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Additional reporting by Neil Merrett.
Calls for a tourism boycott of the Maldives have exploded across Chinese social media networks, after allegations of discrimination against guests from China at one resort became widely circulated.
On March 1, dismissed Chinese employees of the Beach House Iruveli resort – formerly Waldorf Astoria – posted allegations on the Chinese forum Tianya that guests from the country were receiving inferior treatment to Europeans, despite paying the same prices.
The staff alleged that this discrimination extended to removing kettles from the rooms of Chinese guests, to prevent them making instant noodles in their rooms and thereby forcing them into the resort’s restaurants.
Despite claiming that 90 percent of the resorts guests were Chinese, the resort assumed Chinese guests should be able to speak English and was unwilling to hire Mandarin speakers who were able to communicate with the guests, the dismissed staff alleged.
“We watched our compatriots suffer unfair treatment but could do nothing,” wrote the employees, in Mandarin.
Chinese staff at the resort who voiced concern were dismissed and sent back to China, the staff alleged, and in some cases were made to pay their own airfare out of their owing wages.
One of the staff members began a “revolt”, according to the post, and refused to agree to the terms of his dismissal from the “Human Resources Ministry”, labelling it “unfair treatment”.
The Chinese staff members said they are ultimately forced to resign “after the Ministry of Personnel and Security began 24-hour surveillance, confiscating our phones, blocking our internet and controlling our [communications] with the outside world.
“We were treated like criminals to be monitored, and felt our safety was threatened. We simply could not imagine things would develop to the point where our heart is filled with panic, we tried every way to appeal to the outside world for help.
“Later, with a friend’s help, we called the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, and Ambassador Hu was able to guarantee our safety,” the staff wrote.
The staff said they were too exhausted by that stage to argue with the deductions on their wages imposed by the Human Resources department, as the just wanted to the experience to “end as soon as possible” and return home.
“We do not want this kind of discrimination, not this unfair treatment. Our Chinese tourists spend money here not to be frowned upon, to be discriminated against as second-class guests. We want fair treatment and truly five-star service.
“For those who discriminate against Chinese guests, I hope you will sincerely apologise to the Chinese people,” the post concluded.
In response to the allegations of the dismissed staff, Beach House Iruveli issued a statement confirming that a group of five Chinese staff members “resigned on their own accord on February 18, 2013.”
“We continue to operate a dedicated staff of Chinese Villa Hosts at the resort who are solely responsible for looking after the specific needs of our Chinese guests. Our resident Chinese staff are happy and fulfilling their duties as per the high standards of the resort and guest expectations,” the statement read.
“The Beach House Iruveli did remove some damaged kettles from rooms as part of routine maintenance due to the fact that these kettles were damaged by guests by cooking food. However, nespresso machines are always available in all rooms as part of full amenities and also dispense hot water to all guests,” stated Haydee Cruz, the resort’s Director of Sales and Marketing.
“The Beach House Iruveli has a policy to allocate a Villa Host to the respective language spoken by the guests. In this regard, we have Chinese Villa Hosts for Chinese speaking guests. We have not received any guest complaints regarding the alleged discrimination from a specific group of former employees relating to a difference of treatment and continue to only receive positive comments and appreciation from our Chinese guests,” Cruz said.
“The Chinese market is very important for us and are always warmly welcomed to the Beach House Iruveli. As a result of the defamatory accusations against The Beach House Iruveli our legal representatives have been engaged,” Cruz added.
By Sunday, the employees’ post had been forward over 91,000 times across the Chinese blogosphere, according to one report from the International Herald Tribune, and sparked calls for a Chinese tourism boycott of the Maldives in Chinese media.
One Bejing-based travel agent specialising in the Maldives told the South China Morning Post that many Chinese tourists had started cancelling their plans to visit the country.
Discriminatory treatment was “very rare” at resorts in the Maldives, the agent explained, however “after the incident, my clients now all make a new request when booking resorts: no discrimination.”
Chinese tourists now dominate tourism statistics in terms of arrivals, accounting for almost a quarter of all visitors to the Maldives in 2012.
Despite the high numbers – more than double the Maldives’ traditional UK market – many resorts regard Chinese guests as relatively ‘low-yield’ due to lower spending on extras such as food and drink, and instead use their numbers to boost occupancy rates during the off season.
A Chinese boycott now would hit the tourism sector in the Maldives just as the industry goes into its off-peak period.
Meanwhile, the sector’s once explosive double-figure growth fell to just 0.7 percent last year, falling from 15.8 percent in 2010 and 9.1 percent in 2011.
The market has also proved very sensitive to political upheaval, and was the first targeted for a ‘reassurance’ mission by the Maldives Marketing and PR Corporation (MMPRC) following the events of February 2012 and the cancellation of several charter flights.
A few Maldivian travel agencies who work closely with the Chinese market told Minivan News at the time that “quite a lot of Chinese customers are very concerned of this situation. Some of them are hesitant to make reservations now,” said Emy Zheng, a Chinese national working at Villuxa Holidays. She noted that only a few bookings were been cancelled, while others have tried to postpone their holiday.
Government responds to boycott claims
Minister of Tourism Ahmed Adheeb said no formal complaints had been received by Maldivian authorities over alleged discrimination at the country’s resorts.
However, Adheeb asked that in future, any tourists who had such complaints about their treatment file such concerns with the tourism ministry and other relevant authorities rather than through the press and social media.
“We have not received any complaints of discrimination like this, but we do take such incidents seriously,” he said, claiming that the Iruveli allegations appeared to have been raised by disgruntled former resort staff.
“What seems to have happened is that a staff member has been dismissed from this resort and has a lot of hate for the company,” Adheeb said.
“China presents a new market that has seen rapid growth I think since 2009. We are working to try and adapt at the best level possible and we have seen Chinese staff now working at resorts and even Chinese restaurants are being set up to cater for guests,” he added.
Since the inception of the Maldives tourism industry 40 years ago, Adheeb claimed that there traditionally had been teething problems for the resort industry in adapting to new markets, but that these had always been overcome with time.
“In the early days [of tourism], there were some tensions between German and Italian tourists at resorts, but we always have figured out how to adapt to this,” he said.
“Looking at some of the letters the ministry has received, we used to get complaints from resorts about noise created by Russian tourists. However they are now often the most preferred guests in the country. Travel trends are always changing.”
While expressing sadness at allegations raised in Chinese media, Adheeb said expressed his belief that particularly with China being the largest tourism market for the Maldives, the tourism industry was not biased or discriminatory.
“We [Maldivians] are not biased or discriminatory by nature. There is perhaps a little bias with Asians in the region similar to us, but not to the Chinese,” he added.


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What does the new Google / Twitter relationship mean for your business?
I speak with business owners every day about the importance of search marketing and having strong social media presence. Some get it, some don’t, but inevitably Twitter is the social network people understand the least and thus, underutilize the most. If this sounds like you and your business, pay attention to this post as it might change your strategy in a hurry.
A Deal is struck
In early February, Google and Twitter announced a partnership in which Google will be displaying a live feed of tweets on the search engine results pages. They expect to start rolling out this feature here in the first half of 2015. Google will now have instant access to Twitter’s live data stream where in the past few years; it had to crawl Twitter for the info just like every other site.
If this sounds familiar to some, it should. There was a similar partnership between Google and Twitter from 2009-2011. The then-Twitter COO allowed the contract to expire because it was rumored he wanted more control over the social network’s content. Twitter’s current CEO, Dick Costolo, sees things a bit differently. He wants to get as many eyeballs as possible on the site’s content, especially logged-out members and non-Twitter-ers, as user growth has begun to slow. It also opens up new advertising opportunities for businesses that may have previously not seen Twitter as a viable option for their online advertising dollars.
What will the search engine results page look like?
How the tweets are going to be displayed on the SERPs is yet to be seen. Will Twitter have it’s own knowledge graph, of sorts, displaying the most current tweets that answer the search query? Will there be a “Hot Tweets” or “Top Tweets” feature, which may prevent showing duplicate or retweets? We’ll find out soon enough.
What does this mean for my business?
What this means for you, the business owner/CMO/Marketing Manager that has been neglecting the “Twitter machine,” is that you may soon be able to get your message seen by a previously “untapped” audience. Already have good organic or paid placements? This is going to allow your business to occupy even more of that coveted SERP real estate. In order to capitalize on this potential new visibility, you better have a great understanding of your audience. Get a good grip on what your clients/customers will be Googling and compose tweets throughout the day, directed specifically at that subset of people. Compose tweets letting your potential customers know about a new or upcoming sale. Maybe you have a new and exciting product or service? Tell your future customer about it. Give them links to your latest blog post (hopefully you’re blogging!). Share a new client testimonial.
If your company has been neglecting or underutilizing Twitter, now is the time to develop and implement a winning strategy. The marketing possibilities of this are ENDLESS…140 characters at a time.

