#Toll Collection Management: Many ITS companies are involved in the management and operation of toll collection systems on highways and expr

[kapittx]

Challenges Faced In Accounts Receivables and Their Solutions

Accounts receivable refers to the money that a business is owed by its customers for goods or services that have been delivered but have yet to be paid for. Managing accounts receivable is a crucial aspect of running a business, as it directly impacts the cash flow and financial stability of the company. However, accounts receivable challenges can be overwhelming and take a toll on resources, and customer satisfaction. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the common issues in accounts receivable and how to resolve them.

Why Accounts Receivable is challenging and what we can do about it?

It has been proven that businesses experience difficulties with the collection process of accounts receivable, leading to delays in payments or short payments. There are different views on the underlying reason for this problem and how management should address the accounts receivable challenges. 

Accounts receivable is one of the largest tangible assets that a business holds. Therefore, managerial attention, connected to the dependence on the resources to manage the asset is necessary to consider. Management of the internal business process and factoring the external environment involving customer payable process and the macro factors they operate has shown to be a key aspect in collecting accounts receivable on time.

High Days Sales Outstanding (DSO): One of the most significant problems in accounts receivable management is slow payment from customers. Many businesses rely on a steady stream of cash flow to cover expenses, and when payments are delayed, it can create a financial strain on the company. DSO as a metric measures the average number of days it takes to collect payment from customers after a sale. A high DSO indicates that customers are paying slowly or not at all, which affects the cash flow and profitability of the business. 

Management time on managing receivables: Significant management time is involved in managing receivables: When AR processes are inefficient or manual, they require a lot of time and attention from the finance team and the management. This reduces the time available for strategic planning, analysis, and decision-making. 

Time consuming AR process: To provide information and/or documentation to both internal and external clients can be time consuming. Accounts receivable management involves a lot of data and documents, such as invoices, contracts, receipts, credit notes, etc. These need to be accurate, consistent, and accessible to both the internal stakeholders (such as sales, operations, and accounting) and the external clients (such as customers, auditors, and regulators). However, many businesses still rely on spreadsheets and paper-based systems to track and manage AR, which are prone to errors, duplication, and loss. This makes it difficult and time consuming to provide the required information and/or documentation to the relevant parties, which can lead to disputes, delays, and dissatisfaction.

Manual efforts: A lot of manual effort goes into sending emails and updating multiple spreadsheets: Contacting clients via verbal and written communication for payment of past due invoices can be a daunting task when the number of clients and invoice volumes are high. It requires a lot of effort to send personalized and timely reminders, update the payment status, and record the communication history. Moreover, using multiple spreadsheets to track and manage AR can create confusion, inconsistency, and inefficiency, as different versions of the data may exist across different files and users.

Accounts receivable reports: Reports generation is time-consuming and does not give an accurate picture of cash flow: AR reports are essential for monitoring the performance and health of the business, as they provide information on the outstanding balances, aging analysis, collection efficiency, and cash flow projections. However, generating these reports manually from multiple sources of data can be time-consuming and error-prone, resulting in inaccurate and outdated information. This can affect the quality of the financial reporting and analysis, as well as the decision-making and planning of the business.

Stakeholder engagement: Interaction with the internal stakeholders and colleagues like Collection Manager, Operation Designees, Business Controllers, Project Managers, Account Executives and/or Executive Director of Sales to resolve client issues is frustrating and drains energy: AR is not only a finance function, but also a cross-functional process that involves collaboration and coordination with various internal and external parties. However, when AR processes are inefficient or ineffective, they can create a lot of issues and conflicts that need to be resolved. For instance, there may be discrepancies between the invoice and the contract, disputes over the quality or delivery of the goods or services, or complaints about the payment terms or methods. These issues can cause frustration and stress for the finance team and the other stakeholders, as they have to spend a lot of time and energy to communicate, negotiate, and resolve them.

What should be the approach to deal with the internal challenges?

A. Definition and Components of a Global Accounts Receivable Strategy:

External challenges you may not be able to control, however, one can definitely address the internal challenges leading to delayed payments. Let us pick each one of them –

1. Leadership focus: They always say – what you focus on will grow. It is key for the leaders to set the tone on why collecting receivables on time is critical to the company’s success. This focus should be reflected in the day-to-day execution as well as weekly reviews. Introducing an accounts receivable automation software to address accounts receivable challenges can address many difficulties faced by the team on a day-to-day basis.

2. Ignored processes: What worked for you in the past may not work for you in the future. It is critical to map the pre-invoicing to invoice-to-cash process and assess which part of your process is contributing to accounts receivable challenges. By embracing an AR collection software one can significantly address the accounts receivable challenges and redefine cash flow management strategies.

3. Lack of proper KPI and measurement: What you measure gets better. Define the key metrics to measure your collection team’s performance. To execute your cash flow management strategies, one needs have a robust measurement system. An accounts receivable automation software will help you map your key KPIs and effectively measure you performance.

4. Disorganized data : Receivables is all about segmenting and creating portfolio buckets to manage it better. Collectors while engaging with customers or managers during AR reviews should spend the least time to the visibility of data that matters. Organizing your accounts receivable portfolio using spreadsheets can be challenging and you may want to use AR collection software to get your team organized for better execution.  

5. Quality of people : Like any other business function, receivables productivity also depend of quality and experience of people. Also people can do wonders if they are supported with accounts receivable automation software.

6. Poor reminder system: Based on the AR portfolio, leverage accounts receivable automation software to send timely reminders that are consistent, persistent, polite and personalized. By sending periodic reminders and documenting it, you are making your case stronger in the event you need to go legal.

7. Delays in invoice submission time: At your customer’s end, your payment will only get cleared on time if the invoices are send on time. Identify the bottlenecks that are impacting invoice submission on time.  Go digital and use accounts receivable automation to submit your invoice and eliminate manual dependency.

9. Poor credit management: Set credit limits for each customer. This will help minimize the exposure in the event of a customer’s business going down south.

10. Frequent changes in people managing AR: People change can be minimized but not eliminated. Use automation to mitigate the risk of people change.

11. Delivery of what you promise: Gaps in product or service delivery create disputes and lead to non payments: Work towards delivering what you promise. Happy customers will pay you on time.

12. ERP customization challenges: Making customizations in the ERP can be time-consuming and expensive. Leverage ready-to-use accounts receivable automation software to address gaps in ERP to manage receivables.

Macro economic indicator: The macro economic indicator refers to the overall state and performance of the economy, such as GDP, inflation, unemployment, interest rates, etc. These factors can influence the demand and supply of goods and services, as well as the ability and willingness of customers to pay their invoices on time. For example, during a recession, customers may face financial difficulties or uncertainty, and may delay or default on their payments. This can increase the risk of bad debts and reduce the cash flow of the business.

Unorganised Customer payable process: The customer payable process is the system and procedure that customers use to manage and pay their invoices. If this process is unorganised, inefficient, or inconsistent, it can create problems for AR management. For example, customers may have different payment terms, methods, or cycles, which can make it difficult to track and reconcile payments. Customers may also have poor record-keeping, communication, or dispute resolution practices, which can lead to errors, delays, or conflicts in the payment process.

Lack of visibility on approval process and TATs: The approval process and TATs (turnaround times) are the steps and time frames that customers follow to review, verify, and approve invoices before making payments. If there is a lack of visibility or transparency on these aspects, it can affect the efficiency and accuracy of AR management. For example, customers may not inform the business about the status or progress of the invoice approval, or may change or delay the approval without notice. This can create uncertainty and confusion for the business, and may result in late or missed payments.

Disputes highlighted by customers after the due date: Disputes are disagreements or conflicts that arise between the business and the customers over the invoice amount, quality, or delivery of the goods or services. Disputes can negatively impact the AR management, as they can delay or prevent the payment of the invoices. Moreover, if customers highlight or raise disputes after the due date of the invoice, it can create further complications and challenges for the business. For example, customers may use disputes as an excuse or tactic to avoid or postpone payments, or may demand refunds or discounts that are not justified or agreed upon.

Customers mindset to use supplier money as an invisible bank: Some customers may have a mindset or attitude to use the supplier money as an invisible bank, meaning that they treat the unpaid invoices as a source of interest-free credit or financing. This can affect the AR management, as customers may intentionally or habitually pay their invoices late or partially, or may request for longer payment terms or extensions. This can reduce the cash flow and profitability of the business, and may increase the cost and risk of AR collection.

To conclude, accounts receivable management is vital but difficult for any business. AR problems include delayed or unpaid invoices, errors or gaps in billing, bad debts, poor organization and tracking, and currency issues. Monitoring the external factors and addressing the internal challenges that affect receivables can greatly improve the AR process and cash flow.

Click here to see a case study from Kapittx.

Check out Kapittx’s LinkedIn here.

[aurizondatatech1]

Navigating the Road of Data: International Traffic Survey and Data Collection Companies in India

In an increasingly interconnected world, data plays a pivotal role in decision-making, policy formulation, and infrastructure development. In a country as diverse and dynamic as India, understanding traffic patterns and collecting accurate data is essential for transportation planning, urban development, and more. International Traffic Survey (ITS) companies and Data Collection Company in India have emerged as crucial players in this domain, facilitating the collection and analysis of data related to traffic, mobility, and transportation systems. This article explores the significance and role of these companies in India's evolving landscape.

International Traffic Survey Companies:

International Traffic Survey Company specialize in collecting, processing, and analyzing data related to vehicular traffic, transportation infrastructure, and mobility patterns. Their services are instrumental in aiding government bodies, urban planners, and businesses in making informed decisions. Some key aspects of ITS companies in India include:

Data Collection Technologies: ITS companies employ a variety of advanced technologies such as Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), GPS tracking, traffic cameras, and sensors to gather comprehensive traffic data.

Traffic Studies: They conduct traffic surveys and studies to assess traffic flow, congestion levels, vehicle types, and road usage patterns. These studies are essential for designing efficient road networks and transport systems.

Toll Collection Management: Many ITS companies are involved in the management and operation of toll collection systems on highways and expressways, ensuring seamless traffic flow and revenue collection.

Public Transport Analysis: ITS companies also analyze data related to public transportation, including bus and metro systems, to improve the efficiency and accessibility of these services.

Data Collection Companies:

Data Collection companies in India specialize in gathering a wide range of data, not limited to traffic and transportation. They offer services that extend to various industries, including retail, healthcare, market research, and more. Here are some key functions of data collection companies:

Surveys and Questionnaires: They design and conduct surveys and questionnaires to gather valuable insights from respondents, helping businesses and organizations understand market trends and customer preferences.

Field Data Collection: Data collection companies employ field agents and enumerators to gather on-ground data, which can include information on demographics, geographic data, and socioeconomic factors.

Data Processing: They are skilled in data cleansing, validation, and analysis, ensuring that collected data is accurate and actionable.

Geographic Information System (GIS) Services: Data collection companies often provide GIS services, which involve mapping and geospatial analysis, helping clients make location-based decisions.

Custom Data Solutions: These companies offer customized data solutions tailored to the specific needs of their clients, whether it's for business intelligence, policy formulation, or academic research.

Conclusion:

International Traffic Survey companies and Data Collection companies in India have become integral components of the country's data ecosystem. They contribute significantly to improving transportation infrastructure, urban planning, and decision-making processes across various sectors. As India continues to urbanize and modernize its transportation systems, these companies will play an increasingly vital role in shaping the nation's future. Their ability to collect, process, and analyze data is instrumental in making India's roads safer, cities more livable, and businesses more competitive in an ever-evolving global landscape.

[route22ny]

This is a harrowing read, and in the end you may ask yourself, as I asked myself: how was the nation not protected from such criminality?  Decades of organized crime involvement culminated in the most corrupt and dangerous president in American history, one who now presides over a reeling nation in the throes of a deadly pandemic. 

We watch in horror and disbelief, daily, as he ineptly--or maliciously--mismanages the nation’s response to covid-19, contributing to a death toll expected to surpass that of the Vietnam War...twice.  How did we get here?

This is must reading.

***

IN THE EARLY 1980s it was decided—by whom, and for what ultimate purpose, we can’t say for sure—that Donald John Trump would build a casino complex in Atlantic City, New Jersey—probably the most mobbed-up municipality in the state. Dealing with the mafia might have dissuaded some developers from pursuing a Boardwalk Empire, but not Trump. He was uniquely suited to forge ahead.

Donald’s father, the Queens real estate developer Fred Trump, had worked closely with Genovese-associated and -owned construction entities since building the Shore Haven development in 1947, when Donald was still in diapers (the first time around). Fred was an early mob adopter, the underworld equivalent of an investor who bought shares of Coca-Cola stock in 1919. The timelines is important to remember here. Organized crime did not exist in any meaningful way in the United States until Prohibition. Born in 1905, Fred Trump was just two years younger than Meyer Lansky, the gangster who more or less invented money laundering. Thus, Donald Trump is second generation mobbed-up.

When Donald first ventured from Queens to the pizzazzier borough of Manhattan in the seventies, he entered into a joint business deal with “Big” Paul Castellano, head of the Gambino syndicate, and Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno, of the Genovese family he knew well through his father and their mutual lawyer Roy Cohn. As part of this arrangement, Trump agreed to buy concrete from a company operated jointly by the two families—and pay a hefty premium for the privilege. Only then, with double mob approval, could he move forward with the Trump Tower and Trump Plaza projects. (Among Cohn’s other clients at the time was Rupert Murdoch, whom he introduced to Trump in the seventies; you would be hard pressed to find three more atrocious human beings).

Atlantic City is in South Jersey, closer to Philadelphia than New York, so to build “his” casino, Trump needed to play ball with the Philly mob. That meant dealing with Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo, head of the most powerful mob family in Philadelphia. Land that Trump needed for his casino was owned by Salvie Testa and Frank Narducci, Jr.—hit men for Scarfo, collectively known around town as the Young Executioners (the nickname was not ironic). To help negotiate the deal, Trump hired Patrick McGahn, a Philly-based attorney known to have truck with the Scarfo family.

(The last name should sound familiar; Don McGahn, the former White House Counsel, is Patrick McGahn’s nephew. And Don McGahn is not the only Trump Administration hire with ties to the Philly mob. Among Little Nicky’s associates was one Jimmy “The Brute” DiNatale, whose daughter, Denise Fitzpatrick, is the mother of none other than Kellyanne Conway. A number of wiseguys paid their respects at DiNatale’s 1983 funeral. I don’t want to make the mistake of condemning Conway or Don McGahn for the sins of their relations. But given Trump’s OC background, it’s fair to question why he chose two children of mobbed-up families for his inner White House circle.)

