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Tag / Digital Transformation
News • Sep 28, 2018 06:45 GMT
The 2018 air freight peak season is due to begin after Chinese Golden Week. Many trade lanes have already seen double-digit rate increases and further increases are expected. Panalpina has secured extra flights and ensured readiness on the ground and is also testing a new charter tool, which provides an overview of scheduled cargo flights and of all cargo aircraft available for chartering.
News • Aug 29, 2018 12:50 GMT
The Digital Hub is tasked with exploring disruptive technologies and developing new digital solutions for customers as well as realizing business opportunities for Panalpina. In an interview with innoFRAtor, a platform by Fraport, Air Cargo News and German publication DVZ, Panalpina’s Luca Graf explains the reasons for setting up the new business unit and how it can add value for customers.
Press Releases • Jun 26, 2018 08:05 GMT
Panalpina has launched the Panalpina Digital Hub to embrace new technologies including the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain that have the potential to disrupt the business in the coming years. The new business unit is to explore innovative technologies, develop new digital solutions for customers, and engage with digital start-up companies.
Press Releases • May 22, 2018 12:00 GMT
Panalpina has joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA), a forum of leading tech and transportation companies for the development and implementation of blockchain standards in the freight industry. The company sees many advantages of blockchain technology for freight forwarding and logistics operations in general, but also for specific areas such as perishables in particular.
Press Releases • Mar 02, 2018 18:30 GMT
Panalpina’s board of directors proposes to elect Sandra Emme as a new member of the board at the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM), to be held on May 8, 2018. She would succeed Chris Muntwyler who will not stand for re-election.
News • Sep 20, 2017 12:15 GMT
Panalpina is intent on steering the logistics industry into the Digital Age by using the newest technologies available to create a truly innovative, end-to-end digital environment for its customers, and thereby reaffirms its role as an innovator and forerunner in the sector.
Blog posts • Feb 23, 2017 11:00 GMT
The world's logistics firms are in the midst of a digital transformation. But this is nothing new, says Panalpina's Chief Information Officer, Ralf Morawietz, in an interview with Swiss publication IT-Markt. He would like to see more common sense and composure.
Blog posts • Oct 17, 2016 09:30 GMT
In this interview, Panalpina's CIO Ralf Morawietz explains why he believes the separation between IT and business is artificial and why he wants to close the gap. He also talks about the implementation of the company's new operational system SAP TM, big data, visibility in the supply chain and what he likes about his job. The original interview appeared in the Swiss IT trade publication Netzwoche.
Press Releases • Jul 26, 2016 12:00 GMT
Panalpina and 3D printing company Shapeways have entered into a strategic partnership which will enable both companies to expand their digital manufacturing capabilities globally. Panalpina sees digital manufacturing and 3D printing as a perfect complement to its Logistics Manufacturing Services offering, giving customers the possibility to customize products and bring production closer to demand.
News • Feb 02, 2016 11:45 GMT
36 Million 20-foot containers were moved through the port of Shanghai in 2015. In the world’s biggest port, the very physical nature of international trade is apparent like nowhere else. Globally, 130 million containers are shipped across the seas year after year – of which Panalpina handled 1.6 million for its customers in 2014. Daryl Ridgway is Panalpina’s new global head of Ocean Freight.
Press Releases • Feb 01, 2016 14:55 GMT
Panalpina reached an important milestone in the implementation of its new operational IT platform. Singapore and Switzerland were the first countries to go live with the latest version of the SAP® Transportation Management application. Numerous customer shipments in December and January 2016 have demonstrated that the software is ready to be rolled out further.
Blog posts • Jan 29, 2016 15:45 GMT
Will the flow of information become more important than the flow of goods? Fact is, new modes of transport are not where the frontier of transportation lies. Digital transformation is. This blog post in two parts looks at five major trends that are shaping the freight forwarding and logistics industry – all of them linked to digital transformation.


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Tap system and the BSP has allowed the return ticket on appeals of agencies, and this return is funded, said the Vice President ATOR Dmitry Gorin. He noted that under the agent sales the issue is resolved within a week.
ANTALYA, 15 Oct. Agencies on sale of tickets received from systems of settlements TCH and BSP resolution for a refund for cancelled flights airline customers, Transaero, announced on Thursday the Vice-President of the Association of tour operators of Russia (ATOR) Dmitry Gorin.
“The returns process is now simplified. Tap system and the BSP has allowed the return ticket on appeals of agencies, and this return is funded. The refund is happening even faster than expected. Under the Agency sales issue during the week, but those who paid for the purchase of tickets with credit cards, they refund get 14 to 30 days,” — said the expert.
The international system Billing & Settlement Plan (BSP), representing the International air transport Association (IATA), and Russian Transport clearing house (TCH) is the clearing centres which carry out settlements between travel agents and airlines.
Earlier it was reported that none of the agents or the tap IATA is unable to make a refund for air travel on flights of “Transaero” technically, due to the fact that in the global reservation systems for the carrier ID UN (Transaero) closed reset function. Monday online hypermarket travel DaTravel stated that the tap “partially opens the possibility of a return” tickets of the carrier.
The spokesman also confirmed that the situation with the company “Biblio Globus” almost resolved. “And “Biblio Globus” “find thread,” and “Aeroflot” went to meet, so they can now carry along the lines agreed upon earlier,” he said. That the tour operator has resumed the suspended sales on a number of fronts, reported earlier on Thursday.
In addition, according to Gorin, the group of “Aeroflot” not only fulfills the obligations under the carriage, but also helps Transaero airlines refund the tickets, allowing passengers of canceled flights can now receive money not only in airlines but also among agencies.

domain: news


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FBA Sellers, Don't get too excited about the headlines this week which state Amazon is now required to collect and remit sales tax come April 1st. While this news is true, it only affects products that Amazon sells directly....
Amazon.com has over 55% of E-Commerce businesses, making it the largest platform in the world for selling products online. It currently operates in 11 markets and is rapidly expanding into the international market. There are two important factors to consider...


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The WireCard insolvency and its impact on airline payment schemes
The corona pandemic causes an unprecedented threat for the airline industry and now a major player in the field of payment services had to file for insolvency and shook up the industry even more.
Our payment and insolvency experts Claudia Hamm and Christine Kranich will explain the German insolvency procedures under observance of the payment regulations – moderated by Katja H. Brecke
The webinar will be held on 6, 13 and 20 August 2020 from 8.30 to 9.30 hrs.
Register here for one (or more) of our presentation dates.
We look forward to your attendance!
Your Team of ARNECKE SIBETH DABELSTEIN


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We are SO proud to announce that BroSolutions was named one of the Top e-commerce Development Companies by Techreviewer.
Techreviewer is one of the leading analytics hubs that shares shares top software companies rankings and reviews. After analyzing at the market, investigating current trends, and looking through many agencies, they made a list of the best e-commerce website development companies, where we’ve been featured.
We are happy and grateful for the high grade our company was given, and for being included in the rating. This is an opportunity to be proud of our team of experts and the reason to work harder to continue growing.


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Downtown Albany poised for more housing, but property taxes a big obstacle
Downtown Albany, NY could have significantly more housing options over the next decade--as many as 1,000 to 2,000 new units--but only if developers have enough incentives and subsidies to counteract the city's high property taxes and real estate prices.
That is one of the findings of consultants hired by city officials to assess the market for downtown apartments, condos and townhouses.
Here is the question for the city's new mayor, Kathy Sheehan, and others at City Hall: How to close the funding gap so more investors are willing to take a chance and increase the number of residential units beyond what's already available or in the pipeline?
"What we need to do is jump-start the market, and once the market starts churning, the capitalization rates and risk profile will change," said Sarah Woodworth, managing member of W-ZHA Inc., a firm in Annapolis, Maryland that has helped many cities create downtown redevelopment strategies. "That will open up more investment opportunity."
Capitalize Albany Corp., the city's economic development arm, will present Woodworth's findings and those of another consultant at a public meeting Tuesday, March 11, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 60 State St.
The meeting is the first of a three-part series called "The State of Downtown Albany". Upcoming meetings will examine two other sectors critical to downtown's future: retail and office space.
Roughly 250 residential units, mostly apartments, have come onto the market over the past decade. More than 280 units will be added over the next three years, a $45 million investment, according to Capitalize Albany Corp.
DeMasi covers real estate, construction, retail and hospitality.
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Unanimous recognition from the sector for the new show and its future potential
Barcelona Wine Week (BWW) closed its first edition with excellent participation figures: more than 550 exhibiting companies, 40 Spanish Designations of Origin (DO) present at the show and more than 15,000 visitors, who attended nearly 3,200 business meetings and 50 programmed activities. These good results, unanimously endorsed and recognised by the sector’s main agents – wineries, associations, DOs and buyers, among others – confirm the success of the BWW model and augur well for its future as a benchmark event for Spanish wine.
The 550 exhibiting companies at Barcelona Wine Week, from practically all Spanish regions, presented over 600 new products during the three days of the show, which occupied the entire 19,000 m2 of Fira Barcelona’s Montjuïc exhibition centre. In terms of surface area contracted and number of exhibiting companies, Catalonia was the Autonomous Community with the greatest presence, followed by Castile and Leon, La Rioja, the Basque Country and Navarre.
On the other hand -and waiting for final figures- nearly 15,600 professionals visited the fair, 13% from 54 countries. More than 300 international buyers from strategic markets for Spanish wine exports invited by the organisation were also present. This significant representation of international operators will mean that a good number of exhibiting wineries will be able to increase their exports. In total, it is estimated that some 3,200 business meetings have been held.
The chairman of Barcelona Wine Week and DO Cava’s Regulating Council, Javier Pagés, emphasised that “we wanted to be a true showcase to showcase the excellence of Spanish wine on the international market, that event where everyone in the wine world wants to be, and we are on the right track to achieve this”. Thus, Pagés has made a first balance “very satisfactory” of a show that was based on “a novel concept, in some way breakthrough, which involved taking risks”.
For his part, J. Antonio Valls, managing director of Alimentaria Exhibitions, emphasised “the good acceptance by professionals of the new show format, which recreates a tour of all of Spain’s wine-growing regions and which accommodates both large groups and small wineries, giving all the attention to wine”.
More than 130,000 glasses of wine tasted
The organisers of Barcelona Wine Week estimate that more than 130,000 glasses of wine were served during the event, including tastings offered by the exhibitors, the self-guided tastings at the Fabolours 50 by Woman bar – produced and promoted by women such as Mireia Torres (Jean Leon), Mariona Rendé (Rendé Masdéu) or Anne Cannan (Clos Figueras), among others – and those directed, organised as part of the show’s programme of activities.
The new event was attended by fifty top-level experts, who offered different types of tastings and lectures, such as Wine Spectator’s executive editor, Thomas Matthews; sommeliers François Chartier and Ferran Centelles; Master of Wine Pedro Ballesteros, winemakers Miguel and Mireia Torres and oenologist Antonio Flores, among many others.
As well as promoting knowledge about wine in the BWWHub activities area, the show has also highlighted its links with culture and gastronomy in the BWWGastronomy area (which has offered seven pairings by Barcelona restaurants 130, D’Aprop, Casa Xica, Monocrom, Xerta, Gresca and Oriol Balaguer) and has also presented the latest trends in cocktails and spirits in the Barcelona Cocktail Art area.
Sustainability and respect for the territory
The positioning of more and more wine producers to develop greater care in environmental issues has been reflected both in the latest proposals of the exhibitors and in the presentations offered in the extensive program of activities.
Thus, some of the references that have generated most expectation at BWW have been wines with proven ancestral roots in the territory, those from high mountains – grown at higher altitudes than usual due to global warming – as well as biodynamic, natural and ecological wines – where respect for nature and on a human scale is at the heart of production.
The show’s organisers have also opted for a more rational use of the resources at the show, committing to recycling most of the furniture used at the next edition. Likewise, it has collaborated with Ecovidrio – which has collected more than 18,000 bottles during the celebration of the show – to promote the recycling of bottles and has reduced the use of single-use plastics.
Barcelona Wine Week (BWW), promoted by Fira Barcelona through its company Alimentaria Exhibitions, was held for the first time at Fira de Barcelona’s Montjuïc exhibition centre from 3 to 5 February 2020. It was supported by the Spanish Wine Federation (FEV), ICEX and numerous Spanish institutions from the world of wine.


