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While emerging markets have tumbled greatly over the last month, some of our largest and most recognized brands are preparing themselves for the long-term potential of these developing nations. Year to date the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF has performed significantly weaker than its broader market counterparts with a decline of nearly 13%. Fitting with the theme of some of my more recent articles, I would like to highlight a few companies looking to assert themselves in one country in particular.
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, has caught the eye of some huge companies, including McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD), Burger King Worldwide Inc (NYSE:BKW), and Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) to name just a few. Just a decade ago Vietnam received zero foreign investment, however the country has become a manufacturing hub over the last five years. Companies, including Samsung, have begun to shift out of China and into Vietnam to take advantage of its open economic policies, geographical position, political and economic stability, and, most importantly, dense and inexpensive labor resources. In an International Business Times article, analysts predicted employers could literally cut their labor costs in half by shifting their manufacturing from the traditional locations in Asia. While the labor may remain inexpensive, the population is growing increasingly educated, thus creating great potential in the decades to come.
Arching over Asia
While it may feel McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) has expanded to virtually every corner of the global, Vietnam remains an opportunity for the country. Late Monday it was announced the company had approved a Vietnamese businessman to start the expansion in the region, sooner than originally predicted. The company plans to open its first restaurant in the population-dense Ho Chi Minh City by early 2014.
While Vietnam is small in comparison to its developing counterparts, Ho Chi Minh City is home to a growing 6.65 million people, which I’m sure can’t wait to get their hands on yet another western brand name. Up to this point, fast food competition has done fairly well within the region. Going forward I see Vietnam becoming a small but profitable venture that will need to be explored further. The promise of rising incomes and increasing educational importance bodes well for discretionary spending and therefore the company over the longer term.
Adding a jewel to the crown
Burger King Worldwide Inc (NYSE:BKW) has bounced back and forth between the public and private markets a few times before making its way back to the public spotlight in 2012. The company avoided an initial public offering altogether through a series of complex financial moves such as a merger and relisiting through a London-based company. As a result of the constant turning of private equity, the company is leaner, and charbroiled to perfection. While the company may have abandoned its iconic King to improve its reputation, everyone still likes the burgers.
The company has established itself on a smaller scale through a franchising partnership but believes the market remains far from saturated. President of Burger King Worldwide Inc (NYSE:BKW)’s Asia Pacific market, Elias Diaz Sese, was recently interviewed by the Saigon Times where he discussed the potential in the years ahead. Sese stated the company would be working closely with its current partners IPP group and Blue Kite Vietnam (BKV) to make the franchised locations more accessible for the average middle class consumer. Management went on to say the market represents one of the most important Asia Pacific markets for the company’s future. According to Sese, rising middle class incomes amid a young population is exactly what the company is looking for.


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Geekwire Story: Seattle’s largest taxi fleet fights back against Uber, Lyft with its own hailing app
Our Card-On-File payment option begins later this month. Still no booking fee, no surge pricing and our app let you advance book anywhere we go.
Seattle’s largest taxi fleet has released its own mobile app that allows customers to hail a ride with a push of a button.
With the help of a vendor, Seattle Yellow Cab developed both a booking app and a new dispatch system to help match its 560 drivers with passengers more efficiently. […]
It lets you see available taxis on a map, book a ride, and track the driver’s location in real-time. You can’t pay via the app quite yet, but backseat terminals offer three options to complete payment.
Full story here:

domain: news


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Knoebel Construction has completed a six-phase remodel of Pay Less Super Markets in Lafayette, Indiana. The project included significant revisions to the grocery store’s layout to accommodate an increase in prepared food offerings. The existing food pickup area was modified.
The Knoebel team completed all work at night after regular business hours. To avoid disruption and maintain a safe and sterile environment, Knoebel completed work in six phases, barricading the area of the store while work was in progress.
Since 2014, Knoebel Construction has completed numerous new construction and remodeling projects for other The Kroger Co. brand grocery stores, including construction of 12 new Ruler Foods stores in five states and remodel projects at 12 Illinois Kroger stores.


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Grocery features African items
Aseda International Grocery, a new store featuring African groceries, has opened at 8960 S Western Ave. Items include black-eyed peas, ground beef, fresh produce, plantains, Malta drink, fufu and more. The store opened May 11. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
‘Spider-Man' to dine for free
Diners dressed as Spider-Man eat free at Carl's Jr. restaurants this Fourth of July. Starting at 11 a.m., any guest wearing a store-bought or homemade Spider-Man costume will receive a free single grilled cheese bacon burger at Carl's Jr. and Hardee's restaurants nationwide as part of a promotion for the new movie “The Amazing Spider-Man.” Masks are not allowed.
Plus-size men's clothing offered
DestinationXL, a plus-size men's clothing store, opened this week in the May Crossing shopping center, 5401 N May Ave. The brand offers more than 2,000 styles in sizes XL and up, including shoes in extended sizes. It's the 26th DestinationXL store for the Casual Male Retail Group, Inc., which also owns the Casual MaleXL, Rochester Clothing and Shoes XL concepts.
Gently used clothing collected
Men's Wearhouse locations are collecting donations of gently used business attire for men through July 31 to benefit The Education & Employment Ministry. Men's and women's suits, shirts, jackets, ties, belts and shoes will be collected at Oklahoma City's three Men's Wearhouse locations. Items will be distributed to unemployed and underemployed Oklahomans in need. In addition, The Education & Employment Ministry provides help obtaining proper identification, transportation, resumes and job interview skills. For every suit donated, Men's Wearhouse will donate two business ties. Donors receive a coupon for 50 percent off all regular-price items, as well as a tax receipt.
Embassy Suites has remodeled
Embassy Suites Oklahoma City — Will Rogers World Airport recently completed a $5.5 million remodel including new decor and furnishings. The hotel is at 1815 S Meridian, four miles from the airport.
From Staff Reports


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WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., April 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- J.D. Power, a business unit of McGraw Hill Financial, today announced the acquisition of Korrelate, an Orlando-based company that measures consumers' online behaviors and links them to offline sales activity.
Korrelate's unique privacy-safe way of matching anonymous online behaviors combined with J.D. Power's Power Information Network® (PIN) new- and used-vehicle retail sales data will enable a unique level of timeliness, depth and transparency in measuring the effectiveness of digital marketing. This capability allows J.D. Power to help automakers, dealers, third-party automotive websites and advertising agencies to quickly and accurately evaluate their websites and online marketing efforts. It will also help ad networks and online publishers accurately report the effectiveness of those online ads, all with the same, transparent metrics.
"We are delighted to add Korrelate and its cutting-edge capabilities to J.D. Power," said Finbarr O'Neill, president of J.D. Power. "Consumer behavior is changing dramatically in today's Internet-powered world. The auto industry spends billions of dollars annually on digital marketing. Measuring online activity and linking it to actual vehicle sales will enable marketers to measure and optimize their digital strategy."
Using Korrelate's insights on consumer online shopping behaviors and PIN data on actual new- and used-vehicle retail transactions, J.D. Power will be able to identify which websites and ad campaigns shoppers are exposed to before they buy their vehicle. By linking online shopping behaviors to actual retail sales, J.D. Power will be able to measure and enhance the effectiveness of automaker, dealer and third-party websites and ad campaigns.
"Offline sales measurement is the future of the automotive industry's efforts to measure the success of online campaigns," said Christian Kugel, vice president of consumer research and analytics at AOL, a Korrelate client. "This metric, combined with traditional key performance indicator (KPI) measurement, creates a more complete, 360-degree view of how to evaluate campaign success. J.D. Power's acquisition of Korrelate is a smart move, and once again shows their commitment to bring scalable, accurate vehicle sales measurement to the forefront of digital automotive metrics. We look forward to working with J.D. Power to redefine how the automotive industry measures the success of online campaigns."
SOURCE J.D. Power


