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Compared to previous years, do you feel your sleeping patterns were worse in 2020 or was there not much change?
As part of the survey, we wanted to find out just how much of an impact 2020 had on the nation’s sleeping habits. We asked respondents if they believe they experienced a lack of sleep last year due to COVID and lockdown stress and the results spoke for themselves.
In total, just over 67 per cent of people believe their sleeping patterns were affected as a result of the past year. When we looked in detail at the answers and segmented the data by gender, of the people who have slept worse in 2020 than in previous years, 45 per cent were men and 55 per cent were women.
How have the COVID outbreak and numerous lockdowns affected the nation's sleeping habits?
It seems inevitable that the majority of people across the UK have reported feeling anxious over the past year, due to the global pandemic. According to our survey, almost 50 per cent of respondents said that not seeing their friends and family has been by far the most stressful part of the past year. It was also interesting to discover that 75 per cent of people believe that they have struggled to fall to sleep as a result of stress brought on by national lockdowns
When it comes to the nation struggling to get a good night's sleep due to the stresses of the current situation, 44 per cent of people revealed they have lost sleep due to worrying about the effects of the global pandemic.
What are the main worries behind people struggling to get a good night’s sleep?
Among the adult population, it can often be hard to sleep due to stresses of everyday life. Being worried about finances was the most common cause of lost sleep, with nearly half of all male respondents saying this affected their sleep. Women were most likely to be affected by staying up too late using tech devices, with 44 per cent of women admitting to this.
What are the most common side effects the nation experiences due to a lack of sleep?
Our survey discovered that 67 per cent of people have around five to seven hours of sleep per night, whilst 15 per cent have much less at around two to four hours. We all experience different side effects when we don’t get as much sleep as our body needs. Sixty one per cent of the people we surveyed believe they are less productive after a bad night’s sleep, whilst 53 per cent of men said they have trouble concentrating.
We asked respondents if they would be willing to try a CBD product to help them sleep better and here is what they said
Seventy eight per cent of the people we surveyed said they would be willing to try a CBD product to improve their sleep.
We hope you found our survey data interesting. It would be great to know if the pandemic and numerous lockdowns have affected your sleeping habits, so let us know in the comments section below. It’s also worth keeping your eyes peeled for a blog post we’ll be sharing in the coming weeks, which shares some tips and advice on how to get a good night’s sleep.


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Calls for cannabis green light
It’s green, environmentally-friendly and growing in popularity around the world but some say a roaring cannabis market is about to pass New Zealand by.
Growers and farmers are taking a keen interest in cannabis, as countries around the world legalise its cultivation for medicinal purposes.
Some are looking at the plant’s potential in light of falling dairy prices and restrictions around importing seeds, most recently due to an outbreak of the invasive weed velvetleaf.
They are hamstrung by one critical factor: unlike their counterparts in Canada, Australia, and more than half of US states, growing cannabis for medicinal purposes is illegal in New Zealand.
‘‘There are definitely some growers in horticulture now who can see some opportunities [in medicinal cannabis],’’ said Horticulture NZ spokeswoman Leigh Catley.
‘‘But it’s all hypothetical, because it’s not legal.
‘‘If it is legitimate and sensible for us to make this a legal and sustainable business opportunity, then that’s what we should do.
‘‘We should take a closer look at it.’’
New Zealand is well equipped for growing cannabis.
Areas such as Mid-canterbury, the ‘‘grain bowl of New Zealand’’, have numerous farmers with commercial crop infrastructure in place.
‘‘[Cannabis] has to be grown under cover, so the best people to do it are the people who have already got the infrastructure in place; people who are growing capsicums, tomatoes, eggplants, that sort of stuff,’’ Catley said.
Former Waikato dairy farmer John Lord is now one of the largest legal cannabis merchants in Colorado. Benjamin Zaitz, one of his competitors, also started as a dairy farmer.
Lord was not available to be interviewed, but recently told RNZ he had become jaded by dairy farming, which led him on the path to legal cannabis.
‘‘Dairy farming in New Zealand, I became disillusioned and frustrated. It was one of the few businesses in the world where you never sold anything or marketed anything yourself.
Some are looking at the plant’s potential in light of falling dairy prices.
‘‘New business is such a rare, rare thing today, and this [cannabis] was it.’’
For Lord to take the opportunity, he had to go to Colorado, which allows both medicinal and recreational cannabis use.
The industry is worth about $1 billion to the state, and generated $135m in tax revenue in 2015.
Medicinal cannabis advocate Billy Mckee, who self-medicated with the drug after being hit by a drunk-driver, said he had spoken to farmers interested in moving into cannabis market.
Hemp – a different use of the cannabis plant, with a much lower concentration of the psychoactive make-up of marijuana – was something dairy farmers were already interested in growing in light of flagging dairy prices.
‘‘You can see the sense in it. A lot of farmers are doing it hard, and a lot of them are really struggling . . . Some dairy farmers I was talking to were losing $30,000 a year.
‘‘They were looking at options, but it was too much, and they went under.
‘‘If you put support behind [cannabis], New Zealand would be a hang of a lot better off.’’

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Footasylum saw sales grow quickly online and in its stores in the first half of its financial year. But it turned in a bottom-line loss as it sold more products in its stores at a discount, and as it invested for a future in which it aims to make half of its income via online and wholesale.
The retailer reported revenues of £98.6m in the six months to August 25, 19% up from £83.2m a year earlier. Pre-tax losses of £4m were down from profits of £2.3m a year earlier. Store revenues grew by 12% to £66.3m but, said Footasylum, were hit by challenging trading conditions and delays to store openings. Online sales of £30.2m were 29% ahead, and accounted for 31% of total revenue. That’s up from 28% a year earlier. Meanwhile, wholesale revenues grew by 200% to £2.1m, albeit from a relatively low base of £0.7m last time.
Footasylum, founded in 2005 and listed on the UK stockmarket in 2017, opened one new store during the half-year, taking the total store estate to 66. It now plans to open another five stores and increase the size of five more in the rest of the financial year. From next year, it will slow its expansion rate, opening two new stores and upsizing two stores a year.
Barry Bown, executive chairman of Footasylum, said it had been a difficult trading period with tough high street conditions and delays to its programme of store openings and upsizes. Profits had been hit by lower overall gross margins as a result of higher levels of clearance in its stores, as well as by investment in business systems for the future.
“We are encouraged by the early results and trends that we are seeing from our investments in key areas such as digital and marketing and see substantial opportunity for further progress across these and other parts of our options,” he said. “In the longer-term we remain confident that the company’s differentiated, product-led multichannel proposition, combined with strong partnerships with core suppliers, will underpin our future progress.”
Here’s what else the retailer, a Top100 retailer in IRUK Top500 research, said about its multichannel strategy.
The retailer says it has significantly improved the online experience with investment in the footasylum.com website and the relaunch of its mobile app – which it intends to be at the centre of consumer transactions, along with its UNLCKD rewards scheme. The cross-channel rewards scheme offers consumers the chance to earn benefits, and gives Footasylum greater understanding of its customers’ behaviour. Mobile revenues accounted for 66% of online transactions in the first half.
Improvements to its website were made to imagery, the basket, and the checkout, and through the introduction of live chat. “We are seeing early indicators of success with online conversion rates improving meaningfully,” it said in today’s figures.
In the medium-term, Footasylum plans to make 50% of its revenues from online and wholesale. In order to boost online sales and order frequency, the retailer extended the cut off time for next-day delivery and is also trialling same-day delivery in some areas.
Footasylum says its rationale for stores lies in the solid base that they give to its multichannel approach. “They drive growth by accessing more key brands, a wider range of product and more exclusives,” it said in today’s figures. By increasing floor space in key stores and opening a limited number of new stores, it says it will be able to present its range of products more effectively, improve selling capacity and “become an even more attractive proposition for our key suppliers”. However, it is now slowing its rate of expansion to two new openings and two upsizes a year. It says it is confident that it can improve its brand relationships by investing online to improve the consumer experience, rather than opening stores at a faster rate.
Click and collect services, which bring together online and stores, accounted for 12% of online orders in the first half of the year.
Footasylum’s marketing approach is designed to underpin online sales growth while driving store footfall. It is building its social media content and presence and collaborates with key influencers. It is investing in data analytics and consumer segmentation in order to understand its shoppers, “targeting online shoppers with a high propensity to purchase in-store and rolling out location specific digital campaigns to drive in-store sales”.
It produced its own design, photography and videography from its 10,000 sq ft Manchester studio for online and its stores. Footasylym says having its own studio allows it to create and distribute content more efficiently and “means we are acting faster to evolving trends and maximising relevance to our consumers”.
The analyst view
Zoe Mills, retail analyst at GlobalData, said: ‘”Under normal circumstances, a clothing and footwear specialist reporting 18.5% growth in revenue would be cause for celebration, but when it came accompanied by a second profit warning in September, investors begun to lose all confidence.
“Footasylum has reported adjusted EBITDA of -£1.5m meaning that the clothing & footwear specialist has a lot to do to achieve its revised FY profit target stated in September of less than half of its FY2017/18 EBITDA of £12.5m. The difficult task ahead has been reflected in its share price this morning dropping a further 6%, reflecting the concern investors have in the athleisure retailer’s long-term profitability.”
Mills said hot weather hit Footasylum’s sales during the summer, and higher levels of clearance had reduced its profitability.
She concluded: “Many retailers have become trapped in a discounting cycle, cutting prices to entice customers to purchase. While Footasylum should use clearance strategically as a tool to make way for new season products, the retailer must ensure that it does not undervalue its product range. Footasylum’s should remove footwear discounts that are at the front of its stores all year round and limit clearance periods a few times in the year to protect its profit margins and reduce customer expectation of discounts.’’


