text:
Image source: https://content.fortune.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Recession-e1649366903222.jpg
With June’s inflation rate being at its highest in more than forty years , many economists are discussing the possibility of an impending recession. Others are optimistic about higher wages and a booming job market . Either way, “recession” is a word we have been and will be hearing a lot for a while. We may not be able to accurately predict whether or not one will actually occur, but we can at least understand the signs of a recession and how to avoid one.
How is a recession defined?
Well, there isn’t really a universal, clear-cut definition of a recession. For instance, a set benchmark for the unemployment rate that determines whether or not a recession is present does not exist. However, it is often pretty clear when one has taken hold of the economy. Recessions are characterized by a decreasing GDP, drops in consumer activity and wages, greater unemployment, and slowed production . Essentially, all negative properties that an economy can have are indicators of a recession, especially if they continue for an extended time period. Often it is economic experts who judge whether or not a recession is happening . If you were wondering the difference, a depression, like the one that wreaked havoc on the world in the early 20th century, is simply more severe and global than a recession . Recessions are often considered to be part of natural fluctuations in market economies , whereas depressions are much more devastating and abnormal.
Why are people fearing a recession right now?
Rampant inflation is never a good sign of a healthy economy with a bright future. When prices skyrocket and wages don’t follow the same trend, consumption declines, sometimes opening the floodgates for a recession . Although the income of American employees is heading in a positive direction, the rate of inflation is currently outpacing this increase . On top of that, new COVID lockdowns in China  and the war in Ukraine  have only added to the runaway inflation of the last few months. And although the Fed can always try raising interest rates to slow down inflation, there’s no guarantee the issue will dissolve completely. This is because once inflation gets severe enough, demand suddenly rises, since people anticipate even higher prices in the future. This increased demand makes inflation even worse, leading to a snowball effect that is very difficult to control . Also, if interest rates are raised too much, Americans will start to lose jobs, possibly causing a recession .
So what are the chances of a recession in the near future?
Each economic expert likely has their own take on the likelihood of an incoming recession, so there isn’t a general consensus on this subject. For instance, Citigroup sees the probability of a global recession in the next year and a half as being a coin flip, whereas banking company Goldman Sachs places that number at 30% . However, it can be noted that the majority of Americans feel that strong economic decline is approaching, with 70% indicating this in a recent survey .
What can be done?
There are some ways that a recession can be dodged, but it is certainly not an easy task to avoid one. As stated earlier in this article, the Fed can cut off skyrocketing demand by increasing rates. However, this period of inflation has been largely created by a lack of supply due to the Ukraine war and Chinese COVID lockdowns . This issue greatly reduces the margin for error in the Fed’s quest to properly execute future interest hikes. Plus, the success rate of this prevention method is extremely low. A CNBC article claims that interest rate increases only prevented a recession once . For the most part, the rest is up to fate. Stability in Ukraine or a return to the pre-COVID supply chain would be some outcomes that may prevent this recession from becoming a reality.
Whether a recession ends up happening or not, we will hopefully have learned a bit more about the economy coming out of this era of uncertainty. Make sure to always spend and save your money wisely, which will help prepare you for economic turmoil. Smart decision-making will always create more benefits than panicking in these situations.


text:
A new batch of screenshots is now available for Kirby Triple Deluxe, the platform game launching on Nintendo 3DS next month in North America and Europe.
The new screenshots, available at the end of this post, showcase several gameplay features like stages, special abilities and more. These screenshots also look a bit better than the ones released not too long ago, which also featured the lower screen.
On a related note, Nintendo has also confirmed that a new Nintendo 2DS model will be released alongside the game in both North America and Europe. Considering getting the console if you do not posses any of the 3DS consoles and wish to enjoy some of the beautiful games released on the console without spending too much.
Kirby Triple Deluxe features the same gameplay experience that fans of the series have come to love over the course of the year. The main story mode of the game is only part of the game, as a few new play modes are also included in the game, allowing for some hectic multiplayer action as well.
Kibry Triple Deluxe launches in early May on Nintendo 3DS in North America and Europe. The game has been released earlier this year in Japan.
Article from Gamersyndrome.com

domain: news


text:
Data Protection: Many people are worried about their personal data and are taking security measures to ensure it's safe from cyberattacks, recent data from YouGov reveals. Some 45% of Americans surveyed in February 2018 said they use free computer and data protection services, and nearly 30% said they pay for this type of protection.
Smart Home: Nearly a third of consumers globally (32%) plan to buy an artificial intelligence (AI) device, like Google Home or Amazon Echo, PwC reports. Interest in such devices is strongest in China and Brazil. In fact, more than twice as many respondents in China and Brazil said they plan to get an AI device compared with those in the US or France.
Game On: A new study from App Annie and International Data Corporation (IDC), which examined the state of the mobile gaming market, found that live multiplayer games are growing rapidly. Indeed, "the top two grossing games worldwide on both iOS and Google Play in 2017 featured live player vs. player gameplay," the study reports.


text:
HIALEAH (CBSMIAMI) — Just 48 days before Christmas, a Grinch struck in Hialeah, and a charity’s estimated 800 toys are missing.
An empty warehouse is not what the Kiwanis Club Coral Gables Latin was expecting to see less than 50 days before Christmas.
“The boxes with more or less 800 new toys were in the warehouse,” said Kiwanis Club Chairman Aquiles R. Solano.
Solano said that’s what they’re left with now, after marked boxes with an estimated 800 toys disappeared. The toys are party of the club’s yearly toy drive for needy children.
“There were witnesses that say that the toys were given, taken away in a truck and in a pick up (truck,)” said George Sixto of the Kiwanis club.
Sixto said a volunteer offered up a warehouse in Hialeah for toy storage. The Kiwanis Club Coral Gables Latin said while that volunteer was out of the country, he defaulted on his rent. Next thing they knew, the toys were gone, and the warehouse landlord didn’t have a solid explanation about the toys’ whereabouts.
“Those toys go to needy kids in different places from Central Florida to South Miami,” said Sixto.
Now the charity is asking for new toys, aiming for 200 to 300 before December 22. While they have not filed a police report for the missing toys, they promise to do a better job securing any new toys that are donated.
“They will not get lost this time because we’re going to secure a warehouse of another Kiwanis member,” said Sixto.
[display-posts category=”local” wrapper=”ul” posts_per_page=”5″]


text:
What it is: Apple and IBM partnered up with Japan Post to use iPads and custom iOS apps to help Japan’s aging population.
In many developed countries, the population isn’t growing as fast as before. In Japan, that trend is particularly noticeable where close to 25% of Japan’s population is older. As the population in developed nations continues to age, that makes the aging population the largest market for any type of products.
That’s why Apple, IBM, and Japan Post have teamed up to create a health-oriented solution using iPads. Apple will supply the iPads, IBM will write the custom software, and Japan Post will distribute the iPads to Japan’s elderly population. By using the iPad, elderly Japanese citizens can get reminders and alerts about medications, exercise and diet, along with direct access to community activities and supporting services such as grocery shopping and job matching.
This pilot project will likely extend throughout Japan and the rest of the world as well. With an iPad, the elderly can maintain contact with others. japan Post ultimately hopes to reach 4 million to 5 million customers in Japan by 2020.
While iPads may be nice, they can be dropped or misplaced easily. That’s why the Apple Watch could potentially be another part of this solution. Wearable computers can insure that senior citizens don’t misplace it (as easily) and can provide constant feedback to others that the elderly person is still all right.
If an elderly person falls, the Apple Watch can detect that motion and immediately call for help. Since the Apple Watch can monitor heart beats, any irregular heart beat could send off a warning right away. Although Japan Post’s initial project involves iPads, it’s not hard to imagine the Apple Watch could become even more useful to monitor the elderly.
In either case, regular PCs are not the solution because they’re harder for many people to use and not as mobile. Health is one field that everyone on the planet cares about, so Japan Post’s project with Apple and IBM will give everyone more data on how effective iPads can be in helping Japan’s elderly. Then the companies can apply this knowledge to the elderly in other countries as well.
Health is the killer app that mobile and wearable computers offer. As the world’s population ages, you can be sure the elderly will need to rely on technology more and more. For many people, that requires reliable devices that are easy to use, and that’s why Apple believes health can be such a lucrative field now and in the long-term future.


text:
Amazon has reached an agreement with Snap that allows users to purchase its products directly through ads in the Snapchat app. Confirmation of this collaboration comes from an Amazon spokesperson, as reported by TechCrunCh.
Amazon ads on the social network display real-time information, including prices, delivery estimates, product details, and eligibility for the Prime subscription service.
This approach will make it easier for consumers to link their Snapchat account to their Amazon account through a single facility. Once the link is set up, users in the product listing will be able to make a payment with Amazon using Amazon’s default shipping address and payment method without leaving the app. This Amazon in-app shopping feature is available for select products advertised on Snapchat and sold by Amazon or independent sellers on the platform.
Make the online experience easier
This partnership will facilitate the online experience and position the e-commerce giant more competitively than TikTok, which recently launched TikTok Shop in the US, allowing brands and creators to sell their products through the app. Currently, TikTok Shop only offers inexpensive products from China.
By offering products to a young audience on Snapchat, Amazon has the opportunity to attract customers it otherwise wouldn’t be able to reach. Additionally, you can showcase products that might have gone unnoticed through regular Amazon shopping.
The agreement with Snap is similar to Amazon’s alliance with Meta communicated last week Consumers can purchase Amazon products directly through ads on Instagram and Facebook.