Trump acquired the needed Atlantic City property at twice the market value: $1.1 million for a lot that sold for $195k five years before. But there were legal pratfalls, shady dealings, chicanery with the documents. The New Jersey Gaming Commission was investigating the matter, because casino owners could not, by law, associate with criminals. And most of Trump’s friends were crooks. It looked like Trump was in trouble—not only of losing his gaming license, but of criminal indictment.

And then, something miraculous happened. On 4 November 1986, Scarfo and eleven of his associates were indicted on charges that included loan sharking, extortion and conducting an illegal gambling business in a racketeering conspiracy. Prosecutors had tried for years to take down Little Nicky. And now, after all that time, they finally had their evidence. Not only that, but the investigation into Trump? It went away. Poof—as if it never existed.

A confidential informant, or “CI,” is a mole run by law enforcement within a criminal enterprise. Not a “rat,” whose treachery is well known to his comrades, but a craftier, more duplicitous breed of rodent. Crimes committed by the CI are overlooked, or allowed to continue unabated, in exchange for good intelligence—“treasure,” as Control calls it in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.

A fictional example of a CI is the Greek, a character on the show The Wire (spoiler ahead). Baltimore law enforcement piece together that the Greek is the head of a crime syndicate that deals in narcotics and human trafficking. But when they finally move to arrest him, the operation is kibboshed by the feds, for whom the Greek is a Confidential Informant. This is extremely frustrating for viewers of the show, who rightly regard the Greek as the cause of so much woe in West Baltimore.

In real life, there are two famous examples. The first is Whitey Bulger, the head of the so-called Winter Hill Gang, which operated for decades in Somerville, Massachusetts. In 1975, Bulger became a Confidential Informant for the FBI, handled by a corrupt agent named John Connolly. His intelligence helped take down a rival mob family in Providence, Rhode Island—a city notorious for the influence of organized crime. In exchange, Connolly allowed Bulger and his associates to operate with impunity. At least 19 people were killed by the Winter Hill Gang while the feds looked the other way. When the FBI finally realized its mistake, Connolly tipped off Bulger, who went on the lam for 16 years. He was finally arrested in 2011; by then he was in his eighties. He was killed in prison seven years later.

The second famous CI is Donald Trump’s former associate Felix Sater. Racketeering charges against him back in 1998 ended with a fine of just $25,000—a slap on the wrist. From then on, Sater become a top echelon confidential informant, feeding law enforcement intelligence of “a depth and breadth rarely seen,” as court filings show. “His cooperation has covered a stunning array of subject matter, ranging from sophisticated local and international criminal activity to matters involving the world’s most dangerous terrorists and rogue states.”

The winsome ex-con, still one of the more puzzling figures of Trump/Russia, “continuously worked with prosecutors and law enforcement agents to provide information crucial to the conviction of over 20 different individuals, including those responsible for committing massive financial fraud, members of La Cosa Nostra organized crime families and international cyber-criminals,” prosecutors claim. “Additionally, Sater provided the United States intelligence community with highly sensitive information in an effort to help the government combat terrorists and rogue states.”

His intelligence helped prosecutors break up the “Pump and Dump” and “Boiler Room” mob operations in the 1990s. He turned over useful information about the Genovese crime family (note: the same family Fred Trump fronted for), and provided ample dirt on international arms dealing (note: Jeffrey Epstein’s specialty). And his crowning achievement: he helped the United States track down Osama bin Laden (funny how the Russian mob knew where he was). Sater is proud of his CI work, and has talked it up the last few years, probably to counter his association with the mafiya, and with Trump.

We know about Bulger being a CI because his handler turned out to be crooked. We know about Sater being a CI because he outed himself prior to his sentencing in 2009—and because he keeps boasting about it. If Sater had not come forward, Loretta Lynch, the former Attorney General, would not have been legally permitted to reveal his status.

That’s the thing about Confidential Informants: they are confidential. The informant doesn’t want to be made as a mole, any more than law enforcement wants to burn a source. Both sides are bound to secrecy. It is the good guy version of omertà.

The only way to know for sure if Donald John Trump is a Confidential Informant is if he admits it himself (unlikely), or if law enforcement comes forward (illegal). But the circumstantial evidence is compelling. The pattern is: 1) Trump deals with mobsters as usual; 2) Law enforcement begins investigating Trump; 3) Mobsters suddenly get busted, while 4) investigation into Trump is scuttled. This happened three times that we know about. I’m not counting the first known instance of Trump providing information to prosecutors, concerning Cody and concrete, in the late 70s:

I can conceive of no scenario in which Trump was not a CI, and a top echelon one at that. He’s avoided indictment too many times. No one is that lucky.

Or, put another way: How can someone that lucky manage to run a fucking casino into the ground?

Salvatore Gravano, known as “Sammy the Bull,” was an underboss of the Gambino crime family. After the assassination of “Big” Paul Castellano in 1985—an audacious hit, done in broad daylight—John Gotti was installed as the figurehead capo. But in practice, the Bull was the one calling the shots. His territory? Manhattan. For as long as he was in power, any construction that took place in New York, New York had to be approved by Gravano. “I literally controlled Manhattan,” he told ABC News. He did a lot of business deals with Donald John Trump, and speaks of him fondly.

After his arrest on 11 December 1990, Gravano turned state’s evidence to help put away Gotti, his nominal boss. The lead prosecutor of the case? Robert Swan Mueller III. (This is why, when Trump found out Mueller was named Special Counsel, he collapsed into a chair and muttered, “I’m fucked.”)

We know that Gravano flipped on Gotti. But who flipped on Sammy the Bull?

On 19 July 1990, the Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) of the State of New Jersey opened an investigation into Donald John Trump, regarding the Trump Organization’s business dealings with Joseph Weichselbaum, a mob associate and embezzler who had been convicted not once, not twice, but three times. Trump hired Weichselbaum’s company to provide helicopter transportation to Atlantic City, conveying high rollers to and from New York. As a casino owner, Trump was prohibited by law to do any business with the serial felon. He not only continued to do so, but he went to bat for the guy, going so far as to write him a letter of recommendation. (There’s more bizarre stuff with Wiechselbaum, whose case wound up being initially tried by Trump’s sister, a federal judge, but I won’t get into it here).

Six months after the DGE opened its investigation, Gravano got pinched. And once again, as if by the wave of a magic wand, Trump’s legal troubles seemed to vanish.

It’s worth noting here that Sammy the Bull likes Trump personally, then and now, and seems not to blame him for ratting him out. There were likely others who informed on Gravano, too. But given the timing, the investigation against Trump, his disastrous finances at the time, and his long familiarity with federal prosecutors, it stands to reason that Trump, too, turned on his longtime business associate.

The Kurt & Courtney decade was unkind to Donald John Trump. The Bush I recession hit his businesses hard. Trump filed for bankruptcy protection for Trump Taj Mahal (1991) and Trump Plaza (1992). Again: our “lucky” guy had managed to go bust in the casino business. In between those bankruptcy filings, he lobbied Congress for tax relief for real estate developers, began phoning reporters claiming to be a publicist named John Barron, had an affair with a D-list actress named Marla Maples, and divorced his wife of 14 years, the mother of his kids Donald, Ivanka, and Eric: the former Ivana Zelníčková. (Sidenote: Ivana Trump’s father was a big wheel in Czechoslovakia’s Státní bezpečnost intelligence service; Miloš Zelníček helped raise his grandchildren, especially Don Jr., who speaks fluent Czech…but this is a subject for another dispatch).

Things were going south fast. Trump desperately needed a lifeline. He found one in Moscow.

The Soviet Union collapsed on Christmas Day 1991. What the West viewed as the triumph of capitalism over communism was really the subversion of a conventional superpower by the shadowy forces of transnational crime. The Cold War was not over; it just shifted modes of attack. In the early 90s, Russia invaded the United States—not with soldiers, but with mobsters.

The commander of this underworld incursion was a violent ex-con named Vyacheslav Ivankov, known as “Yaopnchik,” or “Little Japanese.” Hardened in the brutal Soviet prison system, Ivankov was a member of the vor y zakone, or thieves-in-law—the arm of the Russian mafiya that originated in the post-Second World War gulags. He was such a nasty, violent motherfucker that when it was necessary to rough someone up to extort them, he didn’t send in a subordinate—he did the job himself.

Ivankov arrived to the United States in 1992, ostensibly to work in the film industry. Even the new Russian government warned the FBI that he was up to no good. The feds lost sight of him almost immediately, even as he traveled from New York to Florida and everywhere in between, consolidating power, and displacing the Italian mob. (That brazen 1985 hit on “Big” Paul Castellano was instrumental in achieving this Vor hegemony, as the Gambino boss neither liked nor trusted the Russians). Per the testimony of Bob Levinson, the FBI’s foremost Russian mob expert:

Ivankov’s organization’s income was derived from a number of sources: his group was implicated by sources to have been involved in the “gasoline tax scam” whereby so-called “daisy-chains” of petroleum handling companies were established with the specific intention of defrauding governmental tax authorities using non-existent or ghost companies to pay the gasoline taxes due.

A primary source of the group’s funds was the collection of “krisha” or protection money from wealthy Russian and Eurasian businessmen operating between North America and the former Soviet republics. In addition, the Ivankov organization organized the collection of, in effect, a “street tax” from Russian-born and Eastern European criminals who were operating their illegal enterprises in North America. Ivankov organization members fanned out across the United States and Canada identifying and then approaching these criminals saying that each now had to contribute to an “obshak” (mutual benefit fund) being collected and organized by the Ivankov group.

In addition, Ivankov and other members of his organization settled business disputes for Russian and Eastern European businessmen operating between North America and the former Soviet Union, receiving in return a percentage of the amount in dispute, usually hundreds of thousands of dollars. Through his authority as a “thief-inlaw” and the head of a criminal organization, Ivankov was able to exercise a kind of informal power in the émigré business community tantamount to decisions made by formal, official courts of law. Those who went against the decisions made by Ivankov and his associates were usually met with violence, including beatings and/or murder.  

As Little Japanese worked the States, Semion Mogilevich, the current head of the Russian mob, set up his base of operations in Budapest, Hungary, where he moved in 1992 with his Hungarian girlfriend. “The Brainy Don,” as he is called, soon acquired a bank in Russia, which allowed him access to the global financial system. Meyer Lanksy may have invented money laundering, but it was Mogilevich who took it to Hollywood, so to speak: Lansky wrote the book, and the Brainy Don made it into an international blockbuster. (Note: Levinson, the FBI agent, moved to Budapest around this time, to investigate Mogilevich more closely.)

For three fruitful years, Ivankov did his thing, laying the foundation for what would become the world’s pre-eminent organized crime operation—more S.P.E.C.T.R.E. than GoodFellas. He ran amok. Law enforcement had no idea where he was….until, one day in 1995, they found him living in a deluxe apartment at—you’re not gonna believe it—Trump Tower. And that was not the only Trump property he frequented: Ivankov was also a regular at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. He was arrested in June of 1995, convicted, imprisoned, and deported to Russia in 2004 to face murder changes. Once home, he was promptly acquitted. He was gunned down in Moscow in 2009.

This monster was living in Trump’s building, gambling in Trump’s casino.

What was Donald John Trump doing in 1995? Failing tremendously. That was the year when he declared a loss of an unfathomable $916 million on his tax returns. It was also at this time that Trump Tower became a sort of Moscow on Fifth Avenue, with any number of Russian mobsters scooping up apartments—an arrangement that began in 1984, when the Russian mobster David Bogatin purchased five condos for $6 million. Trump Tower was one of just two buildings in all of New York City that allowed units to be purchased by shell companies. Why did Trump, virtually alone among New Yorkers, allow these fishy deals?

As the indefatigable Craig Unger writes in the Washington Post,

the shady Bogatin deal began a 35-year relationship between Trump and Russian organized crime. Mind you, this was a period during which the disintegration of the Soviet Union had opened a fire-hose-like torrent of hundreds of billions of dollars in flight capital from oligarchs, wealthy apparatchiks and mobsters in Russia and its satellites. And who better to launder so much money for the Russians than Trump — selling them multimillion-dollar condos at top dollar, with little or no apparent scrutiny of who was buying them.

Over the next three decades, dozens of lawyers, accountants, real estate agents, mortgage brokers and other white-collar professionals came together to facilitate such transactions on a massive scale. According to a BuzzFeed investigation, more than 1,300 condos, one-fifth of all Trump-branded condos sold in the United States since the 1980s, were shifted “in secretive, all-cash transactions that enable buyers to avoid legal scrutiny by shielding their finances and identities.”

Unger continues:

The Trump Organization has dismissed money laundering charges as unsubstantiated, and because it is so difficult to penetrate the shell companies that purchased these condos, it is almost impossible for reporters — or, for that matter, anyone without subpoena power — to determine how much money laundering by Russians went through Trump-branded properties. But Anders Aslund, a Swedish economist, put it this way to me: “Early on, Trump came to the conclusion that it is better to do business with crooks than with honest people. Crooks have two big advantages. First, they’re prepared to pay more money than honest people. And second, they will always lose if you sue them because they are known to be crooks.”

It is simply inconceivable that a creature of the underworld, a man who had extensive dealings with mob figures for his entire career, would, in a moment of dire need, be unaware that mobsters were buying his properties, using shell companies to conceal the origin of the dirty rubles.

It is also inconceivable that a mobbed-up real estate developer—a crook whom the government of Australia would not grant a gaming license because of his obvious mob connections; the subject of a 41-page initial investigation by the Department of Gaming Enforcement in the State of New Jersey that, taken together, is positively damning—could have avoided indictment for all these years unless he was covertly helping out law enforcement. Trump is a criminal, yes, but his crimes are not as heinous as Ivankov’s, or Gravano’s, or Scarfo’s. Prosecutors would happily toss a minnow like Trump back into the sea if it helped them catch the big fish.

Nothing about Trump’s term as president suggests he’s turned his back on organized crime. He hasn’t “gone legit.” His Twitter antagonists comprise a “Who’s Who” of the FBI’s Russian mob experts: Robert Mueller, Andrew McCabe, Bruce Ohr, Lisa Page. He has attacked the credibility of those who know what he really is. That is what made Trump’s attacks on Mueller so ironic. He impugned the former FBI director as corrupt, while depending on his incorruptibility to not reveal his (alleged) CI status.

To reiterate: we cannot know for sure if Trump was a CI unless he admits to being one (maybe Yamiche Alcindor can goad him into admitting it?), or if the federal prosecutors in the know break protocol to expose him.

