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The Microsoft Surface Duo – a foldable dual-screen Android phone – was touted as the first device in Microsoft’s line-up to fit into one’s pants pocket.
The device comes with two “paper-thin” 5.6-inch (14.2 cm) screens that unfold and work in harmony with a specially tailored Windows operating system.
Furthermore, Duo will be able to handle telephone calls, as well as applications designed to run on Google-backed Android mobile software, which powers most of the world’s smartphones.
What makes the Surface Duo so special?
However, it’s so much more than just a phone. Speaking to reporters in New York on 2 October, Microsoft chief product officer Panos Panay said:
“You are going to talk about it as a phone, and I get that. You can text; you can write; you can do what you want, make no mistake this product is a Surface.”
What sets the Duo apart is that it has no flexible display technology. It has two separate screens, mean for running separate tasks, no you don’t have to worry about hinges or debris breaking your device. (Yes, Samsung, we’re looking at you again.)
While it looks and feels like a phone, the Surface Duo is, in essence, notepad-sized version of the Surface that will put Microsoft way ahead of its competition in the mobile market.
The Duo and a separate foldable Neo tablet came as a surprise at a New York event where the tech titan unveiled its latest lineup of Surface computing devices.
How much will the Surface Duo cost?
No one knows at this point. The only thing we do know for sure is that the Surface Duo will be released in 2020. But we don’t even have an exact date.
Microsoft is back in the game
Even though rumours about a Surface mobile device had been doing the rounds for years, Microsoft created a media storm with the announcement of the Duo.
No one expected the device to be unveiled at Microsoft’s New York event. Kudos, Microsoft, for keeping it underwraps in this day and age of leaks and renders.
And do you know else makes the Duo so interesting? It’s a Microsoft phone running on Android software. What a time to be alive!
“This product brings together the absolute best of Microsoft, and we’re partnering with Google to bring the absolute best of Android in one product. This is industry pushing technology.”
Microsoft Product Chief Panos Panay
“The timing is right.”
Speaking to AFP, analyst Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy said he believes “the third time’s a charm for Microsoft and smartphones. He adds:
“The timing is right, too, as it’ll take a new and radical foldable design to wake buyers from their ‘good enough’ slumber. All in all, this was a huge event for Microsoft with new form factors, new use cases, and processor choices.”
Building on that, Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella said that the Microsoft “wanted to build experiences that span all devices in our lives.”
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Chocha Writer is our roving and much read resident writer. He will write on several topics. Contact him on firstname.lastname@example.org or 0772 808 931


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Digital payments in India have been growing quickly on the back of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) ecosystem. Within 30 months of its launch, the NPCI-owned payment system had surpassed the 400 million transaction mark in September this year.
The phenomenal rise of UPI has fueled a fierce competition amongst Paytm, PhonePe and Google Pay for dominating a larger market share. As a result, they are incentivising users to execute the transaction on their respective apps.
However, instead of throwing away money to transact users, PhonePe has been relying on organic growth and seems to be harboring a dream of becoming something which so far is proved to be a mirage – one app for all.
“We began incentivising users in July this year for peer to peer fund transfer, and the volume went through the roof overnight. However, soon we realised that this kind of growth doesn’t fit with our strategy,” said Sameer Nigam, co-founder, and CEO, PhonePe in a telephonic interaction with Entrackr.
According to Nigam, instant fund transfer is such a value proposition in itself that it doesn’t require to be incentivised. His assertion seems true and reflects in PhonePe’s consistent growth. At the beginning of this year, it used to process about 1 million transactions in a day.
Presently, the firm processes over 4 million total transactions a day. It’s a 4X growth in volume within 10 months for PhonePe. And, that’s too without offering cash back and subsidy (except first-time users). Organic growth of fund transfer, online transaction (shopping, bill payments etc.) have been propelling its growth.
“Pure play e-commerce transaction is growing really fast for us. It has grown over 10 times if we compare September volume to January this year,” said Nigam.
The company claimed roughly 1 million transactions a month with e-commerce partners (Ola, Myntra, redBus etc.) at the beginning of this year. Now, it does 10 million a month. So, what factors triggered such exponential growth?
“It has largely been steered because of high-quality partners who have frequent use cases and well-rounded coverage in organised retail that includes thousands of petrol pumps, major retail and food chains et al. Besides, advertising campaign on television also helped us in creating a strong brand recall that encourages first time usages,” explained Nigam.
The number of offline merchants using PhonePe also has gone up significantly. At present, it has about 4.5 lakh merchants who use QR code and PoS machines for accepting payments.
Answering about reports of the firm rolling back Bluetooth-enabled PoS machine, Nigam said, “We had some supply issue that later got resolved. In fact, we will have stock of about 50,000 such devices soon.”
PhonePe ambition to become Super App
Of late, PhonePe has devised a strategy of becoming one app for many through creating an ecosystem of mini apps. Over the past couple of months, it has been partnering online firms to evolve itself as the super app. So far, it counts 10 partners including Ola, goibibo, Treebo, redBus, Oyo and Myntra.
But, why PhonePe is placing a big bet on mini app strategy? And, particularly when past attempts by Snapdeal and Tapzo to become WeChat (super app) failed miserably.
It’s a gospel truth. Indian (unlike the US and the West) Internet story has factually been growing or will grow on the back of smartphones. Thus, every e-commerce company is in the race to woo users from app stores.
Amidst high uninstall rate, they spend a major pie of marketing budget on driving install, creating awareness and incentivise users to make them transact.
“Since we have 25 million monthly transacting user base who are interested in discovering more use cases, we identified opportunity in bridging the gap for companies looking for tapping on already transacting funnel,” explained Nigam.
Given that acquiring the customer (that actually transact) is getting expensive for companies, mini-app ecosystem opens access to 10 million users who are firing (and, likely to transact) the app every day.
“We felt that we’re well positioned to open our mass transacting customers base for mini app partners to target them with meaningful events and location-specific offers in a sort of native app experience,” outlined Nigam.
Nevertheless, decoding super app concept had backfired for Sequoia-backed Tapzo. Even after raising over $33 million in risk capital, it fumbled and recently acquired by Amazon in a fire sale.
How PhonePe’s approach towards one app for all is different?
“When Tapzo entered the market, it was hoping that one app for all story would drive customers to them. Whereas, we waited a long time until we had 50 million user base. The reason for users on PhonePe is not mini apps. It’s another way around,” emphasised Nigam.
Tapzo was controlling the experience and trying to create comparison across players in each category. It was pivoting the experience that requires a lot of work on the backend while integrating each partner.
On contrary, PhonePe approach is more of a platform play without the minimal involvement of itself at partner side. Citing a fundamental difference in its strategy from the likes of Tapzo, Nigam said, “Mini app is a part of the strategy not the only reason for existence.”
PhonePe’s ambitious bet on mini-apps by opening the platform for developers could be a critical factor in its success in a long haul. If the one app for all strategy pays off, there are big winnings to take home. Will PhonePe be able to crack the super app theory that no one fathomed until now? Only, time would tell.

domain: news


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Ford Europe Sales Reach Nine-Year August High as SUVs, Performance Cars Soar
Ford sales in its 20 traditional European markets were up 5,900 units year-over-year with 74,800 vehicles delivered in August, setting the highest sales mark for the month since 2007. The strong August figures pushed Ford’s sales through the first eighths of the year over 898,000 vehicles, up around 59,600 vehicles year-to-date. Ford’s market share fell 0.3 percentage points to 7.6%, but its market share through August is down only slightly at 7.9%.
Sales in the expanded 50 European markets were up 2,000 units with 88,600 vehicles delivered in August, and are up 55,400 units to date with a total of 1,013,200 vehicles delivered. Ford’s market share in the Euro 50 was also down 0.3 percentage points at 7.3%, but its year-to-date market share is up 0.1 percentage points at 7.7%.
New Vehicle Research: 2016 Ford Mustang trims, specs, and features
“We’re pleased with our performance in August, especially as it is historically a quieter month for the industry as customers wait for the registration plate change in September in the UK when a very significant percentage of annual sales goes through our dealerships,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe.
Ford was once again the top commercial vehicle brand in Europe with a 15.3% year-over-year increase in August. Sales are up 17.6% year-to-date. Ford Performance cars—including the Mustang and Focus RS—were up 51% in August and are up 98% year-to-date thanks to the popularity of the two aforementioned models. The Mustang made waves in August by once again registering more sales in Germany than any other sports car.
Ford has delivered a total of 122,700 SUVs in the Euro 20 during the first eight months. Sales in August were driven by a strong start for the Ford Edge, Kuga sales reaching 7,800 units, and EcoSport sales reaching 3,200 units.
“Our SUV sales grew by more than 71% in August, and are up nearly 39% on the year thanks to best-ever August month sales for Ford Kuga, a doubling of Ford EcoSport sales, and 700 Ford Edge sales in its first full month of sales.”
More on Ford Performance: New Ford Focus RS has horsepower for days
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.


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Online Tax Filing Sites Probably Illegal
from the oops dept
This just gets better and better. Now that it’s way too late to do anything about it, we’ve already learned that the IRS’s database of information from e-filers is not at all secure — and hasn’t been for years. Now comes the additional news that if you used Intuit’s or H&R Block’s tax filing websites in California, you were probably tracked illegally. It turns out that both sites use a combination of web bugs and cookies to track what you do on their site for the sake of advertising — violating a California law that prohibits tracking and disclosing your actions on an e-tax filing site. Despite the complaints in the article, it doesn’t sound like the companies in question were really doing anything that bad, but anything involving tracking what you do and taxes tends to get people a bit on edge.


