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Brussels will hit US merchandise starting from sugarcane molasses to spirits with punitive tariffs within the transatlantic row over plane subsidies, even because it appears ahead to raised relations after Joe Biden’s victory in final week’s American presidential election.
Valdis Dombrovskis, the EU’s commerce commissioner, stated on Monday that Brussels would use retaliation rights awarded final month by the World Commerce Group to focus on US imports into Europe with further duties. The measures will take impact on Tuesday.
The WTO has authorised the EU to hit nearly $4bn of US items with further tariffs in retaliation in opposition to unlawful state help for Boeing. The US has had additional duties in place in opposition to $7.5bn of European merchandise since final 12 months in a parallel criticism in opposition to help for Airbus. The awards have been the fruit of a 16-year transatlantic authorized battle over subsidies to the sector.
Brussels stated that additional tariffs of 15 per cent can be positioned on US plane, whereas further duties of 25 per cent can be imposed on a variety of different merchandise together with on line casino tables, health machines and sought-after seaweeds.
As is customary with such lists, the EU has sought to focus on delicate merchandise that may result in stress on politicians to resolve the dispute: Georgia, a state that was tightly contested within the presidential election and that can now decide which social gathering has a majority within the US senate, is an exporter of cane molasses.
An EU diplomat cautioned that the checklist was finalised earlier than it grew to become clear that there can be senate run-off races and a recount within the Peach State. Different merchandise on the checklist embody tractors, groundnuts and orange juice.
The EU determined to carry again from imposing the tariffs forward of the US election, however stated that it was now doing so out of frustration with the dearth of progress with the Trump administration find a settlement to the long-running dispute.
“We’re able to take away our tariffs if the US removes its tariffs,” Mr Dombrovskis informed reporters after a digital assembly of EU commerce ministers that mentioned transatlantic relations. He stated that Brussels needed a fast de-escalation of the dispute, and an settlement with the US on state help for plane manufacturing.
“We have now made clear at each stage that we wish to settle this long-running challenge,” he stated.
The EU endured months of frustration earlier this 12 months because it awaited a delayed WTO choice on its retaliation rights in opposition to state help for Boeing, whereas the US was already hitting European merchandise starting from French wine to Italian cheese with further duties.
Mr Dombrovskis stated the EU was merely “mirroring” how the US had acted, and was “exercising its authorized rights” however stated he hoped that “we are able to shortly put this behind us”.
EU diplomats stated that the bloc had determined to maneuver forward now on condition that the presidential election was over and due to a need to keep away from taking the step near inauguration day. Brussels has looked for months to drive ahead talks with the US to finish the dispute, however the European Fee stated on Monday that Washington “has not but offered the premise for a negotiated settlement” by eradicating its personal tariffs on EU items.
Brussels made the announcement on the identical day that EU commerce ministers expressed hopes for a brighter future in transatlantic commerce relations after Mr Biden’s victory. Germany’s financial system minister Peter Altmaier, who chaired Monday’s ministerial videoconference, stated that the EU “will likely be making an attempt to achieve a brand new begin” with the Biden administration.
Mr Dombrovskis stated that key areas of co-operation with the White Home would come with reforming the WTO and combating local weather change. He additionally referred to as for the institution of an EU-US commerce and expertise council.


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Marissa Mayer severance package will blow your mind
Over at yahoo sharehholders are starting to get nervous about thecompany’s future.
According to a report by The New York Times, Yahoo’s directors ended three days of deliberations Friday without announcing whether they will proceed with plans to spin off its $31 billion of stock in the Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba or adopt an activist shareholder’s recommendation to spin off or sell Yahoo’s core business, or do something else entirely.
In January, Yahoo’s chief executive, Marissa Mayer, announced that Yahoo would spin off its 15 per cent stake in Alibaba and a small-business services unit into a new company. In July, it was announced that the spinoff would be called Aabaco. Mayer, who was hired in 2012, planned to focus her attention on Yahoo’s struggling business of selling advertising shown to users of its apps and websites.
But the Aabaco transaction, which is supposed to be completed by the end of January 2016, has run into some unexpected snags. First, the Internal Revenue Service declined to say whether it would seek to collect capital gains taxes on the transaction, which Yahoo intended to be tax-free.
Then in October, the executive in charge of the deal, Jacqueline Reses, quit Yahoo to join Square, a digital commerce company. Last month, Starboard Value, a hedge fund that had pressed Yahoo to do the Alibaba spinoff, changed its mind and urged the board to sell the underperforming core business instead.
Through it all, Yahoo’s business has flatlined, lagging fast-growing peers like Google and Facebook.
Marissa Mayer severance dead
So far, the board has stuck by Mayer, who would receive a severance package of $158 million if Yahoo were sold and her job was terminated.
A majority of the nine-member board was chosen by her, including Charles Schwab, founder of the brokerage firm that bears his name; H. Lee Scott Jr., former chief executive of Walmart, where Mayer sits on the board; and Max Levchin, an entrepreneur who worked with her at Google.
It has been up to Maynard Webb, a former eBay executive who is the board chair, to manage the deliberations.
If Yahoo intends to complete the Aabaco spinoff in January as promised, it needs to announce its plans by early next week to meet the disclosure requirements for some of its bonds, according to Robert Peck, an analyst with SunTrust Robinson Humphrey.
Through a spokesperson, Webb declined to comment about board discussions. A Yahoo spokesperson also declined to comment on Friday.
Mayer, a former Google executive who inspired hopes of a Yahoo revival, has failed to deliver any meaningful improvement in its business. Revenue is flat, and many of her new initiatives have yielded disappointing results.
Many on Wall Street have lost patience and say change is needed.
“Clearly the best outcome for shareholders would be for Yahoo’s board to immediately abandon the spin and commence a competitive process to sell its valuable core business at the highest price possible,” Starboard said in a statement Thursday.

domain: news


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The auctioning of the HMS Endeavour and Teesside Princess has been described as an “exciting opportunity” by Stockton Council’s leader.
News that boats, which have become synonymous with Teesside, are to be sold off caused outrage among residents this week.
Many were quick to express their feelings about the HMS Endeavour and the Teesside Princess being auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Stockton Council has responded to the fact that the private owners of the boats plan to put the boats up for auction later this summer.
Council leader Councillor Bob Cook, said: “Stockton is changing at a rapid pace and is a great place to do business.
“Earlier this month we saw global leader in live entertainment, ATG, commit to operating the restored Globe for the next 25 years and the construction of a Hampton by Hilton hotel will get under way this summer.
“Meanwhile, many high quality independent businesses and shops are choosing to establish themselves in Stockton too.
“The ten mile stretch of tidal controlled river, much of which features a striking lighting scheme, provides a stunning and unique backdrop to any business based here.
“And, just a short walk from where the HMS Endeavour and the Teesside Princess are based is the Olympic standard Tees Barrage International White Water Centre which is also home to Air Trail, the biggest high ropes structure of its kind in the UK.
“HMS Endeavour and the Teesside Princess are not owned by the Council but we are looking forward with interest to see which businesses come forward to take on this exciting opportunity to operate the boats and will of course, as we do with any new business, offer our help and support to ensure their venture is a success here in the Borough.”
Both boats have enjoyed decades sitting on the Tees, but now it is possible they could be moved according to their new owners’ wishes.
The two-tiered Teesside Princess currently operates both public and private charter cruises up and down the Tees.
It was announced the vessel will be auctioned alongside its wooden companion later this year.
On Monday, the auctioneers made clear that the future of HMS Endeavour, moored nearby on Stockton’s Riverside , is also far from certain.
In a statement, the auction house described the sale of the replica, one of only two in the world, as a “rare and once in a life time opportunity”.


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Advance tourism bookings for 2018 indicate another record year for tourism, with foreign earnings set to hit €6 billion, the annual conference of the Irish Hotels Federation has heard.
Employment in Ireland’s largest indigenous industry has risen by 60,000 since 2011 with potential for a further 40,000 jobs by 2021, according to the organisation. However, it said, this growth was predicated on a soft Brexit and stability in the British currency.
According to a tourism barometer launched at the start of the conference in Co Cavan, 56 per cent of hotel and guesthouse owners reported a decline in visitors from Britain.
Some 53 per cent reported an increase in numbers from the US, and 32 per cent said they were getting increased bookings from Germany.
Advance bookings for corporate meetings and events – a significant source of business for almost half of all hoteliers surveyed – are also increasing, according to the survey.
Eye to value
Outgoing hotels federation president Joe Dolan said most hoteliers were planning to invest in their business this year. However, he said the industry needed to reinvest in tourism with an eye to value for money. There were parts of the country like the Shannon corridor which had much to offer and with the right support could expand the tourism offering and greatly benefit the rural economy.
Industry expansion with new and enhanced visitor attractions could provide a significant boost, he added.
Fáilte Ireland has employed consultants on such a plan for the region aimed at emulating the success of Ireland's Ancient East and the Wild Atlantic Way. It is expected to be launched early in March.
While the hotels federation data indicated 67 per cent of hotels were reporting increased domestic bookings for 2018, Aaron Mansworth of Cork-based Trigon Hotels said the industry was competing with a “stay-at-home” campaign in Britain.
He said UK authorities had recently committed €50 million towards promoting holidays in the Lake District, which underscored the need for reinvigorated promotions in Ireland.
Hoteliers also warned of a pressing hazard: rising insurance costs which they said are set to reach €60 million this year. More than 80 per cent of hotels surveyed said this rising cost was having a significant negative impact on business.
The federation called for the swift implementation of the Government’s Cost of Insurance Working Group, including examining the feasibility of a cap on damages that may be awarded in personal injury cases.
Tourism was worth €5.78 billion in foreign earnings to the economy in 2017 and €8.75 billion when domestic figures are included. The industry now employs 230,000 people in the Republic.


