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In looking at the week's main events, DB's Jim Reid writes that the week's highlight is the EU summit on Friday where leaders will gather to discuss the recovery fund. In addition to this, we’ll also see the ECB, the Bank of Japan and others make their latest monetary policy decisions. Meanwhile, earnings season kicks off, including a number of US financials reporting. Economic data includes China’s Q2 GDP reading along with a number of June releases out from the US.
Looking at these in order of importance, the EU leaders summit in Brussels on Friday and into Saturday will discuss the recovery fund in response to the pandemic, as well as the EU’s new long-term budget. The baseline expectations from WS economists is that there will be a deal on the recovery fund at this meeting, but it remains a close call. If an agreement weren’t to be reached there, then they still expect one within weeks. It’s worth remembering that there are number of complex issues to be worked out, including the ratio of grants to loans, with the so-called “frugal four” of the Netherlands, Austria, Sweden and Denmark looking for there to be loans rather than grants. Their support for the fund will be necessary as it requires the unanimous approval of the member states.
The ECB a day earlier should be a non event with maybe some focus on any comments from President Lagarde on the German Constitutional Court, now that the German Bundestag has passed a motion on proportionality. The BoJ meeting on Wednesday should also be a relatively tame affair. Also in the world of central banks the Canadian, Korean and Indonesian policy makers meet and the Fed release their Beige Book on Wednesday.
Moving on to data releases, the main highlight is likely to be China’s Q2 GDP release on Thursday. DB's economists are expecting a notable rebound in GDP growth to +3% year-on-year in Q2, following the -6.8% contraction in Q1. At the same time, there’ll also be the release of retail sales and industrial production for June, where the expectation is for a jump in retail sales of +0.7% yoy in June (vs. -2.8% in May), and IP growth of +4.5% (vs. +4.4% in May).
Turning elsewhere, the US also has a number of data releases out next week, including an increasing amount of hard data for June. The highlights include the June CPI reading on Tuesday, before the industrial production number on Wednesday, retail sales on Thursday, and housing starts and building permits data on Friday, which should give us a clearer indication of how the economy has performed into the end of the quarter. Meanwhile the U.K. sees a number of data releases, including GDP for May, CPI for June, and unemployment in the three months to May. Another thing to look out for in the UK will be the release of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s Fiscal sustainability Report tomorrow, which will present alternative scenarios for the economy and public finances.
Earnings season - which consensus expects to show the biggest EPS drop since the financial crisis - kicks slowly into gear as 32 S&P 500 companies report along with a further 57 from the STOXX 600. The highlights include PepsiCo today, JPMorgan, Citigroup and Wells Fargo tomorrow, UnitedHealth Group, ASML, Goldman Sachs, US Bancorp, BNY Mellon on Wednesday, Johnson & Johnson, Netflix, Bank of America, Abbott Laboratories and Morgan Stanley on Thursday and on Friday, there’s Danaher, Honeywell International and BlackRock.
Below are the key events day by day, courtesy of Deutsche Bank:
- Data: Japan May tertiary industry index, US June monthly budget statement
- Central Banks: BoE Governor Bailey and Fed’s Williams speak
- Earnings: PepsiCo
- Data: China June trade balance, Japan final May industrial production, UK May GDP, Germany final June CPI, Euro Area May industrial production, Germany July ZEW survey, US June NFIB small business optimism index, CPI
- Central Banks: Fed’s Bullard speaks
- Earnings: JPMorgan, Citigroup, Wells Fargo
- Other: UK’s Office for Budget Responsibility publish their Fiscal sustainability report.
- Data: UK June CPI, Italy final June CPI, US weekly MBA mortgage applications, July Empire State manufacturing survey, June industrial production, capacity utilisation, import price index, Canada May manufacturing sales, June existing home sales
- Central Banks: Bank of Japan and Bank of Canada policy decisions, Federal Reserve releases Beige Book, BoE’s Tenreyro and Fed’s Harker speak
- Earnings: UnitedHealth Group, ASML, Goldman Sachs, US Bancorp, BNY Mellon, Infosys
- Data: China Q2 GDP, June industrial production, retail sales, UK May unemployment rate, EU27 June new car registrations, France final June CPI, Euro Area May trade balance, Canada May international securities transactions, US June retail sales, July Philadelphia Fed business outlook, NAHB housing market index, weekly initial jobless claims, May foreign net transactions
- Central Banks: ECB, Bank Indonesia and Bank of Korea policy decisions, BoE’s Haldane and Fed’s Evans and Williams speak
- Earnings: Johnson & Johnson, Netflix, Bank of America, Abbott Laboratories, Morgan Stanley
- Data: Italy May industrial sales, industrial orders, Euro Area final June CPI, US June building permits, housing starts, preliminary July University of Michigan sentiment, Canada May wholesale trade sales
- Central Banks: BoE Governor Bailey speaks
- Politics: Special European Council meeting commences in Brussels, where EU leaders will discuss the recovery fund and the new long-term EU budget.
- Earnings: Danaher, Honeywell International, BlackRock
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Looking at just the US, the key events this week are the CPI report on Tuesday, industrial production report on Wednesday, retail sales report, jobless claims report and Philly Fed manufacturing survey on Thursday, and the University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey on Friday.
Monday, July 13
- 11:30 AM New York Fed President Williams (FOMC voter) speaks: New York Fed President John Williams takes part in a discussion at an event jointly hosted by the Fed and Bank of England. Prepared text and moderated Q&A are expected.
- 01:00 PM Dallas Fed President Kaplan (FOMC voter) speaks: Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan will take part in a virtual discussion on the economy hosted by the National Press Club.
Tuesday, July 14
- 06:00 AM NFIB small business optimism, June (consensus 98.0, last 94.4)
- 08:30 AM CPI (mom), June (GS +0.74%, consensus +0.5%, last -0.1%): Core CPI (mom), June (GS +0.20%, consensus +0.1%, last -0.1%); CPI (yoy), June (GS +0.88%, consensus +0.6%, last +0.1%); Core CPI (yoy), June (GS +1.16%, consensus +1.1%, last +1.2%): We estimate a 0.20% rebound in June core CPI (mom sa), which would leave the year-on-year rate narrowly unchanged at +1.2%. Our monthly core inflation forecast reflects a rebound in apparel, hotel lodging, and airline prices, as well as second-derivative improvement in car insurance inflation following steep declines in the spring. We also look for flat-to-down used car prices. We estimate a 0.74% increase in headline CPI (mom sa), reflecting higher energy and food prices.
- 02:00 PM Fed Governor Brainard (FOMC voter) speaks: Fed Governor Lael Brainard will discuss the economy and monetary policy during a webinar hosted by the National Association for Business Economics. Prepared text and moderated Q&A are expected.
- 02:30 PM St. Louis Fed President Bullard (FOMC non-voter) speaks: St. Louis Fed President James Bullard will take part in a virtual discussion on the economy and monetary policy hosted by the Economic Club of New York. Media and Audience Q&A are expected.
Wednesday, July 15
- 08:30 AM Empire State manufacturing index, July (consensus +8.4, last -0.2)
- 08:30 AM Import Price Index, June (consensus 1.0%, last 1.0%)
- 09:15 AM Industrial production, June (GS +4.6%, consensus +4.3%, last +1.4%); Manufacturing production, June (GS +6.0%, consensus +5.8%, last +3.8%); Capacity utilization, June (GS 67.7%, consensus 67.7%, last 64.8%): We estimate industrial production rose by 4.6% in June, reflecting a continued rebound in manufacturing output. We estimate capacity utilization rose by 2.9pp to 67.7%.
- 12:00 PM Philadelphia Fed President Harker (FOMC voter) speaks: Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker will take part in a virtual discussion on the economic outlook hosted by the Center City Proprietors Association. Prepared text and audience Q&A are expected.
- 02:00 PM Beige Book, June FOMC meeting period: The Fed’s Beige Book is a summary of regional economic anecdotes from the 12 Federal Reserve districts. In the June Beige Book, we look for anecdotes related to growth, labor markets, wages, price inflation, and the economic impacts of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
Thursday, July 16
- 08:30 AM Retail sales, June (GS +4.9%, consensus +5.0%, last +17.7%); Retail sales ex-auto, June (GS +4.9%, consensus +5.1%, last +12.4%); Retail sales ex-auto & gas, June (GS +4.0%, consensus +5.0%, last +12.4%); Core retail sales, June (GS +2.5%, consensus +3.9%, last +11.0%): We estimate that core retail sales (ex-autos, gasoline, and building materials) rebounded by another 2.5% in June (mom sa), reflecting the reopening of the economy and as indicated by continued gains in credit card spending and other high-frequency data. We expect particularly strong monthly gains for restaurants and gas stations but less pronounced increases in the retail control categories. In fact, we estimate declines in the grocery and non-store categories. We expect a 4.9% increase in both the headline and ex-auto measures, given the rebound in car sales, gasoline prices, and gallonage.
- 08:30 AM Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index, July (GS 27.5, consensus 19.1, last 27.5); We estimate that the Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index remained unchanged at 27.5 in July.
- 08:30 AM Initial jobless claims, week ended July 11 (GS 1,300k, consensus 1,250k, last 1,314k): Continuing jobless claims, week ended July 4 (consensus 17,550k, last 18,062k): We estimate initial jobless claims declined but remain elevated at 1,300k in the week ended July 11.
- 10:00 AM NAHB housing market index, July (consensus 60, last 58)
- 10:00 AM Business inventories, May (consensus -2.3%, last -1.3%)
- 11:00 AM Chicago Fed President Evans (FOMC non-voter) speaks: Chicago Fed President Charles Evans will take part in a virtual discussion at the Rocky Mountain Economic Summit. Audience Q&A is expected.
- 11:10 AM New York Fed President Williams (FOMC voter) speaks: New York Fed President John Williams will take part in a webinar hosted by the Financial Research Advisory Committee. Prepared text and moderated Q&A are expected.
Friday, July 17
- 08:30 AM Housing starts, June (GS +22.0%, consensus +20.9%, last +4.3%); Building permits, June (consensus +6.9%, last +14.1%): We estimate housing starts increased by 22.0% in June. Our forecast incorporates a large increase in building permits and stronger construction job growth.
- 10:00 AM University of Michigan consumer sentiment, July preliminary (GS 78.5, consensus 79.0, last 78.1): We expect the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index edged up by 0.4pt to 78.5, as further reopening and stock market gains could potentially boost sentiment, while deteriorating virus news could weigh on sentiment.
Source: DB, Goldman, BofA