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Commenting on Apple CEO Tim Cook's recent appearance at the World Internet Conference in China, U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) said the tech giant has a "moral obligation" to push back against the Asian nation's surveillance and censorship policies.
Speaking to CNBC, Leahy said Apple and other tech companies that promote free expression in the U.S. should do the same in countries like China, which have decidedly conservative views on free speech.
"American tech companies have become leading champions of free expression. But that commitment should not end at our borders," Leahy said. "Global leaders in innovation, like Apple, have both an opportunity and a moral obligation to promote free expression and other basic human rights in countries that routinely deny these rights."
In October, Leahy and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) penned a letter to Cook asking for clarification on Apple's decision to remove certain VPN apps from the iOS App Store in China. The lawmakers were concerned that Apple was complicit in assisting China's censorship apparatus.
In a response from Cynthia Hogan (PDF download), Apple VP for Public Policy, the company reiterated its stance that the VPN app takedown was in adherence with Chinese regulations. Indeed, Cook himself addressed the issue in August, saying Apple "would obviously rather not remove the apps, but like we do in other countries we follow the law wherever we do business."
Apple's letter to Leahy and Cruz also answered a series of questions relating to Apple's dealings in China, particularly as they apply to policymaking bodies. The senators specifically asked Cook to provide statements Apple issued promoting free speech in China or condemning the Chinese government's censorship and surveillance laws.
In regard to both privacy rights and freedom of expression, two tenets Apple promotes as a corporation, the company believes its presence throughout the world is the "most effective way we can make a difference," according to Hogan.
"We believe our actions are our most powerful statement," the letter reads.
The senators in their letter to Cook also addressed the World Internet Conference, asking whether Apple supports the gathering denounced by free speech activists. Apple said it does not sponsor the event, but notes employees including Cook have and will continue to participate in the event. Mirroring the answer above, Apple said engagement is the "surest way" to effect change.
Cook spoke at the conference this week, addressing a range of topics including App Store revenues and artificial intelligence.
"Apple is clearly a force for good in China, but I also believe it and other tech companies must continue to push back on Chinese suppression of free expression," Leahy said.


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- Google, through its philanthropic arm Google.org, has committed R15.3 million to help grow small to medium businesses owned by women in Africa.
- In addition to the funding, the company has launched a platform called #LookMeUp aimed at helping showcase women entrepreneurs and tell their stories.
- Through Google Business Profile, Google will assist business create a free webpage to make them easier to find online.
- For more stories go to www.BusinessInsider.co.za.
American multinational technology company Google, through its philanthropic arm, Google.org, announced today that it will pledge R15.3 million worth of charitable funds to support African female entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.
This, according to the tech giant, forms part of a series of new initiatives aimed at supporting women-owned businesses.
"Research shows that 58% of small- and medium-sized business (SMB) entrepreneurs in Africa are women. Despite this, women-run businesses show, on average, 34% lower profits than those run by their male counterparts.
"They are also less likely to receive funding and investment. This is why we are announcing a series of initiatives today, aimed at providing the support women need to grow their businesses," said Head of Brand and Reputation, Africa Mojolaoluwa Aderemi Makinde.
Google has also announced the launch of a campaign called #LookMeUp to help showcase women entrepreneurs and tell their stories.
The stories featured on the platform include those of women entrepreneurs like Mosa Mkhize, a South African businesswoman who launched Origins Publishers to provide her children - and others like them - with books in their respective home languages.
Others include women like Vivian Nwakah from Nigeria, who launched Medsaf, a pharma supply chain solution aimed at helping Nigerians get access to quality pharmaceutical health care services.
According to Makinde, Google will make available tools to help women led-businesses soar.
"Google is also providing free tools to support women entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and has launched an intensive program to drive the discovery of women-owned businesses through Google Business Profiles," said Makinde.
Google Business Profile aims to assist business create a free webpage to make them easier to find online.
Another available tool is Primer, an app-based skills building platform, aimed at granting business owners access to a series of free, custom-designed, bite-sized lessons on the go.
In efforts to further elevate women business owners to develop and sharpen their skills, Google has also dedicated the March cohort of the Hustle Academy to women-owned SMBs. The Hustle Academy, which launched in February, is a free, week-long bootcamp designed to help SMBs build the expertise they need to expand their businesses.


