MSCI, the venerated New York-based architect of stock market indexes, will be back someday to reevaluate Taiwan after deciding last year the capital market was emerging, not developed. MSCI found “absence of any significant improvements in key areas negatively affecting accessibility in the…equity markets for the past few years.” That leaves Taiwan shares in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.

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Over the last few years, several studies reported that health problems can be caused by sitting for long periods of time. As those studies were released, the commercial market for standing desks has been taking off. After having worked in a consulting job for fifteen years where he was mostly sitting down, Washington D.C. based engineer Jamie Terbeest came up with an interesting take on a standing desk.
How did he come up with the idea? Terbeest started to think outside of the box after he was going to lose his home office for a nursery because his wife was expecting a daughter. And since Terbeest lived in a big city apartment, he was already confined to minimal space. Terbeest did not have any luck searching for a standing desk that utilized minimal real estate so he decided to make one of his own. At the TechShop maker-space, Terbeest utilized CNC machines and 3D modeling software to build several iterations of his idea. The final result is an ergonomic and eco-friendly standing desk called StandCrafted.
The StandCrafted desk consists of the StandCrafted Spine and modules that mount to a wall near an electrical power source. It can be mounted to drywall, a wall stud or masonry. The Spine has over 10 slots allowing modules to be reconfigured easily to support various functions. The back of the Spine also acts as a cable manager so you can hide computer plugs and adapters to maintain an aesthetically appealing workspace. There are three eco-friendly material options for the StandCrafted desk, including LEED-certified recyclable plastic with 8 color options, LEED-certified bamboo, and responsibly forested maple hardwood.
StandCrafted is currently running a Kickstarter campaign. The Kickstarter version of the StandCrafted desk includes 4 modules that support a monitor, a small table, a keyboard/trackpad/mount, and a laptop. The monitor module attaches to any recent model monitor so that it can be positioned relative to a person’s eye level. The table module can hold a coffee cup, a tablet, etc. The keyboard and trackpad mount is compatible with PC and Mac peripherals, which can be adjusted for your wrist so that your hands do not ache. At the base of the module, there is a laptop module where you can easily place and remove your PC or Mac. The Standcrafted team is also currently prototyping additional modules, including a drafting table module supporting a tablet or small open laptop and a multi-monitor system, that will be compatible with the StandCrafted Spine.
In 2013, the sales of standing desks increased over 50%. Standing desks have been popular for about 20 years in Europe, but it recently became a trend in the U.S. especially in the technology sector. There is a lot of competition in the standing desk market, including products made by companies like Ergo Depot, NextDesk, iCraze and Stand Steady. However, StandCrafted’s form factor is ideal for small offices, warehouses and medical environments like a doctor, dentist or physical therapist office.
StandCrafted is designed in Washington D.C., manufactured in Maryland, and wood-sourced in the Northeast USA. If the Kickstarter campaign successfully raises $70,000, StandCrafted will be able to fulfill supplier volume.
Unlike most other Kickstarter campaigns, StandCrafted is ready for production once the campaign is complete. Below is a video with more information about StandCrafted:

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If the San Bernardino shooter did manage to take a loan out with online marketplace lender Prosper — as new reports are indicating — it would have been perfectly legal. Here’s why.

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