text:
Dogecoin (CCC:DOGE-USD) news for Thursday includes an offer from Burger King Brazil that lets DOGE owners buy food with the crypto, but there’s a catch.
Don’t go running out to your local Burger King thinking you’re going to get a Whopper and fries with your DOGE. The fast-food chain is only accepting the crypto for purchases of meat-flavored dog biscuits.
The special dog treats from the Restaurant Brands International (NYSE:QSR) subsidiary is called the Dogpper, which is a play on the chain’s iconic burger. Customers that are looking to pick up one of these treats for their pooches will have to turn over three Dogecoins for it.
It’s also worth noting that customers can have the Dogper delivered to their homes. However, they can’t go crazy with their orders. Burger King Brazil is limiting customers to five of the canine treats per purchase.
Of course, customers that want to order the treats for their four-legged friends don’t have to use DOGE to do it. There’s also the option of using fiat currency to pay for the dog food. It may not be as trendy as using Dogecoin, but man’s best friend won’t care as long as they get their treats.
As for the price of Dogecoin, it’s hovering around 20 cents as of Thursday afternoon. That means it’ll only cost customers about 60 cents to pick up one of Burger King’s Dogppers at today’s prices.
Investors that want to learn more about what’s happening in the crypto space today will want to keep reading.
InvestorPlace has the latest crypto coverage with our daily dives into the market. A few examples from today include seven altcoins that could rise next month, new coins coming to Binance, as well as the latest details on Ripple (CCC:XRP-USD). You can learn all about it at the links below!
More Crypto News for Monday
On the date of publication, William White did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
View more information: https://investorplace.com/2021/07/dogecoin-news-the-big-catch-to-the-burger-king-doge-announcement/


text:
The home robot is designed to take up tasks such as home monitoring, setting up routines and reminders, and can play music and TV shows while rolling around the house.
ByteDance has stepped up efforts to separate TikTok from much of its Chinese businesses and has made several high-profile executive hires in recent months
The simulator-style drills piloted this summer reflect new thinking at Infosys as the company tries to move beyond the commoditized work of building and managing corporate computer systems.
Madhavan joins Genesys from PayPal where she helped define, shape and mature its platform solutions.
Tweets About ETCIO
Subscribe to our Newsletter
75000+ Industry Leaders read it everyday
Kamal Dutta Managing Director, Skillsoft India
Ankur Goel Managing Director, Poly India & SAARC
- 1d Digitisation and cyber warriors vital to check cyber criminals, says Goa CM
- 1d India's Smart TV shipments grew 38% in September quarter: Report
- 1d Google Wallet to allow users to share digital car keys: Availability, importance and more
- 1d Coinbase has an 'NFT complain' with Apple
- 1d How CFOs can drive change in the organization
- 1d JioGamesCloud launched in India: Here’s how to join and play games online
- 1d Govt likely to bring Data Protection Bill in next year's Budget Session
- 1d 3 Key findings that may impact your resiliency strategy: Ripu Bajwa, Dell Technologies India
- 1d Amid AIIMS data theft, Delhi LG pushes proposal to extend Telangana law plugging cyber threats

domain: news


text:
Every two years, the WOMED Award South is given to a female entrepreneur in Uganda. It is organised by Markant, a Belgian network organisation, and Tries, a Belgian development company with a reach across 14 countries.
Trias in Uganda hosted the WOMED Award South this year. This award celebrates the accomplishments and possibilities of female entrepreneurs in order to increase their business exposure, experience and confidence.
Trias collaborates with local membership organisations to improve the services they provide to agricultural and non-agricultural enterprises in Uganda. Two such organisations are the Uganda Small Scale Industries Association (USSIA) and the Ugandan National Apiculture Organisation (TUNADO).
Out of the 67 contestants that participated, the judges picked three finalists: Sandra Ejang of Western Silk Road, Joy Mary Lwanga of Shalom organic farm and Doreen Nsasiirwe of Kisoro Pure Honey.
The ultimate winner of the WOMED Award South 2022 was Doreen Nsasiirwe. At the ceremony, it was revealed that the Belgian government had set aside a UGX 800 million (€200 000) fund for women who own small and medium businesses in Uganda.
According to the 2020 Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs (MIWE), Uganda (39.6%), Botswana (38.5%) and Ghana (36.5%) have the highest percentage of women company owners in the world.
The report also highlights the Covid-19 pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women entrepreneurs around the world, with 87% reporting that they have been negatively impacted. Women have been particularly vulnerable due to overrepresentation in sectors hardest hit by the economic downturn, the pronounced digital gender gap in an increasingly virtual environment, and the expanding strains of childcare obligations, to name a few causes.


text:
Friday, November 26, 2010 : SHOPPING METRO : The Holiday season is upon us as people were out in force doing their Black Friday shopping at Kenwood Towne Centre. The Enquirer/Jeff Swinger / The Cincinnati Enquirer
Thanksgiving is the most straightforward of holidays, unencumbered by the expectations of Christmas or the letdown that often accompanies New Year’s Eve. This Thursday’s holiday has little buildup and virtually no fanfare: a big meal, some football and perhaps a nap.
This year, for the first time, there is also the prospect of a trip to the mall on the actual holiday instead of waiting for the stroke of midnight for Black Friday to begin. Cincinnati-based Macy’s will open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving, joining retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, J.C. Penney and Sears. Old Navy, which is owned by the Gap, will be open most of the day, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., at more than 900 of its locations, including those in Greater Cincinnati. It’s a culturally momentous development in which a holiday reserved for gratitude collides with the ever-expanding need to sell more stuff to more people.
The period between Thanksgiving and Christmas can account for more than half a retailer’s annual sales. And as brick-and-mortar stores compete ever more with their online counterparts – which are always open – many feel that opening a few hours earlier will help draw crowds and dollars to their coffers.
Black Friday has developed its own traditions and rituals in recent years, as families and friends bonded over waking up early on Friday to be in line at 5 a.m., and then stayed up late together as stores moved their openings to midnight around 2010 and 2011. The National Retail Federation estimates that 33 million people will shop on Thanksgiving this year, or about a quarter of those planning to shop over the Thanksgiving weekend.
Opening on the holiday, though, means thousands of retail employees will need to be at work that day instead of at home with their families. And Christmas creep, which has brought us carols and commercials as soon as Halloween ends, threatens to engulf Thanksgiving altogether. That’s prompted a backlash among those who would like to protect the holiday from commercial intrusions; Facebook and Twitter are full of pledges to forswear Turkey Day shopping and pleas to #SaveThanksgiving.
Karen Machleit: It makes sense for retailers to open on Thanksgiving
Dixie Barker: How will holiday hours affect consumer loyalty?
Nick and Lindsay Dewald: Don't neglect small stores
Kmart and Best Buy: This is why we're open
Of course the holiday’s been buffeted by commercial concerns before. In 1939 Fred Lazarus Jr., head of Federated Department stores, persuaded President Franklin D. Roosevelt to move Thanksgiving from the last Thursday in November to the fourth to extend the Christmas shopping season. And there are holdouts: Massachusetts stores aren’t allowed to open on Thanksgiving, thanks to the state’s blue laws. And major retailers like Costco and Nordstrom have pledged to remain closed and allow their employees to celebrate the holiday.
We could editorialize in favor of businesses’ being able to set their own hours and policies as they see fit, or against the threat to an American tradition that sees everyone and everything in a commercial light. But it doesn’t really matter what we say; what matters is what you do.
If you value the ability to shop whenever and wherever you want, even on holidays, make sure retailers know by spending money with them this Thanksgiving. And if you’d rather protect at least a few days a year from the endless churn of buying and selling, cut yourself another piece of pie this Thanksgiving and keep yourself and your wallet at home. Nothing speaks louder, or more effectively. ■


text:
Lux Vending, an Atlanta-based company, operating under the brand, Bitcoin Depot, has installed 30 Bitcoin ATMs (BATM) in Chicago. This will enable people to buy and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and Bitcoin Cash. Also, the move is aimed at encouraging the adoption of cryptocurrencies and compete with other companies in the area, according to a media’s report on January 28.
30 Bitcoin ATMs Have Been Installed in Chicago So Far This Year
Reportedly, Bitcoin Depot has delivered 30 Bitcoin ATMs to Chicago since the year began. The company has been said to compete with several BATM operators in the U.S. state. This can be attested to the fact that Bitcoin Depot has 200 kiosks in the city alone, which is higher than any other region in the U.S except its headquarters, Atlanta.
According to Brandon Mintz, Bitcoin Depot’s CEO, Chicago has become the major city where the company’s machines are located. He also added that the area has a niche customer base. Asides that, other companies in the crypto industry that have settled in the region are ErisX and SeedCX, two trading platforms. Coinbase, a cryptocurrency exchange also has an outpost in the city to cater to its customers.
Cryptocurrency Enthusiasts Trade Fiat Currency for Virtual Currencies
The users of these Bitcoin ATMs, on the other hand, exchange the US dollars for digital currencies. These virtual currencies are then used for the purchase of goods and services online. However, many have complained about the high fees usually applied in transactions.
In this case, some companies have been known to charge as high as 10 to 20 percent of the total amount deposited in dollars. Nonetheless, Bitcoin Depot has set up an initiative to reduce this fee for an unspecified amount of time. Hopefully, this will help to encourage more people to take advantage of these machines.
Over 4,000 Bitcoin ATMs Across the World
BTCNN on January 10 pointed out that there are over 4,000 Bitcoin ATMs around the world and most can be found in regions such as the U.S and U.K. In the case of the U.S which accounts for 55.9 percent of these machines, Coinatmradar.com outlined that specific regions which they can be found are California (475), Illinois (252), and Chicago (226).
On January 25, BTCNN also informed that the popularity of this hardware could be attributed to some factors. Some of these are their ease of use and convenience in comparison to making purchases from exchanges. Besides, a user can avoid the signup and Know Your Customer procedures usually required by digital assets exchanges.


