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No Joy For Importers This Christmas
Importers, especially from Asia, have had a disastrous 2020 following the coronavirus and it looks like the Christmas period will be not be bringing any joy for those with containers snagged on the continent.
The difficulties in buying Far east origin products this year have included: the Chinese lockdown, European lockdowns, six months trade squeezed into four, a lack of space on containerships, a lack of equipment, massive UK port congestions and a delay in container transport.
Stay up to date with our news and articles on social media
However, over the past few weeks, the UK congestion has perhaps caused the biggest issues, as the delays in unloading has resulted in many vessels departing our ports before their import containers have been discharged. Instead, the containers have been unloaded at European ports such as Rotterdam, Antwerp and Zeebrugge and would usually be fed back into UK ports on feeder ships within a few days.
At the moment, this process is taking up to four weeks, which means that many containers are stranded in Europe and are very unlikely to meet retail deadlines for having stock in stores, or on virtual shelves, for Christmas sales.
The delays are being incurred due to delays in those European ports, the current high pre-Brexit demand in European imports, and that feeder vessels are also being delayed at UK container ports.
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Evolution Forwarding offer a range of dangerous goods and logistics services including packing, classification, training, DGSA services, air freight, ocean freight and road freight.
The subject of lithium battery safety on flights was heavily debated this week, highlighting concerns that it may take an airliner to crash before proper regulations are introduced.
Two international bodies have come to a joint agreement to correct safety procedures for storage, container packing and dangerous goods declarations.
International logistics has changed since the pandemic, with congestion, equipment shortages and delays being experienced – Summarised market conditions here.


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SUSE News You Can Use
Here at SUSE, there’s a renewed sense of excitement and opportunity that’s propelling us forward and fueling our drive to innovate. We call this “SUSE Unleashed” and we’re proud and excited to launch this new blog where we can share our ideas and listen to your feedback.
Enterprises of all sizes rely on SUSE Linux Enterprise to run their most demanding workloads and our commitment to supporting our customers and to upstream open source contribution continues as we enter this new era of unleashed potential.
Adrian Bridgwater for ComputerWeekly and Nils Brauckmann, president and general manager of SUSE recently discussed the contribution Linux, including SUSE Linux has made to the global technology ecosystem. Brauckmann says:
SUSE already has a proud heritage for participating in the growth, stability and support for Linux. Not only has SUSE provided leadership to the Linux kernel, but we contribute to other Linux related projects such as GNOME, KDE, Xen, KVM. Moving forward SUSE will operate as a separate business unit of The Attachmate Group. By operating SUSE as its own business, we can focus on the needs of our customers to accelerate the delivery of Linux solutions to customers including London Stock Exchange, Sony and Walgreens.
SUSE is focused and committed to driving innovation that matters most to our customers and partners. So, come with us as we continue this journey – visit this feed to learn about SUSE news, events, partnership announcements, customer successes and product updates. You’ll hear directly from a variety of SUSE experts here, but most importantly, we hope you’ll weigh in with your ideas too so our SUSE experts will hear from you.
Michael Miller is vice president of global marketing and alliances at SUSE.
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SSP America, a division of SSP Group, this week announced that Oscar Hernandez will become its new vice president of concepts and development, serving as a liaison with airport accounts and ensuring SSP America delivers authentic restaurants experience that reflect a “taste of place.”
In his new role. Hernandez will also lead efforts to pursue a portfolio of new business opportunities, which includes the responsibility of identifying promising brands in each of these markets.
A 25-year restaurateur veteran, Hernandez joined SSP America in 2007 and most recently served as regional vice president of operations, managing a significant portfolio of business located in the Western U.S. and Canada.
“As SSP America sharpens its focus on growth as we emerge from the pandemic, we need food travel experts who have a deep and broad set of restaurant experiences and passion for bringing authentic culinary experiences to the airports we serve,” said Patrick Murray, deputy CEO and president of SSP America’s new Central and South America region. “Oscar’s career with SSP America is interesting because he opened one of our first group of restaurants at a new airport. We’re incredibly excited that he’s taken on this important role and look forward to his contributions.”


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Bitcoin is divorced from governments and central banks. It's organized through a network known as a blockchain, which is basically an online ledger that keeps a secure record of each transaction. Kraken is more than just a Bitcoin trading platform. Come see why our cryptocurrency exchange is the best place to buy, sell, trade and learn about crypto. Dec 06, · eToro is a trading platform based in the United States. It supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Zcash and many other coins. Deposits can be made quickly via bank transfer or ACH. It also offers unique features like copy trading.
Us bitcoin tradingExchanges - Bitcoin
Unlike US dollars, whose buying power the Fed can dilute by printing more greenbacks, there simply won't be more bitcoin available in the future. That has worried some skeptics, as it means a hack could be catastrophic in wiping out people's bitcoin wallets, with less hope for reimbursement. Which could render bitcoin price irrelevant.
Historically, the currency has been extremely volatile. As the total number creeps toward the 21 million mark, many suspect the profits miners once made creating new blocks will become so low they'll become negligible. But with more bitcoins in circulation, people also expect transaction fees to rise, possibly making up the difference.
One of the biggest moments for Bitcoin came in August When the digital currency officially forked and split in two: bitcoin cash and bitcoin. Miners were able to seek out bitcoin cash beginning Tuesday August 1st , and the cryptocurrency-focused news website CoinDesk said the first bitcoin cash was mined at about p. Supporters of the newly formed bitcoin cash believe the currency will "breath new life into" the nearly year-old bitcoin by addressing some of the issues facing bitcoin of late, such as slow transaction speeds.
Bitcoin power brokers have been squabbling over the rules that should guide the cryptocurrency's blockchain network. On one side are the so-called core developers. They are in favor of smaller bitcoin blocks, which they say are less vulnerable to hacking.
On the other side are the miners, who want to increase the size of blocks to make the network faster and more scalable. Until just before the decision, the solution known as Segwit2x, which would double the size of bitcoin blocks to 2 megabytes, seemed to have universal support.
Then bitcoin cash came along. The solution is a fork of the bitcoin system. The new software has all the history of the old platform; however, bitcoin cash blocks have a capacity 8 megabytes. Bitcoin cash came out of left field, according to Charles Morris, a chief investment officer of NextBlock Global, an investment firm with digital assets. To be sure, only a minority of bitcoin miners and bitcoin exchanges have said they will support the new currency.
Investors who have their bitcoin on exchanges or wallets that support the new currency will soon see their holdings double, with one unit in bitcoin cash added for every bitcoin. But that doesn't mean the value of investors' holdings will double. Because bitcoin cash initially drew its value from bitcoin's market cap, it caused bitcoin's value to drop by an amount proportional to its adoption on launch. No one truly knows. Add to watchlist.
Availability subject to regulations. Don't get overcharged when you send money abroad. We recommend trying out cheaper alternatives like TransferWise.
Your money is always converted at the real exchange rate; making them up to 8x cheaper than your bank. Bitcoin News Cointelegraph 14h. NewsBTC 15h. Cointelegraph 18h. NewsBTC 19h. Bitso Volabit. Independent Reserve Kiwi-coin Mine Digital. Visit Buy Bitcoin Worldwide for user reviews on some of the above exchanges, or Cryptoradar for comparisons based on prices, fees and features.
Make a donation. Bitcoin Exchanges Places to buy bitcoin in exchange for other currencies. Note: Exchanges provide highly varying degrees of safety, security, privacy, and control over your funds and information. Perform your own due diligence and choose a wallet where you will keep your bitcoin before selecting an exchange.
Asia Bahrain Rain. Indonesia Indodax. Israel Bits of Gold. Japan bitbank bitFlyer BtcBox. Kuwait Rain. Malaysia Luno. Oman Rain. Singapore Binance Mine Digital. South Korea Bithumb Coinone Korbit. Saudi Arabia Rain.


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You may have heard that tomorrow is the second annual Small Business Saturday. “And what may that be, exactly?” I hear you ask. Well, taken from the website www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com :-
“Small Business Saturday UK is a grassroots, non-political, non-commercial campaign, which highlights small business success and encourages consumers to ‘shop local’ and support small businesses in their communities. The day itself takes place on the first shopping Saturday in December each year, but the campaign aims to have a lasting impact on small businesses.”
The ‘non political’ aspect hasn’t prevented the politicians getting involved, as indeed they should for a campaign of this sort that will hopefully be beneficial to local economies. There is even a Christmas Market with little wooden huts and stalls manned by small businesses outside Downing Street in London!
In a statement, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said “Last year, Small Business Saturday generated around £468 million. Together, we can top that. There are special events taking place all over the country – backed by cross party support and organisations like the Federation of Small Businesses, Young Enterprise, The Prince’s Trust and others.
So, good luck to all of the UK businesses throwing open their doors on Small Business Saturday and every success for the future.
On Saturday 6 December when you are shopping for Christmas or something you need – choose small, choose local.”
As I have mentioned before, here at Chiggs we are passionate about supporting small businesses, (well, we are a small business!) and shopping local. So, we urge you this Saturday to buy a Baby Feed Wheel, a Baby Medicine Wheel or a Get Well Wheel: if not directly from Chiggs, then from one of our wonderful, supportive stockists– we have small businesses all over the UK and online who sell Chiggs Wheels!


