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And finally, that cliff edge that Japanese trade fell off a few months ago appears to be steeper than ever.
February saw yet another record drop in Japan’s exports and imports. Exports in the month were just half the level seen a year earlier, or to be more precise crashed 49.4 per cent, while imports were down 43 per cent.
Strangely, though, economists are growing more sanguine over the prospects of the economy of the Rising Sun. That provides an interesting lesson on why recessions can be important for promoting wealth in the long term.
Much hope is pinned on China’s fiscal stimulus, with analysts hoping Japan will see a resulting pick up in exports to its big neighbour.
Perhaps more significantly, however, Japan’s exports exceeded imports for the first time in five months. Japan is back in surplus.
According to The Times: “Japanese companies, once seen as making corporate decisions at tortoise speed, have responded to collapsing international markets with a ferocity and decisiveness that few thought possible.”
The truth is, after experiencing nigh on 20 years of appalling economic performance, Japan’s industry has become more dynamic.
In short, Japan has come out of her economic wilderness with a more robust and adaptable economy.
It was a painful process. But that is why recession can bring good.
No one wants to see the rest of the world go through 20 years of economic misery. But to assume capitalism is collapsing, and that we have proof it doesn’t work after it slips into recession after years of extraordinary growth, is a tad absurd.
© Investment & Business News 2013


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It is clear that the connection between Marvel and Netflix has deteriorated during the last yr or so. Though Netflix is notoriously shy of showing viewing figures, third-party analytics have prompt that audiences are tuning out of these shows. What’s extra, it is believed the cancellation of Luke Cage was because of main inventive variations between the companions; there have been experiences of “behind-the-scenes turmoil” that even led Netflix to name for a change in that sequence’s inventive regime. The cancellation of Daredevil is symbolic, suggesting that the age of Marvel Netflix is drawing to a detailed.
There are nonetheless two Marvel Netflix reveals that have not been canceled but, although; Jessica Jones and The Punisher. At this stage, it is secure to say that it is solely a matter of time earlier than Netflix shut these final two sequence down as nicely, however for now they’re holding off. There is a easy sufficient cause; manufacturing has already been accomplished on The Punisher season 2, and Jessica Jones season three is presently being filmed. Netflix has already invested cash in each reveals, that are anticipated to drop in 2019. Presumably The Punisher can be launched early within the yr, with Jessica Jones in the direction of the center or finish. Given Daredevil was identified to be one of many stronger-performing manufacturers from the Marvel Netflix slate, it is secure to imagine that these would be the closing seasons of their respective sequence.
Trying past 2019, what does the longer term have in retailer for Daredevil, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, and The Punisher? It is uncertain that these reveals would transition simply to the Disney Plus streaming service, given they’re hardly PG-13 in tone and magnificence. What’s extra, after they canceled Daredevil, Netflix took the time to remind everybody that they completely personal the distribution rights to each season up to now. “The three current seasons will stay on the service for years to come back,” the streaming big identified. That stated, there’s nothing to cease Marvel making an attempt to promote seasons to a different community, they usually might even be well-suited to Hulu, which Disney reportedly plan to stream extra mature content material on going ahead.
All that is unhappy information for Marvel Netflix followers, however at the least there are nonetheless two extra seasons to sit up for subsequent yr.

domain: news


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A new study has found that people would far prefer to look at a “dad body” – that’s a bloke, often middle-aged, with a paunch and some belly fat – than toned a six-pack so often favoured by media and the advertising industry.
The online survey was done by UK singles site Dating.com and included some 2000 respondents.
Of those, some 75 per cent said they preferred a male physique that was softer and rounder over the chiselled and toned one that is typically seen on the cover of men’s fitness magazines.
According to the research, male users of Dating.com were increasingly proud of their “dad bods”, with 45 per cent admitting they used the #dadbod in their bios as a way of showing off their physique.
In contrast to the proud and paunchy, only 15 per cent of respondents said they preferred the “Barbie or Ken” look in their prospective partners.
However, 70 per cent of people surveyed admitted they had been hitting the gym to improve their appearance for the pending UK summer.
Maria Sullivan, dating expert and vice president of Dating.com, said the research proved that media, filmmakers and advertisers may have it wrong when it comes to the most appealing way to present men.
“Very fit and in shape bodies are seen as ideal when it comes to attracting a partner, however the users ofjust proved that isn’t always the case when it comes to real-life romances,” Sullivan said.
“Movies and TV shows tend to promote Barbie and Ken body types, giving people the idea that they need to look similar in order to find their match.
“We’re happy to be able to confirm that is not how the real world actually operates. No matter your body type, your soul mate is out there and Dating.com is dedicated to helping you find them,” she said.
Allied Global Marketing (Allied), a full-service integrated marketing agency working with entertainment, consumer and lifestyle brands, has announced the appointment of seasoned executive Nicola Gold as business director APAC, brand experience, effective immediately. Gold assumes a pivotal role in building the Brand Experience offering as part of Allied’s strategy to develop a truly integrated full-service […]
Patrick Radden Keefe (pictured), author of global bestseller, Empire of Pain, talked to B&T‘s Nancy Hromin at the Samsung Jaipur Literary Festival about reputation laundering, aggressive marketing strategies and the privilege of still being able to practice pure journalism and be paid for it. Keefe’s in-depth reporting in publications such as The New Yorker and […]


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China is the world's second largest consumer of corn and demand continues to increase. It is also the world's second largest producer of corn behind the U.S., which may be surprising for a country whose main staple is rice.
Indeed, most corn in China isn't consumed by humans at all—75 percent of its corn consumption is used for animal feed. Corn consumption has grown consistently, rising nearly 3 percent each year for the past decade.
The country's corn imports will reach a record 5 million metric tons by the end of 2011, which is more than double the 2010 level of 2 million tons, according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization. That surge in demand has helped push corn prices on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange up 17 percent this year alone.
The underlying demand for grain-fed meat is being driven by rising wealth, which in turn is increasing meat consumption. Wealthier Chinese consumers are also demanding better quality meats. Rather than importing grain-fed meat, the government is encouraging farmers to adopt organic practices of feeding corn and soybeans to hogs and cows.


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Great article by Maureen Meehan – she wrote in High Times Magazine the following ……
Summarizing what Maureen had to say is that in a survey of over 150,000 members, with 55% of users are women while the men preferred the THC tinctures, that a growing number of patients are finding more relief from CBD products than traditional Pharma meds!! Read the entire article here
More and more people are finding relief from pain, anxiety, stress, memory, depression and cancers etc from CBD – Keep spreading the word people – It’s growing in popularity and the most important point is that it is working!! I love plants!!
Baja Hemp Co #naturallyhealing
Meagan & Roxanne


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The Louis Vuitton show always enjoys the prized spot at the very end of fashion month. And just like every season, the French luxury label showcased an exciting presentation this time as well, which took place last evening. Here's a look back at some of the highlights from the show.
Nothing adds to the ambience of a show like the venue itself. The Louis Vuitton showcase was held at the Cour Carrée, one of the main courtyards at the Louvre Palace in Paris. No doubt those who attended had plenty of opportunities for a photo-op.


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Mumbai-based Avenue Graphics is western India’s leading player offering complete solutions for brand communication, merchandising displays such as POP and POS, indoor and outdoor printing, signage, product development, business gifting and various other solutions. This year the company plans to further add to its technological capabilities after its last round of investment a couple of years ago.
“This year we will be adding at least two to three more high technology printers. We are focusing on UV and Latex technologies and by May this year, our management will deliberate on the brands and models to opt for. We need to figure out what technology will fit us and the team with which our team would be most comfortable,” says Ashwin Maheshwari of Avenue Graphics. A couple of years ago, Avenue made a heavy investment in EFI VUTEk GS 3250 Pro, a printer designed to deliver high-quality graphics for specialty applications. The 3.2 m EFI VUTEk GS 3250 is a flatbed and rollto-roll UV printer with 8-color, white, Fast-5, roll-to-roll, rigid substrate and dual roll capabilities. It also offers advanced three-layer capabilities for high impact POS graphics.
Currently, in addition to the EFI VUTEk GS 3250 Pro, Avenue Graphics has two HP Latex printers as well Epson eco-solvent printers.
Challenges in the signage industry
Avenue Graphics may be a technologically savvy company which keeps up with the developments in the industry but, according to Maheshwari, the Indian signage industry is facing many challenges. The top most one is that a large chunk of service providers indulges in mindless imitation when it comes to technology. “Ideally, printers should carve out their own niche and space. Unfortunately, in our industry that is not the case. If one successful printer adopts a technology, others mindlessly follow thinking they too will be successful. This only messes up the market in terms of price and services,” he argues. Other pressing issues that the industry is facing are that of widespread usage of thirdparty inks, low quality printers and poor quality of substrates.
Maheshwari prescribes that these challenges can be tackled by greater cooperation in the industry, of both printers and manufacturers. “These problems need to be gradually phased out for the greater health of the industry.”


