treasure of the aztecs
2025-01-11   

treasure of the aztecs Same glitz and glamour for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, and perhaps another Verstappen championshipHolly students show off their creativity at the capitol

Former President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. The 39th president of the United States was a Georgia peanut farmer who sought to restore trust in government when he assumed the presidency in 1977 and then built a reputation for tireless work as a humanitarian. He earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Carter died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia. At age 52, Carter was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election. Carter left office on Jan. 20, 1981, following his 1980 general election loss to Ronald Reagan. Here's the latest: As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others. Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is remembering Carter as a man steeped “in devotion to public service and peace.” The California Democrat said in a statement Sunday that Carter was committed to “honoring the spark of divinity within every person,” something she said manifested in “teaching Sunday school in his beloved Marantha Baptist Church, brokering the landmark Camp David Accords to pave the way to peace or building homes with Habitat for Humanity.” Pelosi also said Carter led “perhaps the most impactful post-presidency in history.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer noted in a post on X the special contribution Carter made by brokering the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt and through his work with the Carter Center. “Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad,” Starmer said. To commemorate Carter’s death, officials with the Empire State Building said in a post on social media that the iconic New York City landmark would be lit in red, white and blue on Sunday night, “to honor the life and legacy” of the late former president. In a statement issued Sunday, former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama said Carter’s beloved Maranatha Baptist Church “will be a little quieter on Sunday,s” but added that the late former president “will never be far away -- buried alongside Rosalynn next to a willow tree down the road, his memory calling all of us to heed our better angels.” Noting the “hundreds of tourists from around the world crammed into the pews” to see the former president teach Sunday school, as he did “for most of his adult life,” the Obamas listed Carter’s accomplishments as president. But they made special note of the Sunday school lessons, saying they were catalysts for people making a pilgrimage to the church. “Many people in that church on Sunday morning were there, at least in part, because of something more fundamental: President Carter’s decency.” The longest-lived American president died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” The Carter Center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. In his 1975 book “Why Not The Best,” Carter said of himself: “I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry.” A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. After he left office and returned home to his tiny hometown of Plains in southwest Georgia, Carter regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world. Former Vice President Al Gore praised Jimmy Carter for living “a life full of purpose, commitment and kindness” and for being a “lifelong role model for the entire environmental movement.” Carter, who left the White House in 1981 after a landslide defeat to Ronald Reagan. concentrated on conflict resolution, defending democracy and fighting disease in the developing world. Gore, who lost the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush, remains a leading advocate for action to fight climate change. Both won Nobel Peace Prizes. Gore said that “it is a testament to his unyielding determination to help build a more just and peaceful world” that Carter is often “remembered equally for the work he did as President as he is for his leadership over the 42 years after he left office.” During Gore’s time in the White House, President Bill Clinton had an uneasy relationship with Carter. But Gore said he is “grateful” for “many years of friendship and collaboration” with Carter. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, remember Carter as a man who lived to serve others. “Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others — until the very end." The statement recalled Carter's many achievements and priorities, including efforts “to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama, and secure peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David." After he left office, the Clinton statement said, Carter continued efforts in "supporting honest elections, advancing peace, combating disease, and promoting democracy; to his and Rosalynn’s devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity — he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world,” the statement said.

