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A recent New York Times article about the growing electric car market brought to mind a heated discussion I got into with one of the dads from my daughter’s Indian Princess group about a decade ago. Let’s call him Jack.
On a slow morning during a weekend outing, Jack predicted that self-driving cars — as in autonomous ones without a steering wheel — would be commonplace in five to 10 years.
Being the sort of person who doesn’t have the filter that others do, I told Jack he was nuts. At that, he informed me that there were already self-driving cars on the road, and he proceeded to educate me about the technological progress being made. Although I agreed with him about the advancements, I only upset him more when I said there was no way that the general public would accept self-driving cars as quickly as he imagined.
To Jack, the matter was strictly about technology. To me, the issue was about self-preservation. As I said then and still say today, I will not get into a car controlled by a computer until all cars on the road are computer-controlled. I just don’t trust other drivers.
Jack told me I was crazy because if I ever had flown on an airplane, I already had entrusted my life to a computer. Sure, planes fly using automatic pilot all the time, but I reminded him that they still have pilots.
Now you might be thinking that there are many self-driving cars on the road today. That’s true, but you still can drive them manually. Big difference. Also, they’re still not commonplace.
All of which brings me to the March 10 article in The New York Times, “Electric Cars Are Coming. How Long Until They Rule the Road?” By 2035, the story noted, analysts predict that electric vehicles could make up a quarter of new car sales. Even then, “only 13% of vehicles on the road would be electric.”
Even when electric vehicles are expected to account for 60% of new car sales in 30 years, the article noted that most cars on the road still would run on gas.
While you can think what you want about these predictions, what strikes me is just how many curveballs will be thrown at the manufacturing process over the next 30 years. Automotive manufacturing certainly will be full of exciting technological challenges.
Let’s all just hope that the powers that be don’t forget to ask machinists for input. That’s something Christopher Tate eloquently encourages in his article “Shift Gears” of the April issue. It’s a great read.
One final thought: Would you fly on an airplane with only a computer for a pilot?


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Associated Press, “Japanese Manufacturing Could Take Years, Billions To Recover,” starts by detailing the direct damage from the earthquake and tsunami to major manufacturers, the ports, and energy sector. Then …
[Widespread] power shortages from damage to four nuclear plants — an unfolding crisis in itself — have forced many companies to halt production.
Sony Corp. has halted output at several factories, including one that makes Blu-Ray discs. Toshiba Corp. has done the same. All automakers including Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s biggest, have stopped making cars nationwide.
Companies are also facing problems shipping components, receiving raw materials and getting workers to facilities that are working, said Dale Ford, an analyst at technology market research firm IHS iSuppli.
- BBC News, “Worries over component shortages after Japan earthquake“
- Reuters, “Analysis: Central banks still set to tighten despite Japan”
- USA Today, “Computer chip shortage could zap automakers“
- Wall Street Journal, “Crisis Adds New Risk to Global Recovery“
- USA Today, “Rolling blackouts could take toll on Japan’s economy“
- PCWorld, “Quake May Affect Tech Industry for Six Months, Says Analyst“
Toyota statement, “Updated Toyota Statement Regarding Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan“:
NEW YORK, NY (March 16, 2011; Posted at 7:00 AM EDT) We continue to place priority on supporting the relief efforts in the regions affected and ensuring that our team members, the employees at subsidiary vehicle manufacturers and at our suppliers—and all their respective family members—are safe.With that in mind, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has decided to continue the vehicle-production halt started on March 14 at all plants in Japan (including subsidiary vehicle manufacturers) through March 22.A decision on when vehicle production will resume in Japan has yet to be made.Separately, we will resume production of replacement parts for vehicles already on the market beginning March 17. This will allow us to take care of current Toyota owners who may need repairs.Additionally, in an effort to keep production lines moving overseas, we plan to restart production of parts for overseas production on March 21.
Tokyo, March 14, 2011 – Operations at several Sony Corporation and Sony Group sites and facilities have been affected by the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake and tsunami, and Sony is monitoring the status of each of these sites on an on-going basis, while also considering the most effective recovery measures. Sony also has responded to reports of widespread power outages by voluntarily suspending operations at several sites. No significant injuries have been reported to employees working at any of these sites when the earthquake or tsunami occurred.
The company is currently evaluating the full impact of the earthquake, tsunami and related power outages on Sony’s businesses and consolidated financial results.
Honda, March 14 statement, “Update #2: Earthquake Impact on Honda Operations“:
Considering the current situation of the nationwide recovery efforts in Japan, Honda has decided the following:
- As of March 14, all production activities are suspended at the following Honda plants: Sayama Plant at Saitama Factory (Sayama, Saitama), Ogawa Plant (Ogawa-machi, Hiki-gun Saitama), Tochigi Factory (Moka, Tochigi), Hamamatsu Factory (Hamamatsu, Shizuoka) and Suzuka Factory (Suzuka, Mie).
- From March 15 through 20, Honda will suspend all production activities at its plants listed above as well as at Kumamoto Factory (Ozu-machi, Kikuchi-gun, Kumamoto).
- From March 14 through 20, Honda will suspend regular operations at all Honda facilities in the Tochigi area, where damage was more serious, and focus on the recovery of each operation. Honda associates will not come to work during this time at those facilities, including Tochigi Factory, Honda R&D Co., Ltd., R&D Center and Honda Engineering Co., Ltd.
Honda is cooperating with electricity conservation efforts and rolling blackout measures, prioritizing the relief and recovery of affected areas.
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domain: news


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“The blood of the local radio industry will be on everybody’s hands if we do not get relief from these archaic and rusty shackles.”
That comment about regulation was made by Jeff Warshaw, the CEO of Connoisseur Media; and while the sentiment may be familiar to many in commercial radio, it was delivered in an unusual setting: the chamber of the Federal Communications Commission in Washington.
The FCC hosted a symposium in late 2019 to ask industry representatives about trends and challenges facing the radio industry. Anyone who wanted to compile a list of business challenges heard plenty to be worried about.
The discussion, led by Fred Jacobs, president of Jacobs Media, covered topics like music licensing fees, the future of AM radio, new revenue sources and minority ownership. And you knew regulatory relief was going to come up too.
The speakers certainly were in agreement that the ways in which Americans watch, listen and read to content are evolving fast.
“People are consuming media in different ways and in different places. There is an unlimited amount of content available now, but is it quality enough to attract listeners and in the places they need it?” said Hartley Adkins, president of Integrated Revenue Strategy for iHeartMedia.
“If you have good content but someone can’t access it, or if you have poor content to begin with, it doesn’t work. … Even when you look at smart speakers, radio needs to be in position to deliver quality content in 2020 and beyond.”
Caroline Beasley, CEO of Beasley Media Group and former joint board chair of the NAB, told the symposium that radio must commit further to its local communities while exploring new platforms, as her company is doing with gaming and other initiatives.
“We’re providing great local content via our local signals, but we need to be everywhere our listeners are. That is a business model significantly different than the over-the-air model. So we are making decisions on where to spend our resources. We are facing and making some very challenging decisions, especially now during budget season, thinking about next year.”
Beasley said radio revenue in its radio markets has declined 30% over the past 10 years. “Our piece of the advertising pie is shrinking. It is going to digital, so if we want to stay in business we have to diversify our revenue streams. At the same time our costs are going up because we are being forced to distribute our programming over multiple platforms.”
The panel visited the question of whether such companies are in “radio” or simply “media.”
Jeff Warshaw, CEO of Connoisseur Media, said he considers himself in the radio business but that its definition has broadened.
“The [traditional] radio business, the business of broadcasting over the air and monetizing that service to advertisers, is shrinking, and will continue to shrink until it becomes an unviable business,” he said. “Just because we can now take our content and try to monetize it against a myriad of competitors on multiple platforms, doesn’t mean that the radio business isn’t shrinking and getting more difficult each it year. It is,” he said.
“We are now competing with companies that are hundreds of times larger than the biggest radio broadcaster. They are selling subscriptions, they sell data and they sell devices. They are unregulated, and we are stuck with regulations that could have never foreseen the types of competitive pressures we are facing.”
NEW VENTURES, NEW COSTS
Karen Slade, VP and GM of KJLH Radio in Los Angeles, said her view was not from “30,000 feet up like the other members of the panel, but more like 10 flights up,” which gives her a different perspective.
“We have about 500,000 listeners; but I’m also trying to reach more through local programs across platforms. It becomes almost cost-prohibitive for me, because every new venture and every new platform comes with a cost,” Slade said. “When can I get a return? There is additional licensing involved. Sometimes the better you do, the more expensive it gets.”
Mark Fratrik, senior VP for BIA Advisory Services, said radio must press ahead to roll out additional digital services. “It’s really the only potential for growth they have.”
Fratrik, in charge of BIA’s advertising forecast, predicts radio will never return to the OTA ad revenue levels it saw before the recession ending in 2009. “It just won’t ever get back to that; and when you consider inflation, radio revenue is really down 30 to 40% from just over a decade ago,” Fratrik said.
Delivering quantifiable results is crucial, according to the panelists. “Digital makes that a lot easier. ‘Last-click attribution,’ if you will,” Adkins said. “Radio was a little slower to that new reality, but now that we are doing it, advertisers are more comfortable giving us their money because we can prove our performance.”
Adkins said iHeartMedia continues with efforts to make the buying of advertising “friction-free” for advertisers.
“We have something in beta right now called AdBuilder that includes a user experience similar to Facebook and Google and allows advertisers to share information about the business and spits out a commercial for them. Then they can purchase time on the formats targeting the audience they want without spending any time with a sales rep. That’s the sort of modernization we are doing,” Adkins said.
Alfred Liggins, CEO of Urban One, said FCC regulations often leave radio broadcasters at a disadvantage in the current marketplace.
“Basically, technology [companies] right now are eating traditional media. And they are eating traditional media from a standpoint of making media become a loss leader,” he said. “You [have] Amazon and Apple entering the business, and their core business is not to provide audio to provide local news and information, they want to sell more product and devices.”
Liggins said he is not under the illusion that radio can compete with Google and Facebook and Yelp. “They are technology platforms, and we cannot offer all of the services, even with our digital products, that they can. However, scale will be necessary in order to survive the onslaught of new competition,” he said.
The problem with digital for radio, Liggins said, is it “turns analog dollars into digital dimes, since there are so many entities taking a slice of the pie it makes it unprofitable. Yet consumer consumption patterns demand that we are serving that space. We have to modernize.”
Liggins realizes terrestrial radio listenership continues to drop. “Persons using measured media is dropping significantly each year. There are so many more options. The time spent listening has significantly dropped,” he said.
“A NEW MARKETPLACE OUT THERE”
The panel discussed AM radio and its future amid the possibility of future deregulation.
“If ownership restrictions are loosened on FM, then what we expect to see is some of that content that you can only get on AM moving to FM,” Adkins of iHeartMedia said. “That could be the death knell for AM radio. AM is too important to us though. We feel there are plenty of opportunities on AM, the diversity is incredible whether it is sports play-by-play, Rush and Hannity and other content.”
Liggins of Urban One, though, was emphatic in answer to a question about AM’s survivability in the current marketplace: “I think it’s done. It’s just a matter of time. The fact of the matter is that AM content is already moving to the FM band, either on full-power FM stations or FM translators. Kids don’t know what the AM band is. It’s just an inferior listening experience.”
When Fred Jacobs asked Caroline Beasley if her broadcast company is shopping for AM properties, she replied with a simple “no” and chuckled.
There was ample sentiment on the panel for further deregulation.
“The blood of the local radio industry will be on everybody’s hands if we do not get relief from these archaic and rusty shackles,” said Warshaw. “It’s not fun and games. Radio is the one who provides local services. Spotify is unregulated. They are not going to promote anything locally. Pandora is not doing local news. Sirius FM is not raising money for local shelters. We couldn’t even get Apple to turn on the FM chip in the iPhone.”
The ability to “consolidate and have economies of scale has absolutely helped us increase news programming and increase public affairs programming,” he added.
Fratrik of BIA Advisory Services summed up the tenor of the discussion: “For radio to grow and remain viable, it does need some level of relief from regulation that was fostered during an earlier period. We are in a different audio and entertainment environment, and certainly in a different advertising [one], and there has to be some recognition of that by the FCC and the DOJ that there is a new marketplace out there.”
You can watch the video archive of the symposium at https://tinyurl.com/rw-fcc-symposium.


