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Last Week... Today! iTod's e-News Recap (May 1, 2017)
Each week iTod rounds up the latest financial news from across the United States (and, occasionally, from around the world) so you needn't bother. Highlights for the week of April 24th through the 28th, include an FTC Announcement on Identity Theft; Nigeria Establishes E-Fraud Database to Blacklist Fraudsters; and, the CFPB Sues 4 Online Lenders.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends that consumers who are affected by identity theft file a report at IdentityTheft.gov—a one-stop resource to help you report and recover from identity theft. Information provided there includes checklists, sample letters, and links to other resources.
US-CERT encourages consumers to learn about identity theft by reviewing US-CERT's Tip on Preventing and Responding to Identity Theft.
ID theft victims can report their cybercrime attack to the Federal Trade Commission, without having to file a police report in most cases.
ID theft victims now have an alternative to filing a police report, a self-service online reporting tool from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The FTC's IdentityTheft.gov link offers a form that asks victims questions about the breach. The then provides a personal recovery plan, template letters that can be submitted to banks, merchants, and other entities that were affected by the victim's identity theft. It also creates an identity theft report that serves as the official record for the crime and could be used if needed in place of a police report. Read More.
Over 24,000 pounds of paper were shredded today at a free shredding event to help Philadelphians safely discard personal information.
AARP, in collaboration with the Philadelphia Sheriff's Office, Philadelphia Controller's Office, Councilwoman Cindy Bass, Council Members At-Large Al Taubenberger, David Oh, and Derek Green, and the Spanish American Law Enforcement Association, hosted the event to protect consumers from falling victim to identity thieves. Read More.
A Clinton woman was granted a deferred judgement after committing identity theft against two of her daughters.
Christy M. Hansen, 38, 1230 N. Third St., appeared Thursday in Clinton County District Court for sentencing for identity theft, over $1,000 but under $10,000, a Class D felony; and identity theft, under $1,000, an aggravated misdemeanor. Read More.
Ventura County Star.
A man who's scheduled to appear in court on mail and identity theft charges led Thousand Oaks police to discover that a crime trend in Los Angeles County has made its way north.
Grigor Nadzhryan was driving a stake bed truck on Feb. 28 when he was seen stealing mail from a residence in the 3300 block of Pembridge Street, said Thousand Oaks police Detective Tim Lohman. Read More.
The Bankers Committee, yesterday, said it will establish a database of suspected electronic fraud in the banking industry with the aim of blacklisting suspected fraudsters.
The committee comprise the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC and chief executives of banks.
Addressing a press conference at the end of the committee's meeting in Lagos, yesterday, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, said: "Part of the deliberation was that there is need to create a central depositary which is a database of suspected fraud through the system." Read More.
***CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU***
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Thursday took action against four online lenders – Golden Valley Lending, Inc., Silver Cloud Financial, Inc., Mountain Summit Financial, Inc., and Majestic Lake Financial, Inc. – for deceiving consumers by collecting debt they were not legally owed. In a suit filed in federal court, the CFPB alleges that the four lenders could not legally collect on these debts because the loans were void under state laws governing interest rate caps or the licensing of lenders. The CFPB alleges that the lenders made deceptive demands and illegally took money from consumer bank accounts for debts that consumers did not legally owe. The CFPB seeks to stop the unlawful practices, recoup relief for harmed consumers, and impose a penalty. Read More.
UPDATE: Authorities said police in Pennsylvania lost contact with the suspect around 2 a.m. Saturday. The wanted man was in the area of Harrisburg, PA.
Greenwich police are reporting that the suspect is believed to have fled Greenwich. Authorities say the suspect stole a car in Port Chester, N.Y. The suspect has been spotted in Pennsylvania, and police in that state are in pursuit. Greenwich police suspended their search around 9:30 p.m. Read More.


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In 2014, a European-wide study found that a quarter of people were unable to name a female scientist, living or dead. Whilst the gender disparity in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) r...
Diary of A Science Student
The Physics of Freshers
Word of the week: ‘Ipsedixitism’
Newcastle University professor links jean size with diabetes, causes controversy
Apple, Amazon and Disney amongst big brands lobbying against climate bill
Is the UK Doing Enough to Tackle Climate Change?

domain: news


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TOKYO (AP) -- Japan's jobless rate dropped to an 18-year low in April, but industrial production, inflation and household spending were muted as consumers kept purse strings tight.
The government said Friday that the unemployment rate was 3.3 percent in April, the lowest since April 1997, as firms stepped up hiring.
However, the rising competition for labor has had a limited impact on wages, with any income increases coming in the form of bonuses and other incentive pay.
The core consumer price index, excluding volatile food prices, rose 0.4 percent, partly due to a fall in energy costs thanks to cheaper crude oil. That is well below the 2 percent inflation target set by the central bank and government two years ago.
Aggressive monetary easing by the Bank of Japan, combined with pressures pushing the U.S. dollar higher have pulled the Japanese yen to its weakest level against the dollar since 2002.
Share prices have meanwhile surged to 15-year highs.
Japan's economy emerged from recession late last year, growing at a faster-than-expected 2.4 percent annual rate in January-March. But economists say weak factory output will likely keep growth flat in this quarter.


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The latest images of the Hilux
Hilux conquers the infamous Dakar Rally
Toyota Hilux battles to second on Dakar Rally 2013
After two weeks and 8000km through the harsh deserts of Peru, Argentina and Chile, the Toyota Hilux, crewed by Giniel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz has claimed second place in the world's toughest off-road motorsport event.
A RACE TO THE MAGNETIC NORTH POLE
Toyota Hilux becomes the first car to reach the magnetic north pole.
You’ll find the Toyota Hilux relied upon in life-or-death situations everywhere from the deserts of Africa to the jungles of Latin America. It was even the first road-going vehicle to reach the magnetic North Pole, taking the Top Gear team through hundreds of miles of arctic terrain, with temperatures as low as -35°C.
Latest News from the blog
Stay up-to-date with everything Hilux
Toyota Hilux helps Tiggywinkles wildlife hospital return deer to the wild
Here’s something to warm the cockles of your heart – two muntjac deer being returned to their natural habitats with the help of Tiggywinkles wildlife hospital and a specially-adapted Toyota Hilux.
The post Toyota Hilux helps Tiggywinkles wildlife hospital return deer to the wild appeared first on Toyota.Read more on the blog
Tue 02 Dec 2014
Toyota owners show-off their cars in photo contest trilogy
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has encouraged Toyota owners across the world to go out and snap their prized models, and spread the love for all things Toyota.
The post Toyota owners show-off their cars in photo contest trilogy appeared first on Toyota.Read more on the blog
Fri 28 Nov 2014
Toyota helps prepare Surrey Scouts for World Jamboree in Japan
Toyota GB provides £19,000 donation and hosts activity day at its Epsom headquarters as Surrey Scouts prepare for the 23rd World Scout Jamboree in 2015.
The post Toyota helps prepare Surrey Scouts for World Jamboree in Japan appeared first on Toyota.Read more on the blog
Thu 20 Nov 2014
Britain’s Top Tradesman 2014 revealed
Plumber from Newtownabbey sinks the competition to be named Britain's Top Tradesman 2014. Raymond McKnight wins a new Toyota Hilux for Hillview Heating in Newtonabbey.Read more on the blog
Wed 05 Nov 2014


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Adult book and toy stores in chattanooga tenn internet dating for artists
Floyd County has an ordinance similar to Chattanooga's, stating that a store is an adult business and subject to additional regulations if 35 percent or more of its merchandise is adult oriented.
Attorneys for the Love Shack told the city attorney's office that most of the store's sales are for non-adult items, primarily women's clothing.
Chattanooga is not the only area town stumped by how to regulate businesses such as the Love Shack, which has boxes of blow-up sex dolls, including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, on a back wall.
In Rome, Ga., city officials have said they can do nothing to ban The Love Library, an adult-themed novelty store that opened several months ago.
If you're able to read IPA you'll find a more accurate pronunciation in the "Pronunciation" column on the right.
Target is one of the largest major retailers in the United States.


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(Relaxnews) – Adidas has unveiled its latest running innovation, the Energy Boost running shoe featuring the Boost cushioning technology, which the company claims provides the highest energy returns on the market. In the hope of competing with behemoth Nike, Adidas claims the Boost “will change running forever.”
The secret formula: thermoplastic beads fused together inside the sole, providing energy and bounce to keep a consistent spring in your step, all the way through a long course. The proprietary technology has been three years in the making, reports Forbes, though the company wasn’t specific about patent rights.
A worldwide launch is scheduled for February 27. The new Energy Boost running shoe will retail for $150 at Adidas stores and various specialty running chains.
Watch a video on the Boost shoes:www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2WDVs-_fBo


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Independent delivery network APC Overnight has launched APC Pin Point and APC Called for its SME customers to improve parcel tracking and visibility.
The two electronic solutions will enable SMEs to meet consumer expectations. APC Pin Point allows customers track the delivery driver’s progress on an online proximity map. APC Called allows the driver to send an e-mail notification to the customer when delivery is attempted in addition to leaving a traditional calling card. The services were first trialled in April 2018.
“These two services recognise the importance of an efficient consumer experience to our SME customers. They will deliver improved parcel visibility, so that we can offer our customers an even more reliable service. We are also making it easier for consumers to reschedule their delivery,” said APC Overnight chief executive Jonathan Smith.


