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Get your fake Yeezys: Counterfeit ads are all over Instagram
Long gone are the days when Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom vetted every ad on the platform. Now, ads for fake shoes, clothes, electronics and even real estate are proliferating on Instagram.
What makes these ads even more egregious is that some of them, like one claiming to sell Adidas’ Yeezy sneakers for $109, feature doctored brand logos, which raises concerns about reputation both for the brands and Instagram.
For example, this ad, a sponsored post by “Summer discount” with a “Shop Now” link, features the Adidas logo as its profile image.
Blake Ricciardi, founder and CEO of streetwear retailer Popular Demand and a brand consultant, said he’s seen a number of these types of ads.
“I’m in the industry and knowledgeable enough to know that these are bootleg sneakers, but unfortunately, most consumers won’t be able to tell the difference,” he said. “Most consumers will assume this advertising is legitimate because it’s on Instagram, in your feed and has an Adidas logo. This is very harmful to the Adidas brand.”
Another ad, spotted by Engadget, also featured the Adidas logo and claims to sell Yeezy Boost 750s and 350s for “70 percent off.”
These ads typically lead to sites like ShoesoffSale.US or classicboost.com, which sell fake shoes and are usually flagged as being unsafe.
An ad from earlier in the year that appeared in the U.K. had a similar M.O.: An account named Apple Store UK ran a sweepstakes to win an iPhone. The ad got attention from ISBA, the trade body in the U.K. representing advertisers; it was eventually pulled.
Instagram pitches a brand-safe environment as a high-end, visual platform that boasts beautiful photos and visuals. Displaying criminal ads runs counter to that. A raft of straight direct-response ads from brands in the dating app, virtual gambling and game promotion world hit the platform right after it opened its application programming interface.
Instagram ads, both on Stories and in the feed, are bought via the company’s self-serve function. The scale advantages of automation are clear — Instagram boasts over 1 million advertisers — but the downsides in loss of control are just as apparent.
“This isn’t the first time I’ve seen that,” said Chris Harihar, director at Crenshaw Communications and a self-professed sneakerhead who said he gets targeted with ads like this all the time. “The branding of the ad itself is disingenuous — you know Yeezys aren’t sold for that price. It feels like a violation.”
Julie Zerbo, a lawyer and the founder of The Fashion Law, wrote about the issue of counterfeits sold on platforms in a post on her site. She said that according to federal law, website operators like Instagram that do post counterfeit items can be liable, but providers that take steps to remove copyright infringements are protected, even if that happens on an ad hoc basis.
“We do not allow counterfeit goods to be sold on Instagram. When we catch this type of activity, we move quickly to stop it and remove the violating account,” an Instagram spokesperson said. Instagram reviews millions of ads per week, but it is a game of whack-a-mole and difficult to police.
Having retailers sell directly on the platform is important for Instagram. With 700 million monthly users, the platform’s magazine-style layout makes it a natural for retail as long as it’s done right and not too overtly. The issue of counterfeit is a big one, particularly in the sneaker world, where coveted lines are common and counterfeit products are everywhere. Nike, which two weeks ago said it would sell directly on Amazon in an effort to grow sales and remove counterfeit Nike items from the retail giant’s site, also now plans to sell directly on Instagram.
Bad ads appear on Facebook, Twitter and most other platforms. Even on Snapchat, the opening of self-serve led to a rash of new advertisers that couldn’t be properly vetted, resulting in in-Story ads from companies like LowerMyBills.com.
“Instagram is essentially validating [the ads] by featuring [them] in consumers’ feeds,” said Ricciardi. “Just like Facebook has to get a better handle on fake news, Instagram needs to get a better handle on advertisement of fake products.”
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Former film and camera heavyweight Kodak has announced the upcoming launch of its own cryptocurrency, dubbed KODAKCoin. An initial coin offering (ICO) is scheduled to open at the end of January.
KODAKCoin will function as a currency and the cryptographic token used to power KODAKOne, an upcoming blockchain platform that will allow photographers to register archived and new work on an encrypted digital ledger before licensing it within the platform. In essence, photographers can receive payments for selling their work, as well as pay for licensing rights with the cryptocurrency.
Aside from providing a new revenue stream to photographers, Kodak says its blockchain platform will engage in ‘continual web crawling’ to constantly monitor and protect the intellectual property of images registered on the platform.
The blockchain platform and the cryptocurrency are developed by WENN Digital, a firm partnering Kodak for the latter’s crypto endeavor.
The move to create its own cryptocurrency is a notable initiative for Kodak, a 130-year-old company that struggled to transition from a former photography giant focused on film to a digital imaging company. The New York-based company filed for bankruptcy in early 2012 before selling its digital imaging patents to the likes to a number of companies including Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Samsung for over $500 million to stave off bankruptcy. Kodak has since emerged as a company focused on the corporate digital emerging market.
Though just announced this week, Kodak has already begun accepting pre-initial coin offering (ICO) investments. Global Blockchain Technologies Corp., a Canadian firm based out of Vancouver, revealed that it has subscribed for all 8 million KODAKCoins that were made available during the first of two pre-ICO stages, for a reported sum of $2 million. The full ICO will commence on Jan. 31 and will be open to accredited investors.
Kodak launching branded Bitcoin mining rigs in licensing deal
In addition to developing its own cryptocurrency, Kodak has licensed its name to create the KashMiner, a Kodak-branded mining rig.
A two-year lease on the machine will cost $3,400, and the company estimates that it will produce a monthly revenue of $375 worth of bitcoins, or $9,000 over the course of the lease.
There’s a catch, however. In addition to paying the $3,400 lease, users will be required to return half of the profits to Kodak, reducing their estimated revenue from $9,000 to $4,500.
But wait, there’s more! Kodak’s estimates assume that the miners will earn consistent monthly revenue over the course of the two-year lease, which ignores the fact that bitcoin’s mining has lately been increasing at a monthly rate of about 15 percent. Consequently, some industry observers doubt that users will even be able to recoup the value of their $3,400 investment, much less turn a profit.
Kodak’s blockchain pivot has been met with mixed reactions from analysts, with some hoping it could mark the start of a new era for the storied firm while others are characterizing it as a naked cash grab following the firm’s 2013 bankruptcy.
Investors, however, are bullish on the move. Since announcing the news earlier this week, Kodak stock has more than tripled to $10.70 from a previous level of $3.15.

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2021-04-21 10:03:57 :
High digital platform Netflix introduced that it will be spending 17 billion USD on the content material this yr. With the continued coronavirus pandemic, Netflix is eager to ship increasingly more revolutionary content material for the subscribers. A number of tasks delayed as a result of pandemic because the shoots are stored on maintain. However Netflix had a document progress in the variety of subscribers and the highest streaming big added 4 million new subscribers this yr. There are speculations that 1 millon new subscribers shall be added in the second quarter. Netflix introduced that there can be upcoming seasons for a number of spectacular tasks.
Netflix additionally introduced its sturdy lineup for the upcoming months lately. With the brand new subscribers growing at a quick tempo and contemplating the pandemic state of affairs, Netflix determined to spend extra on the reveals and movies. Netflix spent 11.8 billion USD final yr and 13.9 billion USD was spent in the yr 2019. Probably the most-watched reveals on the platform are mentioned to be Destiny: The Winx Saga (57 million), Ginny and Georgia (52 million), Firefly Lane (49 million) and Cobra Kai: Season 3 (45 million). Probably the most-watched movies on Netflix are Exterior the Wire (66 million), Sure Day (62 million), I Care a Lot (56 million).


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Bored Ape creators unveil Bitcoin Ordinals collection “TwelveFold”
Yuga Labs' latest collection will feature artwork on a 12-by-12 grid.
Yuga Labs will release a series of artistic cryptocollectibles on Bitcoin’s Ordinals protocol, according to an announcement from the company on Feb. 27.
The collection is titled TwelveFold and will feature 300 pieces of generative art — that is, images that have been created through the use of algorithms.
Each image in the TwelveFold collection is designed around a 12-by-12 grid in reference to the commonly used base-12 timekeeping system — and in reference to the fact that Bitcoin Ordinals are identified by the time that they are minted.
Yuga Labs did not announce a specific time or date for the auction. Instead, it said that it will announce the auction within 24 hours of the event.
Yuga Labs is best known for its Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which are minted on Ethereum. The company distanced TwelveFold from BAYC by calling the new collection a “departure from what’s expected” and by stating that the items will not have any use with other Yuga Labs projects.
The collection is notable as one of the first Ordinals collections, arriving just weeks after Casey Rodarmor launched Bitcoin Ordinals on Jan. 21. Ordinals are similar to NFTs in that they contain media. However, Ordinals are minted on Bitcoin instead of Ethereum and related networks, and they store all data on-chain instead of in a linked file.
According to data from Dune Analytics, more than 202,800 Ordinals have been minted on the Bitcoin blockchain as of Feb. 27.


