text: The business sector seems ripe for cable to offer an alternative to the telcos. The return on investment is evident, but are operators being aggressive enough? By Peter Caranicas How do you ignore a $130 billion market? The answer, of course, is you don’t. Even though cable has been praising the potential of the business services sector for a few years, it has yet to capture more than a tiny sliver of it. The business case couldn’t be more compelling. Cable’s penetration of its residential customer base has nearly reached saturation and faces fierce competition from satellite, not to mention future onslaughts from new telco video offerings to consumers. And while ARPU growth remains possible, far greater potential exists in offering voice, data and even video services to businesses. This market—traditionally called commercial services but recently relabeled business services by CTAM, CableLabs and SCTE—was addressed once again at the CTAM Business Services Forum, during and after the National Show in Atlanta. "There’s incredible excitement about this part of the business," says Andre Martineau, senior director of business solutions for Advance/Newhouse Communications, who was a moderator at the Forum. "The new growth engines will be voice to residential customers and new services to businesses." Proceeds generated by "a single commercial customer are equal to 10 residential customers," says Joan Wilson, CTAM’s VP of corporate initiatives. "It’s been called the last frontier of new cable revenue." As in the past, MSO executives attending the CTAM Business Forum unanimously applauded the potential of business services, says Jim McGann, corporate VP of Charter Communications’ Charter Business unit and one of the Forum’s planners. "I can’t speak for all the MSOs, but I can tell you that Charter Business will be a growth engine for [us]," he says. "We’re held to deliver significant revenue numbers in 2006 and beyond." TELCOS’ TURF No research firm analyzing businesses’ annual expend-itures on telecommunications has come up with a number lower than $100 billion. Most are higher. Scientific-Atlanta estimates its size at a whopping $131 billion (see accompanying chart). Mark Palazzo, VP and general manager of Scientific-Atlanta’s Metro Access Business Unit, says the telcos are scooping up about 97% of that $131 billion. "The commercial customer is a cash cow for the telcos," he says. "There is effectively no competition in that space today…We see it, as do the financial community and the MSOs, as a great opportunity [for cable] in the future." To achieve that growth, cable needs to grab market share from the telcos. Yet there seems to be no industrywide strategy, with each MSO offering services of its own flavor. A quick poll of three large MSOs found three different approaches to the business market. Time Warner Cable, for example, recently dropped the Road Runner name from its business products and rebranded them as Time Warner Cable Business Class. Ken Fitzpatrick, VP of the business unit, describes the company’s offerings as "a combination of business communications tools, including broadband access using cable routers and modems, dedicated access [over our] fiber and services like Web hosting, remote data storage and managed security." Cox, long considered a leader in the commercial space, emphasizes voice services that include "everything from a single phone line to hundreds of phone lines with rich features," says Bill Stemper, VP, Cox Business Services. "On the data side it’s everything from a cable modem to fiber right into a customer’s equipment room. We have a portfolio that is competitive to what an AT&T or a BellSouth or an SBC would offer." Comcast offers business customers no voice service at present, according to Kevin O’Toole, Comcast VP of commercial services. Instead, the company markets three levels of Comcast Workplace high-speed Internet access service: Standard, for $95 per month; Lite, for $60; and Enhanced, for $160. Comcast Teleworker is targeted at large businesses with employees working at home, either full or part time. CABLE DEVELOPING SLOWLY Mike Paxton, senior analyst for multimedia and broadband at In-Stat, a market research and forecasting firm, takes a dim view of cable’s progress so far in penetrating the business services sector. "Cable operators have been talking about this market as a great opportunity for the last four years, but they’ve had a hard time penetrating business end-users," he says. "It’s an old story, but their relations are with households, not with business parks, corporate campuses [and even] strip malls. They’ve had a hard time developing those relations and pushing those services." "That’s the world I live in every day," McGann says, responding to Paxton’s complaints. "I would challenge that view. At Charter we’re given a significant chunk of capital to invest [in business services]…Our target [is to end 2006 generating] approximately 10% of Charter’s overall business." TARGETING SMALL BUSINESS McGann believes he can meet that goal because "there’s a pent-up demand in the marketplace for cable’s business offerings. Cable can differentiate itself from the Bells with a bundle. Even though the analysts will come back and say that the Bells will bundle too, there’s a significant portion of the small business community that feels it has been neglected by the phone companies." Also, cable companies have an inherent advantage over telcos because they are less anonymous, McGann says. "In our territories [executives of] most small- to medium-size businesses already use our video product and even our telephone product at their homes. They are constantly contacting us, saying, `Why can’t I get your phone service for my business?’ Soon we’ll be able to say, `You can.’" "To achieve that vision," adds McGann, "we have to do so many things right. Our priorities for 2006 include increasing overall sales rep productivity, initiating life-cycle management tactics to protect our existing customer base, developing target market segments and delivering new products and product enhancements." He acknowledges, however, that cable’s lack of physical reach is still an obstacle to providing business services on a universal scale. "Serviceability continues to be a challenge," says McGann. "Just because we serve a residential neighborhood that is behind an office park does not mean we can service that office park. The good news is that we continue to extend our network into com-mercial areas every single day." MORE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED "Cable companies need to build out their infrastructure," says Dr. Paul Rappoport, a professor in the economics department of Temple University who also works with research firm SBRC, which studies the small business market. "People call up and inquire if their cable company can serve a specific location, and it’s been frustrating, both on the voice and data side, for a lot of companies in the last year or so. They had to say, `No, you’re too far out of our reach.’" In addition to building physical plant to serve businesses, sales is an important component of any cable system’s strategy. Cox, says Stemper, is deploying "more than 1,300 employees who currently serve the needs of local business customers, including a dedicated sales force." THE ROI QUESTION Heavy investment could help solve some of these issues, but resources are limited. How much money should be allocated to developing business services, and what will the return on that investment be compared to alternatives like spending on services for residential customers? For Steve Santamaria, SVP and general manager of commercial services at Vyyo, a manufacturer of broadband equipment, it’s a no-brainer. "Do you want to keep fighting for the $50 and $60 residential customer, or do you want to go after business customers that are going to pay you $400 at 82% margins, and the average contract runs for three years?" he asks rhetorically. Many people interviewed for this story cited the ROI numbers disseminated by Cox. "We’ve been quoted as saying that a dollar of capital will bring in about 70 cents of new revenue in the first year," reiterates Cox’s Stemper. "We use that as an algorithm of investment. Business Services is a strategic priority [and] receives ample investment…it is growing rapidly [and is ] a good use of our capital. We’ll have the value of that 70 cents for three or four years. Within a couple of years it will pay itself back." COMCAST’S INVESTING Invest-ment continues apace at Comcast, according to O’Toole. "Our lines don’t pass every business we would like to offer service to, so we will be doing network construction," he says. O’Toole acknowledges that Comcast "does not have a substantial market share in the business arena today," but considers that to be a plus since it presents the company with "a market opportunity measured in the multiple billions of dollars. We see it as an adjacent market where we can take advantage of the fact that we’re the biggest broadband provider in America." At Time Warner Cable there are 2 million business customers that fall within a quarter of a mile of each side of its plant, according to Fitzpatrick. "Those are the easy ones. And there’s strategic building you can do to large office parks or campuses. An extension of our reach is required, but [in the business sector] there are much higher ARPUs, so this is a very high-margin business with very quick returns on the dollars spent." And, given the choice, many businesses would prefer to get voice service from their cable operator based on quality alone, says Jerry Bennington, executive consultant at CableLabs. "A voice/data bundle from a cable operator is at least as good in quality, usually better, than a telco offering," says Bennington. "And 60% of small businesses are typically within a few feet of the cable drop. There is not that much capital investment involved. It’s primarily a marketing issue." Charter’s McGann sums up operator optimism: "We’re offering business customers a real alter-native solution to the telcos, which is something they’re looking for." McGann believes Charter can increase its share of the business market "from the low single digits today to something in the double digits over the next several years." An engine of that growth would be "the deployment of VoIP, which will position us to offer a great alternative to the telcos’ bread-and-butter telephone offerings." TWO-WAY POACHING As cable advances into telco territory with its combo of capital investment and higher-profile marketing, it’s unlikely that the phone companies will simply roll over—turf valued at more than $100 billion a year is worth protecting. But sometimes the best defense is a good offense, and the telcos and cable seem to be playing that game. "Cable operators are being squeezed on the one side by telcos coming after their data customers, and on other side by DBS going after their video customers," says Vyyo’s Santamaria. "And now the telcos are getting ready to build fiber into the home in a challenge to all of cable’s business." SLOWING THE TELCOS ON VIDEO Santamaria suggests that a more aggressive push by cable into the telcos’ turf will forestall this latest telco initiative. "If you start going after their business, it’s going to stop them in their tracks," he says. "For so long the telcos have owned this marketplace," says Time Warner Cable’s Fitzpatrick. "Now there’s considerable consolidation out there, with MCI and Verizon getting together, as well as AT&T and SBC. They’re trying to figure out what they can do once everything gets integrated. This is a window of opportunity for us to go after the business customers. [The telcos] will end up fighting a two-front war. They’ve got strong competition on the residential side; look at what cable’s been able to do in high-speed data. And now we’re looking to do the same thing in their phone business." Whatever the obstacles—infrastructure investment, war with the telcos, marketing to new customers—there’s agreement in all quarters that cable has no choice but to penetrate the business sector in order to continue to expand as an industry. "There’s a great opportunity for growth there," says In-Stat’s Paxton. "As long as cable’s plant runs by a lot of these businesses, they’re not hard to hook up. It wouldn’t take a lot of investment to make this happen. It’s just a matter of marketing allowing business users to know these services exist." SLOW GOING Paxton expects a rather slow timetable. "In my opinion, over the short term, the next two or three years, it’s going to be more of the same. Over five years, it will change." But the payoff is likely to be significant. Stemper says Cox’s goal is to double its half-billion-dollar business services revenue to $1 billion a year by 2010. And Time Warner Cable’s growth in the commercial space has averaged about 50% a year for the last five years, according to Fitzpatrick. ADD SERVICES, REACH "In order to maintain that kind of growth, operators need to offer more services and bring more value to the customers they reach, and then extend the reach to bring those services to more customers," says Fitzpatrick. CableLabs’ Bennington believes it would be a mistake to think this process will be simple. "It won’t be easy to take market share away from the telcos in the business sector," he says. "However, you don’t have to be that good to take just 10%, and that’s over $10 billion." Stemper sees a time when cable will easily serve both residential and business customers: "Cable business services will be declared a success when a cable employee hears the word `customer’ and will automatically consider residential and commercial implications."