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SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the National Auto Dealers Association (NADA), energy costs can be a car dealership's third highest operating expense. With lighted parking lots, electric tool-filled repair shops, and technology-enhanced show rooms, auto dealers on average consume 18 percent more energy than a typical office building, collectively facing nearly $2 billion in electricity costs annually – a hefty price for local, family-owned businesses that make up roughly 80 percent of the industry.
Across the country, SunPower® solar dealers – many of which are also locally-owned small and medium-sized businesses themselves – have helped auto dealerships put empty rooftops and expansive parking lots to better use with high-efficiency solar energy systems. Oftentimes, these systems serve a dual purpose: While generating enough energy to significantly reduce an auto dealership's electricity costs, they also offer protection to whatever is underneath – be it a newly constructed roof or a fleet of new cars.
"Solar just makes good business sense in today's energy environment, and has become integral to many of our facilities' energy-efficient designs," said Linda McGinty, Vice President of Real Estate, Luther Auto Group. "Over the last five years, we've worked with Energy Concepts to install over 450 kilowatts of high-efficiency SunPower solar at 10 of our dealerships across Minnesota, and have seen significant energy savings as a result."
Featured automotive companies with SunPower solar include:
Luther Auto Group in Minnesota. As the largest privately owned automotive group in the Midwest, Luther now has 454 kilowatts of solar installed across 10 locations. SunPower dealer Energy Concepts sold, designed and installed the systems which combined are projected to generate more than $2.1 million in electricity cost savings over 25 years.
Covert Auto in Texas. Serving the Central Texas community for five generations, Covert now has 125.6 kilowatts installed across the roofs of its Ford and Chevy dealerships in Hutto. Freedom Solar Power sold, designed and installed the systems which combined meet 53 percent of the company's electricity needs and are expected to generate more than $500,000 in energy savings over 25 years.
Boulder Nissan in Colorado. More than 50 kilowatts of rooftop solar is currently installed at Boulder Nissan, well known in the community for its leadership advancing the adoption of electric vehicles. SunPower dealer Independent Power Systems sold, designed and installed the system which meets 20 percent of the company's electricity needs and is expected to generate $384,000 in energy savings over 25 years when combined with the dealership's upgrade to LED lighting throughout the facility.
"It's inspiring to help auto dealers see a return on their solar investment in five to seven years, with some becoming cash-flow positive in as little as one month," said Ryan Ferrero, CEO of Ignyte Lab which partnered with Independent Power Systems, a SunPower dealer. "When we can show auto dealership owners the financial benefits of using renewable energy and adopting sustainable business practices, high-quality solar energy solutions end up selling themselves. And with more than 17,000 new car dealers across the U.S., there's a huge opportunity to help more in the industry save on electricity costs with solar."
Like car dealers, global automakers recognize the benefits of investing in solar as well. In Plano, Texas, SunPower is working with Toyota to install an 8.79-megawatt system at the Toyota Motor North America's new headquarters. When complete, it is expected to be the Lone Star State's largest corporate office on-site solar installation among non-utility companies.
"It's no surprise that an increasing number of auto customers find solar to be a reliable, effective way to reduce electric bills while freeing up operating capital and improving their environment with emission-free energy," said Nam Nguyen, SunPower executive vice president. "Through relentless innovation, SunPower has created smart, simple, and cost-effective solar systems that allow businesses in any industry maximize their investment, earning more savings over time."
There are currently more than 17 megawatts of SunPower solar under construction or operating at auto companies across the U.S. To learn more about the benefits of solar from car customers with SunPower systems, visit the SunPower blog here or webpage here.
With more than 30 years of proven experience, SunPower is a global leader in solar innovation and sustainability. Our unique approach emphasizes the seamless integration of advanced SunPower technologies, delivering The Power of One® complete solar solutions and lasting customer value. SunPower provides outstanding service and impressive electricity cost savings for residential, commercial and power plant customers. At SunPower, we are passionately committed to changing the way our world is powered. And as we continue shaping the future of Smart Energy, we are guided by our legacy of innovation, optimism, perseverance and integrity. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, SunPower has dedicated, customer-focused employees in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. Since 2011, we've been majority-owned by Total, the fourth largest publicly-listed energy company in the world. For more information, visit www.sunpower.com.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding projected electricity cost savings. These forward-looking statements are based on our current assumptions, expectations, and beliefs and involve substantial risks and uncertainties that may cause results, performance, or achievement to materially differ from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: fluctuations or declines in the performance of our solar panels and other products and solutions. A detailed discussion of these factors and other risks that affect our business is included in filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from time to time, including our most recent reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q, particularly under the heading "Risk Factors." Copies of these filings are available online from the SEC or on the SEC Filings section of our Investor Relations website at investors.sunpowercorp.com. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information currently available to us, and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events.
©2017 SunPower Corporation. All Rights Reserved. SUNPOWER and the SUNPOWER logo are registered trademarks of SunPower Corporation in the U.S. and other countries as well.
SOURCE SunPower Corp.


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The two local chip manufactures, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, continued to dominate the global dynamic random access memory (DRAM) market in Q3 this year.
According to data revealed by market researcher DRAMeXchange, Samsung captured 37.1 percent, or US$3.45 billion, of the global DRAM market in Q3 to keep the top position in the global chip market. SK Hynix accounted for a 28.5 percent share with US$2.65 billion in sales, followed by Micron Technology with sales of US$2.44 billion and a 26.2 percent share in the world market.
Samsung’s third-quarter share increased 4.4 percentage points from the previous quarter. but SK Hynix’s market share lost 1.5 percentage points in Q3 compared to Q2.
The combined share of Korean chipmakers, including smaller local chipmakers, reached 67.7 percent in the global chip market.
DRAMeXchange said the global DRAM market grew 9 percent from Q2 to reach US$9.3 billion in Q3, and forecast the market is expected to jump 40 percent this year from last year.


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Good news first. In the fall of next year, Lucasfilm will release a collection of all six Star Wars films on Blu-ray with extras a-go-go. The bad news? The films may not be sold separately, and Greedo shot first.»8/14/10 11:20am8/14/10 11:20am
Kinja is in read-only mode. We are working to restore service.


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WEIS MARKETS LAUNCHES 10th ANNUAL FIGHT HUNGER PROGRAM, SUPPORTS HURRICANE HARVEY VICTIMS
The program will run in Weis stores through October 4; all donations through Sept. 6 will benefit victims of the storm.
SUNBURY, PA (August 30, 2017) – Weis Markets today launched its 10th Annual Fight Hunger program by announcing that all donations received through September 6th, plus an additional corporate contribution, will be sent to the American Red Cross to help with Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
The Fight Hunger program, which raises awareness of food insecurity and provides food and donations to more than 150 local food banks and emergency food providers across seven states in Weis Markets’ 204-store service area, will continue to run through October 4 and support local food banks and pantries.
“At Weis Markets, we believe in giving back to the communities we serve, and in lending a hand in times of a national crisis,” said Kurt Schertle, Weis Markets’ Chief Operating Officer. “Through this year’s Fight Hunger program we will support our national neighbors in need during this natural disaster, and we’ll also help our neighbors close to home.”
From August 30, 2017 through September 6, 2017, customers are encouraged to make a small donation at their Weis checkout to help support those affected by Hurricane Harvey by rounding up their orders or purchasing a $1, $4 or $10 voucher. All proceeds will go to the American Red Cross to help support victims of Hurricane Harvey, which has left tens of thousands of people homeless.
Through October 4, Weis customers can continue to round up their orders and purchase vouchers to help fight hunger in their local communities. They can also participate in our Fight Hunger program by making a $4 donation that will result in the donation of Weis Quality milk to local food banks; donating non-perishable goods at the designated cart at the front end or donating online at WeisMarkets.com/FightHunger.
Run in conjunction with Feeding America’s Hunger Action MonthTM each September, the program has raised nearly $2 million for hunger relief organizations since its inception in 2008. Hunger Action MonthTM is Feeding America’s nationwide campaign that unites communities to take action against the issue of hunger and helps raise awareness to support the more than 49 million Americans who struggle with food insecurity right here in the U.S. In fact, hunger impacts 1 in 7 Americans, including nearly 15 million children. Hunger has no boundaries and is a problem that exists in urban, suburban and rural communities.
Please visit Facebook.com/WeisMarkets or WeisMarkets.com for more information on Fight Hunger.
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About Weis Markets
Founded in 1912, Weis Markets, Inc. is a Mid-Atlantic food retailer operating 204 stores in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia and West Virginia. For more information, please visit: WeisMarkets.com or Facebook.com/WeisMarkets.


