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By Wang Qiao
Edit / Sole Show
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This week, more than 70% of the 58 blockchain-listed companies have annual reports, and 13 of them are expected to double their net profit; the "Guangzhou Public Law Chain" has been completed and applied, and the city's appraisal institutions have access to it, and electronic judicial appraisal opinions are stored and collected for external evidence New model of management and management, cracking down on forensic appraisal; Beijing Internet Court's "balance chain" cross-chain certificate data has reached hundreds of millions. Second, the local two sessions kicked off, with new applications and expectations for blockchain technology.
The following is a summary of industry blockchain news from January 11, 2020 to January 17, 2020.
I. Industry Information and Reviews
1. Statistics: Over 70% of the 58 blockchain companies are happy with their annual reports, of which 13 net profit is expected to double
The reporter found that the performance of listed companies in the blockchain sector was generally good. As of now, 58 companies have taken the lead in disclosing the 2019 annual report performance forecast. There are 41 companies that have forecasted results, accounting for over 70%. On Saturday, 13 companies including China Information, Hongbo and Monternet Group are expected to double their full-year performance in 2019; 14 companies including Tianzhou Culture and Zhongyuan are also expected to turn a profit in 2019. (Securities Times)
Comment: Capital and supervision have jointly helped the development of the blockchain industry. The application of the industry is expected to accelerate, but the profitability may not be so optimistic.
2. Guangzhou's first "public law chain", the first service model for electronic forensic opinions
On January 16, four units, including the Guangzhou Judicial Bureau, Guangzhou Intermediate People's Court, Guangzhou People's Procuratorate, and Guangzhou Public Security Bureau, held a joint announcement today. The “Guangzhou Public Law Chain” implements a new model of electronic judicial appraisal submissions for external storage, evidence collection services and management. The judicial appraisal opinions are connected to the first project of "Guangzhou Public Law Chain" for social services, and the annual number of on-chain inspections is about 100,000. On-chain legal documents such as notarization, people's mediation, and administrative review are also under construction and planning. (Guangzhou Daily)
Comment: The difficulty of forensic appraisal management has always been a big problem for judicial organs and society. The application of the "public law chain" and the comprehensive implementation of electronic forensic appraisal opinions have better solved this problem.
3. Shanghai Proposals: Form the integration of collection, analysis and application of information blockchain to further improve the efficiency of government governance and policy implementation
During the 2020 Shanghai Two Sessions, the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee submitted a proposal to make full use of Internet technology to form an integration of the collection, analysis, and application of the information block chain to further improve the efficiency of government governance and policy implementation. (Surging)
Comment: Blockchain has become a hot topic in the local two conferences. In government affairs and social governance, blockchain will play an important role.
4. The Libra Association is hiring a technology project manager and will work with TSC to guide the product roadmap
The Libra Association is hiring a technology project manager and will work with the technical steering committee to guide the product roadmap and help facilitate the participation of the developer community. According to previous reports, the Libra Association announced on Thursday that it has established a Technical Steering Committee (TSC) to coordinate the design and development of the Libra platform.
It is reported that the committee is composed of Anchorage co-founder Diogo Monica, Calibra core product leader George Cabrera III, Bison Trail founder Joe Lallouz, Union Square Ventures partner Nick Grossman and Mercy Corps emerging technology director Ric Shreves. According to the announcement on the Libra developer page, this is the latest update to the Libra roadmap following the withdrawal of founding members last October. This newly announced group will oversee the project's technology roadmap, guide code base development, and try to build a developer community around the Libra project.
Comments: This year is the decisive period for digital currencies. Whether it is launched on time and the first one is launched, countries are racing.
5. The cross-chain certificate data of the Beijing Internet Court's "Tianping Chain" has reached hundreds of millions.
On January 15, the Third Session of the 15th People's Congress of Beijing considered the work report of the Municipal High People's Court and the work report of the Municipal People's Procuratorate. The two reports repeatedly mentioned the promotion of information technology for prosecution work, and new technologies represented by blockchain are fully enabling prosecution.
Among them, the Beijing Internet Court “Tianping Chain” has greatly improved work efficiency by using technology and smart contract technology. It has solved the “trilemma” of difficulty in obtaining, storing, and identifying electronic evidence in Internet trials. At present, cross-link access has been completed. There are 19 blockchain nodes and hundreds of millions of cross-chain certificate data. Automatic contract technology enables the automatic execution of the mediation agreement. (Beijing News)
Comment: Blockchain technology effectively solves the problem of difficulty in depositing evidence. As the number of nodes increases, more and more people are represented, and lawsuits on the chain have been recognized by more and more people.
6.Baidu Super Chain and Baixin Bank landed on Baidu cashier's settlement solution
In order to solve the problem of opaque settlement and possible fraud among e-commerce platforms, merchants, and banks, Baidu Super Chain uses the blockchain technology independently developed by Baidu as the bottom layer to build a merchant clearing alliance chain for Baixin Bank, merchants and e-commerce platforms. The alliance chain nodes can obtain the first-hand transaction information at the same time, and guarantee the lossless transfer of trust. According to the immutable and real data on the alliance chain, Baixin Bank cleared it. In addition, in order to ensure the security of the information of the commercial platform, the transaction information on the alliance chain will be desensitized to ensure that the merchant's sensitive information is not obtained by non-affiliated chain institutions.
Comment: The combination of blockchain and finance goes deep and far, and it can alleviate many problems in the financial field in terms of trust, efficiency, cost control, risk management, and data security.
7.Chain to the future-the blockchain technology empowerment industry reform work exchange meeting was held in Beijing
In order to implement the spirit of the important speech of the 18th collective study of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee and better promote the industrial innovation and development, on January 11, hosted by the National Industrial Information Security Development Research Center, blockchain technology and data security industries and information The Ministry of Chemical Industry Key Laboratory (hereinafter referred to as the “Key Laboratory”), a work exchange conference hosted by Zinc Link and providing media support was held in Beijing.
The theme of the conference was "Chain to the Future-Blockchain Technology Enabling Industrial Transformation". Experts from academia and industry gathered together to exchange and discuss the development of blockchain technology and the experience of application in various fields.
Characters and Voices
1. Yao Qian: Need to strengthen on-chain and off-chain data governance and establish a blockchain digital governance system
Yao, a researcher in the State Council's Counselor's Office and former director of the Digital Currency Research Institute of the People's Bank of China, recently published a paper entitled "High-quality Blockchain Development and Data Governance." The article points out: how to develop a good blockchain is a key proposition that needs to be answered urgently. This article believes that it is a pragmatic strategy to start with data storage and sharing. Considering that the technological frontier is in the public chain, we should support the research of the public chain. In order to prevent risks, the public chain must be transformed.
Based on the actual environment, the alliance chain may be a better choice for application landing. The application and innovative development of domestic cryptographic algorithms should be strengthened to ensure the security and controllability of China's blockchain. At present, the most important thing is that we should promote the high-quality development of the blockchain. To this end, we need to strengthen on-chain and off-chain data governance (Data Governance) and establish an effective blockchain digital governance system. (Tsinghua Financial Review)
2. Director of Beijing Financial Bureau: No virtual currency exchange license will be issued in China
The recent high pressure on regulators to crack down on virtual currencies and virtual currency exchanges has sparked heated debate. Huo Xuewen, director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Local Financial Supervision and Administration, said that whether virtual currency supervision does not exist is stricter, it will only be stricter. The Beijing Financial Bureau has discovered “zero tolerance” for currency issuance, and found that they are fighting together. Virtual currency cannot and cannot be used as legal digital currency. Only the People's Bank of China can launch legal digital currency. Regarding whether virtual currency exchange licenses will be issued in the future, Huo Xuewen responded that "should not". "China does not allow cross-border virtual currency transactions. No institution can sell overseas virtual currencies to the country, and no institution can provide exchange of virtual currencies and RMB. For this type of behavior, we will closely monitor and crack down severely. Together. "(Beijing News)
3. Li Lihui: At this stage, the legal digital currency may adopt a "horse racing" mechanism and does not rely on a single blockchain technology
On January 13, Li Lihui, former president of the Bank of China, said at the "Digital Currency Future" seminar that if China today launches fiat digital currencies, since blockchain technology has not yet reached the high level of concurrent demand for retail sales in large markets, it should be It will remain technologically neutral and does not rely on a single blockchain technology, but it is more likely to adopt a "horse racing" mechanism. Some designated institutions will conduct research and development of different digital technologies in parallel to observe the needs of the market in the future and which technology route can be taken. Better, let's decide at that time (which technology to use). (China Securities Network)
4. Zhang Yifeng: The "Account Information Protection Based on Token2.0 Standard" project has nothing to do with blockchain
The reporter learned from people familiar with the matter that the Beijing Financial Bureau will release a regulatory sandbox report recently. Among them, China UnionPay, Bank of China, China Everbright Bank, etc., and Du Xiaoman Financial, Meituan, JD.com, Suning and other payment platforms have been selected. "Account Information Protection Based on Token2.0 Standard" project. Zhang Yifeng, director of the China Banking Research Institute of Blockchain, told reporters that this has nothing to do with blockchain and is a term before bank card payment, called payment tokenization technology. In order to pay without using a bank card number directly. (Glonghui)
5. Chen Weigang, Banking Regulatory Commission: The maturity of the blockchain represents the arrival of the digital economy era
On January 15th, at the "Break the Boundary · Fusion Blockchain and Digital Finance Summit Forum", Chen Weigang, former vice president of the party school of the China Banking Regulatory Commission and director-general supervisor of the board of supervisors of the State-owned Financial Institutions of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, said that the maturity of blockchain represents The advent of the digital economy. He said that digital is the core production factor in the future. Data is the most important means of production in a digital society. Struggling for means of production must not be violated by any dynasty. Among them, open source is the most important development direction of the blockchain, and closed technology has no future.
6. Highlights of the 13th Asian Finance Forum:
Ba Shusong: Libra will make some economies increasingly dependent on fiscal policy
At the 13th Asian Finance Forum on January 14, Ba Shusong, Chief Chinese Economist of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, said that with the expansion of Libra in some economies, it will form part of the existing legal tender of different countries. Instead, the government's currency issuance rights are subject to corresponding restrictions, which constrains monetary policy, which may make these economies increasingly dependent on fiscal policy. (Beijing News)
Tan Ruijian: With information encryption technology, blockchain will not be harmful to data
Tan Ruijian, Risk Director of Hong Kong Trade Finance Platform Co., Ltd. said that the blockchain can ensure that anyone who retrieves and analyzes the data can obtain the data they trust, which will not have any harm to the data and will not have any impact on security. Speaking of information encryption technology, he believes that no matter whether it is import or export, the relevant parties put all information in the blockchain. If put in the data, it will not be tampered with and changed, and there will be no false information from a single platform. Presentation, so the technology of blockchain will be well developed in the future. (Sina Finance)
7. Review of the content of this week's sharing meeting-Ma Hong, founder of Haofeng Blockchain and Chinese Certified Public Accountant
Utilizing the "time stamp" of the blockchain technology, the "three-type bookkeeping method" for accounting bookkeeping has been achieved. This completely changed the “double-entry debit and credit method” that has been in existence for more than 500 years. The implementation of financial accounting block chain, audit block chain, tax block chain and other application projects will completely reform the current phenomenon of financial fraud and financial fraud.
Third, this week's in-depth content review
Academician Shen Changxiang: Solving blockchain security can only be based on trusted computing 3.0
Without security, the information society will become a ruin in the dark, and there is no prerequisite for the development of the blockchain. Once the network is attacked by virus information, it will "do bad things." Blockchain security issues can only be solved with trusted computing 3.0 level protection. Because the blockchain is a new type of network application, making full use of cryptographic technology can solve the tamper-proof and non-repudiation of the distributed ledger of the blockchain. It is necessary to strengthen the security of the secret itself. Now the blockchain does not talk about it.


