text:
Will LaSala, Director of Security Solutions, Security Evangelist, OneSpan
The holiday shopping period often kicks off with Black Friday. So that as technology evolves, the way consumers interact with retailers is also changing. From the lb1.39 billion spent online on Black Friday this past year, 39 percent of those purchases were created via smartphones, presenting a brand new target for cyber-criminals to exploit. Indeed, criminals are increasingly targeting customers via mobile online banking apps, particularly seen in an upswing of SIM swap fraud. This involves hijacking phone numbers to gain access to mobile accounts, and it has increased by 60 percent since 2021. With UK customers having already lost lb500 million to scams within the first half of 2021, there's an urgent need for banks and financial institutions to put mobile application security towards the top of their agendas. In light of this, here are four ways they can up their app security game:
1 – Employ strong authentication, consider adaptive methods and tools
To ensure they stand the very best chance of securing data and reducing the risk of fraud on Black Friday, all mobile apps should be secured with strong, user-friendly, multi-factor authentication. Which means that if a hacker wants to gain access to an account, they would need a combination of at least two out of three authentication methods – including something know (such as a PIN), something you have (such as an authentication app) or something like that you are (such as a fingerprint or facial).
Banks and financial institutions should also consider adaptive authentication tools. These will take into account, in real-time, user, device and transaction data, to then determine the actual authentication requirements needed for each transaction.
Banks should continuously analyse a user's activities, environment and behaviours, to assist detect transactions that are unusual. This is particularly important around the holiday shopping season, but should be employed all year around. If a customer starts logging in for their mobile banking app from a new location in Scotland, when they usually make payments from London, a certain risk score may prompt a request for a one-time password (OTP), while a higher risk score may prompt the consumer for both an OTP and fingerprint scan (e.g., for any transfer of lb10,000 to a foreign banking account).
2 – Application shielding technology
All bank and financial mobile apps should be able to protect themselves in untrusted or compromised environments, to mitigate the risk of fraud. Application shielding technology can detect and prevent app-level intrusions in real-time. So even if a user unknowingly downloads malware – by jailbreaking their device, connecting to unsecure public WiFi, or not updating their software – the app is not compromised. This means that any data and transactions made inside the app will stay secure.
Application shielding technology also prevents attackers from injecting malicious code into an application, and repackaging it for distribution in unofficial marketplaces, or websites, as was seen with the popular Fortnite app earlier this year.
3 – Stay compliant with industry standards
Industry standards are an easy way of setting a benchmark that banks and financial institutions should adhere to, and ensuring their offerings are safe from the latest threats and vulnerabilities on Black Friday and beyond.
Complying using the upcoming PSD2 regulations well in advance from the deadlines will stand banks and financial institutions in good stead to protect mobile apps ahead of the holiday shopping period. It offers a Strong Customer Authentication requirement, that involves mandatory two-factor authentication, and Transaction Risk Analysis to avoid, detect and block fraudulent payments. This takes into account elements including payment patterns, behavioural analysis, location of payer and payee, details about the device used to conduct the payment, and also the ability to collect data from multiple channels.
4 – Educate customers
Banks and banking institutions should provide clear communication and guidelines for his or her customers, offering advice on how to stay secure. Popular shopping periods, such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday and also the run-up to Christmas present tempting opportunities for hackers looking to target customers with social engineering attacks and phishing emails. Customers should be educated on how to spot these, and just what to avoid. Furthermore, if a bank or lender knows that a phishing email is impersonating them they should send notices to customers warning them.
With the holiday shopping season upon us, banks and payment providers need to ensure they're prepared for the annual shopping rush, and that hackers don't take advantage of the upsurge in transactions to target customers. By taking into account the above four steps, banks and customers will both be protected, not just at Christmas, but for life.


text:
by Joe Buttweiler –
MASON CITY — Designing and furnishing the guest rooms of an historic hotel without the benefit of photos can be a tough challenge when you know scrutiny to detail will be sharp.
Add in factors such as small room sizes and the need to balance architectural authenticity with all the conveniences of modern inns and you’ve got a delicate design challenge.
Interior designers with Bergland + Cram and folks at Historic Properties Inc., which will manage the Historic Park Inn Hotel in Mason City, researched what they could about the original interiors of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed hotel and focused on making the 27 guest rooms as historically accurate yet accommodating as possible.
“We had to take the style of architecture and style of furnishings that were popular when it opened in 1910 into account,” said Scott Borcherding, interior designer with Bergland + Cram, the Mason City firm that is lead architect of the $18 million historic renovation in downtown Mason City.
About all they had on the guest rooms was an old newspaper clipping that described a brass bed and a Cadillac desk, said Dana Thomas, also an interior designer with Bergland + Cram.
To get an idea of the paints used, they took core samples of walls throughout the Park Inn and adjacent City National Bank building, which are being restored together into one hotel. More than 30 samples were taken and analyzed, in some areas revealing that more than a dozen layers of paint had been applied, Borcherding said.
Thomas said one of the guest rooms is being restored pretty much as it was. The two-room “Historic Room,” as they’re calling it, will have a sleeping room with a brass bed and desk simulating the original, while the living area will have a couch, chair and armoire with a refrigerator, storage and other amenities, Borcherding said.
The other 26 guest rooms – while adhering to the historic design elements — will be more modern, Borcherding said, with wireless Internet, refrigerators and flat-screen TVs.
Most of the rooms will have either a king or a queen-size bed. Some will have a sleeper sofa as well, and three will be handicapped-accessible. There will also be a bridal suite with a whirlpool, and a business suite.
Rooms will be painted in neutral tones with accents of brick red – colors that were common to the Prairie School style – with geometric shapes and organic patterns for upholstery.
Rooms will have a lot of wood trim, with headboards attached to the walls, and Wright-themed sconces, said Steve Noto of HPI.
Bathrooms will have showers, vanities, sinks and period-appropriate light fixtures, flooring and wall tile, Borcherding said.
HPI has been busy buying the materials and installation is expected to begin later this month, Thomas said. “A lot of it is being made specially for us,” Noto said, adding that only certain manufacturers are licensed to reproduce Wright-designed furniture.
He said an old pool table built in the 1920s is being sought for the hotel’s billiards room, and a table from the law library in the original building will be reproduced.
Public areas of the building, which is expected to open this summer, will feature 12 barrel chair replicas, Borcherding said. They are recreations of Wright-designed chairs that were in the original City National Bank.
Thomas, Borcherding, Noto and colleagues at HPI – Joan Gasaway and Hillary Navratil – have done “quite a bit of collaboration” on design and furnishings, Noto said.
“We’re trying to keep it corporate-minded for the business traveler and also making it interesting enough to attract the architectural and Frank Lloyd Wright enthusiasts,” said Noto. While many of the guests will be Wright and architecture enthusiasts, most will be business travelers who are more interested in modern conveniences, he said.
Material and furniture vendors have been great to work with, Borcharding said. For instance, “We had to make sure the carpet was going to perform in high-traffic areas because we don’t want it to wear out in a couple years.”
So they worked with the carpeting vendor to come up with wool carpeting – which was the preferred type back then – that would wear well and hold its color and design.
There will be 13 different patterns of carpeting in the hotel, all based on Wright designs and colors.
Other vendors have been eager to contribute in any way they can, he said. “From floor coverings to window coverings to furniture, there’s just a lot of interest and participation in the project.”
Overall, it’s been challenging working with a building that’s 100 years old and its antiquated heating and cooling systems, plumbing and phone lines, Borcherding said, noting that some of areas being transformed into guest rooms weren’t originally used that way.
He and Thomas said the design and furnishing process has come down to learning what they could about the past, adhering to Wright’s design elements, and focusing on convenience of guests.
And it has involved a fair amount of intuition, Borcherding said. “After a while you just know what’s Wright,” he said.
It has become a slogan for the project, he said – figuring out “what’s Wright and what’s wrong.”