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The Daily Crunch is TechCrunch’s roundup of our biggest and most important stories. If you’d like to get this delivered to your inbox every day at around 9am Pacific, you can subscribe here.
Facebook is making its “Off-Facebook Activity” tool, which allows users to manage and delete the data that third-party websites and apps share with Facebook, available to all users worldwide. The feature was first introduced in 2018 at Facebook’s annual developer conference, but only launched to users in select geographies last year.
As Facebook explains today, other businesses send Facebook information about your activity on their sites and apps, which Facebook then uses to


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Following reports over the weekend that the Times had lost 66% of its online traffic since introducing compulsory registration and a paywall in recent weeks, the Guardian has now reported that the Times lost almost 90% of its online readership compared to February. This is the figure that was previously predicted by Sunday Times editor John Witherow, and is, according to the Guardian, "the standard experience when a site moves to a paid-access model instead of free access."
The Guardian's calculations are based on data from Experian Hitwise (as was the 66% figure) that shows how many people have attempted to access the site and how many people register to reach the home page. Taking into account figures provided by Dan Sabbagh, Beehive City blogger and former Times media correspondent, the Guardian concludes that the total number of daily visitors to the Times' site has fallen by about 84% since May.
Sabbagh has "picked up" some information about the Times' sign-up figures: that 150,000 people registered for the Times and Sunday Times websites during the free registration period, and that 15,000 actually agreed to pay. "Official sources" told him that the registration figure was actually higher, but did not challenge the paying figure, or the fact that 12,500 people were paying for the Times' separate iPad application.
This latter figure is impressive, given the fact that the iPad is a niche device. Sabbagh comments that it "makes you think that the future of newspapers starts to look a bit like the music industry. A declining print business; a modestly growing Apple dominated digital-paid for business -- and an internet free-for-all in which nobody pays for anything that erodes the previous two."
Estimating the value of these new digital subscribers at £7-10 each, Sabbagh concludes that they are worth far less than print subscribers, which the Times and Sunday Times have steadily been losing. What is important in this case though, is whether the revenue brought in from the paying readers exceeds the site's advertising revenue before implementing registration - and that is unclear.


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New car sales in Germany continued to decline in March as the market sees a post-scrappage incentives ‘hangover’.
Industry body the VDIK said that the March market declined by 26.5% on last year to take the decline in the first quarter to 23%.
“The share of new cars with diesel engines showed the expected recovery in March,” VDIK President Volker Lange said in a statement.
“Mini and compact cars, which gained disproportionally in 2009, also declined in March 2010, but showed double-digit growth rates compared to March 2008,” he added.
German consumers took advantage of government car purchase incentive scheme last year, which has since expired. The German scrappage incentive helped to spur a 40% on-year jump in car sales last March.
The VDIK forecasts a 2.9m car market in Germany this year, well below the 3.8m achieved in 2009.
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Cake baker extraordinaire Mr Kipling has announced the launch of a very magical treat.
Mr Kipling has decided to stay on trend and has launched a new set slices to entice fans, the unicorn slice.
A pack of 6 unicorn slices costs just £1 and is currently stocked in Asda.
Taking to social media to announce the news, Mr Kipling wrote on Instagram: "Did someone say unicorns? Our NEW Unicorn Slices are definitely not a fantasy… you can pick yours up from Asda today!"
They added the hastags: "#CakeLovers #MrKipling #ExceedinglyGood #KiplingCakes #Cake #Unicorns."
The new cakes are made from layers of pink sponge sandwiching and a vanilla flavour filling.
They're also topped with decorated purple fondant icing.
Commenting on the news, one fan wrote: "Oh wow these look amazing!!"
Another added: "OMG I need these."
While a third commented: "Need to hunt them down!!!"
It's the second time Asda have caused a storm on social media this week after they stocked up on an Easter Egg made entirely out of cheese.
The 'Cheester Egg' is the savoury food lover's dream, and comes with mini oatcakes and caramelised onion chutney.


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Biomids launches facial recognition authentication system
Biometric Identification and Security Systems (Biomids) has launched its Instant-In Access Manager which uses facial recognition to replace passwords for desktop authentication.
Using Internet Explorer and Chrome, the access manager also grants access to websites using the same technology.
According to the company, it is currently offering a free trial of the system, downloadable from its website.
The system is currently compatible on Windows products, the Surface Pro, as well as Apple products, iPads and iPhones. The Instant-In Suite also includes SDK options for developers to integrate facial recognition into their own apps.
According to new research, the global facial recognition market has been projected to grow at a CAGR of 24.5 between 2012 and 2016. As it stands, government departments are the major adopters and users of facial recognition.


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Rumors have been going around that Hudson, once one of the most consistent sources of Virtual Console content, has officially decided to stop supporting the service. The evidence seems to support this claim -- specifically the fact that Hudson hasn't released a VC game outside of Japan since October. But is this policy, or is the company just busy with WiiWare games?
Siliconera asked Mike Pepe, Hudson's director of marketing, about its Virtual Console plans. "Although WiiWare has been very successful for Hudson," Pepe said, "we have every intention to continue supporting Virtual Console." He then asked the Siliconera audience what games they'd like to see on the Virtual Console from Hudson. We'd spam the comments with Dracula X: Rondo of Blood requests, but we don't know if Hudson has any say over games from their parent company, Konami. So we're just going to spam the comments with Ai Cho Aniki requests.


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IoT startup Wiliot secures $200 million investment led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2
The Israeli company didn't reveal its valuation, but it is estimated to be in the region of $1 billion
Israeli startup Wiliot announced on Tuesday that it has completed a $200 million Series C funding round led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2. The company had raised $70 million previously. CEO and co-founder Tal Tamir said that the Series C was oversubscribed and that most of the new funds will enter the company coffers and only a small portion will be used for secondary deals. Wiliot's valuation was not revealed, but it is estimated that the company was valued at around $1 billion in the round.
Wiliot has developed a stamp-size computer, based on ARM architecture, named Wiliot IoT Pixels. These self-powered tags attach to any product or packaging to sense a range of physical and environmental data that is then fed into the Wiliot Cloud.
As part of the investment, Amit Lubovsky, Investor for SoftBank Investment Advisers, will join Wiliot’s Board of Directors.
Wiliot co-founders. Photo: Nimrod Gnisher
This is the fourth investment SoftBank has made from its Vision Fund 2 in an Israeli company in 2021. The company also recently appointed former director of Mossad, Yossi Cohen, as its representative in Israel. Among the Israeli companies to receive investments from SoftBank are AnyVision, Redis Labs, and Cybereason.
"I really wanted SoftBank to invest in us as we share the same vision," Tamir told Calcalist. "We both believe that with IoT and AI you can make the world a better place. When we presented the company to Masayoshi Son (SoftBank CEO) I felt that he was a very sharp person and that he connected with our field. They conducted a thorough examination of the company. Due to ARM, they have a very deep relationship with the hardware world and they view us as an important asset."
"We provide sensors that look like stickers and can provide every possible information on medicine, food, or agricultural products," added Tamir. "We add these stickers to food packaging and it tells us when the food was packed, how fresh it is, and any information you require in order to ensure it doesn't go bad. This can reduce 40% of food waste.
"We have been working with many clients over the past year-and-a-half and are moving from a pilot stage to a full payment stage. We work with all the big retail companies and the big pharma companies. The companies don't pay us for the sensors but for the information we provide them."
SoftBank joins existing investors that include 83North, Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), Avery Dennison, Grove Ventures, M Ventures, the corporate VC of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, Maersk Growth, Norwest Venture Partners, NTT DOCOMO Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures LLC, Samsung Venture Investment Corp., Vintage Investment Partners, and Verizon Ventures.
Wiliot will use the funds to significantly grow its teams at its development center in Caesarea and new R&D center in Tel Aviv. The company is also expanding into additional regions, including Japan and more countries in Europe.
Wiliot-enabled products and packaging can sense temperature, fill level, motion, location changes, humidity, and proximity. Wiliot IoT Pixels can be integrated into vaccine vials, food packaging, and more, bringing real-time transparency to the supply chain, and the ability for brands for the first time to understand inventory levels throughout their retail channels. They can even understand how their products are used in customers’ homes through a highly secure, privacy-protected platform. All this will provide consumers with increased convenience, fresher, safer food, less waste, lower medical costs, and a lower environmental impact.
“We have always believed that with IoT and AI, people will live better and healthier lives – where any food or medicine has the ability to understand if it’s safe to use and communicate seamlessly with people," said Yanni Pipilis, Managing Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers. "We are pleased to play a part in helping Wiliot dramatically scale the ever-expanding application of IoT globally.”