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When a Fresno, CA grape farmer purchased the first Toyota forklift ever sold in the U.S., little did he know that he would forever be a part of material handling history.
In August, Toyota Material Handling U.S.A. (TMHU) commemorated the sale of that first forklift with a special event for dealers, associates, dignitaries and media held at its U.S. forklift headquarters in Columbus, IN.
In the 50 years since the company sold its first forklift on U.S. soil, more than 800,000 Toyota forklifts have been purchased.
“We’ve accomplished incredible things together,” said Brett Wood, president and CEO of Toyota Material Handling North America at the event. “In 1967 we really only sold a few dozen forklifts to get started. Today, we build a forklift every four minutes.”
The growth in sales is just one thing worthy of celebration. In 1990 Toyota opened its first forklift manufacturing plant — outside of Japan — in Columbus, IN; in 1999 the company unveiled a revolutionary system of active stability technology to drastically improve forklift safety; and in 2002 the company was named the No. 1 forklift brand in North America — a title it still holds today.
“Every single Toyota associate helped us get to where we are today,” Wood said during the Aug. 30 lunch reception. “We did all this working together as one big family — the Toyota family. We are thankful to every single person who has contributed to our success over the past 50 years.”
The Toyota Culture
No company hits these kind of milestones without a solid manufacturing environment, and Toyota is no different.
During a tour of the Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing (TIEM) facility in Columbus, national manager of training and the National Customer Center, Thomas Lego, spoke of the importance of the Toyota culture.“It is important for us to do things the right way — to do things with integrity — to understand that the core values of Toyota are as valid today as they were when they were written by the founder,” Lego said.
Like with most families, the members of the Toyota family don’t always agree. And that’s a good thing, according to Lego.
“There are times when we have to become pretty stern with each other because we understand that we care enough about people to make sure that we keep them safe and productive,” he said. “That's one of the things we strive for daily.”
Underlining everything that is done organizationally at TIEM is the Japanese phrase “Monozukuri wa Hitozukuri”, which essentially means “making things is about making people.” Lego explains that while investments in equipment and infrastructure are significant, just as important, if not more so, is investing in your workers.
“Those are the investments that really stick,” he said. “If we invest in our people we know that our people in turn are going to invest in the process.”
The TIEM facility was built from a training standpoint, Lego said. Associates from the 200-plus dealer locations in the U.S. and Canada — as well as thousands of technicians — can attend sales, customer support, parts and technical training at the facility.
“There is always something to learn,” Lego said. “We’re going to continue to push folks and create this culture of lifelong learning.”
On The Plant Floor
Since Toyota came on the scene in America 50 years ago, the company has seen continued growth year-over-year. In order to keep up with the production goals, Lego said the facility has to run at a 97 to 98 percent efficiency rate. The TIEM facility practices Kaizen — or continuous improvement — which relies on associates always looking at ways to improve productivity, reduce waste and increase safety.
“The system here is intended to bring all problems out in front for us to take care of,” Lego said. “That’s the only way we can turn problems into production treasures.”
During the eight-hour shift that included IMPO’s facility tour, nearly 190 trucks came off the assembly lines at TIEM. Toyota doesn’t batch build equipment — each forklift is different from the next and built to customer specifications. To keep production smooth — and all the moving pieces flowing as easily as possible — the facility utilizes line balancing, which inserts harder to build units between easier to build units.
On the plant floor, automated guided vehicles (AGV) called tuggers deliver subassemblies and parts throughout the day.
“Every 37 minutes we are making deliveries to the line,” Lego said. “We want the associate to receive just what they need when they need it.”
Toyota Turns 50
Two years ago Toyota celebrated 25 years of manufacturing forklifts in America at the Columbus facility. Then, the celebration took place on a patch of grass under a big tent. The 50th anniversary celebration took place in the same location. However, the patch of grass is now a health and recreation facility.
Toyota’s Recreational Complex (TREX) is open 24/7 to Toyota associates and their families for free. Among the facility’s amenities are a gymnasium, yoga studio, spinning room, indoor track and exercise equipment. Additionally, TREX also houses a pharmacy and fulltime healthcare professionals in the medical center.
“It makes me happy to see Toyota associates and their families having fun together, enjoying the benefits of sports and exercise,” Wood said.
Hundreds of Toyota dealers, associates, dignitaries and media gathered at the TREX to tour the facility and take part in the 50th celebration.
Indiana’s Secretary of Commerce, Jim Schillinger, thanked TMHU for its sizable impact on Indiana’s economy.
“Be excited about who you are and what you do every day,” he said. “Every day you’re lifting up Indiana, you’re lifting up America and you’re lifting up
Columbus Mayor James Lienhoop also addressed the crowd and shared gratitude that TMHU chose to come to Columbus in 1990.
“The TREX facility is a wonderful example of the commitment you made to more than 1,400 combined associates in Columbus and we know that this facility is just one part of what makes you employers of choice, make your team members happy to come to work and happy to build, sell and deliver the No. 1 forklift in the USA. all right here from Columbus, IN,” Lienhoop added.
The event wrapped up with a keynote address from legendary University of Indiana basketball coach, Bobby Knight.
To help mark the golden anniversary of the first Toyota forklift sold in the U.S., Toyota associates custom-designed, engineered and built a gold-painted forklift, which was unveiled at the milestone ceremony on Aug. 30.
Toyota will also plant 50 cherry blossom trees on its Columbus campus and donate an additional 50 cherry blossom trees to the city of Columbus. Cherry blossom trees are the national flower of Japan, home of TMHU’s parent company, Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO).
To mark the milestone, TICO executives presented TMHU with a ceramic roof tile sculpture. The ancient roof tiles, called Kawara, are from the Takahama region of Japan, and signify the exceptional workmanship that is a recognized quality of all Toyota products.
As part of the celebration, Toyota also presented the Columbus Department of Parks and Recreation with 50 youth scholarships for those in need.
“Fifty years represents a golden achievement in the U.S., and today we honored the associates, the dealers, our suppliers and the community who supported TMHU’s journey to this major milestone,” Wood said. “This ceremony underscored our legacy here in the U.S., but it was also designed to give a glimpse into the future of Toyota Forklifts’ ongoing leadership and growth in the rapidly changing material handling and logistics industry.”


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Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is the new Star Wars-themed resort hotel being built in Walt Disney World® Resort. Guests will stay at this resort for two days and two nights, their stay being interwoven with each guest’s individual Star Wars story.
Disney has officially announced that the resort is scheduled to open in 2021, with reservations able to be made later this year.
After arriving at a cruise-like terminal, guests will enter into a launch pod, where they will watch as it docks into the Halcyon, the ship that serves as the resort’s setting. Guests will have an opportunity to participate in unique activities such as exploring the atrium, training with lightsabers and touring the ship’s bridge.


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Shopify (SHOP 1.61%) has been getting a lot of attention lately after completing its 10-for-1 stock split on Wednesday, June 29. The e-commerce enabler thrived at the pandemic's onset as it helped thousands of businesses establish an online presence when brick-and-mortar shopping was crippled.
Still, the company was demonstrating remarkable growth even before the outbreak. Let's consider what the stock split means for investors and then determine if the stock is a buy right now.
Shopify's stock split doesn't change ownership
Significantly, when a company splits its stock, it doesn't change ownership percentages. If you owned 5% of the business before the 10-for-1 stock split, you would own 5% after the split. What a split does accomplish is to make each share of the stock more affordable to buy. Shopify is now trading at a price per share in the $30 range. Before the split, it was trading at over $300 per share.
Given that the stock split does little to change ownership percentages, the split itself is no reason to buy Shopify stock.
Shopify is benefiting from a powerful tailwind
That said, Shopify is an excellent business that has grown tremendously over the years. From 2014 to 2021, Shopify's revenue exploded from $105 million to $4.6 billion. At the same time, its gross profit surged from $62 million to $2.5 billion. Shopify benefits from the long-running tailwind of consumers spending more of their money online. The pandemic put fuel on that fire, accelerating e-commerce spending.
Businesses that wanted to keep making sales needed to establish an online presence when they were forced to close their brick-and-mortar stores temporarily. That created a rush of website creation and new account signups for Shopify. In addition to a monthly fee for establishing a website that can take payments, Shopify earns a percentage of sales on its platform.
Despite the surge during the pandemic, e-commerce spending as a percentage of overall retail spending was 14% in the U.S. in 2020. According to Statista, that is expected to rise to 22% by 2025. Of course, it will never reach 100%, but a figure closer to 50% seems plausible in the long run, given all the advantages of online over brick-and-mortar retail.
Shopify's stock is as cheap as it's ever been
Shopify is trading at a price-to-sales ratio of 8.3, which is about as cheap as it has been in the last decade. However, note the lower price following the stock split is not what makes the stock cheap. That lowers the nominal price per share while ownership remains unchanged. Instead, what has made Shopify cheap is the falling market capitalization combined with continued revenue growth.