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When it comes to the family enterprise, the UAE has big plans.
In the last 18 months alone, the country has rolled out numerous programmes, initiatives, and regulations, all designed to support the evolution and growth of the family business.
As well as approving a law that allows family businesses to be listed on the country’s financial markets, the government has issued a new family business ownership governance law to facilitate the transition to successive generations, launched a programme aimed at transforming 200 family business projects into major companies by 2030, and most recently put together a committee to ensure the continuity of the family business.
As Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Minister of Finance and Deputy Ruler of Dubai explained during last year’s launch of one of the programmes: “The UAE is about to enter unprecedented growth in the next 50 years, and family businesses are invited to become a pillar of this.”
These moves come as the country continues its transition to a more sustainable economy – and recognising the importance of family business to both the country’s economy and society is key to this.
Not only do family businesses make up 90% of private companies in the UAE, but they employ more than 70% of the sector’s workforce and contribute around 40% to the Emirates GDP, data from the Ministry of Economy shows.
They are job creators, build ecosystems through their supply chains, and contribute to their communities via philanthropy. They account for some of the biggest conglomerates in the nation, spanning multiple key sectors, including finance, real estate, retail, lifestyle, and technology.
However, many need help and support to move to the ‘new economy’.
Why UAE family businesses need help to evolve
As HE Abdulaziz Al Ghurair, a board member of one of the biggest and most successful business family groups in the UAE (Abudullah Al Ghurair Group of Companies), told The National last year, most family businesses are used to “the traditional economy”.
These enterprises need “to take initiative into this new economy, and in the new economy, you need to know the business and you also take some risks”.
It’s a sentiment shared among many of the UAEs business leaders and members of government, including HE Dr. Ahmad Al Falasi, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs. “What we’ve found increasingly difficult in the region is that third-generation family owners run the business as a one-man show,” Al Falasi told participants at the Top CEO Forum in Dubai last year.
“We want them to structure the business in a way that uses continuity going forward – that doesn’t necessarily happen until they reach the multibillion [stage].”
To facilitate the evolution of family businesses to the new economy, prepare them for the future, and help them embrace digital and develop more of a startup mindset, the government has introduced various laws and launched numerous initiatives.
Facilitating family business growth and evolution – a new law and centre
A new corporate governance law, which came into effect at the start of 2023, along with a new support centre, and new programme (Thabat) have all been introduced with the ultimate aim of doubling family-owned businesses’ contribution to the UAE’s GDP to US$320bn by 2032.
The aim of all three is to assist family businesses in diversifying their operations, establishing pioneering ventures in modern economic areas, and strengthening partnerships and opportunities both inside and outside the country.
The new Family Companies Law, which will enable family businesses to overcome challenges when planning succession under the existing legal framework of the UAE Companies Law, intends to increase the contribution of family enterprises to the national economy as well as invite additional businesses to establish operations in the UAE.
According to Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Saleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, the new law will “provide the legal framework required to ensure the growth of family businesses, help diversify their activities, and facilitate their continuity and longevity through generations”.
The law, which follows international best practice, will impact aspects of family business including succession planning, dispute resolution, and multiple classes of shares and governance.
Alongside the new law, a new centre has been established in Dubai within the organisational structure of Dubai Chambers.
The Dubai Centre for Family Businesses will provide technical and administrative support to family businesses, ensuring their sustainability and smooth operational success, as well as provide creative solutions to improve their growth prospects.
Overseen by a committee that comprises prominent Dubai family-owned business leaders, including Dr Raja Al Gurg, Saeed Saif Al Ghurair, Yahya Saeed Lootah, and Osama Seddiqi, the centre is focused on finding solutions to the challenges faced and ensuring successful transition between generations.
“A key focus will be the development of a family-business ecosystem in line with Dubai Economic Agenda(D33) to enhance family businesses’ role in shaping the future,” Abdulaziz Al Ghurair, Chairman of Dubai Chambers said this week.
Transforming 200 business projects into major companies by 2030
Alongside these facilitators, the UAE government is keen to help family enterprises evolve into businesses of the future – which is where the Thabat Venture Builder programme comes in.
Launched last year and a first of its kind in the world, the programme aims to transform 200 business projects into major companies by 2030 with a market value exceeding US$40.84bn and annual revenues of US$4.90bn. Companies undergo a five-month programme where they look at how ideas can be transformed into viable business projects by adopting emerging technologies.
The initiative will help family businesses enter sectors outside their traditional fields and encourage them to embrace advanced knowledge-driven industries such as AI, biotechnology, agricultural technology space sciences and renewable energy.
Thabat is focused too on ensuring the family business is run as a corporate and not as a father-son company, encouraging more participation from women, and prompting a move to IPO.
Since then, more initiatives have launched to support the UAE’s leadership vision for boosting family businesses and maximising economic contribution.
In March, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) launched the world’s first dedicated centre for family wealth, which will play a signficant role in supporting family businesses to “maximise their contribution to the UAE economy and other economies around the world”, HE Essa Kazim, Govenor of DIFC said.
As part of the offering, the Centre provides certification for family businesses relating to their governance, ESG standards and other best practices. They can also access a trusted network of accredited professional advisors who are experts on family business matters such as succession planning, international legal and tax advisory, ESG and sustainability advice, relevant education and leadership programmes, and dispute resolution.


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Ericsson’s fourth quarter and full year results 2014 explained.
The end of 2014 is approaching, and Ericsson ConsumerLab can now, in the fourth edition of its annual trend report, present the hottest consumer trends for 2015 and beyond.
Tbaytel, the largest municipally-owned network carrier in Canada, has teamed up with Ericsson to launch Northern Ontario's first Ericsson Capsule Site.
The November 2014 edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report has been released. Read the report and watch the accompanying video.
The new edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report reveals that mobile-data traffic will continue to grow significantly in the coming years, a trend driven mainly by video.
Ericsson has been selected by MTS Inc. (MTS), as the exclusive supplier for its next-generation LTE network.
ERICSSON CANADA INC. - 200-2425 Matheson Blvd E - L4W 5K4 Mississauga, Ontario -Canada -Phone: +1 905 268-2005


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Business VoIP Adoption Driven by Cost Savings and Value-Added Features
A recent survey conducted by WhichVoIP, a website that offers detailed comparisons of residential and business VoIP phones has revealed that low operating costs and highly useful features are the top two reasons WhichVoIP’s business customers transitioned to VoIP services.
“Business leaders are looking for cost-effectiveness and high functionality of goods and services, especially for technology-based services,” Michael Bragg, CFO of WhichVoIP said in a statement.
The survey also found that another important reason for enterprises switching to business VoIP is the reduced cost of acquiring and maintaining this communications technology. Nearly 80 percent of those surveyed said the price of the service was an important consideration in their decisions to select VoIP instead of a traditional telephony system.
Apart from the cost, business VoIP users are also concerned about the features and functionality offered by the service. Slightly more than 60 percent of the survey participants said the value-added features and functionality offered with business VoIP services at no extra charge appealed to them when considering VoIP in their business phone service purchasing decision.
Other factors that influence VoIP adoption include a salesperson’s knowledge (53 percent) and friendliness of the salesperson (more than 21 percent), the report said.
Recently, analyst firm IDC released research that showed a large number of SMBs are beginning to use unified communications technologies, specifically business VoIP. Titled "Unified Communications in U.S. Small and Medium-Sized Business, 2011: Growing Demand for Communication, Collaboration, and Connectivity — But Integration Remains Elusive,” the IDC report finds that over one third of small businesses and almost three quarters of mid-sized businesses own at least one UC component technology.
Rajani Baburajan is a contributing editor for business-voip. To read more of Rajani's articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Jamie Epstein


