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Northprint 2011 [www.northprintexpo.com], which takes place in Harrogate from 10th to 12th May, has remained a popular platform for finishing system suppliers to showcase their latest innovations for long-or short-run offset and digital print.
Intelligent Finishing Systems (IFS), the exclusive distributor of Horizon and other finishing equipment, has already committed to booking two stands at Northprint, totalling an impressive 120 square metres. Other post-press suppliers confirmed on the floor plan include Addressing & Mailing Solutions, Clinical Print Finishers, D & K Europe, Perfect Bindery Solutions, Tech-Ni-Fold, Terry Cooper Services, Vivid Laminating Technologies.
Trevor Crawford, director of the IIR Print Group, says: "We're delighted with the number of post-press companies that have committed to exhibiting at Northprint. The exhibition is the first national mainstream graphic arts event since Ipex last year and is the best place to see the very latest developments in finishing under one roof.
"Visitors will benefit from live demonstration on exhibitors' stands and we've been told there will be plenty of new kit on display with a strong focus on automation, productivity and added value options to help printers stay competitive and create new business opportunities in this tough market. Interest in this area has never been higher. According to our latest poll on the Northprint website, 90% of respondents are viewing the event as an important investment opportunity."
D & K Europe plans to use Northprint as a platform to launch its new, fully automated entry level Europa laminator in its final B2 format. At Ipex 2010, the company showed a prototype of the machine at B3 size. John Hancock, UK Sales Manager, D & K Europe says: "Historically Northprint has always been a good show for D&K both in terms of contact with customers and prospects and indeed the return on investment. Visitors seem to enjoy Northprint more than the international shows; being more compact it allows them to focus on one or two important investment decisions that they are looking to make and discuss their needs in an environment where there is less pressure on their time."
According to Tony Hards, joint managing director, IFS, "It is easy to underestimate the importance of trade shows such as Northprint and the overall effect it has on long-term relationships with customers. For IFS this major national event gives us the opportunity to showcase the very latest developments that can put our customers ahead of their competition and this event will be no different with the integrated workflow solution pXnet featured on all Horizon equipment. Historically we have always achieved a significant uplift in sales following the event when printers have considered the benefits of the highly-automated, computerised, touch screen set up and make-ready solutions and calculated the benefits to their bottom line.
"But Northprint is not just about sales, it is educational too. As well as learning about the latest easy-to-use, push button equipment innovations that enhance productivity and profit, printers can discover more about the latest business and environmental initiatives. They can also use the event as a way of educating new team members or trainees."
Graham Harris, managing director of Tech-ni-Fold says that the company will use Northprint to launch a new range of CreaseStream products to the UK market. The CreaseStream range of machines bring to the fore a faster way to produce letterpress creasing that eliminate cracking. "We are geared up to show many exciting solutions that start with our basic hand fed desk top creaser to our automatic crease and fold system that reaches speeds of over 15,000 copies per hour. Our special micro-perforating and cutting devices compliment our machines as they add extra value above and beyond what else is available in the market. We are an evolving company and are quickly developing unique and innovative solutions to the problems that litho and digital companies face every day," says Graham Harris.
Addressing & Mailing Solutions (AMS) will be returning to Northprint for the sixth time. Kevin McPheat, managing director, explains: "AMS has been exhibiting at Northprint since 2001 and has found it to be a very useful event in introducing printers to our mailing products, especially where the printers are considering improving their margins by offering a one stop solution to their clients and picking up the extra mailing work which may presently be outsourced. It's also a great venue for printers to understand what our company AMS is about and what our products can do for printers, from hi-speed addressing systems or coding systems to automatic envelope inserting machines, from full colour label printing to poly-wrapping magazines."
Dean Stayne, sales manager at Terry Cooper Services comments: "We've been exhibiting at Northprint for over 20 years and it has always been a great show and a worthwhile return on our investment. Harrogate is a great location for the show and we have found Northprint an invaluable platform from which we can connect with new and existing customers. The show attracts good quality visitors and enables us to showcase our latest range of print finishing equipment to the right audience. Growth is vital in the printing industry today and Northprint recognises and supports this which is why it is so successful for us."
Steve Giddins, partner at Perfect Bindery Solutions LLP, says that the company will be introducing exciting new solutions for digital book printers and photo album manufacturers. He explains: "We like the intimate atmosphere of the show which enables visitors to see all the exhibits at a relaxed pace. The resulting quality discussions and demonstrations lead to a better understanding between customers and suppliers building relationships and trust which is particularly important in the current economic climate."
Clinical Print Finishers see Northprint as a great medium for showcasing their range of small-format print finishing services. "Northprint is a good opportunity for us to meet new and existing customers face-to-face," explains Alan Pickles, operations director. "We have a lot of innovative solutions that we can offer our customers and we will have a diverse range of finished product samples on display at Northprint. Exhibiting there allows us to have an influence on our customers' decision making for their future projects. They are able to see the added value that specialised miniature finishing can offer with far greater clarity then they would with a brochure or a phone call."
Says Siân Wileman, marketing coordinator at Vivid Laminating Technologies: "As regular exhibitors, we are sure Northprint 2011 will be the perfect exhibition to showcase our upcoming new laminating products to the UK print industry."
"We are in final discussions with a number of other post-press suppliers and are confident that we'll announce further additions to the already impressive line up over the coming weeks," concludes Trevor Crawford.


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Bill would make retailers, not banks, liable for reimbursing hacking thefts
Legislation that would make retailers liable for all reimbursements resulting from a data breaches has met condemnation by large and small retailers that say they are the victims of criminal hackers.
The bill co-authored by Assemblyman Roger Dickinson, D-Sacramento, would force retailers to take on liability for financial damages resulting from data breaches and to inform customers of data theft, a responsibility that currently falls on financial institutions.
“This doesn’t do anything to add protection; all this does is penalize the party that was breached,” said Bill Dombrowski, president of the California Retailers Association. “You’re basically making the victim pay twice.”
Assembly Bill 1710 arrives on the heels of large-scale hacks, such as the one on Target that compromised the personal information of as many as 70 million customers. Dombrowski said that Target had used state-of-the-art equipment and couldn’t have done anything more to ward off hackers. Dickinson disagreed, arguing that data was not encrypted for business reasons.
“It’s unclear why financial institutions should bear the costs of the breach when it doesn’t appear that Target, for example, did everything they could to protect information,” Dickinson said.
He stressed that the bill is not intended to punish retailers but to ensure companies are taking every step to protect consumer information, and when theft does occur, “fairly allocate the costs.”
The legislation would also give retailers 15 days to inform consumers about data breaches and offer theft prevention mitigation services to the affected customers for at least two years.
Allen Young covers state legislation, regulation and contracts, as well as economic news, international trade and economic development for the Sacramento Business Journal.
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Spooky as it sounds, but Halloween is, if not the new Christmas, but the start of the Christmas shopping season.
Until now I thought it was just in my house where my son (8) believes that Halloween is in fact the start of Christmas. He has a point: he gets a ton of sweets on 31 October, he then gets fireworks a few days later, then school disco, then his birthday, then Christmas. But he is not alone in starting the festive season so early. Shoppers too are at it.
According to two sets of research out this week, Halloweeen is taking on new – and frightening (see what I did there?) – significance in the run up to Christmas. According to Marler Haley, more searches happen for Halloween in October than happen for Christmas in December – especially on mobile. Meanwhile, research by Bazaarvoice, the first big spike in online shopping traffic takes place on Halloween, with 260% more online traffic than normal, with steady increases and large spikes taking place in the lead-up to Christmas.
In fact, it is becoming clear that my son is far from alone in (trick) or treating Halloween as the kick of the festive season.
While the news story this week deals with the details, it is worth maybe considering why this has come to pass. There are two factors at play here. Firstly, it is only in recent times that we have seen the phenomenon of Black Friday rear its head and create an online selling peak before Christmas. Three years ago this was an interesting anomaly: today it is being treated as at least a week long – longer if you take into account this Halloween effect we seem to be seeing this year.
Secondly, the rise of online and mobile shopping has radically changed shopping habits and with them how cultural events such as Halloween, Christmas and even Easter are viewed.
Combined, these two factors have created a very different attitude among shoppers. To say that impulse shopping is now rife would be an understatement. With mobiles in particularly, shoppers can just search and click and have what they want in a matter of hours. For Halloween this has been a boon: where once people may have been reticent about getting that Dracula outfit with full cape and fangs (hint, hint), now they ‘what the hell’ it and buy it.
What has this got to do with Black Friday? This ethos of spontaneous purchasing, I believe, then starts to drive more considered buying. While they are looking for a Halloween costume, they see things that there kids might like for Halloweeen, then things that they might like for Christmas. “Better buy them now while I think of it” comes into play – and, Bam! You have the beginnings of a two month shopping cycle around Christmas.
I think this year Brexit is also having an impact, with many people expecting the inevitable crash at some point between 2018 and 2019, but are yet to feel it. I have certainly heard people talking of ‘making this the last big Christmas to remember before Brexit’.
These factors – cultural shift and the ‘jam today’ mentality – are combining to make this year’s Halloween a much more significant shopping day than it may have been in the past. It will be interesting to see if Halloween remains the starting point for a frenzied seasonal shopping spree in years to come. For now, though, I am happy to be scared by what is in store for 2017. Mwahahahahahaha….