domain: news


text:
Posts Tagged ‘kia rio gt’
When Kia Motors announced that the automaker was going to start producing a GT-Line for some of its vehicles, there were questions as to which models would receive the high-performance package. Like with their hybrid lineup, if Kia Motors is going GT, then they’re going to test the GT-Line on their most popular models. That means the debut of the Kia Rio GT, specs on the 2020 Kia Forte GT, the 2020 Kia Soul GT, and the Kia Optima GT are at the top of the list. We like to think it all started with the Kia Stinger GT. A fast and affordable sports car that’s even faster than some of the world’s most luxurious sports cars. Some of us are waiting on that Kia Optima GT, what with how similar the Kia Optima and Kia Stinger are, and recent news sheds some light on some of the big changes coming to the Kia Optima lineup.
It makes sense that the Kia Optima is also on the list for the GT-Line. The original Kia Optima was so popular that it gave rise to some of Kia Motors first steps into the alternative fuel market with the Kia Optima Hybrid and Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid. Plus, there’s already some changes being made to the Kia Optima for the 2021 model year, mostly in the name of an improved design for the next-generation of the vehicle. In 2021, the Kia Optima will feature a new sporty front and rear fascia and a full-width LED taillight bar giving it more of a sports car feel than a family sedan. If that’s the case, then the rumors that Kia will be introducing a Kia Optima GT model could be true.
We can’t say we’re too surprised that the 2021 Kia Optima is getting a bit of a makeover. After the 2019 Kia Optima was released with little changes, the old sedan was starting to show its age. In an effort to bring it back to the forefront of the Kia Motors full compact car lineup, the next model year will show come with a few changes. After our comparison of the 2018 Kia Stinger and the 2018 Kia Optima, we’re curious how the two will match up in the 2020/2021 model year.
2020 Kia Optima Preview
Kia Motors has been talking a lot about its SUVs and crossovers ever since the 2020 Kia Telluride took center stage. Now is the perfect time for a makeover while no one’s looking at the sedans and coupes that are also a part of the Kia Motors lineup. Set for 2021, the new Kia Optima design will feature a new sporty front and rear fascia. Highlighting this look are slanted headlights inspired by the overseas Kia Ceed and a full-width LED taillight bar.
The overall design of the Optima has changed as well. It no longer looks like a sedan. If anything, judging by the picture above, it’s certainly starting to take on some sports car undertones. Kia Motors Designer Byungchul Juh has gone on record stating that the Kia Optima for 2020 is just the beginning for Kia Motors working towards a completely fresh design approach for future vehicles.
After all the talk about Kia Motors turning into a GT automotive brand, there was a lot of speculation about which vehicles could benefit from a GT. They had to be real winners of the Kia Motors lineup. After all, it would seem that the already popular Kia Stinger sports car started the GT theme with its three “GT” trims. It didn’t take too much time for Kia to name a few winners – the 2020 Kia Soul GT, the 2019/20 Kia Forte GT, and the Kia Rio GT. We all know the Kia Soul will always be funky, and the Forte holds a bit of class. Although the Kia Rio has been around for a bit, it’s still one of those models that fly under the radar. Let’s take a look at what makes this sedan so great, and why Kia chose it for their first round of GT models.
When it comes to the U.S. market, small cars are all but dead. Big name Ford pulled all of their sedans from American shores, except for their beloved Mustang, practically giving up the game. Still, in the midst of what seems like a dying age for sedans, with a quickly saturating SUV and crossover market, Kia Motors is willing to back their Kia Rio.
Isn’t it a little odd we haven’t heard anything about the popular Kia Soul hatchback in awhile? Sure, the Kia Soul has the best of everything, and when it comes to the “Coolest Cars Under $20K”, the Kia Soul makes the list. Maybe it’s because Kia Motors is focused on the new Kia GT Line, starting with the Kia Rio GT, Kia Forte GT, and eventually the Kia Optima GT and Kia Soul GT. The 2019 Kia Soul is out, but Kia Motors clearly has plans to already knock it off its pedestal, because the all-new 2020 Kia Soul and Kia Soul EV are already set to debut during the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show.
Los Angeles Auto Show
Known as “The City of Angels”, Los Angeles is a large auto show held at the Los Angeles Convention Center every year. Endorsed by the Greater Los Angeles New Car Dealers Association, the LA Auto Show usually begins in late November/early December, and lasts for a little over a week. Last year, the 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL popped up in LA, so we wonder what we’ll see this year, including the new Kia Soul and Kia Soul EV.
Back in March 2018, the 2018 Geneva Motor Show took place overseas in Switzerland. During that time, like every year, many automakers showed up with their own new vehicle concepts and debuts. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance showed up to give the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and the Renault EZ-GO concept some love. The Hyundai Motor Group was there as well, shining some light on the Hyundai Le Fil Rouge and 2019 Hyundai Kona EV. When we see Hyundai, we know Kia Motors isn’t too far behind. They showed up to debut their new GT lineup, and with the recent news about Kia Motors going GT, it would seem the new lineup is true – starting with the Rio GT.
Earlier, when we learned Kia Motors is turning into a GT brand, we were pretty surprised. After all the good the Kia Stinger is doing for the automaker, we thought performance was the way to go, but that’s not necessarily true. Yes, the Kia Stinger is an award-winning vehicle, but it was also the first sports car Kia designed with a GT trim. This was actually the first test of a GT vehicle, and after all the good reviews, Kia Motors went on to expand their GT lineup with the 2019 Kia Forte GT, debuted in Korea in early October 2018.
Wrap around back to the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, because that’s where our next GT model is coming from. Around the time of its debut, the new Kia Rio GT line looked like a sporty hatchback that shared design cues from the Kia Stinger, a fashion sense we’ll be seeing on many Kia Motors vehicles going forward. When introduced on the auto show floor, the Kia Rio GT was sporting a revised Stinger-esque front grille, 17-inch alloy wheels, and a black boot spoiler.
There was also talk about vehicle autonomy, but every automaker is talking about autonomy these days. Since then, tidbits about the Kia Rio GT lineup have come from news sources and the Kia Motors website. With new style, a turbocharged engine, and smart technology, the GT lineup is going to start a new wave for Kia Motors. We’re just not sure which vehicle will become the new Halo car for the automaker.
Wow, it seems like Kia Motors is nonstop with news about its upcoming vehicles. Everyone is loving the refreshed 2019 Kia Sorento, the new Kia Telluride SUV at Fashion Week 2018 gave us a whole new look at Kia SUV style, and we’ve heard the good news about the Kia Niro EV fuel efficiency, although the numbers keep changing (for the better). Most recently, Kia Motors has decided to break off from the Hyundai Motor Group path of performance and turn Kia Motors into a GT brand. We’ve heard tidbits about GT vehicles and concepts, but news about several GT models is popping up, including the return of the Kia Stinger GT4 concept as an electric-coupe.
So, a “GT” car is also known as a “Grand Touring” car. Grand Touring vehicles tend to be an automobile in the style of a coupe, sometimes built for only two people, and designed to operate at high speeds while still keeping passengers comfortable. For instance, the Dodge Challenger GT is a four-passenger two-door coupe with all-wheel drive. The Kia Stinger is starting to lean in this direction.
The Kia Stinger is possibly the first Kia Motors vehicle to get the GT tag, with the Kia Stinger GT, GT1, and GT2 trims. It would also seem like the Stinger started a wave, and not just in terms of looks – we can already see several vehicles from the Kia Motors lineup borrowing the coupe style for future model years. The new craze is turning vehicles into agile GT cars, like the Optima GT, Kia Soul GT, Kia Rio GT, and most notably, the Kia Forte GT. More on the Kia Rio GT next week.


text:
Ubisoft has decided to remove the Egghead Communtity Challenge entirely after technical problems prevented players collecting the Einherjar bow.
- Latest news
Sony has announced the games that will be free for PS Plus subscribers in August.
The first Pokémon Unite patch is expected to land this Wednesday, August 4 on Nintendo Switch. Several attack-minded Pokémon are buffed, while Cinderace and Eldegoss are nerfed and Gengar is adjusted.
After almost an entire season since the introduction of the new League of Legends item system, the situation is far from okay. Riot Games has unfinished business, judging from two of the most popular items in the game.
Epic Games has gotten more playful with the Season 7 finale, adding a new weapon that can turn the game's meta upside down. Here's all you need to know about the Grab-Itron.
Raven Software has released the new August 2 patch for Call of Duty: Warzone, with several optimising changes to Payload on the agenda.
A version that features the option to go to Bowser's world directly and numerous outfits unlocked.
Victory Five is currently in a nasty downward spiral, with zero games won and 13 defeats. To make matters worse the team's jungler forgot about Smite in their last match.
Jian "Uzi" Zi-Hao is making headlines again by engaging in a new challenge. The legendary ADC is building a team for LoL: Wild Rift.
Wild Rift Season 3 is fast approaching, and this new patch will bring reworked items, a new Wild Pass and much more.
We really want to close the Viego narrative to see what Riot Games has in store for its next stage, and according to this theory it looks like it could be Faey.
A new web event has just hit Genshin Impact starring Kamisato Ayaka. Here's how to complete the event for Primogems and more rewards.
FIFA has decided to cancel the FIFAe World Cup and the FIFAe Nations Cup, planned for August in London and Copenhagen, due to the pandemic.
A week after its launch on Nintendo Switch, TiMi Studios is adding a new playable Pokémon to the MOBA — Gardevoir is coming to Pokémon Unite.
The August Update 1.11 will be available at the end of the month.
The game has yet to be launched in China, but the competitive tracks have already been announced.
Epic Games has released a new update for Fortnite Season 7: version 17.21. Here's everything you need to know.
Here's everything you need to know about the Genshin Impact Prime Gaming collaboration and how to get free Primogems.
With just a few days on the PBE, there are already comments regarding Riot Games' work for the virtuoso of the ropes. In response to that, he removed a change discussed by many.


text:
The Eurohub 2 distribution center caught fire at 3 a.m. local time, and luckily a full evacuation meant that no one was hurt in the fire. While the damage to the stock is significant — two million of the warehouse's seven million pieces were in the chamber of the building that was damaged by the fire — the brand was fully insured for the loss of stock and business interruption the fire inflicted. Luckily, the warehouse's building structure and technology were not affected by the fire, according to a release from the brand. The three chambers of the warehouse that were not damaged by the fire are expected to be up and running later on Tuesday.
It's not the first time Asos has faced fire-related losses. In 2014, it lost 30 million pounds, or about $38.7 million, when its main distribution center in the UK went up in flames. An explosion at the Buncefield fuel depot in 2005 also resulted in the loss of an Asos warehouse.
Asos has not yet responded to Fashionista's request for comment on the incident.