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As Americans continue to suffer from the consequences of Biden’s awful economy, his administration continues to laugh in their faces – suggesting again to buy pricey electric cars or paying to put solar panels on their homes as a means of weathering the storm in these troubling economic times.
Biden’s Energy Secretary, Jennifer Granholm, touted the tax credits for buying an electric vehicle or weatherizing homes and businesses in the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act.”
Granholm claimed that those tax credits would lower costs for low-income and middle-class families struggling with inflation.
“One of the critiques here with these credits is that the prices are high, right? And the supply is limited. What is the practicality? It seems like there’s a disconnect. What’s the practicality for everyday Americans in this kind of benefit?” Fox News host Trace Gallagher asked.
“There’s two implications here,” Granholm replied. “One is, for example, if you want to buy a used electric vehicle, you can get $4,000 off at the dealership today. If you want to buy a new electric vehicle, there is a $7,500 credit for those that are assembled in America … Why is this important?
Because the president … wants to re-shore manufacturing. It’s not just in electric vehicles … It will be in solar panels. It will be in wind turbines. It will be in transmission. It will be in electric vehicles and the batteries for those electric vehicles. A whole supply chain and ecosystem, energy ecosystem, built up in the United States because of the incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act.”
“But you talk about incentives. Maybe it’s the messaging. People don’t quite get it,” Gallagher responded, showing clips of average Americans saying they still could not afford an electric car, even with the tax credit.
“And really, you could make the same argument, we were talking about tax breaks for adding solar panels, energy-efficient windows, appliances, heat pumps. What do you say to the families who simply can’t afford this stuff in the first place?”
“So if you are low income, you can get your home entirely weatherized through the expansion from the bipartisan infrastructure law,” Granholm continued. “If you want heat pumps, insulation, new windows, that is covered. If you are moderate income, today, you can get 30% off the price of solar panels. Those solar panels can be financed, so you don’t have to have the big outlay up front.”
“When they’re financed, they’re financed in a way that reduces your energy bill even though you have solar panels, with this 30% off. It’s a significant incentive. Same thing if you don’t qualify for the weatherization program, you will be able to, starting next year, get rebates on the appliances and equipment that will help you reduce your monthly energy bill by up to 30%. This is all about reducing costs for people.”
Granholm’s argument that this will somehow help the average American reveals just how out-of-touch the Biden administration really is and critics were quick to point out exactly that.
“If you’re poor, Tim Ryan will give you 30 percent off the price of solar panels. They won’t keep you warm this winter but they are made in China, so there’s that,” an Ohio Republican Senate candidate commented.
“They don’t know how they sound,” Omri Ceren added. “Because everything they read and everyone they know just echo their ideology back at them — except turned up in volume, higher in pitch, and with applause.”
RNC Rapid Response Director Tommy Pigott added, “Perfect of example about how Democrats don’t care about rising costs, only their Green New Deal. Food is rising at the fastest pace since 1979 and Biden’s response is to push you to buy solar panels.”


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MEDIATEK Chinese company announced the imminent release of the new platform 6589.Novaya MTK platform will...
MEDIATEK Chinese company announced the imminent release of the new platform 6589.Novaya MTK platform will significantly outpace the speed and performance of ITC 6577, because it includes a quad-core PowerVR SGX544 on architecture Cortex A7 processor running at 1.7 GHz. The chip will support WCDMA and TD-SCDMA network technology. In addition, will support two main chambers in 13 million pixels and a FullHD display, will be sold free to view HD-video in 1080p. MT6589 will be manufactured using the 28-nm process technology.
The roads of the modern city full of all sorts of dangers, for sure, almost every inhabitant of a large city has ever got in an emergency situation and faced with the need to prove their case workers DPS.....read more
How tochoose the phone
It is hard to imagine yourself without a mobile phone nowadays. Each person is so used to being constantly connected, it is not just a dead phone can cause...read more
How to optimize the system Android
Already in countless smartphones, tablets and set-top boxes is an unshakable system Android. Everyone knows that it combines a powerful software kernel....read more


text: ‘Kissed By Deforestation’: How your Valentine’s Day chocolate may be driving deforestation by The Good Shopping Guide | Feb 19, 2018 | Ethical Shopping Blog | 0 comments New research shows the cocoa in chocolate products, including that box of chocolates you may have purchased for Valentine’s Day, is very likely complicit with increasing and catastrophic deforestation. In a recent exclusive published by the Guardian, a detailed report found the world’s chocolate industry is driving deforestation on unprecedented scale. Primary offenders include cocoa traders who sell to Mars, Nestlé, Mondelez and other major global brands. It has been claimed that, among other serious issues, these companies “buy beans grown illegally inside protected areas in the Ivory Coast, where rainforest cover has been reduced by more than 80% since 1960”. In conjunction with Mighty Earth, these findings have been emphasised by research evidencing how “cocoa is driving ongoing deforestation in other regions of the world, from Asia to the Amazon.” Mighty Earth write, Through detailed satellite mapping and overlaying maps of deforestation and cocoa-producing regions, we found large-scale deforestation within cocoa-producing regions of Indonesia, Cameroon, Peru, and Ecuador. This Valentine’s Day mapping warrants more detailed investigations into the companies driving cocoa-deforestation worldwide, and research into how much of the deforestation in the cocoa-producing regions can be attributed to cocoa as opposed to other commodities. What is crystal clear however, is that the chocolate industry is expanding right now in countries like Indonesia, Peru, Ecuador, and Cameroon that still boast extensive rainforests. With demand for chocolate increasing, the chocolate industry risks aggressively expanding to rainforest nations around the world; in many places, exporting the same bad practices that contributed to the near-total destruction of West Africa’s forests. Ivory Coast and Ghana stand as a cautionary tale of what could happen in other countries where cocoa is spreading, if the industry does not reform its practices. Following a 2017 report by the same organisation, 24 leading chocolate companies committed to no new deforestation. But there is significant concern about commitment and effective policy action, with “only a handful of companies” making “a global commitment to deforestation-free cocoa”. Remaining is an entire global industry still driving catastrophic deforestation, the environmental and ecological effects of which are cause for concern by the world’s scientists (not to mention the impacts of such deforestation in the fight against climate change). You can read more in the Guardian. You can also find Might Earth’s full report here. *Learn which of the world’s chocolate brands rank as the most (and least) ethical by visiting the chocolate section of The Good Shopping Guide.


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192 Megapixel camera smartphone tipped to launch next month
A rumor suggests that a smartphone is set to launch and it'll be equipped with a 192-megapixel camera. The highest-resolution sensor found in a right now is the sensor. A new rumour indicates that a new smartphone is set to launch next month and it will be equipped with a 192-megapixel camera. The highest-resolution sensor seen in a smartphone right now is the 108-megapixel sensor. The Xiaomi Mi 10 series launched in February this year came with a 108-megapixel main camera, and a new smartphone is now reportedly arriving next month, to trump these Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro camera specifications. There are no details about the OEM that will launch this rumoured phone.
Chinese tipster Digital Chat Station has taken to Weibo to suggest that a new phone with a mammoth 192-megapixel main camera will be launched next month. This is the first time we are hearing of this high-resolution image sensor, and the fact that it is launching on a smartphone as soon as next month, comes as quite a surprise. Qualcomm did announce last year that its high-end Snapdragon SoCs will come with up to 192-megapixel camera support, but development of such a sensor has not been reported yet.


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- Connecting Africa News
Content tagged with Cloudposted in December 2016
The Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) has warned the public against the importation, use and resale of SpaceX's satellite Internet service Starlink's devices in the country.
Founders Factory Africa's Ayotunde Aladejana and Wangui Kahumbi spoke to Connecting Africa in an exclusive interview about the importance of building bridges between startups and corporations and fostering collaboration in the African tech ecosystem.
Upcoming eventsMore Upcoming events
- Africa Tech Festival announces finalists for Startup World Cup
Johannesburg, Friday, October 27, 2023
- AfricaIgnite Hosts the African leg of the Startup World Cup at ATF
Johannesburg, Wednesday, October 11, 2023
- Nominations open for Africa Tech Festival Awards 2023
Johannesburg, Thursday, August 24, 2023
Africa Tech Perspectives
Uber's Country Manager for Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, Marjorie Saint-Lot, shares how the ride-hailing company is approaching public-private partnerships, environmentally friendly initiatives and gender inclusion in Africa.
A new report from Africa Tech Festival and Connecting Africa puts a spotlight on the top 100 African leaders in the telecoms and technology sector in 2023.
New survey reveals a lack of access to investors, reliance on international VCs and global recession trends as the biggest barriers for East African tech startups to access funds.
Highlights in September 2023 in the Middle East and Africa included more 5G spectrum licenses, vendor and operator strategies, and partnerships – that and more in this month's Omdia View.
Highlights in August 2023 in the Middle East and Africa included a commercial 5G launch from Ethio Telecom and the signing of a virtual wheeling agreement between Vodacom South Africa and Eskom – that and more in this month's Omdia View.