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|The Napotec Company, Quang Trung Software City, HCM City. — VNA Photo Văn Khánh
HÀ NỘI — As information technology plays an ever more decisive role in the development of a country’s economy, Việt Nam’s software sector has made significant advances in the global outsourcing market, but has not yet managed to cement a “Made in Việt Nam” trademark.
The Vietnam News Agency quoted Lâm Nguyễn Hải Long, director of Quang Trung Software City (QTSC), as saying that Vietnamese businesses are not creating their own products. “The outsourcing market is big, businesses still have ‘space’ to grow over the next 15-20 years, however, each business should be aware of the need to build its own products. At the moment they are still ‘learning’.”
Prof. Dr. Trương Nguyện Thành, Vice President of Hoa Sen University, said that domestic enterprises were mainly doing outsourcing. “In fact, local companies also create software but only products like games, which face obstacles competing in international markets.”
For many years, HCM City in particular has been a national bright spot in luring investment in the field of information technology (IT). The City is an attractive destination for IT investment, especially software outsourcing.
According to experts, Việt Nam is among highly competitive countries in the field of IT, especially software technology.
The global auditing and consultancy firm KPMG rated QTSC as one of the top seven software development parks in Asia.
QTSC in HCM City is a centre boasting the most complete infrastructure in the country. At the time of its establishment, there were only 21 micro- and small enterprises with 250 experts and engineers at the park. After more than 15 years of operation, there are 140 IT software and services companies with about 20,000 people studying and working there, including many big IT companies from around the world.
Last year, FPT Software, a subsidiary of FPT Corporation, crossed the milestone of employing 10,000 people globally. The company was one of the 100 leading global software outsourcing providers evaluated by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals.
Few chances at home
However, Prof. Dr. Thành pointed out the reasons why major companies in Việt Nam were mainly outsourcing firms. He said that scale of the industry was small and enterprises, despite seeing opportunities, have limited human resources.
That is why most Vietnamese software products look for markets overseas, such as in the United States and Europe, as there is no ‘land’ for them in the domestic market, he said.
Compared with creating products and developing them to gain a true foothold in the market, programming to order was much simpler, he said.
Việt Nam currently has more than 1,500 start-ups in the IT sector. To facilitate these enterprises and develop a thriving software industry, a consumption market for software products is needed, as well as the support of state capital.
In addition, software enterprises need to seize opportunities from industrial revolution 4.0, to create software products that are in line with world trends.
Thành, said that to develop Việt Nam’s software, the industry needs not only skilled software engineers but a creative working environment too.
The state needs to turn the domestic market from a potential one to a prosperous one, Thành said. “The country must encourage IT applications in management, as well as creating a legal framework for online payments and electronic signatures.
Đào Hà Trung, chairman of the HCM City High Technology Association, said that technology products created by Vietnamese for Vietnamese to use would be cheaper and easier than those imported from abroad.
The chairman gave an example of the Te-Food application, which enables consumers to check the origins of pork including information about the breeding process, the slaughterhouse and the markets where it is sold.
However, the number of effective Internet of Things ideas and projects for domestic users is still small, he said, therefore, domestic software enterprises need to make more of an effort so they are not overtaken by foreign software firms on their own turf. — VNS


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The personal luxury market’s explosive growth from 2019 through 2023 – up almost 30% over the four years – has come to an end. Starting at $301 billion in 2019, it rode the pandemic roller coaster, dropping sharply in 2020, then more than recovered in 2022 as it climbed 20% to reach $373 billion, according to Bain and Company.
However, in 2023 luxury consumers hit the pause button and revenues advanced only about 4% to $387 billion.
Exuberance turned to caution as the year progressed. “Market performance softened quarter by quarter,” the Bain report stated with particularly troubling signs in the industry’s two major markets – China and the U.S.
Following a strong first quarter, Mainland China slowed as the year progressed and macroeconomic concerns rose. The Americas also decelerated throughout the year to end with an 8% decline in revenues from 2022.
Further, the number of companies that experienced growth in 2023 is down from 95% in 2022 to about two-thirds in 2023.
Looking ahead, Bain expects a “relatively soft personal luxury goods performance in 2024,” resulting in low-to-mid-single-digit growth, “based on current scenarios.” However, one thing we’ve learned over the past three years is how quickly current scenarios can change.
Already, the U.K. and Japan have fallen into a recession after two-quarters of negative GDP growth. In this age of globalization, recessions can be contagious.
While many continue to put a positive spin on U.S. economic performance – “America’s Economy Slowed—It Probably Won’t Stumble” reported The Wall Street Journal – retail sales in January slowed more than expected during a time when consumer spending is often fueled by holiday gift cards.
Last year’s dramatic 8% pullback in luxury spending in the Americas challenges the popular narrative. The affluent luxury customers are those most shielded from inflation and other economic swings.
Consumer Edge, a data services company that tracks credit and debit card spending on an industry and brand level, found U.S. direct-to-consumer luxury spending was down 7% last year, compared to a 15% increase in 2022. And through January, the spending trend continued to worsen.
Another sign of trouble is year-end bonuses for the professional class were down last year. Bonuses represent found money that often goes toward luxury spending. And corporate layoffs have disproportionately impacted these workers too.
Facing the mounting headwinds, what’s the path forward for luxury brands? A look back at its trajectory since 2000 provides an interesting perspective as do the results of a new survey that looks ahead.
Resilient Yet Volatile
We’ve been trained to think of luxury as a reliably steady growth market and it is – at first glance. Since the turn of the century, the personal luxury goods market has more than tripled in size based on a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5%.
Myth Of Stable Growth
However, the CAGR obscures the tremendous year-over-year volatility in the data. Tracking those trends, the luxury goods market is quite turbulent, even before the pandemic.
From 2000 through 2019, there were five years of double-digit growth, three years of decline, and two flat years, with the other nine tracking between 2% and 9% growth. It challenges the myth that the luxury market is more or less stable.
Considering the high growth rates in 2021 and 2022, even advancing 4% in 2023 is remarkable. But given historical patterns and current economic uncertainty, it’s more likely the luxury market growth will continue to slow, even contract in 2024 rather than meet Bain’s low-to-mid-single digit growth projection.
“The nuanced economic and political landscape presents a layered challenge, particularly affecting mid-tier luxury buyers, who’ve historically contributed significantly to luxury sales,” said Chandler Mount, founder of the Affluent Consumer Research Company (ACRC), with which I am affiliated.
“Brands that rely on ultra-wealthy consumers have a buffer, but evolving economic and political factors may influence luxury investment behaviors across all segments,” he added.
Watching And Waiting
Compared to other consumer goods markets, luxury runs on people’s emotions. Nobody needs anything luxury brands sell, making it particularly vulnerable when consumer sentiment turns south. That is reflected in the state of luxury survey conducted by Unity Marketing and ACRC.
Among the roughly 200 luxury goods company executives surveyed from mid-December through mid-February, a near majority (48%) believe conditions in the luxury market are worse now than a year ago; only 16% see it as doing somewhat better.
Some are hopeful things will pick up as the year progresses, with 23% expecting an improvement. Yet more – about one-third (34%) – expect business conditions to worsen.
They see the industry’s greatest growth challenges as:
- Keeping next-generation luxury consumers engaged (55%). These are the so-called aspirational customers whose spending power will be significantly impacted by an economic downturn than the wealthy affluent. Trading down to less premium brands, buying second-hand luxury and the loud budgeting trend that recently emerged on TikTok could siphon off many of these customers.
- Slowing economy (54%) and geo-political turmoil (31%). There is no way around these.
- Competitive pressures with more players vying for the same or fewer customers (31%) and brand loyalty slipping among current customers (28%).
Further, insiders believe that some luxury brands have failed in their promise to deliver high quality commensurate with price increases post-pandemic. These practices have tarnished the reputation of the entire category and threaten consumer trust around value.
That’s why 37% of luxury goods insiders said keeping the price/value equation elevated for luxury is a key challenge for growth.
Finding Resilience In The Face Of Adversity
The strategy for luxury brands in this uncertain market is to return to what made them great in the first place, according to those surveyed:
- Devotion to quality (71%)
- Authenticity (67%)
- Craftsmanship (66%)
- Commitment to service (57%)
- Artistry and design (52%)
The luxury strategy must remain the same, but the tactics to reach new customers and engage existing ones must evolve.
“The digital realm emerges as an essential battlefield for luxury brands, particularly as they seek to engage a broader spectrum of customers,” observed ACRC’s Mount.
“Advanced digital marketing, rooted in personalization, optimization and targeted outreach, stand as critical tools for connection with potential luxury buyers in meaningful ways,” he continued, with meaningful being the operative word here.
For example, influencer marketing has captured the imagination of many brands, but true luxury customers march to their own drum; they don’t follow the crowds or the next high-profile celebrity who emerges.
They demand to know why a brand and its products are valuable to them personally. Just because some influencer chooses it is no reason at all and these savvy consumers know the influencer is paid for their influence anyway.
“Brands need to foster trust through transparent and reassuring communications to help consumers navigate in these uncertain waters,” Mount said.
Top among the list of increased marketing investment in 2024 after website enhancements is to tell the brand story even better (62%) and more in-store special events (50%). This creates new opportunities to show, not just tell, and brings personalization and heightened customer service to the fore.
“The future of the luxury market in 2024 is undeniably complex, marked by an interplay of economic, political and consumer-driven challenges. Yet, within this complexity lies opportunity – be it through strategic investments in sustainability, digital innovation or nuanced market positioning,” Mount said and added:
“It also presents opportunities for nascent luxury brands to carve out their niche and for others a strategic reassessment, highlighting an opportunity for consolidation among established players.”
For example, LVMH-backed investment arm L. Catterton just acquired a major stake in Tod’s, the Italian luxury shoe brand, to take it private. Kering recently acquired Creed fragrances and a 30% share in Valentino, which begins a strategic partnership with the Qatari investment fund Mayhoola, which also owns Balmain. The U.K.-retail giant Fraser Group bought luxury marketplace Matches Fashion to get a foothold in the luxury sector.
“The industry’s path forward is not without its hurdles, but with a committed focus on quality, innovation and embracing change, luxury brands can navigate these turbulent times by prioritizing consumer engagement and trust,” Mount concludes.