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BioWare’s Casey Hudson Talks About Anthem’s Rough Launch and the Road Ahead
After a month's worth of issues with Anthem, BioWare's GM has penned a new blog post talking about the future of the game.
It has been a rough past month for the team at BioWare since launching the studio’s latest title Anthem. Amidst an underwhelming response from critics and a variety of bugs and other issues that have continued to plague the title, Anthem has struggled to find its footing.
Despite everything though, BioWare’s General Manager Casey Hudson says that the studio remains committed to the game long term. In a new blog post on BioWare’s website today, Hudson acknowledged that it has been a rough few weeks since release. “On the one hand it’s been a rougher launch than expected. But then as I think back we also knew that big new online games tend to hit some kind of problem once they go live, so as much as we tested and prepared to make sure everything was ready, we were also ready for the possibility that unexpected issues might arise at launch,” Hudson wrote.
He went on to say that it was very upsetting for him to see how many issues players were running into with Anthem since it launched. In the midst of all of this though, Hudson says they continue to gather feedback and push out new fixes for the game as often as possible. “We also continue to listen to your feedback, with more improvements to endgame loot and progression, game flow, and stability and performance coming soon – so there’s a lot more work that we intend to do.”
Even in the midst of overwhelming criticism, Hudson also says the team at BioWare remains committed to Anthem for the long haul. “We hear the criticisms and doubts. But we’ll keep going anyway, working hard every day on Anthem – an ever-changing world, constantly improving and growing, and supported well into the future by our team of passionate developers.” Hudson ended the post by saying, “So what’s most important to us is you, the players who have supported us in this journey. And we’re excited to prove that with Anthem, the best is yet to come.”
Even though there have been many problems with Anthem since arriving, I’m really hoping that BioWare can improve Anthem greatly and make it an experience that is far more enjoyable down the road.
Currently, Anthem is available on Xbox One, PS4, and PC.


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Love is female employees' most hated pet name, a survey has revealed.
It is followed by Darlin', Babe, Mate and Hun.
Three quarters of female workers quizzed thought that the use of such terms of endearment in the office was unacceptable.
And one in four of the 3,000 polled said being called the names angered them.
The pet names were most likely to be used in face-toface conversations, Market research site www.onepoll.com discovered.
One in 10 got called them over the phone and 450 of those surveyed in an email.
Onepoll.com said: "Guys might think they are being affectionate by calling someone babe or love but it seems women find them patronising and demeaning."


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Another year, another season of Formula 1. Like it has for a while now, the opening race is to take place this weekend around Albert Park in Melbourne. A... (read more)
The AMG GT range is soon to have a new flagship, one that’s even more powerful and focused than the GT R. Called the Black, it will r... (read more)
Like a CLS but not.
Among the more hotly-anticipated reveals at the Geneva motor show has finally… uh… happened, and the Swiss venue... (read more)
It might not be the flashiest new car to emerge from Mercedes-AMG, but it’ll definitely have more of an impact on sales just by virtue of it being the mo... (read more)
AMG teases, but the internet produces.
Mercedes-AMG has released perhaps the most revealingteaserof the new 4-door AMG GT, which is ... (read more)
Still, no new information to be gleaned.
Mercedes-AMG has, again, released another handful of photos teasing its new four-door Porsc... (read more)
Now we know that it knows what a wind tunnel is.
Mercedes-AMG is clearly excited about its new GT saloon, the latest and most practi... (read more)
The all-new ultimate tool for showing off.
Affalterbach’s prodigal automotive nutters, Mercedes-AMG, have pulled the tarpaulin off i... (read more)


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Sci-Fi Action RPG ‘Everreach: Project Eden’ Release Window Revealed for PS4, Xbox One, and PC
After three years in development, Elder Games‘ sci-fi action RPG Everreach: Project Eden will release on Xbox One and PC-via Steam, while the PlayStation 4 version will follow “a bit later this year” — publisher Headup Games announced today.
In Everreach: Project Eden, players will take on the role of Nora Harwood, a member of Everreach’s Security Division, who’s on a mission to secure the colonization process of the planet of Eden and investigate mysterious incidents. To do this, players are going to need to explore a vast alien world and go deeper into the planet’s depths to uncover several ancient secrets.
Exploration isn’t going to be so easy, however, as enemies will want to stop you in your tracks, so players should expect to engage in tactical ground combat, along with high-speed vehicular warfare to survive. Also, thanks to the game’s in-depth level and skill system, there are going to be many ways to be prepared for any battle in Everreach.
As far as the development team goes, Elder Games actually used to be a one-man studio, which was just developer, Ede Tarsoly. However, Ede decided to think big, and he ended up turning his former one-man studio into a team of five people, plus over a dozen freelancers. In addition to his new team, Ede received help from a group of talented contributors.
I’m sure many of you are going to get some Mass Effect-like vibes while watching the trailer for Everreach. Well, interestingly enough, the former narrative QA and game writer for the Mass Effect trilogy, Michelle Clough, helped create the game’s story. What’s more is that one of the voice actors in the game, D.C. Douglas, played the role of Legion in Mass Effect 2.
See for yourself how Everreach is looking pretty similar to the Mass Effect series by checking out the trailer and screenshots below:
This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate Noisy Pixel earns from qualifying purchases.


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Category — Information Technology
A joint study by Google and KPMG titled Impact of internet and digitization on Small and Medium Businesses in India pointed out that 32% of digital businesses cater to customers outside their city, and employ five times as many people as do businesses that are offline; and profits of digitally engaged businesses grow twice as fast compared to offline small companies. The research also revealed that the rise of digital SMBs can help increase India’s GDP by 10 percentage points.
To address the offline 68% SMBs, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, announced the launch of Digital Unlocked, a training program for business owners in India that will empower them with essential digital skills to use the internet to grow their business. The program is offered as a combination of online, offline and mobile modes. The offline training will be conducted in partnership with industry body FICCI, and over the next three years 5,000 workshops will be held across 40 Indian cities. This training course is certified by Google, the Indian School of Business and FICCI, reports Mint.
Additionally, Google launched Primer, a free mobile app designed to teach digital marketing skills in a quick, easy and interactive way. Available for download through the Google Play and iOS app store, Primer can work offline too, and is currently available in English and Hindi with Tamil, Telugu and Marathi versions coming shortly.
January 7, 2017 No Comments
India, with 160 million active daily users, is the biggest market for Mountain View, California’s WhatsApp that is available in 10 different languages prevalent in the country. However, Hike Messenger, founded in 2012 by Kavin Mittal, is competing with WhatsApp in India and has just raised substantial venture capital.
In August 2016, Hike Messenger, raised $175 million in a fresh round of funding led by Tencent Holdings and Foxconn Technology Group, and it has become a part of the unicorn club of startups in India with a valuation of almost $1.4 billion.
Forbes says: This messaging app has been the fastest of the pack to reach the milestone, in just about three and half years after its launch. What it has, apart from the dizzy valuation, is a 100 million user base that sends more than 1 billion messages a day.
Hike’s salient features are:
- the ability to send messages without an internet connection so that users can chat when offline
- users can send messages to non-Hike numbers
- a built-in camera app that users can use to take photos and videos and share them
- the app has over 15 live filters and 10,000+ stickers in 40 languages
- an interactive AI bot, ” Natasha”
January 1, 2017 No Comments
Lockheed Martin, in association with the Data Security Council of India, has launched CyberAware, an online portal with interactive content on cyber security. This initiative will increase cyber security awareness of those working in small and medium businesses, and students of vocational and technical training institutes, reports Defense World.
Dr. Robie I. Samanta Roy, vice president of Technology Strategy and Innovation, Lockheed Martin said, “Online safety and security is vital to the growth of small and medium-sized businesses in India. CyberAware can help educate businesses on functioning in an ever-evolving digital landscape.”
December 31, 2016 No Comments
In an interview with India’s Economic Times, Sunnyvale, California-based semiconductor company AMD‘s chief technology officer Mark Papermaster discussed the contribution of the company’s R&D facilities in India. These R&D centers are located in Hyderabad and Bangalore, housing over 1,000 of its 6,000-strong global tech team.
Excerpts of the interview:
Papermaster: India is a key element of our development team and every aspect of product development. The AMD strategy is focused on three pillars: gaming and immersive apps, which is Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, compute – which is data centers, high-performance computing and high performance graphics – and semi-custom solutions, where we work with partners on products like the Xbox 1or PS4. The India design center does a lot of key software and IP development with gaming and graphics, chip design and software as well as to create tailored solutions.
Papermaster: Just like in consumer goods, there are tech cycles. Every 12-18 months, we will see new product revisions … it could be better screens or a wireless headset. As it becomes more affordable, more content is likely to be created and apps will take off. All it takes is one killer app for something to become popular.
Papermaster: There are a couple of areas that we expect to be high growth. One is compute: AMD products are very well suited for machine learning applications as they need CPU and GPU. Immersive computing is another area. It’s a nascent industry and will see significant growth for AMD to develop and support products.
December 29, 2016 No Comments
Mission, Kansas-based Data Migration Resources (DMR), a company that deals in data conversion, data quality and data governance, inaugurated its product development center in the southern city of Hyderabad, India. Managing Director Vijay Garud said, “This is a leased facility and after two to three years, we might consider building our own office”
The five-year-old, privately-held DMR helps companies migrate data when they implement SAP. Going ahead, DMR will also build competencies in data governance (which is mainly about ensuring data quality). The company has around 150 employees globally, reports the Times of India.
December 29, 2016 No Comments


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Andersen Co. Honors Top Sales RepsSeptember 28, 2017
The Andersen Co. recently announced the recipients of its sales representative awards for 2016-2017.
Hinton Sales received the 2017 Walter Andersen Award, named after the company’s founder. Hinton was recognized for its steady annual sales growth.
In addition, Mark Anton of Market Advantage Plus received the 2017 Northeast Region MVP Award and Wendy Osborne of Osborne Marketing was presented with the 2017 Midwest Region MVP Award. The Andersen Co. awarded Neron Hinton of Hinton Sales the 2017 Southeast Region MVP Award, while David Barns of Access NorCal received the 2017 Western Region MVP Award.
About The Andersen Co.
Founded in 1974, The Andersen Co. is a Dalton, GA-based commercial mat manufacturer. For more information, visit www.andersenco.com.