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Dozens of Philadelphia's biggest eaters will compete for $20,000 in cash and additional prizes in Sports Radio 610 WIP's Wing Bowl 19 at Wells Fargo Center on Friday, February 4 at 6 a.m. Individual tickets ($10) will go on sale on Tuesday, December 14 at 9 a.m. exclusively through ComcastTIX.
The winners of SportsRadio 610 WIP's Wing Bowl 19 will take home $20,000 in cash from Steven Singer Jewelers at the other corner of 8th and Walnut and a 2011 Ram 1500 pick-up truck from Chapman Chrysler Jeep and Now Dodge in Horsham and other incredible prizes.
WIP's Wing Bowl 19 will be broadcast live on 610 WIP, featuring Angelo Cataldi and Wing Bowl co-founder Al Morganti, and streamed live over the Internet at cbsphilly.com and wingbowl19.com and other mobile devices.
Tickets at $10 for WIP's Wing Bowl 19 will go on sale exclusively through ComcastTIX on Tuesday, December 14 at 9 a.m. on line at ComcastTIX.com, by at 1-800-298-4200 or in person at Wells Fargo Center. Proceeds from WIP's Wing Bowl 19 will benefit the Philadelphia Police Department Survivor’s Fund, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation and the Comcast-Spectacor Foundation.
Over the past 18 years, WIP’s Wing Bowl has become one of the most celebrated radio events in the world. Contestants are selected because of their ability to complete challenging eating stunts and then compete to eat the most chicken wings. PJ Whelihans is the official supplier of wings for WIP Wing Bowl 19, their fourth consecutive year as sponsor and supplier.
Five time champion Bill “El Wingador” Simmons announced he will once again compete for the coveted title of Wing Bowl Champion. Recent two-time defending champion Jonathan “Super Squibb” will also compete. All other eaters will be qualified through approved on air stunts during the 610 WIP Morning Show or on site "Wing-Offs."
"Wing Bowl 19 promises to be one of the most unpredictable and exciting Wing Bowls in the event's 19-year history,” said Cataldi. “With close to $100,000 in prizes, including a $20,000 grand prize, this will be one of the richest competitive-eating event ever held. Jonathan Squibb, a two-time undefeated champion, will face his toughest test ever, the comeback of five-time winner Bill "El Wingador" Simmons. Add to that 25 other crazed eaters, 100 beautiful women and some of the wildest and zaniest floats, and you've got the makings of the most spectacular Wing Bowl ever."
WIP Wing Bowl 19 features selected eaters, nearly 20,000 listeners in attendance cheering them on, and members of the world-wide media to chronicle the event. Nearly 30 competitors will attempt to eat the most wings for prizes and glory.
An impressive and valuable list of prizes awaits Wing Bowl contestants and participants:
- $20,000 cash prize, a Wing Bowl Champion ring and a gold medal from Steven Singer Jewelers, at the other corner of 8th and Walnut;
- A Dodge Ram 1500 Pickup from Chapman Chrysler Jeep and Now Dodge in Horsham;
- A new red Harley Davidson 883 Sportster Motorcycle from Barb`s Harley Davidson, West Collingswood, NJ;
- Earrings and necklaces from Steven Singer Jewelers;
- A day of beauty from Joseph Anthony Retreat Salon and Spa;
- All inclusive Apple Vacations to Iberostar Paraiso del Mar - Riviera Maya, Mexico.


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CJEU adviser backs keeping Italy’s notorious ‘Airbnb tax’
In a partial loss for the taxpayer, Airbnb will face a 21% withholding tax on rentals in Italy if the advocate general’s opinion is upheld.
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Categories AlphaGraphs, Earnings, Health Care
Infographic: Highlights of Merck’s (MRK) Q3 2022 earnings
Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) reported a modest increase in adjusted earnings for the third quarter of 2022 when the pharmaceutical company’s net sales grew by 14%.
Worldwide sales rose 14% year-over-year to $14.9 billion during the quarter. Pharmaceutical sales grew 13%, which was partially offset by a 3% sales drop in the animal health segment.
Third-quarter earnings, on an adjusted basis, moved up to $1.85 per share from $1.78 per share in the same quarter of 2021. Unadjusted net income was $3.25 billion or $1.28 per share in the most recent quarter, compared to $4.57 billion or $1.80 per share in the corresponding period of the previous year.
Check this space to read management/analysts’ comments on Merck’s Q3 2022 earnings report
“Our third quarter results demonstrate exceptional revenue and underlying earnings growth and sustained performance across our key growth drivers. Inspired by our purpose of saving and improving lives around the world, I am confident we are well-positioned to continue to deliver strong operational performance,” said Robert Davis, chief executive officer of Merck.
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ANGO Earnings: AngioDynamics reports loss for Q3; revenue up 9%
AngioDynamics Inc. (NASDAQ: ANGO) on Thursday reported a wider loss for the third quarter when the medical device maker's revenues increased by 9%. The company also provided guidance for fiscal


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Enterprise blockchain news
Legal and IP
Travel & mobility
Management & legal
WEF: Libra’s Marcus emphasizes network over digital currency
Enterprise blockchain investment flourishes, Ripple hints at IPO
Gartner: 80% supply chain blockchains will still be pilots in 2022
Japanese lawmakers consider issuing digital currency
WEF launches blockchain traceability platform for sustainability
BIS: a fifth of world’s population soon to have central bank digital currency
Workday sees blockchain as key to employee credentialing
ADM, Cargill, Bunge, Dreyfus agribusiness blockchain consortium Covantis selects...
German central bank backs DLT for collateral management
US energy dept, Ford, Everledger in blockchain battery recycling project
Find out more.


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The US economy grew more slowly in the second quarter than previously expected
The US economy grew more slowly in the second quarter than previously expected – a good sign for the Federal Reserve Try to calm down the request To reduce price increases.
Gross domestic product, the broadest measure of economic output, rose at an annual rate of 2.1% in the second quarter, according to the Commerce Department’s second estimate, released Wednesday morning. This is a slightly slower pace 2.4% of its management capacity at the start.
The second estimate took into account the increase in consumer spending, government expenditures and exports, compared to the initial estimate. Meanwhile, business investment and inventories were revised downward. Commercial investment – referred to as non-residential fixed investment – was revised to a growth rate of 6.1%, compared to 7.7% in the first estimate. Fixed residential investment that reflects Conditions in the US housing marketIts impact on growth was less than previously expected.
Economic growth in the second quarter was mostly broad-based, but there were some signs of weakening demand for commodity purchases and imports. Consumer spending, which accounts for about 70% of economic output, was revised up slightly in the second estimate.
The Fed is watching GDP closely
Economists widely expected the summer to be strong, as Americans spend big on travel, dining and other personal experiences. retail spending Jump in July Like the movie “Barbie”. It became a smash hit And Taylor Swift Major stadiums are sold out across the United States. The Commerce Department will release July figures on consumer spending, which includes retail sales, on Thursday.
The US economy has remained brisk during the summer months, but that strength is notable It kept some Fed officials on their toes When they met in July to discuss monetary policy. Choose the central bank Raising interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point to its highest level in 22 years.
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell He said last week that there could be more rate hikes Going down to the pike if the economy doesn’t slow down.
“Additional evidence of sustained above-trend growth could jeopardize further progress on inflation and could warrant further monetary tightening,” Powell said at the Fed’s annual economic symposium in Kansas City.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta currently estimates that GDP growth will accelerate sharply to an annual rate of 5.9% in the third quarter.
This story is developing and will be updated.
For more CNN news and releases, create an account at CNN.com


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You may have to pay more for Punch, Nexon, and other Tata cars from January 2023 – EQ Mag
After Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors may soon announce a price hike for its vehicles across models. In an interaction with new agency PTI, Tata Motors Managing Director – Passenger Vehicle and Electric Vehicles Shailesh Chandra said the company is looking to increase passenger vehicle prices from next month. The price revision, he says, will make its model range compliant with stricter emission norms which kick in from April 1, 2023.
It will also help offset the impact of commodity prices, which have remained high for the most part of the year.
For those unaware, vehicles from April 1 next year will need to have an on-board self-diagnostic device to monitor the real-time driving emission levels. The monitor will constantly monitor key parts such as the catalytic converter and oxygen sensors, to keep a close watch on emissions.
“The regulatory change will have its impact on the cost. Even the real impact of softening of commodity prices is only going to come from next quarter and we still have the residual impact of the commodity escalation that we have seen during the year,” he said.
He further added that the prices of battery have also gone up in the past. But the same has not been passed on to the market.
“So we are evaluating a price increase basis some of the residual effect that is left as far as the commodity prices are concerned. Battery prices and new regulations have also impacted the EV side,” Chandra mentioned.
The price rise, he says, will be for both the ICE and EVs models. Tata Motors sells a range of models like Punch, Nexon, Harrier, and Safari in the domestic market. The company leads the electric vehicle segment with offerings like Tiago EV and Nexon EV.
Last week, Maruti Suzuki announced that the company has planned to increase prices across models from January 2023. The company said that the decision was prompted by continued cost pressure due to overall inflation and recent regulatory requirements.
In a regulatory filing, Maruti Suzuki said, “The Company continues to witness increased cost pressure driven by overall inflation and recent regulatory requirements. While the company makes maximum effort to reduce cost and partially offset the increase, it has become imperative to pass on some of the impact through a price increase. The Company has planned this price increase in January, 2023 which shall vary across models.”