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In response to the EU’s Digital Market Act (DMA), iOS 17 will finally allow iPhone users to sideload apps and use third-party app stores. While such a move would have seemed improbable just a few years ago, the DMA mandates that all large online platforms must “allow third parties to inter-operate with the gatekeeper’s own services in certain specific situations.” Apple certainly tried its hardest to fight some of the provisions in the DMA. But ultimately, lawmakers didn’t find Apple’s concerns regarding privacy and security persuasive enough. Suffice it to say, some iPhone users are less than thrilled.
The DMA will go into effect in 2024. And in recent months, Apple has reportedly been “applying a significant amount of resources” to ensure that iOS 17 will be in compliance by the time it ships later this year. That said, not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of sideloading.
During a recent appearance on the MacRumors podcast, Mark Gurman relayed that sideloading will likely remain a feature only accessible in Europe.
I think it will be a Europe-only feature. I think they’re not going to shoot themselves in the foot and expand this globally if they don’t have to.
If you remember, there was that change in the Netherlands around dating apps and the percentage there. And so you have to install a special profile, you have to go through some sort of hoops to do it, and it was very under the radar.
What’s more, there’s a good chance developers who want to take advantage of sideloading might have to pay a fee. Put differently; Apple will figure out a way to get a slice of revenue even if sideloading is enabled. We previously touched on how sideloading might work on iOS 17 over here.
The podcast is viewable in its entirety below:
Interestingly, Gurman adds that Apple isn’t planning to address sideloading at WWDC. This, of course, shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. While you can force Apple to enable sideloading, it certainly won’t go out of its way to highlight it.
Some other things to look forward to at WWDC include a significant overhaul of the watchOS interface. And though nothing is set in stone, we’ll hopefully get some sort of announcement about Apple’s mythical AR/VR headset.
Apple’s WWDC keynote will kick off on June 5.


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- State declares test results for schools invalid (10/4/17)2
- College algebra to be removed from Southeast required curriculum (10/10/17)1
- Child-custody advocate: State law needs fix to provide parents with more equal custody (10/12/17)
- Past Rowdy the Redhawk mascot's identity revealed (10/15/17)
- Cancer will 'change your life, but it doesn't have to rule it' (10/8/17)
- Sikeston singer moves on with 'The Voice' (10/16/17)
- Police chief, council: Cape Girardeau faces growing gun violence (10/17/17)4
- Developer asks court to OK tax district board for improvements near Hobby Lobby (10/17/17)4
- Bills addressing equal child custody to be filed, legislators say (10/13/17)
- The last person to be laid to rest at Old Lorimier Cemetery: Mary Russell Fox (10/17/17)2
E-tailers lure customers with discounts
Online holiday traffic might be surging, but e-tailers, like their brick and mortar counterparts, are working hard to turn cautious browsers into shoppers.
The big challenge for e-commerce sites -- many of which are aiming at profitability this holiday -- is to offer price discounts or free shipping deals without hurting earnings. That will be a particularly difficult feat because even when consumers are buying, they tend to spend less than they did a year ago.
Many online retailers have resurrected free shipping offers, which proved more effective in the past than marking down merchandise. But this season, they're not being as generous.
Luxury e-tailer Ashford.com, which provided unlimited free shipping last year, now offers it only for purchases of $1,000 or more. For Toysrus.com, it's $150, up from $100 a year ago.
Many e-tailers have decided to use heavier price discounting to woo consumers nervous about job security amid thousands of layoffs.
Two months ago, Amazon.com increased its everyday discounting to 30 percent off almost all books over $20. Bezos believes the company can afford the discounting because it has worked hard to increase operating efficiencies.


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A collection of news and information related to Walgreen Co. published by this site and its partners.
Displaying items 1-12 of 58 » View herald-mail.com items only1 2 3 4 5 Next >
Business licenses issued in March in Washington County: - Capella Inc., 13210 Fountainhead Plaza, Hagerstown, trader’s license, restaurant - Michael A. Brackbill Sr., Rocksolid Installations, 2030 Robert Fulton Highway, Peach Bottom, Pa., out-...
You now can go to a Walgreens and get examined by a medical professional. Maybe your blood pressure is a little high, or you've suffered from asthma for years. Walgreens has prescription and over-the-counter medications for you. And, on your way out...
Tribune staff reporterWalgreen Co. sales rose 4 percent in April from the same month a year ago, the retailer said Friday, as a huge jump in prescriptions offset lower customer traffic overall. Walgreens stores saw total sales of $5.98 billion. The number of...
Tags: Drugs and Medicines
Reports: Unemployment rate for April, 7:30 a.m.; Factory orders for March, 9 a.m.; ISM services index for April, 9 a.m. Local earnings: CBOE Holdings Inc., Telephone & Data Systems Inc., U.S. Cellular Corp. Other major earnings: Adidas AG, Air...
Two companies are battling in court to take over Chicago's electric-vehicle charging stations, which are less than two-thirds complete amid a backlog of unpaid bills and a federal probe into payments to vendors. JNS Holdings Corp. in Arlington Heights...
Tribune reporterWalgreen Co. is looking to sell six office buildings in its Deerfield headquarters complex as part of an effort to generate cash to invest in its stores and "core businesses," the company said Tuesday. The nation's largest drugstore chain said it...
Things at the Nicholas Fund in Milwaukee haven't changed as much as you might expect in its 44 years. Albert "Ab" Nicholas is still running the show, just as he has since it opened in 1969. He's still hunting for attractively priced stocks that his...
A new executive committee will take over running the Lake Forest Caucus. Michael Freeman will serve as president of the volunteer organization that identifies and endorses candidates for various boards and commissions in the village. Peg Determan was...
Tags: Politics, Elections, Marquette University
Walgreen Co. is buying a stake in drug wholesaler AmerisourceBergen, giving the drugstore chain greater clout in negotiating prices with drug makers -- and setting its own prices at the retail level. Walgreen could end up owning even more of...
Tribune reporterThe South Shore Drill Team exceeded its fundraising goal of $45,000 to cover the group’s trip to the presidential inauguration in Washington this weekend, team officials said Wednesday. The group received donations of $5 and-or more from...
Tags: Ceremonies, Buddy Guy, Arts and Culture, South Shore, Culture
Yes, This Is Really How They Do It: The Wolong Panda Training Base in Sichuan, China, released a series of photos to China Daily in October to mark the graduation from captivity, and into the wild, of the 2-year-old Tao Tao. Sure enough, Tao Tao and his...
Tags: Bank Robbery, Research, Business, Rentals, Politics
Walgreen Co. reported a 25 percent decline in fiscal first-quarter profit Friday and said it continues to win back customers lost last year during its contract dispute with Express Scripts Holding Co. The Deerfield-based company, the nation's largest...
Apr 21, 2013 |Story| Herald Mail
May 5, 2013 |Column| Chicago Tribune
May 3, 2013 |Story| Chicago Tribune
May 3, 2013 |Story| Chicago Tribune
Apr 28, 2013 |Story| Chicago Tribune
Apr 23, 2013 |Story| Chicago Tribune
Apr 5, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times
Mar 27, 2013 |Story| Chicago Tribune
Mar 19, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times
Jan 16, 2013 |Story| Chicago Tribune
Dec 11, 2012 |Story| WTXX-LTV
Dec 22, 2012 |Story| Chicago Tribune
Original site for Walgreen Co. topic gallery.


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The Fort Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce says that three years of minimum wage increases are hurting local businesses.
Alberta’s minimum wage went from $13.60 to $15 per hour on October 1, marking the last step in a series of increases that began in October 2015. Alberta now has the highest minimum wage in Canada. With the change in effect, workers who put in 40 hours a week will see a $2,912 yearly boost in pay.
“The $15 minimum wage will make life more affordable for women, single parents, families and everyone who has been working a full-time job or more but is still struggling to put food on the table and pay their rent. I’m proud that we are delivering on our commitment to everyday Albertan families,” said minister of labour Christina Gray in an announcement about Monday’s increase.
Fort Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce executive director Tamara Dabels said a number of local business owners have approached the chamber with concerns about the effect of the higher pay. She added that other legislated changes, including tax increases, are also making it harder for businesses in the city.
“When you take a look at the layering effects and all the changes that have taken place this year, it's not just the minimum wage that is having an impact.”
Dabels said the chamber has previously lobbied the government to slow down on raising wages and to assess consequences for business owners before putting the increases into effect.
“We've held round tables. We've issued letters on behalf of our membership. We've certainly had face to face conversations with the minister of labour and our MLA."
Dabels said she has seen some businesses close their doors permanently.
“An awful lot of the time when we're talking about these businesses, we're talking about small and medium enterprises. These are owned by middle class people in our community. And their bottom line is shrinking and shrinking.”
According to Dabels, both local shoppers and employees will end up paying for the “increasing costs of doing business.”
“You're going to see some changes in pricing as they pass on some of that increase to the consumer,” she said. “They are going to be changing the way they schedule their people. We're going to see a change in hiring practices, just to ensure that they're able to continue to stay in business.”
The provincial government reports that more than a quarter million Albertans, or 11 per cent of all workers, were earning less than $15 per hour before the recent wage boost.


