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THE US has been called a bitterly divided nation due to Donald Trump’s upset election as President, driven by a strong rural vote – at odds with a metro-centric demographic – that craved protectionist policy moves like exiting the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).
And after this week’s reaction to news the US had now officially quit the TPP after Mr Trump’s inauguration, it seems two vastly different worlds also exist in Australia on free trade.
From Katter country in far north Queensland, through to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s plush Sydney Liberal electorate of Wentworth.
Unlike independent federal MP Bob Katter’s sparse agricultural fuelled seat of Kennedy, Mr Turnbull’s electorate measures a mere 38 square kilometres and captures popular tourist havens like Bondi Beach and the delights of Rushcutters Bay and Kings Cross.
Kennedy is about 570,000 square kilometres and comprises vast and challenging primary production lands often tested by Mother Nature; including grains, beef cattle, cotton, tobacco, fruit and vegetables, dairy products and peanuts.
In a statement, Mr Katter reacted with glee to the US abandoning its commitment on the 12-nation TPP, while Mr Turnbull expressed regret saying trade deals like the TPP opened up new economic opportunities for Australian agricultural exports sold into markets like Japan.
Mr Katter described himself as “Australia’s staunchest critic of free trade” and said he was “delighted” by the overnight news of President Trump formalising the US’ retreat on the TPP deal.
He said in Australia, the ALP and LNP leadership sadly still hold a “religious fundamentalism for the open market – or marketisim”.
“The world suffered under communism, fascism, imperialism – marketisim is just as bad,” he said.
“In the early ‘90s when the government applied globalisation policies to wool, wool was the biggest export item in Australia – in today’s money, $12 thousand million a year.
“It is now around $2 thousand million.
“The economists say there are 10 jobs per million dollars, so 100,000 wool industry jobs vanished from inland Australia – congratulations to your marketisim.”
Disqualified WA Senator and ex-WA grains farmer Rod Culleton supported Mr Katter’s view saying Australia should also exit the TPP like the US and abandon all free trade deals.
“I cracked a tinny (opened a can of beer) when I heard that Donald Trump had signed up for the US to back out of the TPP,” he said.
“I’m not a big drinker but I went to the fridge and cracked a tinny and I put it up and said “Good on you mate – that’s what Australia needs to do”.
Mr Culleton said the TPP was “devastating” for Australian farmers and was the reason why they’re only getting $80 a tonne for oats.
“Australian farmers grow the best commodities in the world and we’ve got the best conditions and we just need to go out with our brand,” he said.
“We don’t need to be forming any partnerships because our product sells.
“The farm gate price hasn’t improved much at all over the past 50 years I can give you the tip – farmers still have the carrot swinging just in front of their noses and they don’t need it.
“They can simply get it pulled in a bit so they can get a decent bite out of it.
“We just need to keep it simple stupid in this country and we’ll go very well.”
But at a media conference today, Mr Turnbull lauded the economic gains of free trade and said losing the US from the TPP was, “a big loss – there is no question about that”.
He said he and his Prime Ministerial counterparts in Japan, NZ and Singapore were now working to see how they can ensure momentum is maintained, towards open markets and free trade.
“Believe me, protectionism is not a ladder to get you out of the low growth trap – it is a shovel to dig it deeper,” he said.
“Believe me, our jobs, our economic future depends on bigger opportunities and bigger markets for what we produce – that is what we’re about – Aussie jobs.”
Mr Turnbull said President Trump had said America would not proceed with the TPP – but his Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had been a longtime advocate for it, while the Republican Party in the US Congress had also been strong supporters.
He said it was possible that US policy could change over time on the TPP, as it had done on other trade deals.
Mr Turnbull said there was also an opportunity for the TPP to proceed without the US.
He said he’d held active discussions with other leaders as recently as last night and “We believe in trade”.
“It is not for me to say what is good for other countries own domestic economies but believe me, if you believe in Australian jobs, if you want more Australian businesses to succeed, if you want more Australian workers to have well-paid jobs with businesses that are exporting to the biggest markets in the world than you’ve got to support trade,” he said.
“That’s why our Trade Minister is there seeking to secure new trade agreements with Indonesia – a new trade agreement with India.
“We signed one last year with Singapore as you know and in the previous Parliament: China, Korea and Japan.
“We are constantly working to open the doors of new markets and open wider the doors of existing markets for Australian exporters because that is where the jobs are to be found.”
Mr Turnbull said there was already a China-Australia Free Trade Agreement but potential also for China to join the TPP.
Asked whether any modelling had been done to see whether the TPP was still viable for Australia, without the US, he said New Zealand’s analysis showed that most of the TPP’s benefit would still accrue to that country, with no US.
Mr Turnbull said Australia was a much bigger trading nation than the US as a percentage of GDP, and many more Australian jobs – as a percentage – depended on trade than do American jobs.
“Trade is critical and that is why it is important for me to remain engaged and my ministers to remain engaged with our counterparts,” he said.
The US Wheat Associates (USW) and National Association of Wheat Growers issued a joint statement saying they were disappointed by President Trump’s executive order to withdraw the US from the TPP.
They said until an alternative trade policy was established, export opportunities in the promising Pacific Rim markets that could help US wheat farmers at a time when they need it most “are very much at risk”.
USW Chairman Jason Scott said US wheat farmers depend heavily on export demand to determine their per-bushel income.
“We can compete very effectively in Asian and Latin American markets where the demand for high quality wheat is rapidly increasing and our organisations took a long-view of the benefits TPP held out – a trade agreement that promoted economic growth abroad as a way to grow export sales and prosperity for farmers at home.”
NAWG President Gordon Stoner said without the TPP or alternative agreements, US farmers would be forced to the sidelines of trade while losing market share in the region to competitors including Australia, Canada, Russia and the European Union.
He said those countries had current agreements or are negotiating new ones with countries outside the network of existing US trade agreements.


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A Florida federal jury has favored Alarm Protection Technology (APT) in a lawsuit filed by ADT that claimed the Utah-based alarm services provider infringed upon the residential security giant’s name and trademark. ADT sued Alarm Protection Technology in 2012, claiming that its rival used deceptive door-to-door sales practices to get Florida consumers to sign new contracts with APT. Additionally, ADT accused APT executive Adam Schanz of intentionally selecting the APT logo in order to infringe ADT’s trademark. ADT claimed APT infringed on the residential security giant’s name and trademark.
ADT filed the lawsuit after hearing from Florida customers in 2012 that APT was coming to their doors and asking if they wanted to “upgrade” their alarm system. That phrasing and the similarity between the company names led customers to believe they would be sticking with ADT, the lawsuit claimed. APT argued it used questionnaires and welcome calls that made sure clients understood before the sale closed that the company was not affiliated with ADT. After ADT won a preliminary injunction, AP dropped the T from its acronym and started using the name Alarm Protection.
A U.S. District Court jury in West Palm Beach, Fla., decided in two hours that APT, based here, did not infringe upon the name and trademark of ADT, based in Boca Raton, Fla., and that its sales reps did not engage in fraudulent and deceptive sales tactics. ADT, seeking $27 million in damages, alleged that Alarm Protection Technology’s use of its APT acronym and its logo infringed on ADT’s trademark. ADT also alleged that Alarm Protection Technology sales representatives used underhanded sales tactics with regard to the use of the APT acronym. The APT logo was very dissimilar to ADT’s. In fact, our logo had the APT acronym, but it was in the form of a police shield, a security badge. It was a blue shield with a red banner included in the logo. Not only did it include the APT acronym, but the name of the company was spelled out. ADT employs a blue and white logo in an octagon shape. Its acronym is represented in a different font than APT’s. As far as sales go, ADT said as part of its case that the use of the “verbal, aural sound” of APT during the course of a sale would cause current ADT customers or potential ADT customers to be confused that APT and ADT were the same company. However, sales reps always identified themselves as being from Alarm Protection Technology, not APT. Because ADT has the largest market share, and they spend $160 million a year on advertising and have been around for 140 years, people are familiar with ADT, and so that’s what they claim would cause the confusion.
ADT also alleged that APT sales reps were claiming or implying that they were with ADT when they met with customers, but the jury found APT not guilty of that specific allegation. On November 2, 2016, Alarm Protection pursues claims for about $1 million in attorneys’ fees as well as about $150,000 for a wrongful injunction.
Keywords: Trademark, Trademark Infringement, Security Company, Security alarm, confusion.

domain: news


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Good news and bad news this week for Microsoft's Shadowrun franchise. The Xbox 360/Windows Vista game continues its protracted slide into oblivion, with the announcement that the multiplayer-only game's official Web forums will close in two weeks.
On the bright side, it's explicitly stated in the announcement that the shadowrun.com domain will be transferred to "the folks working on the next generation of *Shadowrun *products."
Before Shadowrun even shipped, it was rumored that Microsoft was going to close down developer FASA Studio. This came true. Today's announcement points out that "most" FASA employees have moved on to other positions inside Microsoft.
Ultimately, Shadowrun can't be looked at as a success. The game was almost universally panned, not least for the fact that Microsoft took a popular role-playing game and turned it into a multiplayer-only first-person shooter on a console already stuffed to the gills with (mostly superior) FPS experiences.
Hopefully something positive comes from all of this turmoil; for now, Shadowrun players have one less resource at their disposal. At least, since the games operate via Live, they don't ever have to worry about servers being shut down.