text:
Would you be surprised if Facebook came out with a search engine that rivaled Google?
While Facebook hasn’t made search a priority just yet, there has been buzz that it would be releasing a search engine in the future when this past February, Mark Zuckerberg posted an image of a sign reading, “Stay focused & keep shipping.” Alongside the sign, an open MacBook had an elongated white box at the top of a Facebook page, similar to that of a search engine. Many people were wondering if this was done on purpose.
More than 20 Facebook engineers, led by a former Google engineer, Lars Rasmussen, are working on creating an improved search engine for Facebook. Right now, users can mostly only search for other members. If this rumor turns out to be true, it’s supposed to help users make the most of content that users create on and off of Facebook like status updates, videos, articles, “likes” from across the web, etc.
Not only will search be more convenient for users, but Facebook can profit tremendously from the $15 billion search advertising market.
While this search engine could be huge for Facebook, it’s just another rival for Google who not too long ago came out with their own social network, Google+. If this search engine does happen, will Facebook users be more inclined to use it over Google for search?
What’s the new marketing mindset?
It’s all about growth.
Learn the latest in our new eBook.


text:
Sharp Corp. and its partner Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co. Ltd. (SEL) unveiled Tuesday what the companies claim to be a world-first prototype of an LCD (liquid crystal display) with an 8-bit CPU (central processor unit) on its glass substrate.
Putting a CPU directly on the glass substrate of an LCD allows the display to function as a computer and makes possible the development of computers and televisions that can be thinner than 2 millimetres, they said.
Display makers, including Sharp, have been putting integrated circuits onto glass substrates for some time. Until now, that has meant putting driver ICs, which control the display, on the substrate. The advance announced by Sharp and SEL opens the possibility of putting an entire computer on a glass substrate, including a CPU, memory and other chips.
The prototype announced Tuesday was produced using Sharp’s continuous grain silicon (CGS) technology. Sharp has been working on the development of LCDs that incorporate ICs and CGS since 1998.
CGS maintains atomic-level continuity at the crystal grain boundaries. This allows electrons to travel through the semiconductor 600 times faster than with conventional amorphous silicon, which is currently used to produce most LCDs, and approximately three times faster than low-temperature polysilicon, which is an emerging technology in the field.
The CPU used in the prototype screen produced by Sharp is a Zilog Inc. Z80 processor that contains 13,000 transistors and was manufactured using a 3-micron process. Zilog first produced the chip in 1976, Sharp said.
By 2005, Sharp hopes to develop a new breed of mobile display devices based on CGS, such as information terminals that are as thin as a credit card, said Mikio Katayama, general manager of Sharp’s mobile-LCD group.,” Heyler said.


text:
“Lava will launch Android based smartphones and 3G Tablet within a couple of months,” Lava International co-founder and director S N Rai said.
Mobile handset company, Lava International said it expects to end the fiscal with revenue of Rs 1,000 crore.
“We are expecting revenue of Rs 1,000 crore during this financial year. Lava will launch Android based smartphones and 3G Tablet within a couple of months. Our focus will remain on enhancing our research and development capability,” Lava International co-founder and director, S N Rai, told reporters. He said Lava is looking for expansion of business in Africa and looking at new geographies namely Peru and Chile. Elaborating on the company’s focus on research and development, Rai said that company has been successful in filing two patents and many more are in pipeline.
“We are soon going to expand our smartphone portfolio for which we will file large number of patents,” he said.
Rai added that within two months, Lava will launch its 3G tablet. He indicated that Lava is more eager to launch 4G devices than building up its 3G portfolio. The company today launched a robust feature phone A16 priced at Rs4,500 in partnership with music TV channel MTV.
Chief marketing officer of Lava, Sunil Raina, demonstrated the phone will remain safe even if dropped from five feet and the screen will remain unharmed even if someone with weight of up to 95 kg jumps on it.
"The logistics business has great potential and is expected to grow by another 20% year-on-year," Atlas Logistics chairman and managing director, Venkatesh Rao said.
Atlas Logistics, recently acquired by Japan's SBS Group, is eyeing 212% growth in revenue at Rs750 crore in five years on the back of growing demand in the sector, a top company executive has said. "The logistics business has great potential and is expected to grow by another 20% year-on-year. We have major expansions lined up, which will help in taking our revenue to Rs750 crore in another five years," Atlas Logistics chairman and managing director, Venkatesh Rao said.
The company's revenue is expected to be around Rs240 crore in FY12, he added. The Japan-based logistics company SBS Holdings bought out 80% stake in Atlas Logistics, the deal size was around Rs130 crore. The remaining 20% will remain with Atlas Logistics. The Bangalore-based company with a core expertise in food distribution, with about 2,500 customers, is looking at 20-25% growth in next 2-3 years on the back of new verticals, he added. "Our core strength lies in food distribution and we will expand it to entire agriculture sector, which has great potential," he said. The company is also planning to expand into verticals like warehousing, cold storage and refrigeration and some infrastructure services that is the core strength of the SBS Group, he said adding "this will not only increase our service offerings but will also attract more customers." SBS Group will infuse about USD 15-20 million as working capital for this expansion, he said
“We are seeing a slowdown in sales. In the quarter ended September, the sales growth was 12%. Overall, for the year-end it would be 6-7%," ShoppersStop managing director Govind Shrikhande said
Retail chain ShoppersStop said it expects the same-store sales to fall sharply to 6-7% by the fiscal end from a high 12% due to unfavourable conditions, and warned that the overall growth of the retail industry will halve next year.
"We are seeing a slowdown in the like-to-like sales growth. That is due to a combination of slowdown in the economy, indecisiveness in the manufacturing sector, and the rupee fall. We are seeing a slowdown in sales. In the quarter ended September, the sales growth was 12%. Overall, for the year-end it would be 6-7%," ShoppersStop managing director Govind Shrikhande said.
Same-store sales refers to the differential in revenue generated by a retail chain's existing outlets over a certain period of time compared to same period in the previous year which is helpful to investors/analysts. He added the retail industry that was growing at 20%, would grow at 10% over the next 12 months. The company announced the launch of its 49th ShoppersStop store.
It plans to take the number to 66 within the next two years. It will invest up to Rs400 crore to expand presence by opening new stores across formats in the next three years. The firm currently operates departmental stores under the ShoppersStop brand, and the Hypercity hypermarkets apart from several speciality format stores such as HomeStop, Crossword Book Store, Mothercare, Estee Lauder and Clinique. The company is likely to reduce its apparel prices for the private labels by 5 percent due to the softening cotton prices, he said but warned that the non-apparel prices are likely to go up by 10-15% due to the rupee fall.
"Next year, apparel demand should be better than what we are seeing this year. This year the price increased from 15-18 percent which hit the volumes. Volume revival will happen (from next year). The non-apparel will start showing the trend apparel was showing this year. All brands of watches, because of dollar rupee equation, are likely to go up by 10-15 percent," he said. Non-apparel segments contribute to 42% of ShoppersStop's revenue and the imported segment is above 30%, he added.
In the late afternoon, Shoppers Stop was trading at around Rs264.30 per share on the Bombay Stock Exchange, 0.32% down from the previous close.


text:
Monday, Nov. 5
President Barack Obama campaigns in Wisconsin, Ohio and Iowa.
Republican Mitt Romney campaigns in Virginia and Florida.
10 a.m.: ISM report on activity in the services sector in October, released by the Institute for Supply Management.
Tuesday, Nov. 6
Election Day -- polls begin to close at 6 p.m. Eastern time.
10 a.m.: Job openings for September, released by the Labor Department.
Wednesday, Nov. 7
3 p.m.: Consumer credit for September, released by the Federal Reserve.
4:30 p.m.: TD Ameritrade Institutional holds discussion on impact of the election on investors and financial advisors, via webcast.
Thursday, Nov. 8
8:30 a.m.: Weekly jobless claims, released by the Labor Department.
8:30 a.m.: Trade deficit for September, released by the Commerce Department.
Friday, Nov. 9
8:30 a.m.: Import price index for October, released by the Labor Department.
9:55 a.m.: University of Michigan/Reuters consumer sentiment for November.
10 a.m.: Wholesale inventories for September, released by the Commerce Department.


text:
Happy feast of St. Hilary of Poitiers! On today’s show, Matt Swaim and Anna Mitchell welcome patristics expert Mike Aquilina to talk about this great Doctor of the Church from the 4th century. Other guests include Kevin Schmiesing with This Week in Catholic History, Ken Craycraft on Iran and Just War Theory, and Bear Woznick on Catholic men’s spirituality. Plus news, weather, sports and more…
Mike Aquilina is online at fathersofthechurch.com.
Kevin Schmiesing is online at catholichistory.net.
Ken Craycraft is online at athenaeum.edu.
Bear Woznick is online at deepadventure.com.
Teresa Tomeo is online at teresatomeo.com.
Gary Zimak is online at followingthetruth.com.
Sarah Christmyer, author of Becoming Women of the Word
Stephanie Mann is online at supremacyandsurvival.blogspot.com.
David Kissell and Ryan Lopez are online at catholiccincinnati.org.
Patti Armstrong writes at ncregister.com.
Dr. Jim Schroeder is online at james-schroeder.com.


text:
Last week the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show was held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Although consumer focused, the tech on display was observed by many in the context of the increasing applicability to the enterprise setting. As a wider context, this shift from consumer to enterprise brings about challenges for IT security departments in how to protect important data. BYOD and social media policies are two examples of attempts to control the personal and occupational divide in the workplace, but there are also raised expectations from users that enterprise technology will mirror that found in the consumer setting – as voiced in a recent Computer Weekly article quoting Mark Ridley from Reed recruitment: “Expect to see beautiful enterprise software, realising the importance of a good user experience.”
In the same article, titled “What CIO’s will spend their budget on in 2014,” big issue trends in Cloud provider security, ‘the Internet of Things’ capacity planning and the rise of mobile malware are mentioned; but perhaps most importantly is the point highlighted by Jos Creese, CIO for Hampshire Co Council– “the importance of Corporate IT as a Door Opener; not a Gatekeeper.” This is particularly salient in light of the technology on display at CES and the ease of integrating this into the enterprise.
Two main themes arose during the week long tech fest, according to an article in CiteWorld.com. The first is the penetration of tablets into organisations rather than heavy and costly desktop computers, and secondly the increase in sensors for all aspects of life – from fitness-measuring wristbands to basement flood detectors. A previous post on this blog goes some way to predict what the impact of these technologies could be – and how enterprise IT can accommodate these changes. In the same Computer Weekly article, speaking about the implications of Click and Collect multi channel retail, Chris Webster, Vice President of Retail Consulting and Technology at Capgemini stated that “retailers will need to have flexible systems to redirect the supply chain and orchestrate orders.” While merchandise may have previously moved in bulk from a distribution centre to a store, he said customers are buying more through digital channels.
Back at CES, one of the highlights turned out to be on ‘Wearables’: “tiny computers that users can wear on their bodies”.
Several sources, including Computer Weekly, and Search Consumerization, cover the possible application of these ‘Wearables’ to the enterprise. Possible uses range from “emergency workers and medical personnel” to mobile warehouse workers or technicians who need to consult a manual. The main point is around the consumer market as a driver of trends – if ‘Wearables’ don’t become popular in life outside the organisation, they will probably not proliferate in an enterprise setting either.
However, despite all the technology on display, it ended up being a run-of-the-mill teleprompter that gained most attention at CES 2014. Director Michael Bay’s on-stage ‘meltdown’ grabbed the headlines, as he abandoned a product endorsement mid-speech due to not being able to read his lines – demonstrating once more the importance of reliability over novelty.