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South Korean refining company and bunker supplier Hyundai Oilbank said it is handing out up to 120 months in bonuses, or 1,000% of base salaries, to its employees, according to The Korea Herald on Monday (2 January).
The firm reportedly declined to disclose the specific amount of the salaries given. The company’s bonuses came in line with the refining industry’s outstanding performance last year.
In Q3 alone, Hyundai Oilbank’s operating profit surged by 226 percent on-year to KRW 2.8 trillion (USD 2.2 billion)
“Global dynamics is the key factor that decides refining companies’ profit. Due to the prolonged impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and increasing demand for heating during winter, global oil price surged which in turn spiked our retail price,” said an industry official as quoted by the publication.
In 2021, SK Energy and GS Caltex provided 1,000% of base salaries as extra payment to employees, while S-Oil gave bonuses at a 1,400% rate.
Related: Argus Media: South Korean bunker prices soar on supply shortfall
Related: Hyundai Oilbank to start VLSFO bunker fuels sales in November
Photo credit: Lauren Seo on Unsplash
Published: 5 January, 2022
Transferred shares of 40 subsidiaries to BVI firm after tribunal awarded claims in favour of Trinity Seatrading; YSPL has also filed a civil complaint against DNV and Liberian ship registry at Nanjing Maritime Court.
ADNOC L&S, Gulf Energy Maritime, Cockett Marine Oil, Mideast/Bahri Ship Management and VPS experts present their views on biofuel bunker hurdles at the VPS Biofuels Seminar in Dubai on 16 March.
‘Bunker barges operate in very local areas so these vessels call at port very often which means it will be a good fit for women with families,’ states Elpi Petraki, President of WISTA International.
“Our Singapore branch is under preparation and is expected to start business at the republic before June 2023,” Managing Director Darcy Wong tells bunkering publication Manifold Times in an interview.
Development to supply B35 biodiesel blend officially takes effect on 1 February; local bunker suppliers will be able to deliver updated spec within March onwards, once current stocks of B30 avails run out.
VPS, Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation, Wilhelmsen Ship Management, and INTERTANKO executives offered a multitude of perspectives to 73 attendees during the VPS Biofuels Seminar, reports Manifold Times.
17 Mar 2023


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With a new administration in place the rules to keep the internet a free and open service for all to use is an idea that is under siege. The Federal Communications Commission recently revealed a plan to kill Net Neutrality. What it means for internet service providers is that they will be able to block or throttle traffic from particular sources. Once this happens, the internet will be ruled by the Service Providers.
These new key holders will now be able to both charge certain companies higher prices to serve their content and may also be able to charge their paying customers more money in return. The result? Since companies will pass on these extra charges to their consumers, the consumer will be footing the bill on both ends in terms of higher subscription rates, for both their internet bill and subscription services they have.
So how does this impact gaming? There are numerous scenarios that can play out, but we don’t know what actions will be taken. It’s not hard to imagine an ISP charging those who need gaming, streaming, and other high bandwidth activities a higher price out of the gate. Sticking with the previous example, that same ISP could be charging Microsoft, Sony, or others a premium for faster speeds as well. Of course, those companies would only pass on their fees in terms of increases in the price of hardware, software, or services.
Other potential problems lay in wait as well. With many ISPs being large media conglomerates, there’s nothing stopping them from trying to move in on the digital distribution of games through streaming or downloading which would put them in monopolistic situation.
Right now gamers are already feeling the sting of the high resolution trend. Games are constantly increasing in size and where the average game was 7-8GB just years ago, today’s it’s incredibly common for big games to come in at nearly 10x that. Some who live in areas or have services from companies that enforce a data cap are already dealing with this problem, but under these new rules it could get much worse.
While big game companies will be able to weather the storm, smaller developers and publishers will ultimately feel the worst sting. Competitive multiplayer games that require tons of bandwidth from smaller developers could be a thing of the past. Games with smaller budgets or Early Access titles that rely on engaging multiplayer experiences are already in tough position when competing against the bigger publishers, but what if they weren’t on a level playing field when it comes to bandwith and quality.
It also impacts YOU directly if you like multiplayer games. Those that are willing to pay for “better” internet will always have the upper hand in competitive games. As we all know, “lag” has and always will be a thing in games. With the killing of net neutrality, you could have to pay extra for internet just to be able to play competitive multiplayer. It also impacts YOU directly if you like to stream games, make videos, or even if you just like to watch them.


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Job: Owner of Bettieville in Rossville, Georgia
Volunteer role: Helped organize music for Sunset on the Pond Concert Series for the Rossville Downtown Development Authority
Could Rossville, Georgia, be poised for a comeback?
Andie Sellers thinks so.
"Nobody ever wanted to drive through St. Elmo — now look at it," she says. "That's where Rossville can go."
Sellers is the 30-something owner of "Bettieville," a rockabilly-themed boutique named for the 1950s pinup model Bettie Page. The store at 804 Chickamauga Avenue — Rossville's main drag — opened almost two years ago and sells used clothing, jewelry, furniture and knick-knacks.
She pays more than lip service to Rossville's potential renaissance. Sellers joined the city's downtown development authority board and volunteered this past summer to find the musical acts for the Sunset on the Pond Concert Series held at the downtown duck pond behind the former Bi-Lo supermarket, now Food City.
"I was like, 'I'm on it,'" she said of rounding up such acts as the Belaires '60s show band and bluesman Husky Burnette. "I got a lot of them [to perform] free."
In its 1960s heyday, shoppers flocked to downtown and Rossville's Peerless Woolen Mill was one of biggest employers in the Chattanooga area with more than 3,000 employees.
But Rossville's had it rough for years. The mill has long been closed, other large employers are only memories and downtown is shadow of its former self.
Where some might see decline, Sellers sees opportunity.
"It has great potential," she said. "It is really, really affordable."
Rossville's got a compact downtown with a supermarket, sidewalks and a historic Post Office. It's the southern gateway to Chattanooga, and Chickamauga Avenue (also known as Rossville Boulevard and LaFayette Road) brings lots of traffic past store fronts.
"Business has been really good," says Sellers, who grew up in Flintstone, Georgia, and attended Ridgeland High School. "I get a lot of new customers that just drive by, and they're like, 'Whoa.'"
She recently checked the price of rent around downtown and found retail space could be had for $300 to $400 a month.
Rossville Mayor Teddy Harris agrees with Sellers, and is rooting for her.
"I'm hoping she's doing well," Harris says. "The opportunities are there. It's definitely a place with opportunities, if investors want to put their money here."


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Thu, 08/05/2014 - 06:44
Legal & General (L&G) has reported a 21 per cent increase in net cash generation for the first three months of 2014 to GBP301m (Q1 2013: GBP249m).
The new business strain benefited from a positive new business surplus arising from the significant volumes of annuities and UK retail protection written in the quarter.
The net cash also includes the LGA 2014 ordinary dividend of USD73m, 11 per cent up on 2013, equating to GBP44m (Q1 2013: USD66m equating to GBP43m).
Nigel Wilson, group chief executive, says: “Legal & General delivered record results in Q1. Net cash and operational cash, up 21 per cent and six per cent respectively, are at their highest-ever levels. LGIM AUM of GBP463bn is at an all-time high, retail protection sales hit a new Q1 record and Cofunds grew AUA to GBP66bn. Our record annuity sales were driven by the UK’s largest ever bulk purchase annuity transaction, the GBP3bn deal for the ICI Pension Fund.
“We already benefit from favourable demographic trends; we have economically and socially useful products for customers; and with our LGIM economists forecasting three per cent plus economic growth in the UK and US, we are excited about the prospects for our business.
“There is strong demand for our pension de-risking and protection products in both markets – the GBP1.8 trillion of UK DB liabilities will provide substantial future business. We believe the UK DC market will grow from around GBP250bn today to GBP3 trillion by 2030. LGIM’s recent agreement to acquire Global Index Advisors (GIA), a US based DC provider will accelerate our US growth. In Q1 we invested in UK infrastructure and housing at a rate of around GBP100m per week, completing GBP1bn of transactions including Cala’s acquisition of Banner Homes and a GBP252m investment in affordable housing provider Places for People which will finance 7,000 new homes.”
Mon 22/12/2014 - 06:30
Wed 23/07/2014 - 12:01
Mon 21/07/2014 - 12:08
Mon 21/07/2014 - 10:05
Thu 25/06/2015 - 10:40
Thu 15/01/2015 - 08:19
Mon 22/12/2014 - 06:30
Mon, 31/Aug/2015 - 13:33
Mon, 31/Aug/2015 - 13:18
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Fri, 28/Aug/2015 - 07:52
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Fri, 28/Aug/2015 - 07:37
Fri, 28 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMTInvestment Banking Restructuring Analyst/Associate
Fri, 28 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMTInvestment Banking Associate (Specialty Finance)
Fri, 28 Aug 2015 00:00:00 GMT


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Yesterday, Sony celebrated at CES 5 million PSVR units sold. But Vita sold 16 million and was considered a flop. What gives?
Swings and roundabouts it is for the first week of the year, as we get not one, not two, not three but FOUR games for the Vita IGC for PS+ members.
We’re getting into the swing of things with quite a few sales and a few new games, too.
Welcome to another week of not really that much here at the PSN store update.


