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The report also highlights publishers’ conflicting views about the rise of social media platforms: Of the 143 editors, CEOs, and “digital leaders” surveyed across 24 countries:
— 70% said worries over the distribution of fake/inaccurate news in social networks will strengthen their position, while…
— 46% say they are more worried about the role of platforms than last year
— 56% say Facebook Messenger will be important or very important part of their offsite initiatives this year. 53% say the same for WhatsApp and 49% for Snapchat
— 33% of respondents from a newspaper background are more worried about their company’s financial sustainability than last year; just 8% are less worried
There are glimmers of hope in any number of as-yet-unproven-for-news technologies, including AR and VR and, perhaps most promisingly, automated voice assistants. Some bits from the report, written by Reuters Institute research associate Nic Newman:
— No wonder people are scared about digital ad revenue when Google and Facebook account for 99 percent of its growth in the U.S.
Print advertising revenue is also plummeting, but
— Fact-checking will be big (no surprise there), and it’ll get automated. The report predicts “hundreds of browser extensions and message bots offering fact checking services” by the end of the year. Paul Bradshaw of Birmingham City University: “Nothing stimulates technological development like war, and the information wars are already generating increasingly ‘augmented journalism’ as news organizations — and social media — develop the weapons to fight back.”
“these forces are not just affecting traditional media…Mashable, a site that had just raised $15 million, laid off 30 people. Digital pioneer Salon announced a new round of budget cuts and layoffs. Even BuzzFeed was reported to have downgraded its 2016 earning targets by a considerable margin. Meanwhile the perils of relying on Facebook’s fickle algorithms (posts by publishers and brands were de-prioritized in June) were illustrated by the balance sheet of Elite Daily, the US based entertainment site owned by the Daily Mail. Its losses more than doubled as the company wrote down its value by $25M, making it effectively worthless.”
While much of the conversation around fake news has centered around the U.S. election, it isn’t a U.S.-only problem: “Expect to see more allegations that websites supported by Russian president Vladimir Putin are trying to undermine the democratic process — particularly in former communist countries. The Czech government is setting up an ‘anti-fake news’ unit to monitor around 40 websites pushing conspiracy theories and inaccurate information about migrants in the run up to October elections.”
— Publishers are more worried about distributed content, but they’re also more dependent on it.
“Instant Articles took up a lot of air time this year (rightly so) but it doesn’t seem to be delivering for publishers,” one respondent told Newman. “My concern is how hard Facebook now pull the ‘incentive’ lever.”
— Look to readers for the money as advertising dries up. “We expect display advertising to have pretty much vanished by 2025,” said Tom Standage, The Economist’s deputy editor. “Our core strategy going forward will be a resolute focus on membership, at a time when advertising revenue is an increasingly febrile business,” said Ed Roussel, The Wall Street Journal’s chief innovation officer.
Forty-seven percent of those surveyed said that direct reader payment is the digital revenue stream they’ll be focusing on most in 2017, followed by video advertising/sponsored video (45 percent) and sponsored content (42 percent)…and, uh, display advertising! (40 percent.)
“The big challenge will be converting our anonymous web users into known user segments, and the opportunity lies in what we’ll be able to do once this has been achieved in a robust and trustworthy manner,” one U.K. publisher said.
— More audio, less video? There will be a big focus on chat apps and chat bots, including voice news bots like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant. That makes sense when
Amazon [said it] sold nine times the number of voice-activated products over Christmas as they sold in the whole of 2015 — many of them the super-affordable ($50) Echo Dot (below). Gartner predicts that 30% of web browsing will be done via these type of screen-less user interfaces (so called Zero-UI) by 2020.
(Tying back to the trend of automated fact-checking, “U.K.-based Full Fact is already looking into developing a service that can fact check live press conferences.”)The report also sees renewed (continued?) excitement over audio — Facebook is launching live audio to users this year — but less over online video, even as it “remains a significant bet for most publishers.” There will be “disillusionment” over Facebook Live, “an inherently inefficient way of conveying information at a time when attention is increasingly at a premium,” and “some publishers complain that their short form video is no longer being prioritized in the news feed.”
The full report is here.


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Dupont-Pioneer held a food and toy drive at their offices in Chatham and Ridgetown . A total of $2,000.00 in toys and food was raised for Chatham Goodfellows “No Child Without a Christmas” campaign.
Chatham Goodfellows appreciates the generosity of the media, businesses, organizations and citizens. Our motto is simple; No Child Without a Christmas. While our Code is much longer one of the key statements in the Code says it all; It’s understanding a neighbour’s plight, and caring enough to do what’s right.
In the Photo, Chatham Goodfellows President, Tim Haskell checks out the toys with Jo-Anne McNeil of Dupont Pioneer.
Key Chatham Goodfellows dates:
Toy Packing 6pm to 8pm December 11 to December 14, 2017 at our new location 463 St. Clair Street (the former Fabricland building next to Dimitar’s).
Toy Delivery date is Monday, December 18, after 5:30.
Street Sales are being conducted on Friday, December 15 and Saturday, December 16.
Food packing is at Spirit and Life Centre (St. Joseph Site), packing/delivery on Tuesday December 19 – packing beginning at 8am – deliveries beginning at 12 noon.
Tim Mifflin, Director

domain: news


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The Iowa Wave, Kazakhstan crash, holiday travel hassle: 5 things you need to know Friday
Fans at Holiday Bowl to do 'Iowa Wave' for sick children
Fans at the Holiday Bowl between the Iowa Hawkeyes and Southern California Trojans will be asked to do the "Iowa Wave" to patients in a children's hospital in Iowa City as well as representatives from two children's hospitals in Southern California who will be at the game on Friday. The wave will replicate what has become a game-day salute at Hawkeyes home games to patients and family members at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, which rises above Kinnick Stadium. The salute started in 2017, when more than 70,000 fans stood at the end of the first quarter and waved to those in the hospital. The patients and families waved back. Ever since, players and coaches from both teams, game officials, and others working the games also join in the wave.
- Tissues necessary: The Iowa Wave through a child's eyes
Prefer to listen? Check out the 5 things podcast below and subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts:
Authorities investigate Kazakhstan air crash
Kazakhstan authorities on Friday sifted through the wreckage of a jet carrying 98 passengers that crashed after takeoff early in the day, as early reports of fatalities were being adjusted upward. At least 15 people were killed after the Bek Air aircraft hit a concrete fence and a two-story building after takeoff from Almaty International Airport. The aircraft was identified as a Fokker-100, a medium-sized airliner. The company manufacturing the aircraft went bankrupt in 1996 and the production of the Fokker-100 stopped the following year.
Trader Joe's egg recall on products dated through Dec. 27
There are multiple recalls related to hard-boiled eggs and products made with eggs supplied by Almark Foods of Gainesville, Georgia over concerns they may be contaminated with listeria. Products made with eggs including two types of salads sold at Trader Joe's are being recalled due to the risk of listeria, which can cause serious and at times deadly infections in young children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. Trader Joe's Egg Salad in 6-ounce quantities, as well as 20-ounce containers of Trader Joe's Old Fashioned Potato Salad dated for use through Friday, are being voluntarily pulled from the shelves by Bakkavor Foods USA. Now is a good time to check whether you have any of these products and if their sell by date has passed. Also check for other brands of hard-boiled eggs including Eggland's Best, Kirkland Signature, Great Value, and products with various "Best by" dates.
Holiday travel woes: more weather barriers incoming
A major winter storm system that brought heavy snow in the mountains of Southern California is rolling toward the Plains and Upper Midwest, threatening blizzards and holiday troubles to parts of the nation's midsection. The storm could snarl traffic with heavy rainfall and snow from Southern California to the Four Corners states late Friday. Weather.com warned of possible "significant travel difficulty" through the passes of Southern California and along Interstate 40 in northern Arizona and Interstate 25 north of Albuquerque.
- California's storm: Rain, snow, wind affect holiday travel
Freebies to keep us energized during the holidays
Starbucks is giving away free espresso drinks starting Friday and lasting through Dec. 31. The coffee giant will host more than 1,000 "Pop-Up Parties" at 200 select U.S. stores, serving up free tall handcrafted espresso drinks, including their holiday drinks, at the parties that will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. local time. There's a limit of one per customer. Locations will change and be revealed daily at www.starbuckspopup.com.
- Burger King offers free Impossible Whoppers for delayed flights