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Softswiss revealed that its game aggregator financial results have more than doubled in 2021, compared to the previous year.
Sharing its preliminary results for 2021, the company’s average monthly GGR totalled €130m – €88m in 2020 – with average bet sums exceeding €5bn per month, compared to €2.2bn during the same period last year, highlighting a growth of 130 per cent.
Moreover, annual GGR in January 2021 capped at €130m whilst in December of this year was over the €250m mark. A similar trend was visible with the annual sum of bets, which almost doubled from €3.3bn to €6.5bn.
Softswiss noted that the increase in both can relate to its game aggregator in 2021 delivering to several new markets including Japan, Brazil, Argentina, India and Tunisia.
Andrey Starovoitov, COO at Softswiss, commented: “These figures are the natural result of the work done over the past year by the Softswiss team on bringing in new clients and partners.
“Since January we have more than doubled in size: 500+ professionals have joined Softswiss, which couldn’t help but affect our end of year results. We’re developing the best solutions from the igaming industry every day to help our partners build successful businesses.
“I am very happy with the results achieved and expect even more success in the new year.”
Furthermore, Softswiss confirmed that crypto made up about 40 per cent of all its currency in 2021, a 20 per cent increase from 2020. Bitcoin showed the main increase, taking fifth place in the ranking of the most used currencies in 2021 and remained the most popular cryptocurrency among all Softswiss game aggregator operators at 83.3 per cent, with Ethereum coming in at eight per cent and Litecoin at 3.9 per cent.
“Softswiss has long been known as a leading B2B crypto solution provider, and this past year has proven that once again,” added Starovoitov. “Cryptocurrencies are an obvious trend in the gambling industry, so in our development we put special emphasis on their use.
“The 2021 figures are the expected result of the company’s strategy to expand its portfolio with crypto products.”
In the past year the Softswiss game aggregator partnered with over 60 clients and 20 plus game providers.
“The common trend is that during the long lockdown in 2020 and the continuing pandemic in 2021, people have been forced to spend a lot of time at home, including at the computer,” summed up Tatyana Kaminskaya, head of game aggregator department at Softswiss.
“Isolation and decreased social activity have influenced a rise in demand for online entertainment. We can see this in the steady increase in the number of bets throughout the year.
“Observing this trend, we tried to provide our clients with the most diverse content to keep the audience interested and engaged. I can say with confidence that we have succeeded.”


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North Lakes, Morayfield stores among those targeted by alleged thief
Australians are thieves - but history could have told you that
A boy has been charged after he allegedly assaulted a taxi driver
Secret $1.2m trials are underway that could mean that never happens again.
Shameless theft captured on CCTV footage
It turns out flight attendants do have their limit.
Chinchilla Historical Museum is reeling from a break-and-enter.
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WHEN Richard Russell stole a commercial plane last month, he did so with very...
Man uses tomahawk to rob a Sunshine Coast cafe overnight
Four teenagers have been charged for allegedly stealing a car
Woman offers reward for return of assistance dog
Man, 28, wanted after allegedly stealing a white Ford Territory
A BAGGAGE handler has been busted opening a passenger’s bag and pocketing the...
Investigations are continuing.
You could be a victim of the same rip-off
POLICE investigating break and enters in Rockhampton overnight
Police release CCTV images following bottle shop theft.
THINK you’re too clever for Europe’s notorious street thieves?
Police catch alleged thief red-handed inside bar.


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The government has banned the use of ‘dark patterns’ on e-commerce platforms to protect the interests of consumers.
The government has taken this decision to stop companies or businessmen trying to cheat customers or influence their choices through dark patterns. The Central Protection Consumer Authority (CCPA) has issued a guideline in this regard on November 30, named “Guideline for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Pattern”.
What is there in this new guideline?
This guideline is also applicable to all platforms, advertisers and sellers offering goods and services in India. According to the new guidelines, resorting to dark patterns will be a violation of consumer rights. This will be considered as misleading advertising or unfair trade practice. For doing so, fine will be imposed as per the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act.
Statement of Consumer Affairs Secretary
“As e-commerce grows, dark patterns are increasingly being used by platforms to mislead consumers by manipulating their purchasing choices and behaviour,” Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh said.
He said the guidelines will bring clarity to all stakeholders – buyers, sellers, markets and regulators on what is wrong in the form of unfair trade practices. Those who violate these will be held responsible under the Consumer Protection Act.


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Payments company Mobikwik has launched UPI-based payments on its platform, becoming the latest mobile wallet to add the interoperable payment service. Mobikwik users will now be able to make and receive payments via their @ikwik Virtual Payments Address (VPA). Mobikwik’s addition of UPI doesn’t come as a surprise because mobile wallets, like the one run by Mobikwik, have seen a decline in usage over the past month as RBI’s stricter KYC norms have come into effect. At first glance, Mobikwik’s UPI application seems simple to use and interoperability doesn’t seem to be an issue. Users can send and receive payments from other UPI IDs. Both online and offline merchant payment options are present and so is support for BharatQR, as mandated recently by the National Payments Corporation of India. The app supposedly offers UPI access to the 3 million merchants…
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As businesses evolve, and opportunities rise up for startups to companies, we are seeing a number of diverse involvement among entrepreneurs.
As a Malaysian based private investment firm with strong South East Asian connections, TH Capital was started to empower and accelerate ventures with capital infusion, strategic mentor ship, business consultancy and strong networking opportunities.
TH Capital has a unique platform for all which allows a diverse range of portfolio investments across different growth stages. This enhances the level of involvement according to the maturity level of the startups, Naysan added.
The DotCom Bubble or Startups have been a huge topic amongst the communities of technological development, yet; many are still adapting towards the change as a whole.
From Google, Microsoft to Apple, the founders saw a market niche and decided to take a leap of faith in launching the companies, as well as the technology for the communities; to not just focus on what they get out of it; but rather – the overall potential that a simple change can make.
“A startup is an entrepreneurial venture which is typically a newly emerged, fast-growing business that aims to meet a marketplace need by developing or offering an innovative product, process or service.” (PennState University)
When we asked about the assistance being provided in the circle, Naysan mentioned that mentorships and networking opportunities through family investors will allow entrepreneurs to have the space they need to shape their businesses in the early stages of development.
Thus, providing the time and resources they need before anything could be finalized. With the exception of focus, TH Capital’s core verticals are within the range of FinTech, E-Commerce and Internet of Things for now. Forbes further simplified the whole future technology as the new rule for the future as anything can be connected and will be connected.
One only sees the need, when the wants are no longer utilized. As technologies evolve and communities are seeing the rise in the whole future technology, we are also witnessing key individuals like Naysan being a spokesperson for change; due to it being exceptional for the future of the communities.
When we asked about the future technology being adopted into the current market trends, Naysan commented that it is without a doubt will be utilized in the next couple of years, however, the commercial viability needs to be present to disrupt and ingratiate into traditional systems.
Blockchain as a distributed ledger technology allows for a centralized system to happen where data of all kinds can be traced, and transparent in the whole ecosystem.
“There is no short circuit for startups”, said Naysan. The life cycle in the economy is a puzzle, but once it is completed, everything makes sense from one point to another.
He further added that the global pandemic that is taking place in the year 2020 now is also a great centre focus on generating real profits as it showcases everyone to go back to the basics and running everything like how it was normally run in the beginning of time, traditionally.
The only difference for that is, we have the virtual connection to stay focussed and run like the usuals whilst building trust with one another.
Entrepreneurship is a huge idea that many people have started to develop into and understand the basis of, however, it being “new” in the traditional settings of development, staying aligned with what we already can be a drag of time for all. Innovation happens when actions are being done, despite all the talk-no-action moves by some.
“I don’t believe in promoting entrepreneurship, but rather to promote and incentivize innovation” he attests.
Naysan further explained that great amounts of technological developments and innovations have been performed by huge corporations such as Amazon and SpaceX, which showcases the concept of innovations rather than entrepreneurships at large.
Summing up the insightful chat we had with the co-founder of MoneyMatch, he believes in the idea of incorporating innovation into the ecosystem of businesses, organically for all by great leaders across the nation.
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Nurul Zamrè is an ardent writer for the past 15 years of her living tenure on science & technology, agriculture, health, communities, management and more. She is also a News Anchor at RTM, a general manager of AHVN, a model, VO artist, emcee, gymnast, ballerina and a lover of everything chocolates.
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The world’s largest crypto mining equipment manufacturer Bitmain has finally filed an initial public offering (IPO) with the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong.
Bitmain, which has demonstrated absolute dominance over the lucrative Bitcoin mining market for many years, is yet to disclose its target valuation. But, local analysts have stated that the success of the Bitmain IPO will represent the demand for the cryptocurrency market by both retail investors and institutions in the Hong Kong market.
The merit of purchasing equity of Bitmain through its IPO is quite clear; as its official IPO document explicitly emphasized, Bitmain has over 74.5 percent market share, accounting for the vast majority of crypto mining equipment shipments in the global market.
“According to Frost & Sullivan, we are the largest global ASIC-based cryptocurrency mining hardware company in terms of sales revenue in 2017, accounting for a market share of 74.5%. We offer a variety of mining hardware equipped with proprietary ASIC chips under our Antminer brand,” the IPO filing read.
The dominance of Bitmain over the crypto mining sector is already a solid selling point to investors. But, since 2015, Bitmain has managed to record an impressive 328.2 percent yearly revenue growth, as it saw its revenue increase from $137.3 million in 2015 to $2.5 billion in 2017.
In early 2018, the mining giant doubled the profit margin of Nvidia, the largest graphics card manufacturer in the technology sector, generating more than $1.1 billion, demonstrating a profit margin that is twice as large as that of Nvidia which recorded a quarterly profit of $550 million.
“Bitmain reportedly brought in $1.1 billion in net profit just in the first quarter of 2018. According to the email, a conservative estimate of what the company could earn in net profit for the full year hovers at approximately $2 to $3 billion,” a report of Fortune read .
The $1.1 billion quarterly profit of Bitmain is admirable, given that the conglomerate generated $2.5 billion in 2017. In the first quarter of this year, Bitmain nearly recorded 50 percent of the profit it obtained throughout the 12 months prior to that.
Alongside its lucrative crypto mining equipment manufacturing business, Bitmain operates 11 mining centers in China and two major mining pools BTC.com and Antpool. According to the IPO document, as of August 2018, BTC.com and Antpool account for 37.1 percent of the hashrate of the Bitcoin network, which is more than one-third of the computing power of the Bitcoin network.
“As of June 30, 2018, we had opened 11 mining farms in the PRC, located in Sichuan Province, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, with an aggregate capacity to store approximately 200,000 sets of mining hardware. We also primarily operate two mining pools, BTC.com and Antpool, currently the world’s largest and second largest Bitcoin mining pools in terms of computing power,” read the document.
Several research groups including BitMEX Research have also revealed that Bitmain has intentionally lowered its profit margin to place pressure on its competition. That means, subsequent to the IPO, Bitmain could redirect its focus on maximizing the profitability of its ventures that may lead to higher profit margins and revenues.
Featured image from Shutterstock.


