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The potential for further terrorist attacks in the U.S. loomed great in the minds of many in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, with the perception of impending danger at times working to color how some people saw and reacted to what might otherwise have been regarded as fairly unremarkable occurrences.
In February 2003 a number of security alerts regarding UPS uniforms were distributed by both private and law enforcement sources. They seemed to come from every direction, with many of them stating their information originated with a warning issued by United Parcel Service (UPS) regarding missing delivery personnel uniforms. Those who encountered these warnings immediately linked them to the threat of terrorism, at once grasping the potential for harm if al Qaeda members took to impersonating office couriers. The warning about missing uniforms echoed another terrorist-related rumor, one that asserted in the days immediately following the September 11 attacks thirty Ryder, Verizon, and U-Haul trucks had gone missing, presumably swiped by terrorists intent upon using them as camouflage for further assaults.
The rumor that a large number of uniforms were "missing" (implying they had been stolen or hijacked and were now in the hands of persons unknown for use in nefarious schemes, presumably terrorism-related activity) seemed to have sprung from speculation at the beginning of 2003 about the intentions of a small cadre of buyers who bid what seemed like outrageously high sums for UPS uniforms on the on-line auction site eBay. (Despite eBay's later claims to the contrary, UPS uniforms were being offered and sold on its site as late as January 2003.) Because our new terrorist-aware mode of thinking affected how we perceive events, many people skipped over other potentially less terrifying explanations (e.g., uniform collectors adding to their stock, former UPS employees acquiring old uniforms out of nostalgia, run-of-the-mill thieves needing cover for their endeavors, uniform fetishists looking to spice up their sex lives with some 'home delivery') and went straight to the assumption that UPS uniforms were being snapped up by terrorists. That several different people (or at least someone with several different eBay IDs) were simultaneously bidding high prices for UPS uniforms did work against the more mundane explanations, but terrorists' spending thousands of dollars on a public auction site to buy up easily-duplicated brown uniforms wasn't much more plausible. (Generally only someone with a strong emotional attachment to an inherently non-valuable common object will insist upon owning an original and be willing pay an exorbitant fee to acquire it; others are content with buying or making replicas.)
Many explanations for this rumor were bruited about after its inception. Some of the people who sold UPS uniforms (often acquired by purchasing them through thrift shops) on eBay before the auction site clamped down on the practice early in 2003 said they were contacted by "cyber crime" units who only wanted to verify that the uniforms were not stolen and who told them that UPS was buying up its uniforms to keep them off the street. Other people claimed that a private firm hired by UPS had been buying up the uniforms on the company's behalf, or even that due to national security concerns the FBI had arranged to be the top bidder for any UPS uniforms sold on-line. The reponse we finally received from UPS via e-mail disclaimed any notion of "missing" uniforms and suggested that UPS and law enforcement agencies were aware of recent sales of used UPS uniforms but had found nothing suspicious about them:
A number of security alerts regarding UPS uniforms recently have been distributed by both private and law enforcement sources. There are two primary versions of these alerts:
1) Misleading reports of a missing shipment of UPS uniforms.
2) Alerts regarding a large number of uniforms being purchased by an individual.
Reports that a shipment of UPS uniforms is missing are simply not true. There is no missing shipment of uniforms.
As for alerts regarding uniforms being purchased by an individual, this matter has been investigated by law enforcement with UPS' involvement and cooperation and resolved to the satisfaction of all parties.
UPS does not condone the sale or unauthorized use of its uniforms. UPS investigates reports of such unauthorized use but due to security concerns, we are not at the liberty to discuss such matters in any further detail.
As the Washington Post reported, law enforcement agencies, eBay, and UPS all "debunked" any claims of missing or stolen uniforms:
The FBI has debunked several similar UPS stories since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
UPS spokeswoman Susan Rosenberg in Atlanta says the e-mail has been "thoroughly investigated" by the FBI and local law enforcement. "It is the urban legend of missing uniforms," she says.
EBay spokesman Kevin Pursglove also says the UPS story "comes up empty."
Our best estimate of how this story played out is that after UPS was alerted to online sales of its discarded uniforms, it realized the potential public relations disaster that would follow any unfortunate incident involving the use of a UPS uniform (terrorist-related or not) and decided to work behind the scenes to convince online auction sites to drop such listings, perhaps even quietly spending money themselves to buy up some of the available uniforms. After all, you can't remain one of the world's top package delivery services if people are afraid to open the door for your deliverymen.
In April 2011, the rumor was given a shot in the arm by the Los Angeles Police Department who posted the warning on its site, lending credence to the tale. Later that same day, the LAPD sheepishly posted a retraction of the warning, saying "This 'INFO' is apparently an Internet myth."
The Paris attacks by ISIS militants in November 2015 gave an additional boost to this now years-old rumor, which was recirculated in its original form as a warning supposedly issued by Kimberly-Bush Carr of the Department of Homeland Security:


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What products from the store do you feel you would absolutely need if you were required to hole up at home for a few weeks (or months)? Many people who hadn’t given this a lot of thought found themselves rushing to grocery stores in mid-March only to discover that their thinking on the matter was tragically similar to their peers. One effect of the coronavirus-induced binge of panic-buying was that it put a spotlight on the products that people view as essential.
GOBankingRates has gathered data from Nielsen to show precisely which goods were most sought after during people’s major shopping sprees. These are the things that were seen as essential at a time when grocery store shelves were being gutted.
So, take a longer look at how coronavirus concerns have had an effect on what sort of everyday products we find the most important.
Last updated: April 15, 2020
Year-over-year increase in sales: 2.8%
A 3% jump in sales doesn’t exactly suggest this is coronavirus related, but stocking up on fresh fruit does make sense for a big grocery trip. Papayas are high in vitamins A and C as well as dietary fiber.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 16.6%
Bananas are the single most popular fresh fruit in America and a very nutritious snack. It’s entirely possible they were among the first targets of people looking to stock up on groceries.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 18.7%
Celery is an important part of a wide variety of different recipes in various different forms of cuisine, on top of being a fast snack to eat with all sorts of different dips. That versatility might have played a role in its jump in sales.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 19.0%
The shopping surge was a rising tide that raised all ships, but chocolate was among those products that did noticeably well. Part of what’s driving sales is a spike in interest in home baking as more people are stuck at home.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 19.8%
Few fruits are as quintessentially American as the apple, those beautiful sources of pectin and fiber. Between all sources, apples are the best-selling fruit in the country.
37. Ice Cream
Year-over-year increase in sales: 23.1%
Dairy products were among those in highest demand as consumer spending ramped up, with sales spiking as people were hitting the stores. And ice cream, in particular, will keep longer in the freezer.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 23.6%
Sales of baked goods spiked over 60% for the week of March 15, putting them among some of the biggest climbers. With comfort foods at a premium, sweet baked goods were clearly what a lot of people were looking for.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 25.9%
One possible explanation for the growth of kombucha sales in mid-March could be a renewed interest in health. Internet searches for “kombucha” for medicinal reasons spiked by 73% from February to March as part of the trend of rising interest in “functional” foods.
34. Soft Drinks
Year-over-year increase in sales: 26.1%
That jump in soft drink sales at the grocery aisle doesn’t appear like it’s going to make up for the huge loss of sales that come from major events. Coca-Cola already had to revise its estimates for annual sales downward based on the coronavirus pandemic.
33. Potato Chips
Year-over-year increase in sales: 29.6%
March 14 was National Potato Chip Day, which coincided pretty well with people’s buying habits this year. This surge in buying is clearly part of the trend toward comfort foods.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 32.4%
While fresh milk was seriously outpaced by its powdered, nonperishable rival, people were still looking to stock up on fresh milk in spite of the fact that it has one of the shorter shelf lives of anything at the grocery store.
31. Chicken (Fully Cooked)
Year-over-year increase in sales: 35.0%
An excellent source of lean protein, chicken was among the top sellers for people looking to buy all the essentials. It even has Perdue Farms moving resources to address the surge in buying for home consumption over other sources.
30. Eggs (Chicken)
Year-over-year increase in sales: 44.0%
Eggs are an incredibly inexpensive source of lean protein that will last in the fridge for months, so it’s no surprise that people saw them as among the most important buys during the shopping binge. Of course, just how cheap they are is in flux: The wholesale price of a dozen eggs more than tripled during the month of March.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 46.7%
Pretzels are another snack food that saw a spike in purchases. Salty and able to last, they are one treat people are turning to in the crisis.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 47.7%
Alongside pretzels is popcorn, another favorite snack food that can last on a pantry shelf. It’s also possible that with so many people skipping the movie theater for Netflix, popcorn consumption is shifting to the home in a similar fashion as soft drinks and toilet paper.
27. Chicken (Fresh)
Year-over-year increase in sales: 51.8%
Chicken is a versatile ingredient used in nearly every cuisine in the world. What’s more, it’s relatively easy to freeze and save for weeks or even months, so buying up chicken was clearly a priority for panic-shoppers.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 64.7%
Sales of antibiotics didn’t immediately surge with other goods, but they started to spike at the end of February after the first suspected case in the United States. Sales jumped 15.4% that week after only increasing by 3.9% and 6.9% in the weeks prior.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 93.2%
To be clear, there is no evidence that any sort of changes in your vitamin consumption will do much to keep you from getting sick — whether it be from the coronavirus or the common cold. In fact, multiple studies have repeatedly found no measurable benefit to taking multivitamins at all.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 99.4%
Bottled water was another late bloomer on this list, with the bulk of serious purchasing getting pushed until after the end of February when there was a double-digit increase. It was up just 1.4% through January.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 126.6%
Canned soup was among the top-rising food products in terms of grocery sales for reasons that probably aren’t a mystery to anyone. It checks the boxes for comfort food and food with an extra long shelf life.
22. Dish Soap
Year-over-year increase in sales: 135.0%
Clearly, Americans were expecting to be doing a lot more dishes at home when the severity and length of the lockdown started to come into focus. Sales of dish soap more than doubled, year over year.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 142.3%
Tuna sales saw a very mild 2.5% increase for the final week of 2019, and it saw a comparable decrease through the first month of 2020. However, things picked up markedly after the end of February when sales jumped by nearly 25%.
20. Black Beans
Year-over-year increase in sales: 150.4%
Beans are among the most cost-effective, healthiest sources of protein and fiber out there, and they appear to be having their day in the sun as more and more people flocked to them during the recent crisis. While sales were ever-so-slightly down during early 2020, they took off after the first suspected local transmission in the U.S.
19. Paper Towels
Year-over-year increase in sales: 154.4%
While food stuffs were one part of people’s stockpiling, it was actually paper goods and nonedibles that had one of the biggest spikes in sales. Paper towels are clearly among those as people spend more time at home.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 156.8%
Like black beans, chickpeas offer a wonderful combination of long shelf life, low cost and high nutrition. Once it became clear that things were going to get much worse, sales picked up significantly.
17. Cold and Flu Remedies
Year-over-year increase in sales: 158.8%
Cold and flu remedies actually saw a double-digit increase in the final week of 2019, showing that people might have already had plenty on hand to deal with the cold and flu season even before the pandemic hit. However, sales spiked after the first suspected local transmission as well.
16. First-Aid Kits
Year-over-year increase in sales: 163.3%
Many people rely on the first-aid kits at their office for most of the day. Pair that with the fact that heading to urgent care for a cut or strain while the healthcare system is overtaxed is clearly not ideal. As such, sales of first-aid kits have been on the rise all year — with a surge that starts with the first confirmed case in the U.S. at the start of February.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 166.1%
Staples like rice are inexpensive and last on the shelf. Signs are that people’s shopping habits changed most profoundly in the final week of February when they popped by over 25%.
14. Bath and Shower Soap
Year-over-year increase in sales: 183.3%
Frequent handwashing is a key bulwark against the spread of coronavirus, so it’s unsurprising that soap was among the biggest sellers. Sales early in 2020 have been just short of triple what they were last year.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 195.0%
Facial tissues are always a must when you’re sick, so people were likely stocking up in anticipation of that possibility. Not to mention, they’re a possible toilet paper substitute in a pinch.
12. Antiseptic Products
Year-over-year increase in sales: 196.4%
Sales of antiseptics were actually down slightly in the final week of 2019, but they were among the products where things picked up sooner than the rest. The week after the first confirmed case of coronavirus in the United States (the first week of February) saw a nearly 10% bump in sales.
11. Canned Meat
Year-over-year increase in sales: 187.8%
Canned meat is another staple that can help stretch your pantry, however there’s at least one sign that canned meat might be experiencing something of a boost in popularity that’s not entirely coronavirus-related. Sales in the final week of 2019 jumped by almost 16%. And while the gains in the week after the first suspected local transmission in the U.S. were about double that, it does show that people were getting more Spam even before the concerns about the virus had really spread.
10. Hydrogen Peroxide
Year-over-year increase in sales: 212.2%
No, this is probably not a sign that everyone in America is dealing with the crisis by going blonde. A valuable disinfectant that can be crucial in treating cuts and scrapes, hydrogen peroxide was among the goods that saw a significant jump in sales in the first week after the first case of COVID-19 in the United States. Sales were up 12.5% that week.
9. Toilet Paper
Year-over-year increase in sales: 212.7%
Perhaps no item has gotten more press coverage for its buying search than good old TP. With people doing all of their going at home, sales have more than tripled year over year.
8. Bath and Shower Wipes
Year-over-year increase in sales: 221.6%
Paper products were among the biggest gainers on this list, and bath wipes were among the things people started going for early. Sales spiked over 13% after the first confirmed case in the U.S. and then just shy of 60% in the week after the first suspected local transmission.
7. Dried Beans
Year-over-year increase in sales: 230.5%
Dried beans should be a staple in any pantry, and their considerable benefits — excellent nutrition, loads of lean protein, plenty of fiber, nearly indefinite shelf life, incredible low cost — have been on display during this crisis. While sales were down slightly in early February, people appear to have caught on quick in the last week of February when sales shot up by over 35%.
6. Multipurpose Cleaners
Year-over-year increase in sales: 242.9%
Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces is one way people are trying to limit the spread of the virus, and they wanted to make sure they had the tools to do it. In the final week of February, sales suddenly jumped by almost a third over the week prior.
Find Out: How Much Emergency Cash You Need Stashed
5. Powdered Milk Products
Year-over-year increase in sales: 245.0%
Powdered milk had one of the biggest jumps of any of the goods listed here in the final week of February. Sales spiked by nearly 85% as people were clearly thinking ahead about whether they would be able to get fresh milk in the coming months.
4. Rubbing Alcohol
Year-over-year increase in sales: 277.0%
Rubbing alcohol was one the biggest gainers in that first week of February when the first confirmed case in the U.S. had just been announced. Sales were up almost 20%, making it one product that experienced a surge in buying earlier than most.
3. Hand Sanitizer
Year-over-year increase in sales: 470.0%
The rush to buy hand sanitizer was well publicized, as people everywhere were clearing it out. As one way of potentially reducing the spread of the virus, it was at the top of shoppers’ minds from early in the crisis to now.
Year-over-year increase in sales: 497.7%
Temperature checks have become one of the most important ways for people to check for potential symptoms as many people are spreading the virus without feeling sick. A run on thermometers most likely shows people are looking to be able to check for a fever at home.
1. Aerosol Disinfectants
Year-over-year increase in sales: 518.9%
Only one product showed a more-than sixfold increase in sales year over year and that was aerosol disinfectants. With the EPA announcing guidelines for which products can be counted on to be effective against the virus, shoppers should be sure the brand they’re getting will meet the qualifications.
More From GOBankingRates
Methodology: In order to find goods that are in higher demand due to the new coronavirus crisis, GOBankingRates took Nielsen data, via NPR, that looked at percent increase in U.S. dollar sales versus the same week in 2019 for the weeks ending March 7, 2020, and March 14, 2020. GOBankingRates looked for the peak increase between these two weeks for all goods analyzed. Using Nielsen’s report “Key Consumer Behavior Threshholds Identified as the Coronavirus Outbreak Evolves,” GOBankingRates looked at the percent increase in U.S. dollar sales versus the same week in the previous year across the weeks ending Dec. 28, 2019; Feb. 1, 2020; and Feb. 28, 2020. The ranking was determined solely by the peak increase between the two weeks ending March 7, 2020, and March 14, 2020. All data was collected and up to date as of April 3, 2020.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 42 Goods That Are in Higher Demand Than Ever During the Coronavirus Crisis

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Photos and videos claiming the existence of a 0x (ZRX) wallet listed in a Coinbase suboption have surfaced, creating some buzz that the decentralized app (dApp) protocol would be the next to get listed on the popular cryptocurrency exchange.The price moved with the news, giving 0x a 20 percent boost in market price.
Just Another Coinbase Rumor?According to a Reddit post made on October 7, a suboption of the tools tab on the Coinbase website features an option — or used feature an option — for a cost basis for taxes report linked with a 0x (ZRX) wallet option. Many of the comments that followed called out the photo for being easily faked. However, other comments poured in and new posts were made by users who got the same results. The 0x wallet option was only available on Coinbase’s mobile website and wouldn’t work on the desktop version or Coinbase mobile app. 0x is a platform for decentralized applications (dApps) built on the Ethereum blockchain. If the rumors are true, 0x (ZRX) would be the first ERC20 token to ever be listed on Coinbase. The 0x wallet option seems to have been removed at the time of writing this article, as multiple Reddit users who could access the option before are no longer able to.
The Coinbase EffectThis certainly is not the first time that rumors of a new altcoin listing on Coinbase — one of the most popular places to buy or sell bitcoin in the United States and around the world — have caused an uproar in the cryptocurrency community. Last December, the Coinbase team felt some backlash after a staff member leaked information about listing Bitcoin Cash, which ultimately led to accusations of insider trading. Shortly after the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) debacle, rumors that Ripple would soon be added to the platform caused a huge spike in price amid the end of the 2017 bull run, taking the price from $0.25 to briefly over $3.00. The popular bitcoin trading and bitcoin exchange platform also announced that it would be listing Ethereum Classic (ETC) in June. Following the news, the price reacted, resulting in a 43 percent increase in market price. The Coinbase effect can be attributed to a variety of mainstream-friendly features. Users may buy digital currency with debit cards, view price charts, and store their holdings in their exchange wallet. The platform currently offers Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum Classic, Ethereum, and Litecoin trading for users with a Coinbase account. Users may also cash out using a linked bank account, making the platform particularly user-friendly for mainstream cryptocurrency buyers. 0x (ZRX) got a taste of the Coinbase effect in the past two days gaining 20 percent, although — at the time of writing — buying power has lost steam and pulled back from $0.79 to $0.74 per token. Do you think 0x will be the next to get listed on Coinbase? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
All the information contained on our website is published in good faith and for general information purposes only. Any action the reader takes upon the information found on our website is strictly at their own risk.