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Back in June, I wrote to you a couple of times about Google’s latest venture into podcasting distribution. There’s widespread agreement among podcasting people that Android smartphone users represent a big potential growth area for podcasts, if only there was a solid pre-installed default app they could use (like Apple Podcasts on iOS) instead of having to fiddle around downloading third party options before they can even start listening.
I’m still keeping an eye on the Google Podcasts app that launched a couple of months ago, and I like the changes they’ve made so far — it has good homescreen recommendations based on prior listening and easy to use controls. I was very surprised, therefore, to read yesterday that there is another podcast app in development at Google, apparently called Shortwave.
The app was revealed via a trademark filing, which states its purpose as “allow[ing] users to search, access, and play digital audio files, and to share links to audio files”. It’s being worked on by an experimental unit within Google called Area 120, apparently, and has no connection to their other podcast operations.
A spokesperson has said that Shortwave “helps users discover and consume spoken word audio in new ways”, prompting a lot of speculation on the Android blogosphere that this is Google’s attempt to make audio more easily shareable and podcasts more discoverable.
Those are two of the biggest and most talked-about challenges in podcasting: how do we make it easier for people to share podcasts they like in a way that makes them accessible for new listeners (ie not an iTunes store link, shudder), and how do we make it easier for people who listen to one podcast to find five more shows that they will like? Commonly-asked questions, which currently lack any definitive answers.
Who knows if Shortwave will ever make it onto our phones, and whether it will be popular and useful if it does (remember that app called “Google Listen”, which died a death in 2012? Nobody else does). But I feel slightly buoyed by the news that Google is experimenting in this space — it’s only by trying new ways of passing audio around that we’ll ever get to good solutions.
Another live in person update: I’ll be at the London Podcast Festival on 16 September for two events: an onstage conversation with Starlee Kine called “Cracking the Mystery of Mystery Show” (tickets here) and a workshop called “Marketing Your Podcast” (very affordable tickets here). I’ll also be generally around the festival that day, so hopefully see some of you there.


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A new social and mobile casino gaming company has launched in Austin by former Zynga developers and raised $1.4 million in initial seed funding.
Bee Cave Games Inc. is private beta testing its first game Blackjack Casino on Facebook, company officials said in a news release.
The startup — founded late last year by industry veterans Erik Bethke, Nimai Malle and Jeremy Strauser — secured the initial seed investment round from employees, private investors and Glu Mobile Inc. President and CEO Niccolo de Masi, the release said.
The company has nine employees, according to its website.
Manages the website, news emails and social media sites.


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The Coca-Cola Co. said on Friday that federal prosecutors were investigating allegations raised in a former employee's lawsuit accusing the company of fraudulent marketing and accounting.
In a statement, the company said that the investigation was being conducted by the U.S. attorney's office for the Northern District of Georgia and that it would cooperate with the inquiry.
In a civil lawsuit filed in May, Matthew Whitley, a former Coke manager, asserted that Coca-Cola rigged a marketing test and artificially increased equipment sales. Whitley's lawsuit also asserted that the company's fountain division had engaged in $2 billion in accounting fraud, created slush funds and manipulated its inventories.
Citing Justice Department guidelines, Patrick Crosby, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta, would neither confirm nor deny reports of an investigation.
Marc N. Graber, Whitley's lawyer, however, said his client had received a subpoena from a federal grand jury.
"We are gratified that the Department of Justice and a federal grand jury have decided to look into these problems at Coca-Cola," he said.
Coke, which is based in Atlanta, acknowledged last month that some of its employees undermined a marketing test of Frozen Coke three years ago at Burger King restaurants in the Richmond, Va., area.
Coke's audit committee, asked to look into several of Whitley's accusations, also found that the fountain division had improperly valued some equipment. The company said it would take a $9 million pretax writedown to correct the equipment's value.
The committee said it found no evidence of the other allegations in the lawsuit, including a contention by Whitley that the fountain division improperly shifted $4 million of capital money to a fountain project last year.
The committee, whose members include the financier Warren E. Buffett and Home Depot CEO Robert L. Nardelli, also said it had found no evidence to support accusations made by Whitley that Coke had discriminated against minorities or women.
News of the investigation did not have much of an effect on the company's stock, which closed Friday at $43.91, down 10 cents a share.
"If there is a problem here, and that is far from clear, it's limited," said John Sicher, publisher of Beverage Digest, a trade publication. "Clearly, in the Richmond test there was a mistake made by one employee. But as far as the company goes, it is committed to doing business in a fair and honest and upfront fashion."


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The banking crisis which enveloped the world in the second half of last year struck the self-adhesive industry in the third quarter of that year. Until then producers had seen the continuing growth pattern which it had enjoyed since its large-scale expansion began in the 1970s but the sharp cutbacks in all areas produced a dramatic decline in demand, resulting in its first-ever loss of volume in 2008 compared with 2007 – albeit by only one per cent (another indication of the strength of the sector). This slowdown is expected to show a further decline of two per cent this year, followed by a static period next year and a return to modest growth from 2011. Even though annual growth rates over the next five years - forecast at 0.5 per cent to one per cent, closely following the growth in GDP – seem small, that expansion on last year’s output of 5.3 billion square metres is still a considerable amount of label materials used.
The four key areas of use are:
- variable information printing (44 per cent) for items that need individual aspects such as price and weight included;
- primary product labels identifying the brand, product, decorative effects as well as informing
customers/users of the myriad of detail that legislation now insists they contain (40 per cent);
- functional and security labels (eight per cent);
- and promotional labels which advertise price cuts, promotions – even charity fund raising stickers (eight per cent).
The greatest potential growth area is the primary product sector, which represents about 70 per cent of European demand, but this is also the area of greatest competition from alternative packaging technologies. Food products, which account for 22 per cent of all self-adhesive demand, represent the strongest of all segments and for obvious reasons will remain so.
The retail sector, which representing 16 per cent of use, has taken a knock because of the obvious reduction in consumer spending but the beverage market and health and beauty products are gaining in importance to our industry and already each account for ten per cent of use.
Futuristic labels, such as those containing micro-chips that ‘talk’ to stock control computers etc, are still the coming thing but they contain fascinating prospects for the future as the cost of their electronics come down to affordable levels.
What all this means is that there are still great opportunities for printers – and their customers – who are prepared to explore new printing techniques, effects and materials. It is a challenge for our industry – and given the large proportion of small to medium sized firms, often under family control, there is a need for FINAT to help its members capture that future.
This it is doing in the form of regular events spotlighting the coming advances and fostering a spirit of self-help between its members. Another important aspect of preparing the industry for the future is the recognition that its future leaders need to be groomed now and to this end it has just created its imaginative Young Managers’ Club to be the forum for helping these up-and-coming people develop wide-ranging skills and experiences in preparation for them to take control of their companies – and the industry as a whole – to ensure future prosperity.


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Government Of Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 removes import duty, GST on Rice Importation
…so as to reduce the price for 25kg and 50kg bags of rice
By Joseph S. Margai, Strategic Communications Coordinator
President Julius Maada Bio’s administration has removed both import duty and Goods and Services Tax (GST) on everything relating to the importation of rice so that the prices of both 50kg and 25kg bags of rice would have been reduced.
Prior to 2021, business people, who were importing rice to Sierra Leone, used to pay 15% GST on all foreign currencies that were transferred out of Sierra Leone to their suppliers for the purchase of rice.
But, with the advent of the Finance Act of 2021, that 15% GST has been removed and that has subsequently led to a loss of thirty-three billion Leones (Le33bn) to government on every transfer of foreign currencies.
Already, government was losing over four hundred billion Leones (Le400bn) as import duty waiver on rice importation.
Speaking exclusively to the National Revenue Authority’s (NRA) Commissioner General, Dr. Samuel Jibao, in his Bathurst Street office in Freetown on Thursday, 6th May, 2021, he said the removal of both the import duty and GST on the importation of rice was a deliberate attempt by President Julius Maada Bio to reduce the prices of both 25kg and 50kg bags of rice for all Sierra Leoneans.
“We were already losing over 400 billion Leones as a result of duty waiver on the importation of rice. But the prices of both 25Kg and 50kg bags of rice continued to rise astronomically. We then called on the importers to ask them what were the reasons for the skyrocketing price of a bag of rice. They claimed that the 15% GST on the transfer of foreign currencies to their suppliers for the purchase of rice was militating against them. As a listening government, President Julius Maada Bio automatically removed that 15% GST,” he explained.
The NRA Commissioner General said the government has played its own part but some dishonest business people continued to increase prices on both 25kg and 50kg bags of rice, which is unacceptable.
According to Dr. Jibao, President Bio’s administration inherited a GST of 20% on all goods and services from his predecessor but quickly reduced it to 15% so as to soften situation for business people and subsequently reduce prices of commodities for all Sierra Leoneans.
He noted that the 15% GST on the transfer of foreign currencies has also been removed but the business people are yet to do the needful with regards the reduction of prices for both a 25kg and 50kg bags of rice.
“We are now calling on business people to reflect these tax exemptions on the much-desired commodities-rice and flour,” he said.
Dr. Jibao disclosed that import duty on flour was 20% but President Bio’s administration reduced it to 10%, adding that effective January 2021, GST of 15% has been removed on flour, which is considered an essential commodity particularly for people in the urban areas.
He stated that there is a tax exemption on both imported and domestically produced wheat flour as enshrined in the 2021 Finance Act.
“This exemption is to ensure the availability of loaves of bread, which is part of a daily dietary of many people across Sierra Leone. There is also a tax exemption on bulk wheat (grain) used as raw material for the manufacturing of flour. This is to allow local manufacturers of flour to reduce their cost of production, making them competitive with imported flour as well as eventually making flour readily available in the market at all times,” he stated.
He said business people, who are importing and selling commodities such as bags of rice and flour, must now reduce their prices.