text:
A Worcester signage and display firm has invested in a six-figure piece of equipment to expand market share, thanks to the guidance and support of membership organisation, Sterling Advance.
Operating from a 2,600 sq ft headquarters in the city, City Signs is a family run business originally founded in 1960. The business was taken over by managing director, Darren Wilkins in 2005 who now runs the company with his sister, Deanne. 2020 was set to be an exciting year as the firm surpassed 60 successful years in business.
However, by March 2020, Darren was concerned about the future of City Signs, as, like millions of other businesses, he was forced to close its doors and lost a vast percentage of income overnight as a result of the first COVID-19 lockdown.
The business adapted by designing and printing COVID-19 stickers, signage and screens. While he recovered some lost revenue, it required contractual support to complete a number of its jobs, particularly in cutting screens and commercial signage.
After getting advice from other members of Sterling Advance, Darren decided to invest in his own cutting machinery, which would improve the turnaround time for existing jobs, and provide him with the opportunity to increase market share and drive business growth.
Darren said: “Like millions of other businesses, we were forced to close our doors during the first lockdown, which meant we lost a significant amount of revenue overnight, particularly as a vast percentage was related to events and exhibitions. However, we quickly identified an opportunity to help shops, schools, restaurants and businesses in other sectors re-open and work around COVID-19 by creating social distancing advisory, signage and protective screens.
“Initially, we had to sub-contract the cutting of these jobs, which resulted in a very limited return for us as a business. When I took this challenge to my Sterling Advance group, I was able to confidentially discuss the pros and cons of investing in a new piece of kit and, in addition to supporting me with my decision, members of the group helped me source grant funding, which covered 30 per cent of the overall cost.
“We can now complete all jobs from start to finish in-house, ensuring everything is delivered quickly, while saving significant costs. Without the guidance of the Sterling Advance group, I probably wouldn’t have taken the plunge as I was naturally concerned about the long-term impact of COVID-19, so I am incredibly grateful for their support.”
Designed to bring like-minded professionals together in a mastermind group of 12, Sterling Advance enables business leaders to expand their networks through peer-to-peer support, whilst benefitting from the insight and expertise of proven business coaches.
Founded in partnership by Neil Davies, managing director of fast-growth networking organisation, Sterling Networks, and business and leadership coach, Alan Clark, Sterling Advance helps members focus on developing their skillsets and driving business growth.
Alan: “Sterling Advance was created to help like-minded business leaders overcome significant challenges, develop leadership skills and drive business growth through a unique mastermind and masterclass model.
“The example of Darren and City Signs is representative of how we help our members surpass difficulties in their businesses and drive positive change, and I am delighted that we were not only able to support him in making the decision, but also enabled him to invest in the future growth and development of the business, which will be key for long-term survival post COVID-19.”


text:
MUMBAI | BANGALORE: Mona Sandhu, a lecturer turned costume jewellery designer, set up a jewellery store in her home city of Karnal, Haryana, in 2006. The five-year-old store was doing well, selling about 70 pieces a week, but the limited pool of customers was stifling for the ambitious businesswoman.
On a whim, Sandhu set up a profile on Facebook at the end of last year with photographs of some of her products. To her surprise, she bagged an order the same day from a customer in California. Ten months on, Sandhu, whose social media page has been liked by 17000 visitors, is busy planning exhibitions in the US and UK.
As business on social media gains rapid acceptance, small-town entrepreneurs are securing customers from across the world. Sandhu gets over 100 orders a week mostly from customers in the US, Canada and the UK. On an average, individual customers order 5-10 pieces at a time, while a wholesale order starts at 40. "I have international recognition which has helped increase sales by 20 times since the launch of the page," says Sandhu for whom the Facebook page is the sole link with her customers.
For scores of entrepreneurs like Sandhu living in non-metros and towns with tight marketing budgets and no experience of running a commercial enterprise, Facebook has emerged as a significant marketing and sales tool. In fact, many of them are using their Facebook page as a substitute for a proprietary website. It costs nothing to set up a page, profile or group and it provides space for displaying photographs to boot.
Location of Business Does not Matter
The social networking site also gives an opportunity to interact with customers and provides instant access to millions of users worldwide.
"Location does not matter if the entrepreneur has the infrastructure to deliver products across the country," says Advit Sahdev, founder of social media marketing venture Odigma. A recent study by global workplace solutions provider, Regus, states that 83% of firms in India agree that social media activity is essential for the success of marketing strategies.
The report also says that 61% of Indian firms, which participated in the study, were successful in getting customers through business social networking in 2011, compared with 51% in 2010. While any large company or start-up can use social media as a brand building or marketing device, it is the creative entrepreneur, located in non-metro cities and towns, who has found Facebook most useful.
"If an entrepreneur is using Facebook as her sole marketing medium, she need to be selling a unique product to stand out of the clutter," says Sahdev. He adds that entrepreneurs in creative industries such as fashion and jewellery design and handicrafts have a natural advantage over others.
A case in point is Ahmedabad-based student-entrepreneur Kavya Agrawal, who started Kaagazi three months ago to sell uniquely designed handbound books. Kaagazi started as a classroom project for Agrawal, a final year graphic design student at Ahmedabad's National Institute of Design.
Based in a non-metro city, she knew selling her products though traditional means would be an uphill task. As a fulltime student, she also could not travel to metros where she knew her products would find a clientele. "Facebook was the logical choice as I did not have any money and I wanted to showcase my products and get feedback," says Agrawal, whose page has 400 'likes'. She started selling in the first week of August this year and has already sold 20 products.
Now, she plans to set up a production unit. "In the next two to three years, I intend to make Kaagazi products available in stores all across the country," Agrawal adds.
Agra's Neha Vij is also busy mapping out expansion plans. She had dabbled in candle making as a hobby and started participating in exhibitions in 2008 under the brand name of Auro Candles. But one-off exhibitions did not provide regular business and living in a non-metro city made customer interaction difficult.
In 2009, she started a Facebook page. Today, the Auro Candles page has over 1,500 'likes' and Vij now regularly receives orders and customises products. She has a team of six and a small manufacturing unit in Agra and has sold designer candles priced between Rs 15 and .`1,500 a to stores across the country. She declined to reveal her company's revenue, but said sales have jumped by almost 25% since she started the Facebook page.
While these entrepreneurs can market products through Facebook, the site does not have payment options. A customer might express interest on the site, but the entrepreneurs follow up over email. "This is not a major issue as there are many other payment options available," says Vij.


text:
Ubisoft said last year it’d be shutting down the online services for Splinter Cell: Blacklist among a number of other games, so when the multiplayer element of the Splinter Cell game was depreciated in October 2022, many players were confident that’d be their last time playing the game online. However, Splinter Cell fans got quite the surprise in recent weeks: the game’s multiplayer servers have sprung back to life for some reason with players now able to play against one another online, though there’s no telling how long that’ll actually last.
The game’s online features for the Wii U were shut down long ago, but the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC versions of the game still supported online play up until last October. But earlier in January, players within the Splinter Cell subreddit reported that the Xbox servers for the game had been restored for whatever reason.
Many thought this to be a fluke, but within the past couple of days, people said once more that the Xbox servers were indeed back up and running. Another post confirmed that the PC servers were back, too.
Right now, players are a bit confused as to why or how this sort of thing has happened, and it’s hard to blame them. One might wonder why someone was even trying to check the online servers of a game that was said to be shut down, but the game is indeed online according to these anecdotes. One might also speculate that the game coming back online was an error, but it’s hard to imagine how a game could accidently regain multiplayer servers.
Ubisoft has been wishy washy about some dated online services in the past, however, so maybe someone’s had a change of heart. The shutdown of these games’ online capabilities, for example, was previously scheduled to happen in mid-2022, but Ubisoft delayed that decommissioning to later in the year to give people one more shot at getting whatever they wanted out of these games. It also totally reversed course on Anno 2070 and said instead of that game becoming 100% unplayable as intended, a version would be released that people could still play anyways.
Splinter Cell: Blacklist is the most recent game in the Splinter Cell series, and it released back in 2013, so that should tell you something about how badly people want a new Splinter Cell game and why many were annoyed to hear about this game’s multiplayer services winding down. There is a remake of the original Splinter Cell in the works, however, so fans at least have that to look forward to.


text:
Last week we reported that Amazon might be working on a new Echo device that would take the form of a wall-mounted display. It looks like the rumors were correct, as the company has since unveiled its all-new Echo Show 15, a small 15-inch display that can be wall-mounted.
Amazon is no stranger to smart displays, but this display sits a little differently as it looks more like a breadboard or even a picture frame as you can tell by its design. This compares to other Echo smart displays that look like speakers with a built-in display.
With the new Echo Show 15, Amazon introduced an updated widget system that lets users create things like family reminders, view the weather, stream smart home notifications, stream camera video feeds, view photos, and more. There’s also a new Visual ID system that appears to automatically display content based on who is in the room.
It sounds kind of creepy, but useful at the same time. The new Amazon Echo Show 15 is priced at $ 150 and is expected to be available for purchase later this year. So keep an eye out if it sounds like something you might find useful.
Filed in. Read more about Alexa, Amazon, Connected Objects, Echo and IoT (Internet of Things).