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Developing a social listening campaign is an important part of any communications strategy, as it can point to new trends as well as be invaluable as a crisis and issues management tool. But thanks to technology, it need not be difficult. Here are some tools communications professionals are using to ensure they know what is bubbling about their brands on social media.
Stories by Caitlin Kelly
Social media can be a brand’s greatest friend or greatest foe in a crisis. Being honest, saying you’re sorry and responding to complaints with an authentic voice are keys to success, a panel of communications experts told the PR News Crisis Management Summit this week. Here are a few more things you should consider.
Preparing the CEO or other C-suite executives for press interviews isn’t the easiest of tasks. They’re busy, don’t always see the value, and often have legal counsel telling them not to talk. So how do you crack the code? Patience, videotape and building a strategic relationship are key, said panelists at the the PR News Media Training Workshop on Feb. 27, part of the inaugural Crisis Management Summit in Miami.
PR professionals need to prep company spokespeople for media interviews, making sure they offer the best appearance, are comfortable on camera and stay on message. To be sure it’s not as simple as how to dress, though that certainly is one of the components of preparation. Here’s a look at some of the best practices for readying your company spokesperson for a media appearance.
Executives from APCO Worldwide studied the campaign against Nike and Colin Kaepernick on Twitter and found it wasn’t as widespread or authentic as it seemed at first glance. They conclude that brands should avoid rushing to respond to what appears to be negative social sentiment. Instead, they urge brands to study the elements behind anti-brand content before responding.
As the PR profession evolves—along with reporting structures and PR needs—it’s important not to just stay abreast of these changes, but also advance your own knowledge and skills so that what you bring to the table is not just responding to these shifts but preparing for the next stages of evolution. With that in mind, here are five skill sets you need to have to be an effective future communicator.
One professional well versed on the topic is Andrew Sherry, vice president of communications for the Miami-based Knight Foundation, a nonprofit that funds journalism, community engagement and the arts, with a special focus on 26 cities where John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Sherry will share his insights on a panel at the upcoming Crisis Management Summit on Feb. 27-28 in Miami Beach, hosted by PR News. In a recent Q&A, Sherry gave a preview of his session, “How to Respond to Attacks to Your Brand on Social Media…..And How To Measure Outcomes.”
While technology and tactics have driven the evolution of the press release, perhaps the practice has been affected most by the way news is gathered and the way journalists and consumers process information: quickly and constantly. Here are some of the biggest changes and new considerations when engaging in the craft of press release writing.
Podcasts have been a runaway success for businesses looking to further engage their audience. From their mobility to their relative brevity to their status as (mostly) free to users, podcasts are pulling in new listeners on a daily basis. Here are four key considerations when getting yours started.
Kristin Thomas is the program manager for investment management company Vanguard’s employee advocacy efforts on social media, which, within a regulated industry, isn’t always the easiest task. Thomas, who is speaking at The Social Shake-Up May 6-8 in Atlanta, shares lessons learned from launching employee advocacy at Vanguard.


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AT&T's prepaid GoPhone brand will now support the iPhone 5 and other LTE/HSPA+ devices.
Although iPhone users have been able to sign up for voice service using GoPhone, this is the first time AT&T is opening access to the data network for those customers. This is also the first time the company has offered LTE support for its prepaid GoPhone SIMs.
AT&T offers three service plans that support the iPhone and other LTE/HSPA+ devices, but only the $65 a month plan includes data (1GB a month).
Users can also purchase individual data packages that run $5 a month for 50MB, $15 a month for 200MB and $25 a month for 1GB.
Users can bring their own iPhones to the service (provided it is provisioned to work on AT&T's network) or buy one for the no-commitment price.
AT&T is the latest carrier to embrace prepaid offerings for the iPhone. Last year, Cricket, Virgin Mobile and the MVNO Straight Talk all added iPhone support.
For iPhone owners visiting the United States from another part of the world, the GoPhone plans offer the easiest way of getting a SIM that works with the phone and provide LTE or HSPA+ service. In the past, it has been difficult for users to get a prepaid AT&T SIM that works with speeds higher than 3G.
What do you think of AT&T's new GoPhone plans and LTE/HSPA+ support? Let us know in the comments.
Screenshots courtesy of AT&T. Homepage image composite by Mashable.


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DaimlerChrysler ( DCX) posted a big loss for the first quarter, though it was narrower than analysts expected. The German automaker, which has been struggling with its U.S. Chrysler unit, recorded a loss of 33 cents a share excluding certain items. Analysts had expected it would lose 47 cents a share, according to Thomson Financial/First Call. The company noted that it's in the midst of a turnaround program, which includes job cuts. For the year, it expects operating profit adjust for one-time items to be $1.1 billion to $1.5 billion. It said gains from actions likes the sale of Adtranz will offset the one-time charges at Chrysler and Mitsubishi Motors. "DaimlerChrysler is confident that it can make a sustained improvement in earnings with the measures being taken, and that as early as 2003, earnings will return to 1999 levels," the company said.
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U.S. stock futures rise after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says the U.S. and China were 'about 90% of the way' toward reaching a trade pact; Micron's fiscal third-quarter earnings and revenue beat Wall Street forecasts and the company says it expects a solid rebound in memory demand later this year; FedEx doesn't expect recent issues with Huawei will affect its business in China.


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Apna is an app that helps India's blue-collar workers to find jobs. In the past, it had raised $70 million from Tiger Global and insight partners at an evaluation of $570 million. With the latest $100 million Series C funding, Apna is now valued at $1.1 billion and has replaced B2B e-commerce platform Udaan as the youngest start-up to reach the unicorn status.
Employment in India is recovering as Asia's third-largest economy may be turning a corner. Apna went live just before the pandemic hit and has grown 50x in the last 12 months thanks to unprecedented demand from segments like Trade, E-Commerce and Healthcare.
WHY was APNA BUILT?
Apna was built for job seekers on the margins and was positioned as a platform similar to LinkedIn for non-English speaking, non-affluent Indians.
Users of the platform enter their name, age and skills to generate a virtual business card that is sent out to potential employers. The app connects some 10 million job seekers such as delivery personnel, painters, salespeople and salon workers to more than 100,000 employers from Burger King to Amazon.com Inc.
Apna.co, which was present in about 14 cities in June, has expanded to 28 cities in the last two months. It also is available in different languages, catering to the different cities that it operates in.
Apna is known for the training it offers users on the app. It offers micro-courses on topics such as conversational English and acing job interviews. Its algorithms are personalized and match candidates with the right employers. The interview training imparted helps users gain more confidence and be efficient at work.
Apna.co has 1.2 million users within a year and is serving 1,50,000 employers across 70 working communities. The clients working with Apna are Zomato, Flipkart, The Urban Company, Byjus, Phonepe and Burger king! The start-up plans to utilize the fresh injection of capital for product development and add to its 280-member team across functions like engineering and product. It also plans to use these funds for expansion across the country and target overseas markets such as Africa, Middle East, and the United States next year.
While the company is currently focused on growth, it is in its early stages of monetizing its products. The company has run pilots for paid products and sees opportunities in the recruitment and the upskilling market.
In conclusion, we believe that this comment from a renowned venture capitalist aptly summarizes the potential that Apna presents to the world. “We believe that Apna has the potential to fundamentally shift how companies approach hiring skilled professionals. By incorporating learning and upskilling offerings to drive strong outcomes for its user communities, Apna is building an end-to-end solution that has the potential to help individuals throughout their careers and not just in a single interaction." Amit Patel, managing director, Owl Ventures.


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Ofo is to begin offering advertising space on its bicycles and on its app in a bid to generate new revenues.
Starting in China, the company will launch bikes that enabled advertising to feature in the bike’s wheels, saddle and on the baskets.
Local media are reporting that the business remains cash-strapped, with some outlets claiming that the business has only settled 20% of its debts, which could total as much as USD $470 million. In March the business mortgaged four million of its bikes against $280 million of Alibaba cash.
It is claimed, again by local media, that ofo recently turned down the chance to proceed in acquisition talks with ride share and AI giant Didi Chuxing.
Ofo’s largest competitor, Mobike, was sold for $2.7 billion in April to Meituan Dianping.