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PGA TOUR’s Chief Legal Officer, Len Brown, claims, “The PGA TOUR is excited to work with Autograph to offer digital collectibles that highlight the most talented golfers in the world and their role in the sport’s history.”
PGA TOUR, the organizer of professional golf tours, announced its plans to release a platform in collaboration with Autograph to allow fans to archive their favorite golf moments as NFTs. This adds PGA TOUR to the list of premier sporting leagues that have embraced NFTs and Web3 space.
The platform, set to launch in early 2023, will present videos, stills, and player data from PGA Tour’s archives as NFTs.
PGA TOUR states the NFTs will depict the “best TOUR golfers” and their favorite moments from the past championships as well as the current season. The revenue generated from the NFT sales will be sent to the players, allowing golf fans to support their favorite players.
NFT holders will receive rewards in the form of access to special utilities, including exclusive in-person and digital experiences.
Tiger Woods notes,
“I’m very excited to be a part of this next chapter with Autograph and the PGA TOUR. Enhancing the golf world with NFTs will create a connection between us as players and the fans.”


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Stocking Stuffers: Bid on 12 of Crypto’s ‘Most Influential’ NFTs
Looking to make someone (or just yourself) happy this yuletide holiday? Give the gift of crypto art.
The list includes Juan Benet (who launched Filecoin this year), Andre Cronje (a prime mover in the emergence of decentralized finance) and Amiti Uttarwar (the first female Bitcoin Core developer).
CoinDesk also recognizes Balaji Srinivasan for early and prescient calls to take COVID-19 seriously; Linda Lacewell, the head of the New York State Department of Financial Services, for an open approach to crypto regulation; Michael Saylor, who started the trend of listed companies buying bitcoin for treasury management; and Kraken co-founder Jesse Powell, for winning a banking license in Wyoming.
Also recognized: Zhou Xiaochuan (the “father of the digital yuan”), Cathie Wood, Bitcoin Protesters, Hayden Adams and Charles Cascarilla.
The NFTs were created by the following leading digital artists: Alotta Money, XCopy, Osinachi, Matt Kane, Sarah Zucker, Yonat Vaks and Olive Allen.
NFT platforms are auctioning the art now on Nifty Gateway (until Dec. 31) and Super Rare (Matt Kane: the end of this week). The artists have agreed to donate 50% of the proceeds to charities (of their choice) working with cryptocurrency donations company The Giving Block.
CoinDesk’s Most Influential 2020 list honors 12 people who defined the year in crypto and blockchain, who come from all quarters of the crypto and Web3 universe.
Collectors will be able to bid on 12 unique 1-of-1 portraits of this year’s honorees.
Proceeds of the auction will go to charities including the Rainforest Foundation, No Kid Hungry, The Bail Project, Gamers Outreach, International Medical Corps, She’s the First and SOS Children’s Villages.
“We’re thrilled to be a part of this year’s Most Influential series, giving collectors the opportunity to own a unique piece of digital art that looks back on a historical year for the crypto industry while giving back to the community around them,” said Nifty Gateway co-founder Duncan Cock Foster.
“The NFT community has been incredibly generous when it comes to supporting amazing causes. Our first few NFT auctions have raised a combined $50,000+ for participating nonprofits. We’re excited to be working with the Nifty Gateway and CoinDesk team again to raise money for seven great causes,” said Alex Wilson, co-founder, The Giving Block.


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- Tram Ho
Until now, only Samsung has officially commercialized a folding screen smartphone with “clamshell” design to the market: the Galaxy Z Flip. Earlier last year, rumors of Huawei developing a foldable smartphone similar to the Galaxy Z Flip appeared quite a lot. Until now, once again information about this new product line of Huawei continues to surface under a new name: Huawei Mate V.
Specifically, Huawei recently submitted a new patent to the World Intellectual Property Organization, revealing a smartphone with a design similar to the Galaxy Z Flip (with a vertical folding mechanism and a horizontal hinge. ). Huawei also filed another similar patent in the Chinese market, accompanied by descriptive images showing design details of the new “Mate V” folding screen smartphone.
In the description, Huawei said its new folding screen smartphone will have a back with a vertically placed camera cluster, in addition to an additional area that looks like the secondary screen of the device. The front of the device is a screen that appears to have a “notch” design. The design hinge is centered on the screen similar to the Galaxy Z Flip.
Technology experts believe that Huawei is trying to develop two foldable smartphone models (clamshell and folding form like Galaxy Fold). In fact, with technology growing day by day, Huawei is expected to launch a cheap foldable smartphone later this year. In addition, Huawei’s folding screen smartphones will also use UTG ultra-thin glass technology manufactured by Samsung.
Source : Genk


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Last Wednesday, Beyoncé broke the internet with the surprise release of a remix to “Savage,” a song by fellow Houston native Megan Thee Stallion (which also has its own TikTok challenge).
The new track, whose proceeds are going to COVID-19 relief efforts, included a few lines that proved Bey is clued into social media trends that have caught on during the pandemic. “Hips TikTok when I dance/On that Demon Time, she might start an OnlyFans,” she raps, referencing the subscription service OnlyFans — likely best known as a platform where adult creators can release their own content behind a paywall, but also used by DIY musicians, fitness instructors, queer bars, drag queens, and other entrepreneurs for a variety of purposes.
Now, OnlyFans is reporting a significant spike in traffic following the release of the remix. “In less than 24 hours since Megan Thee Stallion dropped her ‘Savage’ remix featuring Beyoncé, OnlyFans has seen a 15 percent spike in traffic,” a spokesperson for the site told The Daily Beast.
The site previously announced that it has seen a 75 percent increase in new users since March 1, likely sparked by the mass layoffs and furloughs during the pandemic. The platform even announced last week that they would be cutting back on referral bonuses starting May 1 because the service had seen so much success.
The site’s co-founder and COO, Tom Stokely, addressed the peak in traffic and named some other hip-hop stars who had recently joined the platform. “The surprise call-out from Beyoncé on the ‘Savage’ remix was very exciting for us, to say the least,” he told The Daily Beast. “Her stamp of approval comes on the heels of major stars joining the platform in recent weeks, including Blac Chyna, The-Dream, Safaree Samuels, and Casanova. We built OnlyFans as a platform to enable creators to share their authentic content, free from brand endorsements and paid deals, and the growing momentum among these celebrities is the beginning of a new movement in social media that prioritizes personalization over mass appeal.”
So will the Queen Bey be joining OnlyFans anytime soon? Maybe not, considering that she’s notoriously private on social media and because the shout-out in question might have been penned by JAY-Z. The-Dream, a co-writer on the “Savage” remix, said that Jay wrote the TikTok mention, but it’s unclear if the credit extends to the rest of the line.
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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Even as the number of ways to pay has exploded in recent years, the growth in the supply of U.S. dollars shows little sign of slowing.
In fact, the amount of small bills in circulation — $1s to $20s — has remained pretty resilient over the past two decades, according to Nicholas Colas, chief market strategist at Convergex. That’s even as Americans have become bigger users of credit and debit cards and have begun using online payments like eBay Inc.’s
Adjusting for inflation and population, the value of U.S. small bills in circulation has declined a scant 1.8% over the past 20 years. Back in 1994, it was $414 for each person in the U.S., or $661 in today’s money, he said. In 2014, it was $649.
In fact, the amount of small bills in circulation has outpaced GDP growth, he said.
The strategist only focused on $1 through $20 bills, as they’re the ones most likely to be used for transactions.
Even demand for the smallest notes doesn’t seem to be going away. The Federal Reserve recently placed its largest order for $1 bills since 2010.
“$1 bills wear out fastest, and the Fed’s 2015 order of 2.5 billion bills is higher than 2014 (2.3 billion) and 2013 (1.8 billion),” Colas noted. “That’s growth and relevance any startup online payment company would be happy to see.”
Those most likely to use cash are lower-income households. Households making less than $25,000 a year use cash 55% of the time, according to Diary of Consumer Payment Choice data cited by Colas. By comparison, households making $50,000 to $75,000 use cash 22% of the time, and households making more than $200,000 use cash 10% of the time.
What happened to the promise from technology that cold, hard cash was on its way out? Colas has a few explanations:
- Underground economy is growing faster than expected. Bitcoin may offer the promise of anonymous payment but don’t expect a housekeeper or a day laborer or the auto repairman willing to give you the “cash discount” to accept them.
- Convenience. Diary data show the typical American uses cash half the time for purchases on $50 or less, Colas noted.
- Younger people still use cash. Colas pointed out that 40% of young people ages 18 to 24 prefer cash, compared with their 45- to 64-year old parents, who prefer to use it 25% to 32% of the time. That could be because young people tend to have a larger number of small transactions. Still, as Colas points out, it presents “a real challenge for online and app-enabled payment solutions to gather this most tech-savvy group into their fold.”


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Yes, sales are up in the Sparks-Spanish Springs market this November over November 2007 by 35.7%. More homes are selling this year over last year because the prices have reached a point where homes are more affordable to many buyers. Our median price in the Sparks-Spanish Springs market has dropped 14.6% from the November 2007 median of $262,500 to the November 2008 median sales price of $224,000.
In November 2008 50% of the homes sold in the Sparks-Spanish Springs are were bank owned foreclosures and an additional 18.4% were short sales (pre-foreclosures.) That is over 2/3rds of the homes sold.
As of today there are currently 762 active listings in the Northern Nevada Regional MLS for the Sparks-Spanish Springs area. Of these active listings 27.9% are bank owned foreclosures and 24% are short sales. That is over half the market.
In addition, there are 228 pending sales in the Sparks-Spanish Springs market. Of those 40.7% are bank owned foreclosures and another 46.4% are short sales. Buyers are flocking to these properties as they present some very good deals in our market.
Where does the traditional seller fit into all this. Well over half of the active listings are traditional sellers, but only about 13% of the pending sales are traditional listings. Why aren’t buyers purchasing the homes of these traditional sellers? In a word, PRICE. Traditional sellers aren’t typically as motivated as banks or pre-foreclosure sellers.
So, yes home sales are up. Great news. Prices are more affordable for buyers – even better news. With interest rates currently in the 5.5% range NOW IS A GREAT TIME TO PURCHASE.