text:
Start-up CherryPal is taking pre-orders today for its partly cloudy "desktop" that mashes web-hosted computing, going green, open source, and social networking into a 10 ounce box.
The (self-titled) CherryPal systems are $249, and surprisingly won't require a monthly subscription despite the fact that most of its storage capacity and several of its features hosted in the cloud.
Note: we still haven't seen a working unit with our own eyes. According to CherryPal, as of Friday the boxes were still being given the fine tooth courtesy of US Customs and Border Protection's best and brightest.
CherryPals are thinned-down computers running an ultra-low power chip from Freescale. They've got 256MB memory and 4GB solid-state capacity. (We've covered the specs and company M.O. more thoroughly here.)
Hold the phone — only 4GB? That's where an internet connection taps into a private CherryPalCloud account (yes, you are detecting a naming theme) with 50GB hosted on Amazon's SS3 service. The account is also used to serve future application, share public data, and even as a platform to network your socials or whatever kids do these days.
Maintain grip on aforementioned phone — so what pays for the romp in the clouds month-to-month? The same sets of firm round orbs that make internet commerce possible. Eyeballs folks, we're talking advertisements.
This is pretty important, as it's not abundantly clear on the CherryPal website. (Actually, we're being diplomatic. It's not mentioned at all as far as we can see.)
According to CEO Max Seybold, beginning in the fourth quarter the company will be ready to roll out its real business model. Folks running Ad-Block may want to sit down for this: advertisements will run when the computer is loading an application.
Now the company says most applications will load in only a handful of seconds, and Seybold promises never to artificially delay a load for the benefit of ad screen time. But we'd say its a pretty big omission in the literature.
This is especially glaring when the company says its guided by the values: Green, Fair, and Open. Those last two bits mean CherryPal vows to keep things honest and open-source with its customers. Seybold told us that the company will soon be describing in detail how the advertising works.
In other words, it's probably a case of CherryPal not knowing what's ahead itself. The company does say the ad technology doesn't allow anyone to view any information about its customers though.
The systems run on a highly customized Debian Linux, although users won't actually see the OS. Everything is done via a browser based on a modified version of Firefox. Apps that are available at launch are the OpenOffice suite, a homebrew media player that supports "all common file formats," a CherryPal instant messenger, and iTunes. Yes, indeed the iTunes.
When we asked how the company got it running in the first place, Seybold explained, "it isn't rocket science," and that they've got "very talented developers." Apparently this also isn't a terrible legal concern either. Admittedly we don't know the legal nitty-gritty of this kind of stuff, but Apple hasn't proved particularly pleased with other companies running their software without a blessing.
We remain skeptical.
More programs will be added on an ongoing basis, the company said. The current maximum hosted storage limit is set at 50GB, but may be increased in the future.
CherryPal is presently taking pre-orders for US customers only. Those systems will ship at the end of the month, which is also when the company said it will be launching in Europe. ®


text:
- Facebook users targeted by iBanking Android trojan app
- Microsoft extends Windows 8.1 Update migration deadline for business
- Government and private sector must share intelligence more effectively to avoid cyber threats
- Windows XP's retirement turns into major security project for Chinese firm
- Today's Approach to Security is Broken
- NBN Co hits 105Mbps in limited FTTN trial
- Telco deregulation: Price controls, phone sex on the table
- TPG should pay rural levy for each FTTB service: NBN Co
- NBN Co seeks ‘early resolution’ of TPG fibre threat
- USB Type-C: Simpler, faster and more powerful
U.S. businesses can share most cyberthreat information with competitors without facing antitrust enforcement action, two U.S. enforcement agencies said Thursday.
The former social network Jerk.com acted like its name would suggest, by allowing users to label others as jerks and then charging people for the ability to change those profiles, but not delivering on that promise, according to a U.S. Federal Trade Commission complaint
The official calendar for Joshua Wright, a commissioner with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, shows he has had many meetings with technology company lobbyists, but none with consumer advocates, even though consumer protection is a major part of the agency's mission.
Atlanta cancer-screening laboratory LabMD has stepped up its challenge of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's authority to enforce data security standards by filing a lawsuit against the agency.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission should investigate Facebook's proposed US$19 billion acquisition of mobile messaging app WhatsApp -- and possibly block it -- because of the potential impact on users' privacy, two privacy groups said in a complaint filed Thursday.
After a nearly two-year antitrust investigation, Google escaped with more of a slap on the wrist than a slap in the face, say industry analysts.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission's antitrust settlement with Google will create few changes in the way the company operates, both critics and fans of the deal said.
With the U.S. presidential election on Tuesday, it's fair to say that technology policy hasn't risen to the top of the agenda in the debate between President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney.
Finding a needle in a hay stack is hard, but the task pales in comparison to finding a specific needle in a pile of needles. Selecting the ideal Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution can feel just as daunting. ERP represents a serious investment for any organisation and is vital to future success. This report explores the strategies organisations are employing to find the right ERP fit that will give them the tools they need to thrive.
Why do we continue to pay the earth for global roaming? With Telstra increasing global roaming charges by 100-500% in over 180 countries, bill shock can only get worse. This paper investigates why, what and how your company can address the need for global coverage.
- In pictures: Customer 360 Symposium hits the Hunter Valley
- Why CMOs must embrace the seven principles of agile marketing
- Google opens the floodgates for new 'social' ads
- Telefónica starts exchange for targeted mobile ads
- Crowdsource guide ranks marketing automation platforms by user recommendations and company size


text:
Farm and Fleet Name Returning to Michigan in Portage
Back in the day, Farm and Fleet stores were all over the West Michigan region. But with the advent of stores like Menards and Home Depot, they became a casualty of progress. But the Farm and Fleet name will be returning to Michigan and Portage.
Blain's Farm and Fleet, which is big in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa announced today they're dipping their corporate toe into Michigan later this year. Look for a Blain's Farm and Fleet store to open in Portage in the former Menard's location across from Celebration Cinema near the Crossroads Mall. A Jackson store is also planned. And if that goes well, there may be more to come. No specific date has been announced yet, other than Fall of 2018.
Regarding the former Menards' site, Blain's says it will expanding the building "adding approximately 30,000 square feet to the existing building to create a 109,000 square foot store. The existing building will be renovated to include a new automotive service center."
Another claim Blain's makes is the way they treat employees.
"Blain’s has a unique culture that strives to treat our associates like family, and we are in it for the long haul,” says Dennis Armstrong, Chief Human Resources Officer. “We have a great track record of keeping store associates for long careers which is unusual in the retail world."
The Jackson location is a former KMart Store at 3555 O’Neill Drive.
What's interesting and difficult to pin down is if and how Blain's Farm and Fleet might be related to Quality Farm and Fleet stores, which were founded in Hudsonville and thrived here until the end of the last century, before a disastrous merger put Quality out of business.


text:
A combination of solid sales growth in emerging markets and the sale of a Turkish business has bolstered earnings for Spanish discount supermarket chain DIA in the third quarter.
Posting a recent 2.5% rise in sales to €2.91 billion, DIA’s adjusted net profit rose 4.5% to €58.3m from July to September, excluding capital gains from the sale of DIA and conglomerate Sabanci Holding’s Turkish business in April to major manufacturer Yildiz Holding.
At the end of September, DIA operated 7,182 stores and totalled 112 net openings in the quarter.
CEO Ricardo Curras commented, “We remain confident in our ability to achieve our targets for 2013.” DIA also announced plans to launch a ‘Clarel’ branded chain.
© 2013 - Checkout Magazine by Stephen Wynne-Jones


text:
For the 2015 edition of MIPCOM, over 100 countries and 2000 companies exhibiting will fight for the attention of 13,700 participants, including 4,500 buyers in Cannes to gets their hands on the content of the future.
According to the programme, top executives will be “sharing their vision on how to stand out from the crowd and make a difference” amid the non-stop flow of factual and entertainment content.
Turkey is this year’s MIPCOM “Country of Honour,” a position justified by the fact that it now exports $200 million worth of television series to 75 countries. Turkey will be there in force, with over a dozen top executives, creatives and actors, and over 10 conferences and events centered around the growing Turkish content industry.
MIPCOM will provide other star-studded panels with awards-winning creative minds, world-class artists and executives from the world’s largest companies: Fox, BBC, AOL, Facebook, etc.
A stunning, innovative techonology – 4K ultra HD – video will also be the topic of several conferences. Asia is at the forefront of the innovation, but content providers and distributors worldwide need to be on top of their game for when 4k hits the mass market in 2016. These panels and presentations aim to bring them the solutions they need.
Find the whole MIPCOM programme here


text:
NEW YORK — Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry has introduced a bridal collection consisting entirely of sustainable diamonds and recycled platinum.
This story first appeared in the June 6, 2011 issue of WWD. Subscribe Today.
The line, created through a partnership with Waldman Diamond Company, a Rio Tinto Select Diamantaire and Polar Gem client, is comprised of about a dozen pieces — all supplied with diamonds from the Diavik and Ekati mines in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Prices for wedding bands and engagement rings start at $7,000 and $15,000, respectively, and to complement the diamonds, recycled gold and platinum have been infused into the pieces to make the offerings “truly green.”
All engagement rings can be customized and contain elements such as the Shanghai setting, the brand’s signature ovals and Trump’s own micro-pave basket ring — containing a 3.2 carat cushion cut diamond that retails for $115,000. The medallion ring — the first piece in the collection created using the “green” materials — features a bi-level design comprised of 6.81 carats with a 2.01 carat round brilliant center stone and recycled platinum, retailing for $130,000.
“As a young luxury brand I believe we have the opportunity and the responsibility to look into the multitude of ways we can build ourselves into a truly socially engaged and responsible company,” Trump told WWD. “Social responsibility is a core value of the Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry brand. It has been an integral factor of what has fueled growth since the collection launch.”
For Trump, who founded her fine jewelry brand four years ago, the decision to incorporate sustainable diamonds into her collection was a natural next step. She used the media attention surrounding her own nuptials in fall 2009 to both raise awareness of “green” jewelry and develop her own line of eco-friendly engagement rings. Her role as a founding partner of the United Nations Foundation’s Girl Up campaign also led her to begin actively researching the sustainable diamond market about a year ago, and she and her team decided to finalize the partnership with Waldman Diamond Company.
The entire “bridal bar” is now sustainable, and over the course of the year, Trump said she’ll continue to add one-of-a-kind “green” couture pieces. She hopes to evolve her line toward 100 percent sustainability.
“We are studying the process and the steps necessary to incorporate sustainability into my entire collection. My belief is that every step an individual or a company can take towards being more environmentally conscious is another step in the right direction,” Trump said. “I will not only make this an important part of the business model but am always open to ideas and possibilities of other areas where we can strive to be more sustainable.”


text:
Economist Mike Walden: Why Has Inflation Been Tame?
This is Mary Walden with economist MW, welcoming you to the economic perspective. Today’s program asks, why has inflation been tame? Mike, in the U.S. as well as around the world, inflation has been relatively low for the past two decades. Although there are a variety of inflation measures, most have hovered in the range of 1% to 3%, and in a couple of years we actually had negative inflation. Can we pinpoint the reasons?
- Four key reasons
- Technological progress – allowing businesses and households to accomplish tasks more efficiently
- Aging society – research shows inflation is lower when society ages – save rather than spend
- Globalization – introducing lower cost production and more competition
- Central banks, like the Fed – targeting inflation
And I’m Mary Walden for the Economic Perspective, an NC State Extension program from the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.