Cryptocurrency trends have been headlined by countless success stories over the years, with people turning modest investments into staggering wealth. But get ready, because the next big thing isn’t just making waves—it’s creating its own tidal surge! Enter Lightchain AI ($LCAI) , a revolutionary coin priced at just $0.003 . Could this low-cost gem turn your $150 investment into $50,000 by next year? The math says YES, and we’re breaking it all down for you right here. Buckle up, crypto enthusiasts; we’re taking a thrilling deep-dive into what makes this coin explosive and why Lightchain Protocol AI might just be your best bet for 2024. What Makes $LCAI Stand Out? When it comes to cryptocurrencies, hundreds of new projects pop up daily. But only a few stand out—and $LCAI is unlike anything you’ve seen before. Backed by pioneering tech such as the Proof of Intelligence (PoI) and the Artificial Intelligence Virtual Machine (AIVM) , Lightchain effectively merges AI with blockchain for groundbreaking real-world applications. Proof of Intelligence (PoI) rewards nodes for meaningful AI computations while ensuring network security. AIVM brings advanced AI-driven computations seamlessly onto the blockchain, creating smarter decentralized applications. This isn’t just another “hype” coin with generic promises—Lightchain targets real problems, from enhancing intelligent governance to creating scalable, privacy-focused AI systems. It’s innovation with substance. Why $150 Could Trigger a $50,000 Boom The beauty of Lightchain lies in its tokenomics and growing ecosystem. Here’s the breakdown of how $150 could multiply manifold by next year. Currently priced at just $0.003 , you’ll snag 50,000 tokens for a modest $150. Compare this to Bitcoin’s sky-high entry price, and you can see why new crypto investors are flocking to affordable projects like Lightchain. Lightchain AI’s Stage 6 presale is live , and tokens are already in high demand! Rapid sellout stages signal growing interest and trust in the project, pushing the value higher before it even hits major exchanges. Crypto analysts have set exciting price predictions for $LCAI in 2024. Conservative estimates peg it at $1/token due to the growing utility of their AI-blockchain solutions. If this holds true, your 50,000 tokens could be worth $50,000 in just a year. Even if it achieves a fraction of this, the rewards would be monumental! The Technology Powering Lightchain Protocol What’s driving this potential explosion in value? The cutting-edge technology behind Lightchain Protocol sets it apart from other projects in the market. Unlike energy-consuming Proof-of-Work (PoW) or wealth-centric Proof-of-Stake (PoS), Proof of Intelligence (PoI) rewards nodes for solving valuable AI tasks like model training and optimization. Network security is maintained while creating real-world utility! Imagine a system not just incentivizing miners but actively contributing to AI’s advancement. This is where Lightchain’s innovation meets efficiency. At the heart of Lightchain’s ecosystem is the Artificial Intelligence Virtual Machine (AIVM). Think of it as a high-performance computing hub within the blockchain ecosystem. Developers can build smarter, decentralized applications powered directly by AI. Game-changing example : Decentralized governance systems that make equitable decisions based on real-time data, all powered by advanced AI logic. What’s Next for Lightchain AI? Here’s the roadmap that has the crypto world buzzing with excitement. With $1,106,214 already raised, the Lightchain community is growing fast—and so is its influence in the blockchain space. Is $LCAI the Next Crypto Sensation? Investing in cryptocurrency always comes with risks (as this is a volatile market), but Lightchain AI checks all the right boxes for projects with high growth potential. Here’s why it’s worth exploring as part of your portfolio: Imagine being an early adopter of Bitcoin or Ethereum before they exploded. While history doesn’t guarantee future results, $LCAI captures similar potential for exponential growth. How to Join the Lightchain Revolution Does Lightchain resonate with you? It’s easy to get started and secure your place in this innovative ecosystem. Here’s how to invest in $LCAI tokens today: Don’t miss the presale perks like priority governance voting rights and exclusive access to advanced features. Final Word $150 in Lightchain AI (LCAI) isn’t just an investment—it’s a ticket to exploring the future of decentralized intelligence. With its unbeatable price point, disruptive technology, and an ambitious roadmap, $LCAI shines as a beacon in a sea of cryptocurrencies. The idea of turning $150 into $50,000 might sound ambitious, but the math checks out, and so does the potential of this groundbreaking project. Will you take the leap into the next chapter of crypto evolution?