As it stands, prominent G-men have given us clues. When McCabe was fired, he began his statement thus: “I have been an FBI Special Agent for over 21 years. I spent half of that time investigating Russian Organized Crime as a street agent and Supervisor in New York City.” The subtext there is that McCabe knows who Trump is.

In the excerpt of his book Higher Loyalty sent to the press, James Comey compared Trump to Gravano. “The [loyalty] demand was like Sammy the Bull’s Cosa Nostra induction ceremony—with Trump in the role of the family boss asking me if I have what it takes to be a ‘made man.’ ” Of all the famous mafiosos, why did Comey choose Gravano, a relatively obscure figure, as the comp? He wants us to dig into Gravano.

(Gravano himself was asked about the Comey pull-quote by Jerry Capeci of Gangland News; he said, “The country doesn’t need a bookworm as president, it needs a mob boss. You don’t need a Harvard graduate to deal with these people…[Putin, Kim, Xi] are real gangsters. You need a fucking gangster to deal with these people.” This seems to indicate that Sammy the Bull thinks Trump is a “mob boss” and a “fucking gangster.” Takes one to know one?)

Unless he thought it would help him avoid prison, Trump will never cop to being a Confidential Informant. We can only infer that he served that function by presenting the circumstantial evidence to support the hypothesis. But plenty of people can confirm or deny (rather than refuse to confirm or deny) Trump’s involvement. Bob Mueller, certainly, but every prosecutor too that dealt with Scarfo, Gravano, and Ivankov, and plenty of smaller cases besides.

When a Confidential Informant is deliberately fucking up the federal government’s response to a pandemic—when his willful negligence will cost hundreds of thousands if not millions of American lives—protocol must be sacrificed for the greater good. Is not the purpose of that law, of all laws, to protect the people from enemies foreign and domestic? And has not the COVID-19 response, or lack thereof, proven Trump to be an active enemy of the United States?

We don’t need more careful legalese. We don’t need more cryptic phrasings along the lines of “If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so.” We need to hear, loud and clear, what the FBI knows. We need to be told, unequivocally, that Trump is an inveterate crook—a real crook; an actual criminal; not just a cute Twitter assertion—and, even more surprising, and contrary to all recent evidence, that he is capable of telling the truth when it serves him.

Notes:

This piece was written under the expert guidance of Lincoln’s Bible. If you don’t already do so, please follow her on Twitter, and check out her own mafiya reporting at Citjourno.

I encourage everyone to read the State of New Jersey Department of Gaming Enforcement investigation report on the allegations against Donald John Trump in the Wayne Barrett book Trump: The Deals and the Downfall.

The late Bob Levinson was the FBI’s best Russian mob fighter. His Ivankov testimony is also essential reading.

The photo at the top is the Greek, from The Wire—the best show in the history of television.

https://gregolear.substack.com/p/tinker-tailor-mobster-trump

[psychopersonified]

Q Origin story - Series 2

An imaginary Q-centric Netflix series

Series 1 Pilot here. 

In this second series, we see Q’s double life and how he juggles them. One as a civilian and the other in service with MI6 -  his growth his setbacks; the dramas that follow and which of the two will have to give way. 

To make Q’s backstory come to life and the events that happen to and around him seem more realistic, I’ve tried to include as much relevant details including the bureaucracy, politics and technology in MI6 (with a lot of artistic licence). The details all play a role in growing plot and telling of the narrative, I promise. 

This is meant to be a plot summary, not a full blown fic. Feel free to furnish with your own details. 

———

Episode 1

We see him older now but still in university on the verge of getting his second PhD and third masters (about 28-ish). The last several years, he’s been working part time at MI6 Q-Branch. Major Boothroyd (Q senior) insists he continue his education in Chemistry and Engineering as he’s competent but not great yet in these areas. The Major is an absent minded professor type, involved but not affectionate yet provides enough structure and interesting projects to occupy Q. 

Meanwhile Q in addition to the projects Boothroyd assigns him has started gathering some of his more cyber savvy colleagues in Q and IT Branches into a loosely defined “cyber security team”. It’s mostly them poking around MI6 systems testing and patching security. Technically, administrative IT is not under the purview of Q-Branch - you wouldn’t call Q-Branch if your laptop is refusing cooperate. Q-Branch is a specialised Field Research and Development (Weapons & Defence) division of MI6. However, there is increasing overlap with IT-Branch as terrorism and counterterrorism activities move into the cyber realm. The need to use cyber offensive measures (weapons) and protect against them (defend) blurs the lines between the branches in this age. 

It is still up in the air as to which branch will eventually take over - both branches playing it like hot potato at the moment. Q has a suspicion that M wants Q-Branch to play a more involved role sooner rather than later but bureaucratic red tape and legitimate logistical and manpower concerns have yet to be addressed. 

Timothy Hayden, Head of IT- branch is territorial about letting the grease monkeys down in Q-Branch toy with his high tech touch screens. He runs his branch like a corporate entity and isn’t a great fan of the somewhat disorganised tinkering elves that surround Boothroyd like a perverse Father Christmas toyshop. Boothroyd on the other hand doesn’t want Q-branch becoming mired in a multi-year IT systems transformation project that would draw resources away from their core competencies (whose budget should it come out of? what’s the scope? whose personnel? whose accountability? legacy systems, ongoing support and patches, etc.) 

So for now, Q and his merry little bunch of misfits - who in later years will become the core group of senior Q-minions surrounding Q (opportunity to explore the other characters) carry on their project in the background. Its their standing Friday CYBRWar! night with IT-Branch. Their cybergames isn’t exactly sanctioned but is not prohibited either - as long as they don’t repeat the Black Friday incident where an uninformed IT boffin mistook the games as a legitimate attack and executed a hard shut down of Level 3 servers taking all email down with it…. now that was a long weekend of data recovery work no one wants repeated. 

The games see them take turns playing system hacker and system defender. The score is currently an alarming 163 (success hacks) vs 57 (success repels) with both sides starting to uncomfortably acknowledge the gaping under-preparedness of their protocols. To add to the worry, a third of the successful repels are only because Q was playing lead defender. So, vigorous trash-talk and deliciously unhealthy takeaway food aside, it does serve a critical purpose - one that they won’t realise until a few years later. 

Meanwhile, Q’s personal life starts to get interesting. He’s fallen for a university tutor in the Arts & History faculty (lets call him Adam) who couldn’t be more different than Q. Adam is flawlessly chisel cheeked and athletic - but internally soft, emotional and romantic. Juxtaposed to Qs fragile physicality but rapier wit and iron will. Q suspects that Adam sees in him a scrappy lost puppy in need of a good home and boundaries to focus his genius - but doesn’t mind ...initially. His first serious romance and sexual experience ensues. [insert desired smut here. LOL]. 

However even as his personal life blossoms, his life in Q-Branch begins to unravel. A spate of failed field operations culminating in the death of a field agent instigates an investigation. It is determined that equipment failure is a cause in all these cases. Major Boothroyd as branch head is ultimately accountable - he is censured and put on administrative leave, which is crushing to the old man who has spent his life in Q-branch. As he spends an emotional evening packing his office and reminiscing on a life spent in the bowels of MI6 creating countless gadgets for his countrymen, the stress and shame takes its toll. He suffers a stroke, and collapses. It’s Q who finds him unresponsive next to the old DB5 that Boothroyld wanted to see for the last time when Q goes to collect the old man for the “farewell” drinks Q-Branch was throwing to honour their old mentor. 

Boothroyd  survives but suffers long term damage to his right side, making a potential return to Q-Branch impossible. It is both an emotional and technical blow to the department which is now facing ever increasing scrutiny. There is even talk of contracting all R&D work to external defence companies and doing away with Q-Branch all together…….

 Episode 2 continued under the cut.

———

Episode 2

Opens with a harried senior R trying to keep a demoralised Q-Branch together. The Major was a pillar of Q-Branch for decades and many feel a strong loyalty towards the old man, Q included. R orders a review of the few examples of returned equipment to find the root cause of failures. The engineers in Q-Branch get to it - they narrow it down to a few components but the records show no issue with them prior to assembly. Without more evidence, the investigation stalls. 

Out of curiosity, Q pokes around the inventory system, trying to find a pattern. When he checks the data logs, he finds discrepancies that suggest data tampering. The component serial numbers have been moved around so that in some cases untested components or those that have failed testing are getting released to be used in the assembly of field equipment.  

It is a small hack (if you can even call it that), surgically precise and inconspicuous enough that it flies under the radar.  In an era of brazen top down system wide pwn-ing, no one would have given priority to securing these low level administrative systems since they don’t hold any classified information. But once compromised causes a ripple that cascades upwards. Q gets a knot in his stomach, how many more of these time bombs are hidden in the system? 

Just then a field report for 007’s latest mission (Casino Royale) comes through. Q-branch is red flagged because the medical defibrillator they built for 007’s kit failed to discharge when expected - nearly costing the agent his life. It was only an act of serendipity that the liaison from HM Treasury Dept was there to assist. Q designed that defibrillator; he’d personally drawn up the schematics and the electronic controller as well as the specifications, he’d put in failsafes and redundancies knowing the critical use case of the equipment. This point he’s doesn’t know 007 personally, he knows of his reputation as a rebel and M’s experimental wild child. People say that about Q as well, that he’s M’s bet - for what exactly, only she knows. Q thinks otherwise, viewing MI6 as his gilded cage - one that M imposed and one that he now willingly submits to; to keep his egomaniacal tendencies in check (think pyjamas + tea + laptop = destruction). He resented it when he first arrived, but has since matured and loves the sense of purpose and outlet it provides. 

He plans to gather more evidence about the data tampering, before presenting it to R. But the next day he gets an urgent call from R telling him to come to HQ, they’ve sent a car for him. He has to cancel a long-awaited planned weekend with Adam who doesn’t quite get what’s so important that Q can’t put it off. To everyone else, Q is still a PhD student with no more pressing concerns than finishing his doctoral dissertations - a lazy student at that. 

This is where we see the cracks in Q’s civilian persona. Brilliant as he is, he barely makes his tutoring requirements and spends more time in Q-Branch than in the university labs. When he does show, he’s ill prepared and sporting increasingly implausible excuses. His PhD project is half baked and boring because the more interesting topics he’s working on is for MI6 and classified. Yet his technical genius means he still manages to run verbal rings around his peers and professors and make a general nuisance of himself (he can’t resist pulling the lion’s tail at times simply to see what would happen. We see traces of this side of him when he meets 007 later in Skyfall). He has all the ego and sensitivity (lack of) of a Sheldon-esque character but without a developmental disorder to explain his behaviour and endear him to those around him. MI6 funds his tuition so he is not wanting of anything. In summary for all appearances, he’s a privileged little shit too smart for his own good, cruising through academia without ambition or drive to make something of himself.  

Adam is understandably upset. Q is annoyed at Adam’s concern and increasing attempts to ‘guide’ and ‘channel’ him. He knows he’s been more erratic and impatient lately but can’t explain to Adam why. He leaves Adam at the university entrance and gets into the unmarked black car with a promise to talk later. 

When he gets to HQ he finds out that he’s facing the fallout from 007s’ field report. He’s now caught up in the internal inquiry dragnet. The inquiry board wants to issue a recall of ALL specialised field equipment designed by Q-branch. It would be a massive undertaking as it’s deployed all over the globe and across agencies (CIA, NATO, EEAS, etc that contracted work with Q-Branch) and in many cases with agents under deep cover. Not to mention the embarrassment and damage to MI6 reputation (they don’t know it yet, but this is the start of a campaign to undermine M; this is also my take on why Q-Branch makes no appearance in Casino Royal and Quantum). They also want to rescind Q’s contract and security clearance to cover their liabilities - using Q as a scapegoat. 

R thinks it’s an over reaction; granted there are serious issues here but give Q-Branch time to investigate before they make a decision. The board is unconvinced; they don’t have time for a protracted review, they have already lost one of their filed agents, now nearly losing a 00-agent. If something similar happens to one of the other allied agencies because of Q-Branch tech, the reputational embarrassment will be severe. The situation is at an impasse. 

With his career on the line, Q speaks up for the first time in the inquiry, surprising everyone into silence. In the last half hour, he’s been talked to as if his presence was irrelevant; a lowly Q-Branch boffin, disposable and expendable in the grand scheme of political machinations. He details his findings regarding the data tampering in the inventory management system. If he can trace which of the components are affected, he could narrow the list of equipment that potentially needs to be recalled. He asks for 3 days.

R an old school mechanical engineer, is out of his depth on this one as it’s a IT systems issue. IT-Branch Head, Hayden is uncooperative. He thinks Q is trying to deflect blame to his branch. Hayden objects, accusing Q of unauthorised hacking into IT Dept. Q admits to unauthorised access but quips back that its hardly hacking when all he had to do was jiggle the the handle to find the door unlocked. Terrorists are not going to pass up an exploit just because we asked nicely. That shuts everyone up. Out of the corner of his eye, he thinks he sees M look somewhat pleased but isn’t sure. 

The board acquiesces to the 3 days….the clock starts ticking.⏳

Update: Episode 3 up now.

----

Let me know what you think? 😉

[your-dietician]

ISS and Glass Lewis recommend Fortuna and Roxgold

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/business/iss-and-glass-lewis-recommend-fortuna-and-roxgold/

ISS and Glass Lewis recommend Fortuna and Roxgold

ISS and Glass Lewis both state that the proposed arrangement is in the best interest of Fortuna and Roxgold shareholders

The deadline to vote is prior to 9:00 a.m. Pacific time on June 24, 2021 for both Fortuna and Roxgold shareholders

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 18, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. (NYSE: FSM | TSX: FVI) and Roxgold Inc. (TSX: ROXG | OTCQX: ROGFF) are pleased to announce that Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”) and Glass, Lewis & Co., LLC (“Glass Lewis”), two leading proxy advisory firms who provide independent voting recommendations to institutional investors, have recommended that both Fortuna and Roxgold shareholders vote “FOR” the companies´ respective resolutions in connection with the proposed business combination (the “Transaction”), between Fortuna and Roxgold announced on April 26, 2021 (for additional details, refer to the joint news release dated April 26, 2021, “Fortuna And Roxgold Agree To Business Combination Creating A Low-Cost Intermediate Global Precious Metals Producer”). The Fortuna Meeting will be held online at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time on June 28, 2021, in a virtual-only format conducted by live audio webcast. The Roxgold Special Meeting will also be held online at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time on June 28, 2021, in a virtual-only format conducted by live audio webcast. Please see below for additional details for each meeting.

