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Fiat to unveil plans to make new Jeep and Fiat SUVs in Italy
MILAN (Reuters) - Italian automaker Fiat (FIA.MI) will unveil long-awaited plans next week to build two small sports utility vehicles (SUVs) in Italy, the company said on Thursday.
The announcement to be made by Chairman John Elkann and Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne marks the end of the company's investment freeze in its home market, where demand has dropped to levels not seen since the 1970s.
Fiat's mass-market brands are losing money in Europe and the company is profitable thanks only to revenue from its Chrysler division in the United States.
Fiat pledged in October to cut losses in Europe by increasing spending from 2013 to 2015, shifting the focus to its higher-margin brands Maserati and Alfa Romeo.
The new plan calls for three new models to be built in Italy next year and six new models in 2014.
The two new small SUVs are expected to be a Fiat and a Jeep, union sources told Reuters on October 31, and will be built at Fiat's Melfi plant.
Fiat first announced that it would build a Jeep SUV in Italy in October 2011 and had slated it for production in the second half of 2013.
(Reporting by Jennifer Clark; Editing by David Goodman)
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Optimism that sunny growth figures herald an economic revival in India is probably misplaced - in fact there is little hard evidence to support the idea that Asia's third-largest economy is heading for a broader and sustained rebound anytime soon. Full Article
100 days of Modi: Good for business, not so good for marginalised groups. Full Article


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One Eight Distilling, DC’s second distillery (after New Columbia Distillers LLC, makers of Green Hat Gin), will official open its doors on Saturday, Jan. 10.
But before then, One Eight will host preview night on Thursday, Jan. 8. So you can visit One Eight on 1/8…
From 7-10pm, the distillery will host a celebration for its grand opening, featuring “after-hours tours, food from Dirty South Deli and a cash bar featuring District Made Vodka and Rock Creek White Whiskey cocktails–produced in partnership with Union Kitchen,” according to One Eight.
The distillery invites us to its facilities at 1135 Okie St. NE, DC, for drinking, mingling and shopping. Guests will be able to purchase bottles from the first batches of the distillery’s vodka and whiskey. The celebration is 21 and over only and does not involve any tickets. Simply show up!
Starting Saturday, Jan. 10, One Eight will open with free tours each week from 1-4pm. For more information, visit http://www.oneeightdistilling.com.

domain: news


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Teespring, a Silicon Valley startup that sells T-shirts online caused a furor after selling shirts that appear to honor convicted murderer Dylann Roof. The company pulled the shirts from its website Tuesday and is now in damage control mode.
The company, backed by billions of dollars in venture capital sold T-shirts and sweatshirts that said, among other things, “Keep Calm and Roof On,” featuring Roof’s bowl-cut hairstyle. The caption on the ad read:
“Raising The Roof: Bowl everyone over with your impeccable style that will have them all begging to be taken to church!”
Sweatshirts sold by the company featured images of Roof:
The “Keep Calm” phrase is certainly a popular meme, but it’s origins stem from a motivational poster used by the British government during World War II, Newsweek reports.
And this isn’t the first time that Teespring has run afoul of what should be considered human decency and respect. In May 2017, the company featured T-shirts that said “Black Women Are Trash,” as well as other T-shirts with racist slurs.
As if that weren’t bad enough, the company also caused a furor after selling T-shirts featuring swastikas last year and offered shirts that said “Rope. Tree. Journalist. Some assembly required.” via Walmart.
Teespring said it receives more than 100,000 designs submitted daily and it relies on technology to screen the images “specifically to ensure that this type of content is not published on our site.”
But since the Dylann Roof clothing happened, obviously, the “technology” was asleep on the job. Maybe a pair or two of human eyes should be used every now and then?
And it took to Twitter Tuesday to announce that the persons who uploaded the content have been banned from the website.
Teespring does not tolerate any glorification of harm or hate towards others. We are actively removing these campaigns and banning the sellers who launched them. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or hurt this may have caused.
— Teespring (@teespring) April 24, 2018
Roof’s bowl-cut hairstyle is beloved among the alt-right, and Roof himself was a fan of The Daily Stormer, a favorite magazine of Neo-Nazis. Christopher Cantwell, who runs a podcast and was one of the white supremacists demonstrating at Charlottesville last August, likes to create memes with Roof’s hairstyle on his head and has posted them on the social media website Gab, a favorite of extremists everywhere.
It’s for reasons like this that when popular websites like Teespring, offer racist or misogynistic designs mistakenly or otherwise, it’s still highly offensive. And they should be called out on it at every opportunity. Obviously, these sites need to rely on more than just technology to keep these nasty affronts from occurring.
People shouldn’t have to suffer a dose of racism with their morning coffee. So by all means, Teespring, step up and open your human eyes.
Featured image courtesy of Newsweek.


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Today Intel UK had their Twitter account hacked by a Phishing scam that is making the rounds on Twitter at the moment.
The Intel Twitter profile ws hacked using the “This You????” phishing scam with tweets supposedly coming in from the company, complete with logo, and a link to a fake login page. Watch the video after the break to make sure you don’t fall for it and lose your account to hackers.
Intel UK tweeted an apology saying: “Our Twitter profile was hacked. Apologies if you received ‘This you?’ DM – please don’t open link. We’ve changed password – should be OK now”.
Via Pocket Lint
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A very rare and special Pontiac from my collection. This 1971 GTO has had a frame off restoration. Runs and drives
as it should. 455 HO with an automatic transmission, air conditioning, tilt wheel, cruise control and an 8-track
players are some of the highlights. Includes a lot of documentation plus the important PHS documents. Only I of 169
produced for 1971, the last time the Judge was offered. PLEASE NOTE that the color was changed during the
restoration to the much better red and black.
1971 Pontiac Gto on 2040-cars
Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, United States
Pontiac GTO for Sale
Auto Services in Pennsylvania
West Penn Collision ★★★★★
Wallace Towing & Repair ★★★★★
Town Service Center ★★★★★
Tom`s Automotive Repair ★★★★★
Stottsville Automotive ★★★★★
Auto blogThu, 10 May 2012 08:29:00 EST
When General Motors put down several of its brands in recent years, it also let loose thousands of brand-loyal customers who will eventually need another car.
R.L. Polk Associates estimates there are more than 18 million cars from 16 discontinued makes on the road today. Those "orphan owners" have sales-hungry competitors seeing dollar signs. GM is offering Saturn owners $1,000 cash toward a Chevy Cruze, Cadillac CTS or a GMC Acadia. Ford is giving its Mercury lease customers a chance to get out of their contracts with no early-termination penalty and offering to waive six remaining payments if they drive off in a Ford or Lincoln.
Edmunds.com research shows the efforts are paying off somewhat for GM, with 39 percent of Pontiac owners, 37 percent of Hummer owners and 31 percent of Saturn owners taking delivery of another GM-branded vehicle. But that leaves as much as 69 percent of owners going elsewhere. Ford, Honda and Toyota seem to be attracting many former GM owners.
We like cars, and we like art. Naturally, Chris Labrooy's Auto Aerobics series - computer-generated images of some seriously contorted 1968 Pontiac Bonnevilles floating in mid-air - instantly clicked with us. If the Pontiacs weren't floating or hollow, we could be fooled into believing the image is real. But where's the fun in that?
Check out the gallery we included of Labrooy's Bonneville art, and feel free too head over to his website for some Formula One humor.
According to two separate reports in The Detroit News, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is launching investigations into 550,000 Pontiac G6 (pictured above) and 320,000 Honda Odyssey (pictured right) models. The G6 models are all from the 2005 to 2007 model years, while the Odyssey minivans are from the 2003 and 2004 model years. The two NHTSA probes are not related.
In the case of the G6, this is an upgrade to an original investigation that started in February after NHTSA received "hundreds of reports" that the brake lights on these cars may malfunction. According to The Detroit News, the lights may come on when the brake pedal is not depressed, and likewise, the brake lights may not illuminate when the pedal has been pushed. General Motors was able to provide NHTSA with a significant number of warranty claims, including 1,100 reports that could potentially relate to this problem, one of which indicates a vehicle crash.
For Honda, the NHTSA probe concerns airbags that may deploy unexpectedly. The government agency received six complaints from 2003-04 Odyssey owners saying that the front airbags suddenly went off without a crash. The Detroit News reports that three of the six owners sustained injuries from these incidents. Additionally, NHTSA has received 41 complaints from owners saying the vehicle's airbag warning light had illuminated.


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Breakwater Nutrition Now Open In Rockland
It's 2021, and it's time for all the goal-getters to start their new year, new me, journey. Meal replacement shakes, and lit teas are all the rage lately, and I can't say that I haven't joined in and jumped on that bandwagon. I mean, they're too delicious not to.
These health clubs continue to pop up all over Maine, but the newest meal replacement and nutrition center has opened in Rockland. According to the Breakwater Nutrition Facebook page, the new nutrition club is officially open at 1 Payne Ave in Rockland.
Hey, have you downloaded our FREE app? If not, you totally should. With the app, you can stream us anywhere at any time; you can also send us messages, win exclusive prizes, and you'll even get the latest breaking news sent right to your phone. Want to download the app right now? All you've got to do is enter your mobile number below, and we'll send a download link right to your mobile device. It's that easy!


