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Earlier on January 5, a ceremony took place at the Hau River Industrial Park in Chau Thanh district, Hau Giang province to announce the export of its first batch of shrimp in 2021. The raw shrimp exports were produced by Minh Phu Hau Giang Seafood JSC, including 160 tonnes of frozen shrimp exported to the US, Europe and Japan.
On January 8, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Seafood Processing Import - Export JSC (Baseafood) also exported its first eight containers of seafood worth approximately US$700,000 to Canada, the US, Australia and others.
These are the first positive signs in the areas of agriculture, forestry and fisheries of in 2021.
The export of rice at high prices to Singapore and Malaysia is an important event for Vietnam as Malaysia and Singapore are two of the 10 largest importers of Vietnamese rice.
This is also a significant event with Vietnam having signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) with nine ASEAN member countries and five other countries by association.
The export of first batches of seafood products is also a favourable step for the whole fishery sector in 2021, in addition to many opportunities arising from the implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
Despite being severely affected by natural disasters and epidemics in 2020, Vietnam’s agricultural sector still attained remarkable achievements with a growth rate of 2.65%.
In particular, the agricultural, forestry and fishery sectors posted total export revenue of US$41.25 billion – a record figure in the context of strong fluctuations in the global trade of agricultural products due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The agricultural sector is forecast to face numerous challenges in 2021 because the ongoing pandemic will continue to have a negative impact on various areas. In addition, climate change is becoming more extreme, requiring the agricultural sector to respond promptly and develop a long-term strategy to promote production and exports.
Thus, the positive signals at the beginning of the year have created hope for the agricultural industry to successfully fulfill its target of reaching export turnover of US$42 billion in 2021.
Each sector will have their own specific tasks but the key tasks should be investment in resources, technological innovation, and the application of scientific and technical advances to production to help create high quality products with traceability of origin and the meeting of VietGAP and GlobalGap standards.
To take advantage of the opportunities from free trade agreements that have been signed, the agricultural sector needs to study carefully the technical barriers of each country and region regarding product quality standards, labour factors, the environment and other aspects to respond to these requirements in the fastest and most effective manner.


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13 Feb Food delivery services developing taste for sport sponsorship
With junk food companies such as McDonald’s and KFC now increasingly unpalatable partners for sports organisations due to their established links with childhood obesity, online food delivery platforms such as Deliveroo are now filling the void left by once-dominant food corporations.
In September 2019, Deliveroo, an online food delivery platform (OFDP) signed a partnership agreement with the English Football Association (FA), becoming England’s first sleeve sponsor. The OFDP’s logo has so far appeared on the training kit of all senior men’s and women’s sides including Gareth Southgate’s squad during the European Qualifiers.
As part of the deal, Deliveroo is also supporting the Emirates FA Cup, featuring on digital advertising hoardings at matches and in media and press briefing areas. Deliveroo has regularly advertised their services on broadcast and social media in the days and hours preceding FA Cup fixtures, providing matchday offers to encourage consumers to order food via their platform.
In December, Deliveroo also offered customers the chance to win a free personalised football kit when they ordered a Coca-Cola product on specific matchdays and during FA Cup third round ties in January, participating restaurants displaying the “Emirates FA Cup Freebies” tag offered customers either a free starter, side dish or dessert with qualifying orders.
One restaurant that took part in the promotion, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, offered a selection of free milkshakes ranging from 624 to 912 kcal per drink as part of this deal. To put this into context, Public Health England recommends consuming 600 kcal or less for their main lunch and dinner meals to avoid excess daily energy intake and maintain a healthy body weight.
Taking inspiration from Coca-Cola’s Premier League Trophy Tour™, Deliveroo coordinated an FA Cup trophy tour in January with customers invited to vote for their favourite restaurants. Winning consumers received £500 Deliveroo credit and FA Cup Final tickets and winning restaurants hosted the trophy for an afternoon in January.
Substituting new for old
The partnership between Deliveroo and the FA is one of several sponsorship deals signed between OFDPs and sports organisations and these partnerships seem to be displacing some of the more traditional junk food companies who have historically sponsored sport.
For instance, in 2017 McDonald’s abruptly terminated their reported £40-million-a-year deal with the International Olympic Committee in 2017 three years early. Therefore, McDonald’s advertising will not appear officially at the Tokyo Olympics this summer. Similarly, McDonald’s had sponsored the UEFA European Championships since 1988 but are not included in the 2020 sponsorship portfolio.
Both these instances suggest that sustained pressure from public health advocates and the general public, has dissuaded McDonald’s from continuing these relationships. Others may argue that a changing food landscape is forcing them to re-prioritise – leaving the door open to OFDPs.
Other examples of food delivery services associating with sport include:
- Uber Eats, who sponsored the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia with their campaign featuring several former international footballers including Andrea Pirlo, Cafu, Marcel Desailly and Peter Crouch;
- French champions Paris Saint Germain are also sponsored by Deliveroo, with the launch video featuring senior players including Neymar, ordering food via their app – an act that would undoubtedly horrify club nutritionists;
- Deliveroo have also teamed up with Puma to provide free, Deliveroo-sponsored football kits to thousands of grassroots football clubs in the UK
- Fresh from it’s takeover of Just Eat in the UK, Takeaway.com has been named as ‘Official Food Delivery Platform Partner’ for UEFA EURO 2020, effectively replacing the previous ‘Official Restaurant Partner’ category held by McDonald’s at previous editions of the EURO; as part of this deal, Takeaway.com has the rights to advertise its services in the 12 host stadia giving them unprecedented exposure to markets across Europe
- Deliveroo has also piggy-backed on other sports tournaments where they have no official affiliation. Pepsi Max, a UEFA Champions League sponsor, partnered with Deliveroo for a special Champions League Final offer in May 2019. Deliveroo then advertised Pepsi Max and KFC fried chicken products using the UEFA Champions League logo in their marketing communications.
Flaunden FC flaunt their new kit featuring their ‘official takeaway partner’ Deliveroo. The BSL Premier League team are one of thousands of lower league and grassroots clubs who have received Puma manufactured kits sponsored by Deliveroo.
To date, little academic analysis has been performed on the healthfulness of menu options marketed through OFDPs, and whilst some will argue they provide a “choice” for consumers, that choice typically consists of pizza, burgers, fried chicken and highly calorific side orders and desserts.
Metropolitan areas tend to be saturated with a mixture of full-service restaurants and junk food outlets with the former often perceived as higher quality and therefore healthier, with more suburban areas comprising mostly independent fast food takeaways. But is there any real difference between the food offered between different types of restaurant?
Research from the University of Liverpool found that the energy content per main meal in restaurants averaged 977 kcal, exceeding the guidance provided by Public Health England which recommends consuming 600 kcal or less for main lunch and dinner meals to avoid excess daily energy intake and maintain a healthy body weight.
But when split between fast food restaurants (e.g. McDonald’s) and full-service restaurants (e.g. Gourmet Burger Kitchen), full-service restaurant main meals had 268 kcal more than their fast food competitors on average.
For the purposes of this study fast food restaurants were defined as:
“Restaurants that primarily provide consumers with largely pre-prepared ‘quick’ meals with little or no table service, with in-store seating and in which take-away orders are likely to account for a significant proportion of orders.”
In fact, a meal consisting of a classic burger, skinny fries and a free double Belgian chocolate milkshake ordered from Gourmet Burger Kitchen around the time of the FA Cup third round ties would total 2353 kcal.
Therefore, OFDPs, who now deliver on behalf of full-service restaurants, may be providing consumers with more calories than they realise. This combined with the ease in which consumers can access these services on mobile devices may also lead to more regular purchases – and consuming more calories more regularly can lead to weight gain.
Food has always played an important role in the matchday experience at football stadia, but how fans consume food when watching matches from their sofa is poorly understood.
By partnering with OFDPs, sports organisations are perhaps unwittingly substituting traditional junk food with what could potentially be a much more dynamic player, capable of encouraging the purchase of HFSS food and drink on a hyper-local level.
One thing is clear – if sports organisations continue to partner with OFDPs, they may inadvertently further entrench the association between watching sport and regular consumption of energy dense, nutrient poor food and drink products.

domain: news


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Source: Media Outreach
Younger generations more interested in ethics and sustainability as the new status in luxury and are prepared to pay a premium for this
LONDON, UK – Media OutReach – 23 November 2021 – New research published today in De Beers Group’s latest Diamond Insight ‘Flash’ Report highlights that consumer attitudes towards provenance are changing as younger generations value ethics and sustainability assurances beyond simply knowing where a product originated.
De Beers’ new global “I do.” campaign centred on commitments to ourselves, to one another and the wider world.
Based on research conducted among 1,000 US consumers, the report found that while consumers aged 50 and above cited quality factors as being their most important considerations relating to provenance of luxury goods (for example, French champagne, Italian cashmere), the 18 to 34 age cohort over-indexed on factors such as ‘human rights,’ ‘environmental impact’ and ‘from a company whose values I agree with.’
The research also found that consumers who valued information about a product’s provenance were prepared to pay a premium for this assurance, with affluent consumers being the most likely to pay a premium. Sixty-four per cent of all consumers and 73 per cent of affluent consumers (those with household income of more than US$150K per year) said they were willing to pay more for a product if its place of origin mattered to them. However, only seven per cent of consumers said they believed it was ‘very easy’ to discover where their products originated from, while another 29 per cent said it was only ‘somewhat easy’. More than half of consumers surveyed said it was ‘somewhat or very difficult to understand the story behind the items they buy’.
The study also found that while essential health and safety items such as food, cars and skincare ranked most highly as categories for which consumers were concerned about provenance, 34 per cent said they ‘care a lot’ about luxury goods and 35 per cent said the same about diamonds, highlighting that consumers are increasingly concerned about where and how their discretionary items are made.
Bruce Cleaver, CEO, De Beers Group, said: “It’s clear from this research that while provenance remains of high importance to luxury consumers, the meaning associated with provenance is shifting. Younger generations want assurance of the positive impact a product has created beyond simply knowing where it originated. This is creating a new status in luxury, where consumers want to show the world they care through their luxury purchases and are increasingly prepared to pay a premium to do so.”
The full Diamond Insight ‘Flash’ Report is available to download here.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.