ISS and Glass Lewis recommend that Fortuna and Roxgold shareholders vote “FOR” the Share Issuance and Transaction, respectively

ISS concluded1 in Fortuna´s report dated June 8, 2021:

“The Arrangement makes strategic sense as the deal should create a combined company which is well diversified by geography and will immediately have four mines in operation. Furthermore, the combined company will possess an extensive pipeline of projects in West Africa and the Americas and should be adequately supported by the strength of its combined balance sheet and free cash flow profile to continue developing and expanding such projects.”

ISS concluded1 in Roxgold´s report dated June 8, 2021:

“It is expected the size and free cash flow profile of the combined entity will be superior to ROXG as a standalone entity, providing for a lower cost of capital, and that the market profile of the pro forma entity should garner greater interest from institutional investors over time as a result of its size and status as a dual listed entity on the TSX and NYSE.”

Glass Lewis stated1 in its recommendation FOR the Transaction in Fortuna´s and Roxgold´s reports both dated June 18, 2021:

“… the merger brings together a highly complementary and diversified portfolio with organic growth potential with multiple brownfields and greenfields options across several jurisdictions.”

“… we believe the proposed combination is based on sound strategic rationale and the enlarged company offers shareholders of both companies improved long-term opportunities relative to their stand-alone opportunities.”

1 Note: Permission to quote the reports was neither requested nor obtained

Board of directors’ recommendations

The Transaction has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of each of Fortuna and Roxgold, following, in the case of Roxgold, the unanimous recommendation of a special committee of independent directors. Both boards of directors unanimously recommend that their respective shareholders vote FOR (i) the Share Issuance, in the case of the Fortuna Meeting and (ii) the Transaction, in the case of the Roxgold Special Meeting.

Fortuna Meeting of shareholders

Fortuna will hold its annual and special meeting of Fortuna shareholders (the “Fortuna Meeting”), on Monday, June 28, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time at which shareholders will be asked to approve, in addition to annual meeting matters, the issuance of common shares of Fortuna in exchange for common shares of Roxgold pursuant to the Transaction (refer to The Letter to Shareholders and to Fortuna´s Notice of Meeting and Information Circular).

The Fortuna Meeting will be held in a virtual-only format via a live audio webcast which can be joined by clicking on https://web.lumiagm.com/208799817, password: fortuna2021 (case sensitive). Shareholders are advised that they will not be able to attend physically. Registered shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders can attend the meeting online, where they can participate, vote, and submit questions.

Fortuna shareholders that have any questions or require assistance with voting (refer to Form of Proxy) are encouraged to contact Fortuna´s proxy solicitation agent:

Laurel Hill Advisory Group North America (toll free): +1.877.452.7184 North America (outside): +1.416.304.0211 Email: assistance@laurelhill.com

Roxgold Special Meeting of shareholders

Roxgold will hold its special meeting of shareholders (the “Roxgold Special Meeting”), on Monday, June 28, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time to seek approval of the Transaction, the details of which are set forth in Roxgold’s management information circular dated May 26, 2021 (refer to Roxgold´s Special Meeting Information Circular).

The Roxgold Special Meeting will be held in a virtual-only format via live audio webcast which can be joined by clicking on https://web.lumiagm.com/205515857, password: roxgoldspecial2021 (case sensitive). Shareholders are advised that they will not be able to attend the Roxgold Special Meeting physically. At the Roxgold Special Meeting, registered shareholders and duly appointed proxyholders will be able to participate, ask questions and vote in “real time” through the online portal.

Roxgold shareholders that have any questions or require assistance with voting (refer to Form of Proxy) are encouraged to contact Roxgold´s proxy solicitation agent:

Kingsdale Advisors North America (toll free): +1.888-518-1563 North America (outside, collect call): +1.416.867.2272 Email: contactus@kingsdaleadvisors.com

Fortuna and Roxgold shareholders deadline to vote

Fortuna and Roxgold shareholders are reminded that the deadline to vote is Thursday, June 24, 2021, before 9:00 a.m. Pacific time.

About Fortuna Silver Mines Inc.

Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. is a Canadian precious metals mining company with operations in Peru, Mexico, and Argentina. Sustainability is integral to all our operations and relationships. Fortuna produces silver and gold and generates shared value over the long-term for its shareholders and stakeholders through efficient production, environmental protection, and social responsibility. For more information, please visit Fortuna´s website.

About Roxgold Inc.

Roxgold is a Canadian-based gold mining company with assets located in West Africa. Roxgold owns and operates the high-grade Yaramoko Gold Mine located on the Houndé greenstone belt in Burkina Faso and is also advancing the development and exploration of the Séguéla Gold Project located in Côte d’Ivoire. Roxgold trades on the TSX under the symbol ROXG and as ROGFF on OTCQX.

For information about Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. For Information about Roxgold Inc.     Carlos Baca Graeme Jennings, CFA Manager, Investor Relations Vice President, Investor Relations E: info@fortunasilver.com E: gjennings@roxgold.com    

The Toronto Stock Exchange has neither reviewed nor accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements which constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, “Forward-looking Statements”). All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are Forward-looking Statements and are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the Forward-looking Statements.

The Forward-looking Statements in this news release may include, without limitation, statements about the structure of the transaction, the anticipated timing of the respective shareholders meetings and the combined company’s financial position, including expectations regarding liquidity, expected pro forma financial outlook and other similar statements. Often, but not always, these Forward-looking Statements can be identified by the use of words such as “anticipated”, “estimated”, “potential”, “open”, “future”, “assumed”, “projected”, “used”, “detailed”, “has been”, “gain”, “planned”, “reflecting”, “will”, “anticipated”, “estimated” “containing”, “remaining”, “to be”, or statements that events, “could” or “should” occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations. Any financial outlook and forward-looking information contained in this news release regarding prospective financial performance or financial position is based on reasonable assumptions about future events, including economic conditions and proposed courses of action based on the assessment by management of each of Fortuna and Roxgold of the relevant information that is currently available. Projected operational information contains forward-looking information and is based on a number of material assumptions and factors, as are set out above. These projections may also be considered to contain future-oriented financial information or a financial outlook.

Forward-looking Statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the ability of Fortuna and Roxgold to control or predict and which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-looking Statements. Such risks, uncertainties and factors include, among others, the completion and timing of the Transaction, the ability of Fortuna and Roxgold to receive, in a timely manner, the necessary approvals to satisfy the conditions to closing of the Transaction; the ability to complete the Transaction on terms contemplated by Fortuna and Roxgold, or at all; the ability of the combined company to realize the anticipated benefits of, and synergies and savings from, the Transaction and the timing thereof and other factors referred to under the heading “Risk Factors” in each of Fortuna’s and Roxgold’s annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2020 located on SEDAR. Although Forward-looking Statements contained in this news release are based upon what each of Fortuna and Roxgold believe are reasonable assumptions at the time they were made, such statements are made as of the date hereof and Fortuna and Roxgold disclaim any obligation to update any Forward-looking Statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that these Forward-looking Statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on Forward-looking Statements.

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[linhgd9]

Brain Fitness Market 2020 Global Development Countries Trends, Size, Industry Reviews with Leading Players AttenGo, Nintendo, CogniFit, NEEURO

                                                          Researchmoz adds Brain Fitness Market to its huge research database.

The global Brain Fitness market is all set to garner exceptional revenues in the forthcoming period of 2021 to 2027, notes a recent study from Researchmoz document repository. This study report offering complete synopsis of the global Brain Fitness market for the forecast period of 2021–2027. Thus with this report, readers take a deep dive into important factors fueling or impeding the overall Brain Fitness market growth. Moving forward, the study sheds light on the challenges, trends, and threats of this market. 

The research report on Brain Fitness market is bifurcated into many segments on the basis of several important parameters. Product type, application, end-use industry, and region are some of the key parameters used for the bifurcation of the global market for Brain Fitness.  

Download FREE Research Sample with Industry Insights (150+ Pages PDF Report) @  https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=2619380

The report covers a thorough overview section inclusive of relevant details pertaining to company profiles, production and consumption ratios, production capacities, revenue generation cycles, gross pricing as well as product specificities and major growth catalysts that collectively create ample opportunities to drive million dollar growth in global Brain Fitness Market.

Some of the key players of Brain Fitness Market:

AttenGo, Nintendo, CogniFit, NEEURO, BrainTrain, SMARTfit, Applied Cognitive Engineering, Lumos Labs, Total Brain Health, Advanced Brain Technologies, Fountainhead Capital Management

Brain Fitness Market: Segmentation

The global Brain Fitness market is segmented in detail to cover every aspect of the market, and present a complete market intelligence approach to readers.

Market segment by Type, the product can be split into Brain Training Software

Brain Training Tools

Others

Market segment by Application, split into Hospitals

Clinics

Others

This report focuses on the Brain Fitness Market outlook, future outlook, growth opportunities and core and core contacts. The purpose of the study is to present market developments in the US, Europe and other countries. It also analyzes industrial development trends and marketing channels. Industry analysis was conducted to investigate the impact of various factors and to understand the overall appeal of the industry.

The report has been accumulated through meticulous primary and secondary research, which encompasses interviews, inspections, and observations of experienced analysts, as well as proven paid sources, news articles, annual reports, trade journals, and company body databases. The study also presents a qualitative and quantitative evaluation by analyzing the data collected from industry professionals and market participants across crucial factors in the industry’s value chain.

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                              Key Questions Answered in The Report:

What is the market size in various countries throughout the world?

What are the market size, share and market growth opportunities for Brain Fitness Market?

What will be the business development opportunities in the upcoming years?

What are the current trends & competition in Brain Fitness Market?

Which are the main key companies involved in Brain Fitness Market & what are their strategies?

Furthermore, it takes a closer look at various norms, government policies, rules, and regulations. This research has been done with proven research methodologies like qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. Different info graphics have been used while curating the report of the global Brain Fitness Market. The report profiles a few of the companies operating in the global market                                                               

Table of Content:

Market Overview

Competition Analysis by Players

Company (Top Players) Profiles

Brain Fitness Market Size by Type and Application

US Market Status and Outlook

EU Development Market Status and Outlook

Japan Market Development Status and Outlook

China Market Status and Outlook

India Brain Fitness Market Status and Outlook

Southeast Asia Market Status and Outlook

Market Forecast by Region, Type, and Application

Market Dynamics

Market Effect Factor Analysis

Research Finding/ Conclusion

Appendix

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[shrutech]

Market Dynamics- Drivers Enhancement in existing performance of transportation networks is expected to drive growth of the global intelligent transportation systems (ITS) market during the forecast period Transport plays a major role in a country’s economic and social development. Inadequate working of traffic signals and traffic incidents are major causes of all traffic jams and increased carbon emissions in urban and interurban networks. According to various, ITS associations such as ITS Canada, ITS Turkey, etc. advanced traffic management systems (ATMS) reduce the waiting time at a signal by 20% to 30% and the travel time by 25%, which in turn helps in saving a huge chunk of notified congestion. These systems also reduce greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) etc. For every hour of delay time reduced in traffic, one lightweight vehicle can save 0.7 gallons of fuel and a truck can save 1.93 gallons. Therefore, these factors are expected to drive growth of the global intelligent transportation systems (ITS) market during the forecast period. Growing need to improve road safety is expected to propel the global intelligent transportation systems (ITS) market growth over the forecast period According to the Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT), 2012, around 1.3 million people per year and an average of 3,287 people die per day in road accidents. Road traffic accounts for more than 2.2% of all deaths globally. According to the same sources, in 2012, road accident was the 9th leading cause of deaths and accounted for more than 2% of all global deaths. Road accidents alone cost around US$ 520 billion per day globally. Many countries are mitigating these challenges by implementing advanced traffic management systems in their road networks. Furthermore, increasing awareness about road safety among vehicle owners is expected to increase the demand for cooperative systems such as vehicle to vehicle (V2V) and vehicle to infrastructure (V2I) in the near future. Developed regions are fully committed and implementing stringent regulations and policies to reduce the number of road fatalities. Thus, these factors are expected to propel the global intelligent transportation systems (ITS) market growth over the forecast period. Get HOLISTIC Request Sample Copy: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/4174 Market Dynamics- Restraint Negative impact of economic slowdown on ITS funding is expected to restrain growth of the global intelligent transportation systems (ITS) market during the forecast period Lower funding for ITS projects is a major challenge for transportation agencies, in order to deploy ITS technologies. State and national governments of several countries across the world including developed nations are giving priority to expansion and maintenance of transportation networks over deploying advanced ITS technologies. In the last few years, both developed and emerging economies are struggling with the economic slowdown. According to International Monetary Fund growth in the global economy is expected to be slow in 2013 which in turn will impact the market of ITS in the near future. Therefore, these factors expected to restrain growth of the global intelligent transportation systems (ITS) market during the forecast period. Lack of interoperability between ITS and infrastructure is expected to hinder the global intelligent transportation (ITS) market growth over the forecast period ITSs use information and communication technologies to share the transportation information between vehicle and road users, transportation authorities, and traffic control units. ITS system’s architectural deployment is facing interoperability challenges to share the information and to facilitate transportation in a more effective manner. Interoperability is the major issue for electronic toll collection systems (ETC) due to difference in toll collection concepts and different technologies used by highway toll collection operators. Hence, these factors are expected to hinder the global intelligent transportation (ITS) market growth over the forecast period.Market Opportunities Improving the standardization of wireless communication technologies can present lucrative growth opportunities in the global intelligent transportation systems (ITS) market Wireless technologies used in ITS systems are developing constantly to improve the reliability and interoperability of transportation networks. Both short distance and long-distance wireless communication technologies are advancing rapidly to support current and future applications of ITS. These wireless communication technologies have a wide range of applications in ITS including electronic toll charging (ETC), vehicle navigation systems, and other advanced traveler information systems. Recently, 5.9 MHz DSRC was introduced to improve the performance of toll systems at highway tolls.  Europe has also approved this technology for ETC on highways. Continuous development and standardization of the DSRC technology is expected to increase its applications in the field of V2X communication systems to reduce accidents and improve road safety. Communication Air Interface Long and Medium (CALM) range also has a huge potential as it provides continuous wireless communication between roadside infrastructure and vehicles. Contracts and agreements among market players can provide major business opportunities in the global intelligent transportation systems (ITS) market Major companies in the market are involved in contracts and agreements, in order to gain a competitive edge in the market. For instance, in June 2013, Siemens received the contract to supply it's advanced ITS solutions for Poznan in Poland. Furthermore, in January 2012, Hitachi Ltd., Mitsubishi Corporation, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd received the contract from Malaga Smartcity project (Spain).Buy This Business Report:https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/buy-now/4174 An intelligent transportation system is an advanced application, whose primary objective is to provide innovative services related to different modes of transportation and traffic management and allow users to be well-informed.