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X-Ability came into the spotlight when nine-year old Zoey Harrison realized she had a problem. Zoey, who uses a motorized wheelchair to get around, would waste most of her recess time trying to put on her winter coat. Her mom, Jennifer Harrison, knew she needed a better solution, so she grabbed her sewing machine and got to work.
Harrison created a special bodycoat for her daughter that was easy for Zoey to get on and off. She then shared a video on Facebook with Zoey’s paraprofessional to show how to use the coat. Overnight, the clip went viral, gathering over ten million views. After receiving worldwide news coverage and multiple requests for the bodycoat, Harrison and her husband turned the simple solution into a business. That was one short year ago and now the company is going strong.
Within the first month of business, Harrison realized that if they wanted to keep up with the hundreds of orders, they were going to need help. She reached out to a local manufacturer to produce the coats and was also referred to CMURC for business assistance.
“This company was in the perfect stage to engage with CMURC” said President + CEO Erin Strang. “They already identified that there was a demand for their product, they had developed a proof-of-concept and just needed help to move it to the next phase.”
After being connected to CMURC, Harrison made the determination to hire a marketing team. Due to focused marketing and a new website, business began to skyrocket, so Harrison and her husband left their jobs to work full time on X Ability and hired a part-time employee. The local manufacturer also hired an additional staff of four whose time is dedicated to making X Ability bodycoats. Now working like a well-oiled machine, Harrison has more time to focus on the company’s main mission: helping people.
“Our biggest personal brag through this past year is approximately 90% of our customers have sent us pictures of their loved ones using our product,” said Harrison. “It never gets old seeing them, and it motivates us to help more people.”
The company exceeded its sales and revenue goals after the first four months of its website launch. In April 2019, two new styles of bodycoats were added to the lineup, a fleece for Fall and a raincoat for Spring.
X Ability is fully-stocked and ready for the upcoming holiday season, offering 25% for all current Fall purchases! To learn more about X Ability, go to https://xabilitystore.com/.


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: Few videos were watched to full completion during Q2, reports Adobe, although videos viewed on desktops were 3 times more likely than those viewed on mobile devices to reach 75% completion. Separately, the study finds that mobile devices were responsible for more than 1 in 4 video starts in Q2 (26.6%), up from 18.6% a year earlier.
As the end of this year approaches, marketers are already planning for 2015. And as marketing becomes an increasingly audience-focused affair, understanding the demographic profile of media audiences is becoming more critical than ever. A new MarketingCharts Debrief, Media Audience Demographics
, provides essential data for marketers by breaking down the demographics of various media channels.
A slim majority of marketers and salespeople from around the world say that their lead generation effectiveness is improving, while just 1 in 10 see it worsening, finds Ascend2 and its Research Partners in a new study
[download page]. While that may be the case, respondents (chiefly B2B-focused) were more likely to say that their costs-per-lead are increasing (25%) than decreasing (19%).
: The retail industry topped all others tracked in Q3 post interaction rates (comments, likes, shares, and other interactions), with its 4.18% average representing a 13% increase over the year-earlier period. No other industry experienced an increase in post engagement rates. Separately, the study notes that average organic impressions on Facebook decreased by 50% year-over-year in September, while paid impressions grew by 5%.
With the TV industry rocked by big news in successive days this week (standalone streaming services planned by HBO and CBS), it's well worth taking a look at what content is most important to pay-TV subscribers. According to a recently-released study
[download page] from comScore, the two most important genres for pay-TV and
non-pay-TV subscribers are news and prime-time shows. The real gap is for live sports, which pay-TV subscribers are twice as likely to consider important as their non-subscriber counterparts.
: Economist Intelligence Unit / Peppercomm
: Online search tools are more important to B2B executives than company websites and recommendations when it comes to finding content from companies that is credible and trustworthy, according to a recent survey. Separately, when asked how they use various sources to find content created by a particular organization, 63% of respondents said they use search often, far ahead of the proportion saying they often consult the official online presence of the company (42%).


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|By Business Wire||
|November 19, 2012 08:37 AM EST||
NetDNA today announced the NetDNA Acceleration Platform, the first content delivery network (CDN) service that allows developers to seamlessly embed web acceleration capabilities into their web services and applications.
The new platform redefines how deeply integrated CDN services can be in a web service or platform. NetDNA Acceleration Platform gives web developers total control over CDN provisioning either to resell CDN services to their customers through their apps, or for competitive advantage as extra site performance or a free customer feature.
Early customer Player.IO, a game developer network, uses the NetDNA Acceleration Platform as a part of its service, helping to make the games developed on its network faster and more successful.
WPEngine, a hassle-free and high-performance Word Press hosting service, lets its customers that need performance add a CDN to their site using the self-managing control panel right from the WPEngine user interface. The service makes it easy for WPEngine to handle thousands of CDN zones in its platform.
The NetDNA Acceleration Platform leverages NetDNA’s worldwide network of edge servers and adds to that a new representational state transfer (REST) -based API for web application integration and a very powerful control panel that lets developers completely manage their services.
Demand for CDN services has skyrocketed with market analysts expecting 25 percent to 30 percent annual market growth between now and 2017. That growth reflects how essential CDNs are becoming to most websites, helping to improve search engine optimization, customer satisfaction and e-commerce sales.
“Slow web performance is a significant pain point for websites and Internet businesses of all sizes. With NetDNA Acceleration Platform, we are expanding the market for CDN services by enabling developers to pass on web acceleration to their customers,” said Chris Ueland, Co-Founder and President of NetDNA. “Our goal is that CDN services become a widespread feature of web apps giving all Internet sites the capability to deliver optimal performance.”
CDN Control Panel
The NetDNA Acceleration Platform control panel provides total self-management of all CDN-related services and features. It can be accessed on computers or using iOS or Android tablets and smartphones. The control panel allows self-management of all CDN functionality including instant zone creation, cache-setting adjustments, instant purge, CNAME manager and the ability to instantly set up an SSL service.
The REST API allows developers to create a plug-in that allows users to provision a new CDN with changes taking effect across the network in minutes. Developers can also use the REST API to build access to any feature or function found in the control panel into their apps or services. The API includes functions to create, modify and delete zones, prime and purge cache files, list and update users and create all of the various reports.
To help ease integration, the NetDNA Acceleration Platform features a developer’s center (developer.netdna.com) with tools and sample code that developers can use to test drive their implementation and simplify their integration and testing of the CDN. The developer’s center features libraries for PERL, PhP, Microsoft .net, Python and Ruby on Rails.
NetDNA Acceleration Platform is available now. Pricing depends on data volume, but starts at only $800.
About NetDNA, LLC
NetDNA, LLC is one of the fastest growing content delivery network (CDN) with a 130 percent annual growth in new customers. The company is rewriting the rules in the CDN market by being the most developer friendly CDN with its Acceleration Platform. NetDNA has developed its own data centers with proprietary software that lets the company provide competitively priced, secure, no-compromise services that can be quickly implemented to improve website performance. More than 9,300 companies across the globe use NetDNA and MaxCDN services thanks to its worldwide network, flexible deployment, custom development, dedicated support and competitively priced bandwidth.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is about the digitization of physical assets including sensors, devices, machines, gateways, and the network. It creates possibilities for significant value creation and new revenue generating business models via data democratization and ubiquitous analytics across IoT networks. The explosion of data in all forms in IoT requires a more robust and broader lens in order to enable smarter timely actions and better outcomes. Business operations become the key driver of IoT applications and projects. Business operations, IT, and data scientists need advanced analytics t...
Aug. 28, 2015 12:30 AM EDT Reads: 321
With the proliferation of connected devices underpinning new Internet of Things systems, Brandon Schulz, Director of Luxoft IoT – Retail, will be looking at the transformation of the retail customer experience in brick and mortar stores in his session at @ThingsExpo. Questions he will address include: Will beacons drop to the wayside like QR codes, or be a proximity-based profit driver? How will the customer experience change in stores of all types when everything can be instrumented and analyzed? As an area of investment, how might a retail company move towards an innovation methodolo...
Aug. 27, 2015 06:15 PM EDT Reads: 379
As more and more data is generated from a variety of connected devices, the need to get insights from this data and predict future behavior and trends is increasingly essential for businesses. Real-time stream processing is needed in a variety of different industries such as Manufacturing, Oil and Gas, Automobile, Finance, Online Retail, Smart Grids, and Healthcare. Azure Stream Analytics is a fully managed distributed stream computation service that provides low latency, scalable processing of streaming data in the cloud with an enterprise grade SLA. It features built-in integration with Azur...
Aug. 27, 2015 05:45 PM EDT
WebRTC has had a real tough three or four years, and so have those working with it. Only a few short years ago, the development world were excited about WebRTC and proclaiming how awesome it was. You might have played with the technology a couple of years ago, only to find the extra infrastructure requirements were painful to implement and poorly documented. This probably left a bitter taste in your mouth, especially when things went wrong.
Aug. 27, 2015 02:45 PM EDT Reads: 377
As more intelligent IoT applications shift into gear, they’re merging into the ever-increasing traffic flow of the Internet. It won’t be long before we experience bottlenecks, as IoT traffic peaks during rush hours. Organizations that are unprepared will find themselves by the side of the road unable to cross back into the fast lane. As billions of new devices begin to communicate and exchange data – will your infrastructure be scalable enough to handle this new interconnected world?
Aug. 27, 2015 02:15 PM EDT
SYS-CON Events announced today that IceWarp will exhibit at the 17th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. IceWarp, the leader of cloud and on-premise messaging, delivers secured email, chat, documents, conferencing and collaboration to today's mobile workforce, all in one unified interface
Aug. 27, 2015 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 323
Too often with compelling new technologies market participants become overly enamored with that attractiveness of the technology and neglect underlying business drivers. This tendency, what some call the “newest shiny object syndrome,” is understandable given that virtually all of us are heavily engaged in technology. But it is also mistaken. Without concrete business cases driving its deployment, IoT, like many other technologies before it, will fade into obscurity.
Aug. 27, 2015 01:00 PM EDT Reads: 283
Consumer IoT applications provide data about the user that just doesn’t exist in traditional PC or mobile web applications. This rich data, or “context,” enables the highly personalized consumer experiences that characterize many consumer IoT apps. This same data is also providing brands with unprecedented insight into how their connected products are being used, while, at the same time, powering highly targeted engagement and marketing opportunities. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Nathan Treloar, President and COO of Bebaio, will explore examples of brands transforming their businesses by t...
Aug. 27, 2015 11:30 AM EDT
SYS-CON Events announced today that Micron Technology, Inc., a global leader in advanced semiconductor systems, will exhibit at the 17th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Micron’s broad portfolio of high-performance memory technologies – including DRAM, NAND and NOR Flash – is the basis for solid state drives, modules, multichip packages and other system solutions. Backed by more than 35 years of technology leadership, Micron's memory solutions enable the world's most innovative computing, consumer,...
Aug. 27, 2015 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 121
Through WebRTC, audio and video communications are being embedded more easily than ever into applications, helping carriers, enterprises and independent software vendors deliver greater functionality to their end users. With today’s business world increasingly focused on outcomes, users’ growing calls for ease of use, and businesses craving smarter, tighter integration, what’s the next step in delivering a richer, more immersive experience? That richer, more fully integrated experience comes about through a Communications Platform as a Service which allows for messaging, screen sharing, video...
Aug. 27, 2015 06:15 AM EDT Reads: 511
SYS-CON Events announced today that Pythian, a global IT services company specializing in helping companies leverage disruptive technologies to optimize revenue-generating systems, has been named “Bronze Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 17th Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Founded in 1997, Pythian is a global IT services company that helps companies compete by adopting disruptive technologies such as cloud, Big Data, advanced analytics, and DevOps to advance innovation and increase agility. Specializing in designing, imple...
Aug. 26, 2015 08:00 AM EDT Reads: 157
Akana has announced the availability of the new Akana Healthcare Solution. The API-driven solution helps healthcare organizations accelerate their transition to being secure, digitally interoperable businesses. It leverages the Health Level Seven International Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (HL7 FHIR) standard to enable broader business use of medical data. Akana developed the Healthcare Solution in response to healthcare businesses that want to increase electronic, multi-device access to health records while reducing operating costs and complying with government regulations.
Aug. 26, 2015 07:00 AM EDT
SYS-CON Events announced today that HPM Networks will exhibit at the 17th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on November 3–5, 2015, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. For 20 years, HPM Networks has been integrating technology solutions that solve complex business challenges. HPM Networks has designed solutions for both SMB and enterprise customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
Aug. 3, 2015 06:45 PM EDT Reads: 776
For IoT to grow as quickly as analyst firms’ project, a lot is going to fall on developers to quickly bring applications to market. But the lack of a standard development platform threatens to slow growth and make application development more time consuming and costly, much like we’ve seen in the mobile space. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Mike Weiner, Product Manager of the Omega DevCloud with KORE Telematics Inc., discussed the evolving requirements for developers as IoT matures and conducted a live demonstration of how quickly application development can happen when the need to comply wit...
Aug. 2, 2015 11:15 AM EDT Reads: 538
The Internet of Everything (IoE) brings together people, process, data and things to make networked connections more relevant and valuable than ever before – transforming information into knowledge and knowledge into wisdom. IoE creates new capabilities, richer experiences, and unprecedented opportunities to improve business and government operations, decision making and mission support capabilities.
Aug. 1, 2015 10:00 AM EDT Reads: 468
Explosive growth in connected devices. Enormous amounts of data for collection and analysis. Critical use of data for split-second decision making and actionable information. All three are factors in making the Internet of Things a reality. Yet, any one factor would have an IT organization pondering its infrastructure strategy. How should your organization enhance its IT framework to enable an Internet of Things implementation? In his session at @ThingsExpo, James Kirkland, Red Hat's Chief Architect for the Internet of Things and Intelligent Systems, described how to revolutionize your archit...
Jul. 30, 2015 07:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,556
MuleSoft has announced the findings of its 2015 Connectivity Benchmark Report on the adoption and business impact of APIs. The findings suggest traditional businesses are quickly evolving into "composable enterprises" built out of hundreds of connected software services, applications and devices. Most are embracing the Internet of Things (IoT) and microservices technologies like Docker. A majority are integrating wearables, like smart watches, and more than half plan to generate revenue with APIs within the next year.
Jul. 30, 2015 02:30 PM EDT Reads: 268
Growth hacking is common for startups to make unheard-of progress in building their business. Career Hacks can help Geek Girls and those who support them (yes, that's you too, Dad!) to excel in this typically male-dominated world. Get ready to learn the facts: Is there a bias against women in the tech / developer communities? Why are women 50% of the workforce, but hold only 24% of the STEM or IT positions? Some beginnings of what to do about it! In her Opening Keynote at 16th Cloud Expo, Sandy Carter, IBM General Manager Cloud Ecosystem and Developers, and a Social Business Evangelist, d...
Jul. 30, 2015 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,215
In his keynote at 16th Cloud Expo, Rodney Rogers, CEO of Virtustream, discussed the evolution of the company from inception to its recent acquisition by EMC – including personal insights, lessons learned (and some WTF moments) along the way. Learn how Virtustream’s unique approach of combining the economics and elasticity of the consumer cloud model with proper performance, application automation and security into a platform became a breakout success with enterprise customers and a natural fit for the EMC Federation.
Jul. 30, 2015 09:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,306
The Internet of Things is not only adding billions of sensors and billions of terabytes to the Internet. It is also forcing a fundamental change in the way we envision Information Technology. For the first time, more data is being created by devices at the edge of the Internet rather than from centralized systems. What does this mean for today's IT professional? In this Power Panel at @ThingsExpo, moderated by Conference Chair Roger Strukhoff, panelists addressed this very serious issue of profound change in the industry.
Jul. 29, 2015 03:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,437