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ARN’s neurolab has released its latest research that delves into the power of podcasts and highlights how brands can leverage it.
Titled “Intimacy Never Sounded So Good”, the study was led by ARN’s research & neuroscience specialist, Dr Tribikram Thapa, and ARN’s director of research & insights, Justin Stone. The study used cutting-edge neuroscience and sensor technology to understand what happens to our brains when we listen to podcasts, and how these changes influence behaviour.
The results showed that podcasts garner 44 per cent more mental availability than other digital channels, with advertising also viewed to be 30 per cent more trustworthy when heard on podcasts rather than when seen on social platforms. Overall, podcast listening was found to develop better memories than other digital channels tested, with the study highlighting three key recommendations for brands and advertisers looking to make deeper connections with listeners:
• Be Intimate – Businesses should consistently implement a human voice as part of their digital strategy to get closer to audiences. This is amplified if the voice is familiar to them, allowing advertisers to capitalise on emotional triggers elicited by the familiarity of a talent’s voice.
• Be Heard – Businesses can benefit from the high levels of memory encoding and retrieval during podcasts, while maximising engagement and attention cut through with post-roll advertising.
• Be Seen – Campaigns that use audio priming improve the attention people pay to ads on social media by +82 per cent. This opens the door to the total campaign being remembered and connected.
Dr Tribikram Thapa, said: “This latest research demonstrates that podcasts provide an exceptional audio space for uninterrupted cut-through with the added advantage of nurturing existing consumer relations and fostering new connections.
“This is evidenced by increased attention, high quality memories, and strong levels of trust for what listeners hear in podcasts compared to what is seen in other digital media platforms. Businesses should consider podcasts in the mix at a creative and campaign level to further brand image, increase brand connectivity, ensure brand safety, and improve brand salience.”
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Don’t treat regional media as a charity, but a real growth opportunity: That’s the message from Boomtown’s final masterclass of 2023, attended by almost 100 media industry representatives from across the nation. The masterclass was part of a series of educational sessions, delivered by Boomtown, the media collective championing advertising in regional Australia. The sessions […]
Yahoo Advertising has launched Yahoo Blueprint, a central AI suite that powers performance-based solutions within the Yahoo DSP. Fuelled by over 335 million logged in Yahoo users globally, Yahoo Blueprint enhances decisioning, makes AI more accessible, and serves as a results-driven guide throughout the campaign lifecycle to deliver better outcomes for advertisers. This new AI […]
Publicis Sapient, a digital business transformation company, today announced the launch of a new joint venture with Tquila called PS Hummingbird. Lead image: Nigel Vaz CEO of Publicis Sapient The partnership with Tquila, with whom Publicis Sapient has collaborated on several other ventures, will extend Publicis Sapient’s generative AI offerings powered by Microsoft Azure, Microsoft […]
Social Indigenous Enterprise We Are Warriors (WAW), supported by creative innovation studio R/GA Australia, has been selected to produce the City of Sydney’s New Year’s Eve Calling Country live performance as part of the 9pm firework show. Lead image L-R: WAW co-founders Ben Miles & Nooky. The performance will feature a special Welcome to Country […]

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Today Club Penguin posted something very exciting on the What’s New Blog! We will soon be able to adopt 40 puffles and you can make them not lose health. Here is what was written:
A few days ago we announced that members will soon be able to adopt dino puffles!
I’m excited to tell you the team has created a backyard for your igloo!
Everyone will be able to keep 10 puffles in their igloo and all their other puffles into their backyard (or keep all your pets in the backyard). What’s awesome is that while your pets are in the backyard, their stats won’t go down.
Now members will be able to adopt up to 40 puffles! You’re going to need all that space for the new puffles we create in the future…
Your igloo backyards will open on January 22!
Until then… Waddle On!
I probably will adopt more puffles and I am really excited for the igloo backyard to arrive! It is a amazing how your puffles won’t lose health in the backyard! Are you excited as much as I am? Tell us in the comments below!


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Xiaomi revealed through its Mi Community that it will offer a new voice assistant speaker for $30 in January. Sold by Xiaomi subsidiary Yeelight, the big deal with this device is that it will sport two virtual assistants: One based on Xiaomi artificial intelligence technology to be used within China, and Amazon Alexa for customers located in the Western market. This dual-A.I. support enables Yeelight to sell the voice assistant speaker on a global scale.
French startup Snips is now helping you build a custom voice assistant for your device. Snips doesn't use Amazon's Alexa Voice Service or Google Assistant SDK -- the company is building its own voice assistant so that you can embed it on your devices. And the best part is that it doesn't send anything to the cloud as it works offline.
The voice component of Samsung's Bixby assistant has been a long time in coming. The company was quick to boast about its AI helper at the Galaxy S8 launch, but revealed that the signature voice feature wouldn't arrive until later in the spring... and even then, it only had a full launch in South Korea. Americans had to make do with a preview. At last, though, it's becoming widely available: Samsung is officially rolling out Bixby's voice assistance to S8 and S8 Plus owners in the US. Every American with one of the flagship phones will get to talk to Bixby once an update arrives "tonight."
Monster's latest team-up isn't with another star athlete or fellow accessory-maker: it's with music platform Speak Music Inc., which is lending the company its voice assistant named Melody. Monster says the partnership will add voice control to some of its headphones, making them the "world's first voice-powered premium" cans. The premium part may be true, but there are other voice-activated Bluetooth headsets out there. There's also bound to be more, considering manufacturers can now incorporate Amazon's Alexa Voice Service into their products. World's first or not, Melody adds a new level of hands-free convenience to Monster's devices.
THE GLOBAL appetite for voice assistants is growing and companies are taking note. This year, we've reported beyond Amazon's Alexa, the likes of Baidu, Huawei, and Samsung have all recently launched their own virtual assistants. It should come as no surprise then that Tencent, a dominating figure in China's software space, is also coming out with a voice assistant. As reported by Tech in Asia, the Chinese tech giant's new voice assistant, called Xiaowei, provides your standard run-of-the-mill offerings, including weather reports and news updates. It also responds to voice and facial recognition.


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Lufthansa, in cooperation with Eurowings, has introduced new flights connecting Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, with its hub in Frankfurt. The new long-haul connection, which commenced at the end of October, is offered three times a week – on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, departing at 9.30am from Windhoek and arriving at 7.05pm in Frankfurt (local time).
With the new route, passengers from Windhoek gain direct access to 177 destinations in 72 countries benefiting from 2,886 weekly frequencies from Frankfurt alone. Furthermore, passengers profit from the entire Lufthansa Group network of 10,775 weekly frequencies to 270 destinations in 105 countries worldwide.
“We are very proud to be offering this new connection from Namibia’s capital to our largest hub, Frankfurt. With this new flight, customers can have access to our vast worldwide network, and we are looking forward to connecting Namibia with the world. Travellers can benefit from excellent connections and a variety of attractive destinations,” says Dr Andre Schulz, general manager sales – Southern Africa, Lufthansa Group.
The new connection is also attractive for the German outbound market as Namibia is a popular tourist destination, renowned for its amazing nature and the fascinating wildlife.
“I wish to say that we are happy to have the Lufthansa Group as a business and tourism partner and that based on your track record of growth and performance, we know that we can look forward to long and successful partnership as we continue to work to position Namibia as a preferred tourist destination and a logistic hub,” adds John Mutorwa, Namibia’s Minister of Works and Transport.


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The new white away kit draws inspiration from the club's classic white designs worn by the 'Busby Babes'
Manchester United have unveiled their new away kit for the 2015-16 season.
The Old Trafford outfit ended their association with Nike on Friday, July 31 kicking off their new £750million world record deal with the adidas.
The new white away kit draws inspiration from the club's classic white designs worn by the 'Busby Babes' in the 1960s.
Just like the home kit, the new while strip features a v-neck cut collar and also has three stripes down the shoulders.
According to adidas, they have ensured that the shirt is lightweight and involves new breathable technology to help enhance player performance.
Manchester United will wear the shirt when they travel to Aston Villa on Friday August 14 for their second league game of the season.
Manchester United’s new kits are under the motto 'Breaking Expectations'.
"We have been on a real journey in creating these new kits. It is with the iconic kits of the past that we drew our inspiration from," Adidas designer Inigo Turner said.
"We have aimed to break expectations by re-engineering simple but impactful design features such as classic v-neck collar and the iconic three-stripe detailing down the arms as our commitment to giving United a truly ground-breaking kit."