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The chief executive of search to self-driving-cars giant Google says there is still plenty to do before the company creates the perfect search engine.
Android Wear: What you need to know
In his annual 'Founder's Letter', published ahead of the company's annual shareholder meeting, Google chief executive Larry Page listed some of the "long-terms bets on new technology" the search company has made, and explained the motivation behind some of them.
"Information is Google's core," Page said, noting that more than 100 billion Google searches are conducted each month — 15 percent of which are never-before-asked new queries.
The search engine is working on being able to provide direct answers to questions rather than just a list of results, said Page, adding that Voice Search now works in 38 languages.
But despite these advances, Page admitted that "in many ways, we're a million miles away from creating the search engine of my dreams, one that gets you just the right information at the exact moment you need it with almost no effort".
Google Now is one part of the company's effort to tackle this, by providing information in a timely manner. Understanding context is another element, with Page noting that advances here are "crucial if we are to improve human-computer interaction".
Page said: "Improved context will also help make search more natural, and not a series of keywords you artificially type into a computer. We're getting closer: ask how tall the Eiffel Tower is, and then when 'it' was built. By understanding what 'it' means in different contexts, we can make search conversational."
Page also highlighted the growth of Android — one billion Android devices have now been activated — and said that, on average, Android developers earned four times more from user payments in 2013 than they did the year before. "We're now taking Android to wearables, like watches, and to cars, where we can make it super easy to get directions, make a call or play music," he added.
Page also stressed that simplicity remains an essential virtue for Google: "People still talk about the simplicity of the Google homepage, and that was a huge part of our original success. There's no reason the same principles can't apply across our products, especially now, with so many devices and options, and so much opportunity for distraction."
Google's CEO found room to be critical of the level of innovation in the industry: "It's also true that over time many companies get comfortable doing what they have always done, with a few incremental changes. This kind of incrementalism leads to irrelevance over time, especially in technology, because change tends to be revolutionary, not evolutionary."
To avoid such a fate, Page said, Google is investing in "our next generation of big bets". These include healthcare company Calico and smart contact lens company Iris, plus thermostat maker Nest, and self-driving cars.
"These seem like pretty crazy ideas today, but if the past is any indicator of our future success, today's big bets won't seem so wild in a few years' time," he said.
But it's also worth noting that, despite all these technology big bets, around 90 percent of Google's revenue still comes from advertising.
Read more on Google

domain: news


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CBOE Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ:CBOE) posted its earnings results on Tuesday. The financial services provider reported $0.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.68 by $0.10. The company had revenue of $193.40 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $208.30 million. CBOE Holdings had a return on equity of 70.50% and a net margin of 28.74%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 35.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.60 earnings per share.
Shares of CBOE Holdings (NASDAQ:CBOE) traded up 0.69% on Friday, reaching $84.99. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 366,023 shares. The company’s 50 day moving average is $82.60 and its 200-day moving average is $76.86. CBOE Holdings has a 1-year low of $61.58 and a 1-year high of $86.28. The firm has a market cap of $9.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 47.43 and a beta of 0.66.
In other news, Director Christopher Mitchell sold 470,000 shares of CBOE Holdings stock in a transaction on Tuesday, March 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $78.26, for a total transaction of $36,782,200.00. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Chairman Edward T. Tilly sold 5,000 shares of CBOE Holdings stock in a transaction on Monday, March 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $78.61, for a total transaction of $393,050.00. Following the transaction, the chairman now owns 85,611 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,729,880.71. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.96% of the company’s stock.
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its position in shares of CBOE Holdings by 1.9% in the third quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 10,743,170 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $696,695,000 after buying an additional 199,463 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC boosted its position in shares of CBOE Holdings by 52.0% in the first quarter. FMR LLC now owns 9,459,959 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $766,920,000 after buying an additional 3,238,234 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its position in shares of CBOE Holdings by 29.4% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 7,937,401 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $643,485,000 after buying an additional 1,803,114 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. boosted its position in shares of CBOE Holdings by 9,849.9% in the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 4,904,602 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $397,614,000 after buying an additional 4,855,309 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its position in shares of CBOE Holdings by 1.9% in the first quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 4,467,300 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $362,164,000 after buying an additional 81,200 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 74.33% of the company’s stock.
A number of research firms recently issued reports on CBOE. Zacks Investment Research lowered CBOE Holdings from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 9th. Royal Bank of Canada set a $90.00 price target on CBOE Holdings and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, May 12th. Jefferies Group LLC reissued a “hold” rating and issued a $85.00 price target on shares of CBOE Holdings in a research note on Monday, April 10th. Deutsche Bank AG lifted their price target on CBOE Holdings from $76.00 to $79.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, April 6th. Finally, Bank of America Corp raised CBOE Holdings from an “underperform” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $85.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 31st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. CBOE Holdings currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $72.53.
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CBOE Holdings Company Profile
CBOE Holdings, Inc is a holding company. The Company’s principal business is operating markets that offer for trading options on various market indexes (index options), on an exclusive basis, and futures contracts, as well as on non-exclusive multiply listed options, such as options on the stocks of individual corporations (equity options), and options on other exchange-traded products (ETP options), such as exchange-traded funds (ETF options) and exchange-traded notes (ETN options).
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Oh, the things you can do with numbers.
In an attempt to downplay — or downright hide — its miserable failures in the mobile chip arena, Intel is now deploying what some call creative financial reporting tactics as a means to mask the significant losses of their mobile chip division.
In moving forward, Intel’s lackluster Mobile and Communications Group will be conjoined with its successful PC Client Group. The new name of the joint group is the “Client Computing Group.”
Intel, not surprisingly, doesn’t see this move as a tricky one.
“The new group was created to address all aspects of the client computing market segment and utilize Intel’s intellectual property to offer compelling customer solutions,” Intel said in a news release.
To learn more about Intel’s new financial reporting structure, click here.


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By Maca Lara Dillon, co-founder and chief editor of PulsoSocial
How do we make things happen? This question is at the center of entrepreneurial life and was the overriding theme of PulsoConf, the three-day event that took place in Bogotá, Colombia earlier this month.
More than 400 Latin American entrepreneurs and developers attended PulsoConf and BogotáConf, finding themselves in the right place at the right time. Never before has Latin America possessed such a favorable climate for technological innovation and market creation.
Just a few years ago, such an event was unthinkable and would have been nothing more than a small, impromptu meeting of a few crazy dreamers. This month, however, it was an opportunity for the Colombian Minister of Information and Communications Technologies, Diego Molano Vega, to outline the country’s investment in tech entrepreneurs through the ambitious Apps.co initiative. Two young Colombian entrepreneurs -– Andrés Barreto (25) and Juan Pablo Buriticá (30) -– were responsible for Molano Vega’s attendance. That’s making things happen.
At PulsoConf, things happened when Steve Martocci, the man behind GroupMe, visited Latin America for the first time to tell entrepreneurs to think beyond their local markets and create global products. He pointed to a pressing problem that demands an immediate solution, as Latin Americans have become increasingly accustomed to implementing copycat models and focusing on local issues alone.
Brian Wong’s presentation was also a highlight, explaining to the audience the importance of making things happen by capitalizing on one’s luck. One of the youngest entrepreneurs to ever receive VC funding, Wong took advantage of the PulsoConf opportunity to announce the opening of kiip’s offices in Colombia.
And let’s not forget David Weekly, a pioneer in connecting Latin America to Silicon Valley, who advised entrepreneurs to stop worrying about constructing fancy products and instead focus their efforts on solving real problems that improve people’s lives. He told attendees to get their heads out of the cloud and hands into the dirt, a maxim he surely applied when selecting the next batch of startups for Mexican.VC, which was recently acquired by 500 Startups.
Making things happen is, definitively, creating an opportunity for entrepreneurs from Peru, Mexico and Argentina to meet with global technology investors like Adam D’Augelli of True Ventures. After all, who better to explain the best practices to implement when seeking and receiving investments? This is especially important considering that Latin America as a region is highly inexperienced with investors, with the exception of Kaszek, and entrepreneurs run a high risk of being confronted with unfavorable and even abusive term sheets.
(Photos provided by PulsoConf show PulsoConf and Colombian Minister of Information and Communications Technologies Diego Molano Vega)


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Oyo Hotels and Homes will increase its presence in Rajasthan and is targeting to grow to 40,000 rooms by the end of the next year.
"The company currently has a network of 1,500 hotels and nearly 22,000 rooms. We are targeting to increase to grow to 40,000 rooms in Rajasthan by the end of 2020," Oyo CEO India and South Asia Rohit Kapoor said here.
The company launched its operations in the state in 2015 and has a presence in more than 40 cities of the state.
He claimed that the company has generated 1 lakh job opportunities in the state.
Copyright©2023 Living Media India Limited. For reprint rights: Syndications Today


