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Apple on Monday announced plans to increase users’ privacy and keep their data out of the reach of other companies, adding features including expanded video conferencing and storing virtual government ID cards on iPhones.
The changes come at Apple’s annual global conference for software developers, some of whom have complained about the company’s control over the apps that can appear on its devices, as well as its 15-30 percent commission on digital sales.
Many of the new features allow users to protect data, as well as to take a photocopy of their identity cards in participating US states and encrypt them in the user’s digital wallet, as well as credit cards and transit cards in some American cities. The company is working with the US Transportation Security Administration to accept digital ID cards at airports.
In many cases, Apple itself cannot see the information. The company updated the paid version of the storage service (iCloud) to include a service that blocks the user’s browsing habits, even from Apple. Another feature of iCloud will allow users to hide their real email addresses.
Apple said that the price of iCloud will not change with the addition of new features.
Apple has also modified some of its apps and services in a way that may increase its competition with Zoom, a subsidiary of Zoom Video Communications, and Microsoft’s Teams. The use of the two apps has increased sharply during the pandemic.
Apple has updated its FaceTime video chat app to allow arranging calls with more than one person and make the software compatible with Android and Windows devices.


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The European market could double ChargePoint’s business.
According to ChargePoint CEO Pasquale Romano, expansion of the charging network to 2.5 million places by 2025 will be split between Europe and the U.S. equally.
The company re-entered the European market in March and added about 1,000 charging points since then, which is not a big part compared to over 56,000 total (mostly in the U.S.).
Romano believes that the progress in Europe will be big, especially because diesel market share will be gradually replaced by plug-ins. Many cities or countries announced ban of diesels or ICE sales at some point in the future too.
ChargePoint is a private company, partially owned by BMW and Daimler, which also has some influence on the expansion plans in Europe.
So far, the company didn’t announc plans of an IPO, but Romano adds that it would be the next logical step (no timeline though).
Source: Read Full Article

domain: news


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Rumors of an upcoming Surface Mini tablet from Microsoft have been swirling for months now, but so far confirmation hasn’t been easy to come by. Is that finally about to change? Invitations have begun making their way out of Microsoft for a “small gathering” (emphasis added), which immediately makes us think we’ll be seeing the elusive Surface Mini.
This event lines up pretty well with an earlier report stating a release timeframe and also the possibility of stylus support on the device.
As a quick refresher, we’re expecting a 7.5 inch display with a 4:3 aspect ratio, making the device’s screen shockingly similar to the one that can be found on Apple’s iPad Mini line.
Microsoft’s event will be going down on May 20, and we will be sure to bring you the news from the event as it unfolds.
Source: The Verge


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The new music service from Apple is a valiant effort to catch up in the emerging business of offering unlimited music on demand for a monthly fee. It does so while acknowledging iTunes' legacy.
Despite a slowdown in subscriber growth, the Internet is still propelling Comcast. Movies and theme parks in its NBCUniversal entertainment unit also bolstered results.
In another sign that Apple might get into the auto biz, the tech giant has quietly hired a former senior exec from Chrysler. Before Chrysler, Doug Betts worked for Nissan and Toyota.
Mergers and acquisitions for technology and life sciences startups are at a 12-year quarterly low, as startups are staying independent far longer than they did in previous venture capital booms.
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Apple Watch app Cardiogram, which is designed to provide you with more information on the heart rate readings obtained from the Apple Watch, is teaming up with Greenhouse Life Insurance Company and Amica Life to offer up to $1,000 worth of accidental death insurance to Apple Watch owners.
Cardiogram users can get the deal starting today through the Cardiogram app for iOS. The offer is available in Wisconsin, Arizona, Indiana, and Georgia, and will be expanding to other states in the future.
Greenhouse Life Insurance Company, launched from RGA, and Amica Life are the latest insurance companies to embrace the Apple Watch. Health and life insurance providers have [...]
A user guide included with the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max references the AirPower, suggesting that Apple has not yet shelved the much-anticipated charging mat.
Developer Gavin Stevens shared an image of the guide this afternoon, which clearly has a passage mentioning the AirPower.
„Place iPhone with screen facing up on AirPower or a Qi-certified wireless charger. You can also use the Lightning connector to charge iPhone and connect accessories.“
It’s not clear why Apple left the reference to the AirPower in the iPhone XS and XS Max manuals, but it perhaps suggests that the company planned to ship the charging accessory alongside the [...]
Apple has temporarily halted plans to launch Apple Pay in India after facing troubles with regulators in the country and a few technical hurdles, according to The Economic Times. Specifically, Apple is said to be concerned about the Reserve Bank of India’s recent data localization rule, which requires companies to store all of their payments data for local users only in India.
Because of this rule, numerous companies — including Apple, Amazon, PayPal, WhatsApp, Visa, and MasterCard — have faced uncertainties regarding the rollout of their respective mobile wallets in India. Apple is said to have gone so far as to meet with a few leading banks and the [...]
Costco, the world’s second largest retailer behind Walmart, recently confirmed that it now accepts Apple Pay and other contactless payment methods at all of its 750 warehouse locations in the United States.
Walmart appears to be unfettered by the move, however, as it remains committed to its own Walmart Pay platform in the United States.
„Walmart Pay is the exclusive form of mobile payment accepted at Walmart and we have no plans for that to change,“ said Walmart spokesperson Erin Hulliberger, in a statement provided to MacRumors today.
Walmart Pay, built into the Walmart app for iOS and Android, works at any checkout lane with any major [...]


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The biggest coffee chain in the world, Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX), has reported record annual profits for the year. The result declared on Thursday was more impressive because the restaurant business has generally slumped recently.
Operating income of the business stands at $4.2 billion, which is 16 percent more than last year. Net sales in the United States, which is their biggest market and one that gives the business the most revenues, have gone up by an impressive 11 percent. But there is still a slight cause for worry because the global sales of Starbucks have increased by just 4 percent in the fourth quarter. Analysts had predicted that it should be around 4.9 percent.
Starbucks Doing Very Well in China
The business has in recent times, opened several more coffee shops around the world, sometimes through their many subsidiaries, in Asian countries like India, China, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Lebanon, Kuwait, Thailand, Indonesia, and also elsewhere such as Romania, Russia, Greece, Slovakia, Finland, Morocco, and other countries.
But much of the company’s growth is coming from China, though it is still behind the United States by numbers. But that can change soon if Starbucks keeps growing the way it is in the Far East.
In fact, the Asia-Pacific region and China have grown the fastest at 23 percent this year. Howard Schultz, the CEO, said that their Chinese stores were the most lucrative and efficient. Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) announced last month they will double the number of stores in China to 5,000 within 2021.
Online Shopping Hurting Starbucks
Howard further added that China will give Starbucks the growth it needs for “decades to come”, which is important because they were facing “ongoing economic, consumer and geopolitical headwinds”. Some time back, he had issued a warning saying that fewer people were now visiting malls or shopping streets, as many preferred to stay home and make purchases online. And of course, coffee cannot be served online.
Sales in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe have actually come down by 1 percent in the last quarter of the year. Starbucks has, on the other hand, grown by 1 percent in the Asia Pacific and China.
Outlook for the US was average to negative, but the company revealed that sales at many established cafes in the United States are “strengthening slightly”. The 2017 earnings have been forecasted to be between $2.12 and #2.14 for each share.


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After all the fun of the inaugural Motorboat last year, Motorhead have announced the line-up for this year’s cruise which will set sail on September 28th and return on October 2nd.
Known as “The loudest boat in the world” – Motorhead’s Motorboat will take place on the Norweigen Sky, departing Port Miami and stopping at Nassau and the Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas.
This year’s sea-fairing line-up includes:
- Suicidal Tendencies
- Phil Campbell’s All Starr Band
- Motor Sister
- Fireball Ministry
Plus more to be announced!
Motorhead main man, and Metal God, Lemmy had this to say:
“And so the Motorboat sets sail one more time — better get your tickets now or be left sobbing on the dock! Oh, and we promise not to run out of beer this time!”
Rooms for the Motorboat cruise will be made available on Wednesday March 25th. Follow this link for more info.
Slayer’s Kerry King said:
“Slayer is crashing the Motorboat party!! I personally will be keeping the bar in business. Hell will be coming with us. Light it up!!!”
Check out our interview with Jim Wilson of Motor Sister, who are playing the Motorboat, here


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Search giant Google has insisted it is doing an “awful lot” to help traditional media publishers make money online.
Thomson last week described Google as “terrible for content providers” – a search superpower that “devalues everything it touches”.
“It is easy for people in traditional media to look at the internet and say: ‘Oh God, the internet is taking away our readers and advertisers’,” says Brittin, who previously worked for Trinity Mirror.
“But – and I want to be really clear about this – it is not Google that is taking advertisers away. It is consumers changing their behaviour. And that presents challenges to all of us.”
He adds: “Many publishers are partners of Google and we work together by providing targeted advertising to their websites so they can make money out of dead space.
“In the last three months of last year we gave away $1.4bn (£970m) of revenue to publishing partners for adverts on their sites.
“All we are trying to do is help traditional media in a new environment.”
Google reported fourth-quarter revenues of $5.7bn in 2008, up 18 per cent year on year.