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Consumers and businesses are still in a position where borrowing personal loans or business loans may be be a problem due to the fact that there are some financial institutions that are hesitant to relax the constraints on capital more than has already been seen, but there are also some issues that many feel to be holding some banks back from making these loans to more consumers and businesses. While a great many issues were presented last week when the Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke was addressing concerns that many in the financial sector may have, as there are some worries that tighter regulations and new policies could be the blame for slow recovery in areas like the employment sector.
However, despite the fact that there are tighter requirements on loans, like mortgages, that homeowners must meet, arguments have still arisen as to whether regulation is what might still be leading to problems that consumers and businesses are experiencing. Yet, there are also some who feel that, in comparison with months or even years past, more personal loans and small business loans are more available to consumers as there are a wide range of banks that are offering not only access to credit for consumers who may not have a perfect credit score, but programs like those from the SBA have also been started as a way to help some businesses get on their feet or further their current enterprise.
While the issue of tighter regulations for the financial sector is a hot topic and a highly debated issue, it seems that there are some situations where regulations could be hindering banks from making loans to companies or individuals, but again there are also ways that consumers have found access to credit even in an economy that many feel is somewhat slow at the present time.
As an example, some consumers are able to take advantage of credit cards that are available that may offer not only access to credit but some have used balance transfer credit cards to consolidate debt, which would act in a similar fashion to a personal loan for debt relief through consolidation. Also, there are businesses that can not only get funding from the SBA, but some have found that major financial institutions are making more loans and banks like Bank of America and J.P. Morgan Chase are just two of these major players that have not only offered loans to small businesses but say they plan to continue doing so at a somewhat aggressive rate this year, meaning their lending could be comparable to last year.
While consumers in some cases do still have issues when it comes to accessing credit, community banks, credit unions, and even new offers on credit cards are just a few of the access points that consumers and businesses may have, even though there are some questions over whether regulation may be slowing economic coverage. While the accessibility of credit is not available for all consumers, there are various routes that are currently open or maybe becoming more available when it comes to borrowing for an individual or a business.

domain: news


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2018 Market Trends
Veganuary, ‘Faux Food’, Mindfulness, Gut-Friendly, Premiumisation, Mocktails, ‘Craft' and more...
So many buzz words are floated around the drinks industry on a daily basis, so we thought it would be a good idea to take a look at what is really going to catch the attention of consumers this year.
Conscious Consumerism is on the up, and is having a big impact on how venues operate, as well as and on what they offer customers. 2017 saw the rise of healthier lifestyle options and prompted a need for better adult soft drinks that are not packed full of sugar (a development that can only be spurred on by the introduction of sugar tax); milk alternatives have become the norm in people’s morning coffee, mirrored in the alcohol industry with the release of a dairy-free version of Baileys; and an interest in using drinks nutrient-rich ingredients to boost cocktails.
This trend has really hit bars in two key areas: first up is the growth of lower ABV and even alcohol-free drinking. Seedlip was the first alcohol-free spirit to market, and is now pushing hard for growth with backing from Distill Ventures, some high-profile new appointments and new product lines in development for release later this year. Towards the end of 2017 an increasing number of competitors also emerged tapping into consumer desire for drinks that are flavour-packed but alcohol free. Linking into this, lower-alcohol vermouth has come forward as a big contender, with the likes of Regal Rogue and Belsazar changing the focus of the category away from simply being cocktail ingredients to standalone products, perfect for occasions when lighter styles of drink are needed.
Secondly, enlightened consumers, bartenders, managers and owners have focused in on the amount of waste generated by venues. Sustainability is a big focus for many industry giants now, with the likes of Dandelyan, Trash Tiki and Nine Lives aiming to reduce their waste and footprint; Pernod Ricard and Diageo have even followed suit, banning plastic straws from tastings and events. Similarly, a huge number of operators have committed to removing single-use plastic and straws from their venues to help alleviate the amount of non-biodegradable waste produced. Whilst honourable and a valiant start, there is still a lot to be done – re-using lime skins is great, but they’ve already been shipped across the globe in cardboard or plastic boxes before they hit the environmentally-friendly bar!
Full Disclosure feeds off the desire to showcase sustainable best practice but goes further – customers are, to put it simply, far more knowledgeable about what they are drinking than even two years ago, and keen to understand the provenance, the techniques, the names and faces behind the label on the bottle. Brands and bars are becoming more active in showing off their methods – Patrón has only just started talking about their sustainable production methods that have been in place for years – and with this focus, there has been a reinvigoration of older techniques. Cold brewing coffee and tea for brighter flavours is now fashionable, biodynamic winemaking is on the up, fermentation and infusion are both increasingly common in bars and restaurants, and using only seasonal, local ingredients is a growing trend impacting flavour and availability of products, drinks and dishes. Driven from both sides of the bar this openness about ingredients, technique and reasoning is serving to improve quality and diversity in the trade.
Re-use and Re-invention. Exciting new products are now everywhere, with producers working together and with people from other walks of life to find new flavour profiles and create interesting products. Whilst tea has been closely linked to gin for a number of years, it has now become a standalone cocktail ingredient, with infusions of jasmine, chamomile and peppermint being used to create lighter, refreshing styles of long drink. Innovative flavour combinations are pushing boundaries with truffle-infused rye whiskey, lemon drizzle gins and 250,000 Scoville vodkas all adding to the bartender’s repertoire. Collaboration is also on the up with Jameson launching their new ‘Caskmates’ range where the whiskey is aged in ex-beer casks to give the final liquid a hopped character.
Key Spirits Trends
Gin is still an inescapable force, with new products coming to market on a daily basis it would seem! Fruit-infused or flavoured gins have exploded in popularity, alongside offerings that show provenance and local pedigree. Whilst many bartenders are tiring of the juniper boom, consumers are still keen to explore the new flavours on offer, and having a G&T list is now a must for most venues.
Spiced Rum, long the forgotten sub-category from warmer climes, is now pushing to be the next big thing. Rum as a whole is in fantastic growth, but it is spiced rum that is climbing the fastest – coming in several variants from vanilla-led, dark cinnamon and clove infused to those with an almost chili heat. Many bars are even infusing their own for a personalised twist – just ask one of spirits team to help build a recipe.
Low Alcohol drinks are something that many in the industry have avoided, or even shunned, until recently. Low alcohol, and even no alcohol ‘spirits’ are carving out a niche in the drinks world. Led by Seedlip, who tore onto the market in 2015 and now have the backing of drinks giant Diageo, a number of other producers are creating non-alcoholic spirits for use in bars for mixed drinks or as simple serves. In close connection to this, low-alcohol alternatives are also gaining in popularity. The likes of Regal Rogue are helping to bring back the notion of apéritifs, working to build quick serves of vermouth that are more refreshing and approachable than ever before. An increasing number of venues are expanding their gin lists to become ‘...and tonic’ offerings enabling them to open vermouth and apéritif drinks like Byrrh, Kamm & Sons and RinQuinQuin as an accessible, lower-abv drink without resorting to soft drinks.
Cognac had its biggest year ever in 2017, exporting just under 98% of the total production. Several smaller Cognac houses are now available in the UK and they are keen to reinvigorate the category – working to build new cocktail serves, simple mixed drinks and in general to stimulate some excitement around the spirit that has long been lost to digestif trolleys. Want something different for the summer months? Add a Cognac and tonic to your new ‘...and tonic’ list.
Seasonality and Food. With the drive toward conscious consumerism, more cocktail menus are leaning towards seasonal changes, utilising the ingredients from the kitchen in shrubs, infusions and garnishes. The natural progression of this is to start matching spirits to the cuisine on offer within a venue. Malt Whisky is an easy match for a spirits dinner, rum for desserts, gin with seafood, the list goes on…but there is also wider experimentation with cocktails in place of certain courses.
Tequila, or agave spirits in general, have been the ‘next big thing’ for years now, always on the cusp of becoming the nation’s new favourite spirit. That said, there has been great growth in the category, and the marketplace now leans firmly towards 100% blue agave spirits that give a cleaner, crisp taste. The big shift has been evident in the approach of venues, now offering reposado and añejo variants as alternatives to whisky and Cognac both in cocktails and as sipping drinks, in turn helping to educate consumers. A trend to get involved with soon, as the big producers are warning of an impending agave shortage that may drive up price.