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Balkrishna Industries (BKT), a global giant in off-highway tyres business, to showcase its versatile range of quality tyres at EXCON 2017 – the 9th international construction equipment and construction technology trade fair to be held in Bengaluru between 12th and 16th December.
Apart from displaying its top-of-the-range Earthmax tyre line-up for construction, mining and earthmoving vehicles, BKT will present world-class tyres for varied industrial applications.
Making in India for global
‘Make in India’ for the global marketplace cannot be better demonstrated than BKT, a company with over 30 years of global presence in the off-highway tyres segment, claims Rajiv Poddar, Joint Managing Director, BKT. He adds, “In the early 1990s when every other tyre company in India was busy producing highway tyres primarily for mass use, we foresaw a unique opportunity in international business and started production in the off-highway segment.”
A true global player
Today, BKT enjoys principal presence in five continents around the world covering more than 160 countries. It is the preferred supplier to international OEMs in industrial or construction and mining segments. Since its inception in 1988, BKT has grown into a diversified industrial major exporting its expansive range of off-highway solutions to the world.
Quality conscious users who adhere to stringent conformity standards in countries like Europe, America, LSA, Middle-East and Asia prefer BKT as their supplier. The international quality of BKT tyres is achieved by using the foremost quality of raw materials that are processed through the most advanced and developed technology.
BKT has products from 5-inch rim diameter to 54-inch rim diameter for vehicles ranging from trailers, forklifts, etc. to technologically advanced machines like high horsepower tractors, combines, harvesters, GPS controlled vehicles, articulated dump trucks, high-speed cranes, sophisticated port vehicles and container handlers etc. BKT claims to be the first tyre company in India to produce all-steel radial OTR tyres. OTR vehicles ranging from rigid dump trucks to snow manoeuvring vehicles use these tyres. The tyres under this segment range from a 20-inch diameter tipper truck size to a giant 51-inch rigid dump truck size in bias make and 49-inch in radial make, thus covering every requirement for Industrial use and Mining.BKT has been selling tyres to world’s leading OEMs. The company recently launched an ultra advanced range of tyres especially for high speed cranes. The tyre 445/95 R25 enables heavy high speed cranes to journey at speeds of 80 km per hour.
Adhering to quality
“Our each product passes over 450 stages of tests. The result of this rigorous practice being that BKT products are known for their reliability and have the lowest claim ratio in the industry,” informs Rajiv. The commitment to quality products is testified by the adherence to the strictest quality benchmarks with international certifications such as ISO 9001-2008 and ISO 14001-2004.
The foundation of BKT has been built on the pillars of R&D, technology and best-in-class quality. This has enabled BKT to develop 150 – 160 new SKUs (stock keeping units) every year. This has led to an impressive portfolio of 2,600 SKUs which includes bias, radial, solid and all-steel radial tyres for a wide range of off-highway applications. The company has its own R&D centre which develops these tyres that can encounter the toughest and the most hostile terrains faced during mining and industrial activities.
The company claims to be the first tyre manufacturer to build an outdoor tyre testing track in India. The outdoor testing facility has 6 different tracks, the circuit stretches over a total area of about 25 acres including tracks for tyre performance tests in wet and dry conditions, an asphalt track as well as an inclined concrete track. Thanks to a large variety of tests, many relevant features such as traction, handling, comfort, noise, fuel consumption, braking, rolling resistance, soil compaction and many more can be measured by means of high-precision devices and instruments, according to the company.
Currently BKT has four functioning state-of-the-art manufacturing plants spread across India, the recent one being set up in Bhuj, Gujarat. The Bhuj plant, built up with a whopping investment of $500 million, has a production capacity of 120,000 tonnes per year with having capabilities of producing a diverse range – from 5-inch lawn tyres to 51-inch giant OTR tyres. The plant is also armed with highly sophisticated an R&D house and testing tracks. The Bhuj R&D department, equipped with physical and mechanical testing, has researchers, engineers, and technicians, working on from designing a new tyre, over developing new compounds, to improving product performance as well as production processes.
Rajiv Poddar, Joint Managing Director, BKT


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There’s been a lot of media attention on offshore companies and safe haven entities in recent years. However, the public conversation misses the value and underlying need for these offshore entities.
Businesses, regardless of their size, are now more global than ever. Every industry is directly competing with rivals from different parts of the globe, either online or offline. Meanwhile, the barriers to trade and capital investments have been drastically reduced since the turn of the century. In this environment, spreading business operations across borders may be more of a necessity than a luxury.
Here are some of the reasons entrepreneurs and small business owners might want to consider setting up an offshore business:
The fundamental need for privacy isn’t respected equally across the world. In certain countries, governments use personal financial data to exert political pressure on wealthy individuals. In other parts of the world, affluent people are at greater risk of identity theft, data breaches and compromised personal security.
With this in mind, moving assets or setting up a business in a country where data is more tightly protected makes sense. The preferred destination for privacy seekers is Switzerland. The tiny European state is synonymous with security and data privacy. The country also offers a robust legal framework and a network of service providers like Swiss Financial Company & Trust SA that streamline the process of setting up a Swiss company and hiring a tax representative in Switzerland.
Another reason to consider an offshore firm is the tax advantage offered by different jurisdictions. Singapore, for example, has one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the developed world. Estonia doesn’t charge a corporate tax if the net income from a business is reinvested.
Tax havens like the Cayman Islands may be ideal for location-independent consultants and freelancers who want to minimise their tax burden. There’s nothing wrong with seeking to minimise the effective tax rate on your business if your operations are spread across multiple regions.
Access to better resources
An offshore entity could give your business access to better infrastructure, legal frameworks, or the natural resources you need to stay ahead of the competition.
Regulations in different parts of the world could prove to be a hindrance for certain business activities. For example, capital restrictions and protectionist policies in some countries could prevent a foreign entity from launching factories, buying property, or invest in local companies. In this case, setting up an offshore company to complete transactions and hold local assets may be justified.
An offshore entity may be the perfect instrument to mitigate the risks of political instability, economic turmoil or currency volatility. For example, British businesses have already started registering European subsidiaries to limit their exposure to the fallout from Brexit.
Despite what the media might have you believe, there are completely legitimate reasons to launch a foreign company and diversify your business to multiple jurisdictions. At a time when the global economy is getting increasingly intertwined, spreading your operations across borders may be the most pragmatic long-term business strategy you can adopt.