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Colorado Water Utility Customer Data Compromised by Data Breach at Payment Vendor Click2Gov
Colorado water supplier are the latest victims of a series of attacks on the Click2Gov municipality payment software. In a statement issued to press on Monday (December 30), Aurora Water said that the personal information of customers who had used the platform between August 30 and October 14 had been impacted. An unauthorized actor, it explained, had “modified a piece of computer code” used by Click2Gov “to capture limited personal information such as first and last name, billing address, payment card type, payment card number, payment card verification value, and payment card expiration date.”
Aurora Water, which provides water to 360,000 residents in Aurora, Colorado, said that upon discovering the incident it took “Click2Gov offline for any new reoccurring or one-time payments” and launched an investigation.
September 15, 2019
No cost values disclosed.
Type of Malware


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Blockchain Gaming. See The Future.
The new concept of crypto economic scarcity has dramatically shifted the way we value digital content. At Alphaslot, our ecosystem is making the metaverse a reality for the gaming industry, enabling the widespread adoption of the blockchain entertainment world.
The Alphaslot app will be installed on players’ smartphones and will be the means to connect players with gaming activities via the Alphaslot ecosystem. The app will feature a user-friendly interface that contains a virtual wallet with an exchange platform, further enhancing the user experience of blockchain gaming.
Alphaslot is a distributed blockchain-based computing platform that supports commercial-scale gaming applications and connecting multiple blockchains synergistically for extended user coverage. Online and land-based gaming operators use their gaming servers as validators, serving to secure the Alphaslot Chain for operations within the network and use the SLOT token earned from playing games to increase players interaction.
Alphaslot’s interoperability will advance the widespread adoption of blockchain technology and the speed of tokenization in the gaming industry. By reaching new audiences and user groups in different sectors of the constantly evolving and growing gaming environments, the tokenized Alphaslot ecosystem will lead to an explosion in player activity and transaction values, substantially increasing the size of the gaming market.
Hong Kong’s Alphaslot Ventures Into $200 Billion Global Gaming Market, Joining with Leading Macau Manufacturers Organization
[Macau, China] Alphaslot, the Hong Kong-based gaming technology company, has further strengthened its market position through a recent membership granted by MGEMA, the leading Macau
Alphaslot is trying to address one of the main challenges facing the blockchain industry which is mass adoption of blockchain wallets. This is one of


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The rustbelt area of the United States was probably hit the hardest during the recent recession. With manufacturing jobs going overseas to help companies save money all the way to the automotive industry battling through bankruptcy, for a while, cities like Dayton, Ohio, saw a larger than average inflation of locals without work. However, that has since changed and the manufacturing industry is on the rebound. While it is not yet back to the same numbers it once boasted before the recession, more and more jobs continue to return to the area. One major reason behind this is because of the resurgence of the auto industry. General Motors held several different manufacturing plants within the area, and while GM is not opening up all of the plants back up, other auto manufacturers have taken noticed and started to move into Dayton, thanks to its centralized location along important Interstate 75.
Fuyao, a Chinese auto parts manufacturer, recently moved operations into a former General Motors plant, bringing along with it 800 full time jobs. The company also set out a $200 million investment into the region and upgrading the building as well. However, this is just the initial investment and it is expected to continue to grow. Many in Dayton are comparing this to when Honda brought the production of motorcycles into Ohio in the 1970s. At the time, it required only a few hundred employees to do this. Now, there are over 13,000 jobs related to Honda in Ohio, so there are high hopes for this new agreement to bring in the manufacturing jobs.
The auto manufacturing utilized by Fuyao does take advantage of some injection molding services in order to mass produce large quantities of the products. The company also produces automotive glass for different kinds of vehicles throughout the world. The company also works directly with General Motors, so as GM rebounds, production is likely to increase, which means more jobs.
Before the movement of Fuyao into the former GM plant, the plant had remained idle, without any sort of work going into it, since 2008 when General Motors shut down production in the plant just a few weeks before it filed for bankruptcy. So, this is very good news for the city of Dayton, Ohio, the region and for the injection molding industry as well. It all points to a promising expansion over the next several years.


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By Julia Karow
This article has been updated from a version posted Nov. 30 to include additional information from a company conference call and SEC filings.
Pacific Biosciences last week disclosed performance specifications for its "limited production release" beta instruments at early-access customer sites as part of its first quarterly earnings report since going public in late October.
The company also laid out a path for improving the read length, accuracy, throughput, and other features for the commercial release of the PacBio RS, scheduled for the first half of 2011.
As of last week, PacBio had shipped 11 instruments, to all members of its early-access program. Of those, 10 systems are already installed, and eight customers have accepted their instruments. The company expects some of them to present data at the Advances in Genome Biology and Technology meeting in February 2011.
The company said that the beta instruments produce sequence data with an average read length of 500 to 550 bases and a raw read accuracy of 80 to 85 percent, along with a consensus accuracy of 99.99 percent. Currently, beta customers are seeing an average read length of about 540 bases, with 5 percent of reads longer than 1,300 bases. The average single-read accuracy is 84 percent at present.
Over the time of the beta program — planned to be completed within six to nine months — the company will "incrementally increase the performance with consumable and software upgrades," said CEO Hugh Martin in a conference call to discuss the firm's third-quarter earnings.
He added that the commercial platform will continue to improve over time in the same manner. "We continue to be on target to reach the specifications for commercial launch in the first half of 2011," he said. "Notably, internally on our development systems at PacBio, we have achieved all of the customer release specifications."
The company has already begun to roll out new enzyme chemistry, new software features and "bug fixes" to some of its beta customers, he said, resulting in increased read lengths of 700 to 750 bases and better accuracy.
Martin did not spell out the commercial performance targets, but earlier this year, the company said the commercial PacBio RS instrument will generate average read lengths of 1,000 bases, with a small fraction of reads longer than 10 kilobases, and have a typical run time of 30 minutes (IS 8/24/2010). The commercial instrument will also run chips with 75,000 wells, or zero-mode waveguides, whereas the development instrument uses chips with 45,000 wells. Chief technology officer Steve Turner added this week that the expected commercial raw read accuracy will be between 85 and 90 percent.
According to Martin, the hardware design for the commercial instrument is "substantially complete" and parts for the first instruments to be shipped next year are already on order. The final design includes changes based on feedback from early-access customers, "most related to serviceability and stability."
The company has also developed an enzyme chemistry "that will produce the commercial release specification" and is currently optimizing its performance internally. The new chemistry involves changes to the enzymes and dyes, and beta customers will receive several chemistry upgrades over time, allowing them to reach the commercial release performance before commercial instruments are shipped, Martin said.
Furthermore, PacBio has improved its software, and is targeting a software freeze for around the end of the year. Enhancements include increased system robustness, tools for installation and calibration, and better algorithms to minimize variability. Also, the base caller is currently being trained on data generated by the new enzyme.
Following the software freeze, "the final phase of completing our initial release will be verification and validation of the entire system, which we are planning to do in early 2011," Martin said.
Looking further into the future, Turner said that through a combination of chemistry advances and better algorithms, the raw read accuracy will improve "beyond" 85 to 90 percent. Using present engineering methods, the company also sees "a pathway" to get to a raw read accuracy of 95 percent. "Beyond that, we would need to switch to new methods, for example in the area of protein engineering," he said.
Turner also said that the firm is working to increase the yield of zero-mode waveguides filled with a single active polymerase enzyme beyond 30 percent by developing a "super Poisson" technology, where each well has a mounting point that can accommodate only one polymerase. He said the company already has "good proof of principle on demonstrating this mounting point" and is now combining it with the sequencing technology.
One important lesson from the beta program so far, Martin said, is that "single-molecule work requires stringent controls around sample prep." Single-molecule sample prep is "a tricky thing," and to minimize the variability that some customers experienced, the company has modified its sample prep protocols and supporting documentation, he added.
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The company has also invested "significantly" in service and support for both beta and commercial customers, Martin said, including a toll-free tech support number, an online customer portal with documentation, and a customer discussion forum. It has trained application specialists and service engineers, established a troubleshooting workflow based on lessons learned from the beta program, enabled remote diagnostics on the instrument, and hired additional field personnel. One of the early-access instruments — at the National Cancer Institute — was installed in only eight days prior to its acceptance by the customer, Martin reported.
Martin declined to provide information on the development of or timeline for RNA or methylation sequencing applications, saying that the company's policy is not to discuss unreleased products.
Commenting on PacBio's competitive position compared to other sequencing platforms, Martin said that the firm is initially targeting customers who want long read length, fast results, and the ability to do many experiments at a low cost per run. "Initially, because we are not going to be in the same throughput war that some of the second-gen platforms are in, we are focusing on our differentiators," he said.
Compared to Sanger sequencing, he said that PacBio will "meet or beat" Sanger's read length and cycle time, and have a "much higher" throughput and "much lower" cost per base. He did not compare the two technologies' accuracies.
Regarding applications of the PacBio platform, Martin said that the three most important ones to date are infectious disease research, cancer research, and SNP validation.
Infectious disease researchers have been moving from genotyping to sequencing "as a way to get a much more definite result," he said, and "a big driver" for PacBio in this area is the fast turnaround time of its instrument, compared to second-gen sequencing platforms. In cancer research, he said, long reads are "extremely important" to be able to distinguish between subpopulations in the same tumor. And researchers are expected to use the PacBio technology to validate SNPs from sequencing human genomes by short-read technologies because it provides an orthogonal method with different systematic errors.
In preparation for its commercial launch, the company has also increased its sales force from six in the second quarter to 11 in the third, who are currently spending about half their time "managing the customers that are in our backlog," Martin said. The company also has to "manage the demand" from potential customers in parts of the world it currently does not serve. "Despite how badly someone in, say, Japan right now might want to buy even multiple systems, we want to be thoughtful about that," he said.
Losses Widen in Q3
For the quarter ended Sept. 30, PacBio reported a net loss of $40.7 million, a 66 percent increase over a $24.5 million loss for the same period last year that resulted from an increase in materials costs and an expansion of its sales, services, and manufacturing operations in advance of the commercial launch of the PacBio RS.
Revenue for the third quarter was $220,000 — due solely to research grants — compared to no revenue for the same period last year. The company has not yet received revenue from product sales, and reiterated that it does not expect to do so before the end of the year.
Chief financial officer Susan Barnes explained during the call that under the terms of the beta program, the company is entitled to 50 percent of the selling price of the RS instrument — all are sold at the $695,000 list price — upon customer acceptance of the beta unit, and will recognize the full sales price when the instrument is upgraded to commercial release specifications, which is expected to happen during the first half of 2011.
As of Sept. 30, 2010, the company's backlog of purchase orders or signed contracts was approximately $20 million, or 32 instruments — an increase of $5 million since June 30 (IS 9/28/2010). This backlog excludes 10 percent of the purchase price, which the company plans to recognize as service revenue during the 12 months following the installation and acceptance of the systems.
In documents filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission this week, PacBio said it expects to deliver all orders in its backlog by Dec. 31, 2011.
Customers who have placed orders for commercial instruments include genome centers, academic centers, agricultural companies, and service providers. Several companies have disclosed their purchase orders, such as Monsanto, which is also a PacBio investor, as well as service providers Expression Analysis and GATC Biotech.
PacBio's research and development expenses in the third quarter increased 56 percent, to $32.9 million from $21.1 million during the year-ago period, due to increased personnel in manufacturing and operations, increased costs for prototype components and instrument and consumables products, and facilities and information technology.
Selling, general, and administrative expenses more than doubled to $8 million, from $3.4 million for the same period of 2009, primarily due to growth in sales and customer support personnel, travel and promotion, and facilities and information technology.
The company said that it hired 146 employees over the past year, bringing its total workforce to 406 staffers as of the end of the third quarter.
As of Sept. 30, PacBio had $112.9 million in cash and investments, however, this does not include the approximately $210 million it raised in its IPO at the end of October (IS 11/2/2010). Following the offering, the company's underwriters exercised their over-allotment options, purchasing another 1.875 million shares at $16 per share.
The company currently does not provide a financial forecast but plans to do so once it begins selling products and can better estimate future revenues and margins.
In this week's SEC filing, PacBio also commented briefly on its litigation with Affymetrix, which filed a suit against the company last month for unlawful recruiting of its employees (IS 11/9/2010). "We believe the Affymetrix complaint is entirely without merit and intend to vigorously defend ourselves against Affymetrix’ claims," PacBio said, noting that as of Nov. 29, it had not been served with a copy of the complaint.
— Monica Heger contributed to this article.
Have topics you'd like to see covered in In Sequence? Contact the editor at jkarow [at] genomeweb [.] com.