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You Could Help Bring the Marilyn Monroe Dress Back to NYC
As we've reported previously, the white halter dress worn by Marilyn Monroe in The Seven Year Itch -- you know, the one in that iconic subway grate scene -- will soon be up for sale by an L.A. auction house. The dress, currently owned by Debbie Reynolds, is worth an estimated $1 to $2 million, and a New York-based tech company, inQuicity, has set up a website called www.savethedress.org, where donors can contribute to help buy the dress and "bring it home" to New York City.
Darlene Newman, co-founder of inQuicity, said in a statement about the dress, "It's also a prolific piece of New York City's vivid history and culture, and deserves to find a permanent home here." Any donors would be credited in an exhibition of the dress, which would find a place in a city museum after being taken on a national tour.
The iconic scene from the movie, directed by Billy Wilder, was originally filmed over a subway grate at Lexington Avenue near 52nd Street, but had to be re-shot on a soundstage because crowds went crazy -- we can only imagine -- during the shot.
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Last week the members of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada gathered at the Niagara Drive Centre for TestFest. The annual event allows journalists to compare completely new or redeveloped models back to back over a 4 day period. The vehicles are driven on a road route, race track and even an off road section for the trucks. With 70 of Canada’s top automotive journalists and a strict scoring process, the AJAC Canadian Car of the Year awards are highly respected across North America.
General Motors was the big winner this year, capturing 3 categories, while Volkswagen and Ford each scored 2 class wins. The winners are:
Best new small car (under $21k) Ford Fiesta
Best new small car (over $21k) Chevrolet Cruze
Best new family car (under $30k) Volkswagen Jetta TDI Clean Diesel
Best new family car (over $30k) Buick Regal
Best new luxury car (over $50k) BMW 5 series sedan
Best new prestige car (over $75k) Porsche 911 Turbo S
Best new sports/performance car Cadillac CTS-V Coupe
Best new minivan Toyota Sienna
Best new SUV/CUV(under $35k) Hyundai Tucson
Best new SUV/CUV($35k-$50k) Ford Edge
Best new SUV/CUV(over $50k) Volkswagen Touareg
The overall winner for of the Canadian Car of the Year award will be announced at the opening of the Canadian International Autoshow in February.
Photo credits: VW Touareg by Justin Pritchard. All others by Gary Grant


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BlackBerry Hopes Bigger Is Better With New Five-Inch Z30
Aiming to take advantage of the trend toward larger-screen phones, BlackBerry on Wednesday is showing off its biggest-yet smartphone, the Z30.
The five-inch touchscreen device also packs a larger battery and a new version of the BlackBerry operating system. BlackBerry OS 10.2 features include a new “priority hub” that learns which people and conversations are most important, while a preview of incoming BBM messages can now appear over any other running app.
On the hardware side, the Z30 includes a new antenna designed to offer improved quality in low-signal areas, while a “natural sound” feature is designed to offer better audio.
BlackBerry said that the new phone will hit the United Kingdom and Middle East next week, with availability in “all other regions going into the holiday season.”
Pricing wasn’t disclosed, nor any details on which U.S. carriers would offer the device.
However, sources told AllThingsD earlier this year that Sprint would be carrying an all-touch model that was a follow-on to the initial Z10.
Meanwhile, BlackBerry said that version 10.2 of the operating system would be made available for other BlackBerry 10 devices starting in October.
BlackBerry has been struggling to regain ground with the initial BB10-based devices that have come to market this year, losing the No. 3 position to Windows Phone. The company has said it is weighing strategic options, including a potential sale.
Update: Verizon said on Twitter that the Z30 was “coming soon” to its network.. Representatives for AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile all declined to say whether they would be carrying the Z30.


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Didata's Footsie future in jeopardy
SHARES in Dimension Data have crashed 75p, or 28%, to a record low of 189p after it issued a stark profits warning, making it possible that the South Africa-based computer services firm will be ejected from the FTSE 100 index of leading shares.
The shares have now fallen to 62% below the 520p at which they were listed just 12 months ago. At that time the company, which moved its domicile and primary listing from Johannesburg to London, raised £800m through an institutional placing led by Merrill Lynch.
Didata said that since it announced its interim results in May 'trading conditions have deteriorated and it now appears that infrastructure rollouts and upgrades in these markets are being delayed'. It added that second-half profit margins would be one or two percentage points lower than the 10% achieved in the first half.
Didata also blamed its competitors, saying: 'We expect discounting by certain competitors and manufacturers to negatively impact overall achievable margins.'
When it came to the stock market last year, Didata was the 50th largest London-listed company with a market capitalisation of £6.5bn. The collapse means it is now worth just over £2.5bn, which leaves it teetering on the edge of the FTSE 100 exclusion zone.
The company said it was now concentrating its efforts on services-led business, which it hoped would show through financially in 2002.
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Rebate fiasco has state asking why
Published 3:15 pm, Thursday, April 8, 2010
After response to the Texas Trade Up Appliance Rebate overwhelmed the program's Web site and phone line Wednesday, leaving Texans frustrated and angry, state Comptroller Susan Combs' office demanded a performance review from the company that ran the program.
The letter to President Thomas Helgeson addresses complaints that Texans trying to reserve rebates for energy-efficient appliances online and over the phone had to deal with busy signals and a malfunctioning Web site.
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“As you may already know, the Comptroller was not satisfied with Helgeson's performance today,” Elledge wrote Wednesday. “Our office received numerous complaints throughout the morning and afternoon about the website being down or unavailable and wait times at the call center exceeding five minutes.”
Elledge wrote that Helgeson is contractually required to submit a performance report to the office, detailing issues such as the amount of time the rebate Web site was down, the number of calls placed to the program's phone number, the number of calls that were dropped, the number of calls that were abandoned, and the number of calls that were handled by an agent.
The comptroller's office announced Wednesday that it gave away rebate reservations for more than $23 million to 38,864 Texans. Of those, 32,283 rebate reservations were made online and 6,581 were made over the phone.
Helgeson had agreed to keep the Web site running 99.9 percent of the time and to answer 80 percent of phone calls within 20 seconds, according to the office. But apparently it wasn't able to handle the 2,400 Web hits per second and 1,000 calls per minute the program generated, leaving many of those who tried to participate frustrated.
Attempts by a reporter throughout the day to access the online rebate reservations were unsuccessful, and repeated phone calls to the toll-free phone line set up by Helgeson did not connect.
Combs spokesman Allen Spelce said Helgeson beat out three competitors to handle the program in February, and the office learned in March that Helgeson had similar problems during the Iowa and Minnesota rebate programs it ran.
Spelce said Helgeson blamed its problems in Texas on a “suspicious IP address,” and the Associated Press reported the company blamed problems in Minnesota on “burdensome and suspicious activity.”
“The purpose of this letter is to find out what some of those issues were,” Spelce said. “Was it just the IP address? ... What were some of the issues, if any? That's the whole purpose of the performance report we're requesting from them.”