text:
Max Bupa re-branded itself in July this year as Niva Bupa. Now, the 12-year-old brand has rolled out its first campaign in its new avatar titled Zindagi Ko Claim Kar Le (Claim life) to re-iterate its business objectives.
Conceptualised by Glue Creatives, this re-branded identity and campaign aim to showcase their new focus areas in the health insurance category.
The marketing mix for this campaign includes traditional channels like TV, print, radio along with digital platforms.
Campaign India spoke with Nimish Agrawal,senior vice president and head of marketing, Niva Bupa, to pick his mind on their re-branded philosophy, key focus areas and trends shaping up in the health insurance sector post-pandemic.
What was the intent behind transitioning from Max Bupa to Niva Bupa?
The wheels were set in motion in December 2019, when Max India, a majority stake in Max Bupa exited the partnership and a private equity firm True North entered the partnership as a majority shareholder.
As part of the agreement with Max India, we, of course, could not use the name Max beyond a certain point in time. We took our time because it was not just a nomenclature change for us.
In the planning stage which has been in progress for 18 months, we made certain objectives clear. We need to de-jargonise the category from a consumer standpoint and humanise the category especially when the consumer is appealing for claims in the hospital.
What are the new business objectives Niva Bupa will bring to the table?
We are looking to improve the product and services portfolio catering to everybody. We have specially designed a health insurance policy for senior citizens, a category that is not covered much.
In regards to digital disruption, we don’t ask for hard copies from our consumers for claims. We are working on immediate claims and how we can shorten the delivery time for the consumer.
What are the insights, strategies implemented for this new campaign and to chalk out a new philosophy?
Firstly, in the health insurance category, there is a lot of paranoia because of the pandemic.
We have learnt that younger people have started thinking about health insurance. People in the age group of 28 to 32, who were not actively considering health insurance, have now actively started considering it.
Secondly, people from non-metros who have just started working are also opting for health insurance plans that cover their parents.
Traditionally the health insurance communication and narrative was targeted towards the man of the house. The conversation never had a woman in the picture.
As a core strategy to the campaign what we have done is make it broad themed by not catering the messaging to only men but including women in the conversation as well. We have curated three films and two of them are centrally driven to women in the overall campaign communication.
We have consciously used younger protagonists to connect with the younger audience, urging them to claim their lives and bestow the tension of health worries to a health insurance company. This is the bedrock of our campaign and our re-branded philosophy.
We are celebrating the freedom health insurance brings and not the constraints. Our campaign is all about Zindagi Ko Claim Kar Le (Claim your life), we are not asking them to buy our policy. But telling them that there is a life beyond worry.
When will the campaign launch and till when will it run?
The campaign will be launched on 20 November and will continue till the end of December. After the festive period of Christmas and New Year, we will take a pause and make it active again in mid-January 2022 till the end of February 2022.
What kind of expectations do you’ll have for this campaign and how will it translate into sales conversions for Niva Bupa?
The films we have rolled out is with the tagline Zindagi Ko Claim Kar Le, a personal connection we are trying to build and we hope the consumers relate to it positively.
What are the consumer trends that are brewing in the finance sector post-pandemic?
We need to understand the consumption habits of consumers today. Consumers have proliferated to multiple channels.
It is very important to us to be on traditional channels but also leverage digital to our advantage because that is where the consumers are.
From a creative standpoint, nobody wants to see ads. Advertisers are an interruption. Consumers want to watch the content they intend to and hence ads can not be a transaction, it needs to be something that strikes a chord.


text:
While reading fiction on e-book readers is pretty straightforward (start to finish), it might not always be the case with non-fiction and Google understands that. Google has released an update for its Play Books app on Android to make reading experience better for non-fiction.
“Traditional e-book reading is great when you want to read books from start to finish—but what if you want to skim through recipes; jump between questions and answers, researching a topic; or read chapters out of order? Today we’re launching a new version of the Google Play Books app for Android phones and tablets with a redesigned reading experience that’s optimized for nonfiction books,” Scott Dougall, director of product management for Google Play Books, wrote in a blog post.
According to Google, the updated Play Books app makes it easier to skim though a book or browse your notes and highlights or quickly jump back and forth between different parts of the book. It is also better for the students, who read their text books on Play Books app.
The update app is rolling out now and will reach your Android device in the next few days.


text:
CHICAGO, Illinois (WKBN) – The 2016 Chicago Auto Show opened with something big – the biggest new Nissan SUV: Armada. The 2017 Armada debuted at a press event just ahead of Thursday’s official media preview.
Nissan executives admitted that small compact utility vehicles (CUVs) are the hottest thing in the automotive world now, and the new Armada is decidedly not compact. It is Nissan’s biggest – bigger even than Chevrolet’s Tahoe by five inches. But the full size SUV market is still worth a quarter of a million vehicles each year, and Nissan wants its share.
The new Armada is 20% stiffer than the current model, and boasts a new 13 speaker audio system, while promising to be “library quiet.”
The “heart of the beast,” as executives put it, is a 390 horsepower V-8, up from (just) 317 horsepower currently. The 7-speed automatic transmission helps give Armada an 8500-pound towing capacity in either 2 wheel or 4 wheel drive.
Three trim levels will be offered next year, but no pricing has been announced yet.
Interestingly, the V-8 engine will be built at Nissan’s Tennessee plant, but the vehicle will be assembled in Japan.
The Smyrna, TN plant is being prepared to ramp up production of Nissan’s new Titan pickup trucks, and the automaker is so optimistic about the need to build more pickups that it is kicking SUV production out of the plant.


text:
MUNICH – At this year’s ISPO in Germany, researchers presented evidence that clothing is polluting the ocean with tiny plastic microfibres every time it is washed. The researchers tested synthetic clothing from four major fashion brands and found that some garments with high polyester content released so many microfibres that they started to disintegrate after just a few washes.
The study, carried out by the Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials of the Italian National Research Council (IPCB-CNR) and the Netherlands-based Plastic Soup Foundation, tested synthetic clothes from adidas, Zara, Nike and H&M.
It is claimed that a blouse from Zara – made of 100 per cent polyester on the front and a blend of cotton and modal on the back – lost so many fibres per wash that it started “disintegrating” after only a few washes. It lost an average of 307.6 mg of fibres per kg of laundry.
Maria Westerbos, director and founder of the Plastic Soup Foundation said: “This is what you call fast fashion. It disappears in front of your eyes.”
The tested t-shirts from both Adidas and Nike, made of 100 per cent polyester, lost a very similar percentage of mg of fibres per wash: 124.05 mg/kg and 125 mg/kg, respectively.
A H&M blouse that was tested contained 65 per cent recycled polyester. The loss of fibres from this blouse was still high but, surprisingly, it performed better than the other brands, losing an average of 48.6 mg per kg of wash.
The method used in determining the quantity of lost fibres was similar to the one Plymouth University used on their research in 2016. Both institutes weighed the filters before and after filtration in order to evaluate the number of microfibers released in grams.
Maria Westerbos added: “IPCB-CNR wrote a scientific paper on the performed tests which is being peer-reviewed and will soon be published. Although the outcome is shocking and three out of the four fashion brands perform ‘badly’, we cannot completely compare them. It all depends on what fabric has been used and how the yarn is made: what (combination) of materials, but also if the fibres are long or short, or if the yarn is woven or knitted. We need a benchmark to be able to compare yarn, but no fashion brand in the world is willing to pay for that. It makes me so sad.”


text:
Bitcoin may have encountered several problems in its developmental life. Scalability and security stand tall among the problems that may have slowed down the wholesome acceptance of the cryptocurrency. As Hong Kong based startup, Whaleclub adopts Bitcoin as a major currency on its trading platform, what benefits or challenges could this present to traders?
Currency trading has become a popular aspect of the Finetech industry since the introduction of online trading at the beginning of the 21st century. Companies or individuals involved in currency trading usually have their accounts domiciled with brokers or market-makers. These brokers enable the traders to have the leverage to control a given volume of funds for significant trading.
Nikola Cvijovic, legal representative of Serbian Bitcoin Association, says:
“Projects like this are necessary if we want to have a widespread use of Bitcoin and improved price stability. For some it can be a good way to earn money, but it will also open door to many new and inexperienced traders, and lesson in trading will come costly to them.”
What is there for traders?
There has been arguments to qualify Bitcoin whether as a currency or a commodity. This argument will continue as Hong Kong based new Bitcoin startup, Whaleclub claims to have created a platform that would allow anyone to trade in the financial market using Bitcoin. Whaleclub says that traders can go long or short on cryptocurrencies, Forex, commodities, indices, and stocks, using Bitcoin as opposed to fiat currency.
Prior to this time, traders would go through banks and intermediaries in order to gain access into the financial market. But the deployment of a Bitcoin based platform would eliminate the need for such intermediaries.
“Our mission is to allow anyone, wherever they may be in the world, to use Bitcoin to access and trade the global markets,” Petar Zivkovski, Whaleclub’s chief operating officer, tells Cointelegraph:
“We are building the future of trading. By blending sophisticated engineering with an elegant experience, we empower thousands of traders to access worldwide markets with Bitcoin – completely outside the traditional financial system.”
A necessary project for Bitcoin?
One major problem that may be encountered using Bitcoin as a trading currency in the financial and commodities market is security.
Nikola Cvijovic notes that the underdeveloped and complicated nature of security within the Bitcoin ecosystem could pose a problem for traders using Bitcoin. However, he thinks that in overall, projects like this one are necessary in the development of Bitcoin.
“One of the obstacles could be, still underdeveloped and complicated security procedures in Bitcoin world, making it favorite target for thieves,” warns Cvijovic.
Sources of liquidity
Whaleclub says that it sources liquidity for client position hedging on the BTC/USD market from OKCoin, Bitstamp, and various private liquidity pools.
According to Zivkovski, Whaleclub traders come from 190 different countries. European, South American, and East Asian countries are currently the most represented countries on Whaleclub.