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First Bank of Nigeria Limited recently hosted Nigeria’s Economic outlook webinar for 2022. AMAKA IFEAKANDU who monitored the event virtually, looks at the variables expected to shape the nation’s economy and boost the economic growth of the country in 2022.
First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Nigeria’s premier and leading financial services provider recently hosted Nigeria’s economic outlook webinar to set the tone for the domestic and global economic activities that would shape the nation’s economy in the 2022 financial year.
Specifically, the programme focused on inflation, currency devaluation, external reserves, Gross Domestic Products (GDP) growth, foreign exchange and other economic fundamentals impacting the household and businesses in the country.
The programme tagged “A Rearview Look at 2021 lessons learnt – Outlook 2022″held virtually to provide opportunity for participants to learn and be knowledgeably empowered to make the right decisions in their various socio-economic activities which would give direction on the micro and macroeconomic activities.
Other GDP projections
Before the announcement of the programme, the Central Bank of Nigeria in its 2022 economic outlook presented by its governor, Godwin Emefiele, projected the nation’s GDP growth by 3.2 per cent.
The apex bank noted that the country’s growth forecast would be upgraded by 3.1 per cent in 2022 on the back of several interventions taking place in the country.
On the contrary, the World Bank predicted that Nigeria’s economy would grow at a 2.5 per cent rate in 2022 and 2.8 per cent in 2023, largely due to the expected increase in oil prices and the country’s growing services sector in 2022 and beyond.
Financial experts who spoke at the event said for the country to sustain growth in 2022, there must be reforms in the critical sector of the economy.
They admitted that investment in real estate, ICT, financial services sector, construction Industry, agriculture and manufacturing among others, would contribute to economic growth.
They also expressed the need to tackle the issue of insecurity in the country to ensure sustainability of the growth recorded within the year.
In his presentation, Chief Executive Officer Financial Derivatives Company Ltd Bismarck Rewane said inflation rate would remain structurally high at a full-year average of 13.3 percent in 2022 ahead of the 2023 polls.
Rewane stated that the performance of the economy in 2022 would be determined by the successful implementation of this year’s budget and newly approved 5-year development plan.
Describing 2022 budget as an offspring of the 5-year plan, he said the plan aimed to achieve an average real GDP growth of five percent over the planned period and it is expected to succeed the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) which expired in 2020.
Rewane said the funding strategies for the new plan centeres on broadening the tax base, enhancing the capacity of the private sector by creating investment opportunities and deliberate policy engagements and incentives.
He said with signing of budget of N17.13 trillion for 2022 which has 26.05 per cent increase above 2021 budget of N13.59 trillion, the aggregate revenue was projected at N10.7 trillion.
This, according to him, implies Nigeria would have a fiscal deficit of N6.4 trillion, 3.4 per cent of the GDP to be financed by drawdown on previously approved loans and new privatisation proceeds.
He said: “We can expect to see sustained cost-push factors, including a planned fuel subsidy removal, new electricity tariffs and additional taxes; alongside legacy issues, such as increased debt service burden and exchange rate convergent.
Other things expected to witness within the year include key amendments to finance Act to support revenue mobilisation such as VAT, excise duty digital and increased supply in the forex market by CBN.”
The financial experts listed sectors of opportunities in 2022 to include Information Communication Technology, construction Industry, financial services industry, manufacture and agricultural sector.
He said ICT sector is likely to grow by 9.72 per cent in 2022, telephone penetration will rise sharply, there would be surge in Fintech and mobile payments, Increased level of activities to be supported by 5G operations and the sector would consolidate during the year.
Rewane said the” telecom infrastructure would also expand with cable acquisition and top players -MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa- will report profit surge of 72 per cent in 2022 with an average Per Earning ratio of 10.64x, as MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa has return of 13.8 per cent and 24.2 per cent respectively in one year.”
Further to this, he said construction Industry would grow by 3.07 per cent in 2022 as state governments would also be spending massively as election approaches and roads will be concessioned and tolled.
Similarly, he projected that construction “industry giant, Julius Berger is well positioned to benefit from government activities. The activities in the industry will extend to the cement and building materials companies,” adding that “all quoted cement companies are well positioned to take advantage of the opportunities while top players in the sector will report profit surge of 64 per cent.”
For the financial services sector, he said it is likely to grow by 8.32 per cent in the current year and there will be rationalization and drift within the industry, stressing that there would be Increased partnership and collaborations with fintechs in promoting financial inclusion and aggressive digital innovation and lending solutions.
He said First Bank’s shares have returned 62.16 per cent in one year and industry average per earning ratio of 5.00x.
Rewane also said t in 2022, manufacturing sector is likely to grow by 4.70 per cent and Improved Forex liquidity and increased product innovation will boost sector growth as players would benefit from volume and value growth.
According to him, major players in the industry -Nestle Nigeria and Unilever, would report profit growth of 20 per cent in 2022.
For agricultural sector, he said, “it is expected to grow by 1.6 per cent in the current year, adding that an efficient rail system will ease logistics constraints and boost productivity.”
Quoted companies under the industry like Okomu oil and Presco are well positioned to benefit and Profit expected to grow by 27 per cent in 2022, the expert further stated.
On projection for the first, second, third and fourth quarter of the financial year, he said this “will grow by 3.2 per cent, 2.7 per cent, 3.7 per cent and 3.9 per cent respectively.”
Describing first three months of the year as typically a slow quarter, he said proposed PSM subsidy removal in February would further erode purchasing power due to high retail petrol price.
He said although planting season resulting in reduced aggregate output in the second quarter, increased in infrastructure spending would boost productivity.
On the third quarter performance, he said “there will be higher agriculture output due to the harvest and pre election spending to boost consumer demand while the fourth quarter will witness robust demand because of festive season and sustained election spending.”
In all, Rewane said: “Declining inflation will be positive for consumer purchasing power while monetary tightening in advanced economies could trigger capital outflows as Oil prices will remain relatively stable. Real GDP growth will be sublime, Competition between traditional banks and fin-techs will intensify, forcing banks to reduce or eliminate transaction costs, while Banks with constant innovation and regional diversification to remain resilient.”
Inflation as a challenge
In his own analysis, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) RTC Advisory Services Limited, Mr Opeyemi Agbaje, said in the 2022 financial year, inflation would be a problem to consumers as it would shrink their wallets.
Agbaje doubted the possibility of achieving growth in 2022 with increase in inflation. In his view, the issue of petrol subsidy may be dealt with finally in the year 2022 but there may be problem of volatility in the system.
While noting that GDP growth is gradually inching up, the expert said some sectors of the economy like real estate, ICT were growing, but insecurity in the country is affecting food production, even as consumers should be more concerned about food production.
“Trying to control everything when the fundamentals are wrong is the problem, how ready are we to deal with reforms in critical sectors, when are we going to address the problem of insecurity which has become major concern of everybody, if we can put all fundamentals right, make our policy environment stable, with lower inflation rate, we can achieve growth,” Agbaje submitted.
Nigeria stands to grow
Also speaking, Executive Director, First Bank of Nigeria Limited Treasury and International Banking, Ini Ebong said Nigeria has a lot of things that would contribute to the growth and development of the economy, but it needed to have another look in its policies.
To achieve expected growth in the country, he said “we need to invest in critical sector of the economy, we need to diversify nation’s economy in order to increase forex exchange inflows as depending on oil will no longer help the economy.”
In his opening remark, Managing Director of First Bank Nigeria Limited, Dr Adesola Adeduntan said the webinar provided the bank the opportunity to assess the performance of the Nigerian economy, across key indices, in 2021 and benefit from experts’ opinions on the expectations and forecast for 2022.
Additionally, he said, it would provide excellent insights into the key factors set to shape both the global and local economic landscape in 2022.
“As a bank, we have a legacy of supporting the growth of businesses as the engine for economic growth and development in Nigeria and across Sub-Sahara Africa. In line with our renewed vision “to be Africa’s bank of first choice”, FirstBank will take the lead in driving the development of the different sectors and industries within the economies where we operate to support overall economic growth and sustainability,” he said.
Speaking further, the FBN boss said: “As a bank that is woven into the fabric of society, this webinar is further reinforcing our support and collaboration with stakeholders as we demonstrate our commitment and willingness to be the partner of first choice to our customers, playing a dominant financial role in unlocking the opportunities that enable businesses grow and thrive in 2022 and beyond.”


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The proposed facility, which will consist of a retail store and a subterranean skatepark of roughly 5000 square feet, rankled several local residents and business owners in the Mundy Pond area, who cited noise, vandalism, and loitering as their primary concerns.
Entrepreneur Rob Yetman, who operates Turndown BMX, an existing indoor park on Waterford Bridge Road, met with six of these concerned neighbours on May 10 to discuss the issues.
Yetman says the meeting digressed from the residents’ noise, vandalism, and loitering concerns to complaints and arguments about how there aren’t enough street lights in their neighbourhood and similar unrelated gripes.
At the St. John’s City Council Meeting on May 16, city councilors discussed the proposal, ultimately approving it unanimously.
Yetman estimates the new facility, which will be constructed at 77 Blackmarsh Road, will take about six weeks to build, the main hurdle having been getting the go-ahead from city council. His original hope was to have the facility up and running by late June, but he’s since revised this goal to a mid-July opening.


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Gaming apparel brand Meta Threads has joined forces with team Xbox to sell limited-edition Xbox and Halo face masks for $19.95 USD. It's all to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and raise awareness about the #GamersMask4Masks campaign:
For every mask purchased, all profits will be used to fund the production of two additional masks that will be donated to hospitals, medical facilities and front line workers.
The additional masks are donated by MasksforDocs - an organisation set up to distribute personal protective equipment to healthcare and frontline workers.
Each mask is made from polyester and spandex, comes with an adjustable aluminum nose insert, and is hand washable and reusable. According to Windows Central, the #GamersMask4Masks campaign has already donated 55,700 masks.
You can purchase one of these limited-edition Halo face masks from the Meta Threads website.


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The annual Food and Drink Festival at Nantwich takes place in early September, and it has been steadily gaining popularity and publicity. Last year’s Festival was a roaring success, with an estimated crowd of well over 30,000 visitors generating about £2 million for Nantwich tradespeople. The Festival had been taken over by new organisers and moved from Mill Island to the town centre, with free admission for guests.
This year’s Festival is set for the weekend of September 6th through 8th, and even though funding is a bit iffy, the planners intend to go for another record turnout. One of the main sponsors , Cheshire East Council, reached the end of its three-year sponsorship deal, but others such as the Nantwich Town Council and Mornflake are helping to take up the slack, and it is hoped that more donors will come forward with more funding.
Deborah Robb, head of the not-for-profit organisation, said that even though Cheshire East isn’t able to help with funding, they’ve helped in other important aspects such as allowing Festival marquees in the town centre car parks that would normally bring in parking fees. She added that Festival organisers are very keen to attract more funding, and it’s to the advantage of the whole area to make the event a real community effort.
In 2012 a general survey indicated that almost every visitor to the Festival (97% of those responding) had a great time, and more than three fourths said they’d definitely come back again. Those who do return can expect at least much enjoyment; the idea is to eat, drink and be merry, and there will be ample opportunities to do so.
Nantwich Civic Hall will be turned into the Gourmet Food Hall, with more than 50 stalls offering the best of food and drink both from local sources and from across the UK and Europe. There will be music, dancing and theatre presented by local performers, shops offering samples and demonstrations plus top quality merchandise discounted for festival-goers. It’s a town-wide all-weekend party, and the more the merrier.


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SINGAPORE, Newly-established Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office in Singapore (STATOS) will help in boosting the state's export to the republic by at least 30 per cent beginning from this year until 2020.
Last year, Sarawak's exported a total of RM1.2 billion worth of goods to Singapore while imports from the republic stood at RM1.6 billion.
Major trading items between the state and Singapore are machinery and transport equipment; mineral fuels, lubricants and food items.
The burgeoning trade figures between Sarawak and Singapore were revealed by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg during the soft-launching of STATOS, located at 80, Robinson Road today.
With this sort of facility available in Singapore and also a collaboration between the Singapore business community and Sarawak'sI believe within two years we can target about 30 per cent, he said.
At the moment, Abang Johari said food products especially agriculture have seen an increase.
The grand opening of STATOS is expected to be held in August this year.
Abang Johari had announced the plan to open STATOS during Sarawak Legislative Assembly sitting in May.
STATOS is headed by Chew Chang Guan as the chief executive officer.
According to Abang Johari, Sarawak is also planning to open up trade and tourism office in Pontianak in Indonesia and Brunei within this year.
Our trade with Kalimantan also has increased particularly in medical tourism. If the Indonesian government confirmed to locate its capital city to Kalimantan ..we can work closely with Indonesia, said Abang Johari.
Globally, Sarawak recorded a positive balance of trade in 2018 of RM51.8 billion of which the total exports value was RM97.7 billion, surpassing its total imports of RM45.9 billion.
Sarawak which experienced economic growth of 4.6 per cent last year, is forecasted to grow at 5.0 per cent this year.
Source: NAM News Network


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Manhattan Condos Sell at Frenetic Clip
- Nov 13, 2013
New York—As a measure of the revived (and accelerating) demand for condos in Manhattan, 182 West 82nd Street is more than half sold after a month on the market. All together, the property includes 11 units; six have sold, according to Stribling Marketing Associates, the sales agent for the condos, which were developed by the Naftali Group.
The building retains its original 1900-era façade while featuring new-construction units within, created by ODA-Architecture. The interior design includes high ceilings and oversized wood windows, as well as large bathrooms.
Among the remaining residences are a three-bedroom unit on West 82nd and a duplex penthouse with private outdoor space. Prices for the remaining residences range from nearly $4.6 million for a three-bedroom unit to more than $5 million for the penthouse.
The sales rate of this particular project is in line with the general frenzied pace of condo sales in Manhattan recently. According to the latest Elliman report, sales of condos and co-ops in the borough totaled 3,837 units during the third quarter of 2013, about 30 percent more than during the same period in 2012. Listing inventory dropped 21.9 percent in Q3 2013 compared with the third quarter of 2012.
As a result of eager buyers, Elliman adds, the market’s absorption rate is 3.6 months, the fastest pace in more than 13 years. By the company’s reckoning, the absorption rate is the number of months it takes to sell all active inventory at the current pace of sales. Also, the average number of days on the market for a Manhattan condo shrank from 191 in the third quarter of last year to 88 days during Q3 2013.


