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Michigan State University's enology and viticulture programs — and the associated Spartan Cellars winery — have helped the state go from seven wineries in 1970 to more than 100 today.
Since the early 1990s, an increase in quality potato production has chip companies across the country filling their trucks with Michigan's finest.
The $10 million U.S. Energy Department grant will go toward studying the metabolism and genes of a plant that could offer environmental and agricultural benefits.
From gun safety and vegan food to an agriculture enterprise, a dozen small companies got 2 minutes to make their case to Detroit Homecoming attendees for a share of $20,000.
Chinese buyers are clamoring for American foods, from craft beer to fruit — good news for Michigan companies looking to dip their toes into the enormous market.
President Donald Trump's disaster declaration made federal funding available to residents and business owners for things such as temporary housing, repairs and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses.
State agriculture administrators believe the new incentives will deliver a level of flexibility to help businesses that the department previously didn't have.
Undocumented farm workers are down and nearly 6,000 agricultural visas have been approved for state farmers this year — 10 times more than 2013.
"Gold" is what five generations of the Parsons family have been calling the maple syrup they've been making on the family farm since 1898, tapping into two huge stands of maples on their 180-acre farm along Harwood Lake.
Dave Coveyou brings an engineer's knack for problem-solving to his fifth-generation family farm. The result? Diverse organic offerings, geothermal heating and an eye toward agritourism, built on the farm's incredible scenery.
Crain's Senior Reporter Dustin Walsh talked with J. Michael Evans, Alibaba Group's president and director, about why the company picked Detroit, and what Alibaba might do for local small businesses.
Shoppers can find nonprofit Detroit Dirt's fertilizer alongside a line of gardening gifts at the luxury goods-maker's stores in Detroit and across the country.
Get a roundup of important news that happens each day.


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Fast food sale is booming though all know that it is not so good for health. Anyway this also indicates that consumer spending is back on track. After a stillness that spanned more than a year, quick service restaurants (QSRs) are reporting record-breaking numbers.
Westlife Development, master franchisee of McDonald’s in west and south India, on Friday said it has achieved its highest ever annual revenues of Rs 1,100 crore – 22 per cent growth year on year. The company, which operates 277 outlets, also witnessed same-store sales growth (SSG) of around 25 per cent in the January-March quarter – a five-year high. SSG shows a difference in revenue generated by a QSR company’s outlets over a period of time as compared with an identical period a year ago.
Jubilant Foodworks, which operates pizza chain Domino’s in India, reported SSG of 26.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of FY18, compared with 7.5 per cent in the year ago period. The company’s quarterly profit surged 10-fold, from Rs 6.7 crore ayear ago to Rs 68 crore.
Even KFC, which operates around 300 outlets across the country, reported 19 per cent system sales growth (as KFC calls it) in the March quarter, compared with 2 per cent in the corresponding period last year.
Sales had been sluggish after demonetisation with the confusion over GST adding to the gloom. In 2016-17, sales had dipped to all-time lows with major brands shuttering outlets by the hundreds. The triple blows of demonetisation ban on liquor sales on highways and the introduction of GST had the industry in jitters. For instance, SSG for Domino’s Pizza, whose sales indicate the health of the Indian QSR industry, had dipped into negative territory.
But a 5 per cent levy in most restaurants has reduced the burden for consumers, although that is not driving them into eateries. Trends across industries show that hikes have been better and disposable income is a little higher due to moderate inflation.
GST helped bring uniformity in pricing across all our restaurants in the country as well as taxes within the category. In the long run, the effect was neutral or largely positive.

domain: news


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Digital TV News: Frank Giersberg
German pay TV and paid video surpasses €4 billion in 2020
Aug 3, 2021 – The market for pay TV and paid video ion Germany continues to show highly-dynamic growth according to VAUNET. Revenues generated by pay TV und paid VoD reached a total volume of 4.2 billion euros in 2020.
News categories: VAUNET, Frank Giersberg, Tim Werner, Elke Walthelm, Nicole Agudo Berbel, Henning Nieslony, Hannes Heyelmann, Cable TV, Digital TV, Germany, IPTV, Market Research, OTT, Satellite
More and more Germans taking pay TV and VOD subscriptions
Jul 21, 2020 – According to VAUNET the number of pay-TV subscribers in Germany rose to 8 million in 2019 (2018: 7.8 million), with SVoD consumers numbering 13.4 million in the final quarter (Q4 2018: 6.9 mill.).
News categories: VAUNET, Frank Giersberg, Katharina Behrends, Elke Walthelm, Nicole Agudo Berbel, Henning Tewes, Tim Werner, Digital TV, Germany, Market Research, OTT, Subscribers
VAUNET forecast for the German media market in 2019
Oct 23, 2019 – For the first time, audiovisual media in Germany will, according to VAUNET, realise a turnover of more than €13 billion in 2019. VAUNET is forecasting revenue growth of 4.7% or €579 million for the full year to reach a total of €13.02 billion.
News categories: VAUNET, Hans Demmel, Frank Giersberg, Advertising, Digital TV, Germany, Market Research
Germans watching more than 5 hours of video and TV each day
Jan 22, 2019 – According to VAUNET's Media Usage Analysis, during 2018 audiovisual media usage by Germans rose to over nine hours a day for the first time. Radio and TV continued to be by far the most frequently consumed types of media.
News categories: VAUNET, Dr. Harald Flemming, Frank Giersberg, Digital TV, Germany, Market Research, Mobile
Pay-TV and video see rising demand throughout the German-speaking territories
Jul 25, 2018 – Pay-TV and video services continue to record rising demand throughout the German-speaking territories and are investing to an increasing extent in local in-house productions. These are the key findings of market analysis presented by VAUNET - the German Media Association (formerly VPRT).
News categories: VAUNET, Frank Giersberg, Hannes Heyelmann, Katharina Behrends, Marcus Ammon, Dr. Patrick Hörl, Susanne Aigner-Drews, Austria, Digital TV, Germany, Market Research, OTT, Subscribers, Switzerland
Pay TV and VOD revenues in German-speaking territories passed €3 billion in 2016
Jul 25, 2017 – Pay TV is continuing along its growth path, achieving new record figures across German-speaking territories. A further increase in the demand for pay-TV and paid-video-on-demand offerings is also expected for 2017.
News categories: VPRT, Frank Giersberg, Austria, Cable TV, Digital TV, Germany, IPTV, Market Research, OTT, Satellite, Switzerland
Audiovisual media revenues in Germany to pass €11bn this year
Oct 24, 2016 – This year, Germany’s audiovisual media will for the first time generate more than 11 billion euros in revenue. Across all the industry’s market segments, VPRT is forecasting revenue growth of 6.2 percent.
News categories: VPRT, Hans Demmel, Frank Giersberg, Digital TV, Germany, Market Research, Mobile
Germany audiovisual market set to top €10 billion
Oct 21, 2015 – For the first time, the revenue generated by audiovisual media enterprises in Germany will exceed the 10 billion limit in 2015, according to the latest market forecast published by the Association of Commercial Broadcasters and Audiovisual Services in Germany (VPRT).
News categories: VPRT, Dr. Tobias Schmid, Claus Grewenig, Frank Giersberg, Digital TV, Germany, Market Research
Pay TV booming in German-speaking territories
Jul 15, 2015 – According to the Association of Commercial Broadcasters and Audiovisual Services (VPRT), pay-TV continues to record ongoing expansion in Germany. In 2014, new record figures were reached in terms of revenues, subscribers and viewing times.
News categories: VPRT, Frank Giersberg, Austria, Cable TV, Digital TV, Germany, IPTV, Market Research, Satellite, Subscribers, Switzerland
- Comcast cable video subscribers down 399,000 in 2Q 2021
- Playstation 5 surpasses 10 million units sold
- 52% of U.S. consumers stop paying attention when ads come on the TV
- Tata Sky Binge delivers streaming app aggregation with ThinkAnalytics
- USSI Global to bring DOOH analytics to NEXTGEN TV broadcasters
- Altice USA reports video net losses of 48,000 for 2Q 2021
- Total Play video RGUs up 48% YoY in Q2 2021 to 1,933,880
- Gap between OTT and traditional pay TV continues to widen in the U.S.
- OTT to pull down pay TV revenues in China
- German pay TV and paid video surpasses €4 billion in 2020
- SERAPHIC upgrades TV browser with HbbTV 2.0.3 support
- Magnite to manage ad placement for Brazil's NetMovies
- Acxiom and Totalplay to provide addressable audiences in Mexico
- Undertone launches CTV ad solution for improved consumer engagement
- More than seventy 8K TVs now certified by the 8K Association
- Ocean Blue Software acquires Advanced Media Group from EKT
- DVB approves commercial requirements for DVB-I over 5G
- V-Nova raises €33 million in series C round
- AT&T premium TV down 473k; Vrio down 239k; HBO up 3.6M video subs in 2Q 2021
- Verizon FIOS consumer video subscribers down 62,000 in 2Q 2021


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NEW DELHI: Technology giant Apple reportedly considering adding Health tracking functions to his AirPods.
As reported by MacRumours, analyst Ming Chi Kuo revealed in a recent investor release that Apple may include health monitoring features Apple AirPods to give rivals like competition Samsung.
Kuo stated that Apple AirPods sales are expected to decline this year, which is why the company will be looking for new ways to innovate and encourage people to buy future AirPods. According to Kuo, AirPods shipments are expected to drop 25% year over year from Q1 through Q3.
Kuo added that the AirPods Max, which the company launched last year, didn’t really add to the growth in AirPods sales.
According to the report, Kuo suggests the decline in AirPod shipments is due to increasing competition in the market. The increasing number of affordable true wireless earbuds on the market is one of the reasons why AirPods sales have dropped.
According to the report, “this situation is likely to encourage Apple to implement new, compelling technology on AirPods,” Kuo said. That is, health management features that Apple has had extensive experience with through the Apple Watch. ”
The report adds that it is currently unclear what health features will be included in Apple AirPods.
Kuo also mentioned that the company will begin mass production of third-generation Apple AirPods in the third quarter of this year. However, the updated AirPods are not expected to include a health monitoring feature this year.