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The timing could not be better for UK food industry to offer £250m worth of vouchers to encourage consumers to switch their usual foods to something a little healthier instead.
Who isn’t staring ruefully at their expanded post-festive figure in the mirror… and their shrunken bank balance? Throw a 2.5 per cent VAT increase into the mix and there may even be the odd Guardian reader willing to switch to the News of the World just to get their hands on a few deals and steals.
But while the food industry does have a pivotal role to play in encouraging healthy eating, we should not be fooled into thinking a gesture in January will have year-long consequences.
What happens all the vouchers have been cut out along the dotted lines and traded in? Getting people to try healthier foods is one thing. Getting them to buy them for the next 12 months and beyond is something else.
Healthier foods, for less
It’s no secret that the least healthy foods tend to carry the cheapest price tags. It’s a matter of modern economics that saturated fats and sugar cost less than nutritionally-rich fibres and essential fatty acids.
But if a few pence or cents off could be shaved off the healthier options as a permanent measure, surely they would be more attractive to the budget-conscious and the health-conscious, all the time.
And while we’re at it, it is none too helpful to keep parallel product ranges on the shelf. Yes, industry loves consumer choice… but there have to be limits and there can be no let up improving the nutritional profile of mainstream products. Making the full-fat, full-sugar versions less fatty and sugary will be a whole lot more effective than expecting people to plump for the alternatives because they think they need to.
Don’t change Change4Life
The Change4Life programme, under which the voucher scheme falls, was the brainchild of the UK’s former Labour government. Although current health minister Andrew Lansley has hailed the scheme, the ConDem government has indicated that it will not ‘lecture’ the population over health but give the food industry a long leash of self-regulation.
But long leashes can have a back-lash. Since the voucher scheme was unveiled mainstream newspapers have revelled in allegations in the media of ministers pandering to industry, and bribing the populace to eat more healthily.
Not such great public relations for the food industry after all?
Change4Life followed on the heels – and in the spirit – of Labour’s Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives cross-governmental strategy. The closest the UK has come to a coherent food policy, it touched not only industry issues, but also building on education and awareness of healthy lifestyles, and facilitating them through infrastructure and sports facilities, family and community support, changes in schools and workplaces, and personalised healthcare advice.
January is the time for wishing each other good health and prosperity. By sticking with a sensible, well-researched strategy, industry and consumers can achieve both in 2011.
Jess Halliday is editor of award-winning website FoodNavigator.com. Over the past twelve years she has worked in print, broadcast and online media in both Europe and the United States. She recently completed a MSc in Food Policy at City University in London.


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The next Magic: The Gathering set Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths is scheduled to release next month, and fans are excited to see the official spoilers roll in this month. Although Wizards of the Coast hasn't revealed many details about the upcoming set yet, we've already seen some promotional art and packaging. There are also some speculations based on the information Wizards provided about the set, so let's take a look at what we could expect from Ikoria.
Ikoria Might Introduce The Mutate Mechanic
When Wizards of the Coast officially revealed the cards from the silver-bordered Unsanctioned set, there was a card called "Surgeon ~~General~~ Commander" that has the ability that reads: "Whenever you augment, enchant, or mutate a creature you control, draw a card."
Fans wondered what the "mutate" mechanic is since that has never been introduced in any Magic set before, but Magic lead designer Rosewater previously said that "mutate" is an official keyword, and will be introduced in a future Magic set.
"Mutate is a keyword you all haven’t seen yet," Rosewater said. "And fear not, we’ve learned from Steamflogger Boss to not make-up mechanics we have no intent of making."
Last September, Rosewater teased a new "monster mechanic", which leads to the next point...
Ikoria Will Have 'One of The Craziest Mechanics' Magic Has Ever Made
"You get to play with monsters, and you get to make monsters," Rosewater said last September. "It's one of the craziest mechanics we've made in quite a while."
You can watch Rosewater talk about Ikoria in the 13:36 mark below:
Is Mutate the "new monster mechanic" that Rosewater was talking about? After all, mutation is a way to describe how some organisms are changed, and maybe that's part of the monster creation in Ikoria. We'll have to wait and find out.
Ikoria Will Feature Three Planeswalkers: One New and Two We Already Know
Over on his Blogatog, Rosewater revealed that Ikoria will feature three Planeswalkers: one new, and a "couple we already know". We've already seen Vivien in the packaging and promotional art for Ikoria that Wizards revealed, so there's one more returning Planeswalker that we don't know yet, and a new one that Ikoria will introduce. There are speculations that Kiora or Kasmina might return, but seeing that there's already a confirmed green planeswalker, there's probably a bigger chance we'll see Kasmina over Kiora, but I wouldn't be surprised if they bring back someone from the Gatewatch.
Ikoria's Story Will Get an Ebook, Not Just A Summary
When Theros Beyond Death's official story was released, many fans expressed their disappointment for the set's lack of story. Unlike many of the MTG sets released in recent years, no novels or series of short stories were released for the THB despite the epic trailer featuring Elspeth's conflict with Ashiok in the underworld of Theros. Fans are wondering if this is the new norm, but Rosewater confirmed back in January that Ikoria will have a story, not just a summary.
WotC Franchise Creative Director, Jeremy Jarvis confirmed that there will be an eBook.
To many MTG fans, a Magic set's story is an essential part of the card game's experience. The story details add flavor, themes to the cards, fluourishing the imagination of players as they cast their spells and summon creatures, so I'm glad that they're bringing more story in Ikoria, not just a quick summary.
There Are 5 New Ikoria Commander Decks Will Be Released Along With The Main Set
Wizards of the Coast already revealed that 5 brand new Commander preconstructed decks will be released along with Ikoria, on April 24. Wizards also revealed the names of the 5 Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Commander decks: Ruthless, Regiment, Arcane Maelstrom, Symbiotic Swarm, Timeless Wisdom, and Enhanced Evolution.
WotC hasn't revealed the decklists for these Commander 2020 decks yet, but you can get an idea what each of these decks does based on their names. Symbiotic Swarm is probably a Golgari-colored (green/black) or Abzan (green/black/white) deck that makes a bunch of tokens while Enhanced Evolution is probably Simic (blue/green) that's probably based around the Mutate mechanic that the silver-bordered Unsanctioned set teased.
The Ikoria Commander Decks Are Replacing The Planeswalker Decks For Ikoria
With every new Magic set Wizards of the Coast release, there's usually a set of brand new Planeswlker Decks, pre-constructed decks each featuring an exclusive Planeswalker cards you won't find in the main set that are aimed for newer players, but back in October 2019, MTG senior designer Gavin Verhey confirmed that the Ikoria Commander decks will be replacing the Planeswalker Decks, and he also revealed that the new Commander decks will be available, at Ikoria Prerelease events at April 17-19, but he did say "in casual play", so don't expect game stores to host DCI-sanctioned Commander prerelease events in that weekend yet.
We also know that most of the cards in the preconstructed Commander decks are set in the world of Ikoria: "There are a handful of cards from the Ikoria set in these decks in the 'reprint' slots, but the number is fairly small," Verhey said. "Those cards are mostly just there to help make a couple themes work. (Imagine, for example, if Kaladesh had done this: if we had an energy Commander deck, you would definitely want a couple energy cards from the main set also in your deck.)"
Ikoria Will Have Double Sided Keyword Counters
Last December, Wizards of the Coast revealed the product description for the Ikoria Prerelease Pack, and it confirms that there will be a "set of double-sided keyword counters". This could be similar to the punch-out counters we've seen in the Amonkhet set.
The double-sided keyword counters might have something to do with the innovative "create a monster" mechanic. One user on our MTG Facebook group even speculated that the counters work as labels to add new abilities for creating unique creatures, but we'll find out soon enough.
Ikoria Promotional Art Showed Us Our First Look at The Monsters
The first promotional artwork for Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths emerged back in January, and it gave us our first look at its monster-infested world. The Ikoria art featured the return of Vivien Reid, a gigantic wolf-like monster, and other smaller creatures surrounding the plains.
The art also revealed that there are crystals on Ikoria's land. So far, Ikoria's world reminds me of Final Fantasy games, especially with all the monsters and crystals we've seen so far.
Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Packaging Reveals More Art
At the Hasbro Toy Fair 2020 last month, Wizards of the Coast unveiled the packaging for Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, and they reveal brand new art featuring Vivien Reid, and other monsters we don't know yet. Previously, they revealed the box art:
Ikoria Will Have A Box Topper 'Unlike Anything Magic Has Ever Done'
Just a few days ago, Wizards confirmed that Ikoria's booster boxes will have a boxtopper —an individual card that's factory sealed inside every box of Draft Boosters for a given expansion, and they're usually something extra special. According to Wizards, Ikoria's boxtopper will be "unlike anything Magic has ever done."
WotC hasn't revealed the boxtopper cards yet but they have an exciting promise: "That's right: every box of Ikoria comes with a behemoth-sized bonus sitting right on top," WotC said. "We'll show you the cards as we get closer to release, but for now, just know that this box topper is unlike anything Magic has ever done."
The boxtoppers might feature an alternate art or they could be cards not available in the booster set but is Standard-legal, but whatever they are, people would want them for their tradability, giving them more reasons to buy an Ikoria booster box.
The New Ikoria Trailer Might Arrive Soon
WotC has been amazing fans with the epic trailers they've been releasing before a new MTG set arrives, and fans are looking forward for Ikoria's trailer.
Based on the release date of new set trailers vs. when the set themselves are launched, the latest trend seems to release the trailer a month before prerelease weekend, which means that the new Ikoria trailer will be released within a week since prerelease for Ikoria is on April 17.
Anyone else excited for the trailer for Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths?
Unconfirmed Details: Merge Mechanic and New Narset
Over on Reddit, there are some rumors and leaks spreading about the cards featured in Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, so I'm putting this last on this list because they could be fake, but who knows?
The first one is a huge potential leak of a Symbiotic Swarm list, one of the Ikoria Commander decks, and some of the cards feature a mecahnic called Merge, an ability that can turn a creature into an Aura enchantment. The post reads: "This creature becomes an Aura enchantment with enchant creature. Attach it and any number of Auras enchanting it to target creature. Merge only as a sorcery)."
The leak also features an Ultimatum sorcery card:
"Ancient Ultimatum GGBBBWW
Return up to 5 target permanents from your graveyard to the battlefield."
Another Reddit post shared details of what could potentially be a new Narset card:
"Narset on Ikoria 1WRU
Legendary Planeswalker - Narset
+1 Add W, R, or U. Spend this mana only to cast noncreature spells.
-2 Draw a card, then discard a card. ~ deals damage to target creature or planeswalker equal to the CMC of the discarded card.
-6 You get an emblem that says "Deal 2 damage to any target when you cast a noncreature spell.
Of course, since these details haven't been officially confirmed, take them with a grain of salt.
Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths will officially be released on April 24, 2020. Prerelease events will take place from April 17-19.