[sandlerresearch]

Weigh-In-Motion System Market by Type (In-Road, Bridge Weigh, Onboard), Vehicle Speed (Low, High), Component (Hardware, Software & Services), End Use Industry (Highway Toll, Oil & Refinery, Logistics), Sensors, Function, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 published on

https://www.sandlerresearch.org/weigh-in-motion-system-market-by-type-in-road-bridge-weigh-onboard-vehicle-speed-low-high-component-hardware-software-services-end-use-industry-highway-toll-oil-refinery-logistics.html

Weigh-In-Motion System Market by Type (In-Road, Bridge Weigh, Onboard), Vehicle Speed (Low, High), Component (Hardware, Software & Services), End Use Industry (Highway Toll, Oil & Refinery, Logistics), Sensors, Function, Region - Global Forecast to 2027

“Government support toward intelligent transportation system is expected to drive the weigh-in-motion system market during the forecast period.”

The weigh-in-motion system market is projected to reach USD 1,730 million by 2027 from USD 858 million in 2020, at a CAGR of 10.5% during the forecast period. To make transportation safe, more efficient, and sustainable, the governments of various countries such as the US, China, Japan, and many European countries have defined a roadmap for intelligent transportation infrastructure. For instance, the ITS Strategic Plan 2015–2019, started by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), focuses on intelligent vehicles, intelligent infrastructure, and the creation of intelligent transportation systems. In the fiscal year 2020, the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) awarded Advanced Transportation and Congestion Management Technologies Deployment (ATCMTD) grants worth USD 49.6 million to 10 projects using advanced intelligent transportation systems (ITS) that will improve mobility and safety and support vehicle connectivity. The Virginia Department of Transportation (US) issued an order worth USD 135.9 million to construct a 6.24-mile long bypass for Rout6e 29 in Charlottesville (US) and Albemarle County (US). It planned to install an ITS and traffic control devices on the 6.24-mile long bypass. In FY 2020, the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) issued an order worth USD 6 million for the Integrated Safety Technology Corridor project.

In 2015, the Government of the Netherlands announced substantial investments in 12 regions and allocated more than USD 77.7 million for ITS until 2018, which involved the use of innovative technologies for traffic management, leading to better traffic distribution. Further, the Delhi government (India) planned to invest about USD 1 billion in 2019 in intelligent traffic management systems, with an aim to renovate the existing traffic system.

ITS applications offer benefits of combining information, data processing, communication, and sensor technology and apply them to vehicles and traffic infrastructure and management software to provide a more efficient transport network. A WIM system enables intelligent use of the available transportation infrastructure and vehicles by allowing real-time information and data flow. The system collects data from sensors located in or above the infrastructure. It helps in smooth traffic flow, increases road safety by identifying overweight vehicles, and reduces road wear over a period. Thus, the growing demand for ITS all over the world is expected to drive the WIM market during the forecast period.

“Globally, the traffic data collection segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period.”

The traffic data collection system provides real-time monitoring of specific situations and road areas, such as toll highways, bridges, and underpasses, with the help of dedicated video devices. The system extracts useful information about road mobility and traffic, helps enhance road safety, and gives information to users. Thus, the traffic data collection segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period.

Europe is projected to be the largest regional market

In 2020, Europe is estimated to dominate the market for weigh-in-motion systems. The region is expected to be a key revenue pocket for the weigh-in-motion market with growing investments by regional governments for transportation infrastructure development projects in national and international highways. Moreover, Europe is dominated by the high-speed weigh-in-motion system, which costs 50-60% higher than low-speed systems. Furthermore, a major reason for the European dominance of the weigh-in-motion system market is the free trade agreements between the EU countries.

In-depth interviews were conducted with CEOs, marketing directors, other innovation and strategy directors, and executives from various key organizations operating in this market.

By Company Type: System manufacturers – 45%, Tier 1 –35%, and Other – 20%

By Designation: C Level – 40%, Directors- 35%, and Others – 25%

By Region: Asia Pacific – 30%, Europe – 35%, North America –35%

Kapsch TrafficCom (Austria), Q-Free ASA (Norway), METTLER TOLEDO (US), and Avery Weigh-Tronix (Illinois Tool Works) (US) are the leading manufacturers of weigh-in-motion system in the global market.

Research Coverage:

The study segments the weigh-in-motion system market and forecasts the market size based on Type (In-road, Weigh Bridge, and Onboard), Vehicle Speed (Low-speed and High-speed), Component (Hardware, and Software & Services), End-use Industry (Highway Toll, Oil & Refinery, Logistics, and Other end use industries), Function (Vehicle Profiling, Axle Counting, Weight Enforcement, Weight-based Toll Collection, and Traffic Data Collection), Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World (RoW)).

The study also includes an in-depth competitive analysis of the major weigh-in-motion system manufacturers in the market, along with their company profiles, key observations related to product and business offerings, recent developments, and key market strategies.

Key Benefits of Buying the Report:

The report will help the market leaders/new entrants in this market with the information on the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall weigh-in-motion system market and the sub-segments. This report will help stakeholders understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to better position their businesses and plan suitable go-to-market strategies. The report also helps stakeholders understand the market’s pulse and provides them information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.

[supplychainandlogisticssoftware]

TRANSFORMATION OF BI THROUGH AI AND ML DEMOCRATIZATION

Business Intelligence(BI) is the set of methodologies, processes, architectures, and technologies that transform raw data into meaningful and useful information used to enable more effective strategic, tactical, and operational insights and decision-making, OR one can simply say getting the right information to the right people at the right time.

BI is much more than a set of dashboards and reports. In facts, the technology of BI is only the tip of the iceberg. The real substance behind BI lies in how different parts of an organization collect, share, and process data. BI is best to utilize as a service to the entire organization, with each business area playing a role in its upkeep and improvement. Most Organization underestimate BI as simply an afterthought or bolt-on to their operational software applications. But the truth is a good BI is critical because it provides visibility into what is happening within those applications and amongst its people. BI is actually the one programme in any organization that can touch virtually every area of the business. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning(ML) are the heart of digital transformation by enabling organizations to exploit their growing volume wealth of Big Data to optimize key business and operational use cases.

THE EVOLUTIONARY PATH OF BI

The first generation of BI: In the 1990s, It could take weeks of IT work and coding to create a series of highly formatted reports. At that time, companies embedded proprietary BI tools, such as Crystal Reports, into their desktop or client/server applications using proprietary application programming interfaces (APIs). Small discrepancies in the data ultimately impacted final figures, proving to be extremely costly and, as a result, the time spent checking the data a lot of company wasted resource, which could otherwise have been invested elsewhere in the business. In this generation of BI, businesses simply could not make snapshot reactive decisions as they can today.

Second generation of BI : Embedding proprietary BI tools or using proprietary APIs started to change in the 2000s (during the second generation of BI), when the rise of both standardized data warehouses, in-memory engines and Web technologies made possible the access of large amounts of normalized data through intuitive drag-and-drop report- and dashboard-building tools, such as Power BI or Tableau. By doing so analysts and business users could finally self-serve their analysis without the involvement on IT personnel. This generation also included improved embedding techniques, enabling companies to create and integrate reports and dashboards inside applications using HTML, iFrames and SOAP-based Web services interfaces. After creating and integrating reports and dashboards employees could access more than a static report, and as dashboards grew in popularity, users were able to quickly investigate the data to help analysts and business users make better-informed business decisions across a variety of domains. Analysts and business users ultimately had to go looking for the data, rather than the other way around. So, this problem remained with this generation of BI.

The third generation of BI: In order to solve the 2nd generation problem, brings us neatly to today, a world of increasingly multi-structured data sets that all need to be analyzed. Now a day businesses data are growing exponentially, but many of them are now recognizing the newfound responsibility of using data to create more value, whether it is to keep costs down, drive additional sales, engage customers more fully or improve process efficiency, such as if one’s competitor suddenly dropped price, how are others going to handle this situation and how can they make that decision if they can’t rapidly predict the impact to their profitability after a quarter or two.

THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF AI AND ML

Democratization is defined as the action of making something accessible to everyone, to the “common masses”. Until recently, it requires a data scientist to write a code for any AI or ML algorithm in order to create a model that can predict the impact to one’s profitability before their next quarter so that they can also keep costs down, drive additional sales, engage customers more fully or improve process efficiency with maximum profit. But in this current era of increasing data volume, there is a shortage of qualified data scientists is often highlighted as one of the major handbrakes on the adoption of Big Data and AI. So, a growing number of tools are putting data scientists capabilities in hands of non-experts for better.

TRANSFORMING BI THROUGH AI AND ML DEMOCRATIZATION

Democratization has brought an explosion in the breadth and quality of self-service analytics platforms in recent years, which let non-technical employees tap the huge amounts of data businesses are sitting on. These platforms typically let users carry out simple, day-to-day analytic tasks—like creating reports or building data visualizations—rather than having to rely on the company’s data specialists. The employees using self-service analytics tool will output more than professional data scientists. Democratization is not just a simple analytic task that is being made more accessible, there are also a growing number of tools to help beginners start to build their own machine learning(ML) models, which comes with the pre-built algorithm and intuitive interfaces that make it easy for someone with little experience to get started. These tolls are aimed at developers rather than analysts and business users who use simpler self-service analytics platforms, but they mean it’s no longer necessary to have a Ph.D. in advanced statistics to get started.

SOLUTIONS FOR LOGISTICS USING MASTER DATA MANAGEMENT

MASTER DATA MANAGEMENT FOR LOGISTICS

[newstfionline]

Monday, February 22, 2021

Global vaccine inequality and intellectual property rights (Washington Post) As the coronavirus pandemic rages, World Trade Organization representatives have periodically gathered around a virtual table and clashed over how to more equitably increase global access to vaccines. On one side are the United States and other mainly wealthy Western democracies, where the major pharmaceutical companies developing key vaccines and related medical technologies are based. They want to maintain the status quo, in which the trade secrets of their vaccines—i.e. intellectual property—remain in their hands to preserve profits and the incentive for future development. On the other side are South Africa and India, leading the charge on behalf of the vast number of countries without any—or a limited supply of—vaccine doses and other equipment for fighting the virus. They argue that the rest of the world cannot keep waiting for the lifesaving shots, which Western countries have monopolized by buying up existing supplies and pre-purchasing future rounds. Given the gravity of the global public health crisis, the latter camp wants to resort to an emergency waiver mechanism, whereby the intellectual property rights for making vaccines and related medical supplies would be temporarily suspended, which would lead to production and distribution ramping up more equitably in factories worldwide.

The Boredom Economy (NYT) Mark Hawkins is an expert on being bored. When he was getting his counseling degree, he was fascinated by articles on the therapeutic benefits of boredom. He has written a book whose title is “The Power of Boredom.” In his spare time, he likes to sit on his couch and stare out the window. Yet during the pandemic, even Mr. Hawkins, 42, who lives in British Columbia with his wife, has at times gotten bored of being bored. There are many readily available ways to assess how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the economy. The pandemic has decimated the labor market, driving the unemployment rate to 6.3 percent in January, nearly twice what it was a year earlier. Restrictions on activities led Americans to spend less money, pushing the savings rate to extraordinary heights. As people have fled to places with more space and fewer people, home prices have surged. Another way the pandemic has had an impact on the economy is by making people bored. By limiting social engagements, leisure activities and travel, the pandemic has forced many people to live a more muted life, without the normal deviations from daily monotony. The result is a collective sense of ennui—one that is shaping what we do and what we buy, and even how productive we are. “Because we’re spending so much time in the home, we’re investing more in the home,” said Marshal Cohen, the chief retail analyst at the NPD Group, a market research company. “And the things that we’re investing in are things to keep ourselves busy.”

Parts fall from sky in plane scare (AP) David Delucia was settling back into his airplane seat and starting to relax on his way to a long-awaited vacation when a huge explosion and flash of light interrupted an in-flight announcement and put him in survival mode. The Boeing 777-200, headed from Denver to Honolulu on Saturday with 231 passengers and 10 crew aboard, suffered a catastrophic failure in its right engine and flames erupted under the wing as the plane began to lose altitude. As Delucia and his wife prepared for the worst, people in this Denver suburb reacted in horror as huge pieces of the engine casing and chunks of fiberglass rained down on a sports fields and on streets and lawns, just missing one home and crushing a truck. The explosion, visible from the ground, left a trail of black smoke in the sky, and tiny pieces of insulation filled the air like ash. The plane landed safely at Denver International Airport, and no one on board or on the ground was hurt, authorities said. But both those in the air and on the ground were deeply shaken.

Why a predictable cold snap crippled the Texas power grid (Reuters) As Texans cranked up their heaters early Monday to combat plunging temperatures, a record surge of electricity demand set off a disastrous chain reaction in the state’s power grid. Wind turbines in the state’s northern Panhandle locked up. Natural gas plants shut down when frozen pipes and components shut off fuel flow. A South Texas nuclear reactor went dark after a five-foot section of uninsulated pipe seized up. Power outages quickly spread statewide—leaving millions shivering in their homes for days, with deadly consequences. It could have been far worse: Before dawn on Monday, the state’s grid operator was “seconds and minutes” away from an uncontrolled blackout for its 26 million customers, its CEO has said. Such a collapse occurs when operators lose the ability to manage the crisis through rolling blackouts; in such cases, it can take weeks or months to fully restore power to customers. Monday was one of the state’s coldest days in more than a century—but the unprecedented power crisis was hardly unpredictable after Texas had experienced a similar, though less severe, disruption during a 2011 cold snap. Still, Texas power producers failed to adequately winter-proof their systems. And the state’s grid operator underestimated its need for reserve power capacity before the crisis, then moved too slowly to tell utilities to institute rolling blackouts to protect against a grid meltdown, energy analysts, traders and economists said. Texas is the only state in the continental United States with an independent and isolated grid. That allows the state to avoid federal regulation—but also severely limits its ability to draw emergency power from other grids.