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Latest Trend Reports
Save the Date: On January 16, 2019 PSFK will host a special half-day event centered around our upcoming Future of Retail 2020 report
Joe Gebbia is a multi-disciplinary designer, creative entrepreneur, and global explorer. He is the co-founder and CPO of Airbnb, which began in 2008 out of the necessity to pay his rent. What started as three airbeds, a pop-tart breakfast, welcoming hosts and an insider’s guide to the city, is now a global phenomenon of hospitality, human connectivity and economic stimulation. With an eye for simplicity and an appreciation of craft, Gebbia leads the team in creating imminently marketable products. The results are cutting-edge yet useful tools that impact the user’s experience from the moment of online contact to the end of their physical stay.
Wearable X CEO Billie Whitehouse designs wearables for all five senses while maintaining a sense of humor


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March 13, 2006 -- No-carb? Low-carb? Calorie-counting? Those diets are so 20th century. Several experts are saying that the latest dieting trend centers around the humane genome.
Nutrigenomics is the study of food and diet, and how each interacts with specific genes to increase the risk of certain disease. Now one company is offering a home DNA kit to help design a diet with the most recent science.
"This is going to be the most revolutionary new change in nutrition in decades," said Dr. David Herber of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition.
On the Sciona diet, dieters swab the inside of their cheek to collect a DNA sample, fill out a questionnaire, and send them both back to Sciona.
The Sciona laboratory analyzes 19 genes that affect bone health, heart health, antioxidant and detoxification, insulin resistance, and inflammation, according to the Sciona Web site. Based on the findings, Sciona recommends several dietary changes to counteract the genetic weaknesses.
"I think the kind of testing that can be done at home today, where you take cheek cells and then send them in an envelope, will give you personal information that will make it more likely that you'll make the lifestyle changes that you need to make," Herber said.
Some experts say it may be too soon to tell if nutrigenomics is an effective way to fight fat.
"The biggest issue is that these diets haven't been tested," said Dr. Louis Aronne of New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell. "So the question, really, is what happens if you put someone on a diet based on the genetic information? And the bottom line is we have no clue that they will be better."


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Bill Gates reveals personal reason he's helping fight Alzheimer's disease
Despite decades of research, the cause of the disease is still unknown and effective treatments still unavailable. But Gates, who's donating $100 million of his own money to find a cure, is optimistic.Read more
3x your impact! From March 12-31, Amazon is tripling the donation rate on your first smile.amazon.com purchase! Go to amazon smile.and Amazon will donate to OPICA, supporting services to adults with dementia.


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Cyprus is satisfied with the outcome of London's World Travel Market, but the holiday island was urged to offer more than just sun, sea and sand to compete, said Deputy Tourism Minister Savvas Perdios.
He held around 20 meetings with airlines and travels firms during the WTM – one of the world’s largest travel shows.
Perdios told CNA that what these companies asked from Cyprus was to better promote its tourism with a new brand beyond the ‘sun and sea’ model and this will be unveiled next March at Berlin’s ITB travel trade show.
He said that Cyprus has started implementing a new 10-year strategic plan for tourism to move the country’s product beyond the traditional ‘sun and sea’ offering.
The new plan seeks to attract visitors aged over 50, not a traditional pool for Cypriot tourism. It will also emphasise short breaks and attracting visitors from new markets such as Eastern Europe, the Middle East, America, China and Japanese.
Perdios hailed the collaboration with Greece, Israel, Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan to sell joint holiday packages such as cruises in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The new strategic plan also includes the promotion of various thematic forms of tourism, such as biking, gastronomy, sports, health and wellness.
Diversification of Cyprus’ tourism is part of making the island a year-round travel destination.
“The extension of the tourism season is a dream for us. It was not possible to pursue such a dream without the solid foundation needed,” said Perdios.
“Over the last decade we established the sun and sea model, which can now serve as the backbone that allows us to go for the more detailed and special forms or tourism. Already for the current year we will have an increase in winter arrivals of around 10% in relation to last year.”
He added that the season extension will also benefit job creation and regions of Cyprus that may have been left behind in terms of tourism, such as mountainous and rural areas.
The Deputy Minister said Cyprus is “fully ready” in terms of infrastructure to welcome more tourists, citing renovated hotels, new marinas and the integrated casino resort that will open in 2021.
Tourists arrivals for 2019 are expected stay at last year’s level of almost 4 million, “despite challenges such as the big competition, Brexit and the default of Thomas Cook”.


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Latest Nerdcore hip hop Stories
http://www.NerdcoreMedical.com, designer of games about medicine, releases "Occam's Razor," a card game about medical
Renderosity today announced a newly formed collaborative relationship with MSN Video in their recently launched Nerdcore Channel. Murfreesboro, TN (PRWEB) February
- A poem in which the author retracts something said in an earlier poem.


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On December 5 Judge Burris issued an opinion on the applicability of the South Carolina Home Security Act (the new homestead exemption) in bankruptcy cases. This decision will likely affect consumer debtors throughout the state. The opinion was issued as a joint opinion in four cases and all three judges concur in the result. The lead case number is 06-02413 and the order can be viewed therein via CMECF and will be available on the court's website soon.
Wed, 12/06/2006 - 4:00am


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We've heard before that Apple plans to build a data center on land it previously purchased in Oregon, but now the Associated Press reports on part of the cost. The company has reportedly agreed to pay US$150,000 per year to local governments, and has signed off on at least 35 jobs. Those jobs w...
Software Updatesmore updates
- Apple Remote Desktop updated with Yosemite support
- OS X Yosemite 10.10.2, iOS 8.1.3 updates now available
- Sports Illustrated 120 SPORTS channel comes to Apple TV
- Logic Pro X update brings AirDrop support, new effects, tools, and more
- Parallels Access 2.5 released, adds file manager, computer-to-computer remote access
- The Google Translate iOS app is about to get a lot smarter


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It's a common message in environmental meal-managing: Eat meat, and you're using up a precious natural resource -- water. But just how much water is that burger using? Here's a look at some estimates, according to the Web sites of the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey and a bottled-water trade group.
1,300 GALLONS OF WATER
That's how much it takes, per burger, to hydrate the cow, grow its food and process its carcass.


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// ONS says GDP as up 2.3% in April although it remains below pre-pandemic levels
// This is the fastest rate of growth since July last year
// The reopening of non-essential retail in April is the main driver behind the growth
The easing of lockdown restrictions for non-essential retail in April helped the UK economy grow at its fastest rate since July 2020 as households returned to high street stores, according to new data.
The ONS said gross domestic product (GDP) – a measure of economic growth – was up 2.3 per cent in April although it remains below pre-pandemic levels.
In July last year the economy grew 7.3 per cent.
- Retail sales grow at strongest rate in May
- Retail employment at fastest rate in years, new research says
- Now that all of UK retail has reopened, what’s next?
The ONS said the April growth rate would have been higher if not for a slowdown in the construction sector compared to strong growth in March.
Non-essential retailers drove much of the growth as they welcomed customers back into stores from April 12 in England and Wales, with fashion retailers seeing a boost of 69.4 per cent.
Overall growth in the services sector was 3.4 per cent, although it remains 4.1 per cent below pre-pandemic levels of February 2020.
This included restaurants, bars and cafes on high streets where customers could dine and drink outdoors again, seeing a 39 per cent rise in growth.
Meanwhile other high street businesses, such as hairdressers and other personal services, grew 63.5 per cent.
“Today’s figures are a promising sign that our economy is beginning to recover,” Chancellor Rishi Sunak said.
“With more than a million people coming off furlough across March and April and the number of employees in work rising, it is clear that our Plan for Jobs is working.
“But I know there are people who still need our support, which is why the furlough scheme is in place until September to protect as many jobs as possible”.
with PA Wires


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10/3/2012 6:02:00 AM Kingman Oktoberfest stocking more beer, food this year
Mary K. Clark (left), Shawn Savage and Jo Ann Oxsen got in costume for the Fourth Annual Oktoberfest in downtown Kingman last year. Organizers said they’ve purchased more food and beer this year, since last year they ran low on the first day.
If You Go
310 W. Beale St.
Kingman Route 66 Rotary Club and Kingman Aid to Abused People
Erin Taylor Miner Staff Reporter
Last year's Oktoberfest proved to be so popular, organizers found themselves running out of beer and bratwurst before the end of the first day.
More than 2,100 glasses of beer, 1,500 sausages and 62 cases of soda were served up during the event last year. Even the pickles and soft pretzels were gobbled up in short order, necessitating several trips to the store and refueling stops by the beer vendor.
This year organizers are more prepared and plan to have at least 25 percent more food and brew on hand, said Mary Clark with the Kingman Route 66 Rotary Club. Clark said organizers work hard to strike a balance between what is bought ahead of time and what is actually consumed.
"We're a nonprofit, so we have to be careful to purchase what we're going to use," she said.
This year's Oktoberfest has been scaled back to two days but has extended hours - 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 12 and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 13. Clark said it made sense to open earlier on Friday and eliminate Sunday altogether since attendance was down on that day anyway.
In addition to the main attraction of beer and brats, there will be vendors and live music, featuring local rock band Buffalo Nickel, polka outfit the Railsplitters and the Phoenix-based rock and roll group Petty Thieves. There will also be a chicken dance contest for kids.
Sports fans won't miss any of the action with DirecTV supplying televisions for the event to show live games.
There is no admission fee. Food and beer will be available for individual purchase. Clark said servers and security staff have already been prepped on how to spot a patron who has had enough to drink. City Towing and A&R Towing will also offer discounted rides for intoxicated individuals and their vehicles.
Clark said Oktoberfest attracts locals as well as visitors passing through town on Route 66. She said a group of German tourists were especially excited that they happened upon the festivities during their road trip.
"They really liked the sauerkraut, so you know it had to be good," she joked.
Proceeds will go to the Kingman Route 66 Rotary Club to fund community activities. The event is sponsored by Kingman Regional Medical Center and the Hampton Inn.
"Last year we raised more than $7,000 and we're hoping to double that this year," she said.
Inmates at the Arizona State Prison have also crafted birdhouses, a kid's castle and a barbecue for a raffle that will benefit Kingman Aid to Abused People.
Posted: Thursday, October 4, 2012
Article comment by:
Do you need someone to make some good old german Potatoe-salad?,I could make a big bowl of it!!!My husbands favorite!!! Also, you ought to get a package of old fashioned Wieners at Basha's and you must have good mustard,not just that baby-caka one!!maybe we see one another!!!
Posted: Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Article comment by:
its gonna be the first time i missed, good bands. ,,,, at least the last couple years. to bad it cant stay up till midnight and clear out an area to dance.