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- Eclipx puts on a brave face, saying the payout only equates to 1.8c per share
- Eclipx and McMillan first announced a proposed merger on November 8
- Right2Drive and Grays have a ''for sale'' sign on them
Ailing fleet management group Eclipx is enduring more financial pain, agreeing to pay $8 million in costs incurred by rival McMillan Shakespeare after their proposed merger was officially terminated on Wednesday.
The announcement of the hefty payout triggered a further plunge in Eclipx's share price, which dropped almost 10 per cent to 71.5¢ in early trading on Wednesday. McMillan shares were largely steady.
Eclipx, which is trying to sell two businesses, Right2Drive and online auctions group Grays to help cut debt, took the unusual step of saying on Wednesday the $8 million payment equated to 1.8¢ per share in value.
Eclipx told the Australian Securities Exchange on Wednesday that the $8 million would be funded from operating cash flow and that, ''barring any unforeseen circumstances'', Eclipx expects to be compliant with its banking covenants at the next relevant testing date, September 30.
The size of the payment to McMillan, for costs it had incurred to date in connection to the proposed scheme of arrangement announced on November 8, 2018, has raised eyebrows in the market.
Both companies declined to comment further. The costs included fees for investment bankers, lawyers and accountants.
The proposed merger had been off in practical terms for weeks after the financial performance of Eclipx deteriorated markedly. But the official end came on Wednesday with both parties agreeing to terminate the scheme implementation agreement and be freed from the restrictions placed on both of them under the deal.
Eclipx revealed on March 20 that its financial performance had deteriorated significantly in a slowing economy, and it was preparing to sell Grays and Right2Drive.
Fleet management and novated lease income for the five months ended February 28 was $71 million, compared with $70.8 million for the same time last year. Eclipx operates Fleetplus and FleetPartners.
Eclipx's sharemarket capitalisation has dropped $900 million since early 2018. It was at a record high of $3.53 in May, 2018.
Declining house prices have undermined consumer confidence, and salary sacrificers in Australia's workplaces are more reluctant to upgrade and take on a more expensive vehicle. Those fleet management operations were the engine room of a business that floated on the ASX in 2015 with an issue price of $2.30.
Eclipx acquired Right2Drive in mid-2016 for $67 million, funded with its own scrip issued at $3.013. Right2Drive was already a customer of Eclipx and operates a medium-term vehicle rental business providing replacement vehicles to ''not at fault'' drivers who have been in a smash and need a temporary vehicle to drive while their car is repaired.
Eclipx in 2017 spent $179 million acquiring the Grays online auctions business via a scheme of arrangement in a ratio of 0.3656 Eclipx shares issued for each Grays share held.
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RBS to sell off its Pakistan bank
The Royal Bank of Scotland is closing in on a deal to sell its operations in Pakistan, as part of the lender's attempts to shed many of its Asian businesses.
The Edinburgh-based bank is reported to have agreed the sale to Faysal Bank in Pakistan, owned by Bahrain parent company, Ithmaar.
A previous deal to sell the division to MCB Bank fell through when it faced regulatory hurdles in Pakistan.
RBS Pakistan employs about 5,000 staff.
It has 75 branches in 24 cities and was bought by the Scottish bank as part of its disastrous purchase of Dutch lender ABN Amro in 2007.
Other similar assets have been sold off across Asia, while RBS retreats to its core business, in Britain, the USA and in major financial centres.
An announcement is expected next week.


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The new boss of volkswagen existing brand signed the death warrant for its controversial steering switchgear, and now he’s addressing a number of other tech complaints.
Thomas Schäfer, who became the brand’s CEO in July, said he was working on solving problems with Volkswagen’s infotainment system and capacitive touch switches.
“In the rush to create these vehicles to quickly push boundaries, etc., the team came up with different ideas,” he said. CAR.
“We know what we need to do. We got feedback from customers, we got feedback from clinics and from journalists… They said, ‘You know this isn’t good. You have to improve this.’”
“One of the criticisms is that the slider functions aren’t illuminated, so you don’t know they’re there at night. That’s fixed now, and it’s coming next year. Mr. Schäfer said
He admits mistakes have been made with the company’s infotainment system, with the latest generation MIB3 system being criticized for lags, bugs and usability issues.
Software updates will roll out early this year, with hardware upgrades to be installed over the next 18 months.
“New 3.0 software coming soon… Hardware changes will be available from early 2024. [Revised] The steering wheel is from next year, the new Tiguan will be the start,” said Mr. Schäfer.
He promises that the new systems will be faster, have more features, and have more frequent over-the-air updates available.
Mr. Schäfer revealed the problems with the brand’s infotainment system were so bad that the board met monthly to monitor progress.
“The [technical] the group gathered the models and we sat down and tried them out. We can say: ‘This doesn’t really work. Who did this? Next!’ If you don’t, you can make the wrong decisions,” said Mr. Schäfer.
The company is doing regular clinics with random people not affiliated with Volkswagen to determine how people find functions
“First of all they have to have clear instructions and clear logic behind it. And then once the team has hit it within these boundaries, you can speed up the process and not always try to reinvent the wheel and put the hazard light switch in the middle, then on top. together and then somewhere else… It’s actually pretty simple,” he said.
“If you listen carefully, you will know what to do and what not to do.
“We said ‘What are the top 10 functions that customers always need?’ We put them on the first level in the hard buttons. Then on the next 20 functions, where do we put them? We put some logic into it. And then keep it as it is. Don’t change it around!
He admits that over the past few years, the brand has created confusion in its vehicles by moving essential switches around and inconsistently between models.
Volkswagen isn’t the only brand to ditch capacitive touch switches.
General Motors and Ford used capacitive touch switchgear in the early/mid 2010s but started phasing it out after receiving much criticism from owners.
Ford’s luxury brand Lincoln started introducing capacitive touch controls for functions like climate control in 2011, but in 2013 the company announced it would return to using buttons for these functions.


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Is this what the next-generation Lexus IS will look like?
According to Motor Report, Lexus Australia CEO Tony Cramb has confirmed that the next-generation 2014 IS sedan will debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January.
A production coupe based on the Lexus LF-CC is still one to two years away, according to a news.com.au interview with the president of Lexus International, Kiyotaka Ise.
The next-generation Lexus IS has been spotted again, this time in a eye-deceiving swirl-pattern body wrap.
According to a CarAdvice interview with the president of Lexus International, Kiyotaka Ise, the LF-CC concept that debuted last week at the Paris Motor Show may be a preview of the next-generation IS and a brand new separate coupe model.
Last week at the Paris Motor Show, Lexus announced a new 2.5-liter hybrid engine that is set to be introduced into the lineup — now Toyota has released a couple more details.