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Google's October 9 press event is also significant since it would be a change of pace for the company.More news: IPhone Xr, iPhone Xs And iPhone Xs Plus Might Surface This Wednesday
The Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL have probably been the worst kept secret of 2018. The search engine company Google has started sending media invoices to this event in New York City. The Silicon Valley-based company has a history of introducing new "Made by Google" smartphones in October, and there have been a flood of leaked photos and details about third-generation Pixel handsets heading for market.
By comparison the current 6-inch Pixel 2 XL has slim top and bottom bezels with a camera shooter at top and speakers at top and bottom, introductory price at $849. There's no information yet on why Google chose to change things up for this year, but it's expected that the company will announce other hardware products alongside the Pixel 3 handsets.More news: Woman Who Helped Kidnap Elizabeth Smart Will Be Released From Prison
Rumors buzzing include that Google plans to release new Pixel models and perhaps an updated Android-powered smartwatch to go with the handsets. Lately, the Pixel 3 XL has been leaked several times in the past few weeks. The back of the device is similar to that of the Pixel 3XL, but it looks like a completely different phone when viewed at the front. The Pixel Stand will allegedly allow users to call on Assistant while their Pixel 3 is wirelessly charging. The Pixel 3 XL has been repeatedly ridiculed by YouTubers due to its ugly notch - we agree, that notch is too big and looks somewhat disgusting. The leaks continued when the Pixel 3 XL was spotted on Toronto's rail system, not once but twice. Prosser was asked to submit clips from some of his previous videos that talk about the Pixel 3 smartphone leaks.
There is a theory brewing that Google is pulling off a complex hoax with its Pixel 3 XL phone, which has been criticized six ways from Sunday for having a giant notch.More news: More than 1 million to flee as Florence rips toward East Coast


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The United States don’t have unique data protection law- instead, a sectoral approach is used. There is a large number of laws pertaining to the different types of practices used to protect privacy, but there is no single legal framework for collecting, using, and disseminating data.
By adopting Directive 95/46/EC, US organizations could be limited to collecting personal information for cooperation and doing business with European organizations, as it is forbidden to disclose personal information to member states that do not meet the privacy standards. As a result, the US Department of Commerce has developed a Safe Harbor system in co-operation with the European Commission.
Safe Harbor Framework is no longer valid
On October 6, 2015, the European Court of Justice issued a judgment declaring as “invalid” the European Commission’s Decision 2000/520/EC of 26 July 2000 “on the adequacy of the protection provided by the Safe Harbor privacy principles and related frequently asked questions issued by the US Department of Commerce.” As a result of that decision, the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Framework is not a valid mechanism to comply with EU data protection requirements when transferring personal data from the European Union to the United States.’
On July 12, 2016, U.S. Secretary of Commerce announced the approval of the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework as a valid legal mechanism to comply with EU requirements when transferring personal data from the European Union to the United States. The EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework replaces the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Framework.
Application of GDPR in US
The new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), put forth by the European Commission in 2012 and finally generally agreed upon by the European Parliament and Council in December 2016, is set to replace the Data Protection Directive 95/46/ec. Although many companies have already adopted privacy processes and procedures consistent with the Directive, the GDPR contains a number of new protections for EU data subjects and threatens significant fines and penalties for non-compliant data controllers and processors once it comes into force in the spring of 2018.
Research has shown[RD(2] that a large number of US companies possess personal information of EU citizens, making them subject to the GDPR. Primary concerns for these companies are the ability to know where customer data is at all times, and proper concealment of customer data used in testing.
Shifting from EU Data Protection Directive
As of May 25, 2018, all companies that have operations in the European Union (EU), offer goods or services to EU residents, or monitor or profile EU residents (such as through online behavioral advertising) will be required to comply with the new EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR or EU GDPR).
US companies that currently have physical operations in the EU are bound by the EU Data Protection Directive, which will remain in effect until it is replaced by the GDPR. These companies are used to operating under EU data privacy law and understand the legal and cultural differences between the U.S. and EU approaches to privacy. To them, the GDPR will be familiar, even if it imposes onerous new requirements and significantly ups the ante for noncompliance.
New requirements for companies
The GDPR will expand the reach of EU data privacy law and will apply to a broader range of US companies than the current EU does. GDPR will require companies to obtain freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous consent before collecting personal data (i.e., information relating to an identified or an identifiable natural person, including a unique device ID or location data) from an EU resident.
EU GDPR requires new mechanisms to give data subjects control over personal data. In addition, the GDPR will give EU residents certain rights, such as the right to request removal of personal data that they have posted online and the right to data portability. Specifically, a company will be required to remove, erase, or otherwise delete the personal data of an EU resident upon request, subject to some exceptions, if, among other things, the data are no longer necessary for the purpose for which they were collected; or the EU resident withdraws consent or objects to the processing, and there is no other legitimate basis to continue processing. In addition, a company will have to, at an EU resident’s request, transfer that resident’s personal data in a structured, machine-readable format to another company. U.S. companies will have to build this functionality into their systems and databases.
A breach of security
Companies that experience a breach of security that leads to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure of, or access to, personal data will be required, subject to some exceptions, to notify (1) the relevant Data Protection Authority (i.e., the supervisory authority in the relevant EU Member State) within 72 hours of discovering the breach, unless the breach is “unlikely to result in a risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals,” and (2) the data subject, “without undue delay,” if the breach is “likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals.” In the U.S., data breach notification is governed by 48 different state laws , none of which imposes such a short time period within which notification must be made.
Aligning your business as soon as possible
GDPR imposes steep penalties for Non-Compliance. In terms of remedies and sanctions, the GDPR will up increase fines considerably for both controllers and processors of personal data. The GDPR will give the Data Protection Authorities “complete independence,” more resources, and greater powers. Moreover, the GDPR provides for potentially substantial fines for “infringements” of the GDPR’s provisions—in many cases, up to 20 million euro or 4% of a company’s total worldwide annual turnover, whichever is greater[RD(6] .
With rapidly approaching deadlines and facing the unprecedented potential financial penalties, it is time for all US companies selling goods and services to EU residents, or monitoring EU citizens online, to take care that their business is harmonized with GDPR.


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DigiTimes: Samsung aims to ship over six million LCD TV units in 2006, up from two million in 2005.
The company has raised its forecast for the overall global market this year from 36 million units to 42 million, up significantly from nearly 20 million in 2005.
Although the 32-inch segment became the mainstream LCD TV size in 2005, the 40- and 46-inch segments will be the mainstream segments this year.
In addition to the LCD TV segment, Samsung expects to keep growing its PDP (plasma display panel) TV and DLP (digital light processing) TV segments.
Samsung has introduced a 102-inch PDP TV, an 82-inch LCD TV and a 71-inch DLP TV. The PDP TV market will reach ten million units this year while the DLP TV market will see several million units shipped. As a result, Samsung says that they will not exit either market in the short run.
TV sales are currently the major sales driving force of Samsung’ Digital Media Business. The segment accounted for 35% of its US$17.9 billion sales in 2005, followed by LCD monitors at 26%, printer and PC applications at 11% each and AV products at 9%.


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MILAN – The terror threat in Europe, a strong dollar and uncertainty over the U.S. presidential elections have eroded the confidence of the globe’s big-spenders, holding luxury purchases flat in 2016, according to a study released Thursday.
Spending on luxury apparel, accessories and other personal items is expected to hold steady at 249 billion euros ($273 billion) this year, a study by Bain Consultancy for the Altagamma association of Italian high-end luxury producers. Add in spending on luxury cars, yachts, jets, cruises, hotels, fine art, design and food, and the market tops a stunning 1 trillion euros.
As political events and monetary policy exert greater influence on luxury spending patterns, brands have turned their focus to wooing buyers in their home countries rather than counting on tourist arrivals to buoy sales, said Bain partner Claudia D’Arpizio.
“This is not happening by default,” D’Arpizio. “Brands are refocusing on the local customer base and working to develop products that are more affordable and more inclusive to meet their needs.”
For the first time, spending by China’s super consumers shrank, albeit slightly from 31 per cent of the total to 30 per cent of the total. Part of the shift was due to an increase in the number of middle-class Chinese travellers, who collectively spend less than higher rollers, she said.
While U.S. presidential elections always put the freeze on consumer spending, D’Arpizio said this year’s squeeze was a little tighter due to a strong dollar, which also hurt tourist spending, and higher oil prices.
In Europe, brands are also working to cultivate local buyers as the threat of terrorism has hurt tourism. They are seeing local consumption recover in Italy, Germany, Spain and Britain. But spending remains soft in France, with terror attacks impacting both tourists’ and locals’ sentiment, D’Arpizio said.
Britain’s decision to exit the European Union so far has proven a boon for luxury spending, with the falling pound encouraging both domestic consumption and travellers to spend.
“Currently, London is the cheapest luxury market,” D’Arpizio said.
This story has been corrected to show the dollar figure is in billions, not millions.


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TooJay's is getting some work done.
The Florida-based deli chain that serves classic comfort food has announced it's getting a makeover.
Founded in 1981, that makes TooJay's 34, certainly not too old for a little work, according to South Florida standards.
According to TooJay's CEO Jim Vinz, the chain will begin a remodel on several locations, starting with the popular Coral Springs location at 2800 N. University Dr. According to Vinz, the chain is going for a, "more contemporary look, while maintaining a timeless vintage feel."
Vinz says he chose the Coral Springs restaurant as the first to undergo a facelift because of TooJay's long-standing presence in the community. "We feel the neighborhood represents the perfect mix of multi-generational families who will appreciate the updated decor while also providing us feedback. “If all goes well, other locations will follow suit."
The Coral Springs restaurant will close on August 22 for the construction work and will re-open on August 27. Both the location’s dine-in and take out service will be suspended during the remodel, but catering orders will be fulfilled with the help of nearby TooJay's delis.
Two more TooJay's will be remodeled in 2015, with three or four more slated to get a new look in 2016. More info on exact restaurant locations to get freshened up will be announced, as we receive news.
TooJay's Reuben is legendary! Watch as we create the masterpiece.....then come by and taste the deli-liciousness!Posted by TooJay's on Monday, July 20, 2015
While the iconic chain may be changing its looks, the menu will remain the same, retaining the deli favorites customers have grown to love, including the iconic Reuben, which is one of the deli shop's specialty sandwiches.
Keep New Times Broward-Palm Beach Free... Since we started New Times Broward-Palm Beach, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of South Florida, and we would like to keep it that way. Offering our readers free access to incisive coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories on everything from political scandals to the hottest new bands, with gutsy reporting, stylish writing, and staffers who've won everything from the Society of Professional Journalists' Sigma Delta Chi feature-writing award to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But with local journalism's existence under siege and advertising revenue setbacks having a larger impact, it is important now more than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" membership program, allowing us to keep covering South Florida with no paywalls.