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According to latest rumors by AMD leaker Greymon55, the Ryzen Threadripper 5000 series which were rumored to launch in November now seem delayed again. The new release date for Ryzen Threadripper 5000 series now expected next year.
The upcoming AMD Ryzen Threadripper 5000 series HEDT and WorkStation CPUs are rumored for a long time. According to latest leaks by Gigabyte, the new Zen 3 ‘Chagall’ Ryzen Threadripper 5000 series CPUs will max out at the same 64 Cores and 280W as Ryzen 3000 Threadripper, but feature the significantly quicker Zen 3 architecture.
The long awaited AMD Ryzen Threadripper 5000 series now rumored to be announced in August 2021 and release date expected in September. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 5000 series are codenamed “Chagall”, there will be no changes to the number of cores, but the processor architecture will be changed to Zen 3.
TAITRA (Taiwan External Trade and Development Council) has just announced that there will be a keynote by AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su. This digital keynote will be on Tuesday, June 1, at 10:00 AM Taipei time, with the keynote theme “AMD Accelerating – The High-Performance Computing Ecosystem”.
AMD today has officially announced three new Ryzen 5000 series Zen 3 APUs: Ryzen 7 5700G, Ryzen 5 5600G, Ryzen 3 5300G. According to AMD, Ryzen 5000 series desktop APUs will not coming to DIY market, but according to Guru3D, AMD promises to launch Ryzen 5000G series to the DIY market later this year.
According to latest rumors, the upcoming AMD Zen 3 Ryzen Threadripper 5000 series (Codename: Chagall) is expected to be launched in August 2021. The new Threadripper 5000 series is expected to be compatible with current TRX40 motherboards.
AMD Today has officially announced Zen 3 Ryzen 5000 series mobile processors. See the press release below:
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CES 2021 — Today, AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) announced the full portfolio of AMD Ryzen™ 5000 Series Mobile Processors, bringing the highly-efficient and extremely powerful “Zen 3” core architecture to the laptop market. New AMD Ryzen 5000 Series Mobile Processors provide unprecedented levels of performance and incredible battery life for gamers, creators, and professionals. New laptops powered by Ryzen 5000 Series Mobile processors will be available from major PC manufacturers including ASUS, HP and Lenovo, starting in Q1 2021. Expanding its leadership client computing product portfolio featuring the “Zen 3” core, AMD also announced the AMD Ryzen PRO 5000 Series Mobile Processors, delivering enterprise-grade security and seamless manageability to commercial users. Throughout the course of 2021, AMD expects a broad portfolio of more than 150 consumer and commercial notebooks based on the Ryzen 5000 Series Mobile Processors.
AMD is rumored to release more SKUs for Ryzen 5000 series desktop processors. Recently, AMD Ryzen 9 5900 and Ryzen 7 5800 non-X series desktop CPUs has leaked. The Ryzen 9 5900 will have same 12-core & 24-thread, with a boost clock 100MHz lower than Ryzen 9 5900X, and the TDP is 65W. The Ryzen 7 5800 will have same 8-core & 16-thread, with a boost clock 100MHz lower than Ryzen 7 5800X, and the TDP is also 65W.


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With the Nintendo Switch press conference less then 48 hours away, Yatch Club Games has announced some really big news for Shovel Knight fans and those wanting to know what games will be on the Switch. Shovel Knights will be ported over to the Switch! Treasure Trove and Specter of Torment will both be heading to the Nintendo Switch. Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove will come bundled with Shovel Knight. As of now there is no set date for when the port will be done or how much it will cost.
Yatch Club has also announced 2 player co-op coming to console and PC port for free. Sadly the 3DS and vita are not included. Shovel Knight will also be renamed to Shovel Knight: Shovel of Hope, they will also be adding more content through out the year.
This is exciting news due to Yatch Club being an Indie game company. With this news it may lighten a bit of bad news surrounding the Nintendo Switch. I know a few people who are a little iffy about buy a Switch due to there being a chance of no Indie games. Maybe with this it might make them change their minds and Nintendo seems to have a few things up their sleeves…
You can find more information about the port here at Yacht Clubs post, Switch-up!
Stay tuned to EXP Grind for more Nintendo Switch coverage. We plan on getting out every bit of information we can get from Nintendo and other video game companies with in the nest few days.


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Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has claimed that the company’s next-generation of Windows “will be pretty important.”
Ballmer made his remarks at an Imagine Cup 2011 event in New York on Friday. The software giant brought together some of the brainiest students to showcase their work and efforts to solve real world problems using technology. Ballmer praised the various groups of students who are participating in the event. Over 300,000 students registered for the Imagine Cup 2011 and the winners will be announced next week.
Ballmer spoke briefly about Windows 8 and the future of what Microsoft is doing. “As we take a look over the next several years, we’re certainly excited about what we’re doing,” said Ballmer.
“What’s Windows 8? How do we drive it? What do we make happen? What are the key phenomena? When do we get to release it? How do we make it better, and better and better? Yes, there are some other guys we compete with. Boom we’ve got to do better, and better, and better, and better, and better. It’s pretty exciting, pretty exciting stuff.”
Ballmer also spoke about Microsoft’s Xbox plans and how the company’s excitement and innovation is driving the Xbox into living rooms worldwide. Microsoft is moving to the cloud according to Ballmer. “We’re moving to the cloud. Everything is moving to the cloud,” he said. Ballmer also said he was excited by the company’s Bing service. “Bing. Bing is a service that is probably amongst the things I’m most excited about at Microsoft, most excited.”
Ballmer rounded his speech off with a brief mention of Windows 8 again. He claimed that Windows 8 “will be pretty important,” echoing previous comments at a Gartner conference in late 2010 where he revealed that the next version of Windows will be the company’s riskiest product bet.
“Whether you consider yourself a businessperson looking at technology, or a technology person looking at technology, the opportunities for you are really going to be pretty fantastic. There’s a lot coming in our own case I think the news, the things that we have to talk to you as a group of technologists over the next few months, Windows 8 will be pretty important. You’ll hear more about that at our developer conference Build in September. But, you’re going to see a stream of things from us.”
The full transcript of Ballmer’s speech is available here.


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All publications by tag «Sony»
Report: Sony’s obsession with AAA blockbusters damages small studios and leads to high turnover
Sony’s decision to focus on AAA games and to almost stop supporting smaller games and studios might be a good business move. However, this strategy has already led to staff turnover, Days Gone 2 rejection, and other internal issues.
Indie developers on losing their PS Vita games and income after store’s closure: “It’s a real shame”
Sony’s plans to close PS3, PSP, and PS Vita stores have affected not only gamers but also a lot of indie developers. They are at risk of losing games they spent years developing and their money forever.
Sony stealthily closes old web version of PS Store, preventing people from buying PS3, Vita, and PSP games
Over the weekend, Sony closed an old web version of the PlayStation Store without even informing its users. It seems that people will now have trouble trying to buy digital copies of PS3, PSP, and Vita games and DLCs.