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Plans for an Amazon distribution center in Northern New Mexico are underway, with the world’s largest online retailer entering into a five-year lease with Española for a portion of a vacant armory building the city will acquire from the New Mexico National Guard.
The Amazon center could open as soon as Black Friday — the day after Thanksgiving, Española City Manager Xavier Martinez said.
The company is initially leasing about 6,000 square feet of the 28,000-square-foot National Guard armory for $4,000 per month, Martinez said. The lease began Oct. 1 and ends Jan. 1, 2027. The deal allows the company to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Martinez said Amazon could expand into more or all of the building at a later date.
Amazon, which ranks No. 3 in Fortune’s Global 500 in revenue, did not respond to requests for comment. The company also is building its first New Mexico fulfillment center in Albuquerque.
The city of Española has a memorandum of understanding with the New Mexico National Guard to enter into the lease with Amazon after the property transfer is complete. The Guard plans to hand ownership of the armory to the city by the end of the year, Martinez said.
“We are currently working on a date to transfer ownership of the property to the city in the very near future,” said Joe Vigil, a spokesman for the New Mexico National Guard.
The Guard is deactivating the armory rather than relocating it, Vigil said.
Martinez said he was unsure of the distance Amazon will reach with deliveries from the Española center.
“Española is a great hub to access three states within 100 miles,” the city manager said.
Amazon is another shot in the arm for Española after Walmart’s arrival in 1999 triggered retail growth, Martinez said.
Having one of the world’s largest businesses in town could lead to other business giving Española a look, he added.


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The next tech-battle will most likely take place with Smartwatches, and it’s a battle that Microsoft is ready to win. Having lost out to Apple in the initial iPod Mp3 war, beaten to the punch with the tablet, and crushed for years with the iPhone, the Smartwatch is a new slate the development and software giant.
AmongTech has reported that their inside sources have told them of working prototypes that are currently being used by some Microsoft employees. These sources have also reported that the Smartwatch is being tested in several colors (red, yellow, black, grey, white and blue) to match the Smartcovers that are being sold with the Microsoft Surface.
The material used is Oxynitride Aluminum (almost the same material that Scotty from the original Star Trek Films gave to the scientist in ‘Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home,’ though this is 80% transparent and 4x stronger than glass.
Apple of course is making the iWatch according to reports, the most recent reports indicate that Apple hiring engineers to work on the watch to get it ready prior to holiday 2014.


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Citing financial cutbacks, attributed largely to a significant decline in advertising revenues, CBC-TV has decided to axe the long-running sartorial news show "Fashion File" as well as the lifestyle series "Steven & Chris" (known also for their previous incarnation as "Designer Guys"). Kirstine Layfield, CBC-TV's executive director of network programming, made it clear that the move was not a reflection on the shows or its hosts. Production on "Fashion File" will continue until March 31 while "Steven & Chris" will conclude on April 15. Technically, "Fashion File" is "not returning next season" while "Steven & Chris" has been put "on hiatus next season"—the difference appears to be largely semantic however, as the hiatus is reported to be indefinite. Following the conclusion of production, the shows will be broadcast in repeats as part of a new afternoon schedule. The cancellations come on the heels of an announcement by Heritage Minister James Moore that the public broadcaster will not be receiving additional government funding.
"Fashion File" is an internationally syndicated series that has been on the air for two decades, most recently hosted by Adrian Mainella, who took on the role after winning the Fashion File Host Hunt competition in 2007. CBC plans to hang on to the "Fashion File" brand, which it co-owns along with Fashion Magazine, to use in other capacities. This is an unfortunate day in Canadian fashion reporting history. So far, at least, it looks like CTV's Fashion Television, hosted by Jeanne Beker, and the spectacular Fashion Television Channel are holding steady.


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Zendesk Announces Date of First Quarter 2017 Financial Results
SAN FRANCISCO – April 11, 2017 – Zendesk, Inc. (NYSE: ZEN) today announced that it will release financial results for the first fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2017 following the close of the U.S. markets on Thursday, May 4, 2017. In conjunction with its earnings press release, the company will post a detailed shareholder letter to its Investor Relations website https://investor.zendesk.com.
Zendesk will host a conference call to answer questions at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, on Thursday, May 4, 2017. A live webcast of the conference call will be available at https://investor.zendesk.com. The conference call can also be accessed by dialing 877-201-0168, or +1 647-788-4901 (outside the U.S. and Canada). The conference ID is 73226442. A replay of the call via webcast will be available at https://investor.zendesk.com or by dialing 800-585-8367 or +1 416-621-4642 (outside the U.S. and Canada) and entering passcode 73226442. The dial-in replay will be available until the end of day May 6, 2017. The webcast replay will be available for 12 months.
Zendesk builds software for better customer relationships. It empowers organizations to improve customer engagement and better understand their customers. More than 94,000 paid customer accounts in over 150 countries and territories use Zendesk products. Based in San Francisco, Zendesk has operations in the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America. Learn more at www.zendesk.com.


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In addition to getting a new champion every few weeks, League of Legends is continually updated with balance changes and gameplay tweaks based on player feedback. Yesterday Riot Games released its early August patch preview, detailing incoming champion nerfs and buffs in addition to big changes...
Get your wallets out, summoners! Four classic League of Legends skins will be retired from the store as of Monday, March 12th. The skins in question are Emerald Taric, Unmasked Kayle, Nightmare Cho'Gath, and Butcher Urgot -- and who doesn't want his favorite slaughter machine dressed up as the...
Posted on Apr 15th 2014 8:00PM
Posted on Apr 15th 2014 4:00PM
Posted on Apr 15th 2014 3:30PM


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Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano and the co-founder of Ethereum, has recently announced via a tweet that a new version of the ADA blockchain will be released in the next few weeks of this month August. The version will be designed to improve scalability once again and truly cement Cardano’s position as a third-generation cryptocurrency.
Cardano has been a fan favorite these past months as Hawkins has been traveling around the world scoring partnership after partnership. The most recent of such collaborations that have been reported was the agreement with the Ministry of Education of Georgia. Hoskinson is entirely behind the project and will continue to develop it further. As a matter of fact, the founder may not need to interfere at all. Cardano has a handy treasure for which developers apply for funding on and make their own adjustments to the blocking. Overall, Cardano is demonstrating the genuinely decentralized nature of the blockchain and sticking to its guns relentlessly.
Additionally, there has been a tease for the impending version 1.6 as the CEO called out to the users to share screenshots and comments as regards to the latest version of Daedalus open source crypto wallet
“We are shipping the 1.6 cardano update over the next few days. Send me some screenshots of the crypto wallet and let me know if you like it. A lot of great work went into the release, and I am extremely proud of the team. “
Besides Cardano and other projects, Hoskinson is also working on a new project, which was revealed during the blockchain conference consensus 2019. The project is an inception of Polymath, a security token platform. It has been dubbed Polymesh and will see the creation of a blockchain for tokens in a bid to make them regulatory friendly. He continues to further state in part “after confounding Ethereum and Cardano, two of the most widely used blockchain in the world; I am looking forward to working on Polymesh. By fact, there are quadrillions of Dollars of financial securities and building a blockchain to secure them is an incredibly exciting task force consumes said during the conference.
Coupling up the massive support that Cardano has drummed up for itself and the ample funding and financial supply that it has, Cardano could be on the right direction towards making itself globally renowned in the crypto industry. Close cooperation is one of the critical success factors in the blockchain sector. Additionally, the new upgrades and new products that Hoskison is releasing and working on are geared towards cementing his reputation and the credibility of the said products.


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On June 18, Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg announced his cryptocurrency products called “Libra”.
According to Mark, Libra’s mission is to create a simple global financial infrastructure that empowers billions of people around the world.
Why should you care as Online Seller/ Online marketer on Facebook?
What is Libra?
Libra is the name of the coin and it’s powered by blockchain technology, much like Bitcoin. Libra is to create a simple global financial infrastructure that empowers billions of people around the world.
- Blockchain technology – decentralized, secured
- Cashless – use mobile money, now there are around a billion people who don’t have a bank account but have a mobile phone.
- Easy for everyone to send and receive money – like use apps to instantly share messages and photos.
- Will integrate with Whatsapp and Messenger next year
- Available to anyone with an internet connection and has low fees and costs
- 27 organizations will build their own services using Libra like Mastercard, Visa, Paypal, Spotify, Uber, etc.
How to apply and use Libra to pay?
As Libra is a cryptocurrency, you’ll able to exchange your currency for Libra online or at local places like retails shop. Payment will be make in the Calibra wallet app (an app for Libra to pay and receive – https://calibra.com/)
Calibra is secured and let you send Libra to almost anyone with a smartphone at low to no cost. In future, Calibra will let you pay bills with the push of a button, buying coffee with the scan of a code, or riding local public transport without needing to carry cash or metro pass.
As I mentioned, Mastercard, Visa, Paypal and more are founding members of Libra coin, so they are control the majority of digital transactions and wallet apps right now, so I’m felt confidence that we’ll see Libra available to exchange next year 2020.
How does this affect online marketing/ online marketer?
The reason that we need to care is because Libra currency will be available within Facebook messenger and Whatsapp next year, facebook will start implement the libra pay on messenger.
This is possible for business to user payments within messengers,
• Billions of people in the world don’t have a bank account that will now able to pay and receive money online without a bank account.
• That business is for worldwide or very difficult to collect payments with.
For me, the Calibra app is exactly same with our Malaysia ewallet app Boost, Grab pay, Fave pay, Alipay, WeChat pay, etc. In Malaysia, we already step closer to cashless world, and in Asia, China have made their country became a cashless community, they just have to use alipay and wechat pay to receive and pay.
For me there is no surprise if facebook want to create a ewallet app, the main surprise is Facebook are going to have their own cryptocurrency Libra, and there are 27 organizations together to build Libra and Digital bank (passby local bank).
Libra will first launch in facebook messenger and whatsapp, and I believe the next will be instagram and facebook marketplace. Are very benefits to those who doing online business in facebook, whatsapp or instagram, hope this can launch next year?
The official launch for Libra is next year, but you can sign up for early access (and see more deets here): https://libra.org
To read Libra’s official White Paper on how it will work, go here: https://libra.org/en-US/white-paper/
The best deep-dive article: https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/18/facebook-libra/