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New Remodeling Index Tracks Residential Remodeling by Metro Area – BuildingOnline
New Remodeling Index Tracks Residential Remodeling by Metro AreaBuildingOnlineSAN FRANCISCO, CA — BuildZoom, the intelligent marketplace for remodeling and construction services, recently launched its new remodeling index with a finding that permitted remodeling activity in Seattle and New York has surpassed pre-crisis highs, …
Monument Road Publix reopening after complete rebuild (Florida Times-Union)
The Publix in Cobblestone Crossing on Monument Road re-opens Thursday after almost nine months. The store closed in January, was torn down and replaced by a new $3.5 million building that’s about 15,000 square feet larger than the previous one.
Almost $1 million was spent remodeling the exterior of the entire shopping center.
Roger Bull: (904) 359-4296.


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Wauconda's sales tax revenue for first full month of pandemic exceeded expectations
Wauconda's revenue from sales tax, video gambling and other sources was down for the first full month of the COVID-19 crisis compared with the same month in 2019, newly released data shows -- but not nearly as terribly as officials anticipated when drafting the budget for the new fiscal year.
As a result, Wauconda is sitting a little more comfortably financially than expected.
Officials reviewed revenue data for March and April during an economic development committee meeting this week. The new fiscal year began May 1, and the budget was approved in June.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered restaurants, bars, most stores and other businesses to close in mid-March, so April was the first month to fully feel the economic impact of the pandemic.
Village Administrator Kevin Timony said his team made "very conservative" revenue projections for the 2021 fiscal year because of the pandemic.
Wauconda collected about $137,239 in sales tax revenue in April, down about 22% from nearly $175,373 in April 2019. That may not look good, but officials had predicted the sum would be much lower -- about $35,075.
Although many Wauconda businesses shut down during the early months of the crisis, others remained open. Some -- such as grocery and drugstores -- experienced greater sales than usual, Timony said.
"(We) didn't see too big of a hit," Timony said.
The village didn't collect any revenue from video gambling machines in April because terminals shut down at the start of the crisis. In contrast, the village collected $20,942 in gambling revenue in April 2019. Video gambling terminals were allowed to be reactivated this month.
Wauconda collected about $25,091 in gasoline taxes in April, down nearly 20% from $31,265 a year earlier, Timony reported. But the amount collected matched the village's projection for the month.
One revenue source actually increased in April from the same month a year earlier: state use tax, which is another type of sales tax. The village's sum for April was about $44,664, up 15% from April 2019's total of nearly $38,780.
Village leaders had predicted Wauconda would receive only about $31,025 in use taxes for the month.
In total, Wauconda collected about $206,994 from those four revenue sources in April. That's down about 22% from April 2019, but nearly 127% above projections.
Timony's report to the committee also included a sales tax total for March and April from the village's 20 top producing businesses, including ABC Supply Co., Jewel Food Store, Lindy's Landing, McDonald's and Walgreens. The $201,677 sum is down only 2% from the $205,011 recorded in the same two months in 2019.
Wauconda's budget for the 2021 fiscal year predicts the village will spend about $21.5 million on salaries, infrastructure improvements and other expenses. That's down more than 6% from the previous year's $23 million estimate.
It also predicts the village will collect about $18.4 million in property taxes, fees and other income during the year. That's down about 1% from the previous year's $18.6 million estimate.
Trustee Tim Howe, who leads the economic committee, said Timony's data indicated officials "did the right thing" by being conservative when drafting the budget.
"It also shows that we have enough diversity in businesses here that we're not getting creamed in any one particular area," Howe said.


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(Ottawa) Shopify and a group of textbook publishers, who accused the tech company of profiting from pirated content and violating their trademarks, asked a US court to dismiss the lawsuit.
Posted at 3:45 p.m.
The joint filing, which was filed in Virginia court this week, said Shopify and the companies resolved the issue and wanted the case dismissed, and that each side would cover its own legal costs.
The legal battle began late last year, when textbook publishers alleged that Shopify allowed merchants to illegally use its software to reproduce and sell textbooks, test banks, and other books that are identical or “basically indistinguishable” from their products.
The five publishers who have brought charges against the Ottawa tech company are Macmillan Learning, Cengage Learning, Elsevier, McGraw Hill and Pearson Education.
Shopify rejected all of their claims and argued that it responded promptly to all infringement notices and takedown requests from publishers.
The company counted more than 5,000 takedown requests or notices of trademark infringement under the US DMCA.
“Food trailblazer. Passionate troublemaker. Coffee fanatic. General analyst. Certified creator. Lifelong music expert. Alcohol specialist.”


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Sega has announced the newest mainline Yakuza entry that will star new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga.
Yesterday we found out the Japanese release date for Yakuza 5 on the PS4, and today Sega has announced a new Yakuza game that will star Yakuza Online protagonist Ichiban Kasuga. The announcement comes via an official page for auditions for any Japanese females hoping to be a part of the new mainline Yakuza title.
Per the audition page (via Siliconera), the newest Yakuza game will be on the PlayStation 4, and it will star Ichiban Kasuga. There’s no word on if Kazuma Kiryu will still be involved or if he’ll be entirely absent, but the audition seeks Japanese ladies over 20 to the play the role of “main-class characters” and appear in the game as the “hero’s friends”.
The application deadline for the audition is April 21, 2019.


text: Earnings Preview: FedEx - CNBC Analysts predict that FedEx Corp. will report better-than-expected fiscal third-quarter earnings on Thursday, as more package shipments and higher prices offset accelerating fuel prices. Investors are also surely hoping for comments from FedEx on UPS' $6.77 billion deal to buy TNT Express, Europe's No. 2 delivery company. Although TNT has struggled during the European financial crisis, it's a valuable prize that allows UPS to better compete with Germany's DHL. United Parcel Service Inc. will have between one-quarter and one-third of the vast European package delivery market, according to an analyst's estimate, after the deal is completed. That will likely put pressure on FedEx in the highly competitive European market.


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Carnival Cruise Lines (NYSE:CCL) has been looking for a return to normalcy. Try as it might, however, the waters remain choppy for the embattled cruise line firm. CCL stock, after a big rally earlier this year, is back in a solid downtrend.
The novel coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on the travel industry as a whole. The cruise lines in particular have struggled, due to their large debt loads and inability to return to normal operating conditions. While some travel companies, such as discount airlines, have mounted a decent recovery, the cruise business is still way down from its pre-pandemic levels.
So how should investors approach CCL stock? The company has clearly survived the pandemic, so the bears who predicted Carnival’s imminent demise were clearly incorrect. However, it will take a long time for Carnival’s fundamentals to improve much. And, meanwhile, the shares aren’t nearly as cheap as they might first seem.
Still No Clear Path to a Full Reopening
It made sense to buy Carnival and other cruise stocks last year on expectations that the company would be prosperous in the future. In mid-2020, it seemed likely that the travel sector would become fairly healthy once the vaccines were deployed. Sadly, however, this hasn’t really come to pass. The long-awaited “roaring 20s” never really materialized.
Variants of the virus keep popping up. This has led to second, third, and even fourth waves of the pandemic in some parts of the world. Meanwhile, the vaccines have proven less effective at stopping the transmission of the virus than many people had expected, so the demand for leisure travel has flattened out.
As a result, the sector’s previously planned return to normal levels of cruising activity has been delayed. Carnival, as of Sept. 19, was operating exactly half of its U.S. fleet. That’s far better than no revenue coming in.
But in the cruise industry, which features low profit margins and is capital-intensive, it’s far from ideal for a company to have half of its assets producing no revenue.
Some traders might think that it’s worth waiting for CCL stock to recover. While half of its business is still offline now, that revenue has to come back sooner or later, they would say.
Meanwhile, CCL stock is seemingly trading well below its 2019 levels. There’s a problem with that theory, though: In order to survive, Carnival issued a ton of new stock and debt. As a result, the company’s enterprise value (EV) — its market capitalization plus its debt — is actually higher than in 2019. So at today’s stock price, the market is saying that Carnival is worth more now than before the pandemic started.
Disney Rains on the Parade
Every time we get a set of positive headlines about the pandemic, it’s seemingly offset by negative news. Recently, for example, it appeared that the spike of Covid cases in America’s Southeast was finally starting to ease. That is crucial for the cruise industry as many of its customers reside in that part of the country, and several of its key ports are located in Florida.
However, the improving sentiment towards CCL stock fizzled on Tuesday. That’s when Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS), in a call with analysts, disclosed that the Delta variant was impacting its business. For example, the conglomerate reported that Delta was delaying the production of its new movies. DIS stock tanked on the news.
Don’t forget that Disney operates a cruise line of its own, and just last month, Disney had said that the company was largely getting back to business as usual. So the slump of Disney’s shares on renewed Covid problems disappointed travel companies, including Carnival.
The Verdict on CCL Stock
If you bought CCL stock last year ahead of the economic reopening, congratulations. Carnival’s stock, despite the company’s huge operating losses and its sale of many new shares, managed to quadruple off its lows at one point. That was a fantastic trade.
However, there is little reason to hold onto CCL stock now. The company’s prospects are no brighter now than they were in 2019. In fact, they’re arguably significantly less rosy. Meanwhile, Covid-19 is causing major problems far longer than most analysts had expected. And the company’s balance sheet is less than pristine, to put it kindly.
Add it all up, and there are far better places to invest than CCL stock at this time. With cruise traffic likely to be curtailed well into 2022, there is no quick turnaround coming for the industry. Consequently, the shares will stay in rough seas for the next several quarters.
On the date of publication, Ian Bezek did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
Ian Bezek has written more than 1,000 articles for InvestorPlace.com and Seeking Alpha. He also worked as a Junior Analyst for Kerrisdale Capital, a $300 million New York City-based hedge fund. You can reach him on Twitter at @irbezek.