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December 27, 2022
In today’s digitally driven world, selling online is becoming increasingly important for offline stores. With more consumers turning to the internet for their shopping needs, having an online presence is essential for businesses to reach their target audience and stay competitive. Here, we’ll look at why selling online is so important for offline stores and the benefits it can bring.
One of the greatest benefits of selling online is that it allows businesses to reach a wider audience. Having an online store allows businesses to reach customers beyond their local area and even internationally. This is especially beneficial for small businesses that may not have the resources to reach a larger audience through traditional methods.
Having an online store also increases a businesses’ visibility. When people search for products or services online, businesses with an online store are more likely to appear in the search results. This can help businesses to gain more visibility and attract more customers.
In addition to increased visibility, selling online also offers customers convenience. Customers can shop from the comfort of their own home and don’t have to worry about traveling to a physical store.
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By Myo Pa Pa San 20 November 2018
YANGON—The first of three projected economic zones along the Myanmar-China border will be implemented soon between Shan State’s Muse and China’s Ruili, Deputy Commerce Minister U Aung Htoo said.
Under an agreement between Naypyitaw and Beijing, three “economic cooperation zones” will be established in Kachin and Shan states along the border as part of Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative.
The two others will be built in Kanpiketi town, in Kachin State’s Special Region 1, which is under the control of the New Democratic Army-Kachin militia; and Chinshwehaw in Shan State’s Laukkai Township, part of the Kokang Self-Administered Zone.
The two governments have already started discussions on implementation of the economic zones, said U Aung Htoo.
“We will implement the zone between Muse and Ruili first, and China has also begun fencing off [a location in] Jiegao in China’s Yunnan Province,” the deputy minister said at a press conference on Monday.
Government officials and businessmen of the two countries are set to hold further talks at a border trade expo to be held in December in Muse.
“We’ll discuss what type of industry will be established there. Private companies that are recognized by the government will be allowed to participate. We’ll invite expressions of interest from private companies soon and examine whether they are capable or not [of developing the zones],” U Aung Htoo said.
While economic zones will boost border trade, they will also provide job opportunities for locals and more business opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises, while increasing foreign investment, he said.
Dr. Maung Maung Lay, vice president of the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, was more optimistic about the zones. “They will enable Myanmar migrant workers to come back and work in their country. And we can also import technologies,” he said.
He was hopeful that Myanmar would be able to make use of Chinese technologies to produce value-added exports to address the country’s trade deficit.
“The government is cutting red tape and reviewing taxation regulations regarding trade,” Dr. Maung Maung Lay said.
The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding in May last year following State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit to China in August 2016.
The joint committee for implementation of economic cooperation zones was established in April.


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Compiled from officers of the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department’s Westside Substation.
Theft–Oct. 19, 7:41 p.m. Stevens Creek Boulevard. Someone accidentally left an Apple iPhone 5 at a restaurant. It was not at the restaurant when the victim returned to retrieve it.
Shoplifting–Oct. 19, 1:19 p.m. N. Wolfe Road. A shopper was seen stuffing items into a handbag and leaving a store without paying for the items. The shopper was cited. Stolen items included a four-pack of men’s boxer shorts and a clutch purse.
Vehicle burglary–Oct. 19, 11:47 a.m. Phil Lane. An unknown person broke the driver’s side window of a blue 2005 Toyota Sienna. A backpack, checkbook, wallet, credit card and driver’s license were stolen from the interior.
Vehicle burglary–Oct. 17, 11:03 p.m. N. Blaney Avenue. A red 2013 Ford Escape was burglarized. Several laptops and an Apple iPad were stolen.
Identity theft–Oct. 17, 1:57 p.m. S. De Anza Boulevard. Someone stole a couple’s personal information and changed their banking account information.
Stolen vehicle–Oct. 17, 1:21 p.m. Homestead and Wolfe roads. A 2002 Ford Taurus was stolen from a parking lot.
Residential burglary and stolen motorcycle–Oct. 17, 7:47 a.m. Via Volante and Via Sorrento. An unknown person entered a garage and stole various items, including a 2012 Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
Bicycle theft–Oct. 16, 11:43 p.m. Infinite Loop. A $1,000 Specialized bike was stolen.
Vehicle burglary–Oct. 16, 11:14 p.m. Stevens Creek Boulevard. An unknown person broke into a 2010 Lexus vehicle and stole a purse.
Vehicle burglary–Oct. 16, 10 p.m. N. Wolfe Road. A briefcase was stolen from a 2012 Toyota Highlander.
Attempted burglary–Oct. 16, 8:49 p.m. Bixby Drive. An unknown person tried to break into a home through a window. A screen was removed from the window and a roll of duct tape was found near the window, along with two metal clamps.
Vehicle burglary–Oct. 16, 8:38 p.m. Stevens Creek Boulevard. Someone smashed the window to a vehicle and stole a backpack and an Apple MacBook Pro valued at $1,600.
Shoplifting and counterfeit currency–Oct. 16, 5:14 p.m. Homestead Road. A shopper stole an iPhone charger and a prepaid gift card. The suspect tried to pay for the card and charger with four counterfeit $100 bills. When the employee questioned the authenticity of the money, the suspect left the store with the card and charger.
Theft–Oct. 16, 10:51 a.m. S. De Anza Boulevard. An unknown person stole a purse from a dental office and used the credit cards from the purse at a gas station to make unauthorized purchases.
Theft–Oct. 15, 4:56 p.m. Wolfe Road. A suspect removed tags from merchandise at a store and tried to return the merchandise using old receipts.
Weapon destruction–Oct. 15, 1:12 p.m. Stern Avenue. A Cupertino resident voluntarily gave a hunting knife and ammunition to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office for destruction. The knife and ammo belonged to former residents of the home.


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Cotton Traders, the clothing retailer, is refusing to give details of the security arrangements in place when its website was hacked and customer card details stolen.
The firm denied reports that 38,000 customer card details and addresses were stolen, earlier this year, but would not say the real figure of how many customers were affected.
A company representative said the figure was “significantly less” than the 38,000 quoted by the BBC.
Barclaycard processes all payments made on the Cotton Traders website, but said it would not comment on individual cases.
A source close to the problem said Barclaycard was not at fault, and did not host the Cotton Traders website or store its customer data.
Cotton Traders would not state which hosts it uses or what systems are in place.
It also refused to comment on whether it had encrypted the data that was lost, but confirmed that customer credit card data is currently encrypted. It said it had recently upgraded security on its website, “validated by leading industry experts”, but would not say what changes have been made.
Actions to remedy the problem were completed five months ago, and all customers potentially affected were notified at the time, the company said. It said it took security “very seriously”, and that its website is “safe”.
“In January 2008 we identified a security issue. We immediately brought in industry security experts to resolve the problem,” Cotton Traders explained.
Police are investigating, payments clearing body APACS confirmed.


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Led Zeppelin to Stream Entire Backcatalogue
Tags: led zeppelin
After Metallica announced its deal with Spotify, you only had to peek around the corner to see what band was set to roll up next. Surprisingly enough, Led Zeppelin are in talks with three separate streaming services to see who will win out over streaming their entire backcatalogue. That’s huge money to someone, somewhere. Especially considering it wasn’t until 2007 that Led Zeppelin even let iTunes touch their stash. Fact.
Led Zeppelin are also set to release a few more things in 2013:
“There are a number of Led Zeppelin projects that will come out next year because there are different versions of tracks that we have that can be added to the album so there will be box sets of material that will come out, starting next year. There will be one box set per album with extra music that will surface.”


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A massive database showed available to be sale on a popular hacker forum containing highly sensitive details of millions of Indians, users of MobiKwik. This is a Gurugram-based company offering a mobile phone-based payment system and a digital wallet, enabling users to perform transactions right from the mobile app. From 2016 and onward, MobiKwik even offered small loans to its users, and so KYC requirements had to be put in place. This means that the firm was holding PII, ID documents, scanned passports and Aadhar cards, and a lot more.
Independent researcher Rajshekhar Rajaharia has recognized the new database and informed us regarding the fact, so we have investigated, and we can confirm that the data appears to be valid. The seller has set up a dark web portal where one can search by phone number or email ID and get the specific results out of a total of 8.2 TB of data.
Test of Leaked KYC Documents having a place with MobiKwik Customers
At the set cost of 1.5 BTC ($84k), a purchaser can get the whole data set and have the dull web-based interface taken disconnected, keeping everything selective. The dealer records the accompanying as remembered for the gigantic pack:
Total 350GB MySQL dumps – > 500 database
99 million – mail, phones, passwords, addresses, lots more information, applications installed, ph manf., IP address, GPS area
40 million – 10 digit card, month, year, card hash (sha256)
lots of database with all company information.
~7.5 TB of ~3 million Merchant KYC data – passports, Aadhar cards, pan cards, selfie, store picture proof, etc., used to get loans on the site
The seller claims that each of the merchant entries in the database can be used to raise $500-$1,000 loans in Indian currency, so the investment of the 1.5 BTC could supposedly yield up to three billion USD. Allegedly, a partner has tried to raise a couple of loans as proof of concept, and it worked out as expected.
To avoid paying the full price, someone has set up a script to try and scrape the entire 99 million entries from the Tor site, which obviously is a desperate effort. Still, it goes to show that there’s some interest in this data, even if many question its real value against the price tag. The situation is quite bad for the exposed users as anyone can search them specifically, and some are already scraping parts of the database.
At the hour of writing this, MobiKwik is yet to recognize any information breaches that resulted in this massive exposure, and the company hasn’t made any relevant announcements on the official site or its social media channels. We have asked for a comment, and we will update this piece as soon as we hear back from them.
Thus, MobiKwik denies that the information which we have seen online have a place with them, really blaming the researchers for having ulterior thought processes in making these cases. In any case, they have not clarified why the merchant is also claiming the source is MobiKwik, and how come the samples that we’ve seen on the Tor site contain images of MobiKwik QR codes. The story is currently developing; we will update you while we get any additional information on the leak.


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In a March 2007 entry, I expressed my optomism about multi-touch technology in general and the work of Jeff Han, especially. Well, multi-touch interfaces appear to be about to burst dramatically into devices. In “Personal Tech 2008: Top 10 Trends,” Mike Elgan of ComputerWorld reminded me:
But in 2008, we’ll be able to buy at least two new multi-touch products. The next-generation iPhone, which we think will ship in summer, will probably have even better multi-touch features than the current version. And special software developed and already demonstrated by Dell will transform its brand-new Latitude XT tablet computer into an innovative multi-touch PC — we just don’t know exactly when.
Apple is also rumored to be working on a multi-touch tablet — basically a giant iPhone.
Microsoft is also planning multi-touch support for the eventual successor to Vista, called Windows 7. In the meantime, the company may be tempted to boost lagging Vista and Windows Mobile sales by offering downloadable multi-touch support in 2008.
Why can’t an ultra-portable tablet laptop have a phone built into it? I could scribble onto an AI hand-writing recognition page or use an on-screen keyboard to take notes while talking on the phone. I’d be happier carrying a book-sized object with a bluetooth earpiece rather than a laptop, pda, and phone.