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CONSTRUCT 2009 Opens the Doors in Indy
June 17, 2009
The architectural glass industry has found a home at CONSTRUCT 2009 with a number of glass-focused exhibitors showcasing their latest products. The show, which is co-located this year with the TFM Show, opened today in Indianapolis at the Indiana Convention Center to a steady crowd. More than 250 exhibitors were ready and waiting as the doors opened and the tradeshow floor is expected to be bustling through Friday as attendees make their way through the exhibitions. Educational seminars started yesterday and will continue through Friday as well.
“We are just getting started, but we are having some quality contacts coming through,” said Chris Holmes of PPG Industries Inc. PPG is focusing on low-E glass and its coating systems this year at CONSTRUCT. In addition, Dr. Dennis O’Shaughnessy, associate director for research and development for PPG, is scheduled to give a seminar tomorrow morning titled “Global Megatrends and Next-Generation Architectural Glass,” which will focus on energy conservation and the science behind glass technologies.
Also exhibiting, C.R. Laurence Co. Inc. is featuring its new Taper-Loc dry glaze railing system for residential and commercial tempered glass railing applications. In addition, the company is also offering information on its new bonding system, which details guidelines, suggestions and product information.
Room partitioning systems are the focus at the DORMA Group Co. booth where the Moveo® retractable glass partition is on display. The system is designed to help users manage space efficiently.
And as far as what to expect from CONSTRUCT, DORMA’s Troy Pavy seemed confident the show would be a good one--despite the state of the economy.
“Business is going strong,” he said.
Need more info and analysis about the issues?
HERE to subscribe to USGlass magazine.


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Coupa Software Inc. (NASDAQ: COUP) is another cloud computing company that has undergone phenomenal share price growth in 2020.
For example, Mr. Market paid $153.57 for Coupa on 2 January 2020 and $341.31 for it on 30 December 2020. Hence, Coupa’s shares more than doubled in value in 2020.
Investors love Coupa (COUP) because it provides business spend management applications. To explain, Coupa makes software that manages a company’s spending and expenses.
How Coupa Software can Cash in on Coronavirus
Coupa Software (COUPA) offers cloud-based solutions for accounts payable (AP), invoicing, expense management, travel management, and travel and expense management. More organizations are using cloud-based spend management solutions because of coronavirus.
A company still needs to pay invoices, even when all of its AP people are working from home. Coupa’s business spend management (BSM) platform can allow employees to review and pay invoices and expense reports from home. To elaborate, remote-working AP employees can log into the Coupa BSM platform and work from anywhere if they have a computer and decent internet.
The same employees can use the Coupa BSM platform to make supplier and expense payments from home. Thus, the accounts payable department can stay in operation and pay the organization’s bills with the office closed.
I think Coupa’s share values keep rising because coronavirus does not seem to end. The pandemic is almost a year old, and it could get worse despite vaccines. They recorded 107,120 new coroanvirus cases in the United States on 29 December 2020, Worldometers estimates.
Given those numbers, I predict work-from-home will continue and demand for Coupa’s products will grow. Furthermore, work-from-home is becoming the new normal for office workers, another development that benefits cloud software providers such as Coupa.
Is Coupa Making Money?
Coupa Software is still losing money despite the pandemic. For instance, Coupa reported a quarterly operating loss of -$33.65 million on 31 October 2020.
The quarterly operating loss grew from -$31.92 million on 31 July 2020 and -$15.87 million on 31 January 2020. However, Coupa reported an $82.18 million quarterly gross profit on 31 October 2020. The quarterly gross profit grew from $71.35 million on 31 January 2020.
I think Coupa (COUP) is a poor stock because of its small revenues. For instance, Coupa Software quarterly revenues of $132.96 million on 31 October 2020 and $111.45 million on 31 January 2020.
However, Coupa experiences healthy revenue growth. Stockrow estimates Coupa’s revenues grew at a rate of 30.63% in the quarter ending on 31 October 2020.
Those revenues grew at a rate of 32.35% in the quarter ending on 31 July 2020 and 46.56% in the quarter ending on 30 April 2020. Plus, Coupa began 2020 with a revenue growth rate of 48.79% in the quarter ending on 31 January 2020.
How Much Cash Does Coupa Software Generate?
Coupa (NASDAQ: COUP) hassome cash. The company reported a quarterly operating cash flow of $19 million on 31 October 2020. The quarterly operating cash flow fell from $22.28 million on 31 January 2020.
Coupa Software reported a quarterly ending cash flow of $348 million on 31 October 2020. The quarterly ending cash flow fell from $609.84 million on 31 July 2020 and rose from -$318.87 million on 31 January 2020.
Unfortunately, Coupa seems to have borrowed most of that ending cash flow. In fact, Coupa reported a quarterly financing cash flow of $701.42 million on 31 July 2020. The financing flow shows how much money Coupa Software accumulated through borrowing and debt.
What Value Does Coupa Software Have?
Conversely, Coupa keeps enormous amounts of cash. Coupa Software (NASDAQ: COUP) had $1.354 billion in cash and short-term investments on 31 October 2020. In 2020, cash and short-term investment rose from $767.21 million on 31 January 2020.
However, as I noted above, most of the cash and short-term investments came from financing. Thus, I cannot tell how much money Coupa’s business generates.
Coupa had a little value in the form of $2.298 billion on 31 October 2020. In 2020, Coupa’s total grew from $1.594 billion on 31 January 2020.
Mr. Market Market Overvalues Coupa Software
I think Mr. Market enormously overvalued Coupa at $336.40 on 29 December 2020. I do not think any company with total assets of only $2.298 billion can be worth $341.31 a share.
Additionally, Coupa Software pays no dividend. Hence, I think there is no reason for ordinary people to buy Coupa Software.
Instead of Coupa Software, I recommend Oracle Inc. (NYSE: ORC). Oracle provides cloud-based financial software and it will pay a quarterly dividend of 24¢ on 21 January 2021. Yet Mr. Market paid $64.40 for Oracle Corp shares on 30 December 2020.
I believe smart investors need to avoid overpriced cloud software providers such as Coupa. Not even coronavirus can help Coupa Software, and many of its peers make money.


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This past September, Lanvin and H&M announced their designer collaboration plans and now they have released a viral for the collection that will soon hit 200 H&M stores worldwide starting on November 23.
For the past week the web has been buzzing with rumors about a possible Lanvin and H&M collaboration. Two days ago, H&M put an end to all the speculation by announcing that its next designer collaboration will be with Lanvin.
The collaboration brings a line of menswear and womenswear designed by Lanvin’s artistic director Alber Elbaz and menswear designer Lucas Ossendrijver. On November 2, the collection will be revealed to the public and will hit 200 H&M stores worldwide starting on November 23.
Kanye West joined Twitter today and with the help of his growing followers and a single tweet brought exposure to the fashion brand Lanvin. Immediately after Kanye tweeted, “I jog in Lanvin” the line was RT’d by thousands making it a trending topic for a short period of time.


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WATERFORD, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This year, Waterford and Times Square New Year’s Eve invite revelers to share in the “Gift of Imagination,” the first gift in the new, 10-year “Greatest Gifts” series that will decorate the Waterford Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball for the next decade. Each annual edition of the series will depict a theme of global aspiration whose value is universally treasured. In the spirit of this year’s gift, Waterford has teamed up with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® to have a patient help design one special imagination crystal that will be installed on this year’s Waterford Ball.
“Imagination is a celebration of curiosity and whimsy and has resulted in some of history’s most significant innovations in science, literature and the arts. It can be found in its most pure and authentic form in the minds of children, which makes them the perfect designers for a unique Waterford Crystal triangle,” said Waterford Vice President of Global Marketing, Regan Iglesia.
“We are truly grateful to Waterford for their partnership in allowing us to participate in this exciting undertaking,” said Richard Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “By giving 12-year-old St. Jude patient Coraliz the opportunity to help design this year’s imagination crystal, Waterford not only is giving a precious child a chance to live out a dream, they are brightening the spirits of children around the world who are fighting cancer.”
The 2,688 crystal panels that decorate the Waterford Ball were designed and crafted by the world-renowned artisans at the Waterford factory in Ireland and feature a series of intricate wedge cuts that appear to be endless mirror reflections of each other, a signature of the brand. The “Greatest Gifts” concept was the last New Year’s Eve series created under the leadership of the late Waterford Global Design Director and 50-year Waterford veteran Jim O’Leary, who passed earlier this year.
For nearly 15 years, dazzling Waterford crystal triangles have adorned the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball. Each year, Waterford designers introduce a new signature cut crystal pattern to become part of the current series of crystal sentiments. Premiering in 2014 and continuing through 2023, the “Greatest Gifts” collection marks the longest series to-date. The previous series, “World of Celebration,” spanned from “Let There Be Light” in 2008 to “Let There Be Peace” in 2012.
The new Waterford Ball design is accompanied by the 2014 Waterford Times Square Holiday Collection, which mimics the new “kaleidoscope” cutting pattern in a crystal ball ornament, disk ornament, flute pairs (clear and red cased) coupe pair, vase (clear and red cased) and bowl, blown glass masterpiece and replica balls, and snow globe.
For more information, visit http://timessquarenyc.org/events/new-years-eve/about-the-new-years-eve-ball/index.aspx.
WWRD, the leading provider of luxury home and lifestyle products worldwide, manufactures, distributes and sells well-recognized brands, including Waterford, Wedgwood, Royal Doulton, Royal Albert, Minton, Johnson Brothers and Franciscan. WWRD maintains unique licensing arrangements with some of the most high-profile innovators in the home and lifestyle market, including Vera Wang, Jasper Conran, Monique Lhuillier, John Rocha and Gordon Ramsay. WWRD products are distributed through premium department stores and independent retailers and wholesalers around the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia and Ireland. The company employs more than 3,000 people worldwide.
About Times Square New Year's Eve
The Times Square Alliance and Countdown Entertainment are the organizers of Times Square New Year's Eve. The Times Square Alliance works to improve and promote Times Square so that it retains the energy, edge and distinctiveness that have made it an icon of entertainment, culture and urban life. Countdown Entertainment represents the owners of One Times Square and the New Year’s Eve Ball.
About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other deadly diseases. St. Jude has the world’s best survival rates for the most aggressive childhood cancers, and treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since we opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent in the next decade. St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs we make, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing and food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org or following St. Jude on facebook.com/stjude and twitter.com/stjude.


