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Eight supermarkets around Malta have come together under one brand name following a merger earlier on this year.
The supermarket brands, previously known to shoppers as Park Towers, Valyou, Tower, and Trolees, will be welcoming customers under the new banner ‘Welbee’s Supermarket’ as of today.
“It’s been 75 years since we opened the first Maltese supermarket on Tower Road, Sliema. Since then, we’ve been growing and doing our best to keep our customers satisfied, gladly seeing them return every week to their familiar outlets,” Director Philip Borg said.
“The same supermarkets will now be welcoming customers to the new Welbee’s outlets,” Mr Borg continued.
Welbee’s eight different locations can be found in Sliema, Paceville, Santa Venera, Balluta, Naxxar, Spinola, Qawra, and Mellieha.
“Our principle values will not change. Under the new brand ‘Welbee’s’ and thanks to this synergy we have reduced prices to the benefit of the customer,” Director Chris Borg added.
“However, this will not happen at the expense of our decades long promise of customer service, shopping experience, and convenience,” he concluded.
The newly-revealed brand has made a commitment to reduce the use of plastic in its packaging and support local brands by stocking of locally-sourced products.
This concept allows employees to start their Mondays focusing on doing the minimum required.
MaltaCEOs.mt speaks to Paul Grech, an avid leadership book reader, about the impact that some time dedicated to reading such ...
Chief Operating Officer Edmond Bonett says that employers should first focus on what they are providing to their employees, such ...
Jonathan Shaw and David Borg – the CEO and Head of People, Talent & Development for Retail Marketing Ltd share ...


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Edible holograms could decorate or even authenticate food
Remember back in the mid-80s, when mass-produced holograms were such a big deal? Since then, they've become common on credit cards, currency and other items. Now, thanks to new research, you can actually eat the things.
First of all, why would anyone want an edible hologram? Well, along with simply being used for decorative purposes, they could conceivably also serve to show that a food item hasn't been tampered with, or to display its name and/or ingredients in a way that proves it isn't a counterfeit product.
Scientists have already successfully molded edible holograms into chocolate, although only certain types of chocolate worked, and a new mold had to be created for each hologram design. Seeking a more versatile alternative, researchers at the United Arab Emirates' Khalifa University of Science started out by mixing corn syrup and vanilla with water, then letting the solution dry into a film.
That film was then coated with a thin layer of a synthetic black dye. Utilizing a technique called laser interference patterning, most of that layer was subsequently etched away, leaving behind a series of nanoscale raised lines that formed what is known as a diffraction grating.
When light passes through that grating and reflects off the underlying corn syrup/vanilla film, the grating refracts the light in such a fashion that it appears in a rainbow-colored pattern – the visible colors change with the viewing angle. Additionally, the range and intensity of the colors can be altered by changing the spacing between the lines, or by varying the sugar content of the film.
Although the black dye already is non-toxic, the scientists now want to adapt the technology so it works with an actual food-grade dye.
The research, which is being led by Drs. Bader AlQattan and Haider Butt, is described in a paper that was recently published in the journal ACS Nano.
Source: American Chemical Society

domain: news


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The local cab system in Austin, Texas, can’t support the flood of people in town during the annual South by Southwest festival. The city’s old-fashioned solution—pedicabs—does little for those staying at far-flung hotels and Airbnb rentals. Transportation has always been a problem during SXSW. There’s an obvious solution, of course: ride-sharing and taxi apps like Sidecar, Uber, Lyft, Hailo, and Flywheel. They’ve been around for the last three years, but this is the first year they’ve been legal in Texas.
“In Austin, a city where people enjoy their libations, the mayor has resisted [Uber] more than almost any other city,” said Bill Gurley, an Uber investor and University of Texas alumnus, during a keynote interview. Later, Lyft CEO Logan Green noted that his company has always participated in SXSW, including offering piggyback rides in 2012, but this year is the first time it can actually offer its service to attendees.
The need for more transportation options in Austin was abundantly clear at 2 a.m. on Saturday night of the festival, when pricing for an Uber cab surged to five times the normal cost.
Because of taxi apps’ newfound legality, it’s only fitting that the two most prominent services be featured prominently on stage at the festival. Both Green and Gurley gave keynotes. While Gurley’s comments focused the “transformative” qualities of Uber, highlighting job creation and reduced traffic in San Francisco, Green attacked Uber’s ethics and growth strategy.
Green stated that Uber is an unethical company. “They’ve crossed a handful of lines,” he said. He noted that Lyft has filed a lawsuit against its former COO Travis VanderZanden, who joined Uber and allegedly took confidential internal documents to the rival company.
Green also dissed Uber’s international expansion strategy. “Uber is struggling in a lot of these markets,” he said. “They have low single digit market share in all of these countries with no immediate sign of being able to really make a dent. I don’t think their current strategy is working.” Lyft plans to expand internationally soon, but it won’t attempt to compete with taxi services there the way Uber has, Green said.
When asked how Lyft differs from its much larger, better-funded rival, Green said the two companies have “completely different visions for the world.” Lyft is different because its goal is to make cars unnecessary. “We never set out to make a better taxi cab,” he said.
But isn’t that Uber’s goal, too? “Their original motto was ‘Everyone’s private driver,'” Green explained. “Most of the population cannot afford a private driver.” It’s true that Uber has used that slogan, but the company has also expanded its target market and pricing to include cheap rides. In many cities, Uber rides are cheaper than a regular taxi.
In fact, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick said as much publicly. In February, he tweeted, “Our intention is to make Uber so efficient, cars so highly utilized that for most people it is cheaper than owning a car.”
Like the debate over Austin’s best BBQ joint, the issue wasn’t settled during SXSW. If anything, the rivalry only deepened.


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Fundex Games Ltd. has given up its rights to the game Chronology as part of its settlement of a trademark-infringement suit brought last March by local inventor Jane Ruemmele.
Ruemmele alleged in her lawsuit that Plainfield-based Fundex had sold numerous copies of the game, but hadn’t provided any royalty statements or payments since October 2008. She also alleged that the company continued to sell the game after its license agreement expired on March 31, 2008.
Ruemmele, a Marion County public defender, first licensed the game in 1995 through a company Fundex acquired in 2007.
In Chronology, players try to place historical events and inventions in their proper place in time. The first player to accumulate 10 cards in calendar sequence wins.
Ruemmele said she was disappointed that she couldn’t strike a new deal with Fundex. “They were local and it would have been an easy way to do business.”
Nevertheless, she’s pleased with other terms of the settlement, and she’s working with a new publisher. Ruemmele hopes to see Chronology back in wide distribution before next Christmas, and possibly in electronic format.
Fundex was going to stop selling the game in any case, attorney Spiro Bereveskos of Woodard, Emhardt, Moriarty, McNett & Henry, LLP said. “We worked out a deal to go our separate ways.”
Chronology is still on the market through Fundex. Ruemmele said the settlement allows the company to sell off what was already in the pipeline.
Notice of the settlement was filed last month in the U.S. District Court of Southern Indiana. Ruemmele declined to disclose financial details.
Fundex settled a similar lawsuit in October with the inventor of Phase 10, the world’s second-best-selling card game.
Michigan inventor Kenneth Johnson had accused the company in December 2008 of copyright infringement, trademark dilution, fraud, conversion and theft.
Details of that settlement were not available. Fundex still has rights to the game, which sells more than 3 million copies a year, second only to Uno.


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“Just walk out” cashierless technology is being used in a new “pickup cafe” opened by Starbucks in New York City on Thursday, according to the companies. Coffee and snacks can be purchased quickly at the Midtown Manhattan store, which is geared toward customers who are short on time and can’t wait for a barista or cashier to interact with them.
One of three Starbucks Pickup with Amazon Go locations planned for 59th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, the other two opening in 2022. Full Starbucks menu is available, as well as a “curated assortment of food and beverages” in the Amazon Go market section. Customers will be able to pick up their Starbucks purchases from Amazon Go using their smartphones, thanks to a partnership between Starbucks and Amazon, the company’s senior vice president of global growth and development, Katie Young, said in an official statement.
During its third-quarter earnings call with investors last year, Starbucks revealed that the pandemic had led to a significant drop in revenue and that it planned to close hundreds of stores in the United States and Canada. Pickup locations in cities and double drive-through lanes at some of its suburban stores were also announced. Starbucks avoided layoffs, but workers at some of the company’s stores say they are understaffed.
Pre-order your coffee via the Starbucks mobile app and select the store at “59th between Park & Lex w/Amazon Go,” then go to the store where it will be waiting on a counter for you to pick it up. Above the counter, a digital display will show the status of any pending drink orders.
Despite the “get in, get out fast” slogan, the store has a lounge and seating area. Once inside, you can use your Amazon app’s “in-store code” to scan your credit card or scan your palm if you’re already registered with Amazon One, which was launched in Amazon Go stores last year in Seattle. You’ll then have access to the market and seating areas.
Whenever you remove an item from a shelf, it will be added to your virtual shopping cart; if you put it back, it will be removed. There is a lounge where you can relax and not interact with any other people after you’ve finished shopping if that is what you prefer. Once you leave the store, your credit card will be charged.
A Starbucks barista will be on hand to make the drinks and assist customers while they shop at the store. The new store will open daily at 6 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. on weekdays and 9 p.m. on weekends, which is later than other Starbucks cafes.