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Latest in Home Entertainment
WHEN it comes to buying the best of the best in televisions, there’s only one option. And this is it.
GET ready to add another videostreaming option to your viewing menu — Yahoo will today launch a new channel online for exclusive, first-run comedies.
LARA Croft might kick some serious arse on screen, but in real life her body would defy physics. Check out 10 iconic female video game characters reimagined as real women.
THE trailer for the upcoming Tony Hawk Pro Skater 5 video game has dropped and it looks like it has come good on everything it promised.


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The Deputy Minister congratulated all livestock breeders of the Republic on this significant event of the national scale, and also noted the districts that have made a significant contribution to this achievement. Among them there are Bolshaya Atnya, Kukmor and Baltasi districts. "They keep the gross daily milk yield at the level of more than 200 tons of milk per day during the year, and will receive Republican grants for the development of agriculture and the construction of new facilities in their areas", Nazip Khazipov pleased the leaders.
According to current operational data, 277 tons of milk per day is produced in Kukmor district, 258 tons of milk - in Baltasi district, and 219 tons of milk - in Bolshaya Atnya district. These districts also have high rates of milk yield per 1 cow, from 22.5 to 27.1 kg.
"Also last week, Aktanysh district joined the districts that produce two hundred tons of milk; it became the fourth district with the production of more than 200 tons of milk per day", said Nazip Khazipov.
It should be noted that dairy cattle breeding is one of the priorities of the agro-industrial complex of Tatarstan and, due to the implementation of measures to support the production and sale of milk in the Republic by the Ministry, positive results are noted. Tatarstan is the leader in terms of production and sales of commercial milk among the subjects of the Russian Federation.


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Desperate to appear wealthy, or to disguise that they've fallen on hard times, our nation's fabulous are now renting bling:
The economic downturn “will focus the minds of people on what the alternatives are to full ownership and help accelerate the growth of the industry,” says Milton Pedraza, chief executive of the Luxury Institute, a-based research firm. “I think long-term, people will realize that instead of owning an asset you can just buy the experience.”
Um, OK. I remember when those "rent-to-own" shops started turning up in working class neighborhoods they were frequently charged with gouging the locals, since a long-term rental of a big-ticket appliance ultimately wound up costing more than just buying the thing outright. Nice to see that this practice is no longer limited to "the hood":
And they may be overpaying. Arenting for $900 a month on Bling Yourself could be bought new within about five months at the same price. If sold used, the watch would probably fetch about 85 percent of the original price, according to published figures. Bag Borrow or Steal carries several popular bags that can be purchased for the same amount customers would pay to rent them for five or six months.
Nom nom nom.


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Some new choices for your next trip to the MOA. The Mall of America will become the first Midwest location for SJP, the fashion label owner by “Sex And The City” star Sarah Jessica Parker.
A quote from Parker in the press release suggests she’ll be in town for the opening this summer, noting: “We can’t wait to meet all of our new customers at the Mall of America.”
Another new arrival at the MOA will be Bonchon, the national Korean fried chicken chain that opened its first Minnesota location in Uptown last October, and is following it up with a second restaurant in Dinkytown.
The MOA will be its third, with the mall’s website noting that the eatery is “coming soon” and will be located on Level 3, South.


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It's Vogue for DOGS! Fashion magazine for canines features £500 Mulberry rain macs, Swarovski collars and even BEAUTY PRODUCTS for pets
With handbag pooches fast the must-have accessory for glamorous girls, it's hardly surprising that a brand new magazine for dogs has been unveiled.
The brand new mini magazine, sent free to members and customers of the Pets Pyjamas website, professes to be 'the ultimate shopping destination and social network for stylish pets and their owners'.
The colourful 28-page guide includes all the latest London Fashion Week spring/summer 13 pet trends, an interview with Amanda Holden and her dog Rudie, and tips on how to throw the perfect pet party.
Doggy style watch: The Vogue for dogs shows pets how to be bang on trend this season and even includes Mulberry mac in its round-up
There are spreads with celebrities out and about with their dogs, nutrition tips and even a 'popular page' featuring the most celebrated dog breeds.
The 'spring fling' trend report cites: 'There’s nothing like a few rays of new season sunshine to put a spring in your step. Sparkle! Neons! Monochrome!
Blinging bow-wow: If you're in doubt about how to jazz up your pooch's jewellery collection, look no further
'Spring/Summer 2013’s trends are enough to put any fashionable pooch or feline in a sunny disposition.
'And if those April showers do begin to fall, we’ve got our on-trend rain macs to keep coats dry and tails wagging'- it even comes complete with a round-up of the coolest pup trends, including a doggy mac by Mulberry.
Celebrity pooches: They magazine features a round-up of the coolest A-listers and their adorable pups
Elsewhere in the tiny pupzine are details of where to find the best pooch-friendly staycations (including Blenheim Palace, Combe House in Devon, and The Swan Hotel in Suffolk), as well as a 'pet travel checklist' and 'social petworking' tips.
On their website, PetsPyjamas’ doggy reporter and Mulberry Ambassador, Norfolk Terrier, Heidi reports from fashion week.
'No rest for the stylish, as on Sunday Rufus and I trotted along to Mulberry’s AW13 catwalk fashion show, hosted at the ever-glamorous Claridges in Mayfair.
'We’d been invited as VIPs (Very Important Pooches), along with a few other select fashion dogs.
'We kept stylish and warm in our faux fur-trimmed navy parkas – by Mulberry of course,' she writes.
Looking good: This adorable pup poses for his close up on the Pet Pyjamas website
Petwalk: The glamour pooches strutted their stuff on this catwalk as seen on Pets Pyjamas
COOK FOR YOUR PUP: TUNA AND CHEDDAR BISCUITS
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Colorado’s legislators have set the stage for fixing an oversight from the last session that cost special districts millions of dollars in tax revenue from marijuana sales. The lawmakers hope a pair of bills introduced in the first week of the new session will accomplish what a special session in October did not.
The accidental funding elimination began with the passage of Senate Bill 17-267, a bipartisan bill that exempted hospital-provider fees from TABOR requirements. The bill warded off deep funding cuts to rural hospitals and at the same time provided about $2 million in transportation funding by raising the state marijuana tax from 10 percent to the voter-approved 15 percent maximum. At the same time, the bill created an exemption from the regular 2.9 percent general state sales tax for retail marijuana sales.
But the exemption inadvertently cut millions in funding from special districts, such as RTD, the scientific and Cultural Facilities District and Health Services District, that had already gotten voter approval to tax marijuana sales.
According to an October estimation, SB 17-267 could cut up to $8.6 million in the 2018-2019 fiscal year.
A three-day special session convened in October to fix the mistake, but the resulting bill did not pass.
Legislators needed to assess whether fixing the error would violate TABOR’s stipulation that a tax policy change resulting in an increase of revenue requires voter approval.
House Majority Leader KC Becker, the primary House sponsor of this session’s Senate Bill 88, said she believes case law makes it clear that removing a tax credit without exceeding TABOR’s cap doesn’t require voter approval.
“That analysis would apply here, so I don’t think there’s actually a constitutional issue here,” Becker said.
The two new bills take different approaches to accomplishing the same goal. SB 88, which has dozens of sponsors from both chambers, fixes the funding elimination by shifting the exemption cities had prior to SB 17-267’s passage to the special districts themselves.
The bill clarifies that retail marijuana sales remain subject to the sales taxes levied by RTD, SCFD, HSD and other limited-purpose government bodies that the sales were subject to before July 1, 2017. The bill also stipulates that such entities that had not imposed taxes on marijuana sales before last July 1 cannot do so now.
House Bill 1062, of which Rep. Steve Lebsock is the sole sponsor, repeals the general state sales tax exemption for marijuana sales that came with SB17-267.
Lebsock’s bill also decreases the retail marijuana sales tax from 15 percent to 12.1 percent.
With the repeal of the state exemption, sales of retail marijuana are automatically subjected to the sales tax levied by a limited-purpose governmental body that has the same sales tax authority as the state.
Right now, municipalities and counties can create an exemption for sales of retail marijuana from the state general sales tax. Lebsock’s bill also repeals this contingent authority.
According to Lebsock, his goal with HB 1062 is to respect taxpayers’ rights. He explained the special districts have already gotten voter approval to levy taxes on marijuana sales, and while the bill repeals a portion of SB 17-267 that exempted marijuana from the base state sales tax, it does not ask for a tax increase.
“We’ve respected the spirit of TABOR with [HB] 1062,” Lebsock said, later continuing that “the special districts will receive the revenue that they should be receiving if House Bill 1062 passes. … It fixes the problem respectfully.”
Becker said she doubts both HB 1062 and SB 88 will pass. Although they have the same goal, she said they might conflict, should they both pass, which would require more analysis from the state Office of Legislative Legal Services. She explained she believes the key difference between the two bills is SB 88’s passing of the torch to special districts to reinstate previous taxes on marijuana sales, while HB 1062 moves to totally undo the change made by SB 17-267 that affected special district funding.
Lebsock declined to comment on SB 88, saying he has not yet read the bill. Sen. Bob Gardner, SB 88’s primary Senate sponsor, did not return a request for comment.
Lebsock and Becker said October’s special session also failed because Republicans did not feel Gov. John Hickenlooper consulted them enough before the session.
“During my five years down here at the legislature, I’ve found how important it is to actually count votes before you get to the floor,” he said. “What the governor failed to do was actually have him and his staff call legislators and count votes.”
He added he could understand the Republicans’ frustrations.
“I’m just glad we finally have bipartisan support to fix the issue,” Becker said. “We made a mistake; we need to fix it.”
— Julia Cardi