BEIJING , Dec. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Baijiayun Group Ltd ("Baijiayun" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: RTC), a one-stop AI video solution provider, today announced it was honored with the title of "Exclusive Member Unit". In recent days, the First Council of the Artificial Intelligence Education Professional Committee of the Beijing Educational Informationization Industry Alliance and the 2024 Symposium on Artificial Intelligence Empowering the Innovative Development of Primary and Secondary Schools were successfully held at the Affiliated Experimental School of Beijing Institute of Technology. Nearly 200 renowned experts, leaders of education bureaus, principals of primary and secondary schools, front-line educators, and representatives of artificial intelligence technical support units from Beijing , Tianjin , Hebei , Liaoning and other places attended the conference. This conference was hosted by the Beijing Educational Informationization Industry Alliance, Baijiayun was also invited to participate in the conference and , together with many well-known enterprises in the industry, and won the honor of "Exclusive Member Unit" of the Beijing Educational Informationization Industry Alliance. In the future, Baijiayun will work with the Beijing Educational Informationization Industry Alliance to continue to carry out research and promotion on educational informationization industry technologies across China , promote in-depth cooperation across disciplines, departments, and industries, jointly build an educational informationization development platform, create an industrial resource integration platform, an application service platform, and a technology transformation platform, share the fruits of development, give play to the supporting and leading role of educational informationization in educational modernization, and further promote the innovative development of the national education cause. About Baijiayun Group Ltd Baijiayun is a one-stop AI video solution provider with core expertise in SaaS/PaaS solutions. Baijiayun is committed to delivering reliable, high-quality video experiences across devices and localities and has grown rapidly since its inception in 2017. Premised on its industry-leading video-centric technologies, Baijiayun offers a wealth of video-centric technology solutions, including Video SaaS/PaaS, Video Cloud and Software, and Video AI and System Solutions. Baijiayun caters to the evolving communications and collaboration needs of enterprises of all sizes and industries. For more information, please visit ir.baijiayun.com . Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements." These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the parties' perspectives and expectations, are forward-looking statements. The words "will," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend," and "plan" and similar expressions indicate forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and shareholders and other potential investors must recognize that actual results may differ materially from the expectations as a result of a variety of factors. Such forward-looking statements are based upon management's current expectations and include known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are hard to predict or control, that may cause the actual results, performance, or plans to differ materially from any future results, performance or plans expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information provided herein represents the Company's estimates as of the date of this press release, and subsequent events and developments may cause the Company's estimates to change. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking information in the future. Therefore, this forward-looking information should not be relied upon as representing the Company's estimates of its future financial performance as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. A further list and description of risks and uncertainties can be found in the documents the Company has filed or furnished or may file or furnish with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which you are encouraged to read. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate only to the date they were made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made except as required by law or applicable regulation. For investor and media enquiries, please contact: Company Contact: Ms. Fangfei Liu Chief Financial Officer, Baijiayun Group Ltd Phone: +86 25 8222 1596 Email: ir@baijiayun.com View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/baijiayun-was-honored-with-the-title-of-exclusive-member-unit-by-the-beijing-educational-informationization-industry-alliance-302331799.html SOURCE Baijiayun Group LtdGeorgia Sees Nation's 15th Largest Surge in New Business Applications Since 2019

Here is a roundup of state college football games played on Saturday, Nov. 23. Towson 45, Campbell 23: Tyrell Greene Jr. (Kenwood) rushed for three touchdowns to lead the visiting Tigers (7-5, 5-3 Colonial Athletic Association) over the Camels (3-9, 1-7). Towson extended its five-point lead by outscoring Campbell 24-7 in the fourth quarter. Devin Matthews added 134 rushing yards and a touchdown for the Tigers, who finished the regular-season on a three-game winning streak. Towson, which secured its second winning season in three years and its first seven-win season since 2019, will hope to get an at-large berth into the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs. The selection show is Sunday at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN. Greene scored on a 7-yard run with 12:55 remaining, and after the Tigers’ Will Middleton intercepted a pass from Mike Chandler II, he broke loose for a 30-yard touchdown that stretched the Towson lead to 35-16 about 30 seconds later. Green also had a 3-yard TD run in the second quarter and finished with 41 yards on nine carries. Matthews carried the ball 15 times and scored on a 54-yard run for Towson. Seth Brown completed 10 of 15 passes for 156 yards with a touchdown and Christopher Watkins added a late TD run. Mark Biggins had a 1-yard touchdown run for Campbell. Chandler was 13 of 27 passing for 135 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Connor Lytton made 3 of 5 field goal attempts for the Camels. Morgan State 35, Howard 21: The host Bears (6-6, 3-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) put together a 28-0 run to pull away from the Bison (4-8, 1-4). Morgan State won three of its last four games. Kobe Muasau completed 19 of 24 passes for 202 yards and two touchdowns, Jason Collins rushed for 114 yards and two scores while catching seven passes for 89 yards and Myles Miree added 99 yards from scrimmage and a score to lead the Bears. SUNY-Morrisville 21, Stevenson 18: Host SUNY-Morrisville (7-4) took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and never trailed Stevenson (5-6) in an Eastern College Athletic Conference Bowl game. The last time Stevenson appeared in the ECAC Bowl was 2017. SUNY-Morrisville extended its winning streak to four games.

