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Last year, self-made Israeli billionaire and media mogul Haim Saban quietly entered the business of venture capital, adding an early-stage digital media practice to his seven-year-old, Los Angeles-based investment company, Saban Capital Group.
Today, I caught up with the head of that practice, native New Zealander Craig Cooper, who’s also been a venture partner at VantagePoint Venture Partners and a founding partner with Softbank Capital. Cooper also co-founded Boost Mobile, a teen-focused wireless startup that sold to NexTel in 2003 for an undisclosed amount.
Among other things, we talked about what it’s been like working for Haim, whose net worth has reportedly dropped by a third in the last year, what Cooper makes of friend and former colleague Eric Hippeau becoming CEO of Huffington Post, and how the economy has impacted what a year ago was a vibrant venture scene in sunny Southern California. (Hint: it’s gotten bushwhacked.)
Last month, the Los Angeles Business Journal reported that Mr. Saban’s net worth dropped 33 percent since last year. How has that impacted the investment firm?
First, I don’t know where they got that number. I don’t think anyone knows what the real figure is. But it hasn’t impacted us at all. At all levels, we’re continuing to look at a wide array of opportunities.
When we talked last year, you told me you could invest anywhere from $100,000 in a deal, up to $20 million. That’s still the case?
Yes, certainly, though we’re being much more prudent in terms of the opportunities we’re pursuing. What’s nice is that there’s no time pressure on us, like with a traditional venture fund. We don’t have an investment period that we have to satisfy, so we’re very careful about the opportunities we look at.
Do you ever think you’re being too careful? You’ve been with Saban Ventures for more than a year, but it looks like you’ve backed just two companies thus far, the online TV site Next New Networks and Skydeck, which helps consumers make better sense of their cell phone bills. Are you not putting out term sheets or have you been getting outbid?
I wouldn’t say we’ve been outbid. We’ve had a number of term sheets out, but we’re seeking realistic terms, and entrepreneurs have been slow to adjust to [those expectations]. We’re seeing more of it now, as opposed to six to 12 months ago, and in fact, we think we’ll close on two new deals in the next four to six weeks. I’m not ready to talk about them but one was started by a first-time entrepreneur and the other by a longstanding legacy entrepreneur.
How are you coming up with valuations that you think are fair and right in this economy?
Well, to start, flat rounds are the new up rounds. We’re also just taking a much more holistic view of opportunities, given the [dearth of] IPO and M&A activity. Obviously, in the mid-2000s, we had giant M&A vehicles — Google and Yahoo and the like — looking to gather up all kinds of media applications to create media portals, and that’s really slowed down. You can’t invest anymore with the hope that someone will buy you out of beta. Consumer plays have to be much more sustainable on their own.
How has the investing landscape in Southern California changed since we last talked?
Things have really slowed down. It’s very unusual now to see new investors in a B or C found unless a company has had significant Series A traction, not just in terms of its users but in terms of a believable business model. It’s almost all inside rounds. On top of that, there’s been a major thinning of the venture community. Most firms that were looking to raise subsequent funds have struggled to do so.
Like, how many? Excluding angel investors, the scene wasn’t terribly big to begin with.
At least 50 percent of the funds down here are either running down the investment period on their existing funds, hoping they’ll flow into the next market opportunity, or already know they won’t be able to raise a new fund. And that’s in the short term. Who knows what will happen in next 12 to 18 months.
Wow, that’s even higher than I might have guessed. What about the angel community? I know one of the city’s best-known angels, Mike Jones, recently joined MySpace as its COO, but that probably owes more to personal opportunity than anything else.
According to recent reports, I think angel investments are down about 30 percent.
It sounds like you’ve taken a personal hit, as well. Last year, you mentioned that you were looking at a lot of companies with Jonathan Miller, who recently left VC to become the digital head of News Corp. Do you still talk to him?
[Laughs]. Jon is now on permanent voicemail; he’s impossible to get a hold of. But hopefully at some point, we’ll be able to work out strategic relationships [with News Corp.] with some of our portfolio companies. Either way, it’s a great move for Jon.
Still, we’re actually seeing much more deal flow because the economic crisis is driving people to try and raise B and C rounds earlier than they might otherwise; that whole process has been accelerated down here.
What about nascent startups? You aren’t seeing a lot of those?
A lot of people talk about this being the time for new startups, but we’re not seeing as much of that down here as in Silicon Valley. We have a different deal flow sort of matrix down here. There are certain skill sets in Silicon Valley that you couldn’t necessarily create down here because we don’t have the same entrepreneurial culture or infrastructure.
So what opportunities are you seeing right now that you like? Wireless?
It’s ironic, given that I come from a wireless consumer background, but wireless is a very tough area right now from an investment standpoint; it’s very hard to make money.
I really like performance marketing, healthcare, and direct response.
If you look at an integrated company with both and offline and online health and wellness and self-help component and using the offline component for lead generation, that’s super interesting to us.
What do you mean by performance marketing? Coupons?
We’re very interested in the coupon sector. If you look at the broad coupon market at the moment, everyone from the billionaire’s wife to the shop assistant is running coupons today; it’s the new, cool thing to do. What interests us is mobile coupons. If there’s a sector in mobile that interests us, it’s that market.
And when you say direct response, to what are you referring?
We’re very interested in any call-to-action performance marketing, be it through the Web or the phone, or TV, or newsprint — it doesn’t matter what the platform is. People are unemployed and their purchasing psychology has changed. They’re buying impulsively, whether it’s something they see online or at CNN.
I also like the analytics space, given that the metrics driving so many of the digital media platforms are still very unclear. Consider that ComScore says the Huffington Post has 5 million unique visitors a month, and the Huffington Post says it has 20 million.
Speaking of Huffington Post, what do you make of Eric Hippeau leaving Softbank to become its CEO? It doesn’t seem to bode well for Softbank.
Well, Hufffington Post is a big investment for the firm, and I still have a significant interest in that fund, so I wish Eric all the best in making the most he can out of the company!


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Mystic Grill opens
Real Mystic Grill open for business
“The Vampire Diaries” themed restaurant opened on the Covington square Monday.
The square was packed with cars Tuesday night, and it wasn’t because of the Board of Commissioners meeting. The real Mystic Grill Restaurant is finally open.
Serving only dinner for now, the Mystic Grill owners are easing into the restaurant business, choosing not to publicize the restaurant’s official opening Monday night to avoid getting overrun with business, as the restaurant has been a hot topic on social media among both locals and tourists.
The restaurant — inspired by the main eatery in the popular CW Network show “The Vampire Diaries”, which has filmed frequently in Covington over its first five seasons — has already served hundreds of customers.
The restaurant is open from 5-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and from 5-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The bar, which replicates the one in the show, from the tiling to the taps, is open longer, from 4-11 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and from 4 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays.
As soon as the staff feels ready for more business, the restaurant will open for lunch, the owners said.
Kelley Johnston, one of the owners, said producers from the show walked through the finished restaurant last week and were “extremely happy” with the results and “looked forward to coming to film in the building.”
Despite the fact there is a set for the Mystic Grill at the show’s Decatur studio, Johnston said the real Mystic Grill has some features, such as its rooftop deck, that could be used in future shows.
Rooftop seating is not yet available, but patrons are welcome to tour the restaurant while they wait to eat or after their meal. The second floor will eventually have seating, too, but the owners and staff are taking everything one step at a time.
Currently, the second floor has a lounge where patrons can wait, though part-owner Angi Bezsborn said the hope is that dinerse will walk around and enjoy the square while they wait. The restaurant uses the app BuzzTable, which texts patrons’ cellphones to let them know when a table is ready.
Eventual plans call for Bezsborn to offer golf-cart tours, “History, Hauntings and Hollywood,” around downtown, while Johnston is working on getting “The Vampire Diaries”-themed gift shop running in the building’s basement.
Mystic Grill is not currently taking reser- vations. There is a private room on the second floor that patrons can reserve for events.
A Sunday brunch will also be coming eventually, and Johnston said she’s excited about offering another eating option on Sundays, when many other restaurants are closed.
Parking is available on the square, but also in the parking lot behind the building.
As for the restaurant’s fare, it’s best described by Chef Boyd A. Rose: “Southern cuisine with bold and accented flavors, using local products and produce as much as possible and doing it with a twist.”
Rose was a little skeptical when he first got the offer, because, he said, he didn’t want to be involved with a gimmick, but he saw the charm of Covington and its potential for growth.
“What he cooks is good without being pretentious. It’s homey,” Johnston said.
“It was totally surreal last night. It was an amazing feel to watch your friends and the community enjoy themselves. It was everything we wanted it to be,” Kelley Johnston said. “At times, (the renovation) was frustrating and we wanted to pull out our hair — when we thought we never get through this — (last night was) awesome. People are so excited.”
Portrayed in the television show “The Vampire Diaries,” the Mystic Grill has been a popular spot in fictional Mystic Falls for some time. The real-life restaurant officially opened for business in Covington Monday.

domain: news


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Earlier this week, iH8sn0w teased an iOS 8.1.1 jailbreak and now one’s available for the public. TaiG has released an untethered jailbreak for iOS 8.1.1, the firmware which was released around two weeks ago. This new jailbreak will also work on iOS 8, 8.1 and 8.0.2 etc.
It has been confirmed, by none other than MuscleNerd, that the jailbreak is real, but the safety is still a concern. Until we’re sure of the jailbreaks safery, you should probably stay away from TaiG. An iOS 8.1.1 jailbreak at this point is simply not very useful as you can still downgrade to iOS 8.1 and use Pangu8 (Mac OS X/Windows).
Apple is currently testing iOS 8.2 and the update will most likely patch this jailbreak. According to the TaiG website, you can use their Windows only tool to jailbreak any iOS device that runs iOS 8 and later, including iOS 8.1.1.
You can download TaiG iOS 8.1.1 jailbreak tool for Windows from our downloads page.