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Editor's note: Story was edited to clarify future production of the Dodge Dart.
BELVIDERE — Production at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' plant will cease next week as the company deals with a slow down in Dodge Dart sales.
"Unless otherwise notified, all employees will be temporarily laid off for the week," spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said.
The Belvidere plant employs about 4,200 people.
"Belvidere will be down the week of April 18th to align production with demand," Tinson said by email. "As I’m sure you know, there has been a slow down in small car sales across the industry."
In March, the company said it sold 5,349 Darts, down 44 percent from March 2015. Year-to-date sales in March of 16,868 were 33 percent below sales levels in 2016.
The Belvidere plant, which got $62.1 million in state incentives in 2010 when the company did a $600 million expansion, is in transition. Chrysler Fiat plans to stop producing Darts some point in the future and would look for a partner to assume the production responsibility for a small car, Tinson said, saying automotive press accounts that it would move production of Darts to Mexico were inaccurate. In 2014, the company announced it would phase out the Compass and Patriot lines this year.
In January, CEO Sergio Marchionne said North American plants would see a "significant realignment of products" but that it will not affect employment. During an earnings conference call he said that the Fiat Chrysler expects low gasoline prices to be permanent and that its future was in truck and sport utility vehicle production. There was speculation last fall that production of the popular Jeep Cherokee would move from Toledo, Ohio, to Belvidere.
"I don’t have any information regarding a potential product announcement for Belvidere," Tinson said.
Brian Leaf: 815-987-1343; email@example.com; @b_leaf


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TWO heated debates about free trade took place here last week, yet they were so different they might as well have been on separate planets.
The most visible one was at a meeting of trade ministers from the United States and 33 other countries, who tried to hammer out a road map for negotiating a free-trade zone from Canada to Argentina. The other was led by ordinary citizens.
Inside a heavily fortified Marriott Hotel, the ministers were deeply divided about practical issues but shared many basic assumptions: more trade is better than less; open borders are better than closed; cross-border investment is healthy.
The United States wants more access to Latin American markets for services like insurance, telecommunications and even health care. Latin American countries want the United States to drop its barriers and subsidies for agricultural products, including sugar, cotton and soybeans.
Outside the ministerial talks, the issues were different. Ecuador's large indigenous groups, which have considerable political influence here, are convinced that there is no such thing as a good deal. Some say a hemispheric agreement will give carte blanche to foreign oil and mining companies in the Amazon rain forest. Others fret that farmers will be wiped out by foreign imports.Continue reading the main story
''We cannot compete with them,'' said Ermel Chavez, head of a group in northern Ecuador called Front for the Defense of the Amazon. ''We will be become nothing more than consumers.''
Many of the indigenous protesters here are supported and prodded by antiglobalization groups based in the United States.
Public Citizen, an advocacy group based in Washington, helped organize ''reality tours'' to demonstrate the impact of foreign oil companies; Global Exchange, a group based in San Francisco that opposes the free-trade talks, promoted interviews with indigenous leaders from Ecuador and Columbia; the A.F.L.-C.I.O., the most adamant and powerful American opponent of free-trade deals, had top representatives here as well.
That said, there was no mistaking the level of genuine popular unease here and in other countries. ALCA, the Spanish acronym for Free Trade Agreement for the Americas, has become a big topic in local newspapers and among ordinary people.
''Our companies are not efficient enough to compete,'' said Tomás Iglesias, a retired accountant who now drives a taxi part time.
Ordinary Ecuadoreans have experienced both the benefits and costs of greater global integration. In a bid to halt inflation, the government adopted the American dollar as its own national currency nearly two years ago. That policy stabilized prices. But because of the dollar's high value, imports from other countries soared and exports stagnated.
Almost every country in Latin America has been hit by trade shocks. Colombia, once one of the world's biggest exporters of coffee, is now far behind Vietnam. Argentina, once a major wheat exporter, has been forced to switch over to soybeans.
Various currency crises, meanwhile, have all but obliterated a free-trade zone that unites Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. The regional trade group began to crumble when Brazil decided in 1999 to let its currency decline in value. That almost devastated Argentine exports to Brazil because the Argentine government kept its peso locked one-to-one with the American dollar. Regional trade imploded this year when the Argentine government defaulted on foreign debt worth about $140 billion and the peso collapsed.
DESPITE the disruptions, there are good reasons to believe that more free trade and openness ultimately offer more security.
The two Latin American countries that have so far weathered the current global economic slowdown -- Mexico and Chile -- are also the most open. Mexico, of course, has been part of the North American Free Trade Agreement for eight years. Chile has arduously liberalized its economy for years and is now close to signing a bilateral free-trade deal with the United States.
The problem is that a pan-American free-trade zone would cover more than trade. It would also affect ground rules for doing business, like sanitary regulations for food imports and enforcement of labor and environmental rules. Many Latin Americans fear that the United States wants to impose its system on them, and they are correct.
But it is worth remembering that the United States has taken its own lumps: when California decided to phase out the use of a gasoline additive containing methanol, the Canadian manufacturer of the additive sued, citing investor-protection measures in Nafta. The United States government now wants to make it harder for companies to make such claims.Continue reading the main story


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Banking professionals, martial arts business owner kick off North Arlington Business Association first meeting
Two banking professionals and a martial arts entrepreneur in North Arlington joined forces and kicked off North Arlington Business Association's first meeting on Sept. 21 with hopes of bringing together and maximizing success of local businesses.
Sue Catania and Maria Palumbo of Kearny Bank and Allen DePena, owner of Zentai Martial Arts, presided over the group's first meeting.
"We've been trying to do this [business association] for quite awhile," Palumbo said. "This is finally coming to fruition."
Free for businesses to join, the North Arlington Business Association has been in the works for two years, according to Palumbo. Approximately 15 business owners were in attendance at the meeting.
Discussion centered around the association's goals, what business owners hoped to get out of the association, benefits of having a Facebook page and website, and level of input from elected officials.
"This is just the beginning," Palumbo said. "There is definitely strength in numbers and we are all counting on each other on making the group strong, better and a solid organization for the North Arlington community."
North Arlington is home to more than 300 businesses, with Ridge Road being one of the main business thoroughfares, according to Catania, who said she was surprised to learn the actual number of businesses in the area.
Buddy Filipone, owner of Melrays at 45 Ridge Rd., estimated there are 100 businesses in North Arlington.
In an effort to help the local businesses get exposure, DePena is helping the association expand its online presence.
The website, www.northarlingtonba.org, would help promote the local business owners as well as draw customers to their services.
Businesses will have limited customization of the website in order to tell customers and potential customers about their business, while still keeping the same overall look throughout the website, DePena said. Having links to each business's website will increase their search engine optimization as well, driving up their rating on search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing.
The website will also allow for event announcements, which will also be facilitated through the North Arlington Business Association's Facebook (www.fb.com/northarlingtonba). Business owners will be able to create their own Facebook events and post promotions currently going on in their stores. The association plans on taking advantage of the unique options Facebook has to offer business owners, DePena said. Business owners would have the ability, once they have "liked" the Facebook page, to have private group discussions, similar to what is discussed at monthly meetings.
Palumbo hopes to have speakers and educational seminars during the meetings.
"We're going to take North Arlington to new heights," Catania said.
She suggested having a member of the council present during one meeting per quarter.
Charlene Pecora, of 4 Season Travel Bureau at 285 Ridge Rd., expressed her concern that, with council members present, the organization could be viewed as a political one or that council members could take over the meeting. The council members in attendance would be at the meetings to give updates to business owners about what is going on around the borough, Catania said. Pecora disagreed, stating the borough has a website where people could obtain the information.
"They don't have to control the meeting but I think it would be nice to have someone from the town let us know what's going on," said Jennifer Greenberg, whose orthodontist office is located on Ridge Road.
Greenberg said she had been to a recent council meeting and believes the council is trying to build up the community the same way the business owners do.
John Burns, owner of Albert H. Hopper Monuments, noted there was a difference between having a council member show up and the association being a political organization.
"It's about the interest of the community, not about that their election prospects are," Burns said. "That's not to be discussed in our meetings. It's our meeting to control."
Filipone agreed, stating the business association would decline to invite a council member to the meeting the next quarter. Filipone believes that it would be easy enough to control what takes place at the meetings when council members are present.
"The close relationship you do have with elected officials, I don't think it could hurt us," Filipone said, adding business owners may be able to ask them for help.
The business owners also discussed potential ways to increase the North Arlington Business Association and local businesses' visibility.
Several suggestions included a printed directory delivered to residents, maps located in stores, window decals and participation in events such as Trunk or Treat and Small Business Saturday.
The next business association meetings will be on the third Wednesday of October and November at 6 p.m. at the senior center located behind borough hall.