Brian Blank is a finance scholar and Fed watcher who researches how companies navigate downturns and make financial decisions, as well as how markets process information. Brandy Hadley is a finance professor who leads a student-managed investment fund and studies corporate decision-makingand incentives. Together, they're also the resident economic oracles at The Conversation U.S., and their forecast for 2024 held up notably well. Here, they explain what to expect from 2025. New year, new questions Heading into 2024, we said the U.S. economy would likely continue growing, in spite of pundits' forecast that a recession would strike. The past year showcased strong economic growth, moderating inflation, and efficiency gains, leading most economists and the financial press to stop expecting a downturn. But what economists call "soft landings" – when an economy slows just enough to curb inflation, but not enough to cause a recession – are only soft until they aren't. As we turn to 2025, we're optimistic the economy will keep growing. But that's not without some caveats. Here are the key questions and risks we're watching as the U.S. rings in the new year. The Federal Reserve and interest rates Some people expected a downturn in 2022 – and again in 2023 and 2024 – due to the Federal Reserve's hawkish interest-rate decisions. The Fed raised rates rapidly in 2022 and held them high throughout 2023 and much of 2024. But in the last four months of 2024, the Fed slashed rates three times – most recently on Dec. 18. While the recent rate cuts mark a strategic shift, the paceof futurecuts is expected to slow in 2024, as Fed Chair Jerome Powell suggested at the December meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee. Markets have expected this change of pace for some time, but some economists remain concerned about heightened risks of an economic slowdown. When Fed policymakers set short-term interest rates, they consider whether inflation and unemployment are too high or low, which affects whether they should stimulate the economy or pump the brakes. The interest rate that neither stimulates nor restricts economic activity, often referred to as R* or the neutral rate, is unknown, which makes the Fed's job challenging. However, the terminal rate – which is where Fed policymakers expect rates will settle in for the long run – is now at 3%, which is the highest since 2016. This has led futures markets to wonder if a hiking cycle may be coming into focus, while others ask if the era of low rates is over. Inflation and economic uncertainty This shift in the Federal Reserve's approach underscores a key uncertainty for 2025: While some economists are concerned the recent uptick in unemployment may continue, others worry about sticky inflation. The Fed's challenge will be striking the right balance — continuing to support economic activity while ensuring inflation, currently hovering around 2.4%, doesn't reignite. We do anticipate that interest rates will stay elevated amid slowing inflation, which remains above the Fed's 2% target rate. Still, we're optimistic this high-rate environment won't weigh too heavily on consumers and the economy. While gross domestic product growth for the third quarter was revised up to 3.1% and the fourth quarter is projected to grow similarly quickly, in 2025 it could finally show signs of slowing from its recent pace. However, we expect it to continue to exceed consensus forecasts of 2.2% and longer-run expectations of 2%. Fiscal policy, tariffs and tax cuts: risks or tailwinds? While inflation has declinedfrom 9.1% in June 2022 to less than 3%, the Federal Reserve's 2% target remains elusive. Amid this backdrop, several new risks loom on the horizon. Key among them are potential tariff increases, which could disrupt trade, push up the prices of goods and even strengthen the U.S. dollar. The average effective U.S. tariff rate is 2%, but even a fivefold increase to 10% could escalate trade tensions, create economic challenges and complicate inflation forecasts. Consider that, historically, every 1% increase in tariff rates has resulted in a 0.1% higher annual inflation rate, on average. Still, we hope tariffs serve as more of a negotiating tactic for the incoming administration than an actual policy proposal. Tariffs are just one of several proposals from the incoming Trump administration that present further uncertainty. Stricter immigration policies could create labor shortages and increase prices, while government spending cuts could weigh down economic growth. Tax cuts – a likely policy focus – may offset some risk and spur growth, especially if coupled with productivity-enhancing investments. However, tax cuts may also result in a growing budget deficit, which is another risk to the longer-term economic outlook. Count us as two financial economists hoping only certain inflation measuresfall slower than expected, and everyone's expectations for future inflation remain low. If so, the Federal Reserve should be able to look beyond short-term changes in inflation and focus on metrics that are more useful for predicting long-term inflation. Consumer behavior and the