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Etrian Odyssey is a competent dungeon crawler series that I’ve been rather fond of in the past. The fact that it is has been exclusive to Nintendo DS and 3DS throughout its lifespan has given the developers the unique opportunity to create and refine a system of manually mapping your progress using the systems’ touch screens. It’s perhaps because of that that the series stands out to me, but that’s certainly not all that it has going for it.
Atlus announced last Thursday that the series’ latest entry, Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth, is set to launch in North America on October 17th. The new game is set to be all about exploring “the uncharted labyrinth of the Yggdrasil Tree” and carving your own path as you set out to achieve that goal. The game utilizes the series’ signature mapping system and turn-based battles. It offers “expanded character creation and customization,” as well, boasting four races and ten “distinct” classes.
As with many of Atlus’ releases, there will be a limited launch edition of the game. It will contain a 24-page art book, a music CD containing six tracks, and a collector’s box.
You can find more information about Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth on the official website. A new trailer for the Fencer class is embedded below.


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Victoria’s Secret might’ve axed its famous annual catalogue, but fear not. Parent company L Brands (LB) has made the right move, according to analysts at Stifel,
The group bumped their rating on the stock from neutral to buy and set L Brands’ price target at $90—which moved shares up close to 2 % during midday trading Monday.
Investors have felt uncertain about L Brands’ stock in recent months, after Victoria’s Secret CEO Sharen Jester Turney abruptly stepped down in February and L Brands (formerly known as Limited Brands) later announced a series of restructuring initiatives including cutting its swimwear line by the end of 2016, dropping its annual catalogue, and reducing promotions. Shares have fallen nearly 19% year to date.
In a Monday note, Stifel wrote that investors’ concerns about Victoria’s Secrets cuts aren’t unwarranted. Those changes put in place by CEO Les Wexner will likely hold back sales in the near term—but the savings from those cuts will offset any loss in sales.
“These changes, in our opinion, will enable the brand to accelerate growth and strengthen the business for the long term by focusing and maximizing the merchandising effort while simplifying and modernizing the operating model,” the team of analysts led by Richard Jaffe said.
And according to Stifel, L Brands has made trims where the company was bloated—leaving behind a strong core product offering that has in past years, driven growth. That includes its lingerie, sleepwear, and cosmetics lines. In a sense, the company has cut out the distractions, Stifel noted.
Victoria’s Secret catalogues, though strong in name recognition, aren’t a sales driver, making the marketing tool extraneous. Stifel noted that while Victoria’s Secret cut back on catalogues by 40% in the fourth quarter, average per store sales rose 7%. Cutting out catalogues also means VS is focusing more on loyalty programs—a move that Stifel is bullish about in the long term.
And the selloff of shares in recent months means L Brands, which is also in charge of Bath and Body Works, is now selling at something of a discount.
“Worldwide brand recognition, combined with industry-leading sourcing capabilities and top notch management, has successfully created a competitive moat around the business providing for a significant long-term growth opportunity, in our opinion,” the analyst wrote.


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The past three weeks have been full of changes for the Syracuse Chiefs. First, the board of directors voted on a reorganization plan that infused cash into the financially ailing team. Then Jason Smorol was announced as the team's new general manager, ending 40 years of leadership by the Simone family. Now, Smorol is announcing plans to reduce ticket prices and enhance fans' experience in the ballpark. Sarah Blazonis has more.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Jason Smorol said last week that one of his priorities was going to be reaching out to those who've stood behind the team in the past, like season ticket holders. He says it was doing just that that led to some of the changes announced Wednesday.
Phone calls took up a big part of Jason Smorol's first week as Chiefs general manager. One of those calls was with Billy from Cortland, a 35 year season ticket holder who attended just one game in 2013.
"He gave me some suggestions and I listened to him, and I said, 'That's a great suggestion, that one's not gonna work, we can't do that, that one's good,'" Smorol said.
Smorol says input like that from Billy and other season ticket holders led to changes announced Wednesday. First up: Ticket prices for the 2014 season are being reduced.
"We had one of the most expensive tickets in the International League. We had $20 seats here at the stadium," Smorol said.
Those $20 seats in the expanded exclusive seating section will now be $12 for adults $10 for kids and seniors. All seats there will also have access to in-seat food and beverage services.
General admission tickets are now $5 for adults, a $3 savings, and free for military members. Season ticket prices will stay the same, but those fans can expect other perks.
Smorol said, "That's where you intermingle with the players a little bit more. That's where you get a little extra service, you know, you're guaranteed your coffee mug, your magnet schedule, is going to be there when you show up a little bit late to the game."
Smorol says these changes were approved by the board Tuesday. He says next up is a continued review of the team's financial situation. But he hopes creating an atmosphere that caters to fans keeps them coming back and helps boost revenue.
"It's going to be so interactive this year. We've got that beautiful scoreboard out there and television cameras and talented people that know what they're doing," Smorol said. "It's going to be a whole new ballgame here."
You still are going to have to wait awhile to begin purchasing those general admission tickets. Smorol says there will be an announcement when those go on sale.
But one thing they're really going to be pushing this year is season ticket sales. That effort is actually going to start Thursday at the Centerstate Business Showcase at the Oncenter. About 400 or so season tickets were sold last year, but this year's goal is 1,000.
Smorol is hoping perks like getting to interact with players and just going that extra mile will convince people to get on board with the team.