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LATHROP – Lathrop Vice Mayor Christopher Mateo thinks he has a way to make sure that needy seniors in the community can all get a healthy meal.
And if all goes as planned, it won’t be your run-of-the-mill fruits and vegetables either.
By following up on a tip from a friend, Mateo is currently working with a local salmon hatchery to see about receiving the fish after their eggs have been harvested. It would give seniors the opportunity to enjoy a meal high in nutrients such as Omega-3 fatty acids without having to break the bank to pay for them.
With the annual salmon spawn run just getting ready to begin, Mateo thinks that there’s a chance that seniors could end up with the fish – prized for its tender pink meat – in their freezer inside of the next two months.
“I figured that in this economy, anything that we could get for free would be beneficial to everybody here in the community,” Mateo said. “With the health benefits that salmon offers – the Omega-3 acids and the lean meat – it’s even better for our seniors.”
On Tuesdays, those who have a hard time covering their groceries get the opportunity to come down to the Lathrop Senior Center and receive a boost of items that will help them make it through the week. Almost all of the items are donated from local residents and food pantries that are looking to take care of seniors in the community.
But given the time of year, Mateo is hoping that the combination of salmon and fresh fruits and vegetables – which he plans on working to get donated by local growers to help supplement the program – will be a major boost and will help stretch the donations that aren’t nearly as strong as they were in years past.
“I thought about that part too, and there are lots of farms out here and maybe after the harvest some of the farmers could donate some of that to the city as well,” Mateo said. “It would be a big benefit to our seniors, and providing them with healthy food would be great.”
Mateo teamed up with City Manager Cary Keaten to write a letter to the fish hatchery last week. Word has not yet come back, but after talking to somebody at the site Mateo believes that the outlook on receiving a donation if the salmon spawn run is productive is good.


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Image source: Flickr user Kaiyan.
To suggest that America runs on plastic might be a pretty accurate statement.
According to statistics found on CreditCards.com, the average credit card debt per U.S. adult, excluding zero-balance cards and store cards, is a whopping $5,232. Furthermore, based on the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston data published in September 2014, 72.1% of consumers (basically three out of four) had at least one credit card. A national poll from Gallup in the same year also found that the average American who has at least one credit card has a mean of nearly four in their wallet.
Like I said, America loves its plastic, and there's a mountain of data and statistics to back up this assertion. Credit card companies also relish the fact that Americans love their credit cards. As of the third quarter of 2015, the average APR charged on credit cards was 12.1%, and the average APR on cards that were carrying a balance was a hair over 13.9%. As long as consumers remain current on their loans, lending and/or processing can be a very lucrative business.
Image source: Pixabay.
Convenience is one factor that draws Americans to use plastic instead of cash, but the potential for rewards, as well as consumer loyalty to a credit card brand, are additional factors that can play a key role in credit card usage. Understanding which credit card brands consumers favor could provide investors with a valuable puzzle piece when analyzing credit card companies for possible investment. Unfortunately, measuring brand loyalty in the credit card industry is far from simple. For that, we'll turn to New York-based research company Brand Keys and its 21st annual Customer Loyalty Engagement Index (CLEI).
The importance of brand loyalty To be clear, brand loyalty is important no matter what industry we're talking about. In terms of the credit card industry, customer loyalty can specifically be beneficial for the free word-of-mouth advertising it can bring. If a consumer is happy with his credit card company, he's liable to tell friends and family about his experience -- and friends and family are probably more likely to act on the recommendation of someone they know as opposed to an advertisement on television.
The other component to brand loyalty is that loyal customers tend to be very profitable. Within the credit card industry, this is going to depend on what, if any, rewards a credit company offers its customers. The better the rewards, in theory the more it could eat into profit margins. Conversely, the more a consumer uses the card, the better chance the credit card company has of racking up merchant fees and/or interest on a balance carried to the following month.
After questioning more than 42,000 people to understand on multiple levels how businesses engage with them, and how that in turn affects their loyalty, Brands Keys' CLEI ranked 10 credit card brands from worst to first. Let's take a look at how things shook out.
Image source: Flickr user Bryan Rosengrant.
Big banks and industry titans lagArguably what stood out most is that national banks, which would presumably have no problem with consumer recognition, lagged badly when it came to brand loyalty. JPMorgan Chasecame in fourth, Citibank, a division of Citigroup, ranked seventh, Bank of Americaslid into eighth, and Wells Fargosurprisingly took ninth. Only Barclaycard from Barclaysranked lower.
All of these banks are quite different in how they're attempting to grow their business, but it's quite possible the unpleasant memories of the Great Recession (namely the poor lending practices of banks that lend to a huge increase in mortgage defaults and foreclosures) could be playing a role in hurting national banks' brand loyalty.
Image source: Pixabay.
It's also interesting that Visa and MasterCard , which are basically synonymous with the credit card industry and could easily be its most recognizable brands, ranked just fifth and sixth, respectively. Although Visa and MasterCard are merchant staples when it comes to payment process facilitation, neither Visa nor MasterCard are physical lenders themselves. When credit delinquencies are on the rise, this can be great news for Visa and MasterCard, but having no direct lending capacity could be having an adverse impact when it comes to the CLEI rankings.
America's favorite credit card company is...The top three credit card companies in terms of brand loyalty were clear standouts for their own reasons, with the brand taking top honors being a bit of a surprise.
Capital One Financial seems to be a logical choice to finish high up in the rankings (third in this case) since credit card revenue accounts for the vast majority of its income, unlike traditional banks. The assumption here would be that Capital One is placing heavy emphasis on its rewards programs and ensuring consumers stay happy since the bulk of its profitability depends on it.
American Express came in second, likely as a result of its long-running relationship with America's more affluent credit cardholders. American Express is known for targeting wealthier customers, and in turn, the prestige of having an AmEx card tends to keep those consumers loyal to the brand. Additionally, AmEx's business benefits from having affluent clientele because they're less likely to be adversely effected by an economic downturn. This often means less concern about credit delinquencies for AmEx compared to other credit lenders.
But when it comes to America's favorite credit card brand, Discover Financial Services' Discover brand cards take the cake.
Image source: Discover.
Why Discover? Rewards could be a big reason. Earlier this year, NerdWallet released its "Best Credit Cards of 2016" annual report, and the "Discover it" card found its way among the top cards consumers should want in two highly coveted categories: balance transfers and rewards. First, the Discover it card allows consumers to transfer a balance from another card and pay 0% APR on that balance for 18 months. There's also a 0% APR on purchases for six months, as well as no annual fee. New cardmembers are also privy to Discover matching the cash back they've earned after their first year, making it a card to own for those looking for the best overall rewards.
Discover's emphasis on the customer also can't be denied. In 2015, J.D. Power released its own credit card satisfaction study, and not surprisingly Discover came in first in all six categories that were considered: interaction, credit card terms, billing and payment, rewards, benefits and services, and problem resolution. The report specifically cited Discover's ability to make its rewards appear attractive in the eyes of the consumer, as well as to expedite reward redemption as a key loyalty driver. Consumers who redeem their rewards more often are more likely to remain engaged and spend more to earn more.
There are a lot of great credit card companies to choose from, but Discover's credit card loyalty dominance gives it an edge that might intrigue investors. It could be time to add Discover Financial to your watchlist.
The article America's Favorite Credit Card Brand Is a Bit of a Shocker (Hint: It's Not Visa or MasterCard!) originally appeared on Fool.com.
Sean Williamsowns shares of Bank of America, but has no material interest in any other companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen nameTMFUltraLong, track every pick he makes under the screen name TrackUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle@TMFUltraLong.The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends MasterCard, Visa, and Wells Fargo. It also has the following options: short May 2016 $52 puts on Wells Fargo, and recommends American Express and Bank of America. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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An interesting confluence of news and events today brings us information on declining CD sales at the same time that many in the blogosphere/podosphere are advocating an effort to “Bum Rush the Charts.”
First the news. The Wall Street Journal reports that “compact-disc sales for the first three months of this year plunged 20% from a year earlier.” The newspaper describes this as “the latest sign of the seismic shift in the way consumers acquire music.”
The evidence from the WSJ is stark:
One week, “American Idol” runner-up Chris Daughtry’s rock band sold just 65,000 copies of its chart-topping album; another week, the “Dreamgirls” movie soundtrack sold a mere 60,000. As recently as 2005, there were many weeks when such tallies wouldn’t have been enough to crack the top 30 sellers. In prior years, it wasn’t uncommon for a No. 1 record to sell 500,000 or 600,000 copies a week.
Podcasting News takes this one on an says “While the music industry blames it on pirated music, there are more important reasons that CD sales are down.” Among the other explanations: the technology is 25 years old, people can buy just the songs they like rather than a full album, and the fact that other media are playing a larger role in individuals’ lives.
But this all takes on an even more interesting flavor when you see the online effort today to drive an independent music song to the top of the iTunes charts. Here’s a more complete description of the campaign:
We can match and exceed the reach of big media, corporate media, labels, and the entrenched interests. On March 22nd, we are going to take an indie podsafe music artist to number one on the iTunes singles charts as a demonstration of our reach to Main Street and our purchasing power to Wall Street.
Now I don’t go in for the whole anti-establishment angle, but I did do my part and bought the song today just to be part of the experiment. It will be fascinating to see how successful it is.
Certainly a tectonic shift occurring in the music industry right now and definitely something to keep watching.