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Demand has dropped for coins, meaning that the Royal Mint will make no new 2p or £2 coins for the next 10 years. That’s one of the revelations in a new report by the National Audit Office (NAO) into the future of cash, which suggests that the pace of change in digital payments risks pushing hard currency out of fashion. Although excessive 1p, 2p and £2 stocks are more a symptom of old money being returned, it’s also indicative of a larger strain on the system – cash is being left behind, and maintaining a cash system that is used less and less may soon become unsustainable.
Gareth Davies, the head of the NAO, said: “As society progresses towards the wide use of digital payments, the use of cash in transactions is dwindling. It may become harder for people to access cash when they need it and those without the means to pay digitally will struggle if cash is not accepted. HM Treasury now works more closely with the public bodies in the cash system to achieve the government’s goal of safeguarding access to cash. However, the approach is fragmented, and it is not clear that the action being taken will keep up with the pace of change.”
There are concerns that the infrastructure in place is increasingly unsustainable as businesses turn to digital payment
Older people and lower-income consumers tend to rely on cash more, and they are more at risk if cash access becomes limited – these two groups have struggled because of the closure of 17% of cash machines in the past two years. Although the government has legislatively committed to protect access to cash, there are concerns that the infrastructure in place is increasingly unsustainable as businesses turn to digital payment. In 2019-20, the Bank of England’s note production and distribution costs ran to £119 million, and spending taxpayer money on running the cash system will be unappetising if people just aren’t using it.
Meg Hiller, chair of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee, said: “Cash use might be declining overall but it remains a vital part of millions of people’s lives, particularly for some of the most vulnerable in society. The government took its eye off the ball and too many people already have to go out of their way to get their hands on cash. It and the regulators will have to hurry to catch up with fast-moving technology, or even more people could be left behind.”
A statement from the Treasury said: “We know that easy access to cash is really important for many consumers and businesses, which is why we are coordinating work to protect it. We’re currently developing new legislation to ensure people can get hold of cash when they need it and that the UK’s cash infrastructure remains sustainable. We’re also working closely with authorities across the cash system to ensure a joined-up approach, which has already resulted in greater protections for ATMs and support for the cash system through the pandemic.”
It’s likely that our society will become increasingly cashless in the future, but it’s also incumbent on the government to protect physical currency for those who must use it
Society was already seemingly moving towards a cashless system. In 2010, cash was used in six out of 10 transactions, and this total had dropped to less than three in 10 purchases in 2019. It is expected to drop even further, to just one in 10, by 2028. It is widely expected that the Covid-19 pandemic has further accelerated this decline, with demand for cash plummeting by 71% between early March and mid-April. As the pandemic took hold, many businesses began to adopt cashless payment systems, in large part as a safety measure – hard cash is notoriously covered in germs. Burger King and Costa Coffee made headlines for forsaking cash entirely, and it is likely that many other businesses will follow suit.
The NAO report is two-pronged about the future of cash. It’s likely that our society will become increasingly cashless in the future, but it’s also incumbent on the government to protect physical currency for those who must use it. Gareth Shaw, head of money at Which?, said: “While more people have been able to turn to digital payment methods during the coronavirus outbreak, it’s vital that the millions of people with no choice but to rely on cash are not abandoned, and the already fragile cash system is not left to collapse completely.”


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From cloud kitchens to takeaway outlets, Chickeera is now expanding into a dining outlet that is slated to open in November, 2021. The brand intends to spread all across Delhi NCR, other parts of India and eventually take Chickeera overseas.
Offering American and Middle-Eastern food served in a New York Street-food style, the concept of Chickeera is being well received by the audience. The brand currently boasts of six outlets - cloud kitchens and takeaway outlets - throughout Delhi-NCR. “Our cloud kitchens are doing really well. And we have an entirely separate clientele when it comes to our takeaway orders,” said Kartik Juneja, founder, Chickeera.
The expansion focus at the moment is on QSR dining as the initial plan was to open Chickeera as a dine-in outlet which had to be paused due to the pandemic. The restaurant company has invested around INR 1.5 crore towards operations, marketing, and all other expenses. Juneja claims that the brand has reached its break-even point.
The eatery offers various chicken-based dishes in Chickeera’s signature sauces, hummus, the New York-style Middle Eastern dish - Ashets, falafel, honey and cinnamon baklava, pitawiches etc. Chickeera has fixed vendors which makes it easy for the team to manage the supply chain.


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Humane Ai Pin, a revolutionary wearable device and software platform, is now available for purchase in the United States through Humane, a forerunner in the IT sector.
Through touch, voice instructions, gestures, and a unique “laser ink” display projected into the user’s palm, the Ai Pin goes beyond traditional technological interfaces, giving people unparalleled access to the complete range of AI capabilities. Its noteworthy features include real-time language interpretation, AI-driven messaging, immersive AI-powered music experiences, and the utilization of natural language for improved internet search, discovery, and memory recall with Ai Mic.
Functioning as a phone, contextual computer, and an AI software platform all in one, Ai Pin is intended to evolve continuously through future updates, introducing new features and expanding possibilities. Humane has already forged alliances with major players in the market, including T-Mobile, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Microsoft, and OpenAI.
With a starting price of $699, the whole system includes an Ai Pin, a charging case, a charge pad, a cable, an adapter, and two battery boosters. The wearable gadget has a distinctive two-piece design that consists of the main computer and a battery booster. It comes in three different color variations.
A dedicated phone number, unlimited talk, text, and data are all included in Humane’s all-inclusive $24 monthly subscription plan. Additional benefits include cloud storage for stored media, a TIDAL HiFi music subscription for new users, unlimited AI queries, and access to an expanding network of partners and experiences on Cosmos, the operating system for the AI era.
Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, Co-Founders of Humane, expressed their excitement, stating, “We are excited to announce a wonderful new stage in our journey: the introduction of public orders for the Ai Pin. We immediately exceeded our expectations with the incredible demand, demonstrating how excited people are about cutting-edge AI experiences. With AI embedded in our Cosmos operating system and bolstered by our subscription’s cutting-edge features, the Ai Pin is more than just a product—it’s a revolution in computing. We can’t wait to develop and learn alongside our early Ai Pin community, changing the way we engage with the outside world. This marks not just the launch but the start of a new era.”
Ai Pin is now accessible for purchase at https://hu.ma.ne/.
Humane, founded in 2019 by Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno, develops technology and platforms for the intelligence age. The Humane Ai Pin, their debut product, allows users to carry AI’s power with them wherever they go. In order to bring about the AI-driven era of personal mobile computing, they have teamed up with Microsoft, OpenAI, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., and T-Mobile. Please visit the official Humane’s website for additional information.


