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Chicago is perhaps the strongest collecting market in the country. That’s one reason why the National Sports Collectors Convention sets up shop there about every two or three years and why the Chicago Sun-Times card show has been such a long-running staple. Heck, your editor can even remember some pretty hoppin’ shows run by the Chicago Sports Collectors Association back in the very early 1980s in hotel conference rooms (note to self: continue time machine research).
It’s also pretty convenient for the FBI.
The Bureau’s investigation of the sports memorabilia industry, or at least certain goings-on has been…well…going on…for about four years now. If it were a Broadway play, the producer would be wealthy and living in the south of France by now.
Much of that work is coming out of the Chicago office, it seems. They were at the National a couple of years ago and according to the New York Daily News, at least one agent was a visitor to the Sun-Times show that was held at the Stephens Convention Center last weekend.
They’re either being very thorough…or overwhelmed by the scope of things.
Late word Wednesday night from the Industry Summit, set for Las Vegas next week:
“Major League Baseball and Topps will be making a major announcement regarding a Hobby-exclusive promotion for this summer. The promotion is built to enhance hobby store traffic and leverage the popularity of the 60th Anniversary celebration for Topps, the Official Trading Card of MLB. We’re excited to be part of the Summit and look forward to engaging the attendees on our ongoing partnership with Topps.”
A big lot of T206 cards topped the bidding at a Phillip Weiss Auctions sale this month. A single-owner collection of over 525 T206 cards sold for $18,080 and featured classic names like Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson. All of the cards were Piedmont and Sweet Caporal backs.
Another single-owner collection – loaded with autographed index cards, baseball cards, Hall of Fame cards, letters and other pieces – hit $7,628. The trove, gathered mostly from the 1950s-1970s, included autographs from Hall of Famers Mantle, DiMaggio, Campanella, Terry, Traynor and others.
A bat used by Yogi Berra in the 1962 All-Star Game sold for $9,605. The bat had been consigned by a former batboy for the Detroit Tigers. He explained that batboys were permitted to bring damaged bats home and Berra had cracked the handle of this one.
Dave Jamieson, who wrote ‘Mint Condition’, a really solid book on the history of baseball cards and the personalities involved, has a very nice new gig. He’s going to be writing for the Huffington Post.
By the way, if you haven’t bought Mint Condition yet, it’s well worth the small investment via Amazon.com.


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Citigroup has refunded close to $5 million to around 230,000 customers after failing to properly disclose that credit card international transaction fees applied when a merchant processed an Australian dollar transaction overseas, ASIC has said.
The regulator noted that in early 2016, the bank started charging international transaction fees “for Australian dollar transactions made with merchants located overseas or where the merchant uses a foreign bank or entity to process transactions”.
This change affected a number of both Citibank-branded and white-label credit cards, and while Citibank modified its disclosure around the fees, it “failed to properly disclose” that Australian dollar transactions processed abroad would incur those fees.
“This may have led customers to believe that international transaction fees would be charged only when a transaction was made in a foreign currency or with an overseas merchant,” ASIC said.
“For Citibank-issued credit cards, Australian dollar transactions with an Australian website where the merchant uses a foreign bank or entity to process transactions – attract international transaction fees.”
Citibank has refunded affected customers their fees with interest and updated its disclosure to clarify where international transaction fees will apply, and will refund a further $48,000 to Virgin Money credit card holders who were charged “an incorrect percentage amount of the international transaction fee” of an additional 0.1 per cent.
“Financial product issuers must take care to provide clear disclosure to help consumers understand all circumstances where fees will be charged,” said ASIC deputy chair Peter Kell.
The June 2022 ACSI assessment of ESG reporting trends in the ASX 200 has seen an increase in the number of companies joining the category of...
Companies, investors and other stakeholders have been urged to provide feedback on draft sustainability reporting standards. ...

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CANWE STUDIOS LLC, an Austin, TX-based mobile application development company, has secured $1.5m in funding through private investors.
The round was led by Dan Kloiber, an angel investor and technology entrepreneur.
Founded in 2011 by CEO Brooke Braswell and Kloiber, CANWE STUDIOS is building a platform for social location-based apps that match individuals in the right context, including business, recruitment and nightlife.
The first application, which will be launched this summer, is CanWeNetwork, which will allow business professionals to network with high-value peers seeking new business opportunities.
The CanWeNetwork app is currently accepting requests for its invite-only testing phase and is expected to be available (for free) for the iPhone and Android phones.
The company is currently hiring ([email protected])


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Photos courtesy of livesouthcove.com
One of the newest communities to be coming to the downtown Dana Point area is called South Cove. Progress is moving full speed ahead on South Cove, featuring 168 luxury condo residences located just steps from beautiful Doheny State Beach and Dana Point Harbor’s restaurants and shops. Additional attractions include a new 9,000 square foot surf museum, highlighting and paying homage to the city’s storied history. Two new hotels – a 130-room boutique and 136-room offering more affordable options – will replace the existing Marina Inn on Dana Point Harbor Drive.
Under the proposed plans, South Cove residents will have easy access to a wide variety of new harbor amenities – all within walking distance of the barefoot community. Slated to begin construction in 2018, planned features for the harbor include new restaurants, outdoor dining areas, marine-related retail and a small portion of office space. The renovation will also showcase a market hall and food court, providing a variety of diningoptions for South Cove residents and tourists alike.
The city’s contributions to the renovations and additional amenities – including the recently introduced Harbor Shuttle service that provides easy access to the Ocean Institute, Baby Beach and other harbor businesses and dining spots – are sure to bring added value and appeal to Dana Point. Fortunately, there is still time to stake your claim at South Cove – the first development of its kind in Dana Point in more than 25 years. If you have any questions or are interested in owning a property in South Cove, please contact your Greentree Properties Specialist at (949) 492-0090 or here.


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The snowy seventh season of Fortnite is finally here. Today, developer Epic detailed the latest season for the battle royale game, which, as always, brings a number of significant changes. Most notably are shifts for the island itself, with new ziplines scattered around and a brand-new location called Frosty Flights. There’s also a new kind of vehicle — Stormwing planes — that should dramatically alter how players get around. The winter theme also means lots of snowy areas, which include slippery surfaces for players to contend with.
As always, a new season also means a new battle pass, which in turn will earn players all kinds of rewards. There are winter-themed skins, including one called Sergeant Santa, as well as a new cosmetic item called a wrap, which lets you customize vehicles. Last season introduced pets into the game, and season 7’s battle pass will continue this, with new animal friends including a hamster.
Of course, one of the biggest additions for Fortnite season 7 was actually detailed yesterday when Epic revealed a new Minecraft-style creative mode where players can design their own Fortnite experience. Fortnite Creative is available now for anyone who purchases the season 7 battle pass, and it will open up to all other players on December 13th.
You can check out the full patch notes for all the details right here.
It’s been a busy few days for Epic and Fortnite. In addition to launching Fortnite Creative and season 7, the developer also unveiled a new PC games store to rival Steam. And there could be more on the way: it sounds like there will be additional Fortnite news this evening at The Game Awards.


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Instead of finishing reading the article “TV Cord-Cutters: Who You Are And Why You Scare Bigwigs” on Forbes, impatiently I’m writing this article here to simply point out that there might be time still for Cable and similar industry to rebuild their foundations — that’s, rebuilding their backbone networks such as making a transition from cable to Internet TV. Sure, the upfront cost might be outrageous, but in the end they can survive the dramatic changes in their industry.
We can take a look at Blockbuster to see that professing to an outdated business model can bring about a death knell to a business/industry. Blockbuster failed to catch the trend and had allowed Netflix to accelerate its downfall (i.e., Blockbuster was sold to Dish Network through auction for less). Netflix had never considered the video rental stores’ business model as it went ahead to send DVDs through mail and now stream videos through Internet.


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CHINA: Wholesaler sent to prison over "fake" Scotch whisky
The case was the first prosecution in China involving the term Scotch whisky
A wholesaler in China has been given a four-year prison sentence for selling “fake” Scotch whisky in the country's first case centered on the term 'Scotch'.
LI Cuihong, a wholesaler from Urumqi, was also handed a GBP50,000 (US$79,100) fine after legal action was brought by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA). Chuihong was prosecuted for distributing products labelled as Scotch whisky, which were instead unaged Chinese spirits, the SWA said today (25 January).
Lindesay Low, the SWA's legal adviser for China, noted that the country is a “growing market” for Scotch. “Unfortunately, its popularity also makes the production and sale of fake Scotch whisky a lucrative pursuit,” he said.
“The Chinese authorities are very supportive in the fight against fakes and this case shows they are willing to crack down on those involved.”
It is the first time the Scotch whisky trademark in China has been used to bring a criminal case in the country, the SWA said. Previous prosecutions have involved the misuse of company trademarks.
Cuihong had previously served a prison sentence for selling illegal spirits, the SWA said.
The group last month won a long-running trademark dispute involving a whisky-like drink in New Zealand.
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WATCH: Hozier Performs Stunning Anthem At Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
Hozier took to the stage during last night’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and for once, our eyes weren’t on the incredible models.
The Wicklow native performed a stunning rendition of his iconic anthem ‘Take Me To Church’, taking centre stage at the annual fashion event.
The 24-year old joined musical guests Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande on the catwalk for the London catwalk event.
Hozier’s self-titled album has already gone platinum in the US and Canada, with appearances on The Ellen Show, Letterman and Saturday Night Live in the bag.
You might be able to sing it in your sleep, but this is still definitely worth a listen.
Video via artOfusion.com


