text:
Everyone is constantly looking for the next cryptocurrency token to make them rich, but it is evident that there has always been money to be made in the industry after witnessing a new generation of millionaires with cryptocurrencies like BTC, SHIB, DOGE and LTC. And that’s still the case despite the turbulent general market conditions.
For the coins that are already mooned, it’s probably too late to join the party, so you better be choosy. While they may still have strong price potential due to the current discounts, they have already made their share of crypto millionaires. So unless you are willing to put down a significant sum of money, you should look elsewhere.
Market analysts prefer Gnox, Arweave and Quant because they need small cryptocurrencies with growth potential. Being a millionaire isn’t supposed to be easy, and while there are risks involved in picking coins that have the potential to become huge, these coins could be the best ones for your portfolio.
gnox could be the cryptocurrency project everyone is talking about right now, and with good reason. It’s already up more than 60% in the last few weeks.
Considering that most of the market is in a downturn, this is a big move. And that’s not the only reason why people speak of Gnox; It is also backed by a highly original project that the cryptocurrency industry has been in dire need of for some time. One that, while very simple, could help bridge the gap between the benefits that traditional investing can offer and those that DeFi investing can offer.
Gnox owners receive regular monthly payments of real passive income from a treasury of funds invested in a variety of cryptocurrency projects. This means that newcomers to the cryptocurrency scene can benefit from real passive income without having to understand what staking is or how to do it.
In addition, GNOX is still in presale. With so many opportunities for upside and long-term passive income, now could be a good time to buy.
The Arweave ecosystem is a decentralized, collective ownership platform for long-term data storage. Blockchain technology is being used in novel ways that have the potential to disrupt the data storage industry and transform the way data is used across the internet.
The Archain project, which later changed its name to Arvweave, launched in August 2017. However, prior to its June 2018 launch, the company changed its name to Arweave in February 2018.
Since the beginning of trading in the cryptocurrency market, Arweave’s price has been incredibly volatile. Given its significant ROI of 5,053.1 percent, the Ar coin is a favorite among traders with a penchant for high-volatility cryptocurrencies. Arweave is currently trading 57.2% below its all-time high which was $89.24 on November 5, 2021. Arweave’s all-time low was $0.298788, which was set about two years ago. Ar is the token symbol for Arweave.
Quant is a cryptocurrency project that offers a range of services to both individuals and businesses. Launched in 2018, the project aims to connect networks and blockchains on a global scale while maintaining the effectiveness and interoperability of the network. It is known as the first cryptocurrency project to address the issue of interoperability by developing the very first blockchain operating system.
In addition to improving user and business experiences in the cryptocurrency space, Quant brings universal interoperability to the market. One of these services is the ability to share assets over a secure and affordable network. Quant has developed a proprietary operating system called Overledger that allows any two blockchains to be efficiently connected. On the network, developers can use Overledger to create multi-chain applications (MApps).
Learn more about Gnox:
Participate in the pre-sale: https://presale.gnox.io/register
Always conduct proper research when dealing with currency and token presales. The above information does not constitute investment advice by CryptoMode or its team, nor does it reflect the views of the site or its employees.
CryptoMode produces high quality content for cryptocurrency companies. We’ve brought brand awareness to dozens of companies so far, and you can be one of them. All of our customers value our value for money. Contact us if you have any questions: [email protected]
None of the information on this website constitutes investment or financial advice. CryptoMode is not responsible for any financial loss caused by actions taken based on information provided on this website by its authors or clients. Reviews should not be taken at face value. Always do your research before making any financial commitments.


text:
If your prom involved borrowing dad's station wagon to drive to the school gym for the dance, you might not recognize the spectacle that the prom has become today. The costs of the dress, tux and dance tickets are often just the beginning, and the average bill for the evening's merriment is growing.
According to a recent survey conducted by Visa, families are planning to spend an average of $1,139 to send a teen to prom in 2013. While teens are helping to shoulder a portion of this expense, the survey raises the question of how families can plan responsibly for this frequently costly event.
Single and low-income parents most likely to splurge
In breaking down average spending by region and family type, the survey uncovered some noteworthy patterns. For instance, single parents are planning to spend much more for prom on average than their married counterparts. For 2013, single parents said they plan on spending an average of $1,563 on the dance. Married parents are planning to spend less than half of that, or $770.
Likewise, low-income families plan to spend more than other parents. Visa reports that households earning less than $50,000 a year plan to spend an average of $1,245. Households earning more than that plan to spend slightly less, at $1,129.In terms of regions, Visa discovered families in the Northeast are the biggest spenders, planning for an average of $1,528 in dance expenses. Families in the Midwest are planning to spend less than those of any other region in the country, and less than half of what Northeastern families spend, at $722.

domain: news


text:
Connect with top gaming leaders in Los Angeles at GamesBeat Summit 2023 this May 22-23. Register here.
The release of yet another personal robot reminds me that they’re coming: a fleet of emotionally aware robots synced with your totally connected home.
Companies and technologists have promised for years that there would come a day we’d get our very own Rosie. And last year saw the debut of a number of personal robots. Two of the most notable are Jibo and Softbank’s Pepper.
Pepper first appeared in June of last year. The white robot has a face shaped like an emoticon and is about as tall as your average second grader. It rolls around your house and basically hangs out with you, learning your habits, routines, and personality. Pepper operates on a cloud network with other Peppers, so they can all learn from each other’s interactions (just like in the movie Her!).
The robot is mostly intended to be a companion and it’s easy to see how Pepper might be a good gadget for an aging population. It’s also easy to imagine Pepper being used as a souped up baby monitor, although certainly not a babysitter. At last check Pepper is slated for general availability sometime this summer and will cost roughly $2,000. But aside from hanging out with you, Pepper doesn’t do a whole heck of a lot.
Jibo, on the other hand, is focused on both human interaction and managing a connected home network. Jibo’s creator, Cynthia Breazeal, designed Jibo with a developer platform so its functionality could grow over time, like a tablet. The potential there is endless. Jibo could turn on your lights when you come home, read you recipes while you’re cooking, remotely turn the heat down when you’re not home — you get the picture. Breazeal first unveiled Jibo last July on Indiegogo. She was aiming for $100,000 in crowdfunding but walked away with over $2.2 million.
Jibo won’t be available to consumers in 2015, but developers who opted for the kit during the Indiegogo campaign will be able to start fiddling with the robot in September. Consumer units will ship in 2016.
There are also a few brand new contenders. Robotbase unveiled its emotionally intelligent robot at the Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas as a kick-off to its Kickstarter campaign. The Artificial Intelligence Personal Robot is similar to Jibo in some ways. It can read to kids, host video chats, take pictures, recognize faces and objects, connect to smart home devices, and secure the home by roaming around and video taping everything. It’s also a emotionally responsive personal assistant, who can remind you of your appointments and calls. Already the company has amassed roughly $25,000, and early adopters can get the device for $995 for delivery in late 2015.
Another robot that showed up at CES is the Furo i-home, which is essentially an intelligent tablet mounted on wheels. This robot can take verbal instruction, link to connected home networks and devices, video monitor, and video chat.
It’s true that we’ve been seeing robots for years — everything from robots that clean our floors to telepresence robots — but it’s been a slow build to the moment where artificial intelligence is commercially available in a more mainstream context.
Sadly, we’ll have to wait just a little bit longer for them to truly be in our homes. While these bots are slated to hit the market later this year, chances are we won’t really start seeing them in homes until 2016.
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Discover our Briefings.


text:
March 04, 2015 -- Financial Advisor Michael Dennis, also known as The People’s Advisor, takes the gloves off and spills his guts on what’s wrong with the industry and how he intends to change it.
March 04, 2015 -- Stage 1 Ventures Leads Investment to Drive Product Development and Commercialization
March 04, 2015 -- Due to its reputation for offering cutting edge lighting products online, coupled with superior customer satisfaction,...
March 04, 2015 -- Strategic acquisition to increase presence in domestic hosting market.
March 04, 2015 -- Complicated pricing structures kept many small businesses from starting to build a list of leads and customers. This problem is solved with RocketResponder's $20 flat fee monthly price.
March 04, 2015 -- The Leading Nootropics Brand Prides Itself On Providing Excellent Service
March 04, 2015 -- Digital audio streaming and monetization platform added to WideOrbit’s integrated product suite
March 04, 2015 -- Startup showcases “SIM-less” smartphone capable of downloading multiple virtual SIM cards over-the-air.
March 04, 2015 -- Open to the public, “The Indispensable Assistant” is an exhilarating one-day workshop that strengthens skills, improves productivity and increases enthusiasm in secretaries, assistants and support...
March 04, 2015 -- A new overlay plugin entitled FCPX Overlays Lens Dirt was released today from Pixel Film Studios for FCPX
March 04, 2015 -- New location is Host Virtual’s fourth in Asia and complements existing locations.
March 04, 2015 -- EjudTrt15 is a great example of how educational institutions are using the Infinite Monkeys drag and drop app maker tool to create incredible mobile apps for the iPhone, Android and HTML5 Smartphones.
March 04, 2015 -- The Creighton Group has recently released the second book of their “Tone-at-the-Bottom” series entitled, “Private Sector Praises: The New Tone-at-the-Bottom.” The new book compares and contrasts...
March 04, 2015 -- New web series takes viewers inside the entertainment industry to introduce their viewers to producers, actors, acting coaches and casting directors as they each share their knowledge on how to...
March 04, 2015 -- Bugatti VPN today launches its static, dynamic and dedicated VPNs with the goal of revolutionizing the Internet security industry with fast, affordable service. Prices start from $3.99 per month to...
March 04, 2015 -- Bird B Gone, the leader in bird deterrent products for commercial, industrial and residential applications, now offers its popular plastic (polycarbonate) bird spikes in seven different colors.
March 04, 2015 -- Sarder to discuss how new trends in technology will affect businesses and personal lives and how we can best utilize them.
March 04, 2015 -- The AvePoint Risk Intelligence System (ARIS) provides organizations with the tools to trust and verify privacy responses
March 04, 2015 -- A new poll by The Senior Citizens League had surprising results.
March 04, 2015 -- fuboTV has announced the launch of the beIN SPORTS English and Spanish language channels on it’s legal sports streaming platform in the United States.
March 04, 2015 -- The new, mobile friendly website of Shop N Save Mart the diamond tools supplier has recently gone live. In addition to a responsive web design and simple workflow, this improved website offers...
March 04, 2015 -- Yusen Logistics (Americas), a global third-party (3PL) logistics provider, has promoted Adriene Bailey to Chief Strategy Officer. She will have responsibility for the overall strategy of the...
March 04, 2015 -- A new plugin was announced today from Pixel Film Studios: the ProFont NoteBook Plugin for Final Cut Pro X
March 04, 2015 -- PenFed announces membership in Allpoint, America’s largest surcharge-free ATM network.
March 04, 2015 -- Sunrise Hitek is now extending reduced pricing on all iPad G5 cases in their üuber store...