text:
Today Electronic Arts announced its acquisition of GameFly. The takeover includes the company’s cloud gaming technology and its personnel.
According to EA's press release, "The team based in Caesarea, Israel, will join EA’s functional teams, including the central technology organization that is responsible for developing and operating the cutting-edge platform that powers EA’s leading games and services."
GameFly started out like Netflix in that its business model was subscription-based and mailed out physical copies of games to its clients. Also like its movie-streaming cousin, the company has a game-streaming service it launched back in 2015, which seems to be EA’s primary interest.
EA’s CTO Ken Moss said, “Cloud gaming is an exciting frontier that will help us to give even more players the ability to experience games on any device from anywhere. We’re thrilled to bring this talented team’s expertise into EA as we continue to innovate and expand the future of games and play.”
GameFly Streaming does not require a console or PC. Games can stream through an app on LG, Samsung, and Phillips Smart TV’s. For players without a compatible set, there is an alternative using Amazon Fire TV or Fire TV Stick. Users can also use an EMTEC Gem Box.
Terms of the deal were not made public, but the acquisition falls in line with EA’s plans to launch its own streaming service within the next few years. EA believes it has the clout to compete with Sony’s PlayStation Now and Microsoft’s Xbox streaming service planned for 2020. With the GameFly acquisition, it just might have a chance.
Video game streaming is in its infancy. It has struggled to catch on due to issues with lag. New technologies and faster broadband connections are just now beginning to mitigate these issues. The market is ripe for new entries, and EA has taken a big step in assuring that it is getting in on the ground floor.
It is unclear what this means for the GameFly service. As of today, it looks like it is business as usual. Whether EA rebrands the website or changes its operations down the road is anybody's guess.


text:
The official propaganda continues to reassure the Russian population that “the sanctions will have a beneficial impact which will stimulate economic modernization and growth.” At the same time, even the pro-government media of Tatarstan, the richest republic of the Russian Federation, reveals the actual state of affairs.
This week car factories in Russia have suspended their work. On March 3, “Sollers Ford” announced its work will be suspended based on the decision of Ford Motor Company. As of March 3, motor and LCV vehicles production has been operating at only 55% of its capacity.
Hence the Russian car industry has been paralyzed. Now the key issue for Tatarstan is whether production at KAMAZ, the largest enterprise not only in Tatarstan, but also in the Russian Federation, will be re-launched given the sanctions imposed. Its long-term partner German Daimler has already announced termination of business relations. They also refused to supply parts and components.
The KAMAZ management reports that the company’s budget is being cut in all possible ways: from advertising budget to travel expenses ranging from 50% to 90%.
The local production of Mercedes-Benz in Tatarstan has already been suspended. Western investors leave the Kama Industrial Park which will lead to the economic crisis.
Tatarstan faced significant economic challenges and burdens not only in the car industry due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Central Bank of the Russian Federation skyrocketed the key rate up to 20% annually. Entrepreneurs complain that the business has to shut down since paying such high loan interest with the current profit level will result in bankruptcy.
As of March 5, all industries encountered disruption in delivery of imported raw materials, components, spare parts, equipment and other commodities. The Tatarstan economy is galloping into the abyss. In the meantime, people are facing inflation and unemployment.


text:
Flying cars have always been a thing of science fiction.
Lately, concepts have been developed. And the concepts bring forward the prospects of being able to beat the traffic of the city through these flying wheels, as well as same the time which is extremely valuable.
However, Uber, in their latest announcement have gone a step further. They have declared that within a decade, they will be ready with flying cars - automated drone taxis.
The words came out from Jeff Holden, Uber's head of product. He said that the company has already been researching on the "vertical take off and landing" (VTOL) technology. With this ability, the vehicle could take off, as well as land vertically, instead of the traditional horizontal path.
Recode said that "Holden said that he has been researching the area, 'so we can someday offer our customers as many options as possible to move around."
He added that "doing it in a three-dimensional way is an obvious thing to look at."
Holden said in the interview that such technology could be in use within a decade, which is an aggressive prediction, given the issues around the complexity of movement in the air above densely populated areas. (Also, you know, the possibility of these VTOL vehicles crashing into each other.)"
However, it must be noted that Uber isn't the only one who is striving to make these flying cars. The Telegraph reports that "Earlier this year Ehang, a Chinese company, unveiled the 184, an autonomous quadcopter drone designed to carry a single passenger, with a battery life of 23 minutes. The 184, which has been slated for release as early as this year, is expected to cost up to $300,000 (£232,000)."
Google founder Larry Page is one of the major believers in flying cars, putting $100m of his own money into startups developing the technology."
How would a three-dimensional traffic look like? With already so many crashes happening on the road, could we deal with cabs in the sky, that too in the form of drones? The question persists, and clear traffic regulation rules lack.
In other news, click here to read what happens when you ignore Tesla's autopilot warning.


text:
Nimble has today announced that its new shooter Earthfall: Alien Horde is now available to pre-order from the Nintendo eShop. The title is exclusive to Nintendo Switch and retails for £17.99 / €19.99. The game was announced last month, but now the launch date is getting closer, pre-orders are now open.
For a look at what to expect, check out the brand-new trailer for the game below:
If you’re looking for additional information check out the official blurb below:
- A Horde of Content – 15 unique locations, including 11 campaign chapters, 5 invasion maps, and tons of unlockable items!
- Hardcore Co-op – Drop in, drop out and engage in classic four-player co-operative gunplay inspired by the greatest co-op shooters of our time. Now with local co-op, in addition to online play.
- Death from Above – Fight the horde, a procedurally generated alien menace that makes every gameplay session tense, exciting, fresh, and utterly lethal.
- Well-armed Allies – Become one of four story-driven characters and battle through an alien-infested plot while utilising advanced weaponry and printable guns.
- Constructible Defences – Strategically place barricades that electrify or set the alien scourge afire. Deploy automatic sentries to create the perfect alien killing zones or set up mounted turrets to achieve firepower superiority.
For more information, check out the game’s official website.
Earthfall: Alien Horder is launching on Nintendo Switch on October 29, 2019.


text:
Staffers prepare Thursday for the upcoming grand opening of the Louis Vuitton men’s pop-up store at Shinsegae Department Store in Gangnam District, southern Seoul. The world’s first Louis Vuitton pop-up store will present men’s clothing items under the autumn/winter 2016 show collection concept. The store will open today and last until the end of July. [NEWSIS]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)


text:
Two distinct directions are shaping up in the future mobile phones development. One way leads to the more features built on top of the standard phone functionality – smartphones are steadily gaining more and more desktop computers’ features. The other way involves handset manufacturers pushing the “fashion phones”. Nokia’s Vertu brand and LG Prada are among the top examples of this trend.
The new rumor includes the famous Italian fashion brand – Gucci, and their apparent entrance in the cell phone market. Two pictures appeared on Flickr illustrating how a Gucci phone could look like. From what we can tell, again it’s the all-touchscreen based device, and just like the LG Prada phone, it’s black and smooth.


text:
SERIFS AND COMPUTER SCREENS. I posted here five years ago about the belief of the advertising man David Ogilvy that ads should use a typeface that people are used to reading. I asked then: â€œI wonder what will happen when eyes are accustomed to get information from a computer screen rather than a page of newsprint.â€ I posted here earlier this year about the opinion that fonts which have serifs are thought to be harder to read on a computer screen, but noted that Times New Roman, which features serifs, seemed to be holding its own.
Now Google has announced a new logo in a new font that has no serifs. The lack of serifs is probably the reason that the font is called “product sans”. This article in the Guardian by Jack Self reports that Google’s “principal justification for its redesign was legibility, reinforcing a century-old assumption that sans serif fonts are intrinsically easier to read.”
Self says that the real reason that Google has removed serifs is “higher data entry speeds”. Sans serif fonts “are simply faster to load”.


text:
Some guy in Jefferson County sells lawn darts (naturally) online and the feds just shut his ass down! The FBI order of “dangerousness of stuff” goes in this order: 1. Movie piracy 2. Child porn 3. Lawn darts 4. Lindsay Lohan 5. Terrorism
The U.S. Attorney’s office in St. Louis filed suit Tuesday to stop a Jefferson County retailer from selling banned lawn darts.
The civil complaint, which asks a judge to ban future sales of the darts, says that Jefferson County resident Steve King has been selling the darts since at least 2009 from one of his websites, Lawndartparts.com. In two online stings, undercover investigators from the Consumer Product Safety Commission bought darts twice, the complaint says.
Online stings?! Two online stings?! Questions: Why wasn’t the first one enough? and Holy crap…really?
Lawn darts, or Jarts, have been banned for years after being linked to injuries and deaths of children. King even acknowledged the ban in 2009 on Twitter before writing, “Check out http://www.LawnDartParts.com to stock your arsenal!”
Egads! This lawn dart menace must me stopped! Well he was. His website is now a message about how he doesn’t/can’t sell them anymore because they are dangerous.
In a completely unrelated note, Walmart has the following things on sale this week: guns, knives, arrows, other bigger guns, regular darts, slingshots, bats, and guns with knives attached to them.


text:
Burger King offers free Whoppers for those who use its Billboards as Zoom backgrounds
For the last few weeks, adverts out on the streets have been rendered relatively useless as most people are locked inside of their homes. Burger King’s solution? Entice people to use images of the fast-food chain’s present billboards as backgrounds during their video conference calls.
Click here to read more ….