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1. HOTEL INDUSTRY HOPS ON POP-UP TREND: Pop-up museums, shops, and restaurants are commonplace. Now, the hotel industry is getting in on the pop-up action by hosting pop-up hotels. Skift: “For consumer brands looking at places to pop up, a hotel can be a very attractive option. According to Melissa Gonzalez, chief pop-up architect for retail strategy firm The Lionesque Group, the first consideration is “location, location, location,” and most hotels have that edge. Moreover, hotels offer brands turnkey spaces—the Wi-Fi is there, there is air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter, and there are always restrooms—that are very attractive to temporary tenants. Advantages for the host hotels include media and money. Gonzalez said the hotels in which she has placed pop-ups have seen a 20 percent revenue lift from guest room and event space bookings (some brands kick off their pop-ups with an opening night reception). That figure does not count the revenue from the pop-up rental space itself. Indeed, the buzz is the other big advantage of hosting pop-ups. Since brands conduct marketing campaigns around their pop-ups, the social media halo effect helps the hotels. 'While pop-ups do generate revenue for the hotel they enable 11 Howard to build partnerships within our local community, create an immersive interactive experience for guests and connect with new audiences,' Shannon Sheppard, director of sales and marketing for 11 Howard, a boutique hotel in New York’s Soho neighborhood, said. 'It also allows us to create engaging social media content and foster a sense of newness in a hotel market that is increasingly competitive. [We also find] that it adds intangible value to the guest experience and supports our investment in the local neighborhood.' But serving as hosts for other pop-ups is just part of the equation. Although in its infancy, the pop-up hotel phenomenon is likely to mature quickly." https://bit.ly/2rNH9gn
2. BBC TO LAUNCH NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL: The BBC will launch a new music festival this fall, which will highlight emerging British artists. Billboard: “Taking place at London’s Tobacco Dock Nov. 8-10, BBC Music Introducing LIVE 18 will combine a day program of industry master classes for people wishing to enter the music industry with a nighttime program of live performances from a yet-to-be-announced lineup of new and established artists. BBC Radio will broadcast the event live, while featured zones will include an ‘A&R listening feedback center’ for unsigned home-grown acts. Attendees will also be able to hear from a range of ‘high-profile artists’ about their paths to success, as well as pick up practical advice about recording, navigating the digital marketplace, rights and live performance. In total, there will be over 100 master classes and interactive sessions featuring over 250 speakers “from all quarters of the music industry,” including all the key British music industry bodies, according to the BBC. Ticket details and a full program of talks and guests will be announced next month. The event is being produced by Get On Vision (a joint venture between Vision Nine and Get On Music Media) and looks to build on the inaugural success of last year’s BBC Music Introducing Amplify event, which was held at London’s ExCeL venue and was similarly targeted at helping aspiring DJs, artists and musicians break into the industry.” https://bit.ly/2IFCFSz
3. MIAMI PROM UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR HAVING LIVE TIGER: A jungle-theme prom at a high school in Miami is under investigation after it held a performance with a live tiger. The New York Times: “The episode unfolded on Friday at a DoubleTree hotel near the Miami airport, where Christopher Columbus High School held its prom. The prom for the all-boys Catholic school, which has almost 1,700 students, featured costumed performers doing tricks with flaming torches and loud thumping drums. In the center of the dance floor, surrounded by prom-goers, was a tiger pacing and circling in its cage, a video posted on Facebook showed. The post, which criticized the use of the animal for entertainment purposes, drew widespread attention. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said on Monday that it was aware of the video and was ‘looking into the incident to determine if any violation of Florida’s captive wildlife rules took place.’ The vendor that provided the tiger, Predators Unlimited, is a licensed captive wildlife facility in Florida and has valid permits for the exhibition and sale of a variety of wild animals, the commission said. Company officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In a statement posted on the school’s website, the principal, David Pugh, said, ‘We regret the decision to have had live animals at our prom.’” https://nyti.ms/2Gm1ZaW
* LOCAL NEWS *
BOSTON: Breast Cancer Research Foundation’s annual Boston Hot Pink Party, which took place May 10, raised $1.725 million.
LAS VEGAS: Topgolf will host a royal wedding pajama and viewing party on May 19.
LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Convention Center has named Nancy Walker its new vice president of sales and marketing. Walker has over 20 years’ experience in the events and trade show industry, most recently as the director of sales, North America, at Reed Travel Exhibitions.
The BAFTA Los Angeles TV Tea Party will take place September 15 at the Beverly Hilton.
For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles
MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA: The first-ever Pride of the Americas Festival will take place in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area in 2020. The 10-day festival, which is hosted by Pride of Fort Lauderdale and presented by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, will have a parade, beach party, arts festival, and social events, along with a human rights conference focused on L.G.B.T. rights.
NEW YORK: Reamir & Co. barbershops in New York will give away 50 free haircuts to veterans from May 28-June 1.
Cynthia Nixon, Amandla Stenberg, and Common are slated to speak at the Teen Vogue Summit: #TurnUp, taking place June 1-3 at the New School. Rowan Blanchard has joined the lineup as event co-host.
The 33rd annual Chefs’ Tribute to Citymeals will take place June 11 at Rockefeller Center. The theme of the event is The Grand Affair: Celebrating Chefs of the World’s Greatest Hotels; it will offer dishes from chefs including Rudi Liebenberg, Cassidee Dabney, Daniel Boulud, and Charlie Palmer.
Cachet Boutique New York Hotel will have its official grand opening in September. Located near Hudson Yards, the 105-room hotel has nearly 8,000 square feet of meeting and event space and an open-air terrace that will be open to the public and guests this month.
For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork
TORONTO: Ink Entertainment has opened Italian restaurant Sofia. The restaurant offers a menu helmed by executive chef Christine Mast and cocktails created by mixologist Nishan Nepulangoda. Studio Munge designed the space, which features a progressive furniture design, a David Drebin mural, and works from Taglialatella Gallery, which will debut later this spring adjacent to the venue.
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With contributions from Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, Ian Zelaya, and Deirdre Jahn in New York.
BizBash Daily is the must-read digest of event industry news from BizBash.com.
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Kenya Julisha ICT report: Invest in new skills. It’s called Human Capital
Earlier this week, the Kenya ICT board released some interesting statistics in the Julisha Report on the Kenya ICT ecosystem. I love these sorts of reports and I believe they are crucial for both domestic and foreigners to understand where to focus to improving the ICT industry and where investments need to be made.
From a comparison and benchmarking point of view- it is clear Kenya is a leader in technology adoption in Africa especially for its size compared to other countries on the continent. It also uniquely positions itself to serve the East African population of some 120-200M depending on which other countries are included nearby. Many foreign firms will choose Kenya for its base across the region.
Future is all mobile:
This is the least surprising fact, the story in Africa is all mobile. Whilst measuring traditional PC usage is important, especially for the business segment, I believe for the African consumer, mobile is by far the most exciting story, especially when you factor in the cost of PCs vs plummeting costs of smartphones and tablets- the magic price point is sub $100 and I believe tablets and smartphones will continue to come in a that level if they are to sell in any significant volume to African consumers. Hence, the next generation of African consumers will likely leapfrog straight to tablet even after owning a simple internet enabled mobile device or of course a smartphone. There are even tablets being manufactured in Nigeria. What does this mean? Developers should be investing in learning mobile technologies if they want to address the african consumer market- this means platforms such as Android, mobileweb, HTML5 and Nokia/Windows Phone are crucial, as well as the technologies behind mobile banking should they want to better monetize and expand into non traditional ICT areas such as health care, retail, entertainment. In short, we need more mobile training/incubators like the mLab.
Social networking is huge:
This trend is everywhere, not only unique in Africa, but according to the numbers and how you interpret them at-least 10-25% of internet users in Kenya are on facebook- you can cross reference the no.s to get up to date data from SocialBakers on Africa. Social networking is hence a technology that knows no boundaries and its effect (negative and positive) will impact Africa in many ways.
There is a clear thirst for Africans to stay connected with friends and family. As such, this bodes well for any social media or social enabled applications, from news, media/entertainment to advertising. It also means that Governments who continually try suppress information at the anger of citizens will face huge risks and we may see revolts similar to Arab Spring.
Talent is concentrated in IT support
Now that we’ve left the demand side, lets focus on the supply- the talent. It is not surprising how much talent is in the ICT support sector- I am guessing many are supporting banking and mobile operators mainly because these jobs are stable paying ones- it may also be that universities/colleges are feeding them the human resources in these sort of skills. This also aligns with the fact that a majority of the industry is still in hardware, communications and business segments (software reselling)- a good thing for laying down important infrastructure, not only in Kenya but across the region that Kenya supports.
What does this mean for startups? The problem with this is that it may lock up talented computer professionals in technologies totally reliant on their job. I know this well from my Microsoft days. In a rapidly changing technology world, it’s not only important that one understands how to do your current job/technology well but also be exposed to new ones, particularly in open source and cloud computing and mobile development technologies that may not have originated from the enterprise segment or the 10 year old technology used by your bank. The longer one is in this job, the more outdated you will be when you leave and you realize the broader computing world has moved on. The correct phrase here is “watch out for the consumerization of IT“.
One thing I’d like to have seen in the report is whether ICT employers in Kenya are actually investing in training and if so, what areas? If not all, which I suspect, then my point becomes even more valid about the risk of lockin on outdated ICT skills. Do you know how to use the Facebook API? How about HTML5 and android development? It is unlikely that a computer support professional even knows these technologies if not being trained unless they are dabbling on it on the side (if this is you- good for you! You are investing in your future). One thing to watch out for- as cloud computing gets more and more adopted, it will kill traditional ICT support jobs for maintaining decentralized data centers and servers in organizations as it all becomes more centralized and consolidated- this is a worldwide phenomenon for enterprises and governments wanting more ICT efficiency and cost savings.
Skills gap and focus on education and training
The conclusion by many is that a skills gap is emerging given both the trends and the current supply of talent locked up in traditional ICT industries. What makes Silicon Valley what it is, is the continuous learning that occurs among the talent that moves into new jobs and new technologies. When I read “project management”, I just read “management” and the ability to use skills beyond the technical to add value to the industry. Clearly if 10-20% of the current ICT professional population went down this path it would help expand the industry. Also making it easier for foreigners to bring in skills from outside and we are clearly seeing this with the increasing no. of foreign or diaspora talent flocking home in numerous startups to support the growth opportunities in Africa.
One final point for Government officials and International Development professionals reading this- you may want to allocate more of that lavish tech park money to skills development– it will build valuable human capital to support the industry and hence economic growth. Also any policies that lower the price point of internet enabled consumer mobile devices cheaper than $100 will continue to increase the consumer demand side as Africans grow their spending and enter the middle class.