text:
European online travel management platform, TravelPerk has launched FlexiPerk, a new product that gives business travellers unprecedented flexibility to cancel and get a refund on any booking – hotel, trains, airbnb, car, and flights (including bookings with LCCs) – at any time, for any reason. It says FlexiPerk is “the first part of our new push to bring innovation to the market, to give business travel products that are designed for travellers who deserve a better experience”.
Currently in beta, FlexiPerk has been trialled by Sumup, Picnic, and other customers, saving an average of 26% for each business versus the cost of flexible fares and last-minute cancellation fees., according to TravelPerk. It says the platform “brings a new level of disruption” to the pricing structure of an industry that is “still dominated by outdated solutions that make business travel unnecessarily expensive and painful for both traveller and company”.
Business travel plans can regularly change, but travel is traditionally anything but flexible and any flexibility comes at a price, generally a significant one at that. Most business travellers and employers have experienced this first-hand, and as a result have also experienced the stress and expense of unpredictable schedules.
TravelPerk’s own data shows that more than one fifth of business trips are subsequently postponed, rearranged, or cancelled. Currently, travel managers and buyers have to make the brave decision between expensive “flexi-fares” offered by corporate travel providers, which can on average cost almost two thirds more than standard fares, or risk losing bookings or navigating complex and time-consuming refund processes.
That is where TravelPerk sees FlexiPerk as the problem solving solution, making every booking refundable automatically and giving business travellers freedom with bookings, for a 10% booking premium.
After subscribing to FlexiPerk and selecting travellers (up to eight per booking), for a 10% fee on each trip, every element (up to eight) within that trip (flight, hotel, car, train) is eligible for a refund, making every booking made at least 90% refundable with just a single click, simply opening the app and tapping the cancel button. TravelPerk says its dedicated team will then ensure a refund in as little as seven days.
Like everything, there are some caveats. There are refund limits of EUR5,000 per passenger and EUR30,000 per trip, while presently changes mid-trip are not covered. TravelPerk says that everything is refundable up until two hours before departure and similarly, if you’ve not checked into your hotel, and it’s before 4pm on the first day of your stay, it’s refundable. But, if you’ve booked a return flight and have already taken the outward journey, the return journey is not refundable and if you’re three nights into a five night stay, the remaining two nights are not refundable.
“We believe that the launch of FlexiPerk is the biggest development in the business travel industry in more than a decade,” says Avi Meir, co-founder and CEO of TravelPerk.
“It marks a change in the status quo of business travel’s pricing structure – and is a key development in our long-term strategy, which is focused on not just playing catch up with the flexibility and convenience of consumer travel – but actually surpassing it,” he adds.


text:
A TransUnion study suggests Canadian debt loads grew at an average 4.5 per cent in the first quarter compared to a year-earlier, signalling appetite for debt is undiminished.
The credit bureau's analysis found that total debt per consumer, excluding mortgages, grew to $25,597 in the first quarter of 2011, up from $24,497 in the same quarter of 2010.
Increases were biggest in Quebec and Newfoundland & Labrador, with debt rising by 7.8 per cent in both provinces.
Consumer spending slowed during the first quarter, to just 0.1 per cent growth, leading some observers to believe they were focused on consolidating debt after borrowing heavily during the recession.
Consumers average credit card debt fell four per cent from the fourth quarter, when Canadian spending ramped up for the holiday shopping period. It was about the same compared to the first quarter of last year.
The analysis is based on anonymous credit files of all credit-active Canadians.


text:
FREE Event will be Virtual in 2020
MILWAUKEE, WI (July 9, 2020) – Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. and its Summerfest Tech supporters are excited to announce the details of the third annual Summerfest Tech. The event will now shift from in-person to a one-day virtual event on September 2, 2020 and will continue to be offered FREE of charge.
“Shifting Summerfest Tech to a virtual platform allows Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. to continue to be a resource for the region’s tech and business communities. It is our hope that participants leverage Summerfest Tech as a way to grow in the current climate, network with business contacts and enhance their opportunity for success,” said Don Smiley, President and CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.
Summerfest Tech will kick off at 8:00 a.m.with a keynote presentation from Mike Ellis, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer and Digital Officer, at Johnson Controls, discussing how to drive innovation forward to deliver unrealized customer value through the intersection of intelligent technology and human experience. Throughout the day there will be additional keynotes from Dell Technologies, discussing how to embrace diversity and inclusion in technology, from Data Holdings on securing data before, during, and after a crisis or pandemic, and from U.S. Cellular on 5G technology and the capabilities it enables for business, entrepreneurs, and communities.
Summerfest Tech will wrap up the day with a final keynote presentation from Rashaun Williams, a former investment banker turned venture capitalist focused on tech, consumer products & media companies. Rashaun co-founded Queensbridge Venture Partners with Nas and has over 130 investments in his portfolio and over 30 exits. Mr. Williams is currently a general partner in the MVP All-Star Fund which is a late-stage tech fund, and is currently working with members of the Green Bay Packers and Milwaukee Bucks. He will share his story as an African American moving through the ranks of Wall Street, becoming a venture capitalist, and the need for diversity in the venture capital and private equity industries.
New this year, Summerfest Tech will add breakout sessions in the morning and afternoon, exploring topics at a deeper level. The breakout sessions overviews are as follows:
- In partnership, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and Connected Systems Institute at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee will discuss elements of creating the workforce of the future. This creation accelerates the adoption of technology and innovation in our region, unleashing unlimited potential for transformative business model innovation across industries, particularly within advanced manufacturing.
- Marquette University will explore what it really takes to lead innovation, including the mindset and skills required to effectively lead innovation and how attendees can consider their own readiness to serve the world and others through innovation.
- For entrepreneurs, Wiplfi will be holding two workshop breakout sessions focused on growth modeling and strategic planning.
- MKE Tech Hub Coalition will cover non-traditional on-ramps into the tech field including dedicated coding camps, apprenticeships, or re-skilling opportunities.
- American Family Insurance will sponsor a panel discussion on the representation, challenges, and future opportunities for underrepresented communities of color within the tech industry.
Full programming details and FREE registration can be found at www.summerfest.com/tech
The afternoon programming for Summerfest Tech will also feature a pitch competition, produced by Startup Wisconsin and sponsored by Wipfli. “Wipfli is very proud to be sponsoring the Summerfest Tech 2020 pitch competition, now a virtual event,” said Girish Ramachandra, Technology Industry Leaders at Wipfli. “Technology innovation and digital transformation are more critical than ever before for businesses and communities across the board and Summerfest Tech is an excellent way to support our region’s startup ecosystem. We are confident that we will see strong competition from a diverse set of innovators and entrepreneurs.”
Startups who have raised less than $250,000 in funding or generated less than $500,000 in revenue will be eligible, and must operate in these areas:
- Future of Work
- Advanced Manufacturing
A variety of notable judges will determine four winners of the pitch competition who will each take home portions of a $20,000 cash prize, provided by Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). Applications will be accepted now through August 13th. For more information or to apply, please visit http://Pitch.startupwi.org.
Summerfest Tech is made possible with the support of Dell Technologies, Data Holdings, Johnson Controls, American Family Insurance, Marquette University, U.S. Cellular, Wipfli, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), Heartland Business Systems, and Godfrey & Kahn. Media support is provided by the Milwaukee Business Journal.
Additional community support comes from gener8tor, i.c.stars, MKE Tech Hub Coalition, Startup Wisconsin, Wisconsin Tech Association, and Young Enterprising Society (YES).
About Summerfest Tech
Summerfest Tech began in 2018 with the purpose of leveraging the Summerfest brand to showcase technology and provide a forum for attendees from the tech and business community to network, education, and celebrate the evolution of technology. Summerfest Tech champions the regional business community, while spotlighting Wisconsin’s growing reputation as a tech hub, highlighting the growth and opportunity in the region. Programming from local, regional, and national speakers, as well as a cash-prize pitch competition, brings the tech community together, connecting around relevant topics. Summerfest Tech will take place virtually on September 2nd, 2020. For more details, visit Summerfest.com/tech.