text:
Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
Report: India could get a sub-$40 5G smartphone soon
- India’s Reliance Jio network will apparently launch a sub-$70 5G phone.
- The phone is tipped to eventually retail for ~$34 when sales gain steam.
India’s budget smartphone segment is arguably the most competitive in the world, with brands like Xiaomi, realme, OPPO, and Samsung all duking it out to earn market-share. The country doesn’t have 5G connectivity just yet, but it could nevertheless play host to the cheapest 5G phones around.
The Economic Times reports that Indian operator Reliance Jio is planning to launch a 5G smartphone with an initial price of just Rs 5,000 (~$68), citing a company official who wanted to remain anonymous. This would already be the cheapest 5G phone globally by some margin, but it’s believed the company could go as low as Rs 2,500 (~$34) when production and sales gain steam.
“Jio wants to bring the device for less than Rs 5,000. When we scale up the sales, it can be priced in the range of Rs 2,500-3,000,” the official was quoted as saying.
Reliance Jio is no stranger to cut-price phones, launching the 4G Jio Phone for Rs 1,500 (~$20) a few years ago and getting plenty of people onto 4G. This purported 5G phone could very well get a ton of people onto 5G when it eventually lands in India. However, it’s worth noting that high-speed 4G is still lacking in many parts of the country, so the network will have a major challenge on its hands if its 5G rollout is similarly limited.
A ~$34 to ~$68 5G phone would nevertheless be exponentially cheaper than the cheapest 5G phones right now. Some of the cheapest 5G phones are restricted to China and include the ~$240 Redmi 10X and the ~$210 realme V3 5G.
There’s no word on the operating system for this apparent 5G phone though, with the JioPhone 4G using the KaiOS smart feature platform. However, Google recently invested in Jio and the duo announced plans to develop and release a budget-focused version of Android.


text:
Farmers Market begins mailout of vouchers
Published 9:05 pm Wednesday, January 12, 2011
The 2011 Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program books (vouchers) are being issued through mail rather than at on-site distribution centers.
“All of those who got vouchers in 2010 have been mailed letters of certification of eligibility, said Don Wambles, Farmers Market Authority director. “Those letters of eligibility are to be mailed back to us and, when we get those keyed in, the vouchers will be mailed to the seniors.”
Wambles said the mail-out distribution will eliminate standing in long lines or disappointments when a center is out of books.
Senior adults who did not receive books from the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program in 2010 but are eligible for the program will be put on a waiting list. Wambles said a system will soon be in place to handle those requests.
“The funds for the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program are limited so we can only serve so many people,” Wambles said. “Alabama has the third largest program in the United States and we can only serve 23 percent of seniors who are eligible. There’s just not enough money appropriated for this program and that’s its downside.”
Slightly more than 59,000 books (vouchers) are issued in Alabama each year and are redeemed at about 89 percent annually.
Eligibility is based on age and income. Wambles said those who fill out eligibility forms do so on the honor system.
The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program was initiated in 2001 for the purpose of providing fresh fruits and vegetables to senior adults and to increase the sale of farmers at Farmers Markets.
“In 1999, we had 17 Farmers Markets in Alabama with 234 farmers selling,” Wambles said. “Last year, we had 133 Farmers Markets with 1,134 farmers selling. I attribute that increase to the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program. It’s a wonderful program that benefits our senior citizens and our farmers.”
Thirty-nine states participate in nationwide the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program, which is operated nationwide at a cost of $20.556 million and at 1.8 million in Alabama.


text:
Asus ROG Phone 5 is all set to debut on March 10. The phone has received the Bluetooth SIG certification ahead of launch, revealing the phone will support Bluetooth 5.2 for connectivity. The listing has not shared any features of the phone. However, we already came across multiple certification listings and leaks which have revealed the specifications of the ROG Phone 5.
The upcoming gaming phone with model number ASUS_I005DB was also recently spotted on Geekbench; suggesting its a few key features including 18GB of RAM configuration. As of now, the ROG Phone 3 and the Galaxy S21 Ultra are available up to 16GB of RAM. So, if it turns out to be true then the ROG Phone 5 will be the first phone in the world to feature 18GB of RAM.
Asus ROG Phone 5: Key Details
In terms of design, the ROG Phone 5 will flaunt a similar design as the ROG Phone 3. The phone is said to sport a 6.7-inch FHD+ display with a 144Hz refresh rate. However, another rumor suggests the phone will pack a 165Hz OLED display. The ROG Phone 5 is believed to be India’s first phone to run the flagship Snapdragon 888 chipset. The phone is also likely to come with a minimum of 12GB RAM with 128GB storage and is also believed to have a 16GB RAM variant.
The same 6,000 mAh battery will also fuel the next-gen ROG Phone 5 but it is expected to support 65W fast charging. For software, it will ship with Android OS. The camera details of the device still under wraps. The ROG Phone 5 is also confirmed to come with a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Moreover, the upcoming phone will be available for purchase in the country via Flipkart. The company is also expected to launch another variant of the ROG Phone 5 which might come as the ROG Phone 5 Strixa and will pack the Snapdragon 870 chipset.
Best Mobiles in India


text:
Apple Gifts AirPods Max Swag Box to Influencers for Mac Event
Apple is sending out special gift boxes containing AirPods Max headphones and themed snacks to select influencers in anticipation of its upcoming online-only Mac event set for Monday.
The event, scheduled for 5pm PT/8pm ET on October 30, marks the first time Apple has hosted an evening event. Get ready for CEO Tim Cook to say “good evening” for the first time.
Tech reviewer Lamarr Wilson revealed the contents of the gift box on TikTok, expressing gratitude for the “surprise box.” The box includes AirPods Max headphones and an assortment of “sweet and spooky” snacks and drinks intended to be enjoyed during the event.
The event invite, also included in the gift box, embraces the Halloween season. It states: “It’s almost Halloween and Apple has some treats in store for you. On the evening of October 30th, we’ll unveil something special and invite you to join the online watch party. To make your viewing experience a bit more ‘spatial,’ we hope you’ll enjoy immersive listening with AirPods Max, along with a few sweet and spooky snacks.”
The move appears to be a marketing strategy aimed at generating buzz for the event, which is expected to unveil new Mac products. The inclusion of AirPods Max suggests that audio or “spatial” experiences could be a focus of the announcements.
Apple is expected to unveil a trio of next-generation M3 chips for the Mac, including M3 Pro and M3 Max versions according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.


text:
FOREST HILLS — A new Italian bistro has hatched a unique take on pizza by selling pies by the inch — and topping some with hard-boiled eggs.
The owners of OvoSodo, slated to open Tuesday at 110-60 Queens Blvd., said they saw the concept of selling pizza by the inch in Italy and customers seemed to like it, so they decided to introduce it in Forest Hills.
They also said the name of the new restaurant is a hint that eggs will play a special role in the menu. Ovosodo is also the title of a 1997 Italian comedy, which was translated into English as "Hard-boiled Egg."
In addition to more traditional options, like margherita, mare (with mozzarella, shrimp, diced tomato and arugula) and capricciosa (with tomato sauce, mozzarella, olives, artichokes, mushrooms and ham), the restaurant will serve an ovosodo pizza with tomato sauce, mozzarella, bacon and egg.
Owners said the pizza is popular in several countries, including Australia, but is less common in the U.S.
“It will be a bistro, so we want to keep the menu light,” said Marco Del Peschio, one of the owners.
Customers who want to grab their slice to go can order a piece as small as two inches.
He said that at first the restaurant will be trying out various meat specials, and those which prove most popular will be later added to the menu.
OvoSodo, which will be open for brunch on weekends, also plans to serve wine and beer in the future.
Del Peschio and his partner Roberto Lamorte also own Tuscan Hills, an Italian restaurant seven blocks away from OvoSodo.
The restaurant, which is replacing Just Like Mother’s, a Polish restaurant that closed last year, will include both a sit-down and “from the counter” options.
“We will have a very rich breakfast menu, including many dishes with eggs, both American and Italian-style,” said Del Peschio.
Patrons will have a chance to try smoked salmon scramble ($9), Mediterranean omelette with spinach and feta ($7) and California omelette with peppers, ham, onions and cheddar ($7).
Those who like their breakfast sweet will have the option of banana fluffy pancakes ($8), brioche French toast ($7) and Belgian waffle ($7).
"To go" options will include Italian croissants, muffins, cinnamon bun and bagels, as well as espresso, cafe au lait and cappuccino.
Dinner menu will include a variety of salads, paninis, and pastas, as well as brick-oven pizzas sold by the inch. A 5-inch piece will cost $5, while a 25-inch piece will be $15.