text: By sometime next year, 17-inch LCDs will dominate the market, according to IDC. By 2007, the number of LCDs shipped will reach 119 mil. Developed countries will have almost completely switched over to the slimmer displays by then, and CRTs will be sold primarily in less-developed countries. CRTs will account for 30 mil units in 2007. The demand for LCD monitors is going up as manufacturers of desktops, notebooks and television sets make the switch from the venerable CRT design. According to an earlier study by iSuppli, worldwide revenue for LCD panels is expected to reach $47 bil in 2004, up 32% from last year.


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The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has warned social grant beneficiaries to not fall for a scam where scammers are deceiving beneficiaries by convincing them to change their Sassa cards to take a certain unknown bank card.
The scammers claim to be working for Sassa and advise Sassa clients to open an account with a certain bank by instilling fear that the gold Sassa card will not have money by the end of June 2022.
Sassa assured all social grant beneficiaries in a statement that the Sassa card will continue to work until Sassa officially communicates otherwise.
Beneficiaries can use their Sassa gold card to withdraw their grant in retail outlets such as Pick n Pay, Checkers, Shoprite, Boxer or USave and all bank ATMs in South Africa.
If there are any changes in the grant payment, Sassa will inform beneficiaries through all available channels and also through stakeholder engagements.
Beneficiaries are urged to report these fraudsters to the nearest police station.
For more information, contact the Sassa toll free number: 0800 60 10 11 from 8am to 4pm during weekdays, Monday to Friday.


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A class action suit against Target involving a well-publicized security breach was filed in federal court in East St. Louis a day after the retailer announced that up to 40 million consumers’ credit and debit cards had been compromised.
St. Louis attorney John Driscoll filed the case Dec. 19 on behalf of plaintiffs from Millstadt, Mascoutah and Florissant, Mo. who seek to represent a class described as:
- All persons who shopped at Target whose personal information was subject to Target’s security failures and who suffered damages in the loss of time and use of their credit and debit cards until such time as replacement cards could be obtained.
- All persons who shopped at Target who suffered damages in the amount of fraudulent charges or unauthorized withdrawals made to their credit and/or debit cards or suffered damages in the amount of overdraft charges made to their credit and/or debit cards.
- All persons who shopped at Target whose personal information was subject to Target’s security failures and who have suffered or anticipate suffering damages, loss, and/or expenses.
Target announced on Dec. 18 that customer card information had been compromised between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15, with the result that personal information was used or was at risk of use in fraudulent transactions around the world.
The lawsuit claims that Target failed to notify plaintiffs and the putative classes in a timely manner and failed to take other reasonable steps to inform them of the nature and extent of the breach.
“…[T] the security breach and theft of Personal Information was caused by Target’s violations of its obligations to abide by the best practices and industry standards concerning the security of its payment processing systems and the computers associated therewith as set forth, for example, in Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council Data Security Standards (“PCI DSS”) and the decisions of the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) concerning protection of consumer financial information,” the suit states.
Plaintiff Lisa Gerber of Florissant claims that approximately $600-700 was withdrawn from her bank account after having used her debit card at a Cave Springs, Mo. store on Dec. 14. She further claims that she lost use of her bank account during a period of time when her card was frozen and that her damages are ongoing.
Plaintiff Jonathan Switzer of Millstadt claims he suffered losses in an amount yet to be completely determined after having used his debit card at a store in Belleville on Dec. 9.
Plaintiff Sharon Bartosiak of Mascoutah also claims she suffered undetermined damages after having used a debit card at a store in Shiloh on Dec. 2.
The lawsuit claims that plaintiffs and class members are subject to continuing damages such as: out-of-pocket expenses incurred to mitigate the increased risk of identity theft and or fraud; credit, debit, and financial monitoring to prevent and/or mitigate theft, identity theft, and/or fraud; the value of their time and resources spent mitigating the identity theft and/or fraud; the cost of and time spent replacing credit cards and debit cards and reconfiguring automatic payment programs with other merchants related to the compromised cards; and irrecoverable financial losses due to unauthorized charges on the credit/debit cards of Target customers by identity thieves who wrongfully gained access to their personal information.
Causes of actions listed in the complaint include violations of the federal Stored Communications Act, negligence, breach of implied contract, violations of the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act and violations of the Illinois Personal Information Protection Act.


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Final Wal-Mart decision slated for February
Faced with a mountain of argument and rebuttal, the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners has decided to delay a final decision on two Wal-Mart expansion proposal appeals until February.
At least a dozen people reportedly mostly Safeway and Albertsons workers packed the commissioners chambers Monday morning to hear whether Wal-Mart would be allowed to add a 105,000-square-foot grocery element to its existing 103,000-square-foot store on Bethel Road.
Safeway labor representatives have testified in the past that such a move would result in the demise of Safeway located immediately north of Wal-Mart and possibly other stores in the area.
Residents living immediately east of Wal-Mart have also complained the expansion would make the neighborhood unliveable by exacerbating current problems the neighbors say they have with excessive light and noise coming from Wal-Marts parking lots and loading dock.
The residents, headed by Bill and May Ann Huntington, have filed an appeal of the county hearing examiners decision to let the expansion move forward as proposed.
The Huntingtons, who hired a lawyer to argue their appeal, say the noise and light from Wal-Mart keeps them up at night and will only get worse after the building moves closer to their property. In addition, they said, a grocery element would significantly increase the number of trucks entering the loading dock, which will come within 60 or so feet of their property line after the project is complete.
The Huntingtons bought their home after Wal-Mart first opened in 1995 and said they understood some aggravation was part of living so close to a large retail store. However, they said Wal-Mart has refused to consider its neighbors when scheduling deliveries, trash pickup, lot cleaning and other noisy activities.
In addition, the Huntingtons said, the store has made no effort to control its employees after hours maintenance crews reportedly yell, crash carts, throw pallets and engage in other unnecessarily disruptive activities and have not altered their behavior despite numerous calls to Wal-Mart officials and even 911.
(The Huntingtons) will be irreversibly harmed by the impact of the project, said Ryan Vancil, the Huntingtons attorney.
Wal-Marts attorney, John McCullough, said the hearing examiner has already included noise and light restrictions in his conditions and extended the mandatory monitoring period from six months to one year.
He said such a move would be more than sufficient to make sure Wal-Mart complied with noise regulations.
With regard to the light issue, McCullough reminded the commissioners the expansion plan called for replacing all the existing lighting with fixtures that would result in almost no off-property spill. In addition, he said, no evidence had ever been introduced to prove Wal-Marts expansion would result in economic blight as defined by state law.
Theres nothing in (any of these plans) that suggest you should be choosing one commercial business over another, McCullough said.
In addition to the Huntingtons appeal, Wal-Mart filed its own appeal of the hearing examiners findings. McCullough claimed the appeal was intended to find clarity in the issue of who was responsible for implementing the examiners findings and conditions.
However, Vancil argued the appeal was actually an attempt to work around noise mitigation requirements.
Commissioner Chris Endresen asked several questions about the proposal, focusing largely on enforcement and the projects compliance with the Bethel Corridor Plan. She said there was evidence the project was in conflict with the plan and also appeared to have issues with the way Wal-Mart defined open space in its proposal.
Youre counting parking lot landscaping as open space and buffers? Endresen asked.
Commissioner Jan Angel, who represents South Kitsap, said she already had her questions answered by staff but still wanted more time to review the mass of information presented. The commissioners plan to make a final decision on the two appeals at their regular meeting Feb. 9.
The Huntingtons, leaving the commissioners chambers, were optimistic about the decision.
At least we got another two weeks, Mary Ann Huntington said.