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There’s Coke vs. Pepsi, McDonald’s vs. Burger King, and now Chipotle vs. Taco Bell — improbably egged on by an outspoken hedge fund manager. Holy Guacamole: The entertaining Wall Street battle of the burritos is on!
The whole thing got started a few days ago when David Einhorn turned sour on Chipotle (CMG). Einhorn’s the 42-year-old billionaire contrarian founder of Greenlight Capital best-known for selling Lehman Brothers short before its fall in 2008. In a talk at the Value Investing Congress in New York City, he recommended shorting Chipotle Mexican Grill, the fast-growing national chain that helped create the fast-casual trend in the 1990s. “Chipotle has been a great company,” Einhorn said, not criticizing leadership or any fiscal fundamentals. “But it’s on its way to becoming just a good company. The stock is vulnerable.” Within minutes, Chipotle’s stock fell more 7% — it had been “Einhorned,” meaning its stock price had dived merely because the hedgie said unkind things about it.
The problem, according to Einhorn, was “resurgent” competition from Taco Bell, owned by the restaurant colossus Yum Brands (YUM). The thing is, he argued, copycatting Taco Bell has a new “Cantina Bell” Menu — and its upscale offerings are aimed at Chipotle lovers. He said his own survey showed customers visited both chains and Taco Bell did just fine by comparison. Try Taco Bell! Einhorn urged, kindly mentioning nearby locations in Manhattan. Given that Taco Bell has nearly five times as many outlets as Chipotle, and given Chipotle’s recent price increases, he said Chipotle would likely lose some business.
Not everyone was pleased in the land of Chipotle, where the cows are always happy and the chickens roam free. “Comparing [Chipotle] to Taco Bell?” tweeted xraystyle92. “Are you out of your godd— mind?” Asked MikeDavis000 in another tweet, “Is David Einhorn high? Cuz that’s the only time people eat Taco Bell.” And there was this from @KidDynamiteBlog: I wouldn’t serve TacoBell to my dogs, but I’d take my wife to $CMG. I don’t see how the two are even comparable.” You can’t get this kind of incisive commentary even when listening to post-presidential debate punditry on cable.
In the investment community, there was indignation as well. One prominent manager who was early Chipotle investor, Damon Vickers in Seattle, went on TV and in email to harrumph. Commenting on Einhorn’s focus on Taco Bell’s cheaper prices, he wrote: “What is David, a first-year business major? Taco Bell is cheaper but so is pink slime vs. real hamburger.” Vickers noted that he was long on Chipotle — as well as Yum Brands (apparently notwithstanding food akin to “pink slime”).
Food fight! Food fight! This is almost as amusing as when a Slate columnist earlier this year compared Chipotle to Apple (AAPL) in terms of innovation, and Silicon Valley wags shot back that a burrito is no iPhone. (When a taco has an app or your mobile phone gives you gas, we’ll get back to you.)
A food survey on Mexican chains released the next day by Market Force reinforced the view of Chipotle fans that its food was better. Taco Bell was outscored on taste, service, cleanliness and atmosphere — beating out Chipotle only on overall value. Another poll, from YouGov BrandIndex, nonetheless suggested that the gap between Chipotle and Taco Bell was narrowing. And Zagat in July threw Taco Bell a nice bone. “For practically half the price,” Zagat said, “the Cantina Bell menu is a definite value, but you do get what you pay for, and the overall quality and taste of Chipotle still has a slight edge over Taco Bell.”
The Cantina Bell offerings come from “celebrity chef” and former paralegal Lorena Garcia (if you count “Top Chef Masters” on Bravo as celebrity-making). “Think Taco Bell can’t do gourmet?” asks the website. “Then you haven’t met Lorena Garcia!” The menu, which she proclaims “very delicious!” and “beautiful” and “created with love” includes grilled marinated steak, citrus-herb marinated chicken, guacamole, pico de gallo, and “real” black beans. Sort of like, you know, some of Chipotle’s food.
For its part, Chipotle stayed above the fray. “There has certainly been some blowback stemming from Einhorn’s comments among media and analysts, though I’m not sure how much attention our customers pay to things like this,” founder and co-CEO Steve Ells told Fortune by email. But, he added, “we do not see any evidence that Taco Bell has had any impact on our business. Our approach to sourcing and preparing food is very different from traditional fast food, and our customers seem to appreciate the difference.”
Taco Bell did not respond to a request for comment.
Near the end of the week, Chipotle’s stock had fallen further — down almost 9%, to below $288, from when Einhorn spoke. Though that isn’t a low for the past year, the stock has been has high as $442 in the spring. The price of Yum Brands, which includes much more than Taco Bell, was relatively unchanged during the week. (Prices could fluctuate until the end of the day.)


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February 11, 2017 — Our founder and CEO Arlene Dickinson recently spoke with the Calgary Herald and shared her perspective on how investing in non-traditional industries can help grow the province’s economy.
In the article, she suggested that “while diversification is often touted as the silver bullet that will save Albertans from future oil price-related recessions, deep-pocketed investors are still far too hesitant to put their money into early-stage companies outside of the oil and gas industry. She argues “Alberta entrepreneurs, the ones who have been successful, need to open up their wallets more to other industries.”
Her concern is that Canadians and specifically Albertans inherent conservatism and dependence on oil and gas is detrimental to economic development; this is part of the reason she opened up District Ventures, the first Canadian accelerator focused on the consumer-packaged goods industry. She contrasts Alberta’s neglect of other industries, specifically packaged goods, with the U.S. when she suggests “this is compared to the U.S., where the largest M&A activity happens in the consumer goods space …so we were losing a lot of companies and resources to the U.S., It didn’t make sense to me.” The article continues to discuss the huge promise the food and wellness sectors hold, being not only trending markets but also that Alberta is an agricultural powerhouse.
Another topic of discussion is Arlene’s belief that entrepreneurs need to start taking initiative and exploring these alternatives; often without initial government support. She suggests “too many businesses in Canada rely on government to get them started. They believe it’s government’s job to fund them at the beginning, and I actually don’t believe that. I believe it’s the entrepreneur’s job to find the first sale and build the business to the point where government can start taking hurdles out of the way and supporting through policy.”
She continues: “For the Alberta economy to truly grow, investors themselves will have to be willing to step outside of their comfort zones and support entrepreneurs doing new things — whether that be clean technology, renewable energy, value-added agriculture, or consumer goods. It takes people willing to put their money where their mouth is when they talk about diversification. And we don’t have enough people willing to do that. When I think about the economy shifting and turning in 2017, it’s going to be because people start to recognize that the world is changing. And we need to start thinking about what else we can do besides traditional exploration and energy development.” To read the full Calgary Herald article discussing Arlene Dickinson’s beliefs on why investors need to look beyond the oil patch, click HERE.