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Apple Rumoured to Be Pushing for More Family-Friendly Original Programming ⇥ bloomberg.com
Lucas Shaw, Bloomberg:
Erlicht and Van Amburg have agreed to remake Steven Spielberg’s anthology series Amazing Stories with NBCUniversal and are in the bidding for another show, about morning TV show hosts played by Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston. Apple wants to have a small slate of shows ready for release in 2019. “I think for both NBC and Apple, it’s about finding that sweet spot with content that is creative and challenging but also allows as many people in the tent as possible,” says Jennifer Salke, president of NBC Entertainment.
However, Apple isn’t interested in the types of shows that become hits on HBO or Netflix, like Game of Thrones — at least not yet. The company plans to release the first few projects to everyone with an Apple device, potentially via its TV app, and top executives don’t want kids catching a stray nipple. Every show must be suitable for an Apple Store. Instead of the nudity, raw language, and violence that have become staples of many TV shows on cable or streaming services, Apple wants comedies and emotional dramas with broad appeal, such as the NBC hit This Is Us, and family shows like Amazing Stories. People pitching edgier fare, such as an eight-part program produced by Gravity filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón and starring Casey Affleck, have been told as much.
I’m not saying that every show needs to have nudity, profanity, and gore galore, but interesting stories, history, and real day-to-day life are rarely as sanitized as a G or PG rating requires.
If it’s their brand they’re concerned about, I don’t get why Apple doesn’t pull a Disney and create their own version of Touchstone Pictures. Aljean Harmetz, reporting for the New York Times in 1984:
In an attempt to recapture its lost teen-age and young adult audience, Walt Disney Productions announced today that it will keep some of its new movies as far away from the Disney name as possible. The Disney label will be replaced by the name Touchstone Films. The Disney name will be kept, however, on its traditional movies for young children.
I understand that Apple is taking a fairly cautious approach with their original programming efforts. Their first two shows were X Factor but for apps, and an idea purchased from late night television about celebrities singing in the car. I’m sure there’s more ambition ahead. But it’s really hard to combine this rumour with the lacklustre series they’ve released so far and not feel a bit concerned, especially when Netflix’s first original series was the rightfully-admired House of Cards. And that is not a family-friendly affair.
I don’t care where good television comes from. I don’t even care that we have way too much TV as it is, though I wish there wasn’t the expectation that I am somehow able to keep up with every hot show plus all the franchises and cinematic universes that they are somehow connected with. I just like good art. I think Apple has the taste to be the money behind some really great work — they already have. But Netflix is already there with critically-acclaimed shows and big names. Apple could do that too, which makes their very cautious — and, so far, weak — approach all the more curious.


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In a historic first for Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN, workers at a Staten Island warehouse voted in favor of forming a union, CNBC reported live Friday around noon.
This is reportedly the first time this occurred for Amazon in the U.S. and is representative of the labor challenges the company faces.
The ruling will likely be followed by an appeal process and although it's a bump in the road, it's not a disaster for the company, Short Hills Capital's Steve Weiss said Friday on CNBC's "Fast Money Halftime Report."
What Does It Mean For The Stock? Not much, according to Weiss, and here's why.
The issue isn't surrounding wages, because Amazon is well known for fairly compensating workers. Instead, it's about workers' schedules, Weiss said.
If employees have more say as to when they decide to work, it could force Amazon to increase wages for less desirable shifts, he explained.
"Will it expand across the country? And of course, if it does, costs go up," Weiss said.
Amazon could easily pass those costs along to the consumer by raising prices, he noted, adding it really doesn't mean a whole lot for shareholders.
Weiss concluded, "It's not a reason to sell the stock."
AMZN Price Action: Amazon has traded between $2,671.45 and $3,773.08 over a 52-week period.
The stock was up 0.53% at $3,276.20 Friday at publication.
Photo: Courtesy of Amazon
© 2022 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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Think you’ve seen it all on the social media? Think again!
In the new social media trend, people are pretending to fall out of cars and posing amid strewn luxury goods for the viral ‘flaunt your wealth’ challenge on Instagram
”Flaunt your wealth” is a new social media trend in China which encourages people to pose amid luxury goods as if they’ve just fallen out of a car. The so-called “challenge” first began trending on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, about two weeks ago and has recently migrated to Instagram.
According to Newsweek over 1 million people have completed the challenge on Weibo, China’s most popular social media platform. As Insider further notes, the trend is derivative of August’s #fallingstars or #fallingstars2018 photo challenge, which encouraged people to pose as if they were falling out of private jets.
Photo: Jacob Spence
Sources: Newsweek, Insider, Daily Mail, Instagram


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NORTHFIELD, Ill. (CBSMiami/AP) — Kraft Foods is recalling various cottage cheese products which were shipped to stores throughout the United States.
Company officials announced the recall Saturday, May 17th.
Some ingredients used in Knudsen Cottage Cheese, Breakstone’s Cottage Cheese, SimplyKraft Cottage Cheese and Daily Chef Cottage Cheese were not stored in accordance with proper temperature standards at a Tulare, California, manufacturing facility, they said.
While unlikely, the failure to properly store ingredients might have created conditions that could lead to premature spoilage and food-borne illness, Kraft said. The Northfield, Illinois, company voluntarily recalled 1.2 million cases of the cottage cheese as a precaution.
The products, with a coded date between May 9 and July 23 stamped on them. The codes can be found on the cup bottoms or on top of the packages.
Anyone who purchased these products should not eat them. They can be returned to the stores where they were bought for exchanges or full refunds.
For more information about the recall, call Kraft at 1-800-396-6307 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. EDT.
Click here for a full list of the items recalled.
TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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For the first time, the giant software maker is acknowledging the help of the secretive agency, better known for eavesdropping on foreign officials and, more recently, U.S. citizens as part of the Bush administration's effort to combat terrorism. The agency said it has helped in the development of the security of Microsoft's new operating system -- the brains of a computer -- to protect it from worms, Trojan horses and other insidious computer attackers.More info at Washington Post.
"Our intention is to help everyone with security," Tony W. Sager, the NSA's chief of vulnerability analysis and operations group, said yesterday.
The NSA's impact may be felt widely. Windows commands more than 90 percent of the worldwide market share in desktop operating systems, and Vista, which is set to be released to consumers Jan. 30, is expected to be used by more than 600 million computer users by 2010, according to Al Gillen, an analyst at market research firm International Data.
Windows Vista got help from NSA
Posted on Wednesday, Jan 10 2007 @ 00:40 CET by Thomas De Maesschalck


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August 28, 2014
The advertising industry has entered a new age in the world of rapid evolution. Years ago, quality content was what it took to stand out from the competition. But, today, ad technology has entered the fray and proven to be a disruptive force.
How companies leverage their content and reach consumers is as, if not more, important than the content itself.
As a result, marketers must now cater to consumers by delivering content to them where, when and how they demand it.
The good news is that this is all possible with the advent of new technology and the increasing availability of consumer data.
Yet, this also means that marketers must constantly remain ahead of the curve to boost their brand’s presence, consumer engagement and, ultimately, success.
So how can a marketer’s strategy best capture the advantages of today’s ad technology?
All marketing initiatives today should be grounded in technology
Take a look at each and every aspect of your marketing program and ask yourself, is there a way to optimize these processes through the use of technology and analytics?
One of the primary advantages of technology is that it allows marketers to harness the power of big data – which can be somewhat unwieldy.
Programmatic ad buying, which is the use of technology and data to automate the process of buying audience, has not even been around for two years but is already dramatically affecting marketing campaigns.
Many brands are incorporating programmatic buying into their marketing strategies, including Procter & Gamble, which recently stated that it wants to buy 70 to 75 percent of its U.S. digital media programmatically by the end of 2014.
Use multiple media platforms to reach target consumers and increase organic content sharing
U.S. consumers now spend 37 minutes a day on social media, which means that all brands should incorporate both social and traditional platforms.
Furthermore, consumers want to engage with and share content that they value with others.
Creating and implementing marketing campaigns across multiple platforms enables consumers to do this more easily.
As a result, they further spread companies’ branding messaging organically.
Starbucks has been particularly successful when it comes to boosting consumer engagement through social sharing.
The coffee shop chain’s “Tweet-a-Coffee” campaign last fall allowed consumers to give a $5 gift card by tweeting “@tweetacoffee” and a friend’s handle in the same tweet.
By that December, more than 27,000 consumers had engaged with the campaign, which generated an additional $180,000 in sales, according to research firm Keyhole. As you scale this effort, the potential exists or exponential sales results.
Also, as this growth continues, brands will be able to reach their consumers more effectively by having a presence on multiple media platforms.
Harness technology to increase customized engagement strategies
A brand’s success most often depends upon its level of consumer engagement.
Incorporating multiple media platforms into its marketing plans is one way for a marketer to achieve this. Another way is through customization.
Ad technology is increasingly focusing on delivering personalized and customized ads to consumers.
Marketers can now learn more about their consumers’ online activity and behavior and, in turn, leverage this information to more effectively target the desired audience.
Customized messaging based on this consumer data are now appearing in the form of personalized ads and videos on smartphones and tablets.
For example, Target recently launched its first digital services ad campaign earlier this summer.
A new app feature allows consumers to make shopping lists and then directs them to where in the Target store they can find each item. While still in beta testing, it is advancing rapidly.
For Target’s online shoppers, there will be more customized product recommendations and promotions with this new personalization engine.
AS TECHNOLOGY has become a part of daily business for every industry, it is critical that marketers continue to stay ahead of the curve.
With the right mindset, ad technology provides the data, the analytics and insights that can actually help us all do our job more efficiently – and even more effectively.
Jim Porçarelli is executive vice president and chief strategy officer of Active International, Pearl River, NY. Reach him at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Break-in at Spalding bakery prompts police witness plea
Popular Spalding bakery Curtis of Lincoln was targeted in an overnight break-in.
Damage caused by intruders delayed the opening of the store today (Friday) but it was soon business as usual.
This offence is being investigated as a priority by our CID team at Spalding
Director Neil Curtis said: “I hope the police catch whoever was involved. Nothing was taken as far as I am aware but, when tidying things up, we might find that something has gone.
“It could have been a lot worse.”
Mr Curtis understood police were checking CCTV for evidence.
Police Insp Gareth Boxall said: “We did receive a report overnight that a business on the Market Place in Spalding has been burgled. “This offence is being investigated as a priority by our CID team at Spalding.
“We treat every report of commercial burglary as an absolute priority and investigate them all thoroughly. “We would be keen to speak to anyone who saw anything suspicious or has any information about this crime on 101 (quoting 18000063824) or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
“If anyone working in the area does ever see anything suspicious, please tell us on 101 (or 999 in an emergency); we rely on such information to catch those involved in criminality and want to work with local businesses to prevent crime in the district.”
It is believed to be the first break-in at the bakery, which stands on Broad Street facing Market Place, and, although the incident was entirely beyond the bakery’s control, Mr Curtis apologised to store customers for the delay in opening.
He said: “I just want to apologise to the customers concerned that we weren’t able to get our product to them straight away.”
Spalding shop burglaries: ‘Why is it taking police so long to take culprits to court?’