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read.cash is a platform where you can earn money for your articles and comments. You can get paid upvotes
from other users or just earn points for writing articles and comments, which are converted daily to
Bitcoin Cash (BCH) cryptocurrency, which can be used on the Internet or converted to your local money.
Takes one minute, no documents required
Some practical problems faced by Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
The upgrade of BCH on May 15 this year was the lowest community and media attention in history. Whether it is media reports or community discussions, it seems that everyone is not paying attention. This is also the upgrade with the least changes in BCH history, and there are no new technologies that are more news-intensive. Three main functions have been added. The signature check method "sigcheck" is changed when the script is executed; the opcode ": OP_REVERSEBYTES" is added to reverse the bytes in the string; the transaction limit in the memory pool is changed from 25 to 50.
In the previous upgrade, the BCH block size was increased to 32MB, the Satoshi opcode was re-enabled, OP_Checkdatasig was implemented, CanonicalTransactionOrdering (CTOR), and Schnorr signature support were added. These upgrades are milestones for BCH. As for why BCH's basic protocol development has slowed down, it is mainly because the development team lacks money and lacks technical developers. It can be seen from the fund-raising plan announced by Bitcoin ABC and other development teams that BCH's basic protocol development is a huge project.
Fortunately, BCH's main development team has received enough development funds. The total funds raised by Flipstarter for the BCH full-node client projects BCHD, BCHN, Knuth and Bitcoin Verd donated more than 2000BCH. BCH's important development team, BU, has sufficient funds and does not need to raise funds. BCH's core development team, Bitcoin ABC, has obtained US $ 1.5 million in development funds through other channels. This means that the BCH development team will not worry about development funds for a period of time in the future. With sufficient funds, you can concentrate on the development of BCH infrastructure, making the BCH infrastructure more powerful.
Cointext, one of the most important projects on BCH, was rejected because of the low adoption rate of BCH. Cointext is a company, an application, or a third-party transfer system. Users can use Cointext to trade BCH in the form of SMS on their mobile phones without the need for Internet access and low handling fees. Bitcoin Jesus, the most important supporter of BCH overseas, fired 50% of the company's employees a few days before the halving, and bitcoin.com is no longer an open source wallet. However, Bitcoin Jesus appointed Dennis Jarvis as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of bitcoin.com, everything returned to normal. Cointext is still welcomed by the community, and it continues to make efforts in payment and international remittances. BCH payment in Australia even occupies most of the cryptocurrency payment market.
Bitcoin cash transactions grow slowly
According to BitinfoCharts data, the number of Bitcoin Cash (BCH) transactions has remained at around 50,000 in a year. It can be seen from the graph that the growth rate in the past year is very slow and basically remains stable. Bitcoin is 300,000 transactions, only one sixth of Bitcoin.
Merchants accepting BCH payments grow slowly
According to r / btc's "Monthly Merchant Report", the merchant adoption rate increased by only about 50% last year, of which 88% + came from online merchants and about 5-10% came from physical stores. It seems to be growing faster, but it is still a bit slow for BCH, which is committed to becoming a global payment currency. If it has increased 10 times compared with two years ago, BCH is also popular with merchants in the payment field and is the mainstream of cryptocurrency payments.
Bitcoin ABC and BCHN dispute
Bitcoin ABC supports the controversial BCH Infrastructure Finance Plan (IFP), but the plan has not been widely agreed. In order to oppose the plan, some developers created a full-node client BCHN. The only difference between this client and the Bitcoin ABC full-node client is the removal of IFP in the code. IFP was controversial in the community at that time, and the technical differences among developers even increased to language violence, which caused an extremely bad impact on the BCH community, and was once misunderstood as BCH to be split. However, in the end, both parties chose to compromise, both refused to split, respected the longest chain principle, and IFP did not implement it.
Recently, the BCH community proposed the creation of a foundation. The foundation is responsible for raising BCH's development funds and coordinating relationships within the community. Others have proposed proposals to encourage developers in the form of Nobel Prizes. These are good suggestions, I hope the community can unite and work together, less debate, more thinking!


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Dow to Build Plant in South Korea and Nanoco to Receive Milestone Payment
Nanoco Group plc (AIM: NANO), a world leader in the development and manufacture of cadmium-free quantum dots and other nanomaterials, notes today’s announcement from The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”), Nanoco’s global licensing partner, stating that Dow will begin construction of the world’s first large-scale, cadmium-free quantum dot manufacturing plant capable of supporting the manufacture of “millions of cadmium-free quantum dot televisions and other display applications”.
The start of construction reflects customer demand for Nanoco quantum dots, triggering a milestone payment from Dow to Nanoco. Preparatory work for construction of the plant, at an existing Dow site in Cheonan, South Korea, is well advanced.
Commercial production of Nanoco quantum dots at the plant is expected to begin in the first half of 2015. The quantum dots will be marketed by Dow under the brand name TREVISTA™ Quantum Dots.
In Dow’s announcement, Dr C. G. Park, Global Business Director, Dow Electronic Materials’ Display Technologies, states: “Today’s announcement signals the display industry’s desire to move toward quantum dots for brilliant colour in displays, but without the use of cadmium. Anytime we can enable our customers to develop extraordinary products for a more sustainable future, it’s a win for our customers, consumers and the environment.”
The full text of Dow’s announcement is available at this link: www.dow.com/news.
Dow’s website includes further details of the TREVISTA™ Quantum Dots brand at this link: www.dowelectronicmaterials.com/products/display_materials/trevista-quantum-dots.htm.
Michael Edelman, Nanoco’s Chief Executive Officer, said:
“We are delighted that demand for Nanoco’s cadmium-free quantum dots is at a point where Dow will begin construction of a large-scale manufacturing plant in South Korea based on our novel manufacturing process. Under Dow’s brand name TREVISTA™ Quantum Dots, Nanoco’s technology will offer an outstanding quality of colour reproduction and set the standard for quantum dots globally.”
For further information, please contact:
Michael Edelman, Chief Executive Officer
Colin White, Chief Financial Officer
Tel: +44 (0) 161 603 7900
Canaccord Genuity – Nomad and Joint Broker
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7523 8000
Liberum – Joint Broker
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3100 2000
Mark Court / Fiona Henson / Sophie Cowles
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7466 5000
Notes for editors:
About Nanoco Group plc
Nanoco is a world leader in the development and production of cadmium-free quantum dots and other nano-materials for use in multiple applications including LCD displays, lighting, solar cells and bio-imaging. In the display market, it has an exclusive manufacturing and marketing licensing agreement with The Dow Chemical Company.
Nanoco was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Manchester, UK. It has production facilities in Runcorn, UK, and a US subsidiary, Nanoco Inc, based in Concord, MA. Nanoco also has business development offices in Japan, Korea and Taiwan. Its technology is protected worldwide by a large and growing patent estate.
Nanoco began trading on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in May 2009 under the ticker symbol NANO. For further information please visit: www.nanocogroup.com.


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Enterprise Ireland says it invested €31 million in Irish startups in 2017 and has launched a new regional Competitive Start Fund.
Last year, 181 highly promising new firms, 55% of which are based outside of Dublin, were supported by Enterprise Ireland’s High Potential StartUp (HSPU) and Competitive Start Funds (CSFs).
At the annual Startup Showcase event in Croke Park, attended by over 600 people, EI announced a new €500,000 Competitive Start Fund for regionally based startups.
“In 2018 we will be putting a spotlight on companies in the MarineTech and DeepTech sectors.”
“Last year, we supported 181 high-quality startups. 55% of these companies are in regions outside of Dublin, in line with our strategic objective of driving growth at a regional level. Over one third were female-led startups,” says Joe Healy, manager, HPSU Division, Enterprise Ireland.
“In 2018 we will be putting a spotlight on companies in the MarineTech and DeepTech sectors. Our Competitive Start Fund for regionally based startups will open for applications on February 27, and I encourage any early-stage businesses and entrepreneurs based outside of Dublin to apply by 13 March,” says Healy.
An action plan
“The Action Plan for Jobs is clear in its focus on regional development and growth, and I am happy to see that more than half of the startups supported by Enterprise Ireland last year are outside of Dublin,” says Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD.
Startups supported by Enterprise Ireland in 2017 include:
- 90 new High Potential Startups (HPSU) – startup businesses with the potential to create ten jobs and €1million in sales within three to four years of starting up.
- 91 new Competitive Start Funds (CSF), which inject critical early-stage funding into new businesses.
- 67 investments were in female-led startups amounting to 35% of all start-up investments.
- Over half (55%) of startups supported during 2017 are based in regions outside Dublin.
- 15 spin-out companies from the third-level sector.
- 166 entrepreneurs participated in the nationwide New Frontiers programme.
- 18 investments in overseas entrepreneurs who have moved to Ireland to establish their businesses.


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The official OTA V1.8.OT1911211115 for the OnePlus TV models Q1 and Q1 Pro will be getting the Netflix app support
The new feature will allow Netflix users to slow down or speed up video playback on the mobile app.
The JioTV picture-in-picture feature will be available for Android 8.0 and higher.
Netflix files which are heavy, Smart Downloads will automatically clean your storage space.
Netflix on smartphones/tablets will now allow users to control their data usage, in an effort to keep an eye on how much bandwidth the app uses.
The entry of streaming pioneer Netflix in India is evolutionary in nature though its inaugural price is a bit on the higher side for what it offers, a leading US expert has said.


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This represents profit warnings from nearly half (46%) of the sector and is nearly twice the number (12) issued in the equivalent period last year. Nearly all (91%) warnings issued this year have cited the impact of Covid-19.
The building materials sector has been hit particularly hard.
Ian Marson, EY UK & Ireland construction leader, said: “While profit warnings have decreased in Q2 compared with Q1, construction is still a sector under stress. We are seeing ripple effects pass through supply chains, including construction. Three-quarters of the warnings issued in H1 2020 came from the building materials sub-sector."
He warned: “There is evidence of significant supply chain stress with an increased risk of vulnerability, not least because of the potentially conflicting challenges posed by Brexit. Companies that have chosen to keep inventory levels low may need to rethink their strategy this autumn.”


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‘Patriots! Time to go to buy some cool stuff…’
(Ben Sellers, Liberty Headlines) For conservative do-it-yourselfers who shy away from the long lines at big-box hardware stores, a left-wing boycott of Home Depot may be wonderful news.
That, in turn, triggered some social justice warriors—those who manage to balance their weekday activism with weekend home-improvement projects—to protest the chain.
— Devin Nunes (@DevinNunes) July 9, 2019
According to The Atlanta Journal–Constitution, the Florida-based nonagenarian Marcus and his wife, Billi, have given more than $2 billion to philanthropic causes—including the Georgia Aquarium, and efforts supporting stroke victims, autism awareness and military veterans.
The self-made billionaire also has given heavily in the past to Jewish causes, having co-founded The Israel Democracy Institute.
Marcus said his philanthropic giving well eclipsed his political donations and that he planned to bequeath 80 to 90 percent of his wealth to charity causes.
Nonetheless, he was listed as the 20th-ranked on the Center for Responsive Politics’s list of top individual donors for the most recent election cycle, having given $6.5 million to conservative candidates in 2018 and $11.5 million in 2016.
Trump has called him a “friend” and sent a video message for his 90th birthday celebration that said, “You are a special man, a brilliant man … When I want advice I call you and you have plenty of advice…much of it I actually take, Bernie.”
Trump again tweeted his support on Wednesday as the #BoycottHomeDepot hashtag was trending.
A truly great, patriotic & charitable man, Bernie Marcus, the co-founder of Home Depot who, at the age of 90, is coming under attack by the Radical Left Democrats with one of their often used weapons. They don’t want people to shop at those GREAT stores because he contributed….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 10, 2019
The AJC profile last week that triggered the boycott—which largely focused on Marcus’s plans to give away much of his wealth—offered a less-flattering assessment of Trump, who, Marcus said, “sucks” at communication.
However, he also praised the president’s strong economic leadership and his firm foreign policy stances with China, Iran and North Korea.
The AJC said Marcus retired as chairman of Home Depot in 2002.
Although the company has struggled financially due to the emergence of online warehouses like Amazon, Marcus said he was not concerned with its ability to adapt and survive.
“Home Depot is doing well because they understand the philosophy of reinventing themselves,” Marcus said.
“At one point, we had real concern that Amazon was going to put everybody out of business,” he added. “I don’t feel that is true today. … They are not going to run away with our business.”
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos—who has publicly clashed with Trump and owns the left-leaning Washington Post—was listed as 10th on the list of top 2018 donors, having given more than $10 million for the midterm cycle.