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Every year more and more shopping is ordered online, leaving delivery men stretched beyond belief - especially in the run up to Christmas.
But Halifax-based watchmaker Weird Ape believes they may have stumbled upon the perfect solution - using drones.
Amazing footage captured by the company shows the moment they managed to deliver two of their watches after flying the remote-controlled device over the rolling Yorkshire landscape.
Company founder Stefan Kozikowski piloted the watch-carrying drone for half a kilometre to a customer’s home in Keighley.
Shoppers could look to drones to beat the Black Friday crush
The flight using the £800 DJI Advanced 3 drone went without a hitch, with two watches delivered safely onto the customer’s drive.
He said: “Watches are small, light and high value making them ideal candidates for drone deliveries.”
To carry out the test, Weird Ape says they had to get a Civil Aviation Authority license to fly the drone - which cost £1,500 and involved Stefan taking a written test and a flying exam - and take out specialist insurance.
The drone can travel at 20mph in a straight line, meaning it can reach remote locations much quicker, and items are dropped automatically when the drone touches down.
Company founder Stefan Kozikowski piloted the watch-carrying drone for half a kilometre
Watches are small, light and high value making them ideal candidates for drone deliverie
Mr Kozikowski said: “One of the most challenging parts was building the payload delivery system.
“At first we were integrating a receiver and servos to open the hatch. This all needed additional power and added weight.
“Seeing us struggle with the design our accountant, an avid fisherman, suggested we create a much simpler design based on a bait dropper.
The flight using the £800 DJI Advanced 3 drone went without a hitch
“This clever design didn’t require any of the complicated communications equipment, saving cost and weight.”
While Mr Kozikowski says the flight proved the worth of drones as a delivery tool the law currently means the devices cannot be piloted remotely.
For the Keighley flight, he and a colleague had to drive to within 500m of the customer’s house before the drone could be launched.
But he says the test was well worth the hassle and believes any more companies could take up the method in the future.


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The President and Chief Executive Officer, Hewlett Packard, Mrs. Meg Whitman, has said the company would not relent in its actions to increase the growth and market share of its products in the emerging markets across the globe. She particularly mentioned Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.
Whitman, who spoke to THISDAY, at the 2012 Global Influencer Summit, held in Shanghai Expo Centre, China, said HP would continue to strategies, in order to remain the first in sub-Saharan Africa in general, and the Nigerian market in particular.
The summit came to an end with promises of more innovative products, which would drive comfortability and user experience for the Nigerian consumer, as well as growth in the market for HP.
She said, "By combining our printing and personal systems hardware, we hope to help all our consumers operate infrastructure at low cost and achieve maximum agility in their operations.
"Innovation for HP aims to deliver the best possible experience for its customers, and our company made a great move to merge its print and personal systems business model together in order to save its consumers from various technology complexities," she added.
According to her, this merger would enable the company organise and develop a much sophisticated market across the globe, by unifying design and brand management to bring inter-operability between HP devices.
Whitman added that through personal computers, HP creates and consumes digital information. She said HP will continue to launch more 'surprise firsts' from time to time, in order to keep consumers abreast of new technology.
On the other hand, she said printing brings content we care about to an analogue form, and must be preserved. "By combining these printing and personal systems, hardware helps consumers operate infrastructure at a low cost and achieve maximum agility," she said.
Also speaking at the closing ceremony of the summit, the Executive Vice President, Intel China, Mr. Sean Maloney, said PC challenge was to meet the end user experience in mobility.
"Two weeks ago Intel launched quad core third generation for PCs with first 22mm transistors and Tri Gate Processors which delivers great performance improvements for mobile computing in HP devices.
"In addition it is embedded with great graphics spectrum and Support dx11 which throws 2x fast media per second, the chip sets are also power efficient. The third generation processor chip sets will push Windows 8, in HP products that will start to be shipped in October 2012 for example on features like the touch-screen product", he added.
The Executive Vice President Printing and Personal systems, Mr. Todd Bradley, added that HP scale and size allows the company to different at every point of a product change by focusing on mobility and connectivity that enable customers work and communicate together.
A distinguished technologist, Mr John Apostolopoulos, who is also the director of the Mobile and Immersive Experience Lab (MIX Lab), in HP Labs, and directs about 75 researchers in Palo Alto, USA, Bangalore, India, and Bristol, England, said the goals of the MIX Lab are to create compelling networked media experiences that fundamentally change how people communicate, collaborate, socialise and entertain.
"HP is creating a computing future with the memristor which will revolutionise storage in personal computers. The memristor which was the 4th missing fundamental element of HP storage circuit will replace the flash drives, DRAMs and the hard drives," he said.
Apostolopoulos added that apart from the memristor, HP will also change the future of its device display panels. "Traditional displays are made of glass, they are fragile and heavy. HP future displays will be made from self-aligned imprint lithography features; they will be light weight, thin robust, and have a novel form factor.
"Users will have a different way in how they consume content in their devices, with economic curved and wearable displays," he said.


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This same incident was happened over a year ago when Hong Kong toymaker VTech was hacked, which exposed personal details, including snaps of parents and children and chat logs, of about 6.4 million children around the world.
Now, in the latest security failing of the internet-connected smart toys, more than 2 Million voice recordings of children and their parents have been exposed, along with email addresses and passwords for over 820,000 user accounts.
And What's even Worse? The hackers locked this data and held it for Ransom.
California-based Spiral Toys' line of internet-connected stuffed animal toys, CloudPets, which allow children and relatives to send recorded voicemails back and forth, reportedly left the voice messages recorded between parents and children and other personal data to online hackers.
Cloudpets' Data was Held for Ransom
The customer data was left unprotected from 25 December 2016 to 8 January in a publicly available database that wasn't protected by any password or a firewall, according to a blog post published Monday by Troy Hunt, creator of the breach-notification website Have I Been Pwned?.
Hunt said that the exposed data was accessed multiple times by many third parties, including hackers who accessed and stole customer emails and hashed passwords from a CloudPets database.
In fact, in early January, when cyber criminals were actively scanning the Internet for exposed or badly-configured MongoDB databases to delete their data and ultimately hold it for ransom, CloudPets' database was overwritten twice.
Toy Maker was Notified of the Breach Multiple Times
The worst part comes in when any company is notified of some issue, but it doesn't give a shit to protect its customers. Spiral Toys did the same.
The toy maker was allegedly notified four times that its customer data was online and available for anyone to have their hands on — yet the data remained up for almost a week with evidence suggesting that the data was stolen on multiple occasions.
Interestingly, the CloudPets blog hasn't been updated since 2015, and there is not any public notice about the security concerns.
"It is impossible to believe that CloudPets (or mReady, [a Romanian company which Spiral Toys appears to have contracted with to store its database]) did not know that firstly, the databases had been left publicly exposed and secondly, that malicious parties had accessed them," Hunt said.
"Obviously, they have changed the security profile of the system, and you simply could not have overlooked the fact that a ransom had been left. So both the exposed database and intrusion by those demanding the ransom must have been identified yet this story never made the headlines."While voice recordings were not kept on the open MongoDB databases, Spiral Toys used an open Amazon-hosted service that required no authorization to store the recordings, user profile pictures, children's names, and their relations to parents, relatives, and friends.
This eventually means that anyone with malicious intent could listen to the recordings by only guessing the correct URL.
Affected? How to Check and What to Do?
This incident is perhaps something to be kept in mind the next time you are shopping for the latest internet-connected smart toy for your kid.
If you are a parent holding a CloudPets account, you are advised to check Have I Been Pwned? website, which compiles all the data from breaches and now includes users accounts stolen from Spiral Toys.
If you found your account affected, you should change your password immediately and consider disconnecting the toy from the internet.
You are also advised to change the passwords on any other online accounts for which you are using the same password as for CloudPets account.


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Developer: Bandai Namco Games & Sora Ltd.
Release date: November 21st, 2014
Super Smash Bros has always been the must-have title since it was released back in 1999. From the Nintendo 64 all the way to todays generation – the Nintendo WiiU – Super Smash Bros has seen countless hours of casual and competitive play throughout the world. Does Super Smash Bros for WiiU deliver upon expectations and if so, does it exceed them?
It has been 15 years since we saw the release of the original Super Smash Bros on the Nintendo 64 and I still go back to play the classic roster of characters. The one thing I have to credit Nintendo on is the ability to remake old games but put a twist on them that makes them feel new and refreshing. They did exactly that with Super Smash Bros for WiiU as they brought the same, old fashioned game mechanics with a plethora of new game options to expand on the already perfect formula.
Read the full review here
Nintendo held a Nintendo Direct yesterday which went into detail regarding some of the newest releases coming to the WiiU and 3DS in the upcoming months. In it’s first trailer, Nintendo announced that The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D will be seeing the light of day in early 2015 for the Nintendo 3DS. Nintendo announced this via a trailer (seen below) which shows off some of the revamped graphics which will be seen in the N64 Remake.
This title was one of the most requested titles to make its way to the handheld ever since The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D was released back in June 2011. Since the announcement, news has spread across social media outlets like wildfire, becoming trending on Facebook and Twitter.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D will be hit store shelves sometime in Spring 2015 and will be available exclusively on the Nintendo 3DS and 2DS. Personally, I am excited to revisit this title… It had a dark and mysterious atmosphere that kept me on-edge. I would personally recommend this title to those who have yet to experience Majora’s Mask.
Fans looking forward to the latest Pokemon remakes that launch on November 21st will be able to pick up both Pokemon Alpha Sapphire & Pokemon Omega Ruby in a dual-pack.
Available exclusively through Best Buy in North America, the bundle will retail for $79.99 and include a code which will unlock a whopping 200 potions for use in both games. While the bundle doesn’t actually save you any money for purchasing the games together, the potions should come in handy when you are exploring the old Hoenn region in the Pokemon universe. Unfortunately, it is unknown if this bundle will be available in Canada, we have reached out to Nintendo for more information.
Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire will launch on November 21st exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS. Also launching on this day is Super Smash Bros for WiiU and the Amiibo figures which should prove to be a strong day for Nintendo.
Image courtesy of MyNintendonews.com
The wait is almost over! Nintendo has confirmed Super Smash Bros for WiiU will launch in North America on November 21st, 2014.
This news comes via a press release which also details the success of Super Smash Bros for 3DS. In less than a week of North American sales, Super Smash Bros for 3DS has already sold over a whopping 2.8 million copies with no signs of slowing down. Ron Bertram, Nintendo of Canada’s vice-president and general manager states “Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS is already in the hands of more than 2.8 million people worldwide” which makes this one of the fastest selling Nintendo 3DS products of all time.
Super Smash Bros for WiiU will also launch alongside the special edition Gamecube controller & Gamecube adapter as announced at E3 this year. The Gamecube adapter allows you to play select WiiU titles including Super Smash Bros for WiiU with up to 4 Nintendo Gamecube controller’s and will retail separately for $19.99.
The Gamecube adapter will support any Gamecube controller, whether be first or third-party and will even support Nintendo’s official wireless Wavebird controllers which were made available back in 2001. Additionally, Nintendo will also release a Gamecube controller with the Super Smash Bros insignia on it for $29.99 on November 21st.
If you are a seasoned veteran of the game, you may also be interested in the Super Smash Bros for WiiU bundle which includes one Gamecube controller, the Gamecube adapter and a copy of the game for $99.99. In the U.S. these will be available at many retailers including Gamestop, Best Buy, and Amazon. In Canada, these will only be available through Canadian retailer EBGames.
We had the opportunity to play an early version of Super Smash Bros for 3DS which included playable characters such as Pac-Man and Shulk from Xenoblade Chronicles. In this nearly completed build, we were able to try out these new characters as well as a majority of stages that were going to be included in the final game. Unfortunately, the characters featured in the recent leak were not playable at this time.
I can confirm that all of the menus were functional including the functionality that allows you to use the 3DS as a WiiU controller for the upcoming Super Smash Bros for WiiU. The main menu was very clean and easy to navigate as it followed the same menu patterns that was shown in Kid Icarus 3DS or Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Needless to say, Super Smash Bros for 3DS plays very smooth and I surprisingly got a good handle of the circle pad – One of my many complaints from when I played Super Smash Bros for 3DS at Best Buy. While I still experience difficulties playing with the 3DS control style, one of the Nintendo Reps mentioned thatyou can fully customize the control scheme, meaning jump can be moved from the X button to the Y button and so on.
Based on the couple times I have played the games, I would strongly recommend that 3DS owners pick up Super Smash Bros for 3DS. It packs everything that was good about Super Smash Bros and crams it in to a handheld for on-the-go gameplay.