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Though technology store WiredOut was set to move in January, construction was slowed by cold weather.
Construction crews are waiting for better weather to pour a concrete ramp that is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act at the new location near Oxley’s cafe, said Katharine Keune, a spokeswoman for the Office of the Chief Information Officer.
“When we got to the point of ramp building, weather kind of turned unfavorable, so they weren’t able to pour concrete at that point in time” Keune said.
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, wheelchair ramps that fit ADA specifications are a statutory necessity that enable disabled people to get in and out of buildings safely.
“We can’t open unless there is an ADA-compliant ramp to the store, just like all of the other stores that are along that path,” Keune said.
Keune added that once crews begin to pour the ramp, they will need about two weeks to complete the work. After the ramp is finished, she said, the WiredOut staff will begin the transition to the new store.
“They will need a little time to get in, do some dry runs, and make sure they have all of their customer service points right,” Keune said, adding that the store will likely open a few weeks after the ramp is completed. “The store is moving over, but it is also becoming something really new.”
Keune cited the store’s growth and expanded product offerings as a driving factor in the move, which also comes with a new name, Tech Hub, that reflects modern technology.
“Ultimately, it is becoming something that is not wired,” she said of changing the store’s name to Tech Hub. “It is a very wireless nature now, so we wanted to give it a more fitting name to match the new offerings.”
The movement of WiredOut to Tech Hub was previously projected to cost about $600,000 for construction, signage, marketing and equipment.
“We are adding a lot more accessories,” said store manager Chris Helman.“We had been sort of limited in the past — we just had a little room for some computers and a little room for accessories. Now we are able to expand that and offer a few more brands.”
Helman said the new facility will also incorporate several new elements that will make the store more than just a retail outlet. The OCIO will open a new BuckeyeBar at Tech Hub to assist students with troubleshooting technological problems.
The store will also continue to offer hardware repair services at the new location, Helman said.
“Then, there are the educational activities that will be handled by the Office of Distance Education and eLearning,” he said. “They will be doing software workshops and that kind of activity.”
Tech Hub also plans to offer 3-D printing services and hopes to have a developer loaner program for students interested in experimental technology.
Helman said roughly eight to 10 students are employed each semester in addition to four full-time employees. The new store will employ four additional student employees.
In an email, Dan Hedman, spokesman for the Office of Administration and Planning, said university officials anticipate a future “academic use” for the current WiredOut location, but a decision on its use has not yet been made.


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DC has announced three new miniseries featuring its most iconic superheroes, collecting material previously only available via Walmart stores, to launch this summer.
The three miniseries, Superman: Up in the Sky, Batman Universe and Wonder Woman: Come Back to Me, will make the original material featured in the Walmart 100-Page Giant titles available to a mass audience, with each issue collecting two chapters from the 100-Page Giant series. Each series will run monthly for six issues, beginning in July, with a July 3 launch for Superman, July 10 for Batman and July 17 for Wonder Woman.
All three series feature fan-favorite creators working on characters they’re not traditionally known for: Superman: Up in the Sky is by Batman writer Tom King and Flashpoint art team Andy Kubert and Sandra Hope; Batman Universe is by Brian Michael Bendis and Doom Patrol’s Nick Derington; and Wonder Woman: Come Back to Me is by the best-selling Harley Quinn creative team of Amanda Conner, Jimmy Palmiotti and Chad Hardin.
Each series will feature new cover art, with Kubert, Derington and Conner illustrating Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, respectively.
DC’s 100-Page Giant line, which launched exclusively at Walmart last summer, expanded from four titles to six earlier this year, before DC publisher Dan DiDio teased distribution to the comic store market in the near future.
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The buzz around genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has grown to a fever pitch in recent months, with approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of three new kinds of genetically engineered (GE) foods: alfalfa (which becomes hay), a type of corn grown to produce ethanol, and sugar beets. And the approval by the Food and Drug Administration of a super-fast-growing salmon — the first genetically modified animal to be sold in the U.S., but probably not the last — may not be far behind.
As the New York Times food columnist Mark Bittman notes in his blog, the subject is unquestionably complex. Few people outside of scientists working in the field understand much of anything about gene altering. Though many profess to know exactly what the existence of GMOs in our food will result in (both positive and negative), the truth is that there is much investigation yet to be done and that science is adolescent at best; not even its strongest advocates can guarantee that there aren’t hidden dangers. So why doesn’t the United States follow the lead of Europe and demand the labeling of all foods containing GMOs and therefore allow the consumer to have all the information they need to make their own decisions? In other words, what happened to the free market?
As covered in the Christian Science Monitor, the GM threats to biodiversity and democracy are closely related. When you pair proprietary technology that’s designed to retain company control of seeds (the very lifeblood of our food supply) along with highly concentrated market control, you get a hazardous blend of ecological, economic, and political centralization.
It is with these issues in mind that many non-GMO movements have sprung up in the past few weeks. The Organic Consumers Association and activists involved in the Millions Against Monsanto campaign gathered people in 23 locations around the country in a March 26th Rally for the Right to Know. You can read all about it over at Rodale.com They also have a nice article about the Top Ten Ways to Avoid GMOs.
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An Update on the Coronavirus and Its Impact on MarketsSubmitted by Reby Advisors | Certified Financial Planners | Danbury, CT on February 28th, 2020
By Patrick Doherty, CFP®, February 28, 2020
Since the opening bell on Monday morning (2/24/2020), the Dow Jones Industrial Average had fallen by more than 1,100 points through Thursday (2/27), driven by fear that the coronavirus pandemic will increasingly disrupt global supply chains and suppress consumer demand. The uncertainty over what will happen next – have the measures taken contained the spread of the virus, or is this just the beginning – contribute to investor worries.
Regardless of the source, periodic market volatility should be expected. That is why, at Reby Advisors, we take these events into consideration when we build purposeful, globally diversified portfolios. Behavioral investing mistakes – such as making long-term investment decisions based on short-term fluctuation – is one of the most common reasons investors fail to achieve their goals.
Before reaching a buy-sell decision during times like these, it’s important to remove emotions from the decision-making process and assess the situation objectively.
The Economic Risks
According to The New York Times, a person could carry the virus showing no symptoms at all or mild symptoms that appear to be a common cold. That person could transmit and spread the virus unknowingly.1
With the uncertainty over how far and wide the virus could spread, it is also unknown how far governments will need to go in order to quarantine or halt education or business activity. Japan, for example, has closed schools for approximately a month to preserve the Summer Tokyo Olympics.2
Investors fear that the coronavirus may cause an economic slowdown due to a ripple effect:
- Consumers avoid economic activities like shopping, dining and travel;
- Business operations experience supply chain disruptions due to shutdowns in China and other highly impacted nations;
- Reduced consumer spending and supply chain disruptions hurt corporate earnings;
- disappointing corporate earnings drive down stock prices;
- falling stock prices shake consumer confidence; and
- less spending in America hurts the domestic and global economy.
Previous Pandemics Have Not Caused Lasting Economic Damage
The scenario above, of course, may not play out. The SARS virus from the early 2000s died out as it became less transmissible. There has also been some optimism regarding a vaccine.
If concerns continue to rise, Central Banks will likely cut interest rates with the aim of offsetting the risk of an economic slowdown. Here at Reby Advisors, we recently reduced previous exposure to emerging markets and increased our investment in domestic fixed income.
Moreover, if coronavirus causes a drop in consumer spending, it may be end up being temporary and simply delay spending. For example, a consumer holds off on buying an iPhone in Q1 but then makes the purchase in Q2.
The Health Risks
The first recorded infections came from Wuhan, China. The overall fatality rate in China was 2.3% -- conversely, 97.7% have survived. The 2.3% fatality rate is inflated by a 2.9% fatality rate in Hubei Province. Outside of Hubei Province, the fatality rate was just 0.4%.1
Globally, 55 Countries have reported 83,000+ total cases and 2,800+ fatalities.3 The United States has 60 confirmed cases, 42 of which were passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship. 4
High Survival Rates
From a health perspective, it’s noteworthy that the vast majority of people who have been infected have survived. However, the fatality rate is much higher than the 0.1% fatality rate for the seasonal flu. 1 In China, people from poorer areas and the elderly have had much higher fatality rates than the younger population.
What Can You Do?
First, listen to health officials for news and updates, not necessarily political or media figures without expertise.
To protect yourself and others, remember that the simplest of precautions are often the most effective. Wash your hands often. Disinfect hands and personal items. Cover mouths when coughing and, if you are sick at all, remain at home.
At Reby Advisors, our investment strategies are designed for the long haul. We have advised families and investors through many periods of market volatility. If you have any questions or concerns about your portfolio, please do not hesitate to contact us.