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Now that GameStop's Black Friday deals are live on its website, here are the best deals on consoles, gaming, and more for this holiday season.
GameStop announces its deals for Black Friday, offering gamers the chance to pick up a variety of new games and hardware for cheap.
GameStop publishes its Black Friday 2019 ad, featuring some of the best deals for Nintendo Switch Light and dozens of new games.
Gamestop is falling but we should look at the history books to chronicle facts & trivia about its legacy. From its mergers to origins, let's go.
In celebration of Veterans Day, GameStop introduces a permanent military discount program to salute all active and former US military members.
GameStop offers the upcoming Star Wars and Pokemon games under their Guaranteed to Love It Program, allowing players to play with no risk.
GameStop's Pro Day Sale for November 2019 offers massive deals on video games, consoles, and accessories starting today until the weekend.
For today only, GameStop is offering massive discounts on Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, and Pokemon Waffle Maker.
GameStop has released information regarding its store hours for Thanksgiving and Black Friday ahead of the ritual holiday rush.
GameStop's Deal of the Day offers amazing deals on World War Z, Dragon Ball Z collectibles, and a store exclusive Gears 5 drone.
A group of former Game Informer editors announce MinnMax, a new project about friends, loving games, and talking about games together.
GameStop is offering good deals for the Deluxe and Standard Editions of Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts 3, which is set to receive a major DLC soon.
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls about 20,000 Fallout Power Armor Collectible Helmets that were sold at GameStop.
GameStop's Pro Day Sale offers massive discounts on games, hardware, and accessories across all platforms starting today until September 22.
The struggling retail chain GameStop plans to shutter hundreds of its stores amid its ongoing efforts to downsize and reorganize its business.


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- Mar 30, 2005
- Reaction score
Apple launches iTunes Store in all remaining EU countries
Apple on Thursday launched the iTunes Store in the 12 European Union countries that had yet to gain access to it, ending an eight year wait for what has become the world's No. 1 music store.


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SINGAPORE: A new phishing scam has emerged where victims are targeted by scammers impersonating employees of online marketplaces, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Friday (Sep 24).
Victims received unsolicited phone calls from scammers who claimed that they were verifying whether the victims had made purchases on the e-commerce platform, said police. The callers would also claim that the victims' accounts may have been compromised.
“At this instance, victims would inform the scammer to cancel the purchase order as they did not make any purchase on the platform,” SPF said in a news release.
“The caller would then request for victims to provide their credit/debit card numbers and one-time password (OTP) received on their phones in order to facilitate the refund process.”
In some cases, victims received follow-up emails from scammers claiming that there were issues with the victims’ account payment methods.
The email would instruct the victims to rectify the issue by updating their payment method and address through a link provided.
“Victims would realise that they had fallen prey to scam when they discovered unauthorised transactions made to their credit/debit card,” SPF said.
The police advised members of the public to adopt the following crime prevention measures:
- Avoid answering calls with a “+” prefix unless you are expecting a call from overseas
- Verify the authenticity of calls supposedly from online marketplaces with official websites or sources. In the case of this scam, check your credit or debit card bills for unknown transactions with the online marketplace and contact the marketplace directly through information on its official website
- Never share your OTPs with anyone, and verify the merchant details and amount indicated whenever you receive an OTP
- Report any fraudulent transactions to your bank immediately, and terminate the credit or debit card involved
- Look out for spoofed email addresses and dubious URLs


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Famous edtech startup Vedantu has given pink slips to 100 employees in the month of July as part of a business reorganization process. Vedantu requested that full-time workers from different teams turn in their documents between July 4 and July 9. This is the 3rd time the business has fired employees. In May 2022, it terminated 624 full-time and contractual employees in 2 phases, representing 10% of its total staff.
According to a number of reports and sources, the corporation offered two months of compensation to concerned workers from the sales and training divisions, who have been hit the most because of this lay off. Vamsi Krishna, the CEO of the online learning platform, had claimed earlier in May that in light of a “tough external environment,” this was among the “toughest decisions” the business had to make. The “war in Europe, imminent recession fears, and Fed rate interest hikes… along with inflationary pressures with massive correction in stocks globally and in India” all served to worsen this.
He had further said, “capital will be scarce for upcoming quarters. With COVID tailwinds receding, schools and offline models opening up, the hyper-growth of 9X, Vedantu experienced during the last 2 years will also get moderated. For the long-term sustenance of the mission, V would need to adapt too.”
Ironically, a Vedantu spokesman had stated in May that the virtual learning portal is indeed seeking more than 1,000 staff members for different teams, including over Hundred for similar roles. In May 2022, the company employed a total of about 5,900 people. The most recent wave of layoffs brought the total number of employees it will terminate in 2022 to 724.
Edtech businesses efficiently and rapidly hired additional consumers throughout the outbreak period of COVID. This expanding number of subscribers brought in a continuous flow of funding from investors, and start-ups began ramping up employment to stay current with their ambitious development ambitions.
With the reinstatement of physical schools and teaching facilities, they have now run into a hurdle. In the continuing financing recession, Edtech has experienced the biggest number of layoffs, particularly the K12 sector. All of the big firms, including Vedantu, Byju’s, Unacademy, and Eruditus, have made layoffs recently.
Vedantu, which was created in 2011 by Vamsi Krishna, Anand Prakash, and Pulkit Jain, raised $100 million (Rs 740 crore) in its Series E round, which was backed by Singapore-based impact investor ABC World Asia, to become the fifth digital learning firm in India to achieve unicorn status. A startup with a $1 billion or higher valuation is referred to as a unicorn.


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Lowes-pocket-door, rob lowe has dropped the asking price of his multi acre estate kitchen is fitted with every culinary convenience money can buy and features motorized pocket doors that glide open at the touch of a. The victim gave police a sworn statement saying the items included rings an antique pocket watch and pocket of her home for the past six months lowe had been tasked with putting a deadbolt on a, old doors can be quaint and decorative; if you have an opportunity to reuse one as a pocket door you can keep it out of the azcentral daltile marazzi lowes philips lighting wordpress com and.
Homedepot com offers a variety of styles including one with glass and lowes com is among websites providing guidance the company makes systems for pocket doors folding doors and sliding doors, cerys lowe 21 said her "heart was racing" when four males while the accomplices went for goods and guarded the front doors "my hands were shaking and my heart was racing " she said "i was very. The reserve bank of australia's governor philip lowe has issued his support for "valuable the rba and government have, the shortages curb the ability of policy makers to boost a flagging economy through further infrastructure development at a time when consumers are losing confidence and households are more likely to.
He and his wife presenter theresa lowe owe a total of 3 7million "i just need to get a couple more in to keep the wolves from the door i have a huge love of music and it's a joy to share it ", lowe described the residence in architectural digest as a premium grade eat in family kitchen is separated from a sea view morning room by a motorized pocket door and connected to an all stainless.
Volunteers from ohio university zanesville maintenance will also install new doors on the bathroom shower stalls clean up day because they want to come and help " dearth said lowe's and, "while working at lowe's grocery store monday night court documents said that's when short was able to reach for a knife in his pocket he got up and ran toward the door police say chavez chased


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Bagel brand New York Bakery Co. has unveiled a major new UK & Ireland on-pack promotion in partnership with the TV series Friends.
The promotion offers consumers the chance to “win the iconic NYC home grand prize” and will run across all packs of New York Bakery Co. bagels for three months, starting 3 August.
The Friends-inspired grand prize features two lazy boy style chairs, a foosball table, a coffee machine, an apothecary table, a telescope and a selection of kitchen gadgets and utensils. Each element within the ‘Home Grand Prize’ bundle is inspired by one of the principal characters from the show, with a total of three grand prizes to be given away at the end of the promotion.
On top of the grand prize, consumers will also be given the chance to win one of 1,000 other prizes every week, including Hugsey toys, Friends aprons, Friends games as well as New York Bakery Co. bagel tins and tote bags.
To be in with a chance of winning, consumers simply visit the designated microsite and enter the unique code on their five-pack of New York Bakery Co. bagels by the closing date of 15 October 2020.
The activity is part of a wider partnership deal that also sees New York Bakery Co. return to TV with a spot advertising campaign on Comedy Central, Comedy Central Extra and Channel 5 throughout the summer.
All activity will be supported by PR and influencer marketing as well as a dedicated social media campaign.
Christina Honigfort, Head of Marketing at New York Bakery Co., said: “You don’t get more New York than bagels and Friends and this is our way of bringing a taste of the city to the UK. With all the activity we have planned in the coming months, we’ll be sure to take our messages around taste and authenticity far and wide to millions of shoppers each week.”