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NYTimes investigations editor discusses Wal-Mart coverage
Paul Fishleder, the deputy investigations editor at The New York Times, was asked to comment by Talking Biz News about the paper’s recent investigation into Wal-Mart’s bribery tactics in Mexico.
The stories won reporter David Barstow the Talking Biz News co-Business Journalist of the Year Award for 2012.
Barstow’s reporting began with a tip from a source. He had two huge challenges to overcome. First off, he had to discover and recreate what had happened inside the secret precincts at the top of Wal-Mart without the hope of cooperation from anyone inside Wal-Mart. And in Mexico, he had to demonstrate that bribes had been paid even though no one would admit to receiving them.
He learned that a former Wal-Mart de Mexico lawyer named Sergio Cicero Zapata had contacted company executives in Arkansas and told them how for years he and his bosses had used systematic bribery to obtain zoning rulings and construction permits that allowed Wal-Mart to win market dominance in every corner of Mexico. There were hundreds of suspect payments, totaling more than $24 million.
Wal-Mart began its own investigation. Yet within months, just as the inquiry began to bear fruit, the company’s leaders shut it down. No doubt they believed that the matter would quietly end there. And it would have, but for Barstow.
Barstow obtained hundreds of highly confidential Wal-Mart documents, an amazing trove of memos and e-mails. He interviewed the key players here and in Mexico. Before he was through, he knew more about how Wal-Mart dealt with this sorry episode than Wal-Mart did. He was able to piece together the hidden corporate drama — in all its machinations and power plays — of an internal investigation that Wal-Mart’s leaders feared could cripple it as it expanded through Latin American and around the world.
Barstow found the smoking gun. He turned up Wal-Mart memos documenting that its investigators had in fact found powerful evidence that Cicero was right. There was “reasonable suspicion to believe that Mexican and USA laws have been violated,” they told their superiors. Yet Wal-Mart never notified law enforcement officials in either country.
Barstow did the shoe-leather investigation that Wal-Mart should have done in the first place, unearthing the wrongdoing that the bosses in Arkansas chose to ignore.
Traveling across Mexico with a Mexican reporter, Alejandra Xanic von Bertrab, he tunneled into the databases and filing cabinets of the local bureaucracies that govern construction permits and zoning issues. He discovered how, in city after city, Wal-Mart had paid bribes to win approvals that the law didn’t allow.
Where Barstow most completely exposed the corruption was in Teotihuacan, where in 2004, Wal-Mart bribed its way around regulation after regulation to build a supermarket in the shadow of the ancient pyramids, one of the most venerated places in Mexico.: There was the bribe for a crucial, last-minute change in a zoning map; the payment for a traffic permit; the payment for the blessing of the Institute of Archaeology and History, official guardian of Mexico’s cultural treasures, and the bribes to Teotihuacan’s mayor for the all-important construction permit. The store opened on schedule, in time for Christmas shopping.
As a direct result of Barstow’s reporting:
• The Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission are investigating Wal-Mart for violations of the federal antibribery law, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
* The Times’s revelations brought a sudden halt to a growing movement to ease up on FCPA enforcement.
* In Mexico, authorities are investigating Wal-Mart, the country’s largest private employer, for possible violations of its anticorruption laws.
• Even before his first piece was published, Barstow shook Wal-Mart into action. Wal-Mart was in a routine worldwide anticorruption audit when it learned that Barstow was on the Mexican case. The company hurriedly notified federal authorities and reopened its own investigation.
• In mid-November 2012, Wal-Mart disclosed in a regulatory filing that it was examining possible violations of the antibribery law in three of its other primary overseas markets — China, India and Brazil.
• Amid shareholder suits and protests, Wal-Mart has radically overhauled its compliance and investigative protocols, and a number of central players in the scandal have left the company.
• Its expansion plans have been compromised in Mexico and the United States, and are likely to be slowed in other overseas markets, too.
• By year’s end, Wal-Mart’s investigation had cost it nearly $100 million.


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Wagsrfm has announced the release of a new soundset for the Saurus 2 virtual analog synthesizer instrument by Tone2 Audiosoftware.
The soundset comes with 150 new sounds.
Demo contains 45 of the 150 presets and was made with no external FX. Just limiting to prevent clipping.
All patches have some form of mod wheel modulation. Some subtle and some not so subtle.
Saurus 2 soundset features
- 22 ARP/SEQ.
- 11 Bass.
- 19 Bells.
- 12 FX.
- 11 Keys.
- 22 Leads.
- 22 Pads.
- 11 Plucked.
- 20 Synths.
The soundset is on sale for $15 USD for the first 20 units sold. The regular price is $29.95 USD.


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Mastercard is working on making crypto investment easier for its users. Recently Mastercard announced that they are partnering with Paxos to help traditional banks to offer Crypto Trading services. Paxos is a New York-based crypto trading platform where it provides trading and custody services on behalf of the banks. Mastercard and Paxos will be responsible for regulatory compliance and security, verifying transactions, providing anti-money laundering and identity monitoring services, etc.
The industry leader in payments will serve as a “bridge” between banks and Paxos, which is already being used by PayPal. The two main reasons banks are willing for avoiding the asset class are regulatory compliance and security, which will be handled by Mastercard’s program. Initially, this project will be launched in US, Israel, and Brazil through pilot programs. The project is named as “crypto course” and will be active in the early days of next year.
The company claimed that it can help the banks in keeping compliance with regulations by adhering to crypto compliance guidelines, confirming transactions, and offering anti-money laundering and identity monitoring services. In the first quarter of 2023, Mastercard will test the product, after which it will “crank the handle” to expand internationally. Lambert declined to disclose the information about which banks have thus far signed up for this.
Mastercard in Crypto Trading
According to the chief digital officer of Mastercard, there is still demand for crypto assets. But almost 60% of respondents said they would prefer to test the waters with their current banks.
According to Jorn Lambert, a chief digital officer of Mastercard, “there are many people out there who are genuinely interested in this and fascinated by crypto but would feel a lot safer if those services were supplied by their financial institutions like banks. He further added
“For some people, it’s still a little scary.”
Although the sector is currently experiencing a bear market or “crypto winter,” Lambert stated that in the future, increased activity may result in more transactions, and that would support Mastercard’s main business.
He further added
“It would be shortsighted to think that a little bit of a crypto winter heralds the end of it — we don’t see that,” he said. “As regulation comes in, there is going to be a higher degree of security available to the crypto platforms and we’ll see a lot of the current issues getting resolved in the quarters in the years to come.”
Mastercard inclining to become a crypto-based platform
Mastercard and Visa are seen showing much interest in crypto in the last few months. Mastercard recently enabled banks and merchants in its network to provide services linked to cryptocurrencies. They also released the crypto secure to deal with crypto frauds. To offer cryptocurrency debit cards in 40 countries as of last week, Visa teamed up with FTX. Visa currently has more than 70 crypto partnerships.
Mastercard is just starting in the Crypto Trading but does be available to do more. The company is planning to hire more than 500 employees to expand its data and service units. They are also planning to launch a consulting practice that will be focused solely on crypto.
Lambert claimed that the industry has not objected to their engagement. Crypto is “on the edge of actually going mainstream,” but to get there, it still needs to work with the established players, he added. He further shared that “Without accepting the financial industry, it is difficult to think that the crypto will reach the mainstream.”
By signing a contract with Bakkt last year, the Purchase, a New York-based startup made it simpler for the banks. To provide Bitcoin incentives on their credit and debit programs. Mastercard is working to get one step ahead of that. Not only that it also started enabling crypto and digital asset-focused startups to enroll in its start path program, which allows budding businesses access to the network’s executives and technology to support their growth.
Crypto products and NFTs are unregulated and can be highly risky. There may be no regulatory recourse for any loss from such transactions. All content provided is for informational purposes only, and shall not be relied upon as financial/investment advice. Opinions shared, if any, are only shared for information and education purposes. Although the best efforts have been made to ensure all information is accurate and up to date. Occasionally unintended errors or misprints may occur. We recommend you to please do your own research or consult an expert before making any investment decision. You may write to us at [email protected].