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Netflix is officially winding down the business that helped make it a household name.
This fall, the streaming giant will officially say goodbye to its DVD rental service and all of the red envelopes that made it possible.
“On September 29th, 2023, we will send out the last red envelope,” the company tweeted Tuesday. “It has been a true pleasure and honor to deliver movie nights to our wonderful members for 25 years.”
“Our goal has always been to provide the best service for our members, but as the DVD business continues to shrink, that’s going to become increasingly difficult,” co-CEO Ted Sarandos wrote in a blog post Tuesday. “Making 2023 our Final Season allows us to maintain our quality of service through the last day and go out on a high note.”
The company reported a miss for its second-quarter earnings after market close on Tuesday. Shares fell by around 6%.


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Google announced on June 4, 2024 a major shift for US users who utilize its payment services: Google Pay will be retired in favor of Google Wallet as part of an initiative aimed at streamlining digital transactions more seamlessly for its consumers.
Key Updates and What They Mean for You
As the deadline approaches, Google has outlined three essential changes users should prepare for to ensure a smooth transition. These adjustments not only aim to minimize disruption but also to enhance the overall user experience in managing digital finances.
- Effective Balance Management: Google assures that even after the Google Pay app ceases to function, users will retain the ability to view their balances and transfer funds directly to their bank accounts via the Google Pay website. This continuity in service ensures that your funds remain accessible and manageable without interruption.
- Shifting to New Deals and Offers: For those accustomed to finding deals through Google Pay, the transition period will require a shift towards alternative platforms, such as Google Search’s shop deals feature. This change encourages users to explore new avenues for savings and discounts, potentially unlocking more varied and valuable offers.
- Peer-to-Peer Payments Transition: A notable change is the discontinuation of the ability to send, request, or receive money through the US version of the Google Pay app post-deadline. However, Google emphasizes that this change is specific to the US, with no impact on users in India and Singapore, where Google Pay continues to operate. The company reaffirms its commitment to addressing the unique payment needs of these markets.
Why the Shift to Wallet?
Google Wallet represents part of their ongoing plan to offer an integrated, feature-rich digital transaction experience for consumers. While Pay only offered payments capabilities, Wallet provides storage and management for many digital assets including payment cards and tickets – an initiative reflecting Google’s vision of providing one unified wallet that meets consumer demands today.
Additional Steps by Google: Ensuring Accuracy in AI
In a parallel development, Google has temporarily paused its Gemini AI image generation feature amidst concerns over historical inaccuracies. The decision came after feedback from users on social media, who pointed out errors in the AI-generated depictions of historical figures. Google’s proactive response highlights its commitment to accuracy and the responsible use of AI technology, emphasizing that improvements are underway to address these concerns.
As Google continues its transformation efforts, the emphasis remains on improving user experience and adapting to an ever-evolving digital payments landscape. Their transition from Google Pay to Wallet as well as ongoing efforts to refine AI technologies demonstrates their dedication to innovation while meeting diverse user needs around the globe.
US users, in the coming months will experience an adjustment as they transition to Google Wallet. Google provides comprehensive guidance and ongoing support, to make this transition as painless as possible, so the benefits of digital payments remain within easy reach. As we accept these changes we may see an integrated, efficient, user-friendly payment ecosystem emerge – leading to secure yet more accessible digital transactions across society.


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FOX6 News at 11
FOX6 TV Schedule
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Google is making its way into your car’s dashboard
Remember Teddy, the super-computer toy, from “Artificial Intelligence?” Google might be making one
Looking for a job? Google needs a new “Google Doodler!”
Download your Google search history to your desktop, but how?
Google will start selling cell phone service later this year
You want the best airfare deal out there? Just “Google” it
Competition for Apple Pay: Google Wallet will come pre-installed on some Android phones
Tips from the security folks at Google on how to keep yourself safe online
The hackers that Google hires to keep the company and our information safe
View-Master is back: Mattel, Google give classic toy a virtual reality reboot
Google is becoming a wireless carrier
Search trends: What were you looking for online in 2014?
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Ireland’s richest 250 people are worth a cool £29.64 billion (€42.34 billion) this year — but even more impressively, only 20 names on the list have inherited their wealth. The rest are self-made multimillionaires: entrepreneurs who, having embraced the enterprise culture, have achieved enviable success.
They comprise a remarkably varied group of individuals. Some have created wealth through study and scientific achievement; others have built a fortune from fishing or recycling cars.
Growing property and stock market prices, a modest recovery in the high-tech sector and strong consumer spending have helped boost their fortunes, and in many cases those profits have been invested in assets abroad. Two English landmarks: Claridge’s, the London hotel, and the Belfry golf course, are now in Irish hands.


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Glyphosate, a carcinogenic ingredient in weedkiller, was found in nearly two dozen oats-based food products. Meanwhile, Congress finds four major baby food manufacturers knowingly sold products with toxic metals and more news.
Cancer-causing ingredient found in numerous food products
The much-publicized cancer-causing ingredient found in Roundup weedkiller, Glyphosate, has been found in almost 2 dozen cereal and snack products, including Cheerios and 21 General Mills’ oat-based cereals and snacks, as well as some Nature Valley Products, U.S. News reported. The discovery was made via an analysis released today by the Environmental Working Group’s Children’s Health Initiative (EWG).
Glyphosate is sprayed on oats before harvest. In the case of General Mills’ oat-based cereals, all but four contained levels of glyphosate that were higher than what EWGscientists consider safe for children, which is no more than 160 parts per billion.
The highest glyphosate level was found in Honey nut Cheerios medley crunch, at 833 ppb. The lowest glyphosate level was found in Nature Valley’s Dark Chocolate & Nut version of Fruit & Nut Chewy Trail Mix Granola Bars, which measured at 76 ppb.
The manufacturer of Roundup weedkiller, Bayer-Monsanto, has paid out more than $2.2 billion in awards to victims through lawsuits alleging that glyphosate causes cancer in the company knew about it for years.
In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” In 2017, California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment in 2017 classified glyphosate as a known carcinogenic.
Top baby food manufacturers knowingly sold products with high level of toxic metals, Congress finds
A congressional investigation has found that four leading baby food manufacturers knowingly sold products that contain high levels of toxic heavy metals, according to documents released in a congressional investigation, CNN reported.
“Dangerous levels of toxic metals like arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury exist in baby foods at levels that exceed what experts and governing bodies say are permissible,” said Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois, chair of the House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, which conducted the investigation.
The evidence came by way of internal company documents uncovered by the congressional investigation. Krishnamoorthi said there is evidence that some baby foods contain hundreds of parts per billion of dangerous metals.
Krishnamoorthi told CNN: “We know that in a lot of cases, we should not have anything more than single digit parts per billion of any of these metals in any of our foods.”
House removes Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from committee assignments
Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has been removed from her committee assignments by a vote of 230-199 on Thursday, in which 11 Republicans supported the resolution for her removal, ABC reported.
Greene has come under scrutiny by Democrats and some Republicans for her embrace of numerous controversial theories on social media and in videos that were posted in 2018-2019, before she took office this year.


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Tesla’s “Investor Day” Reveals that Opportunities Exist in Ancillary EV Businesses
Investors may have absorbed more ideas from Elon Musk at Tesla’s Investor Day about related opportunities outside of Telsa (TSLA) than in the company itself. The founder was not as forthcoming as expected; however, he did confirm Tesla’s plans to build a fifth car assembly plant in Mexico. He also made reference to a next-gen vehicle and rolled out a $ 1-a-day subscription for owners in some regions for unlimited charging. Autonomous driving updates along with safety numbers were revealed, and how and why Tesla is going to solidify its supply chain and provide itself uninterrupted battery-grade lithium was of particular interest to investors in the metals and mining industries.
Musk on Metals and Mines
It was thought that both those attending in person and those streaming would be treated to a Tesla plan to acquire a mining operation in North or South America amid rampant demand for the material crucial to battery EVs. To respond to the speculation, Musk said the EV manufacturer is “mulling” the takeover of a miner. The miner most often discussed in relation to Tesla is Sigma Lithium Corp. (SGML).
What was more concrete on the battery manufacturing supply chain issue, is it was made clear Tesla is more focused on refining lithium than on mining it. The CEO of the most valuable car company in the world said the “limiting factor” is refining lithium, not actually finding it, as no country has a monopoly on deposits.
Tesla has already broken ground on what will be a lithium refinery in Texas, it plans to start output within 12 months. According to a presentation by Drew Baglino, SVP of Tesla’s Powertrain and Energy Engineering department, the EV giant wants to process lithium concentrates into battery-grade lithium chemicals at the refinery in Texas.
As for the EV battery metal nickel, it’s only needed for “aircraft, long-range cars or trucks,” Musk said. “The vast majority of heavy lifting” of EV batteries will be iron-based batteries, and there’s plenty of iron in the world, he said.
The EV Industry Unfolding
Automakers are increasingly pushing into partnerships and ownership of the mining of commodities needed for their end product. Those that vertically integrate early will have their pick among the miners that are a better fit – and potentially priced before demand accelerates. Recently the car company Stellantis took a 14% stake in a subsidiary of McEwen Mining (MUX) that produces copper. And General Motors is said to be negotiating a stake in Vale SA’s base metals unit. In January, GM conditionally okayed a $650-million pact with Lithium Americas (LACCA) to develop a US lithium deposit.
Telsa’s Investor Day included updates on autonomous cars and presentations that showed off the company executives, but it didn’t leave a buzz in the EV industry.
It was confirmed that EV manufacturers are eying companies that produce the ingredients they need for their cars to have power. Investors may want to explore producers of lithium, copper, cobalt, and nickel. Especially those closest to EV battery manufacturing facilities.
Managing Editor, Channelchek