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Amazon will continue to cut jobs into 2023 as it adjusts to business conditions and the decisions will be shared with impacted employees and organizations early in 2023, said Amazon.com CEO Andy Jassy. The e-commerce giant has started laying off employees across the company amid an “unusual and uncertain macroeconomic environment” and, as per reports, plans to cut 10,000 or 3 per cent of its workforce.
In his first public statement since the company’s cost-reduction plans, the Amazon CEO said, “Leaders across the company are working with their teams and looking at their workforce levels, investments they want to make in the future, and prioritizing what matters most to customers and the long-term health of our businesses… This year’s review is more difficult due to the fact that the economy remains in a challenging spot and we’ve hired rapidly the last several years.”
He added that people were notified in the company’s devices and books business and that some in Amazon’s “People, Experience and Technology” organisation, which includes recruiters and human resources professionals, were offered voluntary buyouts.
Andy Jassy said, “Our annual planning process extends into the new year, which means there will be more role reductions as leaders continue to make adjustments… Those decisions will be shared with impacted employees and organizations early in 2023.”
In the letter to employees, Amazon hardware chief Dave Limp has said, “After a deep set of reviews, we recently decided to consolidate some teams and programs. One of the consequences of these decisions is that some roles will no longer be required. It pains me to have to deliver this news as we know we will lose talented Amazonians from the Devices & Services org as a result.”
News agency Reuters has reported that plans, still in flux, to eliminate around 10,000 roles through reductions in more units would amount to about a 3 per cent cut in Amazon’s roughly 300,000-person corporate workforce. The company has offered voluntary buyouts to some human-resources staff, Reuters has said quoting a source familiar with Amazon’s job-cut plans.
The company has notified regional authorities in California that it would lay off about 260 workers at various facilities that employ data scientists, software engineers and other corporate workers, according to another news agency Associated Press.
The move came days after Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook’s parent company Meta Platforms, on November 9 said the company has decided to reduce the size of its team by about 13 per cent and let more than 11,000 employees go. Twitter has also laid off 50 per cent of its employees.
HERE’S ANDY JASSY’S FULL LETTER TO EMPLOYEES
Two weeks ago, Beth shared that S-team and I decided to pause new incremental hires in our corporate workforce. Today, I want to share some information about role eliminations. We are in the middle of our annual operating planning review where we look at each of our businesses and make decisions about what we believe we should change. Leaders across the company are working with their teams and looking at their workforce levels, investments they want to make in the future, and prioritizing what matters most to customers and the long-term health of our businesses. This year’s review is more difficult due to the fact that the economy remains in a challenging spot and we’ve hired rapidly the last several years.
Yesterday, we communicated the difficult decision to eliminate a number of positions across our Devices and Books businesses, and also announced a voluntary reduction offer for some employees in our People, Experience, and Technology (PXT) organization. Our annual planning process extends into the new year, which means there will be more role reductions as leaders continue to make adjustments. Those decisions will be shared with impacted employees and organizations early in 2023. We haven’t concluded yet exactly how many other roles will be impacted (we know that there will be reductions in our Stores and PXT organizations), but each leader will communicate to their respective teams when we have the details nailed down. And, as has been the case this week, we will prioritize communicating directly with impacted employees before making broad public or internal announcements.
I’ve been in this role now for about a year and a half, and without a doubt, this is the most difficult decision we’ve made during that time (and, we’ve had to make some very tough calls over the past couple of years, particularly during the heart of the pandemic). It’s not lost on me or any of the leaders who make these decisions that these aren’t just roles we’re eliminating, but rather, people with emotions, ambitions, and responsibilities whose lives will be impacted. We are working to support those who are affected and trying to help them find new roles on teams that have a need; and in cases where that’s not possible, we are offering packages that include a separation payment, transitional health insurance benefits, and external job placement support.
Amazon has weathered uncertainty and difficult economies in the past, and we will continue to do so. We have big opportunities ahead, both in our more established businesses like Stores, Advertising, and AWS, but also in our newer initiatives that we’ve been working on for a number of years and have conviction in pursuing (e.g. Prime Video, Alexa, Kuiper, Zoox, and Healthcare). The key will be to do what Amazon does best – obsess over customers and invent relentlessly on their behalf – and if we do that, we should all be very optimistic about Amazon’s future. I know I am.
I want to thank each of you for your continuing contributions during this challenging time and as we gear up to deliver for customers during the busy shopping season.
Read all the Latest Business News here


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Talking about collaborative smartphone from Google and Motorola called the X Phone have been going on for a long time. But if you believe the information received from Chinese analysts, the Internet giant decided to abandon the project and shift all the work over the device to Motorola.
According to rumors, the X Phone was supposed to be one of the most interesting and advanced Android devices this year. But most likely, Google was not satisfied with the current level available in the smart phone innovations.
But do not despair, the smartphone will see the light, but with some fairly significant changes. Most likely, the X Phone is now unlikely to get stock Android, and may become an ordinary smartphone Motorola Mobility c a shell company.
Many assumed that the announcement of the X Phone will be held very soon, at the annual conference Google I/O 2013. But in light of recent events it is likely that the release will be postponed indefinitely.
It's unclear how these rumors close to the truth, but given the reputation of the analyst Sun Chang Xu, who has 18 years of experience in this industry reliability is great. Another confirmation serves as a popular account of the expert in Chinese analge Twitter, numbering about a million followeres.


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2021. What an interesting year. With the world turned upside down by a pandemic that seemingly had its sights set on...
Prognosis enjoys positive outcome from N2TUG.
Spending time with Prognosis users is always valuable and working with them as new products arrive from HPE NonStop helps set priorities.
Setting aside time to spend with Prognosis users is always important for those in the IR sales and support organization. There is something special about interacting with Prognosis users running NonStop systems and gaining insight that is neither filtered by the media nor obtained second-hand is always beneficial for IR. When there is a major gathering of NonStop users, the benefits from such direct interaction always prove helpful and when there is as large a gathering of NonStop users as happened recently with the N2TUG user event in Dallas, there were plenty of interactions taking place.
So much has happened with NonStop of late and there are now multiple product families of NonStop systems. Furthermore, the news of Virtualized NonStop (VNS) availability continues to develop momentum and for any vendor it’s not always clear how its users will respond. NonStop X deployments are happening even as we hear of testing and validation with VNS having only just begun. With such product volatility it was good to see that none of the Prognosis users were overly concerned or perplexed by all that was transpiring within HPE and it was good to hear that they appeared to all be playing it carefully, as they always do whenever there is new technology and products released by the HPE NonStop team.
However, a couple of items from the presentations certainly generated further discussion. Obviously the renewed focus on NonStop SQL/MX is encouraging to see as for many of our users NS SQL is a key reason as to why they continue to run NonStop systems. As has always been the case, IR is interested to hear of HPE’s plans to grow the installed base of NonStop users, so the upgrades to NS SQL that support compatibility with Oracle, should it all go to plan, will clearly be something we will be tracking closely. Oracle continues to have a strong presence in the data centers of the enterprises where Prognosis is deployed and any further movement away from Oracle and onto NonStop is something IR views as a positive move by the HPE NonStop team.
There were also some interesting presentations by the vendors in the replication marketplace – if DRNET proves successful in adding value with the Splunk story, that could be something to watch but otherwise, it’s still hard to see too many NonStop users with GoldenGate deployed changing product, unless, of course, Oracle lessens their commitment to support the NonStop platform. Likewise, XYPRO’s security could get a positive boost if they get to protect the entire VM environment but that too will have to be watched.
When it comes to VNS the support for OpenStack represents just the beginning of a long journey for NonStop and the interest among the NonStop users seems to be more focused on the timeframes for availability to run with VMware. At the same time, the consensus view among the NonStop users we talked to was that HPE still has considerable work to do when it comes to pricing VNS. For now there is no incentive to move away from the “hyperconverged systems” the HPE NonStop team is currently shipping with NonStop X. However, the HPE NonStop team did reiterate that their market for VNS was those users with significant cloud experience and with investments already made in x86 server farms.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the presentation given by NonStop product management at N2TUG had to do with an upcoming demonstration of blockchain running on NonStop. Among our Prognosis users there is growing awareness of the value proposition that comes with blockchain and with the NonStop team porting the R3 Corda product, it will be interesting to see whether this will lead to further conversations about the role NonStop might play at financial institutions looking to try out blockchain. As this will be part of the NonStop demonstrations at the upcoming HPE Discover event, any feedback we get from the NonStop community should help determine the real value from consideration of this new distributed approach to managing financial ledgers.
Tthe most positive outcome of all, coming from the N2TUG event, was just how many NonStop users were present. The small committee involved in organizing the event did a great job and the financial contributions made by those vendors present helped elevate this user event to where it has to be considered alongside other big events such as we see with SunTUG and CTUG. However, equally as important is that NonStop users continue to accommodate change as they always have – incrementally taking small, measured steps. Even with the move to x86 chips and now to virtual machines, from what we could ascertain, it remains business-as-normal for the majority of NonStop users.
It certainly is encouraging to see the NonStop community coming out in numbers as we have seen of late and this is perhaps the best message we can take with us from the event. NonStop is still proving valuable to those organizations running transactional systems that cannot afford downtime for any reason! And if you would like to know more about how Prognosis is addressing changes that the NonStop team is making, then call us or drop us an email with whatever questions you may have.


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It was announced tonight that this year’s annual E3 event, both physical and digital, has been canceled. It shouldn’t cause as much damage as major game companies usually host their own digital events, and that’s unlikely to change this year. E3 will return in 2023, and organizers are apparently planning a big comeback. It’s unclear if Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft will host their own annual events this June, or if they plan to do so during the summer.
“According to sources who spoke to IGN at the time, discussions around E3 have been contentious throughout the year, and third parties often find the ESA’s continued silence on its plans frustrating.
Discussions about possible digital equivalents have continued since then, but there has been no strong impetus to push them. Instead, ESA appears to be working on restructuring plans for a larger comeback in 2023. “


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The U.K.’s Salisbury Poultry has submitted proposals to turn a former cheese-packing plant in Marchwiel, Wrexham, into a poultry processing plant. The application notes that the transformed site could have a daily processing capacity of 122 tons, and employ 150 staff. If approved, the plant could be operational by the end of 2015.
Bilston-based Salisbury Poultry produces fresh and frozen poultry products, including bespoke hand-finished products, deboned portions, breast fillets, thigh meat and supremes. The company operates from three modern sites, with 400 employees. Turnover this year is expected to be in excess of GBP60 million (US$97 million).