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Kganyago: Consumer index improving despite economic conditions
But on the other hand, Sarb Governor Lesetja Kganyago says business confidence needs to improve.
JOHANNESBURG - South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) Governor Lesetja Kganyago says that consumer confidence is improving despite difficult economic conditions.
The Monetary Policy Committee has decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 6.75%.
Kganyago has cited a number of concerns including inflation and the volatile rand.
However, he says that households are spending more.
“The bank expects household consumption growth to be in the region of 1% for this year.”
But on the other hand, Kganyago says that business confidence needs to improve.
“Business confidence also remains at very low levels despite a slight improvement in the RMB/BER Business Confidence Index during the third quarter.”
(Edited by Zamangwane Shange)


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Jive Software reported its first earnings as a public company today, and introduced a secret new product called “Project Thunder.”
The next quarter will be tough-going for HTC as it tries to recover from its first big profit drop in two years.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is probably not a happy man today, with the company reporting disappointing fourth quarter 2011 earnings, including a dramatic 58 percent decline in net income.
AT&T saw its best wireless sales ever in the fourth quarter, but the aftermath of its failed T-Mobile acquisition was a big hit on profits.
The massive success of the iPhone 4S, together with its next-generation LTE 4G network, helped Verizon see strong earnings of $0.52 a share in the fourth quarter on revenue of $28.4 billion.
In the epic battle for smartphone dominance among Asian device makers, Samsung is on top with a record quarterly profit, while HTC faced a major blow in the holiday quarter.


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Imagine this future. Vehicles and machinery predominantly powered by renewable organic matter, a resource far better for the planet’s health than today’s predominate fossil fuels. What factors stand in the way for a global power transition to competitive, industrial-scale biomass conversion? A study in Nature Communications reveals one key piece of the puzzle using bacterial enzymes. At MAX IV’s BioMAX beamline, an international team of scientists has determined important rate-limiting steps of lignocellulose breakdown, a major hurdle in efficient biomass processing. The discovery holds promise for a significant reduction in manufacturing costs and faster adoption of new biomass-derived fuels to market.
According to the European Union’s Circular Economy Action Plan, industry can determine up to 80 % of a product’s subsequent environmental impact at the design phase. However, the linear manufacturing pattern offers few incentives to make products more sustainable. The research infrastructure project ReMade@ARI, which deals with innovative materials for key components in various areas such as electronics, packaging or textiles, aims to change this: The goal is to develop new materials with high recyclability and at the same time competitive functionalities. To this end, the institutions involved want to harness the potential of more than 50 analytical research infrastructures throughout Europe. MAX IV is a partner of this consortium.
The quest for tastier, more sustainable vegan cheese has led Swedish food company Cassius AB to take a closer look at cheese protein structures. Using synchrotron X-rays at MAX IV, Cassius are searching for the perfect scientific recipe for plant-based cheese.
Arevo, a company known for producing environmentally friendly solutions for improved plant establishment and growth, has performed its first experiment at MAX IV. The research is focused on developing a new line of biostimulant products with a unique nutrient release profile, ensuring beneficial long-term effects for both plants and soils.
Researchers at Linköping University in Sweden are developing a promising new method to selectively convert carbon dioxide and water to various types of fuel. Driving this reaction is solar energy. The recent study, published in ACS Nano, combines the material graphene and the semiconductor cubic silicon carbide in a process which essentially mimics photosynthesis in plants.
Iron organic complexes in Sweden’s boreal rivers significantly contribute to increased iron concentration in open marine waters, X-ray spectroscopy data shows. A Lund University study in Biogeosciences characterizes the role of salinity for iron-loading in estuarine zones, a factor which underpins intensifying seasonal algal blooms in the Baltic Sea.


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The mood was overwhelmingly positive at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE 2011 expositions held last week, March 22 through 26, in Las Vegas. Despite continued uncertainty in U.S. construction markets and the overall economy, industry professionals expressed hopeful optimism for a sustained U.S. upturn in the coming months, while global sales continue to be strong.
CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE 2011 attracted nearly 120,000 registered attendees; the shows were the global industry gathering place for the year and the largest gathering in North America since 2008 for the construction, construction materials and fluid power/power transmission/motion control industries. The shows were held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Visitor numbers were actually down 12% from the last Conexpo in 2008, but the proportion of international visitors rose to 24%, up from 19% in 2008.
The 21% decline in domestic U.S. visitors from 116,000 to 91,000 reflects continuing difficult market conditions in the U.S. construction industry. In general, manufacturers all reported an upturn in sales driven by demand in Asia, India and Latin America.
Attendees said they were at the shows to examine the newest equipment and product technologies and innovations to help them prepare for future business. Exhibitors cited the high quality of customers and reported strong purchases and sales leads to new as well as existing customers.
"The construction industry has been through some very tough times, with record unemployment, since the last CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE in March 2008. With these positive numbers and the industry support of the shows, we’re optimistic about the future and looking forward to seeing these new sales orders fulfilled," stated Megan Tanel, AEM vice president of exhibitions and events.
"There was such a tremendous upbeat feeling at the shows; it was really great to see our industry looking ahead with some enthusiasm after the recession," stated Mike Haberman, chairman of the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 management committee and president of Gradall Industries.
A record number of more than 860 co-located events, educational programs and pre-planned meetings were held with the shows, plus dozens more meetings scheduled onsite. Co-locations included ICON Expo for the concrete products industry and several annual conferences of national industry associations.
Quality Attendance, International Scope
International registrations accounted for a record 24% of the total, representing more than 150 countries. CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 and IFPE 2011 were among a select group invited to participate in the U.S. Department of Commerce International Buyer Program, which facilitates the participation of international visitors. The shows hosted 42 official international customer delegations from 37 countries. Delegations are organized by the U.S. Department of Commerce and in-country associations and groups.
Registration data suggests the majority of show attendees were key company decision-makers, including 44% with the top titles of president/owner and vice president/general manager/chief financial officer.
"The increased global participation by attendees and exhibitors underscores the importance of world markets to our industry. The U.S. economy is slowly improving and we have a ways to go, especially in construction, but after 18 to 24 months there is more pent-up demand for equipment to be ready for the upturn," Tanel stated.