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Last week Google Australia’s managing director Melanie Silva told a Senate committee that if the government’s proposed media bargaining code becomes law then Google will turn off its widely used search engine in the country. Yikes!
This is neither an idle threat, nor an unreasonable one. The media bargaining code is hopelessly flawed. It misunderstands the cause of the decline in media revenues, seeks to extract money from unrelated activities of technology companies like Google and Facebook, has requirements that threaten the core business of those companies, and has a bargaining system that could most politely be described as “rigged”. It is the public policy equivalent of Stalinist show trial.
And it is, sadly, easy to see how it came about. An overzealous competition regulator with questionable economic acumen in Rod Sims proposes something that, if one doesn’t really think about it sounds plausible. This benefits local media companies and hurts big bad multi-trillion dollar, multi-national technology companies. Those local media companies naturally come out in favour of it and politicians, who live and die by their media coverage, fall in behind it. It is the perfect storm of bad policy with no check on it.
The animating premise behind the media bargaining code is that the revenue of traditional media companies – newspapers especially – has declined sharply over the past 20 years. That’s right. But it wasn’t at the hand of the Googles and Facebooks of the world.
Consulting firm AlphaBeta showed that between 2002 and 2018, newspaper revenue fell from $4.4 billion per year to $3.0 billion. That is indeed a very substantial decline. But the overwhelming majority of this came from the loss of classified advertising, which fell from $1.5 billion in 2002 to just $0.2 billion in 2018. Did this revenue go to the tech companies? No. Almost all this was captured by online “pure-plays” focused on specific market segments like motor vehicle sales, job ads, or real estate listings. This was a dot-com-dot-au effect, not a dot-com effect.
Add to this the fact that other newspaper revenue has been pretty stable. Yes, print subscriptions have declined, but online subscriptions have substituted for this. They have increased sharply, as one would expect as reading habits migrate from clunky physical newspapers to mobile devices and tablets. Likewise, print display advertising has fallen but has been more than offset by increases in online advertising revenue.
The bottom line is that newspapers used to have their own monopoly – on classified advertising. And a technological innovation – the internet – destroyed that monopoly. The only problem for the ACCC narrative is that the big technology companies were not the winners from that change.
It is the perfect storm of bad policy with no check on it.
But, of course, over the same period, tech companies went from barely even existing to being the most valuable companies in the world. They are big, powerful, and foreign-owned. There are legitimate questions about whether they pay all the tax they should. They make the most convenient targets.
The bargaining code itself not only begins with this faulty premise about what has caused the decline in newspaper revenues, it forces tech companies to share revenue that they don’t even get from news-related search or content provision.
Ask yourself this: how much revenue do you think Google, for example, generates from searches for news about the US Capitol riot compared to searches for digital cameras or flat-screen TVs? In 2019 Google reported that it made about $10 million in revenue from ads from news-related queries in Australia. And whether that number is exactly right or not, try yourself doing a news search and then a product search and see what leads to ads popping up at the top of your search. Click-throughs on and auctioning those ads are what drives revenue. When they’re not there, no revenue for the search engine.
Worse still the bargaining code will force tech companies to give media organisations advance notice of changes to their algorithms. This is a shocking and unprecedented infringement on core intellectual property – actually the only intellectual property of these organisations. Fines of up to 10 per cent of local revenue (not profit, revenue) await failure to comply.
And if there is a dispute there is so-called “baseball arbitration”, where each party makes an offer and whichever offer is closer to the panel’s determination becomes binding. And who makes up the arbitration panel? It is appointed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. One would be hard pressed to think of a less impartial process.
The Morrison government needs to come to its senses about the media bargaining code and realise that it is absurdly slanted in favour of media companies. If they don’t then companies like Google and Facebook are well within their rights to exit Australia. That will hurt Australian consumers massively – and we won’t be very forgiving to those who caused it to happen through a combination of media capture and bungling.
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Burger King takes another hit in Q2
- Susan R. Miller
Miami-based Burger King Holdings has suffered through yet another dismal quarter.
For the second quarter ended June 30, the company had net income of $42.8 million, down from $49 million in the year-ago period.
The company said the decline was mostly due to a “significant increase in interest expense as a result of debt incurred in connection with the sale of the company to an affiliate of 3G Capital in October 2010 and $12 million in transaction costs, global restructuring costs and related professional fees.”
The company reported second quarter revenue of $596.2 million, down 4 percent from a year ago, when it was $623 million. It blamed the decline on refranchising activity and negative comparable sales growth.
During the second quarter, the company agreed to enter into a master franchise deal in Brazil, and said it expects to “significantly accelerate” growth in that country.
Earlier in the week, Syracuse, N.Y.-based Carrols Restaurant Group, which owns and operates 303 Burger King franchises, said those restaurants “continued to show weakness in the quarter,” with comparable restaurant sales down 3.6 percent. It opened one new Burger King, but closed two others.
Burger King said in its earnings release that it closed nine company-owned and 12 franchise restaurants in the U.S. and Canada between 2010 and 2011.
Burger King CFO Daniel Schwartz, said that going forward, the company will focus on growing comparable sales, improving restaurant margin and expanding its global footprint through franchisee development.”
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23 February 2018
The future of chatbots is unknown. When Facebook announced in 2016 that it would allow developers to place chatbots on its Messenger app, the expectations were high. According to Vice President David Marcus from Facebook Messenger 100,000 chatbots were launched on their platform since then (status April 2017). This way, companies were able to dramatically reduce the workload of their customer service employees. At the same time, they would improve user experience.
At that time experts thought chatbots would eventually replace native apps. Nowadays the euphoria is slightly tempered, as there is still no chatbot that seems to be a real game-changer. We hear positive and negative noises about the future of this virtual assistant. On one side, it is thought that the digital habits of millennials have a positive impact on the development of chatbots. But on the other side, chatbots are thought to be slowly dying, referring to the failure of AI-driven bot M on Messenger.
Ted Livingston, CEO of Kik, a Canada-based platform with over 20,000 chatbots, shared his interesting vision last year. According to Livingston, payments have been the key missing piece for chatbots. Livingston says customers hate the hassle of downloading an app, create an account and learn how to use it. All of this can be solved with bots. You just scan – for example a QR code – with your smartphone and a bot will appear. This virtual assistant will help you with everything. Yet in the end, if let’s say, you want to pay for your lunch, movie ticket, train ticket or something else, there is in many cases no payment-option available.
Facebook allowed payments in its chatbots since the end of 2016 and Telegram launched a so-called Bot Payment last year; a virtual assistant that sends an invoice message featuring a photo and description of the product along with a prominent pay button. This bot also sends additional details like shipping info, phone numbers or an e-mail address. So far, there’s not much information online about the outcome of these ‘pay-through-bots’.
The search for a breakthrough of chatbots continues. As AI chatbots are getting more advanced and more people use the payment-option, brands are inventing new bots such as the Flo Chatbot from Progressive Insurance, which delivers insurance quotes through Facebook Messenger. According to MarketsandMarkets the global chatbot market is growing by more than 30 percent every year and expects it to be worth almost 3,2 billion dollar by 2021.
In the meantime, we remain curious to see if chatbots are going to live up to their promise this year or if in the end they will die a slow death. A wide integration of payments should be able to give a decisive push in the right direction. We expect that, in the rapidly changing payments market, AI and bots can definitely contribute to increasing efficiency and profit margins. The market will decide if, when and how this will be substantiated. As a payment service provider, we are keen on following the developments to support our clients in their current, as well as in their future needs.


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Initially, the rumors that Elvis Presley had faked his own death served to discredit his standing as an important cultural figure. Fueled by Gail Brewer Giorgio’s self published book, The Most Incredible Elvis Presley Story Ever Told, the “Elvis is alive” rumors escalated in 1988 with reported sightings of Elvis in fast food restaurants in Michigan. Giorgio’s book was retitled Is Elvis Alive? to take advantage of the media attention surrounding the current surge of interest in Elvis.
It decidedly Southern. It isn set in Minnesota. No snow, no ice fishing. Kulei said last Feb. 8 lhat un identified submarines were oper ating off American coasts almost daily. Navy base at Norfolk, Va. And Miami Dade public schools at one point got up to 50 threats a day, including one that led to the. 5, 2018″ > >Tri Rail begins campaign to end suicides on railway tracksA new South Florida campaign hopes to keep people in crisis from committing suicide by train. The effort by Tri Rail and the regional 211 HelpLine is putting out the message that help is available and “life is worth living.” It comes as the number of people killed by trains in South Florida has.
Shipman, Elizabeth (Betty)Elizabeth (Betty) Shipman (nee Sadak) of Cherry Hill, NJ, formerly of Croton on Hudson, NY, died September 9, 2013. She was 87. Beloved wife of the late Russell Shipman. Survivors include five children, Willa Dene Pace of Edmond, Joe Leland Scearce of Chevy Chase, Maryland, Aulena (Scearce) Gibson Dr. William Louis Scearce both of Lawton, and Robert Wayne Scearce of Leawood, Kansas. She is survived by nine grandchildren, Janis (Pace) Munson of Okla.
Whether one is on the giving or receiving end of a notice of termination of employment, the assumption is frequently made on both sides that any termination payment up to is tax free. Although this exemption does apply in certain scenarios, it is possible that all or part of the payment is taxable if, for example, it is deemed to be in connection with past duties of the employment or payable under the legal terms of the employment. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the National Insurance (NI) treatment does not always mirror the tax charge.
The most valuable fashion brands won’t play ball, but some of the top brands will. Take Fendi for example. Fendi has flooded the up and coming model IGs on the chance they can get another Gigi or Bella rocking the brand from Day 1. Tea and coffee are beverages which people consume on a daily basis. But when we are on a weight loss regime, we all have numerous apprehensions about what to eat/drink and what not to eat/drink. Avoiding sugar and sugary foods is one of the very first steps that we take when we want to lose weight.


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Start-Up Quarterly Statistics, Q2 2015
This article was originally published in Start Up
Life sciences start-ups raised $2.61 billion in Q2 2015. Biotechs penned 38 alliances; seven acquisitions were signed, none in the medical device industry.
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The partnership between GSK and Avalon has now launched six new biotechs in just over two years, each housed at Avalon’s incubator space in San Diego.
Priority review ticket might be used on Type 2 diabetes combo LixiLan, expected to be filed later this year.
Derived from Strategic Transactions, Informa’s premium source for tracking life sciences deal activity, the Venture Funding Deals column provides a comprehensive monthly review of emerging biopharmaceutical companies that have received venture funding. This month’s column covers deals announced October to November.


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Toyota Motor North America has hired Kelly McNeff as VP of corporate communications.
Joining Toyota from healthcare company McKesson, McNeff will lead all internal and external comms, including executive, business and brand communications, as well as social media strategy and content.
Based in Plano, Texas, McNeff is reporting to group VP and chief communications officer Scott Vazin. About 70 full-time staffers comprise Toyota North America’s comms function.
McNeff is replacing Tim Morrison, who retired from his role as VP of corporate comms in June after 39 years with the company. Toyota North America’s AOR is Allison+Partners.
Most recently, McNeff was VP of transformation communications at McKesson and worked for more than a decade at CPG company Kimberly-Clark.
Toyota beat analysts’ estimates for both earnings and revenue in its fiscal Q1, which ended on June 30.


