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For Terry Gallagher, the president of cigar and tobacco retailer Smoker Friendly International, restless nights aren’t a new phenomenon.
Operating more than 150 retail locations in seven states in an industry that is under constantly evolving regulatory and legal scrutiny isn’t good for anyone’s beauty sleep—and those are just a few of the items on the list of what kept Gallagher awake before the COVID-19 pandemic even began.
Despite the challenges caused by the coronavirus outbreak, Gallagher says he is still bullish on future growth and that his stores are seeing a quicker-than-expected bounce-back as they have begun to reopen.
Evolution and adaptation have been part of Smoker Friendly’s identity since the company began as a chain of fueling stations in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
“We originally were transforming our Gasamat’s into c-stores/snack shops,” says Gallagher. “We recognized an opportunity to provide a much friendlier buying environment for the cigarette consumer who was beginning to be treated as a second-class citizen in many retail locations. We always described our outlets as ‘smoker friendly,’ and in 1994 we trademarked the name and started branding our stores as Smoker Friendly.”
Even as Smoker Friendly moved more decidedly into the tobacco space, the changes continued.
“The first couple of years the retail locations truly were cigarette-only,” Gallagher recalls.
“We began to offer moist snuff and machine-made cigars, and then through the ’90s and early 2000s our evolution continued with all other tobacco products, including premium cigars, roll-your-own and e-cigarettes, vape and nicotine products.
Today, Smoker Friendly’s stores continue to offer all categories of tobacco and nicotine brands, and they also have a section for alternative products. Those 157 stores span seven states with five distinct retail footprints: tobacco only; tobacco with cigar lounges; tobacco and fuel; tobacco and alcohol; and tobacco, fuel and alcohol. Smoker Friendly has even entered the e-commerce world and operates the website PaylessCigarsAndPipes.com, in New Port Richey, Florida.
The scale, experience, quality product offering, and the company’s long personal relationships with everyone from large companies to small boutique manufacturers are just a few of the things that set Smoker Friendly apart from the competition.
Those same qualities helped Smoker Friendly navigate the COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent economic fallout.
“We most definitely were impacted,” says Gallagher. “We believe we are and should be considered an essential business, and for the most part throughout our geography we were. However, in some jurisdictions, we were forced to shut down by very arbitrary decisions, from health departments, sheriff departments and even a building inspector. Due process was just tossed out the window, and the constitutionality of these arbitrary and capricious decisions was frustrating and costly.”
Smoker Friendly was forced to close 25 stores across four states in April and quickly adapted to the unique challenges of the outbreak.


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The second Tata Nano Superdrive caravan reached Kochi last Sunday, while the Nano Superdrive model was given a send off from Kochi on Monday to carry on to the next location Thiruvananthapuram. The Superdrive was met with an enthusiastic response. The crowd at Oberon Mall welcomed the car with a lot of excitement as they got to enjoy a close-up experience of the Tata Nano with its innovative features.
The company plans to bring their brand more closer to their customers with the Nano Superdrive 2, by visiting the far flung regions of this State. The Nano Superdrive 2 caravan has taken a voyage of 28 long days, in which it will visit different locations throughout India. Two Tata Nano models, which have been specially festooned, have undertaken this voyage that began in Bangalore and end at Thiruvananthapuram.

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Hi! This is it! The big moment! I think we’re ready. Well, sort of ready; don’t try exporting high-framerate video on an old PC 15 hours before your big [...]
The last few months have really ramped up the speculation on the PSVR 2 front. First, Sony confirmed it was making a next-generation console that would support VR. Then, [...]
Sony’s PSVR headset is thought to be the most successful of the three major VR devices from 2016. We don’t know that for sure, but the headset has sold 4.2 [...]
As excited as we are for PlayStation 5, we’re more excited about PSVR 2. We already know Sony’s next-generation console will run the original headset. But [...]
Of all of the major VR headsets on the market today, Sony’s PSVR stands to gain the most from an upgrade. But what might we see in a next-generation PSVR? Senior vice [...]
Sony has just confirmed that its current PSVR headset will be compatible with the next PlayStation console.
The company revealed as much in a new article in Wired. [...]


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Renault, GM lead Europe sales drop as oil prices rise
Industrywide sales fell 4.1% to 1.5 million vehicles from 1.55 million units a year earlier, the Brussels-based European Automobile Manufacturers Association said in a statement today. First-half sales gained 1.3% to 8.32 million units. “Those numbers are atrocious,” Stephen Pope, head of equity research at Cantor Fitzgerald in London, said. “The recent uptick in oil prices has to make producers go through an entire rethinking of engine efficiency.” Renault and GM sales are falling as customers turn to competitors' newer models such as Fiat SpA's Grande Punto and Toyota Motor Corp.'s Yaris subcompact. Consumers are also holding back on vehicle purchases as fuel prices surge. Crude oil for August delivery rose above $78 a barrel for the first time last night in after-hours trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. “This drop seems to confirm that market conditions remain uncertain,” the association said. More religious holidays fell in June this year than last year, leading to fewer working days for the month. June sales at Renault, France's second-largest carmaker, fell 13% to 146,345 units. The Boulogne-Billancourt, France-based company's first-half market share declined to 9.1% from 10.2% a year ago. Renault's shares fell as much as € 2.05, or 2.5% , to € 79.55 and were down 0.4% to € 81.25 as of 10:39 a.m. in Paris. The shares are up 18% this year, valuing the carmaker at € 23.2 billion ($29.4 billion). Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn on May 4 reiterated a forecast that earnings before interest, taxes and one-time items will decline to 2.5% of sales this year from a 3.2% margin in 2005 as Renault prepares to release 26 new or replacement vehicles by 2009. Ghosn, also Nissan Motor Co.'s chief executive officer, is in Detroit today for talks with GM's CEO Rick Wagoner about a possible three-way alliance of the carmakers. Ghosn said in an interview yesterday that all options for a tie-up are on the table. GM, the world's largest automaker, reported an 8.3% decline in European sales last month to 158,867 vehicles. The Detroit-based carmaker is counting on the introduction of a new version of the Opel Corsa subcompact this year and the expansion of its Chevrolet division to win new customers in 2006. European sales at Nissan, Japan's second-largest automaker, fell 17% in June to 32,050 vehicles, with first-half sales down 15% to 172,918 units.”The Renault numbers are dreadful, the Nissan numbers are dreadful, and the GM numbers are dreadful,” Pope said. “The big question is, what will they talk about in Detroit today?” Ford's European sales declined 3.7% to 158,134 units in June. Ford's market share in the first half fell to 10.7% from 11% last year. The Dearborn, Michigan-based carmaker sold 1.63 million cars in Europe in 2005, or 24% of Ford's worldwide sales. Fiat, based in Turin, Italy, and Toyota, the world's second- largest carmaker, bucked the overall market trend, posting June increases. Fiat's sales rose 10% to 106,988 units. Toyota's sales climbed 8.3% to 87,556 vehicles. Both carmakers have been posting gains this year on the strength of new models. Fiat's first-half European market share jumped to 7.7% from 6.5% a year earlier. European June sales at the main brand rose 14% to 81,589 cars, while the Alfa Romeo brand grew 15% to 13,996 vehicles. Models including the Punto, a new version of its best-selling car, and the Alfa Romeo 159 sedan, introduced at the end of 2005, contributed to the company's fifth consecutive quarterly profit in the first three months of 2006. Toyota's first-half market share increased to 5.7% from 5.4% a year earlier. In addition to the Yaris, the Toyota City, Japan-based carmaker released a new version of the RAV4 sport-utility vehicle this year. “Fiat and Toyota are up basically because of the new high-volume products,” said Adam Jonas, an analyst with Morgan Stanley in London who has an “underweight” rating on Fiat shares. “They also have relatively easy comparison figures for last year” as sales tapered off in 2005 before the introduction of the new models. The German carmakers' sales all either gained in June or decreased at a lower rate than the market as whole. Volkswagen AG, Europe's largest carmaker, posted a 2.1% sales decline in June to 289,566 vehicles, led by a 6.4% drop at its Skoda brand. The Wolfsburg, Germany-based carmaker's first-half sales in Europe gained 7% on the strength of the namesake brand, which climbed 12% as consumers bought a new version of the Passat sedan. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, the world's largest maker of luxury cars, reported a 2.8% decline in European sales last month to 77,551 vehicles. BMW CEO Helmut Panke said July 12 the luxury carmaker was “well on course” to meet a goal of boosting 2006 pretax profit 22% to 4 billion euros. Stuttgart, Germany-based DaimlerChrysler AG, the world's fifth-largest carmaker, posted a 1.2% sales increase in the region to 88,064 units. The company's Mercedes-Benz luxury division will bring out a new version of the C-Class compact next year. That model competes with BMW's 3-Series. The June drop was the first this year since April in the association's figures, which include 23 of the 25 European Union countries plus Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. (Bloomberg)
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|Bid||150.60 x 100|
|Ask||150.70 x 500|
|Day's Range||150.40 - 153.31|
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|1y Target Est||N/A|
A new study finds millennials eat out an average of five times a week, and are falling for other financial vices, like going out for drinks and buying coffee, more than older generations. Yahoo Finance spoke with several millennials to see what’s driving these decisions.
The European Union imposed a 2.4 billion euro ($2.7 billion) fine on Alphabet's Google for allegedly skewing search results to favor its services.
Facebook Inc said on Tuesday that 2 billion people are regularly using its flagship service, marching past another milestone in its growth from a college curiosity in the United States to the world's largest social media network. Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg disclosed the number to his followers in a Facebook post. Facebook defines a monthly active user as a registered Facebook user who logged in and visited Facebook through its website or a mobile device, or used its Messenger app, in the past 30 days.