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US: Where's the Rebound in Inflation Expectations? – Wells Fargo
Sarah House, Economist at Wells Fargo Securities, suggests that despite oil’s rebound and pickup in core inflation, inflation expectations have changed little in recent months and history and demographics suggest that the Fed appears correct in remaining cautious about a full recovery.
“Since oil prices began to tumble in mid-2014, inflation expectations have followed suit. While a decline in short-term inflation expectations was to be expected, longer-term expectations sank right alongside oil. Yet, with oil prices recovering roughly 80 percent since earlier this year and inflation picking up, long-term inflation expectations have not changed much.
The lack of a rebound has caught the Fed’s attention. As Chair Yellen noted in a speech this week, a sustained decline in expectations would raise doubts about how quickly inflation would return to the FOMC’s target.
After a brief rebound in March and April that closely followed oil prices, longer-term TIPS breakevens have again headed lower. More hawkish talk from Fed officials before last Friday’s payroll report may be behind the move, as it seemed clearer that the recent pickup in core inflation would be kept in check with less accommodative monetary policy. However, looking at the New York Fed’s Survey of Primary Dealers for additional indications of long-term inflation expectations from market participants shows expectations for CPI inflation have remained steady in recent months.
The muted response to the rebound in oil and gasoline prices may just be a timing effect. Demographics provide no help. Since the first of the Millennials became of working age in the mid-1990s, core PCE inflation has averaged only 1.7 percent and not exceeded 2.5 percent. As such, it is not surprising that in the New York Federal Reserve’s Survey of Consumer Expectations, respondents under the age of 40 have consistently reported lower inflation expectations than their older counterparts. Fed officials may therefore be right in not taking an eventual rebound in inflation expectations as a given.”


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Metallica Rages With Chart-Topping 'Anger'
Metallica's "St. Anger" explodes out of the gate, debuting at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 this week. The Elektra album sold nearly 418,000 copies in the U.S. since its release last Thursday, accordingMetallica's "St. Anger" explodes out of the gate, debuting at No. 1 on The Billboard 200 this week. The Elektra album sold nearly 418,000 copies in the U.S. since its release last Thursday, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The stalwart metal act's fourth No. 1 on The Billboard 200 was originally slated for release on June 10, but was advanced five days in a move Elektra says was meant to prevent pirated copies from entering the marketplace. The early release follows similar publicity-raising tactics employed for albums by Eminem and 50 Cent.
"St. Anger," Metallica's first album since the departure of bassist Jason Newsted, bests the 300,000 units that greeted Metallica's live symphonic effort "S&M" in November 1999. The band's 1996 album "Load" sold 680,000 copies in its first week, and its self-titled 1991 set (aka "The Black Album") opened with sales of more than 500,000 copies.
The title track of the new album bowed at No. 2 last week on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks tally, the highest entry on the survey since Van Halen's "Without You" debuted at No. 1 in March 1998.
"St. Anger" is one of four top-10 debuts on The Billboard 200 this week, and is followed closely by Jewel's latest Atlantic album, "0304." A departure for an artist known for her acoustic folk-leaning fare, the dance-oriented release sold 144,000 copies to give Jewel the highest-charting debut week of her career.
Jewel's 2001 effort "This Way" opened at No. 9 with sales of 140,000 copies, and has sold 1.5 million to date. The new album's first single, "Intuition," has already become a top-40 hit on Billboard's Hot 100.
50 Cent's "Get Rich or Die Tryin'" (Shady/Interscope) slips one slot to No. 3 behind Metallica and Jewel. The album sold 99,000 copies in its 18th week on the chart, a 9% dip from the previous week. Evanescence's "Fallen" (Wind-Up) was on par with its total from last week, selling 90,000 copies, but falls to No. 4.
Up three positions to No. 5 is the Murder Inc./Def Jam soundtrack to "2 Fast 2 Furious," which sold 88,000 copies in its second week, a 17% gain. Train's "My Private Nation" (Columbia) sold 87,000 copies to open at No. 6 on The Billboard 200. The feat ties the opening-week entry of its 2001 set "Drops of Jupiter." That album sold slightly less (81,000 copies) in its first week, and has moved 2.3 million to date.
Lonestar's hits package "From There to Here" (BNA) bows at No. 7 on sales of 86,000 copies. The country act's 2001 effort "I'm Already There" opened at No. 9 with 112,000 copies, which remains the group's largest one-week sales total.
The Disney soundtrack to "The Lizzie McGuire Move" slides two slots to No. 8 on a 1% sales decline to 80,000 copies. Last week's top debut, Led Zeppelin's "How the West Was Won" slides to No. 9 on a 51% sales drop to 76,000 copies. In two weeks of release, the three-disc live package has sold more than 200,000 copies.
Kelly Clarkson's RCA debut "Thankful" rounds out the top-10, dropping six positions on a 15% sales decline to 75,000 copies.
A 2003 Warped Tour compilation from indie label Side 1 Dummy enters The Billboard 200 at No. 21 with sales of 39,000 copies, and the latest from Sugar Ray, "In the Pursuit of Leisure" (Atlantic), arrives at No. 29 with 32,000 copies sold. The group's 2001's self-titled release bowed at No. 6 on sales of 106,000.
"Trouble No More," the Columbia covers set by 2001 Billboard Century Award honoree John Mellencamp, lands at No. 31 with sales of 32,000 copies. His 2001 album "Cuttin' Heads" arrived at No. 15. His last set to reach the top-10 was 1996's "Mr. Happy Go Lucky."
Overall U.S. album sales are up about 1% from last week to 10.5 million units, 9.3% behind the comparable week last year. Year-to-date sales continue to lag by 8.3%.


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PEOPLE IN FASHION
LOOK OF THE DAY
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PEOPLE IN FASHION
Look of theDay
Copyright 2010. Vesna Filipović


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Yiwu, China (CNN) -- There are 1.3 billion people in China, and millions upon millions live here in the nation's industrial south.
Yet an increasingly common sight in this manufacturing city are "Help Wanted" signs.
The southern industrial base of China was hardest hit by the economic crisis, forcing many factories to shut down or lay off workers. When business bounced back with Christmas-related orders, manufacturers such as Fang Bo had a new problem on his hands -- getting his workers back.
Bo said many workers -- often immigrants from rural areas -- left the city, never to return. Conversations with other factory managers tell a similar tale, with some forced to go into the hinterlands of China to attract workers back to their plants.
Manufacturers are trying to draw people such as laborer Chen Chang Yuan. Chen worked in construction in the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian for about four years. He's come to Yiwu to find a job in a factory because he thought it would pay big bucks.
He was not impressed with what he found.
"We have so many people here looking for jobs, but the recruiters offer so little money! Long working hours, low wages," he lamented at a city job center, as the crowds around us pressed in. "How can I survive?"
In other words, Chen believes there isn't a labor shortage but a mismatch in wages. He wants to be paid US$200 a month -- about 25 percent more than what most of the manufacturers at the job center are advertising.
And, interestingly, despite the global economic crisis, the workers here are finding it easier to hold out for better opportunities.
As the Chinese economy grows, the government's massive stimulus has created jobs not only in other parts of the country but in sectors outside of manufacturing, too. Laborers like Chen are become more selective about where they work.
Paul Cavey of Macquarie Economics Research says many Chinese job seekers are "spoilt for choice." He says companies in retail, construction, and real estate are hiring.
Government data shows unemployment in urban areas falling -- on track to meet the nation's target of 4.6 percent this year. Not everyone believes the official data accurately reflects the employment picture. However, most do believe joblessness is down.
Stanley Lau, the deputy chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries says manufacturers will likely have to raise wages by at least "a few percentage points" in 2010. He thinks the tightness in the labor market will continue next year.
Managers at shirt company TAL Apparel say they have resorted to going personally to the villages to try to get workers to come back. Others like Tang's Decoration talk of upgrading their facilities -- adding Internet services or a basketball net -- to make their places more attractive. However, most are still reluctant to raise wages.
Winnie Tang, the owner of Tang's Decoration, said manufacturers are under tremendous pressure to keep costs down. Her customers -- retailers across the U.S., Europe, and Japan -- are demanding lower prices in the hopes of driving big Christmas sales during this down economy.
"If the customer is willing to pay us more, of course, we are willing to pay more to the workers," she said.