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Valve officially released the OLED version of the Steam Deck game handheld console today. In an interview with IGN media, Valve designer Lawrence Yang said that native dual-boot support has always been a “priority” option, but it was previously focused on developing the OLED version of Steam Deck, so it was delayed.
Note: Many players have been looking forward to Valve providing native dual-boot support, which allows the Steam Deck handheld console to run SteamOS and Microsoft Windows systems at the same time, making it easier to access Game Pass, Cloud and some Microsoft game services.
Yang promised users that native dual-boot support is always the “first priority”. After the OLED version of Steam Deck is released, more focus will be placed on this feature and it will be provided to players as soon as possible.
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By Elias Hakizimana.
Gloria Nishimwe graduated from University of Rwanda’s College of Science and Technology with the bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering, she tried to develop so many Software and her brand names were stolen by others due to lack of awareness about Intellectual Property registration.
Until now, the young lady met problems of how she can create a new product and becomes her own without falling in traps of counterfeit.
“I was not aware of any strategy to protect my brands before others could make their own. I have so far tried four applications and I found that other people are using them,” Nishimwe said.
Not only this young lady, there are many more young entrepreneurs who have been running their projects while their companies did not register and not protected by the Intellectual properties resulting into late complaints after revealing that other business owners have similar brand names or trademarks.
Alain Didier Muhizi, Head of Policy Analysis in PSF, Rwanda counts almost 200,000 registered businesses including a huge percentage of young entrepreneurs.
“We thought on the future of the country which is the youths who keep on inventing many innovations. We wanted to equip them with needed skills about how they can protect their Intellectual Properties so that they benefit them as owners. We started with 60 youths where we partnered with RDB and Experts in Intellectual Property from Ukraine University to train these entrepreneurs in this field. This is the beginning as we target more trainees,” Muhizi said.
He said that capacity building is the key that will positively impact fresh businesses after understanding the rationale of registering and protecting their Intellectual properties.
Jean Marie Vianney Habiyaremye, CEO of Cow Horns Rwanda, said that they used to produce products and keep increasing new varieties from cow horns without thinking of ownership.
“The main reason is lack of awareness of registering Intellectual properties.We have around 17 products, we are innovating new products but we are always afraid that people can still our brands,” he said.
Habiyaremye and his colleagues are now happy to gain knowledge about how things go in registering and protecting their brands under Intellectual Properties law after attending a one-day sensitization meeting organized by the Private Sector Federation with the support from Trademark East Africa, for youth in business through the Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs (CYE) and in collaboration with the IP office in RDB on September 12, 2019 in Kigali.
“I gained knowledge and now I should consider trade mark and registering all our products including plates, cups, neck races, spoons, jewels, rings, clothes’ buttons, etc,” he said.
Fabiola Mukundente, a young entrepreneur in TV Production, Women Online TV, said that she was also curious on how to protect a business that originated from her innovation. She said she will try to share knowledge with other young entrepreneurs especially women after taking a decision to seek for sustainable security of her business.
Alexis Tuyizere, Registration Officer at RDB, said has handled four complaints so far in regard with Intellectual property where business people use others’ Intellectual Properties.
He calls young entrepreneurs and other business operators to come at IP office in RDB and get the guidelines about IP when they properties are meant to being registered before they put them on market.
Copyright laws of Rwanda avoids unfair competition and conflicts that can escalate between business or property owners. They protect writers’ works against stealing by unauthorized users.
The Law on protection of Intellectual Property (IP) N° 31/2009 of 26/10/2009 and the Intellectual Property Policy of November 2009 in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Rwanda were set to ensure that the government protects Intellectual Property rights.
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While most business jet manufacturers rarely announce how many airplanes they have built before providing quarterly shipment numbers to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, Eclipse Aviation announced last month that it had delivered 45 aircraft in the first quarter. (“Delivered” airplanes have a bill of sale, the buyer has paid and signed the acceptance papers.)
In an early April letter to customers, Eclipse president and CEO Vern Raburn said that the company built 55 Eclipse 500s in the first quarter of this year, “fifty-four percent of last year’s production in twenty-five percent of the time.”
According to one business jet broker, as of early last month there were 24 Eclipse 500s for sale. Nine of those were already delivered jets and the rest were 2008 delivery positions. Prices for those that had asking prices ranged from the lowest at $1.45 million to a high of $1.928 million. Three of the 24 were offered for buyers interested in shares of Eclipse 500s instead of the entire airplane.
J.P. Hanley’s Corporate Airsearch International of Palm Beach, Fla., is offering S/N 281 for $1.8 million for delivery in the third quarter. Hanley was involved in the recent sale of S/N 125, which he said sold for $1.81 million. Those available for delivery soon are selling much better, he said. “Buyers don’t want to wait.” The Eclipse 500 is priced at $1.595 million in 2006 dollars. New Eclipses available in the short term are selling for a premium of $150,000 to $200,000, he said.
Broker Anthony Linder of Stratford, Conn.-based JetSmart usually sells light jets through large jets but offered to do a friend a favor by marketing an Eclipse 500 position for delivery in October next year. The asking price is $1.72 million. Linder isn’t convinced the VLJ market is going to take off because he doesn’t see owners willing to buy anything smaller than a Learjet 31 or 35. “That’s the smallest they want to go,” he said. The VLJ market, he said, “doesn’t really reflect on my market. There’s still another five years before it gains any critical mass.” In the first three weeks that he had the Eclipse position on the market, Linder received no calls from interested buyers.
In the April letter to customers, Raburn said that the schedule for upgrading in-service Eclipse 500s would be published by June 1. The upgrades include the final configuration for the Avio NG avionics system with dual Garmin GPS 400W navigators.
Raburn also announced a new commercial operations package with equipment charter operators need. The $29,995, 17.3-pound package includes a third independent AHRS, 40-cu-ft oxygen tank, copilot quick-don oxygen mask, second handheld microphone, three AC power outlets and passenger briefing cards.
Bryan Comstock of JetEffect contributed to this article.


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Apple’s striking “spaceship” campus in Cupertino is now only six months away from completion, with the latest flyover video offering dramatic shots of the main donut-shaped building as well as other parts of the complex such as the eye-catching entrance to the underground auditorium and a view of the research and development buildings.
Using a DJI Phantom 3 Professional quadcopter, drone enthusiast Matthew Roberts has been offering monthly updates as the massive construction project nears its conclusion. According to his latest video, serious progress has been made with the huge solar panels on the roof of the main building. It’s estimated that once up and running, the panels will be able to take care of around 75 percent of the building’s energy needs during peak time. Work is also well underway on fitting the building’s 3,000 floor-to-ceiling glass panels, as well as the canopies to help shield staff from the California sun.
We also get to see the auditorium lobby now fitted with the world’s biggest carbon-fiber roof. The auditorium itself, which has around 1,000 seats, is underground, which explains the piles of geofoam nearby. The material will be used beneath the mud landscaping above the auditorium, with its light weight helping to ease the pressure on the cavernous space beneath.
The large research and development facility looks almost ready, a place where Jony Ive and his team will be endeavoring to cook up Apple’s next big thing, or simply bashing out ideas for tweaks to future iterations of the iPhone.
Roberts also gives us a decent view of the 100,000-square-foot fitness center, as well as the parking areas, described as “95 percent complete” and which also feature solar panel roofs.
The campus covers about 176 acres and will incorporate office space across four floors. The structure, which’ll be home to some 14,000 Apple employees when it opens toward the end of this year or early next, is the work of the acclaimed British architect Norman Foster, though the project was the long-time ambition of Steve Jobs, who helped develop the plan until his death in 2011.
- Watch a drone lose control and crash onto Apple Park’s solar roof
- From dusty plot to green oasis, Apple Park receives the finishing touches
- Before ‘plantscrapers’ can grow food in the city, they’ll need to grow money
- Here’s what some employees told 911 after walking into Apple Park’s glass walls
- Buzz Aldrin’s solar backpack will get you ready for a mission to Mars