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The Beach store reopened on Tuesday, November 15 with a fresh new look and feel to South Beach, featuring a new “Grab and Go” concept.
Pelican Bay has partnered with Wynn’s Catering to provide an array of “Grab and Go” items which offer fresh prepackaged snack items, salads, sandwiches and drinks for members and guests to take to the beach or enjoy on the deck.
Retail items have shifted from women’s boutique clothing and jewelry, to logo wear and beach essentials for the whole family. The Beach store will also continue to offer Royal Scoop ice cream! Details are provided in the mid November edition of the Pelican Bay Post.
We look forward to serving you daily at the Beach store daily from 11AM to 5PM starting Tuesday, November 15 through season.


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Amazon Comments Fuel Fire Phone Rumours
Amazon may one day re-enter the smartphone market despite its original Fire Phone failing miserably.
In an interview with The Telegraph Amazon Senior Vice President of Devices and Services said the US-tech monolith may dip its toe back in the mobile waters if it thought it could offer a differentiated product to what’s already on offer.
“We need to keep experimenting and the things we want to experiment with are the ones that are truly differentiated,” Mr Limp said.
“It’s a big market segment and it would be interesting.”
Amazon released the Fire Phone in 2014, before abandoning it just over a year later following a decidedly lukewarm response and a $170 million loss.
No plans have been confirmed for a new Amazon phone.
Rumours began circulating last year when an Amazon earnings report commented the company wants “customers to be able to use Alexa wherever they are”.
Amazon’s Alexa functionality is now found in more than 60,000 smart home products.


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Thanks to offerings from Samsung, Apple, and other companies, we’re that little bit closer to the futuristic sci-fi world many filmmakers and storytellers imagined many years ago. Smartphones now look very similar to the devices wielded by classic sci-fi heroes; their screens are huge, their capabilities are enormous, and their performance is zippy. They can’t quite cast holograms just yet, it’s true, but we can’t imagine we’re that far away from such a reality. 2022 is, as usual, going to be an excellent year for the smartphone, with new offerings likely on the way from all of the major players. Here are the most anticipated new smartphones coming in 2022.
Let’s start off with an obvious contender: Apple’s iPhone 14 range. If previous years are anything to go by, then the iPhone 14 will come with a basic model, a Pro model, and a Pro Max model, with each successive version upping the size and screen quality. Current leaks and rumours suggest that the iPhone 14 will have a whopping 48MP camera, as well as a screen that ditches Apple’s controversial “notch” design in favour of something more similar to Samsung’s hole punch-style front-facing camera. We’ll likely find out more when Apple announces this device in late 2022.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Could the Galaxy Z Fold 4 be the first major folding phone that finds mainstream appeal? If the quality of the Z Fold 3 is anything to go by, it’s unlikely, but the Z Fold 4 will be a major evolution of the folding phone formula. Expect better processing power, improved battery life, and somewhat revamped design, but otherwise, don’t expect Samsung to reinvent the wheel too much on this one. The Z Fold device has already found its niche, and it’s likely to cater to its existing users rather than try to court a mainstream audience it knows it can’t really find.
Google Pixel 6A
The Google Pixel 6 is upon us, and it’s an excellent smartphone. While it doesn’t boast the powerful Snapdragon 888 processor, it does have stock Android, making it remarkably zippy for day-to-day tasks. The phone is still fairly costly for many, though, so we’re expecting Google to reveal the Pixel 6A this year, a budget alternative to the 6 that makes some key cutbacks. Expect a slightly less powerful camera and perhaps a 60Hz screen, but otherwise, it’ll be another incredibly high-quality offering at a reasonable price from Google.
OnePlus 10 Pro
The OnePlus 10 Pro is already out in China, but it’s expected to launch in various other regions around the world at the end of March. When it arrives, it’ll bring the usual streamlined, stripped-back Android experience, complete with a powerful camera, the next-gen Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, and 12GB of RAM (which is pretty much more than you will ever need). The phone will also launch with OnePlus’ staple ultra-fast charging, with an 80W fast charge supported. This can bring your battery back to life in just 30 minutes, which is impressive stuff indeed.
Google Pixel 7
Could 2022 be the year we get an announcement on the next major Google flagship device? If Google holds to its usual announcement schedule, then we’ll probably learn about these new devices in October. They may not actually arrive until 2023, but we’re holding out for a 2022 release. According to GSMArena, the Pixel 7 will have a Tensor chipset yet again, this time a second-generation model with a Samsung-made modem for connecting to the internet. We don’t yet know too much else about the Pixel 7, but we’re looking forward to finding out more.
Xiaomi 12 Pro
The Xiaomi 12 and 12 Pro flagship phones are set to launch globally very soon indeed, and we’re excited. Official press renders show a phone with a huge screen, a beautifully odd camera, and a curved edge to the Pro model. The phones will have a 120Hz refresh rate (which you’ll miss terribly if you do decide to upgrade and then go back), as well as a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip for processing power and a standard Android 12 operating system. The phones will arrive in just a few days, and we’re already excited about getting our hands on them.
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Gone are the days when Motorola was considered a maker of budget phones first and foremost. While its offerings in that area are certainly excellent, its flagship phones have been impressive recently as well. We’re expecting an announcement for the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra imminently; it hasn’t been officially confirmed as of yet, but if it does arrive, it’s rumoured to sport superb water and dust resistance, as well as a beautiful curved screen and the now-standard Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. Here’s hoping the phone is announced officially by Motorola soon.
Samsung Galaxy A53 and A73
Samsung is hotly expected to announce its Galaxy A53 and A73 range soon, ahead of last year’s A52 and A75 mid-range smartphones. Several wallpapers corresponding to the devices have already leaked, and we also know that the device will likely use the Exynos 1280 processor, powering a 120Hz 6.5-inch screen with Super AMOLED technology. Samsung has always excelled when it comes to mid-range devices, so we’re expecting the A53 and A73 to blow the competition out of the water in this regard. Let’s hope for an official announcement sooner rather than later!