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Apple is slowly getting smaller. And Jony Ive’s departure — who after 23 years running design at Apple will leave to form LoveFrom, a design firm — helps explain why.
Over six years ago, I argued that promoting him to CEO was the last best hope for restoring Apple’s innovation mojo.
But a June 30 Wall Street Journal article reveals why that never would have worked.
While Ive has great design skills, he sorely lacks the ability to envision and capture large new business opportunities that the late Steve Jobs repeatedly demonstrated after he returned as CEO in 1997.
Obviously Jobs’s appointed successor, Tim Cook, is sorely lacking in that skill as well.
MacDailyNews Take: No.
Even IBM today is not “the next IBM” in the way Cohan intimates.
Apple will be just fine without Jony Ive. They’ve basically been without him for the last few years anyway.


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Amazon shuts down US solar roofs due to flames
Recent fires at Amazon fulfilment centres and other locations caused the e-commerce giant to shut down rooftop solar panels.
"Out of an abundance of caution, after a limited number of isolated occurrences with third-party solar systems,
Amazon proactively switched down its onsite solar installations in North America," an Amazon spokeswoman told Fox Business on Sunday.
Amazon had "critical fire or arc flash occurrences" at six North American locations with solar systems, or 12.7% of all relevant facilities, CNBC reported.
Amazon employee: "Rate of risky occurrences is unacceptable and beyond industry standards"
In June 2021, a warehouse fire in Perryville, Maryland, caused $500,000 in damages. The State Fire Marshall said the cause was "accidental" and included "a solar panel system incident."
Amazon’s Labor Day 2022 sale


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In August, challenger bank Monzo confirmed its two million customers across the UK would be able to take advantage of a feature allowing them to get paid a day early. But how much does it truly change?
creditstrategy.co.uk – an online news and information service for the UK’s commercial and consumer credit industry. creditstrategy.co.uk is published by Shard Financial Media Limited, registered in England & Wales as 5481132, Axe & Bottle Court, 70 Newcomen St, London, SE1 1YT. All rights reserved. Credit Strategy is committed to diversity in the workplace.


text: To commemorate its entry into the short video market, Jio Platforms, which is supported by Reliance, has partnered with the music and pop culture publication Rolling Stone India and the ad firm Creativeland Asia. The short video app Platform will take advantage of the growing creator economy and operate similarly to similar services provided by Facebook, Instagram, and in-house Josh work. By January 2023, the platform for quick videos should be fully functioning. It will also work with famous people like artists, actresses, singers, and other creators to promote the new platform. One study estimates that the market for short-form video apps in India might reach a value of $12 to $19 billion by 2030.


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2027 Honda Element?
The Honda Element was produced between 2002 and 2011. With a total production of around 350 000 units.
It seems its popularity has grown since and once in a while, there have been rumors of a new generation coming out. The original Element was based on the 2nd generation Honda CR-V, which has grown in size since 2002. A new CR-V-based Element would be quite a bit larger. Almost too large for its intended market.
Although there seems to be no official plan for a new Element, we could imagine a new generation based on the next-generation Honda Civic scheduled for 2026. Which, by then, could offer a hybrid powertrain as standard.
The new Honda Prologue is so far the only EV from Honda and is based on GM’s Ultium platform. Honda will have a larger model based on their own platform in 2025.
Last year, Honda also said they are developing “a line of affordable electric compact SUV models” with GM for 2027. It seems a new Element as part of these new models would be a no-brainer.
Let’s hope a new Element is coming out, EV or not…


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Employees of supermarket chain Mariano's, owned by Kroger, can move forward with their collective action over claims they were misclassified under fair labor laws and not paid owed overtime.
Recent News About Klafter Lesser & Olsen View More
Judge: Jimmy John's can't be considered 'joint employer' of asst managers working at franchise shops
A federal judge in Chicago has ordered up a win for Jimmy John’s, saying the sandwich shop chain cannot be considered the joint employer of a group of assistant managers suing in search of overtime pay.
Appeals court: Jimmy John's asst mgrs lawsuit vs corporate parent doesn't bar lawsuits vs franchisees
A federal appeals court in Chicago has ruled a group of assistant managers suing Jimmy John’s over their treatment can proceed with lawsuits against both the parent company and its franchisees, even though a federal district judge had said they had to wait to sue the franchisees until they progressed further in their class action against the sub sandwich chain.


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Netflix Inc. and TiVo Inc. have signed an agreement to let TiVo subscribers access Netflix’s library of movies over broadband Internet connections, the two companies announced Thursday.
The two companies did not provide very many details about the agreement in a press release Thursday. They are working out with movie studios the details of exactly how the movies will be distributed, said Kathryn Kelly, a TiVo spokeswoman.
TiVo subscribers would be able to visit Netflix’s Web site and either stream movies over a broadband connection or download them to their TiVo boxes, Kelly said. The companies are planning to work together on technology that will secure this content, she said.
No time frame for the rollout has been announced, but the service definitely won’t be available this year, Kelly said. The deal is not an exclusive one for either company, she said.
Netflix believes the service will be available in 2005, said Shernaz Devar, a Netflix spokeswoman.
The two companies have very close ties. Until Thursday, TiVo Chief Executive Officer Mike Ramsay sat on the board of directors at Netflix, but he resigned from the board as of Thursday’s announcement to prevent any conflicts of interest, the companies said in the release.
Netflix, based in Los Gatos, California, lets subscribers choose their favorites movies on a Web site and have DVDs mailed to them, which they later return by mail. Subscribers to the company’s basic plan can have as many as three movies at a time and keep them for as long as they like, but they can’t have more than three at any time.
The deal with TiVo will give Netflix an alternative distribution strategy, Devar said. The company believes DVDs will continue to be the dominant medium for movies over the next few years, but the deal with TiVo gives Netflix a start down the road toward the delivery of movies over the Internet, she said.
TiVo has changed the way many people watch television. The Alviso, California, company sells DVRs (digital video recorders) that let users record their favorite television programs onto a hard drive and watch them whenever they like, skipping commercials in the process. The company also provides a service that updates programming schedules and manages the downloads.
Many companies, such as Intel Corp., are working on technology that will let movie studios control how their content is used after it has been downloaded from the Internet. At the Consumer Electronics Show in January, actor Morgan Freeman joined Intel President and Chief Operating Officer Paul Otellini to announce that Freeman’s movie studio, Revelations Entertainment LLC, will release a movie over the Internet in 2005 the same day it is available in theaters.


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Earlier this year The Michael James Jackson Foundation For Brewing and Distilling (MJF) was established as a grant-making organization that funds scholarship awards to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color within the brewing and distilling trades. To assist in the funding of this new charitable organization, Crosby Hops had donated $10,000.
Named to honor the late beer writer, Michael Jackson, the foundation is led by Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery. MJF will soon be accepting applications, grants scholarships for technical education for people of color in the brewing and distilling fields. The charity’s Go Fund Me page has raised over $200K since its inception on July 23, 2020.
“When we first heard about MJF and their mission we were thrilled, and ultimately felt compelled to participate in a meaningful way,” said Blake Crosby, CEO of Crosby Hops, in a statement. “It is a unique chance to be a fellow change maker in our unique industry with a highly credible organization and leader in Garrett Oliver”.
The donation is part of Crosby Hops’ ongoing #GREENFORGOOD campaign that was originally launched in 2019. This campaign focuses on giving back a portion of its profits to social and environmental causes that align with its company core values and ethos.
To learn more about The MJF and to donate CLICK HERE.
D.J. is a Portland, Oregon based writer that spent his formative years in the Midwest. With over 25 years under his belt of drinking beer at festivals across America and the world, he has developed a strong appreciation and understanding of craft beer and the industry that surrounds it. He can be found in any of the great breweries or beer bars that make Portland the best beer city in the world. His writing can also be found in the archives of Northwest Brewing News and can be followed on Twitter and Instagram at @hopapalooza.


text: After 16 years as the owners of McDonald’s in Brady, Jim and Carolyn Stultz are turning in their aprons and leaving the Big Mac’s behind them. Effective May 1, new owners, Hampton and Lynette Conlans, will take over ownership of the business. Also the owners of the McDonald’s in Lampasas, the Conlanses bring with them both experience and a motivation to continue the tradition of hometown friendliness already deep-rooted in the Brady franchise, thanks to the Stultzes. ‘We feel confident we are leaving the restaurant in good hands,’ Mrs. Stultz said. ‘The Conlanses are young and energetic, and we believe they will take good care of our ‘baby.’ Recalling exactly what brought them to Brady in the first place, Mrs. Stultz said, ‘In January of 1991, we didn’t have any idea at all that we would soon be owners of a McDonald’s,’ said Mrs. Stultz. ‘Jim was working for a McDonald’s supervisor who put our names in (without us knowing) with the possibility of taking a store. They worked with us to make it something that we could do. We decided to give it a whirl and it has worked out really, really well for us.’ The Stultzes hadn’t planned to sell the store so soon. Their intent was to put the store on the market in 2009, two years before their lease was to expire in 2011. Figuring that the word of their pending retirement was somewhat ‘leaked’ (or passed around by word- of-mouth) by McDonald’s representatives, Mrs. Stultz added that it was the Conlanses who contacted them and expressed an interested in purchasing the Brady franchise. A couple of years earlier than expected, the Stultzes will soon be settling into retirement. It was April 1, 1991 when the Stultzes opened the doors of McDonald’s in Brady for the first time as the new owners. The original opening of the Brady restaurant took place in October 1989. It was built on the premise that the town would ‘boom’ as the home of the first pari-mutuel horse racing track in the State of Texas, recalled Mrs. Stultz. ‘Everyone in Brady is pretty familiar with what happened regarding horse racing. The store had been taken over by McDonald’s Corporation and was considered ‘iffy,’ at best.’ Despite those odds in the beginning, the Stultzes have transformed the Brady McDonald’s into what it is today, although they admit they can’t take all the credit for the business’s success. Over the years, the Stultzes have watched a lot of young people grow up before their eyes and behind the counter of the Brady McDonald’s. ‘Many of them have sought employment with us,’ Mrs. Stultz said. ‘For some, it did not work out’ not everyone has catsup in their veins’but there are many who worked at McDonald’s all through their years at high school who have gone on to lead very successful lives. We are very proud to have been able to help them along the way. ‘We have made so many friends, and we truly appreciate the support this town has given us. We could have left Brady and become wealthy folk by moving to an area where people had the opportunity to own a number of stores. That was what the McDonald’s people wanted us to do. ‘What we wanted, however, was a place to make a good living, put down roots, raise our grandson, grow a garden, watch the wildlife and be happy. We found all that in McDonald’s and the little corner of McCulloch County where you have a Brady address, a Lohn phone number and your kids are supposed to go to school in Rochelle.’ Eventually, Mrs. Stultz added, the ‘corporate folk’ realized that they were where they wanted to be’ limitations and all’and quit trying to force the issue. As for the couple’s future plans with retirement, they plan to stay right here in Brady’strengthening their roots along the way’and waiting like everyone else for the new Wal- Mart Supercenter!’ added Mrs. Stultz.