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Small businesses are a growing presence on the Web. They have sites and some take orders online. Still, small businesses haven't fully realized their potential on the Internet, says Monica Luechtefeld, who heads Office Depot's e-commerce division.
Companies need to "Webify" their businesses, she says. "Small businesses will use the Web in a much more innovative way than corporations, not just to click and buy things, but to run businesses."
Luechtefeld made her comments recently at Office Depot's annual technology forum for South Florida businesses. While Luechtefeld focused on the big picture, other speakers had the more practical task of telling small business owners how to achieve their online and off-line goals.
Office Depot's e-commerce business is itself a sterling example of Webification. At the office supply company, 40 percent of transactions with small businesses are on the Internet.
But "Webifying" is about more than buying goods online or e-commerce. "It's not about establishing a separate business. It's about integrating the Web into your business," Luechtefeld says.
That means not only buying and selling over the Web, but also taking care of all forms of business: from customer service to invoices.
The Web can be used to allow customers to book appointments even when you, the business owner or service provider, cannot be personally available to do so. That frees up the business owner and at the same time, provides customer service.
Some small businesses already are using technology to run their businesses more efficiently.
Devora Henderson, a South Florida territory manager for IBM, pointed to eTrauma, a medical technology business in Deerfield Beach that uses the Internet to transmit medical images from doctor to doctor.
IBM also is working with a West Palm Beach company, ScriptRx, which provides computerized prescription writing, discharge instructions, patient orders and charting for emergency-room physicians.
Both Internet services are hosted by IBM.
"The way to get up and running and get returns on their investments quickly is to outsource the backend," Henderson says.
Fort Lauderdale-based BizProLink also uses IBM to manage its hosting. At the same time BizProLink is working with IBM to build a small business area on its site with online tools and content, said Steven Sponder, founder and chief executive of BizProLink.
As a result of IBM hosting its site, Sponder says BizProLink has been able to keep its staff lean: 15 employees work out of Fort Lauderdale serving millions of customers.
BizProLink's largest client is AOL. "Just about any information for small businesses comes out of BizProLink," Sponder says.
Through AOL, BizProLink provides 290 types of small business tools and content in 25 industry categories. If starting a floral shop, for example, the new business owner can access a template to build a business plan.
Online tools also include marketing plan creation, customer relationship management solutions, human resources tools, payroll management, online postage, project management tools, accounting and bookkeeping, telecommunications services, and time, expense and calendar management.
Sponder says BizProLink itself is completely operated on the Internet. As a former owner of a restaurant chain, Sponder says, he understood what was needed by small businesses.
"We realized transactions was only one part of what a small business does every single day," he says.
Marcia Heroux Pounds can be reached at email@example.com or 561-243-6650.


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Nintendo’s new console will have a seven-inch OLED display with 720p resolution and will allow resolutions up to 4K when connected to a TV.
Nintendo to launch Switch Pro in 2021
Nintendo will launch its upgraded Switch, supposedly called Switch Pro, this 2021 with a larger screen, performance improvements thanks to Nvidia DLSS technology, and accompanied by new games, according to Bloomberg. Neither Nintendo nor Nvidia have commented on the media leak, whose analysts point out that the system could cost around $400.
This Switch Pro will have a new chip from the manufacturer Nvidia that will offer better processor performance (CPU) and more memory. It will also support Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) technology, available in the company’s PC graphics cards.
New Switch would be:
-release later this year
-7-inch, 720p OLED screen
-better CPU, more memory
-with a lot of games
-analysts tip as much as $399.99 price tag
source: multiple people familiar with the matter that we talked to.https://t.co/1lleqAFQBh
— Takashi Mochizuki (@6d6f636869) March 23, 2021
DLSS uses artificial intelligence to increase the resolution of on-screen games by running them at a lower resolution. Developers will need to update games to support DLSS, according to several unnamed developers who spoke to the aforementioned media outlet.
This technology will allow games to be displayed at up to 4K resolution when connected to the TV. As for the console’s display, they reaffirm that it will be Samsung that will offer a seven-inch OLED screen (approximately the size of the standard Switch without the bezel) of 720p resolution; The South Korean company stated in January its intention to expand its displays to video game consoles.
The same media outlet notes that Nintendo will accompany the launch of this new Switch with new games that will take advantage of new technologies and reminds that the release calendar is practically empty for the second half of the year; The most important third party will be released in August (No More Heroes 3) and the most important first-party, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD, in July.
Analyst pricing: Between $350 and $400
An analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence points out that the console will cost up to $100 more than the current one, although it is a prediction. “$349.99 will increase the value proposition of the device, but I think Nintendo may have strong demand even at $399.99,” explains Matthew Kanterman.
Nintendo reported in the presentation of its financial report for the quarter ended December 2020 that they do not plan to present a new Switch soon, but at the same time, they did not deny that they were working on a new console. When asked by an investor about the possibility of seeing a new model in 2021, the Japanese firm replied, “Not anytime soon.”


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MassTLC hosts Tech the Halls, featuring holiday-themed sponsor booths, food, drinks, music, giveaways and more.
Willet Pond Spillway (Photo courtesy of Neponset River Watershed Association)
The Baker-Polito Administration
MassEcon recently honored 15 enterprising companies from across the commonwealth with its 16th Annual Team Mas
The Baker-Polito Administration declared Friday, November 29, 2019 as “Green Friday” to encourage Massachusett
The Baker-Polito Administration announced that forty-two small businesses across Massachusetts are receiving S


text: The Baby & Children stand at the China Sourcing Fair: Gifts & Home Products is evidence of an industry that is booming Toys have a history as old as human civilization. In the old days, children played with whatever they could find. But these days parents are willing to spend plenty of money on toys and children's products. And the industry is booming. The China Sourcing Fair: Gifts & Home Products, which opens today and runs until Sunday, has some exciting new pavilions this year, including a Baby & Children pavilion, the biggest of the newcomers. The others are Arts & Crafts and Ceramics & Glassware pavilions. With more than 4,000 booths, the China Sourcing Fair: Gifts & Home Products, is the biggest fair at AsiaWorld-Expo organised by Global Sources. More than 31,000 visitors from 120 countries attended the event last year and more are expected this year. Sarah Benecke, director of Global Sources, said the company was aggressively exploring new and remote developing areas in the mainland, which had lower pricing than coastal areas. More than 1,200 exhibitors from China with many companies from emerging sourcing centres such as Shaanxi, Hunan, Guangxi, Hubei, Liaoning and Shandong, have joined the fair, resulting in a 30 per cent increase in the number of exhibitors. Many of them are exhibiting in Hong Kong for the first time. 'Companies have been putting more focus on children's products lately,' Ms Benecke said. 'In developing countries, people tend to have a lot of children, so they need many children's products. In richer countries, people tend to have fewer children but they are willing to spend a lot on their children. So the baby and children's products industry is promising worldwide.' Manny Wong, business development manager of Fame Summit, said children's products were a huge market. 'No matter what the economic conditions, people don't reduce their spending on children. Parents would buy a cheap T-shirt and wear it for several years, but they are willing to buy expensive clothes for their children, which they can only wear for a year at the most. 'The same applies to toys. All of the leading retailers are expanding their baby and children's sections. The whole world is spending much more money on children. I see a bright future in this industry,' she said. Fame Summit develops its business through horizontal integration. It sells costumes, children's clothes, pet's toys and accessories, beach toys and soft toys to European and American customers. The company is launching its own brand, Whys Kingdom. 'Clients came to us with their concepts and designs,' Ms Wong said. 'For example, Old Navy wanted food bowls for dogs and Disney wanted princess costumes. We accommodated their requests. Thus we have developed a wide range of product lines as our business developed. Then some months ago I thought 'why don't we try to sell the products under our own brand?' So we are now preparing for a wide range of baby products under our brand Whys Kingdom.' Another company, Initiator Trends, chose to stay in the original equipment manufacture business. Marketing executive Rix Chan said the company would rather sell its concept to other big brands to avoid the production and marketing costs. 'Buyers usually see our product samples. They like our concepts, and then they buy the design and change the cartoon characters and the appearance to sell the products under their brand names,' he said. Mr Chan said parents had higher expectations of toys these days, and expected more than just a plain teddy bear or a toy car. 'To differentiate our company from others and to secure our market position, we invested a lot in developing new products that are educational and interactive; toys that are fun and can stimulate children's senses and their brains,' he said. Repco Asia specialises in licensed toys. It produces products for popular films, television programmes and famous sports stars including Shark Tale, Madagascar, Barney, Noddy and Michael Schumacher. Carsten Bo Skoett, managing director of Repco Asia, said the toy industry was becoming licence-driven. Four or five years ago there were few licensed products-based companies. The market was now booming and very competitive. Mr Skoett said licensed products were spreading to all lines of toys. Whenever a film was about to be released, it was they backed up with a lot of merchandising. He said movies controlled a lot in the industry, and companies had to be aware of upcoming films as soon as possible. Repco Asia is already producing toys for Garfield 2, which will be in cinemas next year. 'Parents are easily misled by movie merchandise. For example, when they see a Spiderman bike they will expect it to be good quality because it bears the Spiderman brand name. So licensees have to be very careful [about] quality control of licensed products. If something happens to a child playing with a product that you licensed but that was produced by another company, your company will also have to bear a large part of the responsibility,' he said. Other than producing licensed products, Repco Asia also designs its own products and is a licensee. Mr Skoett said the biggest challenge was copied products. 'Whenever you have a good toy idea you will see copied products in the market two to three months after they are launched. That is terrible. They use our ideas, our designs and even our packaging and instruction manuals. Not to mention they sell the products at one tenth of our price because they don't have to pay for the development cost,' Mr Skoett said. 'That is why we never put our latest designs in fairs. We tell the buyers about them, and if they are interested we invite them to our showroom.'


