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The attorney general and agents for the state of Washington have announced a crackdown on internet sales of tobacco products to kids.
Agents on Dec. 21 sent cease-and-desist orders to five online tobacco merchants for selling “bidis” to children from age 12 to 17. The sales practice was confirmed in a multistate sting operation by 17 state attorneys general.
The hand-rolled, candy-flavored cigarettes, made primarily in India, are a greater health hazard than regular cigarettes, said state Attorney General Christine Gregoire, who helped negotiate a multibillion-dollar settlement between the states and the American tobacco industry last year.
“Washington state has a zero tolerance for selling tobacco to minors,” Gregoire said. “We will not stand for tobacco being sold to children, whether it comes from a local retailer or over the internet.”
Washington’s internet sting operations were conducted by two children, using false names, with a state credit card. They made purchases, totaling between $30 and $60, from each of the companies. Gregoire said the underage youths were never turned down and were seldom asked their age.
The five merchants are Ziggy’s Tobacco of Massachusetts, Durango Smoke Shop of Colorado, The Tobacco Shop of Indiana, Uptown Cigar Company of New York, and Calabash Habana Cigar Cafe of Maine. None had any immediate comment.
Gregoire said bidis (pronounced beedee) come in strawberry, chocolate, grape and other flavors children would like. The smokes must be puffed more frequently than regular cigarettes to keep them from going out. This subjects smokers to more tar and nicotine, and bidis already have three times more nicotine and five times more tar than regular cigarettes, she said.
Erik Mertens, a junior at Kennewick High School, said the industry has “played kids for fools … and now we’ve got people over the internet selling cigarettes that taste like strawberry soda or a chocolate bar. Any junior high kid with a computer and a modem can order them.”


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Scareware Costliest Security Threat During 2010
According to the security company 'McAfee,' fake antivirus software popularly called scareware hits 1 Million computer users each day. The malware is expected to prove the most expensive Internet threat during 2010.
McAfee explains that fake security warnings of scareware encourage computer users to execute so-called free scanning applications or purchase phony antivirus software. This type of antivirus software proves malicious since it steals personal data. The security company states that fake security warnings as described are heading to become the greatest monetary risk for 2010. During 2008-09, McAfee recorded scareware increasing at the rate of 660%.
Commenting on the scareware threats, Jeff Green, Senior Vice-President of McAfee Labs, stated that even computer users who were most skilled became victim of the online attacks due to the high level of sophistication of cyber criminals, as reported by Marketwatch on March 9, 2010.
In scareware scams, cyber criminals entice unsuspecting end-users into visiting maliciously crafted websites. These websites contain different search keywords mostly associated with breaking news stories. This tactic is called Search Engine Optimization (SEO) poisoning in which Web-surfers land on the evasive websites where they find pop-ups informing them of supposed malware infection on their PCs.
Indeed, an appropriate example of scareware campaigns involves the recent Oscar prizes.
Francois Paget, Senior Virus Research Engineer at McAfee Avert Labs, states that scareware scams were an extremely profitable venture for cyber criminals, as reported by V3 on March 9, 2010.
Paget further said that a company called Innovative Marketing reaped $180 Million via the scams within just a single year. Besides, over 4 Million end-users bought the company's fake security program believing that it was authentic, he told.
Apart from this, McAfee stated that people should know and remain safe from free screensavers as well as other software offered by non-reliable entities.
Eventually, the company said that it was providing tips to computer users on how to be 'street smart' to remain safe online. Accordingly, it has posted a movie of scareware scams on the McAfee Consumer Threats Blog along with various tricks for scareware detection and how to minimize the risks from them.
» SPAMfighter News - 3/16/2010
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Apparently, Costa Mesa is the place to be this week. Check out the rundown of upcoming fashion events taking place in the City of the Arts.
Rachel Zalis, stylist to the stars and contributor to “The Today Show” and “E! News,” will make an appearance Thursday at Dakota Collective.
Zalis, who has also worked as a fashion editor for Glamour and Life & Style, will offer fashion advice, style shoppers and provide gift ideas.
The event will include music by DJ Robot Love and DJ FUSS, an open bar and a red carpet backdrop for photo ops.
RSVP to email@example.com and get discounts of 10 to 50 percent off, depending on the number of guests you bring.
Proceeds will be donated to Share Our Selves.
Dakota Collective is at 1640 Pomona Ave. in Costa Mesa. The event runs from 6-10 p.m.
POP-UP DESIGNER SHOP
Designer duds are marked up to 80 percent off in a pop-up sale this weekend. Confirmed designers include Lanvin (shoes), Balenciaga (shoes), Jil Sander (bags and shoes), Dries Van Noten, Corpus, B.B. Dakota and Cheap Monday.
The sale is 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at the Boathouse, 1638 Pomona Ave., Costa Mesa. Cash or credit only.
View, buy and drool over the natural color diamonds in a trunk show at Black, Starr & Frost. The gems and the winning pieces from the Rio Tinto Champagne Diamond Design Competition will be at the South Coast Plaza boutique through Friday.
Plus, from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, meet Evelyn Huang, winner of the Rio Tinto contest.
Bella Bleu is celebrating its two-year anniversary Thursday with 15 percent off discounts all day, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and champagne from 5 to 8 p.m. The boutique is at 333 E. 17th St. in Costa Mesa.
More OC Boutiques:
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St Bride's Church Cake
Celebrating London Festival of Architecture 2012, John Robertson Architects commissioned Michelle Sugar Art to create a gigantic cake based on scale model of St Bride’s Church in Fleet Street London.
The model and an accompanying exhibition of the history of St Bride's Church, will support the INSPIRE! Appeal - launched in March 2012 to fund the urgent repair and restoration of St Bride's tiered spire, said to have been the inspiration for the design of modern wedding cake.
It took Michelle nearly 70 hours, lot’s of sugar paste and icing sugar to complete this gigantic piece of cake measuring 5 feet tall.
Making the cake scale model based on architectural drawing
On display at Southbank Centre on June 23-24
Come and visit the exhibition which is located at the Southbank Centre on June 23-24. The model will be accompanied by an exhibition of St Bride’s, raffles and quizzes along, with tea and cake for all.
To find out more about the INSPIRE! Appeal or to donate, visit www.stbrides.com/inspire
Check out coverage by SE1: http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/6108


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The first marijuana retail stores are expected to open in July, and prospective customers are eagerly awaiting their launch, but there’s the little problem of supply.
Pot supply from growers is expected to be slim for the first three or four months of store operations while growers, who have slowly been getting licensed over the past several months, wait for plants to be ready to harvest.
Dave Comeau has set out to solve part of that problem by setting up an online marketplace for retailers to bid on supply.
The site, PotMarket.co, operates similarly to eBay. Growers and processers can post their product online and retailers can bid for it. There is also a “buy it now” section for suppliers to list their product at a fixed price.
The site has 179 registered businesses, including 106 retailers, which is about one-third of the state’s total marijuana retailers. Site operators are checking businesses that register to make sure they have a valid state license.
Comeau said he has heard concern from retailers that the auction function of the site will hike up product prices. He acknowledges that will be true initially, because such little product is in such high demand.
Comeau, himself a grower of medical marijuana, estimates that only about 15 growers of the 58 now licensed will have product ready for sale in July. Most of them will be indoor growers, because the outdoor products mostly won’t be ready for harvest until fall.
“(Retailers are) freaking out right now,” Comeau said. “A lot of them are really worried about not having product. It’s a big issue.”
Comeau won a retail license for recreational marijuana in the lottery for a business in Bremerton that he is now trying to sell to C&C Shops, owned by Pete O’Neil.
O’Neil said the deal is facing hangups from the state Liquor Control Board. He is optimistic about Comeau’s online marketplace, however, echoing the concerns many retailers feel about the small initial supply.
Even after supply becomes more plentiful, Comeau expects the site to continue to be popular because it offers growers and processors the opportunity to auction their goods for higher prices.
“It’s just an easier way for the retail and the growers and processors to sell their product and communicate with each other instead of hiring somebody and having them go around with samples,” he said.