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Full functionality was originally expected by April 2021.
Latest from Asha Barbaschow
Customers can browse the cars stored in the massive vending machine via their smartphones, make their purchase, and have the vehicle delivered at ground level.
Arguably the world's largest shopping event, Alibaba's 11.11 Global Shopping Festival will this year be spread across two days.
The big four banks are on a technology working group, alongside Australia Post and the country's supermarket giants.
IBM has announced a partnership with Walmart, Nestlé, Unilever, and others that will see the consortium adopt the tech giant's blockchain solution to prevent food contamination.
Reports of the startup darling selling Uber Elevate to Joby Aviation could ground the dystopian dream of an air taxi service in Melbourne.
Indue's AU$70 million contract is in addition to the AU$33 million Services Australia is using to rollout the welfare quarantining scheme.
The new department is also tasked with government IT procurement.
From artificial intelligence to datacentre cooling, machine learning, and blockchain, Alibaba used new technology to surpass its record 11.11 Global Shopping Festival sales figure set last year by 45.3 billion yuan.
The three heavyweights have combined forces to launch an SME-focused standalone company called Wiise.


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E15, an environmentally unfriendly fuel blend, will soon dominate gas pumps nationwide, a great deal for farmers and the ethanol industry but a raw deal for everyone else.
"We have never seen this level of damage to a Model X in any other crash," Tesla said.
Honda has won awards for three years straight.
The future of self-driving vehicles is as bright as the Las Vegas strip.
Executives at Ford, Fiat Chrysler and other automakers said during interviews at the auto show their investment decisions are driven by business considerations, not Trump's comments.
The trial is part of a plan to get autonomous vehicles fully onto the roads by 2020.
Philadonna Wade gets $480 in food stamps each month.
"Most of the current major car companies will fail."
Diesel Cars Made by Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Mazda and Mitsubishi Also Pollute More Than Emissions, Tests Revealed
Honda's models spew as much as six times the amount of NOx that was originally reported.
A reporter had his car totally disabled by remote hacking.
The car is powered by an electric battery and a hydrogen fuel cell.
A Michigan manufacturer is creating larger crash test dummies to reflect growing rates of obesity in the U.S.
It may not be Brando in The Wild One, but the Stella Automatic 125 is a pretty great ride
General Motors Co came under withering attack for its decade-long failure to notify the public about defective parts linked to fatal crashes
The carmaker lashed out at the Christie administration and said they're working on behalf of the dealership industry


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Earlier this week, Marriott International announced it was opening two JW Marriott properties in India - specifically in Bengaluru and New Delhi. However, the company announced that it is picking up the pace on its India expansion, with new plans to open 12 new hotels in India by 2015.
"Currently we have about six to eight definite openings in 2014 and 2015 is going to be a very strong year for us," Rajeev Menon, area VP, South Asia and Australia, of Marriott Hotels, told the Economic Times. The first of these properties to open was a 523-room JW Marriott at the Aerocity Hospitality district near the Delhi airport.
"This property is not outside the city and we hope to have an average length of stay of two to three nights as opposed to the global average of approximately six hours at airport hotels," Simon Cooper, president and managing director, Asia-Pacific, at Marriott International, told the Economic Times.
Firstpost Business reported that Marriott is gearing up for an even larger push into the country, aiming to increase its existing 23 properties to 100 hotels by 2017-2018. Of these 100 properties, approximately 40 will be of the Fairfield brand, while other future projects in the country include two Renaissance properties in Lucknow and Bangalore, two JW Marriott hotels in Mumbai and Kolkata, three Courtyard by Marriott hotels in Agra, Bilaspur and Jaisalmer and a potential resort property in Goa.
Cooper told Firstpost Business that he would be willing to participate in the auction of the Taj Mansingh’s, but only with a partner in real estate. “We are in the business of global hospitality. We are not in the business of global real estate," Cooper said. "So, we try to find partners everywhere we go who’s business is real estate, they understand real estate."
Marriott International is just the most recent in a series of brands ramping up India expansion. Accor recently announced that it will be opening 19 new properties in India under the Hotel Formule1 brand, with 10 expected to be completed by the end of 2014 and a total of 47 hotels opened in India by 2015. InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) partnered with the Brigade Group to build 10 Holiday Inn Express properties in India by 2020. The hotels will be owned by the Brigade Group and operated by IHG, with the first two properties expected to open their doors in Bangalore by early 2017, while the remaining eight properties open over the next four to seven years. Rotana also set a target to have at least 20 hotels in India over the next ten years, both under its flagship Rotana other sub-brands.


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- Huw Hughes |
Lacoste, Whistles and Skopes are set to be the latest names to join Meadowhall’s impressive portfolio of fashion retailers following the shopping centre's multi-million-pound refurbishment last year.
Lacoste will open a 1,700 square foot store on a 10 year lease, Whistles will open a 990 square foot store on a 5 year lease, and Skopes will open a 2,300 square foot store on a 10 year lease. The North Face will be upsizing its current store to a 2,600 square foot store on a 10 year lease.
The shopping centre has welcomed stores from G-Star Raw, Godiva, Flannels, Neal’s Yard and Diesel since the completion of its 60 million pound refurbishment by joint owner British Land in 2017, while brands such as River Island, Primark and JD Sports have expanded their presence at the centre.
British Land also announced that its new brands have experienced an average boost in website traffic of 53 percent since joining the shopping centre.
“High-quality, well located retail space plays a crucial role in omni-channel retail, evident by the relationship between online traffic and opening a new store at Meadowhall,” Ben Grose, head of national leasing at British Land, said in a statement. “New brands, our events programme and the refurbishment have all ensured shoppers continue to visit and enjoy Meadowhall.”
Photo credit: British Land