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Hilton officials are focusing on growing in the Central and Eastern Europe region with a strategy of bringing in its flagship brand to major cities and then filling other locations with Hampton, DoubleTree and soft brands.
Despite being franchise-heavy in global terms, Hilton is likely to move more into management agreements the farther east in Europe it goes, according to Marybelle Arnett, VP of development for Central and Eastern Europe.
Arnett said her company’s growth in the region is driven by a focused plan on expanding its flagship brand in major markets.
“Our strategy when entering new markets has been to launch with our universally recognizable Hilton brand in gateway cities, then explore opportunities with our other brands depending on what the market needs,” Arnett said during an interview with Hotel News Now at the Hilton Bankside London.
A Tennessee-born expat, Arnett joined Hilton in 1999. At that time, the company acquired Promus Hotel Corporation, which had approximately 1,000 hotels, most of which were franchised.
Through the end of the third quarter of 2019, Hilton had nearly 440 hotels under nine brands in operation in Europe, with more than 90,000 rooms, while its pipeline of 190 assets comprise approximately 31,000 rooms.
That compares with Central and Eastern Europe, where there are approximately 120 (approximately 23,100 rooms) hotels in operation and more than 50 (approximately 8,700 rooms) hotel in some stage of development, Arnett said.
Not one size fits all Hilton’s properties in Central and Eastern Europe are either franchised or managed, Arnett said.
She said various countries in Europe require different approaches and structures for deals
“We work with owners to determine which model makes sense. Our focus is always to ensure we’re delivering return on investment for our owners,” she said.
Germany, for example, is ripe for franchises, she said, even if leases dominate there. Typically lease agreements are a business model that many of the major international hotel firms prefer to shy away from.
But ultimately, successes in the region lead to more growth, sometimes through word of mouth in the investment community.
“Serbia is a great example of where a Hilton-flagged hotel has been so successful it has promoted other investors to reach out,” Arnett said.
By and large, investors are taking their time, Arnett said.
“Investment capital has not shifted in this patch. It is local money, more entrepreneurial and from those successful in other businesses,” she said.
In 2016, the flagship Hilton brand opened a franchise in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro, but it is in neighboring, much-larger Croatia that Arnett has seen the greatest run of openings and investment interest of late.
“All of a sudden Western Europe and the U.S. have found Croatia, which is a beautiful country. We partnered well in (capital) Zagreb, with a DoubleTree, Hilton Garden Inn and Canopy (by Hilton) all franchised with the same owner,” Arnett said.
Croatian projects in the pipeline include a massive renovation of a Hilton in Dubrovnik and construction ongoing for a resort-oriented Hilton between Opatija and Rijeka on Croatia’s north coast.
Poland is one of the most successful markets in Arnett’s region.
“The market is perfect as there is money to be found, construction costs are reasonable, the Polish like to travel, others love to visit and there are lots of great management companies to partner with,” Arnett said.
One project opening in Poland in 2020 with franchisee Zdrojowa Invest & Hotels is the Hilton Świnoujście Resort & Spa in the Baltic Coast city of Świnoujście.
Elsewhere, development costs make finding the right hotel project a bit more challenging.
“Construction costs are high in Hungary,” she said.
Those costs will not stop Hilton looking at the country, she added.
“Budapest is thriving,” Arnett said, who added Hilton Garden Inn debuted there in June 2019.
Not every brand…yet
One brand that is not coming soon to Eastern Europe is Tru by Hilton, Arnett said. Brands such as Hampton, Hilton Garden Inn, DoubleTree and Hilton are the focuses, she added.
Arnett said in her total region there are 35 trading Hampton hotels with a further 30 in the pipeline, while across all Europe there are 87 Hamptons, with a further 70 or so in development.
The first Hampton in Europe was the Hampton by Hilton Corby/Kettering in the English country of Northamptonshire, which opened in March 2009.
“We’re seeing tremendous momentum behind our Hampton, Hilton Garden Inn and DoubleTree by Hilton brands in Central and Eastern Europe,” Arnett said. “At the same time, we continue to debut new brands across the continent, such as Europe’s first Tapestry Collection properties opening this year in Madrid and Paris.”
Overall, Arnett has high hopes for Hilton’s opportunities in the region.
“We do not see growth slowing down over the next five years,” she said. “People like new places, and for many travelers Central and Eastern Europe is new.
Logos, product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.


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After a recession or similar challenging times, it’s common to see an increase in entrepreneurial spirit, innovation, and enterprise growth. This is why as the UK and Europe transition into the next stage of the pandemic, we’ve created an index revealing which European cities are expected to be the most enterprising in the year ahead.
The index analysed data across 37 European cities and scored them across five key factors, the number of start-up procedures required, the number of days required to start a business, growth in new businesses registrations, growth in interest in starting a business, and the 2022 economic freedom index score. Choosing a location for your business is a critical step that needs careful consideration before taking the plunge. It’s important to assess a range of factors to see where your business will best thrive.
Interestingly, it’s not just capital cities that are set to see enterprise growth in 2022. In the UK, Cambridge came out six places higher than London. Explore the top 10 cities in takepayments' enterprise index below to find out why they made the list.
Topping our index, Cambridge was revealed as the most enterprising city in Europe. The city saw high scores across all five categories, never falling outside of the top 9. Cambridge saw a 40% increase in the number of people searching for advice on how to start a business over the past year, the second-highest increase on our list.
The city has excellent links to London and a world-class university, making it a prime location for enterprising businesses.
Estonia is known for its innovation, as one of the most digitally advanced cities in the world. It was the first country to offer digital IDs (e-Residency), allowing residents the freedom to easily start a digital business. That’s perhaps why Tallinn is named the second most enterprising city in Europe in the takepayments index.
The capital city offers residents and visitors free wi-fi across 30 hotspots and has a free public transport initiative too. This helps contribute to the affordability, high Economic freedom score and quality of living standards.
Warsaw, Poland has seen the biggest percentage increase in the number of people wanting to start a business over the past year (according to search data). Increasing by a massive 75%! Poland as a whole has also seen growth in enterprise, with more than a 181% increase in the number of new business registrations since 2006.
Promising start ups include a range of tech-based companies, ranging from digital health brands, sports tracking data and integrated smart software.
Athens is the main centre for Greece’s economic activity and a great entrepreneurial city. Starting a business in Athens can take as little as four days and there are only three procedures required to start a business.
In addition there has been a 182% increase in the number of businesses registered since 2006. The second highest in our rankings. The city has a growing number of innovative tech-based businesses taking off, particularly within travel and hospitality.
Amsterdam, known by tourists for its cycling, canals and coffee shops has seen a 97% increase in new business registrations. The city’s tech ecosystem alone was valued at €73 million according to Wired.
Alongside Tallin and Copenhagen, Amsterdam requires the fewest number of days to start a business. It requires just 3.5 days and as few as 4 start up procedures. The Netherlands has a high economic freedom index score, known for its innovation and the relative ease of starting a business there.
In 2017 Denmark was ranked the “happiest country in the world” and has remained consistently around the top of the list ever since (according to the World Happiness Report). It is also known for being particularly green, leading the way in urban sustainability.
It comes as no surprise then, that this culture of happiness and innovation is driving enterprise in the city. It takes just 3.5 days to start a business there, as little as 4 start up procedures and has a high economic freedom score. All creating a perfect space for enterprise.
London is the second UK location to make the top ten list of most enterprising European cities. Despite missing out on the top spot to Cambridge, the city has still seen a 65% increase in new business registrations.
The capital city is known for being a hub for big business and as the economy begins to recover from the pandemic, enterprise level growth is expected to follow.
As a member of the UN, EU and Commonwealth, Malta has good connections to the wider business world, with a strong internal infrastructure also. Despite being a relatively small country (the World’s 10th smallest at just 316 square km), it is densely populated with well educated, often multilingual inhabitants.
The number of business registrations between 2006 and 2018 saw an increase of a massive 409%, higher than any other country in our rankings. According to Go Start Business, growth is being driven by the service industry, manufacturing, tourism, trade, construction, plus food and beverage industries.
Ljubljana is the largest city in Slovenia and its capital. Interestingly, Ljubljana saw a 25% increase in the number of searches for “how to start a business” over the past year. Slovenia has an established economy and Ljubljana is a key driver of the country’s economic growth.
There are a number of tech start-ups demanding attention in the city, ranging from energy efficient and environmentally friendly transport to bluetooth tracking and smart devices.
Not only is Paris a city full of culture, but it’s also a powerful business hub with strong global connections. Paris Attitude claims that the city is the number one region in Europe for hosting the world’s top 500 corporate headquarters.
This makes it an attractive location for enterprise. Paris came in at tenth on the top list of enterprising cities in Europe, with a 48% increase in new business registrations.
takepayments conducted desk research from a range of sources including UN Data from The World Bank, Google Ads, and Heritage's Economic Freedom score. The data was then analysed across 5 categories and given a score based on how positive a factor it was in helping people within that location start a business.
These scores were then added together to give the overall score before the cities were then ranked from best to worst. Again, the higher the score, the more enterprising the location.
The cities shortlisted in our research include a combination of European Capital cities and also the "leading start-up cities by the number of investments".
Data was collected in February 2022 and further source details can be provided upon request.
For further information on running a business, head over to the takepayments blog for tips and advice.


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Founders: Do you know what companies are attracting the most VC dollars?
This list of the top-funded tech startups in the US and Europe can give you a sense of which companies are doing best in the venture game.
It includes a link with more information about each startup, its state (for US companies) or country (for those in Europe), and the total raised.
Here are some key takeaways:
🔹 The best-funded company is CA-based e-cigarette company JUUL Labs, which has raised a whopping $15B
🔹 The US list includes 19 unicorns ($1B+ valuation), including cybersecurity company Tanium, healthcare company Olive ($4B valuation), and corporate training platform Articulate ($3.8B valuation)
🔹 The bulk of US companies (31) raised $ in 2021; only 8 last raised before 2020
🔹 The UK’s broadband satellite company OneWeb is the top-funded startup in Europe, with $5.2B raised
🔹 European startup and innovation hubs include cities like London, Stockholm, and Berlin, but the Euro tech boom is diffusing across the continent, with promising companies emerging in niche markets
For a complete list, take a look at the file below. 👇
What excites you most about the tech world right now? Please share in the comments. 🗯


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LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Ben & Jerry’s and New Belgium Brewing have joined forces to fight climate change.
Both companies have unveiled a new product, the proceeds of which will benefit Protect Our Winters, a climate advocacy group.
“Each pint of Salted Caramel Brownie Ale ice cream and bottle of Salted Caramel Brownie Ale beer will benefit Protect Our Winters,” the ice cream giant said on its website.
“This partnership is not about our products,” Jostein Solheim, Ben & Jerry’s CEO, said in an online video. “This partnership is about climate change.”
For more information and to get involved in the movement, click here.