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Craft beer is no longer a trend, nor simply an alternative to the standard “imported or domestic” variety.
The fact that microbreweries permeate nearly every inch of the map these days signals that the rise of craft beer is something much grander. It’s the artisan’s new frontier, a virtually endless canvas for creativity where success is not necessarily market share, but the taste of a quality concoction.
For many breweries, especially in Charleston, it’s also a way to bottle their hometown’s unique identity. Local breweries have at least a few beers with locally sourced ingredients or Charleston-related references.
Take Holy City Brewing’s Chucktown Follicle Brown, for instance. The brown ale was created as an ode to the Holy City Beard & Moustache Society, and the beer cans are adorned with the very hairy face of the organization’s founder, Paul Roof.
These are the things that make craft beer a wellspring of cultural richness. It’s why many locals wear their hometown brands like a badge of honor, why tourists equate visiting a local craft brewery to sightseeing.
And it’s why Chrys Rynearson and Timmons Pettigrew decided to start Charleston Beer Week in 2013.
“We want to entice people who may have just gotten into craft beer,” Rynearson said. “And we do want to help promote our own local microbreweries because these (brewers), they’re in it for the right reasons. They’re not making tons of money. They love it for the craft, and any time we can help promote that, we just want to take advantage of it.”
Charleston Beer Week starts Sunday and continues through Sept. 19 with 42 events celebrating Charleston’s unique beer culture. You can find a full schedule with all the event descriptions at www.charlestonbeerweek.com, but here’s a few highlights to get your mouth watering.
Now a staple of the weeklong festivities, the All SC Tap Takeover at Closed for Business on Tuesday is a must for beer nerds and newbies alike. The pub at 453 King St. dedicates all 42 of its taps to beers made in South Carolina, from local favorites to special brews made in the Upstate. For seasoned craft beer drinkers, it’s a treasure trove of unique ales that wouldn’t always be found on tap at local watering holes. In general, it’s a one-stop shop to get to know the statewide beer culture. The event starts at 6 p.m. While you don’t need tickets, the cold ones will cost you.
Another event centered around state and local brews is the She’s Crafty showcase on Wednesday at Craftsmen Kitchen & Taphouse at 12 Cumberland St. The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and will debut all-new brews specifically crafted by women at Tradesman Brewing, Frothy Beard Brewing, Holy City Brewing, Fat Pig Brewing, Freehouse Brewery, Revelry Brewing and Quest Brewing of Greenville.
The female brewers were part of the new program called “BREWSTER,” which is an acronym for Building Relationships & Empowering Women Striving To Exist Responsibly. One dollar from each beer sold at the event will benefit the Center for Women, a local organization that strives to support and empower women in every aspect of their lives.
In recent years, sour beers and wild ales have become all the rage with beer enthusiasts and brewers. But sour beer isn’t a new concept. In fact, it’s sort of like the throwback thrill of the beer scene. You see, all beers used to be sour. Then, at some point, beer makers started to understand the chemistry a little better, so they introduced new sterilization and pasteurization processes that rid the beers of the sour-causing microorganisms. Now, beermakers everywhere are reintroducing them with different fermentation strategies.
Revelry Brewing Co., one of the newest breweries to open in Charleston, hopes to lead the charge of the sour beer trend in Charleston, according to owner Jay Daratony.
“The whole concept of sour beer and wild ale is really bridging the gap between beer and wine,” he said, explaining that many are barrel-aged, just like wine.
On Wednesday, Revelry at 10 Conroy St. will celebrate the trend with the Sour & Wild Ale Tap Takeover from 4 to 10 p.m. with the brewery’s own creations, and several from five other breweries: Against the Grain of Louisville, Ky.; Green Man of Asheville; Jolly Pumpkin of Dexter, Mich.; Green Bench of St. Petersburg, Fla.; and Jester King of Austin, Texas.
Another party celebrating all beers that are wild, barrel-aged and sour is Flowertown’s Funky Firkin Fest on Sept. 19 at Oak Road Brewery, 108 E 3rd N St., Summerville. More than 20 breweries from around South Carolina will participate, with more breweries to be announced closer to the event. Tickets are $55 and include unlimited beer samples and a tasting glass. Food trucks also will be on site.
Charleston Beer Week may offer its fair share of sophisticated samplings, but some events are just aimed at having fun. Back by popular demand this year is the ’80s Field Day at The Barrel, 1859 Folly Road, starting at 2 p.m. Sept. 19. Attendees are encouraged to dress in their best ’80s-style sports gear and team up for games and relay races borrowed from your typical elementary school field day. Think tug of war, three-legged races, a balloon pop — you know, all those highly athletic sports. There will be plenty of craft beers on tap and prizes to be won.
On Tuesday, head to Big Game Bar & Grill at 545 Belle Station Blvd. in Mount Pleasant for Holy City, Homebrews & Bocce Ball tournament starting at 6 p.m. The highlights of the event include special taps by Holy City Brewing and homebrewing demonstrations from Yeast: Everything Homebrew. As an added bonus, the first 50 patrons to order a pint from Holy City will receive a free Charleston Beer Week pint glass.
Both events are free to attend, but you’ll have to pay your way through the beers and bites.
Reach Abigail Darlington at 937-5906 and follow her on Twitter @A_Big_Gail.


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European Platinum Company to participate in the 2016 graphene terminal applications
June 28, 2016 -30, the European platinum company was invited to participate in Changzhou 2016 graphene terminal application conference. Conference to 45 period of new materials planning background, graphene focus on downstream applications of new technology from domestic more than 80 graphene downstream enterprises, colleges and universities, 160 more than to attend the meeting. Europe Platinum Company at the conference were product display and corporate propaganda, and all kinds of downstream enterprise application, graphene peer production and inspection agencies exchange site, some customers express demand intent of Europe platinum products. The company also visited the national representative of the new material and new high-tech industrial park and China graphene science and technology exhibition hall.
The conference greatly increased the visibility of the European Platinum Company in the graphene industry, to further broaden the sales channels of the product. In this conference as an opportunity, the European Platinum Company will continue to create new brilliance for the group of new materials section.


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Internet culture cataloguing site Know Your Meme is out with its list of the top memes of 2012, and it features two burgeoning trends in the music scene: the rise and legitimization of memecore, as well as the popularization of tunes via spinoffs and parodies.
Last year, we fell to our knees, keening out a bitter lament that Rebecca Black (oh she of “Friday” fame) was the fastest rising Google search term of 2011, according to the search giant’s 2011 Zeitgeist Report. Today, Spotify offers up a glimmering pearl of hope when it comes to our slowly dying world’s taste in music. The top listened-to and shared track of 2012? Gotye‘s “Somebody That I Used To Know.”


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The Ellison High School auditorium was packed with students whooping and whistling at a fashion show Wednesday afternoon.
The cause: charity.
The proceeds — and clothes — of the student fashion show will benefit Killeen nonprofit Option House Youth Shelter.
The event was the brainchild of student Samantha Bundy, who put the show together as her senior project required by her leadership academy course.
Bundy, influenced by her fashion design class, decided to pair her love of fashion with her desire to help the community by working with the local shelter. All of the clothing used in the show was donated by Ellison students, and each of the students involved volunteered their time.
More than 20 youth assist-
ed with the show, which included twice-daily practices for more than a month.
Sophomore Bayley Whitis was one of the hair and makeup artists assisting backstage, a task she hopes to do professionally after high school.
“I looked at fashion shows for ideas,” she said, “but we dulled it down and made it appropriate for high school students.”
Montana George, an Ellison freshman, served as a model in the show, posing in several different looks.
“We all helped put each (outfit) together,” she said, emphasizing the team effort involved behind the scenes.
Fashion design teacher Diane Cole served as Bundy’s mentor.
“The students surprised me with how they stepped up,” Cole said. “I’m impressed ... and really proud of all the kids.”
All of the clothing from the event, as well as the proceeds from ticket sales, will go directly to the youth shelter. Bundy estimates the show earned nearly $300 in ticket sales.
“Homelessness is a big issue at our school,” Cole said.
Option House Youth Shelter provides emergency services for youth ages 3 to 17, and shelter space to youth ages 12 to 17.
“We connect youth to basic services and resources,” said shelter Director Rose Amian. The 15-bed facility allows stays ranging from three days to three months.
The organization is grateful for the community support, and plans to spend the funds from the fashion show on entertainment activities for the kids in their space.
“I was hesitant at first,” said senior Jerica Hamilton about participating in the show. “But when I found out it was for charity, I wanted to be a part of it. I’m grateful that fortunate teens like us can give to those with less.”