text:
It’s officially that time again: fashion’s biggest night of the year—the Met Gala—is just weeks away.
Always delivering the most show-stopping red carpet fashion, this year’s Met Gala will be a religious event—quite literally—as the theme of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s next Costume Institute exhibit is, “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.”
Yes, the 2018 Met Gala will be tackling the influence of Catholicism in fashion—which is sure to stir up some controversy on the red carpet.
Related Article: The Biggest Fashion Moments To Relive From 2017
The “Heavenly Bodies” exhibition has, however, received the official stamp of approval from the Vatican. In fact, along with over 150 designer pieces, the Costume Institute’s next big exhibit will also include 50 garments and accessories loaned from the Vatican. Other brands featured include Dolce & Gabbana and Versace, both of which have a history of using religious undertones in their designs, and more unexpected inclusions like Chanel and Valentino.
“We know it could be controversial for right wing or conservative Catholics and for liberal Catholics,” head curator Andrew Bolton told the New York Times. But, he clarified that the exhibit focuses “on a shared hypothesis about what we call the Catholic imagination and the way it has engaged artists and designers and shaped their approach to creativity, as opposed to any kind of theology or sociology.”
Though its unclear exactly how A-list attendees will navigate this year’s tricky theme on the red carpet, expect to see plenty of symbolic religious undertones and perhaps, even a few bold statements on religion. Rihanna, Amal Clooney and Donatella Versace will be co-hosting this year’s Met Gala—which already guarantees some pretty epic red carpet moments to come.
Related article: The 2018 Met Gala Theme Has Taken Everyone By Surprise
When it comes to dressing for Met Gala themes, Rihanna knows best. Last year, the singer won the red carpet in an avant-garde Rei Kawakubo-designed look that was also featured in the exhibition forBefore that, she stole the show at the 2015 “China Through The Looking Glass” theme in an incredibly ornate yellow gown by Chinese couturier Guo Pei.
Related article: The Theme for Next Year’s Met Gala Has Been Revealed
Despite consistently killing it on the Met Gala red carpet, this is the first time Rihanna will be co-hosting the event. This will also be Amal Clooney‘s first time hosting the event. Last year, Katy Perry and Pharrell Williams served as co-chairs for the Rei Kawakubo-themed Met Gala.
While a list of official celebrity attendees has yet to be confirmed, expect to see regular attendees including Sarah Jessica Parker, Madonna, Katy Perry, Kim Kardashian West (who’s currently cleansing for the occasion), Kendall Jenner, Gigi and Bella Hadid and hopefully a Beyoncé appearance.
The 2018 Met Gala will take place on May 7 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
This article originally appeared on Harper’s BAZAAR US.


text:
A meeting last week, shareholders approved a proposal for a renouncable rights issue of up to 44,801,079 new ordinary shares to existing holders, on the basis of two additional shares for every five held, and at a price of NZ$0.57 each. They also approved the allocation of up to 19.99 per cent of the ordinary shares to one or more strategic cornerstone shareholders, subject to provisions in the rules of the New Zealand Exchange, on which it is listed. The company has said it will use funds raised to obtain regulatory approval for the use of its probiotics in foods by the Food and Drug Administration - a step that will allow it to break out of supplements and into new product types. It will also look to increase its development capabilities, and commercialise "the next generation of BLIS probiotics". Probiotic bacteria make up a major area of interest for the nutraceutical food and supplements industry, and considerable research is taking place to explore their full potential for human health. BLIS' ingredients and finished products are aimed at the oral health market. But Dr barry Richardson, the company's CEO, said: "There is a growing body of international evidence suggesting a link between poor oral health and the increased risk of other diseases such as cardiovascular disease. "Since BLIS' technology platform is about the maintenance of oral health, throat and upper respiratory tract health, this is a reason why we could expect a reasonable proportion of revenue from research contracts in the coming year." BLIS current has a two-pronged strategy for its probiotic portfolio - the sales of retail brand products (presently only in New Zealand) and a global branded ingredient strategy. Last year it carved out a research deal with Nestle to investigate the use of its probiotics in infant formula products. This commercial arrangement is said to be going well, and Richard said the company is "well advanced with at least two other leading global brand manufacturers in very distinct and unrelated industries". In an effort to smooth its way into the international fray, BLIS is in the throes of negotiating a marketing agreement with DSM that would target sales in 2008, initially in nutrition and food-based applications. This differs from the R&D contract that was originally on the table between the two companies, but BLIS has said "it is anticipated that DSM and BLIS Technologies will later undertake a research contract to expand into other product applications [beyond nutrition and food-based]". Richardson explained that the company did not feel it could pursue the same retail product strategy in the rest of the world as it has done in New Zealand since, while it could scale up production to meet demand, marketing and distribution costs would be beyond its reach. Moreover, the technical nature of its products would mean BLIS would need to provide its customers with significant support - something that would prove hard without going through the expensive process of setting up its own premises in target markets. Thus, it opted to partner with a company that already has a strong arm in the ingredients sector, and with specialist distribution and marketing to boot, that would facilitate access to top brands in its target sectors. BLIS said it already has the following products on the launch-pad in international markets:
A launch of products in the Irish market in 2008. BLIS has gained regulatory approvals in both Ireland and Germany, which it expects will ease its way towards roll-out across the EU.
Test marketing for BLIS K12 lozenges in China before the end of the fiscal year. This will take place at the sale time as regulatory approval is completed.
Early stage but optimistic discussions with a Korean pharmaceutical company. Business partnerships are also being sought in Japan and Taiwan. In the full year to March 31 2007 BLIS reported a loss of NZ$1.108m loss, compared to a loss of $1.336 m for the previous year. The loss reduction was attributed to a reduction in costs, as well as an increase in revenue of 12 per cent to $471,000. Research grant income also increased slightly, to $75,000. The company's priority stated in its 2006 report is to achieve profitability.


text:
- Costco Wholesale Corp. has revised its animal welfare policy to restrict animal antibiotics to therapeutic use under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian. The warehouse club retailer also said by or before December 2020, it would assess the feasibility of eliminating the routine use of medically important antibiotics for prevention of disease among supplier farms.
- The updated policy will extend to Costco's $300 million Lincoln Premium Poultry plant under construction in Fremont, Nebraska, which is slated for completion in September 2019. According to Meat + Poultry, this will be the first time a retailer has assumed risks associated with meat production from farm to fork.
- The policy revision follows a Costco shareholder resolution filed this past summer by As You Sow, a California-based non-profit foundation. "We are particularly encouraged by the company’s plans to create mechanisms through which they will be able to verify supplier compliance with their antibiotics policy," Christy Spees, the group's environmental health program manager, said in a release. "This is a significant undertaking, and one that we hope will cause a ripple of change in the meat industry and set a standard for other retail chains."
By updating its animal antibiotics policy, Costco appears to be responding to a number of external pressures. The company posted a lengthy explanation of the financial and other risk factors it views as inherent to the issue.
"The failure to provide adequately for the welfare of animals throughout Costco’s supply chain could have significant adverse effects on the business and operations of the company and its investors," the company stated.
As You Sow had previously filed a shareholder resolution asking Costco to phase out the use of medically important antibiotics. The resolution claimed that the company had pledged to do so in 2015 for chicken, but had not given a timeline, update or announced antibiotics policies for beef and pork. That isn't the kind of publicity a well-known retailer in the competitive grocery industry relishes.
As You Sow has also introduced antibiotics-related shareholder resolutions to investors of McDonald's Corp., Yum Brands and Sanderson Farms. And it has forced companies to make changes. Sanderson Farms, a vocal pro-antibiotics poultry producer, announced Nov. 30 that it would stop using two antibiotics considered medically important for humans in disease prevention by March 1 of next year.
Costco has a lot to lose if it doesn't respond to consumer and investor pressure and adapt its policies to current trends. The public health implications alone could be alarming to consumers. The World Health Organization said the overuse of medically necessary antibiotics in animal agriculture has led to antibiotic-resistant bacteria that could cause 10 million deaths annually by 2050.
Then there are also the business reasons. Costco recently decided to bring poultry production in-house, and the retailer sold about 87 million rotisserie chickens last year. It has kept them at a price of $4.99 since 2009. The Nebraska facility now under construction is expected to process 2 million chickens per week, which could considerably enhance Costco's private-label stocks and its supply of the popular item — especially if the chickens are marketed as not being given antibiotics for growth promotion or feed efficiency.
Other retailers have paved the way to make such changes. Whole Foods was an early adopter of a no-antibiotics-ever pledge. A.C. Gallo, the retailer's president and COO, stated in 2012 that the company's suppliers of beef, pork and poultry adhered to its standard of using no antibiotics, growth hormones or animal byproducts in feed.
Since Amazon bought Whole Foods last year, other poultry producers that sell products to the retailer have aligned their antibiotics use and other production policies to comply with Whole Foods standards, according to Bloomberg. In 2017, Giant Food, part of Ahold Delhaize, debuted a private-label pork brand with no antibiotics, joining the antibiotic-free and growth hormone-free turkeys it introduced the previous year.
Retailers also have a big incentive to shift to antibiotic-free meat since Nielsen figures show sales have significantly exceeded those of conventionally raised meat. While the store price may be higher, consumers are not only demanding it, but have been willing to pay more for it, showing Costco and others that following the trend can be a wise and lucrative move.
Correction: In a previous version of this article, Perdue's antibiotics policy was mischaracterized. The company started converting to antibiotic free chicken in 2011, and eliminated antibiotics in 2016.