text:
In the last 12 months, small businesses and those who are self-employed saw fewer cyberattacks and data breaches although significant risks remain, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center’s (ITRC) 2022 Business Impact Report.
ITRC recently surveyed 450 people who led small businesses or were self-employed about their experiences with cybercrime. They found that 45% of respondents experienced a security or data breach between July 2021 and 2022, a drop from 58% from the previous year. They also incurred lower costs in addressing a breach. More businesses reported losing less than $250,000, while fewer reported losing between $250,000 and $1 million.
“While any reduction in the impact of a cybercrime on a small business or individual is welcome and significant, it’s also too early to tell if the improvements reflected here are medium or long-term trends or simply unique to the current environment,” wrote ITRC.
Cybercriminals most frequently targeted customer and employee data, with roughly half of respondents reporting compromises of both data types. Just over one-quarter reported a compromise of company intellectual property. External threat actors were the most common root cause of data breaches, followed by compromises from remote workers, malicious insiders, compromises from third-party vendors, and human error. ITRC noted social media continued to be a pain point for many respondents. Half of the survey respondents reported cybercriminals taking over their social media accounts, and nearly 90% of impacted companies said they lost revenue as a result. It also uncovered what it considers a worrisome trend in cybersecurity training.
Half of the survey respondents reported cybercriminals taking over their social media accounts, and nearly 90% of impacted companies said they lost revenue as a result. Mistakenly sharing account credentials with someone pretending to be a friend or customer or phishing attacks were the most common causes of account takeovers. Respondents said they are increasing investment in new security tools, IT staff, and IT staff training, but are spending less on overall staff cybersecurity training.
“Given the volume and velocity of these attacks, now is not the time to reduce the training opportunities for non-IT employees,” ITRC wrote. “Yet, that is exactly the trend described by the small business leaders whose experiences are described here.”


text:
Parents are filling their back-to-school shopping list with technology according to a recent survey of 800 parents of school age children by Asurion, the connected life services company. Parents stated they plan to purchase calculators (50%), tablets (32%), laptops (29%) and mobile phones (23%) before the start of school this fall.
This summer Asurion estimates that 18 million phones will be lost, stolen or damaged, and during a season when travel and vacation plans take consumers far from home, this can be especially hazardous. With 83 percent of people surveyed in a recent Asurion study saying their phones are an important part of their travel experience, being without the valuable device could put vacation plans at risk.
Nashville-based Asurion, a connected life services company, has been named a Top Workplace by The Tennessean. The award is presented to employers in Middle Tennessee based on feedback provided by employees to measure job satisfaction and organizational health. Employee responses are then bench-marked across all corporate participants to identify truly great work environments.
Pondering the perfect gift for Dad this Father’s Day? It may be time for the ultimate gift upgrade. Asurion, the connected life services company, recently asked 1,000 dads to pinpoint their ideal Father’s Day gift. The answer was obvious: Fathers are hoping for a complete lifestyle upgrade, specifically to their wardrobe, technology devices, gaming and stereo systems.


text:
At a Glance
Uniphore has recently raised $140 M in Series D funding led by Sorenson Capital Partners, bringing the total funding of the company to a whopping $210 million. This is the largest funding for the conversational voice-based company. The participants of the Series D funding include the likes of Cisco Investments, Serena Capital, and Sanabil Investments. Some previous investors like March Capital Partners, Chiratae Ventures, Iron Pillar Fund, and Sistema Capital have also expanded their investments.
Using this funding, the firm aims to expand its technology in AI, Machine Learning, and Automation and gain further market leadership in this sector. Uniphore is also trying to focus on video-based AI applications from the acquisitions of Emotion Research Labs, Trust, Security, and RPA markets. These resources can help Uniphore in delivering a conversational service automation platform that will ease the processes of the modern enterprise. “We saw this years ago and have been delivering innovation to areas such as contact centers to enable better customer experiences”, said Umesh Sachdev, Co-Founder, and CEO of Uniphore, when asked about the increasing need for automated solutions that can work with all types of business models.
The company has two headquarters, one in Palo Alto, California, and the other in Chennai. On receiving the funding, Umesh Sachdev said, “This injection of capital and new addition to our board leadership will fuel our growth, position us to outpace the competition, and help transform business through dramatically improved customer experiences.” By combining voice and video-based engagements through automation and AI, Uniphore can utilize the scope of growth in the market of AI today.
Experts have agreed on the fact that AI and automation are one of the greatest fields of growth as 2020 has also been a key factor in making many businesses go digital. This market is now estimated at a value of about $500 billion. With the universe accepting remote working due to the pandemic, many companies have tried to find solutions to contact center agents to help customers in need.
Uniphore helps organizations in managing these contact center engagements and analyze them to further help provide a better consumer experience and helping their business do better. During the year 2020, Uniphore gained many customers since the world’s reliance on automation and artificial intelligence increased, and this technology became crucial to sustaining businesses while working from home.
With the growth in the past financial year, Uniphore is now estimated to have about $100 million in contracted annual recurring revenue or ARR in fiscal 2022. This funding has enabled the firm to grab many strategic partners and provide them with proper financial funding to get even more customers with its machine learning and automation-based software.


text:
DETROIT (AP) - Emails showing that General Motors ordered a half-million replacement ignition switches nearly two months before telling the government of a safety recall will be heavily scrutinized by federal prosecutors, who are investigating GM's conduct, according to legal experts.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama on Monday waded into the debate over "net neutrality" by suggesting that Internet service should be regulated more heavily to protect consumers.
NEW YORK (AP) - Pizza Hut is letting customers play mad scientist, giving them the freedom to make pies with honey Sriracha sauce or add curry flavor to the crusts.
BALTIMORE (AP) - A federal administrative law judge in Baltimore has given preliminary approval to a $6.6 million settlement for more than 570 current and former Social Security Administration employees with disabilities.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Target is planning to offer Black Friday deals before the Thanksgiving holiday, in its latest move to boost sluggish sales heading into the holiday shopping season.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Postal Service said Monday it had been hacked, potentially compromising sensitive information about its employees such as names and addresses, Social Security numbers, emergency contacts and other information.
NEW YORK (AP) - Arby's, the chain known for its roast beef sandwiches, is trying to stand out in the crowded fast-food industry. It's marketing its meats as being of superior quality and pushing to let customers know they can order sandwiches sans onions or mayo.
LONDON (AP) - Oil prices slumped to multi-year lows on Tuesday after Saudi Arabia cut the price of oil sold to the U.S., a move that is shaking an already volatile market but will likely give the world economy an unexpected stimulus.
NEW YORK (AP) - Burger King said bringing back its "Chicken Fries" helped sales jump in the U.S. and Canada by the biggest amount in two years.
SANTA MONICA (AP) - Activision Blizzard Inc., maker of the blockbuster "Call of Duty" video game franchise, said Tuesday that strong sales led to better-than-expected results for its third quarter and raised its full-year forecast. The stock jumped in after-hours trading.
CVS'S 3Q BENEFITS FROM GENERICS, SPECIALTY DRUGS: WOONSOCKET, R.I. (AP) - CVS Health Corp. reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings Tuesday as increased use of specialty drugs helped offset missing sales of tobacco products, which the company stopped selling this fall.
NEW YORK (AP) - This year more Americans than ever are expected to make their lists, check them twice, and then click the "add to cart" button.
NEW YORK (AP) - Hotels don't want guests to have to linger at the front desk - or even stop by at all.
NEW YORK (AP) - It turns out people go to Red Lobster for the seafood.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A federal judge on Monday said Honeywell Inc. could begin penalizing workers who refuse to take medical or biometric tests.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Portland leaders are trying to make Uber's stay a short one.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Many people covered under President Barack Obama's health care law will face higher premiums next year, the administration acknowledged Thursday. While the average increases are modest, it's more fodder for the nation's political battles over health care.
NEW YORK (AP) - Starbucks plans to let customers across the U.S. order ahead on their smartphones over the next year, a move that should help shrink lines as it pushes more snacks, sandwiches and even wine.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - For want of an iPod, a billion-dollar lawsuit may be in jeopardy.
Millions of Medicare Advantage customers are fast approaching a deadline for a task they'd rather avoid: Researching and then settling on coverage plans for 2015.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Japan's Takata Corp. rejected federal regulators' demand Wednesday for an expanded, nationwide recall of millions of air bags, setting up a possible legal showdown and leaving some drivers to wonder about the safety of their cars.
WASHINGTON (AP) - In a bipartisan show of unity, the House overwhelmingly approved a bill Wednesday to allow Americans with disabilities to open tax-free bank accounts to pay for expenses from education to housing and health care.
NEW YORK (AP) - Watch out world, the Girl Scouts are going digital to sell you cookies.
NEW YORK (AP) - Cyber Monday is turning into Cyber Month.
DETROIT (AP) - At least 36 people have died and 44 have been seriously injured in crashes involving General Motors cars with defective ignition switches.