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Microsoft reveals Consumer Preview version of Windows 8
Software giant, Microsoft has revealed the Consumer Preview version of its new Windows 8 operating system on Wednesday at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
Many believe that the new Windows 8 is the biggest upgrade from the company since Windows 95 and it might help the company maintain its lead in the PC market. The new version is designed to work well on touch-sensitive tablets besides computers and laptops.
Microsoft had announced the general design and direction of Windows 8 in June 2011. The company had announced details of the yet to be released Windows 8 in a blog post claiming it will come with built-in support for mobile broadband devices and will allow users to better manage their Wi-Fi and mobile broadband networks. The new operating system will allow users to easily connect to mobile broadband networks and also manage connections and monitor their data usages for controlling Internet costs.
The company understands that providing only Wi-Fi support would not be enough so the team decided to add support for integrated mobile broadband. The newer version will come with a common mobile-broadband class driver that is compatible with devices from a variety of mobile operators and vendors. This will eliminate the need for the users to find separate drivers.
Windows 8 will have a Metro interface, which is designed for touchscreen computers and tablets and includes use HTML5 and CSS3. Analysts are evaluating the developer preview release and it is to be seen if the platform is able to attract users in the smartphone and tablet market dominated by Google's Android and Apple.


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World Trade Organization (WTO) economists have issued a strong upward revision to their forecast for 2017 trade expansion following a sharp acceleration in global trade growth in the first half of the year.
The estimate for growth in world merchandise trade volume in 2017 was raised to 3.6 percent. The previous estimate for 2017 was 2.4 percent, although this was set within a range of 1.8-3.6 percent, reflecting the high level of economic and policy uncertainty. The new estimate puts the focus on the top end of that range.
Growth of 3.6 percent would represent a substantial improvement on the lackluster 1.3 percent increase in 2016. Stronger growth in 2017 was attributed to a resurgence of Asian trade flows as intra-regional shipments picked up and as import demand in North America recovered after stalling in 2016.
“The improved outlook for trade is welcome news, but substantial risks that threaten the world economy remain in place and could easily undermine any trade recovery,” Director-General Roberto Azevêdo said. “These risks include the possibility that protectionist rhetoric translates into trade restrictive actions, a worrying rise in global geopolitical tensions and a rising economic toll from natural disasters.
“Though difficult to quantify, these risks are very real. As a result, increased optimism about trade should be tempered with a healthy dose of caution. On the other hand, the fact that trade growth is now more synchronized across regions than it has been for many years could make the current expansion self-reinforcing. Such a positive outcome would be more likely if countries continue to resist the temptations of protectionism and work together with their partners in the multilateral system to ensure that gains from trade are both large and widely shared.”
GDP growth accelerated in most major economies in the second quarter, most notably in China where quarter-on-quarter growth rose from 1.3 percent in Q1 (equivalent to an annual rate of around 5.3 percent) to 1.7 percent in Q2 (around 7.0 percent annualized). Growth also strengthened in the U.S. (from 1.2 percent annualized in Q1 to 3.0 percent in Q3) and the Euro area (from 2.2 percent in Q1 to 2.6 percent in Q2).
Stronger growth particularly in China and the U.S. boosted demand for imports, which spurred intra-Asia-trade as demand was transmitted through regional supply chains. Chinese demand in the first half of 2017 was driven by solid growth in industry (up 6.4 percent in real terms for the year to date) and even stronger growth in services (up 7.7 percent over the same period). Financial conditions in Asia also improved compared to the volatile first quarter of 2016, contributing to business and consumer confidence.
The partial recovery of oil prices in 2017 also appears to have provided some support for investment in the U.S., growth of which slowed abruptly in 2016 – particularly in the energy sector – but has picked up in the first half of this year.
The rapid pace of trade growth in 2017 is unlikely to be sustained next year, says the WTO. First, trade growth in 2018 will not be measured against a weak base year, as is the case this year. Second, monetary policy is expected to tighten in developed countries as the Federal Reserve gradually raises interest rates in the U.S. and the European Central Bank looks to phase out quantitative easing in the Euro area. Third, fiscal expansion and easy credit in China are likely to be reined in to prevent the economy from overheating. All of these factors should contribute to a moderation of trade growth in 2018 to around 3.2 percent.


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Update, Feb. 21: Representatives originally reported Chipotle would open Feb. 21. The date was revised a second time to Feb. 28.
Chipotle Mexican Grill will open their doors in Syosset on Feb. 28, according to company representatives.
Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. media representatives said the eatery, located at 410 Jericho Turnpike, is scheduled to open next week.
Valentine's Day was the originally targeted opening date.
Read more about Chipotle's opening here.
The newly constructed 2,500-square-foot extension to the strip of stores has been completed and indoor lighting fixtures have been hung. The location, owned by Bellmore's MGD Investments, is part of a strip that also includesGabby's Gourmet Bagelatessen, Shake Cups, Sherwin Williams Paints, and Sprint.
The Syosset Chipotle currently lists open positions for crew members who prepare ingredients and restaurant team members who assemble meals and complete transactions. Apply for a job at the Syosset Chipotle here.


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Paytm Outlook: After sliding up to 76 per cent against the IPO price, Paytm’s shares have gained 24 per cent and it is still showing a 46% bullish trend.
Paytm Outlook: Global financial services company Morgan Stanley had cut the target price of Paytm last month but has now forecast a rise in it. Paytm’s business was excellent in the fourth quarter of the last financial year 2021-22, January-March 2022, due to which Morgan Stanley is now seeing a trend of 46 percent growth in it. After the central bank RBI barred Paytm Payments Bank from adding new customers, Morgan Stanley last month lowered its target price to Rs 935 and gave it an ‘equal weight’ rating.
The price of Paytm is currently Rs 641.65 on BSE and according to Morgan Stanley it is in a bullish trend and has maintained a target price of Rs 935 for investment but this time in the upside. Paytm’s loan disbursement has increased by about 374 percent in Q4FY22. At the same time, the aggregate loan value has increased by 417 percent in Q4. After which the sentiment regarding the stock has become strong.
Shares slipped 76% from IPO price
The shares of Paytm were listed in the domestic market on November 18 last year and closed with huge discounts on the day of listing itself. On the day of listing, it had closed on the BSE at Rs 1,564.15 against the issue price of Rs 2150, ie, the money of IPO investors decreased by 27 percent on the very first day. When the RBI banned Paytm Payments Bank from adding new customers, the pressure on its shares increased and slipped to Rs 520, about 76 percent below the issue price. However, now it has strengthened about 24 percent due to the results of the fourth quarter and has now reached a price of Rs 542.50 on BSE. According to Morgan Stanley, it can reach up to Rs 935 in the future.
Paytm will become a profitable company: Vijay Shekhar Sharma
The company’s CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma tweeted a day ago and said that he is sure that the company will achieve EBITDA breakeven in the next 6 quarters without compromising on its growth plans. He said in the company’s update that even though the stock is trading well below the issue price under the IPO, the team at Paytm is committed to making it a large and profitable company as well as creating long-term shareholder value. Sharma said that my stock grant will be given to me only when the market cap of the company crosses the level of IPO on a continuous basis.


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Swedish clothing company H&M has pulled an advertisement in Australia and apologized after receiving complaints that the ad “sexualized” children.
The ad showed two elementary-aged little girls in school uniform dresses with a slogan above them that read, “Make those heads turn in H&M’s Back to School fashion.”
British political commentator Adam Brooks posted an image of the ad on X, criticizing the slogan for H&M calling to “make those heads turn.”
He wrote, “This was no mistake, this campaign would have had to go through many people to be signed off, why would people turn heads for kids??…sick.”
KYTE BABY COMPANY FACING BOYCOTT AFTER DENYING REMOTE WORK REQUEST FOR MOM OF PREMATURE NEWBORN
Several other X users agreed with Brooks, with one replying, “Why would children want to turn heads? That is utterly ridiculous. The sexualisation of children need to stop at [sic] the perverts need to be in prison.” Another posted, “This is a disgrace.”
Others did not see a problem with the ad.
One user wrote, “Hmm debatable because I’d state anyone looking at this as sexual may have an issue? Adverts have been round along time and always had kids on posters, they just look like they are modelling school uniform like they’ve seen for years?”
Another responded, “I must need to adjust my offence-ometer, this appears completely harmless to me.”
H&M has scrapped the ad and apologized.
“We have removed this ad,” the company said in a statement. “We are deeply sorry for the offence this has caused and will look into how we present campaigns going forward.”