job market Labor markets have softened but remain resilient. Hiring rates are normalizing, while layoffs and unemployment – 4.2%, up from 3.7% at the start of 2024 – remain low despite edging up. The U.S. economy could remain resilient into 2025, with continued growth in real incomes bolstering purchasing power. This income growth has supported consumer sentiment and reduced inequality, since low-income households have seen the greatest benefits. However, elevated debt balances, given increased consumer spending, suggest some Americans are under financial stress even though income growth has outpaced increases in consumer debt. While a higher unemployment rate is a concern, this risk to date appears limited, potentially due to labor hoarding – which is when employers are afraid to let go of employees they no longer require due to the difficulty in hiring new workers. Higher unemployment is also an issue the Fed has the tools to address – if it must. This leaves us cautiously optimistic that resilient consumers will continue to retain jobs, supporting their growing purchasing power. Equities and financial markets The outlook for 2025 remains promising, with continued economic growth driven by resilient consumer spending, steadying labor markets, and less restrictive monetary policy. Yet current price targets for stocks are at historic highs for a post-rally period, which is surprising and may offer reasons for caution. Higher-for-longer interest rates could put pressure on corporate debt levels and rate-sensitive sectors, such as housing and utilities. Corporate earnings, however, remain strong, buoyed by cost savings and productivity gains. Stock performance may be subdued, but underperforming or discounted stocks could rebound, presenting opportunities for gains in 2025. Artificial intelligence provides a bright spot, leading to recent outperformance in the tech-heavy NASDAQ and related investments. And onshoring continues to provide growth opportunities for companies reshaping supply chains to meet domestic demand. To be fair, uncertainty persists, and economists know forecasting is for the weather. That's why investors should alwaysremain well-diversified. But with inflation closer to the Fed's target and wages rising faster than inflation, we're optimistic that continued economic growth will pave the way for a financially positive year ahead. Here's hoping we get even more right about 2025 than we did this past year. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

By Dr. Gyan Pathak India’s flagship Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme announced in the Union Budget 2024-25 for decent job creation in the country did not take off even in mid-December 2024. Union Ministry of Finance is busy in making next Union Budget 2025-26, which will be tabled on February 1, 2025. India Inc is hesitant in joining the scheme, and Union Ministry of Labour and Employment is also not ready with the details of the scheme, which are likely to be notified in January 2025. EPFO is being revamped to implement the ELI Scheme. Union Ministry of Labour and Employment has held about two dozen meetings with EPFO officials and India Inc, to prepare the details of the schemes and implementation guidelines since last week of September, almost a month after the ELI Scheme was announced on July 23 in the Union Budget 2024-25. EPFO was ordered to insure that employers complete the first stage of the process of Universal Account Number (UAN) activation through Aadhaar-based OTP by November 30, 2024, starting with the latest joinee employees in the current financial year 2024-25. It was also said that in the second stage of the process, going forward, UAN activation was to be included in the state-of-the-art facility of Biometric authentication, through Face-recognition Technology. After that the employers will be required to complete the process for all employees working with them. It should also be noted that the Centre had already issued direction earlier to all ministries and departments to ensure payments of subsidy and incentives to beneficiaries of all schemes through Aadhaar Payment Bridge. Obviously, EPFO also required to ensure it for employers focused ELI scheme purportedly to create decent jobs in the country, since more than 90 per cent of the workforce in India are employed in informal jobs, both in informal sector and formal sector. ELI scheme is for formal sector, but in the last decade large number of them are informally employed through contracts, informally, or through outsourced agencies. EPFO and the India Inc just failed to complete the first stage of UAN activation by November 30. There was then no option but to extend the date. EPFO then issued a circular on December 4, 2024 extending the last date to link the UAN for the ELI scheme to December 15. Along with the extension of the deadline to activate UAN, the government has also extended the date for the Aadhaar seeding of bank accounts. EPFO wrote, “Dear Employers, the date of UAN activation and Aadhaar seeding of Bank Account has been extended till 15th December. Ensure to do the same for all employees who have joined in