text:
It seems like 2020 lasted a lifetime, but do you remember when the United States came together to fight the common enemy that was The Plastic bag? Cities around the world enacted bans and embarrassed anyone who dared to carry anything inside one. Those with pets were the most affected …Read More »
Text size Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, poses on the red carpet when he arrives at the 43rd “Goldenes Lenkrad” (golden flyer) on November 12, 2019 in Berlin. Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP AFP via Getty Images Tesla CEO Elon Musk is, frankly, a huge follower of …Read More »
Here’s the impact on revenue Facebook will take when Diageo and Starbucks join the list of companies pulling ads from the platform.
Facebook shares fell in pre-market trading on Monday, after Diageo and Starbucks became the latest companies to stop advertising on social media platforms for ineffective surveillance of hate speech. Shares of the social networking company FB, -2.48%, which operates Instagram and WhatsApp, in addition to its eponymous platform, fell more …Read More »
[ad_1] Kim Komando Special for USA TODAY Published 5:00 AM EDT May 14, 2020 Everyone loves a cool trick. No matter how well we know an application or program, there is almost always a shortcut that we never learned. The same goes for hardware: we can use gadgets every day …Read More »
[ad_1] A cheap kitchen tool can help keep your wine glass intact in the dishwasher. Sarah Tew / CNET My kitchen is full of workhorses that I take for granted: the wooden cutting board, the balloon whisk, the measuring cups, the microplane and sharp knives. But since I spend even …Read More »


text:
hotels near the science museum london
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|Look up hotels near the science museum london in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.|
- hotels near the science museum london“Historically, reducing emissions has simply meant financial penalties for industry – which creates conflict between government and business. But British Glass firmly believed that sectors which took advantage of this opportunity to influence government strategy stood to reduce costs, develop resilience on energy pricing and gain a competitive edge over businesses that didn’t become green economy leaders. “We are a trade specialist so all retail enquiries and enquiries from smaller independent installers are handled by our customers, which means they are sharing directly in the success of our campaign.” Martin Nettleton adds: “We invested in the campaign to target those larger installation and distribution companies increasingly dissatisfied with the big fabricators who are starting to compete with them by setting up their own networks of trade counters and distribution outlets. When the UK government launched its Decarbonisation and energy efficiency roadmap 2050 project – working with the UK’s eight most energy intensive manufacturing industries, including glass – British Glass saw an opportunity to develop a new type of relationship with policy makers. The black-tie awards ceremony was held on 15 June at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, at the centre of the country’s great east-west glass manufacturing corridor – where nine out of ten of the UK’s largest glass manufacturers have production sites. Ms Stephens continues: “The new extension has provided a fantastic and really flexible space that thanks to the new PURe® patio doors and windows, can be enjoyed whatever the weather. It’s great to be able to open up the living space and enjoy the close access we now have to the garden but even when the blustery weather that we are so familiar with here in the Yorkshire Dales takes hold, the glazing has provided us with a peaceful and cosy retreat. It’s the perfect space for both work and relaxation and I couldn’t be happier!”
|This university of wuppertal computer simulation in science page lists articles associated with the title Seo.
If an computer science and electrical engineering led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.


text:
The deepening bitcoin bear market is disappointing for crypto believers, and not just the speculators trying to get rich quick. Some hope that digital assets like bitcoin could give ordinary people in places like Argentina and Venezuela a way to protect their wealth.
Instead of turning to black-market dollars, as is often the case now, citizens could convert their assets to digital tokens that would, theoretically, keep their value and be more difficult for officials to debase or confiscate. So far, however, virtual coins are failing as money (pdf).
Bank of England governor Mark Carney refers to digital tokens as “crypto assets” instead of currencies, because their volatility makes them such a poor store of value. Stanford economist John Taylor (paywall) thinks that crypto tokens have potential in countries where policymakers have shipwrecked the domestic economy.
The former US Treasury official is an advisor to Basis, a crypto project founded by Princeton computer science graduates. Taylor is best known for his Taylor Rule, which policymakers use as a guide for setting interest rates to maintain price stability.
He regularly consults with central bankers around the world and had a hands-on role in reconstructing Iraq’s currency after the US invasion 15 years ago. Taylor thinks the token is an upgrade to bitcoin because it would be more steadfast. Read more from qz.com…
thumbnail courtesy of qz.com


text:
And the chicken-sandwich wars go on. Who wins this 2021?
Not everything "new" is worth a try.
Krispy Kreme has launched a "Mars doughnut" in celebration of NASA's robot perseverance landing on the Red Planet's atmosphere on Feb. 18.
Is it time to switch to Tom Brady's diet?
Uber Eats is a new hero stepping in to help independent restaurants in the U.S. amid the pandemic.
Ramen bombs are the newest food trend causing a "RAMENtastic" explosion!
Your areas may experience a power outage, and you might think that putting your food outside in the snow will make them last longer. But is it safe?
Deliveroo finds itself on a roll to gain more profit. Find out how Amazon fits into this picture
We can't wait for Michelle Obama's new cooking show on Netflix!
Even a half egg is related to an increased risk of death, according to a study.
Steer clear of these if you want to salvage your relationship..with your health.
What can we expect from this partnership?
Let's go for a run-through of the best doughnut chains in the U.S. and where you can find them.
Have you tried any of these TikTok Recipes? What do you think?
Celebrate National Pizza Day with these pizza deals and freebies.


text:
Stranded cruise ship docks in Cambodia
The MS Westerdam has finally been able to dock after having originally set sail on February 14th.
The ship was turned away by Thailand, Taiwan, Guam, the Philippines, and Japan, before being able to dock in the port city of Sihanoukville.
On board, 20 people had fallen ill, but none were confirmed with having COVID-19. Health officials will come on board and conduct health checks for all passengers.
Another cruise ship, from Diamond Princess, is isolated near Japan. The boat has over 200 confirmed cases on board, meaning that the ship has the largest number of confirmed cases outside of China.


text:
DIY chain Focus has suspended its online sales after administrators from Ernst & Young were called in by the company.
Today visitors to the Focus website
are met with a statement from the administrators and the news that orders can no longer be placed online, while orders that are yet to be delivered cannot be either released or refunded. Customers are instead asked to let the administrators, appointed yesterday, know in writing of the details of their outstanding orders.
A spokeswoman for Ernst & Young said the administrators were still "assessing the position" to find out how many online orders were outstanding.
Additinally, goods bought before May 5 can only be exchanged rather than refunded, and refunds will only be given on goods bought after that date if they are faulty. Existing vouchers can be spent in the stores though no new vouchers will be sold.
These measures apart, say the administrators, it is business as usual. In their statement, they say: “Focus has not ceased to trade and customers will be able to continue shopping at Focus stores across the UK.”
It is thought close to 4,000 jobs are at risk following the action. Focus has about 180 stores across the UK and is majority-owned by Cerberus Capital Management. The company is seen as a casualty of the UK's weak housing market in a competitive DIY market in which rivals include B&Q and Homebase.


text:
Stowmarket firm bids to beat ‘hard Brexit’ port delays by securing ‘trusted trader’ status
- Credit: Archant
A Suffolk manufacturer has secured a special status with customs in a bid to ward off issues at channel ports in the event of a hard Brexit.
Stowmarket-based malt firm Muntons said its new Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status through HM Revenue and Customs was "an important achievement" as uncertainty continues over Brexit.
The standard, which comes into force on July 1, 2019, is recognised across the UK and Europe, and is designed to introduce security measures to safeguard goods passing through the international supply chain.
The aim is to prevent smuggling, tampering with goods, false documentation, identity fraud and theft;
Service manager Corinne Robinson said the AEO accreditation would give the firm ready access to any simplifications HMRC may introduce to prevent delays at Channel ports in the event of a 'no deal'.
"It is very likely that such facilitations will only be granted to 'trusted traders' so, gaining AEO is an important achievement for us," she said.
Other benefits include simplified customs procedures and the possibility to fast track shipments, providing reassurance to the malt firm's customers.


text:
Nokia Lumia 1520 phablet shows up again in a close-up shot
The live images and the press render of the Nokia's first phablet are already out and we now have yet another leak, which shows the 6-inch smartphone very closely. The latest leak also shows the Nokia branding on the top and three capacitive touch buttons at the bottom of the phablet.
We will know more about the Nokia Lumia 1520 when the Finnish manufacturer officially announces the phablet at its upcoming press event on October 21.
Head down to the source link below to check out the image in full size.


text:
DALLAS -- Convenience stores seem largely immune to the overall decline in brick-and-mortar retail sales, and loyalty programs are playing a big role in the success of c-stores, according to Excentus, a loyalty and marketing technology provider.
J.C. Penney recently announced plans to close 138 stores by the end of summer, and more retailers have already filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2017 so far than in all of 2016, according to a report in TheStreet. Meanwhile, the convenience-store industry saw $10.2 billion in pretax profits in 2016, its third-best year ever, according to NACS.
C-stores are listening to customers and giving them more choices, healthier food and drink options, and compelling loyalty programs, according to Dallas-based Excentus.
Here are four quick tips from the tech firm to build and maintain an effective loyalty program …
1. Short and sweet
Everyone seems busy in today’s world, and one fact of business that c-stores pride themselves on is the ability to get customers in and out of the store quickly. Customers value that fast experience, and c-store loyalty programs should reflect that “in and out” mentality, Excentus said.
Customers want loyalty programs to offer good deals on the brands and products they value. They also want the process of redeeming discounts and deals to be easy and straightforward. It’s important that loyalty programs reflect a store’s ability to get people in and out quickly instead of impede a store’s speed. No one wants to spend precious minutes arguing the minutia of a two-for-one deal with a store clerk.
2. Call the experts
Many shoppers still clip coupons, but today's consumers expect a more modern touch from loyalty programs.
These days it’s all about digital marketing, working with mobile technology and the finer points of customer engagement and loyalty, according to Excentus. The company points to multiple program vendors, outdated technologies and inadequate associate training as details that can lead to unappealing and lackluster loyalty programs.
3. Get the facts
Data is gold, especially when it comes to loyalty. Effective loyalty programs need real-time market data and business intelligence. This is important for two reasons, according to Excentus. One, chains need to know what customers are buying and when in order to offer them deals and discounts that matter to them and to enhance the customer’s interactions with the store. Two, accurate consumer data allows chains to track what works and what doesn’t. Operators can use data to keep their loyalty programs relevant and engaging.
4. Jack of all trades
Effective loyalty programs need to do a lot. They should attract new customers, retain existing ones, encourage higher and more frequent spending, and keep customers coming back instead of going to competitors, according to Excentus. Retailers need programs that are unique to their members and market. This is not a one-size-fits-all operation, so it’s important to choose a loyalty program that's consistent with existing customer behavior.