text:
|By Business Wire||
|December 12, 2012 10:40 AM EST||
Crimson Hexagon, a leading provider of social media analytics software that delivers business intelligence to global corporations, today announced the integration of Klout influence scores within the Crimson Hexagon ForSight platform. With this combination, customers can better understand the impact of marketing and business programmes with key individuals in social media. Klout Scores are now a standard component of the ForSight platform and are available to all current Crimson Hexagon customers.
“Partnering with Crimson Hexagon to help brands better identify and understand their most influential users makes perfect sense,” said Matthew Thomson, VP of Business Development at Klout. “On top of being among the most intelligent social media analytics platforms for consumer brand marketers, Crimson Hexagon is used by entertainment clients who are increasingly looking at Klout Scores as a factor in making casting and hiring decisions. We really look forward to seeing how customers of all kinds use this influence data to fine-tune their social media marketing strategies.”
By adding Klout Scores into the Crimson Hexagon ForSight platform, the company is able to provide customers with the industry’s best-known and most dynamic influencer scoring system. The Klout algorithm analyses more than 12 billion data points each day across key social media networks, as well as several off-line influence factors. The combination of Klout Scores and Crimson Hexagon’s ability to perform deep analysis of hundreds of billions of social media posts, delivers unmatched social media intelligence to customers all over the world.
“Integrating Klout with our social media analytics platform gives customers across a variety of industry segments, including media and entertainment, global consumer brands and digital marketing agencies, a well-established method for influencer scoring and the ability to better understand the impact of marketing and business programmes with key online influencers. Customers can then make meaningful decisions based on that data,” said Crimson Hexagon President, Curt Bloom. “We’re excited about the work we’re doing together and look forward to continued success.”
Fast Company named Crimson Hexagon as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies on the Web. Crimson Hexagon provides social intelligence software and services to some of the world’s largest and most respected companies. Powered by patented technology originally developed at Harvard University’s Institute for Quantitative Social Science, the Crimson Hexagon ForSight platform surpasses the capabilities of traditional social media monitoring and expands the capacity of market research.
Klout was founded in 2008 to help everyone understand and be recognised for their influence. With the world’s most recognised and accurate influence measurement platform, Klout analyses data across multiple channels, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Bing, Foursquare and Wikipedia. With that information, users get a daily Klout Score between 1-100, and insight into their individual influence. Klout works with top brands like Disney, Audi, Turner, Microsoft and Starbucks to create premium experiences that recognise each user’s influence. Klout is based in San Francisco, CA.
About Crimson Hexagon, Inc.
Crimson Hexagon, founded in 2007, is the leading provider of analysis software that delivers business intelligence from social media data for global corporations. Powered by patented technology developed at Harvard University's Institute for Quantitative Social Science, the Crimson Hexagon ForSight™ platform delivers the industry’s most comprehensive Big Data analysis capabilities for a variety of large-scale data sources. Clients include leading global organisations such as: Microsoft, Paramount Pictures, Starbucks, Simon & Schuster, Twitter, The United Nations, and many more. For more information go to: http://www.crimsonhexagon.com or read the Crimson Hexagon blog: http://www.crimsonhexagon.com/blog/.
In his General Session at 17th Cloud Expo, Bruce Swann, Senior Product Marketing Manager for Adobe Campaign, explored the key ingredients of cross-channel marketing in a digital world. Learn how the Adobe Marketing Cloud can help marketers embrace opportunities for personalized, relevant and real-time customer engagement across offline (direct mail, point of sale, call center) and digital (email, website, SMS, mobile apps, social networks, connected objects).
Mar. 22, 2017 11:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,912
With the introduction of IoT and Smart Living in every aspect of our lives, one question has become relevant: What are the security implications? To answer this, first we have to look and explore the security models of the technologies that IoT is founded upon. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Nevi Kaja, a Research Engineer at Ford Motor Company, will discuss some of the security challenges of the IoT infrastructure and relate how these aspects impact Smart Living. The material will be delivered i...
Mar. 22, 2017 10:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,691
SYS-CON Events announced today that Hitrons Solutions will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Hitrons Solutions Inc. is distributor in the North American market for unique products and services of small and medium-size businesses, including cloud services and solutions, SEO marketing platforms, and mobile applications.
Mar. 22, 2017 10:15 PM EDT Reads: 3,230
Your homes and cars can be automated and self-serviced. Why can't your storage? From simply asking questions to analyze and troubleshoot your infrastructure, to provisioning storage with snapshots, recovery and replication, your wildest sci-fi dream has come true. In his session at @DevOpsSummit at 20th Cloud Expo, Dan Florea, Director of Product Management at Tintri, will provide a ChatOps demo where you can talk to your storage and manage it from anywhere, through Slack and similar services ...
Mar. 22, 2017 06:15 PM EDT Reads: 3,924
SYS-CON Events announced today that CA Technologies has been named “Platinum Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY, and the 21st International Cloud Expo®, which will take place October 31-November 2, 2017, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. CA Technologies helps customers succeed in a future where every business – from apparel to energy – is being rewritten by software. From ...
Mar. 22, 2017 04:30 PM EDT Reads: 797
SYS-CON Events announced today that Cloudistics, an on-premises cloud computing company, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Cloudistics delivers a complete public cloud experience with composable on-premises infrastructures to medium and large enterprises. Its software-defined technology natively converges network, storage, compute, virtualization, and management into a ...
Mar. 22, 2017 03:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,142
Keeping pace with advancements in software delivery processes and tooling is taxing even for the most proficient organizations. Point tools, platforms, open source and the increasing adoption of private and public cloud services requires strong engineering rigor - all in the face of developer demands to use the tools of choice. As Agile has settled in as a mainstream practice, now DevOps has emerged as the next wave to improve software delivery speed and output. To make DevOps work, organization...
Mar. 22, 2017 03:30 PM EDT Reads: 782
My team embarked on building a data lake for our sales and marketing data to better understand customer journeys. This required building a hybrid data pipeline to connect our cloud CRM with the new Hadoop Data Lake. One challenge is that IT was not in a position to provide support until we proved value and marketing did not have the experience, so we embarked on the journey ourselves within the product marketing team for our line of business within Progress. In his session at @BigDataExpo, Sum...
Mar. 22, 2017 02:45 PM EDT Reads: 2,218
DevOps is often described as a combination of technology and culture. Without both, DevOps isn't complete. However, applying the culture to outdated technology is a recipe for disaster; as response times grow and connections between teams are delayed by technology, the culture will die. A Nutanix Enterprise Cloud has many benefits that provide the needed base for a true DevOps paradigm.
Mar. 22, 2017 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 843
SYS-CON Events announced today that Ocean9will exhibit at SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Ocean9 provides cloud services for Backup, Disaster Recovery (DRaaS) and instant Innovation, and redefines enterprise infrastructure with its cloud native subscription offerings for mission critical SAP workloads.
Mar. 22, 2017 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,365
With major technology companies and startups seriously embracing Cloud strategies, now is the perfect time to attend @CloudExpo | @ThingsExpo, June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY and October 31 - November 2, 2017, Santa Clara Convention Center, CA. Learn what is going on, contribute to the discussions, and ensure that your enterprise is on the right path to Digital Transformation.
Mar. 22, 2017 01:30 PM EDT Reads: 8,125
SYS-CON Events announced today that T-Mobile will exhibit at SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. As America's Un-carrier, T-Mobile US, Inc., is redefining the way consumers and businesses buy wireless services through leading product and service innovation. The Company's advanced nationwide 4G LTE network delivers outstanding wireless experiences to 67.4 million customers who are unwilling to compromise on ...
Mar. 22, 2017 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,398
SYS-CON Events announced today that SoftLayer, an IBM Company, has been named “Gold Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 18th Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 7-9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York, New York. SoftLayer, an IBM Company, provides cloud infrastructure as a service from a growing number of data centers and network points of presence around the world. SoftLayer’s customers range from Web startups to global enterprises.
Mar. 22, 2017 11:45 AM EDT Reads: 626
SYS-CON Events announced today that CrowdReviews.com has been named “Media Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 6–8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. CrowdReviews.com is a transparent online platform for determining which products and services are the best based on the opinion of the crowd. The crowd consists of Internet users that have experienced products and services first-hand and have an interest in letting other potential buyers...
Mar. 22, 2017 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 3,267
The taxi industry never saw Uber coming. Startups are a threat to incumbents like never before, and a major enabler for startups is that they are instantly “cloud ready.” If innovation moves at the pace of IT, then your company is in trouble. Why? Because your data center will not keep up with frenetic pace AWS, Microsoft and Google are rolling out new capabilities In his session at 20th Cloud Expo, Don Browning, VP of Cloud Architecture at Turner, will posit that disruption is inevitable for c...
Mar. 22, 2017 10:30 AM EDT Reads: 1,580
SYS-CON Events announced today that Infranics will exhibit at SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Since 2000, Infranics has developed SysMaster Suite, which is required for the stable and efficient management of ICT infrastructure. The ICT management solution developed and provided by Infranics continues to add intelligence to the ICT infrastructure through the IMC (Infra Management Cycle) based on mathemat...
Mar. 22, 2017 09:15 AM EDT Reads: 2,316
SYS-CON Events announced today that SD Times | BZ Media has been named “Media Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 6–8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. BZ Media LLC is a high-tech media company that produces technical conferences and expositions, and publishes a magazine, newsletters and websites in the software development, SharePoint, mobile development and commercial UAV markets.
Mar. 22, 2017 09:00 AM EDT Reads: 3,944
Now that the world has connected “things,” we need to build these devices as truly intelligent in order to create instantaneous and precise results. This means you have to do as much of the processing at the point of entry as you can: at the edge. The killer use cases for IoT are becoming manifest through AI engines on edge devices. An autonomous car has this dual edge/cloud analytics model, producing precise, real-time results. In his session at @ThingsExpo, John Crupi, Vice President and Eng...
Mar. 22, 2017 08:30 AM EDT Reads: 3,359
SYS-CON Events announced today that Telecom Reseller has been named “Media Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 6–8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Telecom Reseller reports on Unified Communications, UCaaS, BPaaS for enterprise and SMBs. They report extensively on both customer premises based solutions such as IP-PBX as well as cloud based and hosted platforms.
Mar. 22, 2017 08:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,496
In his General Session at 16th Cloud Expo, David Shacochis, host of The Hybrid IT Files podcast and Vice President at CenturyLink, investigated three key trends of the “gigabit economy" though the story of a Fortune 500 communications company in transformation. Narrating how multi-modal hybrid IT, service automation, and agile delivery all intersect, he will cover the role of storytelling and empathy in achieving strategic alignment between the enterprise and its information technology.
Mar. 22, 2017 08:00 AM EDT Reads: 7,180


text:
JOHANNESBURG - Thieves have made off with 66 rhino horns worth some $2.75 million in one of the biggest horn heists South Africa has seen after breaking into the safe of a game farm owner.
The horns had been removed from rhinos at the Leshoka Thabang Game Reserve in northern Limpopo province to protect the animals from poachers who supply them illegally to international crime syndicates.Demand has also been growing for rhino horn in Vietnam, where a newly affluent class has been buying it to treat ailments ranging from hangovers to cancer. The treatments have no basis in science but demand has pushed the price up to $65,000 a kg, making it more expensive than gold.
"In my hands it is worth nothing, but in the hands of the guys who have it now, the horns are worth a lot of money," Johan van Zyl, owner of the game farm, told Reuters by telephone.
He said about 42 kg of horn had been stolen, which, according to prices of Vietnamese traditional medicine deals, would sell for about $2.75 million on the streets of Hanoi.