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South Korea’s largest shopping and culture festival “Korea Sale FESTA” is held from September 28 to October 31. Customers look around refrigerators at Samsung Digital Plaza in Gangnam, Seoul. (Picture by Samsung Electronics)
South Korea’s state-sponsored month-long shopping blowout Korea Sale FESTA begins Sept. 28, with this year’s event added with rich cultural events and entertainment to add tourism appeal.
The Korea Sale FESTA, modeled after the Black Friday in North America and Singles Day of China, was initiated by the government last year to help stimulate consumption and tourism.
Over 100 service providers from hospitality, dining, and entertainment industries will join this year’s event whereas only 37 such names were included in last season. Total corporate participants would nearly double to 400 from last year’s 211.
Local governments have arranged various tourism programs and cultural experience day trips timed with the big sale season.
By Park Eun-jin and Park Chang-young
[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]


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Eight states joined the U.S. to accuse the California-based company of abusing “monopoly power” to disadvantage advertisers who use other ad tech products, and the lawsuit seeks damages and the divestiture of certain ad tech products of the tech giant.
The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, says Google’s strategy includes neutralizing or eliminating competitors through acquisitions, along with wielding its power in digital advertising markets to make advertisers use its products.
“By deploying opaque rules that benefit itself and harm rivals, Google has wielded its power across the ad tech industry to dictate how digital advertising is sold, and the very terms on which its rivals can compete,” the complaint states.
The lawsuit is the latest confrontation between the Justice Department and Google. In 2020, under the Trump administration, the department accused the company of anticompetitive business practices on search and search advertising. The Google search litigation is scheduled for trial in September, the DOJ said.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said at a news conference Tuesday that Google engaged in anticompetitive behavior for 15 years, allowing it to force advertisers to use its tools and stop the ascent of rival technologies.
“No matter the industry and no matter the company, the Justice Department will vigorously enforce our antitrust laws,” Garland said at a news conference announcing the lawsuit.
Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta said that anticompetitive conduct threatens innovation, weakens workers’ rights and stifles free expression. The DOJ said this is the first monopolization case in approximately half a century in which it has sought damages for a civil antitrust violation.
“Today’s landmark action against Google underscores that it is a priority of this Justice Department to fight the abuse of market power,” Gupta said.
As a result of Google’s posture, website creators make less money while advertisers pay more than they would in an environment where competition could discipline prices, according to Tuesday’s lawsuit.
“This conduct hurts all of us because, as publishers make less money from advertisements, fewer publishers are able to offer internet content without subscriptions, paywalls, or alternative forms of monetization,” according to the lawsuit.
Internal Google documents show that the company would earn significantly less in a market that was competitive, according to the lawsuit.
“On average, Google keeps at least thirty cents — and sometimes far more — of each advertising dollar flowing from advertisers to website publishers through Google’s ad tech tools,” the lawsuit states.


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Facebook has initiated a program aimed at helping small businesses sell their products on Facebook without inconveniences.
The social media giant has developed Facebook shops with the aim of creating a marketplace for small businesses on the Facebook app, which previously missed a storefront.
Most Facebook pages for marketing purposes use catalogs of users’ products. However, customers are required to move to a website to shop for the desired products.
The Facebook shop will now ease the business advertisements as it will allow clients to shop for the products without visiting any website.
The Facebook shop app has been developed by the Facebook AI team and constitutes various amazing categories for brands that will have, name, color, design, and style. Clients will be required to filter and search for the desired products.
According to the Facebook AI team, the company is doing this to help businesses customize their pages on shops that will also have new insights and a real-time preview of collection design.
The new app will also include a checkout feature that allows clients to complete the transaction without leaving the app and also will remember payment information with collection and delivery details.
Facebook is also making it possible for shoppers to converse with businesses through the Facebook Messenger App, Instagram direct messaging, or WhatsApp.
Studies indicate that approximately 85% of people in the world are shopping online due to COVID 19. Therefore, shopping option through Facebook will be a major win for the company
In the recent past, Facebook partnered with Reliance Jio from India to allow people to make their grocery orders through WhatsApp. The Facebook shopping feature will first be launched in the US and a global rollout will follow so that businesses across the world can enjoy the feature.
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The plastic bag at California grocery stores has headed the way of lead paint, shark fin soup and ivory.
With strong support in liberal coastal counties swamping opposition in the Central Valley, environmental groups won a major victory with the passage of Proposition 67, making California the first state in the nation to ban carry-out plastic bags at grocery stores.
Although some absentee and provisional ballots were still being counted Thursday afternoon, the measure led 52 to 48 percent, and the plastic bag industry, which had fought it, conceded defeat.
The new law, which environmentalists say is vital in reducing litter and ocean pollution, takes effect in about five weeks after the California Secretary of State certifies the election Dec. 16.
Already, 17.3 million people in 151 cities and counties in California, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Cruz, Palo Alto and Oakland, live in areas where plastic grocery bags have been banned by local ordinances in recent years. But another 22 million who live in places where the bags were not outlawed are in for a change.
Those places include Contra Costa County, Scotts Valley, Saratoga, Gilroy, Los Altos Hills, Hillsborough, Bakersfield, Fresno, Stockton, Riverside and Anaheim.
Dave Heylen, a spokesman for the California Grocers Association, said he expects customers will see plastic bags phased out in the coming days.
“In a lot of communities, stores have already converted,” he said, “or they started ramping up for it and making sure they had the bags, or educating consumers to make sure they bring reusable bags.”
Heylen said the grocery industry opposed San Francisco’s early efforts a decade ago to ban plastic grocery bags, but it shifted to support the concept when other cities passed similar measures.
“Rather than a patchwork, we wanted it to be consistent across the board,” he said. “We can deal with that from a business standpoint. It’s not a burden.”
Environmentalists said they expect other states to follow California’s lead.
“This is an important victory to reduce plastic pollution in California,” said Mark Murray, executive director of Californians Against Waste. “California voters said yes to the environment and no to big money and the special interests.”
Proposition 67 was put on the ballot by companies that manufacture plastic bags. Their goal was to overturn a law that Gov. Jerry Brown signed in 2014, SB 270, that banned plastic grocery bags statewide and required grocery stores to charge at least 10 cents for paper bags. The law does not affect plastic produce bags, newspaper bags, or bags in restaurants and other stores.
By putting the law on hold, approximately another 10 billion bags were sold, which netted the bag industry roughly $20 million, Murray said.
A handful of companies, including Hilex Poly, Superbag and Advance Polybag, based in South Carolina, Texas and other states, spent $6 million on the campaign, and a related measure they sponsored, Proposition 65, which would have required the money grocery stores collect by selling paper bags to fund state environmental programs. Proposition 65 was defeated.
“California voters have unfortunately set themselves up for a serious case of buyer’s remorse,” said Lee Califf, executive director of the American Progressive Bag Alliance, an industry group. “Plastic bag bans don’t meaningfully reduce overall waste or litter or provide a positive environmental impact, but they do threaten tens of thousands of American manufacturing jobs.”
Supporters of banning plastic bags raised $1.8 million. Among the biggest donors: Monterey Bay Aquarium executive director Julie Packard, who gave $100,000, environmental philanthropist Tom Steyer of San Francisco, who donated $50,000, and Albertson’s-Safeway, which contributed $150,000.
Murray noted that cities, which already have banned plastic bags, like San Jose, have seen reductions in litter and have saved taxpayers the costs of picking it up and unclogging storm drains.
The law allows cities and counties to fine grocery stores up to $1,000 a day for violations. But no store has been fined under local ordinances, Murray said, and his group is instead pushing education.


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Booktopia has revealed that soft demand and a transition to a new facility has had adverse effects on sales revenue. Booktopia has released a trading update that reveals the online bookstore has had significantly reduced sales YoY.
“Following the conclusion of the second quarter which traditionally delivers the largest proportion of the Company’s annual profit, results were down year-on-year to the end of the first half and to forecast across both revenue and gross margin,” wrote Booktopia. “The Company has now completed a re-forecast of its financial performance taking into account the results of the key festive sales period.”
Last year the company forecasted an underlying EDITDA of $13.5 million, this has now been downgraded to an anifipated range of $1 million – $3 million.
Last year’s underlying EBITDA result was $4.6 million.
According to Booktopia, on top of soft demand, the company incurred some temporary challenges with the transition into the CFC. Its next gen customer fulfilment centre opened mid-late 2023 andwas expected to deliver a range of operational efficiencies and improved margins compared to the company’s old facility at Lidcombe including a flexible robotics platform.
“The transition and its associated challenges had an adverse effect on sales revenue during the first half, where: there was a decrease in the volume of inventory Booktopia was able to hold, with many products out of stock for extended periods; and the customer promise was also compromised, with longer delivery times for customers.
Costs were also impacted, most notably with integration of the new technology into its systems and processes. These included delays with its new robotic technology undertaking a key function of delivering received items to be put away on shelves and with the ability to cross dock. These issues have been, or are in the process of being, resolved. A significant portion of these costs have been adjusted in determining the underlying EBITDA,” stated Booktopia.