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The UK-based coffee and food-to-go chain has entered its seventh European market with a store at Luxembourg City’s Royal-Hamilius complex
Pret A Manger also operates stores in the UK, France, Ireland, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland | Photo credit: Pret A Manger
UK-based Pret A Manger has opened its first store in Luxembourg within the mixed-use Royal-Hamilius complex in Luxembourg City.
Luxembourg is Pret A Manger’s seventh European market after the UK, France, Ireland, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland.
Having delayed its Luxembourg debut in 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Pret A Manger said it will take a cautious approach to expansion in the country. However, Stéphane Klein, Managing Director of Pret Europe, said he hopes to have ‘several’ stores in Luxembourg in the coming years.
“Opening our first Pret A Manger in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a fantastic moment for Pret. Unfortunately, the health crisis delayed this wonderful project, but we are now all very proud of this first opening. We are all very optimistic, and I hope that we will have the pleasure of welcoming many customers in this first shop to build together the success of Pret in Luxembourg,” he said.
Pret A Manger, which was acquired by Luxembourg-based conglomerate JAB Holdings in 2018 in a deal reportedly worth £1.5bn ($1.8bn), is also reportedly exploring further European expansion, although details have yet to be shared.
The Royal-Hamilius outlet will prepare all food and beverages on-site, with products and ingredients delivered from the brand's logistics hub south of Paris. Pret A Manger currently operates 45 stores in France.
However, unlike in the UK and France, Pret A Manger is not currently offering its monthly coffee subscription service in Luxembourg. The service entitles subscribers to five hot and cold beverages per day for £25 ($31) a-month in the UK and €25 ($27) in France.
With a population of just over 640,000, Luxembourg has a heavily food-focused branded coffee shop market similar to neighbouring France, Belgium and Germany.
World Coffee Portal research shows Luxembourg’s branded coffee shop market exceeds 117 outlets, more than 100 of which belong to food-focused chains. The market is led by domestic bakery café chain Fischer, with 60 stores.
The Luxembourgian branded coffee shop market is forecast to reach 160 outlets by 2028.
In September 2022, Pret A Manger CEO Pano Christou said he wanted to oversee a ‘genuinely worldwide’ business and will continue to pursue growth in new markets.
Alongside recent market entries in Canada, Ireland, Kuwait and India, the coffee and food-to-go chain is also slated to open in Spain, Portugal, Qatar and Israel this year.


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In New York City's latest attempt to curb obesity rates, Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Wednesday proposed a ban on the sale of large servings of sodas and sugary drinks in restaurants, sports arenas, and street carts, the New York Times reports.
The proposal—the first of its kind in the United States—could go into effect as early as next March if approved by the city’s Board of Health. According to the Times, the board, whose members were appointed by Bloomberg, is expected to approve the proposal.
The ban would apply to cups or bottles that measure at least 16 fluid ounces. Specifically, it would prevent merchants from selling soda, energy drinks, pre-sweetened coffee drinks, and pre-sweetened iced tea in servings larger than 16 fluid ounces.
The ban would not apply to diet sodas, fruit juices, alcoholic drinks, and dairy-based drinks like milkshakes. It also would not apply to beverages sold in grocery or convenience stores.
About a third of New Yorkers drink one or more sugary drinks a day, according to Health Commissioner Thomas Farley. More than 50% of the city's adults are obese or overweight and obesity rates are higher in neighborhoods where soda consumption is more common, Farley added.
The proposed ban would fall under the same city jurisdiction that Bloomberg used in the past to prohibit artificial trans fats in restaurant foods and cigarette smoking in restaurants and parks.
Bloomberg said that he thinks the proposal reflects "what the public wants the mayor to do,” reports AP/USA Today. Many similar measures proposed by Bloomberg, such as posting calorie counts in restaurants, were initially derided but eventually became models for cities across the nation, the Times notes (Grynbaum, Times, 5/30; AP/USA Today, 5/31).
Next in the Daily Briefing
Laughter—the key to a longer life?


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Delhi: Software giant Microsoft plans to release the localised version
of its operating system Windows and Office suite in four more Indian languages,
including Tamil and Bengali, by April.
company has already launched the localised version of its products in Hindi
and Kannada, and plans to make them available in fourteen Indian languages
by the end of this year. These versions have already been developed, tested
and showcased to the some state government and customers at various forums,
the localised versions, Microsoft already provides support for Windows and
Office in twelve Indian languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu,
Kannada and Gujarati.
localisation programme focuses on four areas - ensuring that each product
works for various Indian languages; collaborating with the Central and State
Governments; supporting, developing and
enhancing local independent software vendor ecosystem; and working in a
community to reach out to individuals, he said.


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Springtown is joining Kermit as a winner in the pre-signup contest between Springtown, Venus, Kermit, and Italy. Construction began on November 15, 2019. The synKro™ broadband Internet service will be available to households and businesses in the town of Springtown and surrounding area.
Minneapolis, November 22, 2019 – Today, synKro Broadband Internet announced their commitment to bring their broadband Internet service to Springtown, Texas. Their high tech fixed-wireless service is aimed at closing the broadband gap in rural areas across the U.S. They have partnered with American Tower Corporation (ATC) and Field Nation (a nation-wide technical support organization) and use local technicians to install equipment on the ATC tower located Kermit. The project, when complete, will provide broadband Internet service to households and businesses in and around Springtown.
synKro Broadband Internet takes a unique approach to choosing where to build their services by putting their customers in control of whether the community will get the service or not. By signing up for service, individuals and businesses in the community “vote” for synKro to come to town. When their minimum subscriber threshold is met, synKro begins their construction process and starts providing service. This modern approach is part of their overall company philosophy to give consumers greater control which also includes their purchasing decisions and more flexible service options.
The FCC reports that more than 25 million Americans in rural areas lack broadband Internet. This number, however, is considered wildly understated. According to Microsoft data, over 160 million people across the United States cannot use the Internet at broadband speeds, which would mean upwards of 14 million people in Texas.
"Every person deserves the same opportunity. But all too often, and in too many places, opportunities are limited by where people live and their access to reliable and affordable broadband Internet," said Carl-Johan Torarp, CEO, synKro Broadband Internet. "Our patented synKro cloud technology solution is working across the country to close this gap. It is leveraging Microsoft’s highly scalable and secure public cloud Azure. We're looking forward to coming to Springtown and are encouraged by the enthusiastic response we are receiving from residents, business, and local officials.”
The construction process is expected to take 2 to 3 months. The improved service will bolster economic, educational, and telecommuting opportunities for everyone in the area, and also impactful for Springtown business owners.
synKro continues to sign up subscribers in the Springtown, Kermit, Venus and Italy areas.
synKro is the service delivery brand of LocaLoop that invented patented cloud technology that brings the full power of broadband Internet to rural areas.


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Tourism Takes Center Stage in TanzaniaTourism has taken the spotlight in with the Tanzania Tourist Board announcing plans to produce an international travel show in India with the aim of marketing the country. Arusha is also due to host the first conference on sustainable tourism.
Tanzania's Ngorongoro crater, the country boasts of many tourist attractions.
Daily News, 8 October 2012
ARUSHA is set to host the first Pan-African Conference on Sustainable Tourism Management in National Parks and Protected Areas which will bring delegates from 50 different… Read more »
Daily News, 4 October 2012
TURKISH Airlines is set to begin scheduled services to Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) from December 4 this year following an aggressive marketing strategy for the airport… Read more »
Tanzania: TTB Urges Tourism Promotion
Daily News, 28 September 2012
THE Chairman of Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), Ambassador Charles Sanga, has called upon Mwanza regional authorities to intensify efforts in promoting tourism in the region. Read more »


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Take advantage of incredible specials in the Capital City at Premier Hotel Pretoria. Find specials for hosting your next conference and accommodating your delegates in the heart of Pretoria’s business district.
Premier Hotel & Resorts recently hosted a SOD turning ceremony in Thohoyandou to mark the building of its 25th hotel in the hospitality Group. Premier Hotel Thohoyandou, situated in the far Northern part of Limpopo Province, will be a major milestone in the tourism sector and will serve as a catalyst to many economic developments planned for the region.
Throughout 2020, while many hotel groups paused development, there were hotel chains that chose to boost the hospitality and tourism sectors to create more possibilities for guests.


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Today, Activision and Infinity Ward have revealed the next entry into the Call of Duty franchise. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has players taking on the role of highly-skilled Tier One operators in an incredibly raw and gritty narrative affecting the global balance of power. The game is set to release on October 25, 2019 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
Last week, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was leaked and it revealed that the game is a “soft reboot” of the Modern Warfare series of Call of Duty titles. Unlike last year’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, the single-player campaign returns to Modern Warfare. Activision says that “the new Modern Warfare delivers an emotionally charged and intense campaign that shines light on the changing nature of modern war. Expect a single-player experience that is edgy, culturally relevant, and thought-provoking”.
The campaign will have players fighting alongside a diverse cast of international special forces and freedom fighters working within the grey area of their rules of engagement, in a number of heart-pounding covert operations set throughout iconic European cities and into the volatile expanses of the Middle East. The campaign will have missions that include close-quarter, stealth operations and long-range combat that puts tactical decision-making to the ultimate test. Dave Stohl, Studio Head for Infinity Ward told IGN that “this project is different, it’s a real passion project for the studio. This is a military sim. It’s more about that kind of authentic experience.”
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare features a new engine delivering an immersice and photo-realistic experience. The new technology includes a physically-based material system allowing for state of the art photogrammetry, a new hybrid tile based streaming system, new PBR decal rendering system, world volumetric lighting, 4k HDR, DirectX Raytracing (PC) and more.
The game will feature a unified narrative experience and progression across the entire game, including single-player campaign, online multiplayer, and co-op experiences. Infinity Ward has revealed that the team plans for Modern Warfare to be played together across PC and console through cross-play support. Infinity Ward has also shared that the traditional Season Pass that has been in previous Call of Duty won’t be in Modern Warfare. Infinity Ward made this decision so the team can “deliver more free maps and content as well as post-launch events to all players”. Creative Director Patrick Kelly said “every design decision has been made with our players in mind. This is just the beginning – there’s so much more to come”.