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I’ve written before about the increasing use of â€œdigital signage.â€ What is â€œdigital signageâ€? Most people have heard of the term connected with billboards or other screens that have cameras (and facial-recognition technology) to watch people watching ads in order to target advertising toward individuals. The data-gathering and surveillance practices raise substantial privacy questions.
The Los Angeles Times reported on the expansion of these digital billboards and their use of facial-recognition biometric technology in casinos, Chicago-area bars and more. USA Today and the New York Times have detailed safety problems that can arise from these digital billboards. BBC News has reported on the use of digital billboards in the United Kingdom. The Wall Street Journal has reported on digital signage use in Japan.
Now, Wired reports on the more widespread use ofÂ software from the artificial intelligence startup Affectiva that “will read your emotional reactions” in real time. “Already, CBS has used it to determine how new shows might go down with viewers. And during the 2012 Presidential election, [Affectiva’s chief science officer Rana el Kalioubyâ€™s] team experimented with using it to track a sample of voters during a debate.
As the use of the software expands, El Kaliouby envisions the technology everywhere. â€œItâ€™ll sit on your phone, in your car, in your fridge. It will sense your emotions and adapt seamlessly without being in your face,â€ he tells Wired.
There are significant privacy questions about the use of this software, especially if it is everywhere and used on people without their consent, without any way for a person to opt-out of the invasive data-gathering. What if this data is connected with individuals and the information disseminated? It’s easy to see how people and their emotions could be tracked, creating a profile of individuals.
Affectiva’s El Kaliouby tells Wired that they’ve thought of this. â€œWe actually donâ€™t store any personal information about the consumers, so we do not have any way of tying back the facial video to an individual,â€ she says.
But those are Affectiva’s rules now. They are under no legal obligation to continue to use “anonymous” data. And who is to say what others using their software would do with the data gathered? The privacy and civil liberty concerns with this tech are similar to the ones raised by surveillance cameras and license-plate recognition technology.
We’ve seen that technology is often used for more purposes than its original intent. For example, surveillance technology, such as video cameras and GPS trackers, are used by people to spy on their partners or spouses. And license-plate reader technology, which has been touted as being helpful for tracking down violent criminals, has been used for tax collection and by an auto dealer to repossess a car.
Technology will only get better at invading individuals’ privacy. We need strong laws and regulations set up to protect individuals’ rights, so that one need not worry that walking down the street, past ubiquitous surveillance technology, means that you reveal your emotions to advertisers, the government or whoever is watching.


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Domestic dynamism at home gives Philippine companies a fillip abroad
CLIFF VENZON, Nikkei staff writer
MANILA -- The Philippines is becoming a land of opportunity, but that does not mean the country's companies are confining themselves to the domestic market. Buoyed by the amped-up economy at home, conglomerates and other enterprises are expanding their turf abroad.
International Container Terminal Services, or ICTSI, is one such globally ambitious business. Having started investing overseas in 1994, it has picked up its expansionary pace in the last decade. Of the roughly 30 ports the company runs in 20 countries, more than half were acquired in the past seven years.
When ICTSI sees a potential deal it likes, it wastes no time going after it. In the first half of this year alone, it secured three port contracts in new territories. In January, it announced it would establish its first terminal in Republic of Congo. In April, it revealed plans to spend $130 million to develop, operate and expand container facilities at the Port of Umm Qasr in Iraq. And in May, it won a contract to build and run a new facility in Melbourne, valued at 550 million Australian dollars ($517 million).
Controlled by Filipino-Spanish tycoon Enrique Razon, ICTSI's global expansion has been driven by its successful management of the Philippines' main container hub. The Manila International Container Terminal handles around 65% of the foreign container traffic that passes through the capital.
Since taking over management of the terminal in 1988, ICTSI has more than tripled the facility's annual capacity and volume handled. The company has expanded and upgraded equipment, making the most of information technology.
As cargo volumes increase, ICTSI uses much of the cash -- and takes on some debt -- to grow overseas.
Razon is still bent on expanding into other emerging markets. ICTSI is particularly interested in midsize ports, which it knows it can manage effectively.
Razon's is not the only empire using domestic dynamism to fuel global growth. JG Summit Holdings is also bulking up outside the Philippines. Food and beverage unit Universal Robina already has facilities in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, and it is keen to fortify its position in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to capitalize on regional integration. Lance Gokongwei, president of JG Summit and CEO of Universal Robina, is not ruling out the possibility of opening plants in Laos and Cambodia.
Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific, JG Summit's budget airline unit, is expanding beyond its comfort zone over the Philippines and Southeast Asia. It started flying to Dubai in October, and last month, the airline launched long-haul flights to Kuwait and Australia. Cebu Pacific is working to secure permits to fly to Hawaii and Guam, now that the U.S. has upgraded the Philippines' aviation safety rating.
Other Philippine companies are in expansion mode, too. One is casual apparel maker Suyen, which hopes to make its Bench clothing line a true global brand.
Bench is already a household name in the Philippines. Suyen has a network of slightly more than 1,000 stores in the country, including other brands.
As of February, Bench also had 64 stores in China, 17 in the Middle East, three in the U.S. and one in Singapore. Current plans call for 80 more branches in the Philippines and 20 abroad.
"Years ago, we did not imagine that Asian brands could become powerful," said Bryan Lim, vice president in charge of Bench's business development. But "Uniqlo made headlines when it entered London, and now it is one of the largest."
With Bench, Suyen wants to make some headlines of its own.
Read more about rising Philippines
Mindanao: Asia's other frontier MINORU SATAKE, Nikkei staff writer
Myanmar is often considered Asia's last frontier, but there is another: the Philippines. Frequent political turmoil and military coups have hurt the nation's image, but its large population with advanced language skills offers enormous potential. Nowhere is this promise more evident than on the southern island of Mindanao...


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Tesla Receives a Royal Welcome as it Opens Monaco Store
The Principality of Monaco is a perfect home for Tesla Motors, and on Tuesday November 24th we opened our doors in a regal way in the heart of Monte Carlo and the Carre D’Or. H.S.H. Prince Albert II, a devoted car enthusiast and environmentalist joined CEO Elon Musk to cut the symbolic ribbon officially opening our store. Musk thanked his Highness for his commitment to sustainability and for his unwavering support of Tesla Motors. Other guests adding glamour to the event included Prince Bernhard of Holland, former Formula 1 driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen, and noted television host, Margaux Lafitte.
Monaco is the perfect base for Tesla sales and service in Southern Europe. Neighboring France and Italy, our mobile service teams are a quick trip away from many European cities, and many nearby states offer generous incentives for people looking to make the switch to electric vehicles.
Dozens of journalists were on hand to report the occasion as the excitement built throughout the evening. We presented a brand new Roadster to François Xavier Moutel who runs a French renewable energy development company and a French staffing agency. Frederic Pucheu, who recently launched a electric vehicle rental company in Toulouse, signed an order for his very own Tesla Roadster.
Next time you find yourself in Monaco, please pay us a visit!
Check out more photos of the event on our Facebook Page.


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For second-quarter 2017, Applied Optoelectronics Inc (AOI) of Sugar Land, near Houston, TX, USA, a manufacturer of broadband fiber-optic access network products (including components, modules and equipment) for the Internet datacenter, CATV broadband, fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and telecom markets, has reported record revenue of $117.4m, up 22% on $96.2m last quarter and up 112% on $55.3m a year ago.
Growth was driven by the ninth consecutive quarter of record revenue for data-center products: $99.3m (more than doubling from $41.3m a year ago), while CATV revenue rose by 51% from $9.5m to $14.4m, and FTTH revenue fell from $436,000 to $125,000.
On a non-GAAP basis, gross margin increased to a record 45.5%, up from 43.2% last quarter and 31.4% a year ago, driven by continued improvement in manufacturing costs and capacity expansion. Operating expenses have risen from $15.3m a year ago to $19m.
Net income has risen further, from $2.8m ($0.16 per diluted share) a year ago and $21.8m ($1.10 per diluted share) last quarter to a record $31.3m ($1.54 per diluted share).
During the quarter, cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments rose from $60.6m to $75.9m.
“Our ability to leverage our vertical integration and proprietary manufacturing processes to drive greater efficiencies and shorten our production cycle times sets AOI apart from others in the industry,” believes founder, president & CEO Dr Thompson Lin.
“As we look into the third quarter, we see softer-than-expected demand for our 40G solutions with one of our large customers that will offset the sequential growth and increased demand we expect in 100G,” says Lin.
For third-quarter 2017, Applied Optoelectronics expects drops in revenue to $107-115m, gross margin to 43-44.5%, and net income to $26.6-29.4m ($1.30-1.43 per fully diluted share).
“We believe AOI has a leading position in the advanced optics market and we continue to expand within our existing customer base as well as engage with new customers for 100G technologies and beyond,” says Lin.