text:
PPVFlix is launching its subscription-based streaming service globally on Sept 15th, 2022, simultaneously bringing its Internet TV network to more than 100 new countries around the world.
PPVFlix is the newest kid on the subscription-based streaming service block. Its television network and its ever-growing list of content providers has thousands of hours of TV shows and movies available 24 hrs per day, including original series, documentaries and feature films.
With this launch, PPVFlix offers a library of sporting events, TV shows, films and television series through its content partners like Extreme Cage Fighting, The American Strongman Corporation (ASC) and many others as well as its own in-house productions.
Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching for free with the basic service or without commercials on its premium service. PPVFlix streams live Pay Per View events every month and will steadily increase that availability.
PPVFlix Co-founder and Chief Technology officer, Mike Felker, stated in his announcement, “The Network is already live in Beta mode”.
“Today we are witnessing the launch of a new Free streaming global Internet TV network. We are encoding and adding 1000s of hours of new content” said Felker.
“With this World-Wide launch of Pay-Per-View Flix consumers around the world — from New York to London, from Tokyo to Sidney — will be able to enjoy TV shows and movies simultaneously for free with PPVFlix.com basic membership — no more waiting,” Felker added.
- The streaming industry is constantly growing, with more streaming services available every year. The streaming industry is expected to be worth $330 billion by 2030.
- A staggering 85% of U.S. households have at least one video streaming subscription, and 60% have at least one paid music streaming subscription.
- Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, subscriptions have increased across all major services. COVID and general growth have also pushed video streaming services to invest more money into new content, including “originals.”
“With the help of the groundbreaking companies like NetFlix, Prime and HULU, who paved the way we are putting power in consumers’ hands to watch original and xtreme sports content whenever, wherever and on whatever smart device they choose,” Felker concluded.
Here is What People Are Saying About PPVFlix:
“PPVFlix is providing an amazing opportunity for Martial Arts promoters around the world. It’s giving them a platform to showcase their live events, documentaries, and films like never before. PPVFlix is truly paving the way of the future.” Jose L. Torres II (NJ), Promoter
“PPVFlix is giving independent creators a chance to have a voice to empower the next generation and I am truly thankful for this opportunity.” Willie “The Bam” Johnson, CEO of Fu Yah legacy


text:
Bangor, Maine – September 10, 2021 – Great news for Bangor folks on the lookout of designer goodies in and around the city. A Black woman-owned business, The Dr. Jade Brand, has recently launched a new luxury shopping store in the city and is also open for online shopping.
The Dr. Jade Brand store is located on 61 Main Street, Suite 62, Bangor, Maine. Shoppers are requested to schedule an appointment before visiting the store for the best shopping experience. The physical store is slated to open in mid-October but the online shopping portal has already started to take orders.
“It’s an exciting moment for me to share with you all that we are all set to open our new luxury shopping store, The Dr. Jade Brand, in the coming month. Our store is bustling with a boutique collection of elegant designer goodies that are aesthetically designed to cater to your rich taste and enhance your lifestyle. Our online store is in full operation now- you can take a look at our collections online before visiting our brick-and-mortar outlet come October”, stated Dr. Jade P Duncan, dentist, life coach, and the dynamic founder of The Dr. Jade Brand.
The new luxury store features elegant collections in a variety of niches, including bath & body, candles, home goodies, kitchen & barware, fashion accessories, and more. Shoppers will find some of the most exquisite boutique products here, such as luxury flavored Rooibos infused with Prince Harry & Meghan’s imperial wedding blend, exotic dessert flavored candles, luxe chocolate mint tea, and so on. There is a special section for gift cards as well.
When asked about the inspiration behind the store, Dr. Jade mentioned lack of options for luxury shopping in Bangor.
“There is a serious lack of luxury shopping opportunities in Bangor. I know many individuals here, like me, who look up to an upscale lifestyle – and we all have long been looking for a place in the city where we can shop plush designer goodies. After extensive research, I observed there is a growing need for a luxury lifestyle brand in Bangor and that inspired me to launch The Dr. Jade Brand, LLC- a premium luxury lifestyle brand that Bangor can call its own plush shopping destination.”
Speaking on, Dr. Jade shared that the store was founded in January 2021 as a result of her Christmas and birthday gift wish list on Facebook. The post, “Jade’s favorite things”, had people asking about gift ideas for their friends and family members which eventually motivated Dr. Jade to launch a luxury gift store.
Added to luxury items, The Dr. Jade Brand also stores a line of quality products at affordable rates to cater to various budgets.
“Our luxe lifestyle brand celebrates the modern elegant women who stand out with their own unique panache. We are ‘queens’ and our homes must echo such imperial ethos. Our luxury goods are designed carefully with a royal touch to enhance your home and lifestyle.”
For more information, please visit https://thedrjadebrand.com


text:
The MSME sector is a vital pillar of the Indian economy, making a significant contribution to the country's socio-economic development. With an impressive count of 6.33 crore MSMEs operating in the country, this sector is crucial for generating employment, fostering GDP growth, encouraging entrepreneurship, and driving innovation, especially in semi-urban and rural areas.
Remarkably, MSMEs account for half of India's exports and contribute 30% to its GDP. To further boost this growth, the Ministry of MSME aims to increase their contribution to 50% by 2025. As a result, the Indian government has implemented various policies and initiatives, including credit schemes, digitalization, and e-commerce promotion, to support and facilitate the growth of MSMEs and enhance the ease of doing business.
Flipkart's role in enabling MSMEs: Overcoming challenges
Like any other sector, MSMEs come with their own set of challenges. However, these obstacles can be overcome with the right support and technology adoption.
At Flipkart, one of the key challenges we are addressing is the need for upskilling and reskilling MSMEs. We conduct nationwide workshops and training programs, helping sellers digitize their businesses and make informed decisions based on our platform's insights." Rakesh Krishnan, VP and Head of Marketplace at Flipkart, shared.
Another hindrance to the growth of MSMEs is limited access to necessary infrastructure, such as logistics and warehousing networks. Flipkart's robust supply chain solutions facilitate the seamless movement of shipments, connecting sellers, customers, and stakeholders from tier-3 cities and beyond.
Furthermore, MSMEs must embrace digital-first habits and preferences, especially in tier-2+ markets. Flipkart's initiatives, including having vernacular content on both the website and the app, as well as the training it imparts, help empower sellers, enabling them to tap into these markets effectively.
Inspiring entrepreneurial stories
The impact of Flipkart's expertise is evident through transformative experiences shared by entrepreneurs like Charu Gupta, founder of Saikara Collections.
Charu attests to Flipkart's role in transcending the limitations of a small business, helping her achieve an unprecedented growth of 400%. Charu, an aspiring and independent woman, has always believed that there is no shortcut to hard work. As the founder of Saikara Collections, which deals in party supplies and home decor, the initial few years were tough to develop her business. She was working for different jobs before becoming a small business owner, but the initial step towards starting something of her own was owing to some crisis in the family.
However, with an initial capital of INR 5,000 in hand, she founded her own company. Guided by Flipkart's insight and support from her loved ones, she transformed her small business into a thriving enterprise, and within six months, her business earned a gold tag on Flipkart.
These success stories of millions of sellers and entrepreneurs on our platform serve as a testament to the effectiveness and transformative potential of Flipkart's initiatives in propelling the achievements of ambitious entrepreneurs, regardless of their gender, geographical location, or socio-economic background.
Embracing adaptability and unlocking growth potential
While MSMEs have immense potential, their adaptability remains crucial in overcoming future challenges. Flipkart is pivotal in assisting MSMEs by providing them with technology, accessible credit, and customer feedback.
Rakesh, a key member of Flipkart since 2013, further added that, "Our platform enables MSMEs to establish a robust digital presence, enhancing their market reach, improving operational efficiency, and reducing barriers to entry. Through initiatives like the Flipkart Samarth Program, we integrate artisans, weavers, women-led businesses, and persons with disabilities into the e-commerce ecosystem, creating a sustainable and inclusive platform for underserved communities."
Flipkart Samarth program was launched in 2019 to democratize e-commerce through technology and build a sustainable and inclusive platform for underserved domestic communities, with a special focus on women-led enterprises and people with disabilities. Under this program, Flipkart has been working with several government entities, livelihood missions and NGO partners to onboard rural entrepreneurs from across the country. Today, Flipkart Samarth impacts over a million livelihoods by helping them adapt and leverage digital commerce.
The platform's collaboration with banking partners also ensures financial assistance, enhancing affordability, convenience, and inclusivity for MSMEs.
Empowering MSMEs for India's prosperous future
As India's economy aims to reach new heights, MSMEs will play a pivotal role in driving growth, fostering innovation, and creating employment opportunities. In this regard, Flipkart has pledged to make comprehensive efforts and is dedicated to supporting the success of MSMEs to address India's evolving business landscape.
Upcoming Big Billion Days
Flipkart's The Big Billion Days (TBBD) is a marquee event for India and one that sellers look forward to as it brings huge financial benefit to them and creates new growth baselines for them.
Events like TBBD allow Flipkart to scale up its impact on the ecosystem in tremendous ways; by helping seller partners create lakhs of jobs, boost Indian manufacturing, and grow local businesses. TBBD is about scale, innovating for India and creating/leaving an impact on the ecosystem. It isn't just a sale but an annual, collaborative event that expands the Indian e-commerce market.
It allows millions of new customers to experience the benefits of e-commerce, many of them for the first time. These include offering them consistency in catalogues, prices and growth opportunities across the country. TBBD is an opportunity for thousands of sellers across India to access a customer base of millions, which allows them to grow their own businesses at a rapid pace.