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Fashion and technology has become a trend for the stylish set in recent years, with supermodel Karlie Kloss becoming a coding enthusiast and Hermès designing accessories for Apple, but Italian designers Dolce & Gabbana took fashionable tech to the next level when they sent drones down the runway to showcase handbags for their Fall/Winter 2018 fashion show in Milan, Italy.
The designers, who have made headlines of late for their outspoken political opinions, showed off ornate handbags on the catwalk that were held aloft by drones as opposed to models in a presentation that would not have been amiss in a storyline from Black Mirror. According to Fashionista, those attending the show were asked to turn off the Wi-Fi function and personal hotspots on their cellphones.
While runway models have often been the highlight of watching a live fashion show, it looks like Dolce & Gabbana is making a case for technology to replace “Insta-girls.”
See the drones in action below.
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- An Innovative Washington Law Aims to Get Foreign-Trained Doctors Back in Hospitals
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- Timothée Chalamet Wants You to Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve


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Each of us, who trades cryptocurrencies, felt the need to be constantly connected to the Internet. Unfortunately, there is no other way to buy or sell cryptocurrencies. Or is there?
Let’s take a look at what innovation awaited the people of Venezuela.
Startup Cryptobuyer announced the successful launch of the first satellite node for Bitcoin. It was a collaboration between Cryptobuyer, Blockstream and led by Anibal Garrido. This is the very first successful step in ensuring that people can sell or buy Bitcoin and do not need an internet connection.
The idea that you are completely offline, but you can perform the operation in real time, is just another piece to a completely decentralized and anonymous society. We can hope that over time, more satellites will be launched that will allow people around the world to work with cryptocurrencies without the need for a centralized Internet.
How a satellite node works
It’s all about communication. Blockstream maintains the communication between the nodes and the blockchain. Cryptobuyer bought the necessary equipment to receive the signal from the satellite and connection, and Anibal Garrido and his team provided the antennas and possible modifications to the system to make everything work as it should.
It can be daunting. However, this is the very first communication of its kind and we can expect this technology to continue to improve. We can probably expect other projects of this type. This is currently the first one of three antennas, so everything is still in its infancy.
In this case, it is the first step. It is a great progress. The idea of the future, where we will not be connected to the Internet, where one is not anonymous, no matter how hard one tries. A new era of investment in Bitcoin is currently opening for Venezuelan citizens. Now that the Internet is no longer needed for sales and purchases, one of the potential obstacles has been solved.


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US Black Friday, Thanksgiving online sales climb to record high
US retailers raked in a record $7.9 billion in online sales on Black Friday and Thanksgiving, up 17.9% from a year ago, according to Adobe Analytics.
Jeff Bezos's fortune hits $100 billion on Black Friday stock surge
The Amazon.com Inc. founder’s fortune is up $2.4 billion to $100.3 billion...
Amazon workers in Germany, Italy stage Black Friday strike
Amazon says its distribution warehouses in Germany are logistics centers and emplo...
Indian vendors ship over 1.5 million products for Black Friday sale at Amazon US
Several sellers on Amazon India, who have been able to sell to shoppers in the US after the platform launched the global selling programme in 2015, shipped 50% more units this year compared to the last.
Siang water becoming muddy and black beyond McMahon line is being ascertained: Kiren Rijiju
Earlier, Assam health minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, had expressed concern over the water of Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh getting muddy.
Blackrock is buying bonds at risk from Fed hikes
If Fed sticks to its path of three hikes in 2018, short-term yields will climb even higher
The Black-Friday sales battle is on full throttle: Here's how the super stores are vying for your attention
For the holiday shopping season, malls are hosting gingerbread decorating sessions, visits from the Grinch, and more.
Figureskating - Canada's Osmond takes surprise lead in Grand Prix Final
FIGURESKATING-ISU/FINAL (PIX):Figureskating - Canada's Osmond takes surprise lead in Grand Prix Final
AP FACT CHECK: Trump on monuments, econ; Moore on accusers
WASHINGTON (AP) — The orbit of odd political claims stretched from Utah canyons to the looming Alabama Senate race to crazy-as-usual Washington in recent days.
BlackBerry to pay Nokia $137 million in payment dispute
BlackBerry said the dispute was related to certain payments due under a patent license contract between the companies.
Figure skating-American Chen overcomes mistakes to win Grand Prix Final
FIGURESKATING-ISU/FINAL (UPDATE 1,PIX):UPDATE 1-Figure skating-American Chen overcomes mistakes to win Grand Prix Final
Figure skating-American Chen overcomes mistakes to win final
FIGURESKATING-ISU/FINAL (UPDATE 2, PIX):UPDATE 2-Figure skating-American Chen overcomes mistakes to win final
'Incident' reported at London's Oxford Circus station: Police
Witnesses on social media reported people running into nearby shops and pubs for shelter. Transit authorities say the station has been evacuated and trains are not stopping there.
It’s calm for now, but volatility will return
The volatility that’s escaped markets in 2017 will be back in 2018, the firm’s equity analysts forecast.
That was some Thanksgiving! Fake Google ad sends users to scam site
The search engine giant has said that the advertisement violated its policies and has been removed.


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The Eurozone is coming back, and retail sales are growing.
But it's still uneven and mediocre.
For July retail sales in the Eurozone grew just 0.1% vs.
expectations of 0.4%, per
These high-tech classes are the coolest thing happening in schools today
More "Future Now" »
Neil deGrasse Tyson and Al Gore on the future of our planet — and everything else
More "Innovators" »


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A Tesla Cybertruck ended up with a bent rear bumper and a Dodge Ram-shaped imprint on its tailgate after it was involved in a rear-end collision. The Cybertruck owner has alleged that the incident was due in no small part to the Ram driver using his phone while driving.
The Cybertruck owner, who goes by the username u/wamsankas on Reddit, shared his experience and a couple of photos of the incident’s aftermath in the r/Cybertruck subreddit. As per the Tesla driver, the crash happened just 450 miles into his ownership, which was extremely unfortunate. The Tesla owner noted that he and his passengers were fine, and that they didn’t really feel the impact of the crash.
A look at the photos of the incident’s aftermath shows that the Cybertruck looked generally unscathed from the collision. Granted, its rear bumper was bent by the impact from the Dodge Ram, but the tailgate itself did not seem to be damaged much. Interestingly enough, a rather noticeable imprint in the shape of the Dodge Ram’s grill could be seen on the Cybertruck’s tailgate.
Photos of the Dodge Ram following the crash showed that the damage to the combustion-powered pickup was significant, as the entire front of the truck was crumpled. The severity of the damage in the Dodge Ram’s front end suggests that the vehicle might be totaled. That being said, the Cybertruck driver noted in a later comment that the crash was largely caused by the Ram driver being on his phone.
Reactions to the Cybertruck crash have been varied on social media, with Tesla supporters noting that the all-electric pickup truck seems to have handled the collision well and that the vehicle might just need a new bumper before it is fully restored. Critics, however, opted to place the blame on the Cybertruck and its driver, with some claiming that the incident was proof that the vehicle had no crumple zone at the rear.
That being said, there are some valid concerns about the incident. Despite its lack of exterior damage, the Cybertruck may have incurred damage to its internals, which would likely be very costly to repair. This was the case with a Rivian R1T, whose minor fender bender ended up as a $42,000 repair job due to the crash affecting a panel that reaches from the back of the R1T all the way to its front roof pillars. Other Tesla owners also noted that the repair period for the truck would likely be substantial as the EV maker is still ramping the production of the all-electric pickup.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to firstname.lastname@example.org to give us a heads up.