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Retail inflation for industrial workers rose marginally to 5.24 per cent in May 2021 from 5.14 per cent in April mainly due to increase in prices of certain food items and petroleum products
Retail inflation for industrial workers rose marginally to 5.24 per cent in May 2021 from 5.14 per cent in April mainly due to increase in prices of certain food items and petroleum products, as well as higher mobile phone charges.
“Year-on-year inflation for the month (of May) stood at 5.24 per cent compared to 5.14 per cent for the previous month (April 2021) and 5.10 per cent during the corresponding month (May 2020) a year before,” a labour ministry statement said.
Similarly, it stated that food inflation stood at 5.26 per cent last month against 4.78 per cent in April 2021 and 5.88 per cent in the corresponding month a year ago.
The Labour Bureau, an attached office of the Ministry of Labour & Employment, has been compiling the Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) every month on the basis of retail prices collected from 317 markets spread over 88 industrially important centres in the country.
The index is compiled for 88 centres and All-India and is released on the last working day of the succeeding month. The All-India CPI-IW for May 2021 increased by 0.5 point and stood at 120.6 points. It was 120.1 points in April this year.
On one-month percentage change, it increased by 0.42 per cent with respect to the previous month compared to an increase of 0.30 per cent recorded between corresponding month a year ago.
The maximum upward pressure in the current index came from the Food & Beverages group contributing 0.35 percentage point to the total change.
At item level, rice, arhar dal, masur dal, fish fresh, goat meat, eggs-hen, edible oil, apple, banana, jamun, papaya, potato, tomato, brinjal, cabbage, french bean, garlic, onion, sugar white, tea-leaf, cooking gas, kerosene oil, mobile telephone charges, petrol, etc are responsible for the rise in index.
However, this increase was mostly checked by leechi, mango, water melon, bitter gourd, lady’s finger, lemon, parwal, torai, tamarind, etc putting downward pressure on the index.
At centre level, Coonoor recorded a maximum increase of 4.1 points followed by Udham Singh Nagar with 3.6 points. Among others, 4 centres observed an increase between 2 to 2.9 points, 18 centres between 1 to 1.9 points and 41 centres between 0.1 to 0.9 points.
On the contrary, Bhilwara recorded a maximum decrease of 1.2 points followed by Amritsar with 1 point. Among others, 17 centres observed a decline between 0.1 to 0.9 points. Rest of four centres remained stationary.
The CPI-IW is the single-most important price statistics which has financial implications.
The CPI-IW is primarily used to regulate the dearness allowance of government employees and workers in industrial sectors. It is also used in fixation and revision of minimum wages in scheduled employments besides measuring the inflation in retail prices.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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Karachi: Following severe and swiftly growing anti-American protests in the country Yum! Brands now seek to shutter all of its KFC franchises in Pakistan. The decision has been taken after one of its KFC restaurants was set ablaze in Lebanon last week, the company said Friday.
“We are closing down our KFC restaurants in Pakistan as a precautionary measure,” said Yum! Brands spokesman Christopher Fuller. “However, they will frequently monitor the circumstances to decide when to re-open.”
It is to mentio here that KFC has more than 60 restaurants in 21 Pakistani cities, and it also has a momentous presence across the Muslim world. In 11 Middle Eastern cities, franchises are on ground of a division of the company called KFC Arabia.
Update: KFC last night denied the reports circulating in Pakistani media regarding its closure in Pakistan.


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Guanyuan market was opened ten years ago. It used to be an open-air market selling flowers and pets. Nowadays the market has become a hot spot for tourists due to different shops in the market selling large variety of fishes and animals. Shop owners tell the China Daily reporter that they were told to move out as the decades-old market is about to close for refurbishment.
Photos: Gao Zhijian & Flora Yue
Editor: Wu Chuanjing
Related video: Behind the Scenes
Market vendors face uncertainty


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Supersmart Raises $10M For Its Smart Supermarket Checkout Solution
Rosh Ha’ayin-based startup Supersmart has set out to revolutionize the supermarket checkout process with tech that takes the place of a cashier at a checkout counter.
February 16, 2021
Israel’s Trigo Vision Raises $22M For Checkout-Free Shopping Tech
Founded in 2017, Trigo Vision developed a computer vision platform that allows customers to grab items and go - and retailers to automatically charge them.
September 17, 2019
German Multinational SAP Launches 1st Foundry Program In Tel Aviv With 7 Startups
SAP first announced the foundry program in Tel Aviv earlier this year and said it would focus on early-stage startups using deep tech to build innovative software.
September 10, 2019
Israel’s Trigo Vision Wants To Bring The Amazon Go Shopping Experience To All Retail Stores
As Amazon opens its 4th automated supermarket location, this Israeli startup aims to help all retailers and customers adopt the 'just walk out' shopping process.
September 20, 2018


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Shares of BlackBerry (BBRY) are up 80 cents, almost 6%, at $15.25 following a report of an unexpected profit last Thursday, for the company's fiscal Q4 ending February, and comments by the company that it is pleased with initial sales of its Z10 handset running the new BB10 operating system.
There were several notes today following the long weekend, and most involving some adjustment to estimates. There is still a fairly wide disparity among analysts in terms of revenue and loss estimates for this fiscal year ending next February. Some of the themes are a continuation of those raised in initial reports published Thursday afternoon: rising estimates, a more profitable outlook, and uncertainty about subscriber numbers.
Wells Fargo's Maynard Um reiterates an Outperform rating, and a $19 to $20 "valuation range," writing "Gross margins were the biggest surprise in the quarter, beating even the most optimistic expectations, though we see this now as largely the cat out of the bag.
"We believe the implied revenue as well as breakeven EPS guidance for FQ1 could be conservative (we forecast $0.07 EPS)," writes Um, "And believe one key to watch will be the timing of new carrier launches, particularly for the Q10 BlackBerry with keyboard (early vs. late May)."
Passi cuts his revenue estimate from $12.7 billion to $12.52 billion for this fiscal year, but raises his EPS estimate to a 7-cent loss from a prior estimates of a 22-cent loss. The new estimates reflect "a conservative outlook on
BlackBerry 10 (BB10) units, declining hardware ASPs/margins through the fiscal year, and acceleration in subscriber churn," he writes.
UBS's Amitabh Passi reiterates a Neutral rating, and a $13 price target, after cutting his 2014 estimate to $14.56 billion in revenue from a prior $14.94 billion, but raising his EPS estimate to 61 cents from 29 cents. He raised his BB10 unit shipments estimate to 17 million this year from a prior 16.7 million, and now sees operating margin of 2.9% versus a prior 0.8% prediction.
Passi has skepticism positive trends can be maintained:
We question the sustainability of BB10 sell through (2/3-3/4 of sell-in) and margins over the next 2-3 quarters as competitive pressures and the introduction of lower-cost handsets will put downward pressure on margins. Service ARPU trends were confounding. We are not convinced yet BB10 will be a viable platform and remain on the sidelines with a cautious stance and a $13 target.
Michael Genovese of MKM Partners reiterates a Sell rating and a $10 price target, while raising his fiscal 2014 estimate to $12.31 billion from $11.8 billion, and cutting his loss estimate to 14 cents per share this year from a prior 60-cent loss estimate.
Genovese focuses on his estimate that subscriber churn was higher than the 3 million headline decline in subscriber count that BlackBerry reported:
6mn users left the BlackBerry platform in the quarter. BlackBerry reported its first quarterly subscriber decline ever in 3QFY13 when total subs dipped to 79mn from 80mn. The decline accelerated in 4QFY13 with total subs at 76mn, driven by losses in North America and EMEA slightly offset by gains in APAC and LatAm. We calculate that approximately 6mn subscribers switched away from BlackBerry in the quarter compared to roughly 3mn switching to BlackBerry. Assuming a 66.6%/33.3% replacement/new sub split for the over 7mn BB7/6/5 units that sold through suggests the company added 2.5mn BB7/6/5 subs. If we take management's comments at face value that two-thirds to three-quarters of the 1mn BB10 units shipped in 4QFY13 have sold
through and over half of these user come from other platforms, then BlackBerry 10 attracted about 400,000 additional new subs. The net sub math for the quarter ends up as 2.5mn BB7/6/5 subs and 0.4mn BB10 subs added compared to approximately 6mn BB7/6/5 subs lost.
Scott Thompson with FBR Capital reiterates an Underperform rating, while raising his price target to $11 from $6.50, writing that "provide a glimpse of a company that is in the initial stages of stabilizing its business as revenues, subscriber losses, and device sales were all below consensus expectation, but gross margin and EPS topped estimates on strong cost controls and a favorable tax treatment due to R&D tax credits and NOLs."
Thompson raised his estimates to $12.57 billion in revenue and a 6-cent loss per share this year from a prior expectation for $9.96 billion and a $1.66 loss, on gross margin of 35.1% versus the 26.1% he'd previously been expecting.
However, Thompson is still concerned "the company could struggle to generate a consistent operating profit."
"While we think management will work to balance the device mix to maintain margins, ASP could be more vulnerable than we might expect as a larger mix of BB10 devices begins to compete with topline products such as Apple's (AAPL) iPhone and Samsung [Electronics's (005930KS)] Galaxy SIV."