text:
Thai authorities on Saturday agreed to let Cambodian vendors continue to sell their remaining knock-off products at the Long Keur market – just across the border from Banteay Meanchey province’s Poipet town – until the end of April following a second counterfeit bust on Saturday.
The agreement was reached after Thai and Cambodian authorities met after Saturday’s bust, according to Chum Sounry, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Saturday’s bust, in which Thai police confiscated clothes, bags and shoes, led to one arrest, but no violence.
Cambodian sellers started a riot during the first bust in early February after Thai police confiscated various fake products from them.
Koh Kong Provincial Governor Korsum Saroeut said Cambodian authorities plan to build a market for the Cambodian vendors to continue to sell their products on the Kingdom’s side of the border after the April deadline to avoid problems in the future.
“It is good news for Cambodian sellers if Cambodian authorities prepare a new place for them to sell in Cambodian territory,” said Soum Chankea, a coordinator for Adhoc in Banteay Meanchey province.
According to Sounry, Cambodian sellers will be educated not to sell fake products across the border after the deadline.
Meng Huy, a vendor at the market, said police on Saturday broke door locks to collect the confiscated products. “We lost a lot of money,” he said.


text:
Carnival Cruises will continue to deploy drug sniffer dogs to search for cannabis and other drugs, said a brand ambassador who acknowledged the cruise line’s drug policy on Tuesday.
Do not plan to smoke if you are vacationing on a cruise. Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL), Royal Caribbean (RCL), Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCLH) and all other major cruise lines that operate from or depart U.S. ports prohibit the consumption of cannabis. -board. Most ships display ‘drug-free zone’ signs on board and have a zero-tolerance policy.
Cruise lines follow federal law more than state law, so cannabis is banned in nearly all situations, even if the ship isn’t flagged in the United States. The open sea isn’t really a lawless land, the laws are usually miles from the coast and most cruises stop in multiple countries.
of Gwinnett Daily Post report Carnival Cruises says it has no plans to change its marijuana policy for the foreseeable future, after a brand ambassador revealed the cruise line’s efforts to regulate the use of cannabis on board.
“When it comes to drug sniffer dogs, I can say that our intolerance rules and enforcements have made a big difference on the issue of what people think marijuana is legal and allowed to use on cruises. Carnival brand ambassador John Heald said. Posted On May 23, he said on his Facebook page:
Some cruise passengers complained of the weed smell common on cruises. Passengers say they get infected while the ship is in port or when they go out into the city.
“They need more drug dogs when we get back on board because people pick up drugs in the port,” said a commenter named Janet. “You can smell the marijuana on the balcony.” commenter replied on Heald’s page.
Drug-sniffing dogs and the cannabis problem
There are several problems with using dogs to sniff out drugs and cannabis. A commenter expressed concern about an allergy to dogs that may violate privacy.
Heald added, “These very smart, highly trained dogs are used when boarding ships, but in some cases not all cruises on all ships can successfully sail with their handlers.” but the ship is big enough for this [to] Don’t worry if you have allergies…”
It turned out that washington post Asked the same question last March, CCL representatives acknowledged the cruise company’s cannabis policy.
“Marijuana and cannabis products may be legal in some states, just in case there is confusion, but we are required to follow federal law regardless of the laws of the state where you board our vessel. We want to remind our customers of one thing,” said Christine, President of CCL.Duffy Said of washington post.
Dozens of states have legalized marijuana in some way, and drug dogs in general have lost their jobs en masse. In some cases, drug-sniffing dogs have been trained to ignore cannabis. why?major Release from chicago tribune In 2011, he argued that drug-sniffing dogs may sense and obey their owners’ prejudices and prejudices.
Not just dogs. China has partnered with drug-sniffing red squirrels, but honeybees could soon become the next natural drug-sniffer. Researchers at the University of Cologne in Germany recently published their findings in an academic journal. pro swantitled Detecting Illegal Drugs by Trained Bees, shows the expectations of bees in law enforcement.
Cruise passengers caught with cannabis are usually punished quickly and often disembarked at the next port.


text:
Frank Vinluan for Xconomy: The past year has seen market launches for microbial products developed to help plants resist stresses from pests and harsh environmental conditions.
Japan is one of the first countries using large-scale UAV on plant protection in the world. Take rice as an example, ground vehicles spray about 22% (in 2014), and the proportion of UAV plant protection has reached 36%.
Phys.org: Thanks to research with ESA on new cameras, hyperspectral cameras flying on drones are now able to see details as small as 4-5 cm.
James Carroll for Vision Systems Design: Prospera explains that its digital farming system aims to collect, digitize, and analyze vast amounts of farm data and optimize all aspects of production, from agronomy to labor management.
Alex Knapp for Forbes: But what attracts investors to this sector? And what should AgTech startups know about talking to potential investors?
Geoffrey Mohan for LA Times: Now, the $47-billion agriculture industry is trying to bring technological innovation up to warp speed before it runs out of low-wage immigrant workers.
Alex Knapp for Forbes: "Our machine, using machine vision and artificial intelligence, analyzes every single coffee cherry," said Jones. "And then we give the grade back to the farmer who produced it."
Barry Teater, NCBiotech Writer: "There is no place for high-quality ag tech companies to move into plug-and-play, turnkey R&D facilities coupled with greenhouses,"
Greensburg Daily News: The need for new agriculture training is great. Indiana is seeing an increase in the average age of its farm workers from 49 in 1950 to now approaching the age of 60.
Seeking to solve the chronic labor shortage problem facing the US premium wine industry, the Digital Harvest LLC project 'ROVR' team has developed a fully mobile concept demonstrator at their Pendleton, Oregon R&D lab.
Leading national organic culinary herb grower and marketer set to transform the distribution of highly perishable produce
USAgNet: So what are retailers anticipating in 2017? Some 59% of all dealers forecast revenue growth of at least 2% this year, with about 15% projecting growth of at least 8%.
Aaron Aupperlee for TribLive: Robots could grow your next salad inside an old steel mill on Pittsburgh's South Side.
Evan Ackerman for IEEE Spectrum: Tertill is a solar-powered, weed-destroying, fully autonomous and completely self-contained robot designed for your garden.
Nat Williams, Illinois Farmer Today: Precision equipment has streamlined farming in recent years. But what happens when something goes awry while the operator is in the middle of fieldwork?
Records 151 to 165 of 199
With a full range of capacity options (85AH-3300AH) and voltage configurations to choose from, Rolls Battery maintenance-free 2V, 6V & 12V AGM and broad range of 2V GEL models offer a valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) battery option with the same dependable energy storage and heavy-duty construction customers have grown to expect from the Rolls brand for over sixty years. Installed in off-grid, grid-tied or backup float applications, these sealed batteries require minimal ongoing maintenance and provide a versatile energy storage solution for remote or confined installations. Rolls Battery AGM and GEL battery lines deliver superior cycle life and are backed by an industry-leading warranty.


text:
A group consisting of commercial drone operators, hobbyists, and several research universities have joined in lawsuits against the FAA’s rules about unmanned aerial vehicles. The lawsuits were filed on behalf of the Academy of Model Aeronautics which represents 170,000 model aircraft hobbyists.
The lawsuit argues that the FAA policy unfairly restricts their drone activities. The FAA has been working on commercial drone rules for several years, but final regulations will not be available for some time.
In May 2014 several news organizations including the Associated Press, the New York Times, and the Washington Post and challenged FAA authority to prohibit the press using drones in newsgathering.
They said “Newsgathering is not a ‘business purpose.’ It is a First Amendment right.”
Before you check out the new Google Earth, make sure you are first running Google Chrome on your desktop or Android on your phone. iOS will be available soon. Last year Google released a VR version of Google Earth. This new version is no longer a separate app, but a web site https://www.google.com/earth/ . This […]Read More
GoPro and Google have joined forces to create a Virtual Reality camera rig with 16 GoPro HERO4 cameras. It’s called Jump. It can transform 16 pieces of video into one stereoscopic 360 degree VR video. The 360 degree camera array allows all 16 cameras to act as one. This makes camera syncing easy, and includes […]Read More
They are calling the RED Hydrogen One the first “holographic media machine that fits in your pocket.” This phone can creates images that jump out of the camera like a big-screen 3D movie, but without the glasses. This phone/camera will be available this summer from Verizon and AT&T. The price is predicted to be about […]Read More


text:
Kulka Sales and Profit to Hit Record Highs in 2022
Slovenian pharmaceutical company Krka posted record sales and profits last year. Revenue increased 10% to €1.7 billion, and net profit rose 17% to €361 million, according to unaudited results the company released on Jan. 26.
Krka saw sales growth across all product and service segments in most of its key markets.
Sales in Eastern Europe increased by 14% to €623 million, in Central Europe by 4% to €364 million, and in Western and South Eastern Europe by 7% to €327 million and €225 million respectively In euros, the international market was up 23% to 66 million euros.
In Slovenia, the Group sold €103 million worth of products and services last year, an increase of 11% from 2021. Most of the revenue (60.5 million euros) came from product sales, with spa and tourist services contributing 42.6 euros to him. a million.
The group sold €1.4 billion worth of prescription drugs worldwide last year, a 7% increase year-on-year. Sales increased in all regions, with the Czech Republic, Germany and Russia leading the growth of their individual markets. Cardiovascular, central nervous system and gastrointestinal drugs remained at the top of the list of prescription drugs sold.
“With a good business model and continuous adaptations in different areas of our business, we were able to meet the challenges of last year,” CEO Jože Colarič told reporters at Novo Mesto’s headquarters.
The company has registered 11 new products and completed 490 registration procedures.
Investment expenditure reached €106 million and is expected to rise to €130 million in 2023.
Colarič pointed to a high-tech investment worth €39.2 million in Notol 2. This completes the investment totaling €259 million in this Novo Mesto-based facility dedicated to the production of solid pharmaceutical products.
A further €26 million will be invested in Notol 2 this year, and Krka wants to double its production capacity for animal products to ensure long-term production of high volumes of sterile products. The amount of investment he is estimated at 29 million euros.
The company will begin construction of a €163 million plant in Krško this year for the development and production of active pharmaceutical ingredients.
Planned investments abroad include a €3.5 million upgrade of the production capacity for solid dosage animal products at the production and distribution center in Yastrbarsko, Croatia. Ningbo Kurka Menovo joint venture will continue to source production and quality control equipment in China.
The Group plans a turnover of €1,755 million and a net profit of around €300 million this year.
https://sloveniatimes.com/krka-sales-profit-at-all-time-high-in-2022/ Kulka Sales and Profit to Hit Record Highs in 2022