text:
It turns out we Americans love soccer.
At least, Tweeting about it.
NetBase, a Mountain View company that tracks social media, had a field day with the USA-Germany soccer game, tracking the mountains of Tweets and Facebook posts that came in rapid-fire through the whole game.
It's not just Tweets they track; it's what they mean: Are people emotional about what they're following? Are they likely to buy a product after getting social with it? This kind of data collection is gold to customers - for soccer fans, well, it's just fun.
Says NetBase's Anna Startseva, "whenever there's a goal, people check it out on social media .. in fact, i didn't even have to see the game to know what was happening."
Not exactly what ESPN wants to hear, but let's face it: We've become a Nation of second-screeners.
Scott, too, can be found on Twitter: @scottbudman


text:
This year’s NAB in New York has kicked off and Marshall Electronics has revealed and number of new products ranging from a new weatherproof camera to a new rackmountable LCD display. Let go over what they revealed.
First up is the CV502-WP Weatherproof POV Camera. Marshall says that this camera has been built to withstand a lot. It’s able to be submerged up to 1m in water with housing and has “total” protection against dust, dirt and sand. The camera features a 2.5 Megapixel sensor that’s reported to deliver 1080p, 1080i and 720p at 59.94/29.97fps.
The camera supports three interchangeable M12 lenses, those being a 2.8mm, 3.6mm, 6mm.
Marshall says that the camera has 3G/HD-SDI outputs and that it can be controlled through RS-485, so you can fine tune the its broadcast settings like exposure, white balance, black level, gamma, brightness and color.
Marshall revealed its second camera at NAB NY, this one being their next generation full HD compact 10X zoom camera, the CV350-10XB/10X. With this camera, they promise twice the zoom range of their previous versions. This camera is built with a 2.5 Megapixel sensor capable of up to 1080p output at up to 60fps.
There was a third camera revealed at NAB NY, and that was the CV225-MB/M Lipstick IP67 HD Camera. Marshall says this camera is capable of capturing full HD video, with a 2.5 Megapixel sensor capable of 1080p, 1080I and 720p at 59.94/29.97fps. It’s also supposed to be waterproof and sealed against rain, dirt and dust and can be mounted in tight spaces thanks to its 3.4” diameter barrel. It definitely looks like it’s pretty compact.
Also announced, was the CV-RCP-100, which is a touchscreen RCP camera control that’s supposed to let you control up to seven cameras at once over RS-485 control. Its controls are all touch screen, except for two knobs for fine-tuning. The remote is able to adjust a number of things like brightness, white balance, exposure, gamma and Pan-Tilt-Zoom-Focus.
For more professional production audio/video, the new AR-DM61-BT multi-channel digital audio monitor is reportedly designed specifically for TV stations, broadcast trucks and transfer stations, offering what Marshall calls “versatile audio analysis functions” and “flexible matrix conversion tools.” The AR-DM61-BT was nominated for Best of Show at this year’s NAB, so it looks like it hold a lot of promise.
Lastly, Marshall announced the M-Lynx-702 Dual 7 LCD Display. It’s a 7” Rackmountable 1024 x 600 LCD Display that Marshall says is a “feature-packed, economical solution perfect for fly-packs, control rooms, routing rooms, and countless other video system applications," with one of those features being dual-loop inputs in 3G-SDI, HDMI, component, and composite.
That is a brief rundown of the new broadcasting products from Marshall announced at NAB NY. If you want to learn more about these new products, visit Marshall’s broadcast catalog.


text:
We’re approaching the first anniversary of Google’s launch of Panda, an event that has had a profound impact on the practice of SEO (search engine optimization), causing a good number of observers to pronounce SEO dead.
One of Panda’s key aims was to neutralize and thwart the various schemes (spam indexing, site scraping, link farming, etc.) that ethically challenged marketers were using to gain higher page rankings than they deserved.
As James Mathewson of IBM noted, “Those who think of SEO the way it was primarily conducted prior to these changes—keyword stuffing, buying links on content farms, and participating in commodity link exchange trading—have been left behind.”
Panda replaced Google’s original search engine ranking algorithm, called PageRank, which had become too easy to spoof. Panda, named after its designer, Google engineer Navneet Panda, uses machine indexing intelligence, with the aid of human site raters employed by Google, to enable Google’s search engine to foil scammers and return better results.
The Panda algorithm evaluates the quality of websites according to their design and appeal, as well as a whole new set of criteria such as time on site, bounce rate, and click-through to multiple pages.
While Panda has pulled the rug out from under the many forms of “dirty” SEO practices, it also made obsolete the SEO methods that had been used for many years by legitimate practitioners.
As SEOmoz founder Rand Fishkin said in explaining the changes that Panda had wrought to the SEO community, SEOs never had to think as much or as broadly about, "What is the experience of this website?”
The changes Panda brings to the SEO practice, as Fishkin and others have noted, are radical. “It is almost like the job of SEO has been upgraded from SEO to web strategist,” said Fishkin. “Virtually everything you do on the Internet with your website can impact SEO today.”
With the rules of SEO changing because of Panda, the rulebooks and guidelines are being rewritten. Genuine high-quality content is now required rather than superficial content and poor and mediocre content larded with keywords.
In “Say goodbye to SEO,” Jeff Sonderman, Digital Media Fellow at The Poynter Institute, describes how social media is infiltrating search through Google’s changes, so that different users will be served different search results according to their social media activities.
Sonderman and other experts warn that failing to reform and reinvent your SEO approach can have drastic consequences. Among them is Chad Pollitt of kunocreative.com, who describes how content writers, once reporting to SEO practitioners, are now assuming the senior position.
Inbound marketing, says Pollitt, is the new SEO, explaining that “Search engine optimization has drastically changed. If companies refuse to commit to content marketing and social media they will eventually see their search visibility suffer.”


text:
$1.59 EPS Expected for AGCO Co. (NYSE:AGCO) This Quarter
Wall Street analysts forecast that AGCO Co. (NYSE:AGCO) will announce earnings per share of $1.59 for the current quarter, according to Zacks Investment Research. Five analysts have made estimates for AGCO’s earnings, with the highest EPS estimate coming in at $1.66 and the lowest estimate coming in at $1.52. AGCO posted earnings per share of $1.32 during the same quarter last year, which indicates a positive year over year growth rate of 20.5%. The business is expected to announce its next quarterly earnings results before the market opens on Tuesday, July 30th.
On average, analysts expect that AGCO will report full year earnings of $4.89 per share for the current financial year, with EPS estimates ranging from $4.65 to $5.03. For the next fiscal year, analysts expect that the company will report earnings of $5.39 per share, with EPS estimates ranging from $5.00 to $5.88. Zacks’ earnings per share calculations are a mean average based on a survey of sell-side research analysts that follow AGCO.
AGCO (NYSE:AGCO) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 2nd. The industrial products company reported $0.86 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.42 by $0.44. The business had revenue of $2 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.96 billion. AGCO had a net margin of 3.49% and a return on equity of 11.62%. The business’s revenue was down .6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.30 EPS.
NYSE AGCO opened at $75.75 on Tuesday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. AGCO has a 52 week low of $49.50 and a 52 week high of $79.00. The firm has a market cap of $5.82 billion, a PE ratio of 17.22, a PEG ratio of 1.16 and a beta of 0.98. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $74.23.
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, September 16th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, August 15th will be issued a $0.16 dividend. This represents a $0.64 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.84%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, August 14th. AGCO’s payout ratio is 16.45%.
In related news, SVP Robert B. Crain sold 25,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $72.86, for a total value of $1,821,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 81,914 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,968,254.04. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, Chairman Martin Richenhagen sold 51,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, May 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.43, for a total transaction of $3,591,930.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chairman now owns 503,733 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $35,477,915.19. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders sold 172,000 shares of company stock valued at $12,536,330. Company insiders own 17.60% of the company’s stock.
A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Retirement Systems of Alabama raised its position in AGCO by 0.3% in the 2nd quarter. Retirement Systems of Alabama now owns 83,894 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $6,508,000 after purchasing an additional 230 shares during the last quarter. Hanson & Doremus Investment Management raised its position in AGCO by 2.0% in the 1st quarter. Hanson & Doremus Investment Management now owns 13,000 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $904,000 after purchasing an additional 250 shares during the last quarter. Probity Advisors Inc. raised its position in AGCO by 1.7% in the 1st quarter. Probity Advisors Inc. now owns 22,654 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $1,576,000 after purchasing an additional 384 shares during the last quarter. John G Ullman & Associates Inc. raised its position in AGCO by 7.4% in the 1st quarter. John G Ullman & Associates Inc. now owns 5,800 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $403,000 after purchasing an additional 400 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Bronfman E.L. Rothschild L.P. raised its position in AGCO by 116.6% in the 4th quarter. Bronfman E.L. Rothschild L.P. now owns 771 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 415 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 80.60% of the company’s stock.
AGCO Corporation manufactures and distributes agricultural equipment and related replacement parts worldwide. The company offers high horsepower tractors for larger farms, primarily for row crop production; utility tractors for small- and medium-sized farms, as well as for dairy, livestock, orchards, and vineyards; and compact tractors for small farms, specialty agricultural industries, landscaping, and residential uses.
For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com
Receive News & Ratings for AGCO Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AGCO and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.


text:
Business leaders call for more organisations to join and raise the bar on responsible business behaviour.
York’s commitment to good growth will be celebrated in style on the closing day of York Festival of Ideas 2022, with a number of activities centred around building the city’s entrepreneurial culture as well as a panel discussion to look more widely at how partners are collaborating to respond positively to the levelling up agenda.
With a firm national focus on the cost-of-living crisis, the Good Business Charter framework is well established to bring about positive change with its focus on holistic responsible business behaviour, including a commitment to pay the real living wage (currently £9.90 an hour outside of London), provide secure work and care for employee wellbeing alongside commitments to the environment and ethical sourcing.
Organisations accredited by the Good Business Charter share their passion for what the Charter stands for and how they are improving practices to remain compliant, such as increasing salaries or ensuring suppliers are also reaching for these high standards.
Founder and local entrepreneur, Julian Richer, who will be speaking at the Festival of Ideas event, said:
“It is exciting to see my home city embrace the Good Business Charter and champion it voraciously throughout the city whether that be Councillors, both Universities or partners such as Federation of Small Businesses. I am particularly pleased to see the Universities encourage entrepreneurs in their programmes to adopt the GBC right from the outset. This will put them in a strong position as they scale up, through treating their colleagues well, prioritising happy customers and ensuring resilience in their supply chain.”
Kiran Trehan, Pro Vice Chancellor for Partnerships at the University of York, who features in the anniversary video said:
“It has been a privilege to spearhead York as the first GBC city. I say to organisations of all sizes that it just makes good business sense to commit to the Good Business Charter and my hope is that in the future, the ones who have not joined are the ones that are left behind. We are excited to launch Enterprise Works and York Accelerator on this auspicious date of the anniversary of GBC York and hope to see further collaboration to bring good growth for the city.”
The Good Business Charter is as relevant for small organisations as big. Chris Pegg, Commercial and Marketing Manager at City Cruises, which achieved GBC accreditation last year said:
“Good things happen to good businesses. If businesses look after their staff right, look after their customers and look after their suppliers I think they’re really set up to have a phenomenal run in business and that’s why we encourage others to get involved in the GBC.”
Over 60 organisations in the city are currently accredited by the Good Business Charter, a national accreditation scheme that certified the Institute of Directors as its 1,000th organisation in March 2022, just two years after it launched. The Good Business Charter requires organisations to commit to minimum standards in all ten components covering care for employees, suppliers, customers and the planet all whilst paying their fair share of tax.
To watch the anniversary video please see here.