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Realme’s latest smartphone, the Realme U1 (review) will be up for grabs in its first sale today. The smartphone was launched late last month and is the first device to be powered by the MediaTek Helio P70 SoC. The Realme U1 is the company’s fifth offering and the first device in its ‘U’ lineup. The company is touting a powerful camera on the handset and claims that the Realme U1 has the most powerful selfie camera in its price range. The new smartphone by the company will take on others like the Xiaomi Redmi Note 6 Pro and its own Realme 2 Pro smartphones in the same price segment.
- Compare Mobile Phones NewsIn DepthPress ReleaseHow to'sReviews
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Virtual reality (VR) is poised to revolutionize the way consumers interact with products and services – and Payscout has developed innovative technology to facilitate payment transactions within virtual reality experiences.
Perhaps no technology has elicited more enthusiasm and excitement than the recent rise of VR technology. In the past decade alone, the world has seen major, rapid advancement in the development of VR technology.
The omnipresence of smartphones with high-density displays and 3D graphic capabilities has enabled a generation of lightweight and practical VR devices. Those devices also happen to double as mobile payment technology tools, with transactions via mobile payment technologies predicted to reach 9.9 billion in 2018.
The confluence of these technological and economic advancements – VR technology, global ecommerce and the rise of mobile payment technologies – is poised to revolutionize the omnichannel retail experience.
Nonny de la Pena, the Founder of Emblematic Group, and commonly referenced as, “The Godmother of Virtual Reality,” recently explained the power of VR this way:
“Because VR offers the audience the sensation of ‘being there,’ it creates a visceral connection to the events unfolding in front of the viewer.”
Many analysts are predicting that these visceral connections will translate to commerce in massive and profound ways.
Deloitte predicts VR will be a billion-dollar industry by the end of 2016. Goldman Sachs estimates the global VR and AR market will reach $110 billion by 2020, and a recent analyst report from Citigroup suggests VR/AR will become a $674 billion market by 2025.
So, how can merchants and entrepreneurs gain first-mover advantage in the world of VR, and position themselves to take advantage of these projections?
Payscout has a solution.
In May 2016, Payscout demoed a simulated VR shopping check-out experience at the 2016 CNP Expo in Orlando. One month later, Payscout showcased a simulated VR debt payment experience at the ACA International Convention in Denver.
But, these were merely simulations. When the time came to build the technology to allow for real-time transactions to take place within a VR experience, the Payscout team was up to task.
In October 2016, Payscout developed a VR commerce solution that enables the purchasing of an embedded product within a VR short film. Working with the Film Antics production company, the team shot a three-minute VR short, with prominently featured product placement. The feature was followed by the opportunity to purchase the product within a virtual store – all contained within the VR experience – and the transaction is powered by Payscout’s proprietary payment gateway.
The revolutionary implications of this emerging technology are limitless – from changing the way product placement occurs in feature films to non-profit applications for donations in immersive, 360-degree experiences.
In a recent interview with Multichannel Merchant, Payscout CEO Cleveland Brown stated, “Virtual reality commerce will evolve in different ways than ecommerce did, primarily because it uses a different set of parameters and production requirements. The sophisticated interface will appeal to retailers that offer products which show well in the three-dimensional environment or are popular enough to capture on-demand engagement.”
And, when retailers are ready to capture that engagement, Payscout is the payment processing partner positioned and ready to provide the solution.


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Global medical device company K2M Group Holdings, which offers solutions for a range of PLIF, TLIF, and Lateral procedures, has been pretty busy over the last year. The company provides complex spine and minimally invasive solutions that are focused on helping patients achieve three-dimensional Total Body Balance, expanded its portfolio of 3D printed spinal solutions last summer after receiving FDA clearance for its CASCADIA Cervical 3D Interbody and CASCADIA AN Lordotic-Oblique Interbody systems; not long ago, its MOJAVE PL 3D Expandable Interbody System also achieved FDA clearance. This fall, K2M announced the US launch of its 3D printed spinal solutions portfolio, and several months ago introduced its comprehensive Balance ACS (BACS) platform, which allows the company to compete in the global market and focuses on balancing the spine by addressing each vertebral segment with a 360° approach to the sagittal, coronal, and axial plates.
K2M is definitely one to watch and today, the company has announced that its extensive 3D printed product offerings will be increasing. K2M has acquired the exclusive licence to a comprehensive portfolio of 17 issued and pending patents for expandable spinal implant technology. Thanks to this new licensed intellectual property (IP), K2M’s interbody portfolio will likely overtake some of the other currently available expandable devices.
That’s not the only news K2M has announced – in addition to the recent 510(k) clearance of its MOJAVE PL 3D Expandable Interbody System, which is a 3D printed, expandable posterior-lumbar interbody system that features the company’s Lamellar 3D Titanium Technology, K2M is also introducing its SAHARA AL Expandable Stabilization System.
This is the only expandable, lordotic interobody device currently available that uses an integrated screw fixation to help patients balance their spines. Like the company’s other offerings, the SAHARA device is 3D printed in titanium, and was specifically designed to give the anterior column stability while lowering the need for supplemental fixation in the lumbar spine. Its in-situ lordotic adjustment is also designed to match each patient’s sagittal profile.
K2M also announced that it will integrate its Lamellar 3D Titanium Technology into the new products it develops with the recently acquired IP, as the company seeks to enhance its market positioning with 3D printed spinal devices, which extend across three distinct product families.
Eric Major, the President and CEO of K2M, said, “We are excited to have obtained the exclusive rights to this intellectual property portfolio and look forward to integrating our 3D printing technology with new expandable spinal devices as part of our effort to build a comprehensive portfolio of industry-leading, 3D-printed solutions to address the full range of spinal pathologies. This strategic investment to enhance our intellectual property portfolio—coupled with our recent announcements around MOJAVE PL 3D Expandable, SAHARA AL Expandable, and our Balance ACS platform—are key milestones to drive our strategy to be the technology and market leader in the next generation of 3D-printed expandables.”
Discuss in the K2M forum at 3DPB.com.
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- Pittsburgh zoo unveils new tiger cub to public - 2013-05-17
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JOHANNESBURG (AP) —The U.S. giant retailer Wal-Mart is offering to buy 51 percent of South Africa’s Massmart stores, the two companies said in a joint statement Monday.
|MOVING INTO SOUTH AFRICA—The Wal-Mart logo is seen on a delivery truck in Springfield, Ill. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)
Wal-Mart is offering 148 rand (about $20) per share to Massmart stockholders in a 17 billion rand (about $2 billion) deal that has sparked concern among South African unions. It would be Wal-Mart’s first African foothold. Massmart shares were trading at 143.75 rand Monday morning, up 1.45 percent from Friday’s close. Massmart shares have been buoyed since Wal-Mart’s interest first became public in September.
Massmart will continue to be listed on the Johannesburg exchange, addressing a concern of some major Massmart stockholders that led Wal-Mart to revise an earlier bid to buy all of Massmart.
Massmart’s board recommended shareholders accept, according to Monday’s statement, which added that major institutional shareholders supported the deal.
Earlier this month, South Africa’s main retail workers union said its members would strike if necessary to force Wal-Mart to respect labor and protect jobs. They acknowledged they have little power to stop the deal.
Wal-Mart has said it would respect any existing union contracts and was “committed to working constructively with the local unions in South Africa.”
Union leaders did not immediately return calls seeking comment Monday.
In a statement, Doug McMillon, president and chief executive of Wal-Mart International, made clear his company is pursuing a regional strategy.
“The more we learn about South Africa and the surrounding countries the more we are convinced that this is an important region with attractive growth characteristics,” he said.
Massmart, based in Johannesburg, runs about 290 big box, pharmacy, electronics and other stores in 14 African countries, mostly in South Africa.
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There’s no turning back now – like it or not, the future of Porsche’s smaller sports car is electric. By 2025, the 718 lineup will lose its internal combustion engine and become an EV. The announcement was made back in March, but the writing has been on the wall since last September when Mission R arrived at IAA Munich in Germany. The concept has now been shifted to a running prototype, dubbed the 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance.
Just like the previous 2021 Mission R, the test car borrows its chassis from the track-only 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport. The electric motor and battery pack have been sourced from last year’s concept, meaning the “baby Porsche” has a maximum output of 986 horsepower (735 kilowatts) in qualifying mode. This produces a constant 603 hp (450 kW) for 30 minutes or the duration of a Carrera Cup race.
Porsche has carried out a performance analysis and shows the electric engine’s lap times and top speed are almost the same as the 911 GT3 Cup. The dual-motor 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance uses 900 volt technology and can charge the battery from 5 to 80 percent in just 15 minutes. Although based on existing cars, some 6,000 parts had to be developed for the electric race car, which is 14 cm (5.5 inches) wider.
Riding on 18-inch Michelin racing tires which are mostly renewable materials, this electric race car has an eco-friendly body in the sense that it uses natural fiber composites to reduce emissions compared to a body made of synthetic materials. Porsche even uses recycled carbon fiber to show that even race cars can be engineered with sustainability in mind.
The next production version will be released roughly three years from now, and meanwhile, the 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance will debut in June. Porsche will be bringing the sporty EV to the Goodwood Festival of Speed where it will be climbing the famous hill. The itinerary also includes a visit to the Porsche factory in Leipzig on August 20 to mark the factory’s 20th anniversaryth birthday.
Two examples of zero emission engines will travel to various parts of Europe before arriving in North America in early 2023. The world tour will conclude in mid-2024 after visiting countries from the Asia-Pacific region.
Meanwhile, the road-going Cayman GT4 RS isn’t the end of the line for the ICE-powered 718 family as Porsche is planning a Boxster Spyder RS equivalent.