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Appell Petroleum Corp. (GM) (USOTC:APPL)
Historical Stock Chart
5 Years : From Sep 2012 to Sep 2017
Greenlight Capital's David Einhorn vouched for Apple Inc. (APPL) in his speech at the Ira Sohn conference in New York on Wednesday, saying the company is a "great company with great balance sheet."
He said some investors' concern that Apple can't maintain its hyper growth was based on the "misunderstanding" that Apple, like other hardware manufacturers, may suffer from a one-hit wonder. But the hedge-fund manager said Apple is a software company that can get consumers hooked onto its products through its various hardware products.
The value investor said Apple's current value "isn't demanding," as "most cellphones aren't smartphones and tablets are still young and immature."
On Apple's huge cash holdings, Einhorn said Apple doesn't need to give out dividends. Rather, he said the company should issued preferred shares, as it doesn't demand an immediate use of cash and poses no maturity or refinancing risk.
In his over-100-page slide presentation, Einhorn commented on an eclectic range of stocks and topics, including his dislike of Martin Marietta Materials Inc. (MLM), saying the company "has a lot of problems"; and China, cautioning the nation's credit tightening may stifle economic growth. He also criticized United States Steel Corp. (X) for generating a loss despite its iron ore cost being just over a third of what its competitors had paid.


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FACEBOOK'S CLEAR HISTORY FEATURE MAY MESS WITH ITS TARGETING OPTIONS
Facebook warned advertisers that the tool, which will eventually give people the ability to see and delete the data that third-party sites and apps share about them with Facebook, could impact targeting on Facebook properties.
GOOGLE'S NEW COOKIES FEATURE MAY HAMPER ONLINE ADVERTISING, IMPROVE PRIVACY
GOOGLE'S GIANT GALLERY ADS FOR SEARCH ARE COMING: WHAT THEY ARE AND HOW YOU'LL PAY FOR THEM
Advertisers can feature up to eight images in gallery ads, Google's new mobile search ad format.
PINTEREST CEO AFTER EARNINGS REPORT TUMBLE: WE'RE IN THE GROWTH PHASE OF OUR BUSINESS
Pinterest reported a loss per share of 32 cents, however, the social media platform beat revenue estimates by $1.3 million. Revenue grew 54% year over year.
FACEBOOK BANS FAKE ISRAEL-BASED ACCOUNTS THAT SPENT $812,000 ON ADS
The social media platform removed 265 Facebook and Instagram accounts, pages, events and groups for "coordinated inauthentic behavior”.
SNAPCHAT PUBLISHES NEW REPORT ON OPTIMAL AD FREQUENCY TO DRIVE RECALL AND ACTION
Key findings: you'll significantly improve your chances of your audience recalling your ad, and causing a change in their behavior, if you target them with two ads per week in Snapchat Stories.


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Asian shares mixed after Dow drops more than 1,000 points
UNDATED (AP) — Shares were mixed in Asia today after Wall Street suffered its worst session in two years, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average slumping more than 1,000 points on fears that a viral outbreak that began in China will weaken the world economy.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index lost 3.3% after it reopened from a holiday on Monday and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for a nationwide effort in containing an escalation in the spread of the coronavirus.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng edged 0.2% higher and the Shanghai Composite index shed 0.7%. In Australia, the S&P ASX/200 shed 1.6%.
South Korea’s Kospi rebounded from a steep loss on Monday, adding 1.2%. Shares also rose in Singapore but fell elsewhere in the region.
Yesterday on Wall Street, the Dow lost 1,031.61 points, or 3.6%, to 27,960.80. The S&P 500 index skidded 3.4%, to 3,225.89. The Nasdaq dropped 3.7% to 9,221.28 – its biggest loss since December 2018. The Russell 2000 index of smaller company stocks gave up 3% to 1,628.10.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-TRAVEL STOCKS
Airline, cruise stocks pummeled on fear of spreading virus
UNDATED (AP) — The stocks of American Airlines and several cruise lines were among the worst performers in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index Monday, as investors fret that the new coronavirus could take hold outside China and further disrupt international travel.
Shares of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. tumbled about 9%. American Airlines Group Inc. shed 8.5%, and Delta Air Lines Inc. and online travel agency Expedia Group Inc. fell more than 6%.
Fears about the new virus’ effect on the global economy grew after a spike in new cases reported in Italy, South Korea and Iran. Italy imposed travel restrictions in some areas to prevent the virus from spreading.
There are signs that the impact on travel in China, where the virus started, may be hitting a plateau or even easing. China is the world’s second-biggest air-travel market.
TurboTax maker Intuit buying Credit Karma in $7.1B deal
UNDATED (AP) — Intuit is buying consumer finance company Credit Karma in a $7.1 billion cash and stock deal that will take it deeper into the financial products realm.
The agreement announced Monday would bring together the maker of TurboTax, QuickBooks and other personal finance tools with one focusing on consumers’ access to financial products, such as finding the right loan or credit card.
Credit Karma offers users free access to credit scores and information about financial products. It analyzes consumers’ financial data and based on that, suggests products. Credit Karma gets paid by a bank or lender if a user gets a loan, credit card or other financial product through its system.
Bahrain temporarily stops Dubai, Sharjah flights over virus
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The tiny island nation of Bahrain has suspended flights to the world’s busiest airport for international travel in Dubai over fears about the spread of the coronavirus.
The move by Bahrain, a small island off the coast of Saudi Arabia, suggests its monarchy has doubts about screenings of incoming passengers in Dubai and nearby Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. It says the ban is immediate and will last at least 48 hours.
China sentences Swedish bookseller to 10 years in prison
BEIJING (AP) — A court in eastern China has given a 10-year prison sentence to a naturalized Swedish citizen who for years sold gossipy books about Chinese leaders in the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong.
The Ningbo Intermediate People’s Court convicted Gui Minhai of “illegally providing intelligence overseas.”
Gui first disappeared in 2015, when he was believed to have been abducted by Chinese agents from his seaside home in Thailand.
After Gui was released into house arrest in Ningbo, the eastern Chinese city where he was born, police detained him once again in 2018 while he was in the company of two Swedish diplomats with whom he was traveling to Beijing.
Cuba opens its annual trade fair for the key cigar sector
HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s annual cigar trade fair started Monday, bringing thousands of buyers and aficionados of the island’s iconic stogies to sample the latest wares and place orders for sale oversees.
According to Habanos SA officials, Cuba sold $531 million worth of cigars worldwide in 2019, a 10% increase over the previous year. They say the company expects sales to continue increases at that pace for 2020.
Cigars are a main component of Cuba’s tobacco exports, and officials at Tabacuba (Tobacco Business Group of Cuba), the government entity responsible for all tobacco production on the island, say they see strong demand for hand-rolled and machine-made cigars in 2020.
Asia, the Middle East and Europe are the biggest markets for Cuban cigars, with more than 10% growth registering in each market over the last year.


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BetConstruct’s European B2C subsidiary, Vivaro Gaming, won the Swedish Administrative Court’s appeal to have its online gaming license reinstated. Last month, Vivaro had its license revoked by the Swedish gaming inspector Spelinspektionen, which determined that the operator was not active in the market.
Citing that Vivaro accounts did not record revenue last year, Spelinspektionen voided the license for failing to launch its B2C services with a 12-month period to ensure its online gaming approval – in line with the revised Gambling Act laws .
While BetConstruct took immediate action to revoke Spelinspektionen’s license, claiming that Vivaro’s delay was due to unforeseen complications during the coronavirus pandemic that impacted its operations in Armenia.
In addition, a turbulent year of 2020 resulted in BetConstruct’s Armenian workforce affected by the conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan – with 50 employees called in to support the Armenian armed forces.
BetConstruct further stated that it has informed Spelinspektionen that it would launch Vivaro’s Swedish B2C offering as early as 2021. In addition, the technology group underlined that it had made special deals and realized dedicated resources to effectively launch in the Swedish regulated online gambling market.
Administrative Court of Sweden accepted justifications presented by BetConstruct
Reviewing Vivaro’s appeal, the Swedish Administrative Court ruled that Spelinspektionen’s license cancellation was a “disproportionate measure” as BetConstruct informed the regulator of its extreme circumstances.
“The Administrative Court considered that it was more reasonable to give the company the opportunity to start the gaming business than to revoke the company’s license. The Administrative Court therefore changed Spelinspektionen’s decision and instead issued a notice to the company,” stated in the official note.