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Canadian telecommunication and wireless equipment company BlackBerry Limited has been reported to be mulling the idea of spinning off its Blackberry Messenger (BBM) service into a new and separate company.
A report carried by the Wall Street Journal, quoting unidentified sources, said the new subsidiary firm would be known as BBM Inc.
Other sources, however, told Reuters the spin off is not immediate, but confirmed it is carefully being thought upon. The unidentified sources disclosed the company has selected some personnel to exclusively focus on working on the BlackBerry Messenger service, following its scheduled launch on competitors' devices. Internal resources have likewise been redistributed to this select team.
BBM for Apple's iPhone and devices using Google's Android are scheduled to be made available in the next few weeks to consumers.
"We have announced our plans to offer this trusted mobile messaging service to iPhone and Android users sometime this summer," the Wall Street Journal quoted a BlackBerry spokeswoman as saying. "We have made no further announcements."
"We haven't announced any initiatives to bring BBM to the desktop," the spokeswoman added.
"Spinning off BBM will help position the company as a valuable asset ahead of what could be a potential sale," according to the Wall Street Journal, noting the reshuffling.
"Why are we doing this now? It's a statement of confidence," Thorsten Heins, BlackBerry chief executive, said in May when he initially announced the BBM cross-platform news. "The BlackBerry 10 platform is so strong and support has been so good that the time is right for BBM to become an independent messaging solution."
However, experts considered the move, to focus on software business and leave the hardware business, a long delayed thought process for the ailing Canadian telecommunication firm.
BBM has 60 million users. However, consumers have started to leave them, preferring and adapting to other services like WhatsApp, Kik and even Apple's iMessage.
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Urban drivers in the market for a Lincoln may have a bit more difficulty locating a seller, as Ford has cut nearly 20 percent of its metro Lincoln dealers over the past few months.
The move is not entirely unexpected, as the 500 dealers were reportedly told back in October that the automaker was looking to cut 175 of them. The closings are ostensibly to make the remaining Lincoln dealers stronger by reducing competition among themselves. Bloomberg reports that more than 100 dealers have already been cut, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Ford's trimming of the dealer network is part of a larger plan to bring the Lincoln brand back to prominence. Of Ford's many brands, Lincoln was the only one to survive the company's restructuring, as Mercury was discontinued and Jaguar and Volvo were sold off. Ford has repeatedly stated that it hopes to revitalize Lincoln with a new lineup of vehicles that will make it more competitive against other luxury automakers.
However, those plans have yet to come to fruition. Sales figures for 2011 so far show Lincoln down by approximately 11 percent, while the rest of the industry is enjoying a 20 percent spike in sales on average.
Drivers in the market for a Lincoln vehicle can still find both new and used cars for sale at New Jersey State Auto Auction.
Ford has announced that its Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is selling better than expected, surprising many analysts and even the company itself.
Automotive News reports that Ford is somewhat surprised at the recent totals for the MKZ Hybrid. In what is believed to be an industry first, the hybrid version is priced the same as the gas version of the MKZ. Despite this attractive incentive, Ford only expected 15 percent of total MKZ sales to be for the hybrid. Instead, it's been selling close to 22 or 23 percent.
"Lincoln’s latest models continue to be well received by luxury car customers," said C.J. O’Donnell, Lincoln group marketing manager. "The MKZ Hybrid is just the start of the journey we are taking in redefining the Lincoln brand and its new model range for the future."'
A hybrid that's priced the same as it's gas-powered counterpart is relatively unique in the auto industry, but the fact is that the Lincoln MKZ is still priced as a luxury model. Smart shoppers may want to wait for the price to drop on the used car market, then take advantage of further discounts by purchasing from New Jersey State Auto Auction.
JD Power has released the result of its annual dependability survey, and in a somewhat surprising turn of events, Ford's luxury Lincoln brand ended up on top.
Lincoln has never topped the survey over the 21 years its been run, but the marquee was able to edge past Lexus. JD Power reported that Lincoln owners tallied an average of 101 maintenance problems per 100 3-year-old vehicles, while Lexus had an average of 109.
Jaguar and Porsche grabbed third and fourth place, respectively. Toyota was rated as the most dependable non-luxury brand, with an average of 122 problems per 100 vehicles.
Overall, the industry turned in its best year ever for the survey, with automakers averaging 151 problems for every 100 vehicles. That was down from recent totals of 155 in 2010 and 167 in 2009.
"Automakers, as a whole, have made significant improvements in reducing traditional problems" the past several years, claims David Sargent, vice president of auto research for JD Power.
Still, while the industry is doing well, some companies were not up to par. The Chrysler group fared particularly poorly, with Ram trucks at 173 problems and Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep all over 200.
Those looking for a dependable vehicle at an affordable price may want to check out New Jersey State Auto Auction, which offers a variety of cars for sale at affordable prices.
Ford has announced that it will be upping its production totals for the first three months of 2011 as it seeks to meet the rising demand for automobiles during the first few months of the year. However, the company is also looking to decrease its dealer network in major cities.
At the recent National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) convention in San Francisco, Ford announced that it would be increasing production by 13 percent over the next three months, bringing the total number of shippable units up to 555,000. There was more good news for dealers, as Ford announced that more than 80 percent of its dealers were profitable again, a drastic turnaround from the depths of the recession.
However, it wasn't all good news. In order to revive its flailing Lincoln luxury brand, the automaker said that it would be looking to trim nearly 100 Lincoln dealerships in major metropolitan areas, bringing the total number down from 434 to 325. Ford claims that competing dealers in the same area are cannibalizing sales and reducing profits for each other.
"If we don't get the throughput in the major metro markets right-sized, then the transformation of Lincoln is going…to need a different plan," Ford marketing chief Jim Farley told Reuters. "This transformation is going to hinge on several things working including the (dealer) network."
While Ford has engineered a massive turnaround for its core brand throughout 2010, its luxury Lincoln marquee has lagged behind for the most part.
If Ford executives have their way, however, that won't be true for long. At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Derrick Kuzak, Ford's global vice president of product development, outlined the big changes that Ford has for the struggling luxury line.
"The strategy isn't just new products, but full differentiation from the Ford brand in not only design, but in technology," he said.
Until now, Lincoln products have been slightly upgraded versions of existing Ford vehicles. But the new outlook for the brand is to develop models that will be based off of Ford platforms, but vastly different in all other areas. Examples include significant performance upgrades, entirely new sheet metal, high-end technology on the interior and in some cases, unique engines.
According to USA Today, Ford CEO Alan Mulally further told a group of reporters that the naming conventions for Lincoln vehicles were also under consideration, and that the automaker may move away from the "MK" style seen on recent vehicles.
Ford has announced the hiring of Max Wolff, a former Cadillac designer, to head up the complete overhaul of its luxury Lincoln brand.
With the discontinuation of the Mercury brand, Ford has announced that it will be shifting focus to a redesign of the Lincoln nameplate, with seven new vehicles expected over the next four years. To help along that process, the company brought in Wolff, who oversaw the exterior design of the CTS Coupe and several other popular Cadillacs at General Motors.
"Max's drive, talent, and knowledge of automotive design within the premium segment of the market make him a great addition to the global design team," said J Mays, Ford's chief creative officer and vice president of design. "He is a recognized design leader and has a successful track record in the development of production and concept vehicles, including the Holden SSX show car."
Lincoln has lagged behind luxury brands like Lexus, BMW and Mercedes-Benz even as Ford grew its market share with increased sales this month to be come the second highest-selling brand in the country.
Those who shop the used car market may be able to find good deals on cars from Mercury and other discontinued brands. The used car market will also be the only place to find older Lincoln models, like the Town Car and Aviator, which are expected to be phased out in the near future.
After ending the Mercury brand, Ford is currently in the process of reviving the Lincoln luxury line, and plans to take aim at one of the best-selling market segments by introducing a compact luxury SUV.
The unnamed Lincoln model is said to be smaller than the company's MKX and designed to compete with the top-selling Lexus RX, according to the Detroit Free Press.
"Our commitment to Lincoln is to reinvent it," Ford VP of Marketing Ken Czubay told the news source. "We will have seven major new products or redesigns over the next two years."
The new model is set to be built at the company's Louisville production facility, which currently makes the Ford Escape and Explorer. The new Lincoln is expected to eventually take the slot of the Explorer, which will cease production on December 13th.
Lincoln has struggled lately despite Ford's renewed vigor for the brand. In fact, Mercury, which Ford chose to axe in favor of Lincoln, has actually outsold the brand thus far this year.
Drivers in the market for a luxury vehicle may want to check a used car dealership, as they might be able to get the typically-expensive models at an affordable price.
With Mercury set to close down in the coming months, Ford will be paying more attention to its Lincoln luxury brand as it looks to compete with top luxury automakers in Europe and Japan.
According to the Detroit Free Press, Lincoln has a new dedicated design team and will roll out seven new models over the next four years. These will be a mix of reworkings of Mercury vehicles, overhauls of existing models and brand-new cars.
The new head of product development, Scott Tobin, is a Ford veteran who will look to establish a new identity for Lincoln that is separate from Ford. The challenge for Tobin will be creating a brand that stands on its own. Many people don't think Volkswagen when they see an Audi or even associate Lexus with Toyota, yet critics have been quick to point out that many Lincolns are simply high-end Fords without their own unique powertrains.
"When people think of Lincoln, I want people to think of a very serene, beautiful vehicle that is very connected to the road and responsive," he told the news source.
The company will also try to skew younger, as research currently shows that the average age of a Lincoln driver is 61 – over a decade older than a BMW driver. Tobin will aim for the 40-50 year old range with features like touchscreen navigation and gas-electric hybrids.
Drivers shopping for a luxury vehicle may want to check out their local used car dealership, as they may be able to find a great deal on the typically expensive cars.
As the domestic car brands reinvent their vehicles, consumers are slowly taking notice of improvements. This is evidenced by the results of a new consumer satisfaction survey, which saw domestic brands take the top spots for the first time ever.
Ford‘s Lincoln and GM’s Buick lines took the top two spots in the American Customer Satisfaction Index. GM remained unchanged from the last survey with 88 percent of consumers satisfied, while Lincoln posted a 1 percent increase to take the top spot at 89 percent.
While the results were good news for Detroit’s automakers, the rest of the auto industry was not as lucky. Customer satisfaction scores fell by 2.4 percent on average overall, with fourteen of the nineteen ranked brands declining in satisfaction. While the American brands remained unchanged for the most part, they were able to take the top spot thanks to sharp fall by Toyota‘s previously top-ranked Lexus brand.
“No doubt they’re benefiting from [the recalls], but they’re also doing more things right,” said Claes Fornel, the founder of the index.
Nissan, meanwhile, posted the biggest gain with a 5 percent increase, with an overall satisfaction rating of 82 percent.
Customers in the market for a vehicle may want to heed these or previous results, then shop the used car market in order to get the best deal.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has recently unveiled nine more cars for its prestigious “Top Safety Pick” award. The IIHS tests every new model in several tests to earn the award, and the car must perform well in each test in order to qualify.
This year’s awards added a new test for roof strength, which is important in rollover situations, according to the Chicago Tribune. In addition, the cars must pass 40-mph frontal crash tests, side crash tests, and rear crash/whiplash tests, as well as be equipped with an electronic stability control system.
Ford picked up awards for its Ford Fusion and Flex, as well as its luxury Lincoln MKZ and MKT. The Audi A4 and Hyundai Tucson were also recent winners.
The tests take some time, so the winners are released in waves. Previous 2010 model award-winners include the Honda Civic and Element, Mercedes E and C Class and Toyota Corolla and Avalon.
The IIHS has done the tests since 2006 and keeps archives of all the winners by model year on their website. Drivers searching for a used car can use this as a resource to ensure that their next purchase is of the highest quality.


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About a year ago, Electronic Arts launched SimCity to great fanfare, but just as quickly as the excitement grew, disappointment quickly took over as the game was plagued with weeks of issues surrounding its "always online" requirement. This method of DRM caused the game to crash frequently, and for some, made it impossible to play as firewall, network, and downstream issues prevented the game from authenticating. During this time, fan who paid more than $80 for the game begged EA to remove the online requirements, but the company never did.
Eventually the issues were resolved, but a call to remove the online requirement remained. Today EA has finally taken note of its customers cries and has issued an update that lets users play SimCity offline from any PC that it is installed on. Unfortunately, update 10 only allows the game to be played without an internet connection, users will still have to launch SimCity through Origin if they wish to play.
The new offline mode also allows players to create vast expanses of city's without worrying about neighbors ruining the cities they worked so hard to create. This also removes the threat of a bad server going down and destroying your city as well. EA has made no mention of user-created servers yet though, and that is likely a feature that will never see the light of day if recent EA titles are any indication.