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By Tobe Attah – August 8th, 2016
Samsung recently began working with a Creative Lab project for one of their first official spinoff startups. The startup team developed the IOFIT smart golf shoes, a pair of trainers that help golfers improve their games.
“In the past, the only way for golfers to get professional feedback on their swing was to hire a coach or purchase equipment that costs thousands of dollars,” IOFIT CEO and co-founder Jacob Cho told Business Wire. “Now, with just a pair of shoes and an app, golfers can quickly and smartly improve their game while having fun.”
The IOFIT guides users via personalized feedback, offering insights into how the golfers are leaning and if they’re transitioning their weight well during swings. The shoe’s waterproof sensors are designed to detect slight changes in the pressure distribution in a matter of milliseconds.
This shoe can communicate with users via Bluetooth through their iOS or Android app, which includes optional video-syncing capabilities, a professional swing library, and many other features to help track progress. The shoe even allows you to send your analyzed data and videos to peers and coaches, allowing users to develop their game even off of the course.
It is no surprise the shoes have garnered plenty of backers on Kickstarter. The project has already collected about $47,000 in donations, cruising well past the goal of $30,000.
“It made sense for us to launch a product like IOFIT on Kickstarter because of its strong global community of innovators and technologists,” Cho said. “We brought a very experienced product development team together from leading companies like Samsung and PING to fulfill our mission to empower golfers with meaningful data.”
The shoe’s ability to act as a virtual coach for lay users hopes to one day create a generation of golf enthusiasts ready to improve their golf swing and overall balance on the course.
*Original article from http://www.si.com/tech-media/2016/08/08/samsung-iofit-smart-golf-shoes-cleats


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Today's U.S. consumer marketplace is a melting pot of people, products and paychecks. Manufacturers need to ask: Does 'Made in America' matter to their customers anymore?
Indiana tax program, other promises, prompt Hartmarx Corp. to keep open some of its Michigan City operations.
Will the decisions executives make today weaken the country's future economy? Should they care?
On the 25th anniversary of the Arab embargo, disturbing trends stir concern. But the energy environment is different now.
Nov. 20, 1998, Washington, D.C.
Rumblings hint at high price of nonparticipation.
U.S. companies succeed when they focus on innovating for their customers. Period.
We must pull together in urgent and reasoned debate to adapt to this growth spurt of globalization.


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DIAMOND BAR, Calif. (June 30, 2003 ) — The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) will induct four industry professionals into its Hall of Fame at its Installation Banquet July 25 in Huntington Beach, Calif.
Robert Vandergriff Sr. of Hedman Hedders, Marvin Rifchin of M&H Tire Co., Bob McJannett of Performance Improvements and Brian Appelgate of B&M Racing and Performance will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, SEMA said.
Mr. Vandergriff bought Hedman Manufacturing in 1978 and is credited with turning the company around, SEMA said. Mr. Rifchin's company was one of the first to manufacture tires specifically for drag racing, and Mr. McJannett's support of the industry with legislation has been a valuable tool for SEMA, the association said. Mr. Appelgate, who served as SEMA chairman of the board from 1997 to 1999, was instrumental in developing the SEMA Technology Transfer Program, which expanded the association's international relations.


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Bob Evans Farms Recalls Nearly 47,000 Pounds of Sausage
The affected meat may have clear pieces of hard plastic in them.
Bob Evans Farms is recalling some of its raw pork sausage products over possible contamination.
The company is recalling nearly 47,000 pounds of sausage links after determining that they may have pieces of “clear hard plastic” in them, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. The agency said in a statement that Bob Evans Farms received consumer complaints about the plastic in its pork sausage products. So far, however, there have been no reports of “adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.”
Bob Evans Farms did not immediately respond to a Fortune request for comment on the recall.
In a statement, the USDA said that affected products have the establishment number “EST 6785” on them. It’s believed the products, listed below, were shipped to several states, including Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, N.C., Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The USDA said that if you have one of the products, you should throw them away or bring them back to the store at which you purchased them. If you’re concerned about an injury or illness after consuming them, the USDA said you should call a doctor.
Here’s the full list of affected products, including their use-by dates:
- 12-oz overwrap trays labeled Bob Evans Maple Pork Sausage Links. They have a use-by date of of October 16, 2018 or October 19, 2018.
- 12-oz overwrap trays labeled Bob Evans Brown Sugar & Honey. They have a use-by date of October 16, 2018.
- 12-oz overwrap trays labeled Fresh From Meijer Maple Flavored Sausage Links. They have a use-by date of September 6, 2018.
- 12-oz overwrap trays labeled Giant Eagle Maple Pork Breakfast Sausage Links Caramel Color Added. They have a use-by date of September 10, 2018.
- 12-oz overwrap trays labeled Schnucks Maple Recipe Breakfast Sausage. They don’t have a use-by date listed.
This story originally appeared on Fortune.


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This article was originally published by Nicolas Apaire
The California-based company Onelogin, which specializes in identity and access management, conducted a survey of 5,000 professionals in Germany, France, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States, revealing cyber security failures within their Internet networks.
The company Onelogin unveils the results of a worldwide survey of 5000 people from five different countries in Europe and the United States. Focusing on cybersecurity and the development of teleworking in Germany, France, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States, the study alerts on the lack of knowledge of the people surveyed on the subject. Thus, according to this Onelogin, 17.4% of those surveyed share their professional password with their children or spouse. They take a major risk, should this password fall into the wrong hands.
The wifi security is also highlighted. Only 39% of British and French respondents have changed their wifi password in the last six months, compared to 49% of Germans and 63% of Americans. A quarter of those surveyed would never have changed their password. The study stresses that it is necessary to change one's password at least every three months to keep it safe.
These problems are accentuated by the long-term use of teleworking. The survey reveals that while only 50% of American and British employees would like to continue teleworking, these figures rise to 67% in Ireland and Germany, and 73% in France. A trend that must go hand in hand with the adoption of good security practices.
Onelogin, a company specializing in identity and access management, commissioned this survey from the English research firm OnePoll. They surveyed 5,000 teleworking employees in early April across Germany, Ireland, the UK, the US and France.


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MIRACL, the fastest, passwordless single-step multi-factor authentication, has this week secured partnerships with three major operators from the iGaming Platform family.
Since the new collaboration with iGP earlier this summer as the multi-factor authentication of choice, its operators have been scrambling to discover the MIRACL secret. Today, MIRACL is pleased to announce that they have subsequently signed agreements to partner with Rigged, Touch Casino and Woom, with immediate effect.
iGamingPlatform (iGP), a pioneering casino and sportsbetting platform provider, publicly announced a new partnership with MIRACL in May 2023.
Rob Griffin, CEO at MIRACL comments,”We know that the implication of using MIRACL as your iGaming MFA not only delivers immediate and significant benefits for the operators bottom line, but provides an absolutely seamless login experience for users. Gaming is for fun, and the easier you can make it for the players, the more they play.
With MIRACL’s friction-free passwordless login, that is also multi-factor, these operators will immediately maximise both traffic and revenues – whilst minimising support costs from account resets and other password-related issues. We literally can’t wait to provide these benefits for Rigged, Touch Casino and Woom and help them on their journey for ongoing success.”
Touch Casino reveals that it is partnering with MIRACL to provide stronger online gaming security – and have integrated MIRACL’s technology to offer quick and easy Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Digital Signing, taking only 2 seconds for MFA. This will ensure top-notch security and a smoother gaming experience.
Touch Casino’s Director, Rhys Hamilton, is excited about the collaboration, aiming to provide the best security and convenience to players. He says “MIRACL’s technology protects user identity with minimal hassle during authentication, aligning perfectly with Touch Casino’s commitment to a seamless gaming experience. Together, we’re raising the bar for secure online gaming.”
iGP’s Sales Director, Elliott Banks adds, “MIRACL brings gaming operators a transformed user experience that not only provides more revenue and less cost but also bullet-proof security and protection. For operators, it’s the holy grail.”
MIRACL, a single-step, passwordless MFA, is the world’s fastest login but it also has the highest success rate meaning gaming customers get straight to their account with zero effort, regardless of what device or browser they are using.
MIRACL eliminates the need for outdated security practices such as passwords, SMS Texts, push notifications and key-cards. The use of true two-factor authentication coupled with the latest Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP) patented technology means no personal data is stored or transmitted and there are no “honey-pots” of data exposed to attack, ensuring MIRACL Trust is completely GDPR friendly too. With a simple two second login via PIN or biometric, MIRACL customers see login success rates as high as 99.996%.
In the gambling industry, user experience alongside security is of utmost importance. MIRACL’s user-friendly, MFA solution helps to ensure that the online gaming experience is secure and protected against unauthorized access. This is important for both players and operators, as it helps to prevent fraud and to maintain the integrity of the games.