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Stock in barcode scanner and data management company Zebra Technologies (ZBRA 2.97%) slumped 13% in March according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. The fall marks a frustrating period for the company. Just when investors thought Zebra might be over the worst of the fallout of the trade conflict with China -- the company has shifted production away from China in order to mitigate tariff costs -- along comes the novel coronavirus to make matters complicated.
At first, management wasn't too concerned.
"Our current expectation is the coronavirus outbreak could have an impact on sales of between $0 and $50 million," executives said during the first-quarter earnings presentation in February. "This expectation is based solely on facts as we understand them to be today." That wouldn't be a bad result at all, considering revenue in 2019 was $4.49 billion.
Since then, the facts have changed, and the COVID-19 outbreak has turned into a global pandemic. In doing so, it's severely impacted manufacturing activity across the globe. That's potentially bad news for Zebra's supply chain, and definitely bad news for its manufacturing and retail customers.
Unfortunately, it's far from clear what the final outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic will be, or the duration of containment measures necessary to curtail its growth. As such, a host of industrial companies have been withdrawing their full-year guidance.
In the case of Zebra, there's a triple-edged level of uncertainty. First, its own supply chain. Second, end demand coming from industrial and retail customers amid the cessation of economic activity. Third, disruptions caused by its own customers shifting manufacturing away from China. All of these add up to create a dynamic situation in which earnings prospects can change at short notice.
Just as with the rest of the industrial sector, Zebra investors are going to have to wait and see. It's certainly a company with attractive long-term trends behind it -- manufacturers, logistics companies, and retailers are increasingly generating useful insights from the data gathered by Zebra's scanners and mobile computers -- but the near-term risk is significant.


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Love214 Campaign Benefits District Programs, Students
The Education Foundation's annual Love214 campaign, an online campaign benefitting things like AP test scholarships, first generation support and more, will launch in early February. The campaign is centered around Valentine's Day -- which is, of course, 2/14 -- but will last a week online. It will be primarily driven by social media, but Foundation staff say they also have other ideas to help spread the love for a District that has impacted thousands of lives and annually prepares students for the future. Giving will be available online through the Foundation's site, which can be found directly at 214foundation.org.


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New Delhi: Reliance Retail’s success in new commerce platform, JioMart could alter the industry dynamics, but execution holds the key and there are challenges, according to brokerage firm, Jefferies.
“We see the grocery opportunity as huge and own-label introduction as the next logical step. RRL’s success could alter the industry dynamics structurally, but execution holds the key and there are challenges”, it said in a research.
Reliance Retail’s partnership with Whatsapp holds promise for RRL’s new commerce platform, JioMart. The pilot, launched in some geographies last year, now extends to Mumbai. “Our interactions with retailers suggest the model is still evolving”, the research said.
“Execution holds the key and RRL would require significant efforts like micromarket strategy, feet on ground, customer & consumer-centric
approach”, the research said. “While we view the opportunity as immense, we believe RRL will take considerable time to gain scale”, it
There is no JioMart app as of now and there is no link to JioMart on Whatsapp — these should be available in the coming months, it added.
“Given COVID-19 related issues, we expect issues like delayed delivery or lack of delivery option to be resolved in the coming months”,
according to the research.
The introduction of own labels is the logical step in due course, which would be margin positive — generic product name along with own
label could alter the FMCG industry dynamics.
With a presence of more than 11,700 outlets, RRL leads the Indian organised retail space and is the fastest-growing retailer in the
world. Although it has a broad-based presence, grocery contributes more than 20% to reported revenues and FY20 revenues nearly doubled
year-on-year. RRL has now set its eyes on the unorganized grocery retail market under ‘New Commerce’ where it connects merchants on an
uniform technology platform.
Unlike the competition, RRL offers POS (handheld device) free of cost, with less than Rs 5,000 refundable deposit, with no monthly outgo.
RRL’s POS allows retailer to manage inventory, place orders on RRL, accept payment, generate tax returns; hence, it is not just another
POS. However, not every retailer is using all functionalities as of now.
RRL is also building B2B presence, while an important aspect of its B2C strategy, retailer has an option to even sell in the offline
segment, on his own.
Jefferies said on B2B, RRL is not always the cheapest option. Hence, traditional distributors are also important — given the legacy of
several years or decades, retailers value relationships with them.
There is some concern about too much dependence on one vendor (RRL) in the long term, hence, most retailers expect both (RRL & traditional)
to co-exist, the research said.


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In recent news, Jim Flaherty, Canada’s Minister of Finance, has extended a $1.4 billion in tax relief for Canadian manufacturers over the next two years. This relief was promised in the last federal budget in March 2013. Those manufacturers investing in new equipment and machinery now have the accelerated capital cost allowance program extended to the year 2015. This program allows manufacturers to write-off eligible investments faster, which results in higher annual tax deductions from income over a shorter period of time. Those in the industry can then remain competitive in the current environment with the retooling of new machinery and equipment. Instead of a steady declining depreciation rate, the program involves 50% straight line depreciation, shaving years from the write-off of equipment. This program has been used by an upwards of 25,000 businesses in the Canadian manufacturing industry.
These breaks have been seen as especially beneficial since the percentage of Canadian manufacturers investing in new machinery has gone up tremendously since 2010. In the years between 2010 and 2011, the investment of new machinery and equipment in Canada rose from just over 11% to 24.7%. “The measures…not only makes Canadian manufacturers more cost competitive but their future is going to depend on the investments they make in new products, new markets and new technology,” said Jayson Myers, the head of the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters association.
Since the manufacturing industry employs approximately 1.8 million Canadians, Flaherty says, “It’s all about jobs, it’s all about work, it’s all about families… it’s all about your children and my children, and the opportunities they will have in the future.”
Although the economy has taken a slight downturn in June this year, following floods in Alberta and strikes in Quebec, Statistic Canada reported recently that manufacturing sales actually picked up in July to total $49.5 billion – recording gains in 15 of the 21 industries tracked.
With the manufacturing industry still seeing growth, and now having a beneficial extended tax relief, it is the ideal time to invest in capital equipment for competitive growth in the short term, and a continued promise of return for the future.


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Arboretum announces open house, plant sale
RIDGELY — Adkins Arboretum announces its spring open house and native plant sale weekend, April 27-29. The sale benefits the Arboretum’s education programs and affords the public an opportunity to learn about the Delmarva’s native plants and their connection to a healthy Chesapeake Bay.
The open house weekend kicks off on Friday, April 27, with shopping hours beginning at 10 a.m. Chris Pax, lead designer for the Arboretum’s Native Landscape Design Center, will offer “Featured Native Plants,” a free program to help identify ideal plants for specific spots in your landscape, at 3 p.m. The public is invited from 4 to 6 p.m. for light fare, music, a cash wine and beer bar, a silent auction and shopping in a fun and festive atmosphere.
Plant sales continue Saturday, April 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, April 29, from noon to 4 p.m. Pre-sale orders may be placed at adkinsarboretum.org through April 8. Simply place your order, and your plants will be ready for pick-up during the open house weekend. Following the open house, plants will be for sale at the Visitor’s Center throughout the growing season.
The Arboretum is a participating nursery in the Marylanders Plant Trees native tree discount program. For any native tree valued at $50 or more, shoppers will receive a $25 discount. Some of the special larger trees available for this discount include maple, birch, dogwood and holly.
The Arboretum gift shop will be open during the open house weekend and will offer books and natureinspired gifts for gardeners. Members, including those who join during the open house, receive a 10 percent discount on plant, gift shop and book purchases. Members at the Contributor ($100) level and above receive a 20 percent discount on plants.
For more information, call 410-634-2847, extension 0, or visit adkinsarboretum. org.