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Currently an estimated 25 percent of all containers shipped by road, rail or inland shipping are empty. Empty containers are returned to the owners and subsequently shipped directly back empty into the hinterland.
This results in extra costs, inefficient and unnecessary transport and also affects the environment. InlandLinks claims to have achieved a breakthrough in terms of efficiency and sustainability for the entire logistical chain.
The new online application to reduce the transport of empty containers, called ’empty depot tool,’ inland terminals where shippers and logistical service providers can pick up and deposit empty containers, and later reuse these containers for a new load. The new method allows containers to remain on the inland terminal to be reused for export cargo, instead of…
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text: Google's competition with Apple could be stepped up significantly if rumours of a new Google music service prove to be true.The Wall Street Journal has the insight, claiming Google will roll out a music download service tied to its search engine later this year, followed by an online subscription service in 2011, the latter tied into the Android operating system.Google has already dipped its toe into the musical water, linking to partner websites like iLike and Pandora through its search engine when an artist or song title is entered in the search box. But this new proposal is likely to see that replaced with something in-house - a move that will be welcomed by the music industry, which is increasingly concerned about Apple's growing dominance in music retail.After the music web store, which is seen as an interim measure, things start to get interesting. The WSJ expects a 'more ambitious cloud-based subscription service' that will be compatible with smartphone's running the Android operating system. It would allow you to stream music directly from the internet to your mobile phone, so no need to download/transfer tunes to your handset.Drawback? Well, it's likely to be a subscription service rather than free, but that's to be expected. But Google might also be beaten to it by...Apple. Yes, Apple has been rumoured to be developing its own iTunes cloud-based service. News of Google's plans just might speed things up a bit.


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The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has engaged telecommunication stakeholders on how to mitigate cybersecurity, online fraud and other risks management.
The commission made the engagement during a two-day maiden edition of the NCC’s telecommunications industry risks management conference on Monday in Abuja.
The conference that was with the theme: “Nigerian Telecommunication Industry: Managing the Emerging Risks and Embracing Risk opportunities”, witnessed a convergence of significant stakeholders.
In his remarks, the Executive Vice Chairman, EVC, NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, rallied around major stakeholders on ways to address emerging risks within the Industry.
Danbatta, represented by the Director of Policy Competition Analysis, Mrs Yetunde Akinleye, said that the conference was timely and vital for the fast-changing telecoms ecosystem.
Danbatta urged players in the sector to be more conscious of the uncertainties and risks confronting the Industry.
He called for collaboration in ending cybersecurity, online fraud, regulatory burden, double taxation, vandalism of telecommunication infrastructure, Right of Way Challenges, access to foreign exchange and inter-industry debt risks.
“The focus of this two-day conference is to bring to the fore the ever-rising uncertainties in the global economy and the regulatory operational risks.
“In the areas of increased data security regulations, new partnerships and transforming business models, a fast-changing mix of mounting CAPEX burdens,
“Shifting market structures, newly emerging disruption scenarios, regulatory and policy challenges, amongst others.
“While risks management has been critical in our regulatory service delivery, we acknowledge that all stakeholders must be concerned about the varied uncertainties that the Industry is confronting.
“The Information and Communication Technologies Sector is inherently filled with several business and technology risks.
“It is therefore important that regulatory risks be minimised to ensure that services are not disrupted, and consumers obtain the best and latest services that are globally available,” he said.
Mr Eniola Olugboyega, the lead paper presenter spoke on the topic, “X-raying Telecommunication Risks Radar, the Operators Perspective”.
Olugboyega said that the impact of improper risks management could damage the company’s reputation, lead to customers dissatisfaction and loss of business opportunities.


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BANGALORE: For many visitors to Bangalore, MG Road and its surroundings is the Mecca of shopping. Keeping this in mind, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) has decided to welcome shoppers.
The Corporation is mulling inviting retailers to set up shop within the premises of the MG Road station.
In an Expression of Interest (EOI) released a few days ago, BMRCL has invited interested people to develop and operate branded retail outlets in the apparel, books, gifts, electronics, food and beverages, footwear and jewellery segments.
According to BMRCL, Block A of the station, towards Manekshaw Parade Ground, has around 15,000 sqfeet space while Block B which is being completed has close to 10,000 sq feet.
These spaces will be rented out by BMRCL to the retailer instead of following a revenue-sharing model. The aim here is to give the station a ‘mall-like’ feel comparable to mass transit terminals around the world.
The EOI will take inputs from applicants to help BMRCL in its maiden venture into the retail shop rental space. According to officials, a separate request for proposal would be issued post the EOI phase in which details of the spaces within the station, eligibility criteria containing financial and experience-based requirements as well as terms and conditions for licensing would be listed out. The BMRCL is considering a licence period of 8-10 years.
Sale of alcohol or tobacco at these retail outlets is prohibited. BMRCL is also looking at unique concepts which will complement the station’s architecture.
Speaking to Express, BMRCL MD Pradeep Singh Kharola said, “We want to first get an idea as to the best way these empty spaces can be utilised. The right people to tell us this will be the retailers themselves. The EOI is just a way to gather views about the utilisation of space in a place which is right in the heart of the city and close to all commercial destinations”. A site visit has been scheduled on May 27 at 11 am.
The last date to fill the applications is June 5 and the documents, including the EOI, can be viewed on the BMRCL website (www.bmrc.co.in).


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Northern Waves Reschedules Oslo TV Conference to 2022
The hosts, Norigin Media also presented live demos of the most popular services in the Nordics, including Viaplay, TV 2 Sumo and RiksTV. The spring 2021 agenda will feature many more industry leaders in the region, covering topics ranging from technology to business and UI/UX.
“We started Northern Waves TV three years ago to bring the industry together and align on standards for streaming technologies, as well as business best practices,” says Ajey Anand, CEO of Norigin Media and creator of Northern Waves TV. “While we are not able to host it physically this year, we aim to provide an online event that replaces the value of a physical conference. Nordic TV Week is what I believe to be the world’s shortest conference, and I’m looking forward to the next edition!”
Northern Waves TV, and Nordic TV Week are presented by Norigin Media, a Scandinavian company offering streaming technology solutions.
Marketing & PR
Ajey Anand, CEO de Norigin Media
Norigin Media ha abierto una parte de su Framework para que los desarrolladores puedan crear aplicaciones en televisores inteligentes o en navegadores web. La biblioteca de navegación espacial de Norigin se puede utilizar para implementar la navegación espacial usando el control remoto de la TV o las teclas del ordenador en las aplicaciones web basadas en React.
Riivi, the OTT streaming service provider in Latin America, has chosen Norigin Media for quality assured Smart TV applications.
The Nordic TV Week, scheduled between 3-7 May 2021, will feature live presentations of popular Nordic TV streaming services from a technology and UI/UX design perspective.


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This publication features lifestyle stories around cannabis use and experiences, including emerging trends in wellness, travel, food and drink, pop culture, and cannabis-related brands.
ECentralSports targets the emerging premium
on-trend esports and egaming market.
Unparalleled esports and egaming content that speaks to key consumers about trends, news, lifestyle and happenings in the $150 billion market.
Established as the news, lifestyle, and entertainment weekly in Vancouver for 50 years, the Georgia Straight is an integral part of the active urban West Coast lifestyle with over 1.081 million readers per week.
The gallery openings you need to see this week.
Mar 10, 2017
We surveyed artists, curators and our own writer to see which 2016 shows moved them most. Their answers reveal an immense range of artistic visions.
Dec 21, 2016
Top picks from this week's must-see Toronto art shows
Apr 15, 2016
Performance/installation earns a rare perfect score
Mar 09, 2016


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For most retail transactions, not much thought is given to how money is exchanged. Consumers simply rely on the use of electronic payment methods; slide a debit card into a machine, the receipt prints, and the transaction ends quickly. For those working in the cannabis industry, facilitating electronic payments was a challenge long before the COVID-19 pandemic made cashless transactions even more critical than ever.
For this week’s “Changing Habits” installment, we spoke with executives at Hypur and Dama Financial, two companies that offer modern payment solutions for our forward-thinking industry, about how the coronavirus crisis is impacting their operations.
Like many other organizations, the workplace has changed but the workload remains the same.
“At Hypur we shifted to a remote work environment during COVID but our daily activities remained the same,” said Tyler Beuerlein, chief revenue officer at Hypur.
Hypur is focused on offering cannabis payment options that eliminate the need for customers and dispensary staff to conduct business face to face.
“The release of our Safe Checkout product enables consumers and dispensaries the ability to conduct permissible, convenient and sustainable transactions without the need for physical interaction between the two parties,” Beuerlein said. “It has helped to streamline the transaction process while keeping everyone safe at the same time.
“The launch of our contactless version of HypurPay along with our integrations with [point of sale], pre-order, delivery, and wholesale platforms has created significant adoption throughout the cannabis ecosystem,” Beuerlein continued. “The pandemic has created a shift in both retail strategy and consumer expectation toward a more mainstream, convenient experience which enables Hypur and our partners to thrive.”
Like Hypur, Dama Financial also had to ensure the safety of its team first and foremost.
“As shelter-in-place went into effect, Dama Financial was proactive in ensuring the safety and health of its team members,” said Eric Kaufman, chief revenue officer at Dama Financial. “Immediately, all employees across all offices started working remotely (and still do). Everyone took home their workstations and we’ve supported them with any additional equipment they might need.”
Because dispensaries have been designated essential businesses in many states, payment processors like Dama have made big adjustments to their daily operations. Retail clients that already were in need of reduced in-person interactions with customers and patients now are seeking electronic payment options more than ever.
The essential designation “drove increased demand from the consumer to be able to purchase products,” Kaufman said. “It also forced increased demand from merchants to be able to sell to their customers and transact electronically, as they were required to pivot to e-commerce, delivery, curbside, and order ahead options.”
One of those payment options, a digital consumer wallet known as “Paytender,” allows for contactless payment. “The best way to visualize it is that for the consumer it’s analogous to Venmo meets the Starbucks app when purchasing in-store, or a similar experience to checking out with PayPal when online,” Kaufman said. “And, unlike other solutions in the cannabis marketplace, it affords consumers two ways in which to pay; ACH and debit.”
As with the implementation of any new technology, employees require adequate training in its use, but in-person training is simply not an option at this time.
“We switched to virtual demos and virtual Zoom training for dispensaries,” said Kaufman. “We also created installation kits with easy to follow instructions in lieu of sending a member of our team out to the store. It is similar to when you receive your modem in a box from the cable company.”
The cannabis industry has always had to turn lemons into lemonade. Draconian regulations, while inconvenient and often morally unjust, have long motivated innovation and creativity within the space. Although transparency and common sense should have been the primary reasoning behind the expansion of electronic payment options for cannabis, it took a global pandemic.
“Adapting to COVID-19 has been an adjustment for everyone,” Kaufman said. “But, through this process, we’ve created new, more efficient, and sustainable processes around Paytender. As well, it’s sped up the timelines for integration with a number of the larger POS providers in cannabis, enabling retail businesses to start accepting contactless payments essentially with the flip of a switch.”