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This article originally ran in 2019. #ThrowbackThursday
These days, when people talk about legalization it’s usually around the topic of marijuana. However, in Wisconsin we could just as possibly be referencing our long history of criminalizing margarine and, more recently, out-of-state butter.
It all began in 1895 when the State Legislature passed a law prohibiting the manufacture or sale of yellow-colored margarine, also called "oleo," because it was believed to be a threat to the dairy industry. It remained illegal for almost 75 years, until margarine was finally decriminalized in 1967.
The law was overturned after the late state senator Gordon Roseleip – who was particularly vocal about his anti-oleo stance – agreed to take a blindfolded taste test of butter and margarine. He failed the test and the law was reversed. It was later revealed that his wife had been serving him margarine and telling him it was butter.
During the 1950s and '60s, Wisconsinites – particularly women then referred to as "housewives" – traveled to Illinois on what became known as "oleo runs" to stock up on margarine because it was cheaper and considered a modern alternative to butter.
Technically, oleo bootleggers could have been fined up to $6,000, but there’s no evidence that the law was ever enforced.
Wisconsin was not the only state to fight what the media dubbed as "the oleo wars." Other states like South Dakota and Vermont had strong dairy lobbies and criminalized fake butter, as well, but sold cotton-candy pink margarine to get around the law.
Even when the ban was repealed, it was still illegal for restaurants to serve margarine instead of butter unless the customer specifically asks for it. In 2011, efforts were made to repeal that law, but they weren't successful.
Many Milwaukee restaurants don’t carry margarine as an alternative – especially considering it is rarely-to-never requested and lost popularity decades ago.
"We don’t carry margarine," says Director of Operations for Bartolotta Restaurants John Wise. "If guests don’t want butter we provide olive oil. It’s not a request we get often for margarine, perhaps once in a while."
The serving of margarine to students, patients or inmates instead of butter also remains prohibited unless requested by a doctor. Breaking these laws could result in fine and jail time, but again, the laws are almost never enforced.
Wisconsin had another butter ban that ran from 1970 until 2017. The state-wide regulation required all butter sold in Wisconsin to bear a federal grade-mark which meant Wisconsin shoppers couldn't purchase popular Kerrygold butter, which is made in Ireland.
Kerrygold is the second-best selling butter in the United Sates – second only to Land O’Lakes – and has been hailed as having superior taste. It is also thought to be a healthier butter because it’s made with milk from grass-fed cows and it's lower in cholesterol. Plus, Kerrygold is one of the ingredients for "bulletproof coffee," a weight-loss trend that recommends stirring a dollop in morning coffee.
In early 2017, Wisconsin law stated that store owners who sold Kerrygold – or any other butter from outside the state – could face $1,000 in fines or up to six months in prison. But by November of the same year, the ban was lifted after the company agreed to comply with a Wisconsin butter-grading test.
Currently, Wisconsin butter laws are the loosest they’ve been in decades – so might as well spread it while you got it, Milwaukee.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.


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Survey: Business owners becoming more pessimistic
Small-business owners nationwide are the most pessimistic they have been all year, with worries about regulations and taxes, consumer confidence and sluggish consumer spending topping their list of concerns.
Those were among the findings of the latest Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index released Monday. The fourth-quarter index, which includes responses from those polled Oct. 3-6, garnered a reading of -3. A negative reading indicates business owners are pessimistic while a positive reading signifies optimism.
The -3 reading this quarter is the lowest the index has garnered all year. The second and third quarters had readings of zero, indicating business owners were neither optimistic nor pessimistic, and the index hit its high point for the year in the first quarter with a reading of 12.
The index gauges executives' sentiment in six areas: financial situation, cash flow, revenues, capital spending allocation, hiring and credit availability. The survey includes responses from 604 small-business owners in all 50 United States.
"Business owners are still navigating this challenging economy," Doug Case, small business segment manager at Wells Fargo, said in a statement. "In our latest survey, small-business owners said that to thrive in today's economy they need increased sales and demand, job creation and fewer government regulations."
When asked what the biggest problems they face are, the greatest share of respondents, 22 percent, cited government regulations and taxes, while 15 percent named consumer confidence and 12 percent lamented waning consumer spending.
Despite their gloomier sentiment this quarter, those who responded to the survey are far more optimistic about the future than they are about the current state of the economy. The overall index reading of -3 resulted from combining the "present situation" index, which received a -11, with the "future expectations" index that received a much higher reading of 8.
Financial institution Wells Fargo & Co. and research firm Gallup have produced the index since August 2003.
Call Cara Baruzzi at 203-789-5748 or follow her on Twitter @CaraBaruzzi. To receive breaking news first, simply text the word nhnews to 22700. *Msg & Data Rates May Apply. Text HELP for help. Text STOP to cancel.


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File This advertisement appeared in The Oneonta Daily News of Oct. 22, 1888. Bennett & Carr's was listed in the 1889 Oneonta Directory at 186 Main St., the south side of the street. Street numbers were changed in 1913, so this clothing store would be in another nearby location to what is today's number 186.
- Local News -
- Week in Review: Council parts ways with city manager This weekend feature offers a recap of the week's top local stories:
- Killer David Dart to go before parole board in May
- Developers make plans for four Southside projects
- Police: Motoristfound dead


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AUSTIN, TX, March 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Tribe Gaming, the leading mobile gaming content collective and esports organization, has unveiled its latest NFT release in conjunction with partner Move Network.
Tribe Gaming, in conjunction with MOVE Network, has released a series of limited edition NFTs for auction. NFTs will each unlock unique and bespoke perks, experiences, and opportunities within the Tribe universe for the holder. Tribe will donate all profits to the Quest to Conquer Cancer fundraising initiative.
The third NFT to be auctioned is titled “N3XT G3N,” and the concept serves as a nod to the evolution of blockchain and mobile gaming communities. Inspired by the ever-changing landscape of technology and gaming, this artwork aims to acknowledge the past and present, while anticipating the future of spaces, where Move and Tribe are leading the charge.
“For Tribe N3XT G3N, we chose an aesthetic that resembles a circuit board, inspired by technological advances and transformations. This coin represents Tribe’s ability to be at the forefront of everything we do since 2017, just as processor development revolutionizes technology year after year. Tribe is always innovating, leading, bringing mobile games and content creation into a new era, this time in the NFT and Web3 world.” noted Elcio Gluecreative director for Tribe Gaming.
The 1 in 1 NFT will be available for auction on the OpenSea NFT Marketplace, and bidding will begin on 02/03/2022 and will end on 03/09/2022
About Tribe Gaming
Tribe Gaming was founded in 2017 by mobile gaming superstar Patrick “Chief Pat” Carney to drive the growth of mobile media, entertainment and esports. Representing exclusively some of the biggest names in mobile content and the most talented players in esports, Tribe’s creator powerhouse has garnered over 28 million fans and over 140 million monthly views on YouTube alone, and teams Tribe esports teams compete in five major mobile titles. Tribe Gaming is based in Austin, TX with employees spread all over the world. Follow the tribe on Twitter (@TribeGaming) or on https://www.tribegaming.gg.
About the MOVE Network
MOVE Network is a leading NFT aggregator covering a wide range of NFT products. MOVE Network enables businesses and start-ups to capture value using blockchain technologies to trade, stake, create and auction NFTs. Users can use MOVE Network to own and trade NFT IP addresses in entertainment, music, art and esports. Follow MOVE Network on Twitter (@movemovenetwork) or on https://www.movenetwork.io/.
About Quest To Conquer Cancer
Quest to Conquer Cancer is a fundraising event that empowers players to impact the world.
The goal of Quest to Conquer Caners is to seek to rally the global community of gamers to put their passion for conquering games into the service of conquering Cancer. How? ‘Or’ What? By partnering with creators from all over the internet to rally their communities and host charity streams to end this terrible disease. Follow Quest to Conquer Cancer on Twitter (@Quest2Conquer) or on https://questtoconquercancer.com/ .
Quest to beat cancer:
SOURCE Tribe Games


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Pfaff adds BMW, MINI stores to growing group
Pfaff Automotive Partners has added both Town + Country BMW and MINI Markham to its growing group of dealerships, the group announced on Wednesday.
“We're excited today to welcome Town & Country BMW and MINI Markham into our family,” Pfaff Automotive Partners president and chief executive officer Christopher Pfaff said in a news rlease. “We share many of the same values, including a vision for continuous growth and improvement, and a connection to the communities where we live and work.”
The addition of the two stores not only expands Pfaff’s portfolio to include the BMW i and MINI lineups but also gives the group a solid BMW presence throughout the Greater Toronto Area, according to the group.
“Town + Country will provide BMW fans access to two new and pre-owned vehicle inventories, as well as exceptional Pfaff customer service in both the west and east GTA — giving them a new level of convenience and choice. The addition of MINI to our brand offering provides Pfaff customers with another passionate, exciting brand to choose from,” Pfaff said.
Town + Country BMW has a 28-year history with the BMW brand. Founded in 1989, the store moved to its current location in Markham in 2002 and it recently expanded to double the size of its service department.
Additionally, over 200 new associates from Town + Country BMW and MINI Markham have joined the growing Pfaff group.