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South Korean electronics maker Samsung on Monday launched in India the Galaxy Tab A7 tablet. The big screen slate comes in LTE and WiFi variants, priced at Rs 21,999 and Rs 17,999, respectively. It will be available in dark gray, silver and gold colours soon. Samsung is currently taking pre-booking for the Galaxy Tab A7 at its online store, e-commerce platforms and select offline stores. On pre-bookings, Samsung is offering the Keyboard Cover worth Rs 4,499 at a discounted price of Rs 1875 and a cashback of up to Rs 2,000 on ICICI credit and debit cards.
“As the industry leader, Samsung has always been at the forefront of innovation, creating products and services that truly add value to the lives of our consumers, helping them stay ahead in an ever-evolving world. With the Galaxy Tab A7, we are once again redefining the mid-range tablet segment. The entertainment powerhouse is packed with a superfast processor, sleek design, large screen display and quad speakers.
The new Galaxy Tab A7 is the perfect device for binge watching, gaming and online learning,” Aditya Babbar, Director, Mobile Business, Samsung India said in a statement.
ALSO READ: Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite review: Big screen slate for work, play and more
The Galaxy Tab A7 sports a 10.4-inch screen of WUXGA+ resolution. The tablet features metal finish and thin chassis of 7mm thickness. It boasts Dolby Atmos powered quad speakers. The tablet is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 system-on-chip (SoC), paired with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage. It boots Android 10 based OneUI user interface. It ships with a 7,040 mAh battery supported by an adaptive fast charging.


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Smartwear devices are still quite popular despite the significant drop with smartwatch sales, but the smartbands on the other hand are on the rise. But …
The Xiaomi Mi Band is a successful and super-affordable piece of kit. The wearable propelled Xiaomi to the second position in wearable shipments in Q1 2015.
MWC is the next big event in the tech calendar. Huawei are already working hard on their event show which will see the launch of new wearables and tablets.
What better way to fill the stocking of a tech addict that with one of these great wearable devices. Here are 8 wearable smart devices you can choose from right now.
MediaTek’s new campaign eyes the emerging field of wearable technology and the Internet of Things.


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Aston Martin just unveiled its latest and greatest hybrid plug-in supercar, the Valhalla. And while we saw a glimpse of it two years ago as the “AM-RB 003 hypercar concept,” this is the final version hitting showroom floors in 2022 and starring in the upcoming James Bond No Time to Die film.
The automaker revealed the hybrid Valhalla on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix, where for the first time in over 60 years, Aston Martin will compete as a manufacturer.
The Aston Martin Valhalla is a 937-horsepower machine that’s as stunning as it is beastly. The company is promising a 2.5-second 0-62 mph time and a 217 mph top speed. We have a feeling those numbers should hold up well against upcoming hybrid electric vehicles from Bugatti Rimac.
What gives it those insanely fast speeds? Valhalla’s new powertrain combines a powerful twin-turbo V8 engine with electric motors at each axle and an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission mounted behind the cockpit. The twin-turbo V8 is capable of nearly 737 HP, while the two electric motors add another 201 HP.
The sleek and sexy aerodynamic design is mostly carbon fiber, keeping the total car weight down to 3,417 pounds. That said, the car is still filled with luxury inside, including an infotainment display with Apple Car Play and Android Auto support.
Your first chance to see the Aston Martin Valhalla is in the upcoming James Bond No Time to Die film, which got delayed several times due to the pandemic. The new Bond film hits theaters on October 8th, 2021, and the Valhalla will be released in 2022 for around $800,000.


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What is bitcoin mostly for?
Bitcoin is among the planet’s most used cryptocurrency. It may be used to trade things, trade for additional cryptocurrency and so on. Bitcoin allows money to move online, quick, secure, and without any third-party. Bitcoin is stored in a bitcoin price Wallet that’s very secure. Unlike a bank, if you’re transferring money to another country, a third-party is required.
Bitcoin also helps to decrease the fee paid for the third party; bitcoin has a transaction fee which is a whole lot lower than the fee charged by the third-party. The Bitcoin process is entirely peer-reviewed; traders will not get interrupted by any third party. The bitcoin price transfer is very quickly different from bank demand 5 to 10 working days to move money from a state to another country.
Here is the advantages of bitcoin & Story of Bitcoin
Some people prefer to use Bitcoin as a payment of illegal drug traffic. Some of the nation’s governments need to make a law against this illegal action. This is resulting in the disposition of cryptocurrency that’s decentralized can cause many illegal problems like drug trafficking and illegal transaction. Additionally, in 2017, Liang said that China banned all of the “First Coin Offering” associated cryptocurrency because it’s accused that “First Coin Offering” is a government unauthorized fundraising effort. Since the “First Coin Offering” does not need to be accepted by authority and cannot be controlled by the government.
In other word policy such as Know Your Customer policy had been executed from the cryptocurrency ecosystem. The authorities create a law against cryptocurrency, and will affect how the investor views cryptocurrency. When the government made the legislation to get cryptocurrency, it limited the usage of cryptocurrency. For instance, in 2018, Reina stated that the purchase price of Bitcoin plummets following the authorities of China declaring of closing all of the domestic cryptocurrency exchange.
To conclude the article, the government should take immediate response before it’s too late. Investors must be careful when investing in bitcoin price. The local authority can raise awareness of cryptocurrency by organizing multiple efforts across the world.


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The portable DNA testing machine – called the Spartan Cube – took 11 years to be developed by Paul Lem and his team at Spartan Bioscience.
It was released last year and has huge and varying applications.
Those with access to the palm-sized device will be able to self diagnose a range of infections on the scene. Hospital staff can determine which blood thinners to use for different patients and restaurant staff can use it to test food for toxic E.coli bacteria.
The current cost of the device is $1000, and although this doesn’t seem like an incredible amount, Mr Lem wants this price to slashed “so it can eventually be given away, like a blood glucose meter”.
“We’re giving the power of DNA testing to every person that walks into a pharmacy or health clinic,” said Derek Glennie, Spartan’s vice-president of engineering.
The financial backing of electronics giant Canon Inc. means Spartan should be able to manufacture the Spartan Cube for the mass market.
On Sunday, Spartan launched its first three commercial applications, following the release of the portable DNA tester last year.
These applications suggest that unregulated tests using the machine can determine whether someone is carrying strep or even a genetic mutation that could lead to Alzheimer’s, and for building personnel to test their heating and ventilation system for bacteria.
The applications are numerous.
But this revolutionary device still has a few hurdles to overcome. Mr Lem must prove to Canon Biomedical that the portable machine has business capabilities.
There must be a market, it must be commercially viable.
And if it is, Spartan must rapidly scale up its 70-person company – employees and infrastructure.
Akiko Tanaka, president and CEO of Canon BioMedical, remains hopeful, however, and said “If everything is done right, I think the product has very good potential.”
The product is revolutionary and has been hailed by scientists and medical institutions who recognise its value.
It is not ready for mass production, but with the proper expansion – hiring employees, raising finances, creating the portable DNA market – the opportunity will present itself.