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'Girl on a Train' by AJ Waines Gets Mistaken as Paula Hawkins' Bestseller
Ever since Paula Hawkins' psychological thriller "The Girl on the Train" skyrocketed to fame and various bestseller lists, author and former psychotherapist AJ Waines soared high with her. According to Galley Cat, sales on the latter's book "Girl on a Train" drastically increased with readers mistaking it for Hawkins' bestseller.
Wall Street Journal reported that 30,000 copies of the tome published by Waines back in 2013 were sold in the midst of the popularity of Hawkins' book, which is currently being made into a film with Emily Blunt attached to the project. "Girl on a Train" clambered to the top spot on Amazon UK and Australia bestseller lists.
The sudden spike in sales of the book that is already two years old immediately caught the attention of the web. Comments of confused customers flooded the Amazon page of Waines' book with buyers claiming that they purchased the wrong book.
According to Fusion, even a Needham-based book club mistook "Girl on a Train" for "The Girl on the Train." The group discussed and read the book before realizing (thanks to one member that received word) it wasn't the book they are supposed to check out.
It wasn't until this reporter informed one member, his mother, about the other book that the readers discovered their mistake. "They all made fun of me for picking the wrong book," Jade Wilson, one of the book club members, told WSJ. She admitted, however, that it was a stroke of luck stumbling upon "Girl on a Train," which she ended up liking anyways.
Either way, the confusion is catapulting "Girl on a Train" to a new level of success. It is now enjoying the spotlight it did not get to enjoy when it first hit the shelves. "I'm making more money than I ever have before," Waines told Wall Street Journal.
Other readers agreed with Wilson as they loved Waines' story despite the fact that they weren't supposed to pick it up in the first place. One reviewer even recommended it to other bookworms, explaining that she "couldn't put it down" and made her a fast and avid reader.
"Girl on a Train" by Waines follows the story of headstrong journalist, Anna Rothman who investigates the mysterious death of Elly Swift that was made to look like a suicide. Some reviewers call it a "pageturner."
Meanwhile, "The Girl on the Train" by Hawkins has sold 6.5 million copies ever since it was released back in February. Its bestseller status had many readers wanting to experience the story itself. It centers on a divorced alcoholic Rachel, who takes the same commuter train every day until she wakes up to a shocking mystery that made her realize that not everything is not what it seems.


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Aluminum industry must think beyond cars for long-term growth
by Ross Marowits, The Canadian Press
Economics professor said firms need to focus on high growth areas like pharmaceuticals
MONTREAL—A rapidly aging population means the aluminum industry needs to look beyond the high demand for lightweight cars if it wants to grow long into the future, according to a Canadian demographer.
University of Toronto economics professor David Foot told an aluminum conference that spending patterns will shift as people age, potentially impacting the long-term demand for the metal.
“When we get into our 60s and 70s, we drive our automobiles a little less, we fly a little less, so some of the current uses of aluminum which are great, are not going to be long-term growth prospects,” he said in an interview.
The aluminum sector foresees “game changing” demand from planes, trains and automobiles, which are increasingly using the metal to lower the weight and improve fuel efficiency and environmental emissions.
For instance, automaker giant Ford Motor Co. already plans on reducing the weight of its F-150 pickup truck by increasing the amount of aluminum used to 315 kilograms from 45 kilograms on current models.
While Foot has no doubt about the short-term gains, he said companies operating in “older societies” like Canada need to focus on areas where spending will ultimately increase, such as pharmaceuticals.
By 2036, almost one in four Canadians are projected to be over 65, compared to 14 per cent in 2011, according to Statistics Canada.
“I think businesses have become so short-term thinking in North America that demographics play no role,” said Foot, the author of Boom, Bust and Echo, which was first published in 1996.
Chris Bayliss, deputy secretary general of the International Aluminium Institute (IAI), agrees that the industry needs to be aware of changing demographics that will drive per capital consumption of aluminum.
While the focus in North America is on the use of aluminum in cars, China and other eastern countries are looking more on their use in mass transit to move millions of people and goods long distances using lighter trains, trucks and ships.
Others are looking at its use in bridges and buildings as a durable product that will last for 50 to 100 years.
“We shouldn’t just be focusing on auto, although we are riding the crest of an auto wave in North America, but the opportunities are there for the industry much more broadly,” Bayliss said after addressing the conference.
Despite the current challenges of lower prices and high inventories, Bayliss said global aluminum production is expected to increase by 50 per cent by 2025 or 2030 to reach 75 million tonnes.
Canada’s abundant hydroelectricity should ensure it remains a key global supplier of aluminum and “value-added products” as long as prices remain competitive.
“If you look at the mature production centres, Quebec and Canada are one of the few areas where you might see growth into the future,” he said, noting that Europe and the United States will see declines.
The Middle East is pushing hard by offering low-cost energy and diversified operations, while China’s cost are highest but supply internal consumption.
“Accessing the energy at the right price is the way that you need to do that,” he said. “(But) the smelters are not going to do it at a price that isn’t right.”
Aluminum Association of Canada CEO Jean Simard said producers are eager to eventually expand their operations after the new Quebec government indicated the sector will be a key part of economic growth plans in the province during the next decade.


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Opel broke and revealed the mystery altogether Astra OPC Extreme model that will be presented to the public next week's Geneva Motor Show. This is the fastest Astra ever produced and authenticated to the streets.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an entity that manages issues relating to transit in the United States, announced on Thursday (13) that the Ford Focus won five stars in their safety tests.
The mystery is broken. After showing a teaser stoking the public's curiosity about his next release, Audi will display the model on Wednesday (12). This is the new Quattro S1, one of the options listed a few weeks ago.
McLaren is preparing a model to fill the gap between the P1 (pictured above) and the MP4-12C, according to rumors circulating the sites. The model is still far from becoming reality but it would cost about 400 thousand pounds when released.


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Ce serait lors d’un récent voyage en Inde qu’ils auraient contracté la dengue.
23 Sep 2014, business.mega.mu
The Flacq Shopping Mall, located at Boulet Rouge, not far from Centre de Flacq, will open its doors this Thursday, November 15th. The opening ceremony will take place at 18:30.
14 Nov 2012, business.mega.mu
Offer 'authentic Mauritian shopping experience'. This is the aspiration of Flacq Shopping Mall which is located not far Boulet Red Centre de Flacq. The first pickaxe was given in April 2011. The mall will house 90 stores, a food court, restaurants, and will accommodate 300 cars on a secure, all on a plot of 5 acres.
15 Oct 2012, business.mega.mu
Flacq Shopping Mall will open on the 28 September, exactly one year after the opening of Bagatelle Shopping Mall. It will be the first modern shopping complex in the East of the Island after Bagatelle and Cascavelle Shopping Mall which is in the West.
11 Sep 2012, business.mega.mu
It's official! The Flacq Shopping Mall will be operational from 31 August. This shopping center, an area of 13,600 m2, will house over 90 shops, restaurants and a 'food court'.
21 Jul 2012, business.mega.mu


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According to engadget (citing TouchPal as well as an internal source), HTC aims to replace Swype with TouchPal as the default input method in upcoming devices, including the new HTC One M9. The official TouchPal Twitter account also tweeted the engadget article about this, further confirming the move. What prompted this move? The CEO of CooTek, the company behind TouchPal, says it's because of their better contextual prediction and language support. If you actually look at the supported languages, you'll...
Learn How Android GPS Works
With the recent release of XDA University, many members are heading back to the basics. While many are busy learning more about Android, many others are willing to put their knowledge down to help teach others about the wonderful world of Android. Now, there is a tutorial that helps explain how GPS works on Android devices.
XDA Forum Member greatanjum has written up a pretty decent guide to understanding how GPS works on Android devices. It covers everything from the bottom up, starting with the hardware and ending with user applications. The full list of things explained includes:
1) GPS Chip
2) GPS Driver
3) GL Engine
4) Android Framework
5) User Applications
This could be a very useful and interesting guide for those who want to know more about GPS. There are many who have GPS problems, and it’s often a problem in new AOSP-based ROM releases before bugs are fixed, so having this information could help troubleshoot some GPS issues. In addition to being a guide, greatanjum has also included some popular and easy fixes users can try if they do have problems. This includes an old hardware hack method by XDA Senior Member TylerDurben.
If you’d like to learn more about how GPS works, check out the original thread.
Want something on the XDA Portal? Send us a tip!
Many people are under the impression that once Apple finally launches its smartwatch, the market for wearables will suddenly become mainstream and be taken to the next level. Taking an idea that already exists and making it incredibly successful isn't something new to Apple, but does the Apple Watch have what it takes? The wearable hasn't even shipped yet, but has already won multiple awards and has been featured on numerous fashion magazine covers. Do you think the Apple Watch will be a huge success? Let us know your thoughts.
The smartphone landscape is drastically changing its focus. What was once a North-America-centric monopoly of high-specification phones is now merely an afterimage of the past. The meat of the game is elsewhere now; emerging markets looking for good bang-for-buck are what OEMs are increasingly aiming towards, and in this new game the old players must adapt-or-die. Xiaomi has grown at one of the most notable rates in the industry, leading it to become the world's most valuable start-up; and its...