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BOONVILLE, Calif. — Anderson Valley Brewing Company (AVBC) today announced its Louisiana distribution partnership with Pelican Craft Brands. This strategic partnership with Louisiana’s first and only craft beer distributor aims to bring a strong AVBC presence to the Louisiana market.
“Pelican has an impressive track record having built Louisiana’s craft beer market into what it is today,” said President and CEO Kevin McGee. “When looking to expand into the state, we knew Pelican was our ideal partner. Their team of brand builders and seasoned sales reps know beer better inside and out. We’re confident they’ll be very impactful in making Anderson Valley Brewing Company available in Louisiana.”
Pelican will represent AVBC’s entire portfolio of brands, including its iconic Boont Amber Ale, Barrel Series beers, Poleeko Pale Ale and Goses, making AVBC’s beers readily accessible in top on-premise and off-premise accounts.
“Pelican Craft Brands, Louisiana’s first and only craft beer distributor, is very excited to be working with Anderson Valley Brewing Company,” said Chris Peneguy, President of Pelican Craft Brands. “Anderson Valley has a long, storied history, excellent reputation and many here in our market have long awaited their entry. Having first been exposed to their brand in the Florida markets, I personally have a connection with their beer. Anderson’s commitment to their partners, combined with their recent promises to not increase prices during our current economic struggles will resonate with our customers and solidify their brand in Louisiana.”


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Mack Trucks finally unveiled its new highway truck Wednesday night, rolling out a vehicle described as "built for business, designed for drivers," which the company hopes will help it win a larger portion of the critical long-haul business.
"We are not here for participation trophies," John Walsh, Mack's vice president of global marketing and brand management, told the crowd of about 800 at PPL Center in Allentown on Wednesday. "We are here to make history."
Full production of the new Mack Anthem, described by the company as a "game changer" for the Mack brand, will start in the first quarter of 2018.
But, aside from its own country song — Steve Moakler wrote "Born Ready" for the Mack brand and the launch of Anthem — what are some of the new truck's specifications?
- The Anthem is available in several configurations, including a day cab, a 48-inch flat-top sleeper and a 70-inch stand-up sleeper.
- The Anthem’s design displaces air to the sides, as well as over the hood and roof, which cuts wind resistance and boosts fuel economy by up to 3 percent.
- It features a new hood and grille, along with redesigned roof and chassis fairings, mirror covers and front bumper and air dam.
- A central latch release below the grille means drivers don’t have to walk from side to side to tilt the hood, which requires 50 percent less effort to raise than before.
- The Anthem’s exterior lighting is exclusively LED. Perhaps most noticeable are the truck’s headlights, which are 66 percent brighter than today’s bulb.
- Inside, gauges on the instrument panel have been positioned higher for better driver visibility, while the HVAC controls and Mack mDrive automated manual transmission shift pad were relocated closer to the driver’s fingertips.
- A new flat-bottom steering wheel, which Mack says is a Class 8 truck industry first, was inspired by racecar controls.
- Mack-exclusive seats, in partnership with Sears Seating, are available, with more than 30 feature and fabric combinations possible.
- The 70-inch sleeper features stand-up height, and the interior volume of the new sleeper is 35 percent larger than previous models. The 70-inch sleeper models are available in single or double-bunk configuration.
- Windows in the sleeper feature aircraft-inspired shades for light control, while screens keep insects out. The screened windows tilt out to let air in and keep rain out.
- The Anthem is available with the 13-liter Mack MP8 engine, producing up to 505 horsepower and 1,860 pound-feet of torque. The 11-liter Mack MP7 is also an option on the Anthem.
Get the inside scoop on the Lehigh Valley's business scene on The Business Cycle: themorningcall.com/business
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Follow on Twitter: @LVBizCycle


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Hong Kong property sales plunge nearly 40pc in past six months
Midland Realty says its 26,571 deals was the worst total since 1991
Hong Kong’s overall property sales plunged nearly 40 per cent in the six months ending June compared with last year, according to the latest figures from Midland Realty.
Despite a recent improvement in sentiment, the agent said the dim economic outlook and increased home supply continued to cast a shadow over the market.
Midland said it had “the worst six-month number recorded” since it started surveying prices in 1991, after registering 26,571 deals in the period, a 39.1 per cent slump on the 43,636 deals signed in the first half of 2015.
The latest figures show total sales values fell 39.2 per cent in the six months to HK$189.5 billion, according to the data released by Midland.
On a month-on-month basis, the city’s property sales fell only slightly to 6,033 in June, against May’s 6,065, according to The Land Registry.
The numbers showed total transaction value fell 18.5 per cent to HK$39.7 billion in June, while sales of residential units last month rose 0.7 per cent to 4,620 month-on-month.
Ricacorp Properties said it now expected sales of first-hand homes to increase in the second half as developers rush to dispose of stock.
It said it was targeting 8,000 first-hand homes to be sold in the second half, against 5,814 deals in the first half.
Ricacorp said first-half sales in the city’s primary residential market mainly came from projects in the New Territorities, accounting for 61 per cent of total sales.
Those included Savannah by Wheelock Properties and Ocean Wings by Sun Hung Kai Properties, both in Tseung Kwan O, and Twin Regency in Yuen Long, also developed by Sun Hung Kai.
Hong Kong home prices rebounded in May for the second consecutive month, but are still 10 per cent lower than their September 2015 peak, according to government data.
Analysts said an influx of new supply to come onto the market, along with global economic uncertainties created by Brexit, could dampen demand further in the second half year.
The Rating and Valuation Department’s monthly supplement released last Thursday showed the general price index for private homes rose to 275.5 in May, up 0.73 per cent from April.


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Luanda, Angola, 16 Jan – The Angolan government has lifted its embargo on importing animal products from a number of Brazilian states, under the terms of a note handed in to the Brazilian embassy in Luanda.
The ban on imports of this kind began on October 27 2005, after the presence of areas of foot and mouth disease were confirmed in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, and covered live animals, genetic material and boned meats.
The Angolan government widened the ban to imports of meat on the bone from the states of Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Rondonia and Acre.
In the note the Angolan Ministry of Agriculture said it considered the measures taken by Brazil to control foot and mouth disease were acceptable.
In 2006 Brazilian companies sold meat to Angola to the value of US$73 million, a year on year growth rate of 33 percent.
Figures from the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture showed that exports of animal products totaled US$8.641 million last year, or annual growth of 5.5 percent. (macauhub)


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It might seem like winter will never end, but believe it or not spring is almost here. You’ll be poolside before you know it, and no one likes splashing around in silence or even just lounging ...
We think we know exactly when ‘Avengers: Endgame’ tickets will go on sale
There’s no question whatsoever that Avengers: Endgame is the most hotly anticipated movie of the year. In fact, thanks to the incredible cliffhanger that closed Avengers: Infinity War, the new ...
One of the decade’s most successful TV showrunners talks with us about his new NBC comedy
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It looks like ‘Avengers: Endgame’ is going to have a heartbreaking finale
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Jeff Brown State Of The Tech Market Summit is a new and unprecedented opportunity to create generational wealth using one inflation-proof, recession-proof, crash-proof strategy usually reserved for billionaires and the Silicon Valley elite, EVEN if the market goes down…
What is Jeff Brown State Of The Tech Market Summit?
I know many investors have one question on their minds: Which tech companies can withstand all the volatility we’re seeing in the broader market?
Though there are many exciting opportunities in public tech companies… According to Jeff Brown, there’s an exciting area of investment that can bring us truly generational wealth over time.
Unlike stocks, these investments are shielded from the volatility of broader markets.
In many ways, they are the best-kept secrets in tech. And these investments have been used for decades by wealthy and connected families to protect and grow their wealth through good economic times and bad.
That’s why Jeff Brown is going to hold a very special investment summit to tell readers all about these opportunities…
On Wednesday, April 6, at 8 p.m. ET, Jeff will provide all the details during his State of the Tech Market summit.
They’re trading at valuations lower than most people ever see in the stock market… They won’t go down in a recession… And they won’t go down in a market crash.
If you want to learn more about this unique group of investments – you have to tune in on April 6 at 8 p.m. ET.
— RECOMMENDED —
He’s one of the greatest tech investors in America.
He’s done over 300 deals in the world of private technology.
Plus he’s called the #1 returning tech stock of 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020.
He’s sharing his #1 tech stock of 2022 in a revolutionary tech mega-trend.
What will you learn at Jeff Brown State Of The Tech Market Summit?
Here’s why it’s important you attend Wednesday at 8 pm ET…
As you know, this year the stock market has been more volatile than it has been since the pandemic crash of March 2020…
And many people are now wondering – what should they do with the stock they’re currently holding? And how are they going to get their money back?
This event will answer both those questions and a whole lot more.
During this briefing, for the very first time Jeff will reveal:
- The exact moves he’s making in his own portfolio to navigate today’s uncertain market with REAL MONEY on the line.
- Jeff Brown will share the little-known pattern that has a perfect track record of predicting market rebounds and what it says the market will do next.
- He’ll show you how he’s protecting his personal wealth, from market volatility and inflation, including one portfolio that didn’t lose a dime during the “Covid Crash” of 2020. In fact, it actually INCREASED IN VALUE.
- And in addition to that, Jeff is going to announce a new and unprecedented opportunity… One you can participate in – right alongside him… And generate unimaginable wealth from tech deals usually reserved for billionaires and the Silicon Valley elite, EVEN if the market goes down…
— RECOMMENDED —
“I called Nvidia at $25. It’s up as much as 4,950% since.
I called AMD at just $10. It’s up as much as 1,387% since.
Now, I just went on video to name what I believe will be the No. 1 Microchip Stock of 2022 – for FREE”. – Jeff Brown
How To Sign Up for Jeff Brown State of the Tech Market Summit?
To get access to Jeff Brown State of the Tech Market Summit, all individuals have to do is enter their respective emails here. Upon entering, those that have a U.S.-based phone number will also be presented with the chance of becoming VIPs.
When you submit your phone number to claim your Free VIP Access – you’ll get an in-depth research report on Jeff’s #1 Investment for Today’s Uncertain Market and Free VIP text alerts to ensure you don’t miss a thing.
Should You Join Jeff Brown State Of The Tech Market Summit?
I think you’ll agree this may be one of the most important investment events of the year.
And I strongly encourage you to arrive promptly on Wednesday – so you can claim an exclusive $500 bonus Jeff will ONLY be made available to you if you attend the briefing that starts at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
With the way the economy, the world, and the stock market are right now – if you’re serious about securing your financial future, this could be the most valuable – and timely – investment briefing of your life.
Because during this exclusive invitation-only event, Jeff will attempt the unthinkable…
A new and unprecedented opportunity to create generational wealth using one inflation-proof, recession-proof, crash-proof strategy usually reserved for billionaires and the Silicon Valley elite, EVEN if the market goes down…
— RECOMMENDED —
Jeff Brown called Bitcoin when it was just $240–giving his readers a chance at 270 times their money.
He picked Tesla in 2018–before it soared over 1,400%.
He called the #1 returning tech stock of 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020.
But he’s no stranger to disaster…
His firm also predicted the dot-com crash in 2000.
The housing bubble in 2008.
And now, he’s come forward to warn of a disturbing new trend… something that he calls a “Tech Shock.” An event which could derail the post COVID recovery—and send the NASDAQ and high-flying tech stocks into a tailspin.
And perhaps the best part is, he’ll show you how to do it WITHOUT paying any of the usual “subscription fees” normally associated with Jeff’s research.
In fact, for the first time, Jeff will be revealing how you can access his best and most elite research, effectively for FREE.
This is a never-before-seen opportunity for you to be guided and informed by a real tech insider…
When you attend on Wednesday, at 8 pm ET, you will be eligible to claim several exclusive bonuses (including a “cash bonus” of $500 – please note: all these bonuses will NOT be available after Wednesday – so if you don’t want to miss out, please make sure you attend!)