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Take a look at the beta version of dw.com. We're not done yet! Your opinion can help us make it better.
Mobile phone maker Nokia reported a fourth-quarter net loss of 1.07 billion euros ($1.38 billion) as sales slumped 21 percent. But it sold more smartphones than analysts predicted.
Finish cell phone maker Nokia reported that net revenue - including both its mobile phones and its network divisions - fell from 12.6 billion euros ($16.56 billion) in the fourth quarter of 2010 to 10 billion euros in the same quarter of 2011.
The net loss of 1.07 billion euros was due to a 1.1-billion-euro write-down on its location and commerce unit, Nokia CEO Stephen Elop said in conference call Thursday.
Elop noted that the company sold 113.5 million handsets in the quarter, of which 19.6 million were smartphones. The smartphone sales were down 31 percent year-on-year, but up 17 percent compared to the preceding quarter.
"Nokia is not necessarily dead in the water. Profit margins were a bit higher than expected and the company has not lost its third position in smartphones," Neil Mawston from Strategy Analytics in London told the Associated Press.
'War of ecosystems'
Nokia has lost its once-dominant position in the global cell phone market, with Android phones made by Google and Apple's iPhones overtaking it in the growing smartphone segment.
The Finnish company is attempting a comeback with smartphones using Microsoft's Windows software, a struggle that CEO Stephen Elop characterized as a "war of ecosystems."
He said Nokia sold "well over" one million such devices since the launch of the Lumia line in the fourth quarter, and added that the result was "in line with company expectations."
By comparison, Apple sold 37 million iPhones in the same period.
"From this beachhead of more than one million Lumia devices, you will see us push forward with the sales, marketing and successive product introductions necessary to be successful," Elop said.
The company announced that it would bring the Lumia to market in China and Latin America in the first half of 2012.
The company didn't provide annual targets for 2012, saying it was in a "year of transition." But it said that it expected operating margins in the first quarter of this year to be "about break-even."
Michael Schroeder, analyst at FIM bank in Helsinki, said markets had welcomed Elop's comments on sales of Lumia.
"It definitely alleviated concerns about a horror scenario, expected by some. Although a million is not a lot in the market, it was better than expected," Schroeder told the Associated Press.
Nokia proposed a dividend of 0.20 euros per share for 2011, and said that chairman and former CEO Jorma Ollila will step down in May. A nomination committee proposed board member Risto Siilasmaa as the new chairman.
Author: Uwe Hessler (AP, dpa)
Editor: Michael Lawton


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The third-party logistics and freight forwarding arm of the Deutsche Post DHL Group launched SameDay Speedline, a global expedited airfreight service for urgent delivery of spare parts, critical medical supplies, or newly launched products.
Association of American Railroads President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger said recent attempts to “re-regulate” the Surface Transportation Board’s railroad rate review process are “misguided.”
Under the strategic partnership, Herzog Technologies will provide short-line railroad operator Watco Cos. with positive train control program management and back-office hosting services, according to a spokesperson for Watco.
Registration takes less than 1 minute.
The Shanghai Containerized Freight Index fell 7.6 percent from last week to a reading of 794.10, as the short-term boost spot rates experienced in recent weeks from Hanjin filing for bankruptcy have now subsided.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Gil Kerlikowske told customs brokers and forwarders Tuesday that members of a key trade facilitation program, known as CBP’s Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism program, need “enhanced benefits.
Six armed men boarded the 1,708-TEU containership Windhoek yesterday while it was at anchor in West Africa, stealing money and valuables before fleeing the scene, according to a report from maritime news outlet Splash 24/7.


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From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to now, there’s been a seemingly never-ending array of supply chain hindrances. From staff shortages to rising freight costs, and a shortage of raw materials to war in Europe, a slew of issues is negatively affecting logistical capabilities. While some of these issues have carried over from the worldwide pandemic, others have only recently surfaced in 2022. Making the necessary pivots to remain viable will necessitate companies to get clued in on all the latest global supply chain trends. Remaining out of the loop will lead to a failure to improvise, which will result in a loss in customer loyalty when demands can’t be met on time.
To stay attuned to the industry, read about eight emerging trends in supply chain management that ABI Research has seen unfold in 2022.
1.) COVID-19 Still Haunts Supply Chain Managers
The COVID-19-induced facility shutdowns caused widescale labor shortages in everything from warehouse workers to drivers. And once the world was ready to ramp up production again, vacancies still remained, resulting in frequent logistical delays. Adding to this, Chinese facilities, subject to a Zero-COVID policy, could still be shut down at any time. In fact, Shenzhen, a city of 21 million people, was recently shut down to curb COVID-19 concerns. As a result of staff shortages, companies often have to increase wages and improve benefits to attract and retain talent. Unfortunately, the costs are offloaded to the consumer, making labor shortages a contributing factor to rising prices and inflation.
2.) Russia-Ukraine War Causes Supply Chain Shortages
If recession rumors and staff shortages weren’t enough, enterprises also have to manage the adverse effects of the Russia-Ukraine war. Between Russian businesses being sanctioned and Ukrainian exports being cut off, this trend has resulted in significant supply chain shortages, notably grain, gas, and precious metals. As a trickle-down effect, food and energy prices have amplified. For Europeans, an energy crisis is looming and could further strain the supply chain for companies operating in the region. For example, German automotive Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) Volkswagen and BMW need to find new sources of wire harnesses as Ukraine was their main supplier before the war.
3.) Union Strikes in California
As pointed out in the Research Highlight, Is Seaport Automation the Answer to Supply Chain Constraints?, the West Coast of the United States has experienced some union concerns. The Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach are the two busiest seaports in the world’s largest economy, the United States. While port congestion was already an issue at these ports during the height of the pandemic, labor disputes against automation are now setting back these crucial supply chain stops. The labor strikes are putting more pressure on East Coast ports, which are already overwhelmed. If an agreement can’t be made, there’s a real risk of vessels and containers sitting idle off these Southern Californian docks. Another trend to watch in the United States is the railroad labor disputes, which to the relief of the ports, reached a tentative deal for now.
4.) Retailers Stocking Up Inventory
Current global supply chain disruptions made major retailers abandon the Just-in-Time (JIT) inventory management model. Uncertainty about future supply has caused retailers to maintain significantly higher inventory levels in their warehouses than they once had. Just look at the numbers to see how this supply chain trend has played out. For example, the U.S. vacancy rate for industrial spaces, which are used by retailers, wholesalers, and third-party logistics companies, is at a record-low 2.9%. Additionally, warehousing space rents were up 20% Year-over-Year (YoY) in 2Q 2022. Then there’s Amazon, which spent US$31.2 billion on property and fulfillment centers in 2021. Amazon, like other retail giants, is simply creating more space for inventory and logistical relay centers that will undoubtedly make their supply chains more resilient for the long term.
5.) Obstacles to Key Shipping Routes
The majority of large shipping companies have suspended shipments to and from Ukraine and Russia, due to the unpredictability of operations in these regions. On top of that, important supply chain stops in the Black Sea, such as Odesa and the Sea of Azov, are heavily restricted. On a positive note, in early August, Ukraine exported grain for the first time since the war began in February.
A growing trend, especially among Eurasian supply chains, is the use of alternative shipping routes to move goods to other countries without passing through Russia. Thus far, maritime trade has proven to be the most practical option.
6.) Recovery May Be on the Horizon
With the Global Supply Chain Pressure Index (GSCPI) down 57% from December 2021, there’s a real reason to hope that logistical nightmares could be eroding. Be that as it may, the index is still experiencing unprecedented high levels. Behind this trend is the fact that maritime transportation constraints are relaxing. Indeed, the world is well on its way back to pre-COVID-19 shipping spot rate levels. Likewise, logistics juggernaut Maersk expects the ocean shipping industry to normalize in 4Q 2022. However, ABI Research sees this prediction as being a little optimistic because there is still a significant buildup of materials, appliances, and cars that haven’t been shipped to their final destination. Nevertheless, it’s not unreasonable to think the global supply chain will smoothen out by next year, especially as inflation will ease the demand for goods.
7.) A Clear Need for Technological Investment
If there is one thing that COVID-19 and the current macroeconomic headwinds have revealed to enterprises, it’s the need for smart technologies to maintain logistical efficiency in uncertain times. Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and Yard Management Systems (YMS) are important enablers of automation, inventory control, accurate demand forecasting, employee Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), warehouse robotics, and other end-to-end supply chain functions. These software systems provide full visibility into day-to-day operations and extract invaluable data analytics that can be used for efficient stock management and improved utilization of storage space.
Beyond these software systems, other technologies like Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), barcode scanning, and the Internet of Things (IoT) can collect data at each stage of the supply chain, such as ports, handovers, yards, and depots. This allows managers to make sense of various data points for better decision-making and to detect bottlenecks.
8.) Habitually Assessing Processes
Due to the ever-changing nature of the modern supply chain, there’s no question that companies should routinely review processes to maintain efficiency and follow regulations. For example, U.S. pharmaceutical firms must pay close attention to serialization regulations that will require the installation of new sensors and full track and trace. Moreover, this supply chain trend necessitates companies to account for regional differences in regulation to avoid fines, shipment denials, and facility shutdowns. On the technology front, digital twins are a great way to understand the degree of impact that specific risks represent, helping managers control the threat of theft, damage, and fraud.
Shielding the Global Supply Chain against Unpredictable Disruptions
To say that supply chain leaders face pressure is an understatement. Numerous challenges have presented themselves from a multitude of angles in the last couple of years. Standing out on the list of supply chain challenges are lingering COVID-19 effects, inflation, war in Europe, rising shipping and gas prices, and a growing need for end-to-end visibility into logistics operations. It seems like when one issue slowly fades away, a new one quickly emerges.
Now, in 2022, and in the future, the key to mitigating external pressures will rely on new and innovative thinking patterns. Recent supply chain trends have highlighted the need for resilience. That means technological adaptation, such as automation, digital twins, and precise demand forecasting, to name a few. Besides that, it’s clear that supply chains must become versatile and diverse—meaning less reliance on one key region. Whether it’s a war, natural disaster, government policy, or something else that constrains operational efficiency, it’s best to have alternative means of continuity.
To learn more about the effects of current macroeconomic and geopolitical challenges on various industries, including a deeper look into supply chain management trends, download the whitepaper: 2022 State of Technology Report: The Future of Technology in a Tumultuous World.


