’t be carrying the gaming phone as planned.
We already knew that O2 has postponed the launch of the PlayStation phone on its network due to software issues. The handset will be delayed by a week or two on O2.
However, now it seems that Vodafone won’t be stocking the Xperia Play from day one either, citing supply issues – they simply won’t have the phone delivered in time.
Concerns then began to flood forth about whether the Xperia Play launch would be happening at all on April 1st.
Sony Ericsson has moved to calm fears, however, telling MCV that tomorrow’s launch is definitely still on, despite some freight issues.
MCV quoted a statement issued by SE which read: “We can confirm that the Xperia Play handsets are still planned to launch in the UK for April 1st, as originally communicated.”
“However, as of today, we have experienced a freight issue that may impact the number of Xperia Plays arriving at some retail outlets. This said, consumers can purchase Xperia Play as of April 1st at a number of stores across the UK.”
So, it sounds like a bit of a lottery, but the gaming phone will definitely be on sale at some outlets for keen early adopters. With the rest of the stock presumably languishing in a shipping container somewhere.


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Tablet sales took quite a plunge in Q4 2016, suggesting lesser demand for tablet devices during last year’s holiday season. Tablet shipments declined by a staggering 20.1 percent when compared to Q4 2015, contributing to the overall decrease in shipments by 15.6 percent coming from 2015. Despite the decline, Chinese manufacturer Huawei still managed to clinch 5th place in terms of last year’s tablet shipments.
Huawei has already begun penetrating the Western market when it comes to its mobile devices. Its 5th place standing among other tablet vendors is definitely an impressive feat, given the fact that Huawei tablets have barely any presence in the Western market. The company however, managed to excel at other regions such as Asia, the Middle East and Europe. In fact, Huawei has managed to sell 43.5 percent more tablets in Q4 2016 compared to Q4 2015.
Lenovo has also scored gains in last year compared to the previous year in terms of tablet shipments, sitting at 4th place. The hot selling Fire tablets by Amazon allowed the company to clinch 3rd place, despite a decline in tablet sales. Both Apple and Samsung managed to retain first and second place respectively in tablet shipments, with both manufacturing giants recording declines in Q4 2016 as well. What do you think will happen to the future of tablets?


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P. Diddy sports diamond encrusted iPod at VMA after-party (images)Coinciding with the release of Hewlett Packards iPod digital music player, rap recording artist P.Diddy (aka Puff Daddy, Puffy, Sean \"Puffy\" Combs) reportedly arrived at his MTV Video Music Awards after-party with a customized 120 diamond Apple iPod from HP. Attendees to the party also each receive a new HP iPod, although without the diamonds.
HP was a major sponsor of the awards event and used it to launch their massive consumer-electronics ad campaign, which included its HP-branded iPod music player. Apple Computer also aired a new iPod television spot during the awards, dubbed \"Stereo Rock.\" The ad, which made its debut in CEO Steve Jobs\' WWDC 2004 Keynote earlier this summer, features the company\'s black silhouette dancers and \"Walkie Talkie Man\" by Steriogram.
On Topic: General
- Apple invents active shutter system to protect iPhones from liquid, contaminants
- AppleInsider podcast talks Apple Pencil, official Apple Watch dock and safe payments practices
- Apple airs 2015 Christmas TV ad starring Stevie Wonder & Andra Daye
- Apple confirms acquisition of motion capture firm Faceshift
- DisneyLife online streaming service launches in UK with iOS & Apple TV support


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- From our Sponsors -
SINGAPORE — Business social networking company, BEAM today announced a strategic partnership with early-stage VC TRi5 Ventures to launch VentureStart, an entrepreneurial development program that brings more support to budding entrepreneurs building startups in Singapore.
The new strategic partnership is focused on 2 key areas:
BEAM will tap into TRi5’s pool of over 60 mentors from the NEXT50 initiative. These mentors and industry experts have startup background experiences who will help to provide guidance, insights, and support to entrepreneurs out there.
“With the speed of disruptions and innovations happening globally, it is now more essential than ever to mentor startups to get up to speed and be globally competitive from day one. Hence, the imparting of knowledge and the sharing of experiences, especially during the early stages, are essential in building startups with a solid foundation. With a wide range of mentors from across industries on board, we are certain that the startup founders will benefit more from a variety of quality perspectives”, mentioned Christopher Quek, managing partner of Tri5 Ventures.
To further boost the success of startups, BEAM will facilitate the SG Startup Co-Investment Grant (SG Founders Grant) of up to $50,000 to first-time Singaporean founders starting out on their ventures. This co-investment grant is a combination of a $30,000 grant from SPRING Singapore and up to $20,000 equity investment from Tri5 Ventures.
“Entrepreneurship can be a long and lonely journey. With a holistic support system for founders to tap into insights, connections, financing, and more, we believe this will bring tremendous value for the many new and aspiring entrepreneurs building startups. We hope that this raise the overall calibre of entrepreneurs and bring forth a new generation of innovative and transformational companies”, mentioned Kenneth Ho, CEO of BEAM.
About VentureStart Program
The VentureStart Program is a startup support and development program by BEAM focused on bringing continuous resources, support, and leverage to entrepreneurs throughout their journey of building their companies.
The program is conducted on a rolling basis (not cohort basis) where entrepreneurs are supported throughout the idea/prototyping, go-to-market, fundraising, and expansion stages of their ventures in the following areas:
The strategic partnership aims to produce 20 new Singapore-based startups of verticals aligned with Singapore’s thrust of deep technologies and Smart Nation initiatives in the next 12 months.
“I have received feedback from fellow VCs that dealflow quality and quantity at early stages, are essential in building startups with a solid foundation. With a wide range of mentors from across industries on board, we are certain that the startup founders will benefit more from a variety of quality perspectives”, mentioned Christopher Quek, managing partner of Tri5 Ventures.
VentureStart is now accepting applications.
- From our Sponsors -