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An Ontario-based pizza brand is going national. Topper’s Pizza announced that it is embarking on the most significant growth initiative in the company’s history with a goal to increase from 35 to 140 pizzerias by 2018.
While it may seem like an ambitious goal, Topper’s Pizza has bolstered its team to meet the expectations. Topper’s Pizza recently hired Jeff Dillon, who became the company’s Vice President.
Dillon will leverage his extensive franchising and executive leadership experience to oversee daily operations and direct strategic growth initiatives. “Topper’s Pizza is a brand that values family and is focused on exceeding its customers’ expectations.
I am incredibly thankful to be part of this first-class organization,” Dillon said. “The Toppazzini family has laid a solid foundation, which has set the table for significant expansion.”
Additionally, Topper’s Pizza strengthened its development team by hiring Andrew Diveky as its new Director of Franchise Development.
During Diveky’s franchising tenure, he was a highly successful developer for A&W and Boston Pizza. “Jeff and Andrew are consummate professionals with successful track records. Together, they have developed a carefully crafted growth plan, which will yield impressive results,” Topper’s Pizza President and Chief Operating Officer Keith Toppazzini said.
The first phase of the growth plan will focus on adding pizzerias in key Ontario markets such as Ottawa, which currently has three corporate-owned locations that generate impressive sales numbers. “Ottawa’s population growth and its citizens’ passion for the best pizza make it a key destination,” said Diveky. “As a result, we plan on bringing at least 15 new pizzerias to Canada’s capital in the next five years.” In addition, Topper’s Pizza will add franchise-operated pizzerias in Kitchener, Waterloo, Georgetown, London and Thunder Bay.
Along with building its Ontario presence, Topper’s Pizza intends to expand its footprint into Manitoba by adding franchise units in Winnipeg. The company also plans to enter various cities throughout Alberta. “Through this initiative, Topper’s Pizza is opening the door to entrepreneurship for countless individuals. This strategy will also generate more than 1,000 jobs, and we are very excited to put people to work across Canada,” Topper’s Pizza Chairman and CEO Kelly Toppazzini said.
Topper’s Pizza’s history dates back more than 100 years – to when Giuseppe Toppazzini, the Toppazzinis’ great grandfather, left San Daniele, Italy, and settled in Canada. Giuseppe brought along his family’s secret Italian bread recipe, which has been passed down for four generations.
The Toppazzini family used the same Italian bread recipe to make the crust for their homemade pizzas. The crust, along with fresh cheese and toppings, was such a hit with family and friends that Ron Toppazzini, Kelly and Keith’s father, founded Mr. Topper’s Pizza in 1982. Each day, every Topper’s Pizza franchisee uses the same secret recipe to make the freshest, most delicious pizza dough in all traditional pizzerias. It is this century-long tradition of excellence and uncompromising approach to quality that has made Topper’s Pizza the only choice for pizza lovers.
The company began franchising in 1989. But growing Topper’s Pizza from a regional to a national brand did not come to light until about two decades later. “Before embarking on national expansion, it was important for Topper’s Pizza to build a first-class franchise system and operations team,” Kelly Toppazzini added.
In addition to developing its traditional delivery and takeout pizzerias, Topper’s Pizza will provide franchisees with opportunities to open and operate fast-casual, dine-in locations. In March 2014, Topper’s Pizza opened its first fast-casual, dine-in concept in Chelmsford, Ontario, to a resounding response from the local community.
As a result of the success, Topper’s Pizza plans to build out a dine-in location in the city of Collingwood, which will open in September 2014. “We listened to our customers and franchisees and they indicated that there was a demand for a fast-casual, dine-in concept.
It now gives us the option to welcome customers into our own ‘dining room’ to enjoy Topper’s Pizza,” said Keith Toppazzini. Topper’s fast-casual pizzeria has about 75 seats and the menu includes pizzas, salads, bread sticks and chicken wings. As the concept takes shape, the company anticipates the dine-in model will play a key role in all of the Topper’s Pizza markets. “We are focused on working with multi-unit franchisees with proven track records.
Ideally, a franchise partner will open a fast-casual pizzeria, which acts as an anchor, and they would open multiple take-out, delivery pizzerias. From an operations and revenue standpoint, the model sets our franchise system up for success,” said Dillon.
As Topper’s Pizza begins implementation of its development plan, Keith and Kelly Toppazzini believe the initiative will further distance their brand from its competitors across Canada. “Our customers are just as passionate about Topper’s Pizza as we are, and we can’t wait to introduce new customers to our one-of-a-kind pizzas,” Kelly Toppazzini added.
ABOUT TOPPER’S PIZZA Founded in 1982, Topper’s Pizza is one of Canada’s most popular pizza brands. The company began franchising in 1989. Topper’s Pizza currently has 36 pizzerias throughout Ontario. The recipe for Topper’s success includes quality ingredients, an unbeatable crust, a proven system and first-class Franchise Partners. As a result, Topper’s Pizza amazes its customers. For information about Topper’s Pizza franchising opportunities, visit www.toppersfranchise.ca.


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UK games market down almost 8 percent
Games sales figures have dropped slightly on last year in the UK, according to the figures released by GFK Chart-Track.
The first quarter of this year saw one of the busiest release schedules in recent years with many publishers choosing to delay many of their biggest titles to avoid going head-to-head with Modern Warfare 2.
Even with Bayonetta, Mass Effect 2, BioShock 2, Heavy Rain and Final Fantasy XIII as well as Nintendo's DSi XL coming out - UK sales figures dropped from 329 million GBP in 2009 to 303 million GBP for 2010.
Games retailers are preparing themselves for a tough year with GAME in particular set tighten their belts as a result of their recent staffing review.
- Microsoft announces the feature list for the November Xbox One update
- EA Sports patches in some more missing features for the next-gen versions of NHL 15
- Blizzard begins rolling out a new patch for Starcraft II
- Far Cry 4 Season Pass details announced
- Shinji Mikami: I never use women as objects in my games
- Microsoft releases the first trailer for Halo: Nightfall TV series, first episode to premiere at Halo Fanfest
- Silence – The Whispered World 2 announced for Xbox One
- Titanfall to get its very own Horde mode called Frontier Defense
- John Riccitiello joins Unity as their new CEO


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Xerox Farewells Billionaire Activist Investor
Shares of Xerox Holdings Corp. XRX, -1.81% slipped last Thursday (September 28) after the printer OEM decided to buy back all of its shares owned by activist investor Carl Icahn (pictured).
“Our decision to repurchase shares is reflective of the confidence we have in our business, our strategy and our ability to improve Xerox profitability and cash performance,” said Chief Executive Steve Bandrowczak. “For nearly a decade, Carl and his affiliates have served as important shareholders to Xerox, providing invaluable counsel, guidance and activism to support our evolution as a workplace technology leader.”
Xerox said it will pay $15.84 per share for Icahn’s stake, for a total cost of $542 million. The price paid is where the stock closed Wednesday, prior to adjustments made for the payment of the quarterly dividend of 25 cents a share.
Industry Analysts’ Andy Slawestzky, wrote, “For many who’ve closely followed Xerox’s journey over the years, this decision symbolizes a moment of rejuvenation. Carl Icahn, renowned for his assertive and often aggressive investment strategies, has indeed been instrumental in guiding Xerox through its numerous transitions. His push for cost-cutting measures and his pursuit of consolidation within the printing industry were pivotal in streamlining Xerox’s operations.
“However, there’s an underbelly to Icahn’s involvement: Xerox was stripped down, sometimes painfully, to its core. He’s chased out Xerox CEOs. He went to war with their biggest competitor (HP) in a hostile takeover bid. He dominated the board and was responsible for cutting 10s of thousands of jobs. While this downsizing potentially led to short-term profits, there remained concerns about the company’s long-term innovation, growth, and commitment to its partners, especially the resellers.”
According to Slwtesky, resellers will be the real winners from this action. He cites three reasons:
- Renewed Focus on Innovation: there’s an expectation that Xerox will recommit to its legacy of innovation meaning resellers may be able to obtain cutting-edge products and solutions to meet the demands of an evolving market.
- Stability and Confidence: Xerox’s decision to purchase the shares sends a message it is confident about its future and this will provide a sense of stability for resellers.
- Enhanced Partner Relationships: Xerox can focus on strengthening its relationships and this means resellers can anticipate better engagement, training, and support.
Slawtsky added, “The buyback signals more than just a change in stock ownership. It’s a statement of intent. Xerox, an iconic brand with over 100 years of legacy, is ready for its next chapter. For the vast network of resellers and millions of customers, the hope is that this chapter will be marked by renewed dedication, innovation, and unparalleled value. With Icahn out of the picture, Xerox will hopefully find stability and a renewed dedication to their customers.”
- Xerox Named Leader in Print Security
- Xerox Says On Track for a Profitable 2023
- Carl Icahn Invests More in Xerox
- Carl Icahn Increases Investment in Xerox
- Carl Icahn Sued by Xerox Shareholder
- Icahn, Deason to Oust Xerox CEO
Please add your comments below about this story, “Xerox Farewells Billionaire Activist Investor .”


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The Divergence of the US Dollar and Yuan
In a world shaped by interconnected economies, the US dollar stands tall as a global reserve currency. However, recent events have sparked a fierce battle for the best US dollar rates, as the widening divergence between the dollar and the Chinese yuan threatens to spiral out of control. As highlighted in a thought-provoking article from the South China Morning Post, this divergence could have far-reaching implications, requiring immediate intervention from China. Today, we delve into the factors driving this monumental shift, exploring the consequences it holds for international trade, financial markets, and the future of the global economic landscape.
The Significance of Obtaining the Best Dollar Rate
In the absence of immediate intervention, the US dollar has the potential to surpass last year’s peak of 7.33 yuan to the dollar, possibly reaching a level as high as 7.5 yuan. This rate has not been witnessed since 2007, highlighting the significance of the current situation. However, the outcome ultimately depends on the decisions made by the governing authorities.
The US dollar, as the dominant international currency, plays a pivotal role in global trade and investment. Its value impacts not only the purchasing power of individuals but also the competitiveness of businesses worldwide. Currency fluctuations can have far-reaching consequences, affecting import-export balances, trade agreements, and even geopolitical dynamics.
When seeking the best US dollar rates, individuals and businesses can unlock several advantages. First and foremost, favorable exchange rates enable individuals to maximize their purchasing power when traveling or engaging in cross-border e-commerce. Similarly, businesses can enhance their profitability by minimizing costs associated with international trade and foreign currency conversions.
The Impact of Chinese Yuan to USD Divergence on Exchange Rates
As the global economy evolves, the relationship between the Chinese yuan and the US dollar has garnered increasing attention. The best US dollar rates are influenced by various factors, including the divergence between these two currencies. The strength or weakness of the Chinese yuan vis-à-vis the US dollar can significantly impact exchange rates and shape global economic dynamics.
China’s role as the world’s second-largest economy and its growing influence in international trade make the Chinese yuan a key factor to consider when seeking the best US dollar rates. As the Chinese government takes measures to manage its currency and promote stability, fluctuations in the yuan-to-dollar exchange rate can have ripple effects across financial markets worldwide. Firstly, staying informed about global economic developments, market trends, and political events can provide valuable insights into potential currency movements. Utilizing reliable news sources, financial websites, and economic indicators can help identify opportunities for favorable exchange rates.
Moreover, leveraging digital platforms and financial technology services can simplify the process of finding the best US dollar rates. Online currency exchange platforms provide access to competitive rates, enabling individuals and businesses to compare multiple options and choose the most advantageous rates for their specific needs. Such platforms often offer additional features like real-time rate alerts and user-friendly interfaces, further enhancing the efficiency of currency exchanges.
Navigating the Shifting Economic Landscape
In a rapidly changing global economic landscape, securing the best US dollar rates has become an essential consideration for individuals and businesses engaging in international trade, investments, or travel. By understanding the significance of exchange rates, monitoring currency trends, and utilizing digital platforms, individuals and businesses can optimize their currency exchanges and seize opportunities for favorable rates.
Whether you’re a frequent traveler, an international trader, or simply seeking to maximize your purchasing power, staying informed and actively seeking the best US dollar rates can help you make the most of your financial transactions. With the potential risks and rewards associated with currency fluctuations, a proactive approach to finding favorable rates is a prudent financial strategy. It’s worth noting that beyond traditional paper currency, various digital payment methods and emerging financial technologies offer alternatives to physical money. For instance, the rise of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins has introduced new avenues for currency exchange. While these technologies are still evolving, they present opportunities for innovative and cost-effective transactions in the future.
The post The Divergence of the US Dollar and Yuan appeared first on FinanceBrokerage.