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"Right now some of these customers are being served by sister locations in other communities." Victoria Economic Development President Dale Fowler said.
The company is looking to invest a little over one million dollars in the Victoria warehouse to bring in a new cooler, and with it, around a dozen jobs.
But in order to expand at this location, they're asking that the city provide a tax abatement, and if council approves, the numbers would break down accordingly.
"They'll save about $30-thousand over four years. At the same time, they'll be paying all the taxing entities, Victoria for instances, they'll be paying $9-thousand a year, but saving a little over $18-thousand a year." Fowler said.
Residents had the opportunity at the council meeting on Tuesday to voice their concerns.
"Tax abatements bring in new revenue to your community." Business owner Donna Pridgen said.
Pridgen claims that in fours years, her business has put $250-thousand dollars into the community.
But not everyone thinks helping only a single business is fair.
"If you truly believe business is stimulated by less taxation, then do it across the board. Cut the budget and let everyone take a piece of the pie." Matt Oker told council.
Councilman David Hagan had a similar response to the proposal.
"Rather voting for a tax abatement, I would rather look for an opportunity to cut the budget in ways that would create tax relief for all businesses across the community." Hagan said.
In a time where businesses are laying off personnel, a company wanting to expand here in Victoria is a positive.
While the expansion may only bring in around a dozen jobs, Fowler says it shows Performance Food Group in Victoria is here to stay, for at least a few more years, and the nearly 200 primary jobs currently there, are likely to be secure if the company is talking expansion.
What that means for the city as a whole...those 200 people, in addition to the new hires, will be spending their hard earned money in Victoria.
Fowler says all other segments of the economy spin off of these kinds of jobs.


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A mobile application that makes travel hassle-free for tourists in a new city in India is now available on Android phones. Also Read - New app developed to help tourists during disasters
The free-to-download application – Incredible India WoNoBo Walking Tours App – empowers tourists not just from India, but from around the globe to take a virtual 360-degree walking tour of the city they plan to visit. The application was developed by the tourism ministry to familiarize tourists about a particular city before they decide to visit it and to give them every important information so that they don’t have to seek directions from people. Also Read - Tourism Ministry launches mobile app for exploring cities
So far, the app covers 16 cities, including Agra, Ahmadabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kolkata and Mumbai. The ministry plans to cover 54 cities. “Potential tourists can see the city in advance and decide if they want to visit or not,” union tourism secretary Parvez Dewan said here Wednesday at a press conference. The ministry had launched the walking tours on the Incredible India website in October, 2013 and made it available on Blackberry phones. Now, it plans to launch the app for iPhone. Also Read - App to help keep traveller's diarrhoea at bay
This application is developed in partnership with a private technology firm – WoNoBo.com.


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The Northwest Automotive Press Association (NWAPA) sure knows how to throw a party. NWAPA recently celebrated their annual “Mudfest,” an event that gave 25 of their journalists a chance to test almost 30 vehicles not only on a traditional paved surface, but also across a variety of off-road routes. Two days of testing gave the journalists a chance to really see what each vehicle had to offer, and when they announced the winners across their six categories, it became clear that Jeep® and RAM models are the way to go for an off-road adventure.
Every Jeep or RAM model entered into this year’s Mudfest won its category, giving FCA US LLC a total of three category wins as well as an overall win. This clean sweep included the 2016 RAM Rebel taking top honors in the Pickups category, the 2016 Jeep Wrangler 75th Anniversary Edition being named the winner of the Extreme Capability class, and the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee 75th Anniversary Edition being voted the winner in the Family Utility segment. Not only that, but it was the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee 75th Anniversary Edition that the NWAPA journalists named the Northwest Outdoor Activity Vehicle of the Year. With such sweeping dominance in the competition, it’s no wonder the president of NWAPA, Nik Miles, summed it up by explaining simply that “Jeep and RAM build vehicles that know how to win.”
While we have a different landscape here in Monroe than they do in the Pacific Northwest, we still have plenty of opportunity for off-road fun. And we think our drivers deserve the best possible vehicle for their adventures! So stop by today and find out which is the best model for your off-road needs –the 2016 RAM Rebel, the 2016 Jeep Wrangler, or the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Toledo, OH and Dundee, MI drivers just need to make a quick stop at Monroe Superstore to begin the adventure of a lifetime.


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Coinbase has received a multi-year contract to provide its blockchain analytics software to the U.S. Secret Service.
According to public records, Coinbase is licensing its blockchain analytics software, Coinbase Analytics, to the law enforcement agency in a four-year contract worth up to $183,750. The contract is set to expire on May 9, 2024.
Jonah Force Hill, a U.S. cyber policy advisor for the Secret Service is sharing how criminals are exploiting the Covid-19 pandemic for financial gain. In a recent Forbes interview, Hill also offers fresh insight into the Secret Service’s stance on cryptocurrencies and the criminals’ use of digital assets during the pandemic.
“The Secret Service investigates crimes with a cryptocurrency nexus when they 1) undermine the integrity of financial and payment systems, 2) are used in cases of fraud, and 3) are used as a means of money laundering.”
When asked about a recent report that said only 1.1% of cryptocurrency transactions are used for criminal purposes, Hill said it’s a tough number to confirm.
“As we discussed [previously], this is a challenging question and a difficult statistic to quantify. This is because crypto-related crime’ isn’t really a category of crime. Rather, crypto is an element of crime. It [can] be used as a criminal tool (e.g., for money laundering) or can itself be a target for crime (e.g., for theft).”
Besides the Secret Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have also expressed interest in using Coinbase Analytics to identify criminals relying on cryptocurrencies to move money or obscure their activities.


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After car makers, it is now the two-wheeler manufacturers joining in to offer GST rates before the July 1 date for implementing GST.
After car makers, it is now the two-wheeler manufacturers joining in to offer GST rates before the July 1 date for implementing GST. Bajaj Auto has offered post GST reduced prices to customers from June 14. The customers will save up to Rs 4,500 depending on the model and the state in which the motorcycle is purchased. Bajaj Auto is the first motorcycle company to extend this benefit to customers before GST implementation, Eric Vas, president, motorcycle Business, Bajaj Auto said. Bajaj Auto would pass on the price saving accruing out of GST to its customers. “Customers no longer need to wait for July 1 to buy their desired Bajaj motorcycle,” Vas said. Bajaj Auto was the first in the industry to upgrade its entire model line-up to BS-IV standards, much before the April 1, 2017 deadline. GST rate for two-wheeler are 28%. Motorcycles with 350 cc engine and above will attract an additional 1% cess.


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Total U.S. spending on ads was virtually flat in the first quarter of 2013, with a 0.1 percent year-on-year decline, while the outlook remains subdued, according to a study from Kantar Media.
“Marketers are still being cautious and conservative with ad budgets” in the secon quarter, said Kantar’s Chief Research Officer.
But one key area is missing: Internet display ads, like those Facebook and Yahoo shows. Kantar says they haven’t been included this quarter due to “measurement changes,” but their absence raises the question whether the areas that are suffering are doing so at the gain of Internet ad spending.
Read more at CNBC


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Marc Bolland hails golden era at Marks & Spencer even as profits slide
Reshaping: Marc Bolland with model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
Marks & Spencer chief executive Marc Bolland will this week hail a new era in his turnaround strategy despite a third year of sliding profits.
Bolland will outline plans to cut company spending by £200million a year over the next three years, arguing that key capital investment is complete.
Bolland has spent £2.2 billion reshaping the business in the past three years, including creating a new website that cost £500 million. The spending cuts could finally start to deliver higher profits, according to City analysts.
Bolland is also hoping the investments will improve sales, with stores opening abroad, more customers using its website and fewer – but bigger – warehouses.
Meanwhile, fashion boss Belinda Earl, whose team has now been in place for a year, said she expected to raise vital clothing sales.
But M&S is expected to say profit in the year to March fell to £615 million from £665 million a year earlier. Profits hit a record £1 billion in 2008 under the stewardship of Sir Stuart Rose before the economic downturn took hold.
Shareholders are still looking for clear signs that the long-awaited recovery in the company’s clothing business has begun.
The division, which accounts for half of M&S’s forecast £10.3 billion sales, is more profitable than food and is seen as key to a lasting turnround. In a note to clients, Deutsche Bank analysts talked of ‘two years of disappointment and continued market share losses’ in clothing.
Some critics fear M&S shoppers are being lost to John Lewis and Next.
This week will also see M&S miss its original three-year annual sales target by £1.2 billion and even miss its scaled back targets announced in 2012 by £500 million.
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Washington, Mar. 28: The combined shipment of PCs, tablets and mobile phones will climb by seven percent in 2014.
Gartner, an American information technology research and advisory firm, said PCs sales will however continue to fall in 2014, as more consumers will buy mobile devices.
According to CNET, global shipments of personal computers will total 276.7 million in 2014, a 6.6 percent drop from last year.
However, tablet shipments will jump by 38.6 percent owing to greater demand in regions outside North America. (ANI)


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Technology Investments Lead Enterprise Growth Strategies
A Gartner survey finds growth is the top priority by far, with CEOs and executives displaying a bullish attitude toward technology-related business growth.There is currently a "risk-on" period, when CEOs perceive that risk is lower and so are prepared to invest in longer-term growth, indicating 2014 will be the year that CEOs and senior executives prioritize growth, according to a report from IT research firm Gartner. The results of the Gartner survey show that growth is the top priority by far, with CEOs and executives displaying a bullish attitude toward technology-related business growth in 2014 and 2015. Almost half of the IT-related priorities that respondents gave specifically mentioned digital, online or modern technologies of the post e-business era, such as social, cloud and mobile. "Growth is very clearly king in this year's business priorities with 33 percent of respondents naming growth as their top priority," Mark Raskino, vice president and Gartner Fellow, said in a statement. "In 2014 growth almost equals the sum of the next three issues on the list of top strategic business priorities. The next step will be for CEOs and CIOs to work together to match the use of modern technologies to the specific kind of growth that the business is trying to win."
The report also asked respondents about their most important technology-enabled capability investments over the next five years, with the top of the list dominated by "front-office" technology-related capabilities that are used to help in sales and marketing.