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(Written by Trond Lillestolen)
8 March 2013 – Two veteran bulkers join a panamax sold by bankrupt owner B+H Equimar
Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM)’s clear-out of its elderly large bulkers has left it with no more vintage capesizes in its fleet.
The South Korean company has disposed of the 200,000-dwt Hyundai Continental (built 1988) for scrapping. It was sold “as is” in Korea for $418 per ldt, or $10.5m, in a deal that includes 240 tons of bunkers. The ship has been owned by HMM since it was new.
In February, HMM sold the 163,000-dwt Hyundai Cosmos (built 1986) for demolition.
Also in the capesize segment, the 149,000-dwt Bet Commander (built 1991) has been sold for $425 per ldt or $7.7m and will either be scrapped in India or in Pakistan. The bulker was owned privately by a company controlled by Greece’s Victor Restis. He bought the ship from publicly listed Seanergy Maritime for an undisclosed price in November last year.
The two sales take to at least 11 the tally of capesize bulkers sold for recycling so far this year.
In the panamax sector, bankrupt US owner B+H Equimar has sold its last vessel, the 83,000-dwt combination carrier (OBO) RIP Hudner (built 1994) for $7.1m to Pakistan.
Last month, the company sold the two sisterships Seahorse G and Searose G (both built 1994) for demolition, which means there are no vessels left in its fleet. At least 16 panamax bulkers have been sold for recycling so far this year.
The 49,000-dwt woodchip carrier Luminous Orion (built 1997) has reportedly been sold for demolition to China for $391 per ldt or $4m.
Greek owner Danaos Shipping continues to clear out old boxships, recently selling the 3,098-teu Pride (built 1988) to India for $444 per ldt or $6.6m. Last week, it sold the 3,039-teu Henry (built 1986) for demolition.
On the tanker side, China Shipping Development Co has sold the 110,000-dwt Feng Lin Wan (built 1988) for green recycling in China. The price has not been reported but could be around $6.5m. The company bought the vessel as Maersk Virtue for $25m in 2000.
Teekay of Canada is understood to have sold the 97,000-dwt shuttle tankers Basker Spirit and Leyte Spirit (bot built 1992) for scrapping but no deal has been reported by demolition brokers.


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PORT MORRIS - A Bronx musician is gaining fans one cookie at a time.
Ralph Rolle has been a drummer for 35 years, playing on famous stages like the Apollo. Rolle says his second passion is baking and in 1996, he started the Soul Snacks Cookie Company in his apartment.
Rolle, who says his mother taught him how to bake, now has his own bakery in Port Morris. Soul Snacks Cookie Company has nine different flavors of cookies and can be found in several stores citywide.


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A 12-year-old boy has lost his right eye and a finger when his mobile phone exploded in his hands, while the mobile phone was being charged.
The incident took place at the boy’s house in Guangxi Province, China. The explosion blew off his right index finger, with his palm and other finger got severely injured, the explosion also damaged his right eyeball, according to the sources.
The mobile phone which explodes was Hua Tang VT-V59 and has been manufactured in China.
The elder sister of the victim said that she had heard a loud noise of explosion and found her brother covered in blood.
A similar incident has happened about three or four months ago where a 14-year-old girl died due to electric shock by a faulty iPhone 6 charger cable. Le Thi Xoan was sleeping on the bed and rolled out on the charger’s cable while it was plugged in.


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The third major update for Deathloop – “Killer Caught in a Time Loop Game” of 2021 – introduces a flashy photo mode, but more importantly, it finally gives the PlayStation exclusive a solid suite of much-needed accessibility options.
“Empathy was the catalyst for this update”, Deathloop Yoann Bazoge, UI / UX Lead Designer says so Reverse. “When we design a game, we do it for the players and we want as many players as possible to have fun.”
It was not necessarily the case a DeathloopLaunched in September 2021. It has received praise from numerous skilled reviewers for its approach to combat scenarios and troubleshooting. However, disabled gamers have criticized the title for its lack of options, inaccessible design practices, and insurmountable barriers such as a limited number of lives. Without the proper tools to play, many disabled people had no choice but to avoid playing it altogether.
“As development progressed, we realized that the game’s accessibility features were insufficient and it wasn’t as open as it could have been,” says Bazoge. “We struggled to make changes in time before release, but we were well underway with planning for potential accessibility additions.”
Time constraints prevented the team from realizing their initial vision of accessibility. Bazoge reveals that after elaborating on the game’s critique after launch, the developers have formed “a strike team of designers, artists and programmers” to address accessibility in the game’s Update 3.
“We went through every review, every video, and gathered feedback from players and those who wanted to play,” says Bazoge. “We had some ideas before launch and we combined all of this information to compile the most comprehensive backlog possible and prioritized the needs based on the number of occurrences we had seen.”
Developer Arkane Lyon worked with several accessibility consultants to ensure that the options and features would benefit a range of disabled people. These included contacts from DAGERSystem, a game journalism site focused on accessibility, and CapGame, a French website dedicated to facilitating access to video games in general.
“They were very excited about the idea of working with us and when we presented them with the list of features we were planning to add, they couldn’t believe their eyes,” says Bazoge. “Adding post-launch options is already very complicated, so adding so many was already great for the player.”
Through this talk of accessibility, the most notable new features include the ability to choose the number of lives, one-hit kills, and the option to slow game speed by up to 50 or 75 percent. The update also adds new ways to navigate menus with controllers and keyboards. Rather than relying on precise joystick and mouse movements, Game Update 3 allows players to use multiple login methods when browsing menus, which Bazoge says took several months for a developer to rework.
“We also had to add shortcuts that didn’t exist before because everything was accessible with the cursor, so we had to find a solution for these elements to remain accessible when the player couldn’t reach them with directional crosses,” says Bazoge. “It was more of a technology challenge, it was a UX challenge and we were pulling our hair out trying to find the best solution.”
Rather than addressing post-launch accessibility settings, Bazoge notes that developers are already building ways to ensure that options like color blind support, subtitle readability, and scaling of UI elements will all be “standard at launch. future”.
“Improving the accessibility of a game is beneficial for all players.”
DeathloopThe company’s initial launch was the product of an industry still struggling to meet the needs of disabled people.
“Some accessibility options can have a low development cost, even more so if they are thought of during initial feature development,” said Bazoge. “And it’s been interesting to see a lot of people in the studio starting to use these options because they can add a different style of fun to their play sessions. Slowing down the speed of the game, for example, has been very successful during gaming sessions. Improving the accessibility of a game is beneficial for all players. “
While it’s important to incorporate inclusive design practices into all stages of a game’s development cycle, we’re in a game era where every game comes with a Day One patch and continues to evolve over time. Bazoge hopes so DeathloopThe example of can change the accessibility narrative. No game will ever be perfect, especially in terms of accessibility, but every studio has a responsibility to try.
“I think that’s an important aspect, not just for us but for other developers – it’s okay to make the mistake, you can set things up right after the fact,” said Bazoge. “Sometimes it is assumed that it is not possible to improve the accessibility of a game after the fact, and we hope that we have shown that it is possible.”
If something, by Deathloop The accessibility fiasco indicates that not just a single studio, but an entire industry is actively willing to learn. And with the highly personal aspect of living with a disability, implementing effective and fun features requires a deeper understanding of the disability experience.
“In Arkane, we have the mantra to always say yes to the player and accessibility is just another way to achieve this,” said Bazoge. “When we think of a system, a design, an interface we say ‘Ok, that’s a great idea, but some players risk being sidelined, so maybe we could add an option to make it more accessible in one way or another’ other .’ Accessibility doesn’t make us less creative, quite the contrary. “
With the help of the community and several accessibility consultants, Game Update 3 has transformed one of the most inaccessible games of 2021 into a title that can be enjoyed by players of all disabilities. And it will be a powerful reminder that focusing on accessibility is beneficial to both developers and gamers.


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Social Networking giant Facebook is buying mobile messaging service WhatsApp for $19 billion in cash and stock, by far the company’s largest acquisition and bigger than any that Google, Microsoft or Apple have ever done.
The world’s biggest social networking company said Wednesday that it is paying $12 billion in Facebook stock and $4 billion in cash for WhatsApp.
WhatsApp was the leader among a wave of smart phone-based messaging apps that are now sweeping across North America, Asia and Europe. Although WhatsApp has adhered strictly to its core functionality of mimicking texting, other apps, such as Line in Japan or Tencent Holdings Ltd’s WeChat, offer games or even e-commerce on top of their popular messaging features.
WhatsApp has built a leading and rapidly growing real-time mobile messaging service, with:
- Over 450 million people using the service each month;
- 70% of those people active on a given day;
- Messaging volume approaching the entire global telecom SMS volume; and
- Continued strong growth, currently adding more than 1 million new registered users per day.
WhatsApp is founded by a Ukrainian immigrant who dropped out of college, Jan Koum, and a Stanford alumnus, Brian Acton.