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Finolex Industries is currently trading at Rs. 390.15, up by 4.40 points or 1.14% from its previous closing of Rs. 385.75 on the BSE.
The scrip opened at Rs. 387.05 and has touched a high and low of Rs. 393.85 and Rs. 381.80 respectively. So far 3193 shares were traded on the counter.
The BSE group 'A' stock of face value Rs. 10 has touched a 52 week high of Rs. 635.00 on 11-Nov-2019 and a 52 week low of Rs. 283.00 on 24-Mar-2020.
Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 401.95 and Rs. 378.00 respectively. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 4858.95 crore.
The promoters holding in the company stood at 52.47%, while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 14.98% and 32.55% respectively.
Finolex Industries has increased the Turnover Discount Scheme (TOD) across its dealer network which is in addition to the TOD that the company pays to incentivise its dealer network. This was the result of week-long deliberations that the company had with its dedicated network of dealers and employees based across the country. The company has a network of over 18,000 retailers, dealers and sub-dealers.
The additional TOD is being paid to the dealers who have achieved their target and for those who could not, will be paid a token amount as a gratitude to cushion the impact of the challenging business environment.
Finolex Industries is the largest PVC pipe manufacturer in India.


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Walmart brought together 1,000 kids ages 18 months to 10 years to test, play with, and help select the top toys for the season. Timed with the “Chosen by Kids” top toy list unveiling, Walmart has rolled back prices on hundreds of dolls, action figures, ride-on toys and more.
Walmart’s “Chosen by Kids” top toys list features newcomers and classic favorites. New toys topping the list include the VTech Go! Go! Smart Wheels Train Station Playset, Sofia the First Talking Doll and Animal Friends and the Flutterbye Flying Fairy Doll. When it comes to the classics, the Barbie Dreamhouse is expected to be a favorite among girls, marking the fifth straight year a Barbie product has landed on Walmart’s top toy list. A Furby product made the list for the second consecutive year. And, Elmo returns to the list with the new Big Hugs toy.
Walmart’s Top 20 Toys “Chosen By Kids”
Walmart is committed to having low prices on these top 20 “Chosen By Kids” toys and more all season long at Walmart stores and online at Walmart.com:
|Kids 18 months to 2 years||Kids 3 to 5 years|
|Kids 6 to 7 years||Kids 8 to 10 years|
All of Walmart’s kid-approved toys will be eligible for the retailer’s layaway program,* which launches in stores Friday, Sept. 13, and is free with no opening fees. Customers can also take advantage of Walmart’s Ad Match Guarantee, meaning Walmart will match the price of any local competitor’s printed ad for an identical product right at the cash register, even on layaway items.
The “Chosen By Kids” toys will be grouped together throughout the season in special in-store displays, on Walmart.com and in newspaper circulars around the country beginning later this month. For more information, visitwww.walmart.com/chosenbykids.
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Teachers note that they’re not using a lot of the built-in features of OS-based displays, and the Android system loses security updates after a few years.
That’s causing problems for schools working to keep devices both secure and integrated into an enterprise-level network, forcing them to replace expensive hardware sooner than they otherwise might. But new developments in the interactive flat-panel market could change things.
Flat-Panel Standardization Through a New Manufacturing Certification
The launch of Android 13, which carries Google’s Enterprise Devices Licensing Agreement certification, marks an end to the flexibility that allowed manufacturers such as Newline refine their operating systems to appear different from those produced by rivals, such as ViewSonic. Manufacturers will still be able to tweak the appearance of Android, but the main layout will be the same for everyone.
Now, interfaces powered by EDLA Android 13 and the next version, Android 14, will look almost identical to each other — much like interfaces on laptops powered by ChromeOS do now.
These changes mean that interactive display makers must find new ways to distinguish themselves in the marketplace.
Two places they’re likely to start are pricing and the software for engagement and lesson creation that accompanies their products.
Benefits of EDLA Certification for Classroom Displays
EDLA certification brings new possibilities to interactive display users in K–12 schools. Teachers gain access to certified Google applications such as Chrome and Docs, plus access to the full Google Play store.
IT admins in the school, meanwhile, can manage all of the devices in the Google Admin Console if they so choose.
The certification also means that the devices will get direct updates from Google, including crucial security updates. This ensures that new displays will be safe, secure and reliable, no matter which manufacturer schools choose for their learning environments. They won’t be forced to pick based on the tech’s operating system, or lack thereof.
Flexibility and Security in Non-OS Flat Panels
Another trend in classroom audiovisual technology is the rise of non-OS panels.
Most manufacturers are providing slot-in capabilities. This means that users can take a non-OS touch device, slot Android into it and make it like the embedded version of the display that was available year ago.
If it loses security updates or the operating system slows down, they can swap in a new system, and they’ll be ready to go.
Interactive touch-screens produced independently of an operating system allow schools to make regular updates to software, which becomes obsolete far more quickly than the display screens it powers, instead of having to replace the entire device.
An added benefit is that non-OS displays have the potential to make school systems’ technology management significantly more sustainable, since schools basically upgrade to brand-new systems each time they swap out the brains of such devices.
Promethean has become the first of the major display makers to build a so-called non-OS model, and ViewSonic recently followed suit with its non-OS display, the G1. Rivals such as SMART Technologies aren’t far behind, and Samsung is likely to compete in the category too.
Promethean says that its product, the ActivPanel LX, can be plugged into a laptop with a single USB-C cable, displaying the unit’s screen to an entire classroom. It can also be paired with a computing module that fits a school’s preferred ecosystem, whether that’s Google Chrome, Windows or Android.
That flexibility is one of the big payoffs from investing in non-OS displays, which are arriving at the same time that Android is leveling the playing field for interactive flat panel users with its release of EDLA.
This article is part of the ConnectIT: Bridging the Gap Between Education and Technology series. Please join the discussion on Twitter by using the #ConnectIT hashtag.


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US retail sales climbed for the first time in seven months in January, providing a ray of light amid the gloom of a recession that continues to claim hundreds of thousands of jobs.
The month-on-month improvements came across the board, with electronics stores and internet retailers showing the biggest gains, although even cars and car parts rose modestly.
Economists reacted with caution to the figures, though, pointing out that they showed a rebound from very depressed pre-Christmas sales. In fact, earlier estimates for November and December sales were revised downward. The level of retail sales in January was 9.7 per cent lower than the same month in 2008.
"The net rise in sales is less impressive than it looks," said Ian Shepherdson, chief US economist at High Frequency Economics. "The headline relief today is welcome but it is unlikely to last."
The employment picture continues to darken. The number of new jobless benefit claims dropped to a seasonally-adjusted 623,000 last week, from an upwardly revised figure of 631,000 for the previous seven days, but the latest tally still was above analysts' expectations. The number of people claiming benefits for more than one week rose to 4.81 million from 4.78 million, the highest total since records began in 1967.Reuse content


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January 30, 2012 (Chinavestor) The following Chinese companies are going to report financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2011 starting January 30, 2012.
Highlights of the week:
Baidu.com Inc. (NASADAQ:BIDU), the largest Chinese internet company, will report during the week.
|Baidu.com Inc. (BIDU)
previous wk<< ........... >>next wk
While earnings reports are essential in determining the fundamental health of any company, the quality of auditor has become another issue for Chinese companies. Any company above $250 million in market cap can afford a big four auditor, by the rule of thumb. Technical indicators are also just as essential to follow before making investment decisions.
At Chinavestor.com we use resources that we believe are reliable however we don't guarantee their accuracy.