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Bitcoin may be touted as a global and accessible currency, but some of its users are being badly underserved.
Michael Staffen is a bitcoin user who is blind. He posted about his frustration with bitcoin wallets, which currently don’t offer any accessibility options to visually impaired people, on reddit:
“I am a fully blind person who uses a screen-reader and every bitcoin wallet I have downloaded is inaccessible to my screen-reader … This is making me very annoyed as I am a bitcoin supporter and I have acquired my own bitcoin, I just can’t goddamn use them without getting help from someone else.”
Staffen’s reddit post attracted nearly 200 comments and almost 1,000 upvotes. The comments were largely positive, calling on wallet developers to provide accessibility features for blind bitcoin users.
A core developer working on Multibit, a popular open-source wallet, said he raised the issue with the Multibit developer community and had started beta testing for accessibility issues after seeing the post. He has also recruited Staffen as one of Multibit’s beta testers.
CoinDesk contacted Staffen to get a walkthrough of his experience using a bitcoin wallet with a screenreader. A screenreader is a piece of software that reads out the entire contents of a computer display and allows a blind or partially sighted person to operate the device.
“Most people want to make [bitcoin] accessible, they just haven’t considered it. That’s one of the problems around accessibility.”
Staffen uses the market-leading third-party application JAWS. As he fired up his computer, JAWS called out his cursor’s location on the screen.
Staffen said he uses only a keyboard to navigate through his computer. The screenreader read out each menu so quickly that Staffen had to slow it down for us to follow.
Firstly, he chose to demonstrate his problems with the the Bitcoin-Qt wallet. When the application launched, Staffen showed that he could only access the main menu bar in the application.
This menu bar contained three drop-down menus that allowed him to backup and encrypt his wallet, but did not allow him to perform basic functions like check his wallet address or send and receive bitcoin. Those features are accessed through buttons contained in the application’s main window.
“If I go to the Bitcoin-Qt wallet, I can get into menus like ‘file’, ‘help’ and ‘settings’, but I can’t really do anything with them. There’s nothing to [help me] hear what’s going on. There’s no interaction with the screenreader, so basically the wallet is useless to me, unless I get someone to help me.” He added:
“For example, even getting to the [wallet] address, which I need to cut and paste – I can’t even really do that.”
Staffen said his sister, who is also a bitcoin enthusiast, currently helps him access the wallet. However, Staffen says he’s not pinning blame on a particular company or person for the poor state of accessible wallets.
“Most people want to make it accessible, probably including the developers – they just haven’t considered it. That’s one of the problems around accessibility: It’s not that people intentionally exclude others. It’s also up to [people with disabilities] to make noise.”
Michael Staffen’s story
Staffen (pictured) is a 36-year-old who lives in a town called Regina in a relatively rural province called Saskatchewan, which is part of the ‘Canadian prairies’. He developed lymphoma, a cancer of the blood, four years ago.
When he was diagnosed, he was told he had stage-four lymphoma and that the cancer had spread to his central nervous system. He was given a bleak prognosis.
“I was in a coma for a total of a month and was given a 0% chance of living. When I woke up from my coma, I could not see or move.”
The cancer had damaged Staffen’s optic nerve, leaving him with no light perception. After a year-long stay in the hospital, where he received chemotherapy, he eventually started a physiotherapy regime to regain use of his body.
“I did physiotherapy twice a day, where I learned how to walk and use my body again. I am now considered cured!”
Staffen is currently enrolled at the University of Regina where he is studying for a master’s degree in public policy and administration. He expected to graduate in September.
He has also become active in the local technology scene, becoming a board member of a maker-space called Crash Bang Labs. When CoinDesk spoke to him, he was in the midst of monitoring his new litecoin mining rig.
Staffen got interested in bitcoin two years ago after hearing about it on a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio show, but was struggling to adapt to using technology as a blind person.
“As a relatively new blind person I just did not have the wherewithal to go about [buying bitcoin in 2011] and wiring money at the time just seemed extraordinarily shady.”
By April of last year, Staffen was comfortable enough with technology to give bitcoin another go.
“My sister and I teamed up to figure out how to buy bitcoins from Mt. Gox. We had to wire our money to Japan which seemed ludicrous and scary.”
Staffen was so enamoured with the digital currency that he used a cash advance from his credit card to get enough funds to buy some. Unfortunately for Staffen and his sister, they bought into the cryptocurrency at its April peak of about $250.
“The price collapsed the very next day. I kept them because I thought they may recover eventually,” he said. The cryptocurrency’s price, of course, rallied to over $1,000 over the course of the year. It’s currently about $850 according to the CoinDesk BPI.
Gary Rowe, a core developer on MultiBit, said the team is working on a new version of the wallet that would implement the Java Accessibility API recommendations.
This set of guidelines is designed to help developers create Java applications that are accessible to people with disabilities, including visual impairment or blindness. Rowe said he expected MultiBit HD to be released by the end of March at the latest.
“MultiBit are committed to delivering code of the highest quality to a wide range of users. Some of those users require support for accessibility to make their experience of MultiBit better,” he said, adding that Staffen is MultiBit’s only visually impaired beta tester at the moment.
Assistive technology boom
Screenreader technology is becoming increasingly common on computing devices, led by a combination of consumer expectations, industry adoption and legislation, said Robin Spinks, the principal manager for digital accessibility at the Royal National Institute of Blind People, the leading charity in the United Kingdom.
The latest WebAIM survey of screen reader usage, for example, shows that adoption of the technology has grown from 12% to 72% in the last three years. WebAIM is a non-profit organisation focused on web accessibility solutions at Utah State University.
Apple developed a screen reader and made it standard on iOS in 2009, a move that Spinks says sparked mass adoption of the technology. He said:
“Apple has led the march on this and other companies are following in their wake. Leaders in industry are demonstrating that it’s economically viable.”
As for Staffen, he says he plans to immerse himself further in the bitcoin economy. He’s been thinking about developing an education centre for people to learn about bitcoin or a wallet that’s accessible to blind users.
“I’m not sure what the business will be yet, all I know is I want to make a living from it.”
Image via Shutterstock, Michael Staffen
The leader in blockchain news, CoinDesk is an independent media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. Have breaking news or a story tip to send to our journalists? Contact us at [email protected].