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If you’ve been following Dark Horse graphic novels then you’ll be glad to know that the comany’s digital initiative will now include Barnes & Noble’s Tablet and Color e-readers.
Dark Horse also released its digital media content to iOS users a year ago, and has now expanded to the popular Barnes & Noble devices.
Some of the popular titles by Dark Horse are Mass Effect, Hellboy, Star Wars, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Serenity and Sin City, among others.
The company’s senior director of marketing, Matt Parkinson, noted that they look forward to venture into other platforms to widen their scale and bring their novels to more readers.
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Out of the dark, however, comes a bright light in the way of benevolent acts of human kindness and compassion. And, if you're looking to give back, too, take note: Some of our friends in fashion have decided to donate a percentage of their sales to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy. Below, check out the companies that have decided to give their customers a bit of a monetary break, and the hurricane victims a little relief in the process. You have our official permission to shop.
As if we didn’t love Reformation enough already, the eco-friendly fashion brand is not only offering 20% off all items with coupon code “REFRELIEF,” but is also donating 10% of all sales to The American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund to aid victims of Hurricane Sandy. The discount and donations are in place until Thursday, November 8.
Our beloved jewelry-making sisters at DANNIJO have decided to dedicate 20% of the brand’s online sales to The American Red Cross. From now until Sunday, November 4, you can simultaneously up your arm candy factor while helping an important cause.
The Courtshop flagship store is currently closed, but is happy to offer 20% off its online selection as well as free shipping. Additionally, 10% of proceeds from all denim sales will be donated to The American Red Cross.
NYC retailer and R29 favorite Kirna Zabête is hoping to get back up and running in Soho soon. In the meantime, the company is offering 15% off all fall merchandise with code “SILVERLINING” until Sunday, November 4.
With it being tough to get back and forth between Manhattan and Brooklyn, Williamsburg gem Jumelle is offering 10% off all online orders now until Sunday, November 4. Simply use the code “SANDY". Thanks, Candice!
Assembly New York is keeping all of its activity online “until the power comes back on.” Everything on the boutique's site is 30% off indefinitely. No code necessary.
The Erica Weiner store and studio in Manhattan is closed but, luckily for everyone, the jewelry is dry and unharmed! All online purchases are 15% off with the code "TOTO".
Stock up on luxe leather goods and more for a cause thanks to Salvatore Ferragamo. The brand will be donating a portion of their proceeds (through this Sunday) to the Red Cross.
Natori will also be donating 20% of its online sales to The American Red Cross. Support the cause and replenish your luxury lingerie drawer from now until November 11.
Photo: Courtesy of DANNIJO


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UK retail chain HMV has posted grim financial results and admitted that the company's future does not look bright.
Gamasutra reports HMV's latest financials briefing noted revenue of £364.9 million ($566.5 million) for the six months ending in late October. That's a 17.6% decrease year on year, down from £442.7 million ($687.3 million).
The retailer noted losses of £50.1 million ($77.8 million) over the past six months, meaning the chain lost £19.2 million more than in the same period last year.
Chief executive Simon Fox described the six month period as "challenging" and said HMV had taken "decisive action to restructure the business", with results already noted in the Technology products sector.
"Like all consumer-facing companies we are facing tough trading conditions but we continue to push forwards through this period. We remain well prepared for the key trading days ahead," he added.
Echoing this, a general statement said the retailer has "adequate resources to continue in operation for the foreseeable future," but said a general economic malaise "may cast significant doubt on the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern in the future."
Founded in 1921, HMV is a global entertainment retail chain and the largest of its kind in its home territory of the UK and Ireland.


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Betson Enterprises has welcomed Lou Cappetta to their growing Florida amusement sales team. Cappetta will be responsible for sales in the Southern part of the state for all amusement products.
He brings many years of sales and management experience in the amusement redemption FEC business dating back to Seaside Heights on the New Jersey Shore where his family owned and operated two amusement entertainment centers. Cappetta eventually started his own street route, and founded Bonita Marie International, which became a major merchandise supplier, in the 1980s. In 1990 he introduced a software system to the industry called Amusement Redemption Management Systems (ARMS.)
“We have been looking for a sales professional with Lou’s experience in the coin-op industry since we first opened the Orlando office and we are proud to finally have him on our team,” said David Capilouto, of Betson Florida. “Lou brings significant talent and industry knowledge he secured while working in the coin-operated amusement industry.”
Bay Tek Entertainment, an industry leader in games and entertainment, is pleased to announce the...


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Aldi has submitted a planning application to the council for a new superstore on Scartho Top.
The supermarket chain has formally submitted a planning application to North East Lincolnshire Council, after it revealed last month that it was planning to build a superstore in the area.
Creating up to 40 new jobs, Aldi says that it believes that the store will increase the choice available for local residents who are doing their shopping.
It comes as a further 850 homes are set to be built on Scartho Top in the next ten years.
The superstore will be 1,880 square metres with a 1,315 square metre shop floor, and it would also have a 110 space care park. There would also be six disabled spaces, seven for a parent and child and five bicycle spaces.
The supermarket chain says that it has held informal discussions with the council about the possibility of opening a new store in Scartho, and it recently did a letter drop to 1,900 properties in the area, telling them of their intentions.
There is already an outline plan for a retail development and a primary school for the site which has become a mini-village - but without many facilities.
The nearest shops are currently 1.5 miles away.
Many local residents have already welcomed the proposals, along with Scartho ward councillors, who feel that it will be a great addition to the area.
One couple on Fenwick Road, on Scartho Top said: "We will definitely use it. We were told there would be a pub for the estate as well but that has gone off the plans. It just means we have to walk to The Rose and Crown."
Councillor Ron Shepherd said: "The nearest shops are over a mile away, which is a long way for someone with a buggy.
"I am glad this is coming. We are expecting further retail units so there could be a hairdresser's, newsagents and other shops. It will all be for the benefit of residents."
He said talks are underway with Stagecoach to provide a bus service for the estate.
The planning retail statement submitted to the council by Aldi said: "The introduction of an Aldi food store compliments the wider aims of the strategic allocation through the creation of a local food centre/community hub, whilst also introducing significant street scene enhancements.
"The food store provides choice and competition within the market place, encouraging and sustaining shorter round trips and helping to retain and enhance convenience expenditure in the zone.
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"The development also has the potential to anchor the allocated local centre, a key component to the successful delivery of the wider development aspirations at Scartho Top."


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Taking cameras into the rotting remains of Americas malls
Consider, for a minute, the stores that make up your retail past.
Dan Bell and Erik Pierson feel your pain. The two online video stars are chronicling, to a growing YouTube audience, the decline of stores nationwide.
Good news: Neither has shot anything here.
DON’T BLAME US FOR YOUR DOWNFALL
Pierson specializes in shooting video inside struggling stores. Bell has made a name for himself showing malls in their final stages of demise.
Pierson works in Arizona. Bell has traveled through several states, primarily on the East Coast and in the Midwest, where a glut of shopping center relics can be found.
“I get real diehard fans who are upset about pointing out issues such as Kmart, with them saying, ‘As a shareholder, I don’t appreciate you going around and pointing out all the dirty stuff,’ ” Pierson told The News Tribune in a recent phone interview.
His response: “You should be getting mad at the people at the top of the chain running the business, not me.”
Bell has had similar feedback.
“I’ve had nothing but negative experiences from retail,” he said. “Malls contact me and are livid they are featured, but the reality is, what are they going to do?”
His advice to offended mall owners: “Go look at your Yelp reviews or Google reviews. I’m not showing up to ruin things.”
Before going in and surreptitiously filming, both do their research.
“I was randomly reading New York Times stories on retail,” Pierson said. “... Now I get articles sent to me via Twitter and fans.”
He also checks out the financial reports of stores. That has stopped him from filming sites that might not be doing well where he is, but are doing well elsewhere.
For Bell, preserving malls in digital form, and in quality fashion, is paramount. It’s the least they deserve, he says, as the social epicenter for a generation of teens.
“I think back to the mall from my childhood,” he said, “and there is no record of it. No pictures. All I could find was a little ad from the early 1980s. Nothing left of that mall but memories.”
That still bugs him.
“With all these malls closing, I thought, ‘I should start filming them.’ ”
He did, and the videos became a part of his This is Dan Bell YouTube channel.
RADIOSHACK, ROLLING ACRES
Pierson has asked for permission from some before he shot. His video of his local RadioShack needed employees to cooperate because of the small space.
“Hard to go unnoticed,” he said.
The employees told him to go ahead.
“They were in the process of liquidation,” he said.
So far, it’s the most-viewed video on his site.
“That one caught me off guard,” he said. “I had a lot of childhood memories and was bummed out by the direction they were going.
“It saddened a lot of people. A lot of the comments on that video are, ‘I remember my dad taking me and buying a remote-controlled car and hobbyist things.’ ”
No retailer has directly reached out to Pierson for advice. And yet ...
“I have noticed going back to some of these same stores I film, places like Kmart, and things I’ve pointed out are then later fixed,” he laughed. “So, someone watched it, like people who worked for the company.”
The video that catapulted Bell to national attention was Rolling Acres Mall in Akron, Ohio. It now has more than 1 million views on YouTube.
“I think at that time there wasn’t any good video of that mall,” he said. “Kids were filming, but I wanted to do a comprehensive look ... and shoot a really good video of it.”
He made a mini-documentary of a retail collapse in one American city. It stands as a cautionary tale for every still-thriving mall.
In it, frogs can be heard singing from the water pooled up inside the mall. Raccoon tracks are documented. Birds chirp. Moss is evident on the floor.
Graffiti and bullet holes are rampant.
“I’m in there,” Bell recalled, “and all of a sudden I hear all these people walking. It’s a creepy place anyway to be in by myself, so I’m wondering, ‘Is this a gang of vagrants?’
“Then I see a cop with a flashlight and then it was, ‘There he is!’ They had dogs and everything.”
He was escorted out by Akron police, though he adds: “They were actually nice and interested in what I was doing.”
Bell’s since been back, and had visited the mall the day before this interview.
“They’ve torn down the inside,” he said. “It’s still interesting to see so many people watch the video. It’s my favorite. I’m very proud of it. I drove six hours to Akron to shoot it.”
HOW DO THEY SHOP?
Pierson has an Amazon Prime account but after documenting so many struggling stores, the view from the lens changed the way he shops.
“I still order plenty but I do try to shop local now more than I used to,” he said. “It’s worth it to get something now (rather) than wait for delivery.”
Also, during his video sorties, “I do try to spend some money at these places — the mall food court, or at Sears, or something.”
Bell, for all his dead mall excursions, has a different perspective.
“I don't shop at malls,” he said. “I love mall food, but as far as shops, they never have anything I want ... but I have very limited shopping needs.”
He also shops Amazon.
“Busy malls drive me crazy,” he admitted.
All total, Bell has been to about 50 malls “teetering on edge to dead to abandoned,” he said.
“There’s going to be malls that will survive and keep doing well until the next thing comes along,” he said. “... I look at it like drive-ins. Back in the day, they were huge and everyone went and then ... that was over.”
MOVING ON, LOOKING BACK
Bell’s current YouTube project, which is gaining a fan base, is touring hotels that have received bad reviews. It’s called Another Dirty Room.
But for him, the dead mall videos, which earned him a spot as a Tedx speaker on the subject, are “like a eulogy.”
“As a teenager, the mall was the place for me,” he said. “I worked at the mall shoe store called Dulce” and at a sports store, Herman’s World of Sporting Goods.
He recalled a stint working at Macy’s in the early 1990s. The store, he said, took great pride in an austere black-and-white portrait of itself, devoid of any vehicles in the parking lot.
“It was such a ‘Twin Peaks’ kind of creepy photo,” he remembered. “... a professional photographer took it and gave it to managers for their offices.”
The description sounds just like his mall videos.
“I wish I had a copy of that picture,” he laments.
HOW IS RETAIL IN TACOMA?
How healthy is a local economy? A good indicator is the price per square foot of retail space.
As the economy began to unravel in 2007, retail space in Tacoma was leasing for as little as in the teens of dollars per square foot, said Kyle Prosser, a broker with First Western Properties.
Today the price per square foot in the Tacoma area has risen to the mid-$30s, Prosser said. Brokers believe Tacoma’s retail space soon will command $40 or more per square foot — a distant dream a decade ago.
“A lot of the good stuff has been scooped up by these tenants that are either coming from Seattle or simply backfilling,” Prosser said. “A lot of the retail space we have left on the market is less desirable than the stuff we had in 2007.”
Space near the new Tacoma Walmart and the new Fred Meyer in Gig Harbor is starting to demand $40 per square foot, he said.
The remodeled Westgate North Shopping Center, which has two buildings under construction North 26th and Pearl streets, has lease rates in the high $30 range.
Kate Martin, staff writer