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- Taraporevala Aquarium in Mumbai reopensAishwarya Rai\'s returns on Vogue India cover\'Dum Laga Ke Haisha\' will release internationally: AyushmannBollywood very hard to crack for me: Tina DesaiShahrukh Khan thanks Chunky PandeyAmitabh,Akshay,Jacqueline,Sunny Leone at Tulsi Kumar\'s receptionWho has the hottest Satyam Shivam Sundaram look?Unknown facts about hot Shraddha KapoorAir pollution kills millions in ChinaWeight has never been an issue for me: Bhumi Pednekar
A total of 26 football players will play for preliminary qualification round 1 for 2018 FI
Wall Street : BlackBerry, Facebook lead tech stocks down Last Updated : 01 Feb 2013 09:31:23 AM IST Wall Street : BlackBerry, Facebook lead tech stocks down
Facebook and BlackBerry lost ground on Wall Street on Thursday as investors gave a cool reception to earnings at social network Facebook and the launch of a new smartphone platform by the Canadian firm.
Facebook traded down 2.7 per cent at USD 30.40 in late morning trade even after results yesterday which topped most analyst estimates.Research in Motion, which rebranded the company as BlackBerry as it launched its new smartphones, tumbled 6.8 per cent to USD 12.84 after getting a lukewarm response to the news.
Facebook, which highlighted a growing shift to mobile usage, reported a USD 64 million profit in the fourth quarter of last year, while revenue grew 40 per cent to USD 1.585 billion.
But analysts expressed concern about news that Facebook expenses jumped 82 per cent to USD 1.06 billion and will keep rising given the company's plan to hire aggressively and invest heavily in datacenters.
Analysts at Jefferies downgraded Facebook, saying profits may be squeezed."While we are broadly supportive of Facebook's longer-term strategy, the material increase in 2013 spending pressures valuation, making the stock less attractive to own on a near-term basis, in our opinion," said Jefferies analyst Brian Pitz..
But Victor Anthony at Topeka Capital Markets said the dip is a buying opportunity. "We believe Facebook will continue to be one of the primary beneficiaries of the secular ad shift from traditional media to the Internet/mobile," he said.
BlackBerry meanwhile failed to generate buying from its launch of the new platform and devices aimed at competing with Apple's iPhone and others using the Google Android operating system.
"BlackBerry's base is eroding, so time is of the essence and lower-priced devices for emerging markets and a larger screen model must also be in the line-up in order to target a broader audience," said Mark Sue at RBC Capital Markets. "The older demographics represent Blackberry's loyal user base and our study shows that the brand has quite a bit of work to do to attract new users."
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After a long gap, World beauty Aishwarya Rai Bachchan sizzled on the cover of Vogue magaz
- 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha' will release internationally: Ayushmann
- Bollywood very hard to crack for me: Tina Desai
- Shahrukh Khan thanks Chunky Pandey
- Amitabh,Akshay,Jacqueline,Sunny Leone at Tulsi Kumar's reception
- Who has the hottest Satyam Shivam Sundaram look?
- Lady Gaga suffers wardrobe malfunction
- Unknown facts about hot Shraddha Kapoor
- Hit-and-run case: Court turns down prosecution plea
The country's oldest Taraporevala Aquarium in Mumbai reopened on Tuesday, March 3.
Google is releasing a set of tools designed for businesses and employees who want to get w


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Read more on this subject: Economy – Recession-Depression
News Story Source: Zero Hedge – Tyler Durden
While it will probably not come as a surprise to anyone who read our earlier post to "Brace For A Record Decline in GDP", but moments ago Goldman – which last week called the bear market just hours before it officially materialized, and cut its year-end S&P price target to 2,450 which the S&P almost hit late on Thursday – finally capitulated on its optimistic take for the US economy, and in a note published moments ago by its chief economist Jan Hatzius, Goldman said that it expects US economic activity "to contract sharply in the remainder of March and throughout April as virus fears lead consumers and businesses to continue to cut back on spending such as travel, entertainment, and restaurant meals. Emerging supply chain disruptions and the recent tightening in financial conditions will likely add to the growth hit."
As a result, the bank is now expecting Q2 GDP to crater -5%, down from its prior forecast of 0%, and the biggest quarterly GDP contraction
Read More or Make a Comment


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The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) initiated the bidding process for the appointment of a consultant to develop Namibia’s national brand and communication strategy through a request for proposals on Thursday.
The proposal submission deadline is set for 07 September 2023, after which the successful bidder will embark on the extensive process of developing the strategy, which will involve consultations with relevant local stakeholders. The Nation Brand Working Committee aims to unveil Namibia’s nation brand in March 2024.
Senior Manager of Marketing, Branding, and Communication Catherine Shipushu in a press release said given the magnitude of the project, the bidding process is expected to be highly competitive, and they welcome both local and international companies.
“The NIPDB encourages suitably eligible Namibian companies to submit their proposals for this monumental undertaking, which will shape the country’s future trajectory,” she said.
Shipushu also said to kick-start the process, the Nation Brand Working Committee, chaired by the Deputy Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Emma Theofelus, resolved to appoint an independent consultant to develop the nation brand strategy for Namibia, with the ultimate objective to enhance the country’s global presence.
“Namibia must forge a national identity that not only strategically differentiates her, but does so in a manner that is credible and relevant. Building a nation's brand is no longer an option or a luxury, but a strategic imperative for Namibia’s sustainable economic growth,” she said.
She went on to say that the long-term strategic vision is to position Namibia as a place to live, visit, and invest in, therefore, developing a sustainable and credible national brand will strengthen the value proposition and economic incentive for potential investors and tourists to choose Namibia as their preferred investment and travel destinations, respectively.
With the exception of national symbols such as the flag or the coat of arms, Namibia does not have a universally recognisable brand and brand strategy, she concluded.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency