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In a first-of-its-kind ruling that could reverberate across the aviation sector, a Dutch court has found that an Amsterdam-based airline misled customers by claiming they could fly sustainably.
The District Court of Amsterdam sided with environmental groups that sued the Dutch airline KLM in 2022, arguing that the company’s advertising campaign promoting environmentally sound air travel amounted to “greenwashing,” or deceptive environmental claims.
KLM’s claims that flying can be or is becoming sustainable were misleading and therefore unlawful, the court said in a summary of its ruling. It also found that the company “paints a too-rosy picture” about its use of alternative fuels and other steps it is taking to reduce emissions.
“Those measures only marginally lessen environmental impacts and give the wrong impression that flying with KLM is sustainable,” the court said.


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MoneyGram has begun supporting transfers to any bank in Ghana.
Funds can be sent either online, on a mobile device, at a kiosk, a local store or any MoneyGram location. The received money is accessible through an ATM, in person or online.
The service aims to offer consumers in Ghana more digital transfer options while also expanding the company’s digital growth. “We see a potential in the increasing adoption of banking services in Ghana and want to drive financial inclusion in the region by offering our consumers more digital money transfer options,” said Grant Lines, MoneyGram’s global chief revenue officer, in a press release.
Ghana is the fifth largest remittances recipient in Africa with $2.2 billion that flowed into the country in 2017, according to the World Bank. The United States and Nigeria are Ghana’s largest sources of inflow.


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Meat analogues are meat-like substances usually made from plants. These substitutes are growing in popularity thanks to brands like Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat. However, for meat enthusiasts, these substitutes often lack the feel, look, and taste of the real thing. Hoxton Farms is looking to produce real animal fat without harming animals for use in meat alternatives by extracting fat cells. Using cultivated fats has the potential to relieve pressure on the environment caused by factory farms including helping with antibiotic resistance and climate change. The company uses machine learning and mathematical modeling to build its cultured fats with plans to build a scalable prototype within the next 18 months. London TechWatch caught up with Cofounder Ed Steele to learn more about the work to make meat alternatives viable at scale, the company’s future plans, and recent round of funding from investors that include Founders Fund, BACKED VC, Presight Capital, CPT Capital, Sustainable Food Ventures, and others.
London Tech News for the week ending 13/2 featuring news for Nothing, Uptime, and much, much more…
The latest venture capital, seed, pre-seed, and angel deals for London startups for 10/2/2021 featuring funding details for Uptime App, Hoxton Farms, and much more.


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With great hype, come great chances of disappointment. Those are the words of wisdom that analysts all over seem to be whispering to Verizon these days as latest sales figures clearly show that the introduction of the iPhone seems to have made a much smaller impact that originally expected. Various marketing analysts and partner companies seem to be very disappointed over the fall in sales but as the hype clears, we can begin to get a clearer picture of where everything went wrong.
iPhone 5: It seems that the best iPhone sales killer is a new generation of iPhone. In this case, according to Apple’s iPhone launch schedule, a new generation of the iPhone should hit stores this year. This phone may be everything the iPhone 4 is not, so it is easy to imagine the thousands of users who have decided to wait and see instead of buying a Verizon iPhone just yet.
AT&T: The eternal rival of Verizon, also the former monopoly distributor of the iPhone is understandably seething over Apple’s decision to bring in Verizon. However, AT&T still has a few tricks up its sleeve. Firstly, it has plenty of iPhone users (who might want to switch) held firmly under a contract. Secondly, it also launched a powerful campaign aimed at Verizon’s services (ex: no simultaneous voice and data message).


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Kurniawan sentencing delayed once more
The sentencing of wine fraudster Rudy Kurniawan has been delayed for the third time but he has agreed an out of court settlement with billionaire Bill Koch.
The interminable delays are due to prosecutors and the defending team wrangling over the exact figures regarding fake bottles sold and how many millions of dollars they were sold for.
Kurniawan has been in jail since his arrest in 2012 and was found guilty last December on multiple accounts of fraud for millions of dollars – $20m according to the prosecution.
The prosecution is calling for 14 years in prison and a fine of $175,000, his defence has asked for leniency with a prison sentence that takes into account the 28 months he has already served (and as he is likely to be deported as an illegal immigrant) and a fine of $12,500.
In an interesting turn meanwhile, billionaire wine collector Bill Koch – who bought many bottles of fake wine made by Kurniawan – switched his civil action to a California court.
Kurniawan confessed his guilt to Koch and the court and agreed to pay $3m in damages and, according to Wine-Searcher, “provide documentation and other information regarding counterfeiting in the industry.”
Useful ammunition for Koch as he continues his campaign against counterfeit wine and the counterfeiters.


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Struggling retailer Sears Canada Inc’s top executive is negotiating a private-equity backed deal that could be valued at more than $650 million (US$533 million), the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The retailer’s Executive Chairman Brandon Stranzl last month stepped away from day-to-day operations to focus on plans for the company, which filed for creditor protection in June.
A potential deal by Stranzl would be financed partly through private-equity capital sourced by Vadim Perelman, the founder of Baker Street Capital Management, and with debt financing, people familiar with the matter told the newspaper.
The proposed offer would reduce the company’s store footprint by more than half but could retain at least 8,000 jobs while paying off bankruptcy loans, according to the report.
Sears Canada was not immediately available for comment.
The company, which in 2012 was spun off from U.S. retailer Sears Holdings Corp, has laid out a restructuring plan that includes cutting 2,900 jobs and closing roughly a quarter of its stores.
Update: Sears Canada’s top shareholders are ESL Partners, a U.S. hedge fund run by Eddie Lampert, and Fairholme Capital Management.
(Reporting by Uday Sampath in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)
(This story has been edited by Kirk Falconer, editor of PE Hub Canada)
Photo courtesy of Reuters/Mike Blake


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A startup that didn't get any funding in its first 7 years just raised $108 million - and is now worth over $1 billion
They believed the longer they waited, they could raise more later without giving up too much control to investors.
For the next seven years, Apttus didn't need any venture funding - it generated enough cash while remaining largely profitable, all while doubling in size every year. Its software, which helps companies generate quotes and handle contract work to close deals, quickly became a big hit, signing up its first $1 million deal less than 6 months after its founding, with just its sixth customer.
But as the company grew and the market opportunity became clear - Gartner sizes the Quote-to-Cash market Apttus is in at $31 billion - Apttus saw the need to invest more aggressively in sales and marketing to grab a larger market share. So in 2013, it had its first VC financing round worth $37 million, and earlier this year raised another $41 million (which was Salesforce's largest private investment at the time).
And just seven months after its last round, Apttus announced on Tuesday that it's raising yet again, a $108 million Series C round led by KIA and joined by Iconiq Capital, K1 Capital, and Salesforce Ventures - which the company says gives it a valuation of "significantly more than $1 billion."
"We were just looking at this market, and realized if we don't take it, somebody else will," Apttus CEO Kirk Krappe told Business Insider.
Krappe says Apttus is forecast to hit a revenue run rate of $120 million by the end of this year, while growing 80% annually. It currently has about 350 customers, including GE, HP, Salesforce, and PayPal, and is expected to have 1,400 employees by this year, quadruple 2013's headcount. Krappe also claims that Apttus' average deal size is bigger than some of the top cloud software companies, like Workday and NetSuite.
So why is Apttus so popular? Krappe says it's simply the fact that Apttus makes the entire sales process faster and easier. Once a salesperson gets in touch with a potential customer, Apttus helps put together the right product offering and financial terms of the contract, while also allowing legal paperwork to be taken care of within its software.
For example, GE has hundreds of thousands of different product options, and it could take a long time to manually come up with the right quote and contract terms for a potential customer - and it only gets more complicated in different regions and industries.
"We basically handle all the business process between the CRM system and the financial system. That's all very complicated stuff," Krapp said.
With the type of growth it's seeing, Apttus doesn't seem too far off from going public soon. Krappe acknowledges that Apttus' financial numbers are "IPO-ready," and that this round will probably be its last round before an IPO. But because Apttus didn't raise VC money until two years ago, he says the company's under no pressure from investors to have a liquidity event yet.
"We could IPO next year, but the key is what's the right thing for the company," he said.
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Team BRB UK are live (sort of) from the Birmingham NEC for EGX 2015.
At Gamescom 2015, Ubisoft has released a brand new gameplay video that walks fans through a mission with Evie, as she tries to infiltrate the Tower of London. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate will be available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC starting from the 23rd October.
With gamescom 2015 upon us, expect a bevy of new trailers and content to drop. Ubisoft have begun their splurge with a trailer for Assassin’s Creed Syndicate which focuses on the twin protagonists, Evie and Jacob Frye. The game is set to launch on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 23rd October with a PC release set […]
This new gameplay video for Assassin’s Creed Syndicate shows off new aspects of its gameplay. Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate is coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on 23rd October, with the PC version to follow sometime after.
After the year Ubisoft had, they really needed to hit this year’s conference out of the park – opening on South Park was certainly a good way to start.
Less than an hour ago, Ubisoft announced the latest entry in their Assassin’s Creed franchise, Syndicate, will be available on 23rd October for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with the PC version launching later in the year. Set in London during the Industrial Revolution, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate puts you in control of both Jacob and Evie […]