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We've already looked at Black Black deals from Amazon, Dell, Costco and Walmart, so it was only a matter of time before Target released its Black Friday ad. There are some solid deals in there, but the more immediate news is the Black Friday Preview Sale which happens this Friday and Saturday November 8-9. The store has quadrupled the number of deals that will be available during this sale, according to a press release from Target. So what is worth your time, both at the weekend and at the end of the month? I've dug into the ad to give you the best target choices.
We do not currently have much information about preview sales, but here are a few items we know for sure will be available:
We & # 39; I'll add more preview offers when we uncover them. If nothing else, check back on Friday for a more complete list.
Meanwhile, these are some of the best deals we've seen in Target & # 39; s Black Friday ad. Be sure to check the ad yourself to find out exactly what days these items will be available and whether they will be available online or just in-store.
Yes! The previous generation iPad 9.7 hung around this price for a good part of 2019 – until the newer 10.2 model came in at $ 329. Although the 128 GB model has routinely been on sale for $ 299, this is the first dip we've seen yet for the 32 GB version. There is not a ton of storage space, but for many users it is enough.
Read the iPad 10.2 review.
More to come!
CNET's Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. For the latest deals and updates, follow Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter . Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our and find more bargains on the CNET offer page.


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Twitch beats Pokemon, Batman gets his license, and you turned into Jerry Seinfeld—this is gaming news for the week of March 3.
Shadowrun Returns was already good, but Dragonfall makes improvements on every front.
Woody from Toy Story hijacking cars. The Kool-Aid Man trying to hit you with a car. And GTA meets Flappy Bird? These wacky mods are just plain weird, and oh so glorious.
At this year's Game Developers Conference Microsoft will finally show off the new generation of its graphics API—six years in the making.
Gabe Newell and Co. took to Reddit yesterday to answer fan questions. Sorry, Half Life 3 was not announced.
South Park: The Stick of Truth is pure fan-service, but that's not all bad.
Get your hands on Microsoft's ambitious development tool/game by signing up for the beta today.
A former reality TV star sues a Rockstar, Minecraft goes Hollywood, a King tries to give candy back to those it stole from, and a Nintendo investor tries to ruin Mario forever—this is intriguing game news you may have missed for the week of February 24.
No more worrying about whether your game supports Steam Cloud.
With Loot 2.0, it's almost like the original Diablo III never existed. Almost.


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You can never look too good and you can never have too much M·A·C. Now open in Las Vegas at the Miracle Mile Shops, 3663 South Las Vegas Boulevard, M·A·C Cosmetics has a new store. It’s a new year. Don’t you need new makeup?
To celebrate, M·A·C presented a weekend-long event, December 20-21, 2014, featuring a dazzling stage, DJ, dance performances, and makeup stations with artists demonstrating makeup techniques
Update your cosmetic bag now. Visit the new M·A·C Cosmetics location at Miracle Mile Shops.


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Shanghai would go into staggering lockdown starting today, China declared on Sunday, marking the city’s largest lockdown since the Covid outbreak began more than two years ago.
For shipping, congestion at the port, which is already very high, is expected to worsen in the coming days, while terminals in Europe and North America will have to brace for an even greater whiplash effect once the city returns to normal productivity – and this comes as global supply chains deal with the fallout from a seven-day lockdown in Shenzhen, to the south, earlier this month.
For the new two-part lockdown, the authorities have opted to split Shanghai in half using the Huangpu River. On Saturday, the city reported 2,631 new asymptomatic cases, accounting for roughly 60% of China’s total new asymptomatic cases, as well as 47 new instances with symptoms.
The eastern half of the city, Pudong, will be under lockdown from today until Friday when mass testing begins, while the western area, Puxi, will be on lockdown from April 1 to 5.
Work at most factories, as well as public transportation, will be halted. The stay-at-home order will not apply to essential workers, such as port workers.
Lars Jensen, CEO of consultancy Vespucci Maritime, commented on the implications for container shipping on LinkedIn, saying,
“If this is widespread it will mean demand slow-down in the short term and downwards spot rate pressure, followed by a surge and upwards pressure.”
“Obviously, this disrupts the flow of containerized cargo, when truck drivers must pass many Covid tests to do they jobs. And the closure of factories this week is not improving a situation that has soured for most of March,” commented Peter Sand, chief analyst at Xeneta, going on to predict a likely further softening in spot rates in the coming weeks.
“Global shippers would prefer more predictable and reliable supply chains to more obstacles and falling rates,” Sand said.


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Recently Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo removed a couple of Coca Cola bottles in a post-match press conference of Euro 2020 on Monday, June 14, after Portugal won over Hungary and touted the virtue of water. The beverage giant’s stocks fell by four billion dollars on Friday. This was followed by Paul Pogba removing Heineken bottles after France won over Germany on Tuesday, June 15. Later on, Manuel Locatelli removed a Coca Cola bottle after Italy won over Switzerland on Wednesday 16. Both Coca Cola and Heineken are official sponsors of Euro 2020.
On Thursday, June 17, UEFA released a statement which said that UEFA was reminding participating teams that partnerships were integral to the delivery of the tournament and were necessary for the development of football across Europe, for youth and women as well.
— Goal (@goal) June 17, 2021
A few days after Ronaldo’s stunt, Ukraine’s Yarmolenko took a jab at Ronaldo’s act, on Thursday, June 17, during his post-match press conference after Ukraine’s victory over North Macedonia. He told reporters, “Can I do something? I’ve seen Ronaldo putting away Coca-Cola bottles recently.” He cheekily added, “I’ll put Coca-Cola here, I’ll put Heineken right here up front! Guys contact me.”
Belgian Romelu Lukaku also supported the beverage giant by telling Coke to contact his agents for a new deal. England’s captain Harry Kane said that he was unable to understand the fuss about the drink brands. He said that from his point of view, sponsors were entitled to have what they want, if they have paid the money to do so.
Although all the three players have a right to choose what they drink, their actions are not in consonance with team behavior. Carbonated drinks are unhealthy but so are fast foods, alcohol, tobacco, pot, highly processed foods and more. Is it going to become a trend that every time an unhealthy brand sponsors an event, someone will show displeasure against it?
Although every human being has the right to choose what they eat and drink, selective targeting of a brand reinforces a “holier than thou art” attitude against a sponsor. The action of promoting health is an excellent one but the forum, targeting brands who are official sponsors, brings to mind the concept of hypocrisy rather than morality.
Image Credit : Image Credits – UEFA.com