text:
Dan Pitcherello of Somers Point, New Jersey, is a man on a mission.
On a weekday afternoon in the runup to Memorial Day weekend, he’s installing the front lights on a boardwalk business in Ocean City, N.J. Inside, a crew continues to work on the interior, but he says they’ll be out of there by Friday morning so the business can open.
All along the boardwalk, in fact, all along the Jersey Shore, similar scenes played out all week, and merchants painted, cleaned, stocked and spruced to be ready for the big weekend, which many see as the launch of summer at the shore.
“On Memorial Day weekend, you know everyone is open,” said Holly Kisby, the general manager at Shriver’s Salt Water Taffy and Fudge at Ninth Street and the boardwalk. Some stores , like Shrivers, remain open all year, while others may decide to open on spring weekends or on a sunny day. But after this weekend, almost every business will be open every day.
Kisby, and many others, see Memorial Day weekend as an indicator of what sort of summer to expect. She’s been on the boardwalk for 24 years, and the landmark salt water taffy shop has been around far longer. It opened in 1898.
She’s expecting a good weekend, and a good summer. Although most of May has been rainy, April saw some hot and sunny days, which meant a packed boardwalk. Kisby believes visitors will be down this weekend no matter what the weather. “We just try to prepare as best we can and hope for the best,” she said.
Hopes for a banner year
“I think it’s going to be a great summer,” said Brent Burke, the manager of Sunglass Menagerie, which just opened a new, larger store in the 900 block of the ‘walk, near Shrivers. He pointed to another neighbor, Manco and Manco Pizza, where work is finishing up on a new flagship location in what used to be one of three movie theaters on the boardwalk. The huge new pizza shop is set to include a retail area and expanded seating. The only cloud hanging over the business: owner Charles Bangle was sentenced to 15 months in prison for tax evasion in a Camden court last February. In fact, U.S. District Judge Robert Kulger brought up the shop expansion, questioning his spending of millions there when he has not yet paid off his taxes. Bangle is to report to serve his time in September.
Burke believes the new pizzeria will be a big draw, as will a huge new roller coaster at Playland amusement park called Gale Force, which was being tested that afternoon. The sunglass store, owned by Bryan Allegretto, is also in the midst of a big expansion, he said, going from 6 stores to 12 along the length of the Jersey shore.
He also cited the city’s efforts to bring families to Ocean City, including concerts and regular events throughout the season.
Ocean City has a reputation for wacky events, most of which were launched by longtime PR director Mark Soifer. That includes the business person’s plunge, set for noon Friday next to the Music Pier at Moorlyn Terrace. The city has for years held an event to ceremonially “unlock” the ocean, but for added silliness, several local businesspeople and others don suits and ties to march into the water, which is about 50 degrees right now.
Soifer retired at the end of 2016, but the city is keeping that and other traditions going.
Far more serious is the annual Memorial Day observance, which sees a strong turnout every year to honor those killed in the line of duty from every branch of the American armed services. Ocean City local Anthony Walsh, an Army Blackhawk helicopter pilot who flew 90 missions in Afghanistan, will be the keynote speaker starting 11 a.m. Monday at Memorial Park, on Wesley Avenue between Fifth and Sixth Street. If the weather is bad, the service will move to the nearby Ocean City Tabernacle.
Lifeguards hit the stands this weekend at several blocks, with more locations to be added as the summer progresses.
Also planned for the weekend are shows by the Ocean City Pops Orchestra Friday evening and KC and the Sunshine Band Sunday, both at the Music Pier, and the Memorial Beach Challenge on Saturday morning, in which athletes challenge a 2.5-mile obstacle course to benefit a veterans organization. Call 856-905-0583 or see memorialbeachchallenge.com for details, and call 609-399-6111 for details on the concerts and other city events.
Weather is king
Almost every business person points to the weather as the make-or-break factor for the Jersey shore. Not the Consumer Price Index, not the latest numbers from Nasdaq, just whether or not the sun shines. Jamie Ford, the owner of Barefoot Trading Company, clothing, jewelry and gift shop at 1070 Boardwalk, says in the summer, things almost always even out, and a merchant can make up for a rainy weekend. Spring and fall are a different story, though.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about the weather in the shoulder season,” he said. A few rainy weekends in the spring can make a huge difference to the bottom line. After Memorial Day, however, a merchant can count on making it up a weekend washout. “It really does even out. The town is very consistent.”
This year, he said, spring was good. May wasn’t what he would have liked, and the week before Memorial Day saw lots of gray skies and rain, but April was good enough to make up for that.
Ford’s business started out with a trip to Guatemala, buying sweaters and shirts to sell back home. He later headed farther afield, with multiple trips to Bali in Indonesia to find items for the shop, which has been open more than 20 years. Lately, he’s been focused on Thailand. He said he loves the designs there.
“The customer needs to be energized by some new products. But so do I,” he said.
Like others on the Boardwalk, Ford was in his shop this week, getting things organized while a few costumers stopped in for a look. “I think it’s going to be a good weekend,” he said.


text:
Sibros, a connected vehicle platform company, today announced a collaboration with iWave Systems, a leading provider of embedded systems and ODM (original design manufacturer) solutions, to accelerate software-defined vehicle innovation for all vehicle architectures. Through the collaboration, Sibros’ over-the-air (OTA) platform will be built into iWave’s Rugged Telematics Device to enable embedded intelligence in-vehicle applications such as automotive, industrial, off-road, and heavy-duty vehicles.
Under the collaboration, Sibros’ customers will unlock new connected services and offerings across the full mobility product lifestyle, from development and manufacturing to field operations and end-of-life.
“This is a step forward in improving the safety, functionality, and success of software-defined vehicles in the U.S.,” said Hemant Sikaria, CEO and co-founder at Sibros. “Sibros and iWave have a shared vision for driving the shift toward connecting and managing software and data for every vehicle across its lifecycle. We are looking forward to working with iWave to innovate new services for OEMs to push the bounds of possibility for the industry.”
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) working with Sibros-enabled iWave products will provide better product decisions, improve product quality and enhance the customer experience. The combined solution will empower OEMs with the ability to:
- Log vehicle data from any electronics control unit (ECU) for rich insights into product performance
- Deploy safety-certified OTA software and firmware updates to any domain controller
- Dispatch safe and secure remote diagnostic commands to any vehicle or fleet
“Telematics and OTA solutions hold unparalleled importance in software-defined vehicles. Software defined vehicles are built with more intelligence on the edge with the need for robust data collection and firmware update mechanisms,” said Abdullah Khan, Director of Engineering at iWave Systems. “We are excited to partner with Sibros and empower OEMs in this fast-changing digital automotive environment.”
iWave enables the future of connected mobility with an extensive portfolio of telematics control units, telematics gateways, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) solutions, and protocol stacks. The embedded computing and edge solutions allow automakers to harness vehicle data and build fleet intelligence.
Sibros and iWave’s combined solution will meet the highest international standards for safety, security, and data privacy including ISO 26262 (ASIL-D rated), ISO 21434, WP.29 R155 and R156, and GDPR.


text:
The Week in VG
Select stories from the Video game world for the last week.
Apple not letting out steam
Valve’s official Steam Link app launched on Android last week that, much like their Steam Link box, let users stream games from their beefed up PC to their smaller screens. The iOS version was nowhere to be found however, and via kotaku, it sounds like Apple denied certification for the app on grounds of ‘business conflicts’. Maybe Apple were unhappy with users having a way to mirror steam on an iPhone and buy games without grabbing their 30% cut, but there are plenty of screen share and screen mirroring apps already on the app store. Either way, seems like a pretty dick move and hopefully they will change their mind (HAH!) or sort out some sort of deal with Valve to get it on there.
Sushido, demo, sushidemo….
One of the more quirky and interesting looking titles from a recent Nintendo Direct was for Sushi Strikers: Way of the Sushido. Bright colours and some tasty looking nigiri made this connect-the-food puzzle game stand out among the other titles on show. It’s made by Indieszero, the same people that made the awesome Final Fantasy rhythm 3DS title Theatrythm, which I sunk plenty of time into. It's almost a full price title however at £40, normally well above what you'd normally pay for a game like this. Luckily there’s a demo now available on the Switch eShop which should give a good impression if this is worth it. I'm looking forward to giving it a go, in fact it's downloading right now.
Tell tales less often
Telltale Games announced this week that probably their most anticipated upcoming series - The Wolf Among Us S2 - is being delayed into 2019. Perhaps not surprising since they laid off 90 members of staff last November and have had a management reshuffle which probably rejigged their priorities and timelines in a major way. Telltale’s most recent output has been mixed, being inconsistent both in schedule and in quality. In particular their game engine appears to have been held together by masking tape almost since Walking Dead S1 came out. While they took on more and more series the strain on it appeared to get worse and worse, with the bugs and jank finally outweighing the story beats, making people lose interest. If they’re taking time out to actually improve their underlying tech then this can only be a good thing going forward though, and might bring back players who were burnt out on their releases years ago (eg me)


text:
July 11, 2011
Rachel King reports on LG’s reaction to sluggish sales.
“To put it into perspective, LG isn’t the only mobile phone maker suffering this year. As of May, iSuppli numbers found that Motorola, Nokia and RIM have all seen a significant decline in smartphone sales from Q4 2010 to Q1 2011.”
Paul Kunert reports on slow rebate times for the company’s partners.
“On completing the acquisition of Sun last year, Oracle shelved all hardware rebates until September – when it backdated claims to June – but under the historic system, it reported all channel sales under one P&L and did not segment them.”
The VAR Guy
The VAR Guy looks at Cisco’s launch of the ECDS.
“ECDS is designed to optimize the video content that gets streamed across a company’s network, allowing IT admins to monitor, tweak, shape and handle the amount of traffic needed for high-quality video. That content can be anything from in-house-produced videos to videos taken from the web to video collaboration sessions – if it’s video and runs over the network, ECDS is designed to handle it.”