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UK loses its head to house in Creative Spark's latest ad for The Ministry of Sound
Manchester agency Creative Spark has unveiled its new TV commercial for The Ministry of Sound’s latest album.
The new release, Ministry of House, looks to showcase the brand’s long-standing relationship with house music.
Taking a comedic direction, Creative Spark created a spoof ‘breaking news’ newsreel, depicting a country losing its head to house across cities including Manchester.
Watch the ad here:
Creative Spark’s creative director, Neil Marra, said: "As always, we had a great time working with the Ministry of Sound team. Creating this campaign for the 2016 annual was a great challenge, and as house music is pivotal to the brand, we knew the album would inevitably be the sound of the spring.
"We wanted to have some fun, be a bit cheeky and create something that really showed the infectiousness of the music. This ‘breaking news’ #househeads commercial does just that.”
Ministry of Sound’s head of compilations, Naz Idelji, added: “We’re very excited about our spring album and love what Creative Spark have done with the new campaign. This spring the #househeads will be taking over!”
Creative Spark, which has recently appointed a new deputy creative director, also works with the likes of Virgin Money, New Balance, Aegean Airlines and Manchester Metropolitan University.


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The Little Reptile Store That Could
In an era when selling live animals doesn’t often pay and creates extra headaches, Reptile Finders discovers a way to keep the best scaly critters in front of its customers.
Chuck Dundov, owner of Reptile Finders in Lomita, Calif., offers an increasingly rare commodity: an independent pet store that leads with live animals, with products and reptile-themed birthdays as adjuncts.
In a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, “As Friendly as the Family Pet,” the writer discusses how small independent pet stores are thriving.
Contrast this with Barry for Pets, a small independent pet store and a fixture for more than 60 years in the Fillmore neighborhood of San Francisco, which closed its doors in April. The owners, who spoke to a reporter with The New Fillmore, an online and print news platform covering the Fillmore District, cited competition from big chains as one reason for their decision to shutter their business.
The story for many small pet stores, especially those that sell puppies, kittens, rabbits, reptiles, fish and birds, is anything but rosy, as many increasingly are being called out by animal welfare groups that take offense at them for selling any animal not from a rescue.
Neither of the two Los Angeles-area independent pet stores mentioned in the L.A. Times piece sell live animals.
Indeed, live animal pet stores are under assault as more than 60 municipalities have instituted puppy bans to date, said Steve Aaron, a public relations strategist with Allen and Gerritsen, a Philadelphia public relations firm working with the Pet Leadership Council, a new group of pet industry representatives overseen by the American Pet Products Association in Greenwich, Conn.
Reptile stores like Dundov’s aren’t immune either, as big snake bans take root in burg after burg, and many reptiles and amphibians are subject to endangered species or invasive species laws.
“The homeless-dog idea—it’s certainly great to adopt—is not going to meet the demand,” said Edwin J. Sayres, president and CEO of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council in Washington, D.C.
The animal-welfare lobby and other regulatory actions regarding pets are just a couple of the challenges facing small live-animal pet shops—something Dundov knows all too well.
A Different Kind of Pet Store
Dundov’s interest in reptiles began when he was very young, and his passion grew from there as he kept more and more of them as pets.
Chuck Dundov opened Reptile Finders in Lomita, Calif., when he was 17.
Early on, Dundov knew that he wanted to own his own reptile store someday.
He frequented local Southern California reptile shops as a kid, but he wasn’t always treated very well because he didn’t know a lot about the animals, how to care for them and what they ate.
“I was 8 years old, and I was getting put down,” Dundov said.
Later, he decided that if he ever owned his own reptile store, he’d treat his customers differently.
At 17, Dundov borrowed $5,000 from his parents and purchased a reptile store in Lomita, Calif.
By the time Dundov came along, the dilapidated store was on its third owner, animals were suffering—and even dying—from lack of care, and the plug had been pulled on the electricity.
“We took it from there,” Dundov said. “I was trying to finish high school and run a store and fire 35-year-old guys, but I paid back the $5,000 in a month; I’ve been here ever since.”
Fast-forward 12 years, and Dundov still owns the store, which he named Reptile Finders.
The store has a hip, graffiti-style paint job on the outside and lots of live animals inside, including an 18-foot reticulated python, and everyone is welcome, from looky loos—which Dundov admits he gets a lot of—to regulars.
The store’s previous owners or owner groups lasted, on average, three to five years, Dundov said.
Remembering the 8-year-old kid within, Dundov said the way he treats his customers is a big reason why he’s still at it after 12 years.
“I’ve gone to other reptile shops as a customer just to see how they operate,” he said, “and I’ve been let down; it just keeps me going as to the way I approach my customers.”
Reptile Finders’ clientele is made up of about 70 percent regulars and 30 percent new customers.
“It just comes naturally to me—I don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable in here,” he said.
The nearest direct competitor is the Petco in Torrance, Calif., but Dundov said his superior customer service and his product (more quality live animals that he hand picks) set him apart.
“What you’re getting here is a handshake and a hello, and you almost feel like family,” he said.
Live Animal Dilemma
Dundov is especially proud of his reputation for offering the healthiest live animals around, so much so that competitors often send him referrals, he said.
Dundov goes in person to his wholesaler and selects only the best, healthiest captive-bred animals for his store. Wild-caught animals are less expensive but riskier due to a greater potential for huge parasite loads that can kill them.
“There are not a lot of owners who … wake up early like I did today and go and handpick the animals—if I wouldn’t buy it for myself, I won’t buy it [for the store],” he said.
Among adjacent strip malls, Reptile Finders sticks out because of its unique exterior as well as the live animals within.
“It’s like a mini zoo for a lot of kids,” he said.
But live animals also are one of Dundov’s biggest challenges.
“He does all of the legwork trying to find the healthiest animals and work with breeders as opposed to buying things that are wild caught, so they’re more expensive to purchase,” said Dundov’s mother, Boska, who helps around the store.
The expense doesn’t stop there; their upkeep is costly, too, said Boska.
“There are some animals in here that we have to use bottled water for because Lomita water is known to be bad, the electricity runs really high, and the animals have to be fed on a daily basis,” she noted.
Caught In the Web
As it is, some customers will come in and pump Dundov for information and then go and buy an animal or other products via the Internet for less.
Due to the impersonal nature of the Internet as well as buying sight unseen, many people come back to Reptile Finders for yet more information on how to care for their new scaly pet.
“We have to pick up what information they were not given,” Dundov said. “You want to say, ‘Call the person you bought it from and ask them what’s wrong with it.’”
Of course, he doesn’t do that.
“We swallow our pride, and we help them,” he said.
Dundov’s own website, reptilefinders.biz, is mainly about the store and lists animals and prices, location, hours and other services such as reptile-themed birthday parties. If someone sees an animal on the website they want, they need to come to the store to buy it.
While he could probably sell more animals for less through a website, Dundov feels he’d lose himself if he started selling animals over the Internet.
“It’s not me,” he said. “Ordering things online … we’ve really never done that because I like the feeling of seeing people; I like people walking into a physical store.”
“I don’t want to be sending stuff here, stuff there and you haven’t seen the animal and you really don’t know if you like it or not, if you can handle it or not,” he added. “I don’t know if I’m selling it to a 12-year-old kid who’s using his mom’s credit card.”
It’s not just the first-time reptile owner who Dundov feels might need an education. A lot of PETA-types, as Dundov calls them, harangue him about his live feeder mice—another aspect of his business that he is proud of and that distinguishes him.
“We’re known to have the best … feeders they can’t find elsewhere. Petco doesn’t want to sell live feeder mice,” he said.
Movement often triggers the feeding response in reptiles, hence their preference for live foods.
Of course, try explaining this to someone praying in front of an animal enclosure (an example Dundov gave of one of the more fanatical visitors to his shop).
“We get people who don’t understand that the animals need a natural environment, so when they go to talk to some type of agency and try to shut people down, they aren’t really educated themselves, and neither are those agencies,” he said.
Drive to Succeed
The past 12 years have not been easy. Dundov makes enough to pay his bills, put gas in his vehicle, buy groceries and so on.
The most difficult thing for him is not being able to take a break in the past decade.
“Even customers tell me to take a break and close for a week or two,” he said, “but I can’t because where are they going to get their animals from? Where are they going to get their feeders from?”
With that kind of genuine concern for his customers—all bets are on Dundov and Reptile Finders being around for at least another 12 years.
This article originally appeared in the July 2015 issue of Pet Product News.