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With talk of a trade war swirling, investment banking firm Jefferies asked what the potential effects on food costs could be.
While restaurants shouldn’t expect significant changes in 2018 as a result of trade-war talk, gross-margin percentage in 2019 could see a tailwind.
Operators should keep an eye on proteins, as the potential for the supply of pork, chicken and other meats staying domestic could potentially mean lower prices for these goods. While most restaurant operators have locked in food-cost prices for 2018, if the trend continues, food costs may be more favorable in 2019.
The current expectation is for food costs to remain about the same next year, but restaurants most exposed to potential protein-cost deflation include those that specialize in one type of meat, such as steakhouses and chicken-wing concepts.
Contact Marcella Veneziale at [email protected]


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French data protection authority releases guidance on smartwatches for children
CNIL, the French data protection authority, recently released guidance on smartwatches for children. According to CCS Insights, smartwatches for children represent half of the global market for connected watches. IAPP reports that the CNIL advises parents to measure both the benefits and risks of the smartwatches and for parents to talk to their children when their privacy is impacted. CNIL also recommends examining what data the smartwatch will collect, avoiding purchasing cheaper devices, and looking up customer reviews and user forums for any potential red flags.


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Intel's 10th Generation CPUs are one generation behind the best CPUs and are soon to be two generations behind with the likely release of Alder Lake early next year. But today they're still plenty powerful and selling at serious discounts. Not to mention, these chips are actually in stock, which is something we can't always say about Intel's 11th Gen desktop CPUs. That makes the Intel Core i7-10700KF, which recently went on sale for $269 (opens in new tab) across several retailers, a pretty enticing buy.
With specs almost identical to the Intel Core i7-10700K, which itself is as good at gaming as the Core i9-10900K, this chip has serious value for Intel gamers. It lacks integrated graphics, but its 5.1 GHz boost clock is enticing. The chip has 8 cores, 16 threads and a 16MB cache and doesn't come with a cooler.
With 8 CPU cores, 16 threads and a boost clock speed of 5.1 GHz, the Intel Core i7-10700KF is almost identical to the more expensive Intel Core i7-10700K, with the only notable difference being that it doesn't have integrated graphics. As we mentioned in our i7-10700K review, it about matched the Core i9-10900K at gaming. That makes the i7-10700KF the best value for gamers who are okay with a last-gen chip and planning to use their own GPU.
$269 also marks the lowest this CPU has cost since March. According to Camelcamelcamel, it was previously selling for around $308.


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What Apple’s Pencil Can Do for Medical Care
The new stylus and other iPad tweaks could go a long way to making medical news easier to swallow.
Today’s Apple event didn’t really do much to address the problems I outlined this week about Researchkit. In fact, just about the only real improvement we learned today was that the new iPhone display will feature 3D Touch, which will allow people to press the screen extra-hard for extra information. I suppose that’s neat.
Oh, and we also learned Dennis H. lost 30 pounds. Congrats, bruh.
While Researchkit will continue to languish in its issues, Apple did unveil the new iPad and — more importantly — Pencil, the stylish new stylus to accompany the tablet. That, surprisingly, could be the best piece of news, and most likely to improve the healthcare industry, to come out of Apple’s big day.
Steve Jobs decried a tablet stylus as being a sign of failure, but Apple has thankfully moved on from that mentally. Pencil has a unique ability to detect position, force, and tilt. For medicine, this is extremely important. Anatomical illustrations can’t just be an approximate look — they need to be visually accurate to the smallest detail. Pencil helps allow for precise drawing better than a standard piece of plastic ever could.
Irene Walsh, head of design for 3D4Medical, spent a few minutes on stage demonstrating how to use Pencil to play around with medical imagery, make annotations, modify pictures accordingly, and organize data in ways that make more sense for the user. For starters, this could be very useful for med students trying to navigate strange anatomical designs and figure out what might be wrong with a hypothetical patient.
Walsh spent quite a bit of time spinning around a 3D tibia, showing the contraction and relaxation of a quadricep muscle. Pencil to pinpoint and cut up 3D slices of the muscle to better illustrate the anatomical components of the leg.
None of this was exactly impossible to do before Pencil, but the new stylus makes it much easier for a doctor to show what this would realistically look like.
Pencil might be the nudge that gets hospitals nationwide to adopt iPads for helping doctors and patients communicate. And it might also be very well ignored — after all, a $99 price tag for a damn stylus is not exactly appealing for any business, no matter how much money it’s swimming in. Ultimately, though, the biggest hurdle will be giving doctors an incentive to adapt — never a sure thing. We’ll have to wait and see.
In the meantime, here’s hoping the Apple Watch continues to help Dennis H. lose weight. Thirty more pounds! Thirty more pounds!


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At least 11 of the First Coast’s 15 General Motors dealerships reported Friday that they plan to survive after the manufacturer notified 1,100 of its dealerships they were being terminated.
No list of cut dealers was made public as had been the case Thursday when Chrysler named the 25 percent of its dealers that were being let go.
Some dealers learned of their fate by FedEx packages that arrived Friday morning. Others got telephone calls from GM officials. Following a national conference call, some dealers emerged smiling and pleased to talk about the outcome. Others didn’t want to talk at all.
At Crest Chevrolet on Merrill Road, at Claude Nolan Cadillac on Southside Boulevard and at George Moore Chevrolet at Jacksonville Beach, owners, managers and others contacted would not disclose whether they will remain open with the GM name. Reporters who visited those dealerships were denied access to management or asked to leave.
Garber Chevrolet Buick Pontiac GMC Trucks in Green Cove Springs did not receive a letter. Managing partner Ron Harris said he is confident Garber will remain a GM dealer.
“This is only the first to come from GM,” said Billie Nimnicht, president of Nimnicht Chevrolet and Nimnicht Pontiac GMC Hummer. “But we think we’re still going to be around when all of this settles down.”
GM’s dealer cuts are part of the company’s plan announced last month to cut more than 2,600 of its 6,000 dealerships by 2010.
The criteria was based on customer service and sales performances, said Melvin Jackson, sales manager of Coggin Chevrolet at The Avenues on Philips Highway.
“We just went from five dealerships within a 20-minute drive to three,” Jackson said. He also said he had been told the Crest and Moore dealerships didn’t make GM’s cut.
“It’s a godsend to us,” he said. “Any competition in town that might be closing will only bring more traffic to us. If we were to close, I would take the weekend off and go right up the street. A good salesman can sell anywhere.”
When asked about George Moore’s status, Ginny Moore, the company’s general manager, declined to even say how many employees worked there.
A manager at Crest Chevrolet also declined to comment, but Eric Grovener, a sales representative, said “we received our letter from FedEx at 10 a.m. stating we were in good standing.”
Although Gordon Chevrolet on Blanding Boulevard in Orange Park won’t be closing its doors or firing any of its 60 employees, general manager Nathan Potratz didn’t approve of GM’s actions.
“We are disappointed,” Potratz said. “We are an independent business and we are not supported by GM. We question what benefit they will gain by reducing the dealer count.”
Others were more upbeat about the news.
Paul Maheu, sales manager at Nimnicht Chevrolet on Cassat Avenue, said he was relieved he wouldn’t have to fire any of the dealership’s 120 employees.
The company, which has been selling cars for 68 years, is the largest Chevrolet dealership in the region, he said.
“It will only help us when others go down,” Maheu said. “We’re all about customer satisfaction, and that’s why we made it.”
Both GM dealerships in St. Johns County also escaped the slashes.
At Parker Cadillac, owner B.C. Parker said he is “very excited” that his dealership will keep its Cadillac franchise.
“We’re thankful we’re going to stay a part of Northeast Florida for many years to come,” Parker said, minutes before he convened his staff to share the good news.
In Southeast Georgia, Nalley Pontiac-GMC confirmed the dealership will remain with the GM franchise. Dan Bayden Chevrolet-Cadillac-Buick wouldn’t comment.
And despite the cuts, customers were still shopping at several GM locations.
Richard Rooker said the announcement from GM did not deter him from shopping at Nimnicht Chevrolet.
The 58-year-old retired teacher said his choice to patronize Nimnicht was based on a solid product Chevrolet offered rather than financing or other incentive programs.
“Basically, the new Camaro line will turn this dealership around,” Rooker said while browsing through the dealership. “This car reminds me of the model T and what it did for Ford. Not to mention, it is comparatively priced against similar cars, such as Ford’s Mustang.”
GM CEO Fritz Henderson acknowledged this week that dealers will be alerted of the closures as part of an “orderly wind-down” through the remainder of the year.
GM is looking to cut its dealer base to 3,600 by the end of next year as it slashes costs ahead of a likely bankruptcy. GM also said it will update 470 Saturn, Saab and Hummer dealers on the status of its attempts to offload those brands.
“We have said from the beginning that our dealers are not a problem but an asset for General Motors,” said Mark LaNeve, head of GM sales and marketing. “However, it is imperative that a healthy, viable GM have a healthy, viable dealer body that can not only survive but prosper during cyclical downturns. It is obvious that almost all parts of GM, including the dealer body, must get smaller and more efficient.”
GM did not release the names of any dealers.
Chrysler, which is already in bankruptcy, announced a day earlier the shutdown of 789 dealers, or about a quarter of its entire U.S. retail network. The targeted dealers, identified as part of the bankruptcy filing, represent only 14 percent of Chrysler’s total sales volume.
Times-Union writers Larry Hannan and Steve Patterson, the St. Augustine Record and Associated Press contributed to this report.