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Bitfinex launches EOS, Litecoin, and Polkadot Perpetual Swaps
Bitfinex Derivatives today announced the launch of perpetual contracts for EOS, Litecoin, and Polkadot.
According to a press release received by AMBCrypto, trading went live on Bitfinex on 12 October at 9:00 AM UTC. Under this offering, each contract will be promising users up to 100x leverage and will be settled in Tether (USDt). The development in question was welcomed by many in the community, with Bitfinex Derivatives’ CTO Paolo Ardoino stating,
“We’re delighted to announce the addition of EOS, Litecoin and Polkadot to the growing portfolio of perpetual swaps available to trade on the exchange.”
Ardoino went on to add that the platform was anticipating “great interest in these products among funds and professional investors for hedging purposes and to manage risk.”
These new products will join a list of 10 existing derivative products currently listed on Bitfinex – of which the Europe 50 and Germany 30 perpetual swaps that were launched last month offer exposure to traditional equity markets.
The move in question was intended to broaden the investment universe for crypto-traders to gain exposure to traditional markets, with Ardoino going on to add,
“High-frequency traders account for about 80% volume on our platform. We are attuned to their requirements and see this offering as being able to enhance cross-asset trading strategies”
The existing platform currently hosts only 5 crypto-related derivative products, namely,
- Bitcoin/Tether Pair
- Ether/Tether Pair
- Tether Gold/Tether Pair
- Ampleforth/Tether Pair
- Bitcoin Dominance Index
Bitfinex, one of the market’s top 10 exchanges by daily trading volume, saw some of its stolen funds from the 2016 hack moved over the past week. According to data from Whale Alert, hackers moved $4.6 million BTC on 8 October and $26.4 million on 7 October.


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Nissan held an official opening ceremony for Nissan Crossing, its new brand experience space in Tokyo’s prestigious Ginza district.
The Datsun Story highlights the return of the brand’ from the time of Nissan Motor Corp's first announcement in 2012, to a growing global sales presence in 2015.
Nissan has 80 years of pickup know-how, spanning 14 million customers. Nissan's All-New Pickup is coming: June 11, 2014.
A tribute to the pioneering spirit of Yasuharu Namba and his contribution to Nissan over the decades.
If ever proof were needed of Datsun durability, check out this 1938 Datsun 17 cranking into life.
Datsun was a brand with a solid reputation for durability. But few Datsuns out there were as hardy as these three plucky rally cars.
Introducing the first in a series of Heritage stories from the Nissan Global Media Center A car company struggling to come up with a post-war business model stumbles upon a strategy that would help define its next 50 years: international car racing. Nissan sends two cars to an Australian Rally in 1958, the “World’s Cruelest […]


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November 19, 2015
2015 PA VFC Provider Bulletin released by DOH
Please be advised that the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) recently released a 2015 PA VFC Provider Bulletin.
Note that this bulletin includes valuable information about:
- 2015 VFC holiday shipping schedule
- Stopping the Flu Starts with YOU campaign
- Vaccine Return ID instructions
A copy of the bulletin is included below.


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It’s been a hot minute since we’ve seen U.S. CPI data steal the show, yet here we are again with another set!
This week is all about inflation data, so the market might be in for a lot of action.
Before all that, ICYMI, I’ve written a quick recap of the market themes that pushed currency pairs around last week. Check it!
And now for the closely-watched potential market movers this week:
Major Economic Events:
New Zealand quarterly inflation expectations (Nov. 8, 2:00 am GMT) – I know this ain’t official inflation data, but expectations do tend to have self-fulfilling powers!
Now this survey tracks how business managers see price levels rising over the next couple of years, so it could shape how rising costs are passed on to consumers. The previous reading dipped from 3.29% to 3.07%, but another pickup in inflation expectations might lift RBNZ rate hike hopes and the Kiwi.
Chinese CPI and PPI (Nov. 9, 1:30 am GMT) – Next up we’ve got actual consumer and producer inflation figures from China, and number crunchers are predicting a slowdown in price pressures.The October headline CPI is slated to dip from 2.8% to 2.4% on a year-over-year basis while the PPI probably tumbled by 1.6%, erasing the earlier 0.9% uptick.
Weaker than expected results could stoke expectations of stimulus efforts from the government and PBOC, particularly when it comes to adjusting the yuan exchange rate and easing up on their zero COVID policy.
U.S. CPI (Nov. 10, 1:30 pm GMT) – Are we about to see another hot inflation figure from the U.S. economy?
A slight pickup in price pressures is eyed, as the headline CPI probably accelerated from a 0.4% monthly gain in September to a 0.6% rise in October. However, the year-over-year figure is projected to have slowed from 8.2% to 8.0%. Core inflation likely dipped from 0.6% to 0.5% month-over-month.
Note that market watchers are trying to weight the odds of *finally* seeing a Fed pivot by December, as Powell hinted that a 0.50% hike (down from their usual 0.75%) would be up for discussion.
U.K. quarterly GDP (Nov. 11, 7:00 am GMT) – After getting a positive revision to 0.2% growth in its Q2 growth figure, the U.K. economy is slated to report a 0.5% contraction for Q3.
In their monetary policy meeting last week, the BOE already warned of a 0.3% reduction in output for the latest quarter. A smaller than expected contraction or a surprise uptick might bring some relief for the pound.
Forex Setup of the Week: USD/CHF
Here’s a setup I’m watching closely ahead of the U.S. CPI release this week!
USD/CHF has been cruising inside a rising channel with its higher highs and higher lows since last month. Another test of support seems to be in the works, and inflation data could make or break the trend.Moving averages are pointing to a continuation of the climb, as the 100 SMA is still above the 200 SMA. Plus, the 200 SMA dynamic support lines up with the channel bottom to add to its strength as a floor.
Meanwhile, Stochastic has some room to head lower, so price could follow suit. However, the oscillator is closing in on the oversold region to signal exhaustion among sellers soon.
If support holds, USD/CHF could set its sights back on the nearby resistance levels at the channel top and mid-channel area of interest. A break lower, on the other hand, could set off a reversal from the climb.


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Dressing tables in the lingerie department; kitchen tables in the food hall. This is not just any store, it’s Conran’s M&S.
Marks & Spencer has turned to Sir Terence Conran to create a range of exclusive products to go on sale in September before a full collection is released next year.
Mark Bolland, the chief executive, and Sir Terence told The Times yesterday that the collaboration would “democratise good design” by combining the aesthetic principles of the man who founded Habitat with M&S’s 21 million customers in Britain.
Mr Bolland had already outlined plans to clarify its home range into three distinct lines, dubbed classic, contemporary and design.“It’s not aimed at the traditionalist, which is well covered by us already,” he said. Instead, the new…


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Apple’s Venture With Google Maps Is Disturbing Nokia – Nokia’s Here Attracting Less Users!
Apple, after facing embarrassment due to its Maps App introduced in iOS 6, has now come back to Google to avail their mapping services. Although, it’s not just Apple acquiring Google Maps, many other companies are also doing the same. Apple’s switching back to Google is somewhat hurting news for Nokia, as the later was expecting to offer their mapping option to Apple.
After Apple agreeing to Google Maps and the launch of Maps App on Wednesday, it has reached at top place of the most downloaded free apps. It was great news for iPhone 5 users who were worried about the disturbing Maps App of iOS 6 and were looking for some quick update from Apple or some other better option.
Nokia released its Maps App, named ‘Here,’ in November, and made news in the IT industry; however, many users have given that just one star. According to AppData, an app analytical service, Nokia’s Here downloads were high in November, but now it’s not receiving any attention of the users at App Store.
The situation has let Nokia face severe competitive disadvantage in the Smartphone industry. Stephen Elop, the chief executive of Nokia, revealed that that their maps are available for iPhone owners and the objective of company behind that move is to improve their location database. More people using app will make the system smarter. With enhanced maps, Nokia would be in a better position to secure its Lumia Smartphones.
After Apple’s switching back to Google Maps, Nokia will have to depend totally on its Lumia phones for improved location database. However, Nokia is also facing poor sales of Lumia, that’s a big challenge for its venture to enter more locations into its maps. It has also been worsened by the increasing success of Google and its functioning maps.
Mr. Costa explained that if they succeed with their Smartphone, it would be a great achievement for Nokia, particularly for Here. Their handsets will appear in competition with other rivals of the industry and Here will be there, accompanying the success journey.
Nokia has also offered its Maps to the third party apps developers. The company provides the developers with a toolkit so that they could integrate the application with any platform. The options include Android, iPhones, Windows, and Web.
iPhone users will have to run unlock iPhone 4 software in order to use the Nokia maps app from some 3rd party developers. However, they can also buy the app from App Store of Apple.
Are you using Nokia Apps or glad to see Google back on iPhone? Share your opinion or experience!