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Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) could gain $8.2 million in the fourth quarter after it invested in Rivian Automotive Inc (NASDAQ: RIVN)since its public offering in 2021. The company revealed the gain, among other things it would disclose in its fourth-quarter report on February 3.
Ford will also reclassify a $900 million non-cash gain from Rivian in the first quarter of 2021 as a special item. As a result, it will not be part of the adjusted full-year results.
Ford still profits from Rivian
This announcement shows how Ford still profits from Rivian even though they abandoned their plans to partner and develop an electric vehicle. Ford had put $1.2 billion into the start-up since 2018. Moreover, the company had a stake of 12% that accounted for $10 billion in Rivian.
Rivian’s market capitalization has been volatile since 2021. The company’s shares reached a peak of $172. However, they have reduced by 57% due to competition from the electric vehicle market.
Rivian briefly had a higher value than Ford at $100 billion. However, Ford has managed to beat Rivian by reaching a market cap of $100 billion.
Ford makes a deal with a corrupt union
Meanwhile, Ford has opened an electric truck and battery facility worth $5.6 billion in Haywood County, Tennessee. However, the state did little to ensure worker protections before greenlighting incentives of about $900 million before opening the facility.
The worker agreement did not give the employees might to a secret ballot in case a union tried to organize the factory. Furthermore, Ford already has a deal in place with the United Auto Workers (UAW), which is infamous for its corruption.
The agreement between UAW and Ford allows the union access to its employees and their addresses. Additionally, the union could deny workers the ability to use a secret ballot for elections when the UAW organizes through a card check.
During card checks, unions gather employee signatures and present them to an employer who recognizes them immediately. A secret ballot, on the other hand, gives workers the ability to vote anonymously for or against the union.
For this reason, workers are not protected from intimidation by unions. For instance, UAW has a history of harassing and lying to workers to get their signatures.


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The crowded room inside the corner building on Berlin's grand Unter den Linden boulevard was packed with representatives from the city's burgeoning start-up scene on Thursday. Investors, media, corporate types, they had all gathered for the official opening of the building, Microsoft's new presence in the German capital.
The American tech giant was quick to seize on the hype surrounding start-ups in Berlin , with the announcement of the participants in its first accelerator program the center of attention at the event. The big guns had been brought along, as well, with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer giving the keynote speech.
It was all part of Microsoft's attempts to regain its leading role in the technology business after losing its way -- at least in terms of how it is perceived by the latest tech-savvy generation -- following its 1990s heyday.
To that end, the company is following in the footsteps of its rivals: Google also has its Berlin office on Unter den Linden, almost across the street, while Facebook has a small presence on Pariser Platz under the watchful eye of the Brandenburg Gate and Twitter is just around the corner. Berlin even has its very own Apple Store.
But Microsoft is aiming higher by trying to leverage the booming start-up culture as part of its global transformation. As well as offices for Microsoft staff, the new Microsoft Berlin Center has a café on the ground floor called the Digital Eatery, where members of the public can come in and try out the company's products including smartphones and tablets. There is also space for events, both internal and external, in the form of the Microsoft Atrium, while the fifth floor will be home to the nine start-ups chosen for the first four-month accelerator program.
The program brings existing teams of entrepreneurs together and provides them with assistance and contacts to help develop their start-ups faster than would otherwise be possible.
'Microsoft Was a Start-Up Once Too'
At the event, Ballmer played up his company's innovative credentials, reminding his audience that "Microsoft was a start-up once too," and that it thus knew what was required to help young companies grow. "Most start-ups need a little bit of help, a little bit of nurturing, a little bit of money, a little bit of opportunity to interact with and bounce off of one another. Environments like this one … have a really significant role to play," he said.
The start-up culture is an important part of that role, and Rahul Sood, the head of Microsoft Ventures, was keen to show that the company has not become just another stuffy corporate entity. He took to the stage in a sweatshirt emblazoned with the name and logo of American football team the Seattle Seahawks, standing out alongside his colleagues' dark suits.
A former start-up founder himself, Sood sees the new accelerator as part of a larger movement: "We are democratizing the creation of start-ups around the world. It's not just about Silicon Valley any more. We are finding some amazing emerging ecosystems all around the world, everywhere from Bangalore, India to Beijing, China to Berlin. We're seeing some incredible start-ups emerge out of different places." Indeed, he pointed out that somewhere in the world, a company which has gone on to be worth $1 billion has been created every month for the past 84 months.
That was certainly music to the ears of those present who are already part of the ecosystem in Berlin . When Microsoft announced its intention to open the new center earlier this year, there were questions about whether they would find success in a city where it pays to get to know the local scene. But Microsoft has seemingly been willing to work with existing institutions towards being an integral part of that scene, even going as far as to work with other accelerators founded in the city by large companies including Deutsche Telekom and publishing house Axel Springer. Stephan Jacquemot, the head of Microsoft Ventures Germany, explained: "This market needs to develop, we need to partner up with those organizations in order to develop the whole ecosystem."
All this effort to work with start-ups is part of the process of renewal Microsoft is undergoing. In his talk, Ballmer, who is leaving the company next year around 34 years after first joining, compared the two cultures, arguing that even as a company with 100,000 employees, there was still the need for transformation. "We too are constantly having to start up" amid the "talk now about a kind of a new program, a transformation for our company," he said.
Berlin as a 'Metropolis for Creativity'
Thursday's opening was a key part of that transformation, according to Microsoft Germany general manager Christian P. Illek. "This is not only an important day for Microsoft in Germany, it's an important day for Microsoft as a whole," he said. "Why have we chosen Berlin? Berlin is the metropolis for creativity. Berlin has become the hotspot in Europe, alongside London, for founding IT companies and start-ups." There are 70,000 people in Berlin and the surrounding state of Brandenburg who work in IT, he said, and he emphasized the importance of partnering with the companies they work for, dubbing partnerships the "basic principle of Microsoft's business."
That is good news for the start-up founders entering the accelerator. They joined the speakers on stage, some looking tired following what was an exhaustive selection process, but all sporting wide and genuine smiles. One was Anthony Hsiao, a native Berliner whose company, EvoMob, helps customers create versions of their online shops for mobile technology such as phones and tablets.
He and his co-founders applied at Microsoft because of the company's business-to-business (B2B) expertise: "Microsoft is one of the most prominent B2B software companies out there so it made a lot of sense from a customer point of view and from a sales point of view," he said. "It's a no investment, no equity deal, so mainly for us it's the connections, the networks."
Despite all the talk of building Berlin's start-up ecosystem, the biggest cause for celebration is the huge networking and economic potential that the Microsoft juggernaut brings to the table.
After all, Hsiao added, in the long term, "having the Microsoft badge, as it were, is a very powerful thing."