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Most have heard of the intriguing impact the rice, sugar and gold sectors have had on the economy.
But little recognition is ever given to the Services Sector. This sector happens to be one of the largest in the Guyanese economy. It is even argued that it is perhaps the most loyal when it comes to delivering on tax payments.
But before delving into hardcore statistics, it is important to first understand that the services sector is an extremely large field. You would be surprised to learn that most of the forms of businesses you are familiar with are a part of this sector.
When you think of the clubs and hotels in Guyana, the laundry stores, the taxi and minibus services, the insurance companies, the car dealerships, the shipping companies, the recycling entities, the consultancy companies and even the fashion, security and machinery subsectors; they all fall under the services sector umbrella.
The services sector in Guyana is also one of the largest employers of labour, and companies in this realm also have a noted pattern of seeking expansion. This is the case with enterprises such as Church’s Chicken and Pizza Hut. These companies have expanded by leaps and bounds while providing employment for a wide cross section of Guyana’s labour force.
This booming sector has also received praises for its many successes in reports from various established institutions.Take the Guyana Private Sector Assessment Report (PSAR) for example, which was conducted by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
The report says that in Guyana, the manufacturing and the services sectors are significantly impacted by upturns and downturns in aggregate demand.
It said, “Guyana’s largest economic sector, as in other countries in the region, is services. About two-thirds of value-added GDP is accounted for by the delivery of the services that are necessary for the functioning of the economy. Wholesale and retail trade is the largest services subsector, and grew by 35.8 percent in real terms in 2008-12. Transportation and storage is the second-largest services subsector.”
The report went on to state that this is consistent with the fact that Guyana’s small economy makes industrial production for domestic consumption very expensive; this means that as the economy expands, demand is satisfied by increasing imports, which are delivered through retail and transportation services. Construction is the third largest services subsector.
The report noted that, “Construction growth, although modest in 2008-12, accelerated in 2013 as a result of the investment of profits from the mining sector. Financial services, although accounting for only a small share of total value added in the economy, has experienced significant growth (56 percent real growth in 2008-12), confirming that the sector is expanding as the economy grows.”
Furthermore, the report stated that information and communications technology and business-process outsourcing are also expanding. In the past few years, the report said that Guyana has begun to host call centres that take advantage of the country’s low labour costs and its educated workforce whose first language is English. It also stated that the services sector has received the most credit from commercial banks in 2012, followed by manufacturing, agriculture and mining.
BANK OF GUYANA
Monitoring the performance of the services sector in Guyana is a number of agencies, one of which is the Central Bank.
The Governor of the Bank, Dr. Gobind Ganga, has indicated to the Guyana Inc. Magazine that the sector is a large and important one. He emphasized that dips in this industry could signal, from time to time, that economic challenges are ahead and that certain decisions are required to stimulate activity.
Ganga also pointed out that the Bank’s annual reports also keep a record of the services sector and the performance of its other subsectors.
According to the 2015 Bank of Guyana Report, the services sector, which accounts for more than half of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), recorded a growth of 2.3 percent relative to 5.5 percent in 2014.
This outcome was largely due to an increase in activities of the transportation and storage, financial and insurance, information and communication, real estate and other services by 13.6 percent, 8.1 percent, 5.5 percent, 2.5 percent, and 1.7 percent respectively.
There were also increases in electricity and water, education, public administration and health and social services.
The transportation and storage sector expanded by 13.6 percent. This was from a 13.7 percent growth in 2014. The growth was due largely to increased mobility and activities in the transport industry (domestic air and ferry passenger services).
Financial and insurance activities expanded by 8.1 percent from 0.8 percent at the end of 2014. This performance was attributed to improvement in access to financial services and increased private sector credit of 6.2 percent.
The information and communication sector grew 5.5 percent compared to 3.8 percent in 2014, stemming from the continuous upgrading of services in the telecommunication industry. Real estate activities grew by 2.5 percent after an expansion of 6.0 percent in 2014 as a result of the growing housing market. Other service activities grew by 1.7 percent compared with a 4.0 percent growth in 2014, on account of increased tourism and other-service related activities.
The wholesale and retail industry fell by 0.6 percent compared to a 3.0 percent decline in 2014, attributed to lower consumption spending in the economy coupled with lower imports for consumption, intermediate and capital goods.
Furthermore, the 2016 Bank of Guyana Report indicated that the services sector grew by 0.8 percent relative to a 4.8 percent growth in 2015. This outcome was due to increased activities of financial and insurance, transportation, storage and other services by 2.5 percent, 1.1 percent and 5.7 percent respectively.
However, wholesale and retail trade, which accounts for more than one-tenths of GDP, contracted by 1.8 percent. Financial and insurance activities increased by 2.5 percent from a 7.5 percent growth at the end of 2015. This performance reflected slower growth of private sector credit of 1.7 percent relative to a 6.2 percent growth at the end of 2015.
The services sector is expected to grow by 3.0 percent by the end of 2017 due to greater activities in financial and insurance, transportation and storage and wholesale and retail trade by 5.8 percent, 3.9 percent and 2.7 percent respectively. The construction industry is expected to grow by 13.5 percent.
According to the Guyana Office for Investment’s website, fiscal incentives are not available for all subsectors that fall under the Services Sector. However, incentives are available to encourage investment in the following subsectors:
• Medical Subsector
Exemption of Duty and Value Added Tax (VAT) on all equipment and material needed for building.
• Funeral Homes
Such investments received a waiver on Duty and VAT on hearses.
Medical Schools under this subsector are offered exemption on Duty and VAT of all equipment and material needed to establish and operate.
• Dock Yard and Ship Building
Exemption of Duty and Taxes are available for the operation of dry docking facilities.
Exemption of Duty and VAT on all machinery and equipment used in this subsector.
• Solid Waste Collectors
Waivers of Duty and Taxes on some vehicles and equipment.
Waiver of Duty and Taxes on all machinery and equipment.
• Recording Studios (Music)
Waivers of Duty and Taxes on equipment and material.
(Article taken from the Guyana Inc. Magazine Issue 27)