text:
Watch T.I.'s new video teaser for "Turn It".
When heâs not busy saving victims from car crashes, or remixing popular tracks, T.I. is prepping new original content like this new track/visual for âTurn Itâ, which now has this teaser for our viewing pleasure.
T.I. took his video shoot to Atlanta, Georgia and brought out the women and helicopters for this new heated visual for his next single.
The Hustle Gang rep will be premiering the full single/visual come this Friday on WSHH. Until then, enjoy this quick teaser. This record already sounds tough.
Tipâs new albumÂ PaperworkÂ is due to release later this year.


text:
New Tesla Android App Update Makes Tesla Apple CarPlay Hack Easier
As shown in the video below, Tesla Android app version 2022.38.1 includes a few updates which make setting up Apple CarPlay even easier.
The developer also pointed out that the update now runs Apple CarPlay as a single-board stack, rather than having to run as a workaround from a third-party developer.
The prior renderings of CarPlay also had content overlapping in audio apps, but the shift to an Android-based stack fixes the app’s resolution on the touchscreen. CarPlay also lets navigation sounds work when the Tesla browser is active.
— Michał Gapiński (@mikegapinski)
While many Tesla drivers have installed CarPlay on their vehicles using Android 12 which required the use of Raspberry Pi units, the new update is hosted on Android itself and no longer requires the use of external hardware to run.


text:
Instant Token Creation on the New “DecentralChain” Blockchain Platform: Revolutionizing Business Empowerment
— Dylan Shilts
JACó, GARABITO, COSTA RICA, March 12, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — DecentralChain, a leading blockchain technology company, has launched a revolutionary new platform that allows anyone to create custom tokens without the need for programming or expensive development. This new platform opens up a world of possibilities for businesses and individuals, enabling them to create unique and valuable tokens for a variety of purposes.
Tokenization has become increasingly popular in recent years, with businesses and individuals seeking to create their own tokens for a variety of purposes. These tokens can be used for rewards programs, loyalty programs, fundraising campaigns, and even as a means of payment. With DecentralChain’s new platform, creating custom tokens has never been easier.
The platform offers a simple and intuitive interface, allowing users to create custom tokens in just a few minutes. Users can choose from a range of customization options, including token name, symbol, and total supply. Once the token is created, it can be easily managed and distributed through the DecentralChain platform.
DecentralChain’s platform offers a range of benefits over other blockchain technologies. It can transact over 65,000 transactions per block with an average transaction confirmation of under 3 seconds, making it one of the fastest and most efficient blockchain technologies on the market. Additionally, the platform’s easy-to-use interface makes it accessible to anyone, regardless of their technical knowledge.
Moreover, DecentralChain takes security seriously, with a multi-layered security approach that includes encryption protocols and a CDN layer over every single node on the network. This provides additional protection against potential security threats, ensuring the safety of user data and assets.
“We are thrilled to offer this revolutionary new platform to our users,” said Dylan Shilts, CEO of DecentralChain. “With this platform, we aim to democratize tokenization, making it accessible to everyone. We believe that this technology will open up new possibilities for businesses and individuals, enabling them to create unique and valuable tokens that can be used for a variety of purposes.”
DecentralChain’s commitment to education and community building in Central America is also a key part of its mission. With this new platform, DecentralChain aims to pioneer the way forward and educate people on the potential of blockchain and decentralized technologies.
The Benefits of Tokenization
Tokenization is the process of converting a physical asset into a digital token on a blockchain. These tokens can represent anything, from assets like real estate and stocks to intangible assets like loyalty points and rewards. The benefits of tokenization are numerous, and DecentralChain’s new platform makes it easy for businesses and individuals to take advantage of these benefits.
One of the key benefits of tokenization is liquidity. Tokens can be traded on decentralized exchanges, allowing for easy and fast transfer of ownership. This is particularly useful for illiquid assets like real estate, which can take months or even years to sell. Tokenization makes it possible to sell a fraction of the asset, making it more accessible to investors.
Another benefit of tokenization is transparency. All transactions on a blockchain are transparent and recorded on a public ledger, making it easy to track the movement of tokens. This makes it easier to prevent fraud and ensures that all parties involved in a transaction are aware of the terms.
Tokenization also allows for programmable assets. Smart contracts can be used to automate certain functions, such as dividend payments and voting rights. This can reduce the need for intermediaries and reduce transaction costs.
DecentralChain’s new platform makes it easy for businesses and individuals to take advantage of these benefits. The platform is designed to be accessible to anyone, regardless of their technical knowledge. This means that even small businesses and individuals can create their own tokens and take advantage of the benefits of tokenization.
Creating Custom Tokens
DecentralChain’s new platform makes it easy for anyone to create custom tokens in just a few simple steps. Users can choose from a range of customization options, including the name, symbol, and total supply of the token. They can also choose whether the token will be fungible or non-fungible, depending on their specific use case.
Once the token is created, it can be managed and distributed through the DecentralChain platform: “DecentralExchange” Users can choose to distribute their tokens to a specific group of people, such as customers or investors, or make them available to anyone on the platform.
DecentralChain’s platform also offers a range of tools and features to help users manage their tokens. These include analytics tools to track token usage, a wallet to securely store tokens, and a dashboard to manage token transactions.
The platform is built on DecentralChain’s own blockchain technology, which offers a range of benefits over other blockchain technologies. Its fast transaction speeds and low fees make it an ideal choice for businesses and individuals looking to create and transact with custom tokens.
DecentralChain’s new platform is a game-changer for businesses and individuals looking to create custom tokens. It offers an easy-to-use interface that requires no coding or expensive development, making it accessible to anyone. The platform’s fast transaction speeds, low fees, and multi-layered security approach also make it an attractive choice for businesses and individuals looking to transact with custom tokens.
Tokenization has numerous benefits, including liquidity, transparency, and programmable assets. With DecentralChain’s new platform, businesses and individuals can take advantage of these benefits and create unique and valuable tokens for a variety of purposes. DecentralChain’s commitment to education and community building in Central America is also a testament to its mission of democratizing blockchain and decentralized technologies.
To participate in the international launch happening on March 15th, visit www.DecentralChain.io and experience the platform’s features and benefits firsthand. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to create custom tokens easily and securely, and to explore the potential of tokenization for your business or personal needs.
Introducing the DecentralChain Blockchain.