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18,000 Farmers Available to Take Mobile Surveys in Africa
GeoPoll is pleased to announce the launch of its new farmer panel in Kenya, consisting of over 18,000 farmers who are ready to take GeoPoll surveys. Agricultural research organizations, international and local NGOs, governments, donors, and consumer companies can collect insights directly from individual farmers and use this information to improve farmer outcomes and grow profit margins. GeoPoll’s initial farmer panel in Kenya has been recruited over the past two months through a partnership with MediaE – who create educational information for farmers through media including radio, TV, and print – and Kenyan agricultural TV show Shamba Shape Up. GeoPoll plans to expand our farmer recruitment efforts to additional countries over the coming months – to learn more about our country coverage or partner with us, please contact us.
Conducting Mobile Surveys with Farmers
Conducting surveys of farmers has been a topic of interest for many of GeoPoll’s partners, due to the wide-ranging effects of agriculture on local livelihoods, national economies, and related industries in the agricultural value chain. Smallholder farmers, those who farm on small plots without much external labor, are an incredibly important part of producing the crops we rely on across the globe, but it can be hard for governments, NGOs, and companies to reach these farmers and gain knowledge about their farming practices. This is especially true when they are located in rural areas, as is the case for many farmers across Sub-Saharan Africa.
GeoPoll has previously worked with organizations including CIMMYT, IFPRI, and Farm Radio International to survey farmers who grow specific crops, and we are excited to expand this effort by recruiting farmers in Kenya who are ready to take GeoPoll’s mobile surveys. Organizations can set up a one-time survey or regular, recurring surveys with GeoPoll’s farmer panel to gather ongoing data on weather patterns, land preparation growth progress, crop or input prices, and more.
GeoPoll can employ its full suite of mobile survey modes to reach its farmer panel, including SMS surveys, voice calls (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing or Interactive Voice Response), or online survey modes such as mobile web or mobile application. Using the GeoPoll mobile application, farmers can upload pictures to demonstrate crop progress based on the use of different seeds or fertilizers and can access other tools such as GeoPoll community polls, where app users can ask each other questions. Organizations with existing farmer databases can also use GeoPoll’s platform to engage with them via one- or two-way messages.
Data on Agriculture in Kenya
As part of this launch, GeoPoll will release an in-depth examination of our survey results on agriculture in Kenya, based on responses from over 900 respondents on a wide range of topics. The survey information areas include preferred crop types, use of inputs such as fertilizer and seeds, information on where crops are sold, external factors affecting yield, and insights into the biggest challenges facing farmers in Kenya today. The survey has a gender split of 54% female to 46% male, an age breakdown of 32% age 15-24, 34% 25-34, and 33% age 35+, and respondents from locations throughout Kenya.
Initial high-level insights show that 48% both grow crops and raise livestock, and 44% report they engage in commercial farming as opposed to subsistence farming. Of those who engage in commercial farming, just 7% sell to international or export markets, with the vast majority reporting they sell goods to local markets. Regarding farm size and income, 68% identify farming as their main source of income, and 80% of respondents report that their farms are under 2 hectares in size.
While 72% report that they are making a profit from their farming activities, farmers in Kenya face a variety of challenges, from pests to drought and seed quality. The changing climate is also a concern, with 27% listing climate one of the key challenges they face, and 50% saying climactic changes have impacted their yields.
In the coming weeks GeoPoll will release a full report with analysis of our in-depth survey with the farming community in Kenya, and over the coming months we will expand this panel to additional countries. To be the first to know about this report, sign up for GeoPoll’s newsletter here. If you’d like to conduct your own custom survey with GeoPoll’s panel of farmers in Kenya or are interested in reaching farmers in other areas around the world, please contact us today.


text: That symbolic “stuff” might be nearly something. Art work, real-estate, luxurious objects, bottles of wine, vehicles, carbon credit, and monetary devices like T-bills and shares – all of which might go on-chain. “We try to tokenize all the pieces, then we’ll attempt to see if we are able to wipe out all the fee from the underlying system,” says Allan Pedersen, CEO of Monetalis Group, which has partnered to tokenize RWAs. have carried out the work and use them as collateral on MakerDAO. Pedersen says he has tokenized $1.2 billion in Treasury payments that are actually used as collateral by Maker.


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OCZ Technology, a major own-brand vendor of solid-state drives plans to use TLC NAND flash memory, originally intended for temporary storage solutions like memory cards and USB flash sticks for inexpensive SSDs.
Ryan Petersen, chief executive officer of OCZ commented that customers are interested in SSDs based on TLC NAND memory and this has stimulated the company to release new solid state drives with this technology. OCZ plans to position the new TLC models into the lower part of the market and more precisely it targets low-end servers, laptops and consumers who do not want to spend a lot of money on a SSD. Petersen expects that this is the market segment where users can get over four years of SSD life.
Triple-bit-per-cell (TLC) NAND flash memory is cheap to manufacture, but its redundancy is dramatically below than that of multi-layer cell (MLC) memory – around 1000 writes (for TLC) versus 10 000 writes (for MLC) and simply cannot be compared to the number of write cycles for SLC (single layer per bit) memory which can endure about 100 000 writes.
OCZ relies on its latest SSD controller that does support TLC NAND flash. In general for such a combination to be successful a combination of a very advanced controller along with extreme redundancy is needed to overcome disadvantages of TLC memory.


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With less than a month from the opening, key exhibitors have confirmed their presence at the Venice Boat Show
Senior Executives of the Global cruise and yachting sectors are about to be hosted at 2019 Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum, in a thought-provoking debate concerning nowadays trends of tοurism Industry that will take place at the Domotel Kastri Conference Center at the end of May.
On Thursday, 29 November 2018 the Best of Boats Awards (BOB) were presented at Boat & Fun Berlin.
On its third day, MEDYS 2019 got off to an early start with an Educational Breakfast Presentation organised by the Charter Yacht Brokers Association (CYBA) in the Trianon Theatre in Nafplion.
Where Berlin looks ahead to next summer: Experience the fascination of water sports and mobility at BOAT & FUN BERLIN
We spent one day at Spanopoulos Shipyards and found it to be the largest and most up-to-date shipyard in Greece. Report by Gerasimos Gerolimatos for Skipperondeck.gr
We travelled to Poland to visit the country’s largest shipyard, the famous Galeon Yachts. We were invited on board by Maritime Ventures, the official dealers of the famous Galeon Yachts, accompanied by Yiannis Oikonomidis and Konstantina Simoni, heads of Maritime Ventures in Greece.
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The 2017 470 World Championships is taking place from 7-15 July 2017 at…


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ALLEN PARK (WWJ) – Detroit Tigers MVP and Cy Young Winner Justin Verlander is making a big pitch to help veterans.
He visited a Meijer store in Allen Park on Wednesday to present a $45,000 check to the VA hospitals of Detroit and Ann Arbor.
Verlander is donating 100-percent of his proceeds from the sale of Fastball Flakes to both of the facilities.
More than 110,000 boxes of “Fastball Flakes” featuring Verlander’s face have been sold since the cereal was introduced at Detroit area Meijer stores in February.
Verlander is also hosting veterans in his personal suite for games he pitches at Comerica Park this season, as part of his Victory For Veterans Foundation.
Verlander admits its fun to see his face on the box.
He joked with reporters, “I sneak into Meijer ever now and again and buy maybe 20, 30 boxes. No, I’m just kidding.”
Verlander admits he has endured some teasing by his teammates about having his own cereal, but it’s all in good fun.
“A couple of the guys had the boxes sitting in their locker … they had it just sitting right there in their locker the entire Spring training. I had to walk by it every day,” he said. “My only comeback is, well, you’re on a cereal box.”


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The Ford Ka has failed the Latin NCAP side impact crash test with a bang. Manufactured and sold in Brazil, the A-Segment minicar earned zero stars for adult occupant protection and just three stars for child protection. The global car testing program based on U.S. NCAP standards is pushing automakers to increase safety standards for developing markets, and for good reason. These small cars have big damn problems.
While the car earned four stars during a frontal crash test two years ago, Latin NCAP revised their testing procedures and put the same vehicle through the wringer in October. The Ford Ka was obliterated by additional side barrier impact tests at just 31 miles per hour. The chest of the crash test dummy was compacted and the B-Pillar punched through the passenger compartment. The child fared better, but three stars aren’t going to attract any cautious parents. Obviously a minicar isn’t going to have the best safety rating compared to larger vehicles, but this is an unacceptable level of risk in a common accident.
Compounding the problem, there are a lot of these vehicles on the road. The Ford Ka, also sold as the Ford Figo, is a popular economy car in Latin America and the third best-selling car in Brazil. This isn’t the only vehicle available with zero stars on the sticker, either. Other minis with stomach-churning ratings include the Chevrolet Spark, Renault Kwid, Hyundai Eon, Mahindra Scorpio, and Suzuki Maruti. While most of these vehicles are aimed at the Latin and South American markets and not available in the U.S., that doesn’t mean automakers should skimp on basic engineering.
Latin NCAP has chewed out General Motors, Ford, and other automakers for lax safety standards on small cars in the past. The revised tests reflect a growing determination to buck industry pressure to lower standards for cheap cars aimed at buyers with less money. Just because a family can’t afford a large car doesn’t mean they should be trapped in a rolling disaster. We all know consumers will gravitate towards the most affordable vehicles. Without tough industry standards, automakers won’t provide a safer alternative that gives consumer more choice and less risk. Don’t kid yourselves, either. Without crash testing standards in the U.S., automakers would do their best to put a cheaper (but more dangerous) vehicle on the road if it saved them money. Many consumers would accept the risk for a good deal—at least until you’re the one getting peeled out of a ruined car, or you T-bone a fellow driver at an intersection and kill a kid. Higher standards benefit everyone by raising the floor for road safety.
This is just the latest salvo in the NCAP’s attempt to improve occupant protections and avoid tragic fatalities in car accidents across the continent. Check out the video for yourself below.