text:
|Before Google Deal Closes, Motorola Buys Video Guide Start-Up SetJam|
|Thursday, 22 December 2011 03:12|
AllThingsD » Peter
Motorola Mobility, which is supposed be acquired by Google, has made bought a company in the meantime: The mobile handset maker has picked up SetJam, a small New York-based company that provides online video listings and data. SetJam originally positioned itself as a consumer-facing Web site, but appears to have pivoted to a B2B service; former SetJam CEO Ryan Janssen announced the deal via email.
|Articles You May Like|


text:
Tasty Brands LP, an affiliate of Los Angeles-based private equity firm Triton Pacific Capital Partners, reported its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2021.
Tasty Brands LP is a multi-brand restaurant franchisee within the quick service restaurant industry. Its portfolio companies include Tasty Hut LLC, a Pizza Hut franchisee, and Tasty King LLC, a Burger King franchisee. As of December 29, 2021, the company owned 253 restaurants, including 69 Burger King and 184 Pizza Hut locations.
Highlights for the fourth quarter of 2021:
Total restaurant sales increased 16.6 percent to $56 million, compared to $48 million in the fourth quarter of 2020. For the full year, restaurant sales totaled $231.7 million, an increase of 36 percent compared to $170.4 million in 2020.
Adjusted restaurant-level EBITDA totaled $5.8 million in fourth quarter of 2021, compared to $6 million in fourth quarter of 2020. Fiscal year 2021 adjusted restaurant-level EBITDA was $27 million compared to $16.1 million in 2020, an increase of 68 percent.
Adjusted income from operations totaled $3.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2021, compared to $2.9 million in the prior year’s quarter. On a full-year basis, adjusted income from operations increased 136 percent, from $7 million in 2020 to $16.6 million in 2021.
Loan-to-value for consolidated restaurant operations was 17.8 percent, as of year-end 2021.
“Overall performance for Tasty Brands in [the fourth quarter] was strong considering a challenging business environment in which inflationary cost pressures, labor shortages and lingering effects of the pandemic are all still very much evident,” the company said in a statement. “Tasty Brands, like the broader quick service restaurant industry, was tested in many ways in 2021, but its resiliency, stability, and value proposition yielded robust financial performance and continued growth.”
The company noted that both Burger King and Pizza Hut portfolio companies “continue to execute key strategic initiatives across all aspects of the business, while investments in people, assets, and the guest experience underpin the results.”
The company also pointed out “several accomplishments” that took place during the quarter.
Tasty King reportedly “experienced strong openings” for two new Burger King restaurants located in Butler, Missouri and Smithville, Missouri. Average weekly sales are currently running at $30,000+, which implies $1.5 million annualized, above brand average.
Tasty Brands noted that “sales growth at portfolio companies have outperformed other franchisees in their respective designated market areas in almost every period of 2021,” and both Tasty King and Tasty Hut achieved positive same store sales growth in the fourth quarter.
Tasty Hut completed an add-on investment of 23 units located throughout New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The company has three additional units under contract from this transaction that will close in the first quarter of 2022 and has already secured properties for new store development within this region.
The company declared a quarterly distribution of $0.4375 per share.
Triton Pacific, founded in 2001, is a private equity firm offering investment programs for accredited investors and focuses on investing in established companies across multiple sectors.
For more Triton Pacific news, please visit their directory page.


text:
Microsoft fell slightly short of analysts’ expectations for revenue and exceeded estimates for earnings per share, as it announced quarterly financial results Thursday.
The company reported quarterly revenue of $21.46 billion – a record, up 3 percent from $20.89 billion a year earlier.
It also reported profit of $6.38 billion, or earnings of 76 cents per share, for the quarter ending Dec. 31, the second in fiscal 2013. That compares with $6.62 billion in profit and earnings per share of 78 cents last year.
Analysts had forecast revenue of about $21.5 billion and earnings per share of 75 cents.
Lisa Nelson, a Microsoft director in investor relations, attributed the revenue bump to strong support from businesses, which drove a 15 percent increase in multi-year licenses, as well as key product launches such as Windows 8.
The company did not break out Windows 8 numbers, other than to note (as it previously did) that it has sold more than 60 million Windows 8 licenses. That figure includes sales to manufacturers and to retailers.
The company did not break out figures for Surface, its first branded computing devices.
Here’s how the divisions did:
• Windows and Windows Live: $5.88 billion revenue, up 24 percent from $4.74 billion this quarter last year.
The revenue figure includes recognition of money deferred from a previous quarter for a Windows upgrade offer.
Without that deferral recognition, revenue for the division was still up 11 percent, Nelson said.
Windows 7 sales continued to drive revenue, with more than 60 percent of desktop PCs today running that operating system, up from just more than 50 percent last quarter, Nelson said.
Overall, big businesses drove double-digit growth in volume licensing for Windows.
• Business: $5.69 billion, down 10 percent from $6.31 billion last year.
Those results reflect a deferral of $788 million from Office presales, in advance of the launch of Office 2013 and the new version of Office 365, which are expected later this month.
Without those deferrals, divisional revenue rose 3 percent.
• Server and Tools: $5.19 billion, up 9 percent from $4.77 billion last year.
This division continues to grow fast, with most of the growth coming from SQL Server and System Center.
• Entertainment and Devices: $3.77 billion, down 11 percent $4.24 billion last year.
Those figures include deferred revenue of $380 million from games people bought this quarter that also includes rights to receive additional content. Without that deferral, the division’s revenue was down 2 percent.
• Online Services: $869 million, up 11 percent from $784 million last year.
Revenue per search was “up significantly,” said Nelson, who declined to give figures on that.
The loss for the division was $283 million, compared with a $459 million loss last year.


text:
What do you think this The Last Guardian Delayed Again! – GS News Update video?
The Last Guardian, Sony and genDESIGN’s follow-up to Shadow of the Colossus, has been delayed. It was previously given an October 25 release date but will now launch on December 6, 2016.
Follow The Last Guardian atGameSpot.com!
Official Site – www.playstation.com/en-us/games/the-last-guardian-ps4/
Subscribe to us on YouTube Gaming!
Visit all of our channels:
Features & Reviews –
Gameplay & Guides – www.youtube.com/GameSpotGameplay
Trailers – www.youtube.com/GameSpotTrailers
Mobile Gaming – www.youtube.com/GameSpotMobile
Like – www.facebook.com/GameSpot
Be sure to share this The Last Guardian Delayed Again! – GS News Update video!


text:
Unity Technologies, the corporation behind the Unity game engine, has revealed a $400 million dollar investment from private equity firm Silver Lake. Bloomberg reports that the investment values the company at $2.6 billion and that the deal has not yet received regulator approval.
As one of the top two game engines, Unity powers many of the world’s games, from tiny indie titles to monster hits like Pokemon Go, as well as everything in between. The company’s business model is based around selling subscriptions to its tools and services, which include Unity Pro and Unity Plus. Unity claims that games developed using its software reach over 2.4 billion devices.
Should the Silver Lake investment receive regulator approval, about half of the money from the deal will be used to allow employees and some early shareholders to cash out. Typically, equity in a private company can only be redeemed for cash after an IPO or during an internal buyback.
Regarding the reason behind the deal, John Riccitiello, CEO of Unity Technologies said, “A big chunk of it is secondary and that’s because it makes sense to let employees buy cars. In terms of primary capital we don’t ultimately need all that primary capital—the capital is safety when we’re investing to grow as fast as we are.”
Unity Technologies is backed by several Silicon Valley venture firms, including Sequoia Capital, which remains Unity’s largest shareholder. In July 2016, the company raised $181 million in a deal that valued the company at about $1.5 billion. According to Bloomberg, Silver Lake is betting that Unity will continue to grow, not only in gaming but also in virtual and augmented reality. Given the projected growth rate of the global AR/VR market, this may be a feasible gamble.
“The second act that I think attracts a lot of investors and investor interest is the fact that we have about 70 percent of AR and VR content built on Unity,” Riccitiello said. “We’ve got a first wave that is going really really well and we have a second one that is dominant.”


text:
YouTube launches movie rental service in Australia
Web giant Google has joined Apple and others like Sony, Microsoft and Telstra in offering thousands of on-demand movies for online rental in Australia through its video-sharing website YouTube and Google Play store for smartphones and tablets.
Join the discussion below, or Read more at The Age.
#1 Apr 26, 2012
If you feel like having a quick laugh type in "WATTYBRUSH" on your YouTube search bar. If not well, you must be a pretty lame person
Waltham Cross, UK
#3 May 15, 2012
Add your comments below
|Don't offshore Telstra jobs: union (Aug '12)||Aug '12||Sean||1|
Find what you want!
Search Next New Networks Forum Now
Copyright © 2018 Topix LLC


text:
[Updated on 10/19/16]:
Nintendo of Japan’s Twitter account also posted about the NX preview video. In Japan the video is slated to be about three minutes long. Will we get to see the device or any of the games in development? Or is this simply a teaser video that will unveil a date for a future event that will debut the system? We won’t have to wait long to find out!
The debut preview trailer will be able to be watched directly on Nintendo’s homepage as well at www.nintendo.com.
The time is almost here! Nintendo of America just went to Twitter and confirmed that we are going to finally get to see something on the NX. The tweet says:
Be among the first to discover #NX. Watch the Preview Trailer at 7am PT/10am ET!
No idea how long the video will be at this point. We will update this post with news of an official URL as well. For now, expect it to be on its YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/nintendo
We will stay with this breaking news as we hear more!