text:
The Current, delivered daily.
Oatly was a pioneer in the oat milk category. In 2023, it is looking to usher in an alternative manufacturing model through a new partnership.
The news: Oatly signed a new partnership with contract food and beverage manufacturer Ya YA Foods that will create a new hybrid model for production. Through the $98.1 million deal, which is expected to close this quarter, Oatly is looking to shift its manufacturing to an “asset-light” model.
Here are the details:
- Ya YA Foods will assume the lease at Oatly’s manufacturing facilities in Ogden, Utah, and Fort Worth, Texas, while finishing construction in Fort Worth.
- Ya YA Foods will also acquire a majority of the assets in Ogden, including mixing and filling equipment.
- Oatly will still have operations in both locations, while retaining ownership of its proprietary oat base production lines.
- Oatly will receive $72 million, plus credits toward future use of shared assets in Ogden and for production in Fort Worth.
- The bottom line: Ya YA will take over a substantial portion of Oatly’s manufacturing, and the brand will no longer control and build these US production facilities.
Key quote: “We believe an increased focus on our oat base technology, innovation, branding and commercial execution will better position Oatly to drive profitable growth, while reducing the capital intensity of our future facilities, and ultimately convert more consumers to plant-based and create more products that are healthy for people and the planet,” said Oatly CEO Toni Petersson, in a statement.
What it means for Oatly: Oatly’s category creation and knack for eye-catching brand-building propelled runaway popularity since its 2017 US debut, and it now accounts for 22% of the plant-based milk market in the country. But there was a downside: The brand was among many that faced a mismatch of supply and demand over the last two years, leading to product shortages. Correcting those issues appears to be the subtext of this deal. Ya YA CEO Yahya Abbas told Bloomberg that Oatly “will never again miss demand.”
What it means for Ya YA Foods: The Toronto-based company is moving into the US for the first time. This deal will expand the footprint and raise the profile for Ya YA, which is a co-manufacturer that is also making a name in protein beverages, fruit juices, sports drinks and broths. “The two properties we are acquiring will increase our geographic profile and scale, allowing us to serve the vast majority of the United States and Canada,” Abbas said in a statement. Owning the facilities could unlock potential to make products for other customers at those locations, as well.
What it says about the supply chain:
The worst shortages are over, but brands still need long-term solutions. While the container ship backups we've heard so much about in recent years are easing up, supply chain challenges are going to continue to be present going forward. After all, raw material shortages, rising costs and climate change are still with us in 2023. This agreement shows that brands have a choice of whether they want to own production facilities or work with others. Oatly is splitting the difference: It chose to partner and transfer some of its operations, even as it will retain some operations that make it unique.
Partnership can bring production close to home. Another supply chain choice is where production will take place. While proximity is likely key for a beverage like oat milk, it’s still worth noting that Oatly is keeping domestic operations in place through this agreement. We may see more such decisionmaking in 2023 with the growth of nearshoring, in which brands and retailers move supply networks closer. According to a recent survey from Capterra, 88% of small and medium-sized businesses surveyed said they planned to or already had switched at least some of their suppliers closer to the US in 2023.
Owning less can bring more growth. While it won’t have US facilities in its portfolio, Oatly’s asset-light model could free it up for other kinds of expansion. As Petersson suggests, it can redirect investment into innovation and go-to-market activities that will help it reach new customers, which is especially important for a category-creating brand. In the end, all functions are customer-facing. Shoring up production also stands to increase consumer confidence that the brand's products will always be available in the dairy case.
Trending in Operations
Campbell Soup Company CEO Mark Clouse offered thoughts on messaging amid inflationary shifts in consumer behavior.
After months of elevated inflation and interest rate hikes that have the potential to cool demand, consumers are showing more signs of shifting behavior.
It’s showing up in retail sales data, but there’s also evidence in the observations of the brands responsible for grocery store staples.
The latest example came this week from Campbell Soup Company. CEO Mark Clouse told analysts that the consumer continues to be “resilient” despite continued price increases on food, but found that “consumers are beginning to feel that pressure” as time goes on.
This shows up in the categories they are buying. Overall, Clouse said Campbell sees a shift toward shelf-stable items, and away from more expensive prepared foods.
There is also change in when they make purchases. People are buying more at the beginning of the month. That’s because they are stretching paychecks as long as possible.
These shifts change how the company is communicating with consumers.
Clouse said the changes in behavior are an opportunity to “focus on value within our messaging without necessarily having to chase pricing all the way down.”
“No question that it's important that we protect affordability and that we make that relevant in the categories that we're in," Clouse said. "But I also think there's a lot of ways to frame value in different ways, right?”
A meal cooked with condensed soup may be cheaper than picking up a frozen item or ordering out. Consumers just need a reminder. Even within Campbell’s own portfolio, the company can elevate brands that have more value now, even if they may not always get the limelight.
The open question is whether the shift in behavior will begin to show up in the results of the companies that have raised prices. Campbell’s overall net sales grew 5% for the quarter ended April 30, while gross profit margins held steady around 30%. But the category-level results were more uneven. U.S. soup sales declined 11%, though the company said that was owed to comparisons with the quarter when supply chains reopened a year ago and expressed confidence that the category is seeing a longer-term resurgence as more people cook at home following the pandemic. Snacks, which includes Goldfish and Pepperidge Farm, were up 12% And while net sales increased overall, the amount of products people are buying is declining. Volumes were down 7%.
These are trends happening across the grocery store. Campbell is continuing to compete. It is leading with iconic brands, and a host of different ways to consume them. It is following that up with innovation that makes the products stand out. Then, it is driving home messaging that shows consumers how to fit the products into their lives, and even their tightening spending plans.
Campbell Soup is more than 150 years old, and has seen plenty of difficult economic environments. It is also a different business today, and will continue to evolve. At the end of the day, continued execution is what’s required.
“If it's good food, people are going to buy it, especially if it's a great value,” Clouse said.


text:
- David Hogg on Saturday announced he was stepping down from his pillow company, Good Pillow.
- The Parkland shooting survivor launched the company to compete with Mike Lindell's MyPillow.
- Hogg said his cofounder, the tech mogul William LeGate, would stay on with the company.
The Parkland shooting survivor, gun-control activist, and pillow entrepreneur David Hogg on Saturday announced he was permanently stepping away from his company Good Pillow.
"Effective immediately, I have resigned and released all shares, any ownership and any control of Good Pillow LLC," he wrote on Twitter.
He said his departure was due to "personal commitments," including taking the time to "focus on studies in college" and "advance the gun violence prevention movement."
In another tweet, Hogg said: "While the tragedy and trauma I experienced does shape me, like many other survivors of gun violence, it is not even close to who I am fully and I am looking forward to using this time to grow myself as an organizer, friend, son, and brother."
The 20-year-old Harvard University student launched Good Pillow to provide a politically progressive alternative to Mike Lindell's MyPillow brand.
Hogg teamed up with the tech mogul William LeGate for the venture. Lindell greeted his competition with ambivalence when he told Axios there's "nothing wrong with competition that does not infringe on someone's patent."
MyPillow has experienced a drop in support from some retailers in recent months. In an interview with Insider's Grace Dean, Lindell said 22 retailers, including Kohl's and Bed Bath & Beyond, pulled MyPillow's products after he spread voter-fraud conspiracy theories. He told Insider this could cost him $65 million in 2021.
Most recently, MyPillow products vanished from Costco's website. Insider asked Costco whether it had cut ties with the brand, but the retailer declined to comment.


text:
June 29, 2010 |
SAN FRANCISCO: Amazon.com has updated its Kindle application allowing audio and video clips to be embedded in electronic books served up on Apple's popular iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch gadgets. "We are excited to add this functionality to Kindle for iPad and Kindle for iPhone and iPod touch," Amazon Kindle director Dorothy Nicholls said in a release. "We look forward to seeing what authors and publishers create for Kindle customers using the new functionality of the Kindle apps.
December 21, 2009
Courtesy: AFPRelaxnews A new e-book platform called Blio will be released in 2010 through a partnership with Baker & Taylor (B&T), the world's largest distributor of books, and could be the latest big thing in e-reader technology. B&T, a US company for 180 years, distributes 1 million books a year and has committed 180,000 titles to Blio. There will be 50,000 available when the product is launched on January 7 at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
July 24, 2008 |
NEW YORK: With the market for electronic books still relatively sleepy, Sony Corp is trying a new tack: untethering the latest model of its e-book reading device from its own online bookstore. On Thursday, Sony will provide a software update to the Reader, a thin slab with a 6-inch (15-cm) screen, so the device can display books encoded in a format being adopted by several large publishers. That means Reader owners will be able to buy electronic books from stores other than Sony's.
October 21, 2010 |
NEW DELHI: Book lovers can now look forward to reading nearly 200,000 titles on the Internet in 15 languages with the help of a new e-reader, that has been billed as an answer to Amazon's Kindle . Bangalore-based digital publisher EC Media International has come out with 'The Wink eReader' which, it claims, is India's first multi-function e-reader that supports more than 15 regional languages. A book lover can now browse the online store from the web or through the catalogue present on the gadget, intuitively designed for easy preview of content, downloads and a secure payment gateway.
August 24, 2010 |
From the maker of computer peripherals and accessories, Intex , comes a glider phone called the 3080 E Glider . With a dual GSM SIM capacity and an audio chip from Yamaha, the phone gives fast music access keys for easy navigation . With a memory capacity of 4GB, the phone has a 6.1cm screen and 4 hours of talk time. There's also auto call record and A2DP for wireless connectivity and an eBook reader.
March 2, 2013 |
NEW DELHI: Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) booked more than five lakh rail e-tickets yesterday, surpassing the earlier one-day sales record set in July last year. The Corporation booked 5.02 lakh e-tickets, crossing the earlier figure of 4.96 lakh e-tickets booked on July 7 last year, an IRCTC official said. The record, he said, comes at a time when the IRCTC is facing criticism of its website failing to cope up with the peak hour rush for Tatkal bookings and during festive season.
January 3, 2007 |
KOLKATA: Coal India Ltd (CIL) has decided to replace its e-auction system with a new 'e-booking' mechanism, where the bidder will bid for the quantity instead of price. Under the new mechanism, coal will be priced at 30% premium over its notified prices. Linked and non-linked consumers are free to bid. The latest CIL move is an interim measure in the wake of a Supreme Court order to temporarily discontinue e-auction by CIL and its subsidiaries. The union coal ministry has decided to prepare a roadmap for Coal India's (CIL)
October 31, 2011 |
You never had it so good. Access to a client list that runs into hundreds of millions, a reach that spreads across the world, hardly any infrastructure cost, and no need to impress anyone with a wall full of framed qualifications. Welcome to the virtual bazaar, a marketplace that encompasses the world while shrinking it to a small screen. The biggest shopping mall, where everything is on sale, from technical advice to tattered childhood comics. A region where every boundary is blurred; no one cares about your age, no one is interested in your race or religion, and no one needs to know whether you live in the boondocks or a plush penthouse.
August 31, 2012 |
PIMPRI-CHINCHWAD: Branded players and cafeterias along book shelves are luring the bibliophiles of Pimpri-Chinchwad and Hinjewadi. The year over year growth of book retailing business in the area is estimated at 30 percent. Earlier, the region hardly had any branded bookstores and one had to visit Pune — considered as the Oxford of the East — to get good books. While regular shops are getting around 25-30 walk-ins every day, stores equipped with a cafeteria, like Crossword, are seeing an average footfall of 100 a day. Sandeep Jadhav, director of Suyog Enterprises , has been in this business for the past 21 years.
August 23, 2012 |
NEW DELHI: Amazon on Wednesday announced that the India Kindle Store will now be available in India, helping consumers to buy e-books in rupees. The company also announced its partnership with Croma Retail, saying the popular Kindle e-reader will now be available at Croma stores across the country. Amazon's website has been updated to automatically detect visitors from India and announce that the Kindle e-book reader is now available 'at a store near you' - the link directs you to the Croma web portal.


text:
Corporate blockchains have become popular in Russia
Analysts published the results after studying 157 companies. It turned out that in 2019 the number of blockchain projects increased by 45%. ⅓ of them relate to the energy, mining and manufacturing sector of the industry. Another ⅓ accounted for financial institutions.
Russian companies choose blockchain projects to optimize supply chains, workflow, tokenization of financial instruments. Blockchain is especially popular in systems with a large number of counterparties.
According to statistics, 5 of the 10 largest Russian companies working in the field of information security are actively implementing blockchain. This is a sustainable technology that is growing in popularity in the Russian market.
We also wrote what Giant Russian Diamond Manufacturer Combines De Beers’ Blockchain Trailing Site...