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London, Monday 12th September - Mind Candy, the company behind the 50 million-strong Moshi Monsters online community for kids, has moved further beyond its digital roots with the launch of a new record label – Moshi Music.
The debut single, ‘The Moshi Dance’ from Moshling Starlet, Lady Goo Goo will be available for download on iTunes from September 18 th with an album in the works for later this year. The official single is being launched by popular demand following Lady Goo Goo’s massive success on YouTube, where the ‘The Moshi Dance’ video is pulling in around 1m views a month. The video is currently on over 3m hits - eclipsing established artists including Leona Lewis (her Collide video has 59,266 views), Pixie Lott (All About Tonight has clocked up 401,817 views) and Jedward (the video for Bad Behaviour has received 425,704 views to date).
The Lady Goo Goo single is the first of many planned releases featuring other Moshi Music stars including the likes of Dustbin Beaver, 49 Pence, Broccoli Spears, Hairosniff and Avril Le Scream. Each track and supporting video will be developed to offer both parents and children a combination of awesome visual content, character back-stories, silliness and fun.
Creator of Moshi Monsters and CEO of Mind Candy, Michael Acton Smith said: “We released the Lady Goo Goo music video on YouTube as a bit of an experiment and were amazed at the response and how fast it spread. Kids loved it so we though it would be smart to release it and are developing many more tracks”
For further information on Lady Goo Goo’s debut track, ‘The Moshi Dance’ visit http://www.moshimusic.com/ladygoogoo
or her facebook page www.facebook.com/LadyGooGooOfficial
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Notes to Editors:
ABOUT MIND CANDY
Mind Candy is the online games developer and entertainment company behind the hit global children’s brand Moshi Monsters. The company was founded in 2004 by Michael Acton Smith, a UK-based entrepreneur who previously founded Firebox.com. For further information visit www.mindcandy.com
ABOUT MOSHI MONSTERS™
Moshi Monsters is an online world for boys and girls aged 6-12. The site is filled with exciting characters, educational puzzles, nurturing play patterns, customization tools and a social layer so kids can share, show-off and communicate with their friends in a safe environment – similarly to the way adults interact on Facebook.
Children choose from one of six virtual pet monsters - Furi, Poppet, Diavlo, Zommer, Luvli and Katsuma – that they can create, name and nurture. Once their pet has been customized, players can navigate their way around Monstro City, taking the daily puzzle challenge to earn ‘Rox’ (virtual currency), playing games, solving Super Moshi Missions, personalizing their room, showing off their artwork, reading stories and communicating with friends in a safe environment.
Since its launch in 2008, the site has accumulated over 50m registered users worldwide.
Following its huge online success , Moshi Monsters has exploded from its online base into the real world with an array of physical product offerings including best-selling toys, books, membership cards, trading cards and much more. Moshi Magazine launched in February 2011 and is now the largest UK kids title in the UK!…and there’s loads more to come with Moshi TV, Moshi Live and Moshi Music currently in development!
For more information visit www.moshimonsters.com
ABOUT MICHAEL ACTON SMITH - CEO, MIND CANDY
Michael Acton Smith is CEO and founder of Mind Candy. The company created Moshi Monsters, which now has over 50m registered users worldwide. Mind Candy's first project was trans-media puzzle game Perplex City, which played out across various media platforms. Prior to Mind Candy, Michael co-founded Firebox.com (online gadget and gift retailer), Berwickstock (boutique music festival) and Second Chance Tuesday (events to connect technology investors with entrepreneurs).


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Home buyers were moving into the Twin Cities market last month, but sellers were scarce. Closings were down from last year on the short supply of homes for sale, but there was a 12.6% increase in signed purchase agreements from a year ago. Sellers look to continue to benefit from what looks to be a favorable market to sell a home. Buyers that are serious, should be prepared and ready to make a strong offer on homes this spring.
Full Article-Buchta, J. (2016, April 14). As inventory tightens, home purchases continue to rise in the Twin Cities. Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Retrieved from www.startribune.com
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Analysis reveals limited global impact on domestic grocery prices
28 August 2008
RECENT Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) analysis around grocery prices has highlighted that the connection between international food prices and overall domestic retail prices of grocery goods is limited.
The August Westpac-NFF Commodity Index recorded the rise in global agricultural prices in recent years, particularly within the grain, oilseeds and dairy sectors. The ACCC analysis notes that these commodity groups make up less than 20% of Australian food consumption.
This means that despite rising international prices, the prices received at the farm-gate are not driving higher overall retail prices.
Westpac Senior Agribusiness Economist Andrew Hanlan said, that while the ACCC noted that small, open economies, such as Australia, were more likely to be influenced by international price trends, this link was difficult to identify where Australian retail prices were concerned.
“Compounding the confusion over grocery price rises is a misconception about the significance of the farm-gate component,” Mr Hanlan said.
“Even in the case of fresh food, the farm-gate component is generally no more than 40%. In the case of more processed foods, the component can be as small as just 5%.
“The analysis found that relatively strong global food prices are likely to be sustained... at least in the near term.”
NFF Vice-President Charles Burke welcomed the analysis in so far as it could help to quash many of the myths about how retail prices, particularly for food, are derived.
“It reinforces that rarely, if ever, can consumers and commentators look to the farm sector as the reason behind higher Australian retail prices, despite rising international prices,” Mr Burke said.
As for the latest on world commodity prices, the Westpac-NFF Commodity Index showed some moderation in July, with a 1.5% fall. The index is now 7% above last year’s levels.
Commodities experiencing decreases were Wheat (-4.5%), Dairy (-3.9%), Canola (-2.6%), Wool (-2.2%) and Cotton (-1.9%). This more than offsets rises in Sugar (16.4%), Beef (4.2%) and Barley (2.2%).
The Westpac-NFF Commodity Index is weighted according to the value of Australian agricultural exports and includes only rural commodities – unlike other price indices that are overshadowed by oil, mineral and energy prices. It provides daily movements based on prices of Australia’s eight key farm exports – Barley, Beef, Canola, Cotton, Dairy, Sugar, Wheat and Wool – in both $US and $A.
Media Enquiries: Brett Heffernan on (02) 6273 3855 or 0408 448 250.
NFF NATIONAL CONGRESS
Talking 2030 Roundtables


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LG unveils 'Ultra HD' TV - a new type of hi-def with pictures as sharp as IMAX
LG's new 84-inch 3D flatscreen offers a resolution of 3840x2160 - offering eight megapixels on screen.
It's 16 times the sharpness of normal hi-def - and not far off the resolution of an Imax screen. Sadly, no home TV service, video player or disc format can take advantage of the screen's full power - yet.
LG's new 'ultra HD' set offers a screen resolution of 3840x2160, around 16 times that of existing Full HD TVs
LG's set will be one of many televisions to offer resolutions above Full HD. There are several resolutions of 'Ultra HD', from the relatively modest 2K up to 8K.
The 4K resolution of LG's set might become a new standard for TVs and cameras that go beyond ordinary HD.
David Fincher's The Social Network was shot and screened in 4K, and an increasing number of cinema films use the format
David Fincher's The Social Network was shot and screened in 4K, and an increasing number of cinema films use the format.
LG's 3D set offers a 4K resolution - but there will may be even sharper TVs in future. The BBC has already shot test footage in 8K. It's yet to be decided which could be used for broadcast.
There are few devices that can play the format, thus far - although if your PC is up to it, YouTube will host 4K footage.
LG's 3D set offers a 4K resolution - but there will may be even sharper TVs in future. The BBC has already shot test footage in 8K. It's yet to be decided which could be used for broadcast
Toshiba already makes a '4K' television, and several other manufacturers look set to follow suit at the Consumer Electronics Show this week.
LG's set will also offer wi-fi, so users can 'mirror' what's on screen on personal devices such as tablets, and a 3D depth control
of existing Full HD TVs. 3D Depth Control allows users to personalise the viewing experience by controlling the 3D effect while 3D Sound Zooming provides users with 3D sound that rivals even the best home cinema systems.
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Tag Archives: New Imperial Star
- High court orders sale of stranded HK casino ship to pay off crew’s wages
July 12, 2016
The casino cruise ship that brought a sea of troubles—pun intended—in Hong Kong will soon be sold in an auction. On Tuesday, the city state’s High Court ordered the New Imperial Star to be put up for auction and its proceeds will go towards the unpaid wages of the cruise...
Indian cricket team banned from visiting casinos in Australia
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Kim Dotcom predicts bitcoin will hit $2000 in 2018
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Food Safety Training Gives Your Brand a Competitive Edge
Canadians are getting more serious about food safety. Many municipalities now make it possible for the public to view the results of food safety inspections online at any time, putting crucial information into the hands of thousands of potential customers around the country. Instead of worrying about not passing your next food safety inspection, you can instead use food safety training to ensure that your food service establishment never has to worry about inspection results again. Additionally a food safety incident can mean multiple negative reviews on various platforms such as Google, Facebook, and Yelp. Food safety training is becoming more and more important to food service businesses from a marketing perspective, so it’s important that you and your staff know how to use it to gain a competitive edge.
Food thermometers are an essential tool for use in any kitchen, whether it be at a food service establishment or at home. They are critical for use in the preparation of meat and poultry products to ensure that food is not under-cooked and that food products reach safe internal temperatures, reducing the likelihood of foodborne illness, and helping to avoid overcooking and achieve the highest possible food quality. There are many styles and variations of food thermometers, each of which have different uses and limitations.
Dishes containing raw meat products like beef and fish have and continue to be a popular choice among Canadians - some of the reasons cited by foodies include taste and tenderness of raw meat dishes. With the popularity of dishes made from raw meat, it’s clear that too few people actually stop and consider the major risks involved with eating raw meat dishes. Public Health Ontario recently conducted a study on the subject of raw meat dishes, bringing information to light about the consequences of consuming raw meat and the existing regulations in place to protect consumers.