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US and Korea trade deal keeps car prices higher
On Friday and Saturday, December 3 and 4, The Wall Street Journal reported that South Korea and the United States just agreed on a far-reaching deal to increase trade between the two countries, largely by reducing barriers to products – the sort of deal that's often called a free-trade agreement. But to please both sides, the deal keeps in place tariffs that both countries impose on motor vehicles, the newspaper reported.
According to the Journal, America gets five years to phase out a tariff of 2.5 percent that it now imposes on South Korean-made cars. A 25-percent tariff on Korean trucks stays in place for eight years, according to the Journal.
Korea scarcely does better. Under the deal – which still must be approved by legislatures on both sides of the Pacific – the Asian country immediately cuts in half its tariff on U.S.-made cars, reducing the levy to 4 percent. But South Korea eliminates a 10-percent tariff on American trucks as soon as the deal takes effect.
The Wall Street Journal presents those terms as a compromise, because auto imports and exports were a major sticking point that was holding up the agreement. The paper reported that, on the American side, both Ford Motor Co. and the United Auto Workers union (UAW) lobbied to keep the tariffs on Korean cars, aiming to reduce the sales of vehicles by Korea-based Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. in America. (Both companies also manufacture cars in the U.S., but in non-UAW plants.)
First, a tariff is a tax. It increases the prices we consumers pay for the goods covered by the tariff.
Second, national trade gives us consumers access to more stuff.
The whole reason the Obama Administration negotiated the Korean deal is because active trade it known to increase the prosperity of the U.S. (Actually, it increases the prosperity of both trading partners, but each side is really only interested in its own prosperity.) People gain access to more products, at lower prices. It's an ultimate spread-the-wealth arrangement, because when you spend less on one thing, you have more left over to spend on another. Reducing prices across the economy adds up to more trips to McDonald's and the Ruth Chris Steak House, more refrigerators, iPods and flat-screen TVs, extra snowmobile purchases, more grapes and blueberries for the table, and on and on and on.
Naturally, that creates more work supplying refrigerators, iPods, TVs, snowmobiles, grapes and blueberries, meals at McDonald's and Ruth Chris, and on and on and on.
But it also makes life harder for companies that make goods which compete against the tariff-free imports. If you're, say, Ford Motor Co., you have to try harder to make vehicles that drivers will want to buy more than, say, attractively priced Kias.
Thus Ford, and its workers represented by the UAW, lobby hard to keep Korean autos as costly as possible.
However, while more expensive Kias may help Ford, it hurts the population at large, reducing by an increment the money people could otherwise spend otherwise.
In Henry Hazlitt's classic book Economics in One Lesson, the author stresses the importance of looking beyond the immediate beneficiaries of a policy to find all the other, unnoticed groups harmed by it. By helping, say, Ford, tariffs on Korean cars are harming people who consumer and people who supply refrigerators, iPods, TVs, snowmobiles, grapes and blueberries, meals at McDonald's and Ruth Chris, and on and on and on.


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Veikkaus to ramp up player protection controls
Finnish gambling monopoly Veikkaus ramped up its player protection controls with plans to monitor its customer rewards programme to avoid encouraging excessive gambling, as well as establishing an Ethics Council to oversee responsible gaming efforts.
The new safeguard, described as a “liability monitor”, will be used to flag promotions or offers that may encourage players to gamble more, allowing the operator to make necessary changes.
“Social responsibility principles are central to all of Veikkaus' operations,” the operator's chair Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo explained. “It has continuously implemented measures to enhance social responsiblity safeguards, and the board regularly evaluates the causes of gambling problems.”
This will be complemented by the formation of the Ethics Council, a measure which has been approved by the Veikkaus board. A more concrete plan, including the composition of the council, must now be drawn up by the operator's executive management team ahead of the next board meeting.
These new social responsiblity measures follow last week's announcement that Veikkaus was to suspend advertising for all non-lottery products amid criticism of its marketing strategy. Faced with a public outcry at ads that were said to encourage excessive gambling, chief executive Olli Sarekoski admitted the company had made mistakes. As a result, he said, it would cancel advertising until the end of September, in order to conduct an in-depth review of promotional activities.
The operator will also look to reduce the number of slot machines in operation across Finland. With new ID verification safeguards to be integrated to all Veikkaus gaming machines, the number of terminals will be reduced over the coming years, with the operator having removed table games from restaurants and its Pelaamo arcade chain.
Finns are increasingly in favour of an end to Veikkaus' monopoly over gambling, according to a survey published in April this year. The survey, conducted by polling specialist Bilendi on behalf of igaming affiliate Kasino Curt, suggested that almost a third of people favoured a licensing system for offshore operators.


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A team of hackers have released a so-called jailbreak that bypasses Apple's strict security and application restrictions on all current versions of its iOS mobile operating system, including the latest 13.5 released last week.
Unc0ver allows for the installation of software outside Apple's App Store, and elevated superuser privileges across the operating system.
While said to be legal, jailbreaking devices and installing software from alternative app stores can carry severe security risks.
The code used for the jailbreak and apps in alternative app stores has not been vetted by Apple but the unc0ver team claims existing security layers on iOS are preserved and not removed.
This, the unc0ver team claimed, protects users' personal information, allowing them to run their favourite jailbreak apps without being exposed to attacks.
Apple iOS services such as iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, and Pay will continue to work after jailbreaking, the unc0ver team said.
The jailbreak will also survive software updates, and persists between device restarts.
Nevertheless, the unc0ver team cautioned against installing an iOS update from Apple that's specifically designed to address the vulnerability used for the jailbreak, as this would bring the device back to a restricted state.
The updated unc0ver jailbreak tool is free and requires tethering with a USB cable and additional software to install under Apple macOS or Microsoft Windows.
It is also possible to jailbreak devices with a Linux distribution but that method requires an Apple developer account.
Unc0ver can also be installed directly under iOS, but this requires the devices to have been jailbroken previously.
Installed jailbreaks can be removed by restoring Apple's official iOS software.


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Sub-Standard Imported Tyres Lasting only 500km – Botswana Report
The general manager of Botswana’s Central Transport Organisation (CTO), the government body responsible for providing and maintaining all government fleet vehicles in that country, claims his government has spent some £255,000 on sub-standard tyres during the last financial year. Lt. Col. (ret) Moakofhi Modisanyane has reportedly stated that the blame for the poor quality of tyres supplied to the CTO lies with tyre dealers, whom he claims have acted to maximise their own profits at all costs.
Following a number of complaints from government vehicle users about tyres prematurely wearing, inspections were maid of CTO facilities. Sub-standard tyres have been found at several CTO depots. Reports indicate that these tyres were manufactured in Europe and Asia, although were sourced locally. Brand names singled out as those wearing prematurely include West Lake Tire from China and Kyro.
Some of these sub-standard tyres apparently needed replacing after as little as 500 kilometres, a situation Col Modisanyane has referred to as a critical safety item. Col Modisanyane further reported that the companies supplying the offending tyres have agreed to stop supplying these brands and will replace those tyres the CTO are holding in stock.


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The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) is on a charm offensive to strike cross sector alliances with trade bodies, communities and consortia to bring greater harmony and faster transformation of industry as it engages with new digital technologies.
The IIC said last month it had “global liaisons” with 40 organisations for the development of the industrial ‘internet-of-things’ (IIoT) market, covering work on joint marketing, workshops, and research.
Its partnerships include with standards development organisations (SDOs), open-source communities, technology and industry focused consortia, certification and testing bodies, regional organisations and government entities and agencies.
The IIC announced a deal with the International Data Spaces Association (IDSA), an initiative to support the exchange of data based on standards and common governance, to “advance their shared interests”. The pair are seeking to “prevent fragmentation” and “harmonise various aspects” in the IIoT space, they said.
Analyst house ABI Research said last month, on the back of the International Manufacturing Trade Show in Chicago, the manufacturing landscape, in particular, is “about to change and change in a big way”.
“The debate over if digitisation will impact this market has passed. The key questions that should be asked by all involved in this market now are: When will these changes happen? What do I need to do to prepare for this? And finally, which horse do I bet on in terms of technological investment?,” it reflected.
Data governance is an essential part of the dialogue for enterprises, as they engage with new digital technologies and working methods, and the market at large seeks to innovate.
Boris Otto, deputy chairman of the IDSA board and executive director at the Fraunhofer Institute, commented: “Data is the centre of IoT innovation. Our collaboration will advance data sovereignty as one of the fundamental building blocks of the digital economy.”
Wael William Diab, chair of the IIC’s liaison working group, and a senior director at Huawei, said the IIC-IDSA partnership was designed to drive security and trust within industry around the handling of data.
“Data and trustworthiness are an important part of successful IoT adoption. The collaboration with IDSA adds to the industrial IoT ecosystem that IIC is driving,” he said.
The IIC’s liaison working group is in charge of relationship building. “The diverse cross-section and volume of liaison partners helps the IIC disseminate requirements and results to the ecosystem as well as collect input from domain experts,” said Diab.
“The net result is the acceleration of IIoT adoption, the creation of supporting work such as the creation of requirements for standards and best practices and ensuring that the IIC testbeds serve their industries.”
In its state-of-the-market review after the Chicago event, ABI said additive manufacturing is on the cusp of scale deployment, and generative design will reduce wastage, accelerate design, and revolutionise material usage.
It also reserved special mention for virtualisation and visualisation techniques in manufacturing, like digital twins, and suggested ‘cobots’ and autonomous material handling robots will bring more efficient manufacturing. Innovation will spill over into the supply chain, it said.
“These technological advancements hold the promise of enabling a cleaner, more efficient, and relevant manufacturing sector for developed markets,” said Stuart Carlaw, chief research officer at ABI Research.
“Importantly, some of these technologies will enable the democratisation of automation down into the small and medium-sized enterprises. This will have significant impacts on gross domestic product and national output.” – Enterprise IoT Insights