text:
Sean Maloney, tipped as a potential leader of Intel, is expected to make a full recovery from a stroke
The joint head of Intel’s Architecture Group, Sean Maloney, seen by many as a potential CEO of the company, is expected to make a full recovery and return to work, following a stroke last week.
Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini said he visited Maloney and “his sense of humor and determination to return to work filled the room. We wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to his return.”
Maloney, executive vice president and general manager of the company’s Architecture Group, is taking a leave of absence from the company, following a stroke which took place at his home. He is expected to spend several months recuperating, and then resume his work at the company. His prognosceis for a full recovery is excellent, according to an Intel statement.
In the interim, Dadi Perlmutter, the co-leader of the Architecture Group, will take over Maloney’s duties.
Maloney – Potential Intel CEO?
Maloney, 53, who has been with Intel since 1982, assumed his latest position with Intel in September 2009, when Intel restructured its business units, assembling all of the major product divisions — including the server and client chip businesses — into the newly formed Intel Architecture Group.
Maloney and Perlmutter were appointed to co-manage the unit, with Maloney being responsible for business and operations and Perlmutter focusing on product development and architecture. Maloney led several key announcements, including the introduction of low-energy micro-servers.
At the same time, Pat Gelsinger, a 30-year Intel veteran who rose up to the level of senior vice president and general manager of the company’s Digital Enterprise Group, left the chip maker to become presidentmaloney and chief operating officer of storage giant EMC’s Information Infrastructure Products unit.
Industry observers said Gelsinger’s departure opened up opportunities for several Intel executives, particularly Maloney, whom many saw as a possible successor to Otellini.
Maloney had been an executive vice president and chief sales and marketing officer at Intel before the reorganisation.


text:
A new report from Datamonitor questions the forecasts for the astronomical growth of broadcast television to mobile handsets.
The report, “Broadcast TV to mobile — a solution looking for a problem?,” provides an overview of the trials across the world and the prospects for broadcast to mobile TV revenue through 2008.
The report points out that with spectrum rights largely unresolved in many markets worldwide, planned commercial launches could be delayed.
According to Datamonitor analyst Adrian Drozd, several factors, including spectrum allocation, costly handsets, an unwillingness on the part of consumers to pay a monthly fee for the service, and operators seeking to advance 3G video service, not broadcast TV to mobile handsets are all potential impediments to growth.
The report says three different technologies are fighting it out to be the standard for mobile TV broadcast technology — DVB-H, DMB and MediaFLO — with a fourth, ISDB-T, unlikely to gain any traction outside of Japan.
While DMB is the only technology currently being used in commercial services (in South Korea), DVB-H and MediaFLO services are expected to become available later this year. According to Datamonitor, each has its advantages and disadvantages, but in terms of global market share, DVB-H will be the long-term leader.
For more information visit www.datamonitor.com.
Future US's leading brands bring the most important, up-to-date information right to your inbox
Thank you for signing up to TV Tech. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.


text:
Facepunch Studios last week enacted a new policy: they’d open up about the various prototypes they’ve been working on. In the case of colourful space shooter Riftlight, that’s yielded some interesting reactions.
“We got an email from Trion World’s lawyers,” said Facepunch founder Garry Newman. “Apparently there’s a game called ‘Rift’ and apparently its demo is called ‘Rift Lite’.”
Newman points out that Trion’s move isn’t as aggressive as it might seem: owning a trademark is pointless unless you defend it against potential consumer confusion.
“There’s probably going to be a lot of keyboard warriors that see this as the big guy picking on the small guy,” he wrote. “Their email wasn’t threatening, it wasn’t trying to scare us, it was just stating the facts.”
What’s more, said Garry, the name is the “least important thing”. Riftlight was a codename, and wasn’t backed up by domain names, Twitter accounts or promotional t-shirts.
“We haven’t paid NASA to laser it onto the moon,” said Newman. “In fact it was previously codenamed ‘Space Cunts’, but we didn’t think that would have looked too nice heading the devblogs.”
And so rather than fight Trion Worlds over their right to the name Rift, Facepunch are simply going to change the codename: “No drama, no lawyers get paid, everyone is friends and we make games.”
Riftlight’s already been subject to enough drama. Its announcement caused panic in the Rust community, where some fans assumed the prototype would mean fewer man hours dedicated to Facepunch’s survivalist hit. Not so.
Did you like the look of their action RPGish space game?


text:
It's been just over a year since Danny Wang and his fiancee Betty Fey opened CAUTION: Brewing Company, a brewery that was initially a wholesale operation that would supply Lao Wang Lager to Lao Wang Noodle House, owned by Wang's parents, as well as other Colorado restaurants.
In January, though, the couple announced that they'd taken over the space next door to their brewing facility and were building out a taproom, giving beer fans a chance to post up and sample their entire lineup. "As of April 1, we doubled in size," says Wang. "It's a nice, wide open space, and it's dedicated to the taproom."
The couple has been hard at work outfitting the space since then, an effort, says Wang, that has been "very homegrown, hand's on and hand-built." And starting Friday, May 18, they'll open their efforts to the public every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Wang and Fey are giving more incentive to stop by that first weekend, too. "We're releasing our Hippity Hops on May 19th in the taproom," says Wang, referring to the Chrysanthemum IPA he and Fey have been working on. "It's almost finished, and it's going to be awesome. It's very different and not what you expect from your typical IPA."
We Believe Local Journalism is Critical to the Life of a City
Support Our Journalism
Wang and Fey are also selling VIP growlers that weekend: "We'll sell them for $40, and that includes a free fill of the beer at the taproom...and $6 growlers through the end of 2013," Wang explains. But those growlers, which are individually numbered, will only be available until they run out.
And the taproom will be the best place to sample what Fey and Wang are brewing up. "We've been stocking up for the taproom," Wang admits, which means they've been holding kegs they normally ship out to restaurants. Right now, notes the brewer, you can find Lao Wang Lager at Lao Wang, of course, and a smoked imperial porter crafted by Fey on the guest tap at Great Storm Brewing in Colorado Springs. Hippity Hops, adds Wang, will be available at Denver Bicycle Cafe a couple of weeks after the release.
Otherwise, you better go directly to the source to get your growler.


text:
I came across an article the other day that stopped me in my tracks. The latest BrandZ report by Millward Brown has discovered a simple way to achieve a 11-fold increase in business growth, but, amazingly, this tip didn’t seem to have reached the business news.
So what was it? Well, it’s actually quite simple. Ensure there are women on your board.
Whilst the number of mixed-sex boards is still a shamefully small minority, those boards are responsible for THREE QUARTERS of the world’s most successful brands.
Furthermore, the average value of those brands is $27bn, DOUBLE that of those with male-only boards.
And brands with mixed-sex boards show an average 5-year growth rate of 66%, compared to 6% for those with male-only boards.
I think that’s worth repeating. 66% compared to 6%.
This has to be a no-brainer. Women in the boardroom bring a more balanced view of your consumers (whatever their demographic profile) and a whole different skill set – essential for balancing out all that testosterone.
So can we now please stop having the argument that half the population needs to be taken seriously and treated equally and just get on with it?
The London Olympics was the first time every team included female athletes. And Team USA and Team GB’s women seriously out-performed their male colleagues – they would’ve come third and fourth in the final medals table in their own right.
At the Opening Ceremony, Danny Boyle staged a lovely tribute to the Suffragettes, including actual descendants of Emmeline Pankhurst. But the news that these women now plan to march on Parliament to demand better gender equality, 100 years after their forebears, is beyond depressing.
Sexism is still rife in all aspects of life, and putting an end to that is a good place to start. The Everyday Sexism project collects real anecdotes, which are shocking because they are so commonplace. The view that it’s ok to be demeaning and dismissive towards women is still widespread, but not acceptable.
Sadly, TV advertising remains one of the worst offenders, especially when it comes to ads for cleaning products, who still seem to believe a woman’s place is in the kitchen, single-handedly fighting the endless, thankless war against germs.
The marketing community can make a difference and needs to start leading from the front. For an industry that depends on identifying new trends – and being careful to ensure it properly represents multicultural Britain – it’s still stuck in the dark ages when it comes to most of its portrayals of women.
It’s time to stop patronising half the population and get more female CMOs, MDs and CEOs onto the board.
After all, who doesn’t want their brand to deliver 66% 5-year growth?


text:
FARMINGTON – Trendy clothing, locally-made artisan ware, hand-blown glass pipes and tobacco are moving in to replace a secondhand clothing shop on Broadway.
Darcel Niles and Josh Levesque opened their shop Sensi Side Clothing & Smokeshop on the Wilton Road nine months ago, but business was slow.
“People didn’t stop on their way to Wal-Mart,” Niles said. “There was no traffic flow and with a name like Sensi Side, people thought we were a karate studio.”
The couple painted their new shop on Broadway walls an emperor red and pulled up the carpeting, well used from years as the Farmington Thrift Shop’s floor covering, to reveal beautiful wood flooring. The over-stuffed thrift shop has moved a block further east on Broadway to the larger digs where the Butterfly McQueens clothing store was located.
As Niles unpacked and assembled mannequins, Levesque was busy building display shelving. Already installed on one side of the shop are shelves of locally made incense, pottery, jewelry. Body jewelry and body piercings will be available, as will Niles’ art work, along with others who want to sell at the shop.
Levesque and four employees create the hand-blown, multi-colored glass pipes and hookahs that can be found in his shop and most of the smokeshops across Maine. In addition, Levesque owns a construction company that specializes in renovating older homes.
“I’ve been making the tobacco pipes for some time,” Levesque said. The shop will also sell tobacco products that include mixtures of fruit and molasses. The pipes and tobacco products are displayed in a display case at the back of the store. A low wall will separate the smoking products from the rest of the shop.
“We’re a family-oriented shop,” Niles said. “We want families coming in here.” The couple, who moved from Poland Spring, and their 3-year-old daughter, Sadie, will unofficially open the shop on Friday. More work to complete the store’s renovation and move should be completed for a 10 a.m. Saturday opening.