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Mountain States Lamb Cooperative purchases JBS plant
Greeley, Colo. – On Nov. 23, Mountain States Lamb Cooperative (MSLC) announced that they have entered into an agreement with JBS USA to acquire JBS’s Greeley Lamb Plant and all related assets.
“By acquiring JBS Greeley Lamb, our company will truly be ‘range to table,’ strengthening the sustainability of the American sheep industry in the Mountain West and United States,” states Frank Moore, chairman of MSLC.
Acquiring the plant
JBS processed nearly all the lambs for MSLC, and this acquisition means that the entire production process will be within the confines of MSLC.
“JBS has enjoyed a long-standing partnership with MSLC and believes this announcement will benefit both parties, notably the more than 120 JBS team members who will have the opportunity to continue their careers in the U.S. lamb industry,” says Andre Nogueira, CEO of JBS USA. “As a world leader in fresh lamb production with significant assets in Australia, lamb will remain a strategic part of the JBS global business model.”
Brad Boner, vice chairman of MSLC, comments, “This pending acquisition represents a major opportunity for MSLC to add harvest capabilities, an integral piece of the value chain, to our already vertically-integrated business model. Our members will now control all stages of the production of their lamb – raising, harvesting, processing, packaging, marketing and distribution.”
Completion of the acquisition is pending a successful equity drive and bank financing.
Moore notes that producers are in the process of undertaking an effort to raise the remaining equity needed to finalize the transaction. During that time, MSLC will work to address all necessary details to ensure the transition from JBS to Mountain States Rosen is “as seamless as possible with no disruption in operations.”
“With this acquisition, we will truly be 100 percent vertically-integrated and have 100 percent control of our product, from pasture to plate,” Moore says. “The purchase of this plant is a tremendous opportunity.”
MSLC is a multi-state, producer-owned marketing cooperative based in Douglas. In the late 1990s, a group of producers formed the organization in an effort to increase margins and make the industry more sustainable while also halting the decline of the American sheep industry.
“The biggest problem with anything in agriculture is in the markets, so we started MSLC to get a handle on it,” says Moore.
With the first meeting of MSLC in September 1999, a group of sheep producers gathered to attempt to turn the sinking industry around.
“There was a group of producers that were, to a point, working with the sheep industry for 10 or 15 years and trying to turn the ship around with limited to no success,” says Boner. “A core group got together and decided to do something about it.”
“We all felt strongly that if we didn’t do something drastic, our kids weren’t going to have the same opportunities to be in the sheep business if they wanted to,” continues Boner.
The first MSLC lambs were slaughtered in December 2001 on a contract basis.
MSLC bought 50 percent interest in a meat company in the Bronx, New York, N.Y..
In September 2008, MSLC bought the remaining 50 percent of the meat company and now owns Mountain States Rosen. Mountain States Rosen is the fabrication, distribution and marketing arm of MSLC, says Boner.
This year, MSLC surpassed 3 million lambs marketed. With producers in 15 states, MSLC maximizes the potential for profit for its members by paying for quality on a premium grid and also offers premiums for all-natural, source-verified lambs.
“MSLC did a lot to stabilize the sheep industry, and certainly the lamb side of it,” says Moore.
“We hope to continue to make the Co-op stronger and the industry stronger,” Moore adds. “MSLC is a success story.”
As MSLC looks to the future, Moore comments that the Co-op will make an aggressive effort to complete the purchase agreement as soon as possible.
“We see so much opportunity in front of us,” he says. “This purchase will create better communication and give us better control of our product through the entire process.
Moore adds, “This is an opportunity, not only for MSLC but for the whole industry.”
Saige Albert is managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup and can be reached at email@example.com.


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Generic medications made up 71% of all prescriptions in the U.S. in 2010, and 80% of patients think that generic drugs are a better value than branded ones. Only 10% of patients think that generic drugs cause more side effects. Yet if you ask physicians, 50% have a negative view of generics, and 27% would prefer not to use generic drugs for themselves or their family.
Numbers like these show the debate over using brand versus generic medications continues.
During the Cataract Dilemmas and Controversies symposium at the 2015 ASCRS•ASOA Symposium & Congress in San Diego, 2 ophthalmologists shared their analysis and professional experience regarding why they are now leaning toward a specific side of the issue.
The symposium was sponsored by the ASCRS Cataract Clinical Committee.
In Wisconsin, as well as in many other states, pharmacists are allowed to dispense the generic version of a drug unless a doctor specifies otherwise, said presenter John Vukich, MD. In 2011, the Davis Duehr Dean Department of Ophthalmology made the decision to switch to all generic drops after cataract surgery, after what Dr. Vukich described as a lot of consternation and literature searches. The main reason for the switch was cost. The increase in cost to the patient [with brand medications] was not a small factor. The number one reason we were contacted after hours was pharmacists asking if they could substitute a generic, he said.
At the same time, ophthalmologists within his multispecialty practice were prescribing more branded drugs than other departments and they were identified as an outlier in cost containment efforts, Dr. Vukich said. Ophthalmologists began writing generic prescriptions for prednisolone acetate (Pred Forte, Allergan, Dublin), ketorolac (Acular, Allergan), and ofloxacin (Ocuflox, Allergan). The practice then decided to review cases of post-surgical endophthalmitis before and after the generic switch. Although the surgeons at the practice were prescribing the same drugs, there were some differences in techniques, such as topical versus block, incision size and location, and type of intraocular lens used, Dr. Vukich said. However, the rate of endophthalmitis appeared to remain the same in the before versus after periods1 per 2,000 cases.
The practice then compared the cost of generics versus brand medications at area pharmacies for the drugs they prescribed. They found the additional cost for brand medications ranged from $277 to $319 more, as compared among 4 popular pharmacies. Thats not an insignificant cost, he said.
With 5,899 surgeries done in the research timeframe, they estimated a cumulative savings of $1,750,000 in pharmaceutical costs over 3 years, Dr. Vukich said.
One factor to keep in mind is that some pharmaceutical companies are increasing the price of generic drugs, which could pinch consumers pocketbooks yet again, Dr. Vukich said. However, this is an issue that Congress is reviewing. The practice where Dr. Vukich works plans to continue using generic drugs for now based on the results of their due diligence.
The case for branded meds:
John Wittpenn, MD, partner, Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island, and associate clinical professor, State University of New York, Stony Brook, N.Y., made the case for brand medications during his presentation. There are very few head-to-head studies to compare brand versus generic medications, he said. However, tracking the efficacy of topical medications is more complex than systemic medications, and that can affect research done on branded versus generic topicals, he said.
One major concern is medication toxicity on the ocular surface, he said. Thats the primary refractive surface of the eye. Our job is to protect and maximize vision. The effects can be severe and, very rarely, be permanent, he said. Dr. Wittpenn cited some of Dr. Vukichs presentation that showed some previous problems with generic ophthalmic medications, including a clogged dropper tip with prednisolone, an increased incidence of adverse events with diclofenac, a less efficacious generic version of timolol, and a generic formulation of latanoprost that had a higher pH than the brand form. There can also be confusion among patients over what is generic versus branded, Dr. Wittpenn said. He had a 73-year-old female patient with severe punctate keratopathy and a corneal melt after cataract surgery who thought she had been on branded prednisolone acetate and ketorolac; she was actually on generics. The pharmacist had told her the drops were identical. Technically in New York, thats illegal to say, but it happens. Ultimately, her best vision was 20/40, he said. She also had a residual scar. The patient is still wary about getting surgery on her other eye due to her bad experience. She told me, Doctor, if someone had told me this would happen to me, I would have spent the extra money [for brand medications], Dr. Wittpenn recounted.
Although cost is a definite issue in the branded versus generic debate, Dr. Wittpenn thinks it is relative to the importance of ones vision. He surveyed area pharmacies and found a $550 difference between branded versus generic medications typically prescribed after cataract surgery. However, the cost difference does not include rebates, coupons, and other discounts that manufacturers may provide, he said.