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Forget chocolate, cheese and Rolexes — there’s a new industry on the rise in the Alps.
Switzerland is home to one of Europe’s oldest cannabis fairs. CannaTrade launched in 2001 and this year’s event, held last April, was a memorable one. The three-day festivities took place in Zurich, the nation’s biggest city that’s not only known for its fine foods and fancy timepieces, but also for its independence and neutral position when it comes to international politics. Switzerland is not a member of the European Union and managed to stay neutral in both world wars of the last century. Indeed, the last time the Swiss experienced war in their country was the Sonderbund War of 1847.
The Swiss also tend to take an independent position when it comes to the war on drugs. It introduced a new drug policy in the early ’90s, enabling Zurich to become among the first cities in the world (the first facility was established in the Swiss city Bern in 1986) where hard drug users could take their drugs in a safe consumption room, with clean facilities and medical staff on hand. This pragmatic harm reduction measure was unheard of at the time.
So, how do the Swiss handle cannabis?
Since 2012, personal use and minor possession — up to 10 grams — of cannabis with more than one percent THC has been decriminalized to a fine of 100 Swiss francs (equivalent to about USD$103). Cannabis with less than one percent THC has been legal since 2011. The one percent limit is the highest in Europe; most countries draw the line at 0.2 percent THC. It took the Swiss cannabis producers a while to come up with strains that have more CBD (cannabidiol) and never contain more than one percent THC. But they did it, and these strains started appearing on the market in 2016.
Koch & Gsell, founded in 2015, made global headlines when it introduced “the first tobacco hemp cigarette in the world” under the brand name Heimat (homeland) in 2017. The cigarettes, packaged per 20, contain tobacco grown in Switzerland and a total of four grams of CBD hemp, with less than one percent THC. They are sold for 19,90 Swiss Francs (USD$20.50) per package at tobacco shops and two major supermarket chains, Lidl and Coop.
Legal so-called CBD weed is also on sale in the form of dried buds at most tobacco shops in Switzerland. Some big-name cannabis brands in the Swiss market include Double Green, BioCan, Swiss Flavor, Weedz AG, KannaSwiss and Kahna Queen. Each of these companies grow their own strains, such as Fedora by BioCan, or produce CBD varieties from major seed companies like Dinafem Seeds.
According to Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, there were 410 registered companies manufacturing or trading CBD in Switzerland as of December 2017. A lot of these were present at the CannaTrade fair in April. Perhaps the most striking feature of the fair? The vast number of live cannabis plants on display, in all shapes and sizes.
Clones were also being openly sold at the fair, and in a number of booths, huge jars full of beautiful buds were on display. The buds looked like weed, smelled like weed and even tasted like weed — but they didn’t get you high. It made the whole experience quite surreal. Or rather, quite Dadaist. Zurich is the city where the Dada art movement was born around a century ago. You can still visit the Cabaret Voltaire on Spiegelgasse. Seeing so many CannaTrade visitors puff on big joints, without knowing if they were just smoking the legal CBD weed or maybe something else, felt like a Dada performance piece.
Visiting one of the first legal weed coffee shops in Zurich, Kon-Tiki on Niederdorfstrasse, gives a similarly absurd feeling. Located in the heart of the beautiful Old Town, it has been a bar for more than 60 years. But now, you can buy four different strains of cannabis at the counter — Lion Haze, Orange Bud, Purple Bud and Kon-Tiki Kush — and smoke your purchase in the large upstairs lounge. In almost every respect, this room at Kon-Tiki was like a Dutch cannabis coffee shop, with people talking, smoking and drinking together. However, the one thing you wouldn’t find in a Dutch coffee shop was the sign on the wall proclaiming, “Consume only laps CBD products here. No high THC products.”
On the last day of the CannaTrade fair, the winners of the Canna Swiss Cup were announced and awarded beautiful trophies. In the preceding months, jury boxes with 35 samples of Swiss CBD strains had been on sale at tobacco shops and Coop supermarkets all over the country — another first in the modern cannabis era, as far as I know. The boxes looked sophisticated and retailed for 215 Swiss francs, or about USD$220. BioCan won first place in the Outdoor and Greenhouse categories with its Fedtonic strain, plus second prize in the Indoor category. The Indoor winner, PiHaze from Weedz AG, contains 22.4 percent CBD and 0.9 percent THC.
So, Switzerland has plenty of legal producers of cannabis, distribution through tobacco shops and supermarkets, a fully legal cannabis cup, and a handful of coffee shops. Police don’t seem to be too concerned about cannabis. If they suspect someone is smoking weed that contains more than one percent THC, they can demand a lab test to determine the THC level. If it’s over the limit, the unlucky toker has to pay the lab test and a fine for illegal possession.
Meanwhile, a growing number of Swiss politicians realize that the country could make millions if they export locally produced medicinal cannabis. Up until now, the federal health authorities have refused to allow such a practice. However, in March, a group of 50 politicians led by Christa Markwalder of the centrist Free Democratic Party called upon the government to either allow export or change the law, so that Swiss farmers can profit from the fast-growing global market for legal medical marijuana products.
One question, however, remains: Will Switzerland be the first country in Europe to completely legalize?
Since the summer of 2016, when legal cannabis first began appearing in Swiss stores, a wealth of experience has been accumulated — not just when it comes to growing cannabis, but also when it comes to testing, packaging, retailing and marketing the plant. Switching to normal cannabis without a maximum THC percentage would be a piece of cake for the companies involved. Add to this Switzerland’s traditional independent position, pioneering harm reduction policies, and the fact that the country is a champion of binding referendums — more than 400 in 50 years — and you can see why some people have high hopes for the future of legal weed in the picturesque nation.
On the other hand, if the Swiss stick to the one-percent THC limit, then the whole CBD weed business will likely turn out to be nothing more than a flash in the pan. Most of the estimated 200,000 to 500,000 cannabis consumers in Switzerland want to get high. It’s great to have legal CBD cannabis, but it’s nonsense to perpetuate the ban on other forms of psychoactive cannabis.
Perhaps a recent sign that things are moving in the right direction is a press release issued by the Federal Office of Public Health on July 4. The office announced it wants to make it easier for Swiss citizens to access medical cannabis. In 2017, some 3,000 patients were treated with medicinal marijuana in Switzerland (such qualifying conditions include epilepsy, cancer, chronic pain, spasticity and nausea), but permission is granted on a case-by-case basis.
The Federal Office of Public Health has requested the Federal Department of Home Affairs work out a new law to legalize medical marijuana by the summer of 2019. And the press release contains more good news: The government will allow scientific pilot studies on alternative regulatory models for recreational use of cannabis. For decades, local authorities have been asking the federal government for permission to start these kinds of experiments, but were always turned down. The government’s cannabis plans are up for consultation from interested parties until October 25.
Despite the slow-moving pace, one thing is certain: Cannabis has entered the mainstream in Switzerland — and the debate about legalization and medical use isn’t going away anytime soon.


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Posted on Monday, June 1, 2020
Lufkin, TX (June 1, 2020) – Brookshire Brothers is expanding its presence this summer in Hardin County in Southeast Texas. Company President and CEO John Alston announced the June first acquisition of the Market Basket location in Lumberton, Texas. This is the second Market Basket location Brookshire Brothers has acquired in the last year.
In making the announcement Alston said, “On behalf of our Brookshire Brothers’ team, I would like to express our thanks to Skylar Thompson and the Market Basket group for allowing us to work with them on assuming the operations of their Lumberton location. Our companies share a long history of serving communities across Texas and Louisiana and we are committed to providing our shoppers in Lumberton with the same great selection of products and exceptional service that the Market Basket team is known for.”
As part of the Lumberton transition, Brookshire Brothers will close the store at 421 South Main Street while it brings in new inventory and renovates key areas – including a full-service deli. Kenneth Brown will lead the Brookshire Brothers team as its Lumberton Store Director.
To prevent any disruption in service, all Market Basket pharmacy customers’ prescriptions are now at the Brookshire Brothers Pharmacy at 202 North Main Street in Lumberton. Please call the Pharmacy at 409-755-0451 if you have any questions.
Brookshire Brothers, an employee-owned company headquartered in Lufkin, Texas, has 116 retail locations including a standalone pharmacy in Lumberton and grocery stores in both Kountze and Silsbee in Hardin County. Last summer, Brookshire Brothers purchased Market Basket’s Many, Louisiana location. This is its second Market Basket acquisition. Brookshire Brothers expects to reopen the store to serve Lumberton by June 17th.


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Employment Find Your Representative Not sure of your congressional district or who your member is? This service will assist you by matching your ZIP code to your congressional district, with links to your member's website and contact page.
What cooling measures in Hong Kong and Singapore work?
Despite such massive disposable incomes and wealth, LGBT property hunters are still ignored by marketers in popular investment destinations. Increasingly inclusive attitudes, combined with a cavalcade of residential properties at low initial purchase prices, position several cities in the region as sanctuaries for LGBT property seekers: Although it technically does not offer legal protections to the unions, the measure foreshadows a mellowing in Vietnamese attitudes toward the LGBT community, many of whom have found sanctuary in Ho Chi Minh City.
Yet premium home prices in HCMC are still about half the value of similar properties in the number one city on this list, Juwai. Cambodia, especially its capital, has since become one of the more progressive safe spaces for LGBT Asians.
The Khmer metropolis currently has 8, luxury apartments, expected to number around 22, units by the end ofJuwai. More recently, firebrand President Rodrigo Duterte has made some of the strongest pronouncements by an incumbent leader in favour of same-sex marriage.
A one-bedroom apartment listed on Juwai. Chinese buying inquiries about Manila properties on the site were up percent quarter-on-quarter in the first three months of Members of the LGBT community seeking to fulfill both lifestyle and investment goals are well-served in the city and island of the same name.
Every April, tourists flock to the island for a weeklong Pride festival. A fewer others come to live full time, enjoying boltholes far removed from the noise of the intolerant crowd. Same-sex intercourse is not punishable by law in the kingdom, unlike certain Asian countries; Buddhist monks even officiate same-sex weddings.
Many nightspots and hospitality businesses are unabashedly geared toward gay visitors. At USD4, per square metre, the typical new luxury condominium in Bangkok sells for one-sixth the price of similar homes in Hong Kong, according to Juwai.
More affordable luxury condominiums start from USD, — low for a major Asian metropolis. With five generous bedrooms, the property also features a spa, library, boat facilities, and not to mention that glorious pool.
Situated in the heart of the new city centre on the edge of Marina Bay, this five-bedroom home lets the lucky owner enjoy close proximity to landmarks such as the Integrated Resorts Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay.
The duo also received two Retail honours for their City Mall St. The fact that the local real estate market has slowed down in activity in the past couple of years did not hinder these worthy developers from producing projects to the highest level of standards, whether they are new residential or commercial buildings, mixed-use, renovated property, and educational facilities.
We celebrate their hard work and dedication to all types of consumers in the country. Healthy competition helps improve standards especially in a developing market like Myanmar.
Whilst the local property market has undoubtedly had a challenging 24 months, we are pleased that we are once again able to come together to celebrate the best of Myanmar's real estate. Everything that is built is essentially absorbed.
There was a total of 31, units launched, according to CBRE Vietnam, of which the mid-end segment accounted for 64 percent—a 14 percent increase year-on-year.
Meanwhile, high-end units made up 21 percent of the supply, a decrease of 10 percent year-on-year, with only one luxury project launched in Prices have seen positive growth, but not to overheated levels. CBRE found the high-end segment recording a year-on-year increase of four percent in selling price in 4Q, and is projecting the high-end and luxury segment to show an increase of five percent incompared to 1.
Current regulations allow foreign buyers to purchase up to 30 percent of units in a condominium property. Interest is off the charts, affirmed Hang Dang. The segment was driven traditionally by foreign developers such as Keppel Land, CapitaLand and Hongkong Land, but such local developers as SonKim Land, Vinhomes and Novaland have aggressively entered the high-end market, either on their own or in partnerships with foreign firms.
It is scheduled to come online in 4Q GDP growth in was 6. International arrivals to Da Nang rose 38 percent, and 72 percent in Phu Quoc in There is booming resort and hotel development in both regions, as well as fast-growing second-home markets for both locals and foreigners.
Once vaunted for their charm, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are increasingly mired in a cacophony of noise, construction, chaos, traffic and pollution as massive new condominiums are depositing tens of thousands of new residents into urban quarters not equipped to accommodate them.
Vietnam itself, with its unshakeable sense of national pride and identity, is likely to retain its innate character, but the dreamlike transformation of its cities is sure to continue.10+ Sample Visit Reports One of the most beloved stories for children is “Little Red Riding Hood.” It is a story of a girl who is going to visit her sick grandmother.
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Oct 14, · REPORT OF INDUSTRIAL VISIT On Aug Prepared By Arjun The Class Leader VVVCP College of Engineering Coimbatore Submitted to The Head of the Department Department of BCA VVVCP College of Engineering Coimbatore REPORT OF INDUSTRIAL VISIT Aug Arjun The Class Leader VVVCP College of .
report on industrial visit to ceat tyres pvt. ltd. halol plant on 20th august by students of section – c (pimr) accompanied by prof. paresh patel & prof. jayprakash lamoria organized by parul institute of management and research.
industrial visit report container corporation india ltd. A complete report based on an industrial visit organized by Medicaps Institute Of Technology and Management especially for the students of M.B.A(Foreign Trade) in order to enhance their practical stimulation and to let them having an overview on the activities related to “Documentations” and .
To write an industrial visit report, begin by drafting a content template for gathering data during the site tour. A number of variables depend on this visit, especially if a company's bottom line rests on the report.