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Fresh Looks, New Tech, and Electrification Spearhead the Many Changes of the 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan
It’s been almost four years since Volkswagen launched the second-generation Tiguan, and the crossover was just unveiled with a mid-cycle facelift. The Tiguan was mildly revised inside and out, but there’s big news in the form of a plug-in hybrid model, a performance-oriented R version, and a new AWD system with selective wheel torque control. Let’s find out more about all of that below.
2020 Nissan Sentra - Driven
The last two generations of Nissan Sentra have followed a simple formula: a spacious interior, a smooth ride, great gas mileage, and low prices. For plenty of compact-sedan buyers, that’s a winning formula. But it came at the expense of driving pleasure — to the extreme. Last year’s Nissan Sentra wasn’t merely dull, but downright awful if you try to get some grins. Its wheezy 124-horsepower engine struggled under all but the gentlest acceleration, and its handling betrayed an alarming lack of composure for a modern small car. And while its upright styling could be considered elegant from some angles, it just looked tall and narrow from others.
For the 2020 model year, Nissan has worked to reinvent the Sentra. A striking new body sits atop a more sophisticated suspension and wraps around a more potent engine and a fancier interior. All the while, Nissan has kept prices in check and even improved the Sentra’s gas mileage.
Do the changes turn the Sentra into a class leader? Not exactly. Even after this year’s improvements, you can still find quicker, sharper-handling, more luxuriously-finished small sedans. And if you loved the old Sentra because you could get a huge backseat and trunk at a fire-sale price, the new model will feel like a step backward.
By becoming more similar to competitors like the latest Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra, and Kia Forte, the 2020 Sentra loses the old model’s standout spaciousness and value — but it brings fresh advantages to the table all while keeping costs in check.
2021 Kia Seltos - Driven
The subcompact crossover class has so much potential. Best-selling “compact” models like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, and Chevrolet Equinox have gotten fantastically spacious, refined — and expensive. A modern CR-V or RAV4 is just as big, fancy, and costly as midsize models used to be. For lots of people, they’re still a great deal: for as little as $25,000, you get ample space for four or even five adults and their stuff, all the latest advanced safety features, a fully featured touchscreen infotainment system, and great gas mileage. But lots of people don’t need or even want something this big, or at least aren’t eager to pay for it. So most automakers now offer a subcompact model that’s smaller and less expensive than their compact.
What’s puzzling, though, is how flawed most of these subcompact crossovers have proven to be. Many of them are polarizing styling statements, sometimes with looks that compromise their utility even more than their scaled-down dimensions do. A surprising number of them offer no all-wheel-drive. Some suffer from execution flaws like underpowered yet inefficient engines, compromised interior layouts, or clumsy driving dynamics. Each model that gets a lot right has also had at least one serious flaw — whether it’s the fun-to-drive but cramped Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-3 and CX-30; the spacious but slow, noisy Honda HR-V; the pleasant but overpriced Nissan Rogue Sport; the off-road-ready, on-road-jerky Jeep Renegade and Subaru Crosstrek; or a host of other would-be contenders. That’s to say nothing of the ones that, well, don’t get a lot right. Why, oh why, couldn’t someone just take everything that people love about a compact crossover and simply make it a little smaller and less expensive?
At long last, that call has been answered. The all-new 2021 Kia Seltos is a mechanical cousin to the Hyundai Kona, but it’s taller and longer. And that’s just what was needed to address the Kona’s lower, more car-like seating position and its tight rear seating. This makes the Seltos the first truly well-rounded subcompact crossover, delivering all-around competence with no disastrous downsides. It’s handsome, functional, fun to drive, fuel-efficient, and affordable. While no car is perfect — certain buyers will gravitate toward the specific advantages of some Seltos competitors — this is the only subcompact crossover that has something for just about everyone.
2021 Subaru Crosstrek
The Subaru Crosstrek is one of the most underrated crossovers available in the market today. It is one of the best-selling Subarus in the States, but not the breadwinner for the Japanese automaker. The crossover has been lauded for its excellent overall value for money, hatch-like driving experience, and versatility. It is essentially an Impreza with an off-road bias.
The company introduced the second-gen of the crossover in 2018, and for the 2021 model, Subaru has refreshed the car. It comes with a few aesthetic changes, a new mill under the hood, and a new trim. Will this help boost the Crosstrek’s sales?
Top 10 Best Cars for New Drivers
It goes without saying that buying your first car is a big deal. It’s one thing to just go and buy one car that suits your fancy; it’s another thing entirely to buy one that does more than that.
There are a lot of things to consider when buying your first car. Does the car suit your taste? Does it have a spacious interior? Is it fuel efficient? How well does it ride? Is it fast? Is it powerful? While you’re not obligated to answer all these questions, you need to find the ones that you want answers to. That’s going to shape your decision-making process. Of course, the ultimate question still has to be answered: how much does it cost? Get an idea on what you can and can’t buy, and you’re on your way to taking that next big step in your life.
How Does the 2021 Toyota Venza Compare to the Competition?
The Venza nameplate has made a return to Toyota’s stable after a five-year hiatus. The new Venza is a two-row SUV that slots between the RAV4 and the Highlander in the company’s lineup. This SUV is essentially a rebadged Harrier that’s sold in the Japanese market. To make it stand out from the competition and offer a fuel-efficient SUV to the customers, the Venza will be offered as a hybrid-only SUV.
But, is this enough to waive off the competition in the thickly stacked segment where almost every automaker has a presence? Here’s how the Venza stands when pit against the Ford Edge, Chevy Blazer, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento, Honda Passport, and the Nissan Murano.
The 2021 Suzuki Jimny (Maruti Gypsy) Could Be a Mini Hummer
The Indian market has been craving the Jimny for a very long time. Despite holding a 50-percent market share with Maruti in India, Suzuki has shied away from offering the car to one of the fastest-growing automotive markets today. Instead, the company sells an off-roader called Gypsy which is essentially a rebadged Jimny/Samurai from the 80s. This, too, is built only on special orders for the Indian Army and cannot be purchased by civilians.
Rumors of the Jimny making its debut in India has been doing rounds for a very long time, but now it looks like there is some information on it. The 2021 Jimny is expected to be launched with the ‘Gypsy’ badge and could have a Mini-Hummer look. The motive behind this is to match its direct competitor – the Mahindra Thar – in terms of shape and size. But, can you fathom an XL-sized Jimny?
10 Surprising Facts About the Suzuki Samurai
The Suzuki Samurai reached our shores in 1985 but lived a very short life before the sales hit rock bottom. However, that was enough for enthusiasts and purists to realize that this little off-roader will be remembered for ages to come by. The Samurai was cheap and affordable, and its compact size made it stand out from the horde of other big, bulky, off-road SUVs and trucks.
Over the years, people have realized that the Samurai can go places that even the more accomplished off-roaders can’t. Currently sold as the Jimny worldwide, Suzuki has sold almost three million copies to date since its inception in 1970. Although the Samurai was quite famous in the States, there are a few things that not many people know about. So, here’s a list of 10 surprising facts about the Suzuki Samurai.
Comparing the Smallest Crossovers: 2020 Hyundai Venue vs. 2020 Kia Soul vs. 2020 Nissan Kicks
Ever since Subaru lifted the Legacy’s suspension, slapped on some body cladding, and called it the Outback, it’s been harder and harder to draw a firm line between ’regular’ cars and SUVs. And we recently drove three vehicles that are right in that blurry area. Their manufacturers call them crossovers, and they’re tall and plastic-clad. But they’re tiny and come only with front-wheel-drive.
Whatever you call them, the all-new 2020 Hyundai Venue, the freshly-redesigned 2020 Kia Soul, and the 2020 Nissan Kicks are a lot of vehicle for the money. They all start below $20,000, all get at least 30 mpg, and all have higher seating positions and more cargo room than a sedan. They slot under their brands’ crossovers that already wear the pint-sized label of subcompact — the Hyundai Kona, Kia Seltos, and Nissan Rogue Sport — to provide an even lower price and even more city-friendly parking abilities.
2019 - 2020 KTM 790 Adventure / 790 Adventure R
KTM hit 2019 with a new platform for adventure fans: the 790 Adventure and 790 Adventure R. The factory credits its own customer base with the design of this new adventuresome duo, as they’re both based on direct feedback from same. As a result, they come off the showroom floor with a definite head start in the comfort and rideability departments.
2019 - 2020 KTM 690 SMC R
KTM souped up its SuperMoto-tastic 690 SMC R for a 2019 return with more of everything that made its predecessor a success. That’s right, a new powerplant drives KTM’s newest version of its popular jackass bike, and it comes with new control and ride-quality electronics that helps you safely get the most out of the machine. Whether you’re into drifting around turns or trick-riding shenanigans, this hooligan bike has something to offer.
This Rendering Of A Hyundai Pickup Truck Looks Ready To Take On The Likes Of Ford Ranger
Hyundai has been away from the pickup truck market and there is no logical reason for it. However, the company unveiled a pickup truck concept called Santa Cruz in 2015 and it finally looked like the automaker has realized what it’s losing out on. People would’ve expected Hyundai to launch a full-fledged, hardcore truck to leave a strong impression, but the Santa Cruz is a unibody pickup truck, which means that the automaker is offering a jack-of-all-master-of-none kind of a truck. However, a rendering artist named Enoch Gabriel Gonzales has envisioned a truck which he calls Tarlac, and it falls in line with the company’s design philosophy. Looks neat, huh?
The 2021 Nissan Frontier Could Get A Lot More Expensive
The Nissan Frontier is known for its rock-like build and reliability. The truck is over a decade old, but Nissan hasn’t really given it any new clothes or makeup over the years. However, the 2021 model is expected to bring about a lot of changes. Generally, such changes rarely command a significant price increase, and that seems to be the case with the Frontier.
According to a report from CarsDirect, the Nissan Frontier’s starting price will be increased by over $7,500! The 2019 Nissan Frontier starts at $18,636, but the 2021 model is expected to come with a starting price tag of $26,280. That’s an increase of almost 45-percent! But, why? Is it going to come with gold screws and bolts?
The Ford F-150 PHEV Will Have Enough Electric Range to Get You Down the Driveway
Since the electric F-150 is still some time away, the focus has been on the plug-in hybrid version of the truck lately. What made this news even interesting was that the hybrid version would be based on the 3.5-liter, V-6 EcoBoost engine. Basically, a lot of hopes were pinned on this hybrid mill considering it would serve as a bridge between the internal combustion engine range to a pure electric truck and would give us an idea of what to expect.
Well, as it turns out, Ford just pulled one over on us. According to Car And Driver, the PHEV F-150 will run only 10 miles on electric electric before switching back to gas. So much for all the buzz surrounding the mill.


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Carrefour has several projects running in France, all to do with urban agriculture. One such experiment is to grow fruit and vegetables on the roof of its main office in Massy.
200 sqm of the main office’s roof are currently being used to grow fruit and vegetables thanks to an aeroponics system. This helps spray water with nutrients over the plants, but these do not need to be put into the ground to grow. Everything from the roof goes to the office’s employees, while the remaining produce is shipped to a local Carrefour Market.
At another location, in Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois, Carrefour is growing vegetables and fruit on a very small area and it will also add a garden to a new Carrefour Market on the Boulevard de Charonne (Paris) in 2018. Agripolis is Carrefour’s partner in all three projects. This is not the only garden that Carrefour will cultivate, because it is working on a 6,000 sqm garden in Mérignac, close to one of its hypermarkets.
Villiers-en-Bière also has a 1,200 sqm garden, but this one is mainly for educational purposes, which is why it is a collaboration with the agriculture – horticulture students of Bougainville de Brie-Comte-Robert school.