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The research firm’s latest ‘Living with Digital’ consumer research study claims that some 43% of pay TV households in the US now take Netflix, with almost 50% of HBO subscribers taking the service.
A total of 61% of all US respondents to the survey said they have had Netflix at some point, with 72% of these still current subscribers.
“OTT services are certainly coming of age with over 40% and 20% of US and UK respondents respectively taking Netflix,” according to FutureSource.
“Amazon Price Instant Video is also seeing continued rise with 23% of US and 10% of UK respondents taking the service. In the UK 20% of Prime subscribers signed up primarily for the video service.”
The study – which surveyed people in the UK, Germany, France, US, Canada and Australia – found that one third of all respondent had a connected TV and 69% accessed music or video entertainment services at least once a week.
Ownership of dedicated TV streaming devices, like Google Chromecast or Amazon Fire TV sticks, were also found to have almost doubled across the US and the European countries sampled.
“In terms of total digital media adapter (DMA) ownership, 15% of the total respondents, one in four 26-35 year olds and one-third of Netflix subscribers have a DMA integrated into their devices. Google Chromecast in particular has stimulated growth across all markets covered, having a DMA ownership share of 30%,” said David Sidebottom, principal entertainment analyst at Futuresource.
Overall, the study said that live TV, both pay and free, was the primary viewing choice for 65% of respondents across the territories.
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Facebook has been rocked due to its handling of its users’ private data. The privacy scandal has drawn the ire of global regulators and it threatens to undermine Facebook’s entire business model. Quietly, in the backdrop of this scandal, the crucial protection afforded by a strong U.S. Patent system – one that would have served to insulate Facebook from a bevy of opportunists from clawing massive chunks of user away from them – may no longer exist to protect them.
Now scandalous Facebook (and others like it) face an uncertain future as the public is now being introduced to the underbelly of a key 21st century technology company business model – one that profits from the sale of seemingly private individual behavioral data. As the public focuses on these business models where the “product” is the user, one can only conclude that Orwell was (somewhat) correct in his depiction of “big brother”. Rather than Orwell’s dystopian prediction of government trampling privacy, however, the reality has seen the curtain pulled back to expose big tech pulling the levers – profiting from the sale of users’ personal behavioral data.
This revelation has significantly ratcheted up the criticism of Facebook and others like it – even among its tech peers. Apple’s CEO has pointed out that Apple “could make a ton of money if we monetized our customers, if our customers were our product.”
What makes the next few months even riskier for Facebook is that it has spent the past decade working to weaken the U.S. Patent system and thus to undermine its own business model and future viability. This attack effectively neutralizing the protections the system was designed to afford makes it easier for new competitors to enter markets such as Facebook’s without equivalent innovation investments. This patent protection vacuum has created a “perfect storm” in the form of unprecedented market pressure combined with the possibility that Facebook may be unable to shelter itself from the storm under the cover of its intellectual property.
In the shadow of this scandal it’s important to review how Facebook got here and why the current state of the U.S. patent system, heavily influenced by Facebook itself, adds complexity to Facebook’s attempt to survive. While the media has most recently focused on Facebook’s use of private data to generate revenue on the backs of its users, it is in no way alone in doing so. Even a cursory glance at current market activity reveals Facebook to be only one of several companies that have built the lion’s share of their revenue by mining its users’ private data and behavioral information.
For example, Google, which was the leading proponent of “patent reform” during the Obama era. They too created all of their core revenue streams by monetizing its users’ private data. In fact, Google has generated many multiples of Facebook’s revenue by tracking the behavior of people that use the “free” Google search engine, Gmail, Google’s Chrome web browser, et, al. Google allows large companies to mine that user behavioral data to target those same Google users with ads – after a payment to Google, of course. This targeting is facilitated by selling behavioral information to advertisers such as search histories, where users are located, what pages users are navigating to, what links users are clicking on, what products users are contemplating for purchase and who users are instant messaging or emailing (as well as the content of those emails).
There can be no dispute that the U.S. Patent system has been in crisis mode for the past several years. This crisis can be directly attributed to companies like Facebook that have spent the better part of the last decade allocating millions of dollars to lobby the U.S. government to enact policies that have resulted in the weakening of our formerly strong patent system. One of these lobbying goals was to make it easier for companies such as Facebook and Google to enter new markets (think social networking, online advertising, search and mobile application markets) without making the requisite investment in patenting and licensing.
For example, this intense lobbying led to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) being run by a former Google executive for the better part of President Obama’s administration, resulting in the USPTO aligning with big technology companies to the detriment of small, innovative businesses and individual inventors. In addition, this lobbying led to the enactment of the American Invents Act which created a new tribunal to review already-issued patents referred to as the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) – otherwise referred to as the “Patent Death Squad” by the former Chief Judge of the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals.
This has further weakened U.S. patents and thereby made it easier for large, well-funded companies to expand into new markets by free riding on investments in innovation made by market incumbents – and simultaneously made it more difficult for those incumbents to protect their market share (remember Yahoo! and MySpace?). What these shortsighted, near-term, profit-driven patent reform proponents did not realize was that the results of their lobbying efforts would wind up jeopardizing their own business models.
The law of unintended consequences always applies, and has certainly been evident in the big tech strategy of “reforming” the U.S. patent system. These unintended consequences include undermining the U.S. investment economy, devaluing the patent portfolios of the very tech companies that championed reforming the system in the first place and placing the U.S. outside of the top 10 innovation economies for the first time in a generation.
Each of these factors individually would be harmful enough, but taken together they have called the very viability of U.S. patent system into question and thereby threatened the U.S.’s longstanding position as the leader in high-tech innovation, the foundation of our modern economy. One way to observe this threat is to track the decline in U.S. patent applications in recent years in view of the corresponding rise in patent applications in competitive nations.
“Why does the state of the U.S. patent system matter to Facebook?” Well, as this data privacy scandal unfolds and Facebook enters “crisis management” mode, competitors are taking notice. For example, when Facebook is forced to make all user data available to its users in downloadable format – it creates a market opportunity for competitors looking to enter the social media market. Why wouldn’t a company look at this as an opportunity to sprout a new social media business model with a data security focus for its users? While this approach would have been untenable in a market buttressed by a strong patent system – it is encouraged in the U.S. market where “efficient infringement,” facilitated by weakened patent rights, is now the norm. Now, however, these competitors can encourage user migration (including all Facebook data) to a nearly identical online experience without any real concern over Facebook’s patent portfolio.
So, we wait – for the data-transparent social media competitor to announce itself. One that honors privacy, but may be ambivalent to patent rights. Until then, Facebook & friends, those that forced the patent system’s degradation are left with that old phrase ringing in their ears – be careful what you wish for.


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According to estimates by analysts at UBS, Apple's iPhone global sales in February amounted to 17.4 million units, a decrease of approximately 4% compared to the same period last year. This decline is mainly due to the global economic downturn leading to depressed consumer demand. Not every new phone release necessitates a purchase, and many people opt to continue using their old phones rather than impulsively buying new models during economic slumps.
Compared to the slight decline in the global market, Apple's significant downturn in the Chinese market can be described as astonishing. According to data provided by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, Apple's iPhone sales in China in February of this year were about 2.4 million units, with a steep decline of 33%. Although this rate is not the highest in recent times, with January experiencing a drop of 39%, the continuous decline further highlights Apple's shrinking presence in the domestic market.
The downturn of Apple in the Chinese market is a looming shadow over the company. Previously, Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, was forced to pay a hefty fine due to concealing the decline in the Chinese market. In late March, he even personally flew to China attempting to salvage the market.
In recent years, with the development of domestic smartphone brands, the market dynamics have shifted. No longer solely capturing the low-end market and leaving the high-end market to Apple and Samsung, domestic brands have also begun to enter the high-end smartphone market. Apple, facing competition from these domestic brands, seems to be at a loss, with its market share steadily decreasing.
According to statistics and estimates from relevant institutions, Apple's current market share in China is about 15%, a decline of 6.5% compared to the same period last year. This means that if Apple does not find a solution, it could be completely squeezed out of the Chinese market in three to five years.
It is noteworthy that Apple has not only faced competition and impact in the Chinese market but has also been challenged in its "home" market, the United States. Samsung's S24 series has been capturing Apple's market share in the US. According to statistics, iPhone sales in the US in February fell by 9%, with its market share being less than half, currently at 48%. The crisis is already apparent.