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CopyrightBank Launches NEM-powered Copyright Registration Platform
Creators and owners of original digital content anywhere in the world can now register their work on a new blockchain-powered platform called CopyrightBank.
The platform, developed in Melbourne, enables books, music, photographs, artworks, films, computer programs, databases and other creative works to be digitally fingerprinted on the blockchain as a way to verify ownership — with a launch price of only US$1 per work.
Users can simply register for a free account on CopyrightBank, upload their digital work, get timestamped and registered on the blockchain to receive a certificate of registration.
“As a society, we’re creating more content than ever. Digital content in particular is exceedingly easy to create; anyone with a smartphone is a potential photographer, film-maker or music producer. But the legal protections for content creators haven’t moved with the times accordingly.
There needs to be a way for content creators to simply and effectively register their copyrights in order to prove ownership, and this is exactly what we’re providing with CopyrightBank,” said David Oh, the CEO and Founder of CopyrightBank.
The platform is built on the NEM blockchain, a blockchain that was designed and coded from the ground up for scale and speed. Unlike other blockchains or digital ledgers, NEM’s ‘plug and play’ approach is designed to offer startups and businesses a customisable, easy and secure method of making transactions and storing digital assets.
“CopyrightBank is an idea that has taken more than 10 years to come to fruition and it has been made possible today because of the NEM blockchain. There are many projects trying to build real-world use cases on the blockchain, but many have failed or are facing undue delays due to numerous technical challenges,” Mr Oh added.
“The beauty of designing this system for the NEM blockchain is that the powerful cryptographic algorithms ensure the integrity of the information. As a result, the digital fingerprinting, time-stamping and recording by CopyrightBank can be relied on.”
Bill Angelidis, CEO of Asta Solutions, a Melbourne-based systems integrator who developed the CopyrightBank platform, said: “The development team found it fairly easy to build on NEM because of the API architecture that simplifies the creation of client apps. As a result, it is possible to implement usage of the blockchain utilising any programming language.”
CopyrightBank has been allocated $USD500,000 from the Community Fund of the NEM Foundation, a not for profit organisation with a focus to introduce, educate and promote the use of the NEM blockchain technology platform across all industries on a global scale.
“The NEM community fund exists to support projects that showcase the versatility of the NEM blockchain. We are very happy to see the first phase of CopyrightBank being completed and delivered,” said Jason Lee, Expansion Director for Australia and New Zealand for the NEM Foundation.
“We invite enterprises, digital content creating and hosting platforms as well as governments who want a white label solution for online copyright registration to partner with us. We are not resting. The development team has already started working on the architecture for our mobile app. When it launches, it will be a real game-changer,” added Mr Oh.
Members of the NEM community are invited to create a free account at www.CopyrightBank.com to try out the platform. Use the coupon code NEM50% to get a 50% discount off your purchase.


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Apple Maps currently relies on Yelp and TripAdvisor for local business reviews and related content such as images. That could begin to change with iOS 14; the question is: how disruptive will it be for Apple’s partners and the “review economy” in general?
First reported by 9to5Mac, based on this tweet, iOS 14 will allow users to add photos and rate a business natively within Apple Maps. It differentiates between products and services and uses a binary thumbs up or down system like Facebook, rather than a point or star-ratings system like Google.
Reviews too important to outsource. Ratings and reviews, like Maps themselves are ultimately too important, to be outsourced even to strong third party platforms like TripAdvisor and Yelp. That would now appear be Apple’s thinking.
As discussed in this post from Mike Blumenthal featuring Aaron Weiche and David Mihm, Apple Ratings could potentially hurt Yelp and TripAdvisor. The market will see this as bad news for Apple’s partners and their valuations could be impacted in the short term.
However, we don’t know what the contracts say or how long Apple will be collecting ratings before it feels confident enough to “go it alone.” It could be quite some time and so the actual impact on Yelp or TripAdvisor in the short term could therefore be minimal. Stay tuned.
Apple Ratings and Photos UI
Preventing fake reviews. The most interesting part of Apple Ratings is the company’s apparent effort to prevent review fraud. According to 9to5Mac, “Apple is using on-device machine learning to present POI rating opportunities when it sees that someone has visited a place several times. The company will also be doing some checks to try and prevent abuse, such as only accepting ratings from people that have physically visited the place.”
It’s not clear whether this is an accurate description of Apple’s Ratings methodology. If it is, it will take Apple longer to get to some sort of “critical mass.” However, it could also be disruptive of the review economy in a very positive way.
The problem of review fraud is much more extensive than people realize. It’s rampant on Amazon and Google, in the millions of reviews annually. The problem doesn’t spare any of the major platforms and also exists on TripAdvisor and Yelp, although they apparently do a better job of cleaning up fake reviews. Consumers have an increasing but still only limited awareness of the problem.
Building trust with users. Apple Maps has millions of users globally and generates billions of local searches. But whatever Apple says about its position on the iPhone, it lags far behind Google Maps in usage and utility overall. Google Maps is the epicenter of local search.
Developing and presenting its Ratings as more accurate and free of fraud could help differentiate Apple Maps as a local search platform in the future. I exchanged emails about Apple Ratings with Curtis Boyd whose company Objection.co helps identify and remove fraudulent online reviews.
Boyd said, “Apple has the benefit of starting from scratch and learning from the mistakes of Yelp and Google.” He added that Apple could use multiple signals to determine ratings authenticity including location. “Access to some of the OS/hardware data would provide countless data points for AI to examine [in order to determine review validity].”
Why we care. We’ll need to wait for the official launch of Apple Ratings. But if Apple does emphasize trust and accuracy using visitation and other signals, it could put meaningful pressure on other platforms to do more to clean up review spam on their sites. This would be a welcome development across the board.
Local SEOs (and reputation management vendors) would now appear to have another review platform to address. How critical native Apple Ratings will become and whether SEOs and businesses will be able do anything — beyond delivering a good customer experience — to acquire and influence them very much remains to be seen.
The post Apple Ratings is coming to iOS 14, how disruptive will it be? appeared first on Search Engine Land.


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Zhanna has a background working for an American multinational food and beverage company as well as at a number of translation agencies serving similar top multinational corporations. She enjoys discovering new cultures as well as learning new languages. She is also a lover of all things fabric and floral ,especially if they are design-related. Zhanna is a graduate of Belarusian State Economic University with a major in Intercultural Business Communications.
As fears of a Greek exit from the eurozone have grown, the price of Bitcoin has been steadily rising.
Due to the Greek’s government capital controls, the citizens can’t access their money, however they have an option of bringing Bitcoin into their life.
The price of Bitcoin has risen to its highest level since March while gold, the traditional safe haven, has barely budged. According to Bloomberg, Bitcoin is trading up 7 per cent from its level on June 26 at $260. Gold, however, is down 1 per cent from Friday to $1,173 a troy ounce.
Terry Hanlon, the President of Dillon Gage Metals, a wholesale precious metals trader in Dallas, said he had seen volumes grow by 70% in June from May. As said by Hanlon, that was not reflected in the price, because that tends to be dictated by futures speculation, which does not move in sync with trades of physical gold.
Coinbase announced on Monday that it will suspend transaction fees that are normally 1% for all purchases in euros through July 5.
Erik Voorhees, founder of the Bitcoin company ShapeShift, has urged the Bitcoin community to tweet at Greek citizens and send them $5 in Bitcoins using the payment platform ChangeTip.
However, leading Greeks to the digital currency is not simple. At the moment, there are very few ways for anyone in Greece to even obtain Bitcoins. Their banks are closed for a week; their ATMs are limiting them to withdrawing 60 euros per day; and as of Tuesday, they cannot use Greek credit or debit cards for online transactions. That means they cannnot even take Coinbase up on its offer.
“If you’re sitting in Europe, you’re seeing a timeline now—you saw Cyprus in 2013, now Greece in 2015—and you’re like, ‘Hmm, my economy isn’t performing particularly well either, and all my assets could be frozen or devalued, that’s scary.’ There’s little that [bitcoin companies] can do for people on the ground in Greece. The bigger deal here is if you’re sitting in Italy, Spain, or Portugal, and you’re getting a little nervous, maybe it makes some sense to put value into bitcoin where you’re less susceptible to these things. The doomsday way of saying it would be, ‘Do it before it’s too late,’” said Fred Ehrsam, cofounder and president of Coinbase, meaning that the company’s motive is to appeal to Europeans who are not in Greece.
It should not go unmentioned that European activity on Coinbase is up 300% in the last 48 hours, compared to an average week from the past couple months. It is evident that Bitcoin’s appeal for Greeks, or for anyone whose national banking system is faltering, is that it is decentralized, securely tracked on Bitcoin’s blockchain, and can be sent around with little or no fees and little or no transfer delays. Besides, the price of Bitcoin is up: it’s risen nearly 4% in the last day, 6% in the last week, and nearly 10% in the last month.


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Since its launch on Tuesday, Amazon's MMORPG New World has seen quite literally overwhelming popularity. Despite having doubled server numbers since release, the publisher is now asking for new fans logging into the game for the first time to find and join low-capacity servers in the game while it looks to cut down on huge queue times.
As shared in an update on Twitter (below), the development team spoke further about how players could avoid New World's existing queue times – primarily, that's done by choosing to become part of less popular server, rather than jumping into an already-packed world and waiting to get in.
A message from the New World Team regarding launch, world queues, and character transfers. pic.twitter.com/wDSrlT8w93— New World (@playnewworld) October 1, 2021
"Our team has been working around the clock to add as many servers as we can and will continue to do so until we stabilize wait times," says Amazon. "While we do that work, there are options to get into the game quickly. If you are a player logging in for the first time, forty percent of our live servers have low or no wait times. We encourage you to seek those servers out and get playing."
For existing players, that's a little harder. While Amazon says that is currently working on a feature that will allow you to transfer your character to a different server in order to more easily play with friends, this currently isn't possible in the game. The company has stated that it is aiming to bring this feature to fans next week but, in the meantime, players already registered in oversubscribed servers have few options but to wait for Amazon to increase capacity and hope that newer players don't add to their already existing wait times.
The wait times for New World speak volumes about the game's staggering popularity since launch. The new MMO has already become the most played game of 2021 with an all-time player count peak more than 200,000 players higher than Valheim’s, which previously held the record. On launch day itself, Amazon says that over a million players entered the game while the most recent statistics published on SteamDB show that despite issues with servers, the game has garnered an impressive new high of 758,543 concurrent players.
This might not come as a surprise to fans who had been following the game prior to launch. The game's open beta featured its own successful stint on Steam when it ran back in July. For Amazon, New World offers a heartening yet stark contrast to the company's previously published works in the gaming sphere. Prior to New World, the studio's last efforts came in the form of Crucible, a free-to-play multiplayer third-person shooter that's servers were shut down in November following a reasonably poor run on Steam.
If you're currently thinking about diving into New World, make sure to check out our review in progress for the game. Alternatively, if you're currently sat waiting in one of New Worlds server queues, then why not pass the time by checking our dedicated New World wiki, which includes a range of information useful for getting started on the shores of Aeternum.
Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.