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The Latin saying “Citius, Altius, Fortius” or “Faster, Higher, Stronger” would be familiar to those at the pinnacle of world sport, the Olympics. Chosen to encapsulate the traits of peak human performance, these three words are just as relevant to athletes as they are manufacturers – both of whom continually seek a competitive advantage.
Manufacturers today are continuously innovating to do things faster, manufacturing to higher tolerances, and producing stronger products. One area which can offer significant returns is the adoption of new materials for their products.
Research and development (R&D) into new, or frontier, materials can deliver a competitive edge to manufacturers – from high-end bicycles featuring 3D printed titanium parts, to high-strength scandium alloys, and recycled materials.
Previous AMGC research has found that manufacturers who reinvest into their business via R&D almost always achieve positive commercial outcomes. Take for example Melbourne-based Bastion Cycles, a company at the leading edge of materials science, developing components for professional cycling teams the world over.
Bastion’s in-house team has developed a novel process for titanium material used in additive manufacturing of high-end bike components. Their expertise with materials enables them to make components that are lighter and deliver measurable gains for riders. A win-win – and there is more to the materials story.
Initially, additive manufacturing enabled simple 3D printing of plastic (PLA) components. However, as technology adoption and usage mature, so too do the materials available to manufacturers. Additive manufacturing’s progress spurred an idea from a recently announced AMGC project from Kinaltek in Sydney.
Kinaltek spotted an opportunity to focus on specialised metallic powders and to deliver into global supply chains, a market that is growing 20 per cent year on year. Targeting the aerospace and renewables sectors, Kinaltek’s world-first process has resulted from years of local R&D to manufacture low-temperature, direct reduction of metal oxides and metal chlorides. The technology can produce a wide range of metallic powders based on 27 different metals. Importantly, they are the only company in the world able to do so.
Advances in materials science is allowing manufacturers to unlock hidden value in waste by capturing precious materials or developing new ones from the by-products of our existence. Molycop in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, in conjunction with the University of New South Wales, and AMGC, has developed a process for reusing rubber rescued from tyres, conveyor belts, and boots to replace the use of virgin carbon sources in the manufacture of steel – hence green steel.
In the pursuit of better materials or better use of materials, recycling and the circular economy represent smarter ways to manufacture. A recent CSIRO and KPMG report estimates that an additional $23 billion could be added to the Australian economy by just embracing the circular economy. This means more jobs, more skills, and a solution to our growing waste problems.
By seeking new ways to approach old challenges, manufacturers are in the driving seat to solve many of the issues that have plagued previous generations. Graphene, widely touted as the most remarkable substance ever discovered, is another example of a frontier material that can result in products performing better, being stronger or more efficient. Little wonder then that the market for this material is growing at an estimated 19 per cent a year and will reach US$1.4billion by 2025.
An AMGC supported project lead Graphene Manufacturing Group (GMG) has pioneered a process to manufacture vast quantities of graphene from waste and LPG. The result is a pure material removing the need for a mined graphite feedstock. Why is this important? Graphene is the thinnest material discovered – 200 times stronger than steel, is a thermal insulator, an excellent electrical conductor, and according to GMG could improve the charging time of a battery 70-fold, in short, a wonder material.
Australia, with its vast natural resources, world-class researchers, and vibrant manufacturing industry, has a real opportunity to lead the world in the development and application of frontier materials. Whether the use is improving an existing product or suppling materials to clients, frontier materials offer an opportunity for manufacturers to gain that competitive edge and perform faster, higher, and stronger than the competition while generating significant opportunities onshore.


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Karan Singh Grover to share 'live' fitness tips on social media
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
B-Towners often interact with their supporters on social media during their spare time. Karan Singh Grover – whose following on the social media is quite spectacular - will be sharing fitness tips with his followers and fans soon. Doing so, the fitness -enthusiast will go 'live' on Facebook video chat and interact with his followers, wherein FB-ians can direct their fitness-related questions to Karan and benefit from his expert advice. Bipasha Basu's hubby is known to encourage everyone to exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Grover will inform his abiding admirers well in advance about the day when he intends to go 'live' on Facebook. Get set for those fitness fundas...


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Stryker, the big medical components and medical tool manufacturer has issued a further recall notice for one of its hip implants: the LFIT V40 femoral head implant. If you have had one of these implants fitted at some point in time, whether you have experienced side effects or not, you should contact your doctor, or the medical center or hospital where the implant was fitted.
Stryker is one of the largest U.S. based international medical device corporations with annual revenue of over 17 billion dollars last year (2017). The latest recall is just one of many that have been issued in the last few years for hip or knee components made by Stryker.
The latest recall is a continuation of a problem with Stryker’s hip stem/ femoral head metal implants. The femoral head is the part of the thigh bone at its top that fits into a space in the hip and allows movement in nearly all directions. The implant consists of two associated structures: the head itself and the hip stem. These two components are supposed to be designed to allow near frictionless movement. It is a deterioration in the original patient’s hip joint that is the reason for getting a hip implant fitted.
Problems with Stryker’s all metal hip implants
Patients fitted with Stryker’s FIT V40 have complained about persistent pain, joint dislocation, a lack of mobility and inflammation at the joint. In other implants of a similar type, patients have experienced metallosis. This is where the amount of movement and friction between the two artificial components causes corrosion. Corrosion breakdown products, such as metal ions, leach into the surrounding tissue, causing serious damage.
This is the latest in a line of defective product issues that the company has had to confront. Stryker has already had to pay out 2 billion dollars in compensation after previous lawsuits have been filed against the company. Stryker has also had to pay the federal government nearly one hundred million dollars to resolve a criminal charge against them.
The first lawsuit lost by the company was eventually settled between the corporation and over 3,400 patients who had experienced terrible pain, amongst other problems, after being fitted with ABG II and Rejuvenate hip implants. Stryker is still to face a lawsuit filed against it because of earlier LFIT V40 hip implant problems. This lawsuit is scheduled to be heard in 2019.
Other Stryker recalls and medical device issues
Stryker Corporation has three main business divisions: Orthopedics, Neurotechnology and Spine and MedSurg. MedSurg is the most profitable division with 45% of sales revenue while the troubled Orthopedics division is second with 38% of sales. Most of Stryker’s recalls have all been products manufactured by its Orthopedics division.
Lawsuits related to previous hip implants currently number 2,271 in the Massachusetts federal court which are still pending and a multicounty litigation in New Jersey. These are all related to injuries alleged to have occurred in patients who were fitted with earlier versions of the LFIT V40 femoral head implants.
Patients complained of:
- bone and tissue damage;
- severe pain ;
- fractured hip stem triunnio;
- excessive wear and metallic debris;
- disassociation of femoral head from hip stem.
42,000 LFIT V40 implants were recalled in 2016 because of failures attributed to their design.
In addition to hip implants, Stryker has also had to recall a number of its surgical products. These included barrier cloths, incontinence clean-up cloths, washcloths, metal cleaning cloths and oral care products, all of which were due to contamination issues with a type of bacteria, Burkholderia cepacia.
If this wasn’t enough, one of Stryker’s subsidiaries, OtisMed, together with its CEO at the time, were found guilty in 2017 of distributing devices that had not had FDA prior approval for release. Charlie Chi, the CEO was jailed for 2 years and 80 million dollars in fines were paid by the company.
In 2007, another subsidiary, Physiotherapy Associates, paid 16 million dollars to the federal government after it was alleged that it had billed federal health care services falsely.
It’s hard to know exactly why big corporations distribute products that have seemingly not been tested sufficiently to ensure they are safe. People suffer as a result and it can take years to recover compensation. They are often back at square one in terms of their original needs for a safe and effective implant.
Contact an attorney if you have discovered you have been fitted with a defective medical device
Each case of defective products is unique. If you have suffered because you have been injured through any type of defective medical device, whether it is a Stryker product or not, the Keith Williams Law Group in Nashville has attorneys available to discuss your legal options. Contact the office today at (615) 313-3999.