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In our world today, consumers live an increasingly “hyper-connected, hyper-life” - they are more stretched than ever before and are striving to repurpose their time and effort, searching for simpler, easier, more pleasant and purposeful ways of living… including shopping.
The seventh Nielsen Africa Prospects report highlights shifting country priorities and sources of potential, with multi-dimensional, comparative indicators. The report also includes a special feature on business priorities across Sub-Saharan Africa for the upcoming year.
In this webinar, we highlight our collective learning and wisdom on 'How to Launch More Incremental Innovations'. Showcasing examples from local markets in multiple regions, we present local factors that play out in favour of incremental growth and also hotspots where failure risks lie.
In this webinar, we explore the regions where consumers have experienced the biggest improvement in their financial situations since 2016. We also discuss consumers’ changing spending behavior on fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) categories over the past five years.
Sub-Saharan Africa’s prospects improved in 2017 as global financial conditions were more favourable, commodity prices rallied and inflation slowed helping revitalize demand. While conditions will remain tough, balancing the now and the next will lead to bigger gains. The 6th Nielsen AFRICA PROSPECTS REPORT highlights shifting country priorities and sources of growth, with multi-dimensional, comparative, integrated indicators.
2017 was a good year for global consumers, with consumer confidence ending the year at a near-record level. Notably, 51 markets finished the year with higher confidence than they did in 2016, and the gains were bigger than 2 points in 46 markets.
Sub-Saharan Africa has uplifted itself from the two decade economic low reached in 2016, bringing a slight easing of pressure but not a return to the robust growth rates previously experienced. In the 5th edition of Nielsen Africa Prospects ranking, we look at how the countries have performed across various parameters.
Backed by improving global consumer confidence, many regions are seeing improved conditions for businesses and the fast-moving consumer goods industry. Here, we’ll look at trends in a few select countries.
In contrast to the ongoing market challenges facing global fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) manufacturers and retailers, consumers are in better spirits than they were at the end of 2016. In fact, global consumer confidence has risen three index points since the close of last year.
2016 was a year of upheaval and change the world over, with equivalent sways experienced across Sub-Saharan Africa. In the 4th edition of Nielsen Africa Prospects ranking, we look at how the countries have performed across various parameters.
Global consumer confidence increased modestly in 2016, a time of great political and economic change around the world, rising three points between the first and fourth quarters to 101. Confidence scores finished the year more strongly than they began in every region except Africa/Middle East.
While the third quarter of 2016 saw considerable economic diversity across the markets measured by Nielsen’s Global Survey, consumer confidence in the U.S. remained on solid footing with a score of 106, despite a decline of seven points from the second quarter.
Third-quarter 2016 global consumer confidence remained stable at 99, up one point from the second quarter and unchanged from third-quarter 2015. Country-level scores, however, varied dramatically throughout the regions, reflecting considerable economic diversity around the world.
Ongoing turmoil and volatility in many of Africa's markets are reflected in the ranking indicators of Nielsen's third Africa Prospects report, with six of the nine countries shifting in position over the past six months.
Global consumer confidence held steady in the second quarter of 2016 at 98, an index score that was flat from the first quarter and two points higher than a year earlier. North America was the only region to sustain growth momentum in the second quarter, demonstrating a three-point increase in confidence to 111.
Consumer confidence showed a downward trend in Q1 2016 in some countries that are reliant on oil production. In particular, confidence in the UAE and Saudi Arabia remained above the optimism baseline, but declined from the previous quarter.
Though global consumer confidence remained stable in the first quarter, there was notable variation on a country-by-country basis, and many markets noted a growing recessionary sentiment. In fact, six in 10 global respondents believed their nation’s economy was in recession in the first quarter.
Multinationals should not turn their backs on emerging market consumers. Some rebalancing toward developed markets makes sense in the near term as their relative strength improves, but it must not come entirely at the expense of investment in emerging markets.
What keeps you up at night? There’s probably more than just one thing: From anxieties about rising utility bills to worries about our personal health, to concerns about the well-being of our family, there’s a lot to think about.
More than half (55%) of respondents around the world believed they were in recession in the fourth quarter of 2015, a modest increase from the start of that year (53%)—and a level that often exceeds official economic definitions.
Global consumer confidence ended 2015 on a subdued note as the index declined two points from the third quarter to 97. Compared to first-quarter 2015, confidence in the fourth quarter remained flat in Asia-Pacific at 107, while Europe edged up four points to 81. All other regions ended the year less confident than they started.
As connected commerce continues to gain momentum globally, it’s increasingly important that retailers make online shopping as simple as a routine trip to the store, even if they’re browsing from the other side of the globe—and offering the right method of payment is critical.
To find out how much attitudes about finances differ by age, we asked Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X, Baby Boomer and Silent Generation respondents about their saving strategies and debt decisions. It turns out that no matter the age, most of us need sound financial advice.
Morocco marked its first introduction to the Nielsen’s consumer confidence survey in the third quarter with an index score of 85. This quarter’s addition of Morocco brings the total number of countries surveyed to 61, globally.
Depending on our age, our approach to something as simple as getting up-to-date news or eating out can be drastically different. But today’s consumers are bucking yesterday’s preconceived generational notions.
Third-quarter consumer confidence declined in eight of 14 countries in the Asia-Pacific region for an overall score of 106, a regional decline of one index point from the previous quarter. Australia and South Korea each showed the biggest quarterly confidence increases in the region, while confidence declined in Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and Japan.
U.S. consumer confidence jumped 18 index points in the third quarter of 2015 to a score of 119 after a six-point decline in the previous quarter. The score marked the biggest quarterly increase and the highest index for the country in Nielsen’s 10-year consumer confidence history.
Nielsen’s African Prospects Indicator provides existing and potential investors in Africa with comprehensive insights across an extensive range of indicators, culminating in an unambiguous ranking of Sub-Saharan African countries.
In the emerging age of tap and go, mobile payments offer the promise of greater convenience and security for consumers, as well as entirely new ways for consumers and brands to engage with one another. What are the opportunities for consumers and brands from the connection of payments to a range of other digital activities on their phones? Louise Keely offers key insights.
The slowing pace of Chinese economic growth underscores the country’s need to transition from an investment- and export-led growth model to one powered by consumption. But how long will that transition take? The answer is crucial to companies looking to ride what will eventually be the next extraordinary surge in consumer spending in China.
The way we view the economy and what’s in our wallets can have a direct impact on our willingness to spend and save. As such, it’s no surprise that changes in consumer confidence can influence the actions consumers say they take to save on household expenses. And as global consumer confidence declined in Q2, saving strategies continued to permeate the mindset of consumers around the world.
The Middle East/Africa region registered a one-point increase in Nielsen’s latest first-quarter global consumer confidence results with an index score of 96. Three of five countries measured in the region also showed confidence increases.
Any multinational looking for solid growth should be taking a hard look at India. In 2015, India’s economy will grow faster than China’s for the first time in 16 years. In fact, the IMF forecasts India’s GDP growth to expand by 7.5% this year and next.
While global sentiment about personal finances and the costs of living has been trending up for about two years now, men and women aren’t exactly on the same page when it comes to what’s in their pockets. Generally speaking, women see a bright side, but men are seeing an even brighter side.
Consumer Confidence in the Middle East/Africa region dipped one-index point in the fourth quarter, ending 2014 with a score of 95. The score marked a five-point increase from the fourth quarter of 2013. Among the five countries measured in the region, three saw quarterly consumer confidence increases and two saw declines.
Successful companies in the private sector have gained deep insight into consumer psychology and individual and collective decision-making. Public policy leaders and program managers can make use of these insights to improve significantly the likelihood of success in achieving their policy goals.
Upscale Millennials represent the future of global economic growth and prosperity. To better understand the financial values and goals of those with money to save in this up-and-coming generation, we've explored the savings and investment strategies and intentions of upscale, tech-savvy Millennials in the U.S., Brazil, China and India.


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On Monday, Elon Musk replaced Twitter’s blue bird logo with an X. Musk had teased the new logo over the weekend, tweeting: “soon we shall bid adieu to the twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds.” Many users are unimpressed.
Musk likes the letter X—he named his space engineering company SpaceX and his AI company xAI, and when he was at PayPal, Musk unsuccessfully tried to have the company renamed to X-PayPal and include an X in the logo. In October, Musk tweeted that “Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app.” This idea, often referred to as a super app—similar to China’s WeChat or Southeast Asia’s Grab—could include social networking, payments, finance, and other functions in one central app. In May 2022, Musk discussed the super app idea on technology industry podcast All-In, saying that a super app could be made starting with Twitter or from scratch, but either way “this thing needs to exist."
Since purchasing Twitter for $44 billion in October 2022, Musk has made a number of dramatic changes, including mass layoffs and changing Twitter’s approach to content moderation. As a result, many users have begun to search for alternatives and a May 2023 survey from the Pew Research Center found that a quarter of Twitter users said “they are not very or not at all likely to be on Twitter a year from now.”
Meta, the company behind Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, launched its Twitter alternative, Threads, on July 5. According to data from Similarweb, a digital intelligence platform, Threads saw a spike in usage in the days after its release, reaching around 45% of Twitter’s active users on July 7, but traffic has declined since then to around 12% of Twitter’s active user count. This still leaves Threads far ahead of other Twitter alternatives, such as Bluesky Social, Mastodon, and Truth Social, although behind less direct competitors to Twitter, such as Discord and Reddit.
Because social media sites are much more useful when everyone uses them, it’s very hard to dethrone an incumbent platform like Twitter. But this phenomenon also means that, if users start to leave Twitter en masse as a result of Musk’s influence, another site could take Twitter’s place fairly rapidly. This has happened before: According to data from Comscore, a media measurement and analytics company, Myspace had more than twice as many monthly worldwide unique visitors than Facebook in April 2007, but a year later Facebook had caught up. By December 2008, Facebook was twice the size of MySpace.
There are increasingly more platforms becoming available for users who do decide to leave X. Here are the top alternatives to the Twitter experience.
Best for getting off Twitter as quickly as you can: Threads
Meta has a history of aping its competitors’ features—Instagram Stories was launched to counter Snapchat Stories, and Instagram Reels to counter TikTok. Threads is a close copy of Twitter, and is the only Twitter alternative that has gotten close to matching Twitter in terms of numbers of people using the platform.
Unlike Twitter, which has a user-friendly desktop version, Threads can only be accessed via a smartphone app, and users need an Instagram account to sign up. Threads users can automatically follow all the same people they follow from Instagram as part of the set up process. The site itself has the same glossy, minimalist design as Instagram. So far, many of the posters are social media reps at large companies and meme accounts.
Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, said in a Threads conversation earlier this month that Threads was not aiming to replace Twitter, but instead was trying to “create a … a less angry place for conversations.” As part of this goal, Threads will not try to promote politics or hard news because “any incremental engagement or revenue they might drive is not at all worth the scrutiny, negativity (let's be honest), or integrity risks that come along with them.”
It’s worth watching whether Threads’ user numbers start to pick back up. The much-touted potential cage match between Musk and Facebook CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg might be only the second most important fight in social media this year.
Best for finding your community: Mastodon
Mastodon is named after an extinct ancestor to elephants (Mastodon founder Eugen Rochko told TIME that “I just chose whatever came to my mind at the time.”) Rochko created it as a direct alternative to Twitter and much of the functionality is very similar, with slightly different nomenclature. On Mastodon, users don’t tweet, retweet, and like. Instead, they toot, boost, and favorite.
The most basic version of Mastodon was released in 2016, however very few people used Mastodon until Elon Musk announced that he was purchasing Twitter. Musk’s acquisition was finalized Oct. 27 2022, and daily downloads of the Mastodon app increased from 3,400 that day to 113,400 on Nov. 6. In December, Twitter banned Mastodon’s Twitter account and links to Mastodon servers were disabled. Twitter later reversed these decisions.
Mastodon can be accessed via internet browser, or via desktop or smartphone app. Upon signing up, users need to choose a server. This is a fairly significant decision—each server sets its own content moderation rules and enforces those rules, and the moderators that run a server can shut down accounts and read private messages. Users can move between servers, but they can’t take the content that they’ve produced with them. Mastodon’s list of open servers is a good place to start, as it only includes servers with a certain level of content moderation. For further reading on how to start using Mastodon, try this guide on Github and the website fedi.tips.
Despite being regularly trumpeted as a serious competitor to Twitter, with many Twitter users listing their Mastodon handles in their Twitter name or bio, Mastodon has not come close to Twitter’s number of users. This is partially a result of the tyranny of network effects—the high barrier to exit from a social media site that everyone is already using. But Mastodon’s server-based design could also be part of the problem.
Best for maybe replacing Twitter in future: Bluesky Social
Jack Dorsey, co-founder and former CEO of Twitter, announced in 2019 that Twitter was funding the development of an open protocol for decentralized social media—a protocol is a set of rules that outline how devices connected to a network communicate and share information. When Dorsey made the announcement, he wrote that Twitter would be one of the social media networks that used the protocol.
However, once Musk acquired Twitter, the relationship between Bluesky and Twitter was terminated, according to a blog post from the Bluesky team, and it became clear Twitter would not use the protocol developed by the Bluesky team. Instead, Bluesky launched its own social network, Bluesky Social. Bluesky recently raised $8 million, which it says it will use to “expand our team, manage increasing operation and infrastructure costs, and grow the AT Protocol ecosystem as well as the Bluesky app.”
Bluesky Social is still in beta mode, meaning that you need an invite to access it. Once on it, you can use Bluesky on your browser, or via a desktop or smartphone app. Bluesky’s design and functionality are very similar to Twitter. One major difference is that, like Mastodon, Bluesky is decentralized, meaning future users will be able to create their own servers with their own content moderation rules. Now, users can pay for their own domain (the free default domain is @bsky.social), which allows them to verify their identity.
Best for supporting Black-owned businesses: Spill
Spill was launched in June 2022 by former Twitter employees Alphonzo “Phonz” Terrell and DeVaris Brown. In an interview with AfroTech, Terrell and Brown described how they created Spill with the aim of “creating safety for diverse communities.” According to the app’s Apple Store description, Spill is trying to become “the de facto platform to discover and discuss culture worldwide.”
Best for hanging out: Discord
Discord functions less like Twitter than some of the alternatives already covered, but there are still many similarities between the two platforms and Discord has many more users than the more direct Twitter alternatives. Discord was originally created for gamers, and many people still use it to hang out over video chat while playing games with or against each other. Users can communicate via voice chats, video conferences, and text-based conversations. These interactions can be one-on-one or within designated groups, and users can share a variety of media. The design feels a lot like a work communication software like Slack or Teams.
The structure of Discord also revolves around servers where communities can gather around shared interests, be it video games, music genres, or dozens of other topics. Within these servers, users can set up multiple channels, both text and voice, to categorize their discussions. Users can get started by downloading the desktop or smartphone app, or by signing up through a web browser.
Best for learning new things: Reddit
Members, known as Redditors, can post content (like links, images, or text posts) to these subreddits, and the community votes to determine the prominence of each post on the site. Popular posts rise to the top and can be viewed by a larger audience. Meanwhile, discussions ensue in the comment sections, fostering an environment of knowledge exchange and camaraderie. Reddit is available through web browsers, through smartphone apps on iOS and Android, and through a windows desktop app (there is currently no official desktop app for Mac users).
Best for your right-wing uncle: TRUTH Social
On Jan. 8th 2021, Twitter announced that it was permanently suspending President Donald Trump’s account “due to the risk of further incitement of violence.” In February 2022, Trump launched “TRUTH Social,” a new social media platform a press release claimed would “give a voice to all.” Since then, Trump has promoted QAnon content on TRUTH Social and ads targeting QAnon believers have appeared on the site.
The design of the site is very similar to Twitter, except that tweets are called “truths.” This similarity is a result of the fact that TRUTH is built using the same code as Mastodon—the code is open source.
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- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Will Henshall at email@example.com