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We’ve seen a rush of DIY robotic and computing kits for kids as popularity has risen over the last year. Companies like littleBits and Kano have introduced a handful products that put the power of computing into the hands of everyone. A new subscription service called Thimble recently launched on Kickstarter with eyes on delivering a project each month. Based on the reception its received, there is plenty of interest from campaign backers.
Thimble Stories December 28, 2015


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SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH. IN 2011, IN A DOWN ECONOMY, Erica Breining opened Bellava MedAesthetics & Plastic Surgery Center, a 3,000-square-foot spa in Bedford Hills that combines medical services with decadent pampering. “It was really scary,” she admits now, but the risk has paid off with a solid pattern of growth that shows no signs of letting up. (The business raked in $1.5 million in sales last year.)
Bellava isn’t Breining’s first business launch. She was working in management at IBM in 2002 when she started a high-end online handbag venture, HGBags, which has since grown into an international company that nets some $5 million in annual revenue. But once HGBags was “running on autopilot,” Breining says she was anxious for human contact beyond the computer screen.
“I missed the face-to-face interaction with clients and coworkers,” says Breining, who holds a BSE in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan and an MS in operations research from Columbia University. “Plus the medical and technology aspect of Bellava allows me to reconnect with my love for science,” she says. Her goal? To create a luxury spa with the same level of clinical care as a doctor’s office.
The “medi” side of Bellava, led by board-certified plastic surgeon Chang Soo Kim, MD, offers injections, fillers, CoolSculpting, laser hair removal, and skin resurfacing, along with medical procedures like tummy tucks and breast enhancement that are performed in the Joint Commission accredited surgical suite. Luxurious facials, massages, and body wraps make up the other side of the beauty business. Expanding the medi side of the spa accounts for much of the growth, Breining says, noting a 50-percent increase in surgery from 2012 to 2013. Surgical procedures now make up an estimated 50 percent of her business, followed by laser services and injectables bringing in 35 percent, and spa treatments 15 percent.
“We have been successful because we understand what our market wants and we deliver a good product focused on quantifiable results at a fair price in a safe setting,” Breining says.
—Nancy L. Claus


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This is a case where an extended service plan came in handy. It gave the couple all the free repairs they could ask for. But when the appliance still didn't work, you won't believe what a repairman told them to do.
Maria Morlino of Oakland says from the day it was delivered, the ice maker on her new refrigerator started making weird noises and stopped working. First no ice came out and then an alarm went off. She had an extended service plan from Lowe's so the company sent a repairman, who put in new parts.
But then, there was a new problem.
"We found the seals were bad," Morlino said. "It leaked; the water was all over."
Another technician came, and so did another problem -- the electronics circuits were not working properly and the ice maker still wouldn't make ice. A block of ice was covering the dispenser. Technicians kept replacing the part but it kept freezing over again.
Finally, a repairman said there was only one solution – use a hair dryer to defrost it.
That's when the Morlinos contacted 7 On Your Side. We contacted Lowe's and the company came through with a full refund for the refrigerator plus tax. Lowe's issued a statement saying, "Ms. Morlino purchased an extended protection plan, and under the benefits...(she) qualified for a refund of the purchase price of the refrigerator. Lowe's stands behind the products and services we sell and we apologize to Ms. Morlino for the problems she encountered. "
The couple received a check for $3,488.
Lowe's service plan says customers are entitled to a refund or replacement if the appliance needs the same major repair more than three times in one year. That's common to many service plans.


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In a landmark move, India’s Supreme Court and the Union Government have joined forces to introduce a much-awaited framework for cryptocurrency regulations in the country. This significant development comes after years of deliberation and uncertainty surrounding the crypto market’s future in the world’s second-most populous nation.
The crypto community in India has eagerly anticipated this decisive moment, as the legal status of digital assets has been a subject of controversy and ambiguity. However, the collaboration between the apex court and the central government marks a positive step towards clarifying the regulatory landscape, instilling investor confidence, and fostering innovation in the blockchain and crypto sectors.
The Supreme Court’s involvement in formulating these regulations underscores its commitment to ensuring a balanced approach to emerging technology. Working in unison with the Union Government, the court aims to strike a delicate balance between safeguarding investors and businesses while encouraging technological advancements in the digital financial space.
Key elements of the proposed regulations include:
Licensing Framework: The framework proposes a licensing system for cryptocurrency exchanges and other blockchain-related businesses. This measure aims to enhance oversight and bring transparency to the operations of these platforms.
Consumer Protection: Emphasizing the need to protect retail investors, the regulations outline robust measures to curb fraudulent schemes, scams, and illegal activities within the crypto space.
AML and KYC Compliance: The proposed guidelines mandate strict Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures to thwart illicit financial activities, making the ecosystem more secure and compliant.
Taxation Guidelines: The collaboration seeks to address the taxation of cryptocurrencies, providing clarity on how crypto transactions and holdings will be treated under the existing tax laws.
Innovation Encouragement: Recognizing the potential of blockchain technology, the regulations are designed to promote and encourage innovation in various sectors by fostering a favorable environment for startups and businesses to explore blockchain use cases.
Regulatory Sandbox: To facilitate the development and testing of new blockchain-based solutions, the regulators are contemplating the establishment of a regulatory sandbox, where startups can experiment with novel ideas within a controlled environment.
International Cooperation: The guidelines underscore India’s commitment to engaging in international cooperation on matters related to cryptocurrencies. Collaborating with other countries will ensure a harmonized approach to global crypto regulations.
However, it’s important to note that the regulations are still in the draft stage and will be open for public consultation before final implementation. All stakeholders, including industry experts, investors, businesses, and the general public, will have an opportunity to provide feedback and suggestions to refine the proposed framework.
As the world continues to embrace the transformative potential of blockchain and cryptocurrencies, India’s move to establish comprehensive regulations marks a significant turning point for the nation’s digital economy. The collaboration between the Supreme Court and the Union Government signals a commitment to foster innovation, protect investors, and create a conducive environment for the growth of blockchain technology in India. With the ball now in the public’s court, the crypto community eagerly awaits the outcome of the consultation process, as the nation steers towards a more definitive future for cryptocurrencies.


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I sent a letter last year (www.timminspress.com/opinion/letters/letters-frustration-lingers-over-loss-of-east-end-grocer) to The Daily Press after the closure of the Metro grocery store in the South Porcupine Mall indicating the frustration of East End residents.
There has been no action taken or anything done by Metro and I believe we deserve a response.
I am sure that I speak on behalf of many East End residents who are very frustrated without having the convenience of a grocery store in our community as we consider this an essential service especially now during COVID19.
Giant Tiger and Dollarama at the mall and Urban Farm in South Porcupine deserve a huge thank you to make the shopping less stressful and less expensive with the additional gas consumption to Timmins. Residents who rely on the transit system also find it difficult as transit times to Timmins don’t accommodate those who have to travel to Timmins at the time they need.
With East End residents required to travel to Timmins to do their shopping, Metro did not take into account there are five other grocery stores to shop at, less sales for them. At the time of the closure they offered a free bus ride, but that did not work out.
With a decline in shoppers coming to the Porcupine Mall this only hurts the other businesses at the mall and with the new school season fast approaching, it will be more frustrating grocery shopping and the expenses keep getting higher, which may cause many to cut back on school food items and necessities.
I am asking that Mayor Pirie put pressure on Metro (who own the Porcupine Mall) to either secure a grocery chain or put something in for the Porcupine Mall so that we can enjoy the convenience of bulk shopping or picking up last-minute grocery items.
A frustrated shopper.
Solution is to heavy traffic concerns is to re-route it
So city council approved the move to allow heavy traffic to travel in the lane furthest from the curb.
Now the rest of us drivers have to try to navigate curb lanes that have already been destroyed by these same large vehicles.
They are rutted, pot-holed, dotted with manhole grates, and lined with hydro poles.
Between these poles and the heavy trucks, space is very limited.
A perimeter road and a complete resurfacing of Algonquin and Riverside is the solution.