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Will the iPhone 13 Really Appear? Apple could make a mistake here. Because some customers are afraid of the new smartphone because of the name.
Apple could skip the iPhone 13. Don’t worry: fans of the smartphone don’t have to worry that a year will go by without a new iPhone. Instead, the name of the smartphone could be changed. Because as a study by SellCell shows (via 9to5Mac ), some Apple fans could have concerns about an iPhone 13.
About every fifth iPhone or iPad user stated that they would refrain from buying with the name “iPhone 13”. In many countries, the number is viewed as a harbinger of bad luck.
iPhone 13: Is Apple Really Taking Consequences?
The respondents were in favour of a different name for the next iPhone. In their opinion, Apple should just use the year of release. Accordingly, the next smartphone would come on the market as “iPhone 2021”. It remains questionable, however, whether Apple will really give in to this pressure.
Apple already uses this scheme for Macs and iPads, but it would be a novelty for the iPhone series. Should the name and thus the numbering be changed, Apple would have to communicate this to the customers in order to avoid confusion. Otherwise, many might think that this is a different device rather than the flagship iPhone.


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Stitch Fix (NASDAQ:SFIX) had its price objective hoisted by SunTrust Banks from $43.00 to $44.00 in a research report released on Thursday, June 6th, The Fly reports. SunTrust Banks currently has a buy rating on the stock. SunTrust Banks also issued estimates for Stitch Fix’s Q4 2019 earnings at $0.03 EPS, FY2020 earnings at $0.30 EPS, FY2021 earnings at $0.72 EPS, FY2022 earnings at $1.25 EPS and FY2023 earnings at $1.88 EPS.
A number of other equities analysts also recently commented on SFIX. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Stitch Fix from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 5th. KeyCorp lifted their target price on Stitch Fix from $38.00 to $40.00 and gave the company an overweight rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 12th. Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price objective on Stitch Fix from $39.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 12th. Piper Jaffray Companies boosted their price objective on Stitch Fix from $20.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. Finally, Barclays boosted their price objective on Stitch Fix to $32.00 and gave the stock an equal weight rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 13th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Stitch Fix presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $36.11.
Stitch Fix stock traded down $0.73 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $31.26. The stock had a trading volume of 2,299,174 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,236,503. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $27.04. Stitch Fix has a twelve month low of $16.05 and a twelve month high of $52.44. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.23 billion, a PE ratio of 80.15, a PEG ratio of 4.40 and a beta of 3.25.
In related news, CEO Katrina Lake sold 100,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.36, for a total transaction of $2,336,000.00. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, Director Marka Hansen sold 6,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, April 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.51, for a total value of $185,315.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 1,047,661 shares of company stock worth $29,578,905. 56.97% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. California Public Employees Retirement System boosted its holdings in Stitch Fix by 0.6% in the first quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System now owns 87,981 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,484,000 after purchasing an additional 537 shares in the last quarter. Weaver Consulting Group bought a new stake in shares of Stitch Fix in the 1st quarter valued at $28,000. AdvisorNet Financial Inc bought a new stake in shares of Stitch Fix in the 4th quarter valued at $29,000. Creative Planning increased its position in shares of Stitch Fix by 18.3% in the 1st quarter. Creative Planning now owns 13,138 shares of the company’s stock valued at $371,000 after buying an additional 2,028 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Botty Investors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Stitch Fix in the 1st quarter valued at $61,000. 29.24% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
About Stitch Fix
Stitch Fix, Inc sells a range of apparel, shoes, and accessories through its Website and mobile app in the United States. It offers denim, dresses, blouses, skirts, shoes, jewelry, and handbags for men, women, and kids under the Stitch Fix brand. The company was formerly known as rack habit inc. and changed its name to Stitch Fix, Inc in October 2011.
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There’s an on-going debate about what is healthiest to drink in the morning: a shot of apple cider vinegar, a shot of fresh pressed ginger juice, or lemon juice mixed with water...we’ve made it easy to get the benefits from all of them.
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (PRWEB) March 14, 2018
Ginger Shots, Inc announced the launch of two new wellness shots under the new brand name of Tulua. Ginger Shots is the maker of 6 varieties of organic, cold-pressed ginger shots, sold in stores and online since December 2015. The two new products are being launched under the name Tulua Wellness Shots. Ginger Shots plans to continue to develop new products under the Tulua brand as it grows and expands.
Tulua Wellness Shots blend together unique combinations of highly functional ingredients. The Turmeric Wellness Shot brings together the mighty root cousins turmeric and ginger, both widely acclaimed for their anti-inflammatory properties and other health benefits. Cold-pressed pineapple juice and a touch of black pepper round out this smooth and balanced wellness shot.
The Tulua Wellness Shot Apple Cider Vinegar is a powerhouse blend that includes cold-pressed lemon and ginger juices. “There’s an on-going debate about what is healthiest to drink in the morning: a shot of apple cider vinegar, a shot of fresh pressed ginger juice, or lemon juice mixed with water,” says founder and CEO Zeyad Moussa. “We’ve made it easy to get the benefits from all of them.”
Ginger and wellness shots have been a growing health trend over the last several years, often popping up at local juiceries. Ginger Shots is one of the first companies to bring ginger wellness shots to the national level, selling them at natural stores around the country as well as online. “We want to make it as easy as possible for people to get the benefits from fresh, high quality ginger and other beneficial ingredients,” says Moussa. “Ginger and turmeric are difficult roots to work with so we want to eliminate all of the hassle.”
All of the Ginger Shots varieties are USDA Organic, kosher, preservative and additive free, made with simple ingredients and are High Pressure Processed. The Tulua Turmeric Wellness Shot is crafted from organic cold pressed pineapple juice, ginger juice, turmeric juice, and organic black pepper. The Tulua Apple Cider Vinegar Wellness Shot is crafted from organic cold pressed apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and ginger juice.
About Ginger Shots
Ginger Shots, Inc. is a privately-held company that began in 2015. Tulua is a new brand they are launching within the company. All of their products are juiced, bottled and labeled in their state-of-the-art facility in Huntington Beach, CA. Ginger Shots is dedicated to developing lines of organic and natural wellness products with simple, straightforward ingredients and functional benefits. Visit http://www.gingershots.com or @GingerShotsOrganicDrink on Facebook and @gingershots_ on Instagram.


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The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine guide and walkthrough
E3 2016: all the games, news and trailers – everything in one place
Level-5 has just revealed a brand new Professor Layton game that will be hitting the iOS operating system. However, the professor himself will be absent.
Mystery Room headlines
Mystery Room Latest
New Professor Layton title coming to iOS


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Now, the play’s the thing at proposed Curtis Park development
The Curtis Park Village project, which proposes transforming a 71-acre railyard between 21st Street and Franklin Boulevard into homes, restaurants and retail stores, also includes something not usually found in the average infill project: a dinner theater.
The inclusion of a 38,000-square-foot dinner theater among the project’s shopping center portion should be welcome news to the dinner theater crowd following the closure of Rancho Cordova’s long-serving Garbeau’s Dinner Theatre in April.
Petrovich Development Co., owner of the Curtis Park railyard since 2003, has revised the project three times due to changing market conditions, but it is edging closer to a hearing on approvals as it stands. A draft environmental impact report that had been circulating for public comments is now under consideration.
The site has been dormant for years, other than as a cleanup operation.
As proposed, Curtis Park Village would be redeveloped with 178 single-family residences, an 80-unit senior multifamily housing complex, a 212-unit multifamily residential housing complex, two restaurants and a 260,000-square-foot shopping district.
The Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association, however, is objecting, claiming the project is, “imposing an over-sized, suburban-style, auto-oriented development on traditional pre-war neighborhoods.”
Developer, broker go toe-to-toe
The global trade association for the shopping center industry is putting an unusual punch into its next Sacramento event.
Instead of the typical panel discussion during this deep recession, the International Council of Shopping Centers is holding a heavyweight championship boxing-themed contest demonstrating the leasing negotiations battle between landlord and tenant.
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SANTA FE, NM (BRAIN) — New Mexico distributor BTI is now stocking CycleOps trainers and accessories.
BTI shares the distinction of becoming one of only two U.S. distributors added by CycleOps' parent Saris in the past decade. The other was Downeast Bicycle Specialists, announced last month.
"CycleOps recognized early on that a market-leading brand is a blend of innovation, quality and value, plus long-term support to the IBD and consumer," said Preston Martin, BTI's vice president. "We appreciate the extraordinary efforts they've taken to protect the value of their products, which in turn supports the future of the bicycle retailer."
"With BTI now warehousing trainers and accessories, our growing network of Rocky Mountain regional dealers can expect faster turnaround on preseasons and fill-in orders," said Mike Blang, national sales manager for CycleOps.