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New York steelhead trout RAS farm ready for expansion
June 23, 2020 By Liza Mayer
Life doesn’t always go according to plan. Ask John Ng, the entrepreneur behind Hudson Valley Fisheries (HVF), a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) facility producing steelhead trout in upstate New York. Like many Asian immigrant kids, Ng had his sights on a medical career when he first entered university, but the pull of entrepreneurship was strong. That wasn’t surprising as Ng was raised by a businessman father who started a metal recycling business in the late 80s. From its mom-and-pop beginnings, the business has since spawned more than 20 companies across North America.
On the surface, recycling and fish farming seem very disparate industries. Ng will also be the first to acknowledge that he knew nothing about fish farming when he purchased a defunct indoor tilapia farm in the City of Hudson in 2014. What he knew was that both industries, done sustainably, could have positive impact on the environment.
“We always viewed recycling as an industry that’s positive for our environment and our society,” Ng tells RASTech. “Metal recycling is not a pretty industry but it is a very beneficial one. When we became exposed to aquaculture, our thought process was that the oceans continue to be overfished. This method of raising seafood on land in these systems is a window to the future. It spoke to some of our core principles.”
This, coupled with his understanding that the world has “unlimited appetite” for seafood, led him to aquaculture.
While site cleanup was underway, Ng was deciding which species to farm. He eventually went with steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), a hardy fish known for its ability to “pack on weight and they pack it in fast.” It also has a good track record in RAS systems.
Building the facility took roughly two years. A lot of the farm’s technology is off-the-shelf. What’s proprietary are the “processes on how we do things, how we use that equipment,” says Ng.
By the time the farm started operations, Ng had retained some of the staff involved in the construction phase. “I was lucky to have found excellent talent to operate the fish farm. They grew up with us and now they’re part of the actual fish farming operations. That speaks to how my team is,” he says.
HVF made its first “true-market-ready” harvest (5,000 lbs of steelhead) in the second quarter of 2018. Looking back at the four years since acquiring the defunct fish farm, Ng considers them as opportunities for learning.
“We worked through a number of struggles,” he says. He recalls being roused from sleep on the wee hours of a Saturday when a faulty oxygen valve killed the very first batch of eggs put into the system.
Such stories are not uncommon in land-based farms. Ng says they speak to the complexity of these systems.
“The more complex something is, the more prone it is to issues on the mechanical side,” he says. “We work with a total of seven independent systems for our fish, from nursery stage all the way to grow-out. Every one of those systems is complex so we put each one through what we call a ‘shakedown’ or a testing period, where we make sure everything’s working. We run a small group of fish through it to test it. We don’t want to take the risk of building a system that didn’t work in the final hour.”
Another issue that had to be addressed was the hard water in the Hudson Valley. It was “okay for the fish” but it wreaked havoc on the equipment. “We brought in a large system to soften the water. That’s been a significant challenge. We decided to do something about it because we’re driven to complete our goals,” he says.
Ng says the biggest challenge for him is not the technology but the consumer perception of farmed fish.
“Farmed fish still has a dark cloud over it. People hear that we are a farmed product and assume that we have the same issues. But the fact of the matter is our product has none of the detriment of the traditional farmed products. We don’t use antibiotics in our growing operations, no vaccine, no herbicides to keep nets clean. We’re safe for the environment. You can’t tell me you don’t use vaccine when you run a net-pen operation where the fish are exposed to the environment,” he says.
In the early days, Ng was also up against the northeast market’s unfamiliarity with steelhead. However, he started seeing a shift in consumer acceptance over the past year as its brand “New York Steelhead” gained traction in both mainstream and social media.
“I don’t think I’ve ever interviewed once when I was operating a scrap company,” he says, smiling. Nowadays, public speaking and facing the media is something he has become accustomed to.
“Our biggest outreach has been publications picking up our story as well as social media. The most notable one is The New York Times. They did a little story on sustainable seafood and mentioned land-based steelhead,” he says. “That’s where one of our biggest challenges has been and continues to be. It is to expose the market that what we’re doing.”
HVF delivers its fish to surrounding markets – New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, DC – within 24 hours of harvest if it is head-on gutted (HOG), or within 48 hours if it is filleted.
Seeing his product in supermarket display cases is a source of pride for Ng. “Our product is always so much brighter in color and tender because it is fresher. Every time I see our product in the display case next to a salmon or next to another trout, by appearance alone I think our product is superior.”
After overcoming trials and errors, Ng now has the confidence that was sorely lacking when the project first started. He is now looking at ramping up production, taking it from the current 30 percent of capacity to the full 1,200-ton capacity, annually.
He is also looking at replicating the pilot facility in other locations, pretty much following the same trajectory of his father’s recycling business.
“We never thought of it is as a one and done,” Ng says of the HVF operation. “We saw this as a prototype, a model, because we want to deliver fresh local product to the market. Our target would be to build similar facilities throughout the major markets in the U.S. and around the world.”
One advantage he has over other RAS operations that has to raise funds in order to proceed to the next phase, is that Hudson Valley Fisheries is entirely self-funded. “We don’t have to consult a whole board of six different voices to make effective decisions. Beyond me, it’s my father, so the buck stops right here,” he says.
Ng is also setting his sights on building an aquaponics farm in the same Hudson Valley property. The 130-acre landholding has 20 acres that’s tillable and 16,000 square feet of indoor space that can accommodate a greenhouse.
“I’ve always had the aim of building an aquaponics operation from the very beginning. We just did not want to start off with building two systems and take that risk. We wanted to build a substantial fish farm first. Now that we’ve built a fish farm I have confidence to look into building an aquaponics farm,” he says.
The “explosion” of the hemp industry over last three years has prompted Ng to grow hemp in the property. Like the steelhead farm, he plans to develop the hemp farm into a true commercial-scale enterprise.
“There’s never been a better time to look at growing hemp,” he says. “We’re somewhat limited by our tillable farmland but we’re not limited to being a greenhouse operation. There’s plenty of property to put up additional greenhouses.”
In 2019, he had six acres of the farmland and some greenhouse space planted with hemp. Fish nutrient water from the RAS farm was used to water the hemp field. More than 24,000 lbs of hemp were harvested from that pilot planting.
“We had exceeded our expectations in terms of the biomass that we grew as well as the CBD content of our harvest both in the greenhouses and the fields. Typically, I think people expect to harvest 2,500 pounds per acre. We hit nearly 4,000 pounds an acre,” he said.
Ng has big plans to accomplish over the next five years.
“I see an expansion of our agricultural products beyond hemp into produce, which we already planned. I see growth into a different facility and maybe a different species. But definitely growth including value-added products like smoked product. It doesn’t stop there. My aim is to use every bit of the fish as we can.”
The HVF chief executive also wants to educate future fish farmers. “Every article you read these days say the talent pool for aquaculture worldwide is somewhat limited. I’ve heard a lot about the ageing population of the farming industry, how skills are not being handed down from one generation to the next, that the younger generations are leaning towards more tech jobs. But here I got a farm in upstate New York where the majority of the staff is below the age of 30. It wasn’t our goal when we started but it is now – to help train the next generation of fish farmers.”
This is not farfetched. The farm already offers internships to schools in the area that have aquaculture courses, such as SUNY Cobleskill which is just a 1.5-hour drive away, and Cornell University which has been offering a RAS course for the past 25 years.
Hudson Valley Fisheries also helps educate the young generation of chefs about what sustainable seafood looks like. It has offered lectures at the Culinary Institute of America and the College of Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University.
“We are not in the investing game to just build it, sell it and we walk away. We’re doing this not only so that our children will have food to eat but also so that my children will take this on,” he says.
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“The American Jobs Plan that I’ve put forward is … about revitalizing American manufacturing and securing our supply chains, investing in research and development, as we used to, in a very healthy manner,” Biden said in April.
The report released this week is a small step toward making that happen by providing a series of recommendations on where and how the U.S. can build up domestic capacity.
When Biden talks about building up the U.S. manufacturing footprint it is often in the context of creating jobs. The report does highlight the fact that many workers will be needed to make this happen. The risk assessment determined that building this workforce and creating domestic sourcing is an important part of securing supply of these materials. The limited number of suppliers for semiconductors, for example, means that a single event “can result in significant disruption across the supply chain,” the report reads.
“Indeed,” it reads, “the globalized and highly specialized structure of the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain, combined with the economic benefits of geographic manufacturing clusters, raises the risks of disruption from natural and human-made disasters.”
The report concluded that the biggest challenge to building domestic capacity for semiconductors is the cost. This is why one of the first steps the report recommends is fully funding the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America Act. The legislation was passed in the National Defense Authorization Act in January, paving the way for incentives for expanding semiconductor fabrication. The report now calls on Congress to provide $50 billion in funding to make those incentives a reality.
The Senate took a step toward funding these incentives yesterday with the passage of the United States Innovation and Competition Act.
“We call on the House to swiftly pass needed federal investments in domestic chip technology and send legislation to the President’s desk to be signed into law,” Semiconductor Industry Association President and CEO John Neuffer said in a statement after the bill’s passage.
But the report also calls on investment in energy and water supply, which would be important inputs to the manufacturing process. And it calls for investment in multiple steps of the supply chain, noting that federal loans could help to boost capacity.
“Congress should authorize and fund incentives to support key upstream—including semiconductor manufacturing equipment, materials, and gases—and downstream industries throughout the supply chain,” the report reads.
The report acknowledges that building a domestic supply chain for large-capacity batteries could be complicated by the lack of strong deposits for some materials used in the manufacturing process. But still says there are steps to take to increase the domestic footprint in the industry.
“Both extracted and recycled materials and minerals will require refining and processing, and refining and processing capacity should be scaled up domestically to utilize this supply, capture an important stage of the supply chain that fuels downstream battery manufacturing, and avoid the need to export raw materials and re-import processed components,” the report reads.
It says that the U.S. has lithium resources that should be supported for use. And it says the U.S. should work with its allies to identify secure sources of nickel and cobalt.
The report later goes on to suggest that the U.S. Geological Survey, along with other major U.S. public lands agencies, the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture, should set up an interagency task force to plan for identifying different materials that could be domestically sourced and where that extraction could take place.
When it comes to increasing the domestic production of pharmaceuticals, the report notes that it has traditionally been a challenge due to “higher labor and other costs of production, including environmental and occupational codes.”
“While the United States does not need to make every drug itself, it does need increased domestic production capacity for key drugs,” it reads.
It recommends that the government consider increased flexibility when it comes to contracting and sourcing for raw materials, and helping to increase the predictability of price and the amount that will sell. It says that the government should provide financial incentives to companies that boost production, but also help to create emergency capacity by building stockpiles of active ingredients.
Multiple industry groups have come out in support of the report, calling it a first step.
The Semiconductor Industry Association urged the administration “to enact federal incentives for domestic chip production” in a statement issued Tuesday. Chris Mitchell, vice president of global government for IPC, said his trade association for electronics manufacturing also supported the move.
“To the degree that we can take this opportunity now, on the heels of this pandemic, on the heels of significant geopolitical tension and make a renewed commitment to electronics manufacturing, we believe that’s in the best … strategic interests of the United States,” said Mitchell.
Johnathan Foster, a principal consultant at Proxima, said the release of the report could aid companies in negotiations that have been dealing with supply shortages.
“I would be using it as leverage,” Foster said. “And say, ‘See some of these issues you’ve been having and some of those constraints where you’re really restricting on my availability to goods … now it has become such an issue that the government is getting involved. I need to use my pressure now. I need you to release some goods to me immediately.'”