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Bitcoin is the number one digital currency in terms of market capitalization in the world. As a result, investors and crypto owners are closely monitoring the situation connected with Bitcoin. The popularity of cryptocurrencies made them more vulnerable to various factors. It is not surprising that whenever Bitcoin’s price fells, this fact makes people nervous around the world.
However, cryptocurrency is a relatively new business, and it will take time until people will get used to price fluctuations. People who are not familiar with this market may think that something unordinary is happening. Nevertheless, Bitcoin’s price was close to reaching $20,000 in late 2017. However, the price changed multiple times during the last several years. It means that this an ordinary process. The digital currency market is developing, and a person can learn more about different cryptocurrencies.
Digital currencies on October 1
As mentioned above, cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin is well-known in many parts of the world. For the last several days Bitcoin struggled to regain its position. At the end of September, its price fell to $7,670 which was the lowest level since the beginning of the month.
Bitcoin was able to overcome the resistance level above the $8,000 and $8,200. Right now, Bitcoin’s price is $8,332. It is important to mention that the next resistance level is $8,500. If Bitcoin is able to surpass this level, it may reach $8,750 or more. It means that Bitcoin’s price may return to $9,000 during the next several days.
Another digital currency Ethereum was also able to strengthen its position. On the last day of September, Ethereum was able to break the resistance level above $170 level. It took some time before it conquered another level above $175. The price even reached more than $180. At the time of writing Ethereum’s price is very close to that level. Right now the price is $179.8.
The latest news about Bitcoin and Ethereum shows that these digital currencies have the chance to achieve even better results.


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Addressing OTT Pitfalls: Key Strategies Telcos and MNOs Should Introduce
OTT is here to stay, and incumbent service providers are now considering different approaches to maximize their revenue while gaining and retaining more customers.
What is Over-the-top (OTT) Model?
OTT (i.e. over-the-top) is the new term, used to describe the delivery of entertainment content via the Internet without requiring viewers to subscribe to a traditional cable or satellite pay-TV service.
Popular OTT streaming services like Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, YouTube and other platforms have been steadily taking over what used to be the traditional telecom value-added services domain – TV shows and movie streaming. So much so that in 2018, only 19% of consumers in the US state they are “in a committed partnership” with their cable/satellite service. What’s even more staggering is that only 67% of survey participants still remain pay TV-subscribers, down from 73% in 2017.
Furthermore, it’s not just pay-TV services that are endangered. OTT platforms are cannibalizing text and VoIP as well, luring customers with free voice, video and messaging functionality. Beyond the “free” cost, such digital-savvy OTT companies are also offering way more innovative value-added services to complement their communication services. Such value-added approach definitely pays off. In 2011, messaging, fixed voice, and mobile voice services offered by OTT companies accounted for 9%, 11%, and 2% of revenue respectively, per McKinsey. In 2018, the numbers increased to approximately 60, 50, and 25 percent, respectively.
Some tech companies are pushing even further, pitching carrier-neutral connectivity deals such as e-SIMs to their users. Such options allow a user to effortlessly change between operators, taking some telecom providers out of the revenue equation.
Why are Over-the-Top Services Booming?
In 2018, OTT video revenues amounted to 18.6% of the global TV subscription revenue. By 2023, they can increase to 35.4%, surpassing $72 billion according to PwC 2019 Industry Outlook report. Such rapid overtake is taking place due to several combined factors.
For one, Millennials and Gen Z – the two digitally-driven power forces – came to the front as the largest consumer segment. Both of the demographics primarily opt for digital content. On average, Gen Zs spend 11.4 hours per day consuming digital content, while Millennials average at 10.8 hours per Adobe’s Brand Content Survey. They also favor multi-platform experience with 25% of Millennials using three or more devices at once – a 130% increase year over year (YoY). OTT platforms organically integrate into these consumption patterns, making information readily and seamlessly available through various mediums.
Secondly, the price factor played a major role too. OTT providers pioneered with super affordable plans for accessing an unlimited amount of content (without the annoying ads). Streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Live average at around $10-15 per month, while traditional pay-TV packages can come in the $50-100 range.
Thirdly, a lot of the leading OTT providers capitalized on their existing audiences to expand their ecosystem of value-added services. Apple had a hefty base of die-hard brand fans, ready to explore any new service heading their way. Amazon had an even bigger pool of clients who could be upsold with a streaming subscription. These giants managed to capitalize on their existing audiences and pitch the right new offer at the right time. That is exactly when live-streaming content was starting to get traction.
Finally, the rise of OTT was fueled by more large-scale changes, happening across industries. Cloud computing has paved a new way of delivering content and services over the Internet. Mobile and broadband plans have become faster and more affordable, allowing users to actually access and enjoy the content at the speed they like. The new fully digital business models have flourished, making consumers more comfortable and accustomed to spending their time (and money) online. The time consumers spend online while using communication and broadband services has been increasing at break-neck speed. To be precise, over the next decade, we’ll be spending 63% more time online than we already do today.
Deloitte further explains how the value chains for telecom and media companies are changing is this short video overview:
5 Telecom Strategies to Reclaim the OTT Space
Is it too late for telecom and mobile network operators to reclaim lost grounds? Absolutely not. OTT broadcasting may have developed rapidly because they have solved the tech challenge of delivering programming over the web, but such players do not have the DNA to sell directly to the consumers. In this regard, telco and MNOs still hold a major competitive advantage.
Focusing on improved connectivity such as 5G and broadband access is one way for telcos to maintain a competitive edge and ensure growth opportunities in both B2B and B2C sectors. But a deeper level of change, especially when it comes to existing business models, is even more incremental to future success.
Below are several viable strategies illustrating how incumbent service providers can withstand, compete and even outpace the OTT vendors.
1. Place the Consumer at the Center of Your Operations
It’s time to address the elephant in the room: customer experience in the telecom industry has been painfully lacking from the consumer perspective. From mediocre support to poor omnichannel experience – there are many areas where the bar could be set higher. Part of OTTs success was due to offering more streamlined and merely delightful onboarding and sign-up experiences. Now, it’s time to start addressing these areas and invest more resources into building superior digital touchpoints with your customers:
When it comes to services’ delivery, especially programming, telecoms also have an advantage. A lot of consumers still opt for Pay-TV as a more convenient, user-friendly option. According to the PwC survey, 50% of OTT streaming services users say they would cancel their subscription if the service was overwhelming (offering too much content) or inconvenient (providing not enough ways to overcome poor discovery).
Working on more curated, personalized programming could help telecoms get ahead of the streaming services to some extent. Which brings us to the next point…
2. Consider Building Custom OTT Products
HBO Go is a prime example of how a traditional telecom provider can become a strong branded destination for content outside the traditional TV ecosystem. AT&T, owner of the HBO network, does not seem to stop just here. The company recently announced the launch of several other value-added products and services, including five new broadband-delivered OTT products. German Deutsche Telekom is also testing their smart speaker technology and plans to roll out an OTT TV service.
Pay-TV services, which do not have the capacity to switch to OTT delivery model yet, are testing another approach to mimic the “classic” OTTs. They are actively unbundling their subscription models to offer more flexible packages to their consumers:
- British Sky recently introduced a contract-free bundle. Users can now choose different TV packages and combine them with broadband and phone data plan on a rolling basis.
- Dutch Joyne pitches a low-cost mix of channels on a rolling monthly basis.
Mobile network operators are also exploring how they can hop on the OTT trend and create VAS services for younger consumers. For instance, T-Mobile US’ Binge On launched the statewide trend of offering zero-rated video services delivered over cellular. This year, the UK’s Three also launched a zero-rated content package, offering a mix of TV channels as well as OTT video and music subscription.
3. Partner, Not Compete with OTTs
The OTT industry has enough space (and revenue) for both telecoms and the digital disruptors. Hence, some players are choosing the route of collaboration to expand their value chain instead of confrontation. Airtel has recently partnered with Amazon Prime, whereas Vodafone has signed on Netflix.
In fact, this route can be the most beneficial for all the parties involved as the consumers’ say is clear on this: 51% wished they could pay one monthly fee and gain access to all the video content they watch, regardless of where it’s published. Additionally, 50% hope that at some point all the programming they want will become available in one place.
4. Blockchain Can Have a Major Role in Consolidating Content from OTT Distributors
Different consumer segments have one universal demand – a universal viewing experience for all their favorite digital content. Blockchain is a strong technological contender to make that happen.
As a fully distributed, secure system, it could be used to simplify the management of payments, contractual terms and intellectual property rights that currently act as a major barrier for content consolidation. Settling payments via blockchain can also help telcos attract a more global crowd, including people who are underbanked/unbanked; or do not have access to any OTT application in their own country, and wish to watch international content. According to the PwC study , around 20% of US-based consumers are also interested in foreign TV shows and films. Blockchain can make the entire licensing and content delivery process much cheaper, more effective and inclusive.
Beyond that, there are several other promising use cases of blockchain that telecoms should consider.
5. Make 5G Your Competitive Advantage
The next-generation 5G communication standard is said to be the largest future growth driver for the network services providers. However, beyond capitalizing on the surge in connectivity demand, telecoms can also use 5G to devise new value-added services.
For instance, cloud gaming is becoming one of the new value-added services in telecom. It fact, it’s predicted to make up for half of the 5G data traffic by 2022. Companies like Google, NVidia, Intel and Microsoft are now actively investing in this domain. Several savvy telcos have already joined forces with the tech giants in this regard. Verizon is said to be testing a Netflix-style cloud gaming service. Vodafone just unveiled its premium gaming platform earlier this month.
Over-the-Top video providers are already present in some 50 million households in the US alone. Nonetheless, they are not fully pushing away the traditional Pay-TV. Most often, the two options exist in a tight symbiosis, with consumers opting for both traditional services bundles, and OTT apps. Last year, at-home entertainment spending hit the record $23.3 billion.
So far, traditional telcos have been more reactive, rather than proactive with their response to OTT competition. Those who are taking a more proactive stance, are seeing a return on their investment. If you are yet to address the changing behaviors of your customers, now may be the right time to act.
Infopulse is a trusted software development partner to several major telecom players. Let’s explore how we can help your company digitize your business model, reduce IT service delivery costs and adopt new technologies that will allow you to compete with digital-native OTT providers. Contact us today.