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NComputing Intros Bundled Desktop Virtualization For SMBs
"Office in a Box" packages devices, software, and pre-certified peripherals to encourage desktop replacement for everyday productivity tasks.
(click image for larger view)
Slideshow: 12 Money Saving Tech Tips For SMBs
NComputing has launched a desktop virtualization product aimed at reducing fear factors that might hinder mainstream adoption by small and midsize businesses.
The company's newest package -- dubbed "Office in a Box" -- stresses desktop replacement for everyday back-office productivity uses by bundling its virtualization products with standard-issue peripherals. Daniel Raskin, NComputing's head of product marketing, said that doing so is key to addressing the needs of smaller businesses operating with limited IT support.
"We're building solutions that include end-computing technology and third-party technology to just make it really brain-dead simple for people to get desktop virtualization set up in their environments," Raskin said in an interview.
Like other vendors, NComputing has previously found traction in verticals that tend to virtualize to solve industry-specific challenges, such as compliance-conscious healthcare companies or harsh manufacturing environments. With Office in a Box, the vendor hopes to cast a wider net and promote more traditional back-office usage.
NComputing's strategy is in large part tied to simplifying deployments by delivering ready-to-go systems. The company pre-tests and certifies peripherals -- keyboards, mice, monitors, and the like -- to ensure they work smoothly with its systems. That's critical to widespread adoption of desktop virtualization, according to Raskin.
"The bane of all vendors' existence is focusing on, as new peripherals come out and changes happen in software and hardware, pre-validating and ensuring that everything works together," Raskin said. "Although we'd like to say that it's just like a PC and all the peripherals out there will work with desktop virtualization, that just historically has not been the case. That's just a generic problem cutting across all desktop virtualization."
Office in a Box is geared for businesses with between 15 and 100 users, through it can scale for larger branch-office deployments, according to the company. It comes in three primary configurations. The base package includes NComputing's virtual desktops, vSpace software, OS licenses, host server(s), network-attached storage, and basic peripherals. The larger configurations add backup, SAN/LAN storage, desktop failover, and server virtualization infrastructure compatible with VMware, Citrix, and Hyper-V. Pricing varies depending on configuration and size of the deployment.
Another reason behind NComputing's turnkey approach is the fear and other challenges of desktop virtualization that can occur in small businesses. To that end, the company gives away free trial systems to skittish prospective customers.
"If someone's scared about desktop virtualization, or wants to see if it matches the right use case or if it's something they're capable of doing, we'll send them a device and say 'hey, set it up for yourself,'" Raskin said. "It's something that doesn't require significant technology experience to get up and running."
How Enterprises Are Attacking the IT Security EnterpriseTo learn more about what organizations are doing to tackle attacks and threats we surveyed a group of 300 IT and infosec professionals to find out what their biggest IT security challenges are and what they're doing to defend against today's threats. Download the report to see what they're saying.
Digital Transformation Myths & TruthsTransformation is on every IT organization's to-do list, but effectively transforming IT means a major shift in technology as well as business models and culture. In this IT Trend Report, we examine some of the misconceptions of digital transformation and look at steps you can take to succeed technically and culturally.


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The chair of Chinese payments giant UnionPay has highlighted the ability of a statutory digital currency as proposed by China’s central bank to improve the ability to supervise monetary operations.
Speaking at the 3rd China Finance 40 Yichun Forum (第三届中国金融四十人伊春论坛) on 10 August Shao Fujun (邵伏军), chair of China UnionPay, said that the most likely future for digital currency in China would be a statutory digital currency issued by the central bank and backed by the credit of the state.
At the same event Chinese central bank payments official Mu Changchun said that a digital currency/ electronic payments (DC/EP) system was on the “verge of release.”
Shao highlighted several positive effects of the launch of a central bank digital currency in China:
- Raising the efficiency of the supervision of monetary operations and enriching monetary policy methods. The release of central bank digital currency will make real-time collection of data on money creation, accounts and circulation a possibility, abetting in-depth analysis via technologies such as big data. Central bank digital currency will also help to prevent money-laundering and terrorist financing.
- Driving increases in the “smart” level of transaction procedures. A statutory digital currency can be integrated with smart technologies and smart contracts, helping to resolve the problem of trust issues between transaction parties, as well as the issue of simultaneous information and fund flows, greatly simplifying transaction procedures between traditional financial institutions.
- Pragmatically raising the efficiency of payments and cross-border payments in particular, leading to the creation of an “open payments environment.” The use of a statutory digital currency can greatly “flatten” the statutory currency circulation network, achieving comprehensive connections between base-level payments systems, greatly reducing exchange links, raising the liquidity of cross-border capital, and resolving problems associated with traditional cross-border remittances including long-chains, slow delivery times and low efficiency.


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Advantage Partners is set to make a partial exit from Kizuna Holdings Corporation, a Japanese funeral services business it acquired for around JPY2 billion ($18 million) in 2016, through an IPO.
The company – formerly known as Epoch Japan – will sell up to two million shares, including an overallotment option, for JPY2,200 apiece. The offering will include 1.69 million shares held by Advantage,...
The thinking behind EQT’s decision to open a Sydney office sheds some light on the need among investors to bring more than firepower to a pricey and competitive market
Anchorage Capital Partners has agreed a A$100 million ($66 million) carve-out of the refrigerated logistics division of Automotive Holdings Group (AHG), an Australia and New Zealand-based car dealership business.
CBC Group, a China-focused healthcare investor, has raised a $300 million credit fund that will issue financing to companies backed by royalties, revenue interests, and other cash flows.
Insignia Ventures Partners and Credence Partners are backing a Philippines rollout by Tonik Financial, which claims to be the first digital-only bank in Southeast Asia.


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In this exclusive article we will summarize the performance of the managed indices that New Cannabis Ventures offers to its readers. We will discuss the performance of the Global Cannabis Stock Index, American Cannabis Operator Index, Ancillary Cannabis Index and Canadian Cannabis LP Index as well as Canadian Cannabis LP index Tier 1, 2 and 3.
Global Cannabis Stock Index
After 13 consecutive monthly declines, the Global Cannabis Stock Index lost 21.4% in April, closing at 22.20 to extend the losing streak to 14 months. The index had 35 members during the month.
The Global Cannabis Stock Index has now declined 32.4% in 2022 from its year-end 2021 close of 32.85.
The three strongest names during the month all gained at least 2%:
The three weakest names during the month all declined by more than 36%:
- Ayr Wellness (CSE: AYR.A, OTCQX: AYRWF)
- Agrify (Nasdaq: AGFY)
- AgriFORCE Growing Systems (Nasdaq: AGRI)
- Hydrofarm (Nasdaq: HYFM)
American Cannabis Stocks Index
After breaking a string of eleven consecutive monthly declines in February of this year, the American Cannabis Operator Index fell 22.8% in April to 30.11.
The index has now declined 27.8% in 2022 from its year-end 2021 close of 41.71.
During April, all companies in the American Cannabis Operator Index posted losses, including 6 that lost more than 25% of their value, with a median return of -19.6%.
The four weakest stocks during the month all declined by more than 30%:
- Ayr Wellness (CSE: AYR.A, OTCQX: AYRWF)
- cbdMD Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN: YCBD)
- Trulieve (CSE: TRUL, OTCQX: TCNNF)
- Columbia Care (CSE: CCHW, OTCQX: CCHWF)
Ancillary Cannabis Index
The Ancillary Cannabis Index gave back its bounce earlier in the year, declining 21.8% in April to $41.36:
The index has declined 35.6% in 2022 from its year-end 2021 close of $64.27
During April, the Ancillary Cannabis Index included 14 members with just one posting a gain in excess of 10% and 9 declining by more than 20%, with a median return of -30.7%.
There was a single index member that posted a gain at more than 35%:
- Leafly (Nasdaq: LFLY)
The four weakest stocks during the month all declined by more than 35%:
Canadian Cannabis LP Index
The Canadian Cannabis LP Index fell for the tenth consecutive month, declining 16.3% to 138.84 in April, with a median return of -15.3%.
The index has declined 28.8% in 2022 from its year-end 2021 close of 194.95.
Similarly to the Ancillary index, the Canadian Cannabis LP Index, had only one index member that posted a gain in excess of 10%:
- Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp. (CSE: CANN) (OTCQX: HERTF)
There were five stocks with outsized losses during the month that all declined by more than 30%:
- HEXO Corp. (TSX: HEXO) (Nasdaq: HEXO)
- Tilray Brands (TSX: TLRY) (Nasdaq: TLRY)
- MediPharm Labs (TSX: LABS) (OTCQX: MEDIF)
- The Valens Company (TSX: VLNS) (Nasdaq: VLNS)
- IM Cannabis Corp. (CSE: IMCC) (Nasdaq: IMCC)
Canadian Cannabis LP Tier 1 Index
Tier 1 index fell 24.5% to 211.04 in April. Tier 1, which is now down 32.8% in 2022, dropped 17.7% in 2021 when it ended at 314.28. Among tier 1 companies, TLRY saw the largest decline, 34%.
Canadian Cannabis LP Tier 2 Index
Tier 2 index fell 15.2 to 191.59 in April. In 2021, it lost 17.1%, closing at 267.36, and it is now down 28.3% in 2022. Among tier 2 companies, VLNS was the worst performer, falling 41%.
Canadian Cannabis LP Tier 3 Index
Tier 3 index fell 17% to 34.06 in April. It ended at 47.42 in 2021, declining 19.9%, and is now down 28.2% in 2022. Among tier 3 companies, the worst performer was IMCC, which fell 45.7%. The best performance among this group was CANN, which rallied 11.1%.
For the month of May 2022, there will be no additions or deletions of any of the members in the indices above. Next month we will summarize the performance of these indices again. You can learn more about the index members and the qualifications for inclusion by visiting the respective page for each index that we manage. Be sure to bookmark that page to stay current on cannabis stock price movements within the day or from day-to-day.
New Cannabis Ventures maintains seven proprietary indices designed to help investors monitor the publicly-traded cannabis stocks, including the Global Cannabis Stock Index as well as the Canadian Cannabis LP Index and its three sub-indices. The sixth index, the American Cannabis Operator Index, was launched at the end of October 2018 and tracks the leading cultivators, processors and retailers of cannabis in the United States. Afterwards, we introduced the Ancillary Cannabis Index at the end of March 2021, reflecting the increasing number of publicly-traded companies providing goods or services to cannabis operators.
Get ahead of the crowd by signing up for 420 Investor when it becomes available again. It’s the largest & most comprehensive premium service for cannabis investors since 2013.