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The delivery food delivery platform Deliveroo plans to cease its operations in Spain, a market that represents less than 2% of the company’s gross value of transactions (GTV) in the first half of this year.
Six years, 18,000 false self-employed persons detected and almost 50 convictions later: the Rider Law arrives
Specifically, the platform announced on Friday its intention to consult among its employees about the end of their activity in the Spanish market. Deliveroo currently operates in 12 markets around the world, with the vast majority of the company’s gross transaction value (GTV) coming from markets where it ranks first or second.
The company has concluded that achieving and maintaining a top-level market position in Spain would require a “very high” level of investment with a “very uncertain” potential long-term return that could affect the economic viability of the market. for the company.
The reality is that with a false self-employed model, Deliveroo has never made money in Spain, where there is strong competition for the food delivery market. After the last sentences of the Supreme, that supported the workforce of the riders for the second time after rejecting the appeal filed by Deliveroo against the judgment of the Superior Court of Justice (TSJ) of Madrid that considered false self-employed more than 500 distributors of the multinational in Madrid and the approval of the Rider Act, Deliveroo’s competitive position was one of the weakest.
The proposal to end operations in Spain reflects, according to the company, its intention to focus investments and resources on the other markets in which it operates, continuing with the growth of its network of consumers, restaurant and supermarket partners. , as well as ‘riders’, and expanding its market share both in new cities and in cities where it already operates.
Deliveroo’s consultation on the cessation of its operations in Spain will be conditional on the result of a consultative process with the affected employees and with the ‘riders’. Deliveroo expects the collective consultation process to start in early September and the company will work with all stakeholders and prepare all the necessary documentation for this.
In the event that the company decides to terminate its operations after the conclusion of the consultation process, which will last approximately one month, the company will ensure that the riders and employees have an adequate compensation package that complies with all local regulations and legislation.
This proposal does not affect, as explained by the company, the guidelines for the whole year previously communicated on the annual growth of the group’s GTV and on the gross profit margin.
“The decision to propose the cessation of our operations in Spain has not been taken lightly. We want to thank all the restaurants that have worked with Deliveroo in Spain, as well as our valued customers. We show a special thanks to the thousands exceptional and always willing riders who have chosen to work with Deliveroo, as well as our talented and fully committed employees. They will all be supported during the consultation period, “said Hadi Moussa, Deliveroo’s Chief International Business Officer.


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Sony has been referring to their next platform as the "Orbis". More importantly, the name might not just be the platform's working title.
Kotaku has reported that Orbis is the name Sony has been using in-house to discuss the next PlayStation, however, as they point out, "Orbis Vitae" means "circle of life" in Latin. Given the push for increased connectivity between the PS3 and the Vita, giving the next platform a name connected to the Vita makes a lot of sense.
The report doesn't stop at the console's name: According to Kotaku's source, The next PlayStation console A.K.A. the PS4 A.K.A. the Orbis is on track to launch in 2013. Sony has been sending dev kits to select developers since the beginning of 2012, in the hopes of having solid launch lineup by 2013.
The console will feature an AMD 64X CPU and an AMD Southern Islands GPU. This isn't the first time that rumors have linked the Orbis and 64X. The new GPU, according to the report, will allow the console to play 3D games in 1080p.
It's not all great news, though: Sony is apparently instituting new countermeasures against used games sales. All games on the new platform will be linked to a player's PSN account, whether they're purchased digitally or on a disc. The console requires that players be online at all times, so you won't be able to game the system by going lo-fi and staying offline.
In the new system, used games sales would still be possible, but only if the new owner pays a fee to "unlock" the disc. Basically they're taking season passes to their logical conclsuion.
Moreover, the Orbis will not be backwards compatible. PS3 games will not run. It's possible that, similar to the Vita, games purchased on PSN may be available to re-download, but you'll have to hold on to your PS3 to play most of your games.
You ok? That's a lot of information to take in at once. A lot of this stuff - countermeasures against used game sales, better hardware, etc - is simply a more explicit version of we've have been hearing for the past few months. Many of the details, especially the connections to the Vita, does make the info sound genuine.
So what do you think? Is the Orbis everything you've ever dreamed of? More importantly, do you think it sounds like the real deal? Let us know what you think of all this comments!


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By James Frear
The government has once again pointed the finger on Thursday at the responsibility of food retailers, some of them being accused of abusing “logistics penalties”, which they impose on their agro-industrial suppliers when they do not deliver their products on time.
Noting that the inflationary context of the costs of energy, transport or raw materials generates “unprecedented tensions on the companies of the food-processing industry”, whatever their size, the government asked the signs of the large distribution a “moratorium on the logistic penalties”. This statement, signed by the Minister of Agriculture Marc Fesneau and the Ministers Delegate for Industry Roland Lescure and Commerce including Olivia Gregoire, refers to “reported and observed abuses of several signs of large-scale food distribution.
The FNSEA denounced an attitude “without faith nor law” of certain distributors
In early September, the powerful agricultural union FNSEA had called for the opening of an investigation by the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) on logistics penalties, denouncing an attitude “without faith or law” of some distributors when they apply these sanctions. The Ministry of Agriculture had then estimated that some distributors were diverting the use of these penalties “to restore their financial health (…) on the backs of their suppliers”.
The authorities note that “several administrative injunction procedures under financial penalties have been initiated since February” to ensure that the practices comply with the law and have asked the DGCCRF to strengthen their “investigation procedures” on the subject.
Negotiations reopened between distributors and manufacturers
Negotiations between distributors and manufacturers, which take place every year to determine the purchase price of a large part of products sold in supermarkets, were reopened after the beginning of the war in Ukraine to take into account the inflation of production and operating costs, which degrade the financial health of many companies.
They are dragging on, with each side passing the buck, with manufacturers accusing distributors of not taking into account the increase in production costs in their purchase prices, and distributors accusing manufacturers of not sufficiently justifying the price increases requested. The situation is all the more complex as consumers, in a period of inflation, are very attentive to the prices of the foodstuffs they put in their carts and turn to the brands where they think they will find the best deals.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)


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Volkswagen will further accelerate its electrification plans, with boss Ralf Brandstätter pledging that more than 70% of the firm’s cars sold in Europe will be fully electric by 2030 – double the firm’s previous target.
The firm had previously pledged that 35% of the Volkswagen brand’s sales would be of full EVs in Europe by the end of the decade, but Brandstatter said it was time to ramp up that target to make it “the most attractive brand for sustainable mobility.”
Volkswagen has also vowed that more than 50% of its sales in the US and China will be fully electric by 2030, and Brandstatter said the firm will also invest heavily in developing its software and digital technology – including autonomous driving systems.
Brandstatter said that “autonomous driving will be experienceable for many people by 2030”, adding: “This technology must not become the privilege of the few. With six million units per year our brand has the volume to scale up this dfifficult-to-engineer technology and roll it out worldwide.”
The brand will launch at least one new pure-electric vehicle in line with its renewed ambitions, with the China-only ID 6 to follow the ID 4 next year, succeeded by the coupé-styled ID 5 SUV, the ID Buzz MPV, the ‘Aero-B’ estate and – after 2025 – the promised entry-level urban EV, likely called ID 1.
Alongside the ramp-up of its electrification strategy, VW will launch next-generation versions of its core combustion-engined models, likely with an increased focus on plug-in hybrid powertrains.
Brandstätter explained: “We need combustion engines for a while yet, but they should be as efficient as possible. These core vehicles are essential for us, but we need to make them as efficient as possible, which is why we must electrify them with mild hybrid or plug-in hybrids.”


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Canadians have less cash to spend even as they are taking on more debt, Statistics Canada reported Wednesday, at a time when interest rates are the highest they’ve been in decades.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, household credit market debt as a proportion of household disposable income rose to 184.5 per cent in the first quarter, up from 181.7 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2022, the agency said Wednesday.
The figure translates to $1.85 in credit market debt for every dollar of household disposable income.
“Looking ahead, debt servicing costs are expected to continue to rise rapidly over the course of this year and peak in the second half of 2024, as interest rates are now expected to rise and remain elevated for longer,” said TD economist Maria Solovieva in a note.
“This will create additional headwinds for households with a high sensitivity to interest rates (such as variable rate mortgage holders) and could result in higher delinquency rates in the future,” she said.
The household debt service ratio, measured as total obligated payments of principal and interest on credit market debt as a proportion of household disposable income, was 14.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2023, up from 14.4 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2022.
That ratio is set to hit record levels, potentially in the second quarter, as the lagging impact of higher interest rates continues to filter through to household borrowing costs, said Royal Bank of Canada assistant chief economist Nathan Janzen in a note.
“The combination of higher inflation and debt payments already soaked up all of the growth in household after-tax incomes last year, and looks likely to do so again in 2023,” Janzen said.
The increase came as households borrowed $16.5 billion on a seasonally adjusted basis in the first quarter including $11.2 billion in mortgage debt.
Canadians’ combined outstanding debt hit a new record in the first quarter of the year, reaching $2.32 trillion, TransUnion reported two weeks ago. Average balances on most consumer credit products rose by 11.4 per cent, while average mortgage balances were up 7.1 per cent.
The total seasonally adjusted stock of household credit market debt, which includes consumer credit and both mortgage and non-mortgage loans, rose 0.6 per cent from the fourth quarter of 2022 to $2.84 trillion in the first quarter of 2023, including $2.11 trillion in mortgage debt, Statistics Canada said.
“The Bank of Canada will need to maintain a close watch on household credit performance as higher interest rates continue to weigh on Canadian households this year,” said Solovieva.
The Bank of Canada had hit pause on its monetary tightening after its January hike but raised rates again last week, citing the threat of entrenched inflation. Its overnight rate is now 4.75 per cent, a far cry from 0.25 per cent in January of last year.
Janzen said the bank continues to expect a softer labour market and weaker GDP data over the second half of 2023.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 14, 2023.