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The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has modified the e-Forms MGT-15, FC-3, INC-4, MGT-14, 23C, 23D, A-XBRL, I-XBRL, 23AC XBRL, 23ACA XBRL and AOC-4 XBRL. The new version of the said e-Forms is available w.e.f. 8th October, 2016 and 5th October, 2016.
Only new version of e-forms will be acceptable. Therefore, Stakeholders are requested to plan accordingly.


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Last updated on August 30th, 2022 at 06:30 pm
New York-based Brooklyn Cured has redesigned its line of fully cooked sausages to match the look of the new flavors the company launched earlier this year.
The designs feature fonts, graphics and colors that reflect each flavor, inspired by craft beverage design. The new packaging will begin shipping nationally in October.
“Our sausage flavors are fun and exciting, and we wanted to upgrade our packaging to reflect that,” said Scott Bridi, founder. “They are sure to stand out in any cooked sausage set and make a positive impact on sales.”
In addition to the packaging upgrade, Brooklyn Cured has added more pork-free options to its sausage line, due to growing consumer demand. Two of its items, Chicken Garlic Sausage and Duck Fennel Sausage, are now pork free, which is an attribute that grows the customer base for these products and adds diversity to cooked sausage sets.
Brooklyn Cured’s Fully Cooked Sausage line includes these flavors: Black Truffle Sausage, Nashville Hot Chicken Sausage, Italian Wedding Sausage, Korean BBQ Sausage, Chicken Garlic Sausage, Duck Fennel Sausage, Lamb Merguez Sausage, New York Style Hot Dogs and Breakfast Links with Maple Syrup and Sage.
Suggested retail price for Brooklyn Cured Sausages is $6.99-$7.99, and all are packed eight per case with a 90-day shelf life.
Brooklyn Cured is a producer of charcuterie using sustainable meat and fine dining techniques. Its artisanal product line includes flavors of salami, sausages and deli meats using pasture-raised meat with no antibiotics. The flavor profiles are inspired by the culinary diversity of Brooklyn neighborhoods.


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Twin Mirror – Game 2020
WATCHING … .NEW GAME AT ARRIVING ….
Twin Mirror 2020 is developed by Bandai Namco and Life is Strange Studio Dontnod, creators of Life is Strange and Vampyr. It is at Twin Mirror to a determination game. It is a very different kind of story and character with mystery, focus on memory loss and murder.
The gameplay, the Twin Mirror revealed in a trailer from October 2018, shows that Twin Mirror is being played as a venue in Brasswood, West Virginia. The main character is Samuel Higgs, he is a 33-year-old investigative journalist. Sam had recently left his hometown, one day he is coming back to attend the funeral of an old friend. He feels strangeness and stays in a motel in the meantime, one morning as Sam wakes up he finds his shorts full of blood with no memories of the night before.
The aim of the Twin Mirror game is to guide Sam through a journey to find out exactly what happened.
IN VIEW, YOU WILL GO ON AN EMOTIONAL JOURNEY AND MAKE DECISIONS. HERE, THE THINGS IN TWIN MIRROR 2020 WILL BE MORE FOCUSED ON VIRTUAL REALITY.
Given the developer’s new game, it seems Dontnod is once again trying hard to highlight its bandwidth. So far, the consoles PS4 and the PS VR title Tetris Effect have been announced for the game. However, we do know from a few Dontnods that the PC will not be among the consoles for Twin Mirror 2020.
According to data, it should come out this year, but Dontnod announced that “in order to optimize the gaming experience and use the potential for success of Twin Mirror,” the release was postponed until 2020.
Dontnod has also announced its new partnership with Epic Games. “We are very pleased to partner with Epic Games and introduce Twin Mirror 2020 to the broader gamers community in the Epic Games Store,” said Oskar Guilbert, Chairman and CEO of Dontnod, in a statement. According to further information, this partnership should have the favor to strengthen the performance of the game. Therefore, also a strategic operation, for a competitive advantage in the video game industry.
However, Bandai Namco should continue to be responsible for the release of Twin Mirror, its marketing and distribution on non-PC platforms.


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As the new president of ATTOI what would be the key issues you would be focusing on?
Anish Kumar P K
ATTOI would focus on two areas – first, opportunities for members and second, resolve and rectify issues and challenges faced by our members. We have conducted international roadshows at Malaysia and Singapore to promote tourism. International Conference on Travel Technology ( ICTT India) conducted at Kovalam by ATTOI was the first of its kind technology education for the members and stake holders of tourism in India. We are planning to do more tourism promotion in emerging markets through road shows as well as by using digital platforms to bring in more business for our members. ATTOI is now doing a campaign to exempt tourism from the hartals ( strikes). Tour operators are finding it difficult to operate tours in Kerala on a hartal day. Our Facebook campaign against the same got overwhelming support from the trade and public, the poll campaign on social media had a positive response with 99 per cent percentage of the voters being against hartals.
Can you elaborate on your motto ‘Integrity in Tourism’?
Nowadays 60 per cent of the tourism is online. Identifying the right tour operator is an important element of holidaying. ATTOI choose its members with strict selection criteria to ensure honesty and trustworthiness. It is a platform of like minded people having ethics and moral principles. Our unity keeps ATTOI as a pressure group in the tourism industry.
What is your targeted member base?
For membership we have no targets, only those who qualify our membership criteria are being offered our membership.
Any important events you are planning to organise in 2014?
We are planning for the second edition of ICTT India as well as one or two international road shows.
What is your vision for ATTOI?
To make members of ATTOI true tourism professionals. We plan to give training on marketing, logistics and training on using social media to generate business for our members.
Any other significant factor?
We see considerable shift in markets and channels of distribution in tourism. Eurozone used to be the main source market for India and economic slow down in Europe has paved the way to find new markets. Middle East, East Asia, Australia and North America are becoming new markets for India. Online penetration also makes world a market.


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Itâs been a difficult week for cryptocurrencies. While Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash have been stealing all of the limelight, Dash has experienced an incredible surge in the large 24 hours. Early on, the digital currency had a value of $319 each. In less than 12 hours, the price had surged to a staggering $520 before settling at $460 by the end of the day. With a gain of over 60%, Dash stood out as one of the dayâs biggest gainers; but why?
While Bitcoinâs SegWit2x upgrade was being put on ice, Dash had already begun to activate a similar block upgrade on their own network, bringing block sizes to 2MB. While Bitcoin Cash is still the favourite out of big block digital currencies, it is more than possible that some users have placed some of their funds in Dash.
Unlike Bitcoinâs Lightning Network and Ethereumâs planned Raiden Network, Dash tends to use larger blocks as part of their own on-chain solution for the scalability issues currently plaguing the cryptocurrency world.
The bigger blocks came as part of a network-wide upgrade to Dash. The biggest changes included a reduction in transaction fees and vulnerability fixes that help pave the way for Dash Evolution. Evolution is expected late next year, and, according to the founders, will make cryptocurrency so simple that anyone could use it to its full potential. Evolution is expected to be a major upgrade and so any changes made now that work towards this goal are sure to be favourable in the eyes of the market.
Pump and dump teams have had a huge impact on the cryptocurrency market this year. Big spenders buy up assets before selling once new investors come in to push the value up. It is open for debate whether or not a pump and dump team has caused the sudden surge in Dashâs value, but the surge cannot be denied. Dash is currently sitting at 33 percent up while the majority of the market is either sitting level or in the red.


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HP rolls out webOS 3.0.2 OTA update for TouchPad tablet
HP TouchPad owners worldwide can now update their tablets to system version 3.0.2.
Although a minor webOS update, the version adds several improvements to text autocorrection, wallpaper selection options, improved functionality on certain webOS apps, faster scrolling and image rendering and calendar tweaks. The usual performance and stability enhancements are included as well.
“Our products are very good already now, and they are only getting better through oncoming software updates; over-the-air, of course. We are extremely committed to take the webOS experience further,” said head of HP webOS development Ari Jaaski.
The 9.7-inch HP TouchPad launched not too long ago in the U.S. and is the forerunner of the webOS 3.0 platform. The tablet sports a dual-core Snapdragon APQ8060 CPU, 1GB RAM, front-facing camera and a 1024x768 resolution display. The 16GB model currently sells for $449 online.