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While the South Koreans, according to figures from IDC losing 3.1 per cent in the second quarter, Apple increased by 2.4 percent.
According to the published by IDC smartphone market figures for the second quarter Apple could improve in the global business-while Samsung had to push back. Apple’s market share is therefore now at 14.1 percent,
plus to 2.4 percent compared to the same quarter last year. At Samsung’s, however, declined by 3.1 percent.
A total lie but still front South Koreans with a 21.7 percent market share, Apple reached 2nd place with 14.1 percent. Remote device volume, the difference is even greater: 73.2 million in Samsung and 47.5 million at Apple.
Behind it are now Chinese Smartphone vendor: the top fill in after Samsung and Apple the rest 5. A particularly clear leap Huawei with a 48 percent to just under 30 million units, as the market research firm IDC reported late Thursday. That resulted in a market share of 8.9 percent. Xiaomi (5.3 per cent market share) follows on 4th, 5th place occupied Lenovo together with its purchase of Motorola (4.8 percent).
Samsung is taken from two directions into the Collet. Chinese vendor make to create the leader from South Korea especially in cheap devices, Apple is successful with his iPhone 6 with expensive smartphones.
The US Group secures a large part of the profits in the industry, because he kept out the competition with cheap models. At the same time including the demand in China caused an increase of 35 percent compared to the same quarter last year. The entire smartphone market grew according to IDC by 11.6 percent to 337.2 million units. (with material from the dpa) / (bsc)
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Amid the gloomy forecast for global economy, an emerging affluence may soon be sweeping across Asia and Africa, with Nigeria and six other countries taking the lead.
Indeed, a survey revealed that new confidence about markets’ growth prospects, expected income rise, clear spending plans, and high optimism in achieving long-term wealth goal, would hallmark the economies of Nigeria and Kenya in particular.
The new independent study commissioned by Standard Chartered, which polled 7,000 emerging affluent consumers across seven of Standard Chartered’s markets– China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria and Singapore, offered new insights into the confidence levels, income expectations, saving plans, short and medium-term spending priorities, and long-term aspirations of people with rising incomes that are living in large cities.
Standard Chartered is an international banking group, with more than 86,000 employees and a 150-year history in some of the world’s most dynamic markets, banking people and companies that drive investment, trade and the creation of wealth across Asia, Africa and the Middle East, where it earns around 90 per cent of our income and profits.
A key finding in the study is a high level of confidence among the emerging affluent when it comes to the 10-year wealth goal, as respondents in six of the markets – Hong Kong, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria and Singapore – say buying property is their top long-term financial aspiration, while launching their own business is the number one goal for the emerging affluent Kenyans.
Whether the 10-year wealth aspiration is to buy property or launch a business, on average, as many as 87% of the emerging affluent are optimistic they will achieve it.
The figure is considerably higher in the developing markets, with 100% of Nigerians and at least nine in 10 Kenyans, Indians, Indonesians and Chinese said they are confident about achieving their long-term financial goal.
The Chief Executive Officer, Retail Banking, Standard Chartered, Karen Fawcett, said: “At a time when many people are worried about the global economy, this study suggests it feels very different on the ground in Asia and Africa. These emerging affluent consumers are confident, ambitious and are driving wealth creation, which supports the long-term outlook for growth across these markets.
“Standard Chartered is focused on the fastest-growing cities in the world where there are high concentrations of affluent individuals seeking international banking solutions and comprehensive wealth solutions and advice. As disposable incomes rise and financial needs increase, we want to help our clients achieve their financial aspirations.”
Other findings showed that the majority are optimistic about growth prospects- on average, 75% of the emerging affluent said they expect their respective markets’ economy to grow next year, while 95% of the emerging affluent Indians are the most confident, which contrast 48% of those in Hong Kong.
Most expect their incomes to rise on average- 65% of the emerging affluent have seen their household disposable income rise in the past year, with the trend set to continue, as an average 72% expect their incomes to rise next year. The figure is far higher in Nigeria (88%), India (88%) and Indonesia (82%).


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2015 will see the largest-ever gathering of LION Publishers
The 2015 conference of local indie online publishers will be the largest gathering that LION has convened. We already have
The 2015 conference of local indie online publishers will be the largest gathering that LION has convened. We already have more attendees signed up than for our previous annual summit, and we have almost two weeks of registration left. With
84 89 99 101 publishers and editors, academics, foundation representatives, industry experts and vendors already attending, you won't want to miss the vigorous exchange of ideas that'll take place in Chicago at the 2015 LION Summit.
Is your name on the list? Reserve your spot now!
38 LION members selected for Sustainability Audit’s 2023 September-November cycle
Publishers will receive expert guidance and $20,000
Adding more staff isn’t the only way to lessen your workload
Four insights we took away from analyzing 100 Sustainability Audits from independent news businesses.
Meet LION’s Fall 2023 Community Ambassadors
These independent news leaders will connect with other independent publishers across the U.S.


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CHICAGO — At the recent ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America®
tradeshow, several presenters discussed the fact that Green cleaning is evolving into sustainable cleaning, according to a press release
With this in mind, CFR
, manufacturers of filtering and recycling carpet extractors, contacted nearly 600 carpet cleaning professionals, asking them to answer questions regarding water use and carpet cleaning, the release noted.
"Our first question asked how much water a conventional portable extractor uses," says Doug Berjer, Product Manager for CFR.
"Most respondents answered ''less than a gallon of water per minute;'' however, this is not correct," Berjer added.
According to the release, the survey also asked how much time it takes to empty and refill a portable extractor and what would happen if too much water is left in carpets after cleaning.


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£125million boost for advanced manufacturing supply chain
1 min read
A new initiative worth up to £125million is being set up to improve the global competitiveness of UK advanced manufacturing supply chains.
The Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain fund aims to help existing UK supply chains grow and achieve world class standards, while encouraging major new suppliers to come and manufacture here. According to a statement by the Technology Strategy Board, the new fund will support innovative projects in established UK advanced manufacturing sectors such as aerospace, automotive and chemicals. It will also target newer growth areas where the UK is well placed to take a global lead, such as energy renewables and other low carbon sectors. The competitive fund will invite applications early in the new year and will be flexible in the type of support offered to successful proposals, recognising that to fulfil their potential and address market failures, suppliers and supply chains may require a combination of investment in capital equipment, associated research and development and improved skills and training support. Suppliers, including small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), will be encouraged to submit joint proposals that demonstrate potential to strengthen and provide better join-up across whole supply chains.


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A very big thank you to those who attended the SmallBizMatters Event at Crepeaffaire in Spitalfields Market, London on April 6th. We hope you enjoyed the delicious and free crepes, beautiful weather and wonderful surroundings. We appreciate all the tweets and Facebook comments in support of British small businesses.
At Intuit, we make products and services that help small businesses succeed. We spend a lot of time listening to business owners, understanding the problems that small businesses face and thinking of ways we can help. So when we were deciding how best to mark our launch of QuickBooks Online in Britain, we chose an event that would also help British small businesses by raising awareness about how much they matter.
Many small businesses and their supporters told us via Twitter and Facebook why British small businesses matter to them. We have included some of the comments below. We have also put together a collection of pictures from the event. Take a look and see if you can spot yourself!
Smarta Business Builder enables businesses to access their finances, website, business plan, email and legal documents all from a single web browser.
Sháá Wasmund, Founder and CEO of Smarta said: “QuickBooks Online is a powerful, but easy-to-use solution which will save businesses both time and money – so is a perfect fit for Smarta Business Builder.”
Smarta Business Builder comprises of:
Intuit QuickBooks Online
LivePlan from Palo Alto Software Inc
Fusemail hosted email from J2 communications
Sitemaker website builder from Moonfruit
Legal Document Builder from Epoq
Smarta Business Builder is also backed by Theo Paphitis, chairman of Ryman, star of BBC’s Dragons’ Den and a Smarta board member.
One month on from the VAT increase, we decided to poll 1400 small businesses to see how they have been affected by the change. The results were slightly surprising! Despite the widespread media hype, two thirds of those we surveyed confirmed that the VAT increase has had no impact on their business. Perhaps even more unexpectedly, 44% of small business owners said they agreed with the Government’s decision when quizzed about whether increasing VAT is the best way to tackle the national deficit.
It is certainly reassuring to know that many small business owners have been able to cope with the recent VAT increase despite widespread predictions of doom and gloom. As this is the third VAT rate change in less than three years, many of you who have been around for a while may feel that you’ve have had enough practice to cope with the changes! What is even more encouraging to see is that when looking for advice on how to manage the change, around one in five turned to other small business owners for support.
Do these results reflect your own experience with the VAT increase? Do you think the tough times are still to come? Have your say in the comments section below.
As we mentioned earlier in the week, in honour of Global Entrepreneurship Week our resident small business specialist, Catherine Harrell, took to the airwaves to discuss why entrepreneurs are so important to the UK economy and to offer some top tips on starting a new business in tough economic times.
Catherine chatted with more than 20 stations around the UK, sharing insights that prospective small business owners and those who have already taken the plunge can use to be ensure their success.
Couldn’t get to the radio in time? Click the podcast below to hear Catherine’s interview with BBC Surrey (104.6FM).
Throughout the day, Catherine offered these top tips:
Put your plan on paper – whether you’re approaching a bank or your friends and family, getting a strong business plan in place is crucial to securing funding. This should cover how you plan to attract customers to your business, as well as what your contingency plans are for when things go off track.