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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — An Ohio manufacturer of electronic cigarettes has accused the R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company of patent infringement.
The Winston-Salem Journal reports that Fuma sued the North Carolina-based subsidiary of Reynolds American in federal court on Wednesday.
The lawsuit says Fuma and Reynolds entered into a confidentiality agreement in 2010 that allowed Reynolds to review Fuma's e-cigarette designs as part of a potential investment or joint venture. Fuma says Reynolds then copied its design for use in Vuse products.
Vuse debuted in 2012 and has become the second highest-selling e-cigarette on the U.S. market. Fuma's patent was awarded in 2017.
Fuma is requesting a permanent injunction against Vuse, as well as damages of an unspecified amount.
The newspaper couldn't immediately reach Reynolds officials for comment.


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News By Tag
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Two Tins of Monsanto Saccharine of More than Sixty-years old were Discovered in China
Two tins of saccharin, which were produced by Monsanto Company in the 1920s-1930s, which came to China more than sixty years ago, were found in a family of Henan Province, China.
The saccharin is stored in a tin with 15cm in height and 8cm in diameter. English letters are printed around the tin. Although the tin is rusted a little, most letters are still visible.
Letters “Saccharin Monsanto” can be easily found on the tin body. It clearly shows that it was manufactured by Monsanto Chemical Company in St. Louis, USA.
There is no extract production date on the tin. The two tins have been stored at the owner’s home, Kaifeng city, Henan province since the 1940s.
Reporters in China researched the word “Monsanto”
Once it is confirmed that the tinned saccharin has been stored for the longest time around the world, the owner will apply for the World Guinness Records for the longest preserved Saccharin in the world.
Read more: http://interact.stltoday.com/
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Mag1direct.com provides a perfect platform for manufactures to sell their products directly to their customers. Currently, the products sold through mag1direct.com include furniture, home decoration, garden tools including wheelbarrows, outdoor furniture


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THE CHAIRMAN of the Federal Reserve spoke today at The Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything Festival.
His message was loud and clear: the Fed will do whatever it takes to bring inflation down.
What did Jerome Powell speak about today?
He discussed what the central bank’s plans were regarding inflation, as well as what impacts these plans may have on the economy.
His appearance came after the Federal Reserve raised its interest rates by half a percentage point, the highest one-time spike since 2000, according to The Guardian.
Today, he made clear that the central bank would continue to raise interest rates until the inflation rate comes back down.
Powell also said that the Reserve would “keep pushing” until it’s clear that inflation is declining.
Even more restrictive rates could be on the horizon if the price increases don’t slow down.
How will this spike affect everyday Americans?
The idea is that by raising the rates, the extra spending done by Americans will slow down, and the inflation on goods will flatten.
However, this puts the economy at risk of a recession.
What is the Wall Street Journal’s Future of Everything festival?
This is the event where Powell spoke this afternoon.
The festival’s website encourages people to learn more about “the extraordinary ideas shaping our future when The Wall Street Journal brings together leaders from business, science, sports and culture at this year’s Future of Everything Festival.”
They continue by highlighting their “unscripted interviews, immersive storytelling, jaw-dropping technology and rare experiences with experts.”
The festival has been on hiatus due to Covid-19 for the past two years but is back both virtually and in-person this year.
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FAIRBANKS (AP) -- Ticket sales began Saturday for the annual Nenana Ice Classic, but there's a significant change this year -- the price has gone up.
The cost of playing Alaska's oldest and richest guessing game is now $2.50 instead $2. Each ticket allows players to guess the date and time when a wooden tripod set up on the Tanana River ice will move.
The price hike is the first in more than 20 years, said Ice Classic manager Cherrie Forness.
She said it's needed to offset rising costs, including the recent $1.50 increase in the minimum wage. The Classic employs 110 people to help with the guessing lottery.
The cost of printing tickets, brochures and posters also has increased in past years, Forness said.
At least 50 percent from each ticket sale goes toward the jackpot, and the remainder is used for operating costs.
Last year, about 295,000 tickets were sold and the jackpot was $304,000.
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Urban Fashion expands
WORTHINGTON -- Originally from Chicago, Azeem Muhammed is familiar with what's popular in the urban fashion scene for young people, particularly those of Latino and African-American heritage. His Sioux Falls, S.D., store, Chicago Gear, has done a...
WORTHINGTON -- Originally from Chicago, Azeem Muhammed is familiar with what's popular in the urban fashion scene for young people, particularly those of Latino and African-American heritage. His Sioux Falls, S.D., store, Chicago Gear, has done a good business in marketing such goods, and now he's brought the concept to Worthington.
"I had a lot of people from here coming over there to shop," Muhammed explained. "They kept bugging me, telling me to open up something over here, so I just decided to give it a chance. I see a lot of opportunities here."
Urban Fashion is located in the former Curves for Women building at 924 Third Ave., a location, Muhammed noted, that is actually bigger than his Sioux Falls store. He has stocked it full of the latest trendy fashions and accessories.
"A lot of young kids like this style of clothes," he said. "That's who I'm catering to. This is what they like to get down with."
Popular labels include Baby Phat, Apple Bottoms, Nike, Ed Hardy, Girbaud and Ecko. The current inventory includes jeans, T-shirts, dressier shirts and even a suit or two.
"Next week, I have Playboy Bunny jeans coming in," Muhammed said.
Accessories run the gamut from hats to shoes and shoelaces. Among the most popular items currently are the Nike Obama Air Force One shoes, featuring a likeness of the president, and matching T-shirts.
"I've been finding that a lot of women like the purses I've been bringing in," added Muhammed about the accessory lines.
Inside display cases is a wide array of jewelry items, many studded with rhinestones.
"I've got jewelry, watches, earrings, belt buckles, dogtags," Muhammed detailed. "They call it bling-bling. Basically it's costume jewelry. If they can't afford the real stuff, at least they can look like they can."
Shoelaces in just about every color imaginable hang on the wall next to similarly brightly hued bandanas.
"The shoelaces, you got to have 'em," Muhammed said. "A lot of the kids don't like the laces that come with the shoes. They like to flip 'em with their wardrobe, to match whatever they're wearing."
In the near future, Muhammed hopes to also offer barbering at Urban Fashion. It's a service that he's found to be popular at the Sioux Falls location.
"We're waiting on the State of Minnesota to give us the license for the barber," he explained. "There aren't too many people around here who know how to cut African folks' hair."
Looking to the start of classes, Muhammed plans a "back-to-school blow-out sale," with prices up to 40 percent off from Aug 24-30.
Urban Fashion is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.


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Activision may be set to reveal the next installment in the Call of Duty Franchise early next month. Both Kotaku and IGN report that retailers have received promotional artwork suggesting that the next COD title will be revealed on Wednesday May 2nd 2012. All of the promotional material carry the tagline “05.02.12 Return for Debriefing”.
The last few Call of Duty titles have had spring reveals in recent years. After a massive media leak in early May 2011 Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 was revealed on May 23rd 2011. There is certainly a precedent for the Black Ops 2 to be revealed next month.
Check out the supposed promotional materials after the jump.


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Once upon a time, things were different. We played outdoors, read bedtime stories to our children, went swimming on our weekends, and had time for little family outings. Perhaps we still do all of that, but according to increasing number of researchers, these are fast becoming things of the past. In fact, quicker than most thought.
Books have given into Kindles and iPads and the smartphone in hand has replaced real world conversations. The Internet with its endless buffet of videos, games, shopping and social media activities is slowly taking over life as we once knew it and psychologists even say it is driving users to the brink of insanity.
A study funded by the Indian Council for Medical Research last year on 2,750 subjects in the age group of 18-40 years in select urban communities across India showed an alarming rate of technology dependency.
Another study conducted by marketing agency Digital Clarity in the UK determined that about 16% of 18- to 25-year-olds displayed symptoms of net addiction.
Although internet addiction is not formally recognized in India as a mental illness, but according to BookMeIn, an online marketplace for services, it has witnessed a surge in the number of cases of internet/computer/e-shopping/ games/mobile addiction. Availability of consultants online, however, has made the rehabilitation process easier and made it comfortable for the patients to connect with their doctors.
Siddharth Dalal, co-founder of BookMeIn, who spoke to NextBigWhat says that his company is working with psychologists for the past 6-7 months to educate people about the issue, as he believes awareness is the only way out of the predicament.
“When we started, we had 3-4 such queries in a month, now we average that in a week,” he says.
He is been running social media campaigns and is even planning to conduct workshops for students in schools and colleges starting in Mumbai to build awareness.
He says that excessive internet usage can create dependence and addiction, neurologically and physically.
Few know that the late Apple chief Steve Jobs didn’t let his own children have iPads. “They haven’t used it. We limit how much technology our kids use at home,” he is quoted to have said.
Walter Isaacson, the author of Steve Jobs, a biography which was adapted into a film said in an interview to New York Times that, “every evening Steve made a point of having dinner at the big long table in their kitchen, discussing books and history and a variety of things. “No one ever pulled out an iPad or a computer,” he said. “The kids did not seem addicted at all to devices.”
We cannot stop the internet, or stop people from using it, but what we can do is to find a balance and to put a break. That’s what we can do and need to do, he opines.