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Editor's Note: Will the new wave of data privacy regulations affect fintech? 》
- The currency will be added to the legal currency transaction pair. The first supported legal currency is the Russian ruble.
- Interpretation of Debitralization of Blockchain Chain Decentralized Finance (DeFi)
- Indicted by the SEC, Kik CEO suspected of collapse and drunk: "I don't want to go to jail"
- EdenChain and NodeNum jointly released 12 dApp games, one-step login to experience
- The 18 millionth bitcoin will be dug out this week, and the remaining 3 million bitcoins will still need 120 years.
- Zuckerberg is still difficult to eliminate regulatory concerns, can Libra kill a bloody road?
California recently introduced a series of new privacy regulations similar to the GDPR, which is considered to be the start of a new wave of regulations that will be introduced in all states of the United States.
However, the Internet is the real game-changer. It was 10 years ago that it spawned cryptocurrency (Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency), and has promoted the normalization of online banking in the past 20 years. Take a look at these statistics to understand. In 2017, 93% of enterprises used cloud services. In 2018, the global cryptocurrency market size reached 700 billion U.S. dollars. Today, 69% of global banks are experimenting with blockchain, and 30% of large financial institutions have used artificial intelligence this year. In today's foreign exchange market, FinTech plays a huge role in the automation of foreign exchange transactions, opening the door to foreign exchange transactions to new global markets that connect new traders and sophisticated investors. Among the current financial industries hit by fintech, consumer banking accounts for 72%, leading the way.
Banks and businesses have now realized that if they don't invest in technology-based solutions, they will be left behind. The global fintech market has just emerged, but will the fintech market be trampled upon its emergence due to a new round of global data privacy laws?
The EU's GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is a major start. The promulgation of the General Data Protection Regulation has brought about the most meaningful and influential changes to data regulation for more than 20 years. It affects not only how European companies operate, but also all companies or organizations that collect data on European citizens worldwide.
It fundamentally subverts the data processing methods so far, requires organizations and companies to obtain permission to collect Internet user data, enforces the transparency of the use of such data, and requires that such data be deleted if the user does not agree with the use. Until then, companies have been processing people's personal information as they please-their health data, consumption habits, personal information, and more. Until now, this information was visible to everyone.
Now, other countries are following suit. California recently introduced a series of new privacy regulations similar to the GDPR, which is considered to be the start of a new wave of regulations that will be introduced in all states of the United States.
But will these regulations have the expected impact? Or is the size of the tech giant (BigTech) so large that these privacy regulations simply cannot affect their strong growth trajectory? In Europe, it seems that even GDPR has not penetrated into the tech giants as privacy advocates hoped. Next month, we will know if Whatsapp's lack of transparency in the way users use personal data violates the GDPR.
According to GDPR regulations, Whatsapp may have to pay up to 4% of its annual income (this is not a small sum), but somehow the decision-making process was postponed to next year. Whatsapp has only filed a procedural lawsuit, delaying the case for months, and may be the first action by a tech giant to avoid the devastating impact of GDPR on the company's profitability. Google has been fined $ 57 million for violating GDPR provisions. So whatsapp will be next?
Strengthening the review of personal data processing will undoubtedly make fintech companies' operations more difficult. The attractiveness of fintech lies in its ease of use, but these new regulations clearly require companies to collect user personal data with user consent and clarify the purpose of collecting data. If the company wants to share user information with a third party, it also needs to obtain the user's consent.
This obviously makes all aspects of fintech more tedious and difficult to manage. Will the company's burden be too heavy? At this stage, financial opportunities for Fintech companies have far exceeded the efforts to comply with the new regulations, so I feel that the burden is not that heavy.
There are many aspects of FinTech that need to be worrying. Tech giants are making inroads into the banking industry, with Apple launching its own credit card, and Facebook has previously launched its digital payment system, Libra.
There are still risks in the network and supervision is still being strengthened. There are countless examples of this. Will enhanced data security be another potentially damaging risk? I think the answer in the reader's mind should be the same as mine. Reprinted please retain copyright information.


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Sending money using the postal service will be made easier from June in the state, when the Mobile Money Order Service is launched.
Through Mobile Money Order Service, money can be transferred from one location to another using the mobile network of BSNL. The sender will deposit cash at a post office counter and the payee will receive an SMS of the fund transfer on his mobile. Then, the payee will approach the designated post office in his area to receive the payment after disclosing the personal code communicated to him through SMS.
The fee for the transfer of a minimum of Rs 1,000 up to Rs 1,500 will be Rs 40. From Rs 1,501 to Rs 5,000 it will be Rs 70 and from Rs 5,001 to Rs 10,000, the charge will be Rs 100. The BSNL and the postal department share the revenue equally.
Union minister of state for communications Killi Kruparani said the mobile money order service would benefit people as they can transfer money instantly to their families or friends.
“The mobile money order service will be launched by the end of June,” she said.


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Shares of General Motors Corp. fell Thursday one day after the world’s largest automaker said it would restate its earnings for 2001 because an accounting error led it to overstate its 2001 profit by up to $400 million.
The announcement in a filing late Wednesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission comes as the company faces a continuing regulatory investigation of its accounting practices. It has reported huge losses for the first nine months of the year, its auto sales are being pressured by competition from foreign manufacturers and it faces rising health benefit and pension obligations.
Also on Wednesday, the credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings lowered GM’s debt deeper into “junk” status.
GM shares fell $1.23, or nearly 5 percent, to close at $24.63 on Wednesday on the New York Stock Exchange, the lowest level since November 1992.
In the filing with the SEC, GM said its 2001 earnings were overstated by approximately $300 million to $400 million, but the final amount hasn’t been determined. GM plans to issue the restated earnings for 2001 and any subsequent years before it issues its 2005 annual report next year.
The Detroit-based automaker said it has been conducting an internal review of credits received from suppliers, an issue also being investigated by the SEC. The review indicates GM erroneously booked the supplier credits as income in the year they were received rather than to future periods, GM said.
GM filed its statement Wednesday evening after the markets closed. The audit committee of GM’s board warned investors not to rely on GM’s financial statements for 2001.
Fitch downgraded GM’s issuer default and senior unsecured debt ratings to BB-plus from BBB. The ratings agency said it was concerned about the costs GM might incur as its former parts division, Delphi Corp., restructures in bankruptcy court.
Fitch didn’t lower the rating for GM’s finance arm, General Motors Acceptance Corp., because GM announced last month it wants to sell a controlling interest in GMAC to a strategic partner. Fitch said it will consider lowering GMAC’s rating if GM doesn’t make progress on that sale in the first quarter of 2006.
GM has said it could be liable for up to $12 billion for benefits for Delphi employees as part of the supplier’s restructuring. Besides that financial burden, Fitch said GM also is at risk if Delphi and its unions fail to agree on wages and benefits.
“A labor disruption at Delphi for any extended period would have an immediate impact on GM’s ability to operate and would quickly reduce liquidity,” Fitch said.
GM had $19.2 billion in cash as of Sept. 30, Fitch said. The company has $31 billion in outstanding debt.
GM spokeswoman Gina Proia said the company is taking steps to restore profitability, including reaching a tentative agreement with the United Auto Workers to cut health care costs, reducing its structural costs and committing to using 100 percent of its North American plant capacity by 2008.


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My first experience with Italian ice was during an agonizingly hot day in Philadelphia two years ago.
The fruit-flavored ice appeared to defy science. It's frozen, but semi-liquid at the same time. Mine was served in a waxy Dixie-cup style container with a spoon. You can drink it or scoop it.
I gulped mine for instant relief – not caring about the brain-freeze that would follow.
My strawberry-flavored ice was a welcome treat, and I look forward to more options coming to Orange County this year.
Locally, one of the best-known water ice shops is Joe's Italian Ice in Garden Grove. But soon Joe's will face a bigger and better-known rival with the West Coast expansion of Rita's Italian Ice. The Pennsylvania-based chain is planning to open 40 Orange County shops over the next few years.
The first Rita's, founded 28 years ago by a Philadelphia firefighter, will debut this year at Kaleidoscope in Mission Viejo.
"I've lived all over the world, and I've never had anything like this product," said Rita's chief executive, Jonathan Fornaci.
During a phone interview, Fornaci explained what makes the frozen treat special.
Q. What is Italian ice?
A. It's not shaved ice. It's not a snow cone. It's water, fruit (purées) and sugar and you put it into a special machine that cools it to 22 degrees. It's frozen but it is still semi-liquid. Our product lasts for 24 hours. We make it fresh daily.
Q. How many flavors?
A. 67 flavors. Normally, you have 16 standard flavors in a store.
Q. Tell me about your custard, which is growing in popularity in Southern California.
A. It's made from a supplier in New Jersey and shipped all over the world. We use so much butter fat in it. If you're going to indulge, indulge in the best possible you can get. The level of fanaticism is similar, if not equal, to In-N-Out Burger. It is unbelievable. We have a number of products that mix custard and ice.
Q. What's the price point?