the current financial year, starting with the latest joinees, to avail the benefit of the Employment Linked Incentive scheme.” It was already expected not only because India Inc was hesitant and very slow in accepting the ELI scheme and not coming forward to complete the first stage of UAN activation by November 30, but also because the Union government is also yet to announce the details of the ELI Scheme. On December 11, just 4 days before the expiry of the extended date for employers to complete the first stage of UAN activation, Union Labour secretary Ms Sumita Dawra has urged India Inc to leverage the ELI Scheme while speaking at the Global Economic Policy Forum 2024 organised by CII. Urging industry to collaborate with the government she said, “ELI is designed to incentivise the hiring of additional workers, particularly in the manufacturing sector, by offsetting the cost of employing new workers. ... The scheme aims to boost labour formalisation enhance the employability of workers and support job creation in key manufacturing industries.” Obviously to lure even foreign multinational companies to work in India, she said India’s working age-population will constitute about 65% of its total population by 2030, positioning the country as a key player in addressing global labour shortages. Union Labour Secretary Ms Dawra also urged India Inc to leverage new technologies, policies and practices to make India a manufacturing powerhouse, citing the example of the country’s growing role as a hub for global capability centres (GCCs) that employ millions of Indians in sectors like engineering, technology and AI to contribute to global innovation while supporting the country’s domestic manufacturing capabilities. Union Labour Secretary Ms Dawra’s statements clearly show how desperate the Centre is to implement the ELI schemes but not able to push it forward despite the schemes seem on the surface very attractive. Three schemes A, B, and C would give Rs10,000 crore subsidies to employers under ELI scheme through EPFO for every new membership, and it was claimed that it would generate 8 million jobs, apart from skilling 10 million youths over the next five years. The Union government is struggling to formulate appropriate guidelines for the scheme for the last three months and has held meetings with representatives of employers, employees, research and academic institutions, multilateral organisations, apart from officials of various government ministries and departments including EPFO. Union labour secretary has said in the CII Global Economic Policy Forum, “I do hope the industry will be looking at the ELIs, and will be using them to make themselves more competitive.” It shows uncertainly about the effectiveness of the ELI scheme in the present form especially in regard to creation of large number of decent jobs in India. ( IPA Service )

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Could this happen to my company? That was surely one of the questions running through the minds of the assembled tech leaders and founders attending the tell-all fireside chat between Sampler founder and former CEO Marie Chevrier Schwartz and BetaKit editor-in-chief Douglas Soltys at SAAS NORTH 2024 on Nov. 13. “In hindsight, [the pandemic] made me, as a leader, ultimately ignore some of the fundamentals of the business that were very difficult.” On The BetaKit Keynote Stage at SAAS NORTH, an “extremely nervous” Schwartz unpacked the factors that led to her decade-old business folding after earlier this year. Schwartz, who had not spoken publicly on Sampler’s shuttering until after BetaKit’s story in August, told the SAAS NORTH audience she had decided to tackle the stigma surrounding failure. She hoped to let everyone in attendance know that they’ll likely fail at some point too—and that’s OK. “In my reflection, I realized that if I was feeling lonely, and 80 to 90 percent of businesses fail, then there’s a lot of people who have felt lonely, and a lot of people who will feel lonely,” she said. “If I could be an example of someone who survived through that failure, perhaps we as a community of founders could rebound faster [in the future.]” “I’m using failure with intent today, because I don’t want to be ashamed of saying ‘failure,’ Schwartz added. “In many ways, it’s not a failure. But people might label it as that, and I think that’s OK.” Founded in 2014 and based in Toronto, Sampler created a digital platform for product samples of consumer packaged goods (CPGs). Working with clients like Unilever and L’Oreal, and retailers like Kroger, Sampler reached 4.5 million users across Canada and the United States, with 1,000 CPG brands and agencies as customers and $10 million in annual recurring revenue. At the date of its bankruptcy filing, Sampler had total liabilities of $12.9 million and total assets of more than $300,000. Addressing the attentive crowd, Schwartz detailed what went wrong at the company. From her perspective, Sampler suffered from a series of market shifts from which it could not recover. “In summary, Sampler lost product-market fit 10 years into running its business.” Schwartz noted the