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Like other LED companies, Digital Lumens realizes the value of its intelligent lighting technology lies not just in the ability to reduce energy consumption pretty quickly but rather in the long-term payoff that the accompanying sensors and wireless networks might bring as the foundation for other efficiency applications. Many refer to this as the Trojan Horse effect of LEDs.
So, this week the company moved to shore up the competitive messaging for its Intelligent Lighting System approach with three new products, including new LightRules Insight software that allows building managers or businesses to build a consolidated snapshot of projects across more than facility; and new controls (called Digital Light Agents, or DLAs) that can be used to retrofit fixtures from other manufacturers – at those that are dimmable -- so that their performance can also be tracked with Digital Lumens' dashboard.
"The widespread adoption of Digital Lumens' intelligent lighting networks has created an appetite for managing any lighting as part of the system," said Brian Chemel, chief technology officer and co-founder of Digital Lumens, in a statement. "By distilling our powerful patented distributed intelligence technologies into a small, easily deployed form factor, we are able to bring the benefits of intelligence lighting to any environment."
The DLAs can enable applications such as full-range dimming, energy metering, occupancy sensing, ambient light sensing, and temperature sensing. There are several configurations, including surface-mounted and recessed versions.
The company also introduced intelligent four-foot linear fixtures, the LLE series, that are meant as an alternative to widely used fluorescent tubes. The technology comes in 3,000 lumen (30 watt) or 6,000 lumen (60 watt) models.
As of January 2014, Digital Lumens figures that installations of its lighting networks were being used across more than 100-million-square feet of industrial and commercial facilities — its customers include JetBlue,
The new technologies will both extend its potential reach into markets and help current customers gain deeper insights about how much energy they have conserved – or could be saving.
"Because [LightRules Insight] is cloud-based, we can rapidly roll out new features, and allow customers who are strategic accounts to have access to data from every location," said Mark Komanecky, vice president of product management and marketing for Digital Lumens. "It is a natural extension of our lighting as the platform message."
Among other things, the software provides an aggregate view of all facilities; allows for comparisons between different sites; and converts reports into metrics that can be shared throughout an organization. These features require LightRules 2.8, which was also announced this week.
Digital Lumens estimates that its technology can provide "radical energy savings" of up to 90% -- that claim was verified during an eight-month-long, utility-sponsored study. The estimated energy conserved across its installations is more than 500 million kilowatt-hours, or approximately $50 million in annual lighting costs.
So far, the company has raised about $35 million in publicly disclosed venture funding from investors including Black Coral Capital, Flybridge Capital Partners and Stata Venture Capital.


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Each week we gather the top three eCommerce news items of the week. Here’s what stood out for us this week!
Amazon has seen its shares dip two per cent in morning trading after it warned that its Christmas quarter could be “tight”.
The online retail behemoth spooked investors yesterday after it warned that it could struggle to meet demand for deliveries in what is set to be a record ‘Golden Quarter’.
Amid its third quarter results, Amazon predicted that its operating profits for the coming quarter would come in between $1 billion and $4.5 billion, below analyst forecasts of $5.8 billion. Read the full article here.
Ecommerce giant eBay on Wednesday revealed its third quarter revenue had topped Wall Street expectations thanks to the surge in online shopping this year.
With shoppers across eBay’s markets stuck at home and choosing to shop online due to the spread of coronavirus, the company saw revenue rise from USD 2.08 billion (£1.60 billion) to USD 2.61 billion (£2.01 billion) for the quarter ending September 30.
EBay beat out analysts’ average estimate of USD 2.48 billion (£1.91 billion), according to IBES data from Refinitiv. Read the full article here.
A major campaign to help at least 100,000 struggling families with food, comfort and emotional support is to be launched by John Lewis and Waitrose.
The initiative, which will launch in November and would be complemented by the soon-to-be released Waitrose and John Lewis Christmas advert, will aim to raise £5 million for two nominated charities.
These charities are FareShare, a food poverty charity, and Home-Start, which works with parents who need support. Read the full article here.


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Monday November 13, 2017
CPSC Plans 'Buyers Training' in March for Asian Stakeholders
CPSC is planning three Asian "Buyers Training" events in March. They will be Shanghai, China (March 13), Guangzhou, China (March 15), Ho Chi Minh City (March 20). The session will be free. Registration closes February 28.
Speakers will include CPSCers as well as representatives of the European Commission (in China), the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (in Vietnam), Retail Industry Leaders Association, Toy Association, and perhaps others. Attendees will be able to access simultaneous translation.
Focus will be toys, electronics, furniture and textiles/apparels. Lear more via BuyersTraining2018@cpsc.gov.
The agency has sent prospective attendees an invitation letter from CPSC Acting Chairman Ann Marie Buerkle. She writes, "These trainings are truly exceptional opportunities to learn about the consumer safety information to enter several major markets. The trainings will be packed with information that can make a concrete and impactful difference to consumers and companies."


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Blueseed, Visa-Free Floating Silicon Valley
For a mere $1200 a month, entrepreneurs will soon be able to live and work as if they were in Silicon Valley, without the need of a Visa. Introducing Blueseed: a floating startup technology incubator which sits 12 miles of the coast of the San Francisco bay area. Still confused? Check the picture below.
Max Marty, an American entrepreneur of Cuban descent, is currently spearheading Blueseed, a “Googleplex of the sea” as he calls it. The project, which is supposed to set sail in Q3 of 2013, will house foreign entrepreneurs just outside the jurisdiction of the United States where they can create and work on their startups temporarily until it is large enough to move to Silicon Valley.
Meanwhile the entrepreneurs can visit the mainland using a business/tourist visas for up to 180 days a year, which are significantly easier to obtain than work-visas.
Venture Capitalist and PayPal Cofounder Peter Thiel is leading a $500000 seed funding round. The company has also released a survey of interest for startups which shows many eager entrepreneurs from around the world willing to board the ship.


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Facebook is banning private gun sales from being advertised on its social media networks, the company announced late Friday.
The move was initiated to avert “peer-to-peer sales of weapons,” according to a company spokesperson. The policy change would also be extended to the photo-sharing site, Instagram, which Facebook owns.
Licensed gun dealers will still be allowed to have Facebook pages, but only if they do not use the sites to sell their products. Facebook said it would rely on users to flag posts and messages when the new rule is violated.
Facebook, the largest social network in the world with more than 1.5 billion users, also said its policies prohibit users from selling marijuana, pharmaceuticals and illegal drugs, according to a statement released by the company. The policies were last reviewed two years ago.
“Over the last two years, more and more people have been using Facebook to discover products and to buy and sell things to one another,” said Monika Bickert, the company’s head of product policy. “We are continuing to develop, test and launch new products to make this experience even better for people and are updating our regulated goods policies to reflect this evolution”
In 2014, Facebook said it would install some restriction on gun sales by blocking minors from viewing posts advertising weapons.
The measure was taken after company was pressured by a number of gun-control advocacy groups and New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to end online sales.
— Moms Demand Action (@MomsDemand) January 30, 2016
One of those advocacy groups, Moms Demand Action, said in a statement Friday it was “grateful” for the more recent policy change.
“Two years ago, our campaign to get Facebook to change how their platforms host firearm sales resulted in nine new policies to curb children’s exposure to guns and to clarify state laws around selling and buying guns online,” said Shannon Watts, the groups founder. “Our continued relationship with Facebook resulted in today’s even stronger stance, which will prevent dangerous people from getting guns and save American lives.”
The National Rifle Association has yet to respond to the Facebook decision, multiple media outlets reported.


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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has kicked off the sale of tickets for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand in Karachi.
As per the announced schedule, all three white-ball matches will take place from January 9 to 13 at the National Bank Cricket Arena in Karachi.
In order to ensure more crowd in the stadium, the Pakistan Cricket Board has set the ticket prices at nominal rates, starting from Rs. 250.
Fans will get a single ticket for the general enclosure, Muhammad Brothers and Intakhab Alam for Rs. 250, while the tickets for the First-Class enclosure, Asif Iqbal, Waqar Hassan, and Majid Khan will cost Rs. 500.
Meanwhile, the ticket for the Premium enclosure, Imran khan, Quaid, Wasim Akram, and Zaheer Abbas will be available at Rs. 750 while the ticket for the VIP enclosure, Hanif Muhammad, Javed Miandad, and Fazal Mehmood is Rs. 1500.
Interested fans can get the ticket online at www.pcb.bookme.pk while the payment can be applied through Easypaisa, Jazz Cash, credit or debit cards, or bank transfers.
The cricket board has set the Asghar Ali Shah Stadium in Nazimabad, RJ Mall (Pakistan physical disability cricket association), and Sector- 35-F Korangi number four as the e-ticket points.
Cricket fans can also visit Gareeb Nawaz and China Ground parking’s on the match days for tickets. The sale of tickets has been started yesterday and will be available till January 8.