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New electric car hits market: Coda starts at $37,250
The 2012 Coda electric sedan finally went on sale in California this week with a starting price of $37,250 plus $895 shipping. The pricing is a significant drop from earlier estimates of $44,900, though it’s still more expensive than the 2012 Nissan Leaf, which starts at $35,200.
The Coda qualifies for California’s $2,500 EV rebate and the federal government’s $7,500 tax credit.
The model now on sale is slightly smaller and less powerful than the one that Los Angeles-based Coda showed off originally, according to Consumer Reports.
For the price, you get an electric motor rated 134 horsepower and 221 pounds-feet of torque mated to a single-speed transmission. The electric motor is capable of an electronically limited 85 mph and can be charged in six hours with a 240-volt charger. The Coda also comes with a 7-inch touch-screen and GPS navigation standard.
The 31-kilowatt/hour lithium-ion-phosphate battery pack gives the Coda an EPA-estimated range of 88 miles on a charge, better than the Leaf’s estimated range of 73 miles.
The Coda is currently available for test drives and purchase in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Irvine, Calif. More cities will follow. The car shell is built in China and the drivetrain is installed in the U.S.
— By Colin Bird/Cars.com’s Kicking Tires


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Starting January 1st, plastic straws will be legally available only upon request at full-service restaurants in California. Governor Jerry Brown signed the new legislation, AB-1884, today. However, the law notably excludes the largest users of plastic straws: Fast-food restaurants, coffee shops, delis, and restaurants serving take-out.
Violations of the law — i.e., serving plastic straws by default — would result in a fine after two warnings. That’s $25 for each day the full-service restaurant is in violation, with fines capped at $300.
In San Francisco, the new state legislation comes after (and will soon be redundant with) a local law banning plastic straws outright everywhere in the city— including places where plastic straws are more commonly used, such as bars and cafe. That city law is due to take effect on July 1, 2019.
Plastic straws, cited as a major source of litter, have been the target of recent banning efforts in California and beyond. Major retailers like Starbucks have their own plans to phase them out, while some disability advocates have pointed to the burden that banning straws can place on people with disabilities.
In light of the new state law, Golden Gate Restaurant Association director Gwyneth Borden imagines that full-service California restaurants — which don’t frequently serve plastic straws to begin with — will add signs to tables or notes on menus indicating that plastic straws are available upon request. Meanwhile, Borden points to the skyrocketing costs of plastic straw alternatives, like sturdy paper straws, that have followed recent bans.
“There’s a huge backlog for paper straws — there’s no way there’s the supply chain [for non-plastic straws] to accommodate the new demand,” she says. “It would be useful if our elected officials would work with suppliers — as it is, the onus is always on the end user, the restaurant.”
- California Legislative Information [ca.gov]
- California bans plastic straws at dine-in restaurants except by request [SF Chronicle]


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Let's Eat, Ledgerland: The bakers at Montilio's are as busy as Santa
BRAINTREE — With the holiday season in full swing, the bakers at Montilio’s Bakery have been busy ramping up production with their yule log cakes, sugar cookies and even gingerbread house kits for South Shore families.
During the entire holiday season, the bakery has prepared 10,000 orders and retail sales of holiday cookies and 5,000 gingerbread houses, both fully decorated and as kits, for eager customers looking to satisfy a sweet tooth.
Operations manager Elissa Montilio, who runs the bakeries in Quincy, Braintree, Brockton and Weymouth with her dad, aunt and sister, said their retail stores have been booming during the pandemic - and the holidays are no different.
Although they lost most of their wholesale business as well as their wedding department due to the pandemic, they found ways to get creative and redirect their efforts to their retail stores.
“We’re so appreciative in that sense to have that side of the business still going for us,” Montilio said, “and we’re doing a ton of gingerbread house and gingerbread men kits. Those have been flying off the shelf for us.”
While they usually only pull out the gingerbread house and gingerbread men kits during the holidays, they began offering them during lockdown for kids and families stuck at home. Now that the holidays are here, they’re still a big hit, with both a small kit option ($34.99) and large kit ($59.99), all with bags of frosting and assorted holiday candies like gumdrops, candy canes and M&M’s.
Montilio said that the gingerbread houses are also a popular item among corporate offices with the kits being sent to clients and staff.
The holidays are a month long affair over at the bakeries, Montilio said, with Christmas and Hanukkah treats sold throughout December, from cutout sugar cookies to Grinch-themed cupcakes and cookies to whoopie pies and Italian cookie trays.
Another popular Christmas item at the bakeries are the yule log cakes made with mocha mousse and chocolate truffle fudge.
“I feel like people are just celebrating around the clock, and especially with COVID right now, I think it’s changed,” Montilio said. “People aren’t having parties so they're doing things from home with their families.”
Montilio said the bakeries have also been receiving a myriad of orders from people wanting to ship their baked goods to friends and families across the state.
The bakeries are also selling a variety of holiday gift baskets, one called the “Jolliest Gift Basket of All” with wine, cheese, crackers, chocolate chip cookies and a gingerbread house among other goodies.
Montilio said that they’re also seeing a lot of takeout orders, as they have a pizzeria within their storefronts, as well as families purchasing cupcakes and small cakes for at-home celebrations.
“I think a lot of people are staying home and spending time with their families so you get a more...family feel — people getting cupcakes for their kids,” Montilio said. “I think we’ve just seen a different approach. It’s smaller gatherings of people, so smaller birthday cakes, but I just think everyone’s home so they’re looking for things to do.”
They also sell make-your-own pizza kits, which cost $8 for a small kit and $11 for a large one.
This weekend from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., customers craving their sweet treats and pizza can head over to Seoane’s Garden Center in Abington to visit the Montilio’s pizza and dessert truck. The bakery and pizza oven on wheels will serve assembled gingerbread houses and make-your-own kits as well as Grinch cupcakes and other holidays sweets.
Despite this year causing abrupt changes, Montilio said the happiness that radiates from their customers is what keeps them going.
Montilio, who works out of the Braintree store, said that the store is filled with holiday desserts and cheer and that their customers are extremely appreciative of their efforts. In turn, Montilio said, she is thankful for the community supporting a local, family-run business.
“It’s just nice to see the local neighborhoods, everyone’s coming in and everyone knows each other,” Montilio said.


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Standards Discriminate Against Recycling, According to Reason Foundation Study
Recycling Times, April 2, 1996
Governments sometimes discriminate against the use of recycled materials in construction by relying
on voluntary industry standards rather than creating their own performance-based standards,
according to a new report by the Los Angeles-based Reason Foundation.
The report said that organizations such as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) are
often slow to create standards, which can prevent the use of recycled products that are new to the
The report also argued that products like plastic lumber are not being widely used because it has
taken ASTM a long time to set standards for its usage.
"You have to have proof these products perform well, but how much is too much?" said Alexander
Volokh, report author and an environmental policy analyst at the Reason Foundation.
Jack Legler, executive vice president of the Washington, D.C.-based Waste Equipment Technology
Association and an American National Standards Institute committee member, said standards
organizations are not taking too long because they must follow "due process" to make sure the
materials are safe in order to protect "workers, the general public, and the environment."
Legler said the organizations also must take time to allow all affected parties to give their
opinion on the product.
But Volokh stated in his report that businesses that would compete with the new materials often
delay the standard-setting process.
For example, he cited allegations that ASTM has been slow to set standards for plastic lumber
because representatives of the wood industry offered "counter-productive suggestions" to delay the
Morris Brooke of ASTM said the burden of proof with any new material is on the material's proponents.
But he does not think recycled materials are being shut out.
"We've heard that a dozen times," Brooke said.
"But that accusation has never gone anywhere."
He said in one instance the Justice Department investigated those allegations and found them untrue.
The study said one way to fix this problem is for governments to create their own performance
standards when industry groups have yet to establish a standard or when established standards call
for products to adhere to irrelevant characteristics, such as color or thickness.
"We shouldn't care if a road is made of asphalt, concrete, or orange-flavored Jell-O," Volokh said.
"If the orange-flavored Jell-O performs properly, it's a good road."
Amy Steiner with American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials said their goal
is to move entirely to performance-based standards.
But, she said the problem with performance tests is that people then will say the standards are not
fair when their product fails.
"The fact of the matter is, some recycled materials are inferior," Steiner said.
"The problem isn't that these organizations exist; these organizations serve a useful purpose in
developing standards and performance tests.
The problem is that when governments rely on them, the standards often become mandatory, not
voluntary," Volokh said in the report.
How Government Building Codes and Construction Standards Discourage Recycling is the third
study in a series by the Reason Foundation on regulatory barriers to recycling.
Copies of the report are available from the Reason Foundation for $15 each, plus shipping and handling.
Contact the Reason Foundation at 310/391-2245.
Return to solid-waste page
Return to home page