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Cyber-Espionage, GoPro IPO, Virtual Rubik’s Cube, Gay Nintendo [Tech News Digest]
Today in Tech News Digest, the U.S. confronts China, GoPro eyes an IPO, Airbnb Experiences, 13 years of Apple Stores, new words in the #Twictionary, Rubik’s Cube Google Doodle, and Nintendo goes gay.
U.S. Confronts China Over Cyber-Espionage
The United States has officially indicted five members of the People’s Liberation Army of China, accusing them of hacking into the computer systems of American companies and stealing trade secrets in order to give Chinese companies a commercial advantage.
The Chinese authorities have responded to the criminal charges by abandoning plans for joint talks between the two countries on matters of Internet security and cyber-espionage. A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry claimed these charges were “purely ungrounded and absurd,” and accused the U.S. Government of repeating “fabricated facts.”
As the U.S. and China have no extradition treaty the suspects named are unlikely to ever step foot inside an American courtroom. Which suggests this is more about sending a message to China and other countries allegedly involved in the state-sponsored hacking of American companies.
The timing of this is rather ironic, as it’s happening after a year of revelations from National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden. The most recent revelation accusing the NSA of spying on Chinese companies by sneaking surveillance equipment into servers and routers .
GoPro Files For IPO
GoPro, which specializes in making rugged cameras worn by extreme sports fans , has filed for an IPO. The company will trade on the NASDAQ as GPRO, and with revenues of $985.7 million in 2013, this could be a hugely successful IPO.
This is a growing company that has gone from employing 49 people in 2010 to employing 718 people in 2014. The company also boasts a “sales network of more than 25,000 stores globally,” and dozens of patents and patents pending.
Airbnb Experiments With Experiences
Airbnb is one of the fastest valued startups, ever. 0-$10b in 6 years. Owns no properties.
— Jeremiah Owyang (@jowyang) May 14, 2014
Airbnb has so far made its name allowing ordinary people to open their homes up to strangers. It’s been a rather successful endeavor too, but the company is looking to expand its business model to include experiences as well as accommodation.
According to TechCrunch, Airbnb is testing a new platform which sees hosts offering activities while their guests are in town. Activities spotted so far include guided tours, nature hikes, food tastings, and vocational classes.
This is a rather obvious route for Airbnb to go down, with everyone involved potentially getting something from it. These extra-curricular activities aren’t being highlighted on the site yet, so it could be some time before they’re officially available.
13 Years Of Apple Retail Stores
The not-so-humble Apple Store has been with us for 13 years, with Steve Jobs opening Apple’s first retail outlet in Tysons Corner, Virginia on May 19, 2001. The video above shows Jobs explaining the thinking behind the layout we all now love/hate.
In order to mark the occasion, mobile shopping app Retale created an infographic showing the rise of the Apple Store. Tim Cook’s company now has 424 stores in 16 countries, of all which are manned by Geniuses. No, really.
Collins Launches #Twictionary
— Collins Dictionary (@collinsdict) May 19, 2014
Serious dictionaries are rapidly realizing the potential in sourcing new words from the Internet. Some of these words should die in a fire , but others cross over into the mainstream and deserve their place in these illustrious tomes.
The Oxford English Dictionary named Selfie its Word Of The Year for 2014 , and the Collins English Dictionary is now searching for a word used extensively online to include in its latest print edition.
A website detailing the nine options to choose from asks voters to tweet support for their favorite word. You have until May 28 to decide between adorkable, duckface, Euromaidan, fatberg, felfie, fracktivist, gaybourhood, nomakeupselfie, and vaguebooking . A combination which just caused my spellchecker to have a nervous breakdown.
Carry On Playing Google’s Rubik’s Cube
You may have noticed the virtual Rubik’s Cube dominating the Google homepage yesterday (May 19). Although it’s now disappeared from that valued location, the Google Rubik’s Cube is still available to play through the Google Doodle archive.
Whether you want to carry on playing or not will likely be determined by your Rubik’s Cube skill level. It turns out I’m even less competent at solving a virtual Rubik’s Cube as I am at solving a physical Rubik’s Cube. I’ll stick to other, easier, Google Doodle games .
John Oliver Turns Nintendo Gay
And finally, in light of the controversy surrounding new Nintendo 3DS game Tomodachi Life , John Oliver decided to turn the whole of Nintendo gay. Cue video footage of Mario, Link, Princess Peach, Princess Zelda, Yoshi, Toad, Bowser, and Donkey Kong enjoying same-sex relationships.
Tech News Digest… Breaking News Into Bite-Sized Chunks.
Image Credit: Johan Viirok via Flickr
Affiliate Disclosure: By buying the products we recommend, you help keep the site alive. Read more.


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Article 1: Britain’s Brexit Crisis Takes Further Toll as Services Shrink
Brexit has negative implications on company and consumer spending. The move The Purchasing Managers’ Index illustrates that the economy had shrunk in March and had stalled throughout the first quarter, with the situation expected to worsen (Goodman and Meakin). The U.K economy also slowed down to 0.8%, which is weaker than the treasury of bank of England. The move has taken its toll on Britain to the point of Teresa May seeking assistance from the opposition leader. Correspondingly, Britain may not meet its deadline of April 12th given the disagreements in parliament.
The article is pessimistic although it portrays the reality of Brexit. The article focuses on the negative impact that the Brexit has on the economy, and how it is dividing parliament. The article seems to state that Brexit was terrible for the economy and that even the government is ill-prepared for the move. Regardless, it demonstrates the toll on household, and commercial level Brexit will impact the nation.
Article 2: Brexit is paralyzed and so is the UK economy
Brexit has crippled the economy. According to the Bank of England, the economy has shrunk more than 2% more than would have been the case had Britain remained in the EU. Put differently, Britain is losing $1 billion a week. Various sectors affected by Brexit include the property market (Kotassova). House prices fell by 3.8%, making it the lowest drop since 2009. By comparison, business investment declined by 0.9% in the last quarter of 2019. The auto industry also fell by 50%. There is also a present a decrease in the service sector which is responsible for 80% of the GDP.
The article is equally pessimistic but comprehensive. The text details the appalling effects of Brexit on the economy. The text details how the critical sectors like service, property market, manufacturing, and the automobile industry are affected and to what extent. Although there is no mention of hope in the near future, the paper effectively paints the grim reality that is Brexit.
Goodman, David and Lucy Meakin. Britain’s Brexit Crisis Takes Further Toll as Services Shrink. Bloomberg, 3 April 2019, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-03/minister-resigns-as-may-prepares-to-meet-corbyn-brexit-update
Kottasová, Ivana. Brexit is Paralyzed and so is the UK economy. CNN, 2 April 2019, https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/02/economy/uk-economy-brexit/index.html


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Nostalgia’s Cottage open this weekend
MANSFIELD – Nostalgia’s Cottage, an “occasional” vintage market at 12 S. Park St. (on the square downtown), will be open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
Offering repurposed, restyled, refreshed vintage and antique treasures, the store will be open again in June or August, or by appointment.
Kathy Stantz, Susan Schmidt and Terri Osborne are the shop’s operators. The three friends share a passion for repurposing and refreshing cast-off or used pieces from the past.
For information, visit www.facebook.com/nostalgiascottage.


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Apple’s upcoming Watch Series 7 seemingly returned to schedule, after the tech giant reportedly solved some manufacturing issues that were rumored to have significantly delayed the launch of the smartwatch.
Production drawbacks, first reported on August 31 and allegedly related to the new Series 7 design, have been overcome, according to an article by The edge referring to an analyst’s report seen by MacRumors.
The problematic design in question reportedly features a larger display screen with an attached new watch face and a square case with square edges.
The Series 7 is also rumored to include 41mm and 45mm band sizes (with support for older bands), but it will likely lack a blood pressure measurement function.
Mass manufacturing of the watches is scheduled to begin in mid-September, just in time for Apple’s next hardware launch event scheduled for September 14, 2021.