text:
Daisy Distribution is subsidising its EE 4G products in a bid to boost business take up of next generation mobile.
It is offering partners the Huawei e776 MiFi device to showcase how 4G works to customers. The distributor said it is offering to underwrite some of the costs and part of the airtime. The partner will also receive half of the device's trade cost back.It is also helping to fuel EE's attempts to switch customers from rival networks by paying partners an advance of £110, with an extra £200 connection bonus coming for new customers.
Julien Parven, marketing director at Daisy Distribution, said: 'We are witnessing exponential growth in our EE numbers as it becomes more and more established. However, with greater understanding of the offering and its strengths, we believe the take-up of 4G could see a considerate rise.
'With this new offer, we are hoping to stimulate sales for our 4G products and give our partners an incentive to sell the MiFi device and its capability. By providing an affordable demonstration device, our partners have an opportunity to show their customers, first-hand, that 4G speeds can be up to four times faster than that of a standard fibre optic broadband solution.'
Author: Graeme Neill


text:
If the price madness in Zimbabwe continues, it could spell a disaster for rural communities as they lack financial intelligence, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) spokesperson Obert Masaraure tells The Africa Report.
“People in rural areas survive on savings from farming produce. With the continuous ZWL devaluation, the rural community will be rendered impoverished,” says Masaraure.
“Rural communities are unable to make informed decisions to hedge their savings from the marauding inflation, which leaves them more vulnerable. They are not informed about the value of the ZWL against the greenback and some are selling wares at a loss,” he adds.
Alarming prices & food handout bribes
Food prices have soared ahead of the 23 August elections and the Zimbabwe currency (ZWL) has alarmingly lost value in a short space of time.
As of 14 June, the official exchange rate was ZWL$5,978 to the greenback, while the dollar is trading at ZWL$10,000 in the parallel, informal market. Bread prices have shockingly risen from ZWL$1 800 in April to between ZWL$8,000 and ZWL$12,000 per loaf.
There are fears that with the current food inflation in Zimbabwe, rural voters and other vulnerable people might be manipulated through food handouts by political parties.
Khuthala Fuyane from Filabusi, Matabeleland South province, says villagers are at their most vulnerable state due to hunger and the astronomical price of basic food.
“It will be easy for the ruling Zanu-PF party to buy votes through food handouts. It has happened in past elections,” Fuyane tells The Africa Report.
A Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET) June 2023 to September 2023 report showed that most parts of Zimbabwe will remain stressed in terms of food security. The latest Action Against Hunger report states that 7.7 million Zimbabweans face hunger due to lingering high food prices.
Shamiso Shiri from rural Mutoko, in Mashonaland East, tells The Africa Report that they are struggling to make ends meet, and almost all shops in the small town are demanding US dollars.
“Those that accept local currency often claim that they are experiencing connectivity problems to frustrate customers so that they end up buying in US dollars. As rural people, we survive on farming, but we still need to purchase food products like cooking oil, sugar and salt. We also need to pay for transport costs but everything is suddenly priced in US dollars as we head to elections,” she says.
Shiri says the prices are higher than those in urban areas. In Mutoko, a 2-litre bottle of cooking oil which costs $3.60 in urban areas is $4 in rural areas; while a 2kg packet of sugar which costs $2.40 in urban areas costs $3 in rural areas.
Elections are usually bad times for rural people
“To get US dollars, peasant farmers from Mutoko travel to Harare to sell tomatoes and groundnuts,” she says, referring to the capital, 145km away.
In rural Mahuwe, in the Mbire district in Mashonaland Central province, Priscilla Chuma says prices are pegged at the rate of ZWL$10,000 to the greenback, which makes basic commodities unaffordable for rural people.
“We hope that prices will stabilise soon. Elections are usually bad times for rural people,” Chuma says.
Surviving from diaspora help
Tumisang Ndlovu from rural Mphoengs, Plumtree, bordering Botswana, tells The Africa Report that villagers have been surviving through remittances from relatives who work on farms in Botswana.
“Most villagers do not use the free-falling ZWL. It is worthless and shops are not accepting it. We get money to live from relatives doing piece jobs at farms in Botswana. Shops here prefer the Botswana Pula to the ZWL. We feel that the Zanu-PF led government has failed us,” Ndlovu said.
In Matobo village, Matabeleland province, Samukeliso Siziba says the South African rand is the widely used currency.
“Families depend on remittances from relatives who work in South Africa. Almost every family in Matobo has a relative who works in South Africa,” says Siziba, adding that businesses prefer the rand, and sell wares ordered from South Africa.
“Villagers with local currency have to change it into rand or US dollars to purchase goods,” Siziba says.
No solutions yet
Despite enjoying rural support, Mnangagwa’s government is yet to find solutions to the pricing and currency crisis to ease problems encountered by people.
The president continues to blame businesses for sabotaging the ruling party ahead of polls.
On 13 June during the 369th Zanu-PF party extraordinary session of the politburo, Mnangagwa, again, described the price hikes as an attack on his government to ensure that he loses the 23 August polls.
“As we focus on the elections, the usual machinations and heinous acts of our country’s detractors to reverse our development agenda are glaring. This is evidenced by their antics, which include the attack on our currency and wanton increases in prices of basic commodities,” he said.
“They will never succeed and the perpetrators are being brought to book. Just upon my announcement of proclamation of elections – two days later, we were under attack,” Mnangagwa said.
Highest world inflation
National Consumer Rights Association (NACORA) spokesperson Effie Ncube says only the rich one percent of Zimbabweans is not affected by the price hikes and inflation.
“One’s political affiliation and whether residing in urban or rural areas does not matter now. Like urban consumers, rural consumers also have to buy cooking oil, washing powder, bread, meat and other basic commodities. Rural people do not have separate manufacturing industries, and they are now feeling the economic hardships,” Ncube says.
Zimbabwe has once again entered the inglorious world of hyperinflation.
Two months before the polls, inflation is now at record alarming levels, and internationally renowned John Hopkins University economist Steve Hanke now places Zimbabwe’s annual inflation rate at 1220%. Hanke says it is the highest in the world.
“Zimbabwe has once again entered the inglorious world of hyperinflation. It’s the third episode experienced by Zimbabwe in the past 15 years, and the 66th episode in the Hanke-Krus world hyperinflation table,” Hanke tweeted on 12 June.
Hanke said Zimbabwe is heading towards ‘economic Armageddon’.
Public finance watchdog, the Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD,) in its economic review of 14 June warned that ahead of the harmonised elections, this could bring back bad memories of the 2008 record hyperinflation which wiped away people’s savings and investments.
“This coupled with a cocktail of measures announced by authorities almost weekly risks generating unpleasant market sentiment and panic that will fuel a second total collapse of the ZWL. If uncontrolled, these risks perturbing the economy will derail the government target of a 3.8% national output GDP growth … the electioneering pressures ahead of harmonised elections slated for August 2023 are expected to keep ZWL liquidity highly elevated.”
There's more to this story
Get unlimited access to our exclusive journalism and features today. Our award-winning team of correspondents and editors report from over 54 African countries, from Cape Town to Cairo, from Abidjan to Abuja to Addis Ababa. Africa. Unlocked.
Already a a subscriber Sign In


text:
One of the newest episode of “The Simpsons” louvered has simply louvered that includes Jim Parsons of Big Bang Theory showing as a visitant star to clarify cryptocurrencies and the way a blockchain works.
In the music and dance predicts cryptocurrency to be the thirster term cash, the animated ledger states: “Each day I’m nearer, to being the money of the thirster term. Not in your pockets, I’m in your pc!
At the top of Jim’s discuss, there’s a imperceptible substance on display screen. It extra explains how cryptocurrencies work, a part of which says:
“Using the phrase “cryptocurrency” repeatedly whereas shaping cryptocurrency makes it look like we now have a novice’s understanding of cryptocurrency. Well that may be a complete pile of cryptocurrency. In this method, guidelines are distinct for the creation of extra models of cryptocurrency. They could be generated by fiat like conventional foreign money or simply thrown round haphazardly or all given to LeBron.”
The crypto neighborhood welcomed the episode. Altcoin Daily account has commented:
Some feedback to the tweet extraly identified that the Simpsons has a fame for predicting the thirster term through the years. Ten years in the past it showcased Donald Trump because the president of the U.S., and extra not too lang syne guessed the Game of Thrones collection finale.


text:
Sony set to axe 10'000 jobs
Following a pretty substantial loss at the end of last year ($2.1 Billion) - Sony have announced they'll be cutting 10'000 jobs worldwide (about 6% of their workforce).
The Billboard report points out that the news has yet to be officially confirmed, though it's expected to be announced this Thursday.
It won't effect the music side of the company (Columbia, Epic etc).
Sony have confirmed the news - "implementing a rapid decision-making approach that draws on the strengths of the entire Sony Group as 'One Sony'."
- Key initiatives to transform the electronics business are:
- 1. Strengthening core businesses (Digital Imaging, Game, Mobile)
- 2. Turning around the television business
- 3. Expanding business in emerging markets
- 4. Creating new businesses and accelerating innovation
- 5. Realigning the business portfolio and optimizing resources


text:
April 8, 1983: John Sculley, former president of PepsiCo, takes charge as Apple’s third CEO.
Despite a total lack of experience selling tech products, Sculley is lured to Apple by Steve Jobs himself. The Apple co-founder famously pitched the Pepsi exec with the line, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?”
John Sculley, Apple’s third CEO
Sculley had just turned 44 years old when he took over as Apple CEO from Mike Markkula, who had been running the company since 1981.
To persuade Sculley to leave his $500,000-a-year job at Pepsi, Apple agreed to pay him $1 million per year, half as salary and half as a bonus. Sculley additionally received a $1 million signing bonus, a $1 million golden parachute clause in his contract, 350,000 AAPL shares, and money to buy a house in California equivalent to his Connecticut home.
John Sculley and Steve Jobs have a plan for Apple
The plan was that Sculley and Jobs, who was then Apple’s chairman, would run the company as near-equals. Jobs would work on the software end. And Sculley would use his marketing expertise to grow Apple even larger.
Apple’s board of directors hoped Sculley would help Apple compete against IBM, which launched its IBM Personal Computer two years before.
John Sculley at Pepsi
While at Pepsi, Sculley took the fight to competing soda company Coca-Cola with innovative marketing strategies like the Pepsi Challenge. He also worked to transform Pepsi into a lifestyle brand with the Pepsi Generation ad campaign.
Sculley officially started work at Apple in May 1983, a month after Cupertino named him CEO.
Steve Jobs loses to John Sculley in Apple power struggle
Ultimately, Sculley and Jobs ran into problems working together. After an internal struggle, Sculley convinced Apple’s board of directors to strip Jobs of his operating power within the company.
Were you an Apple fan in 1983? What do you remember about Sculley’s reign as Apple’s chief executive? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.