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Long-lost studies prove Monsanto has known about the dangers of its most popular product for four decades.
Despite the World Health Organization’s report, the EPA says the cancer creator in your garage is perfectly safe.
A newly approved herbicide makes for yet another reason to avoid non-organic and GM foods.
Living Well publishes reader feedback on the proposed GMO labeling law. One opinion wins by a landslide…
Living Well covers the latest update in GMO labelling laws, and how a newly proposed law called the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act might not be as great as it sounds.


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The world’s largest beer festival opened on Saturday in Munich, Germany. More than 6 million guests from all over the world are expected this year in beer tents to celebrate the 16-day extravaganza called Oktoberfest 2012.
The first Oktoberfest is believed to have been organized over two centuries ago to celebrate the wedding of the Bavarian Prince Ludwig on October 12, 1810. The people of Munich were invited to the square in front of the city gates to celebrate the royal wedding. Today, Oktoberfest is a global holiday that is celebrated all over the world.
Last year, visitors drank almost 8 million liter mugs of beer during the celebration. Apart from beer, people also enjoy a wide variety of traditional German food such as chicken, roast pork, ham, potatoes, dumplings, sausages, and many other delicacies. Last year, Oktoberfest guests ate 522,000 fried chickens, 125,000 sausages, 69,000 piglets and 118 oxen.
A girl in traditional Bavarian dress rides a carousel during the Theresienwiese Oktoberfest in Munich. September 23, 2012:
Street actors perform during the Oktoberfest parade:
A crowd of people filled the exhibition area during the opening of the 179th beer festival Oktoberfest 2012:
A man in traditional Bavarian clothes also wore a very original hat decorated with hops. The action takes place on September 22, 2012 before the opening of the Oktoberfest festival:
A man, cheered by the crowd, pours a glass of beer on his head:
The waitress carries beer mugs to the tent, where the festivities are already in full swing. September 22, Oktoberfest has already opened:
People filled the ‘Hacker-Festzelt’ tent to capacity during the opening of the beer festival in Munich:
Further, I suggest you admire the colorful visitors of this event, multi-colored pavilions, as well as feel the atmosphere and fun of this holiday:


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Whether you're an HR or compensation professional with workers in the video game industry--or just a video game fan who has always wondered how much the individuals who create the games you play get paid--you'll be interested in a new survey that reveals the average salaries of professionals in the field.
The seventh annual Game Developer Salary Survey, conducted among 4,800 respondents by Game Developer magazine, reveals that the average salary in the video game industry was $73,600 in 2007, up from $73,316 in 2006.
The survey reports that programmers are among the highest paid professionals in the industry, with an average annual salary of $83,383. They are also some of the most highly-educated professionals in the industry--more than half of them hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The highest paid positions in the industry, however, are those involved in business and marketing fields, with an average salary of $101, 848.
Professionals involved in video game production made an average salary of $78, 716 in 2007. More women are involved in this aspect of the industry than in most others, as 18 percent of this workforce is made up of females, according to the survey.
Other positions and their 2007 average annual salaries reported in the survey include: Game design positions ($63,649), sound designers ($73,400) and quality assurance/testers ($39,063).
"Our Salary Survey continues to provide canonical information on the state of game pay," Simon Carless, publisher of Game Developer magazine, said in a press release announcing the survey. "We hope the data presented by Game Developer magazine will serve to both encourage aspiring developers, as well as focus the attention of increasingly important new industry positions such as community managers."
HR or compensation professionals in the game industry who are interested in further details--including regional and growth data for year-over-year results from 2004-2007 can find more information at Game Developer magazine's Game Developer Research website(www.gamedevresearch.com).


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Lions selling town flags
The New Milford Lions Club President Tammy Deak has announced the club is selling the town’s flag measuring 3’x5’.
Orders placed before July 4 are $80 and will include a free desktop version of the flag.
Flags ordered after July 4 will be $90.
Production will take 12 to 15 days.
For more information and to place an order, email email@example.com.