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In pictures: New antibacterial range to launch at Arab Health Expo
Leading Scandinavian interiors company Isku Interior is set to launch a new range called Hygiene of antibacterial furniture at the Arab Health Expo held at the end of the month. Check out the full story here.


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Microsoft updates Windows 10 Maps app
Good news for Windows 10 mobile users! Microsoft has added new features and made a series of tweaks to its Windows 10 Maps app gifting users better...
New York: Good news for Windows 10 mobile users! Microsoft has added new features and made a series of tweaks to its Windows 10 Maps app gifting users better search and driving interface. Users of the updated version of the app will be able to view multiple search results on the same map, follow redesigned turn-by-turn instructions when driving, and see favourite spots offline, among other smaller changes,
The Verge reported on Thursday. The users will now be able to view restaurants and hotels on the same map. Windows have been on a backfoot due to lack of some popular apps in Windows store. If available, users have also complained of non-availability of some features in these popular apps.
The older version would no longer work with Windows 10 from March 29. The update to Windows 10 Maps will be available to Windows Insiders first and there is word on when it will be available for regular users.


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New research from ABTA suggests that consumers are looking forward to spending more on their holidays next year with ABTA’s Consumer Holiday Trends Report 2014 revealing that 20% of people anticipate spending more on holidays in 2015 compared to 15% who say they will spend less.
While consumers may be feeling more optimistic about next year, this has yet to manifest itself in an increase either in the overall number of Britons taking a holiday or the number of holidays taken per person.
Research shows that there has been a small decline in the number of Brits taking a holiday in the last 12 months, from 83% in 2013 to 80% this year. There has also been a slight decrease in the average number of holidays taken per person, from 3.1 to 3.0, although holidays abroad remain stable at 1.2 per person.
The research shows that nearly seven in ten people (68%) took at least one UK holiday and more than half (53%) took at least one holiday abroad in 2014. Packages remain a popular option with value cited as the major reason for this. The greatest value for money (but not necessarily lowest prices) remains a top ten booking essential for the majority of consumers (66%).
The association's chief executive, Mark Tanzer, said: “It is clear that despite continuing pressure on the majority of household budgets, people are still keen to preserve their main annual holiday. While the market was very buoyant at the start of the year with consumer confidence on the up, the lates holiday market was tougher, perhaps reflecting the broader dip in consumer confidence in July, as well as good weather in the UK in June and July which we know impacts holiday sales. The research shows there are reasons to be optimistic for next year.”
In the next 12 months more than a third (35%) of consumers think that they will take a holiday to a new country and almost half (48%) say they are quite likely or practically certain to visit a new resort or city. Younger holidaymakers are the most eager to try new destinations with half of 16-24 year olds (49%) saying this is quite likely and a further 16% prepared to say they are certain they will go to a new destination.
Meanwhile, older consumers are more conservative – more than half (56%) of over 65s and half (51%) of 55-64 year olds said that they would definitely not or would be unlikely to visit a country they had never been to.


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Bruce Campbell fans, listen up! the Evil Dead star has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to raise $250,000 for the second season of his show Last Fan Standing.
Notably, Last Fan Standing filmed 10 episodes at 2 conventions with 4 episodes shot in New Orleans and 6 in Portland in front of a live audience at Wizard World comic con earlier this year. Those in the audience was given a clicker and a chance to compete.
The campaign reads:
“Last Fan Standing features contestants on our show who have PROVEN to have the best knowledge in the group. We don’t do any of that ‘casting’ junk, if you’re a fan, and you know stuff. You have a chance to compete.”
Campbell, alongside Pop Quiz Entertainment, promise that the second season of Last Fan Standing will be even more laugh-filled and harrowing than the first. In addition to the nail-biting speed rounds and each episode’s climactic “Final Confrontation,” the series’ producers vow to have exciting new rounds, even more playful badgering from Campbell, and possibly a cameo or two from some of the geek world’s biggest names. As the hilarious actor would say, it promises to be… groovy.
“Now we want to make the show better, and more available to YOU. This campaign will help us with the essentials. Better set, high quality video, more flash and incentives to create an amazing fan-centric celebratory show that we can easily take to a convention near you.
“As we’ve said before, this isn’t your standard trivia show. We take the show to YOU! Building a set that can travel and hiring a team in each city to film takes a lot of effort to produce. So we’ve worked tirelessly to build a budget that allow us to make something awesome, take it to multiple cities, and reward fans for their knowledge in an entertaining way.
“At the end of the day this show is about fans, so we feel it should be made by fans. Kickstarter is our way to take the show to new places with your help, your passion, your FANPOWER!”
Those who back the project will receive various rewards including:
- Custom voicemail
- Kickstarter exclusive cover of issue #1 of My Name is Bruce provided by Dark Horse Comics
- Beer coaster
- Official Kickstarter t-shirt
- Official Kickstarter hoodie
The campaign is set to close on September 22nd.
Have a crowdfunding offering you'd like to share? Submit an offering for consideration using our Submit a Tip form and we may share it on our site!


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GM issues 3 new recalls unrelated to switch
- Crossover SUV side air bags could fail
- Cadillac XTS brake issue could cause fires
- Unbelted passengers in commercial vans could suffer serious head injuries
General Motors announced on Monday three new recalls — not related to last month's ignition switch recall — that involve more than 1.5 million vehicles.
The big automaker also said it will take a $300 million charge against first-quarter earnings to pay for the four recalls.
GM said the trio of new recalls is "a result of (CEO) Mary Barra's request for a comprehensive internal safety review following the ignition switch recall."
Last month's switch recall of 1.62 million vehicles worldwide has triggered federal investigations into why GM knew of a switch problem as early as 2001 but recalled the cars only last month. Twelve deaths and 31 crashes have been linked to the switch recall.
The new recalls:
• Seat-mounted side airbags could fail due to a wiring fault in 1.18 million full-size crossover SUVs: the 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverse, 2008-2013 Buick Enclave, 2008-2013 GMC Acadia and 2008-2010 Saturn Outlook.
GM says that if the air-bag warning light on the instrument panel illuminates, but the owner doesn't take the vehicle to a dealer to check the bags, the wiring eventually will fail and the bags won't work.
Dealers will modify connections in the air bag wiring. GM knows of no injuries or accidents linked to the problem.
•A plug in the brake system of 63,900 of GM's 2013 and 2014 Cadillac XTS sedans can come loose, allowing corrosion and causing overheating that could lead to an engine-compartment fire.
GM says it has reports to two fires at dealerships in dealer-owned cars and two warranty claims, but no fires, in customer cars. No injuries have been reported.
•Unbelted front passengers in Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana commercial vans can suffer head injuries because the material covering the passenger-side air bag doesn't meet federal standards. Passengers who wear safety belts are not at risk, GM says.
Involved are 303,000 of the 2009-14 standard- and medium-duty models. Such vans primarily are used by tradesmen and delivery services. Some also are used as passenger shuttles by hotels, airports and churches.
GM issued a "stop delivery" order for vans still at dealerships until a fix is developed. It says it is "working diligently" to come up with materials that will meet the head-injury standard for non-belted riders.
Barclay's analyst Brian A. Johnson, in a note to investors, wrote that the latest recalls continue a string of negative headlines that could impact GM's stock price and market share in the near term.
But he wrote that the GM's safety review leading to the new recalls "offers a silver lining in that the new management team is proactively trying to address the issues." He wrote that the recall announcement commentary seems to "indicate that GM is trying to dig deep to the root of the problem — perhaps a more engineering-driven focus on products than had characterized GM in the past."
GM shares closed on Monday at 34.63, up 54 cents, of 1.58%.