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Facebook Messenger turns ten years old and celebrates it with new functions that you can use from today.
Facebook is celebrating the Messenger 10th Anniversary, your independent instant messaging service from the social network. And for this, he has decided load up the app with a handful of new features that users of the platform will be able to start using very soon.
In total they are five new features coming to Facebook Messenger. Some of them can be used from today.
Everything new coming to Facebook Messenger
The news in question will begin to reach Facebook Messenger, both on iOS and Android. To ensure that you can use them, all you need to do is download the latest available version of the application.
According to Facebook, the news is aimed at make users feel closer to family and friends. Therefore, they have been introduced games, tools and more options that we see next:
The polls in Messenger chats go further, giving the possibility of create games using this function.
Facebook suggests, for example, the possibility of creating games like “Most likely to” in the group chats of family and friends thanks to these new surveys.
Birthday gifts using Facebook Pay
Although it is a function that will only be available in the United States at first, it is possible that sooner or later0 it will end up reaching the rest of the regions.
Thanks to Facebook Pay, it will now be possible to send money in the form of birthday gifts through Messenger chats.
The shipment will be made in a spatial manner, since the message will be “wrapped” in wrapping paper, and the receiver will see balloons across the screen when you decide to open it.
New birthday features
Continuing with the birthday theme, Facebook has introduced a new topic to chats, as well as a sticker pack to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the platform.
New features continue with a Augmented reality birthday effect, a birthday song using Soundmoji, and new effects for messages.
Sharing contacts is now easier
Facebook Messenger includes the option to share Facebook contacts for some time now. On this occasion, the company has introduced a form to do it more easily, accessing the chat settings panel and tapping on “Share contact”. As simple as that.
The effects of words arrive
Although this function will be the last to arrive, it will probably be one of the most used by users.
It is about the possibility of apply custom effects to specific words in chats. Thus, when one of those words is sent, the chosen effect for all chat participants.
Related topics: Applications, Facebook, Social networks
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Wading Through the Tech-ade
This morning the FTC kicked off Protecting Consumers in the Next Tech-ade, a three-day series of hearings about technology and consumer protection during the next ten years. Today's sessions covered a wide range of topics, from broadband access and device convergence to advertising and content delivery. One major theme that emerged at the hearings today was the idea of consumer control. Jon Bates, Director of Market Research at the Consumer Electronic Association described it as the "what I want, where I want, when I want it" philosophy. He envisions that in the future consumers will increasingly have access to uniquely tailored information and content on the device or at the location of their choosing. This will also carry over into the marketing space, where advertisers will be forced to take advantage of new, individualized delivery channels as traditional broadcast networks lose ground to new communications mediums. As Alan Schulman of the marketing firm Brand New World noted, consumers gain control as Hollywood loses it. Perhaps most importantly for CDT, this control may also extend to consumers' own information that they share in the course of their online experiences. Microsoft's Peter Cullen put forth the premise that in the future access to information will have to be designed with consumer control in mind. Let's hope that one proves to be true. The Tech-ade event also brought some great news on the adware front. Following the FTC's landmark settlement with adware distributor Zango, FTC Commissioner Jonathan Leibowitz announced that the agency will be sending letters to many of the CEOs of companies that have used Zango to display ads, with copies of the settlement attached. This will be a key step in encouraging marketers to take responsibility for where their ads show up online. As the Commissioner noted, the letters will surely be effective, but perhaps not as effective as a front page news story highlighting advertisers that use nuisance or harmful adware (or as reports such as Following the Money I). This is just one more step in the process of identifying advertisers fueling the adware problem and compelling them to take more responsibility. In the afternoon, CDT Deputy Director Ari Schwartz participated on a panel concerning the future of communications and how privacy and security will be impacted by changes in the way people communicate. Ari stressed that the future of communications is going to involve in large part the ability to sync data together across a variety of devices and platforms. While we are experiencing device convergence - phones that are also MP3 players, game consoles that can also be used to chat on the Internet - we will still need to coordinate our lives across several devices in the future. Despite these changes, new privacy and security threats will be based on old threats. Old scams that we are all now familiar with will be updated to take advantage of new technologies, but at their base they will operate on the same principles. More to come tomorrow, as the Tech-ade delves deeper into upcoming issues such as RFID.


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October 7, 2010
reports seem to be coming in that microsoft has acquired 15 new start-ups in this field. its an interesting move and one that makes a lot of sense to build momentum around xbox and the socialization of gaming. the article is from paid content Several reports that circulated this week claimed that Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) […]
March 14, 2010
xbox beats wii in sales, but only for 1 month and only because there seemed to be product shortages. overall xbox has sold 13M units while wii has sold 24 million units.
November 27, 2009
CBS and Microsoft seem to be on a winning ticket (or, it could be that one of them is onto a winning ticket based on the deal). 1 million new subscribers for last.fm is a big jump and over 120million streamed hours of music in a couple of weeks sounds like a big number.


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Lessons Learned About
Barry Silbert: The Rise and Fall of a Cryptocurrency Mogul
In the realm of cryptocurrencies, Barry Silbert has made a name for himself as the founder of Digital Currency Group (DCG). Under the umbrella of DCG, there are several entities that operate in the cryptocurrency industry, such as Genesis and Grayscale.
The recent market turbulence led to Genesis, a DCG-owned cryptocurrency brokerage, suspending withdrawals as a precautionary measure. With the inability to generate essential funds, Genesis now faces the risk of bankruptcy, leaving its future uncertain.
As part of DCG, Grayscale has established itself as a premier digital-asset manager, offering the largest crypto fund in the world. The company holds Bitcoin (BTC) through its Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, which has been trading at a discount compared to the cryptocurrency it holds, much to the frustration of shareholders.
Under the umbrella of Digital Currency Group (DCG), Foundry Digital operates as a dominant crypto-mining service provider. Benefiting from DCG’s support, Foundry Digital harnesses its knowledge and resources to drive advancements in crypto mining, playing a pivotal role in the growth and viability of the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
The downturn in the crypto market has had a significant impact on Barry Silbert’s personal wealth, which has plummeted from an estimated $3 billion to less than $700 million. Silbert’s financial setbacks are a stark reminder of the inherent risks and challenges associated with the crypto industry. Barry Silbert has strategically curated a diverse portfolio of more than 200 companies under the Digital Currency Group banner, supported by a dedicated team of 66 employees as of November.
As an early adopter of Bitcoin, Barry Silbert entered the cryptocurrency space in 2012, when the industry was still in its formative years. Silbert’s visionary mindset and unwavering conviction in the transformative power of digital currencies have propelled his success as a cryptocurrency entrepreneur. Barry Silbert has chosen to keep a low public profile, seldom engaging in press interviews or making appearances at industry conferences. His focus has always been on diligently building DCG into a conglomerate that would dominate the digital currency landscape, drawing parallels to the historical dominance of Standard Oil.
There have been reports indicating that US authorities are conducting investigations into DCG’s internal financial dealings, giving rise to concerns about the company’s compliance with regulatory standards. The ongoing investigations highlight the heightened regulatory scrutiny faced by the cryptocurrency industry and emphasize the importance of transparency and adherence to regulations for companies like DCG.
The significant discount at which shares of DCG’s Grayscale Bitcoin Trust have been trading in relation to its cryptocurrency holdings has caused dissatisfaction among its shareholders. The widening gap in value has prompted Grayscale to address the matter and reassure investors about the trust’s long-term prospects.
Barry Silbert penned a letter to DCG shareholders, addressing any doubts about his integrity and reaffirming his unyielding dedication to both the company and the broader cryptocurrency landscape. Silbert placed significant emphasis on his unwavering commitment to DCG, underscoring his decade-long pursuit of ethical practices and his determination to establish a company that would bring about positive change in the cryptocurrency industry.
Refer to: website link


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This content was made for video and podcast format:
Facebook (#FB) reported Q1 earnings and crushed analyst expectations! The tech giant announced (GAAP EPS of $3.30 beats by $0.96) and revenue of $26.17B (+47.5% Y/Y).
Despite more people coming out of lockdown, #Facebook was able do increase Daily Active Users (DAU) to 1.88B and Monthly Active Users (MAU) to 2.85B. CEO and founder Mark Zuckerbergh also announced that the company is taking steps to increase its marketplace presence in Instagram, which could help drive revenue further.