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BALTIMORE, Md. (WJZ) — David Wise, also known as “Rambo” and “Rampage” was sentenced to 13 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for the armed robbery of a federally licensed firearms dealer.
According to a plea agreement, Wise, 23, along with four other conspirators, robbed a bait, tackle, and gun store in Dundalk, Maryland. The group had specifically targeted the store in order to steal guns to sell and use.
The five men entered the store and held the store-owners at gunpoint, demanding money and guns. The victims complied in fear for their lives.
After a pick-up truck was backed up to the front of the store, Wise and his accomplices stole cash and 37 firearms, including three assault rifles and a silencer.
One of the Wise’s co-conspirators, Lerron Sheppard, pushed a victim into a safe and locked her inside.
“These five felons terrorized innocent employees, they victimized a law-abiding business owner, and they stole these firearms with purely criminal intentions in mind,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge, Rob Cekada.
The victims reported that Wise had taken a shotgun from the safe before Sheppard locked one of them inside. Wise did not take the shotgun but left it in the store next to the earbuds he had worn during the robbery.
Investigators obtained a fingerprint from the shotgun, which matched Wise’s fingerprint. Wise’s home was then searched, with law enforcement recovering several items stolen in the robbery, including firearms with the sales tags still attached.
Officers also recovered the loaded pistol that Wise pointed at the victims during the robbery.


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Roblox et october theverge
Roblox, explained – The Verge
7 juli 2021 — Roblox is one of the biggest apps on the planet, and you’ve probably been hearing about it a lot lately. We’ve put together an explainer to …
Roblox is one of the biggest apps on the planet, and you’ve probably been hearing about it a lot lately. We’ve put together an explainer to help you learn more about the hugely popular platform.
Roblox is back online after an outage that lasted three days
Roblox is back online after an outage that lasted three days – The Verge
31 okt. 2021 — Roblox confirmed in a statement to The Verge late Saturday that the outage wasn’t the result of an “external intrusion,” and that it had …
The popular game creating platform that has a large audience of kids under 13 went offline Thursday evening, and was out most of the weekend due to what the company said was an internal issue.
Roblox’s metaverse is already here, and it’s wildly popular
10 dec. 2021 — In July 2020, the company told The Verge that over half of American children play the game. Roblox rundown. Craig Donato, chief business officer …
The Verge – Steam News Hub
| Image: Roblox Roblox is officially completing its rollout of the Creator Hub, a new hub that gives developers more tools and centralizes… 1. 0.
Inside iHeartMedia’s metaverse plans as it enters Roblox
Manuel Bronstein on LinkedIn: Inside iHeartMedia’s metaverse plans as it enters Roblox
Excited to share that iHeartLand is live on Roblox ‘where gaming, live events, podcasts, music and the most popular talent converge.
More innovative entertainment experiences on Roblox!
Roblox going down
The hashtag has since gone viral and is … zipfizz sugar contentRoblox Shut Down: … an encouraging December update on active users and other key metrics.
List of Roblox games – Wikipedia
The online video game and game creation system Roblox has numerous games created by users of their creation tool, Roblox Studio. Due to Roblox’s popularity, …
Playful Pedagogy in the Pandemic: Pivoting to Game-Based …
Playful Pedagogy in the Pandemic: Pivoting to Game-Based Learning – Emily K. Johnson, Anastasia Salter – Google Böcker
Educational technology adoption is more widespread than ever in the wake of COVID-19, as corporations have commodified student engagement in makeshift packages marketed as gamification. This book seeks to create a space for playful learning in higher education, asserting the need for a pedagogy of care and engagement as well as collaboration with students to help us reimagine education outside of prescriptive educational technology. Virtual learning has turned the course management system into the classroom, and business platforms for streaming video have become awkward substitutions for lecture and discussion. Gaming, once heralded as a potential tool for rethinking our relationship with educational technology, is now inextricably linked in our collective understanding to challenges of misogyny, white supremacy, and the circulation of misinformation. The initial promise of games-based learning seems to linger only as gamification, a form of structuring that creates mechanisms and incentives but limits opportunity for play. As higher education teeters on the brink of unprecedented crisis, this book proclaims the urgent need to find a space for playful learning and to find new inspiration in the platforms and interventions of personal gaming, and in turn restructure the corporatized, surveilling classroom of a gamified world. Through an in-depth analysis of the challenges and opportunities presented by pandemic pedagogy, this book reveals the conditions that led to the widespread failure of adoption of games-based learning and offers a model of hope for a future driven by new tools and platforms for personal, experimental game-making as intellectual inquiry.
Step into the Metaverse: How the Immersive Internet Will …
Step into the Metaverse: How the Immersive Internet Will Unlock a Trillion … – Mark van Rijmenam – Google Böcker
An incisive glimpse into the future of the internet In Step into the Metaverse: How the Immersive Internet Will Unlock a Trillion-Dollar Social Economy, future tech strategist, entrepreneur, and thought leader Dr. Mark van Rijmenam delivers a startlingly insightful discussion about how the world as we know it will fundamentally change as the physical and the digital worlds merge into the metaverse, impacting the everyday experiences of people, companies, and societies. The author maps out the extraordinary opportunities and challenges facing business leaders, consumers, regulators, policymakers, and other metaverse stakeholders trying to navigate the future of the Internet. In the metaverse, you can be who you want to be, where you want to be, and companies and consumers are only restricted by their own creativity how they can benefit from the immersive internet. With engaging commentary on issues ranging from avatars, identity and digital fashion to non-fungible tokens (NFTs), blockchain and the economics of the metaverse, this book also offers: Discussions on the importance of an open and interoperable metaverse build on the web 3.0 paradigm if we want to reign in the control of Big Tech over our identity, data and lives. Explorations of the enormous—and largely untapped—potential for metaverse entertainment, including gaming, music, media, and sports and how brands can engage with their customers in novel ways and how digital twins will change how we work and innovate. Considerations related to the dangers of an always-on, immersive internet, including data breaches, avatar imposters, mental health issues, corporate and state surveillance, and the need for metaverse law. A fascinating read you won’t be able to put down, Step into the Metaverse belongs in the hands of executives, managers, and other business leaders who play a role in digital transformation or execution. It’s also an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the future of technology, the internet, and social interaction.
Communication and Applied Technologies: Proceedings of …
Communication and Applied Technologies: Proceedings of ICOMTA 2022 – Google Böcker
This book features selected papers from the International Conference on Communication and Applied Technologies (ICOMTA 2022), jointly organized by the Universidad del Rosario (Bogotá, Colombia) and the Universidad Politécnica Salesiana (Cuenca, Ecuador), and as collaborators at the University of Vigo (Galicia, Spain), the University of Santiago de Compostela-Political Research Team (Galicia, Spain), and the Network of Communication Researchers of Ecuador (RICE), during August, 31–September 2, 2022. It covers recent advances in the field of digital communication and processes, digital social media, software, big data, data mining, and intelligent systems.
Keywords: roblox et october theverge