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Orange France has launched its first commercial 4G-LTE network in Paris, with plans to extend the service to 15 cities by early April, including Bordeaux, La Rochelle, Chartres, Orleans, Dunkirk, Nancy, Metz, Clermont-Ferrand, Grenoble and Annecy. The market-leading operator has been previously testing 4G in Marseille, Lyon, Nantes and Lille, where the network has been working for few months.
Initially, the LTE network covers the Paris Opera area while the full, city-wide coverage is expected by the end of the year.
When it comes to compatible devices, Orange is offering five smartphones — the Samsung, Samsung Galaxy Note II, Nokia Lumia 920, SV and Sony Xperia Z (coming soon) — as well as a tablet (Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1) and modem (Huawei E5776).
Rival SFR was the first French operator to commercially launch LTE with its network going live in Lyon and Montpellier before Christmas.
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Bloomberg reports that Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) is working with Goldman Sachs Group (GS) to help the embattled Internet co. defend against a possible takeover bid from AOL (AOL) and private-equity firms Blackstone Group (BX) and Silver Lake Partners who are exploring the possibility of buying the Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company.
News Corp. (NWSA) is another possible buyer, too, according to the report. The idea is that Yahoo, who snubbed a $47.5 billion buyout offer from software giant Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) in 2008, should concentrate on being a media company and align itself with another media-focused company.
One scenario under discussion, according to other sources, among the PE firms is a “complex deal in which China’s Alibaba Group would buy back Yahoo’s roughly 40% stake in Alibaba, ” Yahoo’s stake may be worth as much as $10 billion. Then, some of Yahoo’s other assets “would also be sold off to interested media or technology companies, and the remaining company would be of a much smaller valuation that private-equity firms could get financing for.”
With rumors about takeover plans swirling around, Yahoo’s stock has begun to soar. The co.’s stock surged as much as 10 percent in early morning trading, printing the biggest intraday gain in five months. That’s on top of a 5.7% gain on Wednesday.
While Yahoo hasn’t been approached about a deal yet, notes Bberg, the co. has been working with advisers for about two weeks to field any approach.
Yahoo, who has been testing the patience of its shareholders for the past four years — the stock has fallen almost 50 percent since 2008 –, reports earnings on Tuesday.
At last check, YHOO shares, whose market value stand at less than $22 billion, were up $0.73 to $15.96, a gain of 4.66%. Today’s volume: nearly 80 million shares have traded hands as of 11:30 a.m. ET. The tickers’ average volume over the last 3 months is 21.01 million shares.
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In this photo illustration, the image of Elon Musk is displayed on a computer screen and the twitter logo on a mobile phone in Ankara, Turkiye on October 6, 2022.
Muhammed Selim Korkutata | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Twitter appears to have discontinued its $7.99-per-month Blue subscription service, which allowed people to pay for a verification check after users abused it to impersonate brands and famous people.
Twitter launched the service earlier this week in its iPhone app, allowing users to purchase a checkmark previously used to indicate that an account was verified or official. As of Friday, the iPhone app will no longer show an option to sign up for Twitter Blue.
The rapid shutdown of the service suggests that, at least for now, CEO Elon Musk’s grand plan to generate new revenue from users is not working as expected.
The paid subscription service led to a plethora of pranksters on Twitter creating fake accounts. It made the platform even more ripe for misinformation, and many cheaply obtained ticks were used to impersonate brands, politicians and celebrities with unflattering messages.
A current sales associate at Twitter said the company decided to pull the Twitter Blue verification in response to the wave of impersonators.
The employee, who asked to remain unnamed because they were not authorized to speak on Twitter’s behalf, said an account similar to pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly caused a serious problem when it tweeted: “We are excited to announce that insulin is now is free.”
The tweet remained on the social media platform for hours before it was taken down. The real Eli Lilly account tweeted later: “We apologize to those who received a misleading message from a fake Lilly account.”
Eli Lilly’s stock price plummeted after the fake message was posted, and so did other pharmaceutical companies, including AbbVie, which was also mimicked on Twitter. At the time, major stock indices were positive amid a market rally.
An impersonator was also pilloried Tesla, Elon Musk’s electric car maker with the blue checkmark for paid subscribers. An account with the handle that appeared as “@TeslaReal” wrote a series of disparaging tweets, one of which said, “Frankly, the 53% drop in stock price is not fading.[sic] U.S. If anyone knows anything about Crashing, it’s us.”
The effect of so many changes to the Twitter platform is a major problem for advertisers, some of whom have already paused their spending there.
In addition, some users who have already paid for the service said their recently acquired blue ticks have disappeared from their accounts.
A Twitter spokesperson was not immediately available for comment. Musk was not immediately available for comment.
The rollback of Twitter Blue Verified comes at a time when Musk and Alex Spiro, who now serves as Twitter’s top attorney, are working to reassure employees, advertisers and regulators that they will abide by all the laws and terms of a previous FTC act. consent decision.
Elon Musk wrote in a company-wide email obtained by CNBC Thursday evening: “I cannot stress enough that Twitter will do whatever it takes to abide by both the letter and spirit of the FTC consent decree. reading otherwise is absolutely inaccurate. The same is true for all other government regulatory affairs where Twitter operates.”
Spiro said in another email that followed that his team met with FTC regulators on Thursday and that Twitter will soon have its “first upcoming compliance check” with the agency. He stressed that Twitter itself, not “persons who work at Twitter” would be held liable for any violations.
As NBC News previously reported, an exodus of Twitter executives since Musk took over has included the departure of Yoel Roth, the company’s head of trust and security, and head of information security, Lea Kessner, and many others involved in infrastructure. , trust and security.


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DALLAS -- The Dallas Police Department upgraded its canine division, thanks to a joint promotion between Tom Thumb here and Milk-Bone brand dog biscuits.
In the promotion, Nabisco, the East Hanover, N.J.-based manufacturer of Milk-Bone, donated 35 cents from each box of small, medium and large Milk-Bone biscuits purchased at Tom Thumb toward the purchase of a police dog. The promotion raised $4,500 to buy Queno, a German shepherd, for the department.
Officials at Tom Thumb and its parent company, Randalls Food Markets, Houston, where a similar promotion was also held, referred calls to Nabisco.
Leslie Griffin, manager of customer marketing at Nabisco's regional office here, helped coordinate the event.
According to Griffin, other such joint promotions were also conducted at several chains supplied by Fleming Cos., Oklahoma City, including Randalls/Tom Thumb.
Other retailers who participated included Clemens Markets, Kulpsville, Pa.; Abco Foods, Phoenix; Super Saver, Waukesha, Wis.; Consumers Markets, Springfield, Mo.; and Super Kmart stores in Ohio.
Griffin said the promotion has proven to be a "win-win-win" for the supermarket, Nabisco and the local police force.
"The supermarkets win because they get the product on display and we support it with space funding for a temporary price reduction. They reap all of the benefits from the public relations because the dogs are donated in the account's name," she said.
Some accounts have done a wonderful job promoting the effort on their own, Griffin said. "For example, Consumers Markets had a coloring contest for the kids and also held a contest to name the dog," said Griffin.
Tonya Jansson, manager of customer sales at Nabisco's Houston office, said the Randalls/Tom Thumb promotion included extensive in-store advertising, including pallet displays and point-of-sale materials explaining the promotion.
"Prior to the donation, Randalls ran a Saturday [newspaper] editorial talking about the need for police dogs and the unique promotion that we did with them," she said.
Sergeant Jim Chandler of the Dallas Police Department said Queno received a tremendous amount of media coverage when he was presented to the department at a ceremony in front of a Tom Thumb store.
"It is a feel-good story. Queno will be the 11th member of our canine squad," Chandler said.
He noted that Queno is a "true" German shepherd, imported from Germany, who understands only German commands. As a result, his new handler, senior corporal Alex Garcia, had to take German lessons.
"Queno will start out as a patrol dog and then, depending on his nature, he could be cross trained on narcotics detection or explosives detection," Chandler said.
Griffin has received a lot of positive feedback from police forces across the country and hopes to expand the Milk-Bone police dog program nationally next year.


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Non-essential shops, hair salons, gyms back in business
Non-essential retail shops, hair and beauty providers, gyms and leisure centres are among the businesses that are reopening their premises to the public across the country today following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. Cinemas, museums and galleries will also be able to reopen, but pubs serving food and restaurants will remain closed until Friday. After six weeks shut and with Christmas approaching, pent up consumer demand for in-store shopping and many services is expected to be strong. Retail Ireland is predicting that €1.2 billion will be spent in retail outlets this December over and above a normal month.


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A MACCLESFIELD company has hit a winning streak after a visit to US gambling capital Las Vegas.
The two-man business, Fastrak Consultants is basking in the limelight after scooping a best product award at a prestigious trade show, and has also picked up initial orders worth é35,000 with more in the pipeline.
"The company took the Las Vegas event by storm, walking away with the best product award and now things are about to get very exciting for them," said Judith Kyle, an international trade advisor for UK Trade & Investment based at Business Link Cheshire and Warrington, which gave the company support with its exhibition at the Global Shop event.
Its innovative system of under-lighting for products in stores won the award at the show, which attracts leading names from the retail industry around the world.
And it has secured new orders from Canada and America through contacts made there.
"There can't be many people who return from Vegas in profit, so we are naturally delighted," said John Barrett, who with partner Steve Matthews set up the company in 2001.
It works with manufacturers and retailers to design and develop products including merchandising stands and packaging.
"The visit has proved very fruitful already and the potential for our products is huge. Ultimately I am confident that we can build an export market worth $10m," said John.
The star of the show was its patented Illuminator shelf-lighting system, based on the same principal of lighting found in a theatre, designed to put products in the limelight.
It has the added advantage that it can be clipped on to a shelf in seconds without the need for drilling or screwing and particularly lends itself to cosmetics and other up-market products, says Mr Barrett.
Fastrak hits Las Vegas jackpot
A MACCLESFIELD company has hit a winning streak after a visit to US gambling capital Las Vegas. The two-man business, Fastrak Consultants is basking in the limelight after scooping a best product award at a prestigious trade show.