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When Balqon Corp. sold its expensive and experimental electric trucks to the Port of Los Angeles a few years ago, it hoped companies that tested the vehicles would buy more.
But operators didn’t like the trucks, finding their batteries ran out quickly while hauling heavy loads. So they parked them despite the port’s $6.4 million investment.
Now, the Harbor City company is betting it can revive its fortunes with a better battery – and by leveraging sky-high European diesel prices.
Balqon is supplying its electric drive trains to Belgian truck maker Mol Transport Solutions for sale in Europe, where Balqon Chief Executive Balwinder Samra believes diesel prices are high enough to offset the trucks cost.
“The higher the fuel cost, the easier we can justify the premium associated with electric vehicles,” Samra said.
Indeed, the trucks are expensive, selling in Europe for about the equivalent of $260,000. Comparable diesel models from Mol sell for about $111,000.
But with diesel fuel in Europe selling upwards of $7 a gallon, almost twice the U.S. price, the idea is the electric trucks will be cheaper in the long run because the electricity needed to charge the vehicles will cost much less.
“What you can justify in 18 months in Europe might take four years in the U.S,” Samra said.
If Balqon’s trucks prove popular on the continent, it would be a huge step forward for the company, which has sold trucks only to the port and a few other customers, and has lost millions of dollars each year.
It also would be a relief to officials at the Port of Los Angeles who invested millions in the company as part of the port’s landmark clean-air programs only to watch the trucks falter. But industry analysts and potential customers say the company’s strategy is far from a sure thing.
Galen Hon, a program leader at the International Council on Clean Transportation, a Washington, D.C., think tank, said fuel prices would have to rise much more to make the transition feasible.
“The main driver for the foreseeable future in Europe is cost,” Hon said. “Certainly the fuel (costs) would help them out, but can they make up the cost of the extra $100,000?”
Officials from Mol are not deterred. They said they believe there is demand for the vehicles, which will function as yard tractors, and will haul cargo short distances within shipping terminals or distribution centers.
“I think some operators are very interested, but it will take some time to be convinced,” said Marc Vanderberghe, a project engineer for the Hooglede, Belgium-based company. “We have normal, diesel-driven tractors that are less expensive than the electric drive. But based on fuel costs and maintenance, they’re coming close to each other.”
Hard to start
Balqon was founded in 2005 by Samra, an engineer, and some friends in his Aliso Viejo garage. The company sold its first tractor to the Port of Los Angeles and the South Coast Air Quality Management District in 2007 for $527,000. After a series of tests, the port ordered 20 more Balqon tractors and five on-road trucks for $5.8 million, and the company agreed to move its operations to the Harbor City community of Los Angeles.
The company and its electric trucks are part of a drive to reduce diesel emissions at the port. The Clean Truck Program adopted over the last few years required truckers to buy the latest model diesel trucks for hauling cargo in and out of the port. At the same time, port officials are pushing terminal operators to use zero-emission yard tractors and other equipment within the port complex.
But operators given the chance to try the electric tractors were unimpressed, saying the vehicles ran out of juice before a full shift was through. So, in April 2009, the port gave Balqon $400,000 to develop longer-lasting batteries, but the second round of tests didn’t go much better. The company retrofitted the trucks with a third battery, and Samra said ongoing tests of those trucks have been more successful. California Cartage Co., the Long Beach company testing the latest trucks, did not return calls for comment.
Mol and Balqon are testing electric tractors with the latest battery at a distribution center in Belgium, and Samra said the tractors are performing well, running 11 to 12 hours between charges. A charging station installed at the center recharges the trucks in five to eight hours.
Vanderberghe said the tractors are meeting expectations, but that Mol isn’t anticipating big sales, at least not right away. The company hopes to sell just 10 or 20 tractors this year.
The initial market, he said, will likely be urban distribution centers, where the vehicle’s quiet drive train will help companies meet local noise ordinances. But customers at ports, which represent a much bigger market, are less likely to buy.
“It will take some time until ports make such a change,” Vanderberghe said. “If you can convince ports to work with electric vehicles, then sales would be higher. Distribution centers are talking about much smaller numbers.”
Despite the L.A. port’s desire to have fleets of zero-emission trucks, Samra believes in general that the United States is a more difficult market both because of lower fuel prices and less stringent regulation of emissions.
“One of the things we don’t have in the U.S. is the regulatory environment that gives value to zero emissions,” he said.
Indeed, European Union member nations have accepted binding targets for greenhouse gas emissions and Europe already has the kind of emissions cap-and-trade system that has been held up in the United States for years.
But it’s not clear the overall regulatory climate will have much of an impact on Europe’s appetite for costly electric vehicles.
Hon of the International Council on Clean Transportation said terminal operators in Europe, if anything, have become less interested in electric vehicles over the past few years.
“Before the crash, everyone was more willing to do a lot more in terms of investing in prototypes. Now it’s back to bare bones, and that’s for the entire logistics industry,” he said.
Ross Clarke, director of design and operation of new terminals for APM Terminals, the terminal arm of Copenhagen, Denmark-based shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, noted that California and the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are pushing zero-emission equipment more than any European port.
“We don’t have any of the same sort of legislation you do in California, where there’s legal requirements for people to start implementing zero-emission technologies,” Clarke said. “We’re not facing any sort of compulsion to change over to electric terminal tractors.”
Some terminal operators in Los Angeles and Long Beach have requirements, written into their leases, to test electric tractors and other clean equipment, and the ports aim to expand those requirements. Terminal operators might eventually be required to replace all diesel equipment.
But port officials say they won’t force tenants to use equipment if it’s too expensive or doesn’t work properly, meaning a mandate for electric tractors could be a long way off.
“Certainly we have to be mindful of the fact that our tenants and our customers have businesses to run,” said Chris Cannon, the L.A. port’s director of environmental management. “We need to help develop technologies that can fit into a business model and be used on a large scale.”
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Unique Barber Shop owner Anthony Swinson with wife, Laticia (left), and sister, Sheila. Photos courtesy of Vickie Lovett – Pretty Pictures Photography.
Members of the Greater Cayce-West Columbia Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting recently to celebrate one of Cayce’s newest businesses.
Unique Barber Shop, owned by Anthony Swinton, first opened to the pubic Jan. 1. Swinton has worked in barbershops for many years, but said this is the first time he’s opened one of his own.
The shop offers a little bit of everything, according to Swinton. “I do razor cuts, women’s hair cuts, hair design, and coloring,” he said. “I don’t just do one type of style, I do everything.”
Pricing is dependent upon the style and cut. Swinton said he provides discounts for veterans and college students.
Currently, Unique Barber Shop has availability for barbers and hair stylists. “If they’re looking for a place to rent a chair, they can contact me,” he said. Interested parties may email Swinton at email@example.com or give him a call at 803-908-1142.
More information can be found by Google searching “Unique Barber Shop Cayce SC,” or viewing the Facebook business page.


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One of the greatest revolutions in mobile history was brought in the year 1999 with the introduction of email on mobile devices. Nokia 9000 was the first mobile phone to have email and internet browsing features. This started an era of mobile dominance over desktop for internet usage. Since then, several developments have been made to reach the current age of smartphones, which have taken mobile data to a level that has never been imagined. According to a study done by Litmus, the share of email access on mobile was a meagre 8% of the total market share in 2011. The steady increase in the penetration of mobiles and advancement in mobile technology have led to a whopping rise of several times to acquire almost half of the email open rate market in 2015.
Email Marketing: Share of mobile email users
Mobile phones have become the most favoured device for viewing emails in the current year. As per the report by Litmus, 48% of all the emails are opened on a mobile device. It goes without saying that this rise of around 500% in the last 4 years has largely been driven by a 200% increase (500 million units in 2011 to 1500 million units in 2015) in the smartphone sales as per data curated by Statistica. As illustrated by the Litmus report, the huge surge in mobile share came at the cost of
the desktop market which saw a deep dive during this period, while webmail lost only a small part of its share. 2012 was the crossover junction when mobiles took over its counterparts to capture the largest market share and never looked back since then.
Diving into specific email clients used across the globe, the largest share of 28% was bagged by latest Apple iPhone (owing to the latest release of Yosemite) followed by Gmail at 16%. Yahoo!, Windows Live and AOL stayed around the bottom of the table with 4%, 2% and 1% shares respectively. Overall, Apple ruled the chart with a total share of 48%. This was reported by Litmus in January 2015.
The reports by Campaign Monitor highlighted that of all the initial email hits at least 23% were opened for a second time. The click to open rate for emails reached 13.7% in 2015 with an increase of 8.5% over the last quarter. The same amount of decrease was observed for click to open rate in case of desktops. Mobile usage is also influenced by the design of the content. Receptive content was favoured by customers and clicked more often than its counterpart. A 15% increase in unique clicks was observed for designs that were more approachable as compared to non-responsive content. By the 3Q of 2014, mobiles were estimated to contribute 39% of unique email clicks while desktop had a 61% share.
Time spent on mobile emails
The time spent on an email brought out some interesting results. Almost half (53%) of the Android users tend to linger for more than 15 seconds while the same for desktop stood at 43.9%. A greater proportion of Apple users, on the other hand, were quick readers as 42% of them spent less than 3 seconds on each email.
Too many (44%) and several irrelevant (37%) emails were the top reasons that discouraged users from checking emails on mobile. Too short (32%) and incompatible website designs (26%) were among the other reasons for the same. This may be helpful in concluding that the replies sent via mobiles were 62% shorter and 54% faster as compared to desktops. This brings us to a conclusion that short and targeted emails having links to mobile compatible web pages prove to be most efficient. As can be seen from the 2015 report by Fleximail, mobile compatible design fostered an improvement of 36% for B2B marketers and 25% for B2C. Also, Email Marketing Compass: The Season of Mobile by Litmus reported that the click to open rate for brands sending exclusive responsive emails is 40% higher than the brands sending non-responsive emails. Several marketers took to this trend; as a result, 37% of all emails in 4Q 2014 were responsive. This was a 28% rise over the last quarter.
Another analysis by ExactTarget reported that 91% of users check their emails at least once every day on a mobile device. Almost half of the users (49%) check their email first thing in the morning as reported by Apsis in 2014. A slightly higher group (54%) of users prefer to check emails just before going to bed. This might help the marketing managers to plan email timings that will fetch the maximum attention of respective consumer groups. Overall, email has become the most popular activity on mobile phones with 78% of the users in its share. Internet browsing and Facebook were close competitors at 73% and 70% respectively.
Revenue from mobile email usage
The revenue generated by mobile emails was 20% of total email revenue, according to the latest Yesmail study. This was a 33% increase over the last year (2014). Each mobile click generated revenue of 28 cents which was more than double of that created by a desktop click. In 2014, a major chunk of email transactions (40%) were carried out on Apple mobiles. It also accounted for the highest share of email opens (68%) and clicks (58%) on mobiles. Mobiles also saw a growth of 28% in average order value over the last year. However, android was found to be the favourite with email-generated purchase growing by almost 50% over the last year.
Owing to the huge rise in the role of mobile devices in email marketing, it is evident that desktops are soon going to be out of this race. If predictions by The Radicati Group are to be considered, in the next 3 years, 80% of the email market will be captured by mobiles. Only time will tell if desktops can come up with some great innovative formula to revive its stance in the market or they have already lost the game.
In-spite of such strong evidence in support of the success of mobile friendly emails, still there is a very small section of marketers who leverage on this.
I read that only 25% of marketers optimize their emails for mobile! Would you believe that? I’m glad that GetResponse offers me responsive templates 🙂