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Talking of ‘innovative and affordable solutions to assist schools and universities,’ Odilo announces a deal with the European Commission.
The European Commission calls Amazon’s antitrust commitments ‘a timely, effective and comprehensive solution to the competition concerns’ raised.
Amid concern for the impact on publishers, Germany’s collective management organizations must recoup copyright revenues distributed between 2012 and 2015.
Perhaps nowhere is there such a jubilant response to the European Commission’s pressure on Amazon than in Germany. The Börsenverein hails the week’s events.
A proposal for redistributing copyright revenues to authors in Germany has been left in limbo, even as the European Commission proposes its own update to the EU’s copyright framework.
Declaring that ‘the current copyright framework is unfit for the digital age,’ the chief of the Europe’s research libraries organization speaks out against “neighboring rights,’ related rights, for publishers.
As Germany’s publishing industry reels from a Supreme Court ruling on copyright levies that could plunge some houses into bankruptcy, legal counsel to the Börsenverein tells us that a Constitutional Court challenge will be attempted.
Content today is ‘born digital, transmitted digitally, used digitally, consumed digitally,’ and a leading player in the field, Michael Healy, plans his address at IDPF to highlight some of the hotspots in a world teeming with copyright issue
As part of the European Commission’s Digital Single Market initiative, publishers and authors are being asked for input on copyright issues by June 15.
Joaquín Rodríguez shares his views on ebook accessibility, standards and interoperability within the frame of the European single digital market.
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Turkish Airlines has put away all of its goods produced under the brand name of ‘Heroes’ as authorities in Turkey have been targeting people wearing t-shirts with a writing that says ‘Hero’.
Authorities’ steps came after a suspect of the coup attempt appeared before the court with a shirt that said ‘Hero’ on it. While investigations against guards who had given the shirt to him were started and his lawyer was also eventually detained, random people on the streets have also been taken into custody for wearing a shirt with the same message since it is deemed by authorities as a ‘secret messaging method’ of Gülenists, the group alleged to have carried out the coup last summer.
Turkish Airlines had begun producing items with the brand name of ‘Heroes’ back in 2014. According to report of İsmail Saymaz from Turkey’ Hürriyet, all of the goods, including a children’s magazine, have now been taken out of the shelves and put aside.
As Saymaz reported, press representative of Turkish Airlines, Yahya Üstün, said the airlines had already stepped up to change the name of brand six months ago. “When the ‘Hero’ issue came up, we paced up our plan”, Üstün said.
Az önce okuduğunuz haber, bağımsız bir medya organı tarafından size sunuldu.
Bağımsız gazetecilik; sermayeye karşı halkı, sömürüye karşı emeği, eşitsizliğe karşı adaleti, savaşlara karşı barışı, piyasacılığa karşı temel hakları, talana karşı doğayı, erkek şiddetine karşı kadınları, istismara karşı çocukları savunmanın olmazsa olmaz koşuludur.
Siz de gerçeğin sesini yükseltmek adına sorumluluk almak istiyorsanız, sadece birkaç dakikanızı ayırarak BirGün’e abone olabilir ve ‘#BirGünBenim’ diyebilirsiniz.
Şimdiden sonsuz teşekkürler…
BirGün bizim; hepimizin.


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Belgian consumer confidence dropped to the lowest in almost three years in February amid growing pessimism on the outlook for employment and the economy.
The consumer sentiment index for Belgium, the euro region’s sixth-largest economy, fell to minus 20 from minus 16 in January, the Brussels-based National Bank of Belgium said today in a statement. That is the lowest since April 2009.
“The drop in the indicator is mainly the consequence of greatly increased pessimism on the part of consumers with regard to the unemployment outlook,” the central bank said. “They expect the general economic climate to decline further.”
The central bank last week forecast the nation’s economy will contract 0.1 percent this year, cutting a December projection for growth of slightly less than 0.5 percent. Luc Coene, the bank’s governor, said the government needs to find at least 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in additional budget cuts of to meet its 2012 deficit target.
Across the 17-nation euro region, consumer confidence is projected to improve further this month after hitting a two-year low in December, according to a Bloomberg survey of economists. The European Commission will release the flash estimate for euro-area consumer sentiment tomorrow.


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Two independent local businesses in Wigan are teaming up to open a new shop as restrictions begin to ease for non-essential retail.
Little Pot Plants and Olive Owl Flowers, both ambassadors for Wigan Council’s #SupportLocal campaign, have decided to up sticks and join the town centres current independent retailers in the hope of inspiring others to take the plunge too.
On Saturday, 17 April at 9am, they officially opened their shop doors after spending the last few weeks transforming number 2 Makinson Arcade into a haven of plants and flowers.
Amy Bithell, from Hindley, set up Little Pot Plants in August 2020 after being faced with redundancy due to the pandemic.
She said: “I started selling plants from my spare room and over the last few months, the business has snowballed. My house was slowly becoming a jungle of plants so I definitely needed more space!
“My redundancy turned into a great opportunity to finally live out my dream. I’m really passionate about artisan and independent shopping, especially female-owned businesses.”
Becca Heron, director for economy and skills at Wigan Council said:
“The pandemic has affected the small business community in many different ways. Some businesses have been negatively impacted,
“Some have diversified and adapted to the change and others have been born out of lockdown, as we can see here with Little Pot Plants.
“It’s brilliant news that Sarah and Amy have found inspiration during this uncertain period and have expanded in time for the easing of restrictions.


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The Tesla CEO is an ardent fan of the most popular meme-themed cryptocurrency. It is not surprising to see him post a statement about Dogecoin on his official Twitter account.
Elon Musk’s impact on Dogecoin cannot be over-emphasized, considering how his actions influence price trends in the market and how often he assumes the unofficial influencer role for the meme cryptocurrency.
The billionaires’ recent post on Twitter is about the biblical statement on vengeance. He asks if the traditional behavior of giving the other check to continue his aggression on someone is appropriate in this situation.
However, one Twitter commenter jokingly noted that Musk’s statement is a hidden message about Dogecoin, and it points to something only the Tesla boss knows about.
Fans’ Poking Jokes With Musk’s Tweet
According to the tweet released by Musk, giving an aggressor the other check to continue his aggression is a pragmatic idea because doing so puts an end to the cycle of vengeance that the victim might have harbored.
Moreover, a Twitter user with significant followers of more than 232,100 also assumed, albeit jokingly, that Musk’s message concealed something in his statement, and this hidden message, according to the commenter, is “Dogecoin is powerful.”
Another Twitter user refers to the first comment on Musk’s post by saying that the billionaire meant to say Ethereum is powerful, not DOGE.
Musk Still Keeping His DOGE, ETH, and BTC Assets
The billionaire said he was not looking to sell his huge crypto stashes early in the week, including Dogecoin, Bitcoin, and Ethereum tokens.
As a result of Musk’s statement about his cryptocurrency portfolio, the prices of both digital coins shot up temporarily, with DOGE showing a brief rise of 9% and rising by 11 cents on most crypto exchange platforms.
U.Today reported that the main reason that Musk still holds on to his DOGE asset is that he is optimistic that the future of the first meme cryptocurrency is bright and that DOGE is ahead of other cryptocurrencies he has come across.
An interesting thing about both the co-founder of Dogecoin, Billy Markus, and the Tesla boss is that they share the same vision relating to the meme coin, and that is utility. Their motivation is to see the DOGE serve as a diverse utility for use by individuals and businesses in varied ways.
On his part, Markus has previously urged the Dogecoin community to focus on making the token one of the most widely used cryptos in terms of utility instead of directing their energy towards price speculation.
According to the co-founder, what sets DOGE apart from other cryptos is its utility, and this is what he wants the strong community to direct their attention to.
Musk is also not left out of this, as he has previously urged the fast-food giant McDonald’s to start accepting Dogecoin as payment, but the fast-food chain declined his request.
Both Starlink and SpaceX plan to start accepting payments in DOGE.


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According to Apple Insider, a new analysis shows that Apple will not provide a lightning-to-3.5mm headphone jack converter in this year’s new iPhone case.
Apple supplier Cirrus Logic, which produces audio hardware for products such as the iPhone, announced quarterly revenues of $254.5 million this week. This number exceeded expectations. At the same time, an analyst also revealed some details about Apple’s upcoming new iPhone.
Cowen analyst Matthew D. Ramsay said in a report to investors that Cirrus’ second-quarter forecast “almost confirms that Apple will not bundle DAC headsets in its new iPhone.” The analyst said that the converter will continue to be available to some old iPhone models.
Another analyst from Barclays, Blayne Curtis, made similar predictions as early as April this year.
In 2016, Apple abandoned the 3.5mm headphone jack when it released the iPhone 7, and instead sent the audio through the Lightning interface. To help people make easy transitions, Apple offers a lightning-to-3.5mm headphone jack converter for every new iPhone. The disassembly of this component indicates that the DAC chip for signal conversion was designed by Cirrus.
In the following 2017, Apple continued to provide lightning-to-3.5mm headphone jack converters for the iPhone X and iPhone 8 series, but this is expected to end this year.