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All About Policy Bazaar IPO
Following a brief lull in the number of mega IPOs, PB Fintech, which operates online insurance platform Policybazaar and credit comparison portal Paisabazaar, will launch its 5,710-crore initial public offering on November 1st. The issue's price band has been set at Rs. 940-980 per share. The issue, which will close on November 3, consists of a new issue of 3,750 crore worth of equity shares and a 1,960 crore offer for sale by existing shareholders. According to market observers, Policybazaar shares are currently trading in the grey market at a decent premium (GMP) of Rs. 175. On November 15, the company plans to list on the NSE and BSE, two major stock exchanges. The proceeds of the new issuance will be used to increase the visibility and awareness of the company's brands, as well as to look for new opportunities to expand growth initiatives to increase the consumer base, including offline presence. PB Fintech is the top internet platform for insurance and lending products, offering insurance, credit, and other financial services. The issue's book running lead managers are Kotak Mahindra Capital, Morgan Stanley, Citigroup Global Markets India, ICICI Securities, HDFC Bank Ltd, IIFL Securities, and Jefferies India.


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MG Gloster at Auto Expo 2020 – Gloster Walkaround
MG Motor has showcased the its upcoming compact SUV -- Gloster -- at the Auto Expo. The Gloster will be launched in India around this year’s festive season, which means some time around October or November. It will be a 3-row SUV that will rival the likes of the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour in India. Find out how it looks in this video.


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Original title: Tesla’s stock price soars, Musk’s net worth over 300 billion US dollars
[TechWeb]News on January 4, according to foreign media reports, thanks to the skyrocketing of Tesla’s stock price, according to Forbes estimates, Musk’s wealth reached 304.2 billion U.S. dollars, once again surpassing his first short break in November last year. The 300 billion U.S. dollar mark.
Musk’s rise in value once again benefited from the surge in Tesla’s share price. On Sunday, Tesla announced that it had delivered more than 936,000 cars in 2021, which exceeded analyst expectations. Investors responded quickly to the opening of the market on Monday. Instead, they were dissatisfied with the news of the company’s recall of 475,000 cars on December 30. As of the close, Tesla shares have risen more than 13%. After falling below the $1 trillion mark last month, the company’s market value once again exceeded $1 trillion.
And Musk’s worth has been rising. In 2020 and 2021, his wealth increased by 200 billion US dollars. Last year alone, his net worth increased by 116 billion US dollars, creating the largest single-year growth among Forbes billionaires. record of. In addition, Tesla will announce its Q4 financial report this month. If the company reaches certain operating and valuation goals, Musk will receive millions of lucrative stock options, which will add billions of dollars to his wealth.
However, the high value is also accompanied by huge taxes. It is reported that Musk will pay about 11 billion U.S. dollars in taxes in 2021 and may become the “first person to pay taxes” in the history of the United States. At the same time, he sold 15.7 million Tesla shares last year, valued at more than $16 billion.


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Crimson Hexagon Raises $20 Million to Extend Leadership in Social Data Analysis
Crimson Hexagon, a leading provider of social data analysis to inform strategic enterprise decision-making, today announced it has raised $20 million in growth equity financing in a round led by Sageview Capital. The funding enables Crimson Hexagon to add capabilities to its solution while also expanding its global sales and marketing team and infrastructure.
The investment comes amid unprecedented growth for Crimson Hexagon. Over the past 12 months, the company’s customer base has expanded by more than 75 percent and the platform now boasts more than 10,000 active users. Over the same period, Crimson Hexagon expanded its team in the U.S. and abroad by 50 percent, growing its London employee base and staffing new offices in Chicago and San Francisco, with more to open in 2016. Additionally, the number of posts in Crimson Hexagon’s social data library has surpassed 850 billion and is on course to reach 1 trillion by the end of 2016.
“Crimson Hexagon is a true market leader with a tremendous customer list and is now positioned to expand its core capabilities to accelerate growth,” said Dean Nelson, partner at Sageview Capital. “Sageview provides growth capital to leading companies with demonstrated success and large market opportunities. We look forward to working with Crimson Hexagon as the company continues to dominate a growing market and delivers a strong return on investment for its customers.”
A mature offering in a market of upstarts, Crimson Hexagon has delivered aggressive organic growth while maintaining capital-efficient operations. The company had raised only $17.5 million in funding prior to this investment round, relying on its proven executive team and market-tested platform to deeply align with users’ needs. The platform allows brands and agencies to have easy access to timely, actionable information about consumers’ opinions of their products, services and brand promises.
“Brands and agencies are using Twitter data to inform all aspects of their strategy,” said Chris Moody, vice president of data strategy at Twitter. “We’re excited to see Crimson Hexagon raising funds to further enhance the products and services it delivers across the enterprise.”
Several new OEM and partnership relationships will also be key to continued momentum. For example, Crimson Hexagon recently announced:
- An OEM partnership with Birst, a business intelligence and analytics provider that helps brands turn unstructured data sets into analytics initiatives;
- The integration of anonymized Facebook topic data into its platform, which offers customers real-time access to the topics and interactions of Facebook’s more than 1.55 billion monthly active users; and
- The expansion of its unique preferred analytics partnership with Tumblr to provide brands and agencies with greater insights into visual context on Tumblr.
Stephanie Newby, CEO of Crimson Hexagon, said, “We have completed a critical check list: a first-class experienced team, robust technology that is easy to use and a client base hungry for more: more data, more analytics, more insights. With this foundation, and with Sageview Capital as our partner in this next important step, Crimson Hexagon is ready to extend its market leadership position.”
Crimson Hexagon was advised by Shea & Company, LLC in connection with the financing.
- Blog: http://www.crimsonhexagon.com/blog
- Careers: http://www.crimsonhexagon.com/about/careers
- Demo: http://www.crimsonhexagon.com/#schedule-a-demo
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/crimsonhexagon
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/crimsonhexagon
- Tumblr: http://www.crimsonhexagon.tumblr.com/
About Crimson Hexagon
Crimson Hexagon is the global leader in consumer insights from social media data. Powered by patented technology and an in-house data library of more than 850 billion posts, Crimson Hexagon's platform helps hundreds of brands and agencies answer critical business questions through the insights derived from social data. Clients include leading global organizations such as General Mills, Starbucks, Paramount Pictures, Microsoft and Twitter, and leading agencies such as TBWA, VML, BBDO, Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy, Edelman and Digitas. Find us on Twitter @crimsonhexagon and on Tumblr.
About Sageview Capital
Sageview Capital LP is a private investment firm providing growth capital to small and mid-sized companies in the technology, business services, and financial services sectors. The firm’s investments include Alfresco, Avalara, Demandbase, EverBank Financial, GoPro, MetricStream, Reflexis and United Capital, among others. Sageview was founded in 2006 and is led by Ned Gilhuly and Scott Stuart, former partners of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR) and Dean Nelson, former head of KKR Capstone. The firm has offices in Greenwich, Connecticut and Palo Alto, California. For more information, visit www.sageviewcapital.com.
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Anhui Conch Cement to sell shares to boost production
Updated: 2007-06-26 12:59
Anhui Conch Cement Co plans to sell shares valued at 11
billion yuan (US$1.4 billion) in Shanghai to upgrade power equipment and boost
new power equipment will cut energy consumption and save costs, Anhui Conch
said. The company, based in China's eastern Wuhu City, will also use some of the
proceeds to boost annual cement production capacity to about 87 million tons
from 65 million tons. China produced 19 percent more cement last year from a
year earlier, according to the government.
The company, China's biggest maker of the construction material,
will offer 200 million new shares, equal to an 11.3 percent stake after the
sale, Conch said in a Shanghai stock exchange statement today, without giving a
price or timing. The stock closed at 55 yuan yesterday.
Conch will spend
part of the funds on new boilers and generators, advancing a government goal of
curbing pollution in China, the world's biggest maker and user of cement. The
offer adds to about US$13.5 billion of equity sales announced in the past two
months as China pushes state-owned companies to raise funds to help damp demand
in a market that has almost doubled in 2007.
The Shanghai-traded stock of
Anhui Conch fell as much as 1.9 yuan, or 3.5 percent, to 53.1 yuan in Shanghai
and was at 54.15 yuan at 10:45am. Before today, the stock had surged 349 percent
in the past 12 months.
The Hong Kong-traded shares have more than
quadrupled in the past year, beating the 38 percent gain of the benchmark Hang
Seng Index. The stock closed at HK$51.60 (US$6.60) yesterday and was suspended
from trading this morning.
(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)