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JSI Store Fixtures, a Maine-based store fixture designer and manufacturer is pleased to announce that it has exceeded a significant fundraiser milestone for the Milo Kiwanis Club.
For the past 15 years, JSI has raised money for the local Kiwanis chapter through the Clayton Memorial Golf Tournament. However, due to the prevalence of COVID-19, the event was cancelled.
“To ensure the safety of our valued partners and sponsors, we thought it only right to postpone the tournament,” explained Mark Awalt, President of JSI Store Fixtures. “Unfortunately, the burden that children in poverty face doesn’t just go away with a pandemic. They need our help now more than ever.”
Awalt aimed to salvage what he could from the cancelled event, penning a letter to the sponsors. In turn, he received a response that he didn’t anticipate. Despite the tournament’s cancellation, JSI managed to raise over $30,000 for local children in need, exceeding the $250,000 milestone over the past 15 years.
Proceeds are committed 100% to assisting children in the Milo region through a variety of programs.
About JSI Store Fixtures:
From beautiful, eye-catching store fixtures for fresh food merchandise to an exclusive line of closed-cell foam—the industry’s first microbial resistant foam—JSI is all about keeping things fresh. For over 25 years, JSI has created food-forward displays that have transformed the perimeter of supermarkets across the country. Fusing rich experience in fresh foods with a focus on engineering efficiency, operator convenience, and earth-friendly production, JSI brings unequaled scale, scope, and customer service to each and every project.
About Kiwanis International:
Kiwanis International is a global community of clubs, members and partners dedicated to improving the lives of children one community at a time. Today, the organization stands with more than 550,000 members from K-Kids to Key Club to Kiwanis and many ages in between in 80 countries and geographic areas. Each community has different needs, and Kiwanis empowers members to pursue creative ways to serve the needs of children, such as fighting hunger, improving literacy and offering guidance. For more information, visit https://kiwanis.org


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It’s 2022, and your eye mask boxes are being delivered to customers across the world. As they open up their packages, they’re pleasantly surprised to find that eye masks come in sustainable packaging. This isn’t some new, experimental idea – it’s been a part of most companies’ branding strategy from the beginning.
Making the decision to go green is very important, and it’s usually paying off. Consumers love eye masks, and they appreciate that if you’re doing your part to make sure the planet is healthy for future generations. But if you’re still on the fence about sustainable packaging, this blog post will make the difference!
The Current State Of The Packaging Industry
The dangers of pollution from packaging are clear. The amount of plastic in the ocean is estimated to be around 150 million tons, and it’s only getting worse.
Not only does this create an environmental disaster, but it’s also a health hazard. Plastic particles are being consumed by aquatic life and ending up in the food chain. This is a serious problem that needs to be addressed.
The good news is, that many companies are already taking measures to reduce their environmental impact.
The Future of Sustainable Packaging
In 2015, Nestlé committed to making all of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025. McDonald’s has announced that its packaging will be 100% renewable and recycled by 2025. And in 2016, Unilever promised to halve the virgin plastic it uses by 2025.
These are just a few examples of the many companies that are taking sustainability seriously.
As more and more brands make an effort to reduce their environmental impact, consumers are becoming more aware of the importance of sustainable packaging. A study by Mintel found that 41% of consumers globally say they would pay more for products that come in eco-friendly packaging.
This trend is being driven by millennials, who are the most likely to be concerned about environmental issues. In fact, 86% of millennials say it’s important for companies to take social and environmental responsibility seriously.
As a result of this growing awareness, many marketplaces are being built around the idea of eliminating single-use plastics.
In Britain, for example, there’s a growing movement to ban plastic straws, cups, and other single-use items. And in 2018, the government introduced a tax on plastic packaging.
These initiatives are having an impact. A study by the Marine Conservation Society found that the number of plastic bags found on British beaches has decreased by 86% since the tax was introduced.
It’s clear that the term ‘eco-friendly packaging’ is no longer a buzzword. Implementing eco packaging in your brand’s operations is no longer an option – it’s a necessity.
The Benefits of Sustainable Packaging
There are many benefits to sustainable packaging, both for the environment and for your brand. Here are a few key reasons why you should make the switch to eco-friendly eye mask boxes:
1. Sustainable packaging is good for the environment
As we’ve seen, pollution from packaging is a major problem. By switching to sustainable packaging, you can help reduce the amount of plastic in the environment and protect wildlife.
2. Sustainable packaging is good for your brand image
As consumers become more concerned about environmental issues, they’re increasingly likely to buy from socially and environmentally responsible brands.
In fact, a study by Cone Communications found that 87% of consumers say they would purchase a product because it comes from a sustainable brand.
3. Sustainable packaging is cost-effective
While eco-friendly packaging may cost more upfront, it’s important to remember that it can save you money in the long run.
For example, using recycled materials can reduce your raw material costs. And investing in reusable packaging can help you save on shipping and handling costs.
How To Make Your Eye Mask Boxes More Sustainable
There are many ways to make your eye mask boxes more sustainable. Here are a few tips:
- Use recycled materials whenever possible
- Invest in reusable packaging
- Try to reduce the amount of plastic used in your eye mask boxes
- Think about ways to reduce your overall packaging waste
Tips For Trying Sustainable Packaging Options
If you decide to commit to using sustainable packaging, here are some tips that can help you overcome this challenge easily:
Don’t make the change completely at first
If you’re selling one product or several thousand, it’s best not to commit totally to packaging sustainability before you’ve tested the concept. You can do that by sampling packaging options.
You can have sustainable eye mask boxes that represent your product and brand and protect the environment.
Opt for paperboard packaging as it’s easily customizable and light.
Consider your customers
Your customers’ needs should be at the forefront of your decision-making when it comes to sustainable packaging. For example, if they’re looking for eco-friendly options, you’ll want to consider using recycled materials.
Weigh the costs and benefits
Implementing sustainable packaging solutions can often be more expensive than using traditional packaging materials. However, there are a number of benefits to consider, including reducing your environmental impact and appealing to eco-conscious customers.
Be prepared for bumps in the road
Making the switch to sustainable packaging can be a big undertaking, and there may be some challenges along the way. But by being prepared and doing your research, you can make the transition as smooth as possible.
Get Help Creating Custom And Sustainable Eye Mask Boxes
It’s clear that sustainable packaging is becoming more and more important, and we believe that it will only become more prevalent in the future. If you’re looking for ways to make your eye mask boxes more sustainable, get in touch with us. We would be happy to help you find solutions that work for your business and are environmentally friendly too.


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Tech Starts: High-Technology Business Formation and Job Creation in the United States
Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Research Paper
36 Pages Posted: 15 Aug 2013
Date Written: August 2013
New and young businesses — as opposed to small businesses generally — play an outsized role in net job creation in the United States. But not all new businesses are the same — the substantial majority of nascent entrepreneurs do not intend to grow their businesses significantly or innovate, and many more never do. Differentiating growth-oriented “start-ups” from the rest of young businesses is an important distinction that has been underrepresented in research on business dynamics and in small business policy.
To advance the conversation, we contrast business and job creation dynamics in the entire U.S. private sector with the innovative high-tech sector — defined here as the group of industries with very high shares of employees in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. We highlight these differences at the national level, as well as detailing regions throughout the country where high-tech start-ups are being formed each year. The major findings include:
• The high-tech sector and the information and communications technology (ICT) segment of high-tech are important contributors to entrepreneurship in the U.S. economy. During the last three decades, the high-tech sector was 23 percent more likely and ICT 48 percent more likely than the private sector as a whole to witness a new business formation.
• High-tech firm births were 69 percent higher in 2011 compared with 1980; they were 210 percent higher for ICT and 9 percent lower for the private sector as a whole during the same period. This is important because the productivity growth and job creation unleashed by these new and young firms — aged less than five years — require a continual flow of births each year.
• Of new and young firms, high-tech companies play an outsized role in job creation. High tech businesses start lean but grow rapidly in the early years, and their job creation is so robust that it offsets job losses from early-stage business failures. This is a key distinction from young firms across the entire private sector, where net job losses resulting from the high rate of early-stage failures are substantial.
• Young firms exhibit an “up-or-out” dynamic, where they tend to either fail or grow rapidly in the early years. The job-creating strength of surviving young firms, while strong for young businesses across the private sector as a whole, is especially distinct for high-tech start-ups: the net job creation rate of these surviving young firms is twice as robust.
• High-tech and ICT firm formations are becoming increasingly geographically dispersed. As technological advancement allows for the production of high-tech goods and services in a wider set of areas, many regions are catching up. The opposite has been true for the private sector as a whole, where new business growth has been occurring most in regions with already higher rates of new business formation.
Keywords: entrepreneurship, entrepreneur, job creation, technology, high-tech, startup
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation


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Theo Theophanous, Victorian state Minister for Industry, Trade, ICT and Major Projects, told attendees at a Melbourne conference yesterday that the US economic downturn will affect both local suppliers and staff of American owned companies in the near future -- but the local industry looks strong enough to absorb the impact.
Speaking at an Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) briefing in Melbourne yesterday, the Victorian ICT Minister claimed that the knock-on from the US slump could lead to staff cuts in the Australian operations of US-owned companies, and see more jobs going offshore -- but added the performance of Australia's economy remains strong enough to ensure steady growth in the ICT and other sectors.
Theo Theophanous, Victorian ICT Minister
Credit: Parliament of Victoria
"The global ICT industry will probably need to brace itself for fallout from current economic conditions in the US," said Theophanous.
An AIIA spokesperson told ZDNet.com.au that the Minister was trying to provide some reassurances to local industry.
A spokesperson for the Minister said today that Theophanous has spent considerable time "reinforcing the strength of Victoria's ICT, especially in its job creation ability".
"Melbourne is growing faster than any other city, our job growth is greater and that is due in part to the growth of the ICT industry," said Theophanous.
The AIIA spokesperson said the Minister's comments on the possibility of job cuts from US companies with Australian operations was simply an "off the cuff remark", and "was in response to a question rather than part of the main speech itself".
"I see ICT as a standalone industry, an industry that drives job creation," said Theophanous in yesterday's speech.
The Minister's comments come after research group IDC predicted late last year that global IT market growth would fall from 6.7 percent in 2007 to 5.5 percent in 2008.