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On October 16, the new golden child of technology was fêted on Capitol Hill by Stratasys, 3D printing experts, and a wide turnout of event goers from Congress and administration. Many other industry enthusiasts and think tank executives attended the showcase as well.
The conversation and main discussion encasing the event, hosted by Stratasys, revolved around the advent of 3D printing and how it is transforming manufacturing, sweeping change through a number of industries, and paving the path for “changing the way companies bring products to market through on-demand production of parts and production tools.”
Drawing people out of their offices and away from their desks to take time out for an event to hear about and have a discourse on the subject allowed over 100 event goers to learn and share, and consider the impact 3D printing technology is having on industries including:
- Consumer products
Stratasys is a company known for having true passion for their products and services, and this was demonstrated at the event as they interacted with participants and were able to show off and allow hands-on demonstrations of their 3D products. Stratasys was able to show off capabilities of the Fortus and Objet Connex, as well as “demonstrating applications from prototyping, tooling, jigs and fixtures, and parts used by manufacturers.”
Stratasys is an undisputed innovator and leader, so there couldn’t have been a more perfect representative of the 3D printing industry to go to Washington, D.C. As a manufacturer of 3D printing equipment and materials, their voluminous catalog of products ranges from more affordable desktop 3D printers to complex production systems. Stratasys is also widely known as the parent company of MakerBot, manufacturer of the company’s prosumer desktop 3D printers in Brooklyn, New York. MakerBot also oversees the enormously popular Thingiverse design-sharing community. Manufacturers, educators, designers, artists, and hobbyists alike use products and services provided by Stratasys.
The 3D printing industry has been widely hailed as a positive element by the ‘powers that be’ in Washington, as a catalyst for massive change and progress in manufacturing. The innovative technology also has played a part in the push for strengthening STEM education, as the country and world need more young people to get interested in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing — and to be there to fill the jobs that are opening up faster than can be filled.
According to Stratasys, “attendees at the Capitol Hill event walked away with a much deeper understanding of how additive manufacturing is being used today to reshape how many manufacturers are bringing products to market faster and more cost-effectively.”
Have you been to any recent events that showcased 3D printing? Share your thoughts with us in the Stratasys Highlights 3D Printing forum at 3DPB.com.
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Cannabis-based antibiotics could be available on NHS within five years
Biosportart is proud to announce we has been highlighted in a recent editorial in the UK national daily, The Independent, while discussing the economic benefits and growth opportunities for the CBD industry in the UK.
Wednesday, 2nd of September, 2020. LONDON: Biosportart, a sports-focused CBD startup, has signed a comprehensive supply agreement with U.S. cannabinoid biotech PureForm Global to launch the first synthesized CBD products for athletes in the UK. “While there is widespread awareness of CBD amongst athletes, most are understandably wary of cannabis and hemp derived products, and[…]


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The commercial fleet management, dedicated transportation and supply chain solutions provider saw third quarter net income fall 6.3 percent to $85.1 million compared to the same 2015 period despite a 3.3 percent uptick in revenues.
Trucking and intermodal carrier Swift Transportation grew net income 4.7 percent year-over-year to $38 million in third quarter 2016 on revenues that slipped 4.9 percent to $1.01 billion compared with the same 2015 period.
Gross profits for the first nine months of 2016 remained practically unchanged from the same period last year, since the growth in air freight volumes offset the drop in ocean freight volumes, Panalpina CEO Stefan Karlen explained.
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The Danish conglomerate said one division will focus on transport and logistics, while the other division will focus on energy.
Various media reports have speculated the sale of South Korean liner carrier Hanjin Shipping, viewing COSCO and Maersk Line as possible buyers.
Sources said the South Korean liner carrier will lay off about 180 members of its 500 person workforce in the United States on Friday.


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Siliguri, December 2: In a shocking incident, a major fire broke out in four garments shops in Tula Patti of Bidhan market of Siliguri on Tuesday morning. Soon after the incident, four fire tenders reached the spot and are trying to douse the fire.
According to the latest report, no one has been injured nor any casualty been reported as of yet. The reason for fire is yet to be known and can only be detailed after the fire is doused,. 3 Dead in Fire at Reliance's Vadodara Refinery
West Bengal: Fire broke out in four garment shops in Tula Patti, Bidhan market, Siliguri. Four fire tenders at the spot. pic.twitter.com/OyvEWl2xPz
— ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2018
More Details awaited.


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It’s going to cost more for those looking to buy a new car this year. Finance costs on new car purchases have jumped 24 percent in 2019, according to new AAA research, pushing the average annual cost of vehicle ownership to $9,282, or $773.50 a month. That’s the highest cost associated with new vehicle ownership since AAA began tracking expenses in 1950 and a reminder that the true costs of owning a vehicle extend far beyond maintenance and fuel.
“Finance costs accounted for more than 40 percent of the total increase in average vehicle ownership costs,” said John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director for Automotive Engineering & Repair. “AAA found finance charges rose more sharply in the last 12 months than any major expense associated with owning a vehicle.”
The spike in finance charges, which rose from $744 to $920, a nearly $200 increase, was fueled by rising federal interest rates and higher vehicle prices. It comes as 72-month car loans have become increasingly common, meaning car buyers are paying more, and longer, for vehicles that lose value the moment they’re sold. Long-term loans offer lower monthly car payments, but they ultimately cost the consumer more. AAA found that, on average, every 12 months added to the life of a loan adds nearly $1,000 in total finance charges.
“Smaller monthly payments may be tempting to potential buyers, but they can add big costs in the long run,” Nielsen said.
The new figures come from Your Driving Costs, which reviews nine categories of vehicles—consisting of 45 models—to determine the average annual operating and ownership costs of each. AAA focuses on top-selling, mid-priced models and compares them across six expense categories: fuel prices; maintenance/repair/tire costs; insurance rates; license/registration/taxes; depreciation; and finance charges. Annual average costs increased in each category.
Of all costs, depreciation, a measure of how quickly a car loses value, remains the single biggest cost of ownership, accounting for more than a third (36 percent) of the average annual cost. It slowed a bit this year, with vehicles included in the study losing an average of $3,334 a year, up $45 from last year. In 2018, depreciation rose by $117 or 3.7 percent. In two vehicle classes this year—small and medium sedans—depreciation costs actually declined.
—Submitted by AAA


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Sales of electric bikes were already booming in Australia. Then Covid hit.
According to Bicycle Industries Australia general manager Peter Bourke, ebike sales have ballooned from around 9000 in 2017 to an estimated 50,000 this year so far.
“Those numbers are going up dramatically,” he told The Fifth Estate.
Now that regulation is up to the EU standard and consistent across the country, the only thing stopping ebike take up is supply. Bourke say most stores and suppliers have massive waiting lists.
The pandemic has helped spur interest as people look for a safe way to commute that avoids public transport. Normal bikes have also seen a jump in popularity since Covid, with many suppliers running out of stock completely.
But Bourke says that before Covid, push bike sales had stagnated. Ebikes, on the other hand, were flying off the racks even before the pandemic hit.
“Half of all bikes sold are ebikes now, and we know they are growing and will keep growing.”
While ebike use in Australia is typically “sports orientated”, with people enjoying the help up hills to go mountain biking or the ability to keep up with a fitter partner on a leisurely weekend ride, Bourke expects more people to use ebikes for a sweat-free commute once more people return to the office post-pandemic.
He’s not sure Australia will ever quite reach the 50 per cent bike commuters split seen in The Netherlands but says that a few more regulatory changes could help grow these numbers.
One is increasing the speed restrictions from 25kmh to 32kmh, which helps capture a bigger commuter market as more people can make it to make it to work in under half an hour if they can go faster.
Bourke also says ebike sales are only one part of the equation, with lease and share models becoming more popular.
He says that while the shared bike scheme have hit a few roadblocks, there’s still potential for these schemes in Australian cities, with the electric versions solving the common issue of bikes ending up at the bottom of hills in cities that aren’t flat.
A model that seeing even more promise is longer term rentals, especially for delivery drivers. Sydney based startup Zoomo, which recently received financing from the CEFC, leases ebikes exclusively to delivery drivers.


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Masked men with guns robbed the Las Comadres convenience store located at 7800 Shawnee Mission Parkway around 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
Although there were no injuries, the lone female worker on duty was tied up before the robbers made off with cash.
Store owner Victor Licona told 41 Action News that two men entered the store wearing masks, speaking in Spanish, while zip-tying his employee and stealing money before escaping out of the back exit, where a get-away driver was waiting in a white four-door sedan.
"We're very paranoid. We feel it's probably somebody who frequents the store. They seem to know the layout of the store,” said Licona.
Las Camadres hasn’t had any problems recently, but Licona said they were robbed three times six years ago.
He’s obviously hoping those responsible for Saturday’s robbery are held accountable.
"We're not corporate, it's a small shop. Everybody lives around here. All the employees are from around this neighborhood and for them to come around and rob someone like us, I think it's taking advantage of somebody they shouldn't,” said the store owner.
If you have information, contact the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS or the Overland Park Police Department at 913-344-8729.