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Thailand Plants Biggest Pot Farm in Southeast Asia, Will Enable Property Develop
This September, the greatest authorized health-related cannabis crop in Southeast Asia was planted at Thailand’s Maejo University, in its health-related-grade greenhouse. The crop is produced up of 12,000 hashish sprouts, which will in all probability be cultivated and to became cannabis oil.
The Bangkok Post studies the crop is the initially-ever carried out to industrial scale in the Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations. In idea, the crop will be capable of create a million bottles of cannabis oil, containing five milliliters of cannabis oil every single by subsequent February. That oil will in all probability be made from two.4 tons of dry marijuana flowers grown in about 32,722 sq. toes of location.
Traditionally, Thailand has had a thriving underground cannabis scene, nevertheless the authorities closely criminalized the plant as one particular in all America’s allies in the Struggle on Medication. Nonetheless, in December 2018, Thailand’s conservative authorities jumped on board the increasing worldwide cannabis motion and legalized a strict medical marijuana business enterprise.
This August, the Thai authorities unveiled its initially cannabis laboratory in Rangsit University, the spot professors are have launched a “ganja studies” system. The college was initially reliant on hashish that police seized from the underground marketplace, nevertheless grows just like the one particular merely planted at Maejo College will alter that dynamic.
The precise planting of the principal sprouts at Maejo was relatively the affair, that contains Deputy Prime Minister and Public Effectively becoming Minister Anutin Charnvirakul receiving filth beneath his nails to kick off the crop.
Whereas the crop is at an industrial scale, Charnvirakul described it was a principal step in opening up the health-related cannabis cultivation course of to entities that are not licensed by the federal government.
“These are historic initially methods on the path towards enabling folks to develop six cannabis trees in their properties,” Charnvirakul instructed the group. “The university will be a center exactly where ordinary folks can find out how to plant and develop great top quality cannabis. Cannabis is not an problem of politics, it is a solution that can advantage people’s well being. In the close to future, households will be capable to plant it in their back gardens like any other herb.”
The university’s director of Maejo Organic Farming Investigation and Improvement Centre, Arnat Tancho, will even personally lead the create simply because the mission supervisor. He believes the power’s pedigree will permit his crew to provide a health-related-grade solution totally organically. This implies no fertilizers or feeding applications loaded with troubles like heavy metals, or worse!
In response to Tancho, even the stress becoming planted tends to make the mission distinct. The stress is identified as Issara 01, and it was created from a ramification of household genetics. Tancho described one particular of a lot of causes they went with a stress from rural Northern Thailand for his or her create was to encourage men and women regarding the higher top quality and prospects of household genetics.
Tancho described the stress will in all probability be a one particular-to-one particular CBD to THC ratio. He says that is what the health-related marketplace calls for for the time becoming. He on top of that says the crop may well transfer to a complete outdoors setting in the not-as well-distant future if a “plantation license” is accepted. He thinks plantation-style grows of native genetics to every single location may well uncover oneself popping up all through Thailand.
With the emphasis of this mission becoming the principal of a lot of, it could seem the broader inhabitants of Thailand will promptly have their option to create six crops at residence.
They will even have the opportunity to sell the final product from their yard gardens to the federal government. Each and every plant could possibly be worth for two,225 Thai Baht, equal to $73.21 USD, so that they have an chance at incomes as a lot as $439.26. The standard family members income in Thailand is just $three,322.81 USD, in accordance with CEIC Information, so this can be a moderately great measurement chunk of alter for men and women if this method ever will get going.
Inform US, have you ever ever smoked cannabis genetics from Thailand?


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Corporate tax reform: California points the way
The arcane, outdated and inefficient U.S. corporate tax code is costing our country jobs, factories, industries and tens of billions of dollars of badly-needed tax revenue each year.
Our tax system is supposedly based on the idea that U.S. companies should pay taxes on all profits, no matter where they are earned. Yet this is undermined when companies are allowed to “defer” taxes on profits made in other countries until those funds are repatriated to the United States.
This loophole encourages multinational corporations to move production and intellectual property, such as patents and trademarks, out of the country. Or they juggle their books to make it appear that a major portion of their income is made outside the United States. Then they keep it abroad, expecting to persuade legislators to give them “tax holidays” that allow them to repatriate the funds with minimal tax consequences. (The last holiday in 2004 offered a 5.25 percent tax rate). This set of incentives has resulted in up to $2 trillion of profits staying out of the country to defer taxation. This amount grows every year.
Many across the political spectrum are calling for reform. The left emphasizes doing something about the lost revenue and jobs. The right wants rate reductions. What if there is one reform that gives the left and the right what they want, while also improving our international competitiveness?
California’s “sales-based” corporate income tax could be a model for this reform. Passed by 61 percent of voters in a November 2012 state referendum, Proposition 39 requires a “single sales factor” corporate income tax. Corporate tax collections are predicted to increase by about $700 million per year.
Prop 39 taxes every corporation that sells goods and services in the state — treating U.S. and foreign corporations the same. The state taxes a portion of each corporation’s U.S. earnings based on a simple percentage: total sales in California divided by total U.S. domestic sales. By basing the tax calculation on in-state sales, businesses can no longer use various schemes to make it appear that profits were earned out of state.
Calculating what every company owes with the single sales factor is simple and addresses the “what if’s” listed above. This is a big improvement over the devil’s bargain that allowed corporations to choose how they were taxed.
The U.S. tax system now requires authorities to keep track of where American companies run their operations and where they make their profits. Companies are taxed more if they operate in the United States — which encourages many to shift assets abroad. In addition, Washington lets companies defer taxes on profits from business outside the country, but allows them to write off expenses immediately.
If our federal tax code was amended along the lines of California’s Prop 39, we could stop this absurd money chase. Every multinational corporation (foreign and domestic) selling products and services in the United States would still want to sell in the world’s biggest consumer market. They would also continue to release accurate information about –domestic sales because they would want to reward shareholders with the returns from selling in the U.S. market. We would simply tax the percentage of their global profits represented by their U.S. sales.
Adapting the California tax system for the nation would make U.S. businesses competitive in global markets, without rewarding companies for moving production and assets abroad. It would also help smaller domestic firms compete with large multinationals that now pay little or no corporate taxes.
By no longer trying to tax companies based on whether they have U.S. operations and employees, we could eliminate some of the disincentives that our current tax system imposes on domestic manufacturing and employment. Jobs, factories and profit centers could return here. And we would bring in more tax revenue from foreign companies that sell in the United States, but now get a free ride.
By taxing foreign companies on the Toyotas or TVs they sell in the United States, a sales-based system would bring in more money from a broader base. Judging by Prop 39’s more than $1 billion in additional tax revenues, it is logical to conclude that increased revenues from a similar national system could make it possible to lower the overall corporate rate while still raising more funds for reducing the deficit and investing in the economy — giving liberals and conservatives something to cheer about.
Adapting California’s sales-based system for the nation would be a win for tax reformers on the left and right. Conservatives would get to limit taxes to profits on domestic sales instead of worldwide sales, and possibly at a lower rate. Liberals, though they would have to accept not taxing worldwide income, would not only see increased federal revenues, but could take satisfaction from forcing today’s notorious tax avoiders to pay their fair and proportionate share of corporate taxes.
It would also be a win for all Americans who want more revenue to invest in the country’s future, a win for corporations that want a simpler, less burdensome system to help make them more competitive in the global marketplace and a win for U.S. workers.
Even the companies that take advantage of today’s failing system would ultimately win, by sharing in the success of a stronger economy.
PHOTO (TOP): California Governor Jerry Brown gestures as he unveils his proposed 2014-15 state budget in Sacramento, California, January 9, 2014. REUTERS/Max Whittaker
PHOTO (INSERT 1): The five colors of the new iPhone 5C are seen after Apple Inc.’s media event in Cupertino, California, September 10, 2013. REUTERS/Stephen Lam
PHOTO (INSERT 2):A customer looks over Toyota automobiles at a dealership in Daly City, California, February 2, 2010. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith


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At Bandai Namco, we celebrate the 20th wedding anniversary of.hack// in computer game
This June 20, 2022 marks the 20th wedding anniversary of the release of.hack// infection on PlayStation 2, the first declination in video games of a franchise which experienced its hrs of splendor long prior to the advent of Sword Art Online as well as the numerousiskaiwhich make the regulation today. Far from allowing this anniversary slip through in silence, Bandai Namco is arranging a whole marketing project around.
At once when the idea of episodic computer game was much from usual, Bandai Namco had actually shocked by marketing these four RPGs signed CyberConnect2 at the price of one episode per quarter. Although it was a offline RPG, they also had the particularity of simulating an environment of MMORPG, in this instance that ofThe Worldin which the whole franchise business takes location.
For the time being, Bandai Namco has actually not recommended that this anniversary will bring to life something on our consoles, other than that the author has actually lately filed the Last Recollection brand throughout the world which it recalls the name made use of for compilation.hack// g.u. Last Recode getaway on PS4, Steam as well as change. Theoretically, last recollection can consequently be the name of a compilation of the PS2 game tetralogy (infection, mutation, episode, quarantine) released right here in 2004.
As this trailer reveals, the celebrations start with the release today in Japan of an . hack// 20th Anniversary Schedulewhose job shows the entire of the work.hack// (video clip game yet likewise Mangas, novels as well as computer animation). From August 9 to 28, the collection will certainly be qualified to its very initial artistic exhibition at the Yurakucho Marui shopping mall in Tokyo. After that, the goodies will certainly continue to rain up until completion of the year with the release of an artbook . hack// 20th Video Game Art Functionsas well as three CDs _. hack// 20th Finestin December 2022.
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It’s that time! Break out the sun block, lounge chairs, and colorful umbrellas. Spring break, especially for college students, is a much needed vacation from the responsibilities of being a student.
One of the most frequently sought out places for college students is the beach.
“I love the beach,” Ashley Rhys, senior psychology major, said. “I would bring a camera definitely, a towel, some sun block and shades.”
The beach may be a point of interest, but not all students feel the same.
“The beach is relaxing,” Don Mark Webb, senior English major, said. “I just hate the trip to get there.”
It is always a good idea to remember to bring an umbrella, as well as lots of water to prevent dehydration. Good sunscreen as well as an extra blanket and binoculars are also helpful items on the beach.
Many students at VSU are ready for spring break beach trips.
“I would bring a book, a towel, sunglasses, and something I could plug my iPod into,” Webb said.
Other students enjoy different activities while on the beach.
“I like to sit in a lounge chair and watch the sun set on the ocean front,” Greg Jackson, sophomore chemistry major, said. “ It’s one of the best times of the day because it’s cool out, and I get to watch beautiful women.”
A change of clothes, a book or magazine, and a first aid kit are also beneficial to bring.
Several students have different past-times at the beach.
“I don’t get in the water because I can’t swim, so I bring something to make sandcastles,” Latoia Blassingame, freshmen marketing major, said.
While the beach is fun, it is important to be safe. This includes remembering water and food rules.
“Don’t eat something that’s not yours,” Robert Rozier, junior pre-medicine major, said. “I have fun, but not too much where it gets crazy; everything is good in moderation.”
So while packing for your day on the beach, remember those important items to bring and keep in mind the safety rules.