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Amazon Games could become the publisher of the Western version of Throne and Liberty
NCSOFT’s long-awaited MMORPG Throne and Liberty seems to have got a publisher for the Western version. According to Korean media, citing “a source familiar with the situation,” the developers are in talks with Amazon Games about distributing the game in Europe and North America. Like Lost Ark, the publisher’s previous project, the novelty should be distributed through the Steam service.
It is reported that the agreement has not yet reached the final stage, but the likelihood of cooperation is extremely high. NCSOFT representatives themselves have not yet confirmed this information, noting that they are considering various ways to ensure the successful global launch of Throne and Liberty.
Recall that internal testing of Throne and Liberty has recently begun. If there are no transfers, the game should be released this year.


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After Years Making Shoes, Hi-Tec Tries Apparel
Cherokee Global Brands’ Hi-Tec footwear division is stepping into apparel.
For Fall 2018, Hi-Tec is producing clothes for men and women that will be as performance oriented as its shoes and boots.
Hi-Tec, which has been in business since 1974 and gained popularity for its sports-oriented shoes and waterproof hiking boots, was acquired in 2016 by Los Angeles–based Cherokee in a $95.8 million deal.
For its new apparel categories, Hi-Tec was inspired by the features of its footwear, said Mark Conway, Hi-Tec’s chief brand and revenue officer.
Each apparel item was designed with waterproof material as well as performance fabrics. The fabrics will have several capabilities, including moisture wicking, sun protection and heat retention, Conway said.
Men’s looks include flannel shirts, quilted shirt jackets and fleece. Women’s looks include V-neck tees, flannel shirts and puffer jackets. The clothes feature details such as adjustable sleeves and hidden-zipper pockets to store a phone. New York–based Tharanco Group, which specializes in technical and active apparel, was the clothing line’s manufacturing partner. Retail price points range from $35 to $140.
Success in footwear does not necessarily translate into success in clothing, said Gene Han, who has been selling sneakers at his three-store chain, Alumni, in New York City. He also sells high-end camping apparel and gear at Hatchet Outdoor Supply Co., which has one store in New York and another in Los Angeles’ Arts District.
“When footwear brands cross lanes, a lot of marketing chiefs think they can sell an extension of the brand,” Han said. “Success comes from offering the customer more than just an extension of the brand.”
Conway said that his brand is up to the challenge. "Hi-Tec's outdoor products are versatile enough to meet demands in many consumer categories,’ he said.


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Interactive Digital Out-of-Home Campaign Uses NFC, QR Code, and Red Crystal Technology
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — A new interactive digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising campaign for Google Play, their newly launched entertainment portal for Android mobile devices, is raising awareness and driving online traffic. Google’s interactive advertising campaign is currently running at airport locations in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane utilizing more than 39 digital signage display panels on oOh! Media’s Fly Network.
One of the unique aspects of Google’s campaign is the use of mobile devices to increase engagement. Travelers interact directly with the campaign using their smartphones and tablets to control aspects of the screen’s content. Each digital display panel includes Near Field Communication (NFC), QR Code, and Red Crystal technology that connects each screen with a traveler’s mobile device. Red Propaganda’s Red Crystal technology turns a smartphone into a remote control that enables direct interaction with elements on a digital screens without the need for additional special software. Travelers simply tap or scan using their smartphone or tablet to take control of Google Play’s advertising and interact content across several genres that include Professional, High Octane, Tweens and Kids. Android phone users can also download selected books, movies, music, magazines and apps directly to their phone using oOh! Media’s free airport WiFi network.
“This was the first time an advertiser has taken full ownership of a digital platform to create a mass campaign that has enabled consumers to take control of the screen with their smart phones,” said Warwick Denby, oOh!’s Group Director, Business Strategy. “The Google Play campaign is oOh!’s most unique use of NFC, QR Code and Red Crystal technology to allow consumers to control a screen without needing to download an app. They can select the content they want displayed on the big advertising screens and then download movies, magazines, books, music or games from the Google Play Store immediately to their android device,” added Mr Denby.
“Back in 2002 when Minority Report featured a scene where billboards talked directly to individual consumers, this was only the stuff of science fiction. This campaign is a real-world example of how traditional billboards and technology can work together to gain a deeper connection between a brand and individuals. It demonstrates how well online and digital billboards can work together, and how smartphones can drive engagement and enable consumers to connect and transact with brands online-immediately. We believe this signals the start of something really remarkable for how companies market to the consumer and what is great is that this digital innovation is being driven out of Australia.”
“oOh! Media’s solution helped Google achieve its objectives of mass awareness as well as drive consumers to interact with Google’s Play Store in a relevant environment,” said Jenn Brown, Phd Communications Planning Director. “Drawing on insights delivered via our proprietary planning tool – Source, relating to the audience, market, category and brand, we determined that our strategy needed to deliver on three communication behaviors. We wanted the campaign to be rewarding, interactive, and truly mobile. We wanted this to be at a moment where consumption of entertainment content was top of mind—and the airport environment delivered on all of these elements. oOh! Media had developed new proprietary technology to bring our strategy to life in a way that answered each of the three strategic imperatives through their digital Fly offering, making them the ideal partners to introduce Google Play with music to the Australian market. The campaign has achieved more than 2000 interactions, which exceeded the trial out-of-home and NFC campaign engagement metrics that we’ve seen globally.”
“Google had chosen Australian airports to launch the new Google Play platform because of the world class, premium digital environment in combination with the high dwell time of travelers which provided a unique mix to encourage maximum engagement,” said Robbie Dery, oOh! Media’s Fly Group Director. “Over the last few years we have invested more than $20 million (Australian) to deliver the most sophisticated, world-class digital advertising opportunities within the airport environment to keep up with the growing passenger traffic. This year we’re expecting more than 120 million passengers through our terminals in Australia and New Zealand. Integrating our digital Fly inventory enabled Google to own the airport environment and target travelers en-mass who have the time and are in the right mindset to engage with Google’s Play Store platform. It’s great to see big brands recognize and invest in the media that will take away-from-home to the next frontier.”
oOh! Media offers one of the largest digital out-of-home advertising network in Australia. The company provides a range of media solutions that connects with on-the-go consumers throughout urban and regional Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia using roadside, retail, airport, experiential and place-based media.
Free Trend Report: Why Location Is the New Currency of Marketing
Finding effective ways to deliver branded messages in today’s complex media environment is one of the biggest challenges facing advertisers. Traditional methods of advertising have become less effective as consumers spend less time in places where marketers have traditionally had an advantage in reaching them. In addition, consumer attention has fragmented across multiple channels as media options and device platforms increasingly diversify.
Active consumers spend money, and while they are going about their daily routine, they are also actively looking for information. According to Google, more than 50% of all mobile searches have local intent, and 17% of search happens while consumers are on the go.
Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising, also known as Digital Place-based (DPb) media, utilizes strategically placed, networked digital signage displays to reach on-the-go consumers while they are outside of their home with highly targeted messages. Location-based mobile and digital out-of-home media are part of a larger multiscreen ecosystem that effectively amplifies brand messages to create a deeper level of engagement with active consumers.
Why Location Is the New Currency of Marketing is aimed at CMOs, media buyers and strategists and provides insight into why marketers are increasingly shifting their advertising dollars to these rapidly emerging media platforms.
Highlights from Why Location Is the New Currency of Marketing include:
- The Connected Consumer
- Leveraging the Moment
- Multiscreen Campaign Planning
- Amplifying Reach With DOOH Media