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Wall Street woke up today to an announcement from Mr. Trump that he intends to place a tariff on all goods coming into the US from Mexico. The levy will be in effect until that country prevents immigrants/asylum seekers from reaching its border with the US. The initial rate will be 5%, escalating to 25% by October.
As an American, I think I can understand the issues the administration wants to address. But I find it more than a little unsettling that there seems to be no coherent, well-reasoned plan being implemented. I’m pretty sure tariffs are not the way to go. Also, both sides of the aisle in Congress appear to be eerily content to watch from the sidelines, rather than make it clear that Mr. Trump does not have authority to levy tariffs without legislative consent (my personal view, for what it’s worth) or limit/revoke that authority if the president does have it now.
As an investor, however, my main concern is the much narrower question of how Washington will affect my portfolio.
As to Mexico: let’s say the US sells $300 billion yearly to Mexico and buys $350 billion. Most of that is food and car parts. Even if we sell less to Mexico because of retaliatory tariffs and if imported goods are 15% more expensive–to pluck a figure out of the air–the total direct negative impact on the US + Mexican economies would probably be a loss of around $100 billion in GDP. How that would be split between the two isn’t clear, but the aggregate figure is 8% of Mexican GDP and 0.5% of US GDP. So, potentially much worse for Mexico than for the US.
Given the nature of US-Mexico trade, the negative economic impact in the US will be concentrated on lower-income Americans. If earnings reports from Walmart and the dollar stores are to be believed (I think they are), these are people whose fortunes have finally, and only recently, begun to turn up post-recession.
From a US stock market point of view, neither autos nor food has large index representation. My guess is the negative impact will be roughly equally divided between negative pressure on directly-affected stocks, including names that cater to the less affluent, and mild downward pressure on stocks in general from slower domestic growth. Because small caps are more domestically focused than the S&P 500, only half of whose earnings come from the US, the Russell 2000 will likely suffer more than large caps.
There are deeper, long-term questions that Washington is raising–about whether the US is an attractive place to establish manufacturing businesses and whether it can be relied on as a supplier to buy from. In addition, it’s hard to figure out what government policy today is–for example, how new tariffs on Mexican imports square with just-reworked NAFTA, or how imposing tariffs that hurt domestic car manufacturers square with the threat of tariffs on imported vehicles, which do the opposite.
Neither of these concerns are likely to have a significant impact on near-term trading. But heightened Washington dysfunction must even now be becoming a red flag in multinationals’ planning.


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Fans of the Parrot AR Drone series are in luck as the company on Thursday began taking pre-orders for its much anticipated Parrot AR Drone 2.0 Quadricopter.
The quadricopter will be released in May for $299.99 and comes equipped with plenty of new features including a built-in 720p front-facing camera that captures flights in HD.
For better flying capabilities the AR Drone 2.0 also features a 3-axis accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer.
The drone also offers a new “absolute flight” feature mode that allows users to steer the AR Drone by simply tilting their smartphone or tablet.
In another first “light-emitting diodes (green in front, red in rear), positioned on the landing gear, help the pilot track the orientation of the AR.Drone 2.0 for easier flying.”
The devices iOS and Android apps also allow users to share flight date with friends.
If simply using the Parrot AR Drone 2.0 isn’t enough for some users Parrot has also provided Android and iOS developer software development kits which allow for custom program creation.
The company only plans to offer a limited number of units which can be reserved now or picked up on April 9th from Brookstone stores.
Here’s a video of the Parrot AR Drone 2.0 in action:
After checking out the Drones performance are you ready to pre-order your own AR Drone 2.0 or will you perhaps be heading out to Brookstone to get your hands on the iOS and Android friendly flyer?


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Alibaba backed digital payments company Paytm has trained its guns on Google Pay, asking the NPCI, a bank-owned entity which operates the UPI payments system in India, to "revisit the Payment Policy of Google Pay for India". Both an NPCI representative and a Paytm representative have verified the authenticity of the letter, which was sent via email at around 4pm yesterday by Sonia Dhawan, VP at Paytm, to NPCI CEO Dilip Asbe, with a copy to Ajay Sawhney, Secretary MEITY. Paytm has targeted WhatsApp before, and some of its allegations were legitimate then, WhatsApp's launch is being stalled owing to a push for data localisation (from Paytm), and concerns around data sharing, which Paytm has also raised in this letter. The text of Paytm's letter is transcribed below, and we've added for your reference, a copy of Google's Terms which Paytm has criticised. On Paytm's Allegations In the letter, Paytm makes the following specific allegations (our comments in-line): 1. That Google Pay is unregulated, saying that "Google Pay is an unregulated payments platform" MediaNama's take: This allegation is factually incorrect. Google Pay might be unlicensed, but it is not unregulated. Google Pay, as well as all digital businesses operating in India are governed by Indian laws, including the IT Act, which covers all technology companies. While it is true that UPI apps like Google Pay are unlicensed, UPI itself has a stringent regulatory mechanism, as per which not everyone can launch a UPI app: there is a whole set of…
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India's smartphone operating system BharOS has received much buzz in the media lately, but does it really merit this attention?
After using the Mapples app as his default navigation app for a week, Sarvesh draws a comparison between Google Maps and Mapples
The regulatory ambivalence around an instrument so essential to facilitate data exchange – the CM framework – is disconcerting for several reasons.
The provisions around grievance redressal in the Data Protection Bill "stands to be dangerously sparse and nugatory on various counts."
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It's been a little more than a year since Project (RED)'inspired by U2 front man Bono'was launched to raise much-needed funds for AIDS causes in underdeveloped countries. Soon afterward, celebs queued up to appear in ads touting Gap apparel, eye-catching gadgets like iPods, and the general philanthropy of the campaign in magazine ads and outdoor billboards. Ad industry experts estimate that the combined marketing contributions by Apple, the Gap, Motorola, and other corporate sponsors have topped perhaps $100 million to date.
With that kind of celebrity power and corporate capital behind it, Project (RED) seemed destined to be a wild success. But according to a report by AdAge.com in March, the worldwide take has been along the lines of $18 million.
Execs behind the campaign say the disparity between financial outlay and benefit is misleading at this point because of the high costs required for such a grand and global launch. And, they add, the long-term nature of the campaign is what will lead to greater contributions for the targeted charity: the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
But that rationale doesn't keep the detractors at bay. There's already one site'BuyLessCrap.org'that mocks Bono and his fellow wanna-do-gooders with the message 'Shopping is not a solution. Buy less. Give more. Join us in rejecting the tired notion that shopping is a reasonable response to human suffering.'
Ben Davis, creative director at Words Pictures Ideas and cocreator of the site, told AdAge.com, 'Can't we just focus on the real solution'giving money' directly to the Global Fund and other charities?


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Alma-blood ewes fetch high prices at 2010 Hay September Sheep Sale
$200 was the first bid at the 2010 Hay September Sheep Sale, regarded by Hay Merino Breeders as the best Hay sale ever. $237 was the final bid for the first pen sold on the day, Alma-blood young ewes from Yarto, Booligal. Yarto also sold a younger line of ewes for $219. The Alma bred and blood young ewes sold for $212.


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iPhone Case Naruto - USA Outlet
iphone case naruto - Find item for fit your style, find new and fashion product for time limit of 68% discount and enjoy free shipping now! Shop Now.
The Mi 4 will like debut in China first for 1,999RMB ($322, £188, AU$343) for the 16GB model and 2,499RMB for the 64GB version, and will probably be available in Hong Kong and Taiwan soon after. The phone should also be headed to international markets such as Singapore, Malaysia and India. Alternatively, for those who are hankering after a Chinese-made superphone, you may want to take a look at the Oppo Find 7 and OnePlus One instead. Powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor and loaded with 3GB of RAM, the Android KitKat smartphone will debut in China.
BEIJING, China -- The design of Xiaomi's latest Mi 4 will seem very familiar to some, The company appears to have borrowed from the Apple playbook again -- the phone looks very much like the iPhone, and the Mi 4 even comes in a white version similar to Apple's smartphone, This isn't the first time, either, We last saw the Mi Pad, which resembled the iPad Mini with the iPhone 5C's colorful plastic shell, Be respectful, iphone case naruto keep it civil and stay on topic, We delete comments that violate our policy, which we encourage you to read, Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion..
The handsets, which Apple has yet to announce, will sport much-rumored 4.7- and 5.5-inch screens, according to The Wall Street Journal. Betting that larger screens will attract more consumers, Apple has asked its suppliers to produce 70 million to 80 million units combined by December 30, the newspaper reported. That manufacturing target would be a big uptick from previous models of the smartphone. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company's initial order for iPhone 5s and 5c was between 50 million and 60 million, the Journal reported. Both models are expected to sport metal cases and come in a variety of colors, sources told the newspaper.
CNET has contacted Apple for comment and will update this report iphone case naruto when we learn more, Rumors of a 5.5-inch iPhone 6 have intensified in recent months, A widely cited report from Taiwan's United Daily News/Economic Daily in May indicated that out of the 80 million iPhone 6 units that the supply chain of component manufacturers expects Apple to sell this year, more than 90 percent of the shipments will be for the 4.7-inch model, Other reports held that Japan-based machine tool manufacturers and component suppliers were gearing up in preparation for the next-generation iPhone, Domestic orders for industries connected to the next-gen iPhone are "booming," Nikkei said in the online Japanese-language version of the daily..
You stare down at your somewhat minuscule little thing and notice that the Samsungites are positively cock-a-hoop about their larger screen size. You don't necessarily say anything, but you think it. Worse, you feel it. How could Samsung not, therefore, expose this difficult truth? The Galaxy has a big screen and the iPhone doesn't. In a new ad designed to prey on young men's feelings of inadequacy, Samsung shows two friends in a interesting side-by-side comparison. "Dude, iPhone might be getting a bigger screen," says the excitably coiffed iPhone user.
"That hasn't happened yet?" wonders his rather more masculine friend, off-handedly, Yes, this is the classic tale of mine is bigger than yours, You've hoped to have something bigger for the last two years, iPhonerati, "Maybe you just like waiting," says the knowing voice of Samsung, The 5.1-inch Galaxy S5 is everything you've been waiting for, suggests the voice, And it's been right under your nose the whole time, Perhaps you've had your nose turned up too far to see, Or, perhaps iphone case naruto you tell yourself that size isn't everything..
It's wise of Samsung to pick at this little weakness. It's good to see it again pricking Apple's soft spots, rather than shying away. However, it won't be able to make the size argument for much longer. You know the iPhone 6 will likely have enough design, thoughtfulness, and size -- and be launched with a large dollop of relatively pleasing hype. What will Samsung say then? "Mine's more plastic than yours" doesn't have quite the same ring. A new Samsung ad suggests that iPhone users are people who have been blinded by their lack of appreciation that big screens have been here all along.
For this episode of CNET Update, I got to see this new tracker in action, Push CEO and co-founder Rami Alhamad demonstrated how it measures force, power and velocity, With that information, it can offer suggestions on how to improve your workout, Watch the video above to learn more, Also in Update, get familiar with a new save feature coming to Facebook, It's a way to bookmark a story to read for later, or make a note about a location your friend shared, CNET Update delivers the tech news you need in under three minutes, Watch Bridget Carey every afternoon for a breakdown of the big stories, hot devices, new apps, and what's ahead, Subscribe to the podcast via the iphone case naruto links below..