text:
iPhone 12 Rumors: All the Details About The Next Generation iPhone
The biggest rumor is that Apple will unveil the iPhone 12 at an event on 27 September 2018. The most recent iPhone model to be revealed was the iPhone 11 Pro Max which was released last September, and has now been replaced by the iPhone 12. There are rumors that the next generation iPhone will have a bigger screen, an upgraded camera, and even a larger battery. These rumors are already causing an uproar in the tech community. Apple is known for its innovative technology. And now, it looks like they’re planning on adding a new feature to their smartphones that will blow people away. The iPhone 12 will reportedly have a bigger screen than the iPhone 11, which has a screen size of 5.5 inches. Some reports say the iPhone 12 could have a screen size of 6.5 inches. The iPhone 12 could also have a dual-lens camera and an upgraded rear camera flash.
But what’s the best part? The rumors say that Apple will also add a larger battery to the iPhone 12. This means that the next-generation iPhone will last longer, and it could help solve the problem of not being able to charge the phone while on a flight. Apple’s iPhones have become so successful and iconic that people often say the iPhone is like a religion. It’s the one device that people keep coming back to. People like their iPhones so much that they spend thousands of dollars on their next one. People love their iPhones so much that they sometimes get so attached to them, that they can’t even let go when they upgrade. It’s become such an emotional attachment. And that’s why so many rumors keep swirling about the upcoming iPhone, the iPhone 12.
What is the iphone 12?
The thing is, there are many rumors about what’s going to happen with the iPhone 12. There are rumors that the next generation iPhone will have a bigger screen, an upgraded camera, and even a larger battery. These rumors are already causing an uproar in the tech community. ‘Some of these rumors are true, others are false. But here’s the thing: you don’t need to be an expert in tech or mobile phones to understand them.
What features do you need to consider for the iphone 12?
We’ve already seen the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, so it’s only natural that we’re gowe willew version of the popular smartphone. We expect this new model to be released sometime around March 2019. Rumors suggest that the new phone will come with a 12.5-inch display, and we’re awe already seeretty impressive renderings. As for specs, it’s said that it will have a dual rear camera setup and a 12-megapixel front-facing camera. The most important thing to note is that this device will be Apple’s first to come with a faster processor.
Specifications of the iphone 12
The iPhone 12 is rumored to be coming out in 2020. According to Gizmodo, the phone will have an LCD, a dual camera system, and a bigger battery. The biggest rumor, however, is that the phone will feature a larger screen than its predecessor. While most of the stories about the iPhone have been true, this is the first time that we’we’ve hearde screen size will be gettiget There are two main reasons Apple might choose to make a bigger iPhone: it could allow the company to create a better display, or it could simply be a result of wanting to make the most of the screen real estate on the device. Apple’s iPhone screens aren’t the best in the business, but they’re not as bad as some people believe. The iPhone XS Max has a 6.5-inch screen with a resolution of 2,688 x 1,242 pixels.
Where can I get an iphone 12?
Many people are wondering where they can buy the new iPhone. The truth is that there are currently no stores that sell the new phone. That said, the rumors are already flying around the web. The latest stories claim that Apple will release the new iPhone on September 19th. This is when the iPhone 11 will be removed, which means the iPhone 12 will come out in 2020. If this is true, it will be a massive upgrade from the iPhone 11. And you know what that means.
Is the iphone 12 worth buying?
The rumor mill has been churning out stories about Apple’s next genext-generation for a few weeks now. According to reports, the new device will have an upgraded camera, a bigger display, and an improved battery. While the reportswords entirely accurate, they’re getting closer. With the release of the iPhone X in 2017, Apple’s phone has become outdated and is only being sold in a few countries. Apple is rumored to be working on a new model that will replace the iPhone X. Rumors suggest that the device will be released this year. If the rumors are true, the new phone could be worth buying. Here are three reasons why.
Frequently asked questions about iphone 12
Q: What’s the difference between the iPhone 8 and iPhone 12?
A: The biggest difference is that the screen has gotten bigger. But the other difference is that it’s water resistant.
Q: How does water resistance affect someone who doesn’t use their phone in the shower?
A: You can take the phone into the shower, and it won’t get wet.
Q: Is there a waterproof case?
A: There is a case that can protect your phone from water, but it’s not waterproof.
Q: How can you tell if your phone is waterproof?
A: You can put it in the toilet or the sink, and it won’t get damaged.
Q: Is there an app that keeps track of your phone usage?
A: Yes, you can use an app like “Health”. It can keep track of how many minutes you spend on your phone.
Myths about iphone 12
1. iphone 12s will be available next year.
2. iphone 12s will have a better screen.
3. iphone 12s will have a higher-resolution camera.
After the iPhone 11, Apple may announce the iPhone 12. This could be the year that Apple launches its new iPhone lineup. It’s been years since the last major upgrade. This could be the year that Apple makes another iPhone overhaul. The iPhone 12 could be announced alongside the iPhone 11 in October. iPhone 12 rumors suggest that this could be the year Apple introduced a new OLED display for its flagship phone. The iPhone 12 could feature a glass screen. That would be a huge change for Apple. This isn’t the first time that Apple has made such a shift. In 2017, the iPhone X featured an OLED screen for the first time. That was a big deal because OLED displays were previously only used on TVs and laptops. Now, Apple is using them on iPhones.


text:
People already devastated by cyclone Hudhud in Visakhapatnam received further shock with retailers allegedly jacking up the prices of essential commodities. Retailers are exploiting the situation by cashing in on the tragedy by hiking prices of petrol, vegetables and milk.
Many residents have stood in long queues for hours to stock up essential commodities and retailers have taken the situation to their advantage by increasing the milk prices to Rs 60-80 per litre and one egg costs Rs 15. Even onion and tomato prices have doubled overnight. Cyclone Hudhud has uprooted trees, electric poles, shattered glasses and left several thousands homeless.
With many petrol pumps in the city not working, to cope with the demand working petrol pump owners have started rationing petrol by giving only one litre per customer. The port city is without power for second day in a row and telephone communication lines are slowly coming back to normal.


text:
Paper Girls Stars Give Insight Into Ali Wong And Working With Their “Older Self”: Exclusive Interview
The stars of Paper Girls give new insight into their characters as well as working with both Ali Wong and Sakai Abenì in our exclusive interview.
Disney Plus Is Getting Bigger And Better With The Arrivals Of R-Rated Deadpool, Deadpool 2, & Logan!!!
Disney Plus, yes the same Disney Plus from the house of mouse is welcoming The Merc with The Mouth, aka Deadpool, and the angriest mutant alive Logan to bring in some chaos, the enjoyable kind of course. Hopefully, now we can get the significant Deadpool 3 announcement at D23 now that Marvel is starting to […]
Fans will soon finally get the live-action, Marvel Cinematic Universe debut of She-Hulk in a brand-new Disney+ series. Fresh off the show’s newest trailer debut at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, Marvel Studios dropped a new behind-the-scenes video, offering a closer look at Marvel’s jade giantess.
The breaks have been put on the planned remake for the classic game, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. According to a new report by Bloomberg, it looks like a studio shakeup has put the project on hold until a new targeted release period of 2025.
Green Lantern Beware My Power: Director Jeff Wamester Talks John Stewart, Loss, & Working With Aldis Hodge: Exclusive Interview
Green Lantern: Beware My Power director Jeff Wamester spoke with The Illuminerdi about the tone Aldis Hodge brings to the role, his hesitance, a Hal Jordan twist and more.
Paper Girls Stars Jason Mantzoukas And Adina Porter On Their Characters’ Complicated Relationship In New Series: Exclusive Interview
Adina Porter and Jason Mantzoukas give intriguing insight into their characters and dynamic in the new Prime Video series Paper Girls in our exclusive interview.
In exciting news, it seems Ben Affleck is officially suiting up as Batman/Bruce Wayne in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom!


text:
Darden Restaurants Inc (DRI.N)
22 May 2013
|Market Cap (Mil.):||$6,964.42|
|Shares Outstanding (Mil.):||129.81|
* Says consumers adjusting to higher payroll taxes, gasoline
March 22 - Darden Restaurants Inc's quarterly results were largely in line with analysts' recently lowered estimates as the U.S. payroll tax hike and higher gasoline prices kept diners away from its Olive Garden and Red Lobster chains.
* Traffic to Olive Garden, Red Lobster, LongHorn Steakhouse falls
Feb 22 - Olive Garden parent Darden Restaurants Inc warned that its third-quarter profit would be below Wall Street estimates, as a severe winter kept customers away.
NEW YORK, Feb 22 - Darden Restaurants Inc : * Shares down 4.2 percent in premarket trading after outlook
LOS ANGELES, Jan 8 - Darden Restaurants Inc said the president of its Olive Garden chain will be leaving the company later this month and the head of its LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants will take the helm at the Italian-themed eatery, which has struggled with slumping sales.
Dec 6 - Darden Restaurants Inc is not changing any of its full-time staffing plans for 2014 after a test to alter employment plans to hold down the cost of U.S. healthcare reforms, the company said on Thursday.
- Darden Restaurants Inc reported a steep fall-off in business at its Olive Garden, Red Lobster and LongHorn Steakhouse chains on Tuesday and lowered financial expectations for the year, sending shares down 10 percent.
* Shares drop nearly 11 percent (Adds analyst comment, paragraphs 4-5; updates stock)
* Sees same-restaurant sales declines at "big three" chains
|Brinker International, Inc. (EAT.N)||$41.74||+0.14|
|Bob Evans Farms Inc (BOBE.OQ)||$46.72||+0.35|
|Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. (CBRL.OQ)||$87.32||+0.17|
|Jack in the Box Inc. (JACK.OQ)||$36.90||+0.01|
|Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMG.N)||$375.91||-1.52|
|Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (CMGb.N)||--||--|
|The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated (CAKE.OQ)||$40.72||-0.09|
|DineEquity Inc (DIN.N)||$71.00||+0.01|
Earnings vs. Estimates
Analyst Research Reports
Provider: S&P Capital IQ – STARS Reports
Darden Restaurants Inc: Business description, financial summary, 3yr and interim financials, key statistics/ratios and historical ratio analysis.
Provider: Reuters Investment Profile
Provider: Ford Investor Services, Inc.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. NASDAQ delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.