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Microsoft Ventures, the tech giant’s venture capital investment arm, is now M12.
The “M” in the name stands for Microsoft, and 12 stands for the 12 letters in the word entrepreneur, Corporate Vice President and Global Head of Early Stage Investments Nagraj Kashyap, wrote in a blog post announcing the new name. Microsoft Ventures used to be the name of the company’s startup accelerator team before the investment group adopted the name. The change is to provide clarity between the investment arm and accelerator program, now called Microsoft ScaleUp.
M12, under the Microsoft Ventures flag, formed in 2016 and has since made more than 50 investments in areas that align with Microsoft’s vision like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence/machine learning, industrial drones and 3D printing. The organization is made up of venture capital investors and Microsoft veterans based in Seattle, San Francisco, New York, London and Tel Aviv, Israel. It has participated in rounds led by global venture capital firms and served as a lead investor at times.
Microsoft previously took a less structured approach to investing in startups, in contrast with other tech companies such as Intel and Google, which have their own formalized venture programs. Other than the new name, Kashyap writes that nothing else will change at M12.
“Our goal remains the same as ever: we want to be the most sought-after investor for entrepreneurs driving digital transformation,” Kashyap wrote. “We'll continue to do this by connecting the most innovative startups out there with Microsoft's executives, business unit leaders, individual engineers and salespeople, who work with our companies as we build the next generation of technology'”together.”


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Oppo announced that it will launch its most anticipated phone, Reno 2, on August 28 this year. The device has been socially luring the public with multiple rumours and leaks flooding the internet. The latest leak about the beast is the alleged benchmark scores of the device ahead of its launch in the Indian market.
The AnTuTu website listed a device under the code 'PCKM00' with an overall score of 259109. The score is quite comparable to the processor of Redmi K20 that boasts of a Snapdragon 730 processor. According to the Tech2 report, Reno 2 is expected to host a Snapdragon 730G processor, that has a higher processing GPU that Redmi K20.
Additional information from the website stated that the upcoming device claimed to be Reno 2 will integrate 128GB of storage space boosted by 8GB of RAM. The device will sandwich the processor with a screen producing a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels.
The highly anticipated device has scored 95561, 71241, 46844 and 45063 respectively in CPU, GPU, memory and UX benchmarks, Tech2 reported.
Oppo is expected to launch the Reno 2- lineup in two variants, one of which is the Reno 2A. The Reno 2A is expected to be launched in the mid-range segment competing against the likes of Redmi, Realme, and Vivo.
However, some of the intel about Reno 2A, produced by MySmartPrice states that the device will be launched with a 710 SoC out of the box and will host a 6.5-inch display. The processor will be run by 6 GB of RAM with about 128 GB of storage.


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Shop’s closure after 42 years leaves a baitfish void
Back in 1976, Bill and Pat van Camp moved to the Riverside section of Buffalo and decided to open a bait and tackle shop – Big Catch on Niagara Street.
They had $500 and bought as much tackle as they could to get the business up and functioning. They had both quit their jobs to put their hearts and souls into the fishing industry.
After a few years of operating, they had noticed trucks coming in from Ohio and collecting bait at the foot of Ferry Street in Buffalo. That was when they expanded the business to include baitfish.
After focusing on wholesale bait collection, they decided to take the bait on the road. They started to deliver to Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan, as well as all around New York. At one point, Big Catch supported five full-time bait collectors. They had a staff of 26 employees associated with the store, including drivers.
“We were one of the biggest wild baitfish dealers in the country,” said Bill, who recently turned 66. “We really didn’t want people to know how big this business could be. We didn’t need to alert the competition.”
Things went great for many years, at least until the arrival of VHS – Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia. VHS hit the state in 2005, and by 2007, new fish transportation regulations were put in place and baitfish distribution came to a screaming halt. It took them two years, but they finally transitioned from wild-caught baitfish to certified baitfish that were trucked in from other states like Arkansas.
In the meantime, the restrictions taught many of the local fishermen how to catch bait on their own as the cost of baitfish continued to rise. That increase in cost will continue now that the Big Catch family has decided to retire from the business, leaving a huge void in baitfish availability. Since the announcement of the store closure, baitfish costs to the small stores have already gone up again, according to the van Camps.
“It will come to a point where bait will have to be sold on deli scales,” said Bill, who finally might have time to fish and recently purchased his first fishing license in 10 years. “Costs are going to continue to increase and there will come a point where there won’t be enough of a demand where trucks will make the trip to New York any more. As we continue to lose our senior anglers, we are not seeing them being replaced with the younger generation.”
With only a few bait wholesalers left, it appears that they will not be able to service all the 150-plus tackle shops that Big Catch supplied. The smaller shops in out-of-the-way places will suffer. When you factor in other difficulties like the increase in competition from online and big box outdoor stores, as well as localized issues like the high-water levels on Lake Ontario, many of the Mom and Pop operations are struggling just to keep their doors open.
“I just hope that the popularity of fishing continues,” Pat said. “Many kids don’t know what they’re missing.”
Yes, it’s important to get the next generation involved with fishing. And it’s important to support your local bait and tackle shops. Let’s hope that the closure of Big Catch in Buffalo doesn’t cause a snowball effect and force the closure of other shops around the state.
We wish the van Camps well. Bill can now go fishing and Pat can spend more time with their dog, Gucci, a beautiful Weimaraner. They have a house in Allegany County they will be able to spend more time at, as well as a place in Buffalo. Their son, Aaron, who has a cans-for-cash business next to the old shop that is closing, will still sell worms and crabs.
However, the baitfish end of things is now history.


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(CNN/WTAJ) — Burger King has unveiled ‘Real Meals’ because ‘no one is happy all of the time’ to raise awareness for Mental Health Month.
The fast food chain is advertising ‘Real Meals,’ and they don’t come with a toy. They come with an adult-sized whopper combo meal, and you can order based on how you’re feeling.
For instance, the Salty Meal, the Blue Meal, or the DGAF Meal.
It’s a collaboration with the non-profit Mental Health America for Mental Health Month.
The slogan on the boxes reminds customers ‘no one is happy all the time’
The meals are available at the following locations, according to the Burger King Facebook page:
- 3301 Fourth Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98134
- 474 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10018
- 4918 West Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90027
- 6000 FM 969, Austin, TX 78724
- 1100 – 5th Street, Miami Beach, FL 33139


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User-generated con-tent: The advent of user-generated content platforms has given so much to the world: skateboarding dogs, sneezing pandas and oh-so-many cute cats. It’s also created billions of dollars for the companies building the platforms, like Google and Facebook. The content creators themselves? Not so much. Fast Company takes a look at just how much monetary value Facebook and YouTube have created for themselves rather than for the creators. Now, to be fair, this is only “monetary value,” and many creators aren’t in this for the money but for recognition, social currency, feeling connected, whatever. Still, the infographic shows the uphill battle traditional media companies face in the war for attention when tech platforms can get armies of millions creating attention-gobbling content. Fast Company
Trendy TV: One of the more interesting and unlikely effects of social media is that it could save TV. Well, that’s going too far, but the real-time Web is strengthening the appeal of appointment TV viewing. Time-shifting Glee is great and all, but is it as fun when you can’t tweet and update Facebook with other Gleeks as the show unfolds? Social monitoring firm Trendrr has an interesting site, Trendrr.tv, which ranks programming by the sentiment expressed in social media. This could be quite big if it works. The problem is sentiment-analysis is a tricky business in conversation. Computers are just great at picking up sarcasm. (See what I did there?) But if it does, social buzz could be an important predictor of success for TV programs. Trendrr.tv
Twitter’s Costolo Speaks: All Things D has gotten around to posting the video of an informative interview of Twitter CEO Dick Costolo by WSJ’s Walt Mossberg. Some highlights: Costolo complains there isn’t a third-party service that can correctly measure Twitter’s audience, since much of it uses apps; its mobile use is up 150 percent from the start of the year; users send over 1 billion tweets a week; Twitter isn’t killing off apps but “encouraging the ecosystem to move up the value chain”; it’s a “remarkably successful business;” and it has 650 advertisers who have run 6,000 campaigns. Twitter has surely come a long ways in a short time as a business, but it has still yet to prove it can provide those advertisers with large-scale ad campaigns beyond a one-day promoted trend and some promoted tweets. It will be interesting to see how it gets there without pissing off its users. All Things D
Think Before You Send: Jordan Bitterman, svp of Digitas, offers his valuation of Groupon in the future.
Media employees face no consequences for ignoring return-to-office requests — yet
Employees and union members at a number of media companies had not heard of anyone facing disciplinary actions for continuing to work from home.
How ad tech aims to build back better
After the disruption of GDPR, the digital media sector is marching back up hill.
Member ExclusiveMedia Buying Briefing: How Gale became the ‘tip of the spear’ for Stagwell Media Network’s growing agency roster
Multi-discipline agency Gale was founded in 2014 as a research and CRM-driven shop that always was intended to be built upon. When media was added into the offerings, Gale hit another gear of growth.
SponsoredHow FAST channels are redefining primetime opportunities for advertisers
Top takeaways from the Digiday Publishing Summit
Digiday's media team recaps their top takeaways from the event, and media executives in attendance share the opportunities, challenges and industry trends that are top of mind for them at the moment.
Digiday partners and invests in Marketecture, deepening its ad tech content and expertise
The two companies have joined forces to help close the gap between buyers and vendors by shining a light on the multibillion-dollar ad tech industry.