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Since 2018, the number of medical cannabis users has tripled in the UK, more than doubled in Germany and Spain, and increased by over 50% in France and Italy.
Prohibition Partners estimates that 100,000 new patients in Europe could access medical cannabis in 2022, bringing the region’s total number of medical cannabis users to 342,000. Numbers are forecast to rise to over 500,000 users in 2023, due to more countries legalising medical cannabis and existing markets maturing.
Almost 40% of consumers in Germany say they would be open to medical cannabis, and 28% in the UK, down to 18% in Italy.
France, despite having no legal medical cannabis, had the highest preference for alternative healing methods over traditional medicine at 19%.
Source: Statista Global Consumer Survey, 2022
Top cannabis formats
Tinctures/sprays and flower tends to be the most common prescription cannabis format across all five markets.
Source: Euromonitor International, 2022
For more on the approved production of cannabis in each market, download the Cannabis in Europe report.
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Kayseri, Turkey-based Muka began producing hospital beds in 2004, and has expanded into patient handling equipment, stretchers and hospital furniture. The company, founded in 1966, developed the 1st wireless nurse calling system, and exports to 60 countries across the U.S. It also makes non-medical products, including office furniture and household electrical appliances.
“The acquisition of Muka aligns with our strategy to expand our global presence through existing channels with an established and trusted brand,” medsurg & neurotechnology president Timothy Scannell said in prepared remarks. “This acquisition will bolster Stryker Medical’s bed and stretcher offerings, and is a compelling opportunity to drive growth in Turkey and other regions around the world.”
Stryker said the deal, slated to close during the 3rd quarter, is expected to be neutral to adjusted 2015 earnings.
In June, Stryker told analysts that mergers & acquisitions are its top priority for the $2.59 billion in ready cash it’s carrying on its balance sheet, with small or mid-sized deals more likely than a blockbuster like the much-speculated-upon possibility of a merger with rival Smith & Nephew (NYSE:SNN).


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Everything Epic has welcomed former Fantasy Flight Games developer Brady Sadler to its team currently working on Rambo: The Board Game.
Tom Kremer, founder of Seven Towns Ltd, died peacefully at home on May 24th, 2017.
According to a new report from Tractica, interest in implementing Artificial Intelligence systems is surging among companies and institutions around the world, including the toy sector.
Brian Henk and Clayton Skancke, the designers behind Good Cop Bad Cop, have created Total Recall: The Official Tabletop Game.
The original Planet of the Apes movie series is getting the board game treatment courtesy of a new partnership between IDW Games and Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products.
Zombicide: Green Horde has become CMON’s biggest ever game on Kickstarter, raising a mammoth $5,004,614.
Fidget spinners have fast become 2017’s first major playground craze, and now reality TV star Kim Kardashian has got in on the act.
US retailer and toy developer Fat Brain Toys has partnered with Maker to launch the Kidventor Challenge.
Sony Electronics, in conjunction with Sony Global Education, has launched KOOV, a new coding, design and robotics kit for kids, on crowdfunding platform Indiegogo.
Nick Swift, creator of the Modern Horrors card game, looks at the challenges faced by toy firms when it comes to gender-neutral marketing and pushing ‘progressive’ product lines.


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St. Louis, MO – Four Romanian nationals from Glendale, Arizona, were indicted for conspiring to commit bank fraud by using counterfeit credit and debit cards to make automated teller machine withdrawals, and to obtain the shipment of device-making equipment through U.S. Postal Service through the use of the identity of others.
On February 13, 2019, officers with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department discovered a package that was being mailed to a UPS store in Richmond Heights, Missouri.
After obtaining a search warrant for the package they discovered that it contained two point-of-sale terminals with skimming devices attached.
The point of sale terminals were of the type used by retail establishments when customers desire to pay with their credit and debit cards.
Through use of the attached skimming devices, individuals are able to harvest the account information of the stores’ customers, and produce counterfeit cards embedded with the stolen information.
Stefan Unguru and wife, Gina Unguru, were arrested as they tried to retrieve the package from the UPS Store personnel.
They also sought to pick up another package mailed to Stefan Unguru. That package contained an additional nine point-of-sale terminals.
A subsequent investigation by agents of the United States Secret Service and detectives of the St. Louis County Police Department revealed that between March 24, 2018 and March 26, 2018, Stefan Unguru, Banta Unguru, and Marcu Unguru used counterfeit cards embedded with the account information of more than nine people to make automated teller machine withdrawals in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area.
Stefan Unguru, 47, was indicted on conspiracy to commit bank fraud; bank fraud; access device fraud; possession of device-making equipment; and, aggravated identity theft;
Gina Unguru, 46, was indicted on conspiracy to commit bank fraud; possession of device-making equipment; and, aggravated identity theft;
Banta Unguru, 27, was indicted on conspiracy to commit bank fraud; bank fraud; access device fraud; and aggravated identity theft; and
Marcu Unguru, 19, was indicted on conspiracy to commit bank fraud; bank fraud; and aggravated identity theft.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal record, if any, the defendants’ role in the offenses and the characteristics of the violations.
In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum of: 30 years for the offenses of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud; 15 years for the crime of possession of device-making equipment; and, 10 years for the crime of access device fraud.
The crime of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory term of incarceration of two years for each count of conviction.
As is always the case, charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, and the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Tracy Berry is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.


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The backlash against high-fructose corn syrup has finally led its makers to try out a new name: corn sugar. The Corn Refiners Association wants people to know that—according to its marketing campaign—"whether it's corn sugar or cane sugar, your body can't tell the difference. Sugar is sugar." The association applied for permission to use the new name on food labels yesterday, and though a decision could take two years, the marketing campaign is already in full swing over at CornSugar.com, the AP reports.
Consumers have become increasingly concerned that corn syrup is less healthy than sugar, though some scientists and even the American Medical Association say there's little evidence of that so far. Even so, Americans' consumption fell 21% last year, hitting a 20-year low, and companies from Gatorade to Sara Lee switched from corn syrup to sugar. But the association is "not saying this is a healthy vitamin, or health product," says one marketing professor. "They're just trying to move away from the negative associations." For more on the backlash against corn syrup, click here or here.