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Ring, Nest, SimpliSafe and other manufacturers plan fixes
Ring, Nest, SimpliSafe and eight other manufacturers of internet-connected doorbell and security cameras have been alerted to “systemic design flaws” discovered by Florida Tech computer science student Blake Janes that allows a shared account that appears to have been removed to actually remain in place with continued access to the video feed.
Janes discovered the mechanism for removing user accounts does not work as intended on many camera systems because it does not remove active user accounts. This could allow potential “malicious actors” to exploit the flaw to retain access to the camera system indefinitely, covertly recording audio and video in a substantial invasion of privacy or instances of electronic stalking.
The findings were presented in the paper, “Never Ending Story: Authentication and Access Control Design Flaws in Shared IoT Devices,” by Janes and two Florida Tech faculty members from the university’s top institute for cybersecurity research, L3Harris Institute for Assured Information, Terrence O’Connor, program chair of cybersecurity, and Heather Crawford, assistant professor in computer engineering and sciences.
Janes’ work informed vendors about the vulnerabilities and offered several strategies to remediate the underlying problem. In recognizing the importance of the work, Google awarded him a $3,133 “bug bounty” for identifying a flaw in the Nest series of devices. Other vendors, including Samsung, have been communicating with Janes about recommended solutions to fix the vulnerability.
The flaw is concerning in cases where, for example, two partners are sharing a residence and then divorce. Each has smartphone apps that access the same camera. Person A removes Person B’s access to the camera, but that is never relayed to Person B’s device. So Person B still has access even though it has been revoked on the camera and Person A’s smartphone and the account password has been changed.
The Florida Tech team found that this happens largely because the decisions about whether to grant access are done in the cloud and not locally on either the camera or the smartphones involved. This approach is preferred by manufacturers because it allows for the cameras to transmit data in a way that every camera does not need to connect to every smartphone directly.
Additionally, manufacturers designed their systems so users would not have to repeatedly respond to access requests, which could become annoying and lead them to turn off that security check, were it in place, or abandon the camera altogether.
And the security is further complicated by the fact that the potential malicious actor does not need advanced hacking tools to achieve this invasion, as the attack is achievable from the existing companion applications of the devices.
“Our analysis identified a systemic failure in device authentication and access control schemes for shared Internet of Things ecosystems,” the paper concluded. “Our study suggests there is a long road ahead for vendors to implement the security and privacy
of IoT produced content.”
The devices where flaws were found are: Blink Camera, Canary Camera, D-Link Camera, Geeni Mini Camera, Doorbell and Pan/Tilt Camera, Merkury Camera, Momentum Axel Camera, Nest Camera Current and Doorbell Current, NightOwl Doorbell, Ring Pro Doorbell Current and Standard Doorbell Current, SimpliSafe Camera and Doorbell, and TP-Link Kasa Camera.
Though fixes will originate with the manufacturers, if you have one of the aforementioned cameras, it is important to update to the current firmware. Additionally, customers concerned about their privacy after removing additional users should always change their passwords and power cycle their cameras.
The paper is available under the Publications section at https:/


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Typically when an automaker releases a new car, we see it in a press release (whether embargoed for later release or not) before it pops up on their public-domain website. But not this time.
- Great used cars for less than $10,000
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- Cheapest new automobiles in America
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- Find and compare 2017 Models


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An overall trend of using different brands of tablets is continues to grow, as summer is about to take place, it is likely that the trend will continue to rises as people prefer to spent more time outside rather to sit in and operate their desk tops.
To look for the existing distribution of Internet usage among major tablet products by the end of March 2013, Chitika Insights sampled countless U.S. and Canadian tablet advertisement impacts running from the Chitika Ad Network. The results used to gather present market was attracted throughout the time array of March 15th to March 21st, 2013.
The ipad observed their primary month-over-month gain in Website traffic share since December, noticing an end to the fall that commenced with the December customary holiday season. Ipad consumers produced 81.9% of both the neighboring countries tablet Web traffic in March, a 1.4% basis points rise since February. This progress could possibly be partially caused by Apple offering refurbished iPads at a discount from mid-March, 2013.
In relation to Android tablets, Amazon’s Kindle Fire noticed a minor drop in targeted traffic share, with the Web use through its group of Fire gadgets shedding 0.9% basis points to 7.1% of total Tablet-based Website traffic. Google Nexus as well as Samsung Galaxy products each posted bit of a 0.1% share gains.
More importantly, the Kindle Fire still maintains a 66. 8% increased Web traffic amount from their placement prior to the December vacations breaks, although Barnes and Noble’s Nook has came back to nearly the precise share fraction it kept prior to the holiday breaks.
While ipad retaining its prominence within the tablet usage surroundings, it appears less likely that any business will cause a challenge to its ranking as the most significant driver of tablet traffic, in particular given that the organization is anticipated to launch its most recent tablet product in near future.
Don't Miss: The hottest Apple Rumors for 2017


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GRATZ, Pa. (Sept. 22, 2021) – In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the MI Charitable Foundation will donate $50,000 divided equally between the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. for the fourth straight year.
All MI Windows and Doors, Milgard Windows & Doors, and Sunrise Windows & Doors products will have pink National Fenestration Rating Council stickers placed on them to support breast cancer awareness in the month of October.
“The fight against breast cancer has been a major focus of the MI Foundation since the onset” said MI CEO Matt DeSoto. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to help bring awareness to this cause any way we can.”
In addition, the MI Foundation will donate another $10 for each warranty registration that we receive– up to $10,000.
Those who want to help support the MI Foundation Breast Cancer efforts can visit: https://mi-charitable-foundation.snwbll.com/breast-cancer-awareness-2. Donations of $250 or more will receive a free MI Foundation backpack/cooler chair.
ABOUT THE MI CHARITABLE FOUNDATION
In 2015, the MI Charitable Foundation was founded on the belief that we all have an obligation to help our fellow citizens. The charitable foundation has committees at each of our locations that raise and donate funds for their local communities, as well as three noteworthy causes – veterans’ affairs, child wellbeing, and cancer.
ABOUT MI WINDOWS AND DOORS
MI is a fenestration products manufacturer that owns and operates three brands – MI Windows and Doors, Milgard Windows & Doors, and Sunrise Windows & Doors. MI is one of the nation’s largest suppliers of precision-built and energy-efficient windows and doors. With more than 10 manufacturing plants located throughout the United States, MI brands manufacture stylish, high-performance, and market-preferred products for both new construction and replacement applications. For more information, visit www.miwindows.com.


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The first public retail fast charging station in the state of California is now installed and open for charging at the Stanford Shopping Center.
This charger was installed at Palo Alto’s Stanford Shopping Center by 350Green, a developer of electric vehicle (EV) charging station networks.
The company also announced plans to install 24 additional public fast chargers at multiple high-traffic retail locations throughout the Bay Area, for a total of 25 stations. A fast charger can fully charge many CHAdeMO-compatible electric cars in under 30 minutes.
Since Aril 5, shoppers at the Stanford Shopping Center have been able to choose between using the new fast charger (located in the Lower Level Parking deck off Quarry Road, between Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s) or one of the existing 350Green Level 2 chargers (located in the Lower Level Parking Deck off Orchard Lane between Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s).
This first public fast charger was funded in part by a grant from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) as part of its “Spare the Air” program. The installation of all 25 fast chargers is scheduled to be complete by the fall of 2012.
The charger, made by Efacec USA, is a QC 50 and can be used to charge any EV with CHAdeMO charging standard compliance.


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Weaker UK economic growth on the cards as sluggish consumer spending is tipped to drag down GDP
- UK economy expected to have grown by just 0.4% in the last quarter
- Consumer spending down as falling pound pushes prices up
Britain's economy stuttered in the first quarter of the year, growing 0.4 per cent, figures are expected to show this week.
The slowdown from 0.7 per cent in the previous quarter is set to be blamed significantly on falling consumer spending as the weaker pound put up the prices of foreign goods and essentials such as petrol, forcing cuts elsewhere.
Industrial production has grown strongly while the construction sector has also expanded more modestly.
Sluggish: Britain's economy stuttered in the first quarter of the year, growing 0.4 per cent
But Howard Archer, chief UK economist at consultancy IHS Global Insight, said: ‘It looks inevitable that consumer spending made a substantially reduced contribution to growth.’
A weaker GDP figure follows faltering retail sales, which fell sharply in March. Consumers are being hit as inflation rises, with foreign imports becoming more expensive as a result of the falls in sterling since the Brexit vote.
The pound rallied last week on the announcement of a General Election, but it remains sharply below its pre-referendum levels. The French elections could dent the euro, but few economists predict a dramatic turnaround for UK consumer spending this year.
Archer said: ‘We suspect 2017 will become more challenging for the UK economy, particularly for consumers as their purchasing power is squeezed.
'Additionally, we expect businesses to become more cautious over investment as the economy shows mounting signs of slowing.
'Uncertainties over the outlook are magnified by Brexit negotiations coming to the forefront, now that the Government has triggered Article 50.’
Spending less: The slowdown from 0.7 per cent in the previous quarter is set to be blamed significantly on falling consumer spending
IHS expects the economy to grow 1.6 per cent in 2017 and then 1.2 per cent in 2018. It grew 1.8 per cent last year.
Meanwhile, travel bosses are worried that the June Election could damage the industry, as consumers are known to stop spending money on holidays and other big purchases during an Election campaign.
Conversely, Britain’s weaker currency has been good for UK tourism, with Visit Britain reporting record visitor numbers.
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Nike’s RTFKT purchased another Ethereum domain name for $35 dubbed “DotSwoosh” and now it owns 10 Ethereum name service domains so let’s read more today in our latest cryptocurrency news.
Nike’s reason for the dotswoosh purchase remains unclear but as some pointed out, Nike could have plans to use the domain for issuing ENS subdomains in the future while the ENS subdomains are controlled by the main domain name holder. Nike could also allow holders of NFTs or other assets the ability to register the subdomain under dotswoosh.eth. The graphic designer Carolyn Davidson created Nike’s swoosh logo back in 1971 and was paid $35 for her work. So the recent 19.72 ETH purchase price could be a nod to the 1972 year which was when the logo first appeared on the shoes.
In addition to dotswoosh.eth, RTFKT also owns rtfkt.eth, artifacts.eth, skinival.eth,drmos.eth, dreamos.eth, spacedrips.eth, mintvial.eth, dripcoin.eth and m2tekno.eth. Nike’s ENS plays are a key part of the strategy based on the current holdings. The Mint vial is a reference to the CloneX Mint Vial Ethereum that can be burnt to create a unique CloneX avatar NFT. Space Drip is a reference to the Space Drip NFTs which are digital shoe NFTs that allow holers to forge a physical version of the sneakers.
The RTFKT Skin Vials are an NFT as well which can be burned to change the looks of the CryptoKicks that were launched a month ago. Whatever the plans are for dotswoosh.eth, Nike has a track record of buying and trademarking a range of affiliated names and logos as it already filed trademarks for Nike, Nikeland, and “Just Do It” for a range of metaverse applications. Nike’s RTFKT purchased dotswoosh.eth and also made efforts to squash unlicensed Web3 assets after it sued StockX for selling unauthorized Nike sneaker images as NFTs.
As recently reported, Nike and RTFKT revealed the first digital metaverse sneakers and the giant acquired the NFT company RTFKT studios in December. Sneaker giant Nike made a huge entry in the metaverse back in December when it acquired RTFKT Studios which is a company known for its original digital sneakers sold as NFT assets.
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That alliance today bore its fruit as they announced the first Ethereum NFT sneakers.
DC Forecasts is a leader in many crypto news categories, striving for the highest journalistic standards and abiding by a strict set of editorial policies. If you are interested to offer your expertise or contribute to our news website, feel free to contact us at [email protected]