text:
CVS fined $535,000 for filling fake opioid prescriptions in Rhode Island
Several stores in the Ocean State have been accused of violating the federal Controlled Substances Act by prescribing 39 prescriptions for Percocet, which is a Schedule II narcotic.
“The settlement caps an investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island and the DEA Office of Diversion Control of CVS’ conduct at several of its Rhode Island retail pharmacy locations in filling prescriptions for controlled substances with a high potential for abuse,” according to a press release.
The press release noted that “substances such as painkillers and opioids can only be prescribed for legitimate medical purposes by a physician” in accordance with the Controlled Substances Act. But the law also places a “corresponding responsibility” on the pharmacist filling the prescription to ensure that the prescription is valid and legal, the release noted.
Weisman, along with Drug Enforcement Administration’s Special Agent Brian D. Boyle, said pharmacists should have known the prescriptions were not valid or legal. ■


text:
An evolving Roanoke-area economy attracts new retail players
- September 1, 2008
by Michelle Baron Long
Take a stroll down South Main Street in Blacksburg, and it’s hard not to notice the changes. Abandoned mom-and-pop storefronts are making way for new development. Next month brings the opening of one of the biggest new retail projects in years: First & Main, a $40 million, mixed-use lifestyle center. If all goes as planned, it will throw open its doors on Oct. 4.
In the first phase of what could eventually be as much as 335,000-square-feet of new retail space, patrons will be able to shop at such upscale boutiques such as Jos. A. Bank and Talbots. Also on the
tenant roster is Coldwater Creek, a national retailer of women’s clothes, making its first appearance in the Roanoke/New River Valley region. Besides shopping, people can catch a movie or grab a bite to eat at Bull & Bones Brewhaus & Grill.
The plaza-style, outdoor center is the baby of Cleveland-based Fairmount Properties. It’s one example of how the Roanoke region’s evolving economy — from a railroad/manufacturing center to a research-driven technology corridor — is drawing new retail players and other amenities.
On Nov. 8, the region celebrates the opening of the Taubman Museum of Art in downtown Roanoke. Its soaring, unconventional architecture and expanded space for collections is expected to boost the Star City’s cultural profile, drawing out-of-town visitors. Plus, construction begins this fall on the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, described by local real estate executive Edwin C. Hall as “the most exciting thing that’s happening in this community for the next two to three years.” The joint venture between Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech will be part of a $195 million technology park in downtown Roanoke.
Virginia Tech a major anchor
Meanwhile, back in Blacksburg, Tech plans to begin building a second million-square-foot facility at the university’s corporate research center. The presence of Virginia Tech — one of the country’s top research universities — is viewed as a hugely important anchor by Fairmont, which considers college and university campuses economic catalysts.
In fact, Fairmont sees a region underserved in terms of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues. Ask why the company is investing in Blacksburg — a college town of 40,000 residents — and Fairmont principal Randy Ruttenburg makes this case: “First and foremost are the millions of dollars each year that Blacksburg shoppers are taking to places like Roanoke, Charlotte and Richmond to purchase better quality goods.” Plus, he adds, research shows significant increases in catalog orders from the area to retailers that typically participate in a Fairmont project.
The company’s demographic research shows that Tech’s growing technology industry is driving up salaries and giving shoppers the discretionary income to support a lifestyle center. For instance, within 20 minutes drive time of First and Main, Fairmont identified more than 100,000 esidents who aren’t Virginia Tech students. These year-round, mostly family households have average incomes ranging from $63,322 to $72,445.
Throw in the company’s figures of $42 million in estimated annual student spending (for things other than tuition, room, board and school supplies) and $18 million by non-student Hokie football fans who attend the games in droves, and you understand why Fairmont continued with the project at a time when other lifestyle centers are on hold because of the slow economy.
The center, located off U.S. Route 460, is viewed as a welcome addition by the Blacksburg Partnership. Formed in 2003, the public-private economic development group has focused on getting more retail. “We didn’t have a lot of retail here that would keep residents local,” says President Diane Akers. “We’re trying to complement what’s already here by recruiting additional upscale and specialty retail.”
The group is pleased with the outcome of First & Main. However, the project has drawn opposition. In the second phase, the developer plans to bring in a big-box retailer, yet to be named, although rumored to be a Wal-Mart. “Some people are concerned about the size of that development, that it is next to a school and the impact it would have on other retail,” says Akers.
Catering to Hokie fans
Not far from First and Main a local developer plans luxury hotel condominiums to serve wealthy Hokie sports fans. The Colosseum, a six-story, $80 million development, has been designed to offer 241 units. They would range in price from $189,000 for a one-bath, 335-square-foot unit for two people to $750,000 for a 1,656-square-foot, three-bath, penthouse suite designed for as many as eight.
Developer Mark Kinser, president of Unlimited Construction Inc. in Radford, says he has secured construction financing and plans to break ground on the substructure next month, pending approval from a state board that regulates condominium development.
With the economy slowed by the housing downturn and increased fuel prices, the Roanoke region has seen the same sluggish job growth over the past year as other Virginia regions. The region’s job market was stagnant overall and is expected to be that way this year, too, with growth of less than 1 percent, according to projections from Chmura Economics & Analytics in Richmond. While the region lost jobs in seven of 12 categories in 2007, including manufacturing and business and professional services, it saw a 4.6 percent gain in education and health jobs, largely because of expansions by Carilion Clinic as it prepares to move to its new medical school model.
So, it’s not as if a new store is popping up on every corner. However, economic development officials report plenty of interest and visits to the region by new potential corporate players, which bodes well for future retail development.
Some visitors check out the research facilities at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center (CRC). The small businesses spawned there are long-term economic drivers for the region, say area leaders. Engineering and technology companies such as SAIC, AVID and G3 Systems Inc. are just a few of the high-tech success stories that came out of the center’s first phase. Center President Joe Meredith says the first million square feet of corporate research space led to the creation of 3,000 jobs. He expects the 23 buildings in phase two to attract even more businesses with high-salaried employees.
Other retail developments
Private company in Roanoke helps companies monitor and manage energy costs
If shoppers can’t find what they want at Blacksburg’s new lifestyles center, they may find it just down the road in neighboring Christiansburg. A $9 million expansion at the New River Valley Mall added
more than a dozen movie theaters, large retailers such as Dick’s Sporting Goods and new restaurants.
Farther down the road in Roanoke is 310 Rosemont, a high-end men’s and women’s clothing boutique located on the City Market. The shop is built around the concept of a “denim bar” where customers can shop for a wide assortment of jeans while sipping freshly brewed Starbucks coffee. Another specialty shop in Roanoke is Chocolate Paper. Catering to the discriminating chocolate aficionado, it offers chocolate from all over the world and plans to open a second Roanoke store in September.
Much of the retail growth in the Roanoke region comes from smaller shops as opposed to large niche market retailers such as Gander Mountain, which opened a store in Roanoke County in May. “The success of the small shops will help us prove that there is a market in Roanoke for the larger shops,” says Roger Elkin, vice president of operations for Hall Associates Inc., a commercial real estate firm in Roanoke.
Growing the economy is the focus of many area leaders. The crux of the issue for retail, says Hall, president for Hall Associates, is changing the demographics of the household income. While Blacksburg’s figures come in pretty high, Roanoke’s 91,500 residents have a median family income of $49,283. That’s 10 percent below the median household income for Virginia, which stood at $55,500 in 2006.
Yet, Hall takes solace in the city’s recent developments. “The new medical complex and clinic, the new art museum and other things will start to change the type of shopping, restaurants and entertainment that this community will want, support and desire. But it is not an overnight thing.”
Looking forward, he predicts the new medical clinic and school will be a big economic driver. “It’s not like the headquarters of a bank or a railroad,” notes Hall. “Those types of things can move. You don’t move your health-care facility, because that’s where your people are.”
Carilion Clinic is Roanoke’s largest employer, providing 11,500 jobs and a $632 million payroll. The $58.5 million medical research-based MD program plans to admit its first 40 students in 2010. The school will be part of Riverside Center, a 75-acre technology park that will also include Carilion Biomedical Institute (CBI), a 100,000- square-foot office and laboratory facility and Carilion Clinic, a $70 million, 250,000-square-foot building.
Overall, Hall says Roanoke is “looking and acting more like a cosmopolitan area.”


text:
Under $20,000 Large Cars Courtesy of Volvo The Volvo S80 (2007 or newer) is one of the IIHS’s top choices for teens in the ‘large cars’ category of used vehicles.
The new list reflects recent safety improvements that have trickled down to lower-cost used cars, SUVs, minivans and pickups.
Before we get to the list, here are a few IIHS tips to consider when buying cars for teens:Parents should seek vehicles with the best crash-test ratings they can afford.
Now imagine buying that used car for a teenage child with a new license.
Sometimes it makes sense for young people to have their own vehicles instead of borrowing Mom’s keys several times a day.
as informed in “People are not going to know until it’s too late that they have a defective Takata air bag,” he said.
Honda said that before the Phoenix wreck, the previous owners had the air bag inflator replaced twice under recalls.
Karina Dorado was badly injured by an exploding Takata air bag inflator in a minor crash in her 2002 Honda Accord.
Unlike most other air bag makers, Takata used the chemical ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate the bags in a crash.
Honda spokesman Chris Martin said the air bag in the 2001 Accord must have been removed by a salvage yard, or perhaps stolen.
The connected car service will launched last summer
Motoring expert and TV presenter Mike Brewer has become a brand ambassador for Smartdriverclub, which he described as a ‘genius idea’, giving used car drivers the connectivity that enables all the services that are becoming standard in new cars.
Smartdriverclub, the connected car service which launched last summer by entrepreneur Penny Searles from her offices in Southampton and now being rolled out across used car dealer networks across the UK and direct to motorists, aims to give motorists more control over their motoring costs.
This, along with a whole range of other cost saving services including competitive insurance for safe drivers, can be viewed and managed on a smartphone app or online via a secure online portal.
Smartdriverclub works through a plug in device under the dashboard that connects the car to Smartdriverclub and gets it talking to identify emerging technical faults, show if the driver’s been in accident so that emergency services can be contacted, track the car if it’s been stolen, find the car if it’s broken down.