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Squeeze on UK households eases with inflation plunging to 31-month low of 2.4 per cent
Rises in the cost of living have slowed sharply, official data revealed today, with inflation falling in June to a 31-month low of 2.4 per cent.
Easing the pressure on British households who have seen earnings stagnate, the consumer prices index measure of inflation plunged from 2.8 per cent in May, to its lowest level since the first wave of recession in November 2009.
Retailers have been forced to cut the prices of clothing and footwear as the poor spring and summer weather has hit High Street spending, and that resulted in a much lower rate than the 2.7 per cent analysts had been expecting.
Coming down: Falling petrol prices are bringing down the overall rate of inflation
Other dampening effects on the overall rate between May and June came from the moderating prices of transport and groceries. The rate is now close to the 2 per cent target set for the Bank of England by the Treasury.
While falls in inflation are likely to slow, says James Knightley of ING, due to rising commodity prices, 'the weak corporate pricing power environment still suggests we should be expecting sub 2 per cent inflation readings well before the end of the year'.
Vicky Redwood at Capital Economics went even further, noting that 'evidence is tentatively building that weak activity and large amounts of spare capacity are bearing down on underlying price pressures'.
'We still think that CPI inflation could be below 1% by the end of the year, she said, 'and is likely to stay very low throughout next year.'
Mr Knightley predicted the inflation falls would open the door to more quantitative easing from the Bank of England: 'This gives the Bank plenty of room to respond aggressively to the downturn in activity and we suggest that the BoE's Asset Purchase Facility will be expanded to £450billion pound by the end of 2012.'
Downward trend: UK inflation has fallen sharply since September last year
The retail prices index meanwhile stood at 2.8 per cent in June, down from 3.1 per cent in May - the lowest since December 2009.
Last month, a sharp drop in commodity and oil prices paved the way for the smallest rise in fuel prices since October 2009, dragging down the headline inflation rate.
Economic forecaster the ITEM Club yesterday said that falling inflation would be a key component in the UK's recovery from recession.
Adviser to ITEM, Professor Peter Spencer of York University, said that the expected fall in CPI inflation below its official two per cent target by the end of the year would ease pressure on real wages, ending a four-year squeeze that has seen earnings fall by 7.5 per cent after accounting for inflation.
Price factors: Clothing and footwear had by far the biggest downward impact on the falling average inflation rate between May and June
But, he warned, 'we cannot rely upon consumers to drive the recovery given they need to cut debts further and build up savings'.
Inflation has fallen from 5.2 per cent last September due to the waning impact of the VAT hike at the start of 2011, falling energy, food and commodity prices and a number of bill cuts from utility providers in February.
Howard Archer, chief UK and European economist at IHS Global Insight, said: 'Apart from their direct impact on the inflation rate, lower petrol prices also reduce the cost of transporting goods around so that should also have helped to limit inflation. It is also likely that annual food price inflation fell in June.'
Petrol prices have fallen after oil prices retreated further from their March peak levels, with Brent crude averaging around $95 a barrel in June, compared to $110.2 a barrel in May.
Price factors: every component increased in price on a year ago except clothing & footwear, which showed a small fall
The economy entered a technical recession in the first quarter of the year, with gross domestic product declining 0.2 per cent, following a 0.3 per cent drop in the final quarter of 2011. It marked the first 'double-dip' recession since 1975.
The weaker growth has started to weigh on prices as retailers sacrifice profit margins in a bid to draw in cash-strapped consumers.
International Monetary Fund yesterday said that the UK economy will barely grow at all this year and will progress far below previous estimates next year.
In its updated estimates for global economic growth the IMF said UK gross domestic product would increase by a minute 0.2 per cent this year, just three months after it forecast growth of 0.8 per cent. The organisation also downgraded its estimate for next year to 1.4 per cent from 2 per cent.
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India — 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) — Jan. 5, 2015 — AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) and its technology partners are ready to wow attendees of the 2015 International CES with a wide range of new products and technology demonstrations that showcase AMD’s view of the future of computing, and reinforce the company’s surround computing leadership. The company will showcase an array of innovations powered by the latest AMD Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), Radeon™ Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) technologies, and embedded designs that push the boundaries of modern computing.
“AMD is contributing to the excitement of CES 2015 with new graphics and computing technology that powers breakthrough consumer and commercial computing experiences of today and tomorrow,” said John Byrne, senior vice president and general manager, Computing and Graphics business group, AMD. “This year, we continue to see inspiring developments in virtual reality, Ultra high Definition 4K resolution computing and beyond, computing form factor and intuitive user interface innovation. AMD is thrilled to power the best of these with new generations of our smart, innovative, and efficient technology.”
2015 AMD at CES Highlights:
- The next generation of mobile computing – AMD’s first high-performance system-on-a-chip (SoC) and next-generation Mobile APU codenamed “Carrizo” will be showcased. Expected in market by mid-year, “Carrizo” has been designed for both modern consumer computing habits and the needs of IT departments – a platform built for an always-on, media-centric and productivity-centric lifestyle with support for next-generation APIs such as DirectX® 12, OpenCL™ 2.0, and the forthcoming Windows 10 operating system.
- 4K and beyond – AMD will be demonstrating exceptional ultra-high-definition experiences at 4K resolutions and beyond, spotlighting 4K gaming using AMD Radeon™ R9 graphics and AMD Eyefinity technology, the Apple iMac with 5K Retina display powered by AMD Radeon R9 graphics, and the new Alienware 15 notebooks with 4K display support powered by new AMD Radeon R9 M295X graphics.
- New consumer and commercial client experiences – AMD and its technology partners will present exciting consumer and commercial client computing experiences at CES for work and play, including AMD Face Login and AMD Gesture Control on the Lenovo IdeaPad Z50 laptop powered by the AMD A10-7300 APU with AMD Radeon™ R6 graphics, accelerated applications on the HP EliteBook 725 G2 powered by the AMD A10 PRO-7350B APU with AMD Radeon™ R6 graphics, innovative ways to manage video content on the HP Envy TouchSmart powered by AMD FX-7500 APU with AMD Radeon™ R7 graphics, and a space-saving home theater PC in the ZOTAC ZBOX PA330 pico Series powered by the AMD A4 Micro-6400T APU.
- AMD FreeSync technology for smoother gaming – FreeSync technology enables an improved gaming experience through dynamic refresh rates that are synchronized to the frame rate of AMD Radeon™ graphics cards and APUs. At CES, AMD’s partners, including, BenQ, LG Electronics, Nixeusm, Samsung, and ViewSonic will showcase the world’s first FreeSync-enabled displays1.
- Embedded innovation – QNAP, a leading provider of network attached storage (NAS) systems, will announce that the AMD Embedded G-Series system-on-chip (SoC) is powering their new TVS-x63 platform. Also at CES, AMD will demo various embedded solutions powered by AMD Embedded processors, including Gizmo 2, an open source development board offering outstanding compute and graphics performance for embedded programmers and advanced DIYers; BioDigitalPC, a credit card-sized x86 PC designed for multiple vertical markets; and ThinLabs All-In-One POE Thin Client, ideal for digital signage and point of sale systems.
Emerging Trends in Gaming” CES SuperSession Panel
Richard Huddy, AMD’s chief gaming scientist, is participating in the CES SuperSession panel “Emerging Trends in Gaming” on January 6 at 11:30 a.m. PST at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the North Hall, room N258 where he and other industry luminaries will discuss the impact that virtual reality, free-to-play and mobile games are having on the global gaming business.


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We’ve posted about this before, and it seems like a good idea to post about it again, since nothing surrounding the issue has changed much for the better. The experts recommend that we all eat more Fish and Seafood, but it’s costly and vendors are still ripping us off by willfully mislabeling the catch…
I’d love to eat more fish. Really. But I can’t justify spending all that money on something that may or may not be what he label says it is. Fish and Seafood are second only to Beef in price, these days, and wild stocks are dwindling, which makes the dietary experts’ recommendations environmentally evil. But even if you restrict yourself to farmed Fish and Seafood, there are still drawbacks – most notably a severely restricted selection of products to choose from. But that’s really another, separate topic.
Latest bad news…
DNA-level testing of Fish and Seafood in Vancouver has revealed that a quarter of the marine produce on store shelves there is mislabeled. That’s a huge fraction.
Researchers from the University of British Columbia (UBC) tested 281 samples of Fish and Seafood collected in Metro Vancouver between September last year and February this year, and found 70 of the samples were not as advertised.
The study frames the problems surrounding truth in Fish and Seafood labeling thus:
The supply chain for seafood is complex and opaque. A fish can be caught in Canada, gutted in China, breaded in the U.S., and ultimately sold back to Canada as an American product. Misidentification can happen anywhere along the way. When it’s intentional, it’s food fraud – a $52 billion worldwide problem defined as the misrepresentation of food for economic gain.
What’s the solution?
Julia Levin, seafood fraud campaigner with Oceana Canada, says “The key to fighting seafood fraud is boat-to-plate traceability. This means tracking the seafood product through the supply chain and requiring that key information travels with the product.”
Authors of the UBC study support several specific measures to help consumers understand what they’re buying:
- Harmonize common names of fish between major trading countries.
- Require scientific names on labels.
- Provide consumers with information about where fish was caught or farmed, its processing history, and the fishing/farming methods used.
As I said…
The situation doesn’t appear to be improving. An Oceana study conducted in the U.S. from 2010 to 2012 found the mislabeling rate to be 33 per cent. A study in Metro Vancouver 10 years ago had similar findings to the new UBC study, with a much smaller sample size. Oceana Canada found nearly half of samples tested last fall in Ottawa to be mislabeled. They will release a national seafood fraud report this fall with findings from testing done in Halifax, Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria.
However, the UBC researchers are working with technology partners to develop a portable device consumers can take to the grocery store to check whether the food in the package is what it’s billed as on the label. That technology, when perfected, could also be used to validate other foods that may be prone to mislabeling…
~ Maggie J.


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By Rita R. Robison
The Better Business Bureau is issuing an urgent scam alert cautioning businesses and consumers about an e-mail that looks like it’s from BBB, with the subject line “Complaint from your customers.” This e-mail is fraudulent, the BBB said in a statement.
The BBB urges consumers to ignore the e-mail’s contents and delete it immediately. If you’ve already clicked on a link in the e-mail, run a full virus scan of your computer.
The return e-mail address is email@example.com, an address the BBB doesn’t use, and it’s signed with the address of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, the national office of the BBB system. The e-mail contains a link to a non-BBB web site. Don’t click on the link.
The BBB is working with law enforcement to determine the source of the e-mails and stop the fraudulent campaign.
The BBB serving Alaska, Oregon, and Western Washington reports two weeks after fake BBB complaint notices hit businesses nationwide, it’s once again receiving local reports of these suspicious emails. The organization advises consumers to report fraudulent emails to firstname.lastname@example.org.
For more information for boomer consumers, see my blog The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide.


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Viper Club of America News
|2013 SRT Viper Debut Set|
Once again the Viper Club of America is very pleased to feature the words and insight of SRT President and CEO, Ralph Gilles in this issue of VIPER magazine. Knowing that some will see it sooner than others, we wanted everybody to know one important part of Ralph's column this time around: Ralph has kindly informed the Viper Nation that the debut of the next generation Viper will be at the New York Auto Show held this April. The Viper Club is very excited to play a part in this and looks forward to seeing many of you in New York City this spring!
If you don't already receive VIPER magazine, be sure to subscribe today! https://www.vipermagazine.com/subscribe/
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