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There is a lot that is whole of regarding the risk of payday loan recently, but вЂњsaferвЂќ installment loans could possibly be similar to dangerous, a written report this is certainly brand brand brand new.
There has been a lot of chatter with regards to the threat of payday loan recently, prompted by a new report through the consumer Financial Protection Bureau that called them вЂњa lasting, expensive obligation burden that is financial. вЂќ But there is another, fast-growing band of small, short-term loans pitched mostly to low-income people in the usa вЂ” as well as the unbanked in particular вЂ” which may be when you look at the same manner dangerous. ProPublica and market teamed up for an look that is in-depth installment loans, and uncovered a dark component from just exactly exactly exactly just what a company spokesman termed вЂњthe kind that is best of credit score available on the market. вЂќ
Customer advocates say installment loans is a far greater option than payday advances given that they do not have actually final balloon payment that may push the debtor additionally deeper into monetary responsibility. Financial institutions also are accountable to credit reporting agencies, consequently on-time re re re payments usually assists some one with a credit this is certainly checkered to improve their standing.
But they are positively perhaps perhaps perhaps not safe things, says Lauren Saunders, handling attorney through the nationwide consumer legislation Center. вЂњSome installment loans have actually actually exorbitant rates, deceptive add-on expenses and things, loan flipping, and also other tricks that could be in the same manner dangerous, and very often a lot more, as the loan amounts are often greater. вЂќ
Like pay day loans, installment loans do not start sounding like they include a great deal that is entire of. Read More


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Sophos warns customers of potential data leak
The incident is the second the security firm has suffered in 2020
The company said it was alerted to the misconfiguration by a security researcher, and that it fixed the issue immediately.
However, a "small subset" of the company's customers were affected, with first and last names, email addresses and phone numbers thought to have been accessed. Earlier this week Sophos began emailing those customers thought to have been affected.
"On November 24, 2020, Sophos was advised of an access permission issue in a tool used to store information on customers who have contacted Sophos Support," an email to customers read, as seen by ZDNet.
It added that additional safeguards had now been implemented to ensure access permission settings can't be exploited in the future.
This is the second major security incident in 2020 for Sophos after cyber criminals exploited a zero-day vulnerability in the firms XG firewall in April. Attackers used this to deploy ransomware but were eventually foiled by the security firm.
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"At Sophos, customer privacy and security are always our top priority. We are contacting all affected customers," the company said. "Additionally, we are implementing additional measures to ensure access permission settings are continuously secure."
While the breach may cause some embarrassment for Sophos, the incident will unlikely lead to any major consequences for its customers or regulatory action for the company itself, according to Ilia Kolochenko, founder & CEO of web security company ImmuniWeb.
"No highly sensitive information, such as banking, health or credit card data, was reportedly exposed," Kolochenko told IT Pro. "Moreover, many users that approach support, commonly use central phone numbers or even fake emails that are of not much value to hackers. Sophos's open reaction to the incident seems to be swift and professional, taking accountability for the incident with adequate mitigation.
"Compared to the countless data breaches with disastrous consequences in 2020, this minor incident will unlikely to attract the attention of law enforcement agencies or regulatory authorities."
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Law360 (May 23, 2019, 7:26 PM EDT) -- The U.K.'s competition watchdog announced Thursday it plans to officially make a draft order blocking Sainsbury's planned £7.3 billion ($9.24 billion) acquisition of Walmart Inc. unit Asda, and is inviting comments on the draft until June 24.
The Competition and Markets Authority had decided to block the proposed merger in April, finding that Asda and Sainsbury's are two of the country's top supermarkets, and therefore a combination of the two could bring about "price rises, reductions in the quality and range of products available, or a poorer overall shopping experience."
The companies announced in April 2018 that they planned to merge...
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The first Easy to Read books in Tatar have been published!
Easy Read books are now available also in Serbian! In the Balkans Easy Reads are still fairly unknown, but now the first Serbian books have been published.
Our website and books are now also in Serbian!
Sabira Stahlberg’s books are being translated. This is the first time that Easy Reads, written originally in Easy Language, are translated into Serbian.


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Tech startups gather for Singapore event
Tech in Asia 2015 saw more than 700 entrepreneurs from more than 35 countries gather in Singapore, making it the largest-ever attendance for startups in Asia.
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- Coinbase CPO, Surojit stated that the crypto industry could adapt more innovations.
- He further said that India needs regulations that will ensure crypto growth.
- He implied that India could be the next financial hub.
Coinbase Chief Product Officer (CPO) — Surojit Chatterjee, opened up in a rather candid interview where he spoke about his role at Coinbase and his journey as a product manager. The major highlight was his take on the government regulations on crypto.
To him, the crypto industry is still at an infant stage, hence, there are lots of things to build to make people’s lives better. Furthermore, in conversation at the India Internet Day, Surojit tells Gautam Gandhi, Partner at RG Advisors:
The crypto industry feels very much like the early internet days of the mid-’90s. So much to build and so early, and so much opportunity to disrupt technological, traditional industries and make people’s lives better. And that’s what inspires me, I’ve always done things that have had a massive impact
On Indian crypto regulation, he specified that if India puts the right regulations in place it will help the crypto industry grow. To add on, he also stated that if India champions innovation and entrepreneurship in digital finance and crypto, then, the country could be the next global financial hub.
Additionally, Surojit feels that decentralized finance is creating things that are disrupting traditional finance and offering lots of opportunities. In this regard, he advised young entrepreneurs:
I would say, if you are a young entrepreneur, fresh out of college and thinking about what to do, get some lessons on how to code on blockchain and do solidity coding, and learn about what’s happening in all these different projects
In February 2020, Surojit made a move to the biggest US crypto exchange — Coinbase. Unbeknownst to him, it was going to be a life-changing experience. Within 15 months, he amassed over $646 million in wealth.
Further, Surojit’s Coinbase stake rose to $180.8 million in just its first day of trading on Nasdaq on April 14, 2021. Remarkably, in the next five years, he obtained share options. The share is presently worth about $465.5 million, according to Bloomberg.
Surojit says his idea of changing his life was through education. Thus, he attended the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur (B.Tech Computer Science). He also proceeded to University at Buffalo (MS). Later, he went on to get an MBA at the MIT Sloan School of Management.
All in all, his career spans the areas of engineering and product domains. In particular, he worked with Oracle, Google, and Flipkart.
Coinbase Launches Support for New Crypto Assets on Retail Trading Platform
Coinbase is adding two altcoins built on Ethereum to its ever-expanding suite of crypto assets.
After initially only being available on Coinbase Pro, ARPA Chain (ARPA) and Perpetual Protocol (PERP) are now open for trading on the company’s main retail trading platform and mobile applications.
ARPA is the token that powers ARPA Chain, a blockchain-based computation network that features data storage, smart contracts that preserve privacy, and scalable off-chain transactions that can be used to counter credit fraud and secure data wallets.
Other use cases include precision marketing, joint AI model training, and key management systems.
Though ARPA saw its price skyrocket after the original Coinbase Pro listing announcement, it has since stabilized and is exchanging hands at $0.16 at time of writing. It is 13% down from its seven-day high of $0.18, according to CoinGecko.
PERP powers Perpetual Protocol, a decentralized platform for opening up leveraged perpetual contracts in fiat money, cryptos, or other commodities without the need for middlemen.
Perpetual contracts are derivative contracts like futures, except that they don’t have any expiration dates.
PERP is trading at $16.13 as of writing, a 20% decrease from its seven-day high of $19.28, according to CoinGecko.
Coinbase Becomes The Cryptocurrency Partner of The NBA
The NBA welcomed its 75th anniversary by teaming up with the digital asset trading venue Coinbase.
The leading US cryptocurrency exchange – Coinbase – and the National Basketball Association announced a multi-year partnership. Following it, the former became the exclusive cryptocurrency platform partner of the NBA, the NBA G League, the NBA 2K League, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the USA Basketball.
NBA Jumps on The Crypto Bandwagon
The current 2021-22 season of the National Basketball Association is a rather special one as it marks the 75th birthday of the League. To enhance the fans’ involvement during that festive period, the NBA teamed up with the digital asset platform Coinbase.
As part of their involvement, the exchange will “create interactive experiences to engage with the NBA’s incredible community and athletes around the world.” It will also educate basketball fans on the increasing developments happening across the cryptocurrency industry.
Coinbase’s logo will appear on basketball games broadcasted on television. Apart from the NBA, the trading venue will also be the partner of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), the NBA G League, the NBA 2K League, and the USA Basketball.
Kate Rouch – Chief Marketing Officer of Coinbase – noted that the core of the company’s strategy is to interconnect with participants that believe in its merits, such as the NBA:
“The freedom to participate and benefit from the things you believe in is at the heart of Coinbase’s mission. Nobody believes this more than NBA and WNBA fans. We’re proud to become the Leagues’ official cryptocurrency partner.”
Kerry Tatlock – Senior Vice President at the NBA – described Coinbase as a “trusted cryptocurrency platform used by millions.” As such, it is a “natural fit” for the Association, which aims to provide its fans with new ways to interact with the League and each other.
NBA and Crypto: History
The Dallas Mavericks started to accept cryptocurrency payments for tickets and merchandise products earlier this year. These include some of the leading assets: Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), and Dogecoin (DOGE).
The Sacramento Kings is another club that recently entered the crypto craze. It joined forces with the blockchain company Ankr to educate basketball fans about the development of the digital asset sector.
Subsequently, one of the most successful teams – The Los Angeles Lakers – became the latest name on that list. The club, where the legendary shooting guard Kobe Bryant spent his entire career, announced an official team sponsorship with Socios.com.
As part of the collaboration, the platform will launch virtual events for the fans. There, they will get the chance to communicate with each other and even vote on topics related to their favorite basketball team.
Coinbase to Sponsor NBA in Multiyear Partnership Deal
Coinbase will officially become the exclusive cryptocurrency platform for the National Basketball Association.
The American cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase took to Twitter to announce its association with the prestigious National Basketball League (NBA). The cryptocurrency exchange will sponsor all NBA platforms such as WNBA, NBA 2K League, and USA basketball league. The deal has come in light of the news disclosed by NBA commissioner Adam Silver stating that the league is projecting $10 billion in revenue for the year 2021-22.
🏀 BREAKING 🏀
We’re excited to announce that as of today we are the official crypto platform of the @NBA, @WNBA, @NBA2KLeague, and @usabasketball. Let’s go! pic.twitter.com/QQMjjHNlra— Coinbase (@coinbase) October 19, 2021
Coinbase and NBA Deal Intends to Educate Consumers about the Crypto Space
In an announcement made on Tuesday, the cryptocurrency exchange has confirmed that it will officially become the exclusive cryptocurrency platform for the league. According to NBA, Coinbase will be responsible for creating unique and innovative content for basketball enthusiasts to learn more about the crypto domain and get their facts right regarding the emerging blockchain technology.
Kate Rouch, chief marketing officer of Coinbase has commented that the organization intends to establish interactive experiences with the NBA and WNBA community and aspires to formulate new bonds and experiences with athletes across the world.
As per the data secured from Statista, approximately 1.6 million people watch the NBA season games when they are broadcast on major television networks. Coinbase has confirmed that it would be featured during the games when they will be televised nationally. The deal will allow the platform to gain more exposure and attract potential fans to trade on the exchange platform. The company has also clarified that it’s hoping to accelerate the crypto economy by inviting more consumers and letting them be aware of the various advantages that are associated with cryptocurrency trading.
Many crypto companies and organizations have now been actively extending and initiating partnership deals in the sports sector hoping to create stable revenue channels. FTX which is a leading derivatives exchange has recently entered into a sponsorship deal with a major baseball league followed by another partnership deal with the International cricket commission.
Coinbase is a leading exchange platform that offers cryptocurrency trading to consumers. Founded in 2012, the company operates remotely and is valued at a market price of $64 billion. Coinbase’s extended portfolio offers trading with multiple cryptos such as Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ether, Litecoin, and the exchange of digital assets. The exchange has also been recently selected as a custody partner of Facebook‘s Novi wallet, which is a digital wallet that will permit users to send and receive money internationally.