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A feline of legendary internet fame for her permanent sour look has died.
Grumpy Cat, from Arizona, died at the age of 7, her owner has revealed.
The cat that “helped millions of people smile” died after complications from a urinary tract infection “became too tough for her to overcome,” owner Tabatha Bundesen and her brother Bryan said in a statement.
According to the statement, Grumpy Cat—whose real name was Tardar Sauce—passed away on Tuesday, May 14, “at home in the arms of her mummy.”
“Besides being our baby and a cherished member of the family, Grumpy Cat has helped millions of people smile all around the world—even when times were tough,” read the statement from the cat’s family, shared on Twitter on Friday morning.
“Her spirit will continue to live on through her fans everywhere.”
Some days are grumpier than others… pic.twitter.com/ws209VWl97
— Grumpy Cat (@RealGrumpyCat) May 17, 2019
The Instagram account associated with Grumpy Cat has over 2.4 million followers, billing the sourpuss as “The World’s grumpiest cat!”
Grumpy shot to online fame in 2012 after Bundesen’s brother, Bryan, posted a photo of her on Reddit, where people became enamored with Grumpy’s permanent frown.
The look that catapulted the cat to fame, according to The Associated Press, is caused by an unusual combination of feline dwarfism and underbite.
Over time, the cat became a merchandising machine, selling everything from iced coffee, to Friskies cat food, to perfume.
“Grumpy Cat has over 8.6 million total followers on Facebook, 2.5 million followers on Instagram and 1.5 million followers on Twitter,” boasts a product plug on the Demeter Kitten Fur Fragrance landing page.
“Combined with Demeter, one of the most successful online fragrance brands in the world, Grumpy Cat’s Limited-Edition Kitten Fur will bring scent memories and smiles to more people and places than ever before! And everyone needs more smiles!”
Product reviewers on the page laud the fragrance, with Margaret M. writing, “This is a soft, warm and sensual scent. I wear it often. The scent lasts all day. I also want to make note of Demeter’s great Customer Service.”
Commenter “Rose” said “I love the scent” but suggested their transactional system had kinks to iron out: “Kitten Fur is the cat’s meow…but they billed me double!”
View this post on Instagram
It’s Grumpy Cat’s Birthday and she’s decided to give 50 people a roll-on bottle of her new “Kitten Fur” fragrance by @demeterceo ! 1. Follow @realgrumpycat & @demeterceo on Instagram! 2. Leave a creative comment on this post wishing Grumpy a terrible birthday! 3. That’s it! Grumpy will help select 50 winners next week! See the whole collection now at: https://demeterfragrance.com/grumpy-cat.html #HappyBirthdayGrumpyCat
The cat’s rise to stardom included multiple television appearances and even her own 2014 Christmas film.
The BBC reported that in 2015 Madame Tussauds in San Francisco even unveiled Grumpy Cat’s wax replica.
Heartbroken fans have taken to social media to express their condolences.
One person wrote: “Thanks for the laughs, the memes & for just being a rad kitteh.”
Another wrote: “I’m so sorry to hear this sad news. Run free pretty friend”
“Thank you for making the world smile, Grumpy Cat ❤ You will be dearly missed,” another commenter wrote.
“The grumpiness will survive through us all,” another wrote, “everything from the merch to the memes that started it all. She was a special little kitty, and had a beautiful home during her stay here. Rest in peace, you sweet little grump.”
According to earlier reports, a California jury awarded Grumpy Cat’s owner more than $700,000 in January of last year in a federal lawsuit over the use of the cat’s identity.
Citing documents obtained by The Washington Post, The Associated Press reported Bundesen won a lawsuit first filed four years ago against the Grenade beverage company.
She signed on for the cat to endorse a “Grumpy Cat Grumpuccino,” but the company subsequently used the cat’s image to help sell other products, which an eight-person jury found was unauthorized.
Bundesen previously worked as a waitress before her beloved pet gained internet stardom. She has told the Express newspaper that she quit her job “within days” of Grumpy’s first appearance on social media.
According to HuffPost, Grumpy is believed to have a net worth of at least $1 million.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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We’re here to help you keep up with the ever-changing world of social media and digital marketing. Here are a few updates and stories you won’t want to miss.
Facebook is investing heavily in “social audio experiences,” debuting three new audio-based offerings.
First, Facebook is making it possible for users to stream podcasts without leaving the platform. Facebook will be using data collection to recommend podcasts to users based on their interests, and users will be able to comment on podcasts and share episodes with friends. We expect that advertising options will be available for podcasts in the future, including audio ads before, during, and after an episode.
Facebook is also testing a new short-form audio platform called Soundbites, which will allow users to create and edit brief messages and share them with friends. Think of it as the audio equivalent of TikTok or Reels. Soundbites is being tested with a small number of creators and comedians before it’s available to everyone.
Finally, Facebook is testing Live Audio Rooms, audio-only discussion groups that are similar to Clubhouse. The feature will be available to Facebook Groups and public figures before it rolls out to everyone in the summer.
It’s also worth noting that, unlike Clubhouse, Facebook is working to make their “audio experiences” accessible to all by offering captions.
Just like Facebook, Twitter is building on the momentum of Clubhouse with its own version of exclusive live audio discussions called Spaces. Twitter began experimenting with Spaces last year but recently made the feature available to all accounts with 600 followers or more. Twitter also opened up Spaces to Android users, unlike Clubhouse, which lacks an Android option. Twitter also plans to offer a new ticketed Spaces option, which will enable users to monetize their Twitter presence.


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The creator of Litecoin and popular crypto expert, Charlie Lee announced on Sunday that the HTC’s new smartphone will support blockchain technology.
Charlie Lee as an advisor
Lee announced that he would be joining the development team of the much-awaited upcoming HTC Exodus as an advisor. Initially, Lee announced that he attended a meeting with HTC’s team of advisors a few days ago.
Met the HTC Exodus team last week and was really excited to hear the phone will support LTC and Lightning Network on Litecoin natively! I will be an advisor as I see having a secure crypto phone that makes LN simple is needed for mass adoption.
P.S. No, they will not remove BTC. https://t.co/WQcygPVst0
— Charlie Lee [LTC⚡] (@SatoshiLite) July 30, 2018
Consequently, he claimed that Exodus will natively support Lightning Network on litecoin following the tweet. A disclaimer added by him said that bitcoin will also be supported by Exodus.
Furthermore, this news was confirmed on Monday as HTC said that the team quoted Neil Armstrong’s famous moon landing dialogue and said they were “honoured” to have an advisor as Lee.
One small step for @SatoshiLite. One giant leap for blockchain.
— HTC Exodus (@htcexodus) July 30, 2018
With the intention of developing the world’s first cryptocurrency smartphone, the tech giant first announced Exodus in May 2018. The smartphone will serve as a storage device for cryptocurrencies while also being a mobile connecting point to blockchain networks. However, declining to give a firm date, Chief Crypto officer of HTC Phil Chen told that the company hopes to distribute the smartphone to the public by the end of 2018. He further said that the people interested in early purchasing of Exodus could participate with bitcoin or ether in a pre-sale. In July 2018, it was mentioned by the company that the smartphone will also be supporting the mobile app CryptoKitties. Furthermore, in an ICO to build the “Finney”, Sirin Labs has recently raised $157 million to join the race.


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ADMINISTRATORS found a buyer for a crisis hit shoe chain.
Barratts Priceless Group yesterday announced a deal to ensure the Barratts and Priceless brands and the online business will continue to trade.
The sale will include 89 stores and has safeguarded 1,184 jobs. It will mean closure of 39 stores and 14 concessions and 680 additional redundancies.
Daniel Butters, joint administrator and partner in Deloitte’s restructuring services practice, said: “We are delighted to have negotiated a deal, which will secure the employment of over 1,100 employees and ensure the Barratts and Priceless brands continue.”
Meanwhile, The owner of health chain Boots reported a strong Christmas yesterday driven by sales of beauty and cosmetic gift sets. Alliance Boots said its UK retail division, which has more than 2,500 stores, saw like-for-like sales grow 4.1% in the five weeks to December 31.


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Fintech companies around the world are receiving huge funding rounds at sky high valuations; Goldman Sachs’ Principal Strategic Investments Group...
Dow Jones Venturesource has released its first quarter Europe Venture Capital Report; venture capital funding for the quarter was EUR2.23 billion ($2.42 billion); Atomico's Atomico Ventures IV Fund led fundraising with EUR723.30 million ($786.02 million) representing 32% of total fundraising for the quarter; business and financial services was the top funding sector with EUR877.92 million ($954.05 million) across 163 transactions; Funding Circle reported one of the top five deals in the first quarter with its funding round of EUR94.43 million ($102.62 million); by geography, the UK led fundraising with EUR970.28 million ($1.05 billion) from 150 deals and France was second with EUR398.02 million ($432.53 million) from 78 deals; the full report is available here. Source
The European Investment Fund (EIF) supports venture capitalists across Europe. Its publication, "The European venture capital landscape: an EIF perspective Volume III: Liquidity events and returns of EIF-backed VC investments," studies the investment performance of over 3,600 EIF-backed venture capital investments made from 1996 to 2015. Its primary goal is to identify the effects of the EIF's venture capital activity.
Results across venture capital investments are wide ranging with 4% of exits returning more than five times the investment and generating 50% of the total aggregated proceeds. Among these successful exits are 152 company IPOs of EIF-backed start-ups from 1996 to 2015 on 20 different stock exchanges around the world.
Investment from the European Investment Fund could be an important factor for the UK to manage as it exits from the European Union. Approximately 20% of the EIF's investment has been in the UK and over the past four years the EIF has invested EUR2.8 billion in the UK directly. If funding ceases many venture capital firms may consider moving their headquarters to provide for continued EIF investment in EU locations. Source
Andy Stewart, managing partner at Motive Partners, says fintechs are overvalued in the current market environment; speaking at the UK International Fintech event in London, Stewart says the over valuations are a result of success in the market and confidence from venture capital investors; Stewart cautions investors to watch for buzzwords including machine learning or blockchain that can enhance the value proposition of the solution but may be overvaluing a company's value overall; Stewart's Motive Partners launched in 2017 and is seeking to raise $1 billion. Source
CB Insights reports on the venture capital industries top investors in unicorn exits; Sequoia Capital ranks first on the list of investors investing in unicorn startups with private market exits during 2009 to March 2017; Sequoia Capital has invested in 18 companies with unicorn exits including fintech company Square Capital. Source
Fintech Global provides the top ten deals for the quarter; financing from the top ten deals was $658 million and accounted for 84% of the sector's total financing; Chinese P2P lender Tuandaiwang was the quarter's financing leader obtaining $262.6 million and was the only Asian fintech company in the top ten; Europe reported the majority of top ten financings with five funding deals. Source
Boutique investment bank GP Bullhound has published a report on the fintech market identifying 39 global fintech unicorns valued at $1 billion or more and showing global venture capital investment into fintech at $13.6 billion in 2016; in its report the firm also identities a watch a list of 17 companies it expects to exceed $1 billion based on their growth, business models and market opportunity; numerous marketplace lenders are represented on the list including LendInvest, Prodigy Finance, ID Finance, Ebury and Kreditech. Source
Edward Jones has announced a multi-year partnership with St. Louis based venture fund SixThirty; SixThirty invests in eight to 10 fintech startups annually with each startup receiving an investment of up to $100,000 along with support from a business development program that includes mentoring and networking; Edward Jones will be involved in numerous aspects of the venture fund's investing and Frank LaQuinta, a general partner with Edward Jones, will join SixThirty's investment committee. Source
CB Insights reports on first quarter 2017 venture capital deals in their "MoneyTree Report" published in collaboration with PwC; globally, venture capitalists invested $27.1 billion in the first quarter with 2,228 deals; deals and investments increased from the fourth quarter of 2016 and were below the first quarter of 2016. Source
In partnership with The New York Times, CB Insights reports on the top 100 venture capitalists; top on the list is Bill Gurley from Benchmark; notable increases from 2016 include Founders Fund's Brian Singerman who moved to fifth and Lightspeed Venture Partners' Ravi Mhatre who is ranked sixth. Source