COVID-19 pandemic “significantly accelerated” Sampler’s business initially as consumers moved away from brick-and-mortar stores and squarely into its domain of online retail. The former CEO said she took this as a signal to significantly invest in the business and gear up for international expansion, but acknowledged it likely wasn’t the right move. “In hindsight, [the pandemic] made me, as a leader, ultimately ignore some of the fundamentals of the business that were very difficult,” Schwartz said. She added that, while Sampler positioned itself as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company for the sake of fundraising, the company was ultimately beholden to the constraints of the physical, not digital world—namely, shipping and logistics. “At the end of the day, we had something like a 35 to 40 percent margin. We had very difficult unit economics,” she confessed. In the midst of a pandemic-fuelled surge in demand, the low margins didn’t matter as much. But when the impacted Sampler’s CPG customers, the reality was laid bare. As boats full of goods sat in ports, CPG brands were missing key ingredients for their products, Schwartz explained. If a potato chip manufacturer couldn’t stock shelves with product, they weren’t going to provide samples. Sampler continued to see growth until it was hit with the higher shipping costs that followed in the pandemic’s wake. The United States Postal Service increased Sampler’s delivery costs by 200 percent, according to Schwartz, eating further into the company’s margins. As the world began to open back up Sampler’s customers were then very eager to return to in-person shopping. “All of us wanted to go pick our veggies again, so that was bad for the business,” Schwartz said. “In summary, Sampler lost product-market fit 10 years into running its business.” Amid these troubles, and one year before declaring bankruptcy, Sampler became a buyer to try and expand its business while courting a Series B funding round to extend its runway. Sampler beauty industry digital sampling agency Abeo in April 2023 to strengthen its underperforming beauty category and accelerate its expansion into Europe and the United States. The company’s second acquisition, , came three months later. The artificial intelligence-powered software was meant to help brands and their agencies create data-driven, user-generated content promotions. Sampler hoped it could start leveraging its large dataset to monetize new features following a more conventional SaaS business model that Schwartz hoped would provide the company higher margins. “We were very confident that the strategy would hit traction fast enough for us to raise our next round,” Schwartz said before taking a short beat. “We were unable to raise the next round.” Schwartz said her investors were with her “in the trenches,” sending her meals and offering to hire a nanny as she tried to juggle her company’s woes while expecting a baby. The CEO also made clear to the audience that it was her responsibility to find new investors who would get her company to the Series B level. But the market demand wasn’t there, and Schwartz claimed she was fundraising while a “huge exit” of venture capital from the CPG space was taking place. Ultimately, all those factors together signalled that her business was no longer viable. Toward the end of the conversation, Schwartz acknowledged that she wasn’t the only one affected by Sampler’s failure, noting its impact on investors, partners, and employees. She detailed how it felt to lose everything she built her professional identity around, while navigating the confusing process of bankruptcy. “What happens in bankruptcy is that, one day, you have everybody working together, and then the next day there’s ,” she recalled. “Your email gets shut down. You have to return your laptop, it’s gone.” “You don’t have any funds left, right?” Schwartz later added. “So you can’t pay the lawyer, you can’t pay the accountant, your investors are in a conflict and so, frankly, there’s just nothing for you to find.” Schwartz noted that being open about Sampler’s failure has helped create a support network as rediscovers her passions. Now the CEO of tech community organization , she’s dedicating her time to supporting those taking on “the extreme sport of building technology companies.” Schwartz currently has at least one person per week asking for her help navigating the unspoken parts of the bankruptcy process, reinforcing that Sampler’s struggles are not an isolated incident in Canadian tech. She is working with “a few folks” on a project to help make that process easier to understand, and made a pitch to accounting or law firms in attendance at SAAS NORTH for their support. Soltys concluded the conversation with one more prompt for introspection, asking Sampler’s former CEO what she would say to the Marie Chevrier Schwartz of 2013. “You are going to come out of this the wealthiest person ever,” Schwartz concluded, taking another beat. “In experience.”I spoke to college students after the election. Here's how to make them care more about politics

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