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Hotel chain Marriott International is facing a class action lawsuit in London by millions of former guests, due to its huge data breach in 2014-2018
The repercussions for the hotel chain Marriott International of its mammoth data breach over a four year period, continues to be felt.
The “colossal” hack on Marriott International was first revealed to the world back in December 2018, and it affected the personal details and payment card data on up to 340 million people – dating right back to 2014.
The data breach happened when the systems of the Starwood hotels group were compromised in 2014.
High Court lawsuit
Marriott subsequently acquired Starwood in 2016, but the exposure of customer information was not discovered until 2018.
And to make matters worse, in April this year, Marriott confirmed it had suffered a second data breach, that had compromised the personal data of roughly 5.2 million guests around the world.
And now Marriott International is facing a class action lawsuit in the High Court, brought by millions of former guests demanding compensation, Reuters reported.
Martin Bryant, founder of technology and media consultancy Big Revolution, is leading the claim for English and Welsh-domiciled guests.
“I hope this case will raise awareness of the value of our personal data, result in fair compensation … and also serve notice to other data owners that they must hold our data responsibly,” he reportedly said in a statement.
The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages for loss of control of personal data, automatically includes guests who made a reservation for one of the former Starwood brand hotels – including Sheraton Hotels & Resorts and St. Regis hotels – before 10 September 2018.
“We don’t have a comment to make at this time,” a London-based spokeswoman for Marriott was quoted by Reuters as saying.
The Marriott breach impacted approximately seven million British guest records, it is reported.
The fact that Marriott is facing another legal challenge over the breach, shows the importance of properly securing customer data, experts have said.
“The news of an impending lawsuit against The Marriott is the latest in a series of blow suffered by the international hotel group,” said Stuart Reed, UK director at Orange Cyberdefense.
“Having already been served with a £100 million fine last year, this should serve as a wake-up call to organisations of all sizes of the potential severity of penalties faced by those who fail to recognise that cybersecurity can no longer be treated as a lower priority activity,” said Reed.
“It is essential that all organisations take the utmost care and due diligence when applying relevant processes and procedures for good data hygiene,” said Reed. “As well as being subject to GDPR and the legal, financial and reputational implications that come with it, organisations have a duty of care to their customers.”
“Preventative measures are simply not sufficient,” warned Reed. “There must also be ongoing monitoring of key systems and robust response procedures in place to minimise the impact should the worst happen and a breach occur.”
“It is now very clear the consequence of poor cybersecurity is no longer just damage to intangible items such as brand reputation,” said Reed. “Organisations are now faced with direct legal and financial consequences if they are unable to demonstrate a mature approach to cybersecurity. These penalties that are now being inflicted without hesitation.”
Another expert agreed the lawsuit demonstrated the need for organisations to safeguard customer data because of GDPR protections.
“Article 82 of the GDPR is in a little bit of a backwater and is often forgotten about. That is all about to change though with the, in my opinion, much-anticipated case against Marriot,” explained Darren Wray, CTO at data privacy experts Guardum.
“The GDPR allows any person who has suffered material or non-material damage as a result of an infringement of the GDPR, the right to receive compensation from the data controller or processor for the damage suffered,” said Wray. “In my opinion, this will be the first of many such court cases that will follow on the back of high profile data breaches that have taken place since the introduction of the GDPR in May 2018.”
“While all court cases are different, if the case goes against Marriott Hotels any fines are likely to be based on the number of people who’s data was lost as part of the breach,” said Wray. “We don’t know how many of the 500 million records that were believed to be lost are residents of the UK and Wales, but even if the damages were to be £100 for 1 million people, the size of the damages is definitely something that Marriott is going to fight hard to avoid.”
“Companies need to be proactive right now to ensure that they don’t find themselves in the High Court attempt to defend a breach. Ensuring that they have the right processes and procedures in place so breaches are spotted and dealt with quickly and efficiently goes a long way with judges and regulators alike, as does ensuring that personal data is deleted or redacted at the end of its life,” Wray concluded.


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Adam Lambert, Sofi Tukker, Hayley Kiyoko and a collection of talented artists take the stage from June 4-6 at the Coliseum in downtown LA
Pride officially kicks off in Los Angeles the weekend of June 4-6, when the OUTLOUD: Raising Voices 3-day concert event takes over the stage. LA-based events company, JJLA, will be leading the event. The organization has extensive experience promoting Pride, producing an impressive array of Pride celebrations, corporate activations, and experiential installations across the world for more than 12 years.
Metrolink partnered with the JJLA team to help promote the event, speaking with the organization’s owner and founder Jeff Consoletti for more background on the concert. He shared details into the history of his business and their ongoing support of Pride events worldwide offering a “voice” to a range of LGBTQ organizations.
It’s Encouraged to Raise Your Voice
“OUTLOUD was born out of our work producing PRIDE events across the country, from Los Angeles to New York,” said Consoletti. “We had a desire to do something more for the community, rather than only in PRIDE month.”
When the company’s plan to organize an event at the 2020 South by Southwest festival fell through, OUTLOUD instead transformed into a digital series. The team created a 10-episode pride month showcase which featured the activations of Pride organizations from coast to coast, as well as both rising and established LGBTQ musicians.
In 2021, OUTLOUD grew far larger than just a 10-episode digital series.
“We partnered with the streaming platform Twitch which will take OUTLOUD globally,” said Consoletti. “We wanted to produce it like a festival, with the intention of having people able to attend, even without in-person events.”
Consoletti is proud to offer this worldwide platform to those who need an opportunity to safely raise their voice.
“The whole purpose of “OUTLOUD” is to raise the voices of organizations, musicians and brands that want to have a connection with this type of LGBTQ consumer, and offer a message that stands out,” he said. “I myself am a part of the LGBTQ community. We’ve worked with so many meaningful organizations — whether they’re Pride or LGBTQ nonprofits, it just feels really good to be able to put my resources to good use.”
Consoletti emphasized this is the first major LGBTQ event (and first major live event) happening in California to celebrate pride in 2021, since pandemic restrictions have been lifted.
“We’re showing that California is emerging in a safe way to get back to some sort of level of normalcy, and we’re excited about it,” he said.
He knows how important the power to have a supported voice can be for those who feel marginalized. His team recognizes their talent to create an enjoyable event – but Consoletti says he simply acts as the platform, letting the organizations themselves spread their message of confidence and strengthen their own voices.
“I know how to produce an entertaining show and bring joy to people – but I leave it to the activists and the organizations who are working hard on the ground to change lives and I feel grateful I can provide a platform to amplify that,” he said.
“That’s what OUTLOUD means to me and that’s the message we’re trying to spread – awareness for whomever might need it in the LGBTQ community – we’re constantly working with anyone who wants a platform to raise their voice.”
OUTLOUD: Raising Voices, the award-winning LGBTQ+ PRIDE artist series, kicks off Pride Month 2021 and a return to live events with a three-day concert June 4 – 6, 2021. The celebration will connect a global audience through an exclusive streaming partnership with Twitch, the interactive live streaming service.
Buy tickets at www.weareoutloud.com with a 30% off promotion code using SUMMER.
Take Metrolink to this event! Simply board the train into Los Angeles Union Station, transfer for a short subway ride to the Seventh and Metro Station, and catch the Expo light rail line for a short ride to the Coliseum at no additional cost.


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The owners of Ella Bliss Beauty Bar, a spa and bar hybrid with three locations, aren’t content with just defending against a lawsuit filed against the company last year. Last week, they sued the attorney representing the former employee who filed the lawsuit.
Ella Bliss said in the lawsuit that statements made by attorney Mari Newman, of Killmer, Lane & Newman, about the spa’s wage practices amount to defamation, libel and slander.
“Given the reputational and financial harm … we had no choice but to file the complaint to protect and defend our hard-earned reputation for treating employees fairly,” Ella Bliss said in a statement emailed by a spokesman.
The lawsuit also names legal nonprofit Towards Justice as a defendant.
“Obviously I believe that the case is unjustified and frivolous and that … any comments that I made were and are legally protected,” Newman told BusinessDen.
A year ago, Lisa Miles, a former Ella Bliss nail technician, filed a lawsuit seeking class-action status in federal court, saying Ella Bliss did not pay Miles her promised commissions, or for overtime or time spent cleaning the salon. Newman represents Miles in that case, which is ongoing.
The day the lawsuit was filed, Miles, Newman and Towards Justice gathered outside Ella Bliss’s location at 640 Broadway and gave comments to television news reporters, according to the complaint.
“Instead of paying the workers for every hour that they work, they pick and choose,” Newman said in a video clip published by CBS Denver. “They pay only for the hours they feel like paying.”
Newman’s firm and Towards Justice also released a press release last May, in which Newman was quoted saying, “It is time for businesses to quit financially exploiting women.”
Miles’ lawsuit had not been granted class-action status as of press time.
Ella Bliss said Newman’s statements in connection with last year’s lawsuit are false, and that the business has lost employees, customers, revenue and investment as a result, according to the complaint.
“We look forward to our day in court so we can demonstrate to our clients, employees, customers and the public that their trust in us is well-placed,” the company said in its statement.
Sisters Brooke Vanhavermaat and Kelly Huelsing opened the first Ella Bliss at 6th Avenue and Broadway in 2015. Services at the three locations include nail care, hair, makeup and massages while customers sip an alcoholic beverage from the bar.


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Larry Closs, owner of New Bath, a Louisiana and Texas company that sells and installs bath liners, knew about water filtration systems because one of his salespeople used to sell them. At the end of this month, New Bath will be selling them as well.
New Bath is one of a handful of home improvement companies that view water treatment systems as a potential profit center, an opportunity to diversify into a product that meets every criterion for successful in-home sales. That is, it's sold on a single visit at price points comparable to many home improvement products.
It is also, says Ed O'Neill, CEO of Preferred Contractors, in Ridgefield, N.J., an opportunity to cross-market to current and past customers for kitchens or bath liners. He calls the water treatment system his company sells a "natural fit."
Underlying Potential Growth
If the average American family of four consumes 250 gallons of water per day, few can ignore the quality of that water. Many have reason to believe that it may be compromised.
Polls show some of the latent concerns homeowners have about their drinking water and its quality:
- 75% of Americans don't believe the water they drink is as safe as it should be, according to the Water Quality Association, an Illinois industry group.
- 47% would not drink water straight from the tap, according to a poll by CNN/Gallup/USA Today.
Meanwhile, marketers define product growth potential by citing the fact that only 5 million U.S. households — 7% — have treated water, meaning 93% are potential customers for those products.
Water's New Normal
With clean water being abundant and free before the advent of the now $32 billion bottled water industry, people tend not to think about it too much — until you ask them. "Water is one of those things you don't think about unless it's not hot when you get in the shower," says RainSoft vice president Andy Palframan.
But ask them, and it turns out that homeowners often have issues with their water but often don't even know exactly what those issues are. One highly effective method of generating leads for selling water treatment products involves offering to test that water for free.
Testing measures levels of acidity, bacteria, and noxious chemicals. If those exist, water treatment companies can suggest a solution.
Home improvement companies that sell the product find they need:
—Dedicated salespeople who know the product and can integrate testing into their product pitch;
—A steady lead source and a different approach to marketing. "You don't market the product, you market the water test," Closs notes. A water test takes 45 minutes.;—A plumber on staff, or readily available to be subcontracted, depending on local permit requirements;
—Financing, as many homeowners prefer to buy on a payment plan. "It's a finance close," Closs says.
Selling the Need for Water Treatment
O'Neill, who generates water treatment leads out of The Home Depot, says that a key difference in the sale is that in selling water treatment products, the salesperson has to make customers aware that they need it. "If your windows or roof are leaking, you know you need them replaced. But nobody wakes up in the morning saying: I need water treatment."
Closs likes the idea of water products because the price point is in the same range as bath liners — averaging about $6,000 — and bath liners are a product around which he has built a highly effective marketing and selling machine.
He also likes water treatment's broader appeal. "If you're doing a business plan," he says, "and you're trying to figure out who would want this product, add up all the homes with bad water, then subtract the percentage that can't afford it or that already have it. So just about everyone becomes your customer; whereas with windows and siding, you've got to subtract a lot of people."
What it comes down to, he says, is that "no one has it and everyone can use it." But that depends on where you live. For instance, Closs says he sees a big market for water treatment in New Orleans but nothing up the Mississippi in the Louisiana capital of Baton Rouge, where, he says, water quality is far better.
—Jim Cory, editor, REPLACEMENT CONTRACTOR.