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Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, the premier trade event and community gathering featuring the best of the outdoor industry’s manufacturers and top retail buyers, marked its 35th anniversary, the last in Salt Lake City, with industry unity and an energetic public lands celebration. The industry looks forward to its new home in Denver for the January 2018 Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show, beginning January 24 for the SIA Industry + Intelligence Day, followed by Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show January 25-28, and finally the SIA On-Snow Demo January 29-30 at Copper Mountain, Colo.
New attendees as well as show veterans launched next-generation products, participated in industry networking and education, and showed up in force to celebrate public lands, with an estimated 3,000 attendees joining in the “This Land is Our Land” march to the state’s capitol building.
“This show was bittersweet as we celebrated our partners and hosts in Salt Lake, while beginning to build our future in Denver,” said Marisa Nicholson, vice president and Outdoor Retailer show director. “The economic strength of the outdoor industry continues to grow and we look forward to carrying that momentum to our new home in Colorado.”
While it was the last Salt Lake show, Outdoor Retailer organizers offered retailers more opportunities to buy, connect and learn. Whether through the expanded Demo Experience at Jordanelle State Park, an enhanced paddlesports showcase, increased networking and educational seminars and, or, for the first time, the opportunity to engage in public lands advocacy right on the show floor, retailers were the focus.
“We have to come here as retailers so we are informed, so we can be trusted, so we have the technical knowledge that is gained here, but also the friendships and relationships that are formed here are very enduring,” said Guy Trombley, Mountain Shop, Portland, OR.
“Outdoor Retailer is a great place to connect with upper-level vendor management that we don’t see on a regular basis,” said John Benedict, co-owner, Playmakers, Okemos, MI. “I also get the chance to see new products and give feedback on future product direction. I always feel like it was a good decision to attend Outdoor Retailer.”
“I’m here from Anchorage, Alaska; we have five outdoor stores in Alaska,” said Deanna Miller, with Big Ray’s. “The biggest value for me in marketing is meeting with the brands directly and figuring out which direction they are going to help guide my marketing tools and campaigns at a local level.”
Lindsey Elliott, co-founder of Wylder Goods, said: “Outdoor Retailer is where we come together twice a year to meet with our friends and peers, and our ambassadors. It is the essential gathering for our business.”
Attendees, as well as those who missed last week’s Summer Market, can relive the week with photos and video at Outdoor Retailer. Registration for the Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show opens September 2017. To exhibit, contact Krista Dill, Director of Sales, at email@example.com.
About Outdoor Retailer:
Outdoor Retailer brings together retailers, manufacturers, industry advocates and media to conduct the business of outdoor recreation through tradeshows, Outdoor Retailer Magazine, product demo events, media events and web-based business solutions. The Outdoor Retailer tradeshows are the premier outdoor industry events for North America, providing platforms for critical face-to-face business initiatives, line previews, innovations, launches, networking and retailer education. Visit outdoorretailer.com for more information.
Outdoor Retailer is owned by Emerald Expositions, the largest operator of business-to-business trade shows in the United States, with most of our shows dating back several decades. We currently operate more than 50 trade shows, including 31 of the top 250 trade shows in the country as ranked by TSNN, as well as numerous other events. Our events connect over 500,000 global attendees and exhibitors and occupy more than 6.5 million NSF of exhibition space. We have been recognized with many awards and accolades that reflect our industry leadership as well as the importance of our shows to the exhibitors and attendees we serve.


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Going by previous timeframes, Season 11 of Fortnite (otherwise referred to as Chapter 2 Season 1) should be coming to a close right around Christmas. Booting up your favorite battle royale game on Christmas morning to discover a shiny new Season has been gifted by Epic Games might be a nice thought, but those developers could use a holiday break as well. Keeping that in mind, what’s the Fortnite Season 11 end date?
When does this Fortnite season end?
In an official Fortnite blog post published last month, Epic Games announced that Season 11 is getting an extension. This doesn’t mean that the company is going to slack off over the festive period, however, as they cite a whole host of seasonal celebrations for prompting the delay.
After celebrating Christmas 2018 with the “14 Days of Fortnite” event, in 2019 there’ll be even more for players to enjoy during their holiday downtime. This includes new game features, free rewards, and a “live experience” that hasn’t yet been detailed. With all the Christmassy content set to start dropping soon, Epic is devoting its full focus and, as a knock-on effect, there’ll be a little longer to wait for Fortnite Season 12.
- Buy PlayStation Gold Wireless Headset Fortnite for $69.99
- Buy NERF Fortnite AR-L Elite Dart Blaster for $37.68
- Buy Fortnite Jumbo Llama Loot Piñata for $55.99
How much longer, you ask? The Fortnite Season 11 end date is scheduled to be some time in February 2020.
No exact date has been set, but, naturally, that also means that February will mark the beginning of Fortnite Season 12 (Chapter 2 Season 2). With tons of great holiday-themed content planned to celebrate Xmas and New Year in the meantime, we’re sure the extended wait will pass in no time at all.
It should also give you plenty of time to focus on grabbing all the sweet Christmas cosmetics, like the Globe Shaker skin that turns your character’s head into a snowglobe and gives them an ugly Christmas sweater.