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The company’s SP Releasing plans 20 films over the next three years, made up of a multinational production effort and an expanding acquisitions drive. The pictures, which span action, thriller, horror and family, and typically have budgets under $10m, will be released through SPI’s worldwide output deal with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
“We will be releasing up to three titles per month, so we need a lot of films,” said Paul, SPR chairman.
In the past year Paul has struck multiple film production arrangements in the U.S., China and Thailand, and production is under way using tax efficient structures. Among the first is “JL Ranch,” starring Jon Voight, James Caan and Melanie Griffith, and “The Dog Lover,” which will get a simultaneous theatrical and VoD launch this summer.
“It took us about year to get our systems working together with Sony, but now we are fully operational with SP Releasing handling domestic theatrical releases and Sony Home Entertainment handling physical and digital distribution on a worldwide basis,” said Paul.
“We will be very actively acquiring films at this year’s Cannes Film Festival,” said Jason Price, who has been heads an SP Releasing acquisitions team that includes Lara Minassian (VP of distribution,) and Monica Mal (director of international sales and acquisitions.)
The company also recently brought on board Robert Baruc, former president of Screen Media, who will consult on theatrical and home entertainment activities.


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Welcome our Truth in Media sponsor spotlight on Dash Digital Cash.
Dash Digital Cash is the exclusive sponsor of Reality Check and the Truth in Media project.
This edition of our Dash Spotlight features Joël Valenzuela, who is living a cash-free life in Portsmouth, New Hampshire thanks to Dash Digital Cash.
Valenzuela, the editor of Dash Force News, was recently featured on CNN about living a completely cash-free life in Portsmouth. He’s able to pay his electric bill, pay his rent, and live off Dash alone.
Portsmouth has become the hub of the cryptocurrency movement in New Hampshire. The town of 22,000 currently has 22 locations that accept cryptocurrency as payment, including the Free State Bitcoin Shoppe that attracts customers from the high traffic tourist area and helps them open their first cryptocurrency wallet.
Dash Digital Cash has 18 Dash accepting locations in Portsmouth and 42 across the state of New Hampshire. A strong and active Dash micro-economy is thriving in Portsmouth and across the state of New Hampshire.
Unfortunately, CNN failed to fully explain the scope of what’s happening in Portsmouth and with individuals like Valenzuela. The CNN segment made it sound as though cryptocurrencies like Dash only hold value within the Portsmouth micro-economy.
This is far from the truth. What the mainstream media fails to understand is Portsmouth is just the beginning of cryptocurrencies, like the massive adoption of Dash.
Because unlike local currencies such as “berkshares” and “equal dollars” which only hold value within their communities, cryptocurrencies like dash hold value across the globe.
Be part of the revolution and start using Dash Digital Cash today.


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According to the Financial Associated Press, Apple is starting production of the iPhone SE 3, which is expected to be available in mid-to-late March.
The report pointed out that the new phone is upgraded to be equipped with an A15 processor and supports 5G networks. The price may be similar to the previous generation, which will have an impact on the Android mobile phone market and add momentum to the supply chain in the first quarter.
The model map that appeared on the social platform shows that the iPhone SE 3 is almost the same as the current iPhone SE 2, with a 4.7-inch display on the front, Touch ID fingerprint recognition, and a single camera on the back.
Join our group get more: Apple fans club


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Despite all the current huffing and puffing in Congress, the most compelling argument in favor of granting fast-track negotiating authority to President Clinton came from Sao Paulo last week.
Speakers at the World Economic Forum held there trumpeted the burgeoning economic ties between Latin American countries--and Europe. The message to the United States was clear: We are wheeling and dealing, with or without you.
In fact, trade between Mercosur--a regional trading bloc made up of Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay--and Europe now exceeds $40 billion and surpasses that between the bloc and the U.S.
And while the U.S. has failed to come through with its promise to include Chile in the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Chileans have been cutting their own trade deals with Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Canada. They also have begun free-trade talks with the European Union and a year ago became associate members of Mercosur.
These are bad omens for the U.S. The disadvantages will only deepen unless Congress grants to the president the authority to negotiate trade agreements, the kind of authority that every American president has enjoyed over the last 20 years but that was allowed to expire following the signing of NAFTA.
The main sticking points in the current debate are whether the U.S. should demand from its trade partners compliance with certain labor and environmental standards. Free-traders and potential foreign trade partners persuasively argue that such provisions, well intentioned as they may be, should not be part of free-trade negotiations.
Indeed, the U.S. cannot expect to impose its own labor and environmental standards on its trading partners. Economically, it's not feasible--even a relatively developed country like Chile is decades behind the U.S. in environmental and labor regulations. Chile and other Latin American countries aren't likely to let the American legislators dictate how they're going to manage their natural or labor resources.
Instead what's more likely to improve the environmental and labor conditions in Chile and other potential U.S. partners in Latin America is the growth brought about by free trade and economic policies.
President Clinton must have the authority to negotiate additional free-trade agreements and continue moving toward the promised Free Trade Area of the Americas. The economic benefits are obvious.


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Buffalo Wild Wings has stepped up its engagement with esports this week, becoming the official sports bar of the League of Legends Championship Series. Rather than focusing exclusively on broadcast integration or social media promotion, the restaurant chain’s aim with this new partnership is to become a home for esports fans.
“We took a step back and looked at the space and really thought about how there’s all these sports fans that are watching traditionally at home and didn’t have a place to gather,” Buffalo Wild Wings Director, Experience & Gaming Brandon Gill told The Esports Observer. “We felt like, beyond just being a sponsor, we could really be that place to create that ritual for fans of the LCS to come in and gather.”
Earlier this year, Buffalo Wild Wings filed a trademark to become “The Official Bar of Esports.” Gill explained that the popularity of the LCS among a highly-prized demographic made it a natural starting point. “It kind of goes without saying what a massive sport it is – the third-largest sport for males 18-34 – and so it’s a bit of a no-brainer for us to lean in with the LCS immediately and create that space for those fans to gather and watch. And that’s our first way in as a sports bar.”
Gill also noted that in Buffalo Wild Wings’ experience working within esports, the company sees no substantial difference between traditional sports fans and esports fans. He said that esports fans want to engage with one another to celebrate wins and experience losses. “We’re a great place for sports fans to gather and this is another great sport to add to our repertoire.”
Looking forward, Gill noted that the company is exploring other esports to add to that repertoire, but did not share specific games it is eyeing. “As far as where we’ll go with esports, I think it will be a similar approach [to the LCS]. I think we’ll find big events, we’ll find partners to augment this LCS partnership that we’re so excited about. And we’ll make sure that fans of the LCS and other esports, and fans of other esports, in general, will have a place to gather.”


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"The conference was excellent. The Decoding Blockchain team has put together an incredible event here in Saudi Arabia. The attendees were very smart and picked up what we were talking about very quickly. I believe that the people of Saudi Arabia are ready to embrace this technology"
"I personally felt that this was an excellent platform to open doors to those seeking and providing Blockchain solutions for their business. This is my first time in Saudi Arabia, and it’s amazing to meet people who are so enthusiastic about Blockchain. It’s fantastic to see such an engaging crowd and I look forward to attending the 2nd edition next year."
"Saudi customers are all set to adopt blockchain. We saw a lot of traction and enthusiasm within the business. Transformation groups of the government and public sector at Decoding Blockchain KSA creating business models with Blockchain."
"Blockchain is one of the emerging technologies that the whole Kingdom is considering."
"I think Decoding Blockchain is a very important opportunity to have the big players from the global blockchain eco-system here in Saudi Arabia."
"The conference was very eventful with some excellent speakers talk about Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology."


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New AnchorFree research reveals dissatisfaction with broadcast limitations
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – April 17, 2013 – Millions of people across the globe are downloading virtual private network (VPN) apps to ensure they don't miss out on must-see online content.
The claim was made today by internet privacy and security pioneer AnchorFree, which pointed to the London 2012 Olympic Games as a vivid case in point.
According to new research by the Silicon Valley-based company, downloads of Expatshield, the UK version of its flagship Hotspot Shield VPN, increased by a staggering 300 per cent in the first week of the games.
US broadcaster NBC was one of the main culprits, providing only limited free internet access to the sporting extravaganza. Frustrated web-users responded en masse by using Hotspot Shield as a gateway to the BBC's comprehensive coverage. Expatshield installations grew from 3,400 to over 10,600 a day during the Games.
“Consumers are becoming increasingly annoyed by online restrictions, especially when it comes to huge, must-see events such as the Olympics,” said David Gorodyansky, CEO and founder, AnchorFree.
“We live in a ‘borderless world', an age where on-demand digital streaming is rife and adaptation is necessary. Whether for entertainment or even business purposes, there is an unprecedented appetite for gaining access to the content that matters most. They say that where there's a will, there's a way and - make no mistake - the internet has created a way.”
MENA is proving particularly receptive to the benefits of Hotspot Shield, with active mobile users increasing by 995 per cent last year, while total installs shot up by 775 per cent. AnchorFree also saw its desktop users increase by 30 per cent.
Hotspot Shield is now well established as the world's most popular VPN. In 2012, the number of people actively using Hotspot Shield every month doubled from 4.5 to 10 million, resulting in the protection of 18.6 billion internet pages. Available for PC, Mac, iOS and Android platforms, Hotspot Shield has been downloaded by over 120 million people in 190 countries to date.
Much of AnchorFree's popularity stems from an ability to compress mobile data. Hotspot Shield enables users to reduce their bandwidth by up to 50 per cent, which saved global users 60 million MB in 2012 alone.
Earlier this year, AnchorFree was hailed as America's sixth most promising company and the Gorodyansky was also identified as one of the country's most promising CEOs. Hotspot Shield was also named by popular download site Softonic as “one of the best apps” at Mobile World Congress 2013.