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China's retail sales up 8.2 pct in Jan.-Feb.
March 14, 2019
Abstract : China's retail sales of consumer goods rose 8.2 percent year on year in the first two months of the year, flat with that in December 2018, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- China's retail sales of consumer goods held steady in the first two months of the year, with strong growth in online sales and the catering sector, official data showed Thursday.
The indicator of consumption rose 8.2 percent year on year in the first two months of the year, flat with that in December, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
After deducting price factors, the indicator grew 7.1 percent in real terms, accelerating from December's 6.6-percent rise, NBS spokesperson Mao Shengyong said at a press conference.
Thursday's data also showed consumption in rural areas climbed 9.1 percent, outpacing a rise of 8 percent in urban regions. The catering industry reported a 9.7-percent increase in revenue.
Online retail sales maintained robust growth, up 13.6 percent in the first two months, with physical commodity sales surging 19.5 percent from one year earlier.
With a market of nearly 1.4 billion increasingly prosperous population, China strives to make consumption a major driver of its economic growth.
Consumption contributed 76.2 percent to the country's GDP growth last year. Retail sales rose 9 percent from one year earlier to 38.1 trillion yuan (about 5.7 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2018.
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Smartphones have changed the landscape of technology since the iPhone’s initial release ten years ago. Communication is easier than ever, but that also makes it easier for hackers to access personal information.
With social media making photo sharing easier, a generation of millennials have inundated American culture with personal photography, documenting every moment of life from the highlights to their breakfasts.
BYU’s mechanical engineering department built a vehicle more keen on overall distance than it is on speed. One of the mechanical engineering major’s capstones is the super mileage vehicle, or a car that can go a great distance using very little fuel.
Snapchat was the first social media platform to incorporate stories. Snapchat is what some students still prefer, but others said it’s just a matter of time until Instagram Stories becomes the dominant platform.
Venmo, an online payment app, is used by BYU students to conveniently pay utilities and settle expenses without carrying around cash or a card.
Not all BYU students have credit cards. BYU bioinformatics student Michael Watkins does not have a credit card due to concerns about them and their impact on his personal finance history.


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L-Charge to Launch Scalable Network Of Electric Vehicle Chargers, Bridging Infrastructure Gaps
In a fickle technological world, electric cars have enjoyed strong success over the past few years. Some assumed they’d be a fad, pointing towards apparent ‘brand tribalism’ surrounding Tesla’s electric offerings thanks to the company’s enigmatic founder, Elon Musk.
But electric cars only continue to grow in popularity. Automotive and mobility market researcher Mike Dovorany points towards research results suggesting consumer love for electric cars is less about a particular brand (like Musk’s) and more about the general idea of an electric vehicle.
He suggests traditional auto manufacturers just need to “demonstrate a genuine commitment to making great electric vehicles with the features shoppers want.”
Innovation across the electric car industry ramps up as manufacturers unveil different offerings appealing to a wide range of consumers, especially for those priced out of vehicles like a Tesla.
Chinese factories continue to mass-produce no-frills electric vehicles to make battery-powered cars accessible to the lower class. United States Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg remarked in early April how electric cars should not be a luxury item.
While the belief spreads that electric cars should be accessible for more drivers, the industry as a whole still has a lot of catching up to do. Work should begin to combat the lack of electric car charging infrastructure. Current charging setups involve a wide range of proprietary software and other nuances, making it very difficult for an owner to have reliable options in powering up their vehicle.
Many charging stations are also somewhat inaccessible to many potential car buyers, especially if the price of electric vehicles keeps dropping. Research in 2018 found how 70% of public vehicle charging stations in Chicago were located in just three North Side communities.
L-Charge Is Planning To Shake Up The Electric Car Industry
L-Charge is one startup looking to build a network of electric vehicle chargers to bridge the gaps in the current infrastructure. The team, spearheaded by CEO Dimitry Lashin, is working on stationary and mobile charger options.
Designed for highways, gas stations, and parking lots, L-Charge’s stationary charger does not require any staff or connection to an external power grid. With a charge power range of 250-600kw, the tool can charge a battery in 10 minutes for 25-50kwh or for up to 120-250 km of mileage. Stationary chargers run on an internal supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) or LNG/H2 mixture.
L-Charge’s mobile device focuses on urbanized areas thanks to a minivan base that makes it easy to move from one electric car to another. Charge power on the first models is 120kw, so the battery of the EV can be charged in 10 minutes for 20kwh or for 100km of mileage. Only once per day minivan should refill internal storage.
The L-Charge team notes their devices emit 7.05kg of CO2 per 100km of charge power, 68% less than diesel vehicles. They also explain chargers can actually run on both liquefied natural gas and hydrogen.
According to L-Charge, they are going to provide off-grid devices and charging services as well as selling business franchises to its B2B clients.
Better Charging Setups Enhance The Electric Car Industry
Expansion of charging infrastructure would pay particular dividends in nations like the United States. One report shows how just 6/36 evaluated states had some sort of mandate to invest in electric car chargers for lower-income communities.
Payment for charging services is through a unique application permitting contactless engagement. A driver can reference the application while on the road to find a charging station and reserve a time slot. All they have to do is connect the charging cable and wait for the application to handle transactions while the car gets refueled.
L-Charge has already been operating its off-grid gas-powered installations for about 10 years. The total energy supply from L-Charge accounts for up to 1.5 MW. Eventually, the team plans to enter the global market of EV chargers by boosting charge capacity so L-Charge equipment can be used by commercial and cargo vehicles.
Currently, L-Charge is in the final stages of building their next-gen charging stations and plans to officially launch products later in summer this year.
As electric cars continue to swell in popularity, global charging infrastructure will have to keep up to allow drivers to travel across a wide range of areas and plan long road trips through more rural areas.
The work L-Charge is doing in building a scalable network of electric vehicle chargers is playing a significant role in giving the entire industry a brighter future.