text:
Amazon Prime Day 2018 is here and you can save big on popular health items, including smartwatches, home gym machines, and yoga mats.
All products and services featured here are chosen for their potential to inspire and enable your wellness. Everyday Health may earn an affiliate commission on items you purchase.
Looking to save big on health and wellness products before Black Friday? Amazon Prime Day 2018, a major shopping event for Prime Members, is starting today. Prime Day 2018 can be a great opportunity for you to buy new wearable devices, running sneakers, or vitamin supplements at discounted prices. Bookmark this page to score major deals on your favorite wellness essentials as we update hot deals from 12 PM PT/3 PM ET today to 8:59 PM PT/11:59 PM ET tomorrow.
In celebration of its 20th birthday, Amazon launched Prime Day on July 15, 2015, a one-day shopping event held exclusively for its Prime members in Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the U.S., and the U.K. Starting at midnight, global Prime members had access to many Lightning Deals, seven major Deals of the Day, and unlimited shipping on Amazon items, including health products. Even though shopping on Prime Day can be hectic, Amazon has offered big discounts on hot-ticket items, including Bose headphones and Kindles, for its Prime community.
Prime Day, starts today at 12PM PT/3PM ET and ends tomorrow at 8:59PM PT/11:59 PM ET.
From today to tomorrow, Prime members can visit Amazon’s website to search the latest Lightning Deals, seven major Deals of the Day, and other promotions on thousands of products. Lightning Deals come in limited quantities and are only available for a short time. Some Lightning Deals can even sell out in minutes, since most are for popular items, including electronics and fitness gear. For Deals of the Day, select hot-ticket items are discounted for one day only. If you are a Prime member, simply sign into your Amazon Prime account to begin shopping. On Amazon’s landing page, Prime members can search Prime Day 2018 deals by department. Starting today at 12 PM PT/3 PM ET, we will post frequent updates for deals in the following categories: Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Healthy Living, and Skin & Beauty.
Since Prime Day 2018 is only available for Prime members, you will have to sign up for a Prime Membership beforehand. Amazon is offering a free 30-day trial to new Prime members, with the option to select from two plans: Prime Annual for $119 per year or Prime Monthly for $12.99 per month. Once you have a Prime Membership, you are eligible to participate in Prime Day 2018 festivities and have access to many health, fitness, and wellness promotions at your fingertips.


text:
Reebok has chosen 81-year-old Wang Deshun, aka "China's Hottest Grandpa," to be the face of their new "Be More Human" campaign.
Formerly an actor, the octogenarian's modeling career first kicked off when pictures of him walking shirtless during Beijing Fashion Week in 2015 took off. He has since appeared in GQ to discuss his newfound fitness regime, and will be joining the likes of Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar as a spokesperson for Reebok.
The sportswear brand chose Wang for his athleticism, drive, and, possibly, his potential for meme-hood.
In a statement to WWD, Reebok said, "Only seriously getting into fitness at the age of 70, Wang's example has helped reshape China's views on aging and shown (that) you're never too old to pursue your goals."
Peep the campaign film below:
Splash image via Reebok


text:
EU Antitrust Chief Promises to Actively Pursue Google on Multiple Fronts
In a wide-ranging interview with The Wall Street Journal, European Union Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager pledged to actively pursue multiple antitrust investigations against Google and its parent company, Alphabet.
Ms. Vestager’s European Commission formally charged Google with antitrust abuses in April, noting that the company artificially doctors its search results to favor its own shopping services over those of niche or vertical market competitors. The firm also abused its unique insight into what people are searching for by quickly ramping up its own offerings to compete with EU-based services.
While Google has publicly protested the search charges, citing the growing market and ready availability of other shopping services, it will need to settle this clear-cut case—and in doing so, make changes to its business practices. Otherwise it will face massive fines and compulsory changes over which it has no say.
Worse, shopping services are only the tip of the iceberg for Google in the EU.
“The Google case is about misuse of a dominant position, to promote yourself in a neighboring market not on your merits but because you can,” she said. But “I do not think of it as one Google case but literally as different investigations and different cases.”
“We [will] eventually look at maps and travel and a number of other related services, because the complaints sort of tell the same story,” Ms. Vestager told The Wall Street Journal. “People feel or experience that they are either being demoted, or Google preferences its own services … there will be insights that will probably also be valid when it comes to other neighboring markets.”
Vestager has also opened an antitrust investigation into Google’s Android business, which she says is a “high priority.” There, the charges closely align with Microsoft’s antitrust issues in the past: Google is forcing partners and customers to use Google apps and services because they use Google’s mobile OS. This is illegal because Android is a monopoly in the EU. (Though not in the US, as I wrote in Will The FTC Formally Charge Google with Antitrust Violations?)
Vestager is also separately investigating Google’s advertising business, where Google is accused of screen scraping, “which is very much related to copyright issues.” That is, Google is scraping others’ web content and presenting it on its own web sites, accompanied by advertising. Furthermore, Google prevents advertisers from using rival ad systems. As with search and mobile, Google owns a monopoly in web advertising.
Some have painted the EU’s pursuit of Google and other US technology giants as a some sort of xenophobic paranoia. But Google’s business practices warrant examination, and since the firm is literally the gateway to the Internet for some many people—thanks to its dominant positions in search, mobile, and web advertising—it can and should be given outsized attention.
More important, Vestager’s European Commission isn’t overly-focused on US technology firms. She has renewed hotly-debated charges against Russia’s OAO Gazprom, a massive energy company, and is pursuing high-profile tax cases against European firms such as Fiat Chrysler, and has prevented the Danish telecom operators Telenor ASA and TeliaSonera from merging.
More in Cloud Computing
What is ClickUp?
Nov 28, 2022 | Sukesh Mudrakola
How to Install Google Drive for Desktop (Install & Set Up)
Nov 23, 2022 | Rabia Noureen
Amazon Announces $4.4B Investment in India with New AWS Region
Nov 22, 2022 | Rabia Noureen
Amazon Launches AWS Resource Explorer With Unified Search Capabilities
Nov 18, 2022 | Michael Otey
Microsoft Partners with Nvidia to Build Azure-Powered AI Supercomputer
Nov 16, 2022 | Rabia Noureen
AWS Launches New Cloud Region in Switzerland, Unveils 15-Year $5.9B Investment
Nov 11, 2022 | Rabia Noureen
Most popular on petri


text:
Proposed new legislation that would outlaw peer-to-peer networks and electronics devices that could be used for copyright piracy is causing a scare in the high technology manufacturing community.
Called the Induce Act, the proposed new legislation is backed by some of the biggest names on Capitol Hill. Sponsors are Judiciary Chairman Orrin Hatch, (R-Utah) and Sen. Patrick Leahy, (D-Vt.). Co-sponsors include Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, (R-Tenn.); Minority Leader Tom Daschle, (D-SD); Lindsey Graham, (R-SC); and Barbara Boxer, (D-Calif.).
Joining the legislators in supporting the bill is Marybeth Peters, the U.S. Register of Copyrights. She said the 1984 Supreme Court decision, known as the Betamax case, “should be replaced by a more flexible rule that is more meaningful in the technological age.” That 5-4 ruling said that VCRs were legal to sell because they were “capable of substantial non-infringing uses” — a legal shield that one federal court has extended to cover the Grokster and Morpheus file-swapping networks.
Critics of the The Induce Act said it could imperil products like Apple Computer’s iPod and other devices used by consumers for personal entertainment.
In an opinion article for The Wall Street Journal published last month, Les Vadasz, who retired last year as an Intel executive vice president, denounced the Induce Act as having a wealth of undesirable side effects. “The chilling effect that a law like this would have on innovation cannot be underestimated,” Vadasz said.
More than 40 trade associations and advocacy groups voiced similar sentiments. The Induce Act “would chill innovation and drive investment in technology” overseas, said the letter signed by CNET Networks, eBay, Google, Intel, MCI, Sun Microsystems, TiVo, Verizon and Yahoo.
“We would vigorously disagree that Congress ought to reconsider the Betamax decision,” said Markham Erickson, director of federal policy for NetCoalition. “We’re troubled by the Copyright Office’s suggestion that it’s no longer applicable in the digital era. In fact, we would suggest that the Betamax decision is one of the reasons why we had the explosion of the Internet, instant messaging and Web browsing products. The Betamax decision helped to foster this era of great products.”
Get the TV Tech Newsletter
The professional video industry's #1 source for news, trends and product and tech information. Sign up below.