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IoT Africa Networks, a leading provider of IoT and Industrial IoT solutions in Nigeria, is pleased to announce the appointment of Engr. Anthony Okuyelu as its new Managing Director.
Okuyelu will be responsible for leading IoT Africa Networks' growth and innovation strategy in his new role. He will also focus on expanding the company's market reach and developing new partnerships.
Okuyelu is a natural leader and team player with a passion for innovation and customer service. He is also a certified project manager with a wealth of experience in developing and implementing successful strategies.
"I am honoured to join IoT Africa Networks at this exciting time," said Okuyelu. "The company has a strong track record of success, and I am confident that we can achieve even greater things together. I look forward to working with the team to build on the company's legacy of innovation and customer service, and to position IoT Africa Networks as the leading provider of IoT and Industrial IoT solutions in Africa."
IoT Africa Networks' Founder and Chairman, Lare Ayoola, said, "We are thrilled to welcome Engr. Okuyelu to the IoT Africa Networks family. His experience and expertise will be invaluable as we continue to grow and expand our business. We are confident that under his leadership, IoT Africa Networks will continue to be at the forefront of the IoT revolution in Africa."
The Executive Director of IoT Africa Networks, Ms Melanie Ayoola, said, "I am excited to partner with Engr. Okuyelu to lead IoT Africa Networks into its next phase of growth and innovation. His experience and expertise will be a valuable asset to the company, and I am confident that together, we can achieve even greater success."
Okuyelu is a seasoned Communications Technology and Project Management expert with over 35 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. He has a proven track record of success in leading and growing businesses, as evidenced by his previous roles at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries, N21 Telecoms and NAPET Telecoms Ltd.
His appointment as the new Managing Director of IoT Africa Networks is a significant development for the company. Okuyelu's experience, expertise, and passion for innovation will be invaluable to IoT Africa Networks as it continues to grow and expand. His collaboration with the Executive Director, Ms Melanie Ayoola, is also a positive development. Melanie is a highly experienced and respected leader in the industry, and her partnership with Okuyelu is sure to lead to great things for IoT Africa Networks.
IoT Africa Networks is committed to helping African businesses and consumers adopt IoT technologies to improve their operations and efficiency. The company offers a wide range of IoT solutions, including asset tracking, fleet management, environmental monitoring, and smart city solutions.
About IoT Africa Networks
IoT Africa Networks Limited is a subsidiary of Tranter IT, an indigenous IT company. It has been the exclusive Sigfox Operator (SO) in Nigeria since 2019. IoT Africa is currently deploying a Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) that will provide a national infrastructure to facilitate the growth and penetration of IoT and Industrial IoT in Nigeria.
For more information or media enquiries please contact: [email protected]


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4 Ways to Afford the Holidays in 2019
The holidays are coming up quickly, and while for most people this is a time of year that brings joy, it can also cause anxiety for those struggling financially. According to a report by Manulife Financial, 60% of Canadians surveyed are willing to put themselves into debt to buy holiday gifts. The majority of respondents admitted they don’t have a budget going into the Christmas shopping season, so it’s no surprise that 1 in 2 Canadians will go into debt, putting their holiday purchases on credit and paying more in the long run. 25% of those surveyed said their holiday spending has an impact on their health, but obviously the impact isn’t enough to stop them from spending money they don’t have.
Experts suggest that social media has increased pressure to purchase; we’re bombarded with advertising that entices us to spend while watching our peers maintain a certain lifestyle, one that seems out of reach-until you reach for your credit card. Online shopping makes it easy to add purchases to your mounting debt and in-store offers such as “buy now pay later” make it easy to access new cards and making it hard to keep track of the bills as they add up.
The truth is, what we see on social media comes at the cost of servicing a large amount of consumer debt. Canadians owe and many of them experience a severe holiday spending hangover as we see increases of visits to our office once the credit card bills hit in January. What you don’t see is that people often regret their purchases, with 86% of people surveyed by Nerd Wallet.
How can you enjoy the holiday season without the financial stress? It starts with an honest look at your cashflow, and planning for it throughout the year. Here’s four tips on how to make the holidays more affordable:
1. Create a Budget
This is by far the most important step to shopping without debt over the holiday season. If you’re already in debt, it may be tempting to go into the holiday season without a budget and continue to add to your credit card statements but think twice before charging all those gifts. Compounded interest means that you may end up paying a premium to make the purchase on credit now instead of paying cash later. Here are 3 things you should consider when making a budget for the Christmas holidays:
2. Save Throughout the Year
Without fail, holiday celebrations happen every year, which gives us an opportunity to plan ahead and prepare ourselves financially. Many people start the year off with increased debt levels from their previous holiday purchases, so you’ll want to start out with a comprehensive budget that accounts for all your spending, including gifts.
3. Get Creative with Gifts
4. Look for Free Events
Chances are that your area has lots of holiday events going on for you to partake in, from Christmas light tours, parades, and Santa visits around your community. This would be an excellent time to take the opportunity to volunteer at a drop-in centre or soup kitchen.
No matter how much debt you carry, chances are we can all afford to reduce our spending over the holiday season. Statistically speaking, many people are struggling with their debt and the holidays only increases the mounting pressure. Keep in mind that making memories should be your focus, not the money spent or the number of gifts, and you’ll avoid the guilt that comes with a holiday spending hangover.


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Apple shows the first list of cars that will include CarPlay
The Apple technology for automobiles is expanding and to ensure that buyers don’t miss any important information, the company released a new page dedicated to CarPlay. There you can find a lot of information related with Apple and automobiles.
Carplay is a system of interaction between automobile and the iPhone and it allows user to manage a multimedia interface, car music, podcasts, calls, messages, iPhone maps, etc., and all of that will be displayed on the car display in iOS-style. CarPlay works with iPhone 5, 5C, 5S, 6, 6S and Plus versions. The list of supported car models you can see on the image below.
At CES 2016, Ford announced that its multimedia system will include support for CarPlay. The American manufacturer is not included in the list of Apple’s partners. As Apple promising, list of partners will be growing and new partners will be added as soon as they sign agreements.
Recent iOS 9.3 update, released few days ago, also brought some new features to CarPlay. Now, users are able to use the “Nearby” function of Apple Maps and search for their friends while driving, however CarPlay still only works by connecting your iPhone to the car. There is no Bluetooth or any other wireless support yet. However, last week, Volkswagen wanted to demonstrate at CES a wireless connection to CarPlay, but Apple for some reason nixed it. Probably, Apple wants to show it off fully functioning a bit later.