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Summer break for spending power squeeze but disposable income still down year on year
UK families were £9 a week worse off in June 2011 than they were a year ago
- June saw a £9 a week fall in family spending power compared to the same month last year
- Average UK household had £167 a week of discretionary income in June 2011, 5.1 per cent lower than a year earlier
*Slight rise in average earnings growth, but still well below pre-recession levels
The latest Asda Income Tracker has revealed that family spending power fell by £9 per week in June 2011, leaving the average UK family with £167 in disposable income – 5.1 per cent down from this time last year.
Consumer price inflation fell in June from 4.5 per cent in May to 4.2 per cent, slightly easing the pressure on real household incomes with a falling in the price of discretionary items such as games, toys and hobbies. However, this is unlikely to signify the start of a downward trend, with the price of essential goods and services continuing to grow.
Whilst average earnings growth increased marginally in June, recruiting conditions remained constrained. The report notes that average earnings rose at an annual rate of 2.1 per cent in the three months to May however there was a notable fall in earnings growth of the public sector, possibly as a result of the pay freeze that came into effect in April.
The tough outlook persists as the rising costs of basics continue to put pressure on family budgets. Transport costs were again the strongest contributor to the headline rate of inflation in June, with the cost of getting around is now up to 16 per cent higher than a year ago, with recent data from the AA showing the cost of petrol rose by 15.2 per cent and diesel by 16 per cent from June 2010 to June 2011.
This month’s tracker also shows the impact of the squeeze in disposable income at a regional level. London, the South East and the East of England are again the top three regions in terms of discretionary spending power in Q2 2011, unchanged from Q1 2011. Discretionary spend in London was £283 per week in Q2, compared to a UK average of £168, although down from £291 in Q1. Northern Ireland continued to suffer from the lowest household spending power, with the Income Tracker for the region dropping further to just £80 per week in Q2, from £87 the previous quarter.
Interestingly, London now has slowest gross income growth, as the employment rate over the past quarter fell by 0.3 percentage points in the three months to May from the previous quarter, leading to slow gross income growth in the region. The employment rate rose by 0.6 percentage points in both Scotland and Wales over the same period. This helped to support income growth in Q2, leaving Scotland as the region with the fastest expansion in gross incomes, and Wales close behind.
Andy Clarke, Asda President and CEO, said:
“Nationally, shoppers’ disposable incomes are still down year-on-year. While it’s a relief to see a significant improvement on last month’s record drop, only time will tell whether this is a one-month blip or the beginning of a trend.”
“Across the regions, it’s a mixed picture. While spending power dropped everywhere, the fall in London and the South East was relatively mild. That contrasts with a much more dramatic fall in Northern Ireland and the North West where the higher car usage, and dependency on petrol, leaving a larger hole in household budgets.”
Charles Davis Managing Economist, Cebr comments:
“Some pressure eased off household finances in June, as the price of several discretionary items fell and average earnings growth picked up marginally. Price discounting by retailers has pushed down the price of toys, books and electronic goods.
“Nevertheless, the Asda Income Tracker shows that spending power remains down on a year ago as the price of essential goods continues to rise. Utility price increases later in the year mean the UK consumer is not out of the woods yet and we could see inflation rising again over the coming months.”


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WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court ruled last week that a wrongful death suit brought by a California man against Mazda Motor Corp. can proceed even though the seat belts in the 1993 minivan in which his wife died met federal safety requirements.
The decision arose from a 2002 accident in which a woman died while wearing a lap belt in the middle rear seat of a Mazda minivan. The lap belt met federal rules, but those rules gave Mazda the option of installing either a shoulder and lap belt combination or just a lap belt in that seating position.
Lawyers contacted by Automotive News generally agreed that the court's decision was likely to impact only the few regulations in which automakers were given a choice of what equipment to install. For example, regulators let automakers choose whether to install tempered glass or safer laminated glass in some applications.
But some feared automakers could face broader liability even while meeting federal standards. "This decision will likely open the door to other suits, and manufacturers will be more exposed," said Richard Caldwell, a Tampa, Fla., lawyer who has represented General Motors, Toyota and other automakers in product-liability suits.
In the past, courts have held that automakers are protected when they follow rules set by federal regulators.
The ruling allows the suit, by Delbert Williamson of California, to proceed in California state court. Other similar suits that have been filed but held up pending the high court's decision also will be allowed to proceed.
Williamson's wife, Thahn, was sitting in a middle rear seat in a 1993 MPV minivan when a head-on collision on a Utah highway caused her body to jackknife around the lap belt she was using, according to the suit.
To support its case, Mazda noted that a 2000 decision by the court barred suits over an automaker's decision not to install airbags when given a choice of passive restraining devices by federal rules.
GM, Toyota, Ford, Chrysler and Mazda declined to say how many lap belt suits are pending against them. A Honda spokesman said the company doesn't have any such suits pending.
Mazda said the decision "did not determine that Mazda was liable to the plaintiff or that the subject vehicle was defective."
It added: "We plan to vigorously defend this vehicle when the case heads back to trial court."
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which represents the Detroit 3, Toyota and eight other automakers, and the Association of Global Automakers, which represents foreign manufacturers, expressed disappointment in the decision.
Vehicles directly affected by the ruling would be those in which lap belts were installed in a middle rear seat after the 1989 regulation allowing them and before the 2007 U.S. Department of Transportation rule requiring shoulder straps in all forward-facing seats.
Some luxury European cars did have shoulder straps in the middle rear seats during this period, Caldwell said.


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Human fall flat has been in Steam early access testing for just about a year and Break games have just announced it for consoles. Human fall flat is a physics puzzler that is being published by Curve Digital. You may know them as they also published Manuel Samuel. Here is the trailer for the upcoming game:
Curve Digital really wants to sell you on this game as they are offering Manuel Samuel as a preorder bundle bonus. The bundle is $14.99 while Manuel Samuel by itself is already $9.99.


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After one year since the beginning of the pandemic, the time has come to take stock of the situation concerning the impact on different business sectors. COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the entire economy with some sectors being more harshly hit than others.
We are talking about those sectors offering a complete experience to consumers around a product or a service. An example can be the wine market, considering that wine is what in economics is defined as an experience good. This means that to assess its quality and the fairness of its price, wine needs to be tasted and only then is it possible to build an idea about the final product. This is especially true for the fine wine market, including Champagne.
In the wake of a "new normal" post-pandemic, one particularly interesting example of business resilience has been Laurent-Perrier, the renowned Champagne House. Not only has Champagne Laurent-Perrier been able to carry on with its business operations but has made tremendous efforts to maintain, and even expand, their usual level of service and relationship with their customers.
After ensuring the safety of its staff, Champagne Laurent-Perrier had to deal with the first challenges on the commercial side. The most important was, and still is, to support and to motivate the different teams in adapting to a new context. It was necessary to constantly challenge themselves and learn to seize new opportunities to minimize the impact of the difficulties during times of crisis. In this sense, crisis management became one of the foremost priorities in the enterprise. The main way of overcoming this challenge linked to motivation was to ensure employees' long-term strategy and reaffirm the importance of everyone's role in the company. Throughout the year, workers were assured of their continued employment and were, therefore, able to focus on developing sales and maintaining customer relationships, even remotely.
During the past year, it has been important to look at the bright side of things and being able to seize new opportunities. At Laurent-Perrier, they have become even more aware of the importance of people for the success of the business. To maintain the usual experience, it was necessary to be more responsive, more flexible, and ready to embrace daily uncertainties and ambiguities. Overall, this has led to stronger relationships and partnerships, with sales representatives on the one side and customers on the other side.
Moreover, they have witnessed a significant change in consumers’ habits. Wine lovers are more inclined to buy premium products, focusing on their quality and uniqueness. Notably, for the world of Champagne, this is a real opportunity, considering that the wine for celebration has become the most celebrated wine as well. Recently, people have started to live with the awareness of how precious every single day is. The months spent closed at home have given them the desire to celebrate every occasion; even a simple dinner at a restaurant, after the period of restrictions, became an occasion worth commemorating. This trend seems to be confirmed by sommeliers who recently reported expenses on wine bottles to be increased.
In the case of Laurent-Perrier, the brand offers an innovative and high-quality range of products, which can be defined as Cuvée Prestige, such as Grand Siècle and Alexandra Rosé 2004. The significant increment in private consumption has allowed Laurent-Perrier to further develop their commercial relationships with wine shops and fine food shops.
Grand Siècle and Alexandra Rosé 2004
Where did the experience go?
Unfortunately, it has not been possible to offer the usual tastings and guided tours to people. Hence, during this period of crisis, consumers have brought the experiential side at home. They have become even more aware of the importance of treating themselves, cooking, and having a good time inside their home with their families. This has now become a habit, which should remain part of the “new normal”.
In addition, digital consumption has enabled Champagne Laurent-Perrier to keep in touch with customers, in particular by organizing online tastings and by proposing a new format that still allows for social contact and that recreates the unique universe of the Champagne world.
Uncertainty is part of the future. However, Laurent-Perrier is positively embracing it. Consumers’ enthusiasm and the level of demand for quality products have increased considerably, which is one of the unexpected positive effects of the pandemic. Consumers, even if they have been able to adopt new habits in their consumption of Champagne at home, are now looking forward to going back to the restaurant, enjoying culinary pleasures, and sharing moments with family and friends. While drinking a glass of Laurent-Perrier Champagne, of course!


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Retail merchants in Michigan’s Great Southwest always want to keep an eye out for credit card fraud during the holiday season because so many thieves emerge from the woodwork during the busiest shopping season of the year. A prime example is currently being shared by the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department which has issued a bulletin asking for our helping in spotting one crook in particular. Here is what they sent us this afternoon:
Help us I.D. the suspect involved in Credit Card Fraud.
On Tuesday, November 21, 2017, the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by two individuals who had their credit card information used for purchases at businesses in Plainwell and Otsego. The same person is also suspected of doing the same thing at local retailers in the Kalamazoo area.
The suspect is a black male, mid-20’s, approximately 5’9” tall, medium build, with short brown hair. He is believed to be driving a Chevrolet Impala, black in color with rear tinted windows. Attached is a photo of the suspect.
Anybody with information is asked to contact Det. Mark Lytle with the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office at 269.673.0500 Ext. 4286 or Silent Observer at 1.800.554.3633.