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4 Record-Keeping Tips That Will Save Your Small Business Money Come Tax TimeSmall business owners should maintain meticulous files so that their tax returns can be easy, precise, and financially advantageous.
Knowing Your Company's Responsibilities Of Payroll TaxesAs a small business owner, it’s important to know about payroll taxes and whether or not you owe any.
California Supreme Court Makes It Easier For Some Tax Measures To PassThe California Supreme Court on Monday made it easier for certain new taxes to win approval with voters.
3 Common Tax Mistakes Small Businesses Make & How To Avoid ThemSmall business owners may accrue severe penalties by inadvertently failing to comply with tax laws or inaccurately filling out tax forms.
Cash Dash: Inside A Nerve-Rattling Trip To Pay California Pot TaxesIn California and other states where marijuana is legal for medical or recreational use, pot store owners often find themselves nervously carrying around obscene amounts of cash.
French Court Annuls Google's $1.27 Billion Back Tax BillA French court annulled a 1.1 billion-euro ($1.27 billion) tax adjustment imposed on Google by France's tax authorities.
Nevada's First Recreational Marijuana Sales Generate $500,000 In Tax RevenueNevada's first four days of legal recreational marijuana sales produced $3 million in sales revenue and about $500,000 in tax revenue, according to the Nevada Dispensary Association.
Gov. Brown Signs $5 Billion Per Year Tax Hike To Fix Roads California drivers will see their gas prices rise in November and will pay more to register their vehicles come January.
Tax Day Rallies In San Francisco, Nation To Call For Trump's ReturnsDemocratic lawmakers and activists plan to hit the streets Saturday at Tax Day protests around the country and demand President Donald Trump release his tax returns.
Some Bay Area Cities Raise Sales Tax, Approach 10% RateWhen sales taxes go up Saturday April 1, check your receipts. In some Bay Area cities and counties, the rate will approach double-digits.
Gas Tax Hike To Fund Gov. Brown's $52 Billion Plan To Fix California's RoadsCalifornia's governor and legislative leaders on Wednesday proposed raising $52 billion to fix the state's roads through a big gasoline tax increase, higher car registration fees and a charge on emission-free vehicles.
Small Business 101: Can I Write Off Startup Costs?Keeping meticulous records on your small business will help save some money when deducting startup costs come tax time.


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Bentley has revealed two new Continental models designed and engineered exclusively for the Chinese market. The cars will formally be unveiled tomorrow at the Beijing motor show.
The Crewe-based firm has rapidly increased its presence in the emerging market since 2002 and last year sold 421 cars there. Bentley already has nine showrooms in China and willl open four more this year to coincide with the launch of the two new models.
The Bentley Continental Design Series China "highlights the creativity of Bentley’s stylists working in partnership with the company’s colour and trim experts to create some vibrant, design-led interiors". All cars have a three-tone interior that feature contrasting colours, including orange and magenta. Exterior changes include new badges.
The Bentley Continental Flying SpurSpeed China is the model engineered especially for the Chinese. It features a new comfort suspension setting, although performance from its W12 engine hasn't been reduced. Styling upgrades on this car include new 20-inch alloys and new badging.
Geoff Dowding, Bentley's regional director foir Asia and Middle East, said: "Bentley has a long and proud tradition of creating exclusive cars designed to meet the styling and driving tastes of our customers, wherever in the world they might be.
"Designed and offered exclusively for our customers in China, these special-edition Bentleys showcase our styling and engineering teams’ abilities and also underlines our desire to create cars for this influential market.”


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“Phishing attacks continue to expose vulnerabilities in unsuspecting employees. Please remind your users to be vigilant, and exercise caution with their clicking this holiday season.”
– Patrick Torney, eDot
The following article written by: ZD Net
Now is not the time to let your guard down, one of the latest phishing attacks targeting your business emails is a Netflix-flavoured attack. These phishing emails, designed by attackers to look like they are from familiar brands, work to take advantage of people using corporate email addresses for consumer services.
This recent phishing campaign sees cybercriminals sending messages claiming to be from Netflix, targeting business email accounts in an attack, which, if successful, could provide hackers with the login credentials required to access corporate services. In addition, there is also the prospect of the attackers cross-referencing a successfully phished corporate account with personal emails and, if the same password is shared across multiple accounts, breaking into those too.
This Netflix style attack is extremely dangerous and was uncovered by researchers at PhishMe. Read more for more additional details.


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Dear Minister of Agriculture,
Food insecurity, the fear or reality of not having enough to eat, is not something I ever would have thought possible in a country like Canada.
Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada’s farmers and food producers are in serious trouble without proper assistance now from the Federal Government.
While workers and businesses are receiving grants, the people responsible for putting food on our dinner tables are being offered only more debt.
The new, interest free loan that is being offered to all businesses who qualify, barely cover one month’s farm expenses for feed costs, let alone all the other input costs associated with farming.
Even worse, if farmers use their personal bank account, and not an expensive business account, they don’t even qualify for the $40,000 loan other businesses can get.
The pandemic has already wreaked havoc on the food supply chain.
Seven cattle processing plants in Canada have been shut due to COVID-19 outbreaks among workers, meaning farmers are forced to keep thousands of cattle longer of feedlots, increasing their costs.
In the hog industry, processing has created unmanageable backlogs, forcing farmers to dispose of thousands of pigs they can’t afford to keep feeding.
Planting season has already arrived for farmers, and many farmers do not have the necessary workers to fill their labour needs.
Dairy farmers are being forced to dump thousands of litres of milk because they could not get it to market.
Minister, Canada is at risk of losing 15% of our farms by year end if something is not done now.
Farmers need some assurance that they can grow and plant their crops this spring.
They need to know they can send their livestock or other products like milk to market.
They need to know the COVID-type stressors have been recognized.
I urge you to act now, and provide our farmers with the financial support they need to keep Canadians fed.