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Several shocks hit the globe over the past ten years affecting and sometimes seriously disrupting the economy, people's social life and overall well-being. Digitalization and recently home offices became an integral part of our lives, sustainability and climate change are hotter topics than ever and the Covid-19 pandemic caused major economic upheaval and unprecedented legal issues. Each country has faced these challenges and addressed them differently.
In this article we examine how the Hungarian Competition Authority ("GVH") coped with its tasks of competition control, advocacy and developing a culture of competition during these challenging years. The start of our retrospective account of key trends in GVH's practice over the past ten years is landmarked by the initiation of the current president of the Competition Council – the decision-making body of the GVH shaping the competition law landscape in Hungary, who will step down this year as his second term in office expires.
I. Consumer protection in focus
2019 brought a drastic change in terms of the amount of fines given out by the GVH in consumer protection cases. While fines ranged from a maximum of a few hundred million HUF beforehand, this went up to HUF billions.
In 2019 and 2020 the GVH's scrutiny in consumer protection was focussed on major online and telecommunication companies and the investigations ended with several fines in the range of HUF 1.2 to 2.5 billion. These two years were the only years, where the GVH imposed a higher total fine in consumer protection cases than in cartel cases. 87% of the total fines imposed by the GVH in 2020 was imposed in consumer protection cases, which is quite unique given that huge fines are generally imposed on cartel cases by other competition authorities and the European Commission. However, this trend reversed in 2021, when the GVH turned back to cartel investigations and imposed a record-breaking fine. The question is, which trend will take the upper hand in 2022 and the upcoming years under the prospective new leadership of the GVH?
Interestingly, the number of consumer protection cases investigated by the GVH showed a declining trend over the past ten years. While between 2010 and 2016, the GVH initiated and closed approx. 50-60 consumer protection cases per year (51 cases initiated and 55 cases closed in 2012, 62 cases initiated and 61 cases closed in 2013), this number has been reduced by half in recent years (21 cases initiated and 29 cases closed in 2020, 23 initiated and closed in 2021). This means that half of the cases the GVH dealt with in the early 2010s were consumer protection cases, which fell to 20-25% in recent years.
As the abovementioned consumer protection cases brought with them more and more serious sanctions, companies have turned to alternative ways in order to avoid or reduce the negative effects of the GVH's investigations and jointly shape market practice, submitting commitment proposals in several cases. In fact, the significant decrease in the number of cases initiated by the GVH over the years did not have the same effect on the number of commitments, as those remained at about the same level from year to year (an average of 2-5 commitments per year). While approximately 3-6% of closed consumer protection cases ended with commitments in the early 2010s, this spiked to 14-20% in recent years (18% in 2018, 14% in 2019 and 20% in 2020).
In the early 2010s, when fines were lower for consumer protection infringements, it was sufficient for the commitments to include the changing of the commercial communication under investigation, providing for consumer education and a compliance program. Recent practice, however, suggests that these measures should be supplemented by compensatory elements that directly reach consumers in order for the GVH to accept, which practically means direct monetary "compensation" to consumers for the alleged infringement tailored to the specific characteristics of the case. Moreover, there are already examples in the GVH's practice where even the compensatory element did not result in the acceptance of the commitment, but was only sufficient for the GVH to take into account as a fine mitigating factor.
The threat of high fines and the increasingly sophisticated approach of the GVH are incentivising companies to try and close consumer protection investigations with commitments in spite of the increasing expectations of the GVH as to the scope and value of a commitments package. Therefore, we expect the trend going towards commitments in consumer protection cases to continue in the future.
II. Cartels: an emerging trend of discovery and intelligence
The GVH's cartel practice has been cyclical over the past ten years, both in terms of fines imposed and the number of proceedings initiated and closed. The level of fines imposed shows a downward trend from the mid-2010s until 2021, which year shows a trend reversal, where the GVH made a resource reallocation in favour of cartel investigations. The result of this reallocation is extremely striking: a record fine of HUF 16.3 billion was imposed on companies involved in agreements restricting economic competition (mostly cartel cases) and a record-breaking HUF 14.1 billion on the participants of the artificial fertilizer cartel in Hungary.
While in the early 2010s transportation, food and beverages and bank sectors were in the focus of the GVH's cartel investigations, this shifted towards the pharmaceuticals, real estate, waste management and energy sectors in the mid and late 2010s. The Covid-19 pandemic further increased the GVH's attention on pharmaceuticals and medical devices, energy market and most recently, the construction industry has been under scrutiny of the GVH.
The GVH's practice shows that approx. 60-70% of cartel cases are reported to the GVH by contracting authorities in public procurement procedures. This high number is mostly due to the reporting obligation of contracting authorities if they detect or have reasonable grounds to suspect a clear infringement of prohibition of agreements restricting economic competition. The GVH also initiated a so-called cartel-chat in 2016 which led to an increasing number of notifications. Although the GVH makes continuous efforts of raising the attention of the companies on the positive impacts (fine reduction) of leniency applications, their number is still relatively low.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of dawn raids more than doubled in 2021 compared to the average of previous years. These figures were driven by two key factors: the transposition of the ECN+ Directive expanding the range of properties, vehicles and data carriers (media and devices) that can be investigated on site and resource reallocation within the GVH.
III. Abuse of dominance a rarity
Over the past ten years, around or even less than 5% of the total number of cases the GVH had dealt with were abuse of dominance cases yearly. The GVH initiated about 2-5 cases per year and did not impose fines more than two times per year for the abuse of dominance. These numbers show that abuse of dominance caught by the GVH is rare in Hungary.
Nevertheless, in 2021, the GVH has been dealing with the suspicions of abuse of a dominant position in eight ongoing cases, which is a record year in this respect compared to the previous decade. The markets concerned by these investigations are – amongst others – technology, beverages and the construction industry in Hungary.
IV. Speeding up merger control with less red tape
The merger control process in Hungary was significantly streamlined during the past ten years. This was a combined result of legislative reforms, introduction of new types of procedure, the increase of the thresholds for notification as well as the reduction of the administrative burden on companies.
At the beginning of this period, the GVH dealt with around 36-37 merger notifications within an average of 30-40 days. The number of days of completing the merger process have gradually decreased, while the number of notifications increased to an average of 60-70 notifications a year.
Effective as of 2017, the merger control process received a major uphaul with the raising of the notification thresholds and the introduction of the so-called "summary procedure" for straightforward mergers with no competition law effect. In a summary procedure, the GVH only issues a one-pager official certificate approving the transaction within eight days from filing, instead of the general process with an administrative deadline of 30 days. This new tool has drastically reduced the number of days of completing the merger process on the side of the authority.
In 2021, 92% of the notified transactions have been approved by the GVH with this so-called official certificate within an average of four days from the submission of the complete notification form. The quick approval process is also the result of the companies' willingness to participate in a pre-notification meeting, where the GVH's investigators provide feedback on the draft notification form before submission.
To further develop the practice in Hungary, the GVH has just initiated a public consultation regarding the merger control rules and best practice, including its guidelines and the notification form. The Budapest competition law is working together with the Hungarian Competition Law Association to contribute to this public consultation.
V. Sector inquiries
With the involvement of the market players, the GVH has conducted several sector inquiries into hotel online bookings, bank card acceptance market, television broadcasting and distribution market, beverage procurement practices in the HoReCa sector as well as market analysis into the data assets in e-commerce, comparison websites and the movie and film distribution market. All have led to suggestions to market players and legislators.
In 2021, the accelerated sector inquiry was introduced as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its economic effects, which has been frequently used by the GVH ever since. The GVH was able to quickly conduct review and intervene (if necessary) into, among others, the ceramic bricks market, the construction wood market or the coronavirus rapid tests market with this new tool. Most recently, the GVH was even granted the competence of conducting dawn raids in the frame of an accelerated sector inquiry procedure.
VI. Developing a culture of competition: guidance to market players and consumers
Throughout the years, the GVH has always been proud of its innovative solution to guide the market players and to educate consumers, as well its experience and expertise amongst other national competition law authorities.
Indeed, the GVH deserves praise for its openness to cooperation with market players, boldness to incorporate change and proactive approach to provide guidance on contemporary competition law issues. A few interesting steps to note would include the cartel-chat, the competition compliance campaigns, useful tips to consumers on hot topics through its website (e.g., holidays, airline tickets, scam websites), guidelines on green marketing ad influencer marketing and regular press releases about new developments of competition law as well as about closed investigations which are usually picked up by major Hungarian news outlets.
However, competition law enforcement is never without its challenges, and we remain vigilant on how the trends of the last ten years will carry over to the next era. We continue to advise our clients on competition law compliance and, should it come to that, how to best handle competition law issues and GVH investigations taking into account the GVH's past practice and the unfolding trends through a forward-looking yet retrospective view.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.


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IRVING, Texas (CBS Houston) – The place where a kid can be a kid is trying to appeal to grown-ups.
Chuck E. Cheese has announced it is adding beer and wine to its menu, reports KPRC-TV.
In recent years, fewer families have been going to its restaurants, so the company is looking to renew interest and attract young mothers who may view a visit to Chuck E. Cheese with disdain.
The restaurant says young moms are the ones who decide where their children will eat, and where their birthday parties will be hosted.
The average child wants to visit Chuck E. Cheese once a month, while parents only want to go about three times a year, according to company research.
The Irving, Texas-based company is also adding gluten-free pizza and thin crust pizzas, as well as coffees, lattes, and cappuccinos in an effort to appeal to Millennial adults.
The company hopes its new offerings will attract new customers and boost sales.
The chain was sold to private equity firm Apollo last year for $1.3 billion.


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'We have to have seamless online offline, we have to have companion apps, we have to make servers that are online 24/7 and we have to make sure all this works perfectly when we launch'
'To be super clear we killed the project about two years ago, so it's a new team. We're working on a tactical shooter for the new generation of consoles'
The demo didn't give players the chance to see Far Cry's 4 controversial and maniacal villain, Pagan Min, although he was a big part of Ubisoft trailer
On Monday, during Ubisoft's E3 press conference the publisher announced Rainbow Six: Siege, the next title in the Rainbow Six franchise
Ubisoft has quietly made quite a stir at the past two E3 shows by dropping major announcements of major new games at the end of its press conferences
The PC version of Ubisoft's Watch Dogs now joins the ranks of recent PC video game launch mishaps like SimCity and Battlefield 4
Ubisoft Montreal's vast, multifaceted, and thoughtful open-world action game presents a world in which a simple phone is your key to a heavily networked city
Ivory Tower’s The Crew looks extremely promising, even for players who are usually relatively uninterested in the racing genre.
After a year of delays, South Park Studios' RPG The Stick of Truth is due to hit retailers on March 4
Director of narrative design Jill Murray and mission director Hugo Giard reveal new details about the historical epic's newest assassin, and the physically intimidating Adewale.
By 2045, Canada's national debt is projected to grow to an alarming $1.5 trillion, saddling our children and grandchildren with a crushing annual interest bill of $82 billion
President Donald Trump just signed an executive order to approve Keystone XL, ending nearly a decade-long stalement. So what is Keystone XL?
Donald Trump calls NAFTA 'the worst trade deal maybe ever signed anywhere' and vowed to renegotiate or pull out completely. So how bad could this get?
Details of the $1.1M court settlement show scale of corruption at shamed UK engineer, writes Alan Tovey
The head of Canada's largest real estate investment trust is adding more projects to his redevelopment pipeline amid unprecedented heat in Toronto's housing market


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LOVES PARK, Ill. (WTVO) — One of Rockford’s longest-standing Italian restaurants, Lino’s, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year by opening a new carry-out extension — out of a shipping container on Riverside.
The new location, a first for Lino’s, is located at 8410 E. Riverside, near Mercyhealth Sportscore Two, offers many of the same traditional dishes as the restaurant’s signature location, at 5611 E State Street.
Pizza, lasagna, sandwiches, and pasta are available for carryout, according to the menu.
A 14″ large cheese pizza will set you back $13.50, while Lino’s Famous Baked Lasagna goes for $11.12 as a small size and $12.25 for the large.
The new location is open Friday and Saturday from 4:30 p.m. – 10 p.m., and Sunday through Thursday from 4:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.