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Millennial Entrepreneurs Fueling Change in the Economy
To our readers: This is another entry in an occasional series by GoodCall® writer Marisa Sanfilippo on entrepreneurs. Today’s narrative concerns four millennial entrepreneurs whose actions counter the common narrative about the generation.
Millennials tend to get a bad reputation. Time calls them the “Me, Me, Me Generation” noting that they are famous for narcissism and entitlement. Other stereotypes: They are lazy, change jobs too often, and are materialistic. What’s often overlooked is how entrepreneurial this generation is and how it makes a positive impact on the economy. Many millennials, it turns out, are creating new jobs while helping charities along the way.
No less than the U.S. Chamber of Commerce foundation, in its Millennial Generation Research review, references millennials as the “Entrepreneurial Generation.” The review notes the following:
- Though research varies, one-half to two-thirds of millennials are interested in entrepreneurship.
- More than one-fourth (27 percent) are already self-employed.
- Males, blacks, and Latinos are most inclined toward becoming millennial entrepreneurs; females are more likely to be interested in starting nonprofits.
- Millennials are on track to be the most educated generation to date with 27 percent of women and 21 percent of men completing at least a bachelor’s degree, according to Pew Research.
- And while this generation might be the most in debt, they do stay in school longer than any previous generation.
The rise of millennial entrepreneurs
Regardless of what outsiders think of millennials, this is a generation that will shape the economy for decades to come. According to Fortune, millennial entrepreneurs already are making a mark. They have launched about twice as many companies as the Boomers have. Remi Frank, global head of the key client group at BNP Paribas, credits two possible reasons for this:
- It might be easier today to create a business than before.
- Millennials may be more open to failure than boomers.
Millennial entrepreneurs are plentiful, but here’s a closer look at four: Anthony Khamsei, Nima Veiseh, Jennifer Kapahi, and Adriana Marie.
Anthony Khamsei: The itch of entrepreneurship
Anthony Khamsei is the owner of two businesses. He first started Gold Security in 2012 while on a mission to make the internet a safer place. At the time, he was studying computer science at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm and got inspired.
“I took in some reference customers, and it suddenly became a real business. Now it’s one off the best IT security companies in Sweden and Europe (technology-wise),” he said. “Websites are getting hacked everyday; it’s our job to make them more secure and less of a target for malicious attacks,” he said.
Khamsei always knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur, and he still gets the urge to expand to new levels. That’s why, a few months ago, he brought Trip Seats to life. This travel search company has quickly grown to an international staff of 20. In total, his two businesses have created 26 – and counting – jobs.
Nima Veiseh: Inventor mindset
Production designer and entrepreneur Nima Veiseh started Dress Abstract three years ago as a platform to bring high-art into high-fashion. The motivation behind the company is to empower those with creative skills, giving them a platform for those skills to be appreciated by the brand’s clients, Veiseh says.
Unlike Khamsei, he didn’t grow up with the urge to be an entrepreneur; instead, he wanted to be an inventor. “[At Dress Abstract] we are passionate about the creation process, and we are inventing new techniques and platforms to enable artists to get compensated and appreciated for their art,” he says.
This business idea largely came from intersection of his experience as a commercial painter, training as an MIT engineer, and academic work in sustainability, he say. Through his academic training in sustainability and design, Veiseh saw an opportunity to help those who may not have the chance to practice and build their skills as refugees in their new home in the United States. Through his company, he gives back. “A percentage of [our] revenues are made as donations to refugee causes like the International Rescue Committee,” Veiseh says
Dress Abstract has created a dozen jobs both directly and indirectly through the impact of the business during the past three years.
Jennifer Kapahi: Passionate product developer
Jennifer Kapahi, co-founder of beauty products brand trèStiQue, is a product developer with more than 12 years experience in the industry. Prior to trèStiQue, she led sales and marketing efforts for some of top manufacturing cosmetic companies and has driven product development efforts at Revlon.
Kapahi grew up with a family of entrepreneurs and knew becoming one herself was something she always wanted to do. “When you are passionate about something it becomes your life, work, and hobby. I love the intensity of entrepreneurship and the endless possibilities.”
The company is on track to double sales this year and looks forward to continued growth.
Adriana Marie: Emerging designer turns entrepreneur
As an emerging designer, Adriana Marie founded AMCONYC, a creative platform for millennial fashion designers/event production company. “Part of my business plan was to organize pop-up stores in different markets to test out what was selling and where. That was research for opening my own store,” she says. “Through that process, I gathered other brands complimentary to mine to participate and create a well-rounded shopping experience. I did all the scouting, marketing, PR, organizing etc. After the first pop-up store was a success, the demand for my services became a full-time job and AMCONYC was born. It was very organic.”
Growing up she had a comfortable lifestyle but chose to work and “earn her own keep.” She worked several jobs and was successful at all of them, she said, but after moving to New York she realized she needed to join the cohort of millennial entrepreneurs.
“I think it has always been a part of who I am. I’ve always been incredibly independent,” she says. Since its founding in 2014, AMCONYC has created 11 jobs (not including interns). “Stimulating the interest of young industry folks is something we are very keen on doing. It is something they need freedom [from] while experiencing to really understand their calling,” she says.
AMCONYC also gives back. “To date, we have raised over 20K to help support the rising fashion designers in our community. Giving back has always been true to my heart and what a better way to stimulate the economy with giving back.”


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" "Responding to Non-compliance with Laws and Regulations is an international ethics standard for auditors and other PAs." This pronouncement has released by International Ethics Standard Board for Accountants (IESBA) and effective internationally from 15th July 2017, the same day Sri Lanka will also adopt the standard. "NOCLAR stimulates greater accountability among organizations, help protect stakeholders and the general public from substantial harm resulting from violation of laws and regulations and strengthen the reputation of the profession," Lasantha Wickremasinghe, president, CA Sri Lanka said. "This will position accountancy profession to play a greater role addressing financial fraud, money laundering and corruption.
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" He also highlighted that this initiative is also in line with the good governance policy of Sri Lanka. The standard applies to all categories of professional accountants, including auditors, other professional accountants in public practice, and professional accountants in organizations, including those in businesses, government, education, and the not-for-profit sector.
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It addresses breaches of laws and regulations that deal with matters such as fraud, corruption and bribery, money laundering, tax payments, financial products and services, environmental protection, and public health and safety.
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As a set of ethical standards with global reach it plays a unique role in supporting the accountancy profession in acting in the public interest, the statement added. "Accountants have been permitted to set aside the duty of confidentiality under the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants in order to disclose NOCLAR to appropriate public authorities in certain circumstances," Reyaz Mihular, chairman of the Professional Conduct (Ethics) Committee and member of IESBA said.


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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – An ice cream shop in New York rolled out a hot new flavor over the weekend- emphasis on HOT.
“Medium, Extra Creamy” is a wing sauce ice cream. It was released at Lake Effect’s scoop shops in Lockport and Buffalo on Saturday.
“We are known for outrageous flavors and pushing the envelope, so this time we decided to put a hardcore Buffalo spin on it,” Lake Effect said in a Facebook post.
The ice cream is made with Frank’s Red Hot and is very hot, the post added.


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A quarter of all bitcoins are controlled by 0.01% of owners
The Bitcoin system is “highly concentrated,” according to two researchers who have analyzed all transactions in this crypto-currency since its creation. Behind the stated ambitions of decentralization, we find known mechanisms of concentration of wealth in the hands of a handful of actors.
We knew the “1%”, now there are the “0.01%”. A large portion of the bitcoin in circulation today would be concentrated in the hands of a very, very small percentage of owners, according to a study by the National Bureau of Economic Research published in October 2021, and picked up in late December by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
Just 10,000 owners of bitcoin accounts would own 5 of the 19 million bitcoins in circulation worldwide. Given that there are an estimated 114 million Bitcoin-owning individuals and entities, this represents 0.009% of Bitcoin owners who own 26.3% of all Bitcoins. This concentration is not unlike that of fiat currencies: 1% of Americans owned a quarter of the country’s income, in 2011.
Researchers Igor Makarov and Antoinette Schoar analyzed the entirety of bitcoin transactions since its inception in 2008, to better understand who the players in these exchanges are. “It’s a very concentrated system,” Antoinette Schoar commented to the WSJ, going against the grain of the imagination carried by this crypto-asset, which is supposed to represent a model of alternative, horizontal and decentralized finance.
Originally, this is how Bitcoin was conceived: a virtual currency based on an open-source protocol, in which anyone is supposed to be able to participate in “mining” in order to generate it through the resolution of very complex calculations. These operations are used to verify and maintain the blockchain, a kind of virtual public register where all crypto transactions are registered and recorded.
A bitcoin that doesn’t look anything like a coin normally, but it had to be illustrated.
50 miners control 50% of total mining capacity
Therefore, a lot of things have modified a lot in the last few years. On the one hand, on the side of the miners, who must have increasingly powerful computers to perform the calculations required. “The top 10% of miners control 90% of the mining capacity,” reads the study, which continues with this surprising information: only 50 miners (or 0.1%) control 50% of the total mining capacity.
On the other hand, there have been major developments on the side of those who own, use and trade bitcoin. Already, the two researchers have shown that 90 percent of the bitcoin transactions recorded on the blockchain are “not related to activities that make sense, economically speaking,” but simply consist of a single person (or entity) making transfers to themselves. Since all transactions are public, because they are recorded on the blockchain, no one can really be anonymous. Many therefore multiply transfers to other accounts in an attempt to erase their virtual trace.
Of the remaining 10% of “meaningful” transactions, “75% of bitcoin volume can be linked to online trading entities, such as virtual wallets, direct trading desks (DTOs) or international trading entities,” it reads. In comparison, the use of virtual currency for illegal purposes or gambling actually accounts for only 3% of the total.
This important study thus deconstructs preconceived notions about the most famous crypto-asset, and better understands its overall functioning. However, it is still complicated to know exactly who are the actors of the transactions, and who are the famous 10,000 richest owners. We know, however, the most publicized: Elon Musk, for example, revealed that his company Tesla had bought for 1.5 billion bitcoins in early 2021, before “discovering” that the mining of this crypto-currency was very polluting. These kinds of announcements have helped to send the value of bitcoin soaring.
There are a finite number of bitcoin worldwide (21 million): this is how this crypto-asset was thought of when it was created. By the end of December 2021, nearly 90% of bitcoin had been mined, but that doesn’t mean the end is near. Thanks to the phenomenon of halving (which we explain in detail here), generating a bitcoin is getting longer and longer.