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Bitcoin can not stop breaking records.
The virtual currency exceeded $ 1
Bitcoin has suffered a series of milestones in recent weeks despite warnings of a possible bubble. After starting the year below $ 1,000, it reached $ 8,000 for the first time in early November and exceeded $ 11,000 last week.
Related: What the hell is going on with bitcoin?
Much of the impressive rise has been driven by the expectation that large professional investors will start to market it. It has also been driven by mom and dad investors who do not want to miss their meteoric rise.
People are bidding their highest price even though the leading figures in finance and economics are telling them to be careful.
Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz said last week that bitcoin "should be banned". The criticism has also come from the likes of JPMorgan Chase ( CEO Jamie Dimon and the legendary investor Warren Buffett. )
Related: The Nobel Prize winner says that bitcoin "should be banned"
But some financial institutions are helping make bitcoin more popular.
Beginning next week, investors will be able to trade bitcoin futures through the Chicago Board Options Exchange, which is expected to increase the interests of hedge funds and large asset managers.
Futures allow traders to bet on the future price of assets such as currencies, metals and agricultural products.
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange is set to move forward with a similar move later in December, while the Nasdaq in New York wants to list bitcoin futures from the middle of next year.
"The fact that CME, CBOE and Nasdaq now offer bitcoin products gives additional legitimacy," said Dave Chapman, CEO of Octagon Strategy of Hong Kong, a digital currency market.
Bitcoin is one of many cryptocurrencies, virtual "coins" that are "extracted" by computers that use complex algorithms.
Your recent promotion has not been easy. After exceeding $ 11,000 last week, it plummeted by more than $ 2,000, a clear reminder of its extreme volatility.
Related: Can something stop Bitcoin?
But the connoisseurs of the cryptocurrency industry do not flinch. They predict that bitcoin will skyrocket in the coming months.
Arthur Hayes, CEO of Bitmex in Hong Kong, an exchange to operate bitcoin-based financial instruments, told CNNMoney last week that he believes it could reach $ 50,000 next year.
Octagon & # 39; s Chapman is willing to go even further. He believes that bitcoin could reach $ 100,000 before the end of 2018 despite the growing number of rival cryptocurrencies that could compete for investor attention.
Bitcoin is "the most hardened and tested cryptocurrency in the battle at the moment," he said. "For now, it's unbeatable."
CNNMoney (Hong Kong) First publication December 6, 2017: 12:52 a.m. ET


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Amazon Prime Video began streaming the second season of the “next household name brand” reality series “Making the Cut” Friday, and styles from the first two episodes’ winning designers are already available for sale through the platform’s fashion-focused store.
And in a new move for the Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn-hosted show, taking place this season in Los Angeles, Joshua Scacheri is launching an influencer collaboration capsule Tuesday on Amazon Fashion’s The Drop after besting the nine remaining designers competing on the series’ second episode to ultimately win $1 million to grow their business, an Amazon Fashion mentorship and a chance to sell their work in the Amazon Fashion store.
Australia-born Scacheri was lucky just to hang around long enough for the “Resortwear” challenge. Episode two marked a stunning reversal of fortune for the former footballer and men’s wear designer, who “barely” made the cut, as Klum put it, after a disastrous showing in the “Brand Statement” premiere asking designers to convey to their arbiters what their aesthetic is all about. Judge and supermodel Winnie Harlow panned Scacheri’s model as looking like an “80s clown” in the fuchsia-and-navy fiasco he cooked up. And Moschino creative chief and series judge Jeremy Scott warned of the billowy, ruffle-collared jumpsuit, “If it’s not flattering on the model, good luck to anybody else.” (An accompanying male catwalker modeled an “accessible” look in the same colorway on top with khakis on the bottom.)
In contrast to Scacheri’s technicolor shortcomings, Gary Graham took home top honors in episode one by converting his passion for history and storytelling into impeccably crafted, throwback looks. The Franklin, N.Y., designer—who moved up to the Catskills to establish his ready-to-wear GaryGraham422 brand upon closing his Manhattan boutique in 2018 after his business routinely came up a “couple hundred thousand dollars short”—combined unusual textiles into smartly tailored women’s wear that pulled on the past while nodding to the new.
After sourcing an upholstery fabric bearing the “earliest documented ingrain pattern in America” from around the 1830s, as his contact claimed, the 2009 CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund Finalist was dashing off to find a complementary textile at a Grand Gorge, N.Y., military surplus store when he was inspired by a cemetery gravestone for a woman who died in 1846.
Graham later told the judges that the resulting runway and accessible looks—which upcycled an “old army blanket” along with the tapestry commonly used in rugs into feminine clothes with an Old World feel—told a “story of redemption” for the 19-year-old Amanda who died far too young, according to her grave marker, but was now “brought back to life” through fashion.
Scott praised Graham’s designs for having the “same voice” across both looks, while Harlow was even more impressed. “I think your brain is magic,” she said of the designer, who is fond of engineered jacquards and has been carried by Barneys New York and Dover Street Market. His accessible look, a 40s-inspired cotton frock in faded army green and royal blue, is available now in a size inclusive range of XXS-3X for $79.90 in the “Making the Cut” Amazon Fashion storefront.
Graham seemed to emerge as the designer to beat after the inaugural episode, in which South Orange, N.J.’s Lendrell Martin went home after coming up short, though Brooklyn’s Andrea Pitter showed an eggshell, feather-bedecked look inspired by her bridal expertise that would not look out of place on Kendall Jenner. In episode two, Pitter, who runs the Pantora business designing for brides-to-be, similarly gave Scacheri a run for his money, stitching together a slinky, body-hugging dress and a plus-size swimsuit, in her own matching prints, that more than made up for her fit foibles in the first installment, the judges raved.
“What really truly impressed me is something that a lot of designers can’t do,” guest judge Prabal Gurung, the Singapore-born, Nepalese designer who is based and manufactures in New York City, told Pitter. “You are able to celebrate women of different sizes and make them look equally beautiful. When the curvy model in the swimsuit came out, and she felt that confident—what struck me is you really see them. You don’t consider them as just models, you consider them as human beings.”
Designers are really just storytellers, he added, and “storytellers are healers.” “Today, with your looks, you healed a lot of people,” Gurung said. Gunn, meanwhile, noted designers’ continuing “resistance” to working with forms larger than the industry standard, though he believes “everybody has to get on board,” especially if America is home to the largest sizes of all the 200-odd countries where American Fashion sells, he told Sourcing Journal.
Despite Pitter’s compelling turn, Scacheri’s designs ultimately prevailed in the runway competition that Gunn described to Sourcing Journal as his “all-time favorite,” which sent the models down a catwalk filled with water. “It was just so other-worldly and surreal,” the former Parsons dean added. L.A.’s Ally Ferguson, Andrea Salazar of Colombia, Parisian designer Lucie Brochard, Olivia Oblanc, and Polish native Raf Swiader moved on to the third challenge after Jaipur’s Dushyant Asthana, known for his print work, fell short with a snoozy resort showing.
Now based in London, Scacheri got the edge after a panel of influencers sourced from The Drop’s cabal of social media personalities voted on photographs contestants took to reflect how their garments and creative visions would stand out, or not, on platforms like Instagram—underscoring the current reality that fashion is often discovered outside of a brand’s four walls.
Makeda, whose @glamazondiaries Instagram boasts more than 40,000 followers, was part of the influencers picked to review the designers’ social-specific photos. Scacheri’s vibrantly colored cruise collection “would definitely stop me in my tracks while I’m scrolling,” she said during the episode.
Suede Brooks, who posts fashion and lifestyle content for the 1.3 million fans following her eponymous Instagram account, said Scacheri “did an amazing job” shooting his dual-gender resort looks against a mirror wall.
Scacheri himself admitted that his second challenge attempt took the judges’ first-episode feedback to heart. “After what happened last week [and] the feedback you guys gave me, I really wanted to show you my true DNA,” he told the panel.
The men’s suit, envisioned as the “runway” half of the pairing, offered his signature “tailoring and the essence of surprise” with a sheer, skin-revealing panel on the back on the royal blue jacket, he said, while his three-piece women’s “accessible” look tried to “make an impact in the color palette” of eggplant, aquamarine, and cerulean in the kimono, which was punched up by airy chartreuse pants. A sheer tank completed the look, which drew inspiration from the rocks, sand and telephone lines Scacheri observed at a SoCal beach. As the winning look, Scacheri’s size-inclusive outfit is available for sale in the Amazon Fashion ‘Making the Cut’ store, with prices ranging from $29.90 to $64.90.
“I think it’s really important that we live cohesively with the world,” Scacheri said, noting that his newly launched Love Hero brand reflects his “[passion] for sustainability.”
That the Aussie even brought up the term “sustainability” is “so crucial,” Gurung said, “especially in today’s world” and rampant overconsumption.
Gunn echoed sustainability’s rising importance—and influence—across the industry. “It’s definitely true that more young designers are concerned with our environment and are looking to sustainable sources for their work,” he told Sourcing Journal, adding it’s “something we all celebrate.”
But as much as designers are pivoting to create with the planet in mind from the get-go, “where I see a need for advocacy is with the consumer,” Gunn added. “I think people are just so under-informed about the things they buy—fashion or anything—and what these things potentially do to our environment.”
Supporting brands that strive to operate sustainably is “critically important,” Gunn said.
Scacheri, in fact, touted the sustainability angle of the line he conceived in tandem with Brooks, who served as his “muse” and modeled each of the six styles launching on The Drop on July 20.
Manufacturing products only when a customer purchases inherently crimps the overproduction that’s long plagued fashion, even as fabrications like polyester, featured in his episode-two garment, still rely on planet-polluting fossil fuels.
In a statement, the designer said southern Nevada’s Valley of Fire, Brooks’ “lively nature,” and Love Hero’s “vibrant planet-driven ethos” inspired the “sustainable and uplifting collection.”
“The relaxed and tailored styles breathe mood-boosting colors with a summer feel that can be easily styled in a casual and modern way,” Scacheri added.
Though Amazon Fashion tapped season-one victor Jonny Cota for a line with The Drop after winning the $1 million prize, giving a ‘Making the Cut’ designer this kind of exclusive opportunity while the show is still in season seems to signal a new strategy to raise the influencer-led platform’s profile and further stimulate the commerce side of what otherwise is broadly a content play.