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NFT is, without a doubt, the hot potato of the crypto world. Although some people question the credibility of the concept to contribute to society, the idea has grown into a tougher-to-cut tree in the last couple of years. The volume of the NFT market also grew from millions to trillions in a matter of months thanks to its use cases in up-and-coming concepts like the metaverse. While many projects have already announced their grand plans for NFTs, Polygon joins the line with a strategic partnership with the Cere network.
The last few months have shown how it can assist independent artists and other creators in monetizing their creations without having to depend on other brands. NFTs have helped create an autonomous space where the artists not only create but also determine the value of their arts. Recently, we witnessed Grammy Award-winning John Legend joining hands with several others to bring forth OurSong, an NFT-powered platform for musicians and entertainers. Polygon’s DaVinci is a similar platform but with much-improved infrastructure and use cases.
Polygon’s growth in the last year cannot be overstated as the project literally got resurrected from the bottom. Polygon began as Matic, a scaling solution for Ethereum based projects. Nevertheless, the project has enlarged its vision and is working towards becoming an internet of blockchains. Now, Polygon has stepped into the NFT business thanks to its team up with their Cere network. Read this Polygon price prediction to learn how projects like these could potentially impact the coin’s future.
DaVinci will help creators to monetize their products and creations with no third-party involvement. Despite being focused on NFTs, the platform is set to carry out transfers of both decentralized data and non-fungible tokens. The Cere decentralized data cloud or DDC will be integral for the infrastructure of DaVinci. The NFT users will get a customized experience on the platform powered by smart contracts, and Cere’s Freeport will be used for minting NFTs to gain access to exclusive content on the platform.
According to the official tweet from DaVinci, the web3 media platform will allow creators to receive a share of the royalty from the sales of their creation. Moreover, the tools and other features help the users not just create but optimize their products to suit the expectations of the audience. Co-founder Sandeep Nailwal from Polygon believes that NFTs have the capacity to change the way we create and monetize our creations. It boosts the revenue by eliminating the involvement of third parties from the business and helps fans get the best of their favorite artists and creators, he added.


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Former Transportation Sec. Ray LaHood says supply chain issue not ending anytime soon
By Mitch Perry Tampa Nov. 05, 2021
TAMPA, Fla. — Ray LaHood, the former Transportation Secretary during President Barack Obama’s first term in office, said Friday in Tampa that the current global supply chain disruption won’t get under control in the U.S. until sometime in early to mid-2022.
“Probably this will not be solved until the first quarter of next year,” LaHood said while speaking on a panel hosted by the National Conference of State Legislatures at the Tampa Convention Center on Friday. He said that was the word he received earlier in the day from John Porcari, who was named in August as Port Envoy on the White House’s Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force. LaHood added that Porcari does believe that big-box stores will have the kind of goods that they need for the Christmas holiday season.
That prediction was a bit too sunny for Chris Jones, the President of Florida Economics Advisors. Sitting on the same panel, he said the capacity problems that U.S. ports are contending with right now likely won’t be resolved until the second half of next year.
“When you’ve only got so much capital in place to get goods moved, and enough truckers, enough individuals to get the product from the ports…to the final retailers or the facilities where they need to finish the manufacturing the product, you can’t do that overnight,” Jones said.
There is a massive shortage of qualified commercial drivers to add to the problem. The American Trucking Association estimates that the industry is 80,000 drivers short of what’s currently needed, according to the Wall Street Journal. One proposed solution is a provision in the infrastructure bill in congress (not yet voted on as of this writing) that would lower the requirement age for commercial truck drivers from 21 to 18.
But LaHood says that’s a nonstarter.
“DOT will never let that happen,” he said, using the acronym for the Dept. of Transportation, which he headed from 2009 to 2013. “Just strictly on the safety aspect of having an 18-year-old driving a 90,000-pound truck is not what we want in America.”
LaHood said that American truck drivers need to be paid well and have good working conditions. “Once that happens, the ability for trucking companies to recruit truckers will improve,” he said.
Supply chain bottlenecks have negatively affected a variety of sectors in the U.S., including cars and electronics. But it’s also affecting other a number of other industries, such as bookstores.
Candice Anderson, the co-owner of Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg, says there could be problem when it comes to the distribution of unexpected best-sellers from publishers. “If it’s more popular than they expected, that second printing is going to be slow to arrive. Probably not this year,” she says.
There could also be a problem with books that require a lot of color as many of them are published in Asia, such as cookbooks, children’s books and large coffee-table type books.
“If they run out, they’re going to be harder to restock,” says Anderson.
She adds that Tombolo Books has been preparing for potential problems due to the supply chain issue by ordering certain titles earlier and in greater volume, “to get ready for our local customers to have what they need.”


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The speciality coffee roaster 200 Degrees, is set to open a new coffee shop in McArthurGlen’s popular East Midlands Designer Outlet next month.
Located at Junction 28 of the M1, the new 80-seater shop will provide 16 new jobs, while serving freshly roasted coffee from its local roast house in Nottingham.
Tom Vincent, co-founder and director at 200 Degrees, said: “This is the first out of town location for us in the UK and we chose the East Midlands Designer Outlet as it’s a prominent, retail destination. We also hope to satisfy our barista’s endless desire for Converse; the shop is a few doors away from us.
“As well as serving up fresh food every day, we look forward to offering our locally roasted coffee beans and a wide range of high calibre coffee equipment and gift ideas – especially as it’s nearly that time of year.
“For people who know us, there will be lots that’s familiar, and we’re keen to offer a seat to everyone from flagging shoppers and fellow workers to business people looking for a bit of space and some WiFi. Our takeaway service has been fine-tuned over the years, and we’ll be open early for freshly made breakfasts.”
The new 1,864 sq ft shop is the company’s eleventh to open since 2014, and rapidly follows the brands’ second Birmingham store last month.
Founded in 2012 by Tom Vincent and his business partner Rob Darby, the specialist firm has expanded across the country with plans to open its twelfth store when its Manchester shop opens later this year.
Paul Tyler, centre manager, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Nottingham-based coffee roasters, 200 Degrees Coffee to McArthurGlen Designer Outlet East Midlands. We are passionate about supporting local businesses and are delighted to be able to offer our guests another independent food and beverage offering.”
Opening times for the shop are 8 am – 8 pm Monday to Friday, 9 am – 7 pm on Saturdays and 9 am – 5 pm on Sundays.


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A PORT famous for shipping North-East coal around the world is now setting records thanks to imports of the fossil fuel.
Port of Tyne, achieved its highest cargo volumes for more than 50 years in 2013, breaking its own records for cargo handling and passenger numbers.
The import of coal from Russia and the US was key, but the ports long term growth is more likely to be driven by shipments of wood pellet, which is becoming an increasingly important fuel for power stations across the UK.
The export of Sunderland-built Nissan cars also kept workers busy at the Tyneside facility.
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Its three car terminals handled 640,000 vehicles, which included imports from VW and Audi, a slight decrease on last year's record of 670,000. The dip was blamed on the relative demand for new cars in the UK overseas markets.
In total on the River Tyne 8.1 million tonnes of cargo was handled - the largest volume since 1965. This was a 22 per cent increase on 2012 - which itself was a record year at 6.5 million.
Of the total river cargo 97 per cent was handled at Port of Tyne owned berths.
Mr Moffatt added: "We have continued to invest heavily in the Port and in the workforce to help us achieve our aim of further growth and business expansion in the context of increasing competition in the UK port sector.
"We keep setting the bar higher for ourselves, so it becomes harder to break records, but the investment we have made and the dedication of our personnel who performed magnificently during a period of change for the port helped deliver record-breaking results," added Mr Moffatt, who expects the ports annual turnover could have lifted to about £70m from £63m last year when they are published in May.
Imported coal and wood pellet volumes were at the highest level ever recorded, with almost five million tonnes of coal and one million tonnes of pellets.
The dredging of the River Tyne which took place between 2010 to 2011 boosted the ports capacity to take bigger coal-carrying ships, explained
Andrew Moffat, the port chief executive, who said recent investment in its infrastructure during the year, including the purchase of two heavy lift cranes.
There has also been significant investment in the development of plans to expand wood pellet handling, storage and transportation facilities - a project that is capable of creating up to 300 new jobs.
The port created 54 new jobs including 12 new apprenticeships to support this growth and facilitate further major growth plans currently in development. This was an increase of 11 per cent in the workforce which now totals 566.
The number of passengers using the Port's International Passenger Terminal at North Shields set new records for both the daily Amsterdam route operated by DFDS and for cruise passengers. A total of 625,000 passengers, up 4 per cent, travelled through the Terminal.
This included 64,000 passengers from the 32 cruise ships that called into the Port in 2013.
The Port's Logistics division with its container terminal, 184-strong distribution fleet of trucks and trailers and 56,000 sq m of warehousing provides handling, storage and distribution services for parts for manufacturing, retail goods, tea and recyclables such as waste paper.
In 2013 the division handled 60,000 TEUs (twenty foot equivalent container units) compared to 64,000 the previous year.
The port's importance to the North-East economy is underlined by estimates that it adds £500m Gross Value Added (GVA) to the regional economy supporting about 10,000 jobs.