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FTX exchange will launch a Visa debit card in 40 countries to allow its customers to pay for goods and services using crypto.
The card will initially roll out to FTX customers in Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Waitlisted users will be notified via email when it is available in their respective countries. FTX launched the card in the United States earlier this year.
The cardholder’s FTX crypto balance will be debited at the point of sale without FTX charging any administrative or processing fees, although third parties may levy a fee.
“We’re excited to partner with one of the world’s largest payment networks to give our users the ability to use their crypto to fund purchases at millions of merchants around the globe,” said FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried in a press release.
The card will allow FTX customers directly spend their crypto balances without having to deal with delays and fees associated with converting crypto to fiat for withdrawal at a bank. While FTX has not disclosed which crypto assets customers can spend, customers in the U.S. can first use USD balances. If a customer’s USD balance is insufficient, the card will use the highest crypto balance owned by the customer.
Unlike the BlockFi credit card, launched in partnership with Visa, the FTX cards currently i
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When it comes to social media, especially Facebook, it’s normal to have a lot of conflicting emotions — you love it, then you hate it and then you love it again.
Of course, Facebook feeds have long been the culprits behind insecurities and envy, but, as of now, Facebook usage is at an all-time high. According to the Facebook Newsroom, there have been 1.28 billion active users on average for March 2017, and 1.94 billion active users as of March 31, 2017, with 88 percent of users living outside of the United States. Those are a lot of Facebook feeds to scroll through.
It’s true that Facebook has been a revolutionary social media platform. People from opposite sides of the world can communicate with each other through direct messaging, sent and received in a matter of seconds, but, for others, Facebook might as well be known as the “anti-social” media platform.
There have been studies that show that, aside from jealousy and insecurity, Facebook can cause depression. Seeing Everyone Else’s Highlight Reels, a study by Mai-ly N. Steers, published in 2014, reveals how Facebook usage is linked to depressive symptoms in adolescents, college students and even older folk.
Facebook gives users a “mechanism” that allows them to divulge personal information, including status updates expressing their depressive episodic moods. By tracking the status updates of 200 college students throughout the course of a year, researchers were able to determine that 25 percent of Facebook profiles “evidenced depressive symptoms.”
In another study that surveyed Facebook users for over a year, it was found that individuals who had an active Facebook account for longer amounts of time felt as if they were less happy than their online peers, and thus that life was unfair. (Both studies can be found in Mai-ly N.’s study linked above.)
With all the competition going on in Facebook feeds, it’s no wonder users often end up feeling negatively about themselves, but what many people don’t realize is that online advertising also plays a central role in shaping how individuals view themselves.
Although Facebook does not directly choose the advertisements that will be used on their website, the company does have a major say in how the ads are chosen—too big of a say, apparently. In a 2017 leaked document titled “Confidential: Internal Only,” found on “The Australian,” it was found that Facebook has allegedly sold the “emotional trends” of youth to advertisers.
According to this article, “the document [was] prepared by two top Australian Facebook executives [who] use[d] algorithms to create data (via posts, pictures, and reactions) on the emotional state of 6.4 million ‘high schoolers,’ ‘tertiary students,’ and ‘young Australians and New Zealanders…’” It was a bold move on the part of the Facebook executives, especially since “sentimental analysis” research, a term coined by the analysts, goes against the Australian Association of National Advertiser’s accepted Code For Advertising And Marketing Communications To Children. However, after denying said allegations, Facebook then apologized.
Targeting insecure youth may be against Australian protocol, but, in the United States, there are no such regulations. This is problematic, as a great deal of youth are now exposed to technology and, more often than not, are on social media.
A 2015 Harvard 10P Institute report, which revealed the social media trends of millennials, found that Facebook remains the most-used platform among them. Eighty-three percent of millennials reported having a Facebook account, while 88 percent reported that they use Facebook even though they may not have their own account. The reason for this? Millennials say Facebook is their means to learning about the news.
It’s important to remember that companies want you to feel insecure. They grow from it. It is all about profit, even if it is at the expense of your insecurities. When you are bombarded with ads telling you to try their new diet pill or schedule an appointment for botox, your self-perception, of course, will become negative; it will also, unfortunately, become unrealistic, which is why you will be prone to believe the lies that appear on the screen telling you to feel a certain way about yourself.
To avoid such unpleasant encounters, you could argue that the only thing students need to do is remove themselves from social media and delete their accounts. However, not only is this implausible, it does not make sense in this day and age where many people are reliant on social media. Therefore, it’s important to be computer savvy when dealing with social platforms such as Facebook, which, behind Google, is the second most internationally used website.
When someone creates a Facebook account, they agree to enable cookies. According to the Indiana University Knowledge Base, “Cookies are messages that web servers pass to your web browser when you visit internet sites.” This means that your search history and internet habits are recorded and stored in the Facebook database, allowing advertisers to cleverly (according to them) place them on your feed.
The solution to this is quite simple. Delete your search history and disable cookies. That way, you can attain the privacy you would not otherwise have online. It may get a bit tedious, but you can surf online without worrying too much about the information Facebook and advertising companies are trying to extract from you.
Of course, using Zuckerberg’s creation less (or you can take the full plunge and delete your entire account) is always an option. Not only will your privacy be 100 percent protected, but you will be able to really enjoy life in person, instead of scrolling through pictures of your classmates’ trips to the Bahamas.


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Royal Caribbean Cruises has reported net income of $31.5 million or $0.50 per share on revenues of $282.5 million for the quarter ended June 30, 1995 compared to net income of $33.4 million or $0.53 per share on revenues of $291.9 million for the second quarter of 1994.
The second quarter operating income was $44.7 million this year compared to $48.2 million last year.
Royal Caribbean attributed the decline in revenues due to a corresponding decline in capacity for the quarter. The second quarter of 1995 had fewer potential cruise days than the second quarter of 1994 as a result of the sale of the 1,012-passenger Nordic Prince in the first quarter of 1995 which was partially offset by the addition of the 1,804-passenger Legend of the Seas late in the second quarter.
The cruise line reported 1,250,723 passenger cruise days for a load factor of 100.3 percent for the second quarter of this year compared to 1,276,028 passenger cruise days and a 99. 1 percent load factor for the same period last year.
For the six-month period, Royal Caribbean reported net income of $82.9 million or $1.31 per share on revenues of $556 million compared to net income of $68.8 million or $1.14 per share on revenues of $580.5 million for the first six months of 1994.
The six-month result for this year also includes a $19.2 million gain on the sale of the Nordic Prince.
Operating income this year was $87 million compared to $93 million for the same period last year.
For the six-month period of this year, Royal Caribbean reported 2,425,978 passenger cruise days and a load factor of 98.8 percent compared to 2,544,898 passenger cruise days and a 100.1 percent load factor last year.
"Last year was a very strong year for Royal Caribbean and the cruise industry," said Richard Fain, Chainnan and CEO. "Although we had hoped that 1995 would be even stronger, we are pleased to report that we have maintained our yields at last year's strong level despite the generally soft cruise market."


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Crewkerne Business Group’s next Zoom meeting on Thursday December 10th, from 9 am until 10 am, promises to be a ‘cracker’ of a time, as members have been asked to wear festive hats or Christmas jumpers. Last month’s online meeting, which welcomed Joe Walsh and Marie Ainsworth from South Somerset District Council, was attended by the highest number of local business representatives, since the monthly online meetings began.
Members received advice on the different Government grants available to help local businesses, trading from retail or commercial premises in the town and the Discretionary Grant Scheme, designed to help businesses working from home. Joe Walsh, an Economic Development Officer at SSDC, gave an overview of the district council’s support for rural and urban economies and updates on Covid-19 Response, which has seen over £35 million in grants given to over 3,000 South Somerset businesses. Part of the council’s Covid-19 Recovery strategy, includes encouragement for start-up businesses, support for existing businesses and plans to attract inward investments.
The Town Centre Regeneration programme is ongoing and a substantial amount of funding would be available for Crewkerne to realise its aspirations in assisting trade and commerce in the town. Marie Ainsworth, a Community Development Officer at SSDC, agreed to meet up with the CBG and other interested parties, for a walk around Crewkerne’s shopping and business areas, when restrictions are relaxed, to see where regeneration projects could be implemented.
Leighton Ballantine of Ballantine Wealth Management, host of the CBG meetings said: “November was our most successful attendance with 31 on the call at one point. Really impressed by everyone’s commitment and community spirit. Let’s finish off the year in style and celebrate the steps forward we have taken as a local business community in very challenging circumstances. Lots of positivity to build on for 2021.” Any local business that would like to join the new business group, or is interested but unable to connect at that time of the day, please email email@example.com.


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SAN DIEGO, CA–(Marketwired – Aug 9, 2017) – Global Payout, Inc. (OTC PINK: GOHE) (the “Company”) is pleased to announce that its majority owned subsidiary, MoneyTrac Technology, Inc. (“MTRAC”), has completed an agreement with H Smart Inc. (a division of Marijuana Company of America, “MCOA”), a developer and distributor of innovative wellness and Cannabidiol (“CBD”) products, for the use of MTRAC’s financial technology platform. The technology available in MTRAC’s platform, via software developed and provided by Virtu Network Solutions, will be utilized by H Smart for payment of commissions to H Smart’s affiliates. GOHE projects that these load payments and bank account transfers will generate substantial revenue to MTRAC that will be realized this fiscal quarter.
H Smart will provide MTRAC with a pivotal opportunity to enter into the emerging CBD market, which according to information provided by the Hemp Business Journal, is estimated to grow to a $2.1 billion market in consumer sales by 2020, representing a 700% increase from 2016. MoneyTrac COO, Vanessa Luna says, “This agreement with H Smart is another example of MoneyTrac’s ongoing commitment of identifying businesses in alternative market sectors that can benefit immensely from the financial technology solutions our platform is equipped with. We are very excited to be given the opportunity to integrate our technologies into this rapidly-growing CBD market, and look forward to becoming a valuable resource to H Smart as they work to expand their market reach within the Wellness Industry.”
Robert Hymers, CEO of H Smart says, “H Smart’s core mission is to provide educated consumers with access to the highest quality CBD technologies and products. The financial technology solutions that MoneyTrac will deliver will help create the most efficient transaction process for our affiliates who will be at the forefront of marketing our innovative wellness and CBD products to consumers.”
The Company expects for MTRAC to continue identifying and extending their technology platform to the many businesses currently operating in alternative market sectors, all while growing revenues and building value for its shareholders.