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By Mario Cavolo
Chinese people spend far more time than the citizens of most countries focused on the simple reality of making and accumulating money, while very much being future minded in doing so. What is driving the shift in priorities?
A version of this article, written by China author Mario Cavolo, was originally published in the May 2014 issue of Shanghai Business Review magazine. Over two years later we find, as expected by the author, a continued strong trend in domestic household consumption and retail sales through 2016. This well serves us all as a reminder that while China’s economy has myriad challenges, a shortage of cash in consumer households is surely not one of them.
Most discussion regarding China’s shadow economy fall into the categories of 1. The shadow banking system and 2. The amount of cash in the hands of the wealthy. Let us examine those sectors briefly while then examining more closely a third factor, what one might regard as far more significant; the rising lower and middle classes who, in fact hold trillions in off the books cash. In considering such a scenario, we are forced to ask two key questions: Is it true? And, how and why does it matter?
Let’s begin with a comparison. According to the world’s top shadow economy researcher and University of Wisconsin Professor Edgar Feige, the United States’ off the books cash economy hovers around $2 trillion. And by “off the books” we mean legitimate products and services paid for in cash and not reported, such as paying a local handyman $60 to fix your faucet problem or a local accountant $100 to help with your finances. Let us also note that the US official GDP to shadow economy ratio is $16 trillion to $2 trillion, or 8:1.
About the Author
Mario Cavolo is a veteran expat entrepreneur based in Shanghai since 2000 with a highly respected record of accomplishments and services delivered across diverse business sectors ranging from hospitality cruise lines and resorts to events and entertainment to corporate communications & media/PR services. He is a published author of two books and monthly columnist for the Hong Kong Commercial Daily. Mario’s current focus is to deliver expert services to global cruise line and luxury resort brands within the hospitality space. When in Shanghai, he runs his client practice in media/PR communications and management advisory.


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India based mobile payment processor Mswipe has raised $31m in Series D funding led by UC-RNT Fund. Vikram Vaidyanathan, Managing Director, Matrix India said, “Mswipe is the ‘universal acceptance’ solution for all merchants enabling them to accept any payment instrument – cards, wallets, UPI, NFC etc. In a rapidly changing payments landscape, Mswipe’s open technology platform and ability to deliver solutions at the lowest cost sets them apart. We are privileged to partner with Manish and team on their journey to create India’s largest digital acceptance network”.
Mswipe currently has a payment network of 2,46,000 terminals spread across 550+ cities. As much as 80% of Mswipe’s customer base comprises of SME merchants, typically supported by 1-30 employees. The turnover of these outlets is in the range of Rs 1 to 5 lakhs a month, and most these merchants have can accept credit and debit card payments for the first time through Mswipe. The annualized value of total transactions enabled by Mswipe across its network stands at Rs. 9,560 crores. Last year alone, the transaction value on the Mswipe network grew 4 times while the number of installations grew 3 times. The company recently acquired PayU’s offline POS division, partnered with Samsung Pay, Sodexo and launched BharatQR and UPI acceptance for Mswipe’s merchants showcasing their ability as an open platform capable of accepting all digital payments.


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Starting on August 12, you can purchase the Nintendo 3DS for $170—down from $250 (Los Angeles Best Buy locations here). This is because the Nintendo 3DS hasn’t lived up to expectations and because smartphones and tablets have become better gaming platforms according to Los Angeles industry analyst Paul Mueller.
“The Nintendo 3DS is certainly a lot of fun, but the 3D features have given a lot of people headaches. Actually the regular Nintendo DS has been selling better. Plus, playing games on an iPad, iPhone, or EVO 3D is a lot more exciting to consumers.”
Nintendo has added a lot of features to the 3DS, including the ability to play streaming Netflix movies. There are other upcoming updates as well.


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Apple users file lawsuit against Facebook & Instagram over data privacy
Apple users have filed a class action case alleging Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta is still tracking their activity on their iPhones even though they “opted out” of tracking.
The lawsuit, filed in Federal Court, claims Meta violated the Invasion of Privacy Act and the Wiretap Act. The plaintiffs in the case claim they had the Facebook, Instagram, or Messenger app on their iPhones but had their private browsing activity and communications intercepted, monitored, and recorded by the Meta browsers.
Meta continues to abuse its users by stealing private information
The lawsuit alleges Meta does all of this without the user’s consent or knowledge. This activity gives Meta access to the user’s most private information, including text messages, personal health details, financial information, personally identifiable information, and more.
“Meta is valued at over $80 billion. When a corporation of that size flaunts state and federal laws, citizens have little to no recourse,” said Kiley Grombacher. “Despite previous lawsuits, despite being taken to task by Congress, and public outcry, Meta continues to abuse its users by stealing their private information and turning anyone unsuspecting users of Facebook or Instagram into profit centers whether the user agrees to it or not.”