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To be successful and organise his business in a way that will benefit as many people as possible – that’s what Kwabena Taylor, who manages a cashew processing company in Ghana, wants. And GIZ has supported his efforts via the African Cashew Initiative, which is financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and various other companies. Thus far over 250,000 small farmers have been trained on how to improve the quality of their cashew nuts. In addition, the Initiative has advised more than 20 companies in West Africa and created more than 5,000 jobs.
I travelled a lot in my youth. I lived in the USA and visited Europe. I always thought the ‘grass was greener on the other side.’ But it isn’t – and I soon came back. Ghana offers so many opportunities; I love the country and the people. When my brother showed me this piece of land, I immediately began to make plans.
Cashews are in demand the world over and the market is growing. In days gone by, African countries used to export their raw cashew nuts and so forego the substantial income that can be generated by processing them. Nowadays there is more and more local processing going on. We pay our farmers fair prices, help them improve the quality of their nuts and create jobs – especially for women.
In Ghana it is difficult to get funding for agriculture. We had just got together enough money when we realised that the raw products the local farmers were offering us were not up to standard. Luckily we have good international partners that advise us well on all these challenges.
First and foremost I am a business man. I want to be successful and earn money. But I also feel very responsible towards my workers. If I had to close the factory they would all lose their jobs. Often an entire family is dependent on this income. For this reason, the most important thing is that as many people as possible benefit from my company.
I would finance the vocational training of promising young men and women – education is the most valuable commodity there is. And I would put money into environmental protection projects: I would like to see a greener world. But I would still go to work in my factory every day and I would continue to invest money in cashew processing in Ghana.


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Once again the rumor mill is seething. A possible event in March and the statement of an insider stir up hope for Bethesda’s new role-playing game Starfield.
Little is known about Bethesda’s new science fiction RPG Starfield. But now there are signs that this could change soon. Apparently Microsoft is planning an event in March that will revolve around the Bethesda takeover, which currently still has to be approved by the EU regulatory authorities. At least that’s what the well-known journalist Jeff Grubb claims to have found out. In terms of content, the aim is to explain the takeover in detail and to comment on the future of the two companies.
Another well-known insider, NateDrake, has spoken in the corresponding Resetera thread. He wants to have found out that there is hope and desire to release Starfield this year. That was the state of affairs at least a few months ago, although it is uncertain what effect the corona situation will have on the development of the game.
The fact that the title has not yet been introduced in more detail would not be an obstacle. Both Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 were launched in a relatively short period of time after their official launch. Should there really be a corresponding event on the part of Microsoft in March, we will probably find out whether there is anything to the suspicions. After all, Starfield was already teased in 2018, so there could be something to it from the period.


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Ecommerce giant Amazon says its store is back online following a global outage that took the site offline for nearly two hours last night.
“Some customers may have temporarily experienced issues while shopping. We have resolved the issue, and everything is now running smoothly,” the massive online retailer said in a statement.
Amazon has not disclosed the reason for the outage.
Downdetector outlines that during the outage, most users had issues with the website while others had issues logging in or checking out. Customers report that they were presented with error messages throughout the duration of the outage.
Reuters notes that this outage was the second the company faced since late June when users were unable to access Amazon platforms including Alexa and Prime Video.


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Saygus V SQUARED smartphone to have a humongous 464GB storage facility
Saygus claims that they have developed a smartphone that can store up to 464GB of memory option without any difficulty.
Here is announcing the V SQUARED, a water-proof smartphone that doesn’t “play dumb with the bare minimum tech.” It features a 21-megapixel optical image stabilized camera that can record 4K videos. There is an adequate 13-megapixel selfie camera on the front side, which can record at minimum 2K videos as well.
Saygus V SQUARED has 64GB of storage standby on the storage front. Further, there are two microSD card slots that would give up 200GB of extra storage space each, which makes it over 400GB in total. The latest PlayStation and XBox consoles come with 500GB memory and their designs take up a lot of storage space as well. However, in the case of Saygus smartphone it will fit into your pocket very satisfactorily.
For some HD quality sound time, the V SQUARED has Harman/Kardon audio tech inside. According to the video below, the battery capacity is more than enough but no details regarding the accurate capacity was mentioned during the playback.
Well, in the end, there is some bad news and good news. The bad news is that the V SQUARED is right now not available commercially because Saygus are trying to obtain it for $1 million on Indiegogo to start with the mass production of the device. However, the good news is that the goal has been reached with $1,095,873 pledged for the project.
Saygus hopes to release the V SQUARED this fall however it will set you back a cool $650.


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February 18th, 2009 at 12:00pm
GM and Chrysler are asking for billions more from the government. The UAW agreed to cuts at GM, Chrysler and Ford. In the viability plan it submitted to Congress, Chrysler has pictures of what its next-generation 300 and Grand Cherokee will look like. All that and more, plus John answers viewer questions about automaker bankruptcies and electric vehicles in the “You Said It!” segment.
Transcript and Story Links after the jump . . .
Here are today’s top headlines. GM and Chrysler want billions more from the government. The UAW makes more concessions. And a sneak peek at some future Chrysler products.
Up next, we’ll be back with the news behind the headlines.
This is Autoline Daily for Wednesday, February 18, 2009. And now, the news.
GM presented its viability plan to the government last night and the details are brutal (full plans available for download here). It will lay off another 47,000 employees worldwide on top of all the cuts it’s already made. About 21,000 of those jobs will be cut in the U.S. That will come from closing another five manufacturing plants, as well as getting rid of the Hummer, Saturn and Saab brands and all the jobs that go with them. Pontiac will stay on as a niche brand. Astonishingly, GM even raised the specter that it may have to form partnerships with the German government and other European governments to make sure its European operations are sustainable. To pull this all off, GM is asking the U.S. government for $16.6 billion more than before, all because it now bases its plans on much lower sales forecasts for the industry.
Same goes for Chrysler. It’s asking for $2 billion more than before because of the collapse in the car market. The company says that in addition to the steps it’s taken it will reduce fixed costs by $700 million, cut another 3,000 people, take out 100,000 units of capacity, and sell $300 million in assets.
The UAW agreed to cuts at GM, Chrysler and Ford. The details are hazy because they have to be voted on by the membership before the union will discuss them. But my sources tell me it will reduce the number of skilled trades people in UAW plants, and the Wall Street Journal reports it will include lower supplemental unemployment benefits. The union is still arguing over taking stock for its VEBA payments.
Hidden deep in the viability plan it submitted to Congress (full plans available for download here), Chrysler had pictures of what its next-generation 300 and Grand Cherokee will look like. Autoblog is running these photos. The Grand Cherokee looks new and modern but the 300C looks like a mild facelift on a car that’s already been in the market for over 5 years.
You know, the sky may be falling everywhere else but not in Brazil. Nissan will eliminate 20,000 jobs globally by 2010, but WardsAuto.com reports the company will not be cutting anything from its operations in Brazil (subscription required). Two new products it has are the Frontier SUV in its joint venture plant with Renault and its flex-fuel Liniva MVP.
In other Nissan news, the company claims its electric vehicle due late next year will have a 100 mile range running on pure battery power. The car will seat five and will be about the same size as the Sentra or Versa and will be initially made in Japan but will also get built it at its Tennessee plant in the future. And in other EV news, Ford received $55 million in tax credits through the Michigan Advanced Battery Credits. The law is designed to encourage companies to invest in electric vehicle engineering and automotive battery research in Michigan. Earlier this year Ford announced it plans to bring four electric vehicles to market by 2012.
Coming up next, it’s time for You Said It!
And now it’s time for some of your feedback.
This is “You Said It!” Every day we get dozens of comments and questions from you, our viewers. “You Said It!” gives me a chance to respond.
Joe Brooks, from Accu-Shape Die Cutting, writes: “We have suffered 18 customer bankruptcies. My question to you is how can ANY of the automotive makers file for Chapter 11 since no one would likely “loan” them money in their current condition? If they could get that kind of financing, they would not have to go into bankruptcy in the first place.”
Good point Joe. But the Obama Administration has indicated it would provide what they call debtor-in-possession financing, if GM or Chrysler has to go into Chapter 11 to restructure.
Tom Geauvreau, from Windsor, Ontario, says: “I was a kinda amused about the Hofmeister Kink styling feature on BMW cars. Consider if you will the 1952 Nash Ambassador and later the 1956 “basket handle” AMC Rambler. I wouldn’t be willing to say that this design feature started with Nash, but at least it was earlier than BMW.”
Tom thanks for pointing that out. You’re right, that kink did not start with BMW, but I guess they get credit for sticking with it for nearly half a century.
Tim Achterhoff from RC Productions wrote in to say “As I was driving to work this morning in single digit Michigan temps, I wondered where the interior heat would come from in an electric car. Maybe a propane heater? I guess they don’t worry about those problems in California.”
Well Tom, it can get pretty cold in lots of places in California. But to answer your question, it will use an electric heater. But the beauty of it is you can warm up your plug-in while it’s still plugged in. That way the batteries don’t have to take a big hit to heat up the car. Same goes for the air conditioning.
Don’t forget that all this week you can enter for your chance to win the book Italdesign: Thirty Years on the Road by Luca Ciferri. All you have to do is sign-up for our free e-mail newsletter. I’ll be picking the winner Friday on “Autoline Daily” so sign-up today!
And remember that tomorrow we have our live webcast at noon discussing all the details about GM and Chrysler’s viability plans. You can join the discussion with my panel of experts tomorrow at noon eastern time, and 1700 hours GMT.
Thanks for watching, we’ll see you tomorrow.