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Apple fights it out with Chinese 'Ipad' manufacturer in Shanghai courtroom
Thursday 23 February 2012
The escalating legal battle over the rights to the iPad name in China has reached a Shanghai courtroom, in a case that could prevent Apple selling the wildly popular tablet computer in the country's commercial heartland.
Lawyers for Proview, a Chinese television manufacturer which claims it owns the rights to the trademark in the country, made an impassioned plea for support from a judge yesterday, saying that Apple was costing it up to $2bn (£1.3bn) in profits.
They showed the court a thin computer, packed tightly in a cardboard box, that they said was their own "Ipad", or Internet Personal Access Device.
But at the fractious four-hour hearing, Apple's lawyers said the US tech giant bought the rights to the name from Proview in 2009, and that the trademark was probably invalid anyway.
"Proview has no product, no markets, no customers and no suppliers. It has nothing," said Hu Jinnan, Apple's attorney. "Apple has huge sales in China. Its fans line up to buy Apple products. The ban, if executed, would not only hurt Apple sales but it would also hurt China's national interest."
Proview, whose business has fallen into financial difficulties, is pursuing Apple in courts throughout China,and has even tried to get the government to ban imports of iPads.
Last week, it said it had won an injunction on one independent retailer of the device in the southern city of Huizhou, but a victory in Shanghai would be dramatic because three of the five Chinese Apple Stores are there.
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The Miami Heat's new uniforms have created a buzz in the latest NBA media events-so much so, that fans are wondering if the new look
will propel the Heat to finally win the NBA title it came so close to achieving last season. If anything has propelled, however, it's the talk that has surfaced of the new look making LeBron James and the rest of his crew look more like a squad of villains who have turned over to the dark side.
Of course, fans of the Heat and basketball in general took to Twitter once they heard of the new alternate uniform. One user wrote, The Alternate Miami Heat Uniforms look hard this year. I wonder if they gone wear em on Christmas day, while another said, The miami heat alt uniforms are boring an plain.
Whether or not you like the jersey, it's here to stay for at least this season. And, if sales of the jersey reap a profit for the NBA, then it will be here to stay even longer.
The Heat's jersey isn't the only one that has drawn mixed reactions. Check out some other jerseys from across the four major sports that have had and may still be having people scratching their heads.


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Sunday, January 07, 2007
Woman mown down by mobility scooter
94 year old may lose leg!
Without fear of raising the hackles of the Jack Nutines of this world, I really consider it is time to start some gentle regulation of mobility scooters. having already made the observation last year in October and November, of the dangerous and reckless manner in which some of these electric scooters are driven it comes as no surprise to learn today that someone has been seriously injured in an accident involving a mobility scooter.
94 year old Margaret Quarrell has been told that her right leg is so badly shattered after the collision that it may have to be amputated. The pensioner was busy shopping in Barking, Essex when she was struck from behind by the mobility scooter which ended up on top of her leg, complete with rider.
Store manager Lesley Bownes, 51, who saw the collision, said:
"The driver was going much too fast. I've seen him before - he parks outside my shop and walks in without sticks or crutches, carries his shopping to the scooter and then off he goes. He doesn't look disabled to me. And he certainly isn't very old."
One of the points I have made in the past is that the ease of access and the ease of use of these scooters is discouraging users from exercising their own legs, effectively harming their blood circulation, weakening major muscle groups, and making their mobility even worse than it was originally.
Whilst progressing myself carefully with my own rehabilitation following an angioplasty I am wary of venturing to the town centre too often after similar incidents with motorized mobility scooters, it is easy for some of us to quickly dodge them, but for the slow or unwary they can be somewhat a hazard!
They have an electric engine, they can be driven on the road, they have wheels, they have lights, they have a warning horn - so does the Toyota Prius. The Toyota requires a driving licence, motor tax, registration, and insurance, these scooters ought to face the same regulation.
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The European Commission today held a press conference at which it charged Apple with violating European antitrust rules in the field of music streaming. Apple’s actions have forced competitors to increase the cost of their services to recoup the 30 percent fee for making payments through the App Store, which leads to a loss of the share of potential users.
However, for Apple, the established rules for paying commission do not apply; since the company cannot pay a percentage of its income to itself; therefore, the monthly cost of an Apple Music subscription is lower than competitors. Also, current App Store regulations require all digital purchases to go through Apple’s in-house purchases. Developers can’t use alternative payment methods.
Gizchina News of the week
Apple faces a fine of 10% of its annual income due to its monopoly policy
Our preliminary conclusion: @Apple is in breach of EU competition law. @AppleMusic compete with other music streaming services. But @Apple charges high commission fees on rivals in the App store & forbids them to inform of alternative subscription options. Consumers losing out.
— Margrethe Vestager (@vestager) April 30, 2021
“Apple restricts users’ rights by not informing them about alternative streaming options and deprives them of the opportunity to use cheaper alternative services, which undermines competition in the EU,” – said in a statement by the European Commission, which initiated an antitrust investigation into the complaint of the streaming service Spotify, which made a proposal to Apple “play by the rules”.
Representatives of the European Commission also noted that they are aware that such practice by Apple is not limited only to the sphere of streaming music, but so far the investigation only affects it. As a result, the meeting came to the imposition of a penalty in the form of a fine. If the company does not take any action that can satisfy the European Commission; the Cupertino company will pay up to 10% of its annual revenue.
Recall that in 2016, the European Commission found the coompany guilty of non-payment of taxes in Ireland; and demand that € 13 billion to return to the treasury. In 2020, Apple has secured a judicial cancellation of the decision.


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Following its invitation into the BRICS economic alliance, Saudi Arabia is set to see its exports boom with a 12% increase in business participation. Specifically, the country saw growth in certificates of origin (SO). Subsequently, the number of businesses set to export products will see a dramatic increase in the coming months.
Throughout October, the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources processed 38,988 COs. Conversely, it had processed only 34,745 certificates in September, signaling a stark increase in the number of businesses seeking to take advantage of export opportunities.
Saudi Arabia is Set to Increase Exports Amid BRICS Inclusion
Just this year, the BRICS bloc shocked the world with the announcement of six countries set to join its alliance. Specifically, it included Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Argentina in its ranks. Now, that decision is set to benefit the bloc and the countries involved.
Indeed, following its BRICS invitation, Saudi Arabia is set to see an increase in exports as participation has increased by a massive 12%. Specifically, the figure denotes an increase in certificates of origin that are granted to export products that are of national origin.
The certificate of origin is important because it gives an idea of what countries are exporting products. Moreover, the increase showcases that more companies are seeking to take part in international trade. Subsequently, those opportunities should be plentiful considering its presence in the BRICS bloc.
The issuance of these licenses is directly linked to the increase in the volume of investments. Specifically, the report states that investments linked to the licenses amount to around $1.41 billion. Subsequently, that figure should continue to grow throughout this year.