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News tagged Eee PC
Last update: Tuesday 30 December 2014 [122 news items]
Netbook market to end at the end of 2012
Dec 26, 22:20
With Asustek Computer recently announcing an end to its Eee PC product line from the end of 2012, while Acer also has no plans to release more netbook products, the netbook market...
Asustek expects strong tablet shipments for 2013
Dec 3, 22:10
Asustek Computer at its global sales meeting (GSM) on December 3, set the annual shipments goals for its three major product lines for 2013 with the notebook shipments expected to...
Asustek outlines future plans
Aug 30, 01:35
Asustek Computer hosted an investors conference on August 29, announcing that the company's sales performance in the second quarter was better than expected and achieved new records...
Asustek, Pegatron see growth in June revenues
Jul 10, 01:55
Asustek Computer has announced revenues of NT$36.02 billion (US$1.2 billion) for June, a new record high with growths of 26.83% on month and 27.46% on year, while the company's revenues...
Asustek 2011 EPS expected to reach NT$21
Jan 18, 01:25
Asustek reported total revenues from brand business in 2011 reached NT$350 billion (US$11.67 billion). The industry predicts Asustek's EPS for 2011 to reach NT$21.
Asustek sets shipment goal for 2012
Dec 6, 01:35
Asustek Computer, at its global sales meeting on December 5, has set the shipment goals for its four major product lines for 2012 with notebooks and netbooks together to surpass 22...
Asustek sees strong revenue growth in July
Aug 9, 01:00
Taiwan-based notebook vendor Asustek Computer has announced non-consolidated revenues of NT$31.86 billion (US$1.1 billion) for July, up 13% on month and 38% on year, representing...
Asustek reducing Eee PC orders
Aug 4, 01:15
Asustek Computer, seeing better-than-expected Eee Pad Transformer tablet PC sales and dropping Eee PC demand, is gradually reducing its Eee PC orders, according to sources from the...
Asustek optimistic about performance in China
Jun 30, 01:40
Asustek Computer, at a product launch conference in China, pointed out that notebook demand in the China market was weak in the second quarter, but as the IT market will enter the...
Motherboard players see mixed result in April
May 10, 01:25
Taiwan-based motherboard players including Asustek Computer, Pegatron Technology, Gigabyte Technology and Micro-Star International (MSI) have reported mixed result for their April...
Asustek details its netbook plan for 2011
Jan 20, 14:23
Taiwan-based notebook vendor Asustek Computer is aiming to launch 3-4 brand new Eee PC netbooks, not including upgraded models, in 2011 and expects its entry-level price point to...


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According to multiple sources the best time to book your flight is about 7 weeks before takeoff. A lot of air travelers believe in waiting for a last-minute deal. According to new research, you should NEVER book your ticket within the final two weeks before the flight... a mistake that 36 percent of CheapAir users made when planning their trips.
HotelsAdvisor.org Offers Last Minute Airfare Deals A new online booking site has been launched recently giving tourists a chance to easily find hotels and flights and get big discounts on bookings when they travel.
If you want a good price on airfare deals look last minute


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Michael Ramdohr, LRQA South America Regional Business Center Manager, and Juan Medina, LRQA Peru Business Manager, presented the certificate to Alberto Jose Otoya, Empresa’s General Manager. Suppliers and key customers across its supply chain attended the event and joined LRQA for a tour of the newly certified facility.
“We anticipate this to be the first of many ISO 22000 certificates that we will issue in Peru,” says Michael Ramdohr. “Food producers and manufacturers across South America recognize the importance of ensuring the food ingredients they supply are safe for their customers and consumers.”
Empresa Agroindustrial Laredo SAA is part of Colombia-based, Inversiones Manuelita SA, a leader in the local sugar industry. Empresa and its parent company are principally engaged in the cultivation, production and commercialization of sugar and its derivatives, including molasses and ethyl alcohol.
Pictured in the photo, from left to right, are:
Juan Medina, Business Manager Peru
Carlos Arias, Laredo´s Field Manager
José Otoya, Laredo´s General Manager
Michael Ramdohr, SASC Regional Manager
Javier Caro, President of the Chamber of Commerce of La Libertad


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Zilch has come up with a Buy-Now Pay-Later (BNPL) card that allows shoppers to access products from retailers without any additional costs. As the number of Zilch BNPL sign-ups increases, the company has closed the new round to improve the payment system. Last year, the company launched its first BNPL card that enables clients to access products that accept MasterCard.
The card can work in more than 10,000 online stores such as Amazon, Adidas, eBay, and iTunes. Most people who have used it believe it will revolutionize shopping. Clients can pay 25% of the product’s price using the virtual card and clear the balance in six weeks. Plans are underway to enable clients to use Zilch while shopping in-store.
Zilch announced a $10 million funding to enhance the BNPL scheme. The plan is to enable Zilch to connect with its clients directly. Additionally, the funds will also help Zilch increase its customer reach and sort out the long waiting list of more than 60,000 people. Zilch also wants to distribute their cards in developing economies like South Africa and South America. According to Zilch’s CEO, Philip Belamant, the young generation should quickly gain access to what they want without having to pay extra.
Zilch got a partnership with MasterCard that enables clients to make online payments without much stress. Shoppers in the UK can sign up for the Zilch Virtual MasterCard using their details, and the virtual card is processed immediately.
Zilch is led by the Company chairman, Serge Belamant, and CEO, Philip Belamant.
Follow Zilch at Twitter: http://Twitter.com/payzilch?lang=en


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Residents from Miami-Dade and Lee counties have filed a class action lawsuit against two Lexus dealerships and Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc., alleging they were wrongfully denied replacement parts for sun-damaged dashboards.
The lawsuit was filed Monday in Miami-Dade Circuit Court by attorney Juan Bauta of the Ferraro Law Firm in Miami.
“The case addresses dashboards and other interior parts on Lexus vehicles which have melted as a result of the Florida heat. Lexus issued a service bulletin to replace the affected parts but only if the vehicles are still under warranty. The damage is not only aesthetically bad but it also presents a safety issue,” Bauta said.
“The Florida heat caused the dashboards and other similarly constructed interior components to become sticky, oily, shiny, cracked and degraded in appearance,” the complaint states.
The class representatives are Daniela Perez of Miami-Dade and Jesus Del Rio of Lee. The Lexus defendants include G.F.B. Enterprises doing business as Lexus of Kendall and Scanlon Lexus of Fort Myers Inc.
The complaint states Toyota issued a service bulletin in 2011 recognizing the defect and instructing dealers to repair and replace the damage under a comprehensive warranty.
However, the dealers refused to repair damage for vehicles no longer under warranty, the lawsuit said, claiming breach of implied warranty. They seek class certification, legal fees and other relief.
A call to Lexus of Kendall was not returned by deadline.


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Betting still being illegal in India, Ultimate Bet – Cricket, a free to play social game offers you the closest experience to betting as it lets you place friendly bets on its platform using virtual chips. It allows ball-to-ball real-time betting, chatting and challenging friends, all via its app. With the IPL season being on, the game is gaining popularity slowly. You can have a look at the game screenshots below.
You can read the full press release below:
Play Games 24×7 launches social cricket betting app
Ball by ball betting with friends multiplies your cricket fever
Changing the way cricket fans watch matches, Play Games24x7 has developed the ultimate cricket betting app that every cricket lover has been waiting for. Ultimate Bet – Cricket, a free to play social game, offers all the thrills of real time cricket betting. The game with lightning fast score updates is available on the Google Play store. Sitting on a couch in your living room, you can place friendly bets, chat with and challenge your best friends while being miles apart, and brag about being the cricket guru in the group.
The game offering ball by ball betting has already witnessed a download of 50,000 in the pilot stage, with its popularity set to grow during the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The game is seeing traction across all geographies in India, especially in the age group of 25 – 35 years.
Play Games24x7 CEO Trivikraman Thampy said, “Ultimate Games is focusing on developing games that appeal to the sensibilities of Indians. With the launch of Ultimate Bet – Cricket, we have taken cricket watching experience to the next level by giving cricket fans a chance to not just watch but also engage with friends during the match, especially in this IPL season.”
During a live match, players can make real time bets per ball and also earn virtual chips. The app will soon introduce exciting features like bet per over and bet per match. Players can also invite their friends through social networking site Facebook and messaging app WhatsApp and earn virtual chips in return. Additionally, they can also participate in five over betting tournaments and play against the best players in the country.
Ultimate Games was established in 2015 in Bengaluru, with the goal of introducing localized freemium mobile games that Indians have grown up playing. The current focus at Ultimate Games is on the hugely popular social casino category with games like Ultimate Teen Patti, Ultimate Rummy and Ultimate Poker. Ultimate Teen Patti is amongst the top five grossing games on the Google Play store. In the last one year, the Ultimate Games banner has recorded a cumulative two million downloads for all the games put together. It owes its success to super smooth playing experience, multi-lingual content, low battery consumption, and most importantly optimum internet data consumption while playing the game.
This pixel pushing fairly belongs in the imaginary la-la land where she spends most of her time killing demonic sprites when she isn't covering the latest happenings in the video gaming world. If you wish to get her attention, hit her up on any of our social media channels.