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I recently interviewed Marc Lustig, MSC, MBA, former Chairman and CEO of Origin House that was bought by Cresco Labs Inc. (OTCQX: CRLBF) (CSE: CL) in an all-stock deal. His measured enthusiasm when he speaks about his vision for the cannabis industry leads me to reiterate my recommendations made in earlier articles that investors ought to follow my lead and buy CRLBF shares.
A buyer is not chasing the share price down in the current fall nearer to its 52-weeks low of $4.47 than its high +14. They are taking advantage when there is "blood on the street." The nascent legal cannabis industry is in a state of viridity beset by extrinsic factors: e.g., airy promises of spiking profits, a combative Federal government and timorous financiers clenching to restrictive regulations affecting bank lending, cash deposits, credit card processing, stock trading and investing in cannabis companies; local authorities in most jurisdictions pursue prosecutions for possession, reports about the health hazards of vaping are worrisome, and there is the convolution of medical and recreational approaches to cannabis classifications and value assessments.
The Only Limits are Those of Vision
Jeff Bezos and Warren Buffett both talk about vision as the core essential to success. Numbers, valuations, willingness to be a disrupter and luck are all important. My father repeatedly told me, "Success requires 80 percent mazel and 20 percent common sense." Bezos tells entrepreneurs, listen to critics but "You say, 'No we believe in this vision,' then you just stay heads downs, stay focused and you build out your vision." Lustig has the vision and the leadership at Cresco Labs is building out their vision.
He grew Origin House to become California's largest legal cannabis distributor selling allied products and the owner of more than 50 name brands. Today, Marc is a board member at, capital lender to and significant shareholder of CRLBF. Cresco Labs now owns the largest legal cannabis distributor in the biggest marijuana market in the world where there is a 105 year tradition of legal marijuana since becoming the first state in the nation to make possession legal.
From the interview, I draw a picture of Cresco Labs' strategy for growth and profitability. Cresco Labs seems to be following the Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) business trail. If you believe in Amazon invest in CRLBF.
Money Makes the World Go 'Round
Lustig stresses the point that the first need of any company is hard cash and for the long term. Suffice to say, Amazon began by selling books over the Internet. The approach was not in vogue. He borrowed money from his parents to launch after answering his father's question, "What's the Internet?"
Cannabis companies are experiencing the effects of tight regulations; large and small, older and newbies are experiencing a cash crunch. Cresco Labs holds about a one-year-long cash runway. According to Lustig, "The biggest key right now to this market is which companies have cash, which have ongoing access to cash and which don't. That is the lifeblood."
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Some are likely to be bought out or fold in the coming 12-18 months. Others are going to institute cost-reduction measures at a time when the industry has spotty inventory and expanding demand. According to Lustig, there is plenty of cultivation and product in California because licenses are relatively easy to get. This is a real positive for Cresco Labs.
Cresco Labs is probably going to lengthen the cash runway term in 2020 when better financials are reported and share price begins bounding from the undervalued share price. I estimate it to be between $16 and $35. Meanwhile, one major competitor is resetting itself with a new CEO, eliminating 500 jobs, drastically scaling-back expenses, and narrowing the market focus for tight liquidity.
Illinois, home-base of Cresco Labs, "logged $39.2M of adult-use recreational marijuana sales in January (2020)…the second-highest sales per capita during the first full month of legalization among eight other states where adults can buy pot for recreational use." Cresco Labs is expecting to close on a ~$300M acquisition in Nevada in the first half of 2020 where recreational sales reach $900M and medical marijuana sales are $60M.
Financing transactions in the global cannabis industry totaled roughly $500 million in the first quarter of 2019, compared to about $2.75 billion in the prior quarter, according to figures from Canaccord Genuity. That dearth of available capital likely means 70 percent of all pot firms will go bankrupt or insolvent within the next several years.
Others will seek M&A partnering with more stable companies that can only bode well for CRLBF. Lustig argues undercapitalized cannabis companies will strain under greater pressures nearing the day when the federal government either legalizes pot or decides simply it is a state's rights issue; cannabis as a commoditized product selling in a more competitive environment means companies have to have ready access to cash. States legalizing pot do so under strict regulations and limitations but that is likely to change.
State officials are legalizing marijuana for medical and recreational use because they want the tax money. Some hold altruistic beliefs: medical marijuana is demonstrating health, medical and psychological benefits, cannabis helps with seizures, nausea from chemotherapies, and too many young people, especially from minority communities, are overpopulating the prison system.
Be in the Marijuana Business Not Real Estate
Here is what management has been doing to raise cash at Cresco Labs. They turned to a core of insiders including Lustig to lend the company hundreds of millions of dollars. The primary downside to this loan is the high-interest Cresco Labs pays for the money (~13%). Traditional lenders and investors caper about the marijuana industry but resistance is fading. A survey of bankers last year reports their support for Federal legislation so they are able to do business with the "pregnant with potential," multi-billion dollar cannabis industry.
There are other downsides for Cresco Labs; sluggish growth in California of legal dispensaries (approaching 600 compared to Colorado with +1000 and 15% of California's population). State and local taxes amount to some 23% on sales of pot in California. Nevertheless, the California cannabis market is worth nearly $3B annually of which Origin House enjoys ~60% market penetration.
Management is turning assets to cash through the sale-and-leaseback of properties. In Ohio and Michigan deals CRLBF raise ~$38M. CEO Charlie Bachtell made it clear last November that Cresco Labs is in the marijuana business, not real estate.
Cresco Labs agreed to sell up to $55M of subordinate voting shares in the company. The share price tumbled proportionately.
These actions were taken to expand both the infrastructure and inventory. Past revenue growth has been astronomical and it is expected to continue. When Bezos talked about vision, he also insists that management must adapt strategies to fulfill growth and customer expectations.
Cresco Labs is forecast to have better than industry annual revenue growth and annual earnings. Marc expects CRLBF will hit $1B in annual revenue soon. Analysts are estimating reported revenues of ~$132M for FY'19 popping to +$500M in FY'20 with recent acquisitions including Massachusetts-based Hope Heal Health.
Leadership, Branding, Manufacturing, Distribution
Amazon was uninhibited, frenetic, unstoppable, but no one in management were braggarts. The team remains leaders in retailing. The team leading Cresco Labs has a vision, rarely gives interviews, and the company may be undervalued in part because it operates largely under the media radar. Peter Drucker once said, "Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things." At Cresco Labs the leadership team plugs along building market share in important target markets, raising cash, popularizing their brand names, and like Amazon by expanding, Cresco Labs is positioning the company to constantly increase in size and turn a profit. The market is growing because the public believes, according to Lustig, the pot is not as harmful as it was deemed to be for so many decades. "I challenge anybody to find someone not using cannabis in some way to help them sleep or for pain or some other use."
Marc tells me he is still convinced cash and branding are the keys to success. "Branding is hugely important…In my opinion, building brand recognition is the single biggest opportunity for Cresco Labs and other high-quality cannabis companies especially in the US and especially in California." The license acquired along with other assets of Hope Heal Health allows Cresco Labs to continue selling medical marijuana but also selling brands owned by CRLBF to the growing adults-use market both retail and wholesale. Cresco Labs is expected to build fast and furious on top of the $450M in sales the previous administration of the Massachusetts firm was able to hit in part by adding its brands, Remedi and Mindy's Edibles to the inventories in the 40 dispensaries across the state. People buy brands claims Lustig. It is what creates long-term value.
Distributing products is the most effective and efficient means for building market share. Marc makes no secret of his opinion that it is best to model the cannabis business after the tobacco and alcohol industries, i.e., be distributors. Perhaps this is one reason Cresco Labs hired Greg Butler, former Molson Coors (NYSE: TAP) marketing executive, to be the Chief Commercial Officer.
Don't fret over owning the land where cannabis is grown any more than brewers own the land on which hops are grown, Lustig argues. Cannabis companies will do best in owning the brands, manufacturing them, maintain strict quality control, and controlling their distribution to maximize sales through market penetration and long-term value. But the effectiveness of this approach depends on local and state regulations over which companies have had little control. These regulations will change as the industry becomes more effective lobbyists.
One example is the packaging. Packaging strongly identifies the brand. One of my students told me in preparing for the interview with Marc, that
Marijuana at Cresco Labs' dispensaries in Illinois first was packaged in long, colored, plastic tube containers in which only the flower was able to be seen. Worse, little bits of pot was hard to get out because of the long tube. Now they've switched to short, wide, frosted glass containers, which is nicer and a more convenient container but you still can't see the flower. It's like pot culture 101 to look at the flower before selecting which to buy. Why would they take that away from people?
Marc responded that is a perfect example of over-regulation from the state. If the regulations stymie sales thus tax collections, they will fade away.
One final note demonstrating leadership. Amazon is criticized for its sluggish inclusion toward diversity in leadership and decision-making offices. So, too, the marijuana industry finds Black entrepreneurs struggling to break into the legal business. Cresco Labs is due kudos for launching a community business incubator program for minority-owned cannabis companies. Cresco Labs is providing technical and financial assistance to minorities applying for licenses and launching craft growing businesses. That thinking and action define the difference between management and leadership of which shareholders of Cresco Labs can be proud.
Cash, leadership, branding, and focusing on distributing marijuana are the company's strengths.
Eventually, the cost of capital will come down. The Federal government and states will end intimidating traditional lenders. They cannot afford the costs of incarcerating people or resist the cash flow from taxes. The day the walls of resistance fall Cresco labs will be ready and their investors will flourish. Concomitantly, headlines like "Olivia Newton-John winning breast cancer battle as tumors shrunk thanks to marijuana," bolster sales. So does bad weed bought on the black market.
These extrinsic factors turn into higher valuations for companies; the cost of capital comes down, arbitrage plays out with banks, hedge funds, venture funds, and investors are allowed to buy cannabis stocks through traditional traders. Looking to the future, Lustig argues that long term, the universe we see today with disparate laws in disparate states will go away and they will look more like California. The company making the investment early on in distribution, from warehouses to wholesalers, directly to stores, with recognizable packaging and sparking brand recognition sets a good insurance policy for success. Bigger is better at this stage. Cresco Labs appears to be right at this intersection building for the right time.