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Welcome to the Powerline Communications eLibrary.
Rich in articles, rich in resources.
Learn about this New Exciting Networking Solution.
It all works from your Power Line Wall Sockets
with powerline broadband network adapters.
4th February 2023 Research Center Homepage
Click Here :: GoTo Powerline eLibrary and Research Center
HomePlug Powerline Alliance Takes CES By Storm
Read this complete HomePlug update about CES:
France Telecom (NYSE:FTE) a world leading communications carrier and
innovator through its research and development group, congratulates the
HomePlug(R) Powerline Alliance on the adoption of Turbo Codes in the
HomePlug AV specification. HomePlug AV provides broadband home networking,
enabling connectivity and distribution of HDTV, Digital Audio, and Internet
access throughout the home via existing power lines.
SAN FRANCISCO Researchers and industry developers presented evidence
power line networking using existing residential or office AC power wiring
as the medium for a broadband network is about to come into its own.
...Under the Amended Agreement, Adaptive has provided New Visual with final
delivery of the source code, intellectual property rights and other
materials that make up Embarq(TM) and additionally has waived its right to
receive the first five million dollars in royalty payments that it would
otherwise be entitled to in consideration for New Visual's waiver of its
potential right to receive payments based on future Adaptive profits and
Telkonet, a provider of commercial powerline communications, and GTSI have
signed an agreement to address the myriad of network infrastructure
deployment opportunities in the government market.
The hum in overhead Australian powerlines isn't just electricity whizzing
around the grid -- in a few places, it's also super-high-speed internet
Radio amateurs are not opposed to broadband services. On the contrary,
they tend to be early adopters of new technology. However, there are ways
to deliver broadband that do not pollute the radio spectrum as Broadband
over Power Line (BPL) does.
Telkonet (Amex:TKO - News), Partners With GTSI to Bring Powerline
Networking Solutions to Government Customers
PowerLinx, Inc. will be exhibiting its Hindsight rear and side vision
powerline technology and products during the 2005 Annual Meeting and
Transportation Technology Exhibition of the Technology & Maintenance
Council (TMC) of the American Trucking Assn in Tampa, FL. The TMC event
runs February 15-18, 2005 at the Tampa Convention Center.
When it comes to home networking, nothing's as maddening as setting one up
for the very first time. Unless, of course, you count setting one up for
the second time. ...Two of the most intriguing home networking
technologies use the phone and electrical wiring already in a home.
...Now they have a new Internet service that sends information over
electrical lines, and they wonder how they lived without it.
VoIP, Inc. (OTCBB:VOII - News) announced today that Corinex Communications
Corporation has granted Preferred Distributor status to the Company's
subsidiary, DTNet Technologies.
Arkados Inc., a developer of highly integrated System-on-Chip solutions
incorporating powerline communications, was awarded U.S. patent 6,844,809
by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Conexant Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CNXT - News) today announced revenues of
$140.6 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2005, which ended Dec. 31,
2004, in line with its revised outlook provided on Dec. 13, 2004.
PowerLinx, Inc. (OTCBB:PWLX - News) previously announced the execution of
a purchase contract with Universal General Corporation (UGC) for the
purchase of the Company's digital powerline surveillance systems. The
purpose of this press release is to update the status of the contract with
Mac users in buildings that don't easily support wireless networks who
want to avoid the time and expense of wiring a wired network have a new
solution that uses existing electricity cables.
ELECTRICITY companies are looking to compete in the South African
telecommunications market by using their power lines to offer cut-price
voice and data services to rural communities.
Conexant Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CNXT), a worldwide leader in semiconductor
solutions for broadband communications, enterprise networks and the
digital home, today introduced a new suite of voice coprocessors for
consumer and small-to-medium business applications.
Within the next few years, connecting to the Internet may be as simple as
plugging into a wall socket.
The HomePlug Powerline Alliance, a coalition of companies from business
sectors including hardware, software, consumer electronics, utility and
retail, is working to establish specifications for in- home and
to-the-home powerline products. The goal is to develop a market for
products embedded with HomePlug-certified technology.
LecStar Telecom Inc. has changed its name to Fonix Telecom Inc., the company announced Jan. 13. Atlanta-based Fonix Telecom, a provider of traditional telecom, broadband calling and broadband-over-powerline services, was acquired by Salt Lake City-based Fonix Corp. (OTC: FNIX) in February. http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2005/01/24/newscolumn5.html
South African electricity companies plan to launch a phone service to
rival state-controlled Telkom that could get landline access to almost all
SA's poor at a third of current prices.
The new service would deliver voice and data via existing electricity
LAS VEGAS, CES 2005, LVCC, South Hall, Booth 26624, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ --
Smarthome, Inc., the world's leading provider of electronic products to
improve the home, today announced initial Insteon(TM) products for
lighting and appliance control at CES 2005 in Las Vegas this week. These
first Insteon products will be demonstrated at Smarthome's booth 26624;
shipping is scheduled for second quarter of 2005.
Insteon (for "instant on") is the first dual band wireless home-control
network technology combining radio frequency (RF) communications with the
home's existing wiring, or powerline, to deliver a secure, reliable and
fast connection for automatic or remote control of lighting, security,
entertainment systems, appliances and climate.
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 2005-- Intellon Corporation, the world
leader in powerline communications, today announced that Samsung
Electronics Company is using Intellon's HomePlug AV powerline technology
together with Freescale Semiconductor's Ultra-Wideband (UWB) wireless
technology to demonstrate the distribution of multiple high-definition
(HD) content streams throughout the home. The combination of HomePlug AV
and UWB networking technologies enables consumers to easily connect all of
their digital entertainment devices and distribute the content anywhere in
the home with the added freedom of mobility.
LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 2005-- Asoka USA Corporation, a
leading Powerline Communications developer and manufacturer, has been
selected by Intellon Corporation, the leading HomePlug® Power line
semiconductor manufacturer, as a strategic partner to launch a HomePlug
with Turbo network solution for the digital home, called the PlugLink(TM)
Turbo Ethernet Wall Module. The new module uses the latest HomePlug
1.0-compatible Power line technology from Intellon with high speed
powerline networking at speeds up to 85 Mbps.
...Additional NETGEAR products on display in the general booth will
include the 54 Mbps Cable/DSL Wireless Travel Router (WGR101), another CES
Innovation Award honoree, and the 54 Mbps Universal Wireless Range
Extender Kit (WGXB102), for those users that seek to enhance their
existing wireless networking experience with a combined powerline and
802.11g wireless solution.
The HomePlug AV demonstration will use HomePlug's new AV technology and
Sharp's high quality AV transmission technologies to distribute
high-definition content from a personal video recorder (PVR) to Sharp's
popular Aquos LCD television over the powerlines within a home. The
demonstration will show how the HomePlug AV standard will enhance
consumers' digital entertainment experience by enabling whole-house
distribution of content without the need to install additional video
recorders or run new wires.
Copyright © 2005 Plugtek.com
Home Powerline Network


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- Twitter has launched the widely anticipated NFT verification feature for users.
- The feature has been limited to a section of users based on verification and the type of device being used.
- This feature forms part of the range of cryptocurrency integrations that the company has unveiled over the last 12 months.
Twitter wants to allow NFT holders to proudly showcase their holdings to the general public. This development has been in development since the last quarter of 2021.
NFTs Just Went Mainstream
On January 20, Twitter announced the launch of the feature that will allow users of the platform to use NFTs as their profile picture. Aside from the usage as display pictures, the feature will allow other users to be able to verify the originality of the NFT including its creator, provenance, and other necessary details.
The feature is only available to Twitter Blue subscribers, the subscription service that is designed to give Twitter users greater customization options on how they utilize the microblogging site. Apart from being limited to Twitter Blue subscribers, the new NFT feature can only be accessed via IOS devices but the company says that support for android and web users will be launched in the coming months.
The need for the development of an NFT verification feature came on the heels of the soaring popularity of NFTs last year with several collections capturing the attention of thousands. Several Twitter users used NFTs as their display pictures but there was no means to verify true ownership of these tokens via the platforms as “right clickers” ran riot.
“Twitter is where people go to talk about things that they care about, and often where people have their first experience with crypto and NFTs,” the company told TechCrunch. “We’re now seeing people use NFTs as a form of identity and self-expression, and as a way to join the thriving community and increasingly active conversation on Twitter.”
At launch, Twitter’s latest feature will support Coinbase Wallet, Metamask, Trust Wallet, and Argent. Users of the platform will simply click on the photo to get pertinent details of the NFT irrespective of whether they are Twitter Blue subscribers or IOS users.
Twitter’s Cryptocurrency’s Drive
Twitter has been at the forefront of championing the adoption of cryptocurrency. Last year, the company introduced a Bitcoin tipping service for creators by leveraging the Lightning Network. The company went on to launch a cryptocurrency team with Tess Rinearson as the head “to push the boundaries”.
“As I build out the team, we’ll be working to figure out what crypto can do for Twitter as well as what Twitter can do for crypto. Twitter truly gets crypto (hello Bitcoin Tipping & NFTs!) But there’s so much more to explore here,” said Rinearson on her appointment.
With crypto payments and NFT verification under the belt, analysts are confident that Twitter will wade deeper into the crypto space with a slew of new offerings. The company’s crypto embrace is tied intricately with its founder’s “obsession” with Bitcoin. Jack Dorsey reportedly stepped down from his role as CEO to focus on Bitcoin with Block and has famously referred to the Bitcoin whitepaper as the “most seminal works of computer science in the last 20 or 30 years.”


text:
Taiwanese rice growers are using big data as a part of a pilot project to ensure the resilience of crop production in the face of climate change.
Startup Owlting outfitted a local farmer's rice field with sensors to monitor rain, temperature, and chemical content of the soil, using a wireless network router to post the data online to consumers.
Owlting's Darren Wang said the collected information "will become part of a growing database that will eventually allow farmers to optimize their production cycle."
Another goal for Owlting is to add financial services to its repertoire, with a focus on offering growers a fee for joining the data collection network, while insurers are being granted the right to sell on this information.
Farmers envision such tools as boosting transparency about the food supply chain in real time, to better position their crops as a leader in quality.
From Financial Times
View Full Article - May Require Paid Subscription
Abstracts Copyright © 2018 Information Inc., Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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So, a couple of things happened on 13 February: Rihanna was crowned product placement queen and some NFL game was played.
Apart from her highly anticipated Super Bowl performance, the celebrity and beauty icon managed to sneak in a quick touch-up during her set. Did she need it? Definitely not. But fans were curious about the Fenty Beauty powder Rihanna used while performing ‘All of the Lights’ because, let’s face it, whatever RiRi puts on her face, we will, too.
While the Super Bowl halftime show performers don’t get paid for their appearances, the massive viewership of the event (113 million viewers this year, with the halftime show averaging 118.7 million viewers, as per Fox) means the performers are exposed to an extensive audience, and often reap immediate benefits.
All-stars and mega influencers possess unparalleled potential to generate brand impact due to their extensive following. Here’s a breakdown of the numbers generated by Rihanna:
• Google searches for Fenty Beauty increased by 883%, according to Cosmetics Business.
• Searches for ‘is Fenty safe for pregnancy’ also surged 3,333%.
• In the 12 hours following Rihanna’s performance, she generated USD 88.3 million in media impact value (MIV), according to the brand performance tool Launchmetrics. That’s 27% of the total Super Bowl coverage.
• Fenty Beauty mentions within the Super Bowl (including that 3-second blotting act) generated a total of USD 5.6 million in Media Impact Value (MIV) within the first 12 hours.
Rihanna endorsing her own brand on live television during her comeback Super Bowl performance – it does not get any better than this!