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Queens launched its summer tourism initiative yesterday with Mr. Met, tennis balls, dragon boat paddles - and a few jabs at the other boroughs.
"Now when they come to New York, they want to see something else." In its third summer, the tourism program offers discounts on admissions, gift shop sales and memberships at many of the borough's best-known institutions.
"Working together, we are getting more and more people to come to Queens and see the world," Marshall said.
In an interview with the Daily News following the news conference, Marshall bemoaned the lack of parking in Manhattan and insisted that she can hold her own with peppy Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.


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Twitter is finally taking off the training wheels and moving into the world where real businesses tread with the launch today of its first advertising model.
Twitter and Research In Motion have released an official application for BlackBerry users to interact with the popular microblogging and social networking site.
More people outside of the U.S. have registered for Twitter accounts than people in the U.S., the company said on Thursday.
Twitter has given its home page a makeover with the intention of giving first-time visitors a better idea of what the microblogging and social-networking site is and of the value it can provide, beyond being just a repository of status updates.
With social networks such as Facebook and Twitter taking up more and more of our time and attention, the Spring Demo conference was loaded with technology designed to make it easier and faster to share and pull together information.
Many South by Southwest attendees reportedly walked out halfway through the keynote appearance by Twitter CEO Evan Williams this week citing boredom, but the announcement he made on stage deserves careful attention, according to industry experts.
Users of popular micro-blogging service Twitter were unable to access the site for almost 30 minutes early Wednesday.
Twitter plans to launch a new platform that lets Web publishers display 'tweets' on their sites more broadly and easily than is possible today via the company's APIs (application programming interfaces).
Twitter knows where you are -- at least in the U.S.
Twitter users can now add their current location to their tweets. The micro-blogging service on Thursday activated an optional new feature that appends geographical information to your posts.
Intel invested an undisclosed amount in social media incubator Betaworks to gain insight into real-time user behavior on social networks, the chip maker said on Thursday.
Criminals started targeting Twitter in earnest during a key period in early 2009, and security company Barracuda Labs has worked out why. During the same few weeks a key list of a-list celebrities joined the site.
BlackBerry Twitter users rejoice! The official BlackBerry Twitter app will finally be released on BlackBerry App World in the coming weeks.
Twitter launched a new link-screening service on Tuesday aimed at preventing phishing and other malicious attacks against users of the popular microblogging service.
A study released today supports the oft stated notion that most of Twitter's 75 million registered users are less than committed to the microblogging site.
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The Government has announced new Covid-19 restrictions aimed at clamping down on house parties.
The new rules will mean a maximum of 10 people from four separate households will now be allowed to visit friends and family.
The move follows growing concerns over the spread of the virus among young people attending house parties.
After a cabinet, Taoiseach Micheal Martin announced the country will not move into the next phase of the easing of Covid-19 restrictions.
Mr Martin said he is concerned about the spread of the virus and said phase four of the roadmap for reopening the country will now be delayed.
The Taoiseach also announced that face coverings will become mandatory for all shoppers and retail workers. Retailer workers will be required to wear face coverings if they are not working behind screens.
He said the government will devise penalties for those who do not comply with the new rules.
Mr Martin announced that pubs, nightclubs and casinos will remain closed until August 10. However, pubs that serve food will be able to remain open.
The Government has also warned the public against any foreign travel.


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But shareholders will profit less than under an earlier agreement: Bass Pro will pay $61.50 per share for Cabela's stock, down from $65.50, the Sidney retailer said Monday.
Cabela's also said Georgia bank Synovus will now buy the credit-card unit as a middleman.
Cabela's Inc. on Monday announced it has entered into agreements with subsidiaries of Synovus Financial Corp. and Capital One Financial Corp.to sell assets and liabilities of its wholly owned bank subsidiary, World's Foremost Bank, which helps smooth the approval of its merger with rival Bass Pro Shops, according to a company press release. Capital One previously had agreed to pay about $200 million above what the assets of World's Foremost Bank were worth. Cabela's said that put the value of the deal at $5 billion, down from $5.5 billion, including debt.
The two companies first announced the deal in October.
"We're excited to announce this agreement, which allows us to look ahead with greater certainty toward the completion of our merger with Bass Pro Shops and offers a positive step forward for all parties", said Tommy Millner, Cabela's chief executive officer. Capital One, the proposed buyer of Cabela's banking and credit card businesses, had to back out of the deal due to an unrelated regulatory situation that would have delayed the merger significantly. "[Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's] really are the best possible example of direct competitors", Wagner told Retail Dive past year.
Privately owned Bass Pro Shops owns over 90 giant retail locations in North America that focus on fishing, boating, and camping, while Cabela's runs roughly 85 stores in the USA and Canada in a similar space, but with a primary focus on hunting.
Bass Pro Shops has locations in northeast Denver and Colorado Springs. The similarities and overlap make a merger both rational and a target of careful scrutiny from regulators, according to Scott Wagner, an antitrust expert and partner in law firm Bilzin Sumberg's litigation group - and, clearly, close scrutiny is now ongoing. Synovus will keep the bank's deposits.
A Bass Pro Shops/Cabela's merger would create a national chain with more than 180 locations, roughly 40,000 workers with control of more than 20 percent of the $50 billion US hunting, camping and fishing market, analysts at Stifel Nicolaus have estimated.
With the challenges of today's retail environment, a Cabela's buyout may be the only way to save the brand, Gordon said.
However, the price cut is mostly because of changes in the sale of the Cabela's credit card business.
"This is good news for Cabela's as a company, good news for Cabela's shareholders, and it's also good news for people who work there", Gordon said.


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Government urged to support basket weaving industry
Stakeholders in the Upper East Region have called on the Government to support the growth of the basket-weaving industry in the Region to help improve upon the livelihoods of the people.
The stakeholders, including traders within the export product supply systems, made the appeal in an interview with the GNA on the sidelines of the Ghana Export Authority (GEPA) School programme in Bolgatanga on Friday.
They said the majority of women in the region were engaged in the basket weaving industry and that if supported properly it could help improve the livelihoods of many homes.
The School which was organized by GEPA, was aimed at addressing the international trade- training needs of the export commodity, agencies supporting export trade development, business and personnel within the export supply system.
Madam Vida Boyubie, Programme Manager of Trade Aid Integrated, stated that the areas government could help included product development of the basket industry to meet international standards so as to attract good foreign exchange for the people in the region, particularly women.
She said government could do this by engaging organizations that had the fullest potentials in training the weavers in very good product development, adding government could also play a leading role by negotiating with banks to make their lending rates more flexible for people engaged in the industry.
She noted that another major challenge confronting the industry was the lack of raw materials in the region which compelled many of the weavers to travel to the southern parts of the country to purchase material.
The participants stated that the straw which is the raw material for the basket industry used to grow well in the region which made it easier for basket production, and said they could be supported to cultivate the raw materials in the valleys and river banks.
“If government pays very important attention to the basket industry, not only will it help address the poverty situation here but will also help create more jobs”, the stakeholders said.
Mr Peter Obeng, Director of GEPA in charge of Product Development Division explained that one of the main reasons for the programme was to provide technical capacity building for the exporters to empower them to know the global trends in terms of regulations, market size and market requirements so that they could cope with the system and the anticipated changes in the global market.
He said it would also equip them to strategize very well with their competitors particularly in the area of pricing, quality and frequency.
Mr Martin Akogti, Zonal Officer of GEPA entreated the participants to take advantage of what they had learned from the training, particularly in the areas of export marketing, standards and export certification, food safety and hygiene, and to also explore the opportunities disclosed to them.