text:
Second series will see 52 new 11-minute episodes set for delivery in 2016, with 60-minute special set to follow in 2017; new ‘Bob the Builder’ shorts set to launch on YouTube in August 2015.
Tagged With: Specials
Brand new Christmas Special, ‘Toy Story That Time Forgot,’ Pixar Animation Studios’ second new special for television featuring your favorite characters from the ‘Toy Story’ Films,” to air December 2 on ABC.
The ‘Toy Story’ gang’s frightfully fun adventure releasing for the first time on Blu-ray & DVD; never-before-seen bonus features include parody vintage toy commercials, deleted scenes, audio commentary, and more.
Nickelodeon’s hit animated series ‘Sanjay and Craig’ debuts its first 30-minute primetime special, “A Tail of Two Slithers,” this Friday, May 16, 7:00p.m. (ET/PT).
Animation director and Academy Award nominee Michael Sporn is dead at the age of 67 following illness due to pancreatic cancer.
Following the success of Toy Story OF TERROR!, Disney•Pixar’s new Christmas special, Toy Story That Time Forgot, is set to air during the holidays this year on ABC.
Cartoon Network unveils a new promo for "Dance Pantsed," giving fans a peek at the new CG animated special slated to air January 20.
The Powerpuff Girls are set to save the world before bedtime again in all-new special airing Monday, January 20; Beatles legend Ringo Starr joins original voice cast Catherine Cavadini, Tara Strong, E.G. Daily, Roger L. Jackson, Tom Kane and Tom Kenny.


text:
FullContact Person, FullContact Card Reader, FullContact Name, FullContact Location, FullContact Account Stats, FullContact Disposable Email
December 8, 2014
Single purpose API
Nimble, a social CRM and SaaS provider, has just announced the launch of a new Contact API and App Marketplace making it possible for developers to create engaging third-party applications using the Nimble platform.
Our API directory now includes 41 contacts APIs. The newest is the AtMail API. The most popular, in terms of mashups, is the Google Contacts API. We list 10 Google Contacts mashups. Below you'll find some more stats from the directory, including the entire list of contacts APIs.
This article is part of a 10-part series where we discuss interesting APIs that were added to our directory during 2016. Business and Productivity APIs are covered in this segment. The APIs were chosen by our researchers, by popularity according to website traffic, and by mentions on social media.


text:
Startup makers of electric vehicles were one of the biggest beneficiaries of the SPAC party of 2020–21—and that fete is now well and truly in the hangover phase.
At least a dozen EV startups have gone public since 2020, mostly by merging with a special purpose acquisition company, with grand ambitions to reinvent the way people and freight moved around. Now, at least three—Canoo, Lordstown Motors and Faraday Future—are on life support. All three said in their most recent quarterly filings that there is “substantial doubt” about their ability to survive another year unless they raise additional capital. Canoo even said it probably wouldn’t be able to raise additional capital.


text:
Bitcoin’s value plunged to below the key level of $8,000 today amid fears of government crackdowns on digital currencies after US regulators launched an investigation into the sector this week.
Its lowest point of $7,695 represented a fall of 15 per cent from its price at midnight GMT of $9,050 and was 55 per cent below its 2018 peak of $17,135 hit on 6 January.
The leading cryptocurrency looks set to end a week of gut-wrenching falls with at least $50billion wiped off its value, even after it staged a slight recovery at lunchtime to stand at $8,400.
Many casual investors who bought in around Christmas could be looking at even bigger paper losses as Bitcoin peaked at just below $20,000 on 16 December.
Fall from grace: Bitcoin hit world headlines last year after its value rocketed to $20,000
The digital coin’s fall from grace comes after the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission began looking into virtual-currency venue Bitfinex and Tether earlier this week, dragging down values across the sector.
Tether issues its own coin, said to be equivalent to $1, and claims to have physical dollars to back up some two billion Tether coins in circulation – something that the group behind the digital currency have not managed to prove.
Bloomberg reported that the regulator has begun scrutinising the companies, which both refused to comment other than to say they ‘routinely’ receive notices from law enforcement agencies.
The Indian government has also played a part in the collapsing value of Bitcoin after the country’s finance minister said they were considering banning the digital coin.
The recent criticism comes just a week after British Prime Minister Theresa May said more regulatory attention should be paid to Bitcoin amid concerns drug dealers were using it to launder money.
End of the ride? Bitcoin’s value has seen a series of drastic falls this week
In its early days Bitcoin was a currency often used in the trade of goods on the ‘Dark Web’ – known as a hub for criminals to trade illegal goods.
Other big players in the digital currency world have seen values hit too.
Ethereum, the second biggest cryptocurrency by market cap, was down 25 per cent on Friday and has lost 14 per cent of its total value over the past month.
Rollercoaster: Bitcoin’s value rocketed over the last year, but has seen steep falls since hitting highs of nearly $20,000
A further currency, Ripple, fell more than 30 per cent and has lost 71 per cent of its value in the year to date.
Bitcoin has traded close to the $8,000 mark after which support for the digital currency from investors may crumble.
Neil Wilson, a market analyst with ETX Capital, said it would be relatively easy to see Bitcoin’s value rise from current levels back to $9,000, but it could sit at a lower value of $7,800 or see a major sell off.
‘The next key support would be the 200-day moving average currently around $6,200 – if the price cruises beneath this level there is a chance of a major selloff that wipes out last year’s gains.
‘On the upside, a bounce from $8,400 brings the $9,000 handle quickly back into focus. Trying to catch the falling knife is a risky game.’
‘The wheels are coming off the bitcoin bandwagon,’ Wilson added.
WHAT ARE CRYPTOCURRENCIES?
A cryptocurrency is a digital currency that can be used for transactions online.
It is the internet’s version of money – unique pieces of digital property that can be transferred from one person to another.
All crytocurrencies use ‘blockchain’ and one can only be made and shared using specific agreed-upon rules. For each cryptocurrency the rules are slightly different.
Bitcoins are lines of computer code that are digitally signed each time they travel from one owner to the next. Physical coin used as an illustration
People can buy bitcoins through exchanges such as Coinbase and Bitfinex.
Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency, created eight years ago.
Other currencies such as Litecoin and Dogecoin do the same thing but have slightly different levels of inflation and rules surrounding transactions.
Currently around 270,000 transactions are taking place every 24 hours.
These currencies don’t exist as physical or digital objects. They are just a collective agreement with other people on the network that your currency was legitimately ‘mined’.
Blockchain is the record of changes in ownership of in a currency which is broadcast through the network and maintained by computers around the world.
The network works by harnessing individuals’ greed for the collective good.
A network of tech-savvy users called miners keep the system honest by pouring their computing power into a blockchain, a global running tally of every bitcoin transaction.
As long as miners keep the blockchain secure, counterfeiting shouldn’t be an issue.
However, because cryptocurrencies allow people to trade money without a third party getting involved, they have become popular with libertarians as well as technophiles, speculators — and criminals.
TOP DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS


text:
The latest software solutions and technologies for management of supply chain inventory and global trade including ERP, CRM, SCM, TMS and WMS.
Posted 02/21 · 02:44 PM · LM Editorial
Two-thirds of respondents in global survey expect revenue growth.
Posted 02/12 · 04:57 PM · MMH Editorial
Collaborative partnership brings business and government experience together with university expertise to transform logistics operations.
Posted 02/12 · 04:56 PM · MMH Editorial
Collocated with ProMat, Automate's 62% boost in attendance reflects a rising global interest in automation.
Posted 02/08 · 11:42 AM · LM Editorial
Oracle announced the results of its “Global Insights on Succeeding in the Customer Experience Era” report.
Posted 02/07 · 12:06 PM · SCMR Editorial
Two new products to help shippers develop scalable product lifecycle management (PLM) were introduced at the Oracle Value Chain Summit 2013 in San Francisco this week.
Posted 01/29 · 11:39 AM · SCMR Editorial
While the use of highly scaled, shared, and automated IT platforms—known as cloud computing—is growing rapidly, the advance is technology is not without its skeptics.
Posted 01/17 · 11:56 AM · LM Editorial
In a move signaling greater concentration on procurement expertise, CombineNet, Inc. announced the hiring of Brett Cornell, as senior vice president of strategic sourcing.
Posted 01/17 · 11:10 AM · MMH Editorial
Patent covers the method of calculating the locations and paths of multiple indoor vehicles.
Posted 01/04 · 08:45 AM · LM Editorial
Trimble officials said that bringing ALK into the fold is expected to augment and complement Trimble’s Transportation and Logistics product portfolio, including TMW Systems’ transportation management solutions.
Posted 12/24 · 04:56 PM · SCMR Editorial
Supply chain technology continued to evolve throughout 2012 as companies realize that a highly visible supply chain is necessary for success in today’s business climate. Of course, overall IT trends such as the cloud, big data and mobile are impacting the supply chain sector just as they do other sectors. But there are other trends specific to supply chain that came to the forefront in 2012.


text:
The next game to join Super Rare Games’ ever-growing collection is Le Moutarde’s Old School Musical. Limited to 4,000 copies, pre-orders for the game will go live on July 30th at 6pm BST. This physical edition will include interior cover are, instruction manual and three trading card that are part of a five-card set.
You can find more details and a trailer in the official announcement below.
Take note as Old School Musical gets a rare print physical release for the Nintendo Switch next week 🎵
Take a tour through your favourite retro games with the retro rhythm game Old School Musical! Super Rare Games is proud to announce their partnership with La Moutarde to release this nostalgic head-bopping romp in physical form for the first time on the Nintendo Switch™.
Only 4,000 copies will be available worldwide – pre-orders for the game open on July 30th at 6pm BST (10am PT/1pm ET) for approx £27 + tax ($31 USD/33€) – exclusively at superraregames.com.
Published by Plug in Digital, this rare physical release includes all previously released DLC on the cart, including Chicken Party Mix, Toricity, and even the recent MV Expo song pack. The Super Rare edition also includes a full colour manual, interior artwork, exclusive sticker, as well as three trading cards randomly selected from the five-card set.
Source: Super Rare Games PR