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For the month of April, federal matters concerning marijuana legalization have been quiet. Of the four marijuana legalization bills currently pending in Congress, the SAFE Banking Act, the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, the States Reform Act and the MORE Act, the MORE Act as of late has received the most momentum. In early April, the US House of Representatives passed the MORE Act by a slim margin of 220 to 204. If passed by the Senate and signed into federal law, the MORE Act would decriminalize marijuana, expunge previous marijuana convictions, and add a 5% sales tax on marijuana purchases that would be funneled into social equity programs for communities harmed by marijuana prohibition. The fate of the MORE Act continues to be undecided; however, the majority of polls show that Americans are in favor of marijuana legalization.
Arizona (Medical and Adult Use)
On Friday, April 8th, the winners for Arizona’s new 26 social equity licenses were announced via a live streamed drawing inside the Arizona Department of Health Services Office in Phoenix. Nearly 1,300 applicants applied for the few spots in a state that has capped their dispensary license count at 169; the newly added 26 licenses brings it to this maximum total. Because there are no longer any more dispensary licenses to be issued, the value per each of these licenses is lucrative at roughly $8 to $15 million.
Per Arizona adult use regulations, a dual licensee (meaning an entity that holds both a nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary registration and a marijuana adult use establishment license) cannot separately transfer or assign each license. This means that for entities holding both licenses, both must be transferred. And for entities holding only one license, one must be transferred. Because of this, Arizona has seen its share of private investors flooding the state to pick viable social equity candidates with marijuana convictions to be at the forefront of their license applications in order to obtain a license. These types of deals are often problematic and represent an ongoing issue among social equity applicants and business owners in which the capital required to complete and submit an application for a social equity license is often difficult to obtain via traditional lending causing some social equity applicants to seek funding elsewhere.
Oftentimes with a lottery being chosen as the method for a state to decide the outcome of the licensing process, lawsuits will arise. Prior to April 8th, a lawsuit was issued in Maricopa County Superior Court alleging that only 1,300 out of a total 1,500 applicants were properly vetted to enter the licensing lottery. The state may continue to see lawsuits as newly licensed entities face hurdles due to zoning regulations.
New Jersey (Medical and Adult Use)
On Thursday, April 21st, New Jersey officially commenced adult use sales. 12 of the state’s alternative treatment centers were approved to begin selling to the adult use consumer market. Per a state press release, New Jersey saw approximately 12,438 retail cannabis consumers and made gross sales of almost $2 million on that day alone. Analysts expect the state to see annual cannabis revenue reach at least $2 billion within the first couple of years. Additionally, Gov. Murphy anticipates the state to see $121 million in tax and fee revenue from cannabis sales in 2023.
New Mexico (Medical and Adult Use)
On Friday, April 1st, New Mexico opened its adult use program and the state saw 27,981 adult-use recreational cannabis transactions for a total sales amount of $1.9 million. The New Mexico Regulations and Licensing Department has issued 151 retail licenses across the state; however, not all of them offer products to the adult use market. Within the Albuquerque metropolitan area there are at least 83 facilities approved for adult use sales. The weekend rounded out with sales topping $3.5 million for the state. Estimates predict that adult use sales can expect to reach $300 million annually and bring in at least $50 million annually in state revenue.
New Hampshire (Medical)
The New Hampshire Senate vetoed two bills that would have allowed possession and home cultivation for adults not participating in the state’s medical marijuana program and one that would have authorized a state-run cannabis program. Of the two, the more critical bill proposed by Rep. Darryl Abas (R) would have created an adult use retail market ran by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission. New Hampshire currently has 3 licensed marijuana companies each with 2 to 3 dispensary locations across the state. State medical sales are forecasted to reach $40 million in 2022. A small-scale program, New Hampshire is surrounded by states with larger adult use markets and advocates have been pushing for recreational sales within the state.
Detroit, Michigan (Medical and Adult Use)
The City of Detroit has its own laws regarding adult use marijuana licenses. Last April, the city opened up its licensing program with social equity applicants known as “Legacy Detroiters” first in line for the applications. Issues arose when a candidate who had lived in Detroit for 11 years was barred from applying for a license due to the residency requirement for Detroit Legacy applicants who must have lived in the city for 15 out of the last 30 years. The candidate issued a lawsuit in which a U.S. District Judge ruled in favor of banning the residency requirement citing that it gave an unfair, irrational and likely unconstitutional advantage to long term Detroit residents.
On Tuesday, April 5, 2022, city council passed a new ordinance that would permit separate tracks for Detroit residents and non-residents on obtaining an adult use license, and would increase the number of available adult use retail licenses from 76 to 100. Before passing this new ordinance only medical dispensaries were allowed in the city. Adult use sales for March 2022 totalled $121 million for the entire state of Michigan.
Illinois (Medical and Adult Use)
As an update on the current licensing process, in November Green Check Verified provided the latest information on the fate of the 185 dispensary licenses that were held up by a court order due to an alleged unfair applicant scoring process. The current situation is that the 185 dispensary licenses are still held up. A third lawsuit has been filed challenging Illinois’ residency requirement. Finch, et al. v. Mario Tretor, Acting Secretary of IDFPR, (“Finch”), scrutinized the additional points awarded to Illinois residents as part of the application process for the 185 dispensary licenses in question and argued that this requirement should be deemed unconstitutional under the Dormant Commerce Clause. The outcome of this case could impact the entire process and delay it until 2023.
In better news, Illinois has finally granted the allowance of 60 new craft grower licenses in the state. For Illinois craft grower licenses, the canopy space is capped at 5,000 sqft which does not yield an optimum profitability so pending legislation has been created to increase square footage to 14,000 sqft.
New York City, New York (Medical and Adult Use)
New York City Mayor Eric Adams proposed to allow cannabis gardens on the rooftops of public housing projects throughout the city. In a meeting with the New York State Association of Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Legislator’s 51st Annual Legislative Conference, Mayor Adams discussed having cannabis gardens on top of New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) buildings that would be operated by NYCHA residents interested in the program. The cause for this idea is the issue that plant cultivation in and around NYC is difficult given the area’s dense population and lack of open space. The mayor proposed hydroponic greenhouses on rooftops, including those belonging to NYCHA, which would coincide with New York’s efforts to build an equity cannabis program. Mayor Adam’s proposal however likely will not come into fruition as NYCHA receives over half of its subsidies from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Because HUD is a federal administration and marijuana is still federally illegal, cannabis greenhouses located on various NYCHA rooftops would be illegal. The city continues to find ways to incorporate other areas of the cannabis supply chain even as real estate regulations and zoning laws have yet to be administered by the Office of Cannabis Management.
April 20th Sales
For the cannabis holiday of April 20th, Akerna released data showing that sales hit $154.4 million on that day alone for both medical and adult use sales across the country. The weekend prior to Wednesday, April 20th saw high sales as well with a total of $485.3 million being reported nationally. Roughly 10% of the sales on April 20th were transactions that went through Green Check Verified’s software which accumulated to about $15.22 million in sales transactions that were received by our financial institutions.


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Protecting a marijuana shop or production facility is much more difficult than protecting most other businesses. Without access to the banking system, marijuana businesses are often forced to keep pot and cash under the same roof. This can attract all kinds of attention, often the type that is unwanted.
And if unwanted attention turns into an attempted robbery: whom exactly do you call? Local law enforcement is not likely to spring into action to locate your missing marijuana.
Marijuana retailers and processors have to take extreme measures to protect their assets.
For Anthony Darby, CEO of Peninsula Alternative Health in Salisbury Maryland, security was a priority from the very beginning.
“During our build-out we made security our number one capital investment,” Darby said.
The newly opened Peninsula Alternative Health operates out of a 2400 square foot building that was previously an animal shelter. The space was not exactly equipped to protect a cash-only business housing marijuana.
Darby is unwilling to take any chances. He has spent a lot of money on security cameras, shatter sensors, and “other technology to put us in the best situation in case a threat presents itself.”
While Peninsula has only just begun operating, Colorado’s Native Roots is a veteran of sorts in the industry. They are the largest chain of marijuana dispensaries with 20 locations.
“We take security and safety of our staff, facilities and products extremely seriously,” Native Roots communications manager Kim Casey told mg.
Native Roots has implemented well-planned security procedures in all of their shops. During non-business hours, they remove all of their products and flower from the sales area and place them in a secure safe. All Native Roots facilities are equipped with industrial strength locks and secure rooms. So even if someone were able to penetrate their security and gain access to one of the shops after hours, there may not be much they could do once inside.
If visitors during business hours try to steal from Native Roots, they will likely run into trouble.
“Our stores have internal and external cameras as well as locked sales areas that require a receptionist to allow access for patients and customers after a medical marijuana card and/or id is verified,” Casey said.
Canndescent, located in Desert Hot Springs, is a large-scale marijuana cultivator of flower and prerolls. It shares many of the same concerns as Native Roots and Peninsula, but does not deal directly with the public. Canndescent sells their products to dispensaries and delivery services.
While employee theft can be an issue for dispensaries, Canndescent has to prevent it in within an 11,000 square foot facility.
“We have a 30 page security manual that we follow including a live scan of all employees,” Canndescent CEO Adrian Sedlin said.
But Canndescent has not remained operational simply because of a large manual and screening employees. While Sedlin does not want to give away the intimate details of how he protects his facility, he was willing to touch on a long list of methods used to keep his business secure.
“Our current facility has 64 cameras, motion sensors, gate controls, access controls, vibration sensors, two 12-hour rated bank vault doors, man traps, and two panic rooms.”
Managing Your Data Plan
While we tend to think of security in terms of protecting assets or individuals from physical harm, data security is also critical when running a cannabis business. A customers’ personal data is extremely sensitive and can cause real trouble if made public. Not all marijuana users are comfortable going public with their habit. They still may worry about what friends, family, or an employer thinks.
But stolen personal data can also be used to open credit cards, or commit other types of fraud. In 2016, 15.4 million consumers were the victims of identity theft. When the final numbers are out, 2017 is not likely to fair any better. There were several large-scale incidents, including the massive Equifax breach, which exposed sensitive data for up to 145 million people.
Most states with marijuana dispensaries have only legalized medical marijuana. A loss of data in these shops means you could be compromising a patient’s personal medical information.
“We adhere to all HIPPA compliance regulations, and have also implemented some inter controls as well,” Darby said of Peninsula.
Should the systems go down at Peninsula, customer and patient data will still be accessible.
“All of our patient data is stored offsite with redundant backup to ensure we are good stewards of their private information.”
Canndescent does not have to store medical information for individual patients. They deal directly with dispensaries and delivery services but still have a lot of sensitive data to protect. Canndescent’s database houses the spending habits, product preferences, and other data for marijuana businesses.
“We store their information in a password-protected, cloud-hosted, CRM platform,” Sedlin said.
Like Peninsula, if Canndescent’s system goes down, they should still have access to their client data.
With 20 locations and a client base that makes up both recreational customers and medical patients, Native Roots stores personal information for thousands of patients and customers.
Although cannabis is illegal on the federal level, Native Roots is not waiting for federal authorities to reschedule before adhering to federal data privacy regulations.
“We comply with all Federal and State data privacy laws for adult-use and medicinal purchases to support patient and customer safety, regulatory compliance and safety,” Casey said, not looking to elaborate on the specific tactics used.
It Hits The Fan
Even as cannabis businesses are employing cutting-edge security tactics to deter theft, there is always the possibility that someone will be brazen enough to attempt a robbery.
Canndescent, Peninsula, and Native Roots all employ armed security guards that serve as the first line of defense if there is an attempted robbery. Both Canndescent and Peninsula employ former military guards to plan security strategy. Native Roots even has some guards protecting cultivation facilities during non-business hours in order to reduce the likelihood of an incident.
But how the rest of the staff reacts in a dangerous situation could also greatly impact how an attempted robbery plays out.
“Native Roots team members are trained to handle attempted robberies or other known crimes during business hours,” Casey said.
At Peninsula, employees also learn about how they should handle themselves should a potentially dangerous situation arise.
“We have reoccurring training, and drills based around the event of an armed robbery. We have protocols and tools in place to deter or stop and armed robbery from happening,” Darby said.
Sedlin, confirmed that there are protocols in place that his team is expected to follow for handling an attempted robbery, but declined to provide the details.
Surviving in the cannabis business is difficult under the best of circumstances. Dispensaries and producers are often saddled with higher tax rates than normal businesses. And without access to banking, raising capital is extremely difficult. If a shop is the victim of theft or is faced with a lawsuit over compromised personal data, it can be difficult to keep their doors open.