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Wyndham Hotels and Resorts has agreed to settle the FTC’s charges that its corporate data security practices were deficient under the unfairness prong of Section 5 of the FTC Act. Assuming the district court approves the proposed stipulated consent order, this concludes the litigation between Wyndham and the FTC. Under the terms of the twenty-year
Third Circuit Upholds FTC’s Data Security Authority in FTC v. Wyndham
The Third Circuit released its decision in FTC v. Wyndham Worldwide Corp. earlier today, affirming the district court’s decision that the FTC has the authority to regulate companies’ data security practices under the “unfair practices” prong of Section 5 of the FTC Act. The highly anticipated precedential opinion dismissed Wyndham’s arguments that the FTC lacks the authority to regulate cybersecurity practices, finding instead that neither Congressional legislation nor the FTC’s prior statements contradicted the FTC’s attempts to assert its cybersecurity powers. The court also held that Wyndham received fair notice of the potential application of the unfairness standard under Section 5 to data security practices, rejecting Wyndham’s argument that it should receive notice of which specific cybersecurity practices are required to satisfy the Section 5 standard. Finally, the court held that the FTC sufficiently alleged a “substantial injury” to consumers, as required under Section 5’s unfairness prong. An analysis of the highlights of the Third Circuit’s opinion is available after the jump.
Continue Reading Third Circuit Upholds FTC’s Data Security Authority in FTC v. Wyndham
FTC and Wyndham Present Arguments on Whether FTC has Declared Unreasonable Cybersecurity Practices Unfair
On Friday, March 27, 2015, the Federal Trade Commission and Wyndham Worldwide Corp. filed supplemental briefing in the Third Circuit regarding whether the FTC had made an adjudicative decision that the FTC Act prohibits unreasonable cybersecurity practices and, if not, whether a federal court could hear a case charging a violation of the FTC Act…
Wyndham Oral Argument: Third Circuit Expresses Doubt About FTC’s Data Security Authority
Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit heard oral arguments in FTC v. Wyndham Worldwide Corp. The court focused on several themes: First, whether Congress has entrusted the FTC to define new unfair practices, whether the FTC has declared that unreasonable cybersecurity practices are unfair, and whether the FTC is asking the Third Circuit to declare that unreasonable cybersecurity practices are unfair in the first instance; second, the existence and enforcement of cybersecurity standards; and finally, what is proper jurisdiction under FTC Act Section 13(b).
Eugene Assaf argued for Wyndham Worldwide Corp., and Joel Marcus argued for the FTC. The judges on the panel are Thomas L. Ambro, Jane R. Roth and Anthony J. Scirica.…
Continue Reading Wyndham Oral Argument: Third Circuit Expresses Doubt About FTC’s Data Security Authority
Wyndham: Third Circuit Requests Briefing on Whether FTC Declared Unreasonable Cybersecurity Practices Are ‘Unfair’
On February 20, the Third Circuit sent a letter to counsel in FTC v. Wyndham Worldwide Corp., identifying at least one topic that will be addressed in the upcoming oral argument regarding the parties’ dispute over whether the FTC has the authority to regulate companies’ data security practices: whether unreasonable cybersecurity practices are “unfair.”…
Top 10 U.S. Privacy Developments of 2014
By Meena Harris and Caleb Skeath
- Data Breaches
- Studies show increase. Amidst a flurry of high-profile breaches during 2014, several studies confirmed that data breaches as a whole have risen significantly over the past few years. The California Attorney General released a study showing a 28% increase in breaches in 2013 as compared to 2012. Another study, which examined the volume of data breaches during the first quarter of 2014, found an increase of 233% compared to the same time period in 2013.
- State laws. In April, Kentucky became the 47th state to enact a data breach notification law. Florida and Iowa each amended their data breach notification laws in 2014 to, among other changes, enhance regulator notification requirements. California amended its data breach notice law to expand the types of information covered and to require certain companies to provide one year of free credit monitoring to affected individuals (although the statutory language on the latter point is subject to multiple interpretations).
- Federal legislation. Numerous data breach bills, including the Data Security Breach Notification Act of 2014 and the Personal Data Protection and Breach Accountability Act, were introduced in Congress, although none passed during 2014. The Senate Judiciary Committee, the Senate Commerce Committee, and the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade, among others, held hearings during 2014 to discuss the need to address data breaches and the possibility of enacting federal legislation.
- Federal enforcement. In the enforcement arena, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), and state attorneys general pursued enforcement action during 2014 against companies that had suffered data breaches. The Securities and Exchange Commission also announced in April that it would conduct over 50 cybersecurity examinations of publicly traded companies. The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”), for its part, levied a $10 million fine in October against two telecommunications carriers for exposing customer data, which represented the FCC’s first enforcement action in the wake of a data breach.
- Continued attention in 2015. Legislative interest in data breach issues has only increased in early 2015. Since President Obama proposed national data breach legislation, additional data breach notification bills have been introduced in the House and Senate. The House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade also held a hearing on crafting a national data breach bill, debating the harm that should trigger notification obligations and the appropriate window for providing notifications.
FTC and Wyndham to Mediate Dispute Over FTC Data-Security Authority
Earlier this week, U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas directed the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts to seek mediation to resolve their landmark dispute over whether the FTC has the authority to regulate companies’ data-security practices. As we’ve previously reported, the FTC alleged that Wyndham violated Section 5 of the…
Breaking Down the Court’s Decision in FTC v. Wyndham Worldwide Corp.
Last week, a federal judge in the District of New Jersey denied Wyndham Hotels and Resorts’ motion to dismiss the FTC’s complaint alleging Wyndham violated the FTC Act by failing to provide reasonable security for its customers’ personal information. This Covington E-Alert provides a detailed look at the parties’ arguments and the court’s holdings in…
Judge Denies Wyndham’s Motion to Dismiss, Allowing FTC’s Case to Proceed
Earlier today, in a long-awaited decision, Judge Salas of the District of New Jersey denied Wyndham Hotels and Resorts’ motion to dismiss a Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) lawsuit alleging Wyndham violated Section 5 of the FTC Act by failing to provide “reasonable” security for the personal information of its customers. The case has been closely…
FTC Announces Settlements with Two Mobile App Providers
Today, the Federal Trade Commission announced settlements with two mobile app makers that allegedly failed to provide reasonable security for the personal information collected in connection with their apps. In complaints against Credit Karma, Inc. and Fandango LLC, the FTC alleged that both companies’ apps failed to validate SSL certificates, a security shortcoming that could have allowed an attacker to connect to the app—and collect unencrypted sensitive information—by presenting an invalid certificate. (This type of attack is sometimes called a “man-in-the-middle attack.”) Both respondents agreed to 20-year consent orders requiring, among other things, that they establish comprehensive information security programs.
These cases are important for a number of reasons: they reinforce past FTC guidance on the importance of performing security reviews and testing, overseeing service providers, and providing channels whereby security researchers can report vulnerabilities. But what might be most notable is that in neither case does the FTC specifically allege that the respondent’s practices were “unfair” within the meaning of the Section 5 of the FTC Act. Instead, both cases appear predicated upon the FTC’s authority to take actions against companies engaged in “deceptive” practices.…
Continue Reading FTC Announces Settlements with Two Mobile App Providers


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In today’s interconnected world, where news and information spread rapidly, even the most reputable brands can find themselves facing a crisis that threatens their reputation and business. A brand crisis is an unfortunate reality that organizations must be prepared to address. In this article, we will explore the nature of brand crises, their potential impact, and discuss strategies for effective damage control to help companies regain trust and restore their brand’s integrity.
Understanding Brand Crises
A brand crisis can be triggered by various factors such as product recalls, data breaches, public scandals involving key personnel, negative social media campaigns, or even unforeseen events that tarnish the brand’s image. These incidents can lead to a loss of consumer confidence, damage to brand equity, and a decline in sales. However, it is crucial to understand that a crisis doesn’t have to be the end of the road for a brand; it can also present an opportunity for growth and recovery.
Immediate Response and Transparency
When a crisis occurs, a swift and transparent response is essential. The first step is to acknowledge the situation and take responsibility for any wrongdoing or mistakes made. Brands must communicate openly with their stakeholders, including customers, employees, and shareholders. Transparency builds trust and shows a commitment to resolving the issue at hand.
Communication and Crisis Management
Effective communication during a brand crisis is paramount. Companies should have a well-prepared crisis communication plan in place, outlining key messages, designated spokespersons, and communication channels. It is crucial to provide timely updates, accurate information, and address concerns promptly. Social media can play a significant role in crisis management, allowing brands to directly engage with their audience and address their queries and concerns.
Authenticity and Empathy
During a brand crisis, authenticity and empathy are crucial. Brands need to demonstrate genuine concern for those affected by the crisis and take appropriate actions to rectify the situation. It is important to show empathy towards customers, employees, and other stakeholders who may have been impacted. By doing so, brands can foster goodwill and rebuild trust in the face of adversity.
Rebuilding Trust and Reestablishing Brand Identity
After the initial crisis response, the focus shifts to rebuilding trust and reestablishing the brand’s identity. This involves taking concrete steps to address the root cause of the crisis and implementing measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Brands may need to revise internal processes, enhance quality control, or reinforce ethical standards. Additionally, engaging in corporate social responsibility initiatives can help demonstrate the brand’s commitment to positive change.
Learning from the Crisis
A brand crisis can serve as a valuable learning experience. It is essential for organizations to conduct a post-crisis analysis and evaluate what went wrong, what actions were effective, and how they can improve crisis management strategies. By learning from the crisis, brands can become more resilient, better prepared, and proactive in addressing potential challenges in the future.
While a brand crisis can be daunting, it is not an insurmountable obstacle. By responding swiftly, communicating transparently, and demonstrating authenticity and empathy, brands can navigate through difficult times and emerge stronger. Rebuilding trust and reestablishing brand identity require a commitment to learning from the crisis and implementing necessary changes. With a well-executed crisis management plan and a focus on long-term reputation management, brands can overcome a crisis and regain their position of trust and credibility in the eyes of their stakeholders.


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After a special Town Council meeting on Thursday, July 26, and public hearing, the Town of Warsaw is moving forward with the purchase of property; a little blue building, at 549 Main Street. The council members in attendance agreed the purchase was a good idea, the price of which is at this time is set at $117,500.
The funds for the purchase of this property, according to Warsaw Town Manager Joseph Quesenberry, come entirely from the sale of what was Warsaw Manor. “It’s a good spot,” he said. “It serves the purpose we are looking for, and this opens up the transmission shop to the private sector.” The transmission shop sits in front of the park and is currently owned by the town. Warsaw will hold a public hearing on the idea of selling or renting the transmission shop to a private entity at their August 9 meeting at 7 p.m.
For the full article pick up a copy of this weeks Northern Neck Newspaper 8/1/18