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Sony Xperia Z Ultra Phablet Ditches the Stylus, Works With Pen or Pencil
The Sony Xperia Z has yet to hit the U.S., but there’s already a bigger, more powerful smartphone on the way.
Today at the Mobile Asia Expo in Shanghai, Sony introduced the Xperia Z Ultra. Designed to be an entertainment and business device, the Android Jelly Bean 4.2-based phablet features a 6.4-inch, full HD touchscreen and is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor.
As companies are wont to do, Sony is throwing a bunch of superlatives at the smartphone. It’s the “world’s slimmest full HD smartphone,” has the “world’s largest full HD display” and the “world’s fastest smartphone processor,” boasts Sony, but I tend to ignore such claims. That said, there are a couple of things that make this smartphone interesting.
First, you can use a pencil or a ballpoint pen (with a tip more than 1mm in diameter) to take notes or draw sketches right on the screen. With other smartphones and tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Note II, you have to use a capacitive stylus to achieve the same effect.
What makes the Xperia Z Ultra’s screen different?
Sony told me that the display has a special type of coating (“Super Hard Coat ASF,” if you’re curious) that allows it to work with pencils and pens, and helps protect it from scratches and other marks. I’ve asked for more details about this feature, but have yet to hear back.
One other thing to note about the Xperia Z Ultra’s 6.4-inch, 1,920 by 1,080 pixel display is that it borrows technology called Triluminos, found in Sony’s TVs. Without getting too technical, Triluminos uses a different kind of backlight technology to display truer colors and more texture compared to standard LED backlighting, so you should enjoy richer, sharper images.
Graphics performance should also get a boost, thanks to the inclusion of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 processor. First introduced at CES 2013, the quad-core chipset brings HD voice support for better call quality, advanced voice-command activation and more.
Other features of the Xperia Z Ultra include an eight-megapixel camera on back, 16 gigabytes of internal memory with a microSD expansion slot and 4G LTE support. Like the Xperia Z smartphone and tablet, the phablet is water-resistant in up to five feet of fresh water for up to 30 minutes.
The Xperia Z Ultra is expected to launch globally in Q3, but no specifics were announced today, including U.S. availability — a market where Sony has struggled to make a name for itself in the phone business.
In addition to the Xperia Z Ultra, Sony also announced its next-generation Smartwatch today. You can find more details about it in Lauren Goode’s report here.


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YORK -- Wall Street was narrowly mixed today in light holiday trading after the government released downbeat, but unsurprising, readings on U.S. joblessness and consumer spending.
The Labor Department said initial applications for unemployment benefits rose to a seasonally adjusted 586,000 last week -- the highest since November 1982, though the work force has grown by about half since then. The increase was more than investors anticipated.
Jobs have been a particular concern for investors. The more people lose their jobs or fear they will lose their jobs, the more they close their wallets. And consumer spending accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity.
The Commerce Department said consumer spending dropped 0.6 percent in November -- the fifth straight monthly drop, but slightly less than the market expected. The Commerce Department also said durable goods orders fell 1 percent in November, not nearly as steep as the 3 percent decline economists had been expecting.
Wall Street has largely been factoring in bad numbers for the fourth quarter.
Furthermore, today's trading is considered largely inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Trading volumes were extremely low ahead of Christmas, and the markets close early Wednesday at 1 p.m. Eastern time. And with only four trading days left in 2008, most buying and selling appears to be investors trying to dress up their portfolios after a year of unprecedented market turmoil.
In early trading, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 33.93, or 0.40 percent, to 8,453.42.
Broader stock indicators were mixed. The Standard & Poor's 500 index futures rose 1.17, or 0.14 percent, to 864.33, while the Nasdaq composite index fell 1.34, or 0.09 percent, to 1,520.20.


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Activision: Call of Duty: Elite-like services to be future of social interactions
Despite the Black Ops 2 announcement/reveal headlining Activision's day, the gaming juggernaut chimed in with some interesting comments that have left some gamers worried for the future of gaming's online-social interactions.
In an interview with GamesIndustry International, Jamie Berger, VP of Digital at Activision stated that he feels that a Call of Duty: Elite-like service with be necessary for multiplayer games in the near future. It's no secret that Activision has created an outstanding social outlet, now backed by over 1.5 subscribers. Sure, some saw the rocky launch as laughable, while some still believe the costs are unbearably too high, but it's now a system that features substantial, worthwhile extras that fans are indulging in daily.
"I do believe services like this are going to become a necessity for real franchises that are going to be day in and day out. The world is changing, consumer behavior is changing. Social networks and the always-on connectivity of any device are changing the ways people behave," Berger said "They want to stay engaged with things in ways that couldn't even happen five years ago. I think as a game publisher and developer you have to get ahead of that."
Though Berger feels Call of Duty: Elite set the benchmark for upcoming online-social systems, he doesn't believe that they [Activision] can sit back and watch the money flow in. He sees vast improvements coming for Elite and other beloved systems: Hulu+, Netflix, ESPN, and more, which will enhance gamers' overall experience.
"What we just need to do to continue that growth is to prove that every day there is going to be something new, something interesting and evolve the service on a monthly basis,” Berger added. “So, this kind of service - membership services like Netflix, Xbox Live, Sirius, Hulu or us - it's a game of inches. You constantly grow. It's not like magical things happen, other than the launch of course; after that it's word of mouth and constant new people coming in and them telling their friends, that's how it works. We're no different.”
Do you agree or disagree with Mr. Berger's comments? Let us know your stance on the issue by commenting below.
Source: [GamesIndustry International]


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Emerging technology is a term generally used to describe a new technology, but it may also refer to the continuing development of an existing technology. Business leaders know they must prepare for technological upheavals in the years ahead. But keeping up-to-date on new technologies—to say nothing of understanding their complexities and forecasting those shifts—is an overwhelming task. The Economist brought this interesting topic to us in their article, “What are the emerging technologies to watch in 2022?“
When someone says new and developing, metaverse is one of the hottest buzzwords of the moment. It’s basically a virtual world created by combining different technologies, including virtual and augmented reality.
While it doesn’t technically exist yet, companies like Facebook hope the metaverse will become a place where we go to meet, work, play, study and shop. This extended reality is predicted to be the next evolution of the internet and will blur the lines between physical and digital life.
Cryptocurrency is moving into the mainstream of finance. El Salvador became the first country to make bitcoin – the original and most popular cryptocurrency – legal tender in September 2021. Central banks in Sweden, Canada, the European Union and the United Kingdom are among those considering their own digital currencies. There are continuing concerns about potential risk and fraud with this technology.
Melody K. Smith
Sponsored by Data Harmony, harmonizing knowledge for a better search experience.


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First US bitcoin futures start trading at 6PM Eastern
You can bet on digital currency values through an official exchange.
Steam no longer accepts bitcoin for game purchases
It's too unstable and costly.
Venezuela will start its own digital currency to beat sanctions
Whether or not it works is another matter.
Code mistake freezes up to $280 million in digital currency
A digital wallet is only as trustworthy as the software that manages it.
Russia hopes to launch its own digital currency
Surprise: it wouldn't be as open as existing cryptocurrencies.
Politifact inadvertently hosted a digital currency miner
It's one of the highest-profile cryptocurrency hijacks to date.
China is clamping down on smaller bitcoin trading channels
It's not just targeting commercial exchanges.
Pirate Bay 'borrows' visitor CPUs to mine virtual coins
You may have no choice but to generate cash on the website's behalf.
Wind energy mines digital cash to support climate research
Using the symptoms of climate change to fight climate change.


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Welcome to WebmasterWorld Guest from 18.104.22.168
Forum Moderators: phranque
The world of wi-fi is to become a whole lot easier thanks to a major technology upgrade, says an industry group.
The Wi-Fi Alliance said it would soon finish work on a new specification called Wi-Fi Direct.
It will let wi-fi devices like phones and laptops connect to one another without joining a traditional network.
Owners of devices without Wi-Fi Direct will be able to upgrade through a software download, says the technology consortium.
I can see the benefits, however, I can also see some problems such as security.
I shouldn't assume they've got to grips with the security angle, but lets hope so.
On the other hand, I had a clever idea about fifteen years for which the technology did not exist at all, but I think I may now resurrect it because this would be perfect.
joined:June 15, 2001
joined:Apr 25, 2002
Didn't many phone companies stop allowing their phones to access the web from a local wifi connection
Not sure. My brother said that his company will not sell you a phone that has wifi unless you also buy a data plan.
They're likely to lose control of this in the US. There is "phone freedom" legislation being talked about. Right now the wireless market is like the landline market in the 1970s - you had to get a phone from the company that gave you service, or at least a phone approved by them. Some legislators want to stop that. At that point, they won't know *what* has my SIM card in it.
All academic to me - I just want WiMax and other Last Mile technology so we can some day get high speed internet at our home!