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There is no delay in bathing and showering, and teach you the exquisite and practical design of the bathroom!
The "2021 White Paper on Family Hygiene and Healthy Life in China" shows that bathroom space is becoming the space with the highest rate of remodeling in more families. 64.68% of the interviewees said that when decorating the home environment, the investment in the bathroom takes the first place, 75.66% Of people expressed their desire to remodel the bathroom.
In Asia, consumers' demand for smart toilets is becoming a habit. Compared with the European market, smart toilets have become popular in the Chinese market earlier, and the demand for smart bathrooms has developed earlier and more mature.
Facing the consumption habits of the Chinese market, established European sanitary ware brands are winning young consumers through smarter, aesthetic, and sterile products.
Spanish sanitary ware brand Roca recently released a new Kuma series customized for Chinese consumers, including smart toilets, furniture, basins, bathtubs and faucets.


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'Simpsons' stamps en route
Postal Service unveils a sneak peekNEW YORK -- "Simpsons" fans can now get the first peek at upcoming stamps featuring Homer, Marge & Co. The U.S. Postal Service unveiled the designs Thursday morning.
The stamps will be available nationwide on May 7.
"This is the biggest and most adhesive honor 'The Simpsons' has ever received," said creator and executive producer Matt Groening.
Executive producer James Brooks quipped: "We are emotionally moved by the Post Office Department's selecting us rather than making the lazy choice of someone who has benefited society."
The Postal Service is encouraging people to vote for their favorite "Simpsons" character on its Web site. On the site, fans also can preorder the 44-cent first-class stamps and register for a sweepstakes for a limited edition "Simpsons" poster signed by Groening.
Elie Dekel, executive vp at Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising, said the previously announced stamps are a key part of the show's 20th anniversary celebration. "'The Simpsons' is more than just a television show, it's an American institution," he said. "These stamps help solidify this legacy." D'oh!
David Failor, U.S. Postal Service executive director of stamp services, also predicted a benefit for his organization. "Issuing 'The Simpsons' stamps, which includes known philatelist Bart Simpson, will serve as a great opportunity to interest youngsters into stamp collecting."
All the stamp designs are available beginning on the next page.
MAGGIE | Next page: LISA
LISA | Next page: BART
BART | Next page: MARGE
MARGE | Next page: HOMER
HOMER | Return to story


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Kanye West, the rapper and fashion designer known for antisemitic commentary, is no longer buying Parler, the social media service that bills itself as a platform for free speech and is popular among right-wing audiences, the company said on Thursday.
Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, have agreed to terminate the intent of the sale of Parler, according to a statement from Parlement Technologies.
West, has spent the last few weeks on an extended antisemitic tirade, including on Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight” and, more recently, on Infowars — during which he told conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, “Every human being has something of value that they brought to the table, especially Hitler.”
He then added: “I like Hitler.”
“This decision was made in the interest of both parties in mid-November,” the company said in a statement. “Parler will continue to pursue future opportunities for growth and the evolution of the platform for our vibrant community.”
Parler agreed in mid-October to a deal in principle under which the rapper and fashion mogul would purchase the social media platform, which has fashioned itself as a culture-war alternative to Twitter with minimal content moderation. Parler is backed by right-wing mega-donor Rebekah Mercer, and its chief executive is married to Candace Owens — a right-wing provocateur who’s become part of Ye’s circle.
Before his deal with Parler, Ye was suspended from the more mainstream social networks Instagram and Twitter after threatening to “go death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE,” among other hateful posts. The rapper has said those suspensions prompted the initial effort to acquire Parler, although he’s since returned to Twitter.
He has also received widespread criticism for his decision to wear a “White Lives Matter” shirt during Paris Fashion Week in October, as well as a recent dinner he attended with former President Trump and noted white nationalist Nick Fuentes.
Adidas and other brands have cut ties with Ye amid the maelstrom.
Parler “will continue to pursue future opportunities for growth and the evolution of the platform,” the company tweeted. It did not immediately respond to a request for comment; Ye could not be reached for comment.
OnMyWay Is The #1 Distracted Driving Mobile App In The Nation!
OnMyWay, based in Charleston, SC, The Only Mobile App That Pays its Users Not to Text and Drive.
The #1 cause of death among young adults ages 16-27 is Car Accidents, with the majority related to Distracted Driving.
OnMyWay’s mission is to reverse this epidemic through positive rewards. Users get paid for every mile they do not text and drive and can refer their friends to get compensated for them as well.
The money earned can then be used for Cash Cards, Gift Cards, Travel Deals and Much, Much More….
The company also makes it a point to let users know that OnMyWay does NOT sell users data and only tracks them for purposes of providing a better experience while using the app.
The OnMyWay app is free to download and is currently available on both the App Store for iPhones and Google Play for Android @ OnMyWay; Drive Safe, Get Paid.
Download App Now – https://r.onmyway.com
Sponsors and advertisers can contact the company directly through their website @ www.onmyway.com


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Following the news that Samsung's Galaxy Fold has been officially delayed with no new release date in sight, the South Korean electronics giant has emailed US customers who pre-ordered the foldable device with an update on its current status, as reported by Droid Life (opens in new tab).
Stating that it is "making progress in enhancing the Galaxy Fold", Samsung has admitted that currently, it "cannot confirm the anticipated ship date yet" and that it will provide further information on shipping "in the coming weeks."
- The Samsung Galaxy Fold has a durability problem
- Samsung Galaxy Fold’s failings could be hard to fix
- The next Samsung Galaxy Fold could fold twice over
Unless it has a customer's express permission to keep a pre-order active, US Federal Trade Commission regulations mean that Samsung must cancel all Galaxy Fold pre-orders in the US if it hasn't released the device before May 31, 2019.
The email goes on to directly ask customers if they would like to keep their Galaxy Fold pre-orders beyond the May 31 deadline, presenting a clickable button that allows them to opt in.
In response to Droid Life's story, a spokesperson for Samsung reached out to offer the following statement:
"Samsung Electronics America is committed to keeping our customers informed on the status of their Galaxy Fold preorder. While we continue to make progress in enhancing the Galaxy Fold, a new release date has not yet been announced. Because of this, we have recently contacted our preorder customers to provide them information on their options as we move forward.
"As per U.S. regulations, we are required to notify customers that their preorders will be cancelled in the event the product has not been shipped by May 31st. Samsung Electronics America is offering customers an option to keep their orders past this date and customers may also cancel their orders at any time.
"Samsung values the trust our customers place in us and want to thank them for their patience and understanding.”


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For the third time in less than two months, a fresh lawsuit has been filed against the founders of Ripple Labs, the company behind the cryptocurrency Ripple (XRP). The plaintiff alleges that the defendants have made money by breaking state and federal securities laws and misleading the public through the sale of unregistered ripple tokens (XRP).
Plaintiffs are asking for a refund as well as damages, and allege organizers sold unregistered securities under California’s Corporate code.
The lawsuit, filed by a private XRP investor, is a class-action suit against Ripple Labs which also mentions Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse. Moreover, the lawsuit claims XRP is part of a never-ending initial coin offering.
TrioMarkets Partners with HokoCloud, Expands its Portfolio with Social TradingGo to article >>
The plaintiff detailed in his filing that all signs point to XRP being a security, which requires the company to disclose certain information to investors, including potential risks. Citing that 20 billion tokens were given to Ripple Labs’ founders and 80 billion to the company itself, he alleges that the defendants earned massive profits by quietly selling off these XRP tokens to the general public.
Furthermore, the suit states that the defendants have employed several tactics to artificially drive demand and increase the price of XRP. One example, according to the private investor, was placing 55 billion XRP in a cryptographically-secured escrow account to allegedly create certainty of coin supply. At the time, the company said this lockup was made only to eliminate any concern that Ripple could flood the market, but in fact, the action pushed the token price up by around 1000 percent.
Tom Channick, Ripple’s head of corporate communication, commented earlier on the ongoing litigation, saying that like any civil proceeding, they assess the merit or lack of merit to the allegations at the appropriate time.
“Whether or not XRP is a security is for the SEC to decide. We continue to believe XRP should not be classified as a security,” he added.


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Polariod originally announced that it was bringing a new retro styled instant prints camera with a version of Android running in the background originally last year and at the time, the company stated that it would be released in the US sometime within the first quarter of 2014, yet not real timeframe or date have been given so far.
Well the company today at CES have given an update about the device pictured above, stating that the hardware is cruising for a fall release in the US (Spring here in Australia) now that it’s finalised the necessary legal agreements to make it a reality.
The full rundown of specs include:
- 14 MP rear facing camera – 2MP front facing
- 4GB of storage – can be expanded via microSD card
- 4.5-inch touchscreen
When Wi-Fi signal is not available the Polaroid will pair with your smartphone via Bluetooth to transfer photos instantly to various social photo sharing services such asdf Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For the printing side of things, the device will utilise Zink – Zero Ink® Digital Printing – ink-free paper a main-stay of miniature photo printers like the LG portable printer.
There is no word if the company will be bringing this device to our shores at this stage, but with Polaroid devices sold in Big W stores in Australia, they do have a retail channel they can utilise if they decide to, but it’s an interesting device none the less.
What do you think of the Polaroid Socialmatic camera? Would you consider buying this device if it comes to Australia?