text:
Almost 30 years ago, rock star and visionary David Bowie told us “to face the strange” in his hit song, “Changes.” Of course, while Bowie was, and is, known for his creative style and flair, one doubts he contemplated the explosion of social media and how it would change society, much less the dissemination of medical information.
Today, an estimated two-thirds of Americans go online to learn about diseases, disorders, and potential medical treatments.1 Drug promotion seems to be shifting more towards electronic promotion and away from print advertising. As the internet becomes a growing source of medical information, pharmaceutical and medical device companies are increasingly interested in using social media to interact with patients and healthcare professionals. The phrase “social media” has no universally accepted definition, but its core characteristic is interactive, user-generated internet content.
Despite its potential to deliver a promotional message to millions of people in a time-sensitive, cost-efficient manner, using social media creates many technological challenges that concern companies’ regulatory affairs and legal departments. For example, how should a YouTube video promoting a product communicate risks? How does a company provide safety information if the forum only allows for a limited number of characters? Are companies responsible for discussions about their products in chat rooms? Questions such as these, and these are only a few, perplex both industry and the FDA, but clear, formal guidelines about how to comply with the law while using social media have not emerged.
In response to industry requests, the FDA has promised to issue guidance on the use of social media, after failing years before to issue formal written counsel on internet promotion. Recently, the agency has suggested there might not be one all-encompassing guidance document, but several subject-specific guidances released. Yet questions remain. Will the FDA give with one hand and take with the other? And, even more simply, will the agency say anything it hasn’t said before?
The FDA has stated publicly that the same laws and regulations which apply to product promotion apply equally to online advertising and promotion. Recent enforcement actions by the agency give the industry more guidance than it might realise. The FDA is unlikely to issue step-by-step guidelines on how to use social media, but that doesn’t mean companies can’t look to the FDA’s existing rules and enforcement actions concerning online media for examples of what not to do. Current law and guidance give industry plenty of cues to follow, even without formal guidance on social media.
It is ill-advised, if not impossible, to predict with certainty the agency’s future thinking, but one can review what the FDA has done so far to read the regulatory tea leaves. Perhaps this will be a case of the more things change, the more they remain the same.
The FDA regulates all product labels, labelling, and prescription drug and restricted device advertisements. The Federal Trade Commission has primary authority to regulate over-the-counter drug advertising and non-restricted medical device advertising. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act defines “label” to mean “a display of written, printed, or graphic matter upon the immediate container of any article.”2 “Labelling” is defined to include labels and “other written, printed, or graphic matters (1) upon any article or any of its containers or wrappers, or (2) accompanying such article.”3 The statute does not specifically define “advertising,” but the FDA states that it can include advertisements in published journals, magazines, and newspapers, and broadcast media, such as radio and television.4 The FDA regulates promotions disseminated over the internet and through social media if it considers them product labelling, advertising, or both. Direct-to-consumer advertising is allowed in the US, and it is actively monitored and regulated by the FDA.
The two most typical promotional violations are “misbranding” and promoting an unapproved new drug by broadening the approved indication, ie, off-label promotion.5 Misbranding can occur, for example, when labelling is false or misleading, fails to provide adequate directions for use, or minimises or omits risk information or warnings.6 Drug advertisements must include, among other information, a brief summary of the drug’s side-effects and contraindications and strike a “fair balance” between the product’s benefits and its limitations.7 Fair balance means placing comparable emphasis on both risks and benefits.8 Striking this balance requires contextual balance (addressing facts in comparable scope, depth, and detail), as well as physical balance (creating similar prominence and readability through layout, typography, and contrast). In addition, companies must notify the FDA when they become aware of any adverse effects relating to their products.9
Firms must submit two copies of all labelling and advertising materials they plan to use to the FDA’s Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising, and Communications (DDMAC) on Form 2253 at the time of initial dissemination or publication.10
Enforcement directed at internet advertising and promotion, including social media, has increased in recent years. The most typical enforcement option used by DDMAC is the issuance of an Untitled Letter, sent to a Regulatory Affairs individual, or a Warning Letter, sent to the company CEO or President, both of which DDMAC posts on the FDA’s website.11 These letters inform companies of what the FDA perceives to be violative acts.
One of the earliest enforcement letters concerning social media was issued in 2008. It reviewed a celebrity testimonial posted on YouTube.12 The celebrity in the video claimed that the drug “literally changed my life” and implied that the product would “transform” patients’ lives and improve their “confidence.”13 The FDA noted that the drug company which marketed the product “acknowledged its involvement in the development and dissemination of the video,” and the video was posted on the product-specific webpage. Because the video cited no evidence in support of those broad claims, DDMAC found that the video overstated the efficacy of the product. It also noted that the video completely omitted any risk information, including common adverse events or precautions.14 This notice from DDMAC indicated that YouTube videos would not be treated differently from promotions.
On 2 April 2009, DDMAC issued 14 Untitled Letters to different companies after reviewing company-sponsored links that were displayed on search engines, such as Google. In one typical case, the link said “HIV/AIDS important info”, followed by “Learn more about your options. For both patients and physicians.” The last line of text contained the drug website URL. This very brief text did not communicate any risk information and, in its enforcement letter, DDMAC noted that the advertisement was incomplete and misleading, because it suggested that the drug was useful for a broader range of patients and conditions than evidence from clinical trials supported.15 Many of the product links were also misbranded, because they failed to provide risk information and did not communicate the drugs’ indications properly.16
In addition, many of the advertisements failed to include the drug’s full established name, as required.17 In a more recent DDMAC letter addressing an internet-based video, the division noted that the video used voiceovers and pictures to promote the advantages of a particular drug, but only communicated risks in small, rapidly-scrolling text at the end.18 DDMAC decided this format failed to provide the necessary fair balance.19 Similarly, in an Untitled Letter, dated 27 May 27 2010, DDMAC reviewed a promotional video posted on a drug website and found that it misbranded the product by minimising risks, overstating efficacy, and making unsubstantiated claims.20 DDMAC noted that the first four minutes and 15 seconds of the video did not convey any serious risks of the drug. Instead, the risks were presented at the end of the video, “following several cues suggesting the video has finished, where [the risk presentation] is unlikely to draw the viewer’s attention.”21 DDMAC found this format unacceptable for communicating risk information.22 DDMAC has also scrutinised company-sponsored websites that purport to provide only disease-state awareness information.23 In a Warning Letter dated 21 April 2010, two such sites were deemed product-specific promotional materials.24 Though neither website specifically referred to a particular drug product, the agency considered a combination of factors to conclude that the websites were false and misleading promotional materials. One website discussed the use of a certain type of treatment for a disease and, because the company’s drug was the only product approved to provide that type of treatment, DDMAC decided that the viewer could make the connection between the website and the drug. Moreover, both websites contained company logos, direct links to the specific product’s website, and “perceptual” similarities in design to the product website (eg, similar distinct orange color scheme, similar layouts, and other presentation elements).25
In addition to pointing out content-based problems with online promotion, letter after letter from DDMAC notes the manufacturers’ procedural failure to submit the required Form 2253 for promotional materials.26
Another enforcement letter, posted in August, took exception to a drug company’s use of a Facebook tool on a product website. Among the concerns noted, the FDA said the Facebook ‘share widget’ (a button that users can click on to generate companycreated information about its drug, which visitors can share with other Facebook users) presented misleading information. The shared content made representations about the drug but failed to communicate risk information. The FDA alleged the shared content inadequately communicated the approved indication and implied superiority over other products.27
Taken together, these enforcement letters provide a good idea of what companies should avoid when using social media to promote their products, even if the FDA does not describe the ideal social media promotion.
Issues, considerations and recommendations
In November 2009, the FDA held public hearings and accepted comments on the issue of internet and social media regulation.28 The FDA listened to concerns about communicating risk information and using links, in addition to questions about posting corrective information on the internet and managing adverse event reporting on social media platforms.29
Healthcare professionals and drug company representatives at the public hearings expressed the difficulties of meeting the same labelling standards on internet advertising as are applied to print communications. One specific question was whether a “one-click” rule might satisfy risk labelling requirements. Because internet advertisements lack space for more than a few lines of text, advertisers hoped that providing a link to risk information (making it one click away) would comply with regulations. However, the FDA’s position in the enforcement letters issued on 2 April 2009 suggest that a one-click rule will not suffice.30
Another issue raised during the public comment period concerned how to handle adverse events reporting. Companies are particularly concerned about their responsibility to investigate and report to the FDA when a consumer discloses an adverse reaction on a social media platform that the company does not control, where there are privacy issues, and where there might not be an identifiable individual reporter to contact for more information. The companies noted that monitoring costs could quickly escalate if they were deemed responsible for every comment about their products made on the internet. While the FDA engaged in some discussion, the agency did not offer any formal guidance.
One important question in evaluating whether to use social media promotion is whether a company wants to control the content of its communications, thereby subjecting itself to stricter regulation, or whether it is willing to give up control over its communications by delegating to third parties, such as providing unrestricted grants to patient advocacy sites. More control will likely lead to greater FDA oversight and regulation, while the converse is also true. Educational, non-promotional and non-product specific forums may allow companies to garner goodwill and associate themselves with a particular medical condition without assuming responsibility (and regulation) for content. Companies can also reduce their regulatory risk by providing grants and allowing third parties to run websites and social media platforms that involve disease-state discussions, thus relinquishing all control, rather than proactively promoting their own products. These methods of indirect and passive communication may help minimise FDA regulation, while still engaging potential customers. However, DDMAC’s investigation of the unbranded websites shows that using similar colour schemes or providing links to official drug websites could place purportedly neutral sites in jeopardy. If a company decides to co-sponsor or operate a diseasestate awareness website, it should consider making the site static, so that it only presents controlled (ie, company-reviewed and approved) statements and does not link to product-specific websites or allow visitors to post comments in real time.
Social media raises interesting questions of control for companies, especially in the area of adverse event reporting, because anyone could post an adverse event on a forum that the company does not sponsor or control. It seems more likely that the FDA will hold companies responsible for adverse events posted on a companycontrolled site than on a site independent of the product sponsor. Therefore, one approach might be for the company to set terms and conditions of using the company-controlled site. The site might clearly note that the provided forum is not intended for product complaints or adverse event reporting, and direct the viewer to a phone number, another company site, or both, for such communications. As one might set conditions on how a guest should act (or not act) when visiting a physical home, similarly, a company can do so with its internet home. This way, appropriate company personnel can handle such issues.
The scope of future guidance on social media is unknown. Industry may be disappointed if it expects black-and-white guidance on social media, an ever-evolving technology; the FDA simply cannot answer all of its questions about online advertising. As the Gin Blossoms sang in “Hey Jealousy”, “...and if you don’t expect too much from me, you might not be let down.” However, while the forum has changed, the laws have remained constant, while FDA enforcement offers some insight. Misbranding and promotion of unapproved new uses will continue to be prohibited, and industry should expect future guidance to support current regulatory policy.
The author would like to thank Ms Megan Poitevint, a third-year law student and summer associate at AGG, for her assistance.