Trump Ally Violated Libya Arms Embargo, U.N. Report Says (NYT) Erik Prince, the former head of the security contractor Blackwater Worldwide and a prominent supporter of former President Donald J. Trump, violated a United Nations arms embargo on Libya by sending weapons to a militia commander who was attempting to overthrow the internationally backed government, according to U.N. investigators. A confidential U.N. report obtained by The New York Times and delivered by investigators to the Security Council on Thursday reveals how Mr. Prince deployed a force of foreign mercenaries, armed with attack aircraft, gunboats and cyberwarfare capabilities, to eastern Libya at the height of a major battle in 2019. As part of the operation, which the report said cost $80 million, the mercenaries also planned to form a hit squad that could track down and kill selected Libyan commanders. Mr. Prince, a former Navy SEAL and the brother of Betsy DeVos, Mr. Trump’s education secretary, became a symbol of the excesses of privatized American military force when his Blackwater contractors killed 17 Iraqi civilians in 2007. In the past decade he has relaunched himself as an executive who strikes deals—sometimes for minerals, other times involving military force—in war-addled but resource-rich countries, mostly in Africa.

Violence flares as protests over jailing of Spanish rapper extend into fifth night (AP) Protesters threw bottles at police, set fire to containers and smashed up shops in Barcelona on Saturday in a fifth night of clashes after a rapper was jailed for glorifying terrorism and insulting royalty in his songs. The nine-month sentence of Pablo Hasel, known for his virulently anti-establishment raps, has sparked a debate over freedom of expression in Spain as well as protests which have at times turned violent. Protesters attacked shops on Barcelona’s most prestigious shopping street, Passeig de Gracia, while newspaper El Pais reported that others had smashed windows in the emblematic Palau de la Musica concert hall. Demonstrators hurled projectiles and flares at police, who fired foam bullets to disperse the crowd.

With heavy hearts, Italians mark year of COVID-19 outbreak (AP) With wreath-laying ceremonies, tree plantings and church services, Italians on Sunday marked one year since their country experienced its first known COVID-19 death. Towns in Italy’s north were the first to be hard-hit by the pandemic and put under lockdown, and residents paid tribute to the dead. Italy, with some 95,500 confirmed virus dead, has Europe’s second-highest pandemic toll after Britain. Experts say the virus also killed many others who were never tested. The number of new coronavirus infections has remained stubbornly high despite a raft of restrictions on travel between regions, and in some cases between towns. In addition, gyms, cinemas and theaters have been closed and restaurants and bars must shut early in the evening. Nationwide there’s a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew.

Protesting Indian farmers vow to amass more supporters outside capital Delhi (Reuters) More than 100,000 farmers and farm workers gathered in India’s northern Punjab state on Sunday in a show of strength against new farm laws, where union leaders called on supporters to amass outside the capital New Delhi on Feb. 27. Tens of thousands of Indian growers have already been camped outside Delhi for nearly three months, demanding the repeal of the three reform laws that they say will hurt them and benefit large corporations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, which introduced the laws last September, has offered to defer the laws but refused to abandon them. Both sides have met for several rounds of negotiations but failed to make any headway, and farmers’ unions have vowed to carry on the protests until the laws are rolled back.

North Korea’s economy is ravaged by sanctions and pandemic isolation (Washington Post) Kim Jong Un is angry, and he’s lashing out. North Korea’s last economic plan failed “tremendously,” he complained. And his inner circle lacked an “innovative viewpoint and clear tactics” in drawing up a new one, Kim told the ruling Workers’ Party last month, yelling and finger-pointing at frightened-looking delegates. His economy minister, appointed in January, has already been fired. It’s not altogether surprising. North Korea is suffering its worst slump in more than two decades, experts say. It’s a combination of international sanctions and especially a self-imposed blockade on international trade in attempts to keep the coronavirus pandemic out. A shortage of spare parts usually supplied from China has caused factories to close, including one of the country’s largest fertilizer plants, and crippled output from the country’s aging power plants, according to news reports. Electricity shortages, long a chronic problem, have become so acute, production has even halted at some coal mines and other mines, Kim himself admitted in mid-February. “Without imported materials, raw materials and components, many enterprises stopped, and people, accordingly, lost their jobs,” Alexander Matsegora, the Russian ambassador to North Korea, told the Interfax news agency.

Myanmar protesters gather, undeterred by worst day of violence (Reuters) Huge crowds marched in Myanmar on Sunday to denounce a Feb. 1 military coup in a show of defiance after the bloodiest episode of the campaign for democracy the previous day, when security forces fired on protesters, killing two. The military has been unable to quell the demonstrations and a civil disobedience campaign of strikes against the coup and the detention of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and others, even with a promise of new elections and stern warnings against dissent. Tens of thousands of people massed peacefully in the second city of Mandalay, where Saturday’s killings took place, witnesses said.

Israel to issue badges as proof of vaccination (AP) Israel unveiled a plan on Saturday to allow people who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus to attend cultural events, fly abroad and go to health clubs and restaurants. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the plan at a news conference on Saturday night, saying those who have been vaccinated will be able to download the “green badge” in the coming days. Netanyahu said the government could not keep unvaccinated residents from places like medical clinics, pharmacies and supermarkets. But he said other services would be allowed only for those who have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

[aksbrillmindz]

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO DEVELOP AN APP LIKE Smart Salik?

Highways across the globe have different methods of collecting tolls for their usage. Manual collection, automatic cash collection and electronic collection are widely used ones. Among these, electronic toll collection is the most advanced method. Especially during the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic, this carries much importance as it involves a contactless process. The government of Dubai, UAE was one of the foremost in the world to introduce an electronic road toll system in 2007 called ‘Salik’.

What is Salik?

Dubai's Road and Transport Authority (RTA) built Salik as a free-flowing system. It was aimed to avoid stopping vehicles at any point on the Dubai highway and do a manual payment. Because of Salik, there is no toll booth waiting times, barriers and one can just drive through a toll gate without stopping.

Salik promotes automatic transactions with the use of a Salik tag. Your vehicle is detected and the tag is scanned by the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. Dh4 is deducted from the prepaid Salik account every time the vehicle passes via toll point. Regardless of the vehicle driver, the money is deducted from the Salik holder account at all the trips.

Salik must be obtained online via www.salik.gov.ae and it will be sent to the buyer’s address. It can also be bought from petrol bunks, Emirates NBD bank or Dubai Islamic bank. According to the RTA, a person is only exempted from toll fees if the vehicle is registered as a military or police vehicle or is an ambulance, school, college, or RTA public bus.

Smart Salik App:

RTA has launched a Smartphone application (Smart SALIK) that lets its users manage their SALIK account and accomplish top-ups, check balance, look at the trips, etc. This app was launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai for their plans of Smart City.

Smart Salik app is a mobile app to aid users to pay and manage their Salik account on their smartphones. Smart Salik app makes operations with the Salik account smoother and more convenient. It is a very useful app that records every move and payment operations. The user needs to have a Salik account online, recharge the account using Salik recharge, or a card voucher.

Many advanced features are added to the app that aids the users. Along with the presence of existing features such as checking the balance, recharging the account user can add or remove the vehicles, verify their trips and violations, update or edit the profile and also access general Salik information.

Below are the services provided by the smart Salik app to the users:

Creation of new Salik User that lets the customer manage their Salik account. They could easily create their profile for getting easy access and get all the updates and news about Salik.

• Balance Top Up - recharging a SALIK account employing a Salik recharge card or e-voucher.

• Look for all the violations incurred and fines paid. Users can also lookout or create a violation dispute.

Get push notifications from Salik related to the app u[dates or any latest news regarding the features.

• Look for all the locations of Salik toll gates and customer service stations.

• Call and speak to the Salik for any doubts.

• Answer to all doubts via FAQs, updates, and other announcements.

• Access Salik information such as FAQs, News, and Announcements

Along with all these features, a user can set up online Salik, that lets them access additional services like:

• Recharging a SALIK account via recharge card, e-voucher, or e-Pay.

• Check the violations and unpaid trips.

• Check the trips via SALIK toll gates.

• A complete summary of the particular SALIK account.

• Check out all the vehicles/tags registered with their SALIK account.

• Update their Salik account with a new vehicle/tag.

• Update a registered phone number or add a phone number to their Salik account.

• Lookout and download Salik account reports with details of all trips taken and top-ups done.

Along with all these features, Salik aids with helpful links and guidance on all the app screens. The experience would be similar to the one found on the Salik website.

SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS FOR SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION

Android studio and Java are employed for App creation.

The front end of the app is programmed by PHP, XML, and Ajax.

Java is used for logical aspects and in the back-end.

For iOS apps, Swift and XCode are used.

Cost of developing an app like Smart Salik in Dubai:

Many regions across the globe have developed the ETC system and the relative Smart Salik type app. Therefore, if you are planning to develop a smart Salik type app in your region it is of utmost importance to associate with a reliable app development company.

The overall cost may be dependent on the scope of the final product and more importantly on the number and complexity of the features included in the app. Along with these factors, the system size (i.e. number of lanes and toll points), the type of platform on which app will be built, customizable software required, location of the development company will all affect the final cost of the app.

The most complex and advanced features will indeed enhance the quality of the app but they will also have a direct impact on the final product. But is very important to hire an experienced mobile app development company that is well-versed with all the key elements of technology and industry who guide you towards the right path of success.

Bottom line: Smart Salik mobile app rated among the top 10 best mobile apps in UAE for many years. If you have a solid idea to build a Smart Salik like app in Dubai then you must associate with one of the reliable and experienced mobile app development companies in Dubai, like Brill Mindz.

[edwardbailey286]

Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Market | Analysis And Opportunities During Covid-19 Pandemic

Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Market in Brief

Transparency Market Research has released a new market report entitled " Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Market [Component – Software (On-premises (Agile Centric ALM, Process Centric ALM), Cloud Based (Agile Centric ALM, Process Centric ALM)), Services (Consulting, Design & Integration, Maintenance & Migration); Enterprise Size – Small & Medium Enterprises and Large Enterprises; End-user - Automotive and Transportation, Manufacturing, Aerospace and Defense, BFSI, Energy and Utilities, Retail & E-commerce, Healthcare, IT and Telecom, Others (Education, Government, and Logistics)] – Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2019 – 2027." According to this report, the global application lifecycle management (ALM) market revenue stood at US$ 2,887.4 Mn in 2019 and is expected to reach US$ 5,701.9 Mn by 2027, at a CAGR of 8.9% during the forecast period from 2019 to 2027.

Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Market - Definition

Application lifecycle management (ALM) software is used to coordinate and manage different stages of software development. As a result, software can be designed, delivered, and deployed faster, reducing time to market. ALM solutions have been adopted by companies in various developed economies with a view to maintaining their business agility and flexibility, as ALM increases the business efficiency by creating and enforcing standards across all related project stages, and performing more appropriate allocation of human and technological resources. Also, increasing cloud-based ALM solutions are being adopted by enterprises around the globe. This is due to the benefits offered by cloud-based implementation models, such as low upfront costs, hosted computing services without any investments in infrastructure, and increased scalability. The cloud-based ALM solutions segment is anticipated to grow the fastest, with an expected CAGR of 8.7% during the forecast period due to their ability to provide global access to information and processes in software development. The ALM services market is segmented into consulting, professional, operation, and maintenance. In 2019, global ALM services component revenue accounted for US$ 1,683.8 Mn, which is approximately 58.3% of the overall ALM market. In terms of enterprise size, revenue of small & medium enterprises accounted for US$ 1,556.2 Mn in 2019, and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.2% during the forecast period.

Request A Sample Copy Of The Report

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=9257

The IT and telecom end-user segment acquired the majority share of the ALM market in the year 2019. It was also the fastest growing segment, projected to expand at a CAGR of 10.2% from 2019 to 2027. Rising technical as well as managerial challenges and variations in software with different standards in different regions have led to high adoption of ALM solutions among IT and telecom end-users.

In the future, the ALM market is expected to grow significantly in Asia Pacific due to fast technological development and population growth.

North America Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Market

The U.S. is one of the biggest spenders in application lifecycle management (ALM) across the world. ALM market size of the U.S. is projected to reach US$ 1,356.9 Mn by 2027 at a CAGR of 8.9% during the forecast period. The North America application lifecycle management (ALM) market is expected to reach US$ 1,696.1 Mn by 2027 from US$ 684.7 Mn in 2019, rising at a rate CAGR of 9.2% during the forecast period. One of the key trends in the ALM market in North America is the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) in ALMs. IoT has huge potential in developing economies, but is expected to have a higher overall value impact in advanced economies such as North America because of the higher value per use.

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Key Growth Drivers of the Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Market

Rapid uptake of mobile devices, growth in number of browsers/platforms - Developing applications for multiple platforms involves many activities other than just code writing, which are referred to as DevOps (development + operations), or as ALM, throughout the application’s complete lifecycle. Activities include planning and tracking work, designing code, implementing, managing source code repository and continuous integration, running builds, testing, running various diagnostic forms in development and production areas, and monitoring the application performance and user behavior in real time

Need for greater efficiency across teams and increased engineering productivity - ALM enables project timelines management as well as project delivery. It ensures that every requirement has been mapped with software capability. ALM tests the performance of the software throughout its lifecycle. ALM supports individuals, teams, and institutions in their quest to scale up tester and developer productivity. Furthermore, it extends the software lifecycle.

Aging systems development lifecycle (SDLC) infrastructure - The SDLC model is used in project management and involves various stages in a system development project, from the initial study to the maintenance of the completed application. SDLC consists of a detailed plan that describes how the development, maintenance, and replacement of specific software is conducted. Complete structure of the software development process reduces the development time of the software. ALM helps to reduce time taken for the software development process which helps to increase the profitability of the company.

Key Challenges Faced by Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Market Players

The contribution of SMEs to the global economy is highly significant. A major section of SMEs consider traditional ALM solutions as rigid processes with high installation cost.

Mid-sized enterprises are aware of the importance of ALM, but reluctant to implement it due to limited IT resources. Moreover, any change in standard operating procedures (SOPs) also leads to the possibility of disturbance to current users. Developers within an organization have been forced to use many tools for the management of agile projects.

Therefore, demand for next-generation ALM tools is increasing, given that they are anticipated to be lighter, leaner, and focused on specific best practices in order to increase efficiency

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Our reports are single-point solutions for businesses to grow, evolve, and mature. Our real-time data collection methods along with ability to track more than one million high growth niche products are aligned with your aims. The detailed and proprietary statistical models used by our analysts offer insights for making right decision in the shortest span of time. For organizations that require specific but comprehensive information we offer customized solutions through adhoc reports. These requests are delivered with the perfect combination of right sense of fact-oriented problem solving methodologies and leveraging existing data repositories.