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As major crime continues to soar in NYC under Mayor Eric Adams, shoplifting has reached record highs with over 63,000 incidents reported to police in 2022, a 45 percent increase from nearly 45,000 cases in 2021, and almost a 275 percent increase over incidents in the mid-2000s.
According to the New York Post, a Lower Manhattan Target employee told the outlet on Thursday, "People keep taking things and we can't stop them." The Target department store on Greenwich Street in Manhattan reported 646 incidents of shoplifting last year.
A former NYPD supervisor and an assistant professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan, Chris Hermann, said, "Disheartening numbers, to say the least. There's no quick fix to something like this. Many stores just rely on the police for their issues and that's not realistic nowadays."
A Brooklyn supermarket employee said, "We normally have to let people take whatever they are stealing. If I see someone taking something, I report it to one of the security officers upstairs and then they call the police."
"By the time police get here, the thief is gone," the supermarket employee said. "If I touched someone or tried to prevent them from stealing, I'd get fired. So there's not much we can do. The police aren't here when we need them to be."
A spokesperson for the Collective Action to Protect Our Stores said, "This data confirms what store workers and owners have been feeling every day: Retail theft is at a crisis level in New York City."
"Every day, our workers are being assaulted and stores robbed all while customers are placed in danger; we need the state and city to step up," the spokesperson added.
In December, Adams released a statement and said, "Our retail stores have my commitment that we will continue to work towards real, long-lasting solutions on the issue of retail theft." He then held a two-hour summit at Gracie Mansion aimed at troubleshooting the increase in shoplifting. Top NYPD officials, state Attorney General Letitia James, and all five Manhattan district attorneys were in attendance.
Adams left the summit after 20 minutes, "leaving participants to work it out themselves," reports the New York Post. A report is expected from City Hall on the issue, and a spokesperson said the mayor looks "forward to releasing our recommendations soon, and thanks these business owners for their advocacy."
NYPD data shows there were 43,675 reports of shoplifting along with retail related larcenies and robberies in 2021. That number increased to 63,699 in 2022.
Incidents of shoplifting nearly doubled in NYPD’s 1st Precinct in 2022, jumping from 2,103 to 4,061 and in the 9th Precinct, or the East Village, they jumped from 579 to 1,467.
Another employee told the post, "People keep taking things and we can't stop them."According to local news, there were 433 murders in NYC in 2022, down slightly from 488 murders in 2021. But Adams' NYC murder rate is still noticeably higher than 2019's 318 murders.
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Leaked Harry Potter Magic Awakened RPG gameplay footage looks magical
Could this be the next evolution of Harry Potter games?
It looks like there's a new Harry Potter game on the horizon, and it could be one of the best we've seen in quite some time, if some potential early footage is any indication. A possible leak, purported to be an upcoming game called Harry Potter Magic Awakened, showed up on Reddit from user VapeThisBro, who made the claim he had been shown the video while participating in some sort of market research program.
The video, which you can see below, looks like some truly awesome Harry Potter gaming footage, with Fantastic Beasts-esque creatures, plenty of wide views of Hogwarts, and a set of imagery that would make any Potter fan red in the face with envy over someone getting to play the game early before them. The footage hit YouTube, and of course was taken down via copyright claim from Warner Bros., but the damage had already been done at that point, with Harry Potter fans around the world excited to see what could be coming next.
Leaked Harry Potter game in development by Rocksteady from r/gaming
Rumors initially swirled that the game was from Rocksteady, but reports via Eurogamer have begun to surface, as Eurogamer states sources have noted that it is not Rocksteady that's responsible for the game. The current word on the street is that Avalanche Software, the same company behind Disney Infinity, could have been charged with creating the footage. Word is, according to journalist Lizo Mzimba, there are other titles for the game currently being deliberated on, with other potential Harry Potter games on the way soon.
What do you think of the footage? Is it something to get hyped over? Let us know in the comments, and stay tuned to Shacknews for more awesome developments!
Brittany Vincent posted a new article, Leaked Harry Potter Magic Awakened RPG gameplay footage looks magical


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MacAndro has build a ready sports betting app which will highly be beneficial for the entrepreneurs who are looking to launch their own sports betting platform
Online PR News – 23-February-2021 – India – Macandro has come upon with a brand new Sports Betting App with premium features for the entrepreneurs who looks to start a Online sports betting platform like Betfair, Dream11, Smarkets in 2021. Being a reputed Sports Betting App Development Company, MacAndro has always been an unique player in the online gaming sectors by providing advanced sports betting mobility solutions with extreme quality.
With further, we have come upon with an advanced sports betting game app integrated with latest mobile technologies and features which suits for the business people who looks to launch a powerful and most secured online betting marketplace.
Sports Betting Market Stats & Its Demand in 2021
Online Sports Betting exchange app market is booming like never before. It has become more popular among all kinds of sports fans. In addition, it shows a steady growth of about 10% each year from 2009 to 2015. According to a recent report, the online sports betting app market was worth $45 billion and it is estimated to reach $95 billion by 2024.
Well this growth might not be surprised in this mobile world. Today users of modern technology are expecting to make their job done according to their needs and preferences at any time. In such a scenario, nothing can figure out this other than a mobile app.
Get Your Sports Betting Game App from the Industry Best
Being an expertise in sports betting app development, MacAndro upholds years of experience in developing customized fantasy sports apps with extreme quality. We deliver tailor-made fantasy sports betting apps for your unique requirements. We cover all sorts of elearning sectors right from the simple fantasy sports app category to the most sophisticated, to amaze your users with an interesting learning gaming experience.
What’s Unique in MacAndro?
Apart from normal fantasy sports apps, MacAndro facilitates the inclusion of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology in its sports betting game mobile app and website development process. Punters can bet and win cryptocoins.
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World-Class Unique Features in MacAndro’s Sports betting app
2.Trade token with other crypto exchanges
3.Native token creation on ERC-20/TRC-20
4.Bet with cryptocurrencies


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Fashion-conscious DHL pushes for more trade
28 / 10 / 2010
AT the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week held in New York in September, no models were parading DHL livery, but the company’s forwarding arm was there as the event’s designated logistics provider. DHL Global Forwarding is clearly fashion-conscious, pushing aggressively into the segment’s logistics sector.
The company underscored its focus on the fashion industry with the launch of its “door-to-more” consolidation service and the establishment of so-called “centres of excellence”. The former consolidates multiple vendor shipments for the international leg and customs clearance for subsequent deliveries to multiple customers.
Ole Ringheim, senior vice-president and global head of fashion logistics at DGF, said that the sector is a good fit to the company’s activities and a good complement for its airfreight growth. It accounts for about 10-11 per cent of global transportation spend, he added.
For the full story read the latest free digital edition of Air Cargo News, no. 689 dated 18 October, here.


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Bike sharing startup Jobike is finally set to launch its service in Dhaka. The startup will launch its pilot at Jahangirnagar University campus next week and is aiming for a full-fledged launch in August this year.
For those who are not familiar with jobike, it is an on-demand bicycle-sharing service that allows users to make short bike trips within its coverage area for a small fee.
The idea is simple: instead of owning a bike, you can rent a jobike using the jobike app and start your trip. Once done, park it in one of JPS (Jobike Preferred Space) or a legally allowed public space and lock it. The next jobike rider will find and take it from there. Each bike comes with a GPS tracker making it easier to locate a bike.
Jobike aims to build a convenient form of public transportation in Dhaka. For payment, it has a QR code based payment system and a network of agents that enables riders to refill or top-up easily from a jobike agent and make the payment.
Myriad of transportation services have attracted significant VC attention across the globe. Bike-sharing is the latest addition to that trend. The trend first started at scale in China and has soon become a dominant trend in other parts of the world including the US.
A report by the Information says large investors in the US and elsewhere are putting their weight behind bike-sharing companies, thanks to the sky-high valuation of companies like Uber and Lift. Many investors who missed the ride-hailing bus are now pouring money into bike-sharing companies.
Jobike is the first Bangladesh company to launch a bike-sharing service in Dhaka. Co-founded by Mehdi Reza, a former product operations manager at Alibaba Group, the startup did a two-week test run in Cox’s Bazar and claims that it has received great feedback.
This report in the Daily Star says that it initially plans to launch its service at different university campuses in Bangladesh including Dhaka University, Rajshahi University, Chittagong University, Bangladesh Agricultural University in Mymensingh and Islamic University, Bangladesh, in Kushtia. The report also says "the users will be charged Tk 3 for every five minutes", and that the startup has raised investment from Shameem Ahsan, former President of BASIS and the Chairman of e-Generation Group among others.
In order to use the JoBike service, you have to download Jobike app and register. The app will show you nearby dock or bike and once you enter the payment information you will be provided with a QR code to unlock a bike and go to your destination.
There are a lot of reasons to be excited about bike-sharing in Dhaka. It is not only about university campuses, which Jobike targets as its initial market, we are always in need of transport services for short-distance which a bike-sharing service can effectively meet.
If you consider the amount of rickshaw ride you take daily or reluctantly walk to a moderately distant destination, you should see the huge potential of bike-sharing. Probably, it is not far away when you will be biking to your destination.
Source: The Daily Star, Future Startup


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