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Our Managing Director talks hip hop with The Marketing Society
Our Managing Director recently wrote something for The Marketing Society, exploring the key themes around the culture and hip-hop. How the genre shapes and influences popular culture. Have a read...
''If someone had said to me back in December this is what 2020 is going to look like, I would not have believed them! But as the world has seen, with all crisis comes creativity and opportunity. An area that has been unsurprising to watch succeed and equally fascinating to watch explode, has been the culture and hip-hop.
Now, I must confess, I am a great believer that hip-hop shapes everything. From fashion, to food, to sports, to entertainment, it plays a huge part in consumer behaviour and demand. No one drives hype quite like black Americans in hip-hop. In fact, before you carry on reading, if you are wearing trainers, think about where they come from and how they were marketed to you?''
Read the full article here


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J.C. Penney surprises investors with improved results
J.C. Penney surprised investors Thursday as it sharply cut its losses and reported its third consecutive quarter of sales increases.
The company also said that CEO Mike Ullman is recovering from a “surgical procedure” but is expected to be back soon. Ullman, 67, wasn’t on the conference call with analysts.
The Plano-based retailer reported a second-quarter sales increase of 6 percent as part of its critical turnaround this year. The recent sales gains are welcome after Penney lost... read more
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Still unknown is whether Apple will announce a smaller version of its iPad on Wednesday.
Apple dominates the market for tablet computers, shipping seven out of every 10 tablets worldwide in the second quarter, according to research firm IHS iSuppli. Rivals have been trying to compete by producing smaller, cheaper models —such as Amazon's Kindle Fire. A mini iPad would challenge those relative newcomers.
Sales of Apple's iPhones are still strong, though the company lost the lead in smartphones to Samsung this year. Samsung Electronics Co. benefited from having its Galaxy S III out in the U.S. in June, while Apple was still selling an iPhone model it released last October. A new iPhone will allow Apple to recapture the attention and the revenue.
Amid expectations of a new iPhone, Amazon, Nokia and Motorola all tried to generate interest in their products last week, hoping that a head start on the buzz will translate into stronger sales. Makers of consumer electronics are refreshing their products for the holiday shopping season.
Amazon announced four new Kindle Fire models and a new line of stand-alone e-readers, while Nokia and Motorola unveiled five new smartphones between them.
Nokia and Microsoft, in particular, are trying to generate interest in a new Windows operating system out next month. The two phones announced by Nokia are among the first to run Windows Phone 8.


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Buying animals online – don’t, at every level!
The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) and Action Fraud have recently noticed a rise in the reporting of pets, and in particular puppies and kittens, being advertised for sale via popular online auction websites. The fraudsters will place an advert of the pet for sale, often claiming that the pet […]
If it’s too good to be true…wedding fraud
Thanks to Lucille for sending this Action Fraud info: With the upcoming “Wedding Season”, and for those individuals who are considering making plans for next year and beyond, you should be aware of the potential risks of fraud involved. According to ‘bridesmagazine.co.uk’, in 2017 the average wedding cost spend is […]


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IAB Engage: Encourage employees to innovate, says Tesco R&D head
By Sarah Shearman, marketingmagazine.co.uk, Thursday, 25 October 2012 04:32PM
Employees across a business should be given the time, tools and resources to be "their own head of innovation," according to Nick Lansley, head of research and development at Tesco.
Speaking at IAB Engage in London this afternoon, Lansley said that in the past, Tesco did not need a head of innovation, as everyone should be a head of innovation. He explained that it now did have one, but managing a much larger innovation team than before.
He said the goals of the R&D team at Tesco were to "challenge current thinking", make things simpler and cheaper, and be "innovation evangelists", exciting the management teams about the future of technology.
He discussed events which Tesco had hosted in the past year to encourage innovation among staff, including its 24-hour hackathon, after which the winning grocery app was made and launched by the business.
He said: "We encourage creative thinking and make people think they can be, and are, contributing to the success of the company."
He also explained that Tesco was opening up its grocery API for third-party developers to innovate.
In an interview with Marketing before the IAB Engage event, Lansley said Tesco was now homing in on its ambitions of creating a fully immersive virtual 3D ecommerce store.Follow @shearmans
This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk
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New art market opens at Waterfall Arts
Belfast — Waldo Art Ware Alliance, in collaboration with Waterfall Arts, will open to the public during the Belfast Farmer’s Market starting Friday, June 8.
This rotating alliance of artists will be setting up and selling their wares on at Waterfall Arts Center, 256 High St., during the Belfast Farmer’s Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the second, third and fourth Fridays of the month. There will be no art market on First Fridays, when the Farmer’s Market is downtown for its monthly Main Street Festival.
Waldo Art Ware Alliance is a local nonprofit group working with and in Waterfall Arts, to establish a juried, local art market for regional artists who have beautiful, handmade practical art wares to sell to the public. Some of the first artists to be featured are Rose Whitehead, Sue Reed, Marion Brown, Carl Swain, Helena Datura, Jeannette Micoleau, Sarah Gordon, Paul Jurutka and award-winning children’s songwriter and musician Amy Robbins-Wilson, who also will perform.
Kelly Kelsey-Davis and partner Bill Davis will be on hand to coordinate the Friday markets. To reach the Davises and for more information on the alliance, as well as links to participating artists, visit the new website at waldoartwarealliance.org or send email to email@example.com. There still are dates open this summer and artists interested in selling may contact WAWA@WA through the website. The Waldo Art Ware Alliance also has a Facebook page.
Courier Publications' A&E Editor Dagney C. Ernest can be reached at 207-594-4401 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Castle Club Members pre-sale opens this Monday!
The Castle Club Members pre-sale for 2023/24 season tickets opens at 10am this Monday (5 June)
Those with a 22/23 Castle Club Membership will be able to secure their seat or standing terrace position for the unmissable new campaign ahead of the public sale launching on Monday 12 June.
Current season ticket members now have just four days to take advantage of their exclusive window – which closes at 11.59pm this Sunday 4 June – from which point unrenewed season tickets will be made available to Castle Club Members.
The countdown is on to the 2023/24 campaign and Burgh fans continue to snap up season tickets in great numbers! If you’re a current member, don’t miss out!
With over 70% of season ticket members already renewed for the new campaign, spaces are filling fast with only four days to go until all renewed spaces are made available to Castle Club Members.
Don’t have the funds to renew your season ticket today? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. With our direct debit payment plan, Burgh fans don’t have to make their first payment until August, giving you the chance to spread the cost over four easy instalments (Monday 7 August, Thursday 7 September, Monday 9 October and Tuesday 7 November).
Securing a season ticket will save supporters, on average, around 30% on matchday prices, making it an easy choice to renew now during this exclusive window – however, time is running out!
Current Members can renew their place for the upcoming season now! Castle Club Members can get set to buy their season ticket from 10am on Monday (5 June).