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Kovid-19: Experts say wearing a mask not only helps prevent Kovid-19 infection For others, it also helps prevent Kovid-19 infection. According to health news reports in the United States. News reports quoted Bloomberg, an infectious disease specialist, as saying that even self-sewn masks Can be effective.
He encouraged people to wear masks in public to reduce the spread of Kovid-19 virus. At first it was thought that wearing a mask was to prevent the spread of the virus from coughing. But now experts believe that wearing a mask can also prevent the wearer from being infected with Kovid-19. Percentage. In Cambodia, we do not seem to see many people wearing masks lately. Everyone should reconsider and wear a mask to fight Kovid-19. By: Associate


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Instasham: Fraudulent investments being advertised on social media
Action Fraud is warning Instagram users to be wary of fraudulent investment posts offering ‘get rich quick’ schemes on the app.
- Between October 2018 and February 2019, 356 reports of this fraud were made to Action Fraud.
- The total loss was a shocking £3,168,464 – an average of £8,900 per person.
How is this happening?
Action Fraud has seen an increased number of investment schemes being advertised on Instagram over recent months, with young people aged between 20 and 30 the most likely to fall victim.
Fraudsters are advertising ‘get rich quick’ investment schemes on the app, which promise a high return within 24 hours. A £600 investment is initially requested which fraudsters claim will be multiplied within 24 hours.
Victims are then making payments via bank transfer to the fraudster’s bank account. Fraudsters are then sending screenshots of thousands in profit crediting their accounts, which they claim can be released for a fee. Victims have requested to withdraw their funds while they’re still in profit, and at this stage the fraudsters are stopping contact with the victim and closing the Instagram account.
Inspector Paul Carroll, of Action Fraud, yesterday said:
“Opportunistic fraudsters are taking advantage of unsuspecting victims who are going about their day-to-day lives on social media.
“It’s vital that you follow the simple steps below to make sure you don’t fall victim to this fraud.
“If you think you have been a victim, contact Action Fraud.”
Stay safe when scrolling:
- Never respond to any requests to send money, or have money transferred into your account by someone you don’t know and trust. These types of requests should always raise a red flag. If something feels wrong then it is usually right to question it.
- Don’t immediately agree to any offer that involves an advance payment or having to sign a contract on the spot. Always speak with a friend or family member first.
- Always check the credentials of any financial company on the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) website: – they should be on the register. Contact the preferred company directly and reject any offers made through unsolicited communications.
- Every report maters – if you have been a victim of fraud or cybercrime, report it to Action Fraud onlineor by calling 0300 123 2040.
ActionFraud is the UK’s national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre.
We provide a central point of contact for information about fraud and cyber crime.
The easiest way to report fraud and cyber crime is by using our online reporting tool.Report
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The National Cannabis Industry Association is taking one of its marquee events from Denver to the East Coast. The NCIA Seed to Sale Show, which has been held in the Mile High City for the past two years (the 2018 show ran February 7-8 at the Colorado Convention Center), will move to Boston in 2019, according to an announcement from the NCIA.
Lagunitas Brewing Company is one of the five largest craft-beer companies in the country, and founder and CEO Tony Magee says a lot of that has to do with culture. A big part of the Lagunitas culture is the drug test. “We have a drug-testing policy: You have to test pot,” he told a laughing crowd at the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Seed to Sale Show on Wednesday, February 7. “If you don’t like it, you don’t have to try it again.”
No matter how many times we refer readers to earlier Ask a Stoner columns, we still get bombarded with emails and phone calls from users asking what to do with their broken hash-oil cartridges.
We agree – broken cartridges are a fucking problem. And it’s not just broken cartridges, either: Other than O.penVape (about which many of you have your own opinions), no brand in the pre-filled cartridge arena has been able to sustain a reliable shelf presence, much less offer trustworthy packaging and universal compatibility with vaporizer batteries. All of these gaps result can in a lot of unusable hash oil. And so can broken cartridges.
Today, The Green Solution is one of Colorado’s largest marijuana dispensary chains, and it’s expanded into four other states so far, with big plans for future growth. But co-founder and CEO Kyle Speidell, who recently spoke to us about the launch of Blazin’ Hit Radio , the ambitious new online home of former KS 107.5 favorites Larry and Kathie J, who are hosting a welcome-back party for listeners on Friday, September 22 (details below), notes that TGS is, at its heart, a family affair. Indeed, he and his three brothers have helped develop the operation over the past seven years into what seems poised to become a signature cannabis business from coast to coast.
In a proposal that was widely panned by pot shops and legalization advocates, the city in June revealed possible regulations for Los Angeles cannabis businesses that would have continued the problematic policy of treating even the most legit enterprises with “limited legal immunity.”
Many cannabis folks were up in arms. Voters in March approved Proposition M, which was pitched as an initiative that would finally grant licenses to weed sellers and producers. But the measure ultimately left the fine print up to City Hall. The groups representing collectives in town opposed the limited-immunity approach in proposed regulations forwarded as a way to implement M. This week, City Council president Herb Wesson submitted additions to those regulations that would endorse full licenses for pot businesses.
Ellementa, a startup dedicated to building a network for women interested in cannabis wellness, just started its Denver chapter in June, but already its Mile High meetings are as comfortable — and energizing — as a coffee klatsch.
On July 12, a dozen women gathered in a room at the uber-hip Galvanize building at 1644 Platte Street for a conversation about cannabis led by Ellementa Denver organizer Ashley Kingsley. Ellementa got its start in Alaska; Denver was its first branch, and it now has one in Chicago. “There was nowhere women could go and talk intimately about cannabis,” Kingsley says. There were places they could go to talk business, of course, but not about more intimate details, she notes.
State and federal agencies joined forces at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus on June 28 to teach a full class of cannabis industry employees about health and safety practices in the workplace.
The City of Denver appears to be continuing its public-relations battle against the Denver 420 Rally, which is appealing a three-year permit ban, by contrasting the trashy condition of Civic Center Park the morning after the April 20 event with the much tidier look of the location following this past weekend’s PrideFest celebration. Meanwhile, an attorney for the rally charges Denver with using a double standard by pointing out that a dispensary was allowed to display its logo at PrideFest, as seen in a video below, even though such businesses have been forbidden to do so at the Denver 420 Rally.
PrideFest is certainly doing all it can to show that it appreciates its own permit with the city. Pushkin Public Relations, which represents the fest, shared the June 19 photo at the top of this post along with a note that reads in part, “PrideFest takes a lot of pride in being a professional festival, working well with the City and leaving the park in great shape. While some festivals don’t have a great reputation for this, PrideFest works hard be a good steward of Civic Center Park.”
You could get marijuana delivered to your home in L.A. since at least the days of Cheech & Chong. But, despite California’s legalization of medical cannabis in 1996, the essential activity of having someone bring it to you has been pretty much illegal in the city of Los Angeles.
The app-based delivery service Speed Weed learned that the hard way last year when the City Attorney’s Office announced the firm would cease to exist within our borders. Of course, that hasn’t stopped other tech-based companies from keeping delivery alive in L.A. And now, ironically, state and city officials have revealed proposed regulations for medical pot that would legalize delivery, particularly the kind allegedly practiced by Speed Weed.
Loose-ends legislation from Gov. Jerry Brown’s office proposes that delivery be allowed so long as the driver is connected with a licensed brick-and-mortar dispensary. That dispensary wouldn’t have to be a storefront; it could exist simply to serve delivery customers.
At the close of the 2017 legislative session, marijuana remains illegal to produce, possess, use or sell in Texas. While cities like Dallas have moved to implement cite-and-release policies, which allow police to send people holding marijuana home with a court summons, the state maintains its stiff penalties for drugs.
This year, however, legislators on both sides of the aisle made progress toward loosening and removing those restrictions. While Texas Gov. Greg Abbott won’t have any bills coming across his desk in 2017 to reform the state’s marijuana policies, there are signs that he or his successor might get an opportunity to do so in 2019. With an eye toward what’s coming, let’s take a look at how several marijuana bills performed this session