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AirAsia BigPay enabled cashless payments on its app, completing its offering as an e-wallet player after getting digital banking license in malaysia.
AirAsia Malaysia has secured its Certificate of Approval (COA) from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) to conduct remote drone pilot training.
AirAsia Philippines implementing an instant facial verification system via come Q1 of 2022 with the use of airasia Super App’s technology FACES.
Thailand’s online food delivery competition is expected to intensify with AirAsia Group launch of the airasia super app and the rollout of 'airasia food'.
AirAsia Digital has acquired Indonesia’s ride-hailing Gojek business in Thailand for RM208 million take a 4.76% stake in AirAsia’s Super App.
Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia Group said it will buy Indonesian ride-hailing and payments firm Gojek Thailand business in a stock swap.
AirAsia digital businesses is on the right track to becoming Asean’s digital travel and lifestyle platform as it meets strong consumer demands.
Malaysia’s AirAsia Group Bhd plans to launch an air taxi service and the country’s first drone delivery service as the budget carrier.
Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia Group’s travel, e-commerce and fintech unit, airasia.com, is in partnership talks with several airlines.


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Los Angeles, June 7 2013 – Ubitus Inc., the worldwide technology leader in cloud gaming solutions today introduced it’s new vision where instant console level games played on-demand with real-time gameplay sharing and live competition, across a variety of devices, is brought together with Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, unleashing the ability to converge your game and social circles.
Powered by its industry-leading GameCloud® technology, Ubitus GameNow™ cloud gaming service brings gamers not only console games on demand, but also social integrated features that empower gamers to share gameplay in real-time as well as invite friends to join, or compete, instantly at any stage of the game session; all through your favorite networks like Facebook and Twitter.
Ubitus powers cloud gaming on the widest range of devices including tablets, smartphones, PC and Mac, Google TVs, and Smart TVs, finally fulfilling the cloud gaming promise of: anytime, anywhere, any devices.
“Ubitus strives to unleash the unlimited power of the cloud to take gamers deeper into the games they love with all the social-integrated features that are only possible with cloud gaming technology,” said Wesley Kuo, CEO of Ubitus. “We believe by combining the gaming world with social networks can truly unlock the fun that gamers have been craving for.”
Ubitus Inc., the technology leader in deploying cloud-enabled rich media services, offers innovative cloud computing solutions, including patented GameCloud® , for device manufacturers, wired/wireless communication service providers, telecommunication operators and digital content developers. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, the company now has over 200 employees and offices in United States, Japan, Korea and China


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Companies that collect debt or help others work out of debt are much busier lately. But they’re not as profitable as they used to be because so many of the businesses and people who are being chased by creditors don’t have any money.
The extent of their debt is profound, said Philip Rhodes, principal of the Law Offices of Philip Rhodes in Sacramento. Some of his clients do collections work.
People obviously don’t have as much money as they did just a few years ago, he said, but they also have far fewer assets. And those assets are worth less, if not worthless.
During the previously booming market, people with outstanding debt usually could find some money somewhere to set up a payment plan with a creditor, Rhodes said. If not, a creditor could get a lien on some real property.
“If they had a lien on a property, they could find some way to pay it off. Now there are more cases where there is no money” even with a lien, he said.
The easy money and available credit during the real estate boom helped to inflate the economic bubble several years ago, and now hard lending terms and tight credit are magnifying the contraction during the recession, said Bob Greeley, principal of Greeley, Lindsay Consulting Group in Sacramento. The firm is a workout company hired to turn around companies in financial crisis, sometimes tasked as a court-appointed receiver to manage them through bankruptcy reorganizations or liquidations.
There is more potential work for workout professionals like him, he said, but at the same time some businesses are so short of cash they don’t have enough to hire professional consultants to help them work through their problems.
Some companies locally are stumbling to the point where their banks are strongly suggesting they get professional workout help, Greeley said.
As businesses are suffering and adjusting, so are consumers in debt.
“It is a whole different ball game out there right now,” said Paul Rigdon, vice president of lending products at SAFE Credit Union.
The credit union does its own collections, and it is seeing people who have lost a home to foreclosure staying current in their credit card accounts.
“It is kind of like the world is completely upside down from a couple of years ago,” Rigdon said. Historically, consumers would run up credit card debt, then absorb that debt in the increased value of their home with an equity loan. And for many years that also meant if the credit union was trying to collect on a bad credit card debt, it could go after the home.
“With the current market, that equity increase in the home is gone for them, and it’s gone for us, too,” he said.
Nationally, credit card companies are reporting higher delinquencies, something that SAFE isn’t seeing locally, said Sharon Whiteley, senior vice president of product services with the credit union.
All this debt means it’s a boom time for some.
Freedom Financial Network LLC, a San Mateo-based company that helps people get out from deep credit card debt, is hiring for its offices in North Natomas and Tempe, Ariz.
The company had 305 total employees a year ago. Now, it has 480 employees.
It has hired 40 people in each of the past four months, said Brad Stroh, Freedom’s co-chief executive officer.
“We are at a point where we are almost unable to hire fast enough to keep up with the demand we are getting from consumers and banks asking us to help them out,” Stroh said.
Business has been good from the beginning for the 2002 startup company because American consumers have been willing to live far beyond their means on their credit cards.
But the down cycle has brought in even more business, both from consumers and from banks.
“We are growing pretty aggressively trying to meet the needs of consumers who are in this de-leveraging cycle,” Stroh said.
He’s finding it difficult to find enough trained negotiators and people who understand finance.
Business is booming, he said, because credit card customers cannot refinance because their equity line has been cut or they have no equity left in the home. In many cases, home value has fallen below the outstanding debt on it.
“These are people who are being forced to live on cash flow, and on a squeezed cash flow,” Stroh said.
The financial landscape has changed dramatically, Stroh said, citing offers this week by Citibank and Chase Bank to forgive debt to customers willing to work out payment plans. Those were banks that historically didn’t negotiate with consumers at all, he said.
“This is a unique period of time we are in, in banking and financial services,” he said.
The credit crunch, which is usually considered to affect commercial financial paper markets and interbank lending, is reaching out and touching even the average consumer.
Stroh said banks are notifying their customers “who have paid the fees to have an open line of credit for two years, that they now no longer have a line of credit.”
firstname.lastname@example.org | 916-558-7874


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Boots to create 26 jobs in Dublin, Cork as it expands stores
Firm plans revamp for Ilac Centre store as it prepares to open two more shops in Dublin
Boots plans to open two more stores in Dublin, following its expansion in Cork. Photograph: Cyril Byrne / The Irish Times
The company, which opened a new shop in Carrigaline, Cork, this week, also plans to open a shop in Glenageary, Dublin, at the end of the month, with a second premises following in Blackrock in May.
Boots Ireland also said it would relocate its store that is currently in the Ilac Centre in Dublin to a bigger premises in the centre next week.
The company said a total of 26 new jobs will be added to its total workforce as a result of the expansion, with pharmacists, customer assistants and beauty advisors being added at the four stores.
Boots Ireland managing director Richard Bradley said it demonstrated the company’s continued investment in the pharmacy and retail sectors in Ireland.