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DEBT (DEBT) will soon be listed on EXMO
EXMO announces the listing of a new cryptocurrency – DEBT. Soon, you will be able to trade in DEBT/BTC and DEBT/USDT pairs, so stay tuned!
Top up your balance in PLN with a reduced fee
Deposit Polish zloty (PLN) with reduced fees and buy any crypto you like in just a few clicks.
EXMO’s rebranding overhaul: main updates
We have changed the logo, brand colours and design to make them better reflect EXMO’s identity. Check out our new style and see how crypto becomes uncreepy!
Weekly recap: does Elon Musk believe in the imminent growth of bitcoin?
Tesla sold 75% of its bitcoins but continued to hold Dogecoin. Meanwhile, Ethereum tentatively approved a PoS transition date and CoinShares launched staked Algorand ETP. Read the Weekly recap to find out more about the main events of the crypto market that happened between 14th and 21st July 2022.
Festive hodl contest completed: rewarding biggest EXM holders
The contest for EXMO Coin holders is over. We are pleased to announce the names of traders who have won prizes.
Instant USD and EUR withdrawal via Visa/Mastercard are available
Fast and convenient card withdrawals allow you to instantly withdraw USD and EUR from your wallets directly to your Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards.
Crypto market snapshot for Q2 2022: crypto market fall and drop in trading volumes
EXMO quarterly crypto market overview is an analytical report with up-to-date information about cryptocurrencies.
Don’t keep change: convert small balances into EXMO Coin
EXMO has launched a dust conversion feature that easily allows the exchange of small balances into EXM tokens. Find out how to benefit from crypto dust.
New update for API keys
EXMO improves API key handling by adding more flexibility and offering customisation options.
Technical maintenance on 6th July
Scheduled technical maintenance will be performed on EXMO on 6th July 2022 at 20:00 UTC. The website, mobile app and API will be unavailable for about 2-4 hours.
Festive hodl: 5,000 USDT contest for EXMO Coin holders
Today marks the third year since the creation of the EXMO Coin smart contract. On this occasion, we are launching a special contest for our traders.
3 years of EXMO Coin smart contract: unique EXM burn and top updates
A smart contract for EXMO Coin was created on 5th July 2019. To mark this event, we have planned important product updates for our traders.
Weekly recap: the market continues to go down
Crypto hedge fund, Three Arrows Capital, plunges into liquidation due to debt, OTC platform Genesis Global Trading faces hundreds of millions in potential losses, while almost $4 billion bitcoin miner loans are at risk of default. Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs plans to buy Celsius Network in the event of a bankruptcy filing. Read the Weekly recap to find out more about the main events of the crypto market that happened between 23rd and 30th June 2022.
Unique EXM quarterly burn
The largest quarterly burn of EXMO Coin – EXMO’s native token – will take place this week, on 5th July 2022. In addition, many pleasant surprises await you.
Trade profitably with EXMO Premium: receive fees discounts of up to 100%
We have launched the EXMO Premium program, which will replace EXMO Cashback. Trade with a larger trading volume without incurring further cashback charges.
Weekly recap: the market reveals weak players
During the week, the Celsius Network landing platform and Three Arrows Capital hedge fund faced repeated problems. Broker, Voyager Digital, and credit company, Babel Finance, joined them. Meanwhile, miners are selling off their BTC holdings due to the decrease in mining profitability, Cardano developers have postponed the Vasil hard fork to late July, and Elon Musk continues to support Dogecoin. Read the Weekly recap to find out more about the main events of the crypto market that happened between 17th and 23rd June 2022.
Ethereum’s network upgrade: ETH deposits and withdrawals temporarily unavailable
EXMO supports Ethereum’s Gray Glacier network upgrade scheduled for 29th June 2022.
Our partner bank will be closed on 24th June 2022
All SEPA and WIRE transactions will be processed on the following business day, 26th June 2022.
Weekly recap: crypto winter in the summer
The crypto market kept falling over the week amid the highest US inflation rate witnessed in the last 40 years and Fed’s biggest interest rate rise. Meanwhile, “extreme market conditions” caused problems for the lending company, Celsius, and hedge fund, Three Arrows Capital, as well as for MicroStrategy, which was on the verge of a margin call. Read the Weekly recap to find out more about the main events of the crypto market that happened between 11th and 17th June 2022.
EXMO has delisted Maincoin (MNC)
Today, 17th June 2022, Maincoin (MNC) has been delisted from our exchange.


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Pop up business school inspires businesses to flourish in North Somerset
October 19, 2012Run in partnership with Alliance Homes and Knightstone Housing Association, the PopUp Business School opened its doors at the beginning of October to local people with the aim of teaching people how to start a business from scratch. For two weeks, over 40 people from all walks of life have learnt the skills they need to turn their business dreams into reality.
Co-founder of the PopUp Business School, Alan Donegan, said “It is incredible to see the personal journey that the participants have gone on; from lacking confidence, knowledge and finances to having a trading business in two weeks. It really shows that with hard work, people can achieve their dreams!”
Throughout the two weeks, the PopUp Business School, held at the Motex Centre in Weston-super-Mare, ran a competition for the fastest business created. The award went to a local business which works with shops to maximise their selling potential and in its first week, received 200 website visits and sold its first contract.
The award was presented by John Penrose MP, who came along on the last day to show his support for this local venture. Mr Penrose even took part in a social media workshop, learning how to make full use of Twitter.
Michael Williams, Business Enterprise Manager at Alliance Homes, said: “The results from the last two weeks indicate that this business model helps people to gain the confidence and the technological skills required to compete in today’s economy. The way consumers and business interact is changing and new forms of technological media such as Facebook and twitter will provide opportunities for business leaders from more diverse backgrounds.”
Heidi Leyshon, Community Empowerment Team Manager at Knightstone, said: “We loved the innovation in this partnership. It gives residents in North Somerset a different solution to the local jobs market. The school has given people the confidence to take their ideas forward, make a difference to their lives and contribute to their local economy”
Mr Donegan added, “The whole purpose of this pop up business school was to help people sort their financial situation out. We designed this so people could set up and start making money immediately.”
Alliance Homes is a certified social enterprise, with the Social Enterprise Mark.


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The Verge is reporting that today's a big day in the UK mobile market. The UK regulator of telecommunications, Ofcom, granted approval for carrier Everything Everywhere to roll out 4G LTE service in the UK on its 1800 MHz spectrum before the official 4G auction that is expected next ...
UK regulator Ofcom says that those in rural areas of the United Kingdom are better off sticking with older 2G feature/entry-level phones instead of newer smartphones like Apple's iPhone and Android-powered phones. The reason is that while newer smartphones offer greater features, the older 2G ...
A recent Ofcom survey suggests the iPhone is the favorite handset among adults in the UK, while the BlackBerry is preferred by teens. Almost one in three (32%) UK adults with a smartphone rock an iPhone and 37% of teens carry a BlackBerry. The survey of 2,073 adults and 521 teenagers doesn't ...
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Seven years ago, it started as a way to create markets for Southern Maryland farmers who had transitioned out of tobacco and into food/drink production. Quickly it morphed into a statewide Buy Local Challenge Week.
As it matures, the event is serving as a celebration of accomplishments in the resourcing of locally produced food in Maryland. This year, perhaps the biggest celebration was at the Governor’s residence in Annapolis where Governor Hogan welcomed hundreds of happy grazers of offerings from 15 Maryland chefs, including the First Lady, who served up one of the best recipes of local food.
However, the main purpose of the week is to find new converts to local farm products. I helped to teach a class of realtors about selling and leasing farmland last week. As I often do at such events, I asked how many attendees had consumed some food produced locally in the last week. Perhaps a third raised their hands and only a few had heard of the Buy Local Challenge.
I believe that, as Wendell Berry says, “eating is an agricultural act.” Consuming local foods helps to create local jobs. It helps to determine how food is produced (ask farmers at markets how often they get asked how their food is produced!). Consuming local foods helps to keep farmland out of the hands of developers. It keeps land open and porous and alive for nature’s systems to thrive. Local food production creates surpluses that are usually donated to those in desperate need of fresh healthy food. How cool is it that you can do all these things just by eating fresh healthy food?
Just a few more days in the Challenge to convert new disciples!


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CHICAGO (August 10, 2020) -- At Hyatt, the safety and security of our colleagues and guests is always a top priority. Guided by our purpose – to care for people so they can be their best – and following medical expert guidance to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, all Hyatt hotels globally will require face coverings or face masks within indoor public areas, which include meetings and events spaces, restaurants and bars, and fitness centers, and while moving around in outdoor areas, with some exceptions, based on local laws or guidance. Specific requirements may vary by location and some guests may be exempt from this mandate, including but not limited to people with medical conditions, consuming food or beverages in restaurants, meetings and events guests who are seated and socially distant, and children under the age of two years. For specific requirements, guests are encouraged to contact their hotel directly or visit the hotel website.
Guests who are not wearing face coverings or masks at hotels where they are required will be asked to wear one, and at all Hyatt hotels, face coverings will be made available to guests who do not have one. Additionally, Hyatt hotels request all guests practice proper social distancing in indoor and outdoor public areas, and social distancing guidelines are prominently placed throughout all hotels.
Hyatt will continue to require colleagues to wear face coverings or masks – and additional personal protective equipment based on job specifications – at all Hyatt hotels globally. In April, Hyatt introduced the Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment (hyatt.com/care-and-cleanliness) which prioritizes the safety and wellbeing of colleagues and guests through enhanced business and operational practices during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond at all Hyatt hotels globally.
“This new policy has been implemented amidst the ongoing global challenges of COVID-19 and helps us care for the health and safety of our guests and colleagues,” said Mark Hoplamazian, president and CEO, Hyatt. “In an effort to enable safe travel, we support American Hotel & Lodging Association’s recently expanded Safe Stay initiative and traveler checklist that help us come together as an industry to promote clear guidelines, which for the foreseeable future include the wearing of face coverings in indoor public spaces and practicing social distancing throughout the hotel.”
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, Hyatt remains committed to supporting industry partners and following medical expert guidance that support face coverings and social distancing as successful ways to mitigate the spread of the virus. Hyatt will continue to closely monitor the situation as well as local government mandates and consider expanding this mandate to other regions.
For more information on Hyatt’s Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment and measures hotels are taking globally in an effort to keep colleagues and guests safe, please visit hyatt.com/care-and-cleanliness.