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Advertising Week New York is back for its 19th edition this October 16-19, this time at THE PENN DISTRICT, located at 100 W. 33rd St., bringing together the brightest minds in marketing, advertising, media and tech.
With an immersive and interactive program, attendees can expect to learn from industry leaders, discover new trends and network with professionals from around the world — all woven with our trademark sprinkling of culture, entertainment and surprise across The Week.
From inspiring keynotes to insightful panels, the event will unite us to experience the latest ideas and innovations, wrestle with the biggest issues shaking and shaping our industry, find inspiration and connect with new and old colleagues.
Join us as we celebrate content themes that span the industry, dive into some of the most successful case studies from leading brands, engage in some of today’s most noteworthy trends and learn how to take your business to the next level.
We are thrilled to announce that Advertising Week New York, the premier gathering of the brightest minds in the advertising, marketing, tech and media industries, will return this year for its 19th edition with a new venue that will set the stage for unparalleled creativity, innovation and inspiration!
Nestled in the heart of the city that never sleeps, Advertising Week New York will take place at 100 W. 33rd Street, located in the prestigious PENN DISTRICT, right in the heart of Midtown Manhattan.
Located steps away from some of New York’s greatest destinations, such as Madison Square Garden, Moynihan Train Hall, Herald Square, Macy’s and PENN 1, PENN 2, THE PENN DISTRICT and its professional and social gathering spaces are thoughtfully designed to host experiences that elevate and exemplify both the industry community and the future of work.
The Advertising Week New York 2023, included many well-known speakers which included: Entrepreneur and pop culture icon Paris Hilton and media veteran Bruce Gersh who hosted a fireside chat, highlighting innovative ways they are engaging with brands across content, community and commerce with their next-gen media company, 11:11 Media.
The discussion will feature key examples of 11:11 Media’s record-breaking, award-winning campaigns that have catapulted brands into the center of the cultural zeitgeist.
Inside the Dreamhouse: A Look at Barbie’s Transformation from Doll to Cultural Phenomenon. As the original female empowerment brand, Barbie’s purpose has been to unlock the limitless potential in girls since her inception in 1959 — but her almost 65-year journey to the big screen has been storied and full of twists and turns.
It has taken extreme focus and hard work to evolve and modernize Mattel’s iconic brand to ready it for the launch of Barbie the Movie.
TIME Correspondent Eliana Dockterman will speak with Mattel’s Chief Brand Officer Lisa McKnight and discuss what it took to make Barbie a true reflection of the world kids sees around them, how — through Barbie the Movie and countless brand partnerships — Barbie became the summer’s global sensation and what’s next.
There was a VIP Lounge, where many leading vendors were showcasing their product and services, which included Tic Tok, Netflix Plaza and many more leading companies, guests enjoyed coffee, snacks, and beverages while they networked and met many of the brands exhibiting.
The Penn District, was a great place to do an event on this magnitude, which was the former Manhattan Mall, The Event spaces were very easy to get to and there was a lot of room to walk and meet different vending brands.
Thousands of people were in attendance, from all over the world learning, networking and hearing new ideas and concepts in the Advertising industry.


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You’ve heard of Rockstar Games. They are one of the best game developers on the planet. Every new game they come out with is bigger than the last.
Rockstar is in a league of its own.
That's because they seemingly have as much resources and time they need to do their projects. I guess they've proven with GTA that the money is well spent but I bet there are a few other studios out there who could give them a run for their money if they could develop a game under the same circumstances.
Huge fan of rockstar right up until gta online they seemingly abandoned the passion they used to have for quality story telling in favour of hovercars and other crappy dlc targeted at the people that roam los Santos aimlessly.
I agree to to a point, while they still seem to have a passion for quality story telling it's clear that the higher ups at take two told them to focus their resources on expanding GTA online as it's basically an endless source of income for them.
One of the best developers ever
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


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Google has introduced in two Indian cities a new app that aggregates local providers of food delivery and home services.
The Android app called Areo is being described by Google as an experiment, with no details available on how the search giant plans to make money from the service and whether a version will also be tried in other locations around the world.
“We are constantly experimenting with ways to better serve our users in India,” a Google spokesman wrote in an email. “In this case, Areo makes everyday chores and ordering food easier by bringing together useful local services like ordering food or hiring a cleaner in one place.”
The Areo app, spotted by a blog The Android Soul, promises food delivery from favorite restaurants, providers and chefs, and home services from local electricians, painters, cleaners, plumbers and more. The service is currently offered only in Mumbai and Bangalore.


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31 Must-See Black Friday Deals
Check out this schedule of openings for a less harried Black Friday.
Will U.S. Stay Home on Black Friday?
ABCNews.com asks readers to share their Black Friday plans.
12 Black Friday Freebies
Twelve stores offer free items to Black Friday early risers.
What Not to Buy on Black Friday
Dealnews compiled a list of 10 items you should avoid buying this weekend.
5 Black Friday Deals That Aren't Steals
Tips to tell if you're really getting a Black Friday bargain.
Exclusive Early Deals, Only for 'GMA' Viewers!
Get great deals on gifts and treats, just in time for the holidays!
The Best Black Friday Deals
With stores opening earlier than ever, retail competition will be cut-throat.
10 Exclusive Deals for Holiday Cooking and Gift-Giving!
Make your holidays easy and delicious with these great deals!
Woman Tries to Find Owner of Stunning Vintage Photos
She thinks they were taken on the California coast in the 1950s.
Zimbabwe Calls for Extradition of Hunter Who Killed Lion
White House petition reaches more than 168K signatures.
Coast Guard Suspending Search Tonight for Missing Teens
Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen, both 14, disappeared off Florida
Police Hand-Deliver a Family's Lost Wedding Album
The photo album was lost for nearly a year.
How These Jetsetting Diamond Thieves Were Finally Caught
The group of thieves' mistakes helped detectives finally catch up to them.
Car Crashes Into Barricade at US Capitol Building
A car crashed into a U.S. Capitol barrier.
19-Year-Old Sex Offender Will Spend 25 Years on Registry
Zach Anderson had sex with a girl who lied about her age.
Photo of Cop Fixing Kid's Bike Goes Viral
Officer Michael Castillo says he was just doing his job.
Haunting 911 Calls, Videos Reveal Moments Before, After Movie Theater Shooting
Callers can be heard rapidly breathing in newly released audio of the 911 calls.
Police Searching for 'Ninja' Robber
The man robbed a Walgreens Pharmacy.
Revised GDP Figures No Holiday Cheer for Retailers
Retailers are bracing for a tepid holiday sales season after the Commerce Department revised third-quarter GDP revised...
Consumer Reports 2011 Holiday Naughty, Nice List
Cablevision, Southwest, Verizon and Microsoft all made an appearance on Consumer Reports annual 2011 Naughty & Nice Holiday...
Black Friday Shopping: Buy Now, or Wait?
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Watch: Black Friday 2011: Stores' New Tactic
Retailers to put extra pressure on shoppers this year.
Watch: Is Black Friday Becoming Black Thursday?
Retailers are moving their big sales closer to Thanksgiving.
Watch: Black Friday: Top 7 Tips for Saving Big
Learn why it's important to plan ahead before U.S.'s biggest shopping day.


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Perspective from Japan on whaling and whale meat, a spot of gourmet news, and monthly updates of whale meat stockpile statistics
Here's the August 2008 update for whale meat stockpile figures. Lots of action this month.
Where we left off with the July update last month, the JARPA by-product whale meat auction had been taking place around the country, and concluded on August 9 (ICR
Additionally news had come in of 270 tons of by-product meat from the JARPN research being put into cold storage in the Ishinomaki area during the month of August as well, so we expect to see the impact of that in the August figures released by the Ministry:Official PDF (Japanese)Official MS Excel (Japanese)August 2008 outgoing stock: 788 tons
This is a 65% increase on the same month in 2007, but there was a bit of a timing difference in the JARPA by-product auction between this year and last so this isn't of great significance.
603 tons of this left so-called "consumption" regions, probably mostly Tokyo.August 2008 incoming stock: 1,592 tons
Lots of incoming stock this month, the bulk of this will be from the completed JARPN II cruise
. The breakdown by species was incidentally 59 Minkes, 100 Seis, 50 Bryde's and 2 Sperm whales.
1,291 tons of this came into "consumption" regions (again, seemingly most to Tokyo), and 301 tons were shipped into "production" regions. As mentioned last month, and at the top of this post, 270 tons of this were reportedly stored away in Ishinomaki (which is a "production" region).
Overall a 54% increase compared with the same month in 2007.August 2008 end-of-month stockpile: 4,058 tons
Back above 4,000 tons for the first time in a while, and this will probably be the maximum size of the whale meat stockpile in 2008. Usually, the peak occurs after the JARPA by-product hits the stockpiles, but this year it's occurred after the JARPN by-product has been stored.
The stockpile is 25% higher at the end of this month than July, and 11% higher than at the same time last year.August 2008 top stockpile regions
Here's the August summary of movements in the top stockpile regions:
Stockpile size at month end
|Stockpile size at|
previous month end
|Tokyo city wards||2,168||1,427||+741|
The big increase in Tokyo this month is a combination of probably 500 or so tons of JARPA leaving storage, and around 1,200 tons coming in from the JARPN cruise.
Ishinomaki had an upward movement due to the small chunk of JARPN meat being shipped in there, and a presumable decrease in existing stocks.
Otherwise not much happening, but the likely storage place of the Icelandic and Norwegian whale meat imports, Funabashi, still contained 300 tons of product that doesn't appear as if it will move anywhere until the import procedures can be completed.Graph: Annual volumes
Incoming stock jumped well back out in front of outgoing stock by the end of August. Most probably these bars will be back level by the end of the year.Graph: Monthly volumes
Graph: Outgoing stock (cumulative) Graph: Incoming stock (cumulative)Graph: Regional whale meat stockpiles
* * *
September 2008 figures are scheduled for release on November 10.