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The development of e-commerce is injecting vitality into China’s poverty reduction and rural revitalization efforts. Enterprises and the government are working together, dynamically integrating technology, education and employment through customer service phone calls and logistics express orders, allowing more people to connect with the digital age.
On November 11, when the “Singles’ Day” shopping festival started, He Lina stared at the constantly rising transaction volume on the e-commerce platform on her computer screen. When the customer hotline rang, she kindly and skillfully answered customers’ doubts. She took 105 calls that day, and was congratulated by colleagues, customer service trainers and new trainees. That month, her salary went straight to 10,000 yuan ($1,526).
He never thought she could easily lose the label of a housewife in a remote mountain village.
In May, China’s first “customer service county” landed in He’s hometown, Xunwu county in East China’s Jiangxi Province, a state-level impoverished county that once had 65 poor villages and nearly 30,000 poor households. Xunwu authorities built customer experience centers, and enterprises provided digital service personnel training, which not only offered consumers with better shopping experience, but also provided employment opportunities for rural youth.
New customer service staff joined the business through the major online shopping platforms like Taobao and Tmall. The calls from all over the country have brought new hope to this small county that was once underdeveloped.
In the past, He once found a job with a monthly salary of 2,000 yuan in a training institution, which went bankrupt over the COVID-19 epidemic this year. Even though life was poor, He was hesitant to leave her hometown for a job as she worried about her elderly parents and young children.
But now, after He joined the customer service recruitment and training program jointly launched by Alibaba Group and the Xunwu county government, she said her life has been colorful. “Just working in my hometown, I can take care of my family. In addition, I learned a lot of e-commerce knowledge in the customer experience center, where I also had a window to communicate with the outside world,” said He.
The customer service training in Xunwu county has been carried out for nine session training courses, which has created 200 new direct employment opportunities and also driven more than 2,000 people to increase their income by digital means, including disabled people from poor families, military veterans, and food delivery workers who once worked in other cities.
“In this trend of employment, more young people are choosing to stay in their hometown, not only for a job, but also for the realization of self-worth. Their passion has brought new vitality to a county that was once heavily hollowed out and also brought new opportunities for the development of China’s entire e-commerce industry,” Ge Xinxian, commissioner of poverty alleviation program from Alibaba Group, told the Global Times.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, online retail sales in poverty-stricken counties reached 239.2 billion yuan in 2019, up 33 percent year on year, boosting employment and income for 5 million farmers in poor areas.
With the further development of China’s “Internet Plus,” more e-commerce enterprises have a stronger sense of social responsibility.
Best Group, for example, launched its Agricultural Excellence Plan in 2018, which aims to help farmers expand the popularity of local agricultural products and provide convenient sales and transportation methods. By September 2020, more than 7.75 million kilograms of agricultural products had been sold under the plan, which earned profits of more than 63 million yuan.
At the same time, China’s internet, transportation, logistics, warehousing and other infrastructure to facilitate the development of e-commerce continue to improve. By the end of June 2020, 98 percent of poverty-stricken villages in China had installed online optical fiber, 96.6 percent of townships had set up courier service outlets, and all 832 state-level poverty-stricken counties that currently have shaken off poverty had all set up e-commerce service centers, achieving full coverage of rural e-commerce management and logistics distribution networks, Xinhua reported.
“Rural residents’ jobs are getting more rewarding and convenient. We believe that a better life is still ahead of us,” Ge said.
Source: Global Times
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Grubhub – one of the leading third-party foot delivery platforms – and the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce – the largest not-for-profit advocacy group aimed at expanding the economic opportunities and advancement of the LGBT business community – have partnered to provide grants to restaurants with LGBTQ+ operators throughout the fall. Qualifying applicants for the NGLCC/Grubhub Community Impact Grant Program must be an “LGBTQ+-owned or LGBTQ+ ally-owned restaurant, bar or café that serves food,” and the NGLCC has pledged that 30% of grants will be given to restaurants owned by people of color, transgender, and gender non-conforming people. Applicants will need to prove a loss of business due to the Covid-19 pandemic and prove that the establishment is an LGBTQ+ owned, or allied, business. Grants will range from $5,000 to $100,000, according to the most recent press release.
According to a statement released by NGLCC co-founder and president, Justin Nelson, “we often say at NGLCC that ‘If you can buy it, an LGBTQ+-owned business can supply it.’ That is especially true of the LGBTQ+-owned restaurants across America who kept our communities and first responders fed throughout the pandemic. We’re proud to partner with Grubhub in offering these grants to support these businesses throughout the nation. America’s 1.4 million LGBTQ+-owned business owners have shown incredible resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, and now, in turn, we can help them recover stronger than ever.” In a similar vein, Grubhub senior vice president of restaurants, Kevin Kearns, stated “as the world starts to return to a new normal, we know many businesses are rebuilding and reopening, especially LGBTQ+-owned restaurants that are often the pillars of their communities. We’re thrilled to partner with NGLCC and give back to the LGBTQ+ community – one that has shown incredible strength and support for those in need throughout the pandemic.”
This partnership is the latest in a wave of restaurant grant and loan programs created, and funded, by third-party food delivery companies. The pandemic necessitated restaurant-tailored federal aid; although Congress did allocate $28.6 billion for restaurants via its Restaurant Revitalization Fund, the fund’s applications closed just 3 weeks into the program and a series of ensuing legal battles buried the RRF for good. Given this absence of federal aid, every major third-party food delivery service – including Uber Eats, DoorDash, Postmates, and Grubhub – offered some level of financial support to restaurants during the pandemic. Some rolled out new features on their apps, such as curbside pickup and a vaccination tag, while others created initiatives to support Black-owned restaurants and new website technology. Not only did these programs and initiatives provide some much-needed support to struggling restaurants, but also they helped platforms improve their brands in the face of ongoing industry disputes; all of these platforms have been implicated in a months-long battle against major cities over temporary/permanent commission fee caps and wage and labor laws.
Applications for the NGLCC/Grubhub Community Impact Grant Program must submitted by October 12th. NGLCC, and its partners, will commence application evaluations after the October 12th closing date. Follow this link to submit your application: https://nglcc.formstack.com/forms/community_impact_grant_app.
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This information is the most up to date news available as of the date posted. Please be advised that any information posted on the KI Legal Blog or Social Channels is being supplied for informational purposes only and is subject to change at any time. For more information, and clarity surrounding your individual organization or current situation, contact a member of the KI Legal team, or fill out a new client intake form.The post Grubhub Partners With the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce for Grant Program for LGBTQ+ Food Establishment Operators appeared first on KI Legal.


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As for its national currency, the North Korean won has no actual value as most of the retail transactions are controlled by the dictator's regime, which tells them what to buy and what to consume in an unmatched and "fatherly" way.
The movie based on the novel can be found here on USB memory cards, and these are spreading rapidly.' The daily rental for American novels and films is five times more than for North Korean novels and movies, which is about 1,000 North Korean won ($0.13.) .
Anti-government messages such as "Overthrow Kim Jong Un" and "Punish Kim Jong Un" were reportedly scrawled over images of the leader's grandfather and founder of the state Kim Il Sung, whose face adorns the 5,000 North Korean won (KPW) bills.


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BGaming has actually struck a handle Pariplay Ltd, the leading collector as well as material service provider, to include the workshop’s titles to the Fusion ™ system.
BGaming has actually created an online reputation for imaginative video games, consisting of modern-day standards like Elvis Frog in Vegas, Fruit Million, St Valentine’s Day and also Fire Lightning, which will certainly all currently be provided to Pariplay’s considerable international driver network.
Established in 2018, BGaming relies on taking a player-driven method in order to supply captivating graphics, which has actually caused its video games included on greater than 300 on the internet gambling establishments worldwide. In addition to introducing via striking coupons and also amazing events, the workshop is just one of the initial to sustain cryptocurrencies as well as provide the Provably Fair function.
Christine Lewis, Chief Commercial Officer at Pariplay, claimed: “BGaming’s imaginative and also special take on their video games makes them the excellent enhancement to Pariplay’s Fusion ™ system. Their exciting gameplay and also graphics will certainly strike home with our companions and also their gamers throughout a selection of markets.”
Pariplay is a leading collector and also material company, established in 2010. The distributor uses ingenious items such as the Fusion ™ gathering system as well as the Ignite workshop growth program. Pariplay’s Fusion ™ gathering system includes hundreds of video games from the market’s leading video games programmers and also a collection of back-office conversion and also retention devices that improve gamer worth.
Marina Ostrovtsova, Director of BGaming, claimed: “We function relentlessly to develop appealing material and also to expand our visibility in the market. We are certain that this offer will certainly enable us to expand also additionally. Becoming part of Pariplay’s stable of workshops will certainly make our video games offered to several of the globe’s leading drivers, enabling even more gamers to appreciate them.”


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Elrond shall be itemizing its native blockchain forex eGold on eToroX, the cryptocurrency arm of social buying and selling community eToro, efficient December 23.
Beginning in 2018, Elrond has claimed to supply excessive throughput processing capability of as much as 250,000 transactions per second which scales up efficiency and usefulness for its blockchain community. The agency mentioned its blockchain “brings 1,000x enhancements over present blockchains” backed by a working state sharded structure that permits quick and cheap stablecoin transactions.
Created in 2018, eToroX is tasked with defining and executing eToro’s imaginative and prescient round blockchain, together with its crypto trade and the event of crypto belongings. In 2019, the corporate unveiled its personal proprietary cryptocurrency pockets, and shortly after it secured Gibraltar’s monetary providers watchdog’s bespoke license for blockchain companies utilizing distributed ledger know-how.
The information of eGold addition to eToro ecosystem comes because the valuation of the Israeli unicorn soared to $2.5 billion in comparison with simply $800 million in its final funding spherical in 2018.
Beniamin Mincu, CEO and Founding father of Elrond Community commented: “In its 10 years of existence Bitcoin has confirmed that cryptocurrencies are safe and might serve an vital objective within the web financial system. Elrond opens up a brand new frontier providing internet-scale blockchain efficiency, and an intuitive software referred to as Maiar, by means of which we goal to carry the subsequent billion folks to the blockchain house.”
Binance has been an early backer of Elrond challenge and already led a $3.25 million funding spherical along with Electrical Capital and NGC Ventures. Although Elrond (ERD) was barely recognized earlier than its Binance hook-up, with the launch of the DEX having already sparked pleasure amongst crypto merchants.
Binance’s adoption of Elrond (ERD) got here after it signed a brand new partnership with the developer of Elrond blockchain community, which made its native, USD-pegged stablecoin (BUSD) accessible on the Elrond Community.