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UNTIL 2007 Europe appeared to have beaten Silicon Valley in mobile technology for good. Nokia, based in Finland, was the world's largest handset-maker—and raked in much of the profits. But everything changed when Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007, the first smartphone that deserved the name.Obviously there are relative winners and losers in the marketplace, but apparently many economists don't think that countries are in competition for jobs or industry. Writing in the NY Times yesterday, Gerg Makiw dismisses the notion of countries in competition with one another, as suggested by President Obama in the State of the Union:
Achieving economic prosperity is not like winning a game, and guiding an economy is not like managing a sports team.Rob Atkinson of ITIF has a great post up which critiques such conventional wisdom among economists that nation's are not in competition for jobs and industry. Here is a lengthy excerpt from Rob's post:
To see why, let’s start with a basic economic transaction. You have a driveway covered in snow and would be willing to pay $40 to have it shoveled. The boy next door can do it in two hours, or he can spend that time playing on his Xbox, an activity he values at $20. The solution is obvious: You offer him $30 to shovel your drive, and he happily agrees.
The key here is that everyone gains from trade. By buying something for $30 that you value at $40, you get $10 of what economists call “consumer surplus.” Similarly, your young neighbor gets $10 of “producer surplus,” because he earns $30 of income by incurring only $20 of cost. Unlike a sports contest, which by necessity has a winner and a loser, a voluntary economic transaction between consenting consumers and producers typically benefits both parties.
This example is not as special as it might seem. The gains from trade would be much the same if your neighbor were manufacturing a good — knitting you a scarf, for example — rather than performing a service. And it would be much the same if, instead of living next door, he was several thousand miles away, say, in Shanghai.
Listening to the president, you might think that competition from China and other rapidly growing nations was one of the larger threats facing the United States. But the essence of economic exchange belies that description. Other nations are best viewed not as our competitors but as our trading partners. Partners are to be welcomed, not feared. As a general matter, their prosperity does not come at our expense.
When ITIF released our report Effective Corporate Tax Reform for the Global, Innovation Economy, I briefed a group of prominent tax economists on the report. The group included leading tax economists for Congress, Treasury, OMB and other government agencies. The report laid out 6 key principles to guide corporate tax reform efforts. When I got to the principle number 4 – “In a globally competitive economy nations need competitive corporate tax regimes,” – several hands shot up. One economist reflected the group’s consensus when he said “the corporate tax code doesn’t have to reflect this because while Boeing may compete with Airbus, for example, the United States is not in competition with Europe. At this point most heads were nodding in agreement. I should reiterate that these were not academic economists, or junior GS 8’s. These were senior USG economists charged with advising policy makers on tax policy.Lets take another look at Nokia and Apple -- The Economist explains why the center of gravity for mobile phones moved west:
When I share this story with colleagues, they look at me with jaws agape, in disbelief. I actually think many don’t even believe me. For such a view is so patently out of touch with the reality of the 21st century global economy that most people just don’t believe that top government advisors actually believe this. But they really do. Just look at a recently op ed by Paul Krugman where he argued that countries don’t compete with one another, only companies, and therefore the entire enterprise of trying to make the U.S. more competitive in international markets is a fool’s errand.
And when the top advisors to USG fundamentally believe that we are not in competition with other nations, they are not likely to push for policies that would make us more competitive. We see this is the current craze over corporate tax reform. President Obama, presumably on the advice of these “we don’t really compete” economists reflected this view when he proposed in his State of the Union address to “Get rid of the loopholes. Level the playing field. And use the savings to lower the corporate tax rate for the first time in 25 years — without adding to our deficit.” Sound good. Is actually not. This kind of corporate tax reform is exactly what the “we don’t really compete” economists want: a corporate tax code that taxes every industry the same because the government shouldn’t be picking winners.
This brings us back to the states. State tax codes pick winners all the time. By this I mean states try to lower taxes on companies that produce products and services, like manufacturing and software, which are “traded” outside the state. They know that lower taxes on barber shops and dry cleaners don’t matter. The barber shops and restaurants wont’ expand if their taxes are lower. But higher taxes on mobile establishments like a car factory or software firm can mean that that car factory or software firm will move to another state. It’s also why from 1970 to 2008, corporate taxes as a share of overall state tax revenues fell from 8.3 percent to 6.2 percent. States realize that a competitive corporate tax rate, particularly on “traded firms” are essential.
In Washington, corporate tax “reform” would actually make U.S. competitiveness worse for three key reasons. First, as long as corporate tax reform has to be revenue neutral, it means that U.S. companies overall will still pay high taxes, unlike our international competitors (oops, I mean “other nations”), most of which have lowered effective corporate tax rates over the last two decades. Second, corporate tax reform risks cutting rather than expanding, tax incentives which are critical to growth and innovation, such as the R&D tax credit and expensing of capital equipment.
Third, reform would end up reducing taxes on industries that face virtually no international competition (e.g. electric utilities) and raising them on industries that are fighting every day for global market share (e.g. many technology-based industries). The end result would be further movement of U.S. jobs offshore. But again, if you believe that we are not in competition who cares. Indeed, some in power today appear to hold the view that since many U.S. firms in traded industries have moved some jobs offshore that we should instead lower taxes on “Main Street” barber shops and restaurants: after all these kinds of industries have remained loyal to the United States and created jobs. Amazing! They remained “loyal” because they had no choice.
Supercuts and McDonalds aren’t going to move their barber shops and hamburger restaurants to India to take advantage of low-wage workers to serve American customers. But “traded” industries will because under with the current U.S. business and innovation climate they often have no choice.
The sooner Washington starts thinking like a state the better off we will be. States don’t blame companies that move out of state. They work to make their business climate more attractive. States don’t think they are entitled to jobs. They fight for jobs. States don’t want their tax code to be neutral. They want it to directly support their economic development goals.
The first generations of modern mobile phones were purely devices for conversation and text messages. The money lay in designing desirable handsets, manufacturing them cheaply and distributing them widely. This played to European strengths. The necessary skills overlapped most of all in Finland, which explains why Nokia, a company that grew up producing rubber boots and paper, could become the world leader in handsets.Last week Nokia announced a new strategic partnership with Microsoft, with one implication being a loss of jobs in Finland.
As microprocessors become more powerful, mobile phones are changing into hand-held computers. As a result, most of their value is now in software and data services. This is where America, in particular Silicon Valley, is hard to beat. Companies like Apple and Google know how to build overarching technology platforms. And the Valley boasts an unparalleled ecosystem of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and software developers who regularly spawn innovative services.
Part of the announcement that Nokia has switched its primary smartphone platform to Windows Phone is that the Symbian mobile operating system is being slowly phased out. As a result, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop confirmed the company will be cutting jobs. In Finland, the numbers may be quite significant. "You're talking about 20,000 people, it's a big number," Mauri Pekkarinen, Minister for Economic Affairs, said in a statement. "We're talking about far and away the biggest process of structural change that Finland has ever seen in the new technology sector."Google, which operates the rival Android mobile phone operating system, wasted no time reminding the world that they are hiring, tweeting to those displaced by Nokia.
The lesson to take from Nokia's experience is not at all unique -- So long as companies compete for the rewards of innovation, countries will have a stake in that competition, with the result being relative winners and losers. Nations put forward many policies that influence the short and long term outcomes of innovation and thus can work in the direction of their citizens interests or against it, with the implementation of successful innovation policies no easy feat. But make no mistake -- nations are in competition, despite what economists might say.


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The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op has outgrown its current location on the corner of Alhambra Boulevard and S Street and wants to move up to R and 28th Streets for more room. While the co-op makes plans to double its size to accommodate more customers, some groups worry that the new design could hinder pedestrians and bicyclists.
In a report to the City of Sacramento Planning & Design Commission, the co-op proposed a 42,446-square foot grocery store for retail and office space at the new location, compared to its current 16,000-square foot store.
“Our number one complaint is parking. We only have a handful of spots. And that includes bicycle parking, too,” said Steven Maviglio, president of the board of directors at the co-op. “On our busiest days, we’ve seen people circle around and leave because they couldn’t find a parking spot.”
The bustling supermarket has a small parking lot like other midtown businesses, but the proposed new building comes with an 86,178-square foot parking garage with four levels to accommodate 320 vehicles. But pedestrian and bicyclist groups have voiced their concerns about the design.
“The front of the store is facing a really busy street and also facing away from the neighborhood,” said Chris Holm, project analyst for WALKSacramento.
The entrance and parking lot will face R and 29th Streets near the Capital City Freeway underpass with the multilevel parking garage in the back. The area around the proposed building has a bus stop, light rail tracks and overflow parking from the county social services office. With the additional parking at the store and usage of the 28th Street alley for deliveries, Holm said the higher volume of traffic could disrupt safe pathways for non-vehicular traffic.
“There’s still a disconnect,” he said. “It’s a conflict, in my mind, with having parking out front and having the co-op make parking prominent. I think the design team put a lot of thought into the project and dealt with the challenges in that site. I wish it was more pedestrian-oriented.”
But with the skyrocketing demand of natural foods in recent years, Maviglio said providing enough parking is a must for the store’s growing customer base. The co-op, he said, does four times the business a conventional market does per square foot.
“We’re bending over backwards to talk to bicycle groups and pedestrian groups on how to make this user-friendly. I think our design does that,” Maviglio said.
Both Maviglio and Holm said they believe the proposed project is closer to ensuring all types of traffic have a safe path to the store. The co-op will have its first hearing Thursday night at the Planning & Design Commission meeting. If the proposal is later approved, the co-op hopes to unveil its new store in spring 2015.