text:
crypto: How can G20 and other International forums serve as platforms to foster cooperation in the crypto sector?
In the past decade, the world has witnessed a rise of cryptocurrencies, fueled by technological innovation and financial market dynamics. The G20 Summit acts as a platform for major economies to discuss and align their economic and growth policies, promoting global stability and growth. As India assumes the upcoming G20 presidency this year scheduled for September 9th and 10th, the stage is set for discussions on how international forums like the G20 can play a pivotal role in fostering cooperation in the crypto sector.
Why Did India Call Out for Global Framework?
Cryptocurrencies, as global assets transcending the jurisdiction of any single government or nation, have prompted India, in its current G20 Summit presidency, to advocate for global collaboration among participating countries. India’s call for a global framework on cryptocurrencies at the G20 Summit aligns with its recognition of the transformative potential and risks associated with digital currencies. By advocating for international cooperation and regulation, India aims to address these challenges collectively while fostering responsible innovation and safeguarding its interests in the evolving crypto landscape.
Being a fast maturing sector in its foundational building time, the crypto industry is currently grappling with a lack of consistent regulatory frameworks worldwide. Different countries have adopted varying approaches, ranging from outright bans to embracing cryptocurrencies as legitimate financial assets. This regulatory divergence creates uncertainty for investors and hampers the growth of the industry.
How can International Forums Play a Role?
International forums like the G20 can serve as platforms for fostering cooperation in the crypto sector in several ways:Standardization: One of the primary roles of international forums is to establish common standards and principles. The G20 can lead efforts to create a framework for crypto regulation, taxation, and reporting, thereby reducing regulatory arbitrage and providing clarity to market participants.
Information Sharing: Forums like the G20 facilitate the exchange of information and best practices among member nations. Collaborative efforts can help countries learn from each other’s experiences in regulating cryptocurrencies and combating illicit activities.Security Measures: Given the global nature of cyber threats in the crypto sector, international cooperation is essential. The G20 can promote information sharing on cybersecurity measures and encourage member states to develop robust regulatory frameworks for crypto exchanges and wallets.
Innovation and Inclusion: The G20 can also promote the development of blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies that enhance financial inclusion and reduce costs, particularly in cross-border remittances.
Challenges and Considerations
While the potential benefits of international cooperation in the crypto sector are clear, there are challenges to be addressed:
Sovereignty Concerns: Countries have differing levels of comfort with ceding regulatory authority to international bodies. Balancing sovereignty with the need for global standards will be a delicate task.
Complexity: The crypto sector is intricate and rapidly evolving. Developing effective international frameworks requires deep technical knowledge and an understanding of the nuances of the industry.
Inclusivity: To ensure the effectiveness of international cooperation, it is essential to involve a diverse range of stakeholders, including industry representatives, in discussions and decision-making processes.
As India takes the helm of the G20, the world’s attention turns to how international forums can foster cooperation in the crypto sector. The global nature of cryptocurrencies demands a coordinated response to address regulatory, security, and stability concerns while harnessing the immense potential of digital assets for innovation and financial inclusion.
International forums like the G20 have a unique opportunity to lead discussions, set standards, and facilitate collaboration among nations. The path forward involves careful consideration of sovereignty concerns, active engagement with industry players, and a commitment to staying abreast of the ever-evolving crypto landscape. By working together, nations can create a secure and thriving global crypto ecosystem that benefits all.
(The author is CEO and Co-founder of Mudrex, a Global Crypto Investment Platform)
(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times)
Images are for reference only.Images and contents gathered automatic from google or 3rd party sources.All rights on the images and contents are with their legal original owners.


text:
Nubia Z40S Pro's launch set for July 20: Check specifications
Nubia is gearing up to launch its most advanced smartphone yet, the Z40S Pro. The company has now confirmed that the phone will make its debut on July 20. The brand has also revealed some of the key specifications of the handset via its official Weibo channel. The device will feature a flatscreen, a triple rear camera setup, and a 5,000mAh battery, among others.
- ZTE's premium sub-brand Nubia is set to add another handset to its Z40 line-up. The Z40S Pro, the company's upcoming flagship, will be an upgrade over the Z40 Pro that was launched earlier this year.
- With Qualcomm's latest flagship chip and some key design changes, it is bound to make its rivals squirm.
- The company has scrapped curved edges for flat ones this time.
Nubia Z40S Pro will feature a centrally-aligned punch-hole cut, slim bezels, and an in-display fingerprint sensor. Unlike its predecessor, it will have a flat display and full-width camera unit. On the side, the phone will sport a sliding shortcut key to switch to "street photography mode." The handset will be offered in Black and Green color options, along with a special Ling Cage edition.
The Nubia Z40S Pro will flaunt a triple rear camera unit, including a 60MP Sony IMX787 main shooter, a 50MP ultra-wide lens that also functions as a macro camera, and an 8MP periscope sensor with 5x optical zoom. It will sport a 16MP selfie snapper.
The Nubia Z40S Pro will be powered by a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, mated with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of internal storage. Under the hood, it will run on Android 12-based MyOS 12 and house a 5,000mAh battery with fast-charging support. Connectivity options should include 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and a Type-C port.
The official pricing and availability details of the Nubia Z40S Pro will be announced at the time of its launch. It will carry a premium over the Z40 Pro that starts at CNY 3,399 (around Rs. 40,100).


text:
Takashi Murakami is more than just an artist; he’s an innovator, an entrepreneur, and a key influencer in Japanese culture. That being said, it’s no surprise that Murakami has expanded his portfolio to develop his own range of sake in collaboration with NEXT5.
NEXT5 represents 5 sake makers from the Akita prefecture. They’ve produced a special sake together almost every year since teaming up in 2010 and have employed the traditional Kimoto brewing technique to create this year’s selection with Murakami.
As Murakami says, “The NEXT5 are going back to question the very nature of what sake is when they create sake. If we go far back enough into the history of sake, we find culture coming from China. We want to grasp this thread and weave it into a fresh form.”
Murakami created four limited edition bottles – one glass bottle and three ceramic bottles – to package the sake and each design features his signature anime-style flowers. This sake is released in a limited quantity, so don’t miss your chance to grab a bottle.
Love sake? Learn more about it from our Beverage Director Elliot Faber here.


text:
Katrina Kaif is the first actress who has come out and supported the Bollywood background dancers. Katrina Kaif has helped 100 dancers by directly transferring money into their account. And it is noteworthy to know that there are quite a few dancers who are utilising the amount transferred by the actress to stand on their own feet and also sustain themselves till they get back on the sets.
Some dancers have used the money as the principal amount to start small businesses like selling vegetables, eggs and snacks counters on the roadside, and tiffin service.
Raj Surani of Octopus Entertainment, who has been motivating the dancers to become self-reliant in these trying times, said that he is grateful to Katrina Kaif who has come forward to help the dancers. He said, "The dancers have utilised the money transferred by Katrina to start small businesses like tiffin services, beauty services and selling homemade chocolates."
A senior dancer, Hetal, travels all the way to the APMC market to buy vegetables and has started selling it online to residential societies.
Hetal says, "I am taking the risk of my life as I leave at 3 am in the morning leaving my children alone to buy vegetables and then come back and sell vegetables to locals." Inspiration is contagious. Encouraged by Surani, these dancers have been motivating each other by telling their stories of survival on their WhatsApp group. When they hear their fellow dancers doing small businesses and jobs to become self-reliant, they, tpo, get inspired to do so.
Thanks to actors like Katrina Kaif, dancers are taking up alternate professions to survive during this corona crisis, added Surani.
Surani further says, "Dancers are really motivated to become self-reliant. Dancers will be the last ones to get back on the sets. Last five months have been tough on them as they are daily wagers with no other source of earning. Thanks to actors like Katrina Kaif, dancers are taking up alternate professions to survive during this corona crisis. There are some who work in call centres, whereas others have started jobs like setting up gym equipment at client’s homes/gyms, selling groceries and trading business. We would like more actors and film industry personalities to come forward and help them."


text:
Lake Worth Beach is set to host the last weekend of Big Bounce America, an inflatable wonderland that has been entertaining visitors for weeks. The event features the world’s largest bounce house, covering a massive 24,000 square feet and featuring an obstacle course, giant slide, ball pit, and more. For those looking for something a little different, OctoBlast is also on offer – an oversized octopus hosting a wacky eight-arm foam party.
The sessions cater to various age groups, including toddlers, juniors, bigger kids, and adults. Interested individuals can check the Big Bounce America website for detailed session times and to purchase tickets. The Lake Worth Beach schedule and address for the event are listed below:
– Friday, Feb. 16
– Saturday, Feb. 17
– Sunday, Feb. 18
John Prince Park, 2700 6th Ave S., Lake Worth Beach, FL 33461.
For more information about Big Bounce America or to book your spot at this exciting event, visit their website today.


text:
Unilever’s Indian division is changing the name of its whitening face cream Fair & Lovely to Glow Lovely. The male variant of the product will be modified to Glow & Handsome.
Unilever previously announced that it would change the name of the product because it no longer fits the current era.
The use of the words “fair,” “white” and “light” on the cream packaging and in advertisements erroneously suggests a unique beauty ideal, according to Unilever.
That must be different, the company concluded amid the heated debate about racism.
The whitening skin creams, as well as other brands that are racially stereotyped, are under attack worldwide.
Opponents point out that such products suggest that white is better than black. A range of other companies has already announced name changes.