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Vegans, vegetarians, and flexitarians (who still eat meat but have cut back on consumption) are driving growth in the market for plant-based food and beverage products. Around the globe, the use of plant-based claims on new food and beverage products grew at an average rate of 60% annually from 2014 to 2018, according to data from market intelligence company Innova Market Insights. Statistics like the preceding prompted Innova to make “The Plant Kingdom” one of its Top 10 Trends of 2019.
Companies and brands are greening up their portfolios to attract consumers who want to add more plant-based options to their diets. For the mainstream consumer, going plant-based is more about achieving a healthy and sustainable balance between meat and vegetables rather than adopting an all-or-nothing way of eating.
Although vegan numbers are rising globally, this has not been the key factor in the growing interest in plant-based eating. Rather it is the well-documented boom in the popularity of flexitarian diets that is fueling the mainstreaming of vegan products and the use of vegan-friendly certification. The appeal of plant-based alternatives has widened far beyond the relatively small group of people who avoid animal products for ethical reasons to the much larger group of people looking for healthier, cleaner foods.
According to Innova Market Insights’ 2018 Consumer Lifestyles Survey, eight in 10 consumers in the United Kingdom, United States, China, Brazil, France, and Germany have changed their own or their family’s diets to try to be healthier, with over 40% of those consumers increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables in order to do so.
Today’s consumer displays a high level of mindfulness about well-being and the environment overall, so it is no real surprise that consumers are becoming increasingly mindful in their food choices, wanting to know what is in their foods in order to make decisions about health, sustainability, and ethical issues. In line with this, consumers are increasingly choosing plant-based options, which often are also vegan-friendly, for a range of reasons, but the overall effect has been a rise in the number of products and brands on the market and an increase in the variety of ingredients used to make them.
Vegan Positioning Surges
According to Innova Market Insights data, 6% of global food and beverage launches used vegan-friendly positionings in 2018, up from just 1.5% in 2013. Even in the relatively developed U.S. market, penetration more than doubled from 3.7% to 8.1% over the same period, while in the United Kingdom it nearly trebled from 5% to 14.7%.
Leading food categories for vegan claims include snacks, beverages (including sodas, waters, and juices), cereals, and ready meals, as well as more specific subcategories, such as waters formulated with plant-based ingredients, meat substitutes, and dairy alternative drinks.
Snacks accounted for a leading 11.6% of global food and beverage launches with a vegan positioning in 2018, but penetration was higher in the cereal category, where 17.8% of new products used vegan claims, compared with 8.6% for snacks. Cereals lend themselves relatively easily to the use of vegan positionings given that they are primarily made from different grains with added ingredients such as fruit and nuts. Many products use multiple health claims, with gluten-free one of the most popular in recent years, alongside high fiber and whole grain. Key growth areas include non-GMO and protein content. Vegan positionings have been added in many instances, although not always with front-of-pack prominence.
Rising interest in vegan positionings in the snack category is also clearly in evidence. As in cereals, many products have always contained plant-based ingredients and can manage to use vegan claims with relatively little in the way of reformulation or repositioning. Likewise, alongside vegan-friendly, many products are also able to appeal to other consumer trends of the moment, including raw and paleo diets.
Perhaps surprisingly, beverages take third place in terms of numbers of vegan-friendly launches recorded by Innova Market Insights in 2018, behind both cereals and snacks.
While juices/juice drinks tend to lead in terms of actual numbers, one of the key growth areas in the overall beverages market in recent years has been waters formulated with plant-based ingredients as activity rose in line with interest in clean eating and in plant-based diets overall. Actual numbers remain relatively modest overall, and it is still one of the smallest beverage subcategories in terms of new product development.
Launches tend to feature multiple health claims, many based on the properties of dominant coconut water, which has isotonic benefits and a natural, healthy, low-calorie image. Many products are also positioned as naturally gluten-free, paleo, and vegan-friendly, while increasing numbers also carry claims such as low or zero calorie, no additives/preservatives, no sweeteners, and GMO-free.
In the United States in particular, the high level of activity in waters was initially driven by coconut water, but now increasingly focuses on a range of other sources. The increasing variety of other types of waters formulated with plant-based ingredients include the relatively established, such as aloe, and tree-based options, such as birch and maple, alongside newer variants, such as almond, chlorophyll, ginger, cactus, and nettle.
Even in the coconut water market, rising levels of competition have resulted in an increase in value-added and flavored varieties on the market, with rising numbers of launches featuring additional functional ingredients, such as probiotics, fiber, or protein. Flavored varieties may feature ingredients such as coffee, tea, and cocoa, as well as a range of fruit juices, and cold-pressed varieties are also emerging in light of rising levels of interest in minimal processing in the beverage category and indeed the food and drinks industry overall. Ongoing interest in the future mainstream potential for coconut water was also reflected in the February 2018 purchase of a stake in the premium coconut water brand Harmless Harvest by Danone’s venture arm, Manifesto Ventures.
Another area of growth in vegan positionings is in ready meals, where interest in meat reduction in the diet has had the effect of increasing numbers of vegetarian and vegan launches, although many products with vegan positionings are also sought out by vegetarians and flexitarians as part of their diets. Launches with a vegan positioning accounted for 6.6% of global ready meal and side dish introductions in 2018, rising to 9.6% in the United States and 13.8% in the United Kingdom. However, this covered a wide range of different subcategories, including pasta, rice, and potato products, as well as more processed products, such as main dishes, pizza, and sandwiches.
More and Better Meat Substitutes
The broadening interest in plant-based diets has also resulted in meat alternatives moving beyond their original vegetarian and vegan domain to encompass a much broader base of flexitarians as new product development has been focusing on improving quality to replicate real meat. Meat substitutes accounted for 14% of global meat launches in the first nine months of 2018, up from 6% in 2013. There has been consider-able activity and innovation from new plant-based meat brands targeting opportunities for good-tasting, nutritious, and sustainable options among vegetarians, vegans, meat reducers, and flexitarians.
The meat substitutes market has obviously seen considerable interest in vegan positioning, with 46% of global launches carrying this type of claim, rising to over 73% in the United States. These products use a variety of non-meat ingredients, including soy, vegetables, cereals, and pulses.
Quorn, the meat-free brand based in the United Kingdom but owned by a Filipino food group since 2015, has been available for some years, but has now developed its original mycoprotein-based range with vegan formulations. Newer arrivals in this market include Beyond Meat with its Beyond Burger meatless burger patty, which claims to be the world’s first plant-based burger that looks, cooks, and satisfies like beef without GMOs, soy, or gluten. Originally introduced in 2016, a new upgraded version was launched in early 2019 featuring coconut oil and cocoa butter to create a marbling effect to make the texture mimic real meat more closely. It also uses apple extract to help the product brown like meat when it is cooked as well as featuring a different mix of ingredients, including mung bean and rice protein, as well as the original protein source—peas.
While the relatively new startup is performing strongly, there have also been initiatives from major multinationals in both retail and foodservice. Burger King has announced plans to roll out its Impossible Whopper nationally in 2019 following its successful trial in 59 stores in Saint Louis. The meatless patty is claimed to be just like a classic Whopper, but with an Impossible burger patty made with soy and potato protein and coconut and sunflower oils. Impossible Foods has been selling its burger through restaurants since 2016, starting with trendy individual restaurants, then upmarket burger chains, and then fast food outlets.
New entrants in the retail market include Nestlé, with its biggest move to date into the meat-free market with a new “cook from raw” plant-based burger in Europe with plans for a subsequent U.S. debut. Garden Gourmet Incredible Burgers are 100% plant-based with natural protein from soy and wheat and with natural plant extracts (beetroot, carrot, and bell pepper) helping create the look of a beef burger before, during, and after cooking. They are claimed not to compromise on flavor, texture, or cooking experience and come in frozen and chilled formats. A spring 2019 launch in a number of European markets, including Austria, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia, is set to be followed by an autumn rollout in the United States with a fresh cook-from-raw plant-based Awesome Burger under the Sweet Earth brand, customized for the domestic consumer and set to complement Sweet Earth’s existing range of veggie-centric burgers.
An Array of Dairy Alternatives
Another area seeing strong growth on the back of rising interest in plant-based diets is the dairy alternatives sector, a trend Innova Market Insights identified within its Top 10 Trends for 2019 under the heading of “Alternatives for All.” Interest may have started in the free-from sphere over lactose intolerance concerns and risen via a broader perception of their status as healthy alternatives. Now the move to more plant-based options is helping to boost growth still further.
In some parts of the world, the rise of dairy alternatives has been nothing short of meteoric. In the Western world, in particular, the market is evolving rapidly and has diversified beyond dairy alternative drinks to include alternatives to yogurt, cheese, and ice cream, while at the same time, the range of ingredients used to replace milk continues to expand and advance.
Dairy alternatives are thriving across North America and West Europe, but positioning and formulation choices can vary from country to country and national knowledge remains vital to development. For example, some countries are increasingly influenced by a rise in veganism, while others are still driven primarily by lactose concerns.
New product development in dairy alternatives has been increasing across the board, with Innova Market Insights reporting a compound annual growth rate in the double digits in the number of product launches between 2013 and 2018. The market was largely pioneered by and continues to be led by beverages, with dairy alternative drinks accounting for 7.6% of global dairy launches recorded by Innova Market Insights in 2018.
In the move to offer something new, an increasing variety of non-soy plant-based ingredients are appearing, including cereals such as rice, oats, and barley. We are also seeing an increase in nuts, particularly almonds, but also hazelnuts, cashews, walnuts, and macadamias, as well as coconut and more unusual options such as lupin, hemp, and flaxseed.
The United States is notable as the first country to see almond milk rise to popularity, with sales up from virtually zero in the mid-2000s to overtake soy to become the leading nondairy beverage option some years ago.
The acquisition of WhiteWave by Danone in 2016 was of particular significance to the dairy-free category because of WhiteWave’s plant-based dairy alternatives interests. Its dairy-free beverage brands not only included Silk, but also So Delicious and Alpro, and it gave Danone the opportunity to further develop its interests in the market in both North America and Europe.
WhiteWave’s Silk is the leading brand among plant-based beverages in North America, with a range now encompassing soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, and cashew milk, as well as dairy-free yogurt alternatives and creamers. WhiteWave’s So Delicious Dairy Free brand of milks, creamers, desserts, and cultured products, acquired by the company in 2014, has also been highly successful in recent years, while WhiteWave’s Vega brand has been a key driver in the North American plant-based food and nutrition category with its protein and nutritional shakes, sports nutrition system, supplements, and snack bars. Meanwhile, WhiteWave’s Alpro brand has been key in driving the plant-based beverages market forward in Europe, where it only really extended out of soy milk and into the wider plant-based market in 2012. Its range now also includes almond, hazelnut, coconut, cashew, rice, and oat milks.
Acquisition activity by the dairy industry has continued, although on a slightly smaller scale, as exemplified by the July 2018 announcement that U.S.–based Dean Foods was to take a majority share in Good Karma Foods, known for its market-leading range of flaxseed-based milk and yogurt alternatives. Dean Foods first entered the plant-based beverages market with its May 2017 minority investment and distribution deal with Good Karma, extending this to a majority investment just over a year later.
Along with dairy alternative drinks, spoonable nondairy yogurt has also seen strongly rising levels of interest, but from a smaller base, taking its share of global dairy launches from less than 0.5% in 2012 to 1.7% in 2018. As with beverages, alternative non-soy plant-based ingredients are increasingly in evidence, with launches including cashew-based options such as Cashewgurt from Happy Cashew in Germany and Vega Protein Cashew Milk Yogurt Alternative in the United States, as well as a hemp-based alternative from French company Triballat under the Sojade branding.
At the same time, more mainstream yogurt multinationals are moving into the once highly specialized sector. These included Danone with the launch of its Good Plants brand of dairy-free, almond milk–based probiotic yogurt alternative in the United States. This new vegan line, launched at the end of 2018, includes vanilla, strawberry, chocolate coconut, and lemon meringue flavors, all with 100 calories and a reduced sugar level.
Consumer research conducted in the United Kingdom for Innova Market Insights gives a general idea of attitudes to plant-based dairy alternatives in Europe although this is certainly one of the most advanced markets in the region and many other countries are still playing catch-up. Almost two-thirds of UK consumers drink or eat plant-based milks and yogurts each year, with a fifth consuming them more than once a week. Furthermore, 29% of existing consumers are increasing their intakes.
Plant-based innovation is flourishing, with health, sustainability, and ethics making plant-derived products and ingredients increasingly popular. While the number of vegan consumers compared with vegetarians, flexitarians, and non-meat eaters remains very limited, products suitable for them are now gaining a much higher profile as a result of improved labeling, which has allowed easier identification and more informed choices.
Whatever the relative strengths of the different drivers, the range of product choices has never been so great, and innovators are continuing to deliver more complex, convenient, and indulgent options. Key opportunities include the use of a wider range of plant-based ingredients, greater segmentation with the move mainstream, and the development of more indulgent options. One of the key challenges may involve improving sustainability credentials in some instances.


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MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WBAY) - Wisconsin residents had issues with furniture stores in 2019, according to complaint numbers released by the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau.
The BBB says furniture stores topped the 2019 industry complaint list in Wisconsin. People filed more than 1,200 complaints regarding furniture stores.
Here are the top 10 most complained about industries (with number of complaints filed):
Furniture Stores - 1,237
Department Stores - 618
Catalog Shopping - 480
New Car Dealers - 383
New Auto Parts - 379
Building Materials - 262
Multi-Level Sales - 218
Payday Loans - 218
Insurance Companies - 215
Used Car Dealers - 201
People asked a lot of questions about roofing contractors and construction services.
2019 Top 10 Most Inquired About Industries
Roofing Contractors - 109,855
Construction Services - 92,645
Furniture Stores - 63,045
Heating and Air Conditioning - 57,689
Plumber - 48,140
Used Car Dealers - 47,454
Payday Loans - 46,088
Loans - 46,037
General Contractor - 44,652
Landscape Contractors - 44,038
More people are filing complaints and posting reviews with the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau.
The BBB says a total of 10,272 complaints were processed--a 15 percent increase from the previous year. Companies responded to 84 percent of those complaints.
The BBB received 8,876 customer reviews in 2019. That's a 21 percent increase from the previous year.
Wisconsin residents submitted more than 4,215 reports to the BBB Scam Tracker. That's up 14 percent from 2018. The Scam Tracker allows consumers to report scams online so the BBB can share information with media, police and hte public. CLICK HERE to enter a scam in the Scam Tracker.
CLICK HERE for the Better Business Bureau Wisconsin website.