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[photopress:logistics_korean_air.jpg,full,alignright]A joint venture between Korean Air and Sinotrans Air Transportation Development is expected to be launched as Galaxy International in the first half of this year.
Kim Dae-heui, Korean Air’s general manager for cargo in China said Galaxy International will be based at Tianjin Binhai International Airport.
Korean Air, the world’s largest commercial cargo airline, first announced plans in 2006 to set up a cargo joint venture with Sinotrans Air, a subsidiary of Sinotrans, China’s biggest logistics company. So it is two of the largest players in the air cargo logistics getting together in possibly the world’s largest market.
The cargo joint venture has registered capital of $65 million, with Sinotrans Air controlling a 51% stake and Korean Air holding 25%. The remainder is held by two South Korean investment companies — Hana Capital and Shinhan Capital.
Kang Kyoo-won, Korean Air’s managing vice-president for China, said, ‘Sinotrans Air’s domestic network and Korean Air’s extensive international network will be complementary.’
The South Korean carrier’s cargo business in China accounted for 25% of its total cargo revenue last year.
With annual growth of 17% in the past decade, China has become one of the world’s fastest growing air cargo markets. Route network details for Galaxy International are not yet available.
Source: China Daily


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According to International Data Corp, the total spending on Cloud Computing is estimated to grow by 15.3% this year
The company says the move will help them provider better services to the fast growing Asia-Pacific market
The company suffered a DDoS attack earlier today which rendered about 500,000 Australian websites inaccessible
Says Jamie Woodruff, Technical Director – Metrix Cloud LTD and Europe’s No. 1 Ethical Hacker
Says security expert Michiel Steltman, Director of DINL (Digitale Infrastructuur Nederland)
Dan Schindler is the Co-Founder And Executive Vice President, Business Development at Donuts
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Honda Rebel 500
Kia Sonet Kia QYI
2020 Hyundai i20
Royal Enfield Meteor 350
Toyota's Indian small car shaping up in killer manner; Petrol, Diesel engines confirmed
24/02/2009 - 01:07
] Japanese automobile legend Toyota is getting aggressive ahead of its small car launch in India, scheduled for late next year. According to reports and sources Toyota has plan
2009 Tata Indigo- Quick recap and what to expect
22/02/2009 - 21:23
By Ragav Ramesh Thus far- While the buzz has started to create ahead of the launch of 2009 Tata Indigo, IAB has always been the first to get you the latest happenings about the Tata Indigo..
Rendering- Redesigned VW Polo which will roll out of Chakan in 2010
29/01/2009 - 01:28
A renewed Volkswagen Polo hatchback and a sedan based on the Polo will roll out of VW's Chakan Plant in Pune in 2010. VW's Chakan plant will start functioning in April, producing sister compan..
Ford- Small car Verve-based; Market conditions have no impact on plans
26/01/2009 - 11:56
Regardless of the lethargic sales of passenger cars in India and a forecast that's even more cloudy, Ford has announced it's small car plans remain undisturbed. “We have a strong plan for India,..
Low Cost Brand from Fiat for Europe- Possible partnership with Tata Motors
29/11/2008 - 16:57
Low Cost Brand for Europe from Fiat Italian car maker Fiat is planning to launch a new low cost brand in Europe and bring to the market, three models under a new low-cost brand tag. Pricing would be..
Hyundai Verna a.k.a. Accent is USA's Least Expensive Car
27/11/2008 - 21:45
[singlepic=392,320,240,,] Cheap car news for those who bargain at car showrooms! The battle for the coveted title of 'Least Expensive car in USA' has finally reached climax! The Hyundai..
Close to 2000 bookings for New Honda City in India
24/10/2008 - 17:42
Honda has earned a repute for itself in India from its ultra reliable cars and of course, their sporty character (excluding the older City). The new City is no different and in spite its stiffer..
Honda City Diesel and Jazz Diesel might happen
10/10/2008 - 18:25
Since its debut in 1995 with the Honda City, Honda has never thought about a diesel car. Despite the lack of a diesel engine, Honda could somehow entice the consumers with its ultra smooth petrol..
Renault Kiger render shows expected features of production-ready model
Honda City Hatchback details revealed, to feature 1.0L turbo-petrol engine
Top 5 Upcoming Tata Motors Cars in India - Altroz EV, Gravitas and More
Ford Ranger pickup truck (Isuzu D-Max V-Cross rival) spied testing in India
2021 Honda City Hatchback unveiled in Thailand, India launch unlikely
2021 Toyota Innova Crysta with visual upgrades & new features launched


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As one wag put it at last year’s Mobile World Congress, “There sure are a load of mobile phones at this car show.” While drivers focused on the cars in Barcelona this year, the industry has been diving into the details of vehicle autonomy. And, as with so much at MWC19, says Jeremy Cowan, 5th Generation (5G) mobile communications is at the heart of it.
During #MWC19 the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) gathered experts from the automotive, technology and telecom industries to explain how the deployment of ‘Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything’ (C-V2X) communication technology on the path to 5G is shaping future mobility. LTE-V2X, the initial version of C-V2X, is now close to commercial launch. It will allow vehicles to communicate with each other and their surroundings and, together with 5G enhancements, will facilitate broad improvements in road safety.
C-V2X communication is the new, high-speed cellular communications platform that enables vehicles to communicate with one another, with roadside infrastructure, and other road users (such as pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists). It uses either direct short-range communications or cellular networks. While C-V2X network-based solutions are already widely deployed, direct communication solutions will be commercially available this year. The C-V2X platform is intended to deliver safety, mobility, traffic efficiency, and environmental benefits. C-V2X is designed with an evolutionary path to 5G.
“By bringing together key actors of the mobility ecosystem – across the automotive, information and communications technology industries – 5GAA continuously strives to develop forward-looking solutions for intelligent transportation services. Both for today and tomorrow,” says Thierry Klein, 5GAA vice chair and head of the Disruptive Innovation Program at Nokia Bell Labs. “These end-to-end integrated solutions bring enhanced safety, sustainability, and convenience to all road users. 5GAA is very excited to be pioneering the revolution towards a smarter and more connected mobility world,” he adds.
Tesla speeds away from horrors of 2018
Tesla may wish to forget much about 2018, with troubles ranging from production bottlenecks that some Wall Street analysts predicted would bring the company down, through dwindling cash reserves and ill-advised tweets, to a joint smoked too publicly by CEO, Elon Musk. But, with assistance from some astute car-making hires in the second half of the year, the company is putting 2018 behind it and now claims to be producing around 1,000 of the well-received Model 3s a week. It hopes to manage 7,000 a week before 2019 is out.
Tesla showed its new-to-Europe electric sports utility vehicle (SUV), the Model X on its stand in Barcelona. Forget what you know about Tesla’s sizing from the Model S, this is a big vehicle with seating for seven. It also feels a step up in production quality. Yes, there’s still a disappointing ‘ting’ when you close the door (particularly with the frameless windows down) that you won’t find in comparable vehicles from other premium car makers like Audi, BMW and Mercedes, but the interior ambience from switchgear, dashboard, seating and the huge central screen are a notable improvement.
The company is not short of ambition. It is putting the finishing touches to its launch plans for Model Y (Tesla’s Models are S, 3, X, Y – see what they did there?), a smaller SUV based on the same platform and many of the same parts as the 3. It also has plans for a truck (a semi, for US readers), a pick-up and a new roadster.
Mobile operators collaborate on solutions for car makers
Meanwhile, mobile network operators are getting their act together in readiness for 5G. AT&T and Vodafone Business are working together to accelerate Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity and innovation in the automotive industry. The Tier-1 operators will bring together their expertise to develop connected car solutions and experiences for customers that they say will be “superior and consistent” across their combined footprints in North America, Europe and Africa.
Vehicle makers face numerous challenges when deploying connected car solutions across countries. Each market has different requirements and regulations, and it can be complicated for automakers to work across multiple network operators and vendors. So, the goal is to simplify the deployment process, improve operations, deliver innovative solutions, and make the network certification process easier.
“This alliance with Vodafone Business is a natural extension of our existing relationship,” says Chris Penrose, president, Internet of Things Solutions, AT&T. “We each have rich experience in connected vehicle technology. By working together, we can innovate faster and help our global customers bring connectivity, entertainment and telematics to more vehicles across our respective footprints.”
This is echoed by Stefano Gastaut, IoT director, Vodafone Business, who says, “Our work with AT&T will benefit automotive manufacturers and their customers around the world as we simplify processes and provide a consistent experience to accelerate IoT adoption in this fast-moving market. As technology complexity increases, this is the right time to make technology adoption easier for the automotive industry to help them achieve their business outcomes.”
The companies say they will prioritise projects to enhance safety, security and entertainment capabilities. The key areas of focus will be:
5G and autonomous vehicle technology
V2X capabilities (vehicle-to-everything)
Connected car applications and services
Global service quality models
Connected car/ smart cities intersection.
The author is Jeremy Cowan, editorial director of IoT Now and VanillaPlus.