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Plainview-based Clever Devices has acquired a Washington-based mobile application developer for the transportation industry.
By bringing in GreyHawk Technologies, Clever Devices, which builds and installs software and hardware for public transportation systems, will integrate the GreyHawk’s mobile data computer systems with Clever Device’s own on-board smart systems that monitor everything from bus diagnostics to arrival times.
The two companies have partnered together in the past, Clever Devices CEO Frank Ingrassia said.[dmc-related-post-wp numitems="3" title="Also read"]
The acquisition of GreyHawk “is a key step forward in our growth plan and adds an important new line of products and services to our transit portfolio,” he said.
Specifics of the deal were not disclosed, although Clever Devices officials noted that GreyHawk would continue to operate out of its Washington state offices. Clever Devices’ Rob Dukes will serve as division president in charge of integrating the two companies’ products.
More breaking news
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The specifications of two new budget phones from HMD that will be showcased at MWC 2024 have been revealed.
HMD Global is developing several smartphones that will probably be announced at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in late February. According to a new report, this Finnish company is developing at least 6 new devices.
Two new HMD phones, the Legend and Legend Pro models, have been spotted on Geekbench. Both products are part of the production line of cheap phones of this brand and have suitable hardware.
Both new products, which are introduced to replace the Nokia phone, are equipped with the Unisoc T606 processor. It is expected that the Legend model will have 4 GB of RAM and the Pro version will have 8 GB of RAM.
Another important specification revealed in Geekbench is the device’s operating system. Apparently, both models will be manufactured with Android 14. Undoubtedly, most of the phones released in 2024 will have Android 14.
In addition to Legend and Legend Pro, HMD will launch four other Android smartphones named Pulse, Pulse Legend Plus, Pulse+, and Pro.
Additional information and prices of the new phones have not been leaked yet; But some details are expected to be revealed before the official announcement.


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Although the wearables market has been noticeably having a hard time in the United States mobile market, it is actually doing okay across the globe. As a matter of fact, the latest report from Canalys indicates that wearables are showing an 8 percent improvement year over year. Sure, that 8 percent growth may not be jaw dropping, but it is growth nonetheless.
Interestingly, the brand that is leading the way is Xiaomi. For those who have been following the Chinese mobile manufacturer closely, they may not be that surprised to find out that the tech giant is now the number one wearable device maker in the world, at least in terms of the volume of worldwide shipments.
Sure, this may be the first time that Xiaomi has led the wearables market, but it deserves some credit for taking full advantage of former leader Fitbit’s slide. For the longest time, Fitbit was considered by many as the undisputed king of wearables, but recent months have seen the brand deal with lagging sales.
According to Canalys latest report, Xiaomi had managed to register a shipment volume of 3.5 million units, surpassing Fitbit’s 3.3 million units shipped. While Xiaomi has done well in taking the lead, Fitbit’s struggles may come out as the more talked about topic. Fitbit after all posted a worrying 34 percent decreased in shipments compared to the previous year’s. It gets even more intriguing when one considers how last year, Fitbit actually recorded a 36 percent growth year over year. On third place is Apple, and despite the fact that the iPhone maker also suffered a slide in terms of shipment volume, it still shipped a pretty respectable shipment volume (2.7 million units).
So how exactly did Xiaomi became the market leader? Apart from Fitbit’s and Apple’s slides, Xiaomi basically had won the pricing war. Like other China based mobile manufacturers, Xiaomi has been banking on the affordability of its products for several years now. When it came to wearable devices, the company simply stayed true to its standard operating protocol. For instance, the pricing of Xiaomi fitness trackers can go for as low as $15 in the US mobile market. It goes without saying that Fitbit and Apple can not match this low price -- Fitbit’s cheapest offering is the clip on Zip, which fetches for $60, while the Apple Watch’s pricing is considerably higher.
Of course, the question is -- can Xiaomi keep this up heading into the busy holiday shopping season? It remains to be seen.
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Govt readies ambitious plan to lift sagging exports
Government may offer sops to exporters and explore new markets and free-trade agreements to boost trade.
The commerce ministry has devised a multi-pronged plan that includes offering incentives and exploring new markets to revive outbound shipments amid a demand slump in major markets resulting in Indian October exports contracting for the first time in 19 months.
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Power company $SO reported a 9% rise in 2Q16 earnings on higher revenues. Net income rose to $638MM from $629MM last year, while EPS slid to $0.68 from $0.69 due to lower shares outstanding. Adjusted EPS grew to $0.77 from $0.71, driven by retail revenue effects and lower non-fuel operating and maintenance costs. Revenue rose 2.7% to $4.45Bil.
I haven’t seen a drop in banks like this in a long time. Looks like $WFC is still facing pressures from its sales practices scandal..!!
Helping President-elect's America first focus, $WMT set to create 10,000 retail jobs in the US in 2017.
Looks like Trump has his eyes on the $MON and Bayer merger next. He had a meeting with the CEOs and apparently got job promises from them.


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Subsidies for new energy market reaction was forthcoming
"The new energy car allowance standard rules" will be introduced this week, the news triggered a number of hot. Although the recent "green carbon car" red hot, and a major car firms compete in the New World, but the new energy vehicles on "the highest subsidies for 60,000 yuan," the news did not attract the expected excitement, Most local car dealer in Chengdu forecast, the new subsidy rules for energy consumption to stimulate the car is very limited, the prices are too high, inadequate facilities and other factors, is still restricted consumption of new energy vehicles bottleneck.
Status of energy-saving models applauded not hit
First mass-produced hybrid Toyota Prius FAW listed for many years, but so far in the market is still popular. Reporters learned that the FAW Toyota Prius is currently in Chengdu, the 4S shop sales of less than five a year. In contrast, long Zhixiang hybrid because of lower prices and slightly smooth, but narrow audience, lack of facilities, insufficient consumer awareness and other factors still restrict its sales. Put it in Shenzhen, BYD dual-mode electric vehicle F3DM, and in Hangzhou "to rent to buy" The launch of the electric car Zotye 2008EV, because the charging facilities blank, the date of its delivery temporarily clear the market in Chengdu.
Analysis of the role of subsidies is not too large
"Subsidies at this stage, not for sales promotion. Nabiyadi F3DM, the dealers want to sell, but no facilities, buy new energy vehicles is empty. In addition, the hybrid version of the general expensive than the regular version tens of thousands, but also to discourage the average consumer. "Mao-Newport, general manager of BYD, said.
FAW Toyota into the middle market manager Caobing likewise less optimistic view: "Green Car of the gimmick is very attractive, but the lead
The first reason is induced to buy fuel-efficient, longer stylish, and finally energy. The relative amount of subsidies the prices of the Prius is too small. "
Wanyou Chang Wen Yunlong, vice president also told reporters: "While sales of hybrid Zhi Xiang monthly increase, but a narrow audience. In addition, filling in Chengdu is very time-consuming, not to mention the 23 cities. Supporting facilities not convenient, not to give car buyers a one-time subsidies can be resolved. "
Voice part in environmental protection have to weigh wallet
The reporters also interviewed more than prepared to car consumers, they both said, when the car more than on considerations of cost to join the environmental enthusiasm.
"If the subsidies on the price is only 5,000-10,000 yuan higher than the traditional model, then I definitely support the new energy and support environmental carbon, but beyond that, my income does not allow the." Chow admitted.
"Green carbon, for me this the general public, just a concept I spend a higher price to buy fuel-efficient cars, for me what the actual benefits? This is a public utility, then the relevant departments Consumers should be encouraged on the one-time subsidies to the prices of little use, the amount of subsidy can not offset the difference with the traditional model. "ready to transfer to Mr Fung said.
Miao Wei, vice minister of Ministry of Industry: the development of new energy routes clear in August
New energy subsidy rules will be introduced before the end of this month. Industry experts suggest that, before the formal implementation of the subsidy policy, the best there is on the identification of new energy vehicle technology standards. Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology vice minister said Miao Wei, the recent technical standards for new energy vehicles will be gradually introduced.
It is understood that the four criteria for new energy technology - "electric vehicle conductive charging interface", "General requirements for electric vehicle charging station", "electric vehicle battery management system and non-vehicle communication protocol between the charger," and "light hybrid electric vehicle energy consumption test method" has been by the Ministry and other relevant departments to review, said Miao Wei, these standards will be launched soon. The industry believes that the introduction of new energy before the end of subsidies for electric cars will be revealing details of the future direction of China, said Miao Wei, specific to the choice of new energy vehicles on the route, the relevant ministries will be announced in August.
Other Electronics News:


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PG&E is warning you of a new trending scam. So far this year PG&E has received over 7,000 reports from people who were targeted by scammers impersonating the company. Last year there was a total of 11,000 scams for the entire year, making this... Read More.
Fraud Alert!!! We have received a number of reports related to a phone scam / fraud. The caller is identifying himself / herself as a Lassen County Sheriff’s Deputy and using names of local deputies or former LCSO employees. The caller solicits payment, or asks... Read More.
Our customer service department has received several calls from customers reporting unknown callers posing as LMUD employees, demanding payment and threating disconnection. LMUD never demands immediate payment and we will never ask for your credit card information over the phone. We will always direct... Read More.