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Why now is the time for a Mercedes-Benz charging network • TechCrunch
When your Rolex needs repair, you’ll probably take the time to take it to a specialist service center. Likewise, you are not going to entrust the repair of the crimson soles of your Louboutins to the local shoe shiner. So why should you be forced to use any plebeian charging network for your premium EV?
Mercedes-Benz hopes its affluent clientele will want to give its luxury electric vehicles the same kind of premium treatment. At CES 2023 in Las Vegas last week, Mercedes announced the creation of a bespoke charging network for its growing range of electric vehicles – all-electric offerings that will make up the company’s entire portfolio by 2030. .
The initial $1 billion investment, shared with Mn8 Energy, will create more than 400 charging sites across North America, with 2,000 sites eventually offering 10,000 chargers in total.
For context, that’s a quarter of the size of Tesla’s current Supercharger network, a charging offering that took a decade to build.
TechCrunch spoke to Magnus Östberg, Chief Software Officer, and Markus Schäfer, Chief Technology Officer, for more details on why Mercedes is getting into EV charging and how it will execute on its plan.
Schäfer said the final cost to build the network would be “a few billion dollars” depending on the scope of the initial investment (“you can do the math,” he said).
“We think it’s absolutely worth it,” he said in an interview at CES 2023. “If you’re an electric vehicle driver, you know what kind of experience you have, especially during holidays and trips with an electric vehicle.And it’s not like Mercedes.
Although the initial investment is high, Schäfer said it’s just another big expense the company is willing to make to own the EV space.
“We’re talking tens of billions of dollars to transform the business,” he said. “It wasn’t our first priority to take care of the raw material supply chain or the cell manufacturing, or the load in the first place.”
But those are things Mercedes had to do, partnering with Rock Tech Lithium and others for raw material sourcing, and pledging to build eight battery manufacturing plants around the world.
Mercedes is now turning to a charging network because no one else has created a network they are happy with.
“We really thought that other entities would take care [of it] and you know, the energy companies that run gas stations today would take care [of it] . This does not happen. That didn’t happen,” Schäfer lamented.
Of course, investing the billions in capital needed to build an electric vehicle charging network is only one part – albeit an important one – in bringing such an ambitious project to fruition. The location of these chargers and how they are maintained are the other critical components of the electric vehicle charging network.
Chief Software Officer Östberg and CTO Schäfer said dealers will have a say here, but customer density and usage patterns will be the most important factors in choosing locations.
“We know their travel preferences,” Schäfer said, “and that’s exactly the basis for selecting the perfect site.”
Reading between the lines, that means it won’t be a network designed to fill the gaps in existing charging networks. Rather, it will be a higher-end choice offered in densely populated areas, places surely already well served by Electrify America, Tesla’s Supercharger network and others.
Östberg said each location will be selected to create a “luxury Mercedes experience”, ensuring none are set up in a “scary location”.
Proximity to good food will be a priority, while each location will have plenty of light and surveillance systems. Mercedes said it will invest to ensure each location is up to snuff, buying or leasing land as needed.
Chargers will be high-speed, 350kW to start but scalable even beyond that, and Mercedes-Benz is taking steps to ensure uptime, the bane of many electric car journeys.
ChargePoint will provide the physical chargers and the back-end to monitor them. Schäfer said Mercedes and partner Mn8 will ensure spare parts are readily available nearby, along with technicians on call to install them, but it will be up to ChargePoint to keep the software side operational. This is cause for concern. When chargers fail, software is usually the culprit. A 2022 survey of 657 Bay Area chargers found that 22.7% were non-functional due to various system failures, such as unresponsive touch screens. Only 0.9% of chargers had an obvious hardware defect, such as a broken connector.
The final aspect of luxury here will be availability. While these chargers will be open to use by any electric vehicle, Mercedes-Benz owners will have the added privilege of a charger reservation system. Today’s MBUX navigation already suggests charging stops along the way and preconditions the battery as it approaches. When selecting a Mercedes-owned Charger, the car will take the extra step of keeping a spot for them.
“If you’re in a traffic jam and, you know, you can’t arrive until this time, the system will know you’re arriving later and it will update your reservation,” Schäfer said. This, of course, will only happen if you’re using the built-in Mercedes navigation experience, not Apple or Google Maps. “The idea is also the key to keeping them in our ecosystem,” Schäfer said.
The billion dollars initially spent to launch this network will only be the start of the investment, but Schäfer is adamant that it will eventually be a profitable business: “It has to be a stand-alone business. Absolutely.”
Schäfer said the business will eventually be profitable and cites Ionity as an example of what can go well.
“The valuation of this network has increased so much,” he said. “So it was a great investment… We think we can do the same here.”
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text: Threat of further delays for GPRS handsets...Nokia's GPRS service faces a further delay as the industry's standards body says no to its requests to have the standards of the service changed. The mobile manufacturer asked for a new technology to be incorporated into the specifications for the high-speed GPRS service and was turned down. The news threatens further delay of the release of Nokia's GPRS handset. Rivals Ericsson and Motorola have already released theirs. An article in the September issue of the industry newsletter Nonvoice News claims: "Nokia's problems with the 3GPP [standards body] could lead to even greater delays in the launch of their long-awaited GPRS handsets, which will surely cost them dearly in terms of market share." The company issued a hasty statement last week insisting that their GPRS handsets were still on schedule. It claims: "The first units of the [GPRS-enabled] Nokia 8310 will become available in September, while the Nokia 6310 will start selling in the fourth quarter, and the Nokia 8390 at the end of 2001." Nokia needs to make standards-compliant handsets that operate with equipment from other vendors. Other handset makers have had their contracts cancelled because their equipment wasn't standards-compliant, according to Nonvoice News. However, the company needed the controversial software, called PBCCH, to help its handsets interoperate with its own network equipment.


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The image (above) shows a new multiplayer unlock pack containing a bunch of new classes. The new classes include a Geth Engineer, Geth Infiltrator, Batarian Soldier, Batarian Sentinel, Krogan Battlemaster and Asari Justicar.
The pack is reffered to as “test DLC” by the gamer who snapped the image (which has since been posted to Reddit).
No further information was offered.
EGM’s TAKE: Let’s just hope that EA don’t choose to release this new DLC too soon, after the controversy that sparked up over the previous day one DLC. More paid for DLC shortly after release may cause even bigger problems. On a positive note, we quite like the idea of having some new classes to play with, especially two new species.


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Sony, Innovation Network Corporation of Japan
(INCJ), Japan Display Inc., Sony Corp. and Panasonic Corp. have
executed a definitive agreement to establish a new company, JOLED Inc., to integrate Sony and Panasonic’s R&D functions
for organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panels.
Through this collaboration, the companies aim to accelerate the
development and early commercialization of OLED display panels.
JOLED is scheduled to be launched n January 2015, subject to
receipt of any necessary approvals.
INCJ and JDI will respectively hold 75% and 15% of the voting rights in JOLED, and Sony and Panasonic will each hold 5%. In addition, INCJ and JDI plan to make additional investments to
fund a pilot manufacturing plant when the technology is ready for commercialization.
OLED displays offer great promise as the next-generation display technology due to their light-emitting properties, which enable
displays to be lighter and thinner. JOLED will bring together
OLED display technologies from Sony and Panasonic, including
use of printing technology for OLED production, transparent amorphous oxide semiconductors, and flexible display technology.
In addition, JOLED plans to take advantage of JDI's wide
-ranging portfolio of display technologies.
JOLED plans to focus primarily on development of medium-size
OLED displays for use in tablets, mobile PCs, and signage.
Currently, OLED display production has been dominated by LG Display, a subsidiary of LG Electronics, as the Korean company has chosen to invest in the field.


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Back in 2010, while AT&T was the exclusive carrier for the iPhone in the U.S., it asked Research in Motion to develop a touchscreen smartphone to compete with the iPhone.
Latest Apple & Mac News
Shortly after announcing Google Chrome for iOS at the Google I/O conference, Google has now released Google Drive for iOS, bringing their recently launched cloud service to the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White says Apple’s iPad is in little danger of losing its spot atop the tablet market to Google’s new Nexus 7. He says it’s “just another Android-based tablet.”
The Amazing Spiderman iOS game to go along with the film hit the App Store today, four days before it’s scheduled to be released in the cinema in the US.
There have been a lot of third-party web browsers released for iOS, but Google this morning at their Google I/O conference just announced the most anticipated Mobile Safari alternative to date: Google Chrome for iOS!
The Reno City Council has unanimously approved tax breaks for Apple to open two facilities in northern Nevada as part of its $1 billion investment over 10 years.
It’s been a long time since I’ve heard the name AxioTron. Back in 2007, the company created a unique modified MacBook called the ModBook – a full OS X based tablet computer (several years before the iPad!). Well, I’ve got two words for you: They’re back!
In the least offensive way possible and speaking as an Englishman, this type of scam could only be dreamt up in the north of England. A conman has been making cash packaging up potatoes and water bottles in original iPhone packaging and selling them as iPhones to unsuspecting customers.
If you’re anything like me, your iTunes library can get a bit messy from time to time. Fortunately, there’s a solution: TuneUp Media for Mac – and we’re giving away two lifetime licenses for free!
Podcasts were first brought to iTunes in 2005, and after a strong push, they seem to have fallen to the wayside. With the release of Apple’s Podcasts app this week, could Apple be announcing to the world that they’re finally taking podcasts seriously?
While Passbook is included in the iOS 6 beta offered to developers, it doesn’t actually work yet – until now, that is! Redmond Pie has provided instructions for how you can use Passbook on the latest iOS 6 beta right now!
An interesting teaser video posted at FinallyOnTheMac.com could be a sign that Sony are going to bring their audio editing software Sound Forge to the Mac.
Apple was somehow able to scrape up the necessary $2.6 million dollars for the bond needed to block sales of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1. Apple posted the bond almost immediately after winning an injunction against the iPad competitor.
If you’re looking to add some Googleicious zing to your Mac, BlueStacks has just the thing – an early beta of a new app that allows Mac users to install and run Android apps on OS X!
Apple is reportedly preparing to release iTunes 11 by year’s end. The release is expected to be a major revamp of iTunes, and include tighter integration with iCloud, as well as new music sharing features.
We’re excited to tell you about Pad & Quill’s two year anniversary sale to help you save money on P&Q’s great products – including the new Octavo Luxury Case!


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Domino’s Pizza is investing in new technology that will help ensure you get a pizza that actually looks like it should. By monitoring the toppings used and the outcome of the baking process, Domino’s hopes to rid itself of its most common complaint – “my pizza doesn’t look like it does on the menu”.
The new technology, called Pizza Checker, is being rolled out nationally to each Domino’s store. The process utilises camera technology which grades individual pizzas on certain qualities, such as the topping volume and spread of the toppings, as well as the amount of cheese used.
According to Domino’s Australia and New Zealand chief executive Nick Knight, this new technology is already showing results. In an investor call
“So far, it’s analysed more than one million pizzas, and there is a lot of learning that we’ve captured.
It’s early days, but I’m really pleased with what we’re seeing. Team members are using this technology to put a much needed extra focus on product quality.”
While customers won’t be able to see photos of their pizzas captured this way, they will see the results, and customers are happy with positive change in quality:
“In my experience, when we’ve tackled one of the biggest customer tensions, like we did with GPS drivers, those things have flowed through to sales,” Knight told investors and analysts.
The new technology utilises artificial intelligence (AI) to help grade pizzas at the store, to ensure they meet the customer expectations. Eventually – but not yet – customers will be able to see a real time image of their cooked pizza and it will let them know if the pizza has failed to live up to Domino’s standards (and needs to be re-made).


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When the world plunged into recession in 2008, G20 leaders ostentatiously pledged not to repeat the errors of the 1930s. To hasten economic recovery, they would avoid protectionism and keep trade flowing. Canada's government has been among the loudest voices in this free trade chorus.
This is a gross misreading of actual history. World trade collapsed in the 1930s because of collapsing consumer demand, not protectionism; competitive tariffs were a response to that implosion, not its cause. For the same reason, world trade plunged 12 per cent last year, despite the G20 promises.
Parliament is back this week, and its focus this fall will be on what to do about the economy. The first order of business should be reducing unemployment, but the Conservatives are more interested in reducing the deficit.
Want to reduce the government deficit? Raise business investment? Improve the standard of living? Moving to full employment -- a job for everyone who wants one -- is the way to go. Putting more Canadians back to work will ensure the economy improves.
Is the world, including Canada, headed for the third Great Depression, as New York Times columnist Paul Krugman argues? Watching the results of the Toronto G8/G20 meetings was like hearing news that a giant comet is heading for earth and we are just waiting for impact. Those meetings of the world's largest and/or growing economies committed governments to massive deficit reduction in spite of the real concern that we are facing a the possibility of a so-called "double-dip" recession. That possibility is now a certainty.
We've all read the criticisms, too many to really go about noting, where Left-seeming supposed progressive politicians make promises to Leftist goals but then turn around and put money into far Right investments.
It's membership time. Cultivate Canada's media. Support rabble.ca. Become a member.
With all the predictions of doom and gloom coming from the austerity camp, one would think that Canada was already about to hit the famed (but never seen) "debt wall." Before we get too carried away, however, with the scary debt stuff, consider these two indicators of the fundamental fiscal fragility/stability of Canadian governments.