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Khloe Kardashian raids Kim's closet and borrows her $2,600 Givenchy boots for a quick Dash into Hamptons boutique
With five fashion-loving girls growing up in the same household, the Kardashian sisters are bound to have regularly raided one another's closets.
And it seems that even now they love nothing more than a good rummage - with Khloe appearing to have borrowed Kim's $2,600 Givenchy black boots on Tuesday.
The 30-year-old stopped by the Kardashians' boutique Dash wearing a pair of the boots that have previously been seen on her 33-year-old sister Kim.
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Something borrowed: On Tuesday Khloe, 30, was spotted stopping by the Kardashians' boutique Dash wearing a pair of $2,600 Givenchy black boots that have previously been seen on her 33-year-old sister Kim
Khloe paired the expensive leather black boots with black shorts, a long-sleeve black shirt, a black fedora hat and an dark green and blue plaid shirt tied around her waist.
The ombre blonde left her hair down and straight and highlighted her full pout with pretty matte pink lipstick.
The girlfriend of rapper French Montana also carried a black and white leopard print handbag as she strolled around the shopping area in New York.
Her entire ensemble: Khloe paired the expensive leather black boots with black shorts, a long-sleeve black shirt, a black fedora hat and a dark green and blue plaid shirt tied around her waist
New York, New York: Khloe and her other sister Kourtney, 35, who is pregnant with her third child, are busy filming their reality spin-off show Kourtney And Khloe Take The Hamptons
Retail therapy: It seems Kourt did some shopping at the Dash store, seen leaving with a branded shopping bag
Pregnancy chic: The brunette beauty sported a striped mini dress under an olive green trench coat, pairing her pieces with a charcoal porkpie hat, Chanel flats and a light grey backpack
Kim, who married rapper Kanye West on May 24 in Florence, Italy, appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday evening.
The brunette beauty revealed secrets about her sister's antics priors to the nuptials.
'Khloe drank a little too much the night before and I had to wake her up,' said the new Mrs. West.
'She was laying down and getting her makeup done while she was sleeping, she was so hungover.'
Flying in style: Khloe (left) flew out of LAX in the Givenchy boots on March 27 and Kim (right) wore them at the Los Angeles airport in September 2012
Currently, Khloe and her other sister Kourtney are busy filming their reality spin-off show Kourtney And Khloe Take The Hamptons.
The sisters have opened up a new pop-up Dash Boutique in Southampton, which Khloe was visiting on Tuesday.
The store's newest inventory includes sets of bikinis for both mothers and their daughters.
Throwback: Kim also has them in cream, which she wore while out in New York City in September 2012
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Will we see a Playstation 5? How about an Xbox…um…two? As soon as Sony and Microsoft announced the PS4 and Xbox One,...
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Macy’s could soon be heading to Fifth Avenue, or rather, to the parent company of stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Gilt, Hudson’s Bay is reportedly looking to take over the struggling department store.
The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter, reports that Hudson’s Bay approached Macy’s Friday about a possible takeover, or partnership agreement.
The deal, which is in preliminary discussions, could involve a sale of all Macy’s assets or just a deal for the company’s real estate.
The company, which recently closed 68 stores, has a wealth of land and ground leases that it has pondered selling. In fact, the WSJ reported in November that Macy’s sold its downtown Portland, OR, store for $56 million.
Reuters reports that Macy’s investors have pushed the company to sell its real estate, or at the very least, separate its retail business from its real estate.
Despite this, Macy’s has a reported $7.5 billion debt. Yet, sources say, Hudson’s Bay sees the retailer as a healthy company with good cash flow.
Hudson’s Bay could use Macy’s real estate portfolio, worth an estimated $14 billion, to raise equity and debt in order to fund the deal, the sources tell WSJ.
Hudson’s Bay is no stranger to taking over large retail operations: In Jan. 2016, the company snatched up flash-sales company Gilt Group for $250 million.


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According to eBay’s CEO John Donahoe, delivery by drone is a mere “fantasy”. With these words, he wiped the floor with Amazon’s dream in a Bloomberg Television interview.
“Change consumers’ experiences today”
When he was asked if eBay had any plans with drones, he said: “We’re not really focusing on long-term fantasies. We’re working on things that will change consumers’ experiences today”, referring to eBay Now. Tht service, already active in several areas in the United States, promises deliveries within the hour.
The response comes a few days after Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s CEO, announced his company was testing delivering small packages with drones. Companies like Amazon and eBay are constantly looking for ways to get packages delivered faster and some believe drones are a possible solution.
The idea of using drones to deliver packages still has quite a few hurdles to get over: even the United States currently has no rules about drone usage. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) still has to create a legislative body, something the American Congress ordered by 2015.
(Translated by Gary Peeters)


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Square also operates in the US, Canada, and Japan. Square has not yet rolled out its new contactless payment reader to Australia.
The device also allows consumers to use Apple’s mobile payments technology, Apple Pay, in stores with a Square register point-of-sale system. Apple Pay, which launched in Australia earlier this year, allows shoppers with iOS devices to use their phone to pay for goods and services in the US, UK, and a number of other countries, at point-of-sale locations equipped with NFC.
The Sydney Herald Tribune noted that contactless payments are frequently used in Australia, between 60–70% of Visa and MasterCard transactions using NFC technology.
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Burr Ridge, IL | February 28th, 2014
GMA has announced that it is exploring partnership opportunities with several international research and healthcare facilities.
The former garage startup, now with over $5 million in sales, has experienced consistent growth in response to key domestic manufacturing and industry investments and is now looking to capitalize on additional international opportunities.
Jerry Summers, Founding Partner of GMA stated, "in the past two years we have more than doubled our earnings, which is directly attributable to our investment in product innovation and strategic domestic partnerships. We are poised to extend our model overseas and are confident that these new opportunities will lead to a similar, if not even greater growth curve."
GMA is one of the fastest growing private label providers of spinal and orthopaedic devices in the United States. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and an unmatched commitment to customer service and product innovation, We supply the world’s finest surgical implants and instruments; custom made to our clients’ specifications.


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Facebook uses its platform to identify and locate people whom it believes may pose a threat to the group and its employees, the social network said Thursday, in reaction to reports from CNBC. ” The company searches its social network for threatening comments and, in some cases, uses its products to determine the whereabouts of people whom it believes may be a credible threat ”, says the chain in a survey published on its site.
A list containing “hundreds of names”
According to CNBC, the criteria to be considered a threat are not always clear and it is sometimes enough to have insulted the group or its boss Mark Zuckerberg on Facebook to be included. If this kind of security measures are not the prerogative of Facebook, CNBC notes that the group has the particularity of being able to use its own products to flush out and locate threats in real time. Facebook denied to the TV channel lightly placing people on this list. The group is severely criticized for its management – considered opaque and abusive – of the personal data of its users.