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Why CBD Stocks are Rising Stars (YCBD, MJNA, CBGL, CBDD, CWBHF)

With all the hoopla over the cannabis market, its younger brother is a more promising star: CBD. The CBD market wins over the cannabis market because it doesn’t have any hurdles to jump – that means legal or cultural – on its way to billions in total global sales. It just needs greater visibility. Cannabis is expected to grow by leaps and bounds, but it suffers from both legal and cultural pushback. It isn’t just about legality here. Decades of disinformation and legacy norm boundaries have dealt cannabis a heavy toll in the PR department, and that ground isn’t easy to make up in a hurry. But none of that exists in any important way for CBD because all of that is really about THC. Furthermore, there are other “innocent” cannabinoids to talk about next, including CBG, CBN, THCV, CBDA, etc. Each can get in line for its own coming out party over coming years. But the winner right now, according to experts and analysts, is CBD. One recent piece of research (May 2020, Industryresearch.biz) for strictly CBD oil shows growth expectations at a CAGR of roughly 32.0% over the next five years, to reach over $1.25 billion by 2024, up from $311.8 million in 2019. These numbers are smaller simply because this is the market for CBD by itself. The market for CBD-based products is much larger, and will grow to be many times this size over the same period, with analysts calling for $15-25 billion in sales by 2025. Grand View Research, for example, puts the global cannabidiol-based products market at a value of $4.6 billion already by 2018. Their research suggests it will grow by over 22% CAGR from 2019 to 2025 to reach nearly $19 billion. With that in mind, we take a look at a selection of active CBD stocks, including cbdMD Inc (NYSEAMERICAN:YCBD), Medical Marijuana Inc (OTCMKTS:MJNA), Cannabis Global Inc (OTCMKTS:CBGL), CBD of Denver Inc (OTCMKTS:CBDD), and Charlotte's Web Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS:CWBHF). cbdMD Inc (NYSEAMERICAN:YCBD) owns and operates the consumer hemp-based CBD brand, cbdMD. The company's product categories include CBD tinctures, capsules, gummies, bath bombs, topical creams, and animal treats and oils.  It also offers pet related CBD products under the Paw CBD brand name. The company distributes its products through an e-commerce Website, wholesalers, and various brick and mortar retailers in the United States. cbdMD Inc (NYSEAMERICAN:YCBD) just announced that its pet CBD brand, Paw CBD, has seen an approximate 64% increase in net sales from its March 2020 quarter of approximately $750,000 to approximately $1,229,000 for its June 2020 quarter. "Paw CBD was launched less than one year ago, and now it is one of America’s leading CBD pet brands," said Ken Cohn, CMO of cbdMD, Inc. "Sales metrics are all moving in the right direction, with Paw CBD now trending at over a $7mm annualized run rate, and cbdMD’s overall direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales making up over 70% of the brand’s revenue. We are seeing the DTC power of cbdMD.com translating into significant growth for PawCBD.com." The context for this announcement is a bit of a bid, with shares acting well over the past five days, up about 11% in that timeframe. Shares of the stock have powered higher over the past month, rallying roughly 54% in that time on strong overall action. cbdMD Inc (NYSEAMERICAN:YCBD) pulled in sales of $9.4M in its last reported quarterly financials, representing top line growth of 65.7%. In addition, the company has a strong balance sheet, with cash levels far exceeding current liabilities ($14.9M against $5.8M). Medical Marijuana Inc (OTCMKTS:MJNA) bills itself as an investment holding company that operates in the medical marijuana and industrial hemp markets, including CBD products. Its products range from patented and proprietary based cannabinoid products to seed and stalk or isolated high value extracts manufactured and formulated for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmeceutical industries. The company licenses its proprietary testing, genetics, labeling and packaging, tracking, production, and standardization methods for the medicinal cannabinoid industry.  It engages in the research and development of cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals; and marketing and distribution of cannabidiol hemp oil-based products. In addition, the company provides management support and services to cooperatives, collectives, health and wellness facilities, and medical clinics, and consulting and securities services to businesses and individuals in the legal cannabis industry.  Medical Marijuana Inc (OTCMKTS:MJNA) just recently announced that its subsidiary Kannaway is proud to support the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) in its recent opinion letter to the European Commission on the legal status of cannabidiol (CBD) and hemp.  EIHA’s letter was written in response to the European Commission’s decision to suspend all applications for hemp extracts and natural cannabinoids under the European Union’s Novel Food rules and also deem under a “preliminary conclusion” that extracts from the flowering and fruiting tops of the hemp plant should be considered a drug under the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961. EIHA explains that the decision is “not based on the latest scientific literature nor inspired by the current debate at the United Nations level.” Even in light of this news, MJNA has had a rough past week of trading action, with shares sinking something like -5% in that time. That said, chart support is nearby, and we may be in the process of constructing a nice setup for some movement back the other way. Over the past month, shares of the stock have suffered from clear selling pressure, dropping by roughly -13%.  Medical Marijuana Inc (OTCMKTS:MJNA) managed to rope in revenues totaling $13.4M in overall sales during the company's most recently reported quarterly financial data -- a figure that represents a rate of top line growth of -34%, as compared to year-ago data in comparable terms. In addition, the company is battling some balance sheet hurdles, with cash levels struggling to keep up with current liabilities ($5M against $11.1M, respectively). Cannabis Global Inc (OTCMKTS:CBGL) is one of the most interesting and possibly undervalued names in the space given its strong IP backing – with more than a half dozen provisional patents in process at the USPTO – and its innovative movement toward non-CBD cannabinoid production technology, suggesting the company will be at the vanguard of any move to establish the more exotic cannabinoids as commercial-scale markets. One of the key moves made recently by the company is its venture into the alcohol substitute mixing space. According to its recent release, Hemp You Can Feel™ mixers are now available for online consumer purchase as well as bulk purchase for wholesale distribution. Cocktails based on the Hemp You Can Feel™ mixers provide an experience on par with light alcohol consumption, but without any of the harmful side effects of alcohol. "Because of the ultra-low levels of hemp extracts utilized, we feel we set a new standard for product-safety and satisfaction in the hemp food and beverage category with this product," commented Arman Tabatabaei, CEO of Cannabis Global. "While our Hemp You Can Feel™ beverages likely have the lowest hemp extract levels in the industry, we believe we provide a vastly superior positive effect upon use. We invite all consumers and alcohol industry participants to try what we see as the first viable alternative to alcoholic beverages. Our website is www.HempYouCanFeel.com. Take the HempYouCanFeel Challenge!" Cannabis Global Inc (OTCMKTS:CBGL) believes the use of Hemp You Can Feel™ is significantly safer than the consumption of other hemp-based or high-cannabidiol (CBD) based beverages. Because of the natural water solubility of the preparations, only a minuscule amount of hemp extracts is present in the cocktail mixers. Laboratory analysis and results by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) indicated the presence of hemp extracts in the non-detectable category. Shares of CBGL are testing key support in recent action, and have a history of sharp runs off of support when challenged. We would also note that the company has been get more and more catalysts out in the public eye in recent weeks suggesting that something new and positive is usually on the way to fuel the next move. Cannabis Global Inc (OTCMKTS:CBGL) had no reported sales in its last quarterly financial data. But it appears to be closing in on commercial-stage operational gains for shareholders and has a strong IP edge in the industry.  CBD of Denver Inc. (OTCMKTS:CBDD) is another less well-known name making strong strides in the space. The company engages in developing and commercializing cannabidiol (CBD) products. It is involved in the research, development, and distribution of premium hemp extract products. CBD of Denver Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Swiss Industry Ventures AG. CBDD is focused on using equity to acquire profitable Swiss assets at attractive valuations to create value for shareholders. CBDD offers a superior CBD product that is full spectrum without depending on THC to activate the benefits of the cannabidiol. According to company materials, CBDD was created to offer the consumer a unique and new perspective on the unorganized and confusing CBD industry. CBD of Denver, Inc. is the only company to release a comprehensive CBD Social Network (www.cbdsocialnetwork.com). The idea of the network is to connect CBD users from America and around the world to interact and discuss CBD uses, treatments and products. The site has been active for 3 months and already receives 2000-2500 hits a day. CBD of Denver Inc. (OTCMKTS:CBDD) just put out a recent announcement providing additional information on the revenue reported for Rockflowr, GmbH and CBD Welt 24, GmbH. According to the release, revenue for Rockflowr and CBD Welt 24, subsidiaries of CBD of Denver, Inc., was reported in CBDD's 2nd Quarter Disclosure with OTC Markets as of the date each company was acquired and not for their own full quarter. To provide context for the revenue numbers reported in CBDD's quarterly statement, CBBD is providing the revenue generated by Rockflowr and CBD Welt24 for their full quarters and not just since they were acquired by CBDD in the middle of quarter.  Rockflower: For the period from April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2020 Rockflowr had revenue of 1,710,000.00 CHF or approximately $1,833,120.00 USD with net profits of 131,089 CHF or approximately $140,527 USD. CBD Welt 24: For the period from April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2020 CBD Welt24 had revenue of 56,500.00 CHF or approximately $60,568,00 with a net profit 45,416 CHF of approximately $48,686 USD.  This amount only reflects revenue after the first harvest as it took two months from initial planting until first harvest to generate revenue.  Moving forward, CBD Welt24 expects a harvest every month that should substantially increase revenue. CBD of Denver Inc. (OTCMKTS:CBDD) just posted a net profit in Q2, which is the first time in the company’s history that it has achieved that milestone, which the company rightly sees as an indication of being on the right course in terms of providing value for its shareholders. Charlotte's Web Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS:CWBHF) develops and distributes hemp-based cannabidiol (CBD) wellness products. Its products include CBD hemp oils, capsules, topicals, and pet products that feature CBD hemp oil extracts. Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. sells its products online as well as through distributors, and brick and mortar retailers.  Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. is a market leader in the production and distribution of innovative hemp-based cannabidiol wellness products. Founded by the Stanley Brothers, the Company's premium quality products start with proprietary hemp genetics that are responsibly manufactured into whole plant hemp extracts naturally containing a full spectrum of phytocannabinoids, including CBD, terpenes, flavonoids and other beneficial hemp compounds. Industrial hemp products are non-intoxicating.  Charlotte's Web Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS:CWBHF) recently announced its "Trust The Earth" initiative, which is designed to democratize access to hemp-derived products for those seeking wellness and relief.   Studio Number One, a creative agency co-founded by artist Shepard Fairey, created the original artwork, first publicly exhibited by Charlotte's Web as a mural in Brooklyn in October 2019.  Today, Studio Number One's original art is exhibited from the ground up, literally, as field art on a mammoth scale of 76-acres in America's heartland. Even in light of this news, CWBHF has had a rough past week of trading action, with shares sinking something like -5% in that time. That said, chart support is nearby, and we may be in the process of constructing a nice setup for some movement back the other way. Charlotte's Web Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS:CWBHF) pulled in sales of $28.9M in its last reported quarterly financials, representing top line growth of 0.1%. In addition, the company has a strong balance sheet, with cash levels far exceeding current liabilities ($75.5M against $42.2M). Read the full article

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Machine Vision – 2D And 3D MV Systems Market Size & Future Development Status 2024

The global market for machine vision system should grow from $19.6 billion in 2019 to $31.1 billion by 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7% from 2019 to 2024.

Report Scope:

This report covers the market for MV hardware and software, including smart cameras and smart sensors, image processing hardware, PC-based MV systems, MV lighting, cameras and frame grabbers.

Various factors were considered in making the market forecast, including plant construction and upgrades, the rate at which new MV technology is being applied in new areas, the underlying economic growth of the overall market and the growth rates reported by manufacturers and end users of MV products.

The report will look at the global market for the various components that comprise an MV system. These components have been undergoing constant upgrading in terms of sophistication, but they also provide easier operation. Their prices continue to fall, so the MV industry has been characterized by improving price and performance ratios. This has made the market for MV components very competitive. This study will examine the nature of the competition and offer a regional breakdown of this market. This report also covers the outlook of future global markets for MV systems and the technologies that will be involved. Starting with some basic industrial applications two decades ago in a few selected countries, the growth of this technology has allowed it to penetrate varied non-industrial fields, and the market has become global in nature.

Recent advances in MV technology have facilitated and accelerated varied applications for both industrial and non-industrial use in the near future. This report investigates the current global and regional markets for these various applications and provides a realistic forecast of their growth.

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The major objective of this report is to determine the global market for MV systems and its growth potential through 2024. It also highlights the various technologies involved and improvements in them. The structure of the industries involved in the research, development, design and manufacture of MV components and systems is also discussed. Profiles of global manufacturers are provided, along with a discussion of the global competition in this ever-expanding market. An analysis of patents issued to various companies for related technologies and processes is contained in this study. Forecasts take into account product and technology life cycles.

Report Includes:

– 93 data tables and 16 additional tables – An overview of the global market for two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) machine vision systems – Analyses of global market trends with data from 2018, estimates for 2019, and projections of compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) through 2024 – Discussion of opportunities and challenges with respect to technologies, MV hardware and software, components, and their various commercial and industrial applications – Brief outline of structure of the industries involved in the research, development, design, and manufacture of MV components and systems – Profiles of global manufacturers of MV components, including Adept Technology Inc., Canon U.S.A., Inc., EPIC Systems Inc., Integral Vision Inc., and Kenko Tokina Co., Ltd.

Summary

Machine Vision systems and components are the next-generation intelligent systems mainly used in industrial sector for detection, identification, measurement and inspection. These systems play major roles in robotics; they are used to guide autonomous robots, also known as “self-navigating” robots. Industries such as automotive, food and beverage, and pharmaceuticals are concerned about reducing labor-intensive processes while increasing accuracy and speed; machine vision systems are in demand to overcome these concerns.

Machine vision systems can perform complex repetitive tasks with higher accuracy and consistency than human workers. Machine vision systems include components such as image sensors, processors, programmable logic controllers (PLC), frame grabbers and cameras, which are driven by software packages to execute user-defined applications. Machine vision systems are also employed in noninspection applications, such as guiding robots, picking and placing the parts, and dispensing liquids.

Machine vision (MV) markets have been rapidly changing in recent years. The sector is driven by both long-term and short-term changes. Long-term changes include technological factors, which can increase the value provided by MV products and thereby stimulate and increasing demand. The increasing requirements for quality control, productivity and cost-effectiveness in manufacturing in all sectors of the economy have increased the long-term demand for MV products. Markets change as customer preferences for various product features shift. Emerging MV applications can expand the size of the MV components and systems markets.