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Crane Worldwide & Asia's first carbon neutral development
This move is in line with the company’s purported global commitment to sustainability.
“We are very excited to move to our new Singapore office in the carbon neutral development,” said John Magee, President and Chief Executive Officer of Crane Worldwide.
“We have been providing high touch, high service for our customers in Singapore since we opened in 2008. This office will allow us to not only continue to do that, but also make an impact on the sustainability in Singapore.”
The carbon neutral development is sustainable with green features designed for efficiency in energy and water, with an estimated savings of 620,000 kWh and 2803 respectively.
Crane Worldwide employs an initiative called Crane Cares, which focuses on three distinct pathways for helping others: Green Worldwide, Give Worldwide and Live Well Worldwide.
“The Singapore office continues to challenge the norm through the opening of this office. All of Crane Worldwide’s stations are encouraged to find their own way to make the world a better place and the Singapore team has done that through this office,” added Magee.
The office will continue to be led by Paul Westropp, Crane Worldwide’s managing director of Singapore and Malaysia.
The new Singapore office is centrally located in eastern Singapore with ease of transportation and close proximity to the airport and cargo center. The office is located at 11 Tampines Concourse, Units 01-06 & 07, Singapore 528729.
About Crane Wordwide
Crane Worldwide Logistics is a relationship-based organization that has a firm belief in the personal touch with its customers. Crane Worldwide Logistics offers a number of services including Air and Ocean freight forwarding, trucking, customs brokerage, warehousing and logistics as well as supply chain consultancy.
Google and NIST Address Supply Chain Cybersecurity
As high-level supply chain attacks hit the news, Google and the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have both developed proposals for how to address software supply chain security. This isn’t a new field, unfortunately. Since supply chains are a critical part of business resilience, criminals have no qualms about targeting its software. That’s why identifying, assessing, and mitigating cyber supply chain risks (C-SCRM) is at the top of Google and NIST’s respective agendas.
High-Profile Supply Chain Attacks
According to Google, no comprehensive end-to-end framework exists to mitigate threats across the software supply chain. [Yet] ‘there is an urgent need for a solution in the face of the eye-opening, multi-billion-dollar attacks in recent months...some of which could have been prevented or made more difficult’.
Here are several of the largest cybersecurity failures in recent months:
- SolarWinds. Alleged Russian hackers slipped malicious code into a routine software update, which they then used as a Trojan horse for a massive cyberattack.
- Codecov. Attackers used automation to collect credentials and raid ‘additional resources’, such as data from other software development vendors.
- Malicious attacks on open-source repositories. Out of 1,000 GitHub accounts, more than one in five contained at least one dependency confusion-related misconfiguration.
As a result of these attacks and Biden’s recent cybersecurity mandate, NIST and Google took action. NIST held a 1,400-person workshop and published 150 papers worth of recommendations from Microsoft, Synopsys, The Linux Foundation, and other software experts; Google will work with popular source, build, and packaging platforms to help companies implement and excel at their SLSA framework.
What Are Their Recommendations?
Here’s a quick recap: NIST has grouped together recommendations to create federal standards; Google has developed an end-to-end framework called Supply Chain Levels for Software Artifacts (SLSA)—pronounced “Salsa”. Both address software procurement and security.
Now, here’s the slightly more in-depth version:
- NIST. The organisation wants more ‘rigorous and predictable’ ways to secure critical software. They suggest that firms use vulnerability disclosure programmes (VDP) and software bills of materials (SBOM), consider simplifying their software and give at least one developer per project security training.
- Google. The company thinks that SLSA will encompass the source-build-publish software workflow. Essentially, the four-level framework helps businesses make informed choices about the security of the software they use, with SLSA 4 representing an ideal end state.
If this all sounds very abstract, consider the recent SolarWinds attack. The attacker compromised the build platform, installed an implant, and injected malicious behaviour during each build. According to Google, higher SLSA levels would have required stronger security controls for the build platform, making it more difficult for the attacker to succeed.
How Do The Proposals Differ?
As Brian Fox, the co-founder and CTO at Sonatype, sees it, NIST and Google have created proposals that complement each other. ‘The NIST [version] is focused on defining minimum requirements for software sold to the government’, he explained, while Google ‘goes [further] and proposes a specific model for scoring the supply chain. NIST is currently focused on the “what”. Google, along with other industry leaders, is grappling with the “how”’.


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In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and in the interest of the health of our clients, our staff, our loved ones, and the general public, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily close the studio. We hope to reopen soon, and will keep everyone informed if and when anything changes. For now, Infinite Body Piercing is temporarily closed.
This was a decision made with careful consideration. We were obviously keeping an eye on other business closures during this time, in addition to government recommendations. When we made the decision early on the morning of Monday, March 16, Philadelphia had not yet made any prohibitions against businesses being open. The Friday before, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf ordered restaurants and bars to close dine-in service in the five counties surrounding Philadelphia, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties. Mayor Jim Kenney had announced that Philadelphia public schools were closing, but was resisting more expansive closures because of the economic setbacks Philly businesses would face.
Ultimately, it was decided that we couldn’t wait for the City, and we made the decision to close. We decided that the health of our staff and clients, in addition to the impact on public health, was just too important. A big part of what we do is making a priority of health and safety: for our staff, for our clients, and for the public at large. Looking at the situation through that lens, the answer was clear. We let the staff know before work Monday that we would be closing. Shortly after, Mayor Kenney announced that all nonessential businesses and government operations in Philadelphia were to close by Monday afternoon as the city grappled with the coronavirus pandemic.
When watching reports on how to avoid the virus, the most repeated advice is social distancing, and we just don’t have that option at the studio. Due to the intimate nature of what we do, our staff and clients are at increased risk of exposure in our studio, and we didn’t want to continue to operate a space with that level of risk for contracting the virus.
Also, as a shop we use many supplies that are crucial to the medical community. In the last week, these supplies have become more and more scarce throughout all levels of our supply chain. Disinfecting wipes and sprays, in addition to personal protective equipment, are becoming increasingly difficult to get as our usual distributors have been forced to ration access to these items. It can easily be argued that at this time these supplies are more crucial to those fighting the spread of this disease than those of us working in a piercing studio.
While our brick-and-mortar studio in Philadelphia will be closed for business, we will continue to process and ship orders from our online store as normal. We will continue to check our email regularly, and urgent questions can be directed to email@example.com. For anyone looking for a way to support local businesses as we close our doors this week and next, shopping online with small retailers is a great way to do it.
During this temporary closure, we made one request of the staff—and we’ll extend it as a request to our clients and friends: stay the fuck home. While most of our employees and the majority of our clients are at an age that will be less likely to be seriously sickened by contracting COVID-19, the public health of the larger community depends on slowing the spread of the disease. As you may have seen in the news, it's crucial from a public health standpoint to "flatten the curve" of the infection, as to not overwhelm public health services. We have a responsibility not just for the safety of ourselves and those close to us, but all the members of our larger community.
Stay safe, and thank you all for your understanding during this difficult time. We will keep everyone informed as things progress.
Update: The original version of this post had the shop closed until March 30. Currently, the City of Philadelphia continues to mandate all non-essential businesses are to stay closed until further notice, so we do not yet have a date for reopening.


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Professor Geoff Kirk, chief design engineer of civil aerospace for Rolls Royce, has been nominated to receive the Sir Misha Black Medal this year, for his long-term services to design education. Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design will also pick up an award at the presentation ceremony on 15 March, for its research centre specialising in design against crime.
This week the Royal Mail began trialing a new postbox, heralding the first major design change in its 160-year history, prompting us to look at how it has developed.
We speak to Kelly Mackenzie, founding director at White Bear Studio, about new initiative SHAPE, how hard it is to break into the industry without connections, and the need to
AGL works with high-profile people such as Kate Middleton and David Cameron to boost their public-speaking and communication skills – its new identity looks to celebrate the beauty of grammar
The app, which allows users to write notes on a smartphone or computer in many different forms, has been given a refined visual identity focused on an updated elephant symbol,