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Met Gala 2019: Harry Styles wears HEELS, one earring and sheer shirt
Taking into consideration the event’s Camp: Notes on Fashion theme, the former One Direction star, 25, pulled out all the stops in a semi-sheer black lace ensemble, one dangling pearl earring and heels.
Arriving alongside Gucci’s designer, Alessandro Michele, the British hitmaker, who is part of this year’s Met Gala committee, looked in high spirits as he posed away on the red carpet.
Harry commanded attention in the black ensemble which bared a glimpse of his body in the semi-sheer number which boasted black ruffling down the centre.
The garment showed off his flair for fashion with ruched semi-sheer sleeves, ending in a lace fluting which showed off his various inkings.
The Dunkirk actor made a simple, yet stylish impact with a sole pearl drop earring which proved to be in the shape of a bee with diamond wings.
Harry boosted his height with a pair of shiny black heeled shoes as he posed away on the pink carpet.
The 1D star got his ears pierced specifically for the occasion, according to his friend and stylist Harry Lambert.
Harry told Miss Vogue: “It was the perfect final touch for the outfit… Harry and I have discussed previously piercing his ears, and this was the perfect time. I text him and he replied, saying “Let’s do it”.
‘Harry has always been keen to experiment with fashion and is never scared to try something new….
‘It has been a natural progression of experimentation that has led up to the look and where we are today.’
Meanwhile, Harry admitted it was an ‘honour’ to have been asked to co-chair fashion’s biggest night, adding ‘it’s nice to be here’.
- Katie Price risks losing messy mansion after fresh bid for bankruptcy
- Gemma Collins shows off three stone weight loss on night out in fancy floral gown
- Katie Price's brutally ravaged face and weeping surgical scars revealed in full
- Fears for Katie Price after she is 'dragged out of boozer stumbling' by Kris Boyson
- Bruised and swollen Katie Price, is swathed in surgical tape, following her latest batch of surgery and his 'half-price' nose job
- Kim Kardashian fan told his 'leaking bum implants were actually fake breasts'
- Ex on the Beach star Laura-Alicia Summers unveils £500k surgery transformation
- Katie Price gets 'bum op, face lift and another boob job in latest surgery spree
- Meet the inking addict who tattooed their eyes, penis and anus
- EastEnders' Clair Norris unrecognisable from Bernadette while on holiday with boyfriend


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A report from eMarketer found that Americans are becoming multitaskers in terms of the media they interact with on a daily basis. Increasingly, internet users are also watching television and using their smartphones or tablets while using other media, which means internet marketers have ample opportunities to reach their online audiences with integrated marketing campaigns.
The most frequent media consumption combination is watching television while using a mobile computing device, such as a smartphone, laptop or tablet computer. Beyond that, many respondents said they keep their television on while reading a newspaper, magazine or book. When combining content consumption across different devices, eMarketer estimates that consumers spend 11 hours per day on reading or viewing content.
For marketers, this increases the value of integrated new media marketing campaigns, since the average time spent on the web has reached about 2 hours and 47 minutes per day for each user (not counting the daily hour spent with mobile media, which may overlap with time online). Additionally, the average person still watches more than 4 hours of television or videos every day, and the survey didn’t distinguish between watching videos online or on TVs.
EMarketer spoke with other industry experts in its report and found that much of this media multitasking is complementary. For example, users will research a topic they see on television on the web with whichever device they have at hand.
“When people sit down to watch a TV show, and they have their iPad with them, they’re not necessarily multitasking in contradictory ways,” Edward Boches, creative director at ad agency Mullin, told eMarketer. “I may be watching something … and I’ll just quickly Google something [to augment the experience].”
Integrated marketing efforts can help brands reach consumers on their content platforms of choice, and monitoring audience behaviors can inform web campaigns. As marketers identify engagement patterns, from the times of day consumers are finding a website through search or increased activity around relevant keywords updating strategies for maximum return is becoming more common. Brafton recently reported that branding campaigns on the web are typically adjusted 11 times as new prospect data becomes available.


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2015 Revenue: $4.77 billion
HQ: Florham Park, NJ
Zoetis has experienced more than its share of drama ever since it was spun off from Pfizer ($PFE) in 2013. Not long after becoming an independent company, activist investor William Ackman of Pershing Square Capital bought up a large stake of the company, started griping about its high cost structure and pressured executives to sell the animal health outfit. Zoetis CEO Juan Ramón Alaix and his team acted fast to slim down, rolling out a plan to cast off 5,000 underperforming SKUs, exit 10 manufacturing plants and slash 165 jobs. And they kept their eyes on innovation, launching several new products including a hotly demanded drug to treat allergic dermatitis in dogs, Apoquel, and making an entrée into the fast-growing market for fish vaccines by buying Norway-based Pharmaq for $765 million. The initiatives seem to be working: Zoetis’ operational revenues grew 8% in 2015 and its adjusted net income jumped 13% to $889 million.
Zoetis beats estimates in Q4 but dampens 2016 sales forecast on currency woes
Zoetis R&D chief Catherine Knupp on innovation and the fight to stay atop animal health
Zoetis shareholders applaud $765M Pharmaq buy and strong earnings


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Post office workers went on strike today in a further dispute with the Communications Workers Union over a requested pay increase.
Shoppers at Doncaster’s Priory Place Post Office, which was closed until Thursday, said they had received no notification of the action, only learning about it from a note on the door.
Michelle Bennie, 42, of Burton Terrace in Balby, was left unable to do her Christmas shopping because of the closure.
She said: “It’s benefits day and I knew nothing about it so have come into town from Balby to buy some Christmas shopping, and now I can’t.”
An 86-year-old pensioner from Finningley, who did not wish to be named, said she was disappointed that she couldn’t buy her stamps to send off her Christmas cards, adding: “They’ve obviously got some sort of grievance.”


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Ljubljana share indices decline, Cinkarna Celje paces losers
Sofia bource indices rally on gains in Fibank, Telematic Interactive
Podravka buoys Croatia’s share indices
Foreign visitor overnights in Kosovo rise 28% y/y in Oct
Bosnia's Serb Republic GDP grows 2.1% y/y in Q3
Oct 26, 2007 11:51 EEST
October 26 (SeeNews) - Retail prices in Bosnia's Muslim-Croat Federation rose by 1.0% month-on-month in September, the Federal Statistics Office said on Friday.
In August, retail prices rose by 0.4% on the month.
September's retail prices were 1.8% higher than a year earlier after rising by an annual 1.6% in the previous month, the statistics office said in a statement.
BOSNIA FEDERATION SEPTEMBER RETAIL PRICES (pct change):
The cost of living index in the Federation, which together with the Serb Republic makes up war-divided Bosnia, rose in September by 1.2% on the month, after rising by a monthly 0.5% in August.
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Welcome to LCCF
LCCF is committed to uniting minority business leaders to help drive Louisiana’s economy forward.
Who We Support
More than 900 minority businesses served through minority chambers of commerce in Louisiana.
LCCF News & Updates
We Are Going to Infrastructure School
We are going to Infrastructure School!!! With the signing of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in mid-November, President Biden marked a…Read More
National Small Business Week
Virtual Summit September 13 -15, 2021 The SBA announced its 2021 National Small Business Week Virtual Summit (NSBW) for September 13-15, 2021. The…Read More
Exec's on the Move!
greater new orleans


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A new company has designed eco-friendly knickers that claim to be “durable comfortable and odour-killing”.
They also claim not to need to be washed for weeks at a time. Eek.
While it might sound so gross, the company assures the customers that they won’t smell at all.
Organic Basics have released their news SilverTech 2.0 range, which are self-washing pieces that kill 99.9 percent of bacteria.
As a result of new technology, we won’t have to wash our underwear after every wear, which uses less water so saves energy.
According to their Kickstarter campaign, which has already raised over £120,000, the underwear is made of entirely recycled materials and allows you to “move freely without restrictions”.
SilverTech 2.0 “uses the antimicrobial properties of silver.”
Explaining further on the website, she said: “We use Polygiene, a safe, blue sign approved recycled silver treatment and apply it directly on the fabric for optimal odour control.
“We’ve used nylon, a moisture wicking fabric that’s also more durable and it feels lighter on the skin.”
I tried period pants and this is what happened
While the idea of walking about in the same pair of pants might make you feel uncomfortable, the company assures potential customers that they are “built with advanced ventilation in critical sweat zones”.
They explain that the length of time you can go without washing the underwear does vary.
They explain: “The effect of silver can vary from person to person, depending on how much and how strong our body odours are. Technically you can wear our SilverTech 2.0 products for over one week without washing.
“However body hygiene is a very personal matter. So where one person can wear SilverTech for a month without having the need to wash, others might feel that need after just a few days. Less washing will save the environment a lot of water and CO2 – nice!”
If you fancy trying they have a four pack on offer for just £65 instead of £89.
Men reveal what they really think about the lingerie women wear – and what they said will definitely surprise you


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Fishermen in the area envision a favorable season for ‘little birds’, especially in May; Currently it can already be purchased at the pier of the Isla de la Piedra
MAZATLAN. – Have the “little birds” arrived yet? In an unusual way, the traditional fish the “little bird” arrived in the Mazatlan bay a week before, since the small billfish normally arrives in masse on the beaches at the beginning or middle of the month of May, which is highly anticipated by locals and visitor.
To the surprise of many, this good-natured species advanced on Mazatlan soil, as can already be seen at the Isla de la Piedra pier, whose fishermen assure that it never left, only that before they came out in fewer quantities in the catches everyday.
For them, the season for this fish looks good, it is even already being sold in some shops on this famous pier, who estimate that sales will reach a good point for this year, since this fish is highly sought after by the locals.
The fisherman Javier Estrada mentioned that the “little bird” had been caught for months, but with very little volume compared to today, in which a very attractive season is expected.
In the different shops you can see that a kilo of good-sized “little bird” is at 50 pesos, so next month is expected to be even better.
Javier commented that according to the latest catches from Las Tres Islas, a larger size is noted than in other years.
The fishermen highlighted that it is in the month of May when the temperature in the sea water increases, that the production of “pajarito” increases significantly, to the extent that the pangas overflow with the capture of said fish.
Normally the season of this product lasts the four weeks of the month of May, although this year it was brought forward. The main capture points are at the Embarcadero or Playa Norte.