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Apple CEO Tim Cook joined CBS this morning for an interview today and touched on the events that took place at the US Capitol last Wednesday.
In particular, CBS This Morning host Gayle King also teased that more of the interview will be broadcast tomorrow, as Apple is expected to make a “big announcement” of some sort – but it is “not a product.”
Cook said he thinks it is “key” for people to be held accountable for what happened at the US Capitol last week:
“I think that is the key to holding people accountable for it. This is not something to skate. This is something we need to be very serious about and understand, and then we need to move on. ”
When specifically asked whether Trump should be held accountable for the violence, the Apple CEO stated that he believes no one is above the law:
“I think no one is above the law. That is the great thing about our country, we are a state governed by the rule of law. I believe that everyone who has taken part in it should be held accountable. I do not think we should let it go. I think it̵7;s important to hold people accountable. ”
CBS This Morning will have a full interview with Tim Cook tomorrow, King says. King did not refer to what Apple’s “big announcement” might be, but she clarified that it “is not a new product.”
The interview was already scheduled before last week’s events at the Capitol, King added, focusing initially on being on Apple’s scheduled announcement for Wednesday. One possibility for the announcement is the rollout of Apple’s planned privacy changes for iOS 14.
Apple has already said it will roll out its new app tracking feature sometime in early 2021. The app tracking feature requires apps to get permission from users before being tracked across other sites and apps. Apple had originally hoped to launch it with iOS 14 in September, but it ended up delaying the feature to give developers more time to prepare.
In addition, the announcement would come in the middle of the annual Consumer Electronics Show.
Apple has made it a habit to emphasize its focus on privacy in the same week as CES. Last year, Apple stepped back at CES for the first time in decades to participate in a privacy roundtable alongside Facebook and other companies.
Two years ago, Apple put up billboards around Las Vegas to exclaim “what happens on your iPhone stays on your iPhone.”
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Sony (SNE) shares spike following investor enthusiasm over a potential spinoff of the company's entertainment business.
Sony (SNE) has seen a spike in shares following reports that the company is considering spinning off its entertainment arm.
Share price has gone up both in the US and Tokyo exchanges after some reports indicated that the company may be considering a plan suggested by investor Daniel Loeb.
Loeb, whose hedge fund Third Point owns a 6.5% stake in Sony, said in his letter to the company: “We see clear paths to increasing Sony Electronics’ value if investors turn their attention to its profitable franchises and product cycles as management continues to streamline Sony’s product offerings to improve profitability."
Sony's shares continued to rise yesterday, leading some observers to conclude that the Xbox One announcement was dismal enough to lead investors into Sony's corner, where the PS4 has garnered considerable hype in recent months. The more likely cause, however, were statements made by Sony.
Sony chief Kazuo Hirai said, "We will engage in thorough discussions at the board level to decide on Sony's response [to Loeb's letter.] It is an important matter that relates to Sony's core businesses and management, so the board must hold ample discussions."
The real question facing investors is whether Hirai is serious about Loeb's proposal or whether he's just being polite. Even with Hirai's statement, the official word from a Sony spokesperson seems to throw cold water on the idea.
"As President and CEO Kazuo Hirai has said repeatedly, the entertainment businesses are important contributors to Sony's growth and are not for sale," Sony said. "We look forward to continuing constructive dialogue with our shareholders as we pursue our strategy."
Furthermore, some analysts question whether splitting the two halves of Sony's business would even make sense.
"Even if Sony had cash from a hypothetical sale of movies and music, we do not currently see any potential electronics investments that could deliver higher returns," says Goldman Sachs analyst Takashi Watanabe. "Given this, we believe it would make more sense under present conditions for Sony to keep the entertainment businesses and their potential contributions to operating profits and cash flow."
Sony's hardware and software arms aren't always distinct entities, either, with the successful PlayStation brand the most prominent property bridging that gap. A split would leave PlayStation as an open question for the company, investors, and consumers alike, and it could put Sony's video game business at a distinct disadvantage.
Furthermore, Sony may actually have an opening in its struggling TV business according to Bloomberg. As rivals Samsung and LG fumble on expensive OLED displays, Sony and other lower-cost manufacturers may be able to reassert themselves in the market.
Sony is poised for a comeback, with or without Loeb's suggestion becoming a reality.
The current spike in share value is a sign that investors are eager to see Sony make bold reform moves, but the company may be able to take less drastic steps and still come out on top. Focusing greater resources into its entertainment arm and scaling back losing electronics operations while continuing to offload office space and trim down their workforce may be enough to steady the ship, even if it's not enough to inspire temporary spikes in share value.
Indeed, failure to implement Loeb's plan could very well see a significant drop in shares regardless of other steps Sony might take, rattling confidence in the Japanese manufacturer.
Sony shares were up 8% in Tokyo trading, and have gained more than 100% so far this year, gaining 36% in the last 30 days. The company has projected a 16% in rise in net profits for the current fiscal year.
Sometimes the slow and steady approach to reform is better than being drastic and bold. Whether this applies to Sony remains to be seen.


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CryptoPunks and other NFTs users can now ‘rent’ their tokens
Now users of collectable digital assets such as CryptoPunks will be able to “rent” their tokens through a new lease protocol called reNFT.
The tool has created a licensing service that allows owners of non-fungible tokens, NFTs, to sign a transaction that will grant the right to display the NFT image as their own. However, this licensing will have a limited time period of 99 days.
According to the creators of reNFT, an owner of a CryptoPunk has already used the service and given permission for the other person to display the image as their avatar.
In addition, reNFT points out that if the price of leased NFT increases, its rent will also increase.
“Tenants can see the rented avatar on Twitter, Discord, NFT platforms. Or, on any other social platform where CryptoPunks users are found”, he explains.
In other words, reNFT is a licensing service that allows avatars to be borrowed for a specified amount.
- Cristiano Ronaldo is the first player to be rewarded with cryptocurrencies
- Ethereum surpasses Mastercard and Bank of America in market value
- Bitcoin SV has been destroyed with successive 51% attacks
- Messi will receive part of his $80 million salary in cryptocurrencies
Interesting to note that often an NFT is a public image, like a meme. In practice, this image can be saved, or replicated via a copy. However, according to the company, without proper permission, this is considered theft of property.
“Can I save a CryptoPunk with a simple control+c, control+v and use it as my Avatar? Yes, but this is called stealing someone’s property”, highlights the company.
As reported by reNFT, one of the conditions of the service is that, during the NFT rental period, owners do not use it as an avatar on social media platforms.
Furthermore, they must agree not to sell or auction the digital asset for which a person repaid the loan


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Jeep‘s previous generation Grand Cherokee spawned an on-road performance version from the Chrysler Group’s SRT division and ever since the new GC’s debut the same has been expected of the latest and greatest Jeep – especially since the reveal of the Charger SRT8 and it’s new 6.4-liter V8 engine.
Delivering a successor, Jeep has just officially announced a new Grand Cherokee SRT8 for the 2012 model year, sporting that massive V8 powerplant and 465-hp. Paired with a the brand’s AWD setup (which includes a traction control system for Auto, Sport, Track, Tow and Snow) it sprints to 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds. There are paddle shifters to help you stay in control of all that power, plus a high-tech stability control system can distribute 100 percent of the engine’s torque to just one wheel.
Riding on 20-inch wheels there’s the requisite bad-boy bodywork, while handling is further improved with an adaptive suspension. And to slow the behemoth down is a set of massive Brembo brakes.
Inside, upgrades include some more luxurious touches with leather and suede as well as faux carbon fiber trim pieces, as well as a large touch-screen display. There’s even a 19-speaker, 825 watt sound system – apparently the audio equivalent to the 6.4-liter V8’s power.
Plus, the SRT8 retains a 5,000 lb tow rating so you can embarrass a lot of sports sedans while towing your boat.
GALLERY: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8
See video of the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 from New York after the jump:
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