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As things continue to settle into some sort of sense of normalcy in the comics market, something that’s certainly going through changes in a lot of different areas, we’re definitely feeling the comics vibe again. Publishers are continuing to figure out their strategies overall, lots of books are flowing through the retail side, and there’s a lot of changes going on to talk about. The folks at Diamond have their look at what’s coming out on January 13th, 2021 as well here.
Check out all the news here.
And the new books we reviewed this past week:
- Scout’s Honor #1 Review
- Star Wars: The High Republic #1 Review
- Knock ’em Dead #2 Review
- Wonder Woman: Agent of Peace #23 Review
- Challenge of the Super Sons #3 Review
And some older material:
- Nothing this week


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NeoGames’ subsidiary Pariplay, a popular iGaming aggregator, made its debut in the Pennsylvanian online gambling sphere via the company’s continued partnership with Rush Street Interactive (RSI). This deal introduced Pennsylvania-based gamblers to 14,000+ titles developed by the over 120 software suppliers that have integrated their content into Pariplay’s platform. In addition, Rush Street Interactive also gained access to Pariplay’s Fusion Tournaments, Raffle Rocket, and Spin That Wheel, which are the aggregator’s state-of-the-art back-office conversion and retention tools.
NeoGames’ President and Head of iGaming Tsachi Maimon commemorated the partnership, noting how Pennsylvania is the latest state Pariplay has debuted in. He also pointed out how Wizard Games, Pariplay’s in-house gaming studio, is prospering in the US and that the company’s aggregation platform is incredibly expansive. Maimon went on to praise Rush Street Interactive for being a trusted operator with a lot of experience in the US.
Rush Street Interactive’s Chief Executive Officer Richard Schwartz expressed the company’s delight in enabling Pariplay to launch in Pennsylvania. He noted how the company was confident that casino enthusiasts at BetRivers and PlaySugarHouse, brands belonging to RSI, would enjoy Pariplay’s casino products, as the games have seen great popularity in other states across the US.
Pariplay Continues to Expand in North America
The deal with RSI is yet another example of Pariplay’s continued efforts to expand in the North American gambling market. The year 2022 began with Pariplay’s entrance into the gambling sector of Michigan, made possible via the company successfully obtaining a Provisional Internet Gaming Supplier License. According to Adrian Bailey, Pariplay’s Managing Director, the company’s continued expansion in the US has proven to lead to much success for Pariplay. Later that same year, in spring, Pariplay also earned its Gaming-Related Supplier License in Ontario, marking the company’s debut in the Canadian iGaming landscape.
The year 2023 has thus far proven to be another prosperous year for Pariplay, as the company has taken great strides when it comes to its expansion in North America. January saw Pariplay going live in New Jersey via partnership with the Caesars Sportsbook & Casino. The operator saw the addition of thousands of games to its library, including top-notch slots developed by Wizard Games. Subsequent deals with DraftKings and Resorts Digital Gaming allowed Pariplay to further make its mark across New Jersey.
The RSI partnership in Pennsylvania is the latest success for the renowned aggregator. Since the legalization of online gambling in 2017, Pennsylvania’s online gambling sector flourished, and the state’s Gaming Control Board has given out many licenses to operators, software suppliers, and aggregators. The month of August 2022 was when the Pennsylvania gambling watchdog green-lit Pariplay with a license to offer its products within the state, and now Pennsylvania-based casino enthusiasts will be able to delight in Pariplay’s content at BetRivers and PlaySugarHouse.


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Portal, a Web3 wallet infrastructure startup, has raised $5.3 million in a funding round that included Slow Ventures and Haun Ventures, the venture capital firm founded by Andreessen Horowitz alum Kaite Haun, according to a press release provided to CoinDesk.
The funding round comes during a particularly harsh crypto winter landscape that has taken a toll on venture capital and other investments into the industry, which were down 91% year over year in January. Infrastructure projects emerged as one of the strongest sectors during the month.
San Francisco-based Portal offers wallet infrastructure and a decentralized application (dapp) store that enables projects to become a Web3-enabled app. The developer kit helps Portal partners easily connect to protocols and dapps either directly or from a mobile or desktop browser. Portal’s embedded wallet uses multi-party computation (MPC), a type of cryptography that removes the need for complicated seed phrases – a hurdle for non-crypto native users – without compromising security.
"Web3 is fundamentally transforming every part of our lives - from how we make payments and access financial services to how we manage our data and assets in an increasingly connected world," said Slow Ventures partner Will Quist in the press release. "However, the barriers to access this emerging ecosystem are high - for both enterprises and consumers alike. Portal has built transformative infrastructure to onboard the next wave of users into web3."
Other backers in the round were Acrew Capital, Chapter One and a number of angel investors, including William Hockey (co-founder of fintech company Plaid), Henrique Dubagras (co-founder of corporate credit firm Brex), and Diogo Monica, founder of institutional crypto platform Anchorage Digital.
Portal was co-founded by CEO Raj Parekh, who previously directed Visa’s global crypto product division. The other founders bring a range of security engineering experience with Chief Technology Officer David Scrobonia having worked at Web2 consumer data platform Segment, Brex alum Parsa Attari and Rami Shahatit, who previously worked at fintech Blend.
CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk offers all employees above a certain salary threshold, including journalists, stock options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


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New Zealand secure internet start-up SMX is taking on Telecom over a trademark, saying it is too close to the brand it uses for its spam-filtering service.
Auckland-based SMX uses the brand name SecureMX for its mail-scrubbing service, which last week went international, via a deal with Indian IT giant CMC, a subsidiary of Tata.
According to the Intellectual Property Office, Telecom’s subsidiary, Telecom IP, applied for a trademark for “SecureMe” in December 2005. This was accepted in January last year and published in the New Zealand Gazette in February.
At this point in the process other interested parties were invited to lodge any opposition to the grant of the trademark. According to the Intellectual Property Office, an objection was lodged against the trademark in May.
SMX’s managing director Jesse Ball says the company is objecting to the trademark on the grounds of prior use. He says SMX applied for a trademark for SecureMX before Telecom applied for SecureMe but was turned down on the grounds that “MX” is an IT industry acronym for “mail exchange”.
However, granting SecureMe to Telecom now would put SMX’s use of SecureMX at risk, after the company has been using and building the brand for several years, says Ball.
Telecom would only confirm that an objection to the trademark application had been made and the company was awaiting a hearing from the Intellectual Property Office in the next few months.
Last week SMX (with other local start-ups Sonar6 and DLS) made a major overseas market breakthrough with the CMC deal. In March, Computerworld reported that the company was in talks with Symantec as well, but no announcements have yet been made and Ball was not prepared to comment last week.
SMX’s unique mail-scrubbing solution is geared for channel distribution. The service is scalable, Ball says, and easily “white-labelled”, to allow other providers to brand the service in their own way and as part of their own product suites.
This is, essentially, what CMC, and presumably Symantec, are looking at.
The core system was developed almost by accident. SMX was renting space at local IT service company RHE, when that company’s managing director lamented a growing spam problem, says Ball. The founders of SMX offered to help and created a solution by the next day.
A lot of work and tuning has since gone into the product, which is written in Java and C, with the next addition planned being a reporting console for corporate governance.
Ball says the company is targeting particular niches that appear attracted to the company’s solution, including councils, district health boards and smaller organisations.
SMX claims 99.97% accuracy, but says in reality the rate is higher, says Ball.