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Petrol prices have dipped of late but drivers have still paid more to fill up during this year than last, AA figures have shown.
Based on the whole of this year, prices for petrol averaged 136.40p a litre and for diesel averaged 142.48p.
This compares with last year's petrol average of 133.65p a litre and diesel average of 138.94p.
On average, UK drivers paid almost £1.50 more to fill a tank at every garage visit this year than last year, with diesel tank-filling up £1.75, the AA said.
The mid-December average fuel price was 132.32p a litre, almost exactly the price charged at the beginning of the year and 2.76p cheaper than the mid-November average. Diesel, 140.56p a litre at the start of the year, averaged 140.38p in mid-December compared with 141.89p in mid-November.
The cheapest petrol at the moment is in Yorkshire & Humberside where it averages 131.7p a litre. The dearest is in Northern Ireland at 133.1p. Northern Ireland also has the most expensive diesel at 141.3p a litre on average. As with petrol, the cheapest is in Yorkshire & Humberside at 139.7p.
Indicating just how much motorists are now having to fork out, the average price of a litre of petrol throughout 2009 was 100.02p and diesel was 104.38p, although drivers complained at the time of fuel exceeding the £1-a-litre mark.
The AA highlighted a recent EU consumer survey in which only people in Italy gave petrol retailers a poorer score than those in the UK.
AA president Edmund King said: "The fact that petrol prices are back to where they were at the beginning of the year may bring some seasonal festive cheer, but over the last year petrol prices have been 2.75p more expensive than the previous year.
"Supermarkets generally dictate the cost of fuel in towns, with other retailers setting theirs accordingly and creating a localised price jam. Petrol in towns with less competitive supermarkets is as much as 5p more expensive than neighbouring communities. It is these £1.50, £2 or £2.50-a-tank surcharges for petrol across whole towns that have triggered such fierce criticism of the UK's fuel retailers in the EU survey."


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Western apparel store that's been in the Springs 82 years relocates to Old Colorado CityLorig's, one of the oldest retail stores in the region, has moved to Old Colorado City.
The location at 2611 W. Colorado Ave. is even older. The historic brick two-story was originally built in 1904 by Jacob Schmidt for a beer hall. Scott Roney, who has owned Lorig's since 2008, also bought the Schmidt building, in which Lorig's now takes up the first floor.
According to Roney, the store is open daily, specializing in western wear, including hats, boots and clothing.
Originally, “The store sold work clothes, men's and boy's clothing, hats, and uniforms,” and during World War II, it “was one of the largest sellers of nurses uniforms in the state and throughout the country by mail,” the website continues.
The Lorigs added western wear after the war. The family kept at least partial ownership until 1985, the website adds.
In 2004, the owner prior to Roney moved the business to Union Boulevard near Pikes Peak Avenue. The relocation to Old Colorado City took place in August.
“Old Colorado City fits us better,” commented Jo Nelson, the office manager as well as a Lorig's investor, who has worked with Roney for the past five years. “It feels like more of a community, and we've been very welcomed by the other merchants here.” Also, happily, she noted, “We found that a lot of our regular customers are from the Westside. We're very excited about the prospects.”
At just under 3,000 square feet, the Schmidt building's first floor turned out to be the right size for the necessary downsizing from the store's 5,000 square feet on Union Boulevard, Roney and Nelson pointed out. The additional space had largely been needed for the uniform business, which has been phased out over time.
From 2012 to this year, the now-Lorig's location had been used by the former Earthen Artisan House retail business.
A grand opening is to be announced later this month, marking the calendar date of Roney's purchase of Lorig's (Sept. 28), Nelson said.
Westside Pioneer article


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WHILE Many farmers may believe that paying commissions to Middle Eastern countries is just the way business is done there, Narrikup sheep meat processor, Roger Fletcher, says that's not the case.
With evidence of kickbacks and bribes paid to Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, and other countries like Pakistan, emerging on a daily basis during the Cole inquiry, Mr Fletcher said farmers needed to know that this sort of behaviour was not a necessary evil in securing trade of any goods or produce to Middle Eastern countries.
As Australia's largest exporter of sheep meat, and one of the country's biggest traders into the Middle East, Mr Fletcher said Fletcher International would do more direct trade into that region (with the exception of Iraq) than would anyone else.
He has never been asked to pay a commission ‹ and wouldn't if he were.
"We don't do any deals with governments,² Mr Fletcher said.
"We deal directly with individual companies.
"We wouldn't start paying bribes, because once you start, you'll never be able to stop.
"The person who allowed the first bribe to be paid by AWB is where their problem started."
Mr Fletcher said there was more pressure on private companies to pay commissions to overseas agents, and AWB should have used its transparency as a publicly listed company to say "No".
"That is not how business has to be done at all, and it gives the perception that Australian companies are just jingling with money,² he said.
"Trading in the Middle East is a tough market. You just can't afford to be giving anything away."


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Litecoin (LTC) isn’t really aiming to unseat Bitcoin (BTC), stated Mati Greenspa, a Senior Citizen Market Analyst of eToro. This was specified after a study which checked out Litecoin (LTC) from all angles– background, market data, technical background, recent and future development, reported by Ethereum World News, in an exclusive discourse.
He discussed even more by stating that LTC in fact plays even more of a supportive function to Bitcoin, like silver performs with gold. In fact, implementing Bitcoin’s brand-new developments is simplified by LTC, as an example with Lightning Network as well as Segwit.
Litecoin vs Bitcoin
Considering that Litecoin is referred to as ‘electronic silver’ as well as Bitcoin as ‘digital gold’, both of them were dealt with the exact same for the research study. It was observed that the proportion in between Bitcoin as well as Litecoin was in fact very much like that of Silver and Gold.
Litecoin (LTC) Market Efficiency
The term paper additionally evaluated the current market efficiency of LTC. It was kept in mind that the daily energetic addresses (DAU) of LTC relative to its marketcap is a lot more compared with all other money taken into consideration except Dash. In fact, the everyday purchase quantity of LTC is much more as compared with any other money. According to Greenspan’s research paper by Mati LTC has been oversold and also kept in mind that its worth is a lot more, the existing rate is massively marked down.
Litecoin (LTC) Fostering
Litecoin Structure lately got 9.9% risk in German WEB Financial institution wishing for more fostering using debit cards, on-line settlements and retail application. On the other hand, LTC-based settlements are being offered in several areas such as Alza.cz, Wirex, eGifter, CheapAir and others. Just recently, Electronic devices giant HTC as well as Litecoin owner, Charlie Lee revealed that their crypto phone will certainly be sustaining LTC.
Charlie Lee tweeted, “Met the HTC Exodus team last week and also was actually delighted to hear the phone will certainly sustain LTC and also Lightning Network on Litecoin natively! I will certainly be an advisor as I see having a safe and secure crypto phone that makes LN simple is required for mass fostering. P.S. No, they will not eliminate BTC.”


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In a marked departure from typical buying and selling methods, hedge-fund shoppers of Goldman Sachs are venturing into the realm of cryptocurrency choices, signaling a broader shift within the monetary panorama in the direction of digital property. Max Minton, Goldman’s Asia-Pacific Head of Digital Belongings, revealed a notable surge in curiosity and exercise amongst shoppers, attributing it to the latest approval of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and the evolving dynamics of the crypto market.
“Whereas retail merchants have lengthy captured headlines with their daring maneuvers, it is more and more clear that institutional gamers are additionally making important forays into cryptocurrency markets,” remarked Minton.
Goldman Sachs, on the forefront of this paradigm shift, has been providing a set of crypto derivatives, together with cash-settled Bitcoin and Ether choices buying and selling, alongside Bitcoin and Ether futures listed on the CME. Notably, the financial institution refrains from direct buying and selling of underlying crypto property, opting as a substitute to facilitate by-product transactions for its discerning clientele.
Minton highlighted a resurgence of curiosity amongst shoppers, significantly conventional hedge funds, citing a notable uptick in onboarding, pipeline exercise, and buying and selling quantity for the reason that onset of the 12 months. This renewed vigor extends past established shoppers, as Goldman seeks to broaden its attain to embody a various array of market individuals, together with asset managers, financial institution shoppers, and choose digital asset corporations.
The utilization of crypto derivatives amongst shoppers spans varied strategic targets, starting from directional bets to yield enhancement and danger mitigation, in keeping with Minton. Whereas Bitcoin-related merchandise proceed to dominate consumer preferences, Minton acknowledged the potential for a shift in the direction of Ether-related choices, contingent upon regulatory developments such because the approval of Ether ETFs in america.
Past typical buying and selling actions, Goldman Sachs is actively engaged in tokenizing conventional property utilizing blockchain expertise. The launch of the GS DAP digital asset platform underscores the financial institution’s dedication to harnessing blockchain’s transformative potential in monetary markets.
Moreover, Goldman has launched into strategic ventures, making focused investments in blockchain infrastructure corporations aligned with its imaginative and prescient for the digital asset ecosystem. Minton emphasised the financial institution’s deliberate method to enterprise investments, emphasizing strategic alignment as a key criterion for deployment of capital.
As Goldman Sachs and its hedge-fund clientele navigate the evolving panorama of digital property, their embrace of crypto choices heralds a brand new period of sophistication and diversification in institutional buying and selling methods. With regulatory readability and technological innovation shaping the way forward for finance, Goldman’s proactive stance underscores its dedication to remaining on the vanguard of digital transformation within the monetary business.