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Pop-Up Staging Furniture Gets Modern Twist
May 27, 2016
Staging professionals are revisiting pop-up furniture, as many of the new options appear more like the real thing. Lightweight, flat-pack faux furniture is helping potential buyers envision what an otherwise empty house would look like furnished and real estate professionals are finding the pop-up furnishings are easier to store and deliver to properties.
You can find more staging tips on our Styled, Staged & Sold blog.
A recent open house in New York City was filled with contemporary furniture that was actually made of corrugated plastic, from the large boxy sofa to the desk with faceted legs, sculptural coffee table, bed, and even the artwork hanging on the walls.
For those who don’t want to spend a lot on renting furniture for staging, the faux options are seeming like a good fit, according to a recent article by The New York Times. What’s more, home owners say they like the stand-ins better than virtual staging since home buyers can see it when they visit the property rather than just viewing properties of what the empty space would look like online.
Companies such as inFormed Space are offering plastic furniture for home buyers who are looking for a more affordable solution to outfitting an empty space for staging.
“I love conventional staging; it always looks lovely,” Douglas Pinter, who owns inFormed Space, told The New York Times. “But it’s very expensive to execute, because of logistical costs,” notably the storage and delivery costs often associated. His company offers lightweight, collapsible pieces that can easily be delivered and stored.
Another company named Dandy Pack, formerly NextStage Furniture, offers flat-pack furniture made of cardboard and that is then covered with slipcovers for home staging.
Dandy Pack’s reusable products include armchairs ($246 each), sofas ($341) and beds (starting at $255), covered with slipcovers in a variety of colors. The company also makes a nonfunctional dining table out of wood veneer ($326) that is held up by built-in faux chairs.
“They were shipped to my office, and I threw them into the back of a cab,” Lee Presser, an associate broker with the Corcoran Group, told The New York Times. “I was totally set up in less than an hour.”
Source: “Pop-Up Home Staging,” The New York Times (May 26, 2016)
Updated: June 20, 2018


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Police are asking for the public’s help in locating the owner of some perplexing household goods.
Last week, the Delta police recovered a collection of high-end household items that were found in a stolen sea container.
The goods include vintage Danish furniture, a Hudson Bay wool throw, welding equipment, a large framed art print, and an eight-foot-tall totem pole.
Police explain that the container, also known as a sea-can, was valued at more than $3,000, and was purchased from a container company late last year.
Earlier this month, it was determined that the purchase was fraudulent and the sea-can was found at a storage facility in Delta. Once opened, 15 police officers were needed to transfer the contents back to headquarters, where police searched to find the owner of the goods.
“Our officers have been through the contents of the sea-can, which would fill a 1-2 bedroom home, and there’s nothing to indicate who the owner is,” said Cris Leykauf, spokesperson for Delta Police. “Officers have tried to match the serial numbers of stolen items against police databases, but haven’t had any success.”
Leykauf also explains that no arrests have been made so far regarding the stolen property. The investigation is still ongoing.
Anyone with information regarding the rightful owner(s) of these goods is asked to contact Delta Police at 604-946-4411 regarding file 19-1556 and ask for Constable Sahota (ext. 4082).


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Disney’s appetite for trademarks
Disney seems to have finally learned that some trademarks are better off left unclaimed.
Disney seems to have finally learned that some trademarks are better off left unclaimed, said the Associated Press. The company this week withdrew a trademark request it made for “Dia de los Muertos,” the name of the traditional “Day of the Dead” holiday celebrated by Mexicans, after coming under intense public criticism. “What were they thinking?” said Genevieve Barrios Southgate of the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, Calif. Disney hoped to secure the name rights for merchandise linked to an animated movie it is producing with Pixar.
It’s not the first time the Magic Kingdom has come under fire over trademarks. In 2011, it withdrew an application to trademark “SEAL Team 6” following criticism that the company was trying to profit off the Navy SEAL team that killed Osama bin Laden.


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The strong demand for Malaysian gold jewellery products from Singapore will maintain the value of exports of MYR4.8 billion, the same as the value exported in 2021.
According to Malaysia External Trade Development Corp, Malaysia exported MYR4 billion worth of gold jewellery products from January to August, more than the MYR2.87 billion registered for the same period a year ago.
The top buyers were Singapore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Japan, Hong Kong, and Australia.
“We expected the value of gold jewellery products to decrease because of the volatility of gold prices. Since April 2022, the gold price fluctuated between USD1,951 (MYR8,721) per ounce and USD1,664 (MYR7,438) per ounce. Normally, investors don’t buy gold jewellery when gold prices fluctuate significantly. However, because of the strong buying from Singapore, the sale of gold jewellery to the city-state has increased, boosting the value to MYR4 billion in August from MYR2.29 billion in May,” Penang Goldsmith Association (PGA) adviser Joeson Khor told StarBiz.
Current gold prices are hovering around USD1,750 (MYR7,823) per ounce. Singapore bought MYR1.8 billion worth of gold jewellery from Malaysia between January and August 2022, while during the same period, the UAE and Japan imported MYR1.38 billion and MYR2.88 billion of Malaysian-made gold jewellery.
“Singaporeans started investing more in gold jewellery last year. Gold consumer demand from Singapore was 2.7 tonnes in the second quarter of 2021, up 124 per cent compared with the same quarter in 2020, according to a recent World Gold Council (WGC) report.
“The trend continued into this year. Jewellery demand from Singapore rose 43 per cent year-on-year to two tonnes in the second quarter of 2022.
“According to the World Gold Council (WGC) report, jewellery consumption increased 35 per cent year-on-year to three tonnes in Malaysia. The economic recovery and the lifting of most remaining COVID-19 measures have supported demand,” he said.
According to Khor, with pandemic control measures lifted and international travel resuming in April, jewellery consumption saw a notable rebound.
“Festival-buying also played a role in the second quarter, as gold protects wealth and is a safe-haven asset. COVID-19 has had a significant impact on consumer confidence, and it is in markets that have dealt with the pandemic more effectively that consumer demand for gold has been more robust.
“ASEAN is an important gold market -Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia sit within the top 10 consumer markets for gold worldwide, and Singapore has one of the highest per capita spending on gold globally,” he said.
Source: Borneo Bulletin
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In an unexpected development, a recent report by Brazilian journalist Pedro Henrique Lutti Lippe suggests that Nintendo‘s highly anticipated next-gen console, the Nintendo Switch 2, will now likely launch in Q1 2025 instead of the previously projected late 2024 release. This news has had a ripple effect on both the gaming community and the stock market. Reports reveal that the announcement has caused a significant drop in Nintendo’s stock prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, leading to concerns among investors and industry analysts. In this piece, we will explore the implications of this delay, consider the possible reasons behind it, and evaluate its potential impact on Nintendo’s financial performance going forward.
After the news of the Q1 2025 launch for the Nintendo Switch 2, the company witnessed a notable decline in its stock prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Initially, share prices fell by up to 8.8%, eventually stabilizing at an overall loss of 5.8% in value. This sudden downturn has raised apprehensions among investors and financial analysts, signaling a dip in investor confidence.
Nintendo’s stock had recently reached a peak of ¥8,874 ($59) amid mounting excitement for the next iteration of the Switch. However, subsequent to the delayed launch announcement, the stock price dipped to ¥8,410 ($56). Although this figure remains relatively high compared to past levels, it indicates a noticeable drop in value.
Mio Kato, an analyst at LightStream Research, predicts that the decrease in stock prices may persist if the delay in the console launch leads to a lackluster software lineup this year. Kato expresses concerns regarding postponed key software releases at a time when the current hardware is considerably dated. Investors and gaming enthusiasts are now eager to witness substantial growth in Nintendo’s software offerings to ensure the company recovers market momentum.
While the stock price decline may unsettle some investors, Robin Zhu, an analyst at Bernstein, advises maintaining composure and suggests that it could offer a chance to acquire shares at a reduced price. Zhu believes that despite the setback, Nintendo’s forthcoming hardware announcement could reignite investor interest in due course.
Additionally, some sources speculate that the internal postponement of the Nintendo Switch 2 launch is intended to facilitate the development of robust first-party software for the console. This deliberate approach may work in Nintendo’s favor in the long term, ensuring a strong game lineup upon release, similar to the strategy employed for the original Nintendo Switch.
The delay in the Nintendo Switch 2 launch raises concerns about the company’s performance in the fiscal year concluding in March 2025. If major software releases are delayed, coupled with the aging current hardware, Nintendo’s financial standing could be negatively impacted.
Given the intense competition in the gaming sector and the ever-evolving technological landscape, it is imperative for Nintendo to maintain a solid market position. The postponed release of the Nintendo Switch 2 provides an opportunity for rivals to seize the spotlight, potentially affecting the sales and market share of Nintendo’s existing console, the Nintendo Switch.
To summarize, the reports of an anticipated Q1 2025 launch delay for the Nintendo Switch 2 have resulted in a dip in Nintendo’s stock prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. While this may raise concerns among some investors, it also presents an opportunity for others to invest at a lower price point. The delay can be viewed as a strategic move by Nintendo to enhance its first-party software offerings for the next-gen console. However, uncertainties linger about the impact on Nintendo’s fiscal year and its competitive stance in the dynamic gaming industry. Only time will reveal whether this delay will ultimately benefit Nintendo in the long haul. As gaming enthusiasts eagerly await further updates, the market awaits Nintendo’s subsequent steps with anticipation.