Factors driving the current MV market include – – Ongoing and increasing need for quality inspection and automation. – Accelerated demand for vision-guided robotics systems. – Rising labor costs that create investment opportunities for vision-guided industrial robots and other automation technologies. – Additional governmental regulatory mandates in the food, pharma and automotive industries. – Growing application of the Internet of Things in the industrial sector; evolution of computing power in embedded, single board computer systems; improvements in productivity and efficiency; better quality using machine vision systems; and a growing manufacturing sector.

Demand for MV systems has increased in all manufacturing applications, including semiconductor, electronics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, packaging, automotive, printing and publishing, and consumer goods. These systems have also become major tools for traffic management, toll collection and many other nonmanufacturing applications. The MV component industry faces considerable competition, and the nature of this will be examined in this report, along with a breakdown of the regional market. Applications such as automatic number plate recognition, traffic flow monitoring and traffic surveillance are witnessing increased integration and utilization of MV systems. The components of MV systems and the technologies involved have become more intricate and sophisticated. Higher vision-processing hardware speed has been a key factor to both faster parts-per-minute throughput and greater robustness in manufacturing MV tools. Vision processing is currently performed at substantially faster rates, using hardware that requires far less electrical power. Faster hardware, more intelligent tools and better application software development will enable a broader and deeper proliferation of MV in manufacturing and nonmanufacturing applications. Customers’ sophisticated demands are additional factors having positive effects on the MV industry. Customers are now more comfortable with MV technology than they were a few years ago, and thus they are better equipped to communicate their demands to the industry, enabling manufacturers to deliver more effective solutions. The following summary table and figure show the global market for MV system components for various manufacturing and nonmanufacturing applications.

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The Ultimate Cheat Sheet on centurionmoving

Best 7 points you ought to learn about relocating in to a rental property

When it pertains to the planet of moving, moves into a rental building like a home or condo offers a various collection of obstacles coming from what you 'd experience when finishing a property technique.

Although the very same facets like relocating your items, organizing, as well as packing are still widespread-- there are actually a lot of important and also significant measures included to ensure you're specifying your own self up for results when you relocate in to a rental residential property. Coming from determining electricals to move-in times, rental fee rates as well as remittance alternatives, discovering a roommate if necessary, as well as extra-- you desire to be actually properly readied prior to you enter this planet.

Our team've observed whatever that may come with relocating into rental homes over the final three many years as well as decided to craft a couple of crucial pointers to bring in relocating into a rental as worry-free as possible.

Research study the most effective location for you

The last point you wish to perform is actually lock your own self right into a rental property at a price you can not pay for, or even in a condition that doesn't fit your demands.

Study the most effective choices in your cost variation, as well as go through on-line reviews about the property to help make an enlightened choice concerning where you are relocating. It's certainly not a poor tip to drive to the location and take a trip, either.

Settle the particulars

Generally, a rental building will definitely possess a list of costs that are actually needed of the lessee just before move-in day. Every thing coming from a security deposit to a move-in cost, and paying off the 1st month's rental fee beforehand is actually generally in play.

Meet with your lessor to talk about these information and also be sure you comprehend all required remittances before move-in time to stay away from any kind of late charges.

Authorize your rental lease

Be sure to assess this lease document thoroughly as well as see to it it is actually up-to-date along with what works better for you. Right here, you can locate necessary information like the ultimate rental fee rate as well as your move-in time, as well as additionally any particular stipulations the rental residential or commercial property could have.

If you possess inquiries, ensure to ask and clear up prior to relocating!

Establish powers

Firstly-- ensure to take care of the electricals at your outdated residence and change your address. Then, make sure to partner with your landlord to learn what electricals you need to have to establish before moving in to your rental building if any type of.

Some apartment building and condo units possess certain utilities consisted of.

Purchase tenant's insurance

This is actually a downright have to if you are actually relocating in to a rental home. Renter's insurance safeguards your items in case one thing unlucky happens, like a break-in, flooding, or fire.

Work with specialist moving companies

Every person presumes they want to take care of the obstacle of relocating right into a rental ... until the time is in fact there certainly. Coming from navigating through precarious spaces with hefty household furniture to climbing air travels of stairways, it may take a bodily toll on someone-- thankfully, there are actually individuals that can aid!

When you tap the services of qualified movers like Centurion Moving and Storage, you are actually doing away with a fair bit of tension from your lifestyle. Our relocating teams collaborate with rental buildings to recognize all the rules as well as policies of relocating into the neighborhood, and they prepare to Visit this link manage all the tough moving related to a house or condominium.

Full the move-in guidelines

Normally at a rental home, a property manager will present you along with a moving day list that you're needed to complete and also render to all of them. This record demands you to look at the residential or commercial property and also guarantee every thing remains in operating purchase and also there are no loss prior to you relocating.

If you view just about anything that runs out spot or requires to be corrected, make certain to compose it down so that you aren't charged for the fixing in the future.

5 handy tips to acquire a get on downsizing your property

There are numerous relocating cases around, yet one our company have actually seen more and more is downsizing from a sizable property to a smaller sized room.

While you are actually still experiencing the ordinary difficulties of accomplishing a step, you are actually likewise determining what items you no more requirement as you transition to the upcoming intervene your life-- a job that is actually certainly hard. Whether you are actually donating products to a charitable organization, offering all of them, or only tossing all of them away, there's a whole lot to deal with.

Having an effective intend on how you would like to downsize can easily soothe the stress of completing this type of technique. For those who are retiring and seeking less to care for or those that are just aiming to spare a little bit of cash, downsizing may be a remarkably valuable choice.

Adhere to these pro Centurion Moving and Storage Tips for downsizing and acquire your step began on the best foot!

Plan ahead of time.

It seems noticeable, yet creating a plan on exactly how you're going to scale down can often make a significant variation in exactly how efficiently the whole method goes. Undergo your property, room by room, as well as make a checklist of what is keeping as well as what is going.

This preparation procedure additionally consists of organizing a transfer the time framework that works for you, choosing qualified agents, beginning the packing procedure, and also so much more.

Does it stay or even does it go?

Perhaps the hardest part of the whole downsizing process is actually creating decision on what you'll maintain and what you really want.

Examine the things you're not exactly sure regarding and identify whether there's a reasonable need or even area for it at your brand-new home. If there isn't one right off the top of your scalp, it's probably better to get rid of it. Relocating something you're unclear around will certainly simply occupy room at your brand new home.

How usually is this being utilized?

Playing off the recommendation coming from above, another really good workout when scaling down is actually determining making use of a certain object.

If the solution to how much you'll utilize one thing is actually "not that often", eliminate it! Particularly if it's something that is actually been actually stashed away and hasn't been actually made use of in the in 2014. Taking one thing you'll just conserve are going to simply come to be one more rubbish of room in your new residence.

Be patient.

Downsizing isn't something that may be completed within an hour or perhaps a time-- it takes some time. As portion of your downsizing plannings, begin working effectively before when you would like to move and ensure to address a small amount per day.

Be flexible.

The relocating procedure can be complicated, which's why staying flexible and also tranquil throughout the process is essential. Plannings can modify, last-second choices can show up, and also viewpoints may contrast as you pursue completing your action.

If you're looking for assistance on accomplishing a future scaling down relocation, our company are actually listed here to assist! Whether it's aiding with the entire step or even only aiding with packing, distribution, or even running and dumping-- our expert moving teams prepare to help. To learn more about all of our moving services, click on this link.

Tips as well as techniques for relocating along with youngsters

Modification may be tough for anyone, and particularly challenging for little ones because they may have issue understanding the circumstance Moving is a life occasion that could be hard, confusing, and frustrating. Regardless of the range or the explanation for your action, right here are actually a number of suggestions and also techniques to create the shift to your new residence much easier for the whole loved ones.

Detail the condition.

Introduce the principle-- Delicately introduce the concept of relocating to your kids beforehand. This will provide time to refine what it means to relocate and why. Not offering adequate opportunity in between telling them and also the action can easily result in a demanding condition.

Promote inquiries-- If this is actually the very first time your child is actually moving, they may not totally comprehend the process Give them the setting to feel like they can ask concerns openly. This will definitely make the circumstance less daunting as you are going to be reducing great beyond part of the knowledge.

Assure all of them-- Great beyond could be scary as well as while your life is modifying, your children will certainly need to have that confidence. If your youngsters possess issues, ensure to say again to all of them that traits will certainly be ok.

Explore the brand-new house-- If you are actually moving to a region not far away, take your youngsters to the brand-new house for a see. Explore its own nearby playgrounds and also exciting landmarks. This are going to help them end up being pleasant and perhaps even thrilled concerning their brand new house and community as they are seeing it in advance.

Involve them at the same time.

Provide tiny activities-- Letting them belong of the process will definitely make it easier for them to become comfortable with the concept of relocating. Some duties consist of:

Packing their playthings and also personal belongings

Tagging and adorning cartons

Examining tiny spaces around your home to see to it everything is loaded

Developing thank you cards for the movers

Disruptive household pets in other areas when movers are there

Intros-- When the movers get here on the day of your action, introduce your children to who will be helping as well as how they do their project. Make all of them comfortable along with the situation as well as the movers so it is actually certainly not as frightening.

Help make the encounter enjoyable

Produce packing an activity-- This are going to assist youngsters end up being relaxed with the idea of packing their possessions, while additionally making it fun! Accomplishing this are going to also leave you along with a lot less to stuff on your own.

Enhance a brand new area-- Let your child opt for exactly how they intend to enhance their brand new area. This can feature the coating on the wall structures, brand-new bed linen, or wall structure ornaments. The personalization of the brand-new area will acquire them excited about their brand new room and also make it feel a lot more comfy.

Have a celebration-- Whether it is actually along with neighbors, relative, or just people in your family, having a going away event is actually one more way to make relocating impressive. Creating the take in as fun and positive as achievable will definitely make it much easier for everybody in your family.

Make it a journey-- On your experience to your brand new residence, make it an adventure. Creating brief stop to acquire treats or even to carry out a little bit of sightseeing and tour along the way will definitely aid in creating the experience favorable.

Be actually a tourist-- If you are moving to a new town, be actually a tourist in the region at first. This will help your children come to be pleasant with the new community as well as its environment, while likewise having a great time looking into brand new traits.

Produce with boxes-- When you are done with the relocating containers, your youngsters may use all of them to make an assortment of factors. This enjoyable task is actually a terrific method to accomplish a move.

Late Suggestions

Stuff a time of the step package

Children favorite toys

Snacks as well as Water

Maintain the youngsters active

Remain positive

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Nigeria @ 59: How Nigerian Capital Market has fared — Operators

Ahead of the country’s independence anniversary on Oct. 1, Nigerian capital market operators have identified some highs and lows of the market as the nation turns 59.   They spoke in separate interviews on Saturday in Lagos, while reviewing Nigeria’s capital market performance over the years.     Prof. Sheriffdeen Tella, Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun, said that the country’s capital market development and activities had been affected by macroeconomic instability.     Tella, who observed that the capital market had come a long way in terms of development and operations, said that economic instability remained a major threat to the sector.     “Naturally, development of and activities on a nation’s capital market are often affected by macroeconomic activities and stability of the nation, including ability of the country to withstand external shocks. “The Nigerian economy is quite weak as it still depends largely on primary sector for exports and corresponding income, which are externally dependent. “So, lack of growth and economic instability of the nation affect the efficiency and effectiveness of the market, just as the underdeveloped private sector. “Nigerians are not only risk averse but generally lack deep knowledge of capital market and its activities. “The capital market needs to be continually innovative and dynamic to attract more patronage and participation,” Tella said. According to him, listing requirements can be revised regularly. He noted that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) managements need to approach businesses to list on its market.     Tella also called for more enlightenment of the private businesses and the public on benefits of being involved in the capital market.   Mr Sola Oni, Chief Executive Officer, Sofunix Investment and Communications said that unstable macroeconomic environment, nurtured by uncertainty in the political and economic space remained a major drag to market rebound in Nigeria.     “The market has faithfully continued to serve as a barometer that gauges the economy. “Nigeria’s economy is characterised by sluggish growth while insecurity and weak economic fundamentals, among others have further worsened the precarious nature of the market.     “This is not peculiar to Nigeria; trade tension between the U.S. and China is taking tolls on the world economy; this has dire effects on the operations of emerging markets.     “The emerging markets in which Nigeria is a member is characterised by high volatility and high returns while they provide diversification opportunities for investors in developed markets,” Oni said. He noted that the Federal Government’s lethargic approach towards utilising the market remains the elephant in the house. Oni said that the market was grossly undervalued across the board as investor apathy continued to deepen by the day. “Investors are still apprehensive of macroeconomic instability and inclement operating environment. “This partly explained the prolonged downward trend on the Exchange. “Aside from mega listing of MTN and a few others, there is abysmal dearth of new listing. “Government is crowding out equity investors as monetary policy favours investment in fixed income,” he stated. Oni, however, urged the new Economic Advisory Council (EAC), headed by Prof. Doyin Salami, to conduct a clinical review of all policies that would impact on market growth and development for effective implementation.     He explained that EAC’s engagement should focus on how to fix the economy with multiplier effects on global competitiveness of the market. According to him, the Nigerian capital market remains a major hub by which the country can serve as an investment destination. Oni said that in spite of the challenges, there was hope on the horizon, considering initiatives put in place by market regulators to scale up activities. “There is a more effective and efficient regulatory approach with the deployment of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) by SEC and NSE to operationalise their services. “Market monitoring, enforcement of rules and ease of exchange of information between the regulators and other stakeholders in the ecosystem have been upscaled,”he said. Oni added that the arrival of the Lagos Commodity and Futures Exchange (LCFE), NASD and FMDQ Securities Exchange had further diversified the market. “They have created multiple sources of transaction for the stakeholders in the capital market ecosystem. The future is bright,” he stated.     Mr Moses Igbrude, Publicity Secretary, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), said that the capital market could not be isolated from the general economy.   Igbrude said the nation’s economy had been facing challenges occasioned by insecurity, power, lack of infrastructure, multiple taxation and policies inconsistencies, among others. The ISAN Secretary said that many companies had folded up due to high cost of production which made them uncompetitive. According to him, the government as a matter of urgency, should address the issue of power to make the country competitive in ease of doing business. Igbrude called on SEC and NSE to partner with the federal government to address multiple taxation and illegal collection of taxes by touts going on in the country. He also stressed the need for tax incentives to encourage more listing on the nation’s bourse. “SEC and NSE should also put a very good advocacy programme in place to encourage and awaken Nigerians interest in the capital market to reduce dominance of foreign investors,” Igbrude said. He said that this would boost local participation in the market and as well enable local investors to absorb shares offloaded by foreign investors any time there was perceived economic instability.   Read the full article