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If (almost) year-round iPhone and iPad rumors aren’t enough for you, then you’re in luck. You can now add the Apple TV set to the non-stop rumor mill. Its existence isn’t even confirmed, but that hasn’t stopped us from hearing murmurs related to its features, price, and release date. Though this is yet another completely unconfirmed bit of news, a new report says that the so-called iTV is unlikely to launch in the second quarter of 2012.
The (alleged) reason for the (alleged) delay of the (alleged) iTV actually makes some sense: Apple hasn’t yet placed orders for Sharp’s IGZO LCD panels. The new display components can allow for high resolution displays for a relatively cheap price, so they would be a natural fit for an Apple TV set (allegedly).
Sometimes collections of rumors can start to paint a picture that gives you some idea what to expect. With the iTV, though, much is unknown. The biggest confirmation of its existence came from the Walter Isaacson biography Steve Jobs, when the late CEO is quoted as saying he “finally cracked the case” of the integrated TV set. Many have assumed that it will use Siri and iOS devices for control, with software that integrates all of a customer’s content sources.
As odd as it is for such a secret to be (apparently willingly) spilled by Apple, the competition has responded in turn. After the enormous success of the iPod, iPhone, and iPad, manufacturers like Samsung and LG have been trying to produce TVs that rival what they imagine the iTV will be like. Some have thin bezels, some have voice control, and they’re all custom-tailored to beat an unconfirmed Apple product to market.
Assuming, for a moment, that the iTV won’t indeed launch by Q2 of 2012, that still doesn’t rule out a holiday release. Though millions of customers are ready to drop $200 on an iPhone in June or $500 on an iPad in March or April, a (probably) more expensive TV set could be a different story. The holiday season would be a smart release window for it, whether in 2012 or later.


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Due to heavy Cyber Monday website traffic, Target had experienced some downtime on its website as shoppers tried to score their favorite deals from the retailer during the holiday shopping season.
According to a report from Reuters, shoppers on Target.com encountered an error message when trying to access the website. It said, “So sorry, but high traffic’s causing delays. If you wouldn’t mind holding, we’ll refresh automatically & get things going ASAP.” According to Catchpoint Systems, a website performance monitor company, the Target website started experiencing downtime at 10:00 a.m. ET on Monday.
Meanwhile, when the website went back up, there was still reported challenges in doing some Cyber Monday shopping. For some shoppers trying to add some items to their shopping cart, they were greeted with the message, “There’s a line for this item. So sorry for the delay.”
Despite the downtime, Target seems to be doing well during the holiday shopping season. The retailer reported it experienced “record setting” sales performance in-store and online.
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Target, Brian Cornell, has said that the Target managed to get a good head start, thanks to the launch of Adele’s new album that he is describing as “record-breaking.” Moreover, the said launch was also backed up by Target’s “10 Days of Deals” promotion. Aside from going to various Target stores, there were a great number of shoppers who had also gone at Target’s online store to do some serious shopping. As for Cornell himself, he was around to greet holiday shoppers at the Jersey City Target outlet in New Jersey during Thanksgiving.
Meanwhile, shopping continues at Target in-store and online with a 25-percent off on all beauty items on December 1 (Tuesday).


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Qualtrics has appointed Brigid Archibald as country manager for Australia and New Zealand.
Archibald, who has held senior sales and leadership positions with Salesforce and American Express, is now tasked with accelerating the company’s growth locally.
Qualtrics, which was acquired by SAP 12 months ago for US$8 billion, offers customer feedback and customer experience software.
In the last 12 months it has more than doubled the size of its APJ workforce, serving over 1,200 APJ customers including Qantas, Telstra, Chobani, and Finder in Australia.
“Qualtrics is relentlessly focused on giving businesses in Australia and New Zealand the support and services they need to improve the experience they deliver across the four pillars of business – customer, employee, brand, and product,” said Bill McMurray, Managing Director for Qualtrics in APJ.
“Over the last 12 months we have made significant investments and progress in expanding our capabilities, expertise, and leadership of the experience management category, and Brigid’s appointment is another example of this.”
Commenting on her appointment, Archibald said, “Choosing to compete on experience is crucial to lasting and meaningful success in today’s economies. Huge opportunities await in this new era of business, and I’m excited to help our customers capitalise on them, and strengthen Qualtrics’ position at the forefront of the experience management category.”


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Apple’s new programming language Swift might be a hit with coders, but bringing it to developers wasn’t quite as speedy a process as its name implies.
Chris Lattner, director of Apple’s Developer Tools department, has updated his personal website with information relating to Swift — including some details of its development. According to Lattner, work on the language began back in July 2010. Lattner implemented much of the basic language structure himself, with only a few other people at Apple knowing of its existence. It was only when several other individuals began contributing to the project in 2011 that it started to gain momentum, leading to it becoming a major focus for the Apple Developer Tools group in July 2013.
As anyone who has used Swift or exampled its endearingly geeky documentation will know, the language draws heavily from the more complex Objective-C language for inspiration, along with “Rust, Haskell, Ruby, Python, C#, CLU, and far too many others to list.”
Lattner notes that features like the interactive “Playgrounds” function were designed to “to make programming more interactive and approachable.” It was also heavily influenced by Bret Victor’s concepts, alongside the interactive LightTable programming environment which landed on Kickstarter in 2012.
Lattner writes that, “I hope that by making programming more approachable and fun, we’ll appeal to the next generation of programmers and to help redefine how Computer Science is taught.”
Those wanting to find out more about Swift can do so by checking out the free programming guide which Apple dropped immediately after announcing the language at Monday’s WWDC.
Source: Chris Lattner’s homepage


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LAUREL, MD — Verizon Wireless will bring its 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network to 28 new markets, including the towns of Staunton, Waynesboro and Harrisonburg, Virginia, starting Thursday, May 17, enabling customers to take advantage of the nation’s largest 4G LTE network. With the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network, customers can enjoy the best experience in wireless data usage when they stream video, share music and photos, download files and surf the Web with speeds up to 10 times faster than before.
This expansion of the company’s current 4G LTE footprint will extend coverage north along Interstate 81 from Roanoke to Harrisonburg, bringing coverage to Augusta and Rockingham Counties, including the towns of Staunton, Waynesboro, Timberville, Broadway, Elkton and Mount Crawford.
In addition to introducing its 4G LTE network in 28 new markets, including Staunton, Waynesboro and Harrisonburg, Virginia and surrounding communities, Verizon Wireless is expanding the network in 11 markets across the United States on May 17. With the new and expanded markets, the company’s 4G LTE network will be available in 258 markets, to more than two-thirds of the U.S. population.
“We’re proud to extend the power of the nation’s fastest 4G LTE network to western Virginia,” said Mike Maiorana, president of Verizon Wireless’ Virginia/Maryland/Washington, DC region. “With the 4G LTE network, local residents can leverage the speed and connectivity offered by our 4G LTE devices to push the boundaries of communication.”
4G LTE Devices, Solutions and Plans
Verizon Wireless customers can choose from the largest selection of 4G LTE devices, including smartphones, tablets, mobile hotspots and more, that connect to the nation’s fastest 4G network. Most recently, the company announced the DROID INCREDIBLE 4G LTE by HTC, available in the coming weeks, which enhances the customer experience by offering high-quality photo and audio capabilities, combined with the power of 4G LTE speeds. Details on available devices can be found at www.verizonwireless.com/4GLTE and information on plans and pricing is available at www.verizonwireless.com/plans.
Verizon Wireless also recently introduced HomeFusion™ Broadband, a solution that leverages the power and speed of the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network to deliver high-speed, in-home Internet access for residential broadband, particularly in areas where Internet options are limited or are not currently available.
4G LTE Coverage and Speed
In real-world, fully loaded network environments, Verizon Wireless 4G LTE customers should experience average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink.
When customers travel outside of a 4G LTE coverage area, 4G LTE devices automatically connect to Verizon Wireless’ 3G network, enabling customers to stay connected from coast to coast. Verizon Wireless’ 3G network is the most reliable high-speed data network in the country and allows customers in 3G coverage areas who purchase 4G LTE devices today to take advantage of 4G LTE speeds when the faster network becomes available in their area, or when they travel to areas already covered by 4G LTE.
For more information about Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network, visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte.
About Verizon WirelessVerizon Wireless operates the nation’s largest 4G LTE network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 93.0 million retail customers, including 88.0 million retail postpaid customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 80,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.


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Facebook’s Lists are its latest attempt to encourage oversharing
Facebook’s latest attempt to get you to post more original content is a feature called Lists. It lets you post a customized list such as “My travel wishlist” or “Goals for the year” and the idea is your Facebook friends will then engage with post, adding suggestions or giving encouragement. You can further personalize your list with various background color options or by adding emojis and Facebook will also provide list suggestions, though you can make up your own as well. Additionally, if someone else’s list inspires you — or infuriates you — you can mimic theirs and add your own twist.
Facebook has been leaning into the idea of pushing personal and local content over national news. The company announced earlier this year that the site would begin to promote posts from friends, family and groups over those of businesses and media. It also said that it would start to prioritize local news stories in the News Feed and is testing a dedicated local news and events section in six cities across the country. Additionally, going along with its effort to encourage real engagement, Facebook has started to demote posts deemed “engagement bait.”
Facebook says Lists are rolling out to users now. However, while iOS users will be able to see others’ lists, only Android users will be able to create them for now. There’s no word yet on when the feature will come to iOS.