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M&A Weekly Recap: Nestle Wins Baby Food War, Halcon Resources Buys GeoResources
And the winner in the baby food war is… Nestle, who (NSRGY.PK) gets Pfizer’s (NYSE:PFE) baby food business for $11.85 billion in cash. The acquisition will expand Nestle’s capacity to market infant formula in emerging markets, plus the potential to help it get back market share in China.
Vodafone (NASDAQ:VOD) snaps up Cable & Wireless Worldwide for £1.04 billion, or $1.7 billion, in cash. The deal will enable the former to offload soaring Internet traffic in the United Kingdom, to a larger capacity fixed network.
Don’t Miss: EMC May Have to Fight NetApp For This Deal.
The Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN) vs. Roche (RHHBY.PK) drama comes to an end, as the latter drops it hostile takeover bid for the former, and is reported to be in conversations with the research centers of three large universities regaring the purchase of their gene sequencing technologies.
AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) acquires Ardea Biosciences (NASDAQ:RDEA), and is toying with the idea of purchasing other late-stage assets outside its research and development focus on cancer, diabetes and gastrointestinal ailments. Such moves would be to forestall and/or fight back against potential generic rivals.
Shares of the polymer products developer Landec (NASDAQ:LNDC) jump following word that it is purchasing GreenLine Foods for $63 million in cash with no assumed debt. A revenue guidance was issued to the effect.
ABB (NYSE:ABB) puts the kabosh on rumors that it might make an offer for Rockwell (NYSE:ROK). However, the company’s CEO confirmed that it is still thinking about filling restructuring gaps with (other) acquisitions.
Don’t Miss: AstraZeneca’s Big Drug Deal.
Cove Energy’s (CNVGF.PK) board asks its shareholders to okay a raised bid from Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) subsidiary Shell Exploration and Production, of 220 pence per share. The new offer values Cove at £1.12 billion, or $1.8B billion; the company is run by ex-Shell veteran Michael Blaha. Alexis Flynn opines that Shell rivals are not likely to beat the 220p offer, although Cove shares topped that price in London trading on Tuesday.
United Tech (NYSE:UTX) CFO Greg Hayes says that his company is in the final stages of negotiations regarding the sale of its Rocketdyne space unit. A contract to that effect is expected by the end of the second quarter, Hayes reports, and he comments that the European Union’s evaluation of UTX’ purchase of Goodrich is moving forward as expected. In addition, he reports that his company has received initial offers for industrial units at its Hamilton operations.
Shares of Fusion-io (NYSE:FIO) benefit from William Blair’s confirmation that it could be on the shopping list of some IT big name. The firm has of late been the focus of much merger and acquisition chatter.
Digital Generation (NASDAQ:DGIT) acquires privately-held Peer39, and its shares jump as a result. The firm plans to integrate Peer39 with another of its purchases, Israeli-based MediaMind.
Payless Shoe parent Collective Brands (NYSE:PSS) is mulling final bids from South Korea’s E-Land and Wolverine World Wide (NYSE:WWW), according to a Bloomberg report. A decision is due in the near term, and it’s said that at least one offer was approximately $2 billion.
Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) will purchase 95.6 percent of privately-held Turkish company Mustafa Nevzat Pharmaceuticals in a transaction that prices the company at $700 million. This move is aimed at helping the buyer enlarge its operations in the quickly growing Turkish market and surrounding areas.
In a transaction that represents a total consideration of approximately $37.97 a share, Halcon Resources (NYSE:HK) buys GeoResources (NASDAQ:GEOI) at $20 per share in cash and a stock swap of 1.932 shares of HK common stock for each GEOI share held.
IBM (NYSE:IBM) is still shopping for analytics firms, as its latest acquisition conquest is said to be Vivisimo, which develops software that enables enterprises to discover and analyze data from disparate sources. First quarter analytics revenue for IBM realized a 14 percent year-to-year rise, and it expects that Vivisimo’s tech will complement its big data platform. Meanwhile on Tuesday, Vivisimo’s VMware bought big data analytics startup Cetas.
Shares of Shutterfly (NASDAQ:SFLY) pop following the announcement that its bid of $23.8 million for the bankrupt Eastman Kodak’s (EKDKQ.PK) Kodak Gallery has no competitor. The prospective buyer expects the Gallery (75 million users) to both reinforce its position in the online printing market, and in the sole photo gallery space, perhaps to combat growing worries of a photo printing pullback.
Shares of Watson Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:WPI) move up on Thursday, following the firm’s agreement to purchase its privately held Swiss rival Actavis. The €4.25 billion (at a minimum) purchase elevates Watson in generic drug makers’ worldwide rankings to number 3, and Citi boosts share to Buy in response.
Chatter regarding a possible acquisition of Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA) by Asian online gaming major Nexon, doesn’t impress Wedbush’s Michael Pachter, who points out that EA’s current market cap of $5.3 billion would be a big pill for Nexon to swallow, with its cap of $8 billion. Other factors against such a move include the likelihood that defections by EA workers would be too much, along with the fact that Nexon’s CEO would lose control, as he owns more that 50 percent of the current shares. And, Nexon has no expertise in many of EA’s core areas. Shares of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI), Zynga (NASDAQ:ZNGA) and Glu Mobile Inc. (NASDAQ:GLUU) are moving up on the rumor, nontheless.
Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Online Services unit, which lost $479 million in the fiscal third quarter, is dominated by Bing. Weak growth in advertising revenues and gains in shares were insufficient to offset the deficit, and recently the New York Times said that company executives “sent out feelers” to Facebook (FB) last year to see if they’d be interested in buying the search engine. However, Mark Zuckerberg rejected the offer, remarking that Facebook ‘was preoccupied with other matters’. Thus, the question of whether MSFT wants to divest Bing is still up in the ether.
Don’t Miss: Hulu in Fighting Form as This Partner Gets Out.


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The Beijing Games are really the first Olympics of the Web 2.0 age. The NBC Olympics site served more than 70 million page views on the first day, and I believe has now served over 15 million online video streams. Impressive numbers, but I guarantee they pale in comparison to online usage — and especially online video viewing — in China. With more than 200 million users, China is now the largest Internet market in the world.
PPStream is one of the leading P2P streaming video services in China. (See the Web site.) It is also one of several official sub-licensees from CCTV of the online broadcasting rights for the Beijing Olympics. While you always have to take usage and traffic numbers from Chinese Internet companies with a grain of salt (I usually assume the true number is less than half what the private companies claim; China lacks a credible third-party Internet measurement service), the big sites still have massive usage.
PPStream announced that on the day of the opening ceremony they had 18 million users, and during the event, their network saw peak usage of 4.28 million concurrent viewers. After the opening ceremony, the most-watched event was the U.S.-China men’s basketball game. They claim that before the Olympics, they averaged more than 10 million viewers a day. Most TV networks would kill for numbers like that.
I have not seen any numbers from official Olympic sponsor Sohu (See the Sohu Olympic site) or other major, but I am very confident their Web traffic will dwarf that of NBC’s. I will update when the numbers come out.


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As most of you have probably heard, Facebook recently announced that it plans to file as a publicly traded company this week.
Experts estimate that Facebook will be valued at over 100 billion dollars and will attempt to raise more than $10 billion in stock.
Obviously with an influx of cash on a scale that large, there are going to be some major changes to Facebook in the future. Facebook’s internal short-term and long-term goals will have to change as the company attempts to satisfy their investors.
What Does The Facebook IPO Mean for Users?
5 Ways Facebook Will Change After Going Public:
- Facebook Will Have More Advertisements
There is one aspect of the Facebook IPO that is very clear – it will display more advertisements to users.
Although it is not exactly clear “how” Facebook will implement their advertisement system after it becomes a publicly traded company, it is clear that, in order to satisfy shareholders, advertisement impressions will have to increase.
These advertisements will most likely appear within the stream of updates users currently view on their Facebook homepage. Ads may also appear in the real-time activity ticker and possibly on users’ personal profile pages.
- Facebook’s Functionality Will Evolve
There are many reasons that a company files to be traded publicly but one of them is for certain – to gain capital to innovate and improve on the current business model. Facebook stands to gain a lot of cash and if you think they’re just going to put it in the bank and not spend it – you’re wrong.
With the influx of cash Facebook is going to have, the company will purchase more startup companies, continue to develop their new apps system and continue to improve their overall user experience.
There is no doubt that Facebook has revolutionized modern communication as we know it but as other companies such as Google, Microsoft, Twitter and LinkedIn try to compete in the social media industry, Facebook will use investor money in an attempt to remain the most popular social networking platform in the world.
Mark Zuckerburg made it clear during the 2011 F8 Conference that he wants Facebook to be an integral part of its users’ everyday lives. With all the extra money, we will see Facebook continue to evolve to follow us on our mobile devices and become more engrained in our real life social circles.
- Facebook’s Strategic Goals Will Shift
As mentioned in the introduction, Facebook’s short-term and long-term goals will change in response to investor desires. In the short term, Facebook will be pressured to make more money each subsequent quarter. In order to accomplish this, Facebook’s long term goals will evolve to concentrate more on improving the structure of Facebook’s monetization strategies.
Although growth was most likely an important goal of Facebook before filing as a publicly traded company, its importance will increase as Facebook attempts to build its user base as quickly as possible and mine more data from its users.
Hopefully Facebook will not lose sight of what made it so popular to begin with. As a privately held company, Facebook’s main goal was to appease its user base. Now that investors are also an important part of Facebook, will the company lose site of who is really most important – the end users?
- Will a “Facebook Premium” Be Offered?
Currently, Facebook is completely free to anyone who has a valid email address. As we can see with other online services, segmenting your market into paid users and non-paid users can be a very effective business model. LinkedIn, Pandora, Spotify and other web-based services have proven this model to be effective.
Facebook has already implemented the “Facebook Credits” feature which allows users to spend real money to buy digital items within Facebook games. Even if “Facebook Premium” is not implemented, Facebook users will definitely see more options and enticements for purchasing Facebook Credits throughout their normal use of Facebook.
With the number of highly addicted users Facebook already has, one can imagine that a large portion of those users would be willing to pay a monthly fee for a version of Facebook that offers additional features in comparison to the basic Facebook account.
- Increased Integration with Outside Companies
As Facebook attempts to increase involvement in our everyday lives, the social network’s integration with outside companies will also continue to increase. With the increased amount of money Facebook will receive from investors, they will build partnerships with 3rd party services so that seemingly all of the services you use on a daily basis will be linked to Facebook.
Already, the list is endless in regards to the number of services on the internet that allow you to log in using your Facebook account. Being able to pay for products and services is something that is already being implemented and we will see a rapid expansion of that feature once Facebook has more funds to dump in to it.
Facebook is going to plaster their brand name in as many places as possible and with the amount of money gained from going public, the social media giant should have no problem in doing so.