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Update: MySpace is streaming it as well.
Original Article: YouTube announced that it will be streaming the red carpet footage of the Twilight: Eclipse premiere this evening. It’s that big a deal.
"The scene from Hollywood may look nothing like Forks, but all of your favorite vampires and werewolves will be there giving live interviews and greeting fans," says YouTube’s Thomas Henry. "Many of these Twilight faithful have been waiting for up to three days in order to catch a glimpse of their favorite pale-faced friends."
The coverage starts at 5:30 p.m. PT tonight. Watch it here.
If you can’t tune in live (and you still actually want to see it), you will still be able to watch the footage on the Twilight YouTube channel.
Learn about some online marketing strategies they’ve been using for this film here.


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It looks like Facebook may be trying to demystify one of the most essential, yet frustrating aspects of their network: the News Feed. According to TechCrunch, the social media giant sent out an invite to a press event on August 6 to clear up confusion about what appears in the News Feed, announce a ranking algorithm change, and preview the future of the feed.
Why I’m Curious:
This move is very unlike Facebook, which has been very tight-lipped about the methods behind what you see in your News Feed. But it seems the time has come for the team to open up and tell everyone what’s behind the curtain. Have you ever wondered why it seems like you keep hearing from the same friends over and over, while others you haven’t heard from in months? You’re not alone. For years, both Facebook users and brands have been wondering why certain updates show up the News Feed and others don’t.
Hopefully this event will provide some clarity. So stay tuned at 10 a.m. PST Tuesday to see what Zuckerberg and crew have in store.


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Narciso Rodriguez is coming to Kohl's!
The designer is putting a together a special limited edition collection, which will kick off this fall.
Having designed for Claire Danes, Julianna Margulies, and even Michelle Obama, this will be a wonderful addition to Kohl's, especially for customers who are looking for high-fashion style at an affordable cost.
Sure, we may not look as fabulous FLOTUS or have her incredible arms, but at least we can pretend to be as stylish as her now!
Are U super excited for the new Narciso Rodriguez collection at Kohl's??
[Image via WENN.]
Tags: collection, kohls, line, narciso rodriguez


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The latest data from Container xChange informs that critical build-ups of containers at UK ports are seen amid the Brexit trade disruption and the ongoing congestion.
Suffered from the burns of the pandemic, the UK’s leading container terminals was unable to cope with the surge of imports last year resulting in lengthy delays for hauliers and vessels and an excess of containers building up in ports.
Adding to the suffering and making the situation much worse was the step taken by the UK of departing the European Union on January 1 and starting trading under a post-Brexit customs and regulatory regime, indicated the latest data from Container xChange.
As per the Container xChange’s Container Availability Index (CAx), an index reading of 0.5 describes a balanced market. Below 0.5 means there is a shortage of containers and above 0.5 means there is an excess of containers.
The average reading of CAx at the port of Felixstowe so far in 2021 for a 40 ft container is 0.95, up from 0.79 in 2020. The CAx for a 20 ft box has increased from an average of 0.78 in 2020 to 0.90 this year.
Painting a similar picture is the port of Southampton with CAx reading for a 40 ft container is 0.86 in 2021, up from an average of 0.71 last year. For a 20 ft container the CAx reading is 0.85, up from an average of 0.72 in 2020.
“The UK’s leading gateway terminals for container traffic suffered congestion for much of 2020 prompting carriers to cut some calls and ship cargo in from European hubs via the Channel Tunnel, ferry services and feeder services instead,”~ Dr. Johannes Schlingmeier, CEO of Container xChange.
Further adding, Schlingmeier said, “Based on the build-up of containers at ports in 2021, it seems the situation has further deteriorated. We are now seeing critical levels of boxes building up at Southampton and Felixstowe. Post-Brexit cross-Channel shipments are more complicated under dual-Customs regimes and this could be a factor in logistics bottlenecks.”
As per reports, the container lines are making every possible effort to avoid the Brexit disruption and delays at southern terminals by launching new services into the port of Liverpool. However, they are also now coming unstuck, with the port struggling to handle increased volumes. This is reflected in an accelerating excess of containers at the port.
The average CAx reading in 2020 at the port of Liverpool for a 40 ft container was 0.59. In 2021 this has climbed t0 0.75. For a 20 ft container the CAx reading in 2021 is 0.82, up from an average of 0.68 last year.
The European gateway ports have also failed to avoid the disruptions and delays due to pandemic driven container traffic surges. However, they showcase a better balanced container availability at their leading hubs as compared to the UK.
At the port of Rotterdam, the CAx average reading for a 40 ft container this year is 0.51, compared to an average of 0.40 in 2020. At Antwerp, shortages have been a problem, with an average reading for a 40 ft container of 0.21 in 2020 improving to a more balanced 0.41 this year.
Similarly, at Hamburg, the average CAx reading for a 40 ft container in 2020 was 0.27 suggesting critical shortages. This year the average reading has improved to 0.49.


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The Lumia 900 is a hell of a phone. Plus, it should be pretty cheap once it lands in the UK. But it's not for lack of quality parts: iSuppli crunched the numbers and determined it costs around £136 to build and manufacture. That's more than the iPhone.
For comparison's sake, the iPhone 4S's 16GB model costs an estimated £119 to build and retails for £499 off-network. The Lumia's component prices are about the same, but strangely, it shoots ahead with an expensive screen compared to the iPhone. The Lumia's screen is larger physically, but has a much lower pixel density than the iPhone's retina display.
Nokia — and its partner in crime Microsoft — desperately wants to get a foothold with the Lumia line of Windows Phones. That's why the Lumia 710 is cheap too and we've got the presumably cheaper Lumia 610 incoming too. Nokia's willing to subsidise hardware to gain market share. If works, it's absolutely worth it. If not, well, that's a mighty big bill Nokia just stuck itself with. [iSuppli]


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Starbucks To Release Barista Creations
In an attempt to add a bit more creativity to the menu, Starbucks is allowing it’s employees to concoct their own original drink creations and share them with millions of customers in America. Though they’re already known for having their own “secret menu” among employees, they will now have the opportunity to share with all, possibly coming up with a new menu favorite.
The fabulous coffee chain has already allowed this in a way, as customers can mix and match any ingredients they wish, but this is a great way to come up with the next “it” coffee drink. No matter how funny the order may sound, customers have always appreciated the endless options. Obviously, not all creations will make a buzz- there are certain ingredients that should never mix but the fun in the creativity process is very intriguing. There have been special instances where a barista will find a good mix, and a branch of Starbucks will sometimes even use it for a limited edition drink.
But now, Starbucks is encouraging baristas to create the perfect drink. This is exciting news for Starbucks employees with hopes to create the next big drink on the permanent or seasonal menu.
The Fall season tends to cause a lot of buzz, thanks to fall flavors that can only be found this time of year. Since the introduction of almond milk and fall flavors such as pumpkin, there has been much excitement concerning the branches drinks. It’s the perfect time for baristas and customers to experience with new ingredients in creating the perfect new drink for the menu.
Having the “secret menu” come out helps customers to feel in the know and involved with the Starbucks process. Not only will the promotion bring in more business over the weekend, but it will allow their customers to feel like Starbucks is willing to concoct any drink for them. Customizing a drink makes paying more for the creation more feasible for many. In a short period of time, Starbucks will have tested hundreds of samples of drinks without having to do any of the creating which is a big perk for this corporation, as well.
Batista Originals is a promising way that Starbucks will discover their next money maker drink, while allowing their loyal customers to enjoy all sorts of fun and seasonal creations. This promotion will not only spike sales for a weekend and promise customers that they can create the drink of their dreams, but it might improve the relationships between baristas and customers as well.


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Air Jordan 7 Doernbecher Releasing Later This Fall
The annual festivities that celebrate Nike’s partnership with Doernbecher Children’s Hospital is scheduled to go down on Friday, October 28th at a special event in which the shoe designs are revealed for the very first time to the world and the courageous young designers who lent their minds for this great cause. Each yearly collection boasts an Air Jordan Retro, and it’s been revealed that this year’s offering will be the Air Jordan 7. We’re not sure which of the six designers got the opportunity to work on the shoe, but as we near the official debut, we’ll learn more details. Familiarize yourself with the six designers here and stay tuned for updates on the 2016 Doernbecher Freestyle Collection.