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Why get on a plane when your digital self can do the traveling? Beaming talking holograms of individuals may still be a trick mostly for television news and science fiction, but companies are using a growing number of technologies that give the sense that someone is only a few feet away when they might really be in a different time zone. They’re not all cheap. But in the long run, they could save your company big dollars.
Telepresence systems like those sold by Cisco, HP, Polycom, Teliris and Tandberg hardly look like a tech solution for tight times. The room-sized setups, which often cost as much as $300,000, are designed to seamlessly mimic real-world meetings with high-def screens, close to zero latency and stereo audio. But the devices’ vendors argue that subtle frills like those may be what’s necessary to keep executives from racking up far more expensive business trips.
Not every telepresence system requires pricey trimmings of high-end systems–details as extravagant as specially-designed wood-paneled walls, lighting and carpeting. Polycom, for instance, sells a $17,500 system that offers HD video and low latency, but can be adapted to any conference room.
Video devices don’t necessarily need to be life-size to offer a bit of added communicative value. Tandberg’s E20 videophone, for instance, sits on a desk and allows video conferencing with DVD quality images. The videophones, sold for around $1,000, are designed to communicate with larger room-sized systems so a meeting can easily summon up the video image of another employee at his or her desk. Tandberg Chief Executive Fredrik Halvorsen, says customers often purchase two to six of the company’s high-end telepresence room systems, along with around 200 of these desktop units.
Cisco’s teleconferencing applications aren’t all flashy hardware systems. In March 2007, the networking giant acquired Webex, a PowerPoint-like presentation application that runs online. Since then, Webex has evolved into a full-blown Web-based platform, complete with messaging, video and audio conferencing and document sharing. Last month, IBM launched a competing platform known as “Blue House” that wraps in similar applications.
Billed as a “universal communicator,” this new online service pulls together widely used forms of communication–including phone, email, instant messaging, video and social media–in one online control panel. Think of it as a mash-up of Skype, Digsby and Grand Central. Business users will like VoxOx’s ability to make and receive calls, including video conferences, and manage voicemails with the click of a mouse. The service is offered by TelCentris, a San Diego-based telecom company, which calls the technology “business-grade,” in contrast to consumer-focused Skype. An enterprise version is planned for spring. Service is free for now but may eventually bump up to $20 a month.
Skype and SightSpeed
A search for cheap video conferencing services naturally points to Skype. But even those who praise the popular, low-cost technology, which is free between Skype users and a few cents a minute for others, admit that it’s not geared toward business use. Another option is Berkeley, Calif.-based SightSpeed, which also offers affordable video calls with more robust customer service. SightSpeed’s enterprise service can connect up to nine locations at one time and, like Skype, requires just a webcam and broadband connection. Prices start at $19.95 per person or $189.95 a year.
The idea of meeting as a cartoonish avatar in a digital suit may seem like an over-hyped gimmick, but major players like Cisco and IBM seem convinced that virtual worlds like Second Life are the future of remote meetings. More practical than an open, Internet-based virtual world like Second Life may be the private, business-focused worlds offered by companies like Forterra or Qwaq–environments that come equipped with Webex-like presentation software, video conferencing and file sharing.


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Luke Vandager used a credit card as a ‘stop gap’ but got himself in thousands of dollars of debt
Luke Vandager signed up to a credit card while at university but it ended up causing him significant financial pain. Are cards a bad idea?
Younger Australians looking to get through the toughest financial time of the year should be wary of relying on credit cards, experts say.
New research by financial services firm Canstar found a majority of Aussies aged under 25 are steering clear of credit — only 10 per cent have a credit card.
But despite this, Reserve Bank of Australia figures show Aussies are still addicted to plastic — $51.5 billion is owed and more than $31.7 billion is accruing interest.
Financial comparison website Mozo’s spokesman, Tom Godfrey, said instead of using credit, Millennials might sign up to ‘buy now pay later’ schemes such as Afterpay and Zippay instead.
This is because some do not require credit history checks.
“It’s unsurprising that credit cards are not the only payment option young people are turning to,” Mr Godfrey said.
“With the rise of buy now, pay later apps, a credit card is not necessarily the must-have it once was.”
Canstar spokeswoman Belinda Williamson cautioned young Aussies to avoid racking up mountains of credit card debt that could impact their credit rating later.
“Getting your first credit card is a big financial commitment and responsibility,” she said.
“A good rule of thumb is to only put on credit what you can comfortably afford to repay in your next pay cycle.”
Buy now pay later schemes attract fees and charges, but unlike credit cards they do not charge users interest.
Luke Vandager, 20, ran into trouble shortly after getting a credit card on his 18th birthday.
Mr Vandager’s parents warned him of the potential dangers.
“My dad thought getting a credit card was a terrible idea,” he said.
“He said, ‘you’ll see’ and I guess I did.”
Mr Vandager believed a credit card would free up more money for him to invest in the share market. “I had a plan to invest, I thought I was smarter,” he said.
He has been battling small amounts of credit card debt on and off for almost two years, putting him under financial stress.
“A credit card does separate you from how much money you actually have. It was easy to over-estimate my next pay cheque.”
Mr Vandager quickly racked up over $2000 in card debt in the first few months.
He initially used it as a stopgap to pay for small expenses such as dinners and drinks out.
“My friends said, ‘I can’t afford to go out tonight’,” he said. “With the credit card, I didn’t have that problem.”
While Mr Vandager still has a credit card he said he was managing his use of it better. He has since lowered his card’s limit to $1000.
BUY NOW, PAY LATER SCHEMES
· Avoid lengthy approval times and application fees.
· Don’t have to pay any interest on your repayments.
· Some providers have spending limits and late payment fees.
· There’s no credit check to ensure you’re capable of making payments.
· Gives you fast access to finance, convenient transactions and might
offer you rewards for spending.
· Provides an emergency fund and comes with fraud protection.
· Comes at a cost with the provider charging interest and possibly fees.
· Increases the temptation to spend and can destroy your credit score.


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Click here for a video of Valentine’s Day reflections from people downtown
With Valentine’s Day landing on a Saturday this year, some flower shops worry sales will decrease on what is traditionally one of the largest flower-selling days of the year.
“I’m just hoping for the best,” Anne Schultz, owner of Linden Hill Florist on S. Upton Avenue, said. “I’m depending on Valentine’s Day.”
Several Minneapolis-area florists said Valentine’s Day brings in between 10 percent and 30 percent of their income, making the holiday a much-needed success for shops struggling during the down economy.
Raed Kakish, owner and head designer of Indulge and Bloom on Nicollet Mall, said his store did poorly the past two months as a result of fewer people buying flowers for Christmas and companies cutting flower arrangements in lobbies.
“We’re hoping that [Valentine’s Day] will give us some extra income to make up for the massive loss we experienced this past December,” Kakish said. “Profits wise, it’s what really helps us have money to buy new inventory if we need it.”
Kakish added the economy changed how his store can get new inventory. “It used to be we had 30 days to pay off a product,” Kakish claimed. “Now if you don’t have the cash upfront, vendors aren’t shipping the product.”
Last week, the National Retail Federation released a study that found consumers plan to spend on average $102.50 on Valentine’s Day gifts, down by nearly 17 percent from the previous year. However, more than one-third (35.7 percent) of consumers will buy flowers, almost the same as last year (35.9 percent).
“[Flowers] are a little spendy and I would imagine they are something that could go,” a downtown Minneapolis worker named Ed, who did not give his last name, said. “I probably spent a little bit less, but I got a better deal.”
Ed said he will buy flowers for his wife from a florist and that he already bought flowers for his daughters from 1-800-FLOWERS. He said 1-800-FLOWERS was about $10 cheaper, but the flowers came without a vase.
A big issue for florists is that the holiday falls on a weekend. Most offices are closed, which prevents people from sending flower’s to a loved ones’ workplace.
Cheryl Stommel, owner of Lake Harriet Florist on S. Penn Avenue, said she expects there to be more walk-in business this Valentine’s Day because men generally wait until the last minute to buy flowers.
She added there is no way to know how well she will do, but she said business has picked up in the couple days leading to Valentine’s Day.
Flower suppliers to florists, however, are doing well. According to Michael Weinmeyer, the sales manager at Koehler & Dramm Wholesale Florist on E. Hennepin Avenue, his company has seen a 10 percent increase in sales this Valentine’s Day.
Weinmeyer said Koehler & Dramm have been helping florists with strategies on how to market to consumers, stating that the supplier is “only as successful as the retail florist.” One strategy Weinmeyer said is to have florists make deals with restaurants for flower arrangements.
Another way florists have been attracting business is with deals. Kim Erickson, the general manager at Soderberg’s Floral & Gift on E. Lake Street, said her store offers a walk-in special that includes a dozen roses for about $35. However, Erickson said the roses do not come with a vase or any other plants.
She added people can also buy other flowers that are cheaper than roses. For instance, her store sells tulips that can cost anywhere from $12 to $23.
No one knows for sure how florists will do this Valentine’s Day. If the National Retail Federation’s survey is correct, then florists can look for sales similar to last year’s numbers. It all depends on the last-minute shopping of a predominant male purchasing group.


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New Delhi: Drug firm Strides Pharma Science recently said its joint venture (JV) firm has received approval from the US health regulator for Albendazole tablets, used in the treatment of certain infections caused by the tapeworm.
Strides Vivimed Pte Ltd, Singapore, a 50:50 joint venture with Vivimed Labs, has received approval from the United States Food & Drug Administration (US FDA) for Albendazole tablets in the strength of 200 mg, Strides Pharma Science said in a BSE filing.
This is the second generic approval by US FDA for Albendazole tablets, the company added.
Strides Pharma Science said the approved product is a generic version of Amneal Pharmaceuticals Inc’s Albenza tablets.
Quoting IQVIA MAT data, Strides Pharma Science said the US market for Albendazole tablets USP 200 mg is approximately USD 100 million.
Strides Pharma Science Limited(Strides), incorporated in 1990, is a global pharmaceutical Company, headquartered in Bangalore, India. The Company is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange of India Limited.