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Hayes Seeks To Expand Buy America Law
By James A. Morrissey, Washington Correspondent
In introducing the new measure, Hayes said: “Expanding our ‘Buy America’ rules to DHS is a matter of matter of national security. Currently, the Berry Amendment seeks to guarantee the United States military has a ready mobilization base of US manufacturers — a critical national security requirement. I believe it is imperative that we expand this requirement to include the Department of Homeland Security for the same reasons.”
For years, Hayes, along with other textile state representatives and senators, has been instrumental in getting the DOD “Buy America” provisions through Congress, something that has been of considerable benefit to domestic textile and apparel manufacturers.
March 14, 2006


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Anyone hoping that Electronic Arts and the NFL’s long-standing exclusivity arrangement was going to go away any time soon is going to have to keep hoping for a few more years, as both parties agreed today to continue the deal that makes EA Sports the only company allowed to release an NFL simulation game.
NFL reporter Albert Breer first reported the news this afternoon:
And it’s been Madden for a while. The last time EA had competition in the American Football space was in 2004, when 2K released the last of its excellent NFL 2K games. Every year since, the only way you’ve been able to play a licensed NFL simulation game has been with Madden, and that’s now the way things will continue until at least 2025.
By then, kids born after NFL2k5's release will be old enough to vote.
At least there’s some competition coming, with 2K getting the rights earlier this year to some kind of NFL game, likely a more casual, arcade-style experience. Considering how much I loved Madden Arcade, which is sadly no longer available, something like that would be great!


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|Day Low/High||45.34 / 46.13|
|52 Wk Low/High||25.01 / 41.71|
2K today announced details surrounding the downloadable content offerings, Season Pass and Digital Deluxe Editions for WWE® 2K17 , the forthcoming release in the flagship WWE video game franchise.
2K today announced that NBA® 2K17 , the next iteration of the top-selling and top-rated NBA video game simulation series*, is now available for purchase at retail and online vendors worldwide.
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) today announced that the Company will provide a live listen-only webcast of its Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on Thursday, September 22, 2016 at 9:00 a.
2K announced today that BioShock®: The Collection is available now in North America for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, and Xbox One, containing all three installments of the...
2K today announced that award winning actor Michael B. Jordan will star alongside gamers in the all-new NBA® 2K17 MyCAREER storyline.
2K today revealed Carnival Games ® VR , a new take on the hit franchise created by Cat Daddy Games that has sold-in more than 9 million copies worldwide.
2K today announced "The Prelude," a free downloadable experience for NBA 2K17, the top-rated and top-selling NBA video game simulation series*, which will be available on September 9, 2016.
Here are 10 stocks hedge fund manager John Paulson has been buying lately, either initiating new stakes or upping his holdings significantly.
2K and Firaxis Games are excited to announce the Sid Meier's Civilization® VI 25th Anniversary Edition .
2K and Hangar 13 today revealed the complete soundtrack of more than 100 quintessential 1960s tracks for Mafia III, the next installment in the popular organized crime game series launching on October 7, 2016...
Here are Monday's top research calls, including downgrades for Bristol-Myers Squibb, JPMorgan and Weyerhaeuser, and an upgrade for Merck.
2K today announced the in-game soundtrack details for WWE® 2K17, the forthcoming release in the flagship WWE video game franchise.
Take-Two Interactive Software (TTWO) CEO Strauss Zelnick joined CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" Friday morning to discuss the company's fiscal 2017 first-quarter earnings report.
TheStreet Quant Ratings provides fair and objective information to help you make educated investing decisions. We rate over 4,300 stocks daily and provide 5-page PDF reports for each stock. These ratings can change daily and today's changes are reflected in the email below. If you are looking to check-up on the stocks you currently own or are looking for new ideas, you can find our full database of password-protected ratings reports in our proprietary ratings screener: http://www.thestreet.com/k/qr/flat/stock-screener.html Upgrades: BLL, CCOI, CNNX, CVO, ETP, NUS, NYT, QSR, RYN, STM, STT, TRI, TSNU Downgrades: AM, CO, CPSH, EIGI, FSS, GDOT, IRM, TK, TTWO, TWO Initiations: TLN Read on to get TheStreet Quant Ratings' detailed report:
Trade-Ideas LLC identified Take-Two Interactive Software (TTWO) as a new lifetime high candidate
Take-Two Interactive (TTWO) stock is up in after-hours trading on Thursday after reporting better-than-expected results for the 2017 fiscal first quarter.
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) today reported results for its fiscal first quarter 2017, ended June 30, 2016.
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) today announced that, starting with its results for the fiscal first quarter 2017, ended June 30, 2016, which will be reported on August 4, 2016, the Company will modify the...
Take-Two Interactive (TTWO) is expected report fiscal 2017 first quarter earnings after Thursday's market close.
Video game makers Electronic Arts and Activision Blizzard are scheduled to report quarterly results on August 2 and 4, respectively.
With results near, company encounters tough challenges in video game sector.
2K today announced a partnership with USA Basketball that will bring the full roster of the 2016 USA Basketball Men's National Team, including Coach Mike Krzyzewski, to NBA 2K17 , the next iteration of the top-rated...
Cramer wants you to buy Snyders-Lance but he's avoiding Hawaiian Electric.
Cramer says a recent survey's results are horrendous even as they are totally understandable.
Hasbro and Mattel are set to report earnings this week as the toy world tries to assess the long-term popularity of augmented reality games like Pokémon GO.
Nintendo’s momentum could pull sales away from competing publishers.
The big wireless carriers have seen mixed trading since the launch of the augmented reality mega-hit, while rival video game stocks have soared.


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I had hoped that when 2015 came around, we could move away from terrible images that employ tired racist stereotypes to sell products, but alas, no. KFC Peru is the latest brand to offend after whoever manages its Facebook page posted a racist cartoon on the brand's timeline.
The cartoon featured a caricature of a black man wearing rags, missing teeth, and wearing a bone in his hair. Not only that, but he talked to the chicken, telling it, "Te amo" (I love you).
After people started complaining, KFC Peru removed the photo from its Facebook page, though it has not issued an apology or explanation. As anyone who's ever been on the Internet even once should know: It's forever, so the next time you're thinking of using a racist cartoon to sell something on your Facebook page, maybe don't.
Cosmopolitan.com has reached out to KFC Peru for comment and will update this post when we hear back.
Follow Alanna on Twitter.


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According to a recent report conducted by Kin + Carta - there is a rising trend globally of business leaders feeling a significant amount of anxiety around their company's digital transformation efforts.
Tech anxiety is real and becoming more of a real business issue.
Uncertainty is everywhere. Trade tensions, political transitions, and regulatory changes have introduced unprecedented complexity. While the lingering effects of the global pandemic continue to impact supply chain resilience, workforce management, and consumer behavior. At the same time, technological disruption is advancing at an alarming rate.
There are no secrets as to how outsized-success can be achieved by any organisation; deliberate, purposeful decision-making is all that is needed.Your digital transformation begins here
In response, there has been an increase in tech anxiety. Our research reveals 94% of leaders report tech anxiety among senior leadership in their organizations. Our survey found that cyber security is the most common source of anxiety for leaders. While research showing global cyberattacks rose by 7% in Q1 2023 suggests concerns over cyber security are unlikely to abate. Anxiety about artificial intelligence and machine learning is also commonplace. Combining concerns over AI and machine learning and generative AI, the case can be made that this emerging technology is causing more anxiety than anything else.
What we found the most alarming from the research done with business executives is just how few of them report having confidence in the data that they have available to them.
For business leaders across industries, data has emerged as the key driver for success. But not everyone feels they can rely on the data inside their organization. Just 30% of leaders fully trust their data, and although nearly half mostly trust it—almost 20% have somewhat or little trust.
While some organizations struggle with fragmented and siloed data, the need to establish a single source of truth has become paramount. Leaders cite optimization of processes and increased efficiencies, improved reporting and dashboarding, and a clear view of sales and marketing activity as their most critical data needs.
What's apparent here is that far too many business leaders still see technology as a project that needs to be undertaken to get up to speed and then somehow...that's it!
Technology is however a critically key part of how business is enabled in 2023 and beyond.
Business leaders need to develop themselves into technology-natives. Having a technology-lens as a modern business is a given.
Our sense here is that there is a significant challenge as to how technology is framed by many leaders. Instead of first designing what it is they are building, they appear to be trying to retrofit data and AI and cybersecurity patches into their old operational stack.
By the very nature of how business systems work - this approach then is just guaranteed to create even more anxiety. The current approach is manifesting stress - and operating from a position of insecurity like this does not bode well for the long-term sustainability of that business.
The transformation needed here doesn't start and stop with digital - it starts with worldviews, mindset and strategy. The approach should be to start there and build the future of the business from this vantage point.


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When it comes to increasing fuel economy, turbochargers are the replacement for displacement. The combination of highly efficient snails and smaller engines provides the power people expect, while reducing the overall weight of the vehicle. Like other automakers that have realized that forced induction is a suitable stop-gap for improving fuel economy, Mercedes-Benz is in the process of developing turbo'd engines that will proliferate throughout its lineup in the next two and a half years.
Thomas Weber, a Daimler board member in charge of research and development told Automotive News, "All our vehicles will have turbocharged engines in series production by the end of 2010 at the latest."
Mercedes is joining BMW and Audi by investing heavily into forced induction, primarily to cope with new fuel economy standards in the U.S. and Europe. But turbos are only going to take them so far. Mercedes plans to introduce hybrids into its lineup towards the close of the decade, beginning with the S-class sedan in 2009. According to Weber, zero-emission vehicles are the automaker's long-term goal and Daimler intends to push heavily towards fuel-cells and electric-powered vehicle in the future, including an electric smart fortwo which will go into production sometime in 2010.
Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req. via AutoBlog