text:
Consumer sentiment hits Fairfax ad revenuePUBLISHED: 10 Nov 2011 11:26:37 | UPDATED: 10 Nov 2011 11:39:52PRINT EDITION: 10 Nov 2011
Fairfax CEO Greg Hywood: “The company is facing an advertising market impacted by poor consumer sentiment.” Photo: Peter Rae
Weak consumer sentiment is continuing to depress media advertising markets, dragging down Fairfax Media’s revenue in recent months.
Addressing shareholders for the first time since he was appointed Fairfax’s managing director and chief executive in February, Greg Hywood told the media group’s annual meeting on Thursday morning that ad revenue had declined about 4 per cent in the first four months of 2011-12 compared with the previous corresponding period.
Ad revenue accounted for about 85 per cent of Fairfax’s total revenue of $2.47 billion in 2010-11.
“The company is facing an advertising market impacted by poor consumer sentiment,” Mr Hywood said.
“Events in Europe, volatile equity markets and weak real estate prices have Australians concerned for their longer-term wealth. This is reducing their willingness to spend, which in turn is hurting our clients and depressing the advertising market.
“In Australia and New Zealand, consumer confidence levels remain subdued with consequential impact on most advertising categories but particularly retail and residential real estate,” he said.
“Our digital businesses have delivered good growth and our US business is having another strong year.”
Mr Hywood said Fairfax, which includes The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review, was more advanced than any other media company in Australia – “perhaps globally” – in terms of making money from the delivery of its editorial content via digital media such as the internet, tablet devices and mobile phones.
“The people fixated on the end of print newspapers are the same people fixated on circulation numbers,” he said.
“All circulation does is count the number of people who buy a print edition. Today our business is about readership – and what drives it and who the readers are. And if you think readership sounds like people reading physical newspapers, think again.
“Our readers are looking at tablets, phones, screens as well as many still enjoying the touch and feel of print editions.”
Fairfax chairman Roger Corbett told shareholders more than 300,000 people had now downloaded the SMH and The Age iPad applications, which will be free until early next year.
Mr Corbett also revealed Fairfax director Michael Anderson would step down from the board “for a short period” to focus on his new role as executive chairman of Fairfax’s capital-city radio stations, including 3AW in Melbourne and 2UE in Sydney.
Fairfax sold its regional radio stations to Grant Broadcasters last month for an estimated $17 million. It then abandoned the sale of its capital-city stations after failing to receive an acceptable proposal.
The Australian Financial Review
|Companies||Fairfax Media Ltd|
|Topics||Company News /Earnings & Reporting , Media & Marketing /Publishing & Media , Media & Marketing /Radio|


text:
The online sports betting firm Betfair is expanding abroad. The London company, which recently sold 23% of its shares to the Japanese technology group Softbank, has secured licences to operate in Austria, Malta and Australia. The bookmaker, founded by Andrew Black and Edward Wray, allows punters to bet against each other while taking a commission on winnings. It has recently introduced new games such as poker, blackjack and baccarat. Sales have soared 82% a year from £32.3m in 2003 to £107m in 2005.
This profile reflects the company at time of publication and does not reflect any changes that may have subsequently occurred. Fast Track and its sponsors do not endorse, guarantee or recommend investment in any of the companies.


text:
WASHINGTON — Signs of the economic slowdown expected by Federal Reserve policymakers in the later half of the year should become evident soon, Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan said Thursday. If they don't, however, the Fed will be forced to revise its forecast.
Greenspan told the Senate Banking Committee in his semi-annual report to Congress, "There is a very legitimate concern at this particular point about where the economy is heading. I don't think anybody knows for sure."
Greenspan characterized the current period as "very crucial . . . for this particular business cycle. There is a legitimate question of exactly where is the economy going. Events as they evolve can go in two significantly different directions," he said.
While the Fed expects a slowdown linked to rising market interest rates, a slowdown in exports and a slowdown in consumer demand, there's a risk the economy could continue to expand at a pace that would lead to price instability, he said.
To guard against that risk, the Fed has "moved to a level of heightened surveillance of what's going on because the period ahead is a relatively important one that will tell us what is going to happen not only for the rest of 1996, but for 1997," he said.


text:
Biocon has said it plans to launch the world's first biosimilar version of Roche's breast cancer blockbuster Herceptin in India next month.
The biosimilar - called CANMAb (trastuzumab) - was jointly developed by Biocon and generics giant Mylan and has been approved for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, a form of the diseases which accounts for around a quarter of the 150,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in India every year.
Biocon said that while Herceptin has been available in India for years, a "lack of affordable treatment options has limited the extent of HER2 testing and it is believed that the proportion of HER2-positive patients is probably higher".
It has been suggested the company took the decision after it emerged it was facing compulsory licensing for Herceptin in India on the grounds of public need, a path which opened the door to generic competition to Bayer's cancer drug Nexavar last year.
Biocon estimates that the Indian market for Herceptin is tiny, accounting for only around $21m out of global turnover of $6.4bn in 2012.
Launch supplies of CANMAb are being manufactured at Biocon's biologics facility in Bangalore and the biosimilar will be available to patients around the first week of February 2014, according to the Indian company.
The new version of trastuzumab will be priced at around a 25 per cent discount to Herceptin, and the company is also making a low-dose (150mg) vial available at a cost of 19,500 rupees that "will allow extra savings to patients as they can buy smaller quantities as per their requirement."
Roche is also developing a biosimilar trastuzumab for the Indian market as part of a collaboration with Emcure Pharmaceuticals set up in 2012.


text:
It’s the beginning of the week and I’m writing about Netflix again. I promise my column won’t always be about Netflix, but the streamer has just been too interesting lately.
This week, I’m talking about Netflix’s recent announcement that the streamer will start incorporating advertisements into a lower-priced subscription tier to help come back from a rocky first half of the year, including subscriber losses, stock plunges and layoffs. In my last column, I wondered what steps the streamer would take to attempt to make a comeback, and it seems like advertising is one of their first moves.
I don’t know if this step is going to achieve much. Think about it — why do most streaming subscribers, well, subscribe? According to a Statista survey back in 2020, 28 percent of subscribers said that having no commercials was a main reason behind their decision to subscribe. That wasn’t the highest cited reason — expanded access to content was — but that’s still a high figure. And while it may not be the biggest reason people subscribe, I’d be willing to bet that it’s an important factor to almost every subscriber.
Now, Netflix isn’t the only streaming service to have a lower-priced, ad supported tier — HBO Max, Hulu and Peacock do as well — but the problem is that Netflix has never allowed advertisements before, while the others have from the very beginning of their service. And with “binge watching” content being a prime factor for many Netflix subscribers, would many viewers really be okay with the intrusion of ads? On top of that, I don’t know whether or not Netflix would gain any more subscribers from what they already have with this new ad-supported tier.
Perhaps they would. I stand fully prepared to be corrected. I just do not think that this is the right step for Netflix to take.
But at the same time, I suppose it couldn’t hurt — I mean, at least it’s an optional subscription tier rather than a mandatory inclusion of ads. Will Netflix really gain a lot from this business decision? The step seems more like an obligatory “we’ll-see-if-this-helps” type of decision rather than anything dramatically creative or impactful, almost an easy way out rather than a soul-searching shift in business practice.
We’ll see how things go for Netflix from here, and count on me to continue looking into their next moves.


text:
Tech Execs Face Questions on Immunity Law
The heads of Facebook, Twitter, and Google said changes to Section 230 could change how they moderate content.
Alphabet Discloses $15B in 2019 YouTube Ad Revenue
In its fourth-quarter report, Google's parent broke out results for YouTube and its cloud services business for the first time.
Alphabet’s Q2 Results Ease Growth Concerns
“We’re delivering strong growth," CFO Ruth Porat says after Google's parent reports a 19% increase in revenue to $38.9 billion.


text:
Warframe, the action role-playing third-person shooter, is getting a new update that takes the players to an infested planet. The developers of the game, Digital Extremes, released the first game of the series in March 2013 for Windows PC. Later on, it was ported to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in November 2013 and September 2014 respectively. In November 2018 it was ported to Nintendo Switch.
In Saturday’s presentation by TennoCon it was unveiled that the next big update of Warframe was set to debut across all platforms on 25th August 2020. Here’s all that you need to know about the update:-
New Player Experience
Some new players may initially find the game very intimidating. So, Digital Extremes added better tutorials and introduction to the world of Warframe. The Heart of Deimos will bring new player experience to live servers as well which will enable the players to go through much smoother instructions on how to control and play the game.
The new update will bring a new Warframe named Xaku. The community designed Xaku is a ‘broken’ Warframe. It has muscle-looking metal and plasma ropes giving it a very creepy design. After Xaku comes the Alchemist – a mad scientist with detachable arms. This sleek reaper character was designed by the community artist two years ago.
New Open-World Zone
Heart of Deimos unlocks the second moon of Mars, Deimos. It shelters a plethora of hidden technology and was once a research site into the Void. However, Deimos is infested with thick rot and murder. Also, the players have to ensure that the Heart of Deimos doesn’t stop beating.
Deimos is much smaller and dense compared to Orb Vallis and Plains of Eidolon which are also open-world zones like Deimos. The players can navigate through the canyons and peaks using the giant, dragonfly-like beasts. Also, there is no standard day and night on Deimos.
It also seems like the players will find out much more about the Void. After seeing the demo at TennoCon, players are really excited about the new update which is set to be released on 25th August 2020.