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During the 8 years of its action in the virtual world, the video sharing site YouTube was only a contest to find out who the winner of the best video.
Surprisingly, Google was now ready to shut down the site because they have finally reached the point [...]
Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag will be released on October 29, 2013, is known thanks to leak news video trailer will premiere on March 3, 2013 yesterday.
Ubisoft stated that the game can already be ordered, intended for users of the Xbox 360, PlayStation [...]
Microsoft also released membership on Xbox live has increased by 15% during the third quarter of 2012.
Based on data obtained from a number of media releases Microsoft, stated that the number of sales of the Xbox 360 console has sold over 70 million [...]
Google Drive Users get 5GB for free rations from Google.
Google announced on Tuesday (11/27), will integrate Google Drive into Gmail. The move will create a Google e-mail service users can send files of up to 10 GB.
Requirement Gmail users also must [...]
Having nearly 3.8 million followers.
Won seven Tour de France titles are no longer part of the description of the cyclist Lance Armstrong’s Twitter account.
On Monday evening (10/22), a biography of Armstrong on Twitter are called seven Tour de [...]
Jakarta – Plastic may be a major culprit in the garbage problem in some countries. However, Japan had already found a solution for reducing plastic waste. A Non-Government Organization (NGO) from Japan named Ecoparty come to Indonesia to introduce [...]
The Samsung has confirmed that they will continue cooperation with Apple.
After emergence page report quoted the Korea Times on Monday, (10/22), about the possibility of termination of their partnership with the Apple.
Today, the Samsung has confirmed [...]
The presence of the iPhone 5 is certainly making the selling price of the underlying series has decreased slightly. For those of you who want to taste the iPhone but the funds are limited, buy second hand or used iPhone can be an option.
But be careful, [...]
ASUS launched a product that is quite innovative. This product called Transformer AiO is a tablet that can be converted into All-in-One PC.
The tablet will be AiO when paired with the docking hardware separately.
Inside there is a tablet processor NVIDIA [...]
Samsung finally sealed on March 14, 2013 as the beginning of the emergence of new smartphone, Galaxy S4.
Excerpted from The Verge, Monday (2/25), is the boss of Samsung, JK Shin, which ensures that date when he was commenting on the 2013 MWC Barcelona.
Besides Z10, BlackBerry also launched Q10 series is still equipped with its flagship QWERTY physical keyboard. What is interesting about the BlackBerry Q10?
BlackBerry Q10, The design is quite pleasing to the eye with four curved corners are not rigid. [...]


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Retailers, consumers and prices
Check out the better-than-expected sales at several U.S. retailers.
Apparently all of that snow and the less drastic discounts did not keep shoppers awayfrom stores such as Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bath and Body Works or T.J. Maxx.
Of course, some retailers bucked the trend. Abercrombie & Fitch’s sales plunged even more than anticipated. Meanwhile, Barnes & Noble and its old ally GameStop were forced to cut their quarterly profit forecasts after holiday sales at their stores fell short of their hopes.
Also in the basket:
A Clothing Clearance Where More Than Just the Prices Have Been Slashed (New York Times)
Olay Highlights P&G’s Push to Extend Brands (Wall Street Journal)
Check out the upbeat but cautious forecasts for holiday sales in the U.S. and the U.K. ahead of their release later this week.
Most U.S. retailers are set to post December sales later this week and let us know just how much better things have gotten since the disastrous 2008 holiday season. They’ll need all the good news they can get — holiday sales can account for as much as 40 percent of annual sales.
The going continued to be tough in November for U.S. retailers. Most reported disappointing sales at their stores open for at least a year in a month that kicked off the decisive holiday season.
J.C. Penney reported that same store sales fell 5.9 percent last month compared to a year earlier. But more worryingly, J.C. Penney’s online sales fell 7.7 percent in November even as many rivals have reported internet sales that helped mitigate weakness in their stores.
But shares of jewelry chain Tiffany & Co rose 4 percent on Wednesday even though it reported that sales at its U.S. stores open for at least a year (“same-store-sales” in industry parlance) fell 10 percent in the third quarter.
True, much of the hemorrhaging seems to have subsided since last year’s gruesome holiday fourth quarter when U.S. same-store sales fell 33 percent, and November is off to a promising start.
Check out the ongoing debate about September’s same-store sales results and how the numbers beat expectations.
Yesterday, we found out that September same-store sales rose 0.6 percent, surpassing a forecast for a decline of 1.1 percent, according to Thomson Reuters data. When all was said and done, 78 percent of retailers that report monthly same-store sales posted results that beat Wall Street estimates, also according to Thomson Reuters.
The National Retail Federation expects U.S. holiday sales to fall for the second consecutive year, but this year’s drop should not be as steep as it was last year.
The retail industry trade group expects retail sales in November and December combined to slip 1 percent to $437.6 billion. Last year, such sales fell 3.4 percent to $441.97 billion.
Sales for the month of September may have gotten off to a strong start for some retailers thanks to the Labor Day holiday and schools opening in the beginning of the month, but likely lost some steam after that, according to a note from Barclays Capital analyst Jeff Black.
Thursday’s sales reports showed that some consumers have started to buy their little luxuries again, a trend retail industry experts say is crucial for sales to rebound this fall and winter.
Michael Koskuba, Portfolio Manager for Victory Capital Management‘s Victory Large Gap Growth Fund, recommended that investors look into discount names with a discretionary bent, such as Target, which he owns in his fund.
Check out the latest news on U.S. retail sales.
The trend was pretty much the same as it has been lately — most chains posted declines in August sales at stores open at least a year, or same-store sales.
However, many declines were not all that bad and there were a handful of increases, which could be a sign that consumers are really back to shopping.


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The Yarriambiack Shire is trying to plot mobile phone coverage of black spots using a smartphone technology.
The shire has been using a smartphone application to map out poor coverage areas throughout the shire.
Mayor Kylie Zanker says the data will help in its lobbying to the Federal Government for better phone access.
"If people were able to download the app, they would then be able to plot on there their trip and it just actually shows where you don't have phone service," she said.
"So pretty much the rational behind that is we would be able to justify and visually show where those black spots are across our shire."


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Untuckit makes its move to mobile POS
Untuckit is giving its stores a mobile makeover.
The fast-growing brand, whose signature shirts are made to be worn untucked, is adding a mobile POS system from Melbourne, Australia-based Proper Business Solutions, a move that will streamline front end transactions across all stores. The iPad-based system, which includes rugged cases and a universal adapter that enables the device to wirelessly interact with Verifone payment terminals, will enable associates to process in-store transactions, as well as place online orders for customers.
The new system will be available in all 40 stores in the United States, as well as 15 new stores expected to open this year, the company reported.
“We’re a fast-growing retail brand who always looks at how we can provide the most compelling experience for our shoppers, especially as we drive more foot traffic into our physical stores,” said Jason Lerman, director of operations, Untuckit. “The Proper Business Solutions were a natural fit to make our mobile POS systems come to life and equip us with the necessary hardware to match our software and take the pain and inefficiencies out of the point-of-sale process.”
Target adds a twist to its newest accelerator program
Target is in search of new start-ups that can “make the world a better place.”
Called Target Incubator, the program is aimed at Gen Z entrepreneurs that run businesses that benefit people or the planet. This could be a product, service, technology, or even a new business model, according to Target’s website. Unlike the discounter’s other accelerator programs however, Target Incubator will have a virtual learning component.
Participants, which must have a majority (51%-plus) ownership in their company, will submit materials — such as a pitch deck, formal business plan, or launch schedule — on the retailer’s application portal by Oct. 29. Following a round of interviews, eight companies will be chosen on Dec. 5, and receive a $10,000 stipend from Target.
These candidates will also be required to complete one hour of virtual programming each week from late April through June, 2019. Then two members from each of company will relocate to Target’s Minneapolis headquarters for eight weeks from June through August. During this period, candidates will work with mentors from Target and other businesses, as well as attend tailored workshops, learning sessions, and team-building events, the site reported.
“We designed this new incubator for the Gen Z entrepreneur to provide them with a platform to test, learn and ultimately flourish,” the website said. “We want to support the next generation of innovators, change makers and leaders in a way that matters. They see the world differently, and therefore recognize solutions to problems differently. And we already see that they are taking action with new businesses.”
Target Incubator is the newest program in the discounter’s accelerator portfolio. The retailer also offers Target + Techstars, a program aimed at uncovering new tech start-up companies, and Target Takeoff, which is focused on supporting emerging businesses that solve problems in areas where the discounter hopes to grow its business.
This year’s Target Takeoff focused on beauty solutions. The program kicked off with a week-long retail boot camp at the company’s headquarters in April, and concluded in May, with startups participating in a product showcase with Target leaders.
The next Target + Techstars program, which launched in July, included 10 new retail tech companies that presented their concepts at a demo day on Wednesday, Oct. 10.
Why did Amazon bail on an AI-based recruitment tool?
Like humans, it seems even computers can show bias.
At least, this was the case at Amazon when machine-learning specialists detected that their recruiting engine was not partial to female candidates, according to Reuters.
The team had been building computer programs since 2014 to review job applicants’ resumes with the goal of automating the search for top talent. However, the company realized this system was not rating candidates for software developer jobs and other technical posts in a gender-neutral way, the report said.
Amazon’s computer models were trained to vet applicants by observing patterns in resumes submitted to the company over a 10-year period. Most came from men.
Despite editing the programs to make them neutral, there was still no guarantee that the machines would not “learn” other ways to sort candidates that could prove discriminatory. As a result, Amazon disbanded the team by the start of last year, the report revealed.
Amazon’s recruiters looked at the recommendations generated by the tool when searching for new hires, but never relied solely on those rankings, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.
To read more, click here.