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Cargo Growth Forecasted for the Port of Houston
After a 73-day journey aboard the specialized heavy-lift ship Zhen Hua 13, four new Super Post-Panamax container cranes have arrived at the Port of Houston Authority’s Barbours Cut Container Terminal.
The new electric 30-story high cranes are manufactured in South Korea and can lift and lower a loaded container at twice the speed of the cranes currently in use at the Barbours Cut facility. Each new crane weighs 1,505 tons, which, according to the Port, is more than double when compared to the 635 tons of the previous cranes.
The cranes are the largest ever built by South-Korea based company, Konecranes, and are 289 feet high with a lift height of 204 feet. The cranes will handle ships 22 containers wide.
The new cranes — which are part of an on-going $700 million upgrade of the port’s container facilities — are currently being tested and will be fully operational within the next few weeks.
CONTAINER VOLUME SURGES AS NEW CRANES ARRIVE
“As part of a significant upgrade of our Barbours Cut Container Terminal, these new Super Post-Panamax cranes will accommodate the significantly larger vessels that will be calling on our container terminals after the expansion of the Panama Canal,” said Port Commission Chairman Janiece Longoria.According to the Port of Houston Authority Harbor Commission, arrival of the new cranes show a 46 percent surge of container cargo moving through the port when compared between April of 2014 and April of 2015.Total cargo tonnage for April 2015 grew by 23 percent, with steel imports growing 40 percent when compared to April a year ago.
Year to date, Houston has handled more than 13 million tons of cargo, an increase of 11 percent for the year. While import steel continues to exceed projections and is up by more than 56 percent for the year through April, the port expects “some leveling in May,” the commission said.


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JEFFERSON CITY – The Riley Auto Group just celebrated its 85th anniversary in September. On Friday, it announced the sale of Riley Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac, Riley Toyota and Riley Collision Center to Drewing Automotive Group of Columbia.
I’m here in Jefferson City where the Riley Auto Group in a press release announced the sale of Riley Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac, Riley Toyota and Riley Collision Center to Drewing Automotive Group. @KOMUnews pic.twitter.com/po1ti0a43l— Grayson Rainey (@GraysonRainey12) October 15, 2021
For some Jefferson City residents, the Riley family is a household name.
“The Rileys have always been a prominent family in Jefferson City," Caleb Crocker, a Riley Auto Group customer said. "They’ve always been a well-respected family in Jeff City.”
Jason Holtmeyer said he bought his truck from Riley Auto Group. He said it's hard to believe the business would be sold.
"I didn't think they'd ever sell," Holtmeyer said. "Riley has a great reputation for customer service."
Crocker said he grew up with the kids of Riley Chevrolet's owner.
“I’ve pretty much known them since we were kids," Crocker said.
Crocker said he's familiar with the family for a different reason too.
"They’re always sponsoring baseball, youth sports teams and you see their name everywhere around town.”
Crocker said he respects how much the business has given back to the community throughout the years.
“You just kind of have to have a lot of respect for a company like that, that is willing to not just provide a service to the community but also reinvest in the community," Crocker said.
Crocker said he's always felt accommodated by the company's employees.
“When you walk in there you’re not going to get treated like just another person coming down the line," Crocker said.
After many years and many different cars, Crocker said the way he's been treated has never changed.
“The salespeople that I’ve dealt with at Riley, they know me by name when I come in," Crocker said. "Even years after purchasing a vehicle they will always know me by name.”
Although Crocker said he's disappointed to see the company's name go, he said he's hopeful the Riley family will continue to see success in the community.
“It’s a little disheartening and I’m a little upset to see them go, but I wish them the best of luck in their endeavors," Crocker said.
The sale is expected to close in December. The new dealerships will operate under the names of Rusty Drewing Toyota and Rusty Drewing Chevrolet Buick GMC Cadillac.


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Award-winning music performer, Mr Eazi launches a fund to invest in the future stars of Africa. The Africa Music Fund (AMF) was worth $20million, stated by Mr Eazi. The lead investor is 88 mph, a company that capitalizes African companies. Via AMF, the 29-year-old Nigerian artist claims that he wants to establish a modern platform to support the music business on the continent. Mr Eazi pointed out that the financial encouragement for the musicians to expand their catalogs is one of the key factors for promoting albums. Most consumers and financial companies don’t grasp the music industry and thus can not support artists properly, he added.
Based on current sales and estimated revenue, chosen musicians may earn support utilizing measures including streaming income. Artists are provided with funds early on to expand their content on the basis of their revenue. When the artist’s sales increase, he said, the original advance spent in the music of an artist shall be charged in increments.
He said that the AMF would also provide a broader audience exposure to music events by helping them to discover and sell their songs, through helping them locate and book shows. Mr Eazi reports that his parent firm emPawa Africa is going to introduce Cinch Distro, a music streaming site for emerging artists in collaboration with music technology company Vydia.
Through Cinch Distro, artists are able to upload a song for 500 naira or 4,000 naira (around $10) in unlimited song uploads to big music stores. The artists effectively distribute their music through the platform and track their production.
The AMF is not Mr Eazi’s first venture in music and artists around the continent. In 2018 he launched emPawa Africa, a network of incubators supplying musicians with funding and promotion platforms for songs, radio exposure and television airplay and turning people through self-employed songs enterprises. Many of the continent’s most popular musicians, such as Joeboy in Nigeria and Derobie in Ghana, were discovered by emPawa. “I want to look back and satisfy myself by knowing that I’ve contributed to the participation of African equities in the continent ‘s music infrastructures.”
Data source: CNN


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In its ongoing effort to help America Choose Fun and in conjunction with National Plan for Vacation Day, Carnival Cruise Line is offering a solution with savings and discounts aimed at the 55 percent of Americans who don’t use all of their paid vacation days each year.
Using the tag line #TakeTheDays, Carnival is encouraging consumers not to leave their vacation days on the table by offering cruises starting from $59 per person, per day to sunny locales throughout the Caribbean, Bahamas and Mexico and other destinations.
“Studies show that more 768 million vacation days go unused each year. With our #TakeTheDays offering, we’re encouraging consumers to escape the cold, make the most of their vacation time and Choose Fun with Carnival,” said Jayne Andrews, senior director of brand and advertising for Carnival Cruise Line.
Available across the line’s booking channels as well as any travel agent, the National Plan for Vacation Day promotion runs Jan. 28-31 and applies to a wide variety of three- to 17-day sailings from homeports throughout the East and West Coasts, the Gulf of Mexico and Europe.
To book a cruise, call your travel advisor or visit carnival.com.


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Harnessing the appeal of cycling Grand Tours for engaging themed classes – that’s just one of boutique operator Digme Fitness’ eye-catching strategies. Fitness industry observer and cycling enthusiast David Minton climbs into the saddle for its recent Tour de France event.Read More
The company’s streaming service, which allows customers to participate in live workouts or stream recorded ones, has been one of the keys to its success, said David Minton, founder of The Leisure Database Company, a market research firm. Those programs have added an element of fun and interactivity to its equipment that rival gadgets typically haven’t had, he said.Read More
The 2019 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report reveals that the UK health and fitness industry is healthier than it has ever been. It has more gyms, more members and a greater market value than ever before. Several key milestones have been achieved over the last 12 months. The total UK membership has broken the 10 million mark and the industry is now worth more than £5 billion for the first time.Read More
Fitness is getting more fashionable, which is good news for the franchise industry…
There are over 7,000 gyms in the UK for the first time, up by 4.5 per cent year on year, while total membership is approaching 10 million (up two per cent).Read More
Bryan and David, together in Bologna, Italy, for the 20th anniversary of ForumClub, comment upon that country's place in the fitness landscape, where work-life balance is key, and where big companies like TechnoGym call home.Read More
The 1948 Summer Olympics, known as the Austerity Games, took place in London when the country was recovering from war. At this time sports and politics did not mix; Clement Atlee, leader of the Labour Party in 1945-1951, had a mandate to implement post-war reforms but sport was not a priority. As the government had a no sports policy, the Olympics was instead overseen by the British Olympic Authority (BOA) as it is known today.Read More
The health and fitness industry has been slow to adopt aggregators. Are clubs right to be cautious, or are they missing out on business? Kath Hudson finds out more…Read More
Everyone loves listening to music in the gym.
I’ve even arrived at the gym, realised I'd forgotten my earphones and then gone home to get them because the idea of completing an hour workout in silence is just too stressful.Read More
With the days getting shorter and weather getting colder, day-to-day exercises such as walking to the shops will soon be replaced by a quick drive in the car. Instead of having a lovely picnic in the park, you may soon be watching a movie under a blanket.
If you are worried about putting on a few lbs, don't fret! I have you covered.
Follow this 13-minute circuit, 3 times a week to burn calories and define your muscles over the coming months.Read More
How many people can say they go a whole day without thinking about calories and losing weight?
Calories are the body's energy source, it fuels you when completing your daily circuit class, and even when walking to the kitchen to make that morning cup of tea. Still we devote so much time to calorie counting…they’re not the enemy, are they?Read More
The 2018 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report reveals that London has 805 fitness clubs with an estimated total market value of £1.2 billion. The penetration rate is 20%.Read More
Pure Gym and GLL have strengthened their positions as the UK’s leading private and public operators (by number of gyms and members). Pure Gym have become the first operator to reach 200 clubs and impressively passed the 1 million member mark earlier this year. GLL, with 194 gyms, are also likely to break the 200 milestone in the next year.Read More
The 2018 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report reveals that the UK health and fitness industry is continuing to strengthen. It has more gyms, more members and a greater market value than ever before. There are over 7,000 gyms in the UK for the first time, total membership is approaching 10 million and market value is just under £5 billion. The penetration rate remains at 14.9%, so 1 in every 7 people in the UK is a member of a gym.Read More
If you want to work out in a walnut-floored boutique studio with an exclusive handful of classmates dripping in Lululemon finery, you must be prepared to pay for the privilege. And it seems that we are. Our fitness expenditure is spiralling, not just in terms of the amount paid for bespoke classes and personal trainers, but on the high-end clothing we wear to them, the £200 running shoes and the entry fees for ever more glamorous endurance challenges.Read More
Dawn of a Golden Age
The Fitness Industry is thriving in the UK and with a golden age on the horizon, David Minton summarises the latest statistics from LeisureDB for the Health Club Management Handbook.Read More
The UK Fitness club market powers ahead as consumers embrace health and wellness.
Find out more in Project Fitness UK 2018, the definitive new report from Allegra Strategies.Read More
The 2017 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report reveals that the UK health and fitness industry is continuing to grow. This growth is being primarily driven from the private sector, which has more clubs, more members and a greater market value than ever before.
There are now over 9.7 million fitness members in the UK which has boosted the penetration rate to an all-time high of 14.9%. 1 in every 7 people in the UK is a member of a gym.Read More
The 2016 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report reveals that the UK health and fitness industry is continuing to grow. It has more clubs, more members and a greater market value than ever before.Read More