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The Bark Is Real: El Paso’s ‘El Perro Grande’ Takes the Crown as Tequila of the Year
El Paso is already known for its vibrant culture and amazing food, but now we can add exceptional tequila to that list!
El Paso’s very own, 'El Perro Grande' Tequila, has only been around for a few years and it’s already making a name for itself in the tequila world.
The tequila was crowned the "Tequila of the Year" at the highly esteemed Bartenders Spirits Awards.
This recognition showcases the exceptional quality, craftsmanship, and dedication that the brand brings to the world of tequila.
El Perro Grande Blanco Tequila also had the honor to receive Producer of the Year and took a gold medal while El Perro Grande Reposado took home a bronze medal as well.
"We are thrilled and honored to receive the 'Tequila of the Year' at the Bartenders Spirits Awards," said Ms. Krystal Myrick, Brand Area Manager for El Perro Grande tequila. "This recognition is a testament to our team's dedication and passion for producing a tequila that is unparalleled in quality and taste. We are grateful to our loyal customers and partners who have supported us on this incredible journey."
In case you’re not familiar with El Perro Grande’s backstory, the tequila brand is a labor of love, handcrafted in the heart of El Paso by its founder/creator and businessman Mr. Renard U. Johnson.
I met the team behind El Perro Grande and they were a solid group of people who had a passion to bring locals the best quality tequila and their hard work and dedication is paying off!
El Perro Grande Tequila is available in select bars, restaurants, and retail locations throughout El Paso and the state of Texas.
Way to go team Perro Grande! Cheers!
El Perro Grande Tequila


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As of this Tuesday (July 10), the public will have the opportunity to purchase a variety of locally grown and made items at the Redwood Falls Farmers Market.
Located in the parking lot at the corner of Bridge and Washington streets in Redwood Falls this annual event is scheduled to begin July 10 and will continue twice each week into October.
According to Cathy Balderston, who helps coordinate the local farmers market, vendors will offer their wares Tuesdays from 2-5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m.
“The farmers market will be open for 15 weeks,” said Balderston, adding what is offered will vary from week to week based on what is ready.
A wide variety of things will be offered throughout the season. The list of items includes various vegetables, homemade baked goods and canned items from pickles and salsa to jams and jellies.
Recent efforts have made the Redwood Falls Farmers Market an event for the entire family, as a program called the Power of Produce (PoP) is being offered for kids. Through this program, children ages four to 12 who visit the farmers market can stop by the PoP booth and receive a $2 token to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables.
“On Tuesdays there will also be an education program for the kids who come,” added Balderston.
Balderston said the Redwood Falls Farmers Market is a Minnesota Grown venture, adding EBT, credit and debit cards are accepted.
Vendors are welcome to participate in the farmers market, with a fee of $75 for the season. To learn more about becoming a vendor, contact Balderston at (320) 522-1043.
The Redwood Falls Farmers Market is made possible through its program partners, including the SNAP-Ed Community Partnership of the University of Minnesota Extension Service, the Redwood Area Food Shelf, the United Community Action Partnership (UCAP) and the Statewide Health Improvement Partner-ship (SHIP).
Additional information will be available throughout the season on the Redwood Falls Farmers Market Facebook Page.
The public is invited to come and check out the Redwood Falls Farmers Market on its opening day July 10 starting at 2 p.m.


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DataPro, partner of a European company, launches a credit risk management tool
Nigerian technology-focused credit rating agency, DataPro, has partnered with ModeFinance, Europe’s leading fintech rating agency.
The credit risk management tool is said to help businesses navigate the complex terrain of today’s credit risk management and speed up the process of making related information available to businesses.
Speaking at a press conference to announce the launch of the app, named Tigran-for-DataPro, and the partnership, DataPro chief executive Abimbola Adeseyoju said the volume of information and analyzes that credit rating agencies face had made the technology a necessity. .
He said: “When it comes to credit rating, the amount of information, data and statistics that analysts have to grapple with on a daily basis to come to informed conclusions is enough to overwhelm anyone. New technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain and data analytics have thus contributed enormously to speeding up processes and making them more efficient.
“When the opportunity therefore presented itself in the last quarter of 2021 to partner with Modefinance, the leading FinTech rating agency in Europe, we welcomed it with both hands. This product is a necessity for our economy to overcome some of the challenges associated with credit risk management.
Adeseyoju, who revealed the importance of access to credit facilities for any economy, believed that the synergy would revolutionize and modernize credit risk analysis and management practices.
Speaking at the launch virtually, Mode Finance Managing Director Mattia Ciprian said: “The credit market increasingly needs rapid assessments with high accuracy. At Modefinance, we are committed on a daily basis to supporting organizations all over the world, with a greater emphasis on the African continent.
DataPro Limited’s Rating Manager, Oladele Adeoye, said: “We recognize that credit decision-making must be effective and efficient. This has become necessary today as customers eagerly expect fast, convenient and cost-effective services from vendors. Technology that can help financial institutions and corporations operating on credit make informed decisions is therefore becoming essential.
Mode Finance International Managing Director Cristian Giacomini said, “We are fully committed to transferring our know-how, generating added value for the Nigerian economy and creating a national legacy in the money management sector. credit risk. Our technological innovations in big data, artificial intelligence, data analytics and machine learning are all paving the way for MSMEs to access better financial services. »
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Author: Jagdish Kumar, India
When many countries are banning cryptocurrencies, Thailand has become the first country in Southeast Asia to propose a new cryptocurrency law.
Thai authorities have unveiled a new law that will cover digital assets that look after chosen tokens, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin cash, Ethereum classic, Litecoin, Ripple, and Stellar.
The law Digital Asset Business Decree defines cryptocurrencies as well as digital tokens as a medium of exchanging goods and rights to participate in an investment, or to receive specific goods.
Looking at the accelerated growth in the sector, the Thai government has also imposed 7% VAT on each trade, as well as 15% tax on profit that will be deducted automatically from individual account annually.
Apart from crypto coins and token, the government has also come up with a policy that will regulate initial coin offerings (ICOs) that will be similar to the existing equity and share market.
This comes after a statement by Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission director of the commission’s Fintech department Archari Suppiroj in June, in which he said that they are working to strike a balance between those who view cryptocurrencies as evil and those who use them for gambling.
Given that Thailand is competing against dozens of other places that aim to be crypto hubs, it’s unlikely these new laws will see it overtake Japan, South Korea or Taiwan.
If regulators make things too strict, people might go overseas and Thailand’s ability to offer any investor protection will evaporate. That is a common sentiment that regulators worldwide share.
However, this will bring all cryptocurrencies under the regulation that promotes legitimacy. And hopefully, the legitimacy will bring about widespread adoption.
Thailand’s regulations lay out rules for businesses that want to operate as an exchange, a broker, or a dealer.
With this, many Indian crypto exchanges might look to set up their base in Thailand, as regulations do not allow crypto trading after the ban by Reserve Bank of India (RBI).


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By Alex & Graeme
Alex & Graeme share their reactions to the Nintendo Switch following the Nintendo Switch Presentation event on 13th January 2017 and look back to see if their predictions for the console came true.
Download MP3 here.
Pokémon Sun & Moon for Nintendo 3DS released worldwide November 2016, and represents the 7th Generation of the franchise. 80 new Pokémon are ready for battle, the Alola Region awaits exploration, and more than a few mysteries will be uncovered!
But after a full year of prerelease marketing, with the 20th anniversary of Pokémon’s debut and the unimaginable fever surrounding Pokémon Go this summer, can this new instalment truly fulfil expectations for one of the world’s most loved fantasy franchises? Find out our full thoughts and impressions below… Continue reading
A formal announcement video has just been posted to Nintendo’s YouTube Channel, reiterating the news of their collaboration with Universal Parks & Resorts, announced a few months ago. Check it out below… Continue reading
For what must surely be the last time before it’s international release in Japan and North America on 18th November (23rd for Europe), Pokémon Sun & Moon has received another trailer!
This time we’re introduced to the Starter Pokémon’s exclusive Z-Moves as well as two new Ultra Beasts. See below for our round-up and reactions… Continue reading
Originally released in Europe on 14th June 2013, Animal Crossing New Leaf broke new ground for the popular Life-Sim franchise, with fresh customisation and rewarding gameplay. Now more than three years later, the game has been given the most robust update of any software in Nintendo’s history.
The ‘Welcome amiibo‘ update adds a wealth of new content as well as functionality for a new range of amiibo cards and past amiibo figures. At just over a third of the New Leaf’s original file size, the new additions aim to keep even the most hardcore fans happy whilst also bringing in new players.
The new set of 50 New Leaf -Welcome amiibo cards will launch in Europe 11th November (already available in Japan, 2nd December in North America), Animal Crossing New Leaf – Welcome amiibo will launch as a full physical game on 25th November.
Below, we’ll look into all the new content and it’s pros & cons, but first let’s quickly reflect on New Leaf, before the fresh additions… Continue reading
Ahead of the launch of the PlayStation 4 Pro on the 10th November, Sony have released a list of titles that will be enhanced on launch day. These titles will see various enhancements including 4K support, HDR support, higher frame rates and improved graphics for non-4K displays. The PlayStation VR games listed below will also see enhancements with higher frame rates and resolution set to improve. Continue reading


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HERE Maps has been re-branded as HERE WeGo with a new update rolling out to its iOS and Android apps. The update brings UI and functionality changes. The new app design makes destination the focus, as the new name HERE WeGo also suggests.
Here is what has changed as per the
Today HERE released new update for their Map app on IOS platform. The latest update takes the app version to 18.104.22.168. The latest update brings some improvements to the map function. One of the major addition in this update is that now you can use vision feature in both portrait