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The Cumberland County Fair will again make available to the public an old-fashioned Country Store. The store will feature handmade and home-grown items. Anyone interested is eligible to enter items for sale in the Country Store. Items for sale may be entered on Thursday, August 11th and Sunday, August 14th from 2:00 pm till 7:00 pm. There will be a 20% commission charge this year. Items not sold or monies earned must be picked up on Tuesday, August 23rd from 10:00 am till 1:00 pm.
For further information, call Kelli Roberson at 484-6743 or 484-6783.


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With the Press Release – Web-Optimised Edition, everything you need to know is in the name: Web Optimised. This Balboa Press service features a professionally written press release with U.S. and international distribution. A press release is a great way to let media outlets, such as newspapers, radio and TV, find out about you and your book. Plus, a press release may help you get coverage by various media, which can increase your bookselling potential.
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- A professional writer crafts your press release and includes keywords to optimize it for search engine results increasing the chance of it being found and read.
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Gaining media attention is an essential part of any successful book marketing campaign, and the Press Release – Web-Optimised Edition is an effective way to promote your title. To learn more or to order this service, contact us at 1800 050 315.


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The #1 streaming service for business and the leading sports business media brand to cross-promote across their distinct distribution channels
AUSTIN, TX - June 16, 2022 - Atmosphere, the worldwide leader in streaming TV entertainment for businesses, has announced a new partnership agreement with Front Office Sports, the fastest-growing business of sports media brand.
The partnership provides prominent placement of Front Office Sports’ content on Atmosphere’s Sports and News channels, expanding the outlet’s reach across Atmosphere’s domestic and international out-of-home commercial network in more than 25,000 venues. In addition, Atmosphere Sports will have regular placement in Front Office Sports’ newsletter, which reaches daily 1M subscribers.
“Front Office Sports has become a must-follow if you want to keep up with the modern business of sports,” says Micah Grimes, Vice President of Atmosphere News & Sports. "We are revolutionizing the presentation of sports for businesses with Atmosphere Sports, and having a quality content partner in Front Office Sports to feature on this channel will help us fulfill that mission.”
"Teaming up with Atmosphere was a no-brainer for us," said Front Office Sports’ chief executive Adam White. “Its reach into key markets and places of business in which we know our consumers are was just one of the reasons why we decided to work with them."
Atmosphere reaches over 25,000 venues worldwide. Optimized for viewing in public spaces, Atmosphere’s free ad-supported streaming platform features engaging content that encompasses viral video compilations, extreme sports, lifestyle, art, ambient nature and entertainment, reaching more than 35 million unique visitors per month. The company was also just named to this year’s Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list and won Best Connected TV Platform at the 2022 Digiday Video & TV Awards.
Front Office Sports is helping redefine direct-to-consumer business media with diverse revenue streams, deep engagement on social media, and a loyal and influential reader base. In addition to its newsletter, FOS has leveraged its audience into a robust digital community including complimentary, interactive courses and a paid subscription product.
Atmosphere is the leading streaming TV platform for businesses, offering over 60 original and partner TV channels. The platform, which was named on Fast Company’s 2022 Most Innovative Companies list, has been built from the ground up with proprietary content, technology and data to deliver unparalleled experiences for businesses and advertisers. For more information, visit www.atmosphere.tv.
About Front Office Sports:
Front Office Sports is a multiplatform media brand built for the modern sports consumer. Front Office Sports reaches an influential and rapidly expanding audience of over 20M people per month across our newsletters, site, podcasts, and social channels.
Front Office Sports is backed by SC.Holdings, a New York-based investment and strategic advisory firm, and Crain Communications, one of the largest privately owned business media companies with 21 leading business, trade, and consumer brands in North America, Europe, and Asia.
In 2021, Front Office Sports was named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies and has had its partner work recognized as finalists for various industry awards.


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Tech giant Google announced a lot of new goodies in the latest launch even that it hosted to unveil its new flagship smartphone in the shape of Google Pixel 3. In addition to a variety of new products and services, Google has brought major changes to the Google Home Hub app, making it much more powerful than before.
Did you ever felt a need to have a centralized system that would help you get an idea of all of your smart home devices and give a collective perspective of them along with options to control them all from one stop. That’s Google Home Hub for you, offering a visual dashboard for all of the smart devices that you get the most out of at your smart home. Along with the new device, Google has brought an update to the Google Home app for both Android and iOS platforms.
10/10/2018 02:00 AM


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Cargo Theft Rose in 2022, Household Items, Electronics Top Targets
Cargo theft continued to increase in 2022, jumping 20%, with thieves targeting parking lots and warehouses, according to the latest data from CargoNet. Plus, events that involved the theft of at least one heavy commercial vehicle, such as a semi-truck or semi-trailer, increased by 17% year-over-year.
The average value of cargo stolen in an event was $214,104, and CargoNet estimates that $223 million in cargo was stolen across all cargo theft events in 2022.
Thieves Targeted Household Items, Electronics
Thieves often target commodities that can be sold on the black market. CargoNet said scarcity and cost drove illicit market demand for some goods, such as computer graphics cards and raw beef, poultry and pork.
Household items were the most stolen commodity in 2022. The diverse category includes appliances and furniture, which often get targeted during long-haul and final-mile distribution. There was also a notable increase in the theft of shipments of tools and toys. Household items were closely followed by electronics, with the theft of televisions and other displays nearly doubling compared to 2021.
Certain States See Higher Theft Rates
California, Texas and Florida represented 46% of all cargo thefts last year. There were significant increases in theft activity around major intermodal hubs. California remained the top state for reported events in 2022, and theft in the state increased 41% year-over-year. Theft in Georgia increased by 34% year-over-year due in part to organized crime groups that took advantage of increased traffic to the Port of Savannah.
Ways to Mitigate Risk
Knowing thieves’ tactics can help businesses recognize their vulnerabilities and prevent potential cargo theft. CargoNet recorded 96 more fictitious pickups in 2022 compared to the year prior, a 600% increase year-over-year. Many fictitious cargo pickups involved subcontracting the shipment to a legitimate motor carrier and having the load misdirected to another address.
Logistics brokers and shippers can help prevent fictitious cargo pickups by verifying any bids on shipments with the motor carrier through their contact information on file with the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and verifying the name of the motor carrier and driver matches whom the shipment was tendered to.
CargoNet said motor carriers should be wary of new customers that offer payment through peer-to-peer money transfer apps if their business would haul a blind shipment delivering to an address different from the bill of lading, especially if the address is a public warehouse or cross-dock in California.
Most fictitious cargo pickups (74%) occurred in California, but CargoNet has received reports of similar fictitious pickups in Washington, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Texas and others. According to CargoNet, shipments of solar modules, auto parts and vehicle maintenance products are most at risk, but the threat extends to most categories of goods.
Cargo thieves are looking for whatever they can steal and sell quickly, making cargo at rest a potential target. Truck stops, parking lots, roadside parking, drop lots and other areas with unattended cargo can increase risk. Travelers Insurance recommends shippers and carriers avoid leaving loaded trailers alone, especially in areas with high cargo theft rates. High-security rear door locks and landing gear locks can help reduce risk.
Thieves are also tapping into technology, and basic types of cyberattacks are being used to aid in crimes, Travelers Insurance reported. Phishing emails may be sent to install Trojan horse malware that can infect a company’s system and grant access to sensitive data. The malware may allow cargo thieves access to pick-up and delivery information, which they can use to print out copies of paperwork to commit fictitious pickups. Implementing strong cyber security can help recognize and prevent many of these attacks.


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Video: Rihanna wins fight over 'Northern Ireland' T-shirt
Rihanna has won a £3.5 million High Court battle with Topshop over T-shirts bearing a picture of her taken in Belfast.
The superstar singer had instructed top law firm Reed Smith to launch legal action against the high-street fashion chain because she said the image of her printed on a T-shirt being sold by the store was being used without her permission.
The photograph was taken while RiRi was in Northern Ireland in 2011 filming scenes for her hit We Found Love video while on tour here.
She had accused the fashion chain of passing off, or attempting to pass off, the garments as being approved by her.
Topshop disputed her claim.
Judge Mr Justice Birss on Wednesday ruled in her favour after a hearing in London.
Wearing the same denim bra top, mini skirt and bandana depicted in the Topshop T-shirt, Rihanna was mobbed by scores of fans as she filmed in the New Lodge area of north Belfast.
Her trip to Northern Ireland also led to her infamous meeting with Bangor farmer Alan Graham -- who put a stop to raunchy Rihanna filming in his barley field after she went topless.
The graphic We Found Love video, which featured scenes of drug-taking and violence, went on to win a Grammy and an MTV VMA award.
Two years on, Rihanna was said to be furious that a photographer sold the Belfast photo to retail giant Topshop without her permission.
She spent a massive £3.5 million on the lawsuit, saying that she wanted to make a point on principle.
Topshop reportedly offered the multi-millionaire Barbadian £3,500, which she turned down.
Mr Justice Birss said Topshop's sale of a Rihanna T-shirt at the centre of the dispute was an act of " passing off".
But he said the "mere sale" of a T-shirt bearing the image of a famous person was not necessarily an act of "passing off".
He said a "substantial number" of buyers were likely to have been deceived into buying the Rihanna T-shirt because of a "false belief" that it had been authorised by the singer.
The judge said that was damaging to her "goodwill" and represented a loss of control over her reputation in the "fashion sphere".
He said it was for the singer not Topshop to choose what garments the public thought were endorsed by her.
Rihanna had claimed that she was entitled to damages for the unauthorised use of her picture.
But the judge did not make any assessment of damages in a written judgment published on Wednesday.
Belfast Telegraph Digital