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New ITV show searches for Britain’s Best Bakery
We are excited to announce that two of our star speakers at the Manchester Cake & Bake Show are the judging duo behind ITV’s Britain’s Best Bakery - due to air on ITV1 on Monday 26th November at 4pm.
The new exciting show will continue daily as the judges scour the nation in search of Britain’s Best Bakery!
More than a food competition this series is a celebration of local bakeries around the UK, the delicious goods they produce, their regional specialities and their centuries old baking heritage.
Expert judges Mich Turner MBE (TV chef, author and owner of Little Venice Cake Company) and Peter Sidwell (TV chef, cookery writer and restaurateur) will be sampling the delicacies of the country’s favourite independent, family run and community bakeries, tasting and critiquing their way through breads, cakes, pastries and pies.
The shortlisted bakeries compete in a series of baking challenges that put their skills to the test from organic artisan sour dough breads to the more obscure Bedfordshire clanger and the Lancashire courting cake, and include favourite bakes whose origins lie beyond the UK, such as baklava and bagels.


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The Burgundy feast La Paulée Nordic returns to Stockholm and Operakällaren on March 28 2020. On December 9 a limited amount of Gala Dinner tickets will be released – at a 20% discount.
This is the third year in a row La Paulée Nordic will gather Burgundy lovers at Operakällaren in Stockholm.
On December 9, the La Paulée Nordic team, led by sommelier Jonas Sandberg, will release a limited number of Gala Dinner tickets at 20% discount. So, if you’re planning to join the feast, go to www.lapauleenordic.com and secure your ticket from the “Program & Tickets” page.
The link will be activated on December 9 at 1 pm CET.


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Pressure mounts on RBI to cut policy rate, say experts
With inflation falling to record low levels and industrial growth slipping to below 2 per cent, bankers and economists feel the pressure has increased on the Reserve Bank to cut benchmark interest rate next month.
The six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) headed by RBI Governor Urjit Patel will meet on August 1-2 for the third bi-monthly monetary policy review of 2017-18.
The MPC in its previous review in June had retained the repo rate at 6.25 per cent for the fourth straight time citing risk to inflation.
Private sector Kotak Bank is of the opinion that since the RBI has revised down its inflation trajectory sharply in the June policy, and given that inflation reading, the central bank has some room to be accommodative.
“We expect the MPC to cut repo rate by 25 bps in the August meeting,” the bank said in report.
BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research too expects the MPC to cut rates by 25 basis points (0.25 percentage point).
An SBI report said that most inflation risks are now on the downside and expect the retail inflation to be sub-2 per cent for the next month, sub-3 per cent for August-September and sub-4 per cent for October-November and 4-4.5 per cent between December and March.
For 2017-18, CPI inflation average could thus be below 3.5 per cent with a downward bias, the report added.
The retail inflation, which the RBI mainly factors in while deciding interest rate, has declined to historical low of 1.54 per cent in June. The wholesale price inflation for the month too has dropped to eight month low.
Industry chamber CII is of the view that declining inflation, which has been undershooting the central bank’s inflation target by a large margin, should induce the RBI to resume its rate easing cycle.
CII said it “strongly recommends” a rate cut of 50 basis points in the forthcoming monetary policy to provide a fillip to demand.
Commenting on the retail inflation data, Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian had said the “paradigm shift” in inflationary process has been missed by all, who have made “systematic inflation forecast error”, apparently referring to the RBI.
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Sunday EditionView All
23 Jul 2017 | IANS | New Delhi
Only 349 of 4,862 India's large dams have emergency disaster action plans in place, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India's performance report on flood control and management schemes of the Water Resources Ministry has revealed. "Out of 4,862 large dams, emergency action plans or disaster management plans of only 349 dams, which is seven per cent, were prepared (March 2016)...
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25 Jul 2017 | PNS | HAZARIBAGH
The Hazaribagh district unit of Sanskar Bharti organized Rangoli-Mehndi competition in the premises of Hindu +2 High School. Despite continuous rain 140 participated in the Rangoli competition and 78 in Mehndi competition...


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ABC News reports this morning that JPMorgan Chase is testing a new product in Illinois: the $5 ATM fee. If you use another bank’s debit card to withdraw money from a Chase ATM, you’ll pay five dollars, plus whatever your bank charges for such a transaction. That’s about double the average fee currently charged by most banks.
ABC goes on to say that “Chase also is experimenting with a $4 fee for non-customers in Texas,” while “TD Bank recently stopped reimbursing its customers for fees incurred through the use of other banks’ ATMs,” and “Pittsburgh-based PNC Bank did the same for its free checking account customers.” I’ve heard local news reports this morning that Chase’s four and five dollar ATM fees have begun appearing in Florida as well.
That’s not the only way your beloved debit card is going to be mutilated. Banks are also thinking about imposing $50 or $100 limits on debit card transactions. This will force a lot of people to resume the antique practice of writing paper checks.
That’s really going to change your experience at the gas pump, since you can spend over $50 filling the tank of an economy car these days. Remember when you had to run into the convenience store and stand in line with the people buying donuts and Slurpees to pay in advance, before you pumped your gas? And if you wanted to fill up, you had to hand over extra money, run out to pump your gas, and come back to get your change? Those days are coming back. Hello, 1979, my old friend. I’ve come to talk with you again.
You might retain some convenience at the gas station if you use a credit card, instead of your crippled debit card… if you can use your credit card. Banks have been issuing fewer cards, and dramatically lowering the credit limits on existing accounts.
You’ll want to be careful about writing too many of those quaint paper checks, because another modern convenience set to disappear, as the consumer clock rolls back thirty years, is the free checking account. Fox News reported back in February that Fifth Third Bank has scrapped free checking entirely, while JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and many smaller banks are testing new fee structures or abandoning rewards programs. If you’re too young to remember how banking worked back in Grandpa’s day, you usually paid a flat fee for your checking account privileges, plus a surcharge if you wrote too many checks in a given month.
Why is all this happening? For the same reason this annoying nonsense always happens: because government “reformers” are slapping new regulations on banks, designed to limit their profits and keep them from “gouging” customers. You can tart this kind of regulation up with as much flowery language as you like, but it boils down to price controls, and the ironclad law of price controls is that they ultimate make things more expensive, because they reduce quality.
In this case, financial regulations making their way through Congress are designed to cap the maximum fee banks can charge for debit card transactions at 12 cents. Transaction fees are currently expressed as a percentage of the withdrawal or purchase. 12 cents is about half what the banks are currently pulling in from the average transaction, and much less than they would earn from large purchases that run into hundreds of dollars.
Those transaction fees add up to about $16 billion in annual revenue for the banks. The new regulations are poised to make half that income disappear. Of course they’re going to look for other ways to recover it. Goodbye, free checking.
Retail companies have been pushing the new debit card transaction caps because they pay the current fees, and claim they must pass the cost on to customers. That’s undoubtedly true – there ain’t no free lunches. However, the current fee structure is not the product of an evil conspiracy by fatcat bankers out to screw the consumer. It was arrived at through competition between financial institutions. If we want the fees to be lower, we should encourage further competition, not slap price controls on debit card acceptance. The result of the price controls will inevitably and logically be the reduction of the maximum allowable value of each purchase, because the banks have an irresistible incentive to encourage more small transactions and collect more 12 cent fees.
How many times do we have to learn this fundamental lesson of capitalism? It’s all too easy for politicians to rail against the high prices charged by the producers of convenient, high quality products, and score political points by promising to tear the profits from their fat, greedy fingers. The invariable result is the end of convenient, high quality products, once they can no longer be sold in competitive markets for a profit. Reflect on that while you order your next big box of paper checks.


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Tesla Inc has "a decent shot at a record quarter on every level", Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said at the company's annual shareholder meeting on Tuesday, soothing concerns about weak demand for the electric auto maker's sedans.
Musk, speaking at the annual shareholder meeting in California, also said:"if you buy a gasoline auto that is not self-driving, it's like riding a horse and using a flip phone".
Tesla's stock rose 3.6% to $225 in extended trading.
It's unclear how advanced the designs for a submarine auto are, though: it could realistically be anything from a detailed 3D model to a crayon sketch on Elon Musk's fridge.
Chelsea have held Lampard talks but are trying to keep Sarri
It massively lowers expectations for his first team, meaning he's going to get what amounts to a free hit. The Sun , on the other hand, say Chelsea have not made an approach for Lampard and want Sarri to remain.
Tesla previously said it plans to deliver 90,000 to 100,000 vehicles to customers in the second quarter versus 63,000 vehicles in the first.
Musk also hinted that the company has a design for what he called a "submarine vehicle", which he believes would attract a small, yet enthusiastic, market.
The goal is to deliver 360,000 to 400,000 vehicles this year, according to Reuters.
"Sales have far exceeded production and production has been pretty good", he said, adding that in fact there was a good chance Tesla will be able to report a record profit next month after the end of this quarter. While the Model Y is still on track to launch in 2020, the company hopes to unveil its pickup truck toward the end of this summer.