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News & Articles
MARKS AND SPENCERS LAUNCHES NEW SKIN KIND JEWELLERY
Marks & Spencer launches new Skin KindTM jewellery to combat customer allergy concerns
This summer, Marks & Spencer (M&S) will become the first high street retailer to set a new standard in hypoallergenic jewellery – as it launches Skin Kind™.
From May 2017, every item in M&S’s fashion jewellery range will meet its new Skin Kind™ standards, so that even customers with the most sensitive skin can wear stylish accessories with confidence.
The project began last year when M&S discovered that more than one in four [28%] of customers didn’t wear fashion jewellery because they were concerned about potential allergic reactions. To help address these concerns, M&S partnered with Birmingham based, world leading precious and base metal experts at the AnchorCert Group’s analytical testing laboratory to find a practical solution for customers.
Victoria Gallant, jewellery technologist at M&S explains: “Fashion jewellery is one of the easiest ways to update an outfit or transform from a casual to evening look and should be something everyone can wear. We were surprised to hear so many customers were worried about buying jewellery because of allergy fears and we wanted a solution to put their minds at rest. Now Skin Kind™ is the standard across our entire range – all customers can wear M&S jewellery with confidence.”
Whilst more than a quarter of consumers have concerns, the reality is that approximately 10-15% of people suffer an adverse skin reaction to certain metals1. The project team analysed data from over 1000 individuals with known skin reactions to identify the most common metal allergens2. Using the results, the team developed a brand-new testing method that is now applied to M&S jewellery to assess the reactivity of metals used and help prevent any skin reaction.
The result is M&S’s new Skin Kind™ jewellery, designed to be extra kind to sensitive skin. To achieve this, M&S has used the research findings to change the specification and manufacturing process of its jewellery – minimising the effect of the most common metal allergens. M&S has also introduced new comfort focussed product criteria as standard across the range. For example, all M&S earrings posts are now made of titanium – one of the most non-reactive metals. Strict weight limits are set for fashion earrings to make them easier to wear all day and smooth edge clasps and connectors are used on all fastenings to minimise any irritation.


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Earlier today, as part of a nationwide fast food workers' strike, employees from several East Bay fast food chains walked off the job. The strike convened on a McDonald's location on Jackson Street in Oakland where workers called for a $15 per hour minimum wage and the ability to unionize.
According to the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, fast food workers make an average of under $9 per hour. (California recently raised the statewide minimum wage to $10 per hour.) An October study from UC Berkeley showed that $7 billion dollars of taxpayer funds go to fast food workers nationwide every year, just so they can afford basic living expenses.
Today's walk-out is the latest of several that began earlier this year. In August workers walked out of their jobs in downtown Oakland and just last weekend five workers were arrested in a similar protest.


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SHARES in conservatory maker Ultraframe slumped almost 10 per cent today after chief executive David Moore warned that UK householders have curbed their spending on major home improvements.
The Clitheroe-based company's shares fell 23.25p to 225p in early trading after Mr Moore said Ultraframe's core customers - affluent couples aged over 50 - had become more cautious since the summer.
Fears of higher interest rates is one factor affecting their decisions to defer spending on "big-ticket" items.
Mr Moore said he believed the market would come back but it was difficult to say when.
The slowdown meant Ultraframe's sales for the year to September 26 fell 4.3 per cent, from £145.2m to £139.1m, but pre-tax profits were up 2.4 per cent, from £31.3m to £32m. The final dividend is 7.86p, making a total of 11.1p for the year, a rise of 7.8 per cent on last year.
Overall turnover in the UK saw a modest 0.2 per cent rise to £90.7m. Ultraframe's first-half advance of 3.6 per cent was offset by a 2.5 per cent fall in the second six months. Operating profits in the UK rose 3.5 per cent, from £27.9m to £28.8m.
In addition to the over-50s, a significant but increasingly competitive UK market for Ultraframe is at the budget end - typically younger families who need more space.
Mr Moore said Ultraframe is seeking to boost its share of this market with new products, and anticipates a modest rise in sales this year.
Ultraframe's sales in the US fell 11.6 per cent, from £54.7m to £48.4m, because of heavy snow and rain which delayed installation work.
Gross margins in the US grew from 41 per cent to 44.1 per cent, but operating profits fell from £7.7m to £6.5m.
Mr Moore said the company was making steady progress on clearing the backlog and its US order book was ahead of last year. He added: "We have remained focused this year on investing in product innovation, the extension of distribution channels and improving our operational efficiency.
"These initiatives have resulted in good growth in margins and will enable us to further exploit the long-term growth prospects in the business.
"In the short term, the UK will remain challenging. Our plans for the development of our North American business are on track."


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NFT-Linked House Sells for $650K in Propy’s First US Sale
Real estate startup Propy has sold its first NFT-backed property in the U.S., the company announced Friday.
The 2,164-square-foot house in Gulfport, Florida, fetched $653,000 (210 ETH) at auction, with the winning bidder being awarded a non-fungible token (NFT) as proof of the home’s ownership.
The logistics of the NFT itself are a bit complicated – the token is linked to the ownership of an LLC that owns the physical asset, not the housing deed itself – but represents continued experimentation in a sector that accounts for $16 billion, or roughly 1%, of the crypto market’s $2 trillion market capitalization.
Propy says the NFT can be used as collateral for crypto borrowers and investors. The sale comes at a time when the market for NFT lending services is beginning to find its stride.
Propy’s first-ever NFT-backed property sale came last May, when the company auctioned off TechCrunch CEO Michael Arrington’s Ukraine apartment.
While the Florida sale garnered some hype in the days leading up to it, the auction itself was anything but a bidding war. Despite over 7,000 people signing up to bid on the home, which only accepted bids in ETH, the property sold for just $3,000 over its initial asking price of $650,000.
Karayaneva told CoinDesk that Propy has three upcoming partnerships in place with lending protocols, one being with Helio.
While the Thursday sale only accepted bids in ETH, the company’s upcoming sales will be paid in USDC in an effort to reduce concerns of volatility. Propy also plans on offering decentralized finance (DeFi) mortgages to its users in the coming months, according to Karayaneva.


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Indonesia is one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia, and the country’s tech industry is booming. However, there is a significant gender gap in the tech sector, with women underrepresented in leadership positions and technical roles.
She Loves Tech Indonesia is an annual event that aims to address this issue by highlighting the achievements of women in tech and providing a platform for them to connect and learn from each other. The event includes a series of talks, workshops, and networking opportunities, as well as a startup competition for women-led businesses.
The 2020 Fireside Chat
One of the highlights of She Loves Tech Indonesia 2020 was a fireside chat featuring some of the country’s most prominent women in tech. The panel included:
– Nixie Amelia, Head of Marketing at Bukalapak
– Faye Alund, CEO of Kargo Technologies
– Teta Moehammad, CTO of Ruangguru
– Dian Noeh Abubakar, Founder of Agate International
– Yunita Anggraeni, Product Manager at Traveloka
The panel discussed a range of topics related to women in tech, including the challenges they face, the importance of mentorship and community, and strategies for increasing diversity in the industry. Here are some of the key takeaways:
Challenges Facing Women in Tech
The panel acknowledged that women face a range of challenges in the tech industry, including unconscious bias, lack of representation in leadership positions, and a lack of support and mentorship. However, they also emphasized that these challenges can be overcome with determination, hard work, and a supportive community.
“It’s important to find your tribe,” said Nixie Amelia. “Surround yourself with people who support and believe in you, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.”
The Importance of Mentorship and Community
All of the panelists emphasized the importance of mentorship and community in helping women succeed in tech. They encouraged women to seek out mentors and sponsors who can provide guidance, support, and opportunities for growth.
“Mentorship is critical,” said Faye Alund. “Find someone who can help you navigate the industry, and learn as much as you can from them.”
The panel also highlighted the importance of building a supportive community of peers. They encouraged women to attend events like She Loves Tech Indonesia, where they can connect with other women in tech and share their experiences.
Strategies for Increasing Diversity in Tech
The panelists discussed a range of strategies for increasing diversity in the tech industry, including:
– Providing more opportunities for women to enter technical roles
– Offering mentorship and support to women in leadership positions
– Creating more inclusive workplace cultures
– Encouraging men to be allies and advocates for women in tech
“Diversity is not just a checkbox,” said Teta Moehammad. “It’s about creating a culture where everyone feels valued and included.”
The She Loves Tech Indonesia Startup Competition
As part of the event, She Loves Tech Indonesia also held a startup competition for women-led businesses. The competition received over 100 applications from across Indonesia, and the top 10 finalists presented their pitches at the event.
The winner of the competition was Kostoom, a startup that provides custom-fit clothing for women using 3D scanning technology. The company received a cash prize of IDR 50 million and will represent Indonesia at the She Loves Tech Global Startup Competition in China.
She Loves Tech Indonesia 2020 was a great success, bringing together women from across the tech industry to share their experiences and insights. The fireside chat provided an opportunity for some of Indonesia’s most prominent women in tech to discuss the challenges they face and strategies for increasing diversity in the industry.
Events like She Loves Tech Indonesia are crucial for building a supportive and inclusive community of women in tech, and we look forward to seeing more initiatives like this in the future.