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Tekken Tag Tournament 2 hits consoles today
After a long build-up that began last year, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 sees its release today.
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 is only the second full appearance of Tekken on this console generation and brings radically updated version of the tag-team brawling action that entralled Tekken fans on the PS2 with the original Tekken Tag Tournament.
Katsuhiro Harada, Tekken project director said, "We are very excited for our fans in the western market to play Tekken Tag Tournament 2 and experience first-hand all of the improvements we made to the series, many of which were a result of their feedback to previous Tekken installments. The development team has gone to great lengths to ensure our fans have a completely new experience with Tekken Tag Tournament 2 by adding innovative new features like pair play, a vastly improved online experience, and the largest fighter roster ever. We hope that our fans enjoy the game as much as we have and are looking forward to watching the best fighters from around the world compete in the ultimate battle."
Tekken Tag Torunament 2 is available Xbox 360 and PS3 from today. Namco Bandai have also made the new premium social service, Tekken World Federation available for free for a limited time from today to celebrate the launch of Tekken Tag Tournament 2.
- Dark Souls 2 could see a fourth pack of DLC released
- Far Cry 4 is all about player choice, has five endings
- Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare PC system specifications announced
- Evolution adds more multiplayer events to Driveclub as they continue to work on the game's server issues
- Rockstar announces a San Andreas 10th Anniversary event this weekend for GTA Online
- Dead Or Alive 5: Last Round gets a release date
- Unfinished Swan to hit the PS4 and PS Vita next week
- Gamersgate.com CEO emphasizes that they have nothing to do with #Gamergate
- Microsoft announces the feature list for the November Xbox One update


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Holiday shopping and presents received were reflected in some interesting data compiled by JiWire, San Francisco.
The location-based mobile media company’s on-the-go audience network connecting to public Wi-Fi found significant variations around connected-device adoption from BEFORE 1st December – 24th December and AFTER 25th December through to 31st December and AFTER the holiday timeframe.
Key findings include:
- The Kindle Fire more than tripled in connections in the U.S., growing 3.4 times;
- The iPad decreased in connections by 4.5%;
- In the top DMAs, post-holiday, leading city Denver saw a 400% increase in people connecting with a Kindle Fire, while the iPad saw an increase of 151%;
- Los Angeles followed Denver with a158% increase in people connecting with the Kindle Fire and a 24% increase in people connecting with the iPad, post-holiday;
- Pre-holiday, 51.3% of people connected from their laptops and 38.8% from smart phones;
- But post-holiday, it was almost the opposite, with 38.5% percent connecting from their laptops and 50.8% connecting on their smart phones.
While the individual figures are small bytes of information, taken together, they certainly reveal a changing mobile landscape.


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Sony ditches weaker PS5 due to rapid obsolescence
Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan gave an interview to Japanese AV Watch , in which he explained why the company decided not to release a less powerful version of the PlayStation 5 by analogy with the Xbox Series S.
Ryan said he respects all of Microsoft’s decisions, but felt that a weaker PS5 would be outdated too quickly.
I respect and understand all solutions and philosophy of the competitor represented by Microsoft. Obviously, price is the most important factor, but we have full confidence in our current strategy and its effect.
If you look back in time, you will realize that creating a weak and cheap console is not the path that will lead to decent results. We considered this option and found that the less powerful PS5 would be problematic.
Users want their console to last four, five, six, and even seven years. They want to be sure that the system will not become obsolete in two to three years. Sony ditches weaker PS5 due to rapid obsolescence.
Ryan’s words have been confirmed more than once by many developers. They stated that Series S is very attractive from a buyer’s point of view, but will cause a lot of problems when creating games.
PS5 and Xbox Series X / S are slated to begin sales in November.


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On Tuesday's edition of Tech Teardown, host Erin Kennedy and Motley Fool tech and telecom bureau chief Evan Niu dig into the biggest stories in the world of tech from the market this week. Evan looks at Qualcomm and how its newest processors represent a philosophic departure from its previous approach. He also takes a look at Microsoft's purchase of Nokia's devices business, which was finally approved by the Chinese government. Evan then discusses Cincinnati Bell and its decision to sell its wireless carrier business to the top dog in the space, Verizon.
And finally, a look at two stories happening within Apple today. Evan discusses the company's efforts to develop baseband processors for its own devices, and how this could hurt longtime baseband supplier Qualcomm, and he also takes a look at some direct evidence that the iPhone 6, expected to launch later this year, will in fact be a larger phone.


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According to recent coverage on TorrentFreak, piracy of the CBS show Under the Dome spiked by 34 percent after Time Warner removed CBS from the channel listings for over three million subscribers around the United States. Within Los Angeles, New York City, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit and Pittsburgh, there was a noticeable increase in the number of people that downloaded the most recent episode of the show when compared to the previous episode. In New York City specifically, the piracy rate more than doubled from 1.3 percent of all U.S. downloads last week to 3 percent this week.
Alternatively, ratings of the show dropped this week according to Ad Age. Watched by more than 11 million people on the week prior to the CBS blackout, viewership dropped to 10.2 million viewers this week. Under The Dome was already one of the most pirated shows of the summer, but it seems Time Warner’s decision to remove CBS only bolstered that position.
CBS shows like How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory are usually at the top of the piracy charts each year partially due to CBS’s slow acceptance of Web video and lack of participation in services like Hulu. However, Under the Dome episodes are available to Amazon Prime members for free four days after the show airs on CBS as well as premium purchases the day after the show airs.
Noted by Forbes this week, advertisers are starting to worry that this conflict between the two companies will continue on through August. With kids heading back to school, this is an important time for advertisers to launch a barrage of commercials on channels like CBS in major markets. That advertising money will likely be moved to other networks in blackout cities if the feud continues throughout the month. The launch of the NFL season is also looming in early September, another huge opportunity for CBS to make money off advertisers. Time Warner management will also have to worry about subscribers switching to competitors to watch NFL games.
- CBS and Viacom merge into ViacomCBS to create original premium content
- AT&T WatchTV is free streaming TV for wireless customers, fueled by Time Warner purchase
- The massive AT&T-Time Warner merger could make it much harder to cut the cord
- From ‘Anthem’ to ‘Smash Bros. on Switch,’ here are the games coming to E3 2018
- Dish Network customers can be thankful for the end of the CBS blackout


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MetaNFT is a cryptocurrency that is currently rising rapidly on Coinmarketcap.com. MetaNFT is the first cross-chain marketplace that lets users buy and sell NFTs. It should be possible to do this using different currencies and blockchains. In its white paper, the team noted that they have developed a way to allow NFT users to convert their cryptocurrencies to another blockchain.
An artist who wants to sell a work of art will be able to do so on MetaNFT. Its new feature should allow buyers to buy it using other cryptocurrencies. If artists want to spread their work, they would usually have to deposit it on several different marketplaces with different blockchains in order to reach the largest possible number of potential buyers or fans.
Although it is tempting to get involved in the price explosions, it is important to remember that MetaNFT is a new cryptocurrency that has not yet proved its legitimacy. It is backed by The Binance Smart Chain. Due to the coin’s short-term nature and the uncertainties surrounding it, it is not yet clear when it will reach a potential entry point.


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A new Android 2.1 update for Nexus One has been leaked. Compared to the last leaked build ERE36B, kernel and radio remains same, while there are some new changes in system/framework/*, system/app/*.apk and otacerts.zip. The kernel version for this ROM is 2.6.29-01117-g4bc62c2 android-build@apa26 #1 while baseband version is 32.26.00.24U_4.04.00.03_2.
A new Android 2.1 ROM for Google Nexus One has leaked in the wild. This new ERE36B non-OTA is said to include a new radio, in a bid to fix the ongoing 3G issue which has been hampering T-Mobile Nexus One users since its January 5th launch.


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Delhi, January 3: Delhiites partied hard in December 2019 and celebrated Christmas and New Year's Eve with full enthusiasm. The sale of liquor soared in December and liquor worth Rs 1,000 crore was sold in the national capital during the last month of 2019. While actual data is yet to be published, the amount has been calculated on the basis of revenue the excise department collected as duty paid on liquor bottles, The Times of India reported. Liquor Sale App of Goa's Excise Dept Becomes Object of Political Controversy.
According to a report in Times of India, the excise department collected Rs 465 crore duty on liquor in December, an increase of 1 percent from the last month of 2018. Delhi has 864 government-run and private liquor vends while over 950 hotels, clubs, bars have a license to serve alcohol. Delhi: In a Major Crackdown, Police Arrest 8 People With 3300 Bottles of Illicit Liquor and Pistol.
The excise department's move to slash prices of few imported liquor could have contributed to the sale. In November, the exercise department reduced prices of 10 foreign liquor brands by 20-25 percent. The increase in liquor sales could also be a result of bone-chilling climate in December.
Earlier, people in Delhi used to prefer foreign liquor from Haryana due to difference of Rs 800 to Rs 1200 per bottle. However, after the prices were slashed people are buying it locally. The Times of India reported that the number would have been even more if the government had not shut down the departmental store that sold beer and wine in the third week of December.


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Amazon is opening up its Luna game streaming service to all US users, Alphabet Wing’s reaches 200,000 deliveries, and a company called Thermacell has launched a mosquito repellent system called Liv.
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