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A charity promoting positive mental health is bidding to bag a massive cash boost.
Support to Recovery (S2R), based at Brook Street in Huddersfield, has been shortlisted in the Tesco Bags of Help initiative, which will see grants of £5,000, £2,000 and £1,000 – all raised from the 5p plastic bag levy – being awarded to local outdoor community projects each month.
Three groups in every Tesco region have been shortlisted to receive the cash award and this month shoppers are being invited to head along to Tesco stores to vote for who they think should take away the top grant.
S2R hopes to land one of the cash awards to upgrade its enclosed courtyard area to offer creative activities and help provide short courses and sessions based around creative use of the environment, remaining mentally and physically well and promoting independence.
Voting is open in stores until 28 January. Customers can cast their vote using a token given to them at the check-out in store each time they shop.
Tesco’s Bags of Help project, run in conjunction with environmental regeneration the charity Groundwork, has so far delivered more than £24m to 2,400-plus projects UK-wide. Customers get the chance to vote for three different groups each month. At the end of each month, when votes are collected, three groups in each of Tesco’s regions will be awarded funding.


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After debuting with monumental success in 2019, Candytopia is returning to Atlanta.
The candy-themed adventure, which includes “colossal candy creations, flying unicorn pigs and marshmallow tsunamis,” according to a news release, will reopen June 11 at 3330 Piedmont Road, next to the Disco Kroger in Buckhead. It was located in the Lenox Marketplace shopping center in 2019.
The original Candytopia opened in Santa Monica, California, in 2018. Since then it’s expanded to major cities across the country including Atlanta, New York, Miami and Houston, drawing more than 1.5 million guests.
When Candytopia opened in Atlanta, tickets sold out almost immediately and the museum’s team extended its stay twice to accommodate more guests, nearly 250,000 in six months. Atlanta is the first city Candytopia is revisiting since the COVID-19 pandemic started last year. The 2021 version will include the most popular attractions from past locations along with new and enchanting elements.
“We’re thrilled to be returning to the city of Atlanta where we were so warmly welcomed in 2019. We’ve created an updated experience that our guests will find familiar, but with plenty of new surprises to discover,” Youtopia Entertainment CEO John Goodman said in the release.
With a unique immersive experience, Candytopia is for anyone who’s dreamed of winning a Golden Ticket or traveling through Candyland. It features more than a dozen environments filled with larger-than-life interactive art installations and full sensory experiences. As guests navigate through each area, they are treated to a variety of packaged candy samples, including some nostalgic favorites, plus many sweet surprises.
Tickets are on sale and cost $28 for adults, $20 for children ages 4 to 12 and free for kids 3 and under. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.candytopia.com.


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Washington, District of Columbia—“The latest dairy industry promotions insist that cows are happy about being forcibly impregnated, injected with hormone and antibiotics, and penned in their own filth” says Davida Gypsy Breier, FoA Vegetarian Program Coordinator. She adds, “The California Milk Advisory Board, which ‘aggressively promotes dairy products,’ is trying to beguile the public with the idea that ‘Happy Cows’ are productive cows.” Previous multi-million dollar ad campaigns by Dairy Management Inc., the organization that promotes U.S. produced dairy products, have included “The Power of Cheese” and “Got Milk.”
Pizza Hut, the largest user of cheese in the world, and Dairy Management Inc. ran full-page ads in USA Today the week of May 27th playing on the idea that cows were feeling under appreciated by Pizza Hut. In the Pizza Hut response ad, which offers an “Apology to Cows,” Michael S. Rawlings, Pizza Hut President, pens a letter that says, “Now these industrious cows have made The Summer of Cheese™ a reality by giving us their very best, and without a single discontented ‘moo.’” One has to wonder if Mr. Rawlings has ever stepped foot in a dairy barn?
Davida explains, “These ads are just another attempt to deceive the public with ‘funny’ and ‘cute’ illusions about the inherent cruelties involved in the dairy industry.”
According to FoA, “Before the advent of modern factory farming, a dairy cow produced an average of 9,000 pounds of milk per year, but now the average is 16,000 pounds a year. Genetic manipulation, growth hormones, and intensive production techniques have made this increase possible. The cows are under constant physical and psychological stress and quickly ‘wear out,’ suffering an average of five years before they are killed. They often develop numerous health problems, such as metabolic disorders, mastitis, joint disorders, and a dairy industry disease called ‘Milk Fever.’ They are forcibly impregnated each year or until their milk production declines, at which point they are sent for slaughter. When grain prices rise, pregnant cows are often sent to slaughter to save money on feed. Most dairy cows end up as ground hamburger.”
Happy cows? Not likely.
Breier adds, “All of this suffering is completely unnecessary. Kale, broccoli, molasses, and calcium-fortified orange juice are better, healthier sources of calcium for the human body than cows milk.”
Friends of Animals is an international animal rights organization with more than 200,000 members.


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It’s been less than a year since Ultimaker introduced the new Ultimaker 3, the latest version of their ultra-popular desktop 3D printer series. The Ultimaker 3 hasn’t disappointed, it seems – like the company’s previous releases, it’s maintained a comfortable position at the head of “best of” lists and 3D printer buying guides, and has received consistently positive reviews. The 3D printer’s fans will be pleased to learn, moreover, that Ultimaker is releasing several new products to make the Ultimaker 3, as well as the Ultimaker 2+, even better.
“Our Ultimaker 3 has changed the way companies and organizations produce prototype parts, small-scale production, tools, jigs and fixtures,” said Paul Heiden, Senior Vice-President, Ultimaker Product Management. “With the additions of multiple materials, kits and accessories, as well as software upgrades, users can better optimize and maintain printers at scale and achieve consistent and high-quality output.”
On the materials side, Ultimaker is now offering polypropylene, or PP, filament. The durable, tough, semi-flexible material possesses a high level of fatigue, electrical and chemical resistance as well as low friction, and lends itself to both prototyping and end-use applications including everything from electrical components to living hinges. It has a high strength-to-weight ratio, good layer bonding characteristics, and a smooth finish. Ultimaker is offering PP in a natural translucent color, starting at $49.95.
In addition, Ultimaker is now offering printing profiles to support a wider range of engineering materials, including TPU 95A, CPE+, and PC. PVA profiles have also been updated.There are plenty of other new software features, as well, with the release of Cura 2.61. The latest version of the software contains enhanced support adhesion settings, easier and faster model auto-arrange options, support meshes and extruder buttons.
Some new nozzle sizes are now available for Ultimaker’s print cores. 0.4mm print cores were already available, allowing for highly detailed prints, but now 0.8mm are available as well, allowing for faster printing.
There’s also been a firmware update to the Ultimaker 3. Users now have the ability to restart prints directly from their 3D printers, without the need to start up Cura, and the material change procedure has been improved: now, when materials are changed, the printer automatically flushes out all residue from the previous material, ensuring a completely clean print core.
Finally, there’s the Ultimaker 3 Advanced 3D Printing Kit. This includes the following:
- A front enclosure add-on, which can be installed to prevent heat from escaping and to maintain a steady temperature of 45ºC. This allows for slower cooling and an overall more even temperature distribution, lowering shrinkage and reducing the risk of warping and delamination.
- 25 adhesion sheets
- An adhesive applicator
- An extra glass plate to enable users to immediately begin a new print job after the previous one has finished, without having to remove the first print and clean the plate
Depending on the material you’re using, elements of the Advanced 3D Printing Kit come more highly recommended or are even required; for example, PP requires the use of adhesive sheets. The kit can be purchased from Ultimaker’s site for $119.95; there’s also an Advanced 3D Printing Kit for the Ultimaker 2+ and 2 Extended+ 3D printers, retailing for $106.80.
Ultimaker is a company that never seems to stop improving and upgrading its products, and as the company continues to expand into North America and the global professional market, it also continues to expand its offerings to its loyal customer base. With stronger materials, faster print speeds, and upgraded software, Ultimaker’s popularity is likely to only continue to grow. Discuss in the Ultimaker forum at 3DPB.com.
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Tesla is looking to buy more real estate in the Northeast to ‘open lots of service centers’, according to a new post by Tesla President of Automotive Jerome Guillen.
Last year, Tesla made several statements about expanding service after CEO Elon Musk admitted a “foolish oversight” of Tesla’s service coverage and plans to open many more service centers around the world.
The growth has been relatively slow, with Tesla opening only 21 new locations worldwide between October 2019 and March 2020.
As of the last report, Tesla stores and service centers were growing at 15% year-over-year versus 40% for global deliveries.
But we have seen more effort on the service front over the last few months.
Last month, we reported on Tesla looking for new locations in order to expand its service capacity in several markets, including the Bay Area, Atlanta, Puerto Rico, and more.
Tesla President of Automotive Jerome Guillen now says that the automaker is looking for new real estate professionals to help Tesla get more properties in the Northeast to expand service.
He wrote on LinkedIn:
“Looking for exceptional commercial real estate professionals to join the team and help us open lots of service centers in the Northeast. If you feel qualified and are keen on joining us on this exciting journey, please apply!”
Tesla describes the Real Estate Manager role in a listing on its website:
“Tesla is seeking a Real Estate Manager for the Northeast US region. You will be responsible for increasing the footprint of locations supporting the specified line of business in your designated region. You will also collaborate cross functionally with internal teams including Sales, Service, Retail Development, Construction and Design as well as Legal, Finance and Lease Administration and external partners including landlords, developers, brokers and advisers to lead and complete new location development.”
Tesla has found more success on the West Coast in the US, but CEO Elon Musk has previously said that he sees room to grow in the Northeast, where it has previously been limited when it comes to its retail presence in some states like New York and Connecticut due to direct sale laws.
The CEO says that expanding service centers and the Supercharger network are Tesla’s two best ways to bring in more customers.
Author: Fred Lambert of Electrek
Tesla is starting to fight back against owners who are hacking their cars to unlock a performance boost that the automaker is itself selling as a software update.
For a few years now, Tesla started selling vehicles with upgradable software-locked capabilities, like 75 kWh battery pack software-locked at 60 kWh or higher power outputs enabled through software updates.
The most recent example is offering a $2,000 ‘Acceleration Boost’ for the Model 3 Dual Motor.
It unlocks roughly 50 hp in the Model 3 powertrain and shortens the 0 to 60 mph acceleration to 3.9 seconds.
Earlier this year, we reported on a company called Ingenext that released a device that enabled Tesla owners to unlock the same capacity for half the price.
All Model 3 owners have to do is plug a connector to their MCU and they automatically get the 50 hp boost plus a few other features from Ingenext, like a ‘Drift mode’.
But as it was suspected, Tesla is starting to fight back against the hack.
Some owners who purchased the device have received this in-car notification after the latest Tesla software update (via /u/potato3838 on Reddit):
As you can see, Tesla says that it detected “”incompatible vehicle modification” and that it could result in “potential risk of damage or shutdown”.
The notification apparently stays stuck on the screen like that, but the vehicle remains drivable.
Guillaume André, founder of Ingenext, told Electrek that Tesla patched their update of the driver inverter software unlocking the capacity in the software update 2020.32.1.
André said that they sent a notification to clients warning them not to update and only 3 customers updated their cars before seeing the update.
Now they are working on their own patch to enable their customers to update without issues.
André told Electrek that it would take “one or two weeks” to get the patch.
1,000 free Supercharger miles just use this link and code : https://ts.la/david46025 or get $250 dollars off solar panels.
That was kind of expected. It is basically a cat and mouse game between hacking the inverter and Tesla patching the hack.
To be fair, Ingenext does warn that it is a concern and they have a page that let customers know whether an update is safe or not.
It’s an “at your own risk” kind of thing.
I get why some people would want to do the hack since the capacity is already in the cars that they bought and Tesla claiming that it could result in damages is weird since they are basically using the same code as their own acceleration boost.
But at the same time, you are also running third-party software.
Again, at your risk.
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text: I bet you never thought you’d hear someone say, “I’m going to the grocery store to get a pedicure.” But now, folks in Dallas, Texas, are saying just that. The Whole Foods Market on Preston Road has opened The Spa by Whole Foods Market. Located on the second floor, the space includes seven treatment rooms (including a manicure/pedicure room), an outdoor veranda, its own retail space, and of course, all-natural products. For those of you unfamiliar with Whole Foods, it’s all about natural and organic products — foods, supplements, accessories. So it makes sense that The Spa would include only natural ingredients and products that haven’t been tested on animals in its services. Run by Whole Foods (not outsourced to another spa company), customers (clients) can opt for full-service treatments or express services, like a 15-minute manicure. So now we’ve got salons in airports, in hospitals, and in grocery stores. What’s next? Salons at the DMV? Wait, that’s not such a bad idea.


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London’s next generation of lifestyle hotels – and the lenders ready to back them
Posted: 17th February 2021 | Share
By Louise Gillon
As featured in Boutique Hotel News.
While businesses have been forced to tackle unprecedented setbacks due to Covid-19, hoteliers have been working behind the scenes to bring new life to the industry. In London, the innovative lifestyle hotel trend is taking centre stage – promising guests a modernised, alternative hospitality experience. However, when it comes to financing these emerging establishments, many banks and lenders are somewhat behind the curve.
The past year has heralded a number of significant changes for society. Among them, the evolving attitudes and demands of consumers, with a growing tendency towards conscious consumption, are inciting meaningful change in businesses across the spectrum. The hotel industry is no different, and innovative new developments are transforming the face of London’s hospitality scene. Defining the next generation of hotels in the capital, such projects aim to provide a more rounded, personalised experience for visitors – maintaining a sense of luxury and elegance without compromising on a relaxed, homely atmosphere.
There are a number of exciting initiatives taking off in this area. Shiva Hotels, for instance – the esteemed hotel operator that is at the forefront of this new generation – opened two such establishments last year. Providing guests with an experience-centric getaway, the relaxed, boutique set-up of hotels Middle Eight and The Guardsman enabled the hotelier to successfully launch despite the ongoing disruptions of the pandemic – with its offering providing an attractive option for ethically conscious guests looking for a warmer, more personalised alternative to London’s typically more sterile luxury offering.


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Sharjah, 31 March 2022
Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) in collaboration with TDRA’s ICT Fund, has organized a discussion session entitled “Web3: Building a Community in the Metaverse” in Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park. The session aims to enhance the entrepreneurial community’sknowledge about the Metaverse and new technologies that may affect their interaction with real and virtual worlds.
The session comes in line with Sheraa’s mission to enable entrepreneurs and to cultivate a world-class entrepreneurship ecosystem in Sharjah and the UAE. It explored the challenges and creative opportunities for aspiring individuals keen on building communities in a shared virtual world.
Held at Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP) and moderated by Nelio Leone, Founder of UrbanMonks.io, the eventfeatured a distinguished panel of experts including Hoda A. Alkhzaimi, Director of Center of Cyber Security in New York University Abu Dhabi; Giuseppe Moscatello, Curator and Art Producer; Vincent Ghossoub, Founder of Nifty Craft and Falafel Games; and Ritesh Tilani, Founder of Enhance Ventures.
Najla Al Midfa: “The Metaverse marks a cornerstone in history”
In her welcome address, Najla Al Midfa, CEO, Sharjah Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa), hailed the community of entrepreneurs, innovators and changemakers at Sheraa for continously finding new ways to thrive.
The Sheraa CEO said: “As the metaverse becomes an increasingly real part of our everyday lives, there is a greater need to deepen and broaden the way we engage through virtual spaces, said Al Midfa, adding: “The growing relevance of the metaverse marks a cornerstone in history, and it is the role of entrepreneurs to identify problems and opportunities that arise as the result of this momentous shift.”
Omar Al Mahmoud, Chief Executive Officer of ICT Fund, said, “The role of the ICT Fund is to achieve rapid, progressive and concrete developments within the ICT sector. The emergence of new technologies and trends, entrepreneurs and innovators have immense opportunities to capitalize on in the evolving metaverse.”
Al Mahmoud added: “The Fund is keen to support all initiatives aimed at developing human resourcesworking in the ICT sector and qualifying them to benefit from the technical products of our time, including the Metaverse. The Metaverse constitutes a great opportunity for investment and work, and the transition to a new form of dealing and communication between different populations around the world.”
Expanding opportunities in the Metaverse
“The promise of Metaverse lies in its interoperability among various sectors,” stated Nelio Leone, Founder of UrbanMonks.io.
Stating that the metaverse builds on the concept of “digital twins” and enables the existence of humans in both the physical and virtual universe, Hoda A. Alkhzaimi, Director of Center of Cyber Security in New York University Abu Dhabi said, “The technology is still very young but evolving rapidly and we need to be mindful of building a holistic, inclusive and diverse technology platform.”
She added: “The metaverse will be based on holistic tools of development that bitcoins and blockchains offer to build digital assets. Since digital manipulation will have a direct impact on the physical space, aspects of security, privacy and safety are crucial factors to pay attention to when building the digital narrative.”
“The next wave of tech is user ownership where individuals will not be just users, but part-time developers or creators engaged in creating innovative solutions that can help solve some of the key sustainable development goals,” added Hoda A. Alkhzaimi.
Curator and Art Producer Giuseppe Moscatello said: “What is unique about the metaverse is the opportunity it offers for artists to integrate art with other industries and to facilitate their interaction and collaboration with players in diverse industries to sell and commercialize their work. Artists can now convert their artworks to digital assets allowing art and culture to be available for all around the world.”
Citing the growing community of gamers engaged in play-to-earn crypto games as a legitimate revenue stream, Vincent Ghossoub, Founder of Nifty Craft and Falafel Games, outlined the role of the gaming industry in being a catalyst for the explosion of the metaverse.
“The resource transferability that gaming offers and the opportunity to design and stake ownership of digital assets has caused shifts in the gaming industry,” he said. “Gaming is today a USD 180 billion industry and almost double the size of Hollywood, TV and the music industry combined. In just a few years the number of gamers is expected to rise to 6 billion.”
Ritesh Tilani, Founder of Enhance Ventures highlighted the issue of phishing attacks and other frauds rampant in the digital universe and the necessity to raise educational awareness on the risks and safety of buying and selling assets in the Metaverse.
“Upcoming entrepreneurs keen on setting up a business in the metaverse should facilitate access to the masses and educate them on how the digital space operates. Ease of use – or enabling individuals to buy and sell in a hassle-free manner is another pre-requisite, while ensuring a secure platform is integral to the running of the business.The stronger and more secure the platform, the wider we can spread it to the masses.”


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The euro fell against the dollar despite a slate of positive inflation reports from Germany and Italy as investors sold the single currency. The EUR/USD currency pair fell to its daily lows in the early European session and traded sideways for the rest of the day.
The EUR/USD currency pair fell from an initial high of 1.2101 during the Australian market to a low of 1.2027 in the early Frankfurt session and revisited the level during the American session.
The currency pair’s initial decline was driven by the negative investor sentiment towards the euro amid fears the ECB would intervene to stabilise rising bond yields. The release of the upbeat Markit/BME Germany Manufacturing PMI for February, which came in at 60.7, beating expectations by 0.1, had a muted impact on the pair. The positive Markit Eurozone Manufacturing PMI also had a similar effect. The upbeat provisional Germany consumer price index report for February released by the Federal Statistical Office could not lift the pair. The upbeat Italian provisional inflation report released by Istat had minimal impact on the euro.
Dovish comments by ECB Governing Council Member François Villeroy de Galhau said that the bank must react to any undue tightening fueled the pair’s decline. The release of the upbeat ISM US manufacturing PMI, which came in at 60.8, beating analysts estimates of 58.8, drove the pair to its daily lows.
The currency pair’s future performance is likely to be affected by tomorrow’s multiple releases from the euro area.
The EUR/USD currency pair was trading at 1.2044 at 18:43 GMT, having fallen from a high of 1.2101. The EUR/JPY currency pair was trading at 128.66 after dropping from a high of 128.94.
© SimonMugo for Forex News, 2021. |
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Post tags: Consumer Price Index, EUR/JPY, EUR/USD, European Central Bank, Eurozone, Federal Statistical Office, Francois Villeroy de Galhau, ISM, Istat, Manufacturing, Markit Economics, PMI


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Cocoa, FL, USA – November 27, 2018 – Create Winners International, LLC and The Essence of Knowledge Bookstore have proudly announced that they are jointly organizing an inspiring event in Cocoa, Florida on Thursday, November 29th, 2018. The event is called ‘An Evening of Inspiration: The Challenge to Succeed in 2018 and Beyond!’ and it will take place at the Essence of Knowledge Bookstore of Cocoa. The store is conveniently located at Cocoa’s King Street and tickets are now available online at EventBrite.com 6:30pm – 8:00pm.
“I am very excited to speak at this gathering on Thursday evening and I am thankful to both Create Winners International, LLC and The Essence of Knowledge Bookstore for organizing this event and inviting me to speak,” said Earl Davis Jr., the Special Guest of this inspiring event, while sharing his thoughts regarding the event. “Every problem is a gift and without problems we would not grow,” he added. Besides being a renowned American businessman and philanthropist, Earl is also the 2002 Winter Olympic Torchbearer and Special Advisor for the Global Economic Initiative.
Joining Earl Davis will be another Special Guest and a nationally acclaimed speaker, Toni Stone Bruce. Toni is also the CEO of Precious Stones 4 Life. According to Toni, this event will teach its participants on how to identify their own special abilities, while also gaining the ability to tap their invaluable mental resources. Moreover, it will also inspire the participants to bring people together, discover the success traits of today’s top leaders and also on how to concentrate on their most important goals.
In today’s rapidly changing world, an increasing amount of great opportunities for financial and personal advancement are being created every single day. The event will simply inspire the participants to capitalize on these opportunities, while learning from the very best in the industry. Cocoa’s biggest challenges are a negative image, crime, and a lack of economic development and that is why the city has only grown by 1% in population in ten years. Therefore, this event will be a great inspiration for the local residents of the city and it is open to the General Public.
In addition, this inspiring event also offers a special bonus session, which is exclusively organized for authors, small business owners, entrepreneurs, special customers and friends of the essence of knowledge bookstore. Attendees will also get free gifts and the ticket investment has now been reduced to $17 now, or $97 at the door. Participants are also encouraged to bring their business cards, as it will be a great opportunity to socialize and find likeminded individuals.
For more information and to register now, please visit:
Company Name: Precious Stones 4 Life, LLC
Contact Person: Toni S. Bruce/Michelle D.
Email: Send Email
Phone: +1 (321) 323-4954
Address:Essence of Knowledge Bookstore 1229 King St.
Country: United States


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April 16, 2014 BY Brendan Dunne
Not much is known at this point about the upcoming Nike Hyperdunk 2014. What we do know is that the sneakers will stay true to the Hyperdunk DNA of recent years – for instance there will be the Lunar platform across the bottom, and there will once again be a “Think Pink” style colorway. Shown here is that pair, which seemingly skips out on the little ribbon that we’ve so often seen on these Kay Yow style shoes. Continue reading for the full photo preview of them and stay tuned to Sneaker News for a Nike Hyperdunk 2014 release date.
Tags: Nike Hyperdunk 2014


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Press Trust of India | Last Updated: February 05, 2016 20:31 (IST)
Leading operators had requested the regulator to defer sale of 700 MHz spectrum, saying that ecosystem for providing services in this band was not developed and sale would lead to under-utilisation of the spectrum for several years and block industry's crucial fund.
Press Trust of India | Last Updated: February 05, 2016 15:04 (IST)
The e-commerce industry is likely to generate 2.5 lakh jobs in online retail this year, as hiring in the sector is expected to grow 60-65 per cent, according to a report by Assocham.
Thomson Reuters | Last Updated: February 04, 2016 08:28 (IST)
As one of Google's earliest search pioneers steps down and the company's leader in artificial intelligence takes his place, analysts say the move signals the company's desire to make its search engine more sophisticated.
Shweta Rajpal Kohli | Last Updated: February 03, 2016 16:21 (IST)
It is not easy for the head of a public sector firm to quiz a Cabinet Minister on a public platform.
Thomson Reuters | Last Updated: February 03, 2016 08:35 (IST)
Yahoo Inc said on Tuesday it would consider "strategic alternatives" for its core Internet business and cut about 15 per cent of its workforce, even as it continues with its plan to revamp the business and spin it off.
Thomson Reuters | Last Updated: February 02, 2016 08:33 (IST)
Alphabet Inc surpassed Apple Inc as the most valuable company in the United States in after-hours trading on Monday, knocking the iPhone maker from the top spot that it has held for the better part of four years.
Thomson Reuters | Last Updated: February 02, 2016 08:24 (IST)
Yahoo Inc Chief Executive Marissa Mayer is set to reveal cost-cutting plans that include slashing 15 per cent of the company's workforce, or roughly 1,600 jobs, and closing several business units, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
Press Trust of India | Last Updated: February 01, 2016 17:19 (IST)
IT sector hiring is expected to see a significant uptrend this year as more and more companies focus on digitisation and the sector is likely to create 2.5 lakh new job openings this year, according to a report by staffing services firm Teamlease Services.
Thomson Reuters | Last Updated: January 28, 2016 22:13 (IST)
An aggressive roll-out of high-speed 4G network by Indian mobile phone operators to tap the growing demand for internet services bolstered Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd's sales in the December quarter, a company executive said on Thursday.
NDTV Profit Team | Last Updated: January 28, 2016 15:16 (IST)
For the first time, telecom regulator - TRAI - has recommended putting up spectrum in the 700 MHz band for auction.
Thomson Reuters | Last Updated: January 27, 2016 23:43 (IST)
Apple Inc shares fell 4 per cent on Wednesday after the company reported its slowest-ever rise in iPhone shipments, with an uptick likely only after the expected launch of iPhone 7 in September.
Press Trust of India | Last Updated: January 27, 2016 23:43 (IST)
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Wednesday recommended that there is no "plausible reason" to change present restrictions on overall spectrum holding and in a frequency band.
Press Trust of India | Last Updated: January 27, 2016 20:29 (IST)
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Wednesday suggested Rs 11,485 crore per Mhz pan-India as base price for premium 700 Mhz spectrum - the highest rate for any telecom frequency band - for the next round of auction even as leading operators have sought holding back sale of the radio waves in this band.
Thomson Reuters | Last Updated: January 23, 2016 21:12 (IST)
Some of Apple Inc's main Asian suppliers expect revenues and orders to drop this quarter, indicating iPhone sales are almost certain to post their first annual decline since the flagship product was launched almost a decade ago.
NDTV Profit Team | Last Updated: January 23, 2016 11:52 (IST)
Infosys CEO Vishal Sikka said through automation, more and more manual tasks are possible to be done automatically.
Press Trust of India | Last Updated: January 22, 2016 14:20 (IST)
The government is likely to conduct the next round of spectrum auction around May-June this year, a top official said on Friday.
Press Trust of India | Last Updated: January 22, 2016 13:38 (IST)
Government is likely to conduct next round of spectrum auction around May-June period this year, a top official said today.


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Budget 2017: Is India ready for a cashless economy?
Feb 02, 2017 10:35 IST
about the videoFinance Minister Arun Jaitley announced in his Budget speech that the government will soon launch an Aadhar enabled digital payment system. It will enable people without debit and credit cards and smartphones to transact digitally. We asked people what they think about it and here’s their reaction. (Hindustan Times)


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iPhone 13 Order on Flipkart: Flipkart Big Billion Days Sale 2022 has started on September 22 for Plus members and September 23 for all other customers. Is. In this sale, there was a huge discount on the Apple iPhone 13. Initially its price was Rs 47,990, but within a day its price increased to Rs 56,990. Let us tell you that out of the customers who had booked iPhone 13 in the range of 48 thousand to 52 thousand, the orders of many customers were automatically canceled. Many customers complained about this through social media, after which the hashtag of boycotting Flipkart on Twitter also started trending. Now Flipkart has given its statement regarding this.
what Flipkart said
This was the offer and discount on Apple iPhone 13
Get the more news updates on Tech


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Retailers will be glad to see 2014 recede, or at least the first part of it that saw less than stellar sales from the holiday season of 2013. The year was marked by data breaches, debates about the minimum wage and more than a few CEO firings and scandals.
But what began precariously will likely end on a more positive note as Holiday 2014 likely yielded far improved sales over the prior year. The changing of the guard in retailer’s corner offices is largely over and consumers are spending again thanks to lower gas prices, higher home prices and overall stronger economy.
Looking ahead, here are what will likely be big stories in 2015.
Data breaches will continue
True, there is new chip-and-PIN technology being implemented that will better protect shoppers card information at the point of sale but there are still a good many variables that put shopper data at risk. The biggest culprit? As security expert and blogger Brian Krebs, who discovered the Target breach among others, points out: Retailers are first and foremost merchants, not security experts. No matter how large the IT department, retailers expertise lies in selecting and selling merchandise making security in the fast changing realm of technology a work in progress.
Target will come roaring back
Target’s data breach had serious repercussions for the retailer. There were missed sales during the holiday for a disappointing year-end report, a loss in consumer trust and ultimately sweeping changes in the executive suite. Changes that have already yielded positive results.
New CEO Brian Cornell has wasted no time getting the retailer back on track and the company is moving fast to fix what was wrong. Of course it helped that Target was never too terribly far off track, as it’s always been highly disciplined with a strong, well-defined brand proposition. Cornell has already implemented some new merchandising initiatives and shoppers aren’t holding grudges for the data breach. Look for Target to come roaring back in 2015.
Dollar store fever will continue
Gas prices may be at historic lows and the economy is picking up, but the bifurcation of economic classes will continue. Deep discounters such as the dollar store formats will keep growing and with the pending sale of Family Dollar, the market will become even more competitive in 2015.


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The first chartered direct flight full of high-spending Chinese tourists touched down at Honolulu Airport yesterday with 263 passengers eager to shop and see the islands through the Chinese New Year over the next six days.
Chinese visitors are expected to spend an average of $368 per person per day this year, compared to just $275 per day for every Japanese tourist, said David Uchiyama, vice president of brand management for the Hawaii Tourism Authority, who welcomed the Chinese guests at a special airport reception that included hula dancers, live Hawaiian music, lei, soft drinks and plenty of picture-taking.
By comparison, spending for all Hawaii tourists averages just $178 per day, according to the HTA.
So yesterday’s arrival of high-spending Chinese visitors from a specially chartered flight is "significant," Uchiyama said. "This is going to have a big impact on the state."
Last year, Hawaii saw the arrival of 66,048 Chinese visitors, who each spent an average of $357 per day. This year the HTA expects to see 82,146 Chinese tourists, a 24 percent increase.
Li Xiu Ying, a retired teacher from Szechuan province, and her husband, factory manager Quing Shi Luo, deplaned from the chartered Airbus 340 yesterday full of smiles.
Their flight originated in Beijing, picked up more passengers in Shanghai Pudong International Airport east of Shanghai, and then took seven hours and 10 minutes to land in Hono-lulu — a time Li said through a translator was "very fast."
When asked how she plans to spend six days in the islands, Li rattled off a response.
"Shopping," the translator said. "She wants to go shopping."
Li is particularly eager to buy high-end, designer goods in Honolulu that she can trust to be authentic.
"She’s happy to come to this place that everybody in the world wants to see," said the translator.
Yesterday’s flight was the first of three chartered by China CYTS Tours and expected to arrive in the first four months of the year, according to the HTA.
It follows the 2007 signing of a U.S.-China memorandum of understanding that helped make it easier for Chinese visitors to obtain travel visas to come to Hawaii.
Ted Liu, former director of the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, flew in economy class aboard yesterday’s flight, which, he said, represented the culmination of 18 months of work by the administration of former Gov. Linda Lingle.
Liu estimated that one-fourth of the passengers have been to Hawaii before by flying through Narita, Japan, or through South Korea. The majority of yesterday’s passengers were families that included grandchildren and the elderly, Liu said.
"There was a lot of excitement on board, a lot of happy people," Liu said. "People were very excited about Hawaii."
However, there was no Hawaii literature onboard the Airbus 340 or any Hawaii-themed in-flight videos to get passengers excited about what they will see in the islands, which needs to be corrected, Liu said.
And once on the ground, some passengers spent 30 to 45 minutes filling out customs forms that could have easily been completed in advance in the air, Liu said.
But he was pleased that so many arriving Chinese passengers seemed eager to start their Hawaii vacations, which Liu expects will include plenty of shopping for luxury goods.
"They can get better value here, as well as the assurance that it’s authentic," Liu said.
Many of the Chinese visitors planned to follow China CYTS Tours of major Oahu attractions while others designed individual itineraries.
The Hawaii Tourism Authority said the Chinese visitors will stay at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Sheraton Waikiki, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, Aston Hotels and Resorts, Ocean Resorts Waikiki and the Hyatt Regency.
"The series of Hawaii package products have been promoted in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Shanxi Province and are designed to meet the different demands of Chinese travelers," Zhang Lijun, president of CYTS, said in a statement. "The tour package for this first group is specifically for individuals who wanted to travel during the Chinese New Year."


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Boston, Sept. 30, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Subscription and recurring revenue businesses are experiencing an increase in the rate at which payment card charges are declined, according to a newly published report from Subscription Insider and Paul Larsen Consulting, LLC (PLC). The report, "Account Updater Trend Report," aggregates and compiles PLC payment card usage data from merchants who processed recurring subscription or membership payments without a payment card being physically present -- also known in the industry as "Card-Not-Present" (CNP) transactions.
The report analyzes transactions made by merchants that used Account Updater, a service provided by Visa, MasterCard, and Discover to help merchants avoid what the subscription industry calls "involuntary churn," or loss of customers due to declined payment cards. But not all merchants are aware of, or fully understand, the importance of the service.
"Our new trend report examines why cards were declined over a two-year period, helping recurring revenue merchants understand why cards have been declined and their impact on subscription revenue. The report also recommends important actions businesses should take now," said Subscription Insider CEO and publisher Kathy Greenler Sexton.
In April 2015, the volume of declined charges that involved payment cards that had new expiration dates and new card numbers had stabilized, after major data breaches at Target, Neiman Marcus, Home Depot and others in 2013 and 2014, according to the report. Starting in May of 2015, declined charges started increasing, due to the early impact of compliance with the new Eurocard, MasterCard, Visa (EMV) "chip card" security standard. As of June 2015, stale account updates were 45 percent higher and stale expiry date updates were 25 percent higher than in April 2015.
Sexton continued, "Although the new 'chip card' standard takes effect October first, only one in 10 U.S. banks has reissued their cards. We expect card reissuance to continue through 2017. Businesses that do not understand these trends will be ill-prepared for the tremendous increase in lost revenue due to declined cards."
Paul Larsen, CEO of PLC said, "The information we were able to compile is unique in that it cuts across billing solutions, plans and industries to understand, at a broad level, how payment cards are successfully being processed over a period of time. It demonstrates the impact of recent events and highlights the urgency of subscription businesses having the right technology, teams and business practices in place."
The "Account Updater Trend Report" covers Account Updater's history, explains how Account Updater works, examines trends in outdated payment cards, describes actions merchants that rely on recurring payments need to take and provides a detailed look at Account Updater response code trends. To access the full 16-page trend report, please visit: http://www.subscriptioninsider.com/products/Account-Updater-Trend-Report.cfm.
Subscription Insider also released a companion guide, "How to Access the Account Updater Service," which can help businesses select a payment processing vendor that provides access to the Account Updater services. The companion guide also includes a directory of more than 25 billing and subscription management solutions. To access the 13-page companion guide, please visit: http://www.subscriptioninsider.com/products/How-to-Access-the-Account-Updater-Service.cfm.
Paul Larsen Consulting, LLC (PLC) exists to maximize the lifetime value of subscriptions by helping crush credit card-caused churn. The company's mission is to serve the community of subscription merchants by optimizing their bottom-line credit card processing results through the application of the recurring industry's best practices, in the most effective ways. After 13 years as a merchant, the company has spent 13 more years delivering fine-tuned tools and weapons to more than 450 subscription merchants, including Ancestry, Angie's List, Audible, Consumer Reports, Disney and Dollar Shave Club. For more information, please visit www.PaulLarsenConsulting.com or call (845) 489-2849.
About Subscription Insider
Subscription Insider, an online media business owned and operated by Authority Media Network, LLC, delivers intelligence on how to build, market and sell subscription-based products and services. Through exclusive news, research and tools (including case studies, trend reports, buyer guides, tutorials and best-practice information), Subscription Insider provides the industry's most authoritative how-to guidance on running subscription businesses more profitably. For more information, please visit www.subscriptioninsider.com or call 800-764-9133.
CONTACT: Jani Spede Jani Spede Public Relations firstname.lastname@example.org 866-923-9980 ext. 1
Source: Subscription Insider


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John Adams has signed as the master toy partner for the new preschool children’s animated series, Pip Ahoy.
The toy firm will invest in the development of a range of toys based on characters and themes form the show, currently airing on Channel 5’s Milkshake.
The toys will be launched to the UK market in June 2015.
Since its launch this June, Pip Ahoy has achieved positive responses from its core audience.
Simon Pilkington, managing director of John Adams believes that with strong NPD skills and robust sales and marketing strategies, the firm now offer CHF Entertainment “the ideal solution for Pip Ahoy.”
“We are delighted to be working with CHF Entertainment as Master Toy Licensee on Pip Ahoy,” he said. “Our experience in the pre-school market has grown considerably over the last few years with the introduction of several new character led ranges.
“Following this successful period of growth and development, it’s now the right time for us to take the next step as a master toy partner, and Pip Ahoy is the perfect property.
“Pip Ahoy is already proving a big hit with the target audience and CHF offers us the perfect creative platform to introduce a host of new products based on this fantastic series.”


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Alphabet Inc. ’s Google has quietly opened its Waze ride-sharing service to San Francisco-area users, expanding a pilot program and confirming the company’s interest in the lucrative ride-hailing industry.
Smartphone users in the San Francisco area now can download a mobile app called Waze Rider to request rides to and from work from drivers using Google’s popular Waze navigation app. Google in May launched a test of the carpool service for workers at several area employers, but the service has been gradually rolling out to San Francisco-area users for several weeks, Google confirmed Thursday.
The Wall Street Journal reported Google’s ride-sharing plans in August.
The Waze service puts Google in more direct competition with ride-hailing incumbents Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. But there are differences. Uber and Lyft drivers largely operate as taxi drivers